clobber (verb), an early use (1944)

[Stephen Goranson]

clobber: to beat severely

OED 18 Nov 1944 Origin unknown; HDAS 1944 orig. unkn.


19 July 1944 Times

Second Army Breaks Through
Armoured Forces Reach Open Country
Unprecedented Air Bombardment
General Montgomery "Well Satistied"
[....] A pall of death hung over the valley of the Orne this morning,
and though
there was further damage to French life and property it was the enemy who
received fearful punishment. Operation Clobber--to "clobber" a target
is one of
the newest verbs in air force language--will long be remembered.

Stephen Goranson

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