Kozakiewicz gesture

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated 09/07/2001 3:48:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
Bapopik at AOL.COM writes:

> OK GESTURE--I was told this is used here.
>
>  KOZAKIEWICZ GESTURE--An upturned fist, almost as if giving the finger.
The
> other hand is placed on this muscle.  Kozakiewicz was a Polish high jumper
in
> the 1980 Moscow Olympics.  The Russian high jumper was favored by the
crowd;
> Kozakiewicz won and gave this gesture back to the crowd.  OED?

I have no idea of the origin of this gesture, but it has been in use in the
USA for many years, with the meaning "up your ass!".

A photograph of Lee Harvey Oswald, taken shortly after his arrest, shows him
making this gesture.

                                 - Jim Landau