Shitty (1700-1774)

[Laurence Horn]

At 10:45 AM +0000 3/17/02, Jonathon Green wrote:
>If Barry Popik can give context to prove that by 'shitty breeches' 'Ramblin'
>Jack' means 'unpleasant, disgusting; mediocre, second-rate' breeches, and
>not simply breeches that are covered or smeared with or otherwise fouled by
>excrement, i.e. shit, then the next edition of the Cassell Dict. of Slang
>will duly  reflect this date. I look forward to finding out which is the
>case.
>
>Jonathon Green

exactly; my take on reading it is that in the context in which it
occurred the meaning Ramblin' Jack had in mind was all too literal

larry