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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage

Origin of canoodle

All the dictionaries I've consulted list the origin of "canoodle"(to engage in caressing and fondling) as "unknown" or "obscure." Does anybody have an interesting theory (or has heard of one) for this term?
  

Top answer

[/nq] It's from the low German knudl . Seriously, though, its interesting that several words in the same semantic ballpark as "canooodle" end in "-le" "fondle", "cuddle", "snuggle" . .

— Usenet

  • [/nq] It's from the low German knudl .
  • Seriously, though, its interesting that several words in the same semantic ballpark as "canooodle" end in "-le" "fondle", "cuddle", "snuggle" .
  • .
  • Ross Howard
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7 Answers
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[nq:1]All the dictionaries I've consulted list the origin of "canoodle"(to engage in caressing and fondling) as "unknown" or "obscure." Does anybody have an interesting theory (or has heard of one) for this term?[/nq]
It's from the low German knudl.
Seriously, though, its interesting that several words in the same semantic ballpark as "canooodle" end in "-le" "fondle", "cuddle", "sn
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[nq:1]All the dictionaries I've consulted list the origin of "canoodle"(to engage in caressing and fondling) as "unknown" or "obscure." Does anybody have an interesting theory (or has heard of one) for this term?[/nq]
The AHD (at http://www.bartleby.com/61/36/C0073600.html) suggests that it's:
"akin t
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[nq:2]All the dictionaries I've consulted list the origin of "canoodle"(to ... interesting theory (or has heard of one) for this term?[/nq]
[nq:1]It's from the low German knudl. Seriously, though...[/nq]
You might actually be close to the mark. From the Maven's Word of the Day on the Random House site (from 1998, when I believe Jesse Sheidlower was still the Maven):
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[nq:1]... "nuzzle", "nestle", "dandle", "firkytoodle" (*)...[/nq]
snozzle? Maoris (and possibly Eskimos) like to smash noses. My newest pickup line: "May I dip my billy into your billabong?"
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[nq:2]... "nuzzle", "nestle", "dandle", "firkytoodle" (*)...[/nq]
A colleague of mine recently described "dangling" her infant son on her knee. I asked her if a hotel balcony was involved. She reacted with confusion.
[nq:1]snozzle? Maoris (and possibly Eskimos) like to smash noses. My newest pickup line: "May I dip my billy into your billabong?"[/nq]
You're a brave, brave man.
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[nq:1]A colleague of mine recently described "dangling" her infant son on her knee. I asked her if a hotel balcony was involved. She reacted with confusion.[/nq]
[nq:2]snozzle? Maoris (and possibly Eskimos) like to smash noses. My newest pickup line: "May I dip my billy into your billabong?"[/nq]
Aren't you worried about getting sniffulus?
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[nq:2]All the dictionaries I've consulted list the origin of "canoodle"(to ... interesting theory (or has heard of one) for this term?[/nq]
[nq:1]The AHD (at http://www.bartleby.com/61/36/C0073600.html) suggests that it's: "akin to English dialectal canoodle, donkey, fool, one who is foolish in love."[/nq]
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