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Failed to get "One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do"

 
 
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 11:01 am
What does "do the loneliest number" mean there?

Context:

One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do, unless, of course, you’re a hermaphroditic worm.

The free-living flatworm Macrostomum hystrix prefers to mate with others of its species; but if placed in isolation, the independent worm will do the nasty on its own for the sake of reproduction. Unfortunately, there’s still a price to pay for being a loner: In order to self-inseminate, worms have to inject sperm into their own heads.

It’s a gruesome reproductive technique that scientists call “cephalo-traumatic secretion transfer via a hypodermic penile appendage.” How romantic.

More:
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2015/09/18/flatworms-stab-heads/#.VfxB2yXvNZA
 
View best answer, chosen by oristarA
ehBeth
 
  3  
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 11:12 am
@oristarA,
Quote:
"One" is a song written by Harry Nilsson and made famous by Three Dog Night whose cover in 1969 reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] The song is known for its opening line "One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do". Nilsson wrote the song after calling someone and getting a busy signal. He stayed on the line listening to the "beep, beep, beep, beep..." tone, writing the song. The busy signal became the opening notes of the song.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_(Harry_Nilsson_song)



0 Replies
 
maxdancona
 
  2  
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 11:13 am
@oristarA,
It is a humorous reference to a famous American song from the 1960s.


0 Replies
 
oristarA
 
  1  
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 08:39 pm
Thank you both.
I think the use of the word "do" puzzled me.
Does it refer to "call" here?
maxdancona
 
  2  
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 08:42 pm
@oristarA,
I am guessing they used the word "do" just because it rhymes with "two". That's the only way it makes sense to me.
oristarA
 
  1  
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 08:44 pm
@maxdancona,
maxdancona wrote:

I am guessing they used the word "do" just because it rhymes with "two". That's the only way it makes sense to me.



Looks like poetic license has been used there?
0 Replies
 
ehBeth
  Selected Answer
 
  2  
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 08:47 pm
@oristarA,
No.

Look at the context you've provided.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=I+mean%2C+I%27d+do+her

In that context, do is a coarse way to say "have intercourse with"
ehBeth
 
  1  
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 08:50 pm
@oristarA,
do

oristarA wrote:

Context:

One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do, unless, of course, you’re a hermaphroditic worm.

The free-living flatworm Macrostomum hystrix prefers to mate with others of its species; but if placed in isolation, the independent worm will do the nasty on its own for the sake of reproduction. Unfortunately, there’s still a price to pay for being a loner: In order to self-inseminate, worms have to inject sperm into their own heads.

It’s a gruesome reproductive technique that scientists call “cephalo-traumatic secretion transfer via a hypodermic penile appendage.” How romantic.


the author mashed a song and a piece of slang together
oristarA
 
  1  
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 08:58 pm
@ehBeth,
Sexcellent.
ehBeth
 
  1  
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 09:00 pm
@oristarA,
ha!
oristarA
 
  1  
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 09:15 pm
@ehBeth,
Well, God made the reproductive technique excellent.
0 Replies
 
chai2
 
  1  
Reply Fri 18 Sep, 2015 10:14 pm
@ehBeth,
ehBeth wrote:

No.

Look at the context you've provided.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=I+mean%2C+I%27d+do+her

In that context, do is a coarse way to say "have intercourse with"


You mean it's about self abuse? Shocked

I.....I never knew.
0 Replies
 
 

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