I've never heard it called that before

I've never heard it called that before

1. Used literally to indicate that one is unfamiliar with the term for something that someone just used. A: "I'm really chuffed with my exam results!" B: "'Chuffed'? What the heck does that mean?" A: "You know, happy? Pleased?" B: "Huh. I've never heard it called that before."

2. Used to indicate that something the other person said is or could be a euphemism for something. A: "Where did Paula and Jason go?" B: "They said they were going back to Jason's apartment to study." A: "I've never heard it called that before. In my day we called it 'hooking up'!" A: "Apparently, the new album is meant to be an homage to the Beatles." B: "An 'homage'? I've never heard it called that before. To me it's just a no-talent hack ripping off a bunch of the Beatles' most famous songs."

See also: before, call, hear, never, that

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.