With a Capital T

...and that stands for "Trope."

This is when a character emphasises the magnitude of the thing they're talking about by saying that it's a Thing "with a capital T". They may go on to add that the capital letter also stands for something else relevant.

Can be played for laughs by having the character get the initial letter wrong (or deliberately changing it to make a point), or announcing that the entire first syllable is capital.

Advertising
"Oh, you got trouble! With a capital "T" And that rhymes with "D" And that stands for dirt!"
 * An Australian public safety ad (about germ awareness) from the 1970s used a version of "Ya Got Trouble" from The Music Man:

Film
"Biff: Hello? Hello? Anybody home? Huh? Think, McFly! Think! Your old man, Mr. Loser? Marty: What? Biff: That's right. Loser with a capital "L"."
 * In a scene in 100 Girls, the protagonist imagines the hypothetical trials he would be prepared to put up with for his dream girl, which include a mother-in-law who is "a big witch with a capital B".
 * The gag here being, of course, that the "B" goes on the second word.
 * Of course, it's got a trope named after it, so everyone can probably guess anyway.
 * Back to The Future Part II:

"Roland: And that spells cash with a capital... Jacques: K! Roland: You should go back to school. Jacques: I hated teaching."
 * Brain Donors:

"Andrew: It's shit with a capital "sh"."
 * Peter's Friends:

"Cher: I was a bitch with a capital C."
 * Stuck on You:

Live Action TV
"Cat: I'm smooth, with a capital Smoo."
 * Red Dwarf, episode "Waiting for God":

"Henry Coleman: These are dangerous people, with a capital D, which means death, which could happen to you."
 * From an episode of As the World Turns:

"Shawn Spencer: Dude, this blows, with a capital Z."
 * Psych, episode "Rob-a-Bye Baby":

"Roseanne: Marriage stinks, with a capital SUCK!"
 * Roseanne, episode "Vegas, Vegas":

"Kendall: Oh, well if it isn't Little Miss Teen Getaway. Your dad and I were just dealing with a little trouble. Veronica: Like, trouble with a capital "T", that rhymes with "C", that stands for...
 * Veronica Mars, episode "Look Who's Stalking":

Keith: Veronica!

Veronica: What? I was going to say "cute.""


 * In the Will and Grace episode "Coffe & Commitment", Jack meets a guy who describes as "cute with a capital Q".
 * On Glee, Kurt has been called "capital G gay."

Music
"I'm going Overboard with a capital O"
 * "My Resistance is Low":

"Eadie had class with a capital K."
 * "Eadie Was A Lady":

Theatre
"Oh, we got trouble! Right here in River City! With a capital "T" And that rhymes with "P" And that stands for pool!"
 * The Trope Namer is "Ya Got Trouble" from The Music Man:

Video Games
"Axel: You really don't remember. It's me? You know, Axel? Roxas: Axel? Axel: Talk about blank with a capital B."
 * In the second Discworld game, Ridcully uses the term "Glitter, with a capital 'gluh'!"
 * Kingdom Hearts II:

"Coach Z: Strong Bad, you kidding? You can't put Senor Cardgage in your movie! That guy is creepy with a capital "cree"!"
 * Strong Bads Cool Game for Attractive People, episode 4:


 * In MadWorld, the Black Baron considers one of the minigames he introduces as "Easy with a capital EZ".

Western Animation
"Bizzy: That guy's a loser with a capital 'Loo'."
 * Ed, Edd 'n' Eddy has "trouble with a capital 'R'".
 * From an episode of Baby Blues:

"Rattrap: We've got trouble! Oh yeah, trouble... with a capital "B"!"
 * Beast Wars, episode "The Agenda", referring to a situation involving the villainous Blackarachnia:

"Quickstrike: We got trouble brewing outside. Trouble with a capital "M"!"
 * Also, in "Tangled Web", concerning approaching Maximals:

"Kazuki Fuchouin: He's hazardously lucky, isn't he? Kakei Juubei: With a capital... hazardous."
 * From an episode of GetBackers:

"Ace: Uh-oh. What we got here is a game of dirty pool. With a capital "D" for Destro!"
 * From an episode of G.I. Joe:

"Ramon: We got personality, with a capital Y. Why? Because we're hot!"
 * Happy Feet:

"Spike: Will you stop worrying? I know all about cats with a capital "K"."
 * Rugrats Go Wild:

"The Tick: Falling in love with a supervillain is Trouble with a capital 'troub'."
 * The Tick (animation), episode "Evil Sits Down For a Moment":

"Duo Damsel: Terra-Man, word is you've been terrorizing this entire prairie in search of someone. Star Boy: The only thing you're gonna find here is trouble. Bouncing Boy: With a capital "L"!"
 * Legion of Super Heroes, episode "Unnatural Alliances":

Real Life

 * This is where the name of The Teetotaler comes from. In the 1840s or so, people were pledging themselves to "T-Total Abstinence" from alcohol.