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Anonymous Posted 21 years ago
Vocabulary
Who exactly are 'the Debs'?
I was recently reading a book that was set in in the late 1930s. At one point in the book, two young men were discussing an upcoming town dance. The one expressed doubt about his social aptitude after having spent the previous year stuck in a rigorous work-a-day routine. The other young man responded with “What? A big, good-looking chap like you? The debs will be lining up for a dance with you!”
I was able to discern from the context of the sentence that ‘the debs’ referred to females, particularly of the young, single variety. However, I was curious to know from where the term was derived. Unfortunately, no dictionary that I’ve used has included the word. (Go ahead, Google the term 'debs' and see how helpful that is.) Can anyone offer an etymology?
I have two hunches as how the word may have come into being:
1. It may be short for ‘Debutante’
2. It could be a truncation of the name ‘Deborah’ and used as a general term for a young female, analogous to an Australian’s use of the name ‘Sheila’.
Of course, I could be completely wrong. It has happened once or twice before.
Thanks in advance,
--Lionheart
I was able to discern from the context of the sentence that ‘the debs’ referred to females, particularly of the young, single variety. However, I was curious to know from where the term was derived. Unfortunately, no dictionary that I’ve used has included the word. (Go ahead, Google the term 'debs' and see how helpful that is.) Can anyone offer an etymology?
I have two hunches as how the word may have come into being:
1. It may be short for ‘Debutante’
2. It could be a truncation of the name ‘Deborah’ and used as a general term for a young female, analogous to an Australian’s use of the name ‘Sheila’.
Of course, I could be completely wrong. It has happened once or twice before.
Thanks in advance,
--Lionheart
Top answer
" Also, disregard the '>' symbols throughout the posting. I guess thats what I get for writing my post in Word and pasting it in the browser. --Lionheart
- " Also, disregard the '>' symbols throughout the posting.
- I guess thats what I get for writing my post in Word and pasting it in the browser.
- --Lionheart
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2 Answers
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Ummm, I'm not exactly sure what happened to the first sentence of my post, but it shuld read:
"I was recently reading a book that was set in Yorkshire, England in the late 1930s."
Also, disregard the '>' symbols throughout the posting. I guess thats what I get for writing my post in Word and pasting it in the browser.
--Lionheart
"I was recently reading a book that was set in Yorkshire, England in the late 1930s."
Also, disregard the '>' symbols throughout the posting. I guess thats what I get for writing my post in Word and pasting it in the browser.
--Lionheart
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Hi,
It's short for 'debutante'. It used to be (perhaps still is? I don't know) the custom in England that young, upper class girls would eventually make their 'debut' into adult society. This was often at special dances, and for the very cream of these girls, they might even be presented (ie 'introduced') to the King or Queen.
A common phrase was that they would 'come out' (wow
It's short for 'debutante'. It used to be (perhaps still is? I don't know) the custom in England that young, upper class girls would eventually make their 'debut' into adult society. This was often at special dances, and for the very cream of these girls, they might even be presented (ie 'introduced') to the King or Queen.
A common phrase was that they would 'come out' (wow
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