dot dot dot

English

Etymology

A reference to the ellipsis (…).

Noun

dot dot dot (plural dot dot dots)

1. (colloquial) An ellipsis.
   • 2001 May 8, Darin Horton, “build button, dot dot dot, ellipse”, in microsoft.public.access.forms‎^[1] (Usenet), message-ID <urUrrh71AHA.956@tkmsftngp03>:

     Is there a way, other then creating my own command button, that I can get the dot dot dot button next to a field on my form in Access 2000.

   • 2001 October 29, Matt Lane, “Making a Recordset Field Cut short with dot dot dot! Help !”, in macromedia.ultradev‎^[2] (Usenet), message-ID <B802F5BA.25E0%mlane@thefoundationdesign.com>:

     [the words dot dot dot are in the title]
     How do I make a recordset field which may be cut short like on a search engine so it only displays a certain ammount of characters and then ends ...?

   • 2009 September 27, Chip Eastham, “Re: Repetition-Operator in mathematical formulas?”, in sci.math‎^[3] (Usenet), message-ID <601c1c83-5906-4713-95de-8cb76d47762e@p23g2000vbl.googlegroups.com>:

     The "dot-dot-dot" (ellipsis) is commonly used to indicate omitted terms or signs of the kind you ask about.

Interjection

dot dot dot

1. (colloquial) As if adding an ellipsis in the middle of speech, indicates a pause, an omission or an unfinished thought.

   Let me read this part of the note for the court reporter: "Either meet my demands or dot dot dot.".

   • 2003 February 17, :-O< 8@:-O.:-O, “**IF I WAS JOE MILLIONAIRE, DOT DOT DOT******”, in alt.tv.real-world‎^[4] (Usenet), message-ID <fe835v0d383qv7bnsnpdda4jhlt0rqkv7o@4ax.com>:

     IF I WAS JOE MILLIONAIRE, DOT DOT DOT******
     I would have picked Eric from celebrity mole, lol.

   • 2006 June 13, turtoni, “I require your attention, because... dot-dot-DOT”, in alt.philosophy‎^[5] (Usenet), message-ID <GNWdnXo89tZ5zhPZnZ2dnUVZ_q2dnZ2d@comcast.com>:

     [the original text is stylized across multiple lines]
     I need water, food, "shelter", emotions AND... dot-dot-DOT a reason.

   • 2013, "Lawnmower Dog", season 1, episode 2 of Rick and Morty

     [Rick and Morty survived being killed inside Mr. Goldenfold and found their house crowded with robot-armored dogs.]

     Morty: What the Hell?

     Rick: Out of the frying pan, dot, dot, dot, huh, Morty?