Him: "I'm pushing 40." Her: "I don't think 40's pushing back very hard."

[BlueIris]

Is her comment meant as a compliment or an insult? This is part of a conversation I overheard two grownups who were sleeping together have a while back and I've been trying to figure out whether her remark was or could be intended as complimentary or not ever since. She said it in an ambiguous tone of voice and his response was also kinda ambiguous, so I really don't get how it was intended or received or should have been intended/received. Your opinion?

[Kutjara]

1. Sounds to me like she was saying...

..."I don't believe you're under 40," or maybe, "you certainly don't look far under 40."

[BlueIris]

2. Anyone else?

[zonkers]

4. No, I rethought it , you guys are right. Not aa compliment.

[wildhorses]

3. I agree with Kujara

I think she was trying to say that he was right on the money...40 exactly :shrug:

[BlueIris]

5. See, I think compliment. Because I think the expression

"I'm pushing 40," means pushing it away from you. If it's not pushing back very hard, you're succeeding in keeping it at bay. It's being pushed away and it doesn't care to push back in order to put you in your place.

[MissMillie]

9. Yeah, that's how I see it too

:hi:

[Hosnon]

6. My first thought was that it wasn't a compliment. If 40 were pushing back

hard, it would mean to me that 40 was unwilling to accept you yet.

[LeftyMom]

7. Perhaps that's just how they relate, teasing each other

Maybe there was some mean spiritedness to it, but it could also have been innocuous. Unless you know a bit more about thier relationship, it's sometimes hard to say.

[tjwmason]

8. I utterly fail to see how it could be a compliment.

Depending on tone and context it could be neutral, especially if in a light-hearted manner - but could also be an insult.

[Deep13]

10. She means he doesn't look old.

[BlueIris]

11. Any more thoughts?

:-)

[Random_Australian]

12. Sorry, but the Senate just passed a bill outlawing thoughts.

And Santa.

[billyskank]

13. Could have been simply a dumb thing to say

not meant as an insult, but possibly interpreted that way, and later regretted. :shrug: