Learn English – What does (the expression) “to stir the paint” mean

expressionsphrases

In today's Family Guy episode, called Seahorse Seashell Party, when Meg was complaining to her mother Lois, her father Peter came to her and whispered something in her ear. Then Meg said:

Meg: (complaining) And you never let dad stir the paint anymore, whatever that means.
Peter: I didn't know you knew that, Meg, but I'm glad you brought it up.

Any idea what does the phrase mean? I guess it's sex-related, but I'm not 100% sure.

EDIT/UPDATE

So far the answers say that the phrase means to have sex while the woman is menstruating. This sounds plausible and fits, but the answers are backed up by the entry in the Urban Dictionary, which was created right after the Family Guy episode aired. Therefore, I assume people simply guessed what the phrase means and submitted it to the Urban Dictionary and thus I don't consider it to be a reliable source in this case.

Best Answer

The phrase stir the paint is not standard slang. It cannot be found in this UK dictionary of slang, this slang site, this other slang dictionary, or this published dictionary of slang. However, there are similar phrases which have sexual meanings. According to the Cassell's Dictionary of Slang, these are some of the slang uses of stir as a verb:

  • stir fudge--1960s, to perform anal intercourse

  • stir it up--1950s, to masturbate

  • stir one's stew, stir the batter, stir the sauce--1950s+, see stir it up

  • stir shit--go out of one's way to make trouble

  • stir the porridge--1980s, Australia, to have sexual intercourse with a woman immediately after she has had intercourse with another man, esp. used of the final man in a gang-rape

  • stir the possum--to create a disturbance

  • stir the stew--1900-1910s, to have sexual intercourse

So there is a highly sexual connotation to stir that has been around since the 1900s. It seems likely that stir the paint is similarly sexual, although it is not documented before the Family Guy episode aired. Thus it is also likely that Family Guy coined the phrase, but did so based on these preexisting meanings. I would hazard a guess that the "paint" is menstrual blood.

It is similarly possible that stir the paint is not sexual at all, but instead refers to some dynamic between the two parents in which Lois will not let Peter do tiny things like stir paint, but given the nature of the humor in Family Guy I doubt this.

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