Just equining or buttocking around
Douglas G. Wilson
douglas at NB.NET
Thu Sep 21 00:49:24 UTC 2000
The conventional US slang verb "horse [around]" = "fool around"/"play
boisterously" apparently dates from about 1927.
One might suppose that this is derived from "horseplay", an old word (OED
gives 1589).
There is an equivalent verb in British use: "ass [around/about]", from 1899
(OED).
The (presumptive) variant "arse [around/about]" is cited in modern times
from 1922 (OED).
A solitary example of "arse about" however appears in the OED as "obsolete"
[amended in the supplement], from 1664!
All three apparently are in current or at least recent use.
What is the relationship?
-- Doug Wilson
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