- While, “sabo” can be used to refer to something malicious, in common language it generally denotes a prank or joke. I think the clipping emphasizes its light-heartedness. This is another example of verbal slang. I think people choose to use sabo over sabotage whenever they are trying to make a joke. An example of this would be: “I am going to sabo your date.” When someone uses sabo in this context, it signifies the joking nature of the comment. If someone were to say: “I am going to sabotage your date,” it could be taken seriously and upset the person. Sabo is an odd sounding word, and therefore, hard to take seriously.
Sabo
clipping Verb
It means the same thing as sabotage: to deliberately destroy or get in the way of someone or something. However, it has a lighter, less negative connotation.
Etymology : Formed by clipping the word "sabotage"
Source : “You know sabo is short for sabotage.” (New Girl, November 2017 (but the original episode aired in May 2013))
Last modified: 29 November 2017