10.28.2011
Don’t Hear This Word Much Anymore: “Sockdolager”
Obscure in origin, although in American use by 1830, the word means “something that settles a matter,” “a decisive blow or answer.” Like a knockout punch.
A form of the word is contained in the biggest laugh line of the comedy, Our American Cousin:
“I guess I know enough to turn you inside out, you sockdologizing old man-trap.”
As the audience at Ford Theater on April 14, 1865 roared in response, John Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln in the back of the head.
-30-
Filed under: Overheard
Archives
- Capitol Cliches (16)
- Conversational Currency (3)
- Great Moments in Capitol History (4)
- News (1,288)
- Budget and Economy (383)
- California History (139)
- Demographics (11)
- Fundraising (74)
- Governor (122)
- Legislature/Legislation (270)
- Politics (173)
- State Agencies (38)
- Opinionation (36)
- Overheard (246)
- Today's Latin Lesson (45)
- Restaurant Raconteur (21)
- Spotlight (110)
- Trip to Tokyo (8)
- Venting (184)
- Warren Buffett (43)
- Welcome (1)
- Words That Aren't Heard in Committee Enough (11)
Resources
No Comments »
No comments yet.
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Leave a comment