Five Fingered Salute

[Michael Quinion]

> In conjunction with Bronx cheer, I think the "five fingered salute" is
> probably open palm toward the person to be disrespected, thumb to nose,
> fingers spread and waving, tongue out.

That's the sense in which I have encountered it. We Brits would more
commonly call it "cocking a snook" at somebody. In my piece on the
latter phrase, at <http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-coc4.htm>, I
describe "five fingered salute" as an American expression. In view of
comments on this list that suggest it isn't known, might that be
incorrect?

--
Michael Quinion
Editor, World Wide Words
E-mail: <TheEditor at worldwidewords.org>
Web: <http://www.worldwidewords.org/>