What's an 'oppo' ?

robertrabbit

Hi

Sorry for the random question but I asked for someone to give me a call '"and make sure it's him and not one of his 'oppos".

I was asked "what's an 'oppo" ? Does anyone know where it came from ? I know what I mean ie a minion, assistant, helper, but I don't know where to refer the original question to in order to prove I haven't made it up (have I ?)

markhewitt1978

Perhaps from "Opposite Number"

Edit: http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictio ... glish/oppo "(slang) a counterpart in another organization" - so I think my guess above is correct.

RideOnTime

Could be demeaning as in from "opportunity school" - a place where spastics or underachievers are sent to get them out of the mainstream education system. (harsh). :shock:

but I think they mean not one of the operational people ie a subordinate.

arran77

'Oppo' is a derogatory term in my books, someone lesser than yourself.

veronese68

I reckon it's an abbreviation of operative. Now being superseded by the slightly more derogatory 'minion'.

dhobiwallah

OPPO
Naval slang - short for opposite number - for the person doing the same job
as one's self in another watch or ship. In the former case, since you
relieved each other (in the old two-watch days), it behoved you to become
friends; thus the word Oppo came to mean Chum. On a two-watch watchbill, the
name of a man's 'opposite number' in the other watch was shewn against his
own name in the opposite column.

In common military use now simply to mean mate or colleague. Certainly not derogatory (or used to mean subordinate) - but perhaps the term has developed a civvy life of its own...

crumbschief

Italian word for frog.

MrJoe23

Chinese phone manufacturer, could he have chinese contacts?

rc856

[/quote]

In common military use now simply to mean mate or colleague. Certainly not derogatory (or used to mean subordinate) - but perhaps the term has developed a civvy life of its own...[/quote]

This for me too

bobtbuilder

crumbschief wrote:

Italian word for frog.

It would be great if this was the meaning that was intended. "and make sure it's him and not one of his frogs".

robertrabbit

bobtbuilder wrote:

crumbschief wrote:

Italian word for frog.

It would be great if this was the meaning that was intended. "and make sure it's him and not one of his frogs".

yes, yes, yes that's exactly what I meant

It was a saying passed down from my dad when we used to work together, I might just have to accept that he made it up and I have fallen for it !

disquieting_museeuws

From the online OED:

Etymology: Shortened < opposite number n. at opposite n., adj., adv., and prep. Special uses.
slang (orig. Services' slang).

= opposite number n. at opposite n., adj., adv., and prep. Special uses. Occas.: a sweetheart, partner, or spouse.

1932 S. Knock Clear Lower Deck xxxvi. 262 On the bridge, he chuckles to his oppo, and in due course the messdeck gossips discuss their chaplain's penchant for the semi-nude.
1942 Gen 1 Sept. 13/2 A sweetheart or companion in the navy is an ‘oppo’.
1967 D. Reeman Deep Silence iii. 48 Me an' the kid is oppos, see?
1971 B. W. Aldiss Soldier Erect 101 He's dotty on them W** gods, aren't you, Stubby, me old oppo?
1989 Daily Tel. 11 Mar. (Weekend Suppl.) p. iv/6 Lightning and his oppo take over the ladles.
2002 Western Mail (Cardiff) (Nexis) 29 Aug. (Sport section) 26 As for his oppo..his Test batting average was 112.00.

---

opposite number n. a person or (occas.) organization holding an equivalent place or fulfilling an equivalent role to another specified person or organization in a different country, group, institution, etc.; a partner, a counterpart.

napoleond

I call my peers my oppos. As in the person I operate with. In no way derogatory.

florerider

In oil/petrochems the process operators were often called oppos. Not derogatory at all.

veronese68

Interesting to hear the true meaning and origin. When I hear it it's usually used in the context of getting someone else to do something, hence my misunderstanding of the term.

RideOnTime

I think some of you 'oppo's are misunderstanding.

Now where's the Sugar Lord.

nunowoolmez

At work we have slang terms for drivers & operators when on patrol.

Driver - 'Drives'
Operator - 'Oppo'

For example. "Who's your oppo today?"

Mikey23

Isn't it a large African quadruped that hangs around in rivers?

sloppyschleckonds

arran77 wrote:

'Oppo' is a derogatory term in my books, someone lesser than yourself.

Hi Vtec!

schweiz

Oppo for me was just someone in a another department or company who you were dealing with. So my 'oppo' would be an Engineer whereas when I asked the puchasing guy in my team to call his Oppo at anothe company, I was aking him to call their purchasing/contracts department.

smoggysteve

Very common squaddie term. We call workmates "Oppos" all the time.

gavbarron

At sea it's your opposite number, as in workmates. Not derogatory

team47b

It's a word that military wannabes use to show how sad their lives have become

sloppyschleckonds

team47b wrote:

It's a word that military wannabes use to show how sad their lives have become

Catering corp?

smoggysteve

team47b wrote:

It's a word that military wannabes use to show how sad their lives have become

Must admit hearing civvies using military jargon is right up there with seeing people wear DPM camouflage pattern clothing as fashion.

seanoconn

Oppo = Opponent. 8)

team47b

SmoggySteve wrote:

team47b wrote:

It's a word that military wannabes use to show how sad their lives have become

Must admit hearing civvies using military jargon is right up there with seeing people wear DPM camouflage pattern clothing as fashion.

That's civvies mufti

keef66

SmoggySteve wrote:

team47b wrote:

It's a word that military wannabes use to show how sad their lives have become

Must admit hearing civvies using military jargon is right up there with seeing people wear DPM camouflage pattern clothing as fashion.

Well my dad was in the navy for years and I grew up on a diet rich in naval slang. Food was inevitably scran, the laundry was dobying, and wherever we went we navigated via port, starboard, ahead and astern. I was joining him in having a tot of rum in my morning coffee at the age of 12. Oppo to me has always meant opposite number; certainly not a derogatory term.

secretsam

dhobiwallah wrote:

In common military use now simply to mean mate or colleague. Certainly not derogatory (or used to mean subordinate) - but perhaps the term has developed a civvy life of its own...

+1