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Usenet Posted 18 years ago
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Swell

Does anybody know the origins of this American slang term? It means "good, great, etc." How would anybody get that out of "swell?"

Could it be an offshoot of "so well" that was truncated into "s'well?"
  

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[nq:1]Does anybody know the origins of this American slang term? com /

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4 Answers
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[nq:1]Does anybody know the origins of this American slang term? It means "good, great, etc." How would anybody get that out of "swell?" Could it be an offshoot of "so well" that was truncated into "s'well?"[/nq]
If it's getting gooder and greater, seems reasonable to suggest that it's 'swelling'
;o)

Andrew
http:
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[nq:1]Does anybody know the origins of this American slang term? It means "good, great, etc." How would anybody get that out of "swell?" Could it be an offshoot of "so well" that was truncated into "s'well?"[/nq]
It is well > It's well > 's well > swell
Just guessing.

qt
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[nq:2]Could it be an offshoot of "so well" that was truncated into "s'well?"[/nq]
[nq:1]It is well > It's well > 's well > swell Just guessing.[/nq]
"It is well"? More likely "it is well done":
It is well done > It is well > It's well > 's well > swell
Andrew
http://www.wordskit.com/
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[nq:1]It is well done > It is well > It's well > 's well > swell[/nq]
Twaddle, Andrew (oops!)
More likely still to be:
[nq:1]It is well done > 'Swell Done! > Swell! [/nq]
Andrew
http://www.wordskit.com/
http://www.flayme.com
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