hang-up

[Jesse Sheidlower]

On Wed, Mar 02, 2005 at 01:30:17PM -0500, George Thompson wrote:
> >From an article in the NY Times of February 28, 2005, on suicide among
> the prisoners on Riker's Island:
> Suicides -- "hang-ups" in the cold vernacular of the cell block -- have
> always been a jailhouse reality.

This is in HDAS, with a first quote of 1974 (in reference to NYC). The
verb is older still:

1950 ["1942-49" in HDAS dating] Goldin et al. _Dict. Amer. Underworld
Lingo_ 91: _Hang up_...To commit suicide by hanging.

I have a feeling that I've seen the noun earlier as well, but I can't
place it right now. Tom?

Jesse Sheidlower
OED