Fairy floss

[nq:1]Americans seem to call this "cotton candy" (or "spun sugar"?);[/nq]
"Cotton candy" yes; I've never encountered "spun sugar", but perhaps it's a regionalism.
[nq:1]Brits call it "candy floss". Australians, for some reason, retain the older, and perhaps original, "fairy floss". Can anyone shed ... become standard in 1920s America? Why and when did Brits mutate it to "candy floss"? Why

Areff had it:

As it is here in the UK (and not so old - it's still in use by uncouth persons) but we seem to be able to separate the meanings. We also have "fairy lights" (on the Christmas tree), a "fairy ring" (a circular feature in the grass) and probably others.
[nq:1]Another thing is that I don't see what's flosslike about cotton candy.[/nq]

1. Dental floss.
2. Short

You know, they aren't talking dental floss here.
I can recall the strange feeling in my mouth when I was told that the vermicelli I was eating was named "angel hair pasta". I associate "angel hair" with fine fiber glass, like that product used in some kids' hair in Christmas pageants long ago (itched like fury), and which later I saw used to diffuse the lights on the Christmas trees, to provid

[nq:1]Areff had it:[/nq]
[nq:2]"Cotton candy" yes; I've never encountered "spun sugar", but perhaps ... because, I think, "fairy" is old slang for "male homosexual".[/nq]
[nq:1]As it is here in the UK (and not so old - it's still in use by uncouth persons) but ... also have "fairy lights" (on the Christmas tree), a "fairy ring" (a circular feature in the grass) and probably others.[/nq]

[nq:2]Areff had it: As it is here in the UK ... ring" (a circular feature in the grass) and probably others.[/nq]
[nq:1]Fairy cakes. The fairy on the Xmas tree. The Tooth Fairy.[/nq]
The Tooth Fairy survives in AmE too, as does the fairy tale, but I'd argue that in these usages the generic notion of "fairy" is already gone.
[nq:1]What is AmE for cotton wool, then?[/nq]
What *is* co

[nq:2]What is AmE for cotton wool, then?[/nq]
[nq:1]What *is* cotton wool? M-W says it's raw cotton batting. Coop may tell us that it's an AmE term, but it seems to be thrown around more casually by the 'Tish. "cotton wool" 324000 "cotton wool" site:.uk 50600 Richoux Ratio(TM): 6:1[/nq]
It comes in one long pleat, or in *****, or pads: see for example

[nq:2]What *is* cotton wool? M-W says it's raw cotton batting. ... 324000 "cotton wool" site:.uk 50600 Richoux Ratio(TM): 6:1[/nq]
[nq:1]It comes in one long pleat, or in *****, or pads: see for example http://www.boots.com/shop/product details.jsp?productid=1003040&cla ssificationid=1024584&slmRefer=000 Used for .

[nq:1]Areff had it:[/nq]
Lancashire generally. When Cotton were King. Cotton Famine. Clogs to clogs ... Where there's muck ...
As Mr Lincoln wrote to my cotton-working ancestors: "I know and deeply deplore the sufferings which the working people of Manchester and in all Europe are called to endure in this crisis. I cannot but regard your decisive utterances, and on the question, as an inst

[nq:2]We have that as well. Brillo pads.[/nq]
[nq:1]As Tony Christie used to sing - "Is this the way to use a Brillo?"[/nq]
Whaddya mean, used to?

Laura
(emulate St. George for email)

[nq:1]On 29 Mar 2005, Laura F. Spira wrote[/nq]
[nq:2]It comes in one long pleat, or in *****, or ... for all these things: does anyone still use cotton wool?[/nq]
[nq:1]My wife does she cleans her make-up off using some sort of cleaner in a jar, and also uses cotton ***** for applying some sort of liquid conditioner to her face.[/nq]
Is there no other part of the cotton ...? No, perha