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In American TV show "The Office" S2E12, Michael stepped onto his grill and burned his foot. Jim asked Michael "Where are you shipping your foot?"

What did Jim mean? What's the meaning of "ship foot"?

1 Answer 1

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This question couldn't be answered without context. Fortunately, I remember the context: Michael has wrapped his foot in bubble wrap (as a makeshift bandage).

Usually we use bubble wrap as packing material, wrapping it around fragile objects to prevent them from being broken when they are transported.

Jim thinks it's silly that Michael has used bubble wrap as a bandage. He teases him by asking, "where are you shipping your foot [that's wrapped in bubble wrap - since if it's wrapped in bubble wrap, it must be packed for shipping]?"

ship verb

1 b : to cause to be transported

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ship

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    Under the guise of providing an addition example for English learners, I will recount an old gag from Leave it to Beaver. Ward came home and June announced to Beaver that today was a big day for Daddy, he'd gotten a promotion, and now he was in charge of Shipping Clerks. And Beaver looked up at his dad and earnestly asked, "Where do you ship 'em, Dad?".
    – CCTO
    Commented Mar 20, 2020 at 14:25
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    Just a little more specifically, in everyday life, shipping an object is most likely to mean sending it as a package through the mail. In industrial settings and so on, shipping can of course mean other kinds of transport, but I think the sending through the mail meaning is what this joke is specifically referring to.
    – PLL
    Commented Mar 21, 2020 at 18:28

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