waiting for another shoe to drop??

Barnhart barnhart at HIGHLANDS.COM
Mon May 10 20:13:05 UTC 2004


Another slightly earlier use seems to contrast with the 1939 example.

Jimmy roosevelt has dropped the other shoe in the second and last
installment of the story in Collier's without mentioning the Cronin
insurance case in Boston.  Westbrook Pegler, "Jimmy Fails to Mention
Cronin Insurance Case," _Appleton Post-Crescent_, Aug. 30, 1938, p 2

In this case it seems to equate with "drop the ball" I think.

The earlier examples of drop the other shoe, etc., that I have examined
make allusion to the fellow upstairs.

David
barnhart at highlands.com


Barnhart writes:
>I'm still working on another shoe to drop and drop another shoe.
>However, I found this example
>of "other shoe to drop" in the process:
>
>The surplus of wheat, cotton and corn in the bins of Secretary Wallace is
>worrying his AAA boys, who have been pinch-hitting for the apostles.
>Wall-st almost dead, the ticker at a near-standstill, indicating the big
>shots are waiting for the other shoe to drop.  OH. OH. Jackenrim, "Round
>Lima, Hour By Hour," _The Lima [Ohio] News_, April 20, 1939, p 8
>
>David
>barnhart at highlands.com
>
>
>American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> writes:
>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>-----------------------
>>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>Poster:       Barnhart <barnhart at HIGHLANDS.COM>
>>Subject:      waiting for another shoe to drop??
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>Heard this morning on NPR:
>>
>>The whole of Washington is waiting for another shoe to drop.
>>
>>The generally encountered expression is "waiting for the other shoe to
>>drop."  I guess when there is a series of unfortunate events, there are
>>many shoes.
>>There could be a millipede living upstairs.
>>
>>Regards,
>>David
>>
>>barnhart at highlands.com
>>
>
>
>
>
>



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