Ameliorated words of offensive origin

[James Smith]

>Duane Campbell
....
>You still can't say "screw you," but I think that "I
>was screwed" is acceptable in casual venues.

About 40 years ago, Bill Smith (no relation), an
English immigrant to the US, told me of the day he
came home from the office and announced to his wife,
who was standing at the kitchen sink with her back
towards him, "I got screwed at work today."  She
snapped something like, "You've been hanging around
with these filthy Americans too much."  Of course when
she turned around and saw the surprized look on his
face she immediately realized what he had really said
in all innocence - that he had received his paycheck -
 and she was very embarrassed.

I never asked Bill, so I'll ask this group: what is
the origin of "royal screw"?  In the US this is
certainly something bad, but did it ever have a
positive connotation in GB?

=====
James D. SMITH                 |If history teaches anything
SLC, UT                        |it is that we will be sued
jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com     |whether we act quickly and decisively
                               |or slowly and cautiously.

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