Talk Southern

When I tease Cynthia, as I occasionally do, she is likely to tell me to "hesh up" -- a relic of the time she spent as a child with her grandmother in Virginia. When I saw these impressive headphones as I was walking through the local Fred Meyer branch today, I logically assumed they were so named because of their noise canceling abilities. Apparently I was wrong.

A Google search turned up several meanings for hesh, including the one I was familiar with, but the marketing choice this name was perhaps influenced by this definition from urban dictionary.com:

Hesh comes from 1980's skateboard and crossover heavy metal vernacular, derived from 'hessian' to denote Germanic warriors and soldiers. Fashionwise, 'hesh' people took cues from the 2nd wave British heavy metal, LA hardcore, and Mexican 'cholo'/lowrider ,and '80's skaterat subcultures. 'Hesh', when used as an adjective, means cool, couraeous, reckless, and describes the nihilisic, hedonistic lifestyles of these modern bon vivants. Heavy marijuana use is a central part of hesh culture.

"Josh is hesh, he's down for whatever."

"That hesh skaterat just asked me for some spare change, it was intimidating."

"Hesh sesh (session) in the park on Saturday, smoke a bowl, hit the ramps,then we'll get tacos and skate to the beach and have a bonfire"