ADS-L Digest - 30 Aug 2004 to 31 Aug 2004 (#2004-245)

[Aaron Dinkin]

Jesse Sheidlower wrote:

> I was not familiar with this or its family until rather recently--the
> first one I remember hearing was _H-bomb_ 'degree from or other
> connection to Harvard'.

More specifically: "to drop the H-bomb" is 'to reveal that one goes to (or
went to) Harvard' - for instance, in order to impress a prospective date
or employer; or reluctantly, once it's been dragged out of one that one
goes to school "in Boston". In any context, I suppose, where mentioning
Harvard is likely to provoke some kind of emotional reaction from one's
interlocutor.

There's also now _H-Bomb_, the magazine with picture of naked Harvard
students.

-Aaron J. Dinkin
Dr. Whom