Inappropriate/unsuitable

[vienna1981]

In the last thirty years or so the word
"fit" seems to increasingly have been used to describe a person's level of physical attractiveness. However, I have never used the word in such a context, considering it either inappropriate or unsuitable, or even slightly vulgar or disrespectful. Maybe I've just got a verbal rod up my back or I'm a little old-fashioned or uptight.

FWIW, I would describe an attractive woman (I am a 43 year-old male) as just that, or I might say she is a bonny or pretty girl or even a beautiful woman, depending on how much my boat is floated, so to speak. But never "fit". It doesn't sit very well with me at all.

AIBU ?

Procrast. No I'm not.

Here (south Wales), fit can be used to describe a child who is super cheeky/clever. An Alicia from Malory Towers type. The first time I heard it (working in a school) I was aghast, as I thought the teacher was using it to mean attractive. Although maybe it was just that teacher, as I don't think I've ever heard anyone else use it to mean that!

Fit or hot. Fit if i'm describing celebs or something, hot if i'm describing an actual real person I see on the street, or DP.

I don't use fit - I thought it was a teenage thing so it grates a bit with me.

I'm from the SW, now in SE. I happily use Love, Lovely, Lover, Darling for all ages and genders. I use Ladies for females and Gentlemen or Gents for males - again, all ages.

I get some raised eyebrows here, but they seem to conclude I'm harmless

Girls or Boys for adults, I don't mind in general. However, I do get irritated if someone refers to Girls and Men - that does seem patronising to me.

Agree with OP. I'd personally never use the expression 'fit' as it sounds cheap and smutty to me.

Also, perfectly happy to refer to grown men & women as boys/girls. Also, don't have a problem being called 'love, chicken, me duck, flower...'
I think it's just local dialect.

"Fit" is awful. Leary, sleazy and, I'm struggling for a better word, common.

"Girl" best avoided for a grown up but Scottish/ Northern "lass" "lassie" and Doric "quine" can be charming, respectful and affectionate

"Now boast thee, death, in thy possession lies A lass unparalleled." is beautiful and he was talking about a grown-up woman

Also, don't have a problem being called 'love, chicken, me duck, flower...'
I think it's just local dialect.

Me neither. And agree "girls and boys" is fine but not "girls and men"

i like a man to treat me with respect and hold a door open for me if someone says they don't like that then that's o.k, but to me it's a courtsey thing, i hold doors for people, help people with pushchairs etc. i agree with feminism to a degree but do feel sometimes it goes a bit to far, but then i'm 50 and so possibly past caring anyway about trivia.

Mrsfuzzy do you mean you think feminism is trivia? I'm 57 and glad to say I haven't given up caring, for myself, my daughter and potential future granddaughters. I also like having doors held open if the alternative is having it shut in my face, but that applies whether the person preceding me is male or female, and likewise I would hold the door for a person following me.

The " holding a door open" is such a canard. In fact I'd have said it was a dead duck I haven't heard it for so long.

I expect the OP like most people knows , that, as Charlie says , it's a polite thing to do /have done to you regardless of gender.

charlie, whilst i have brought my two daughters up to think for themselves and be strong independent women, i'm don't see the point of looking for feminist issues in everything, because i think it can go over the top, it's like political correctness, it gets to the point when it gets tedious and irritating, looking for slights where there aren't any.

I think you have missed the point of the OP's question. I don't dislike "fit" because of sexism/ feminism. It's just a ghastly exression.

'fit' is vulgar and yes, i'm going to say it -chavvy. what happened to good looking, attractive, nice looks ? fit is only fit for the gym bunny types.

Glad to see some folk agree that 'fit' isn't a suitable synonym for 'attractive', 'good-looking' etc. It appears to be a northern England thing. I never knew it meant clever or cheeky in Wales.

I don't think it is a regional thing. It's awful but I don't think you can blame Northerners for it.