napoo

napoo

A soldier exclaims "Napoo!" as his ammunition runs out.

Definition

  1. Interjection:

    • An exclamation meaning "finished," "gone," or "no more": "napoo" was used in military slang, especially during World War I, to indicate that something is over, destroyed, or no longer available. It conveys a sense of finality or loss.

  2. Adjective (informal, dated):

    • Finished, dead, or rendered useless: Used to describe a person or thing that is no longer functional or alive.
    • Gone or disappeared: Something that has vanished or been eliminated.
Usage Examples

  • Interjection:

    • When the soldier saw his rations were empty, he shrugged and said, "Napoo!" (Meaning: "It's all gone, nothing left.")
    • "Napoo, mate — the enemy tank is destroyed!" (Meaning: "Finished, no more threat.")

  • Adjective:

    • After the explosion, the entire building was napoo. (Meaning: The building was completely destroyed or rendered unusable.)
    • The old car is napoo — it won't start again. (Meaning: The car is beyond repair, essentially dead.)
Advanced Usage

  • "To go napoo": to become finished or destroyed.

    • The plan went napoo when the funding was cut. (The plan failed or was abandoned.)

  • Napoo as a slang term in historical context: The word originated from French "n’y a plus" (there is no more), adopted by British soldiers in World War I. It is now largely obsolete but appears in historical fiction or discussions of military slang.

Variants and Related Words

  • Napooh (variant spelling): an alternative spelling with the same meaning.

    • He declared the mission napooh after the retreat. (The mission was over.)

  • Napooed (adjective, informal): in a state of being finished or destroyed.

    • The soldiers felt napooed after the long march. (Exhausted or defeated.)
Synonyms
  • Finished: completed or ended.
  • Done for: ruined or doomed.
  • Kaput: broken or no longer working (slang, German origin, similar usage).
  • All gone: completely used up or vanished.
Related Idioms

  • "Napoo and no more": a colloquial phrase meaning something is completely over.

    • The party was napoo and no more by midnight. (The party had ended entirely.)

  • "Napoo the lot": an exclamation meaning everything is lost or finished.

    • When the ship sank, the captain muttered, "Napoo the lot." (Everything was gone.)