origin and appearance of ‘ailurophile’ (cat lover)

8th May 2018.Reading time 11 minutes.

USA, 1914—‘ailurophile’: a cat lover—‘ailurophobe’: opposite sense—based on ancient Greek ‘aílouros’, ‘cat’, perhaps from ‘aiόlos’, ‘swift’, and ‘ourá’, ‘tail’, the cat being perhaps so called on account of the swift movement to and fro of its tail

meanings and origin of ‘dead-cat bounce’

7th May 2018.Reading time 9 minutes.

from the notion that even a dead cat will bounce if dropped from a sufficient height—UK, 1981: a rapid fall in the stock market with hardly any reaction—USA, 1985: a rapid but short-lived recovery in the stock market after a sharp fall—hence, 1992: any spurious success

origin of ‘doggy bag’ (to take home leftover food)

8th April 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.

USA, 1950s—The noun ‘doggy (or doggie) bag (or pack)’ denotes a bag, provided on request by the management of a restaurant, in which a diner may take home any leftovers; apparently, these leftovers were originally intended for the diner’s pet dog.

origin of ‘fat cat’ (wealthy and powerful person)

12th January 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

Of American-English origin, the slang term fat cat denotes a wealthy, influential person, especially one who is a heavy contributor to a political party or campaign. The earliest occurrence that I have found is from an article published in The Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) of 1 November 1925.

the queen’s cushion, a Scottish makeshift seat

25th December 2017.Reading time 7 minutes.

‘queen’s’, or ‘king’s’, ‘cushion’: a seat made by two people who cross arms and hold each other’s hands to form a support for another person—Scotland and northern England, 19th century

folk-etymological origin of ‘squirrel’

21st December 2017.Reading time 6 minutes.

Greek ‘skíouros’, ultimate origin of ‘squirrel’: folk-etymologically interpreted as meaning ‘shadow-tailed’ because when the animal sits erect, it raises its tail up against its back and over its head as if to shade itself

a 19th-century document on English phrases

7th October 2017.Reading time 6 minutes.

remarks on English phrases (‘to rain cats and dogs’, ‘tit for tat’, ‘the devil to pay’, etc.) – from Notes and Queries (London), 9th November 1861

cat-o’-nine-tails

10th May 2017.Reading time 7 minutes.

cat-o’-nine-tails (1866-79) – photograph: National Maritime Museum The noun cat-o’-nine-tails denotes a rope whip with nine knotted cords, formerly used, especially at sea, to flog offenders. This instrument of punishment was authorised in the British navy and army until 1881—cf. also to run the gauntlet. The word is first recorded in Love for […]

no room to swing a cat

9th May 2017.Reading time 9 minutes.

Q. Once hairy scenter did transgress, Whose dame, both powerful and fierce, Tho’ hairy scenter took delight To do the thing both fair and right, Upon a Sabbath day. A. An old Woman whipping her Cat for Catching Mice on a Sunday. from The True Trial […]

“the cat’s whiskers”, and all that jazz

19th March 2017.Reading time 25 minutes.

Eastern Vaudeville Bans Unseemly Slang A general order has been sent out from the Keith office to all Keith, Moss and Proctor vaudeville houses, instructing resident managers to hereafter bar the use by artists of the current slang phrases, “That’s the Cat’s Meow,” “Cat’s Pajamas,” “Hot Dog,” “Hot Cat,” etc. This means the phrases […]