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Usenet Posted 17 years ago
Usage
The screaming Abdabs!
I've heard that mentioned over the years, but it's not in any of my dictionaries - does anyone know it's etymology off the top of their heads? :-D
Nick
Nick
Top answer
[nq:1]it's etymology[/nq] I won't chide you for your misplaced apostrophe. Good old Eric Partridge in his Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, gives "ab-dabs" as World War II slang for a tall tale, as well as "an attack of delirium tremens". He dates the phrase "screaming ab-dabs" to about 1950.
- [nq:1]it's etymology[/nq] I won't chide you for your misplaced apostrophe.
- Good old Eric Partridge in his Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, gives "ab-dabs" as World War II slang for a tall tale, as well as "an attack of delirium tremens".
- He dates the phrase "screaming ab-dabs" to about 1950.
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20 Answers
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[nq:1]it's etymology[/nq]
I won't chide you for your misplaced apostrophe. Good old Eric Partridge in his Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, gives "ab-dabs" as World War II slang for a tall tale, as well as "an attack of delirium tremens". He dates the phrase "screaming ab-dabs" to about
1950.
I won't chide you for your misplaced apostrophe. Good old Eric Partridge in his Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, gives "ab-dabs" as World War II slang for a tall tale, as well as "an attack of delirium tremens". He dates the phrase "screaming ab-dabs" to about
1950.
00
(Email Removed), contrex (Email Removed) writes
[nq:2]it's etymology[/nq]
[nq:1]I won't chide you for your misplaced apostrophe. Good old Eric Partridge in his Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, ... a tall tale, as well as "an attack of delirium tremens". He dates the phrase "screaming ab-dabs" to about 1950.[/nq]
If the condition becomes serious, it may turn into the "scr
[nq:2]it's etymology[/nq]
[nq:1]I won't chide you for your misplaced apostrophe. Good old Eric Partridge in his Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, ... a tall tale, as well as "an attack of delirium tremens". He dates the phrase "screaming ab-dabs" to about 1950.[/nq]
If the condition becomes serious, it may turn into the "scr
00
[nq:2]it's etymology[/nq]
[nq:1]I won't chide you for your misplaced apostrophe. Good old Eric Partridge in his Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, ... a tall tale, as well as "an attack of delirium tremens". He dates the phrase "screaming ab-dabs" to about 1950.[/nq]
In my copy of Partridge (8th Ed.) he has no hyphen in 'abdabs'. He places it "C.20, esp WW2" for "don't come (/
[nq:1]I won't chide you for your misplaced apostrophe. Good old Eric Partridge in his Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, ... a tall tale, as well as "an attack of delirium tremens". He dates the phrase "screaming ab-dabs" to about 1950.[/nq]
In my copy of Partridge (8th Ed.) he has no hyphen in 'abdabs'. He places it "C.20, esp WW2" for "don't come (/
00
[nq:2]I won't chide you for your misplaced apostrophe. Good old ... tremens". He dates the phrase "screaming ab-dabs" to about 1950.[/nq]
[nq:1]In my copy of Partridge (8th Ed.) he has no hyphen in 'abdabs'. He places it "C.20, esp WW2" for ... hyphen) he dates from ca 1942. Apart from that your edition and my edition of Eric P are in harmony.[/nq]
Huh? What do you mean, "used for afters"?
[nq:1]In my copy of Partridge (8th Ed.) he has no hyphen in 'abdabs'. He places it "C.20, esp WW2" for ... hyphen) he dates from ca 1942. Apart from that your edition and my edition of Eric P are in harmony.[/nq]
Huh? What do you mean, "used for afters"?
00
[nq:2]In my copy of Partridge (8th Ed.) he has no ... edition and my edition of Eric P are in harmony.[/nq]
[nq:1]Huh? What do you mean, "used for afters"?[/nq]
The word "abdabs" is sometimes used in place of "afters". It is a food reference.
OED
afters, n. pl.
colloq. (formerly only dial. and vulg.).
The course which follows the main course of a meal.
1909 J. R. WARE P
[nq:1]Huh? What do you mean, "used for afters"?[/nq]
The word "abdabs" is sometimes used in place of "afters". It is a food reference.
OED
afters, n. pl.
colloq. (formerly only dial. and vulg.).
The course which follows the main course of a meal.
1909 J. R. WARE P
00
[nq:2]Huh? What do you mean, "used for afters"?[/nq]
[nq:1]The word "abdabs" is sometimes used in place of "afters". It is a food reference.[/nq]
I wouldn't worry, Peter. Marshall only wakes up a week or two after the thread is closed. He'll be asleep again now.
John Dean
Oxford
[nq:1]The word "abdabs" is sometimes used in place of "afters". It is a food reference.[/nq]
I wouldn't worry, Peter. Marshall only wakes up a week or two after the thread is closed. He'll be asleep again now.
John Dean
Oxford
00
[nq:2]The word "abdabs" is sometimes used in place of "afters". It is a food reference.[/nq]
[nq:1]I wouldn't worry, Peter. Marshall only wakes up a week or two after the thread is closed. He'll be asleep again now.[/nq]
I noticed a frenzy of activity.
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)
[nq:1]I wouldn't worry, Peter. Marshall only wakes up a week or two after the thread is closed. He'll be asleep again now.[/nq]
I noticed a frenzy of activity.
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)
00
[nq:2]I wouldn't worry, Peter. Marshall only wakes up a week or two after the thread is closed. He'll be asleep again now.[/nq]
[nq:1]I noticed a frenzy of activity.[/nq]
That's right.
Two weeks zzz Two weeks zzz
John Dean
Oxford
[nq:1]I noticed a frenzy of activity.[/nq]
That's right.
Two weeks zzz Two weeks zzz
John Dean
Oxford
00
[nq:1]That's right. Two weeks zzz Two weeks zzz[/nq]
Can somebody with better references demystify why zzz denotes sleeping/snoring? The only explanation I found in e.g. wikipedia, was that it is onomatopoeic from snoring. But zzz sounds nothing like snoring! The immitative sounds for snoring should contain the 'ch' from "loch" and the rolling 'r', as do the words for "snore" in all non-Engli
Can somebody with better references demystify why zzz denotes sleeping/snoring? The only explanation I found in e.g. wikipedia, was that it is onomatopoeic from snoring. But zzz sounds nothing like snoring! The immitative sounds for snoring should contain the 'ch' from "loch" and the rolling 'r', as do the words for "snore" in all non-Engli
00
[nq:2]That's right. Two weeks zzz Two weeks zzz[/nq]
[nq:1]Can somebody with better references demystify why zzz denotes sleeping/snoring? The only explanation I found in e.g. wikipedia, was that ... 'r', as do the words for "snore" in all non-English languages I know - German, Russian and Bulgarian. Why z?[/nq]
I'm not sure. As you say it is not representative of the sound of snoring whi
[nq:1]Can somebody with better references demystify why zzz denotes sleeping/snoring? The only explanation I found in e.g. wikipedia, was that ... 'r', as do the words for "snore" in all non-English languages I know - German, Russian and Bulgarian. Why z?[/nq]
I'm not sure. As you say it is not representative of the sound of snoring whi
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