na-na na-na boo-boo

alternative na na na na boo boo · alternative nanny nanny boo boo · alternative na-na na-na na-na · alternative na na na na na na · alternative nanny nanny moo moo · alternative neener

1. CanadaUSchildishcolloquialderogatoryhumorousidiomaticoftentauntA taunt or putdown, typically used to indicate that the speaker believes they has beaten the listener in a competition or is better in some other way or in a general sense; or an expression of satisfaction that the listener has received some supposedly deserved minor punishment or misfortune (that is to say, schadenfreude).First known use c. mid 20th century?

   ... is that the educators out there aren't aware of this, they don't know it or what? Ms. Bolinger. It's like na na na na boo boo, make me do it. [Laughter.] ...

   1992, Committee on Labor and Human Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Second Congress, first session, Oversight on the status of special education in Iowa: hearing before the Subcommittee on Disability Policy of the Committee on Labor and Human Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Second Congress, first session, examining the major issues facing students, parents, teachers, related ..., Alternate ISBN: →ISBN, →ISBN, page 82

   1 more example

   [Translator's note by David R. Slavitt] ...here is to make clear that this is a display of Schadenfreude, an elegant cocking of the snooks, a protracted "Na-na, na-na, boo-boo," a symphonic Bronx cheer!

   1998, Aeschylus, edited by David R. Slavitt and Palmar Bovie, Aeschylus, 2: The Persians. Seven against Thebes. The Suppliants. Prometheus bound, Alternate ISBN: →ISBN, →ISBN, page 5