skiffle, v. (1935)

[Jesse Sheidlower]

On Thu, Dec 29, 2005 at 09:57:19AM -0500, Amy West wrote:
> Any relationship between this verb and the British noun for a type of
> folk music?

_skiffle_ originally referred to a style of music performed at
rent parties; the peculiarly British sense of the 1950s
developed from this. (The sense 'rent party' itself is later
than the 'style of music performed at rent parties' sense.)

Jesse Sheidlower
OED