Word Origins

submitted by Tom Conger

Old folks, of which there are a plethora around these hallow`ed acres, oft utilize idiomatic terms the origins of which they may not be aware.  

Thus we are again indebted to Why Do We Say It? (Barnes & Noble) and Why Do We Say That? (Graham Donaldson).  

Codswallop: “When somebody says something which is nonsense, far-fetched, or simply untrue, they are often accused of speaking ‘a load of old codswallop’.” In 1875 an American named Hiram Codd perfected a special mineral water, very popular except among devout beersmen. “Wallop” was already used to describe spirituous imbibitions, thus weak libations, such as Codd’s preparation, became known as “Codd’s Wallop.” “Gradually, anything inferior or false became known by the single word ‘codswallop’.” Gents such as A. Looney may be considered immune . . .

Hair of the Dog: Some folks, young or old, may awake after an evening of revelry (devoid of codswallop…) with a hangover. The remedy, of course, is to have another drink—“the hair of the dog”—based on the superstition that one bitten by a dog can only be cured by ingesting a burnt hair from that same pooch. “In truth, the ‘cure’ seldom works.”

Put a Sock In It: In these days of high-tech devices for playing music, it’s hard to comprehend that less than a century ago listeners heard their music from the prominent horn of a wind-up gramophone. “So, when Aunt Agatha complained of that dreadful Charleston noise there was only one thing to do—put a sock in it—literally. One or more woolen socks were pushed into the horn to muffle the sound. Today it means, quite simply, ‘shut up’.”

Amuck (amok): “Running amuck” comes from Malaysia where persons under the influence of opium or other stimulants become very excited—“so excited that they rush about with daggers, killing anyone they chance to meet and yelling Amoq! Amoq!—meaning ‘Kill! Kill!’ “  Such behavior is not recommended after any of Sarah Karnak’s excellent “community activities” . . .

Naked Truth: Absolute truth—because, “according to ancient legend, Truth and Falsehood went bathing. When they came out of the water, Falsehood ran ahead, dressed herself in Truth’s clothing, and sped away. Truth, unwilling to to appear in falsehood’s clothing, went ‘naked’.”

And so much for this installment of Word Nerd . . .