Sugar (money); Spondulix

Sat Jun 17 22:47:36 UTC 2006

1923 sounds about right for "sugar daddy"; HDAS has nothing earlier.

  "Sugar" was pretty common for "money" among American crooks and gamblers in the 1880s and '90s.

  I recently did a ProQuest search for 19th C. exx. of "buck" (dollar) and found almost nothing.

  JL

Bapopik at AOL.COM wrote:
  ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Bapopik at AOL.COM
Subject: Sugar (money); Spondulix
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=20
I was looking at "sugar" (money) for "sugar daddy." The articles cited belo=
w=20
seem interesting for other terms as well. "Spondulix" comes from Africa?=20
What does the HDAS have for "sugar" & "spondulix"?=20
...
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(Oxford English Dictionary) =20
sugar, n.

slang. Money.=20
1862 Cornh. Mag. Nov. 648 We have just touched for a rattling stake of=20
sugar at Brum. 1884 Punch 11 Oct. 180/1 Political Picnics mean sugar to th=
em as=20
is fly to wot's wot. 1890 _=E2=80=98R. BOLDREWOOD=E2=80=99_=20
(http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-b3.html#r-boldrewood) Col. Reform=
er (1891) 308 He's always got=20
the sugar, consequence he always gets the worth of his money. =20
=20
=20
_"A FELLOW OF INFANT JEST."_=20
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3D2&did=3D417196161&SrchMode=3D1&sid=
=3D2&Fmt=3D10&VInst=3DPROD&VType=3DPQD&RQT=3D309&VName=3DHNP&TS=3D115057
7531&clientId=3D65882)=20
GREENLEAF WITTIER. Puck (1877-1918). New York: Jul 3, 1878. Vol. 3, Iss. =20
69; p. 6 (1 page)=20
...
Need I explain that "sugar" is the slang--I should say the colloqualism--fo=
r=20
money?
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_"United States" Language.; THE MOTHER TONGUE ONE THING AND AMERICAN MANNER=
=20
OF SPEECH ANOTHER. _=20
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3D15&did=3D250677892&SrchMode=3D1&sid=
=3D2&Fmt=3D10&VInst=3DPROD&VType=3DPQD&RQT=3D309&VName=3DHNP&TS=3D1150576199=
&cli
entId=3D65882)=20
The Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Nov 17, 1907. p. MS2 (1=20
page)=20
...
(From the New York Press -- ed.)
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..."simoleons," dollars, the "long green," paper money also, "dornicks," =20
"scads," "rocks," "dough," "sugar," all referring in one connection of anoth=
er =20
to the national currency.
The following miscellaneous lot is of the South, chiefly the Southwest and =20
West:
(...)
"Brutus" in Charleston is the same as "lagniappe" in New Orleans, i. e., a =20
premium or something thrown in at a purchase.
...
Bungay in 'Go to Bungay!" means the lower regions.
...
"Bacon rind" aptly describes the color of certain greasy negroes.
...
"That beats Buck!" is the equivalent of the Irish, "That beats Banagher!"
...
A "chiv" in California is a Southerner in Democratic politics, and a "pike"=20=
=20
a poor Missourian.
"To wake snakes" in the South is to make a speech in a rousing voice.
(...)
The "Maryland end" of a ham is the hock; the "Virginia end," the other.
(...)
The word "Josh," it is said, originated on the New York Stock Exchange.
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_Slang Phrases for Money.; DICTIONARY COULD BE MADE UP SOLELY OF AMERICAN=20
TERMS FOR CURRENCY _=20
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3D17&did=3D249432972&SrchMode=3D1&sid=
=3D2&Fmt=3D10&VInst=3DPROD&VType=3DPQD&RQT=3D309&VName=3DHNP&TS=3D1150576862=
&clien
tId=3D65882)=20
The Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Apr 19, 1908. p. M5 (1=20
page)=20
...
(From the Boston Herald -- ed.)
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"Boodle" comes directly from political circles in New York, with its sister=20=
=20
phrase, "the whole caboodle."
(...)
"Honey," "sugar" and "sweeteners" denote an epicurean delight in what is =20
sometimes familiarly called "jacks."
(...)
"Posh" is an enigma.
(...)
"Spondulix" is interesting. The word was first applied to shell money used =20
on the west coast of Africa, and it got its name from the town whence it cam=
e, =20
Spondula.
...
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_Bits of New York Life_=20
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3D21&did=3D523084702&SrchMode=3D1&sid=
=3D2&Fmt=3D10&VInst=3DPROD&VType=3DPQD&RQT=3D309&VName=3DHNP&TS=3D1150577214
&clientId=3D65882)=20
O O M'INTYRE. The Atlanta Constitution (1881-2001). Atlanta, Ga.: Sep 27, =20
1919. p. 8 (1 page)=20
...
When he calls money "sugar" he is speaking in his own language--the languag=
e=20
of the automat and the all-night drug store.
...
...
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_PRIZE RING HAS JARGON_=20
(http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3D24&did=3D224666952&SrchMode=3D1&sid=
=3D2&Fmt=3D10&VInst=3DPROD&VType=3DPQD&RQT=3D309&VName=3DHNP&TS=3D1150577342
&clientId=3D65882)=20
The Washington Post (1877-1954). Washington, D.C.: Jul 24, 1927. p. A4 (1=20
page)=20
...
..."sugar," money and "rabbit punch," hitting in back of the neck.

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