"The Bends"

[Dave Wilton]

I always assumed that it was simply a variation on "twisted," meaning
perverted or homosexual--a euphemistic way to say "get buggered."

> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society
> [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU]On Behalf
> Of Benjamin Fortson
> Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 6:34 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: "The Bends"
>
>
> Correct me if I'm wrong, but I never would have imagined "get
> bent" has
> anything to do with getting the bends. I always assumed it
> referred to the
> addressee's penis.
>
> ben
>
> On Mon, 15 Apr 2002, Michael wrote:
>
> > Does anyone have a date and source for the first use of the
> > term "the bends" to refer to the difficulties that divers
> > experience with nitrogen solubility and decompression ?
> >
> > I would like to know not only where the term originated,
> > but also how and when it came to be used outside of the diving
> > community as in the phrase, "get bent".
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Michael
> >
>