Five Fingered Salute

[Mark A. Mandel]

Michael Quinion <TheEditor at WORLDWIDEWORDS.ORG> wrote in response to an
unattributed quote from upthread:

> In conjunction with Bronx cheer, I think the "five fingered salute" is
> probably open palm toward the person to be disrespected, thumb to nose,
> fingers spread and waving, tongue out.

That's the sense in which I have encountered it. We Brits would more
commonly call it "cocking a snook" at somebody. In my piece on the
latter phrase, at <http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-coc4.htm>, I
describe "five fingered salute" as an American expression. In view of
comments on this list that suggest it isn't known, might that be
incorrect?

        <<<

I think of this as "thumbing one's nose", which OED Online confirms as
"orig. U.S." and synonymous with "cocking a snook" (s.v. nose, n., 8b).

-- Mark A. Mandel