Being precious about something

It has recently come to my attention that some people for whom English is the native language have nevertheless never heard of the phrase "is a bit precious": http://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/a-one-minute-chess-game

It seems they are only aware of the dictionary definition of "precious" as in "valuable", and never heard it used sarcastically, as when someone is acting as if something was precious when it is in fact most definitely not. Examples abound and I am a little surprised that they considered this an error on my part LOL

Have you heard of this phrase used in this way before? Have you used it this way yourself? Would it never occur to you to use it in this way? I'm interested, because I thought it was pretty commonly understood.

I'd ask in that other thread, but it seems like that person has blocked me from posting there while still replying to my latest post and trying to make it look like I've quit the conversation... 

Actually, no - as far as I know, "precocious" is really only ever used in the dictionary sense of being a little bit cheeky, a little bit chutzpah, a little bit unpleasant, whereas "precious" can be used to convey a meaning opposite to its dictionary definition of "important" or "valuable": as I said, there are plenty of examples to be found, but here's a discussion about it at http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/61934/in-what-occasion-could-the-word-precious-be-taken-disapprovingly-or-sarcastic

So you've never used the word in this way?

Must be the way you Aussies use our precious English language Dave!

Wow, it seems incorrect word usage is the least of your problems. Spelling and grammar, um, yeah. LOL

"trying to protray yourself as"

"come into a thread about spam with a claim about the moderators won't do anything"

" as this whole thread is evidence of."

My work here is DONE!!!!!!! ;)

Mate, it's the internet - unless the spelling mistakes etc are genuinely hampering understanding, attacking it is usually a sign of straw man argument ie. your own points are too weak to stand on their own.

Do you recall this?

I chose to not pick on your clearly incorrect usage of "can / can't" but to deal with your specious argument (don't bother going back to correct that either, because Connor's already quoted your original as well).

You've not dealt with that once, pretending that you're too high and mighty to even begin thinking about it because of the spelling and grammar mistakes - one of which we are exploring above, because it's not even a mistake, just a different usage that you aren't familiar with.

I rejected your Friend request too because I have no interest in being "friends", internet or otherwise, with someone with your present attitude. Perhaps you thought that was a requirement for posting on my wall: clearly you subsequently discovered that it wasn't necessary, since you chose to post that accusation of "losing the argument and crying to the mods". 

yes ive heard the saying and i have seen it on the tv a few times but i have a workmate about 25 who dont know any of my sayings so it might only us old people that know them

LOL! I love this guy! Croc Dumbdee takes four paragraphs to point out my one typo in comparison to his batch of obviously ignorant errors. Classic!

If he had just admitted from the beginning that he was proven wrong in our original discussion, all this embarassment could have been avoided.

OK, wait for it.......... five paragraphs, maybe six????? LOL

PRECIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOLOLOLOL!

Only one person embarassing themselves here: please keep posting, since it's all good evidence for folk to make up their own minds.

I do agree with you that clarity is important - however, spelling and grammar affect that far, far less than trying to understand what people mean when they type a particular phrase. The more I get to know you through this, the more I see you need help.

I can only think that you view my choice to stop talking about an off topic subject in a thread that has actually been quite useful in combating spam as this "proof" that you're referring to. I guess that lines up with your interpretation of "schooling", "losing" and "stupid" lol 

Being a bit precious must be an Australian saying: it does line up well with the Aussie sense of humour and language...

I use "precious" in this way all the time, as do most of my gay friends. Don't mind this "monster", he seems like a guy with some real problems.