A beezle

Question

From "The Women" (Warner Brothers, 1939, from the
play by Claire Boothe). They are gossiping about
the girlfriend of the husband of a close woman friend.

Sylvia: ... the whole ghastly story rolled out.
Edith: Yes, but is it someone we know?
Sylvia: No, that's what's so awful about it. She
sells perfume at Black's Fifth Avenue.
Edith: Black's?! (Laughs delightedly)
Sylvia: It wouldn't be so bad if Steven had picked somebody from his own class. But a beezle!

\\P. Schultz

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]From "The Women" (Warner Brothers, 1939, from the play by Claire Boothe). They are gossiping about the girlfriend of the ... (Laughs delightedly) Sylvia: It wouldn't be so bad if Steven had picked somebody from his own class. But a beezle![/nq]
Strange. I have seen that film any number of times. I love the bitchy dialog, but it rattles by so fast that I only really hear half the words.

That one is new to me, but I think the context is sufficient in this day and age to determine a meaning. I shouldn't think puzzling out "in" type upper class New York snobbish female gossip slang would pay off.

Chances are the word was inserted as a hallmark of the kind of schools the ladies had attended in their youth.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]From "The Women" (Warner Brothers, 1939, from the play by ... had picked somebody from his own class. But a beezle![/nq]
[nq:1]Strange. I have seen that film any number of times. I love the bitchy dialog, but it rattles by so ... are the word was inserted as a hallmark of the kind of schools the ladies had attended in their youth.[/nq]
I took it as a reference to Black's. If someone that worked at Bloomingdale's was a "Bloomie", then a perfume clerk at Black's (mythical place?) could have been a "beezle".

Tony Cooper

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]Strange. I have seen that film any number of times. ... the kind of schoolsthe ladies had attended in their youth.[/nq]
[nq:1]I took it as a reference to Black's. If someone that worked at Bloomingdale's was a "Bloomie", then a perfume clerk at Black's (mythical place?) could have been a "beezle".[/nq]
Could have been. However, the reference as a put down probably has more to do with the girl's being a counter girl, in an establishment that these ladies are being snobbish about, as well. A retail establishment, rather than a custom boutique, don't you know.
Black's Fifth Avenue is more likely to have been a reference to Sak's.

How would "beezle" come from "Black's". Wouldn't it have been a "blackie"? (OT: famous woman show-jump rider. . .Beezie Patton something-or-other. The name comes to mind because of the frequent confusion to my eyes of the "uc Ietter eye" and "lc letter ell". And, of course the association my mind makes with Muffy, Buffy, Beezie, and other such names with "old school" girls. I think that the movie "The Group" was another study of women's cliquish society.)
Anyway, by this time Donna or someone will have fished out a more reliable interpretation, don't you think?

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]From "The Women" (Warner Brothers, 1939, from the play by Claire Boothe). They are gossiping about the girlfriend of the ... delightedly) Sylvia: It wouldn't be so bad if Steven had picked somebody from his own class. But a beezle! ==[/nq]
The word is usually spelt "beazel".
Matti

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]From "The Women" (Warner Brothers, 1939, from the play by Claire Boothe). They are gossiping about the girlfriend of the ... (Laughs delightedly) Sylvia: It wouldn't be so bad if Steven had picked somebody from his own class. But a beezle![/nq]
Besom?

John Dean
Oxford

Usenet · Answer

(snip)
[nq:1]Anyway, by this time Donna or someone will have fished out a more reliable interpretation, don't you think?[/nq]
It's always a good day when I can haul out the slang dictionaries. RHHDAS has a short entry for "beazle," (Student) origin unknown, defined as "a worthless fellow." The two citations, 1931 and 1933, the word is applied to a male.
Cassell's has that one (marked as possible from 16th C. "beazler," a drunkard), but it also has "beazel," 1930s+, defined as "a young woman." Possibly from Standard English "besom."
I never saw any of these before.

Best - Donna Richoux

Usenet · Answer

It occurs at least twice in the movie (spelled
"beezle" in the subtitles). It's not in my old
OED, but googling reveals that P.G. Wodehouse used it (as beazel) a few times. It must be ephemeral
slang.
\P. Schultz

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1](snip) (snip discussion)[/nq]
[nq:2]Anyway, by this time Donna or someone will have fished out a morereliable interpretation, don't you think?[/nq]
[nq:1]It's always a good day when I can haul out the slang dictionaries. RHHDAS has a short entry for "beazle," ... has "beazel," 1930s+, defined as "a young woman." Possibly from Standard English "besom." I never saw any of these before.[/nq]
The line was changed in the movie. The play has "But a blond floosie!". Anita Loos, who wrote the screenplay, doubtless knew a lot more slang than Clare Boothe.
BTW, I think Sylvia is all wet here. Having an affair with a woman of his own class would have created a much worse scandal than a fling with a shopgirl. That's what they're for, after all.

A beezle

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