"See You in Hell"

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What's the origin or first usage of the phrase "See you in hell"?Steny '08!

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]What's the origin or first usage of the phrase "See you in ****"?[/nq]
When Satan was kicked out of heaven?

dg (domain=ccwebster)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]What's the origin or first usage of the phrase "See you in ****"?[/nq]
It's pretty easy to find it quoted during the US Civil War, such as:

(1862) As the Brookly and the Hartford flagship steamed majestically up past the Governor, I distrinctly heard Captain Craven, of the Hartford, say through a megaphone to Lieutenant Beverly Kennon, who was in command of the Governor 'Haul down there damned rag, or I'll blow you out of the water'! 'I'll see you in **** first', replied Beverly, 'Blow and be damned!' (Memoirs)

Union Sergeant Albert Leach from the 12th West Virginia leapt on the parapet and shouted for the rebels to surrender, "See you in **** first" came the reply. (The Last Citadel: Petersburg, Virginia, June 1864-April 1865)
Literaturepost has only three hits, turn-of-the-c. US:

The Jungle by Sinclair, Upton - Chapter 24
... "What for?" he cried; and then understanding that the fellow proposed to search him, he answered, "I'll see you in **** first."

The Red One by London, Jack - Chapter 3
... like: "Dirty skunks! . . . See you in **** first! . . . My mind's made up! . . . ****'s fire and corruption! . . .

Smoke Bellew by London, Jack - Chapter 2
... "Turn around, Smoke," Sprague ordered. And Kit, who never in his life had cursed any man, astonished himself. "I'll see you in ****, first," he replied.
It probably goes way back in literature we can't search. "I'll see you in **** before I..." sounds old, although maybe I'm thinking of expressions with "rot in ****".
Whether abbreviating it strictly to "See you in ****" is some sort of modern version, I don't know, but it looks like it. Probably military.

Best Donna Richoux

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[nq:1]What's the origin or first usage of the phrase "See you in ****"?[/nq]
Farewel happy Fields
Where Joy for ever dwells: Hail horrours, hail
Infernal world, and thou profoundest ****
Receive thy new Possessor

John Dean
Oxford

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]What's the origin or first usage of the phrase "See you in ****"?[/nq]
[nq:1]It's pretty easy to find it quoted during the US Civil War, such as: (1862) As the Brookly and the ... the rebels to surrender, "See you in **** first" came the reply. (The Last Citadel: Petersburg, Virginia, June 1864-April 1865)[/nq]
It's at least a little older.
From Brigham Young's response to the 1838 "exterminating order" against the Mormons by the Governor of Missouri:
I will see you in **** first. ... Renounce my religion? No, sir, ... it is my all, all I have on this earth.
Quoted in Leonard Arrington, Brigham Young: American Moses , p. 67.

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[nq:2]It's pretty easy to find it quoted during the US Civil War, such as:(-)[/nq]
[nq:1]It's at least a little older. From Brigham Young's response to the 1838 "exterminating order" against the Mormons by the ... in **** first. ... Renounce my religion? No, sir, ... it is my all, all I have on this earth.[/nq]
Okay, but all these old "see you in ****" quotes are different from what I consider to be the modern usage. It's not just the fact that "first" is appended to the phrase. The meaning of the phrase itself is different. "I'll see you in **** first!" means something more like "Over my dead body!"
The usage of "See you in ****!" I'm thinking of means something more like: "I may be going to **** I may be guilty of bad things but so are you, and you, not only are you about to die, you're also going to ****, so bwahahaha!". Or maybe something close to that but less specific.

Steny '08!

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[nq:1]What's the origin or first usage of the phrase "See you in ****"?[/nq]
Beats me.
But this seems a good time to mention once more an Irish toast I heard somewhere long ago:
May you be in Heaven a day before the devil knows
you're dead.
And while on the subject of things Irish:
*** invented whiskey to keep the Irish from ruling the world.
Or should that be "whisky"?
I mentioned the second one in the newsgroup years ago, and a now long departed and greatly lamented Irish respected regular said "That's why I switched to gin".

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[nq:1](-)[/nq]
[nq:2]It's at least a little older. From Brigham Young's response ... it is my all, all I have on this earth.[/nq]
[nq:1]Okay, but all these old "see you in ****" quotes are different from what I consider to be the modern ... of the phrase itself is different. "I'll see you in **** first!" means something more like "Over my dead body!"[/nq]
(Although, what does that mean, really?)
[nq:1]The usage of "See you in ****!" I'm thinking of means something more like: "I may be going to **** ... you about to die, you're also going to ****, so bwahahaha!". Or maybe something close to that but less specific.[/nq]
It's hard to be sure how different that meaning is from the old one... I think it would take more quotes and fuller passages. I see a similarity in the defiance and insult, although you're right that something about the tone changes.
Maybe it depends whether people thought they could view **** from a balcony, or whether they'd have to be there themselves. Was the old one "I'll make sure you go to ****, first, and then I (still on earth) won't have to comply with your order." Or was it the more bitter "I know I'm going to **** so I have nothing to fear; I'm taking you with me, or sending you ahead." I don't think you can rule out that that second meaning could also have applied in the past.
I don't know how you could locate the earliest use of the short "See you in ****," but if anyone has Army and Marine slogans for various wars, that strikes me as a good place to look. My uninformed guess would be Viet Nam.

Best Donna Richoux

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[nq:1]When Satan was kicked out of heaven?[/nq]
Revelations chap. 12 vv. 7-9
offers no date (relative or absolute.)

Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

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[nq:1]Maybe it depends whether people thought they could view **** from a balcony, or whether they'd have to be there themselves. Was the old one[/nq]
There is one of thos Last Judgement Italian paintings (Raphael maybe) showing the damned, the painter has mischievously included the Pope of that time in the tortured souls.

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[nq:2]Okay, but all these old "see you in ****" quotes ... **** first!" means something more like "Over my dead body!"[/nq]
[nq:1](Although, what does that mean, really?)[/nq]
I've always interpreted it as "You'll have to kill me first." In other words, I'll stop you from doing (whatever), unless you kill me. A bit of hyperbole in most cases.

Ray Heindl
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"See You in Hell"

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