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SuperESL Posted 12 years ago
Grammar

Shirttail

Hi,

I have recently come across the word 'shirttail,' used as an adjective. I have looked it up in the online Merriam-Webster dictionary and found the following definitions:

shirttail

adjective

Definition of SHIRTTAIL

1

:  very young : http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/immature <shirttail boys fishing in the creek>

2

:  distantly and indefinitely related shirttail cousin on her father's side>

3

:  small, trivial, or short typically to the point of inadequacy shirttail ranch in the hills>

Could someone can comment on how common each of these usages is to a contemporary native speaker of English? I realize that just because a definition exists in the dictionary does not mean it is commonplace in everyday usage.



Thank you.





  

Top answer

I have never seen or heard the word used with these meanings. If I heard 'shirttail kid' I would assume a boy with his shirt not tucked into his trousers was being spoken of..

— Fivejedjon

  • I have never seen or heard the word used with these meanings.
  • If I heard 'shirttail kid' I would assume a boy with his shirt not tucked into his trousers was being spoken of..
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7 Answers
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I have never seen or heard the word used with these meanings.

If I heard 'shirttail kid' I would assume a boy with his shirt not tucked into his trousers was being spoken of..
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SuperESLdistantly and indefinitely related -- shirttail cousin on her father's side
Very common in American English. I am not familiar, however, with the other two usages.

CJ

P.S. By the way, it looks like something you transferred from another site set the italics for this entire page. Everything in this thread from now on, including the s
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As a native speaker, I can't remember ever hearing or reading that.

Clive
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I think the only place I've ever heard the term is in the lyrics to "Trouble in River City" from "The Music Man":

"I'm thinkin' of the kids in the knickerbockers,
Shirt-tail young ones, peekin' in the pool
Hall window after school,"
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I am sorry but do you mean you have never heard or read any of the three listed usages? Thank you.
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I am sorry but do you mean you have never heard or read any of the three listed usages?

Yes, that's what I mean.
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