Best 18th Century Quote Ever

[Jonathan Lighter]

Cf OED "swingeing,"  2: "very forcible, great, or large; huge; immense."  To this def. might be added the nuance, "formidable." (Swift wrote in 1711 of having "a swingeing cold.")

(I tried to attach the whole passage, but the server wouldn't have it.)

JL

"Douglas G. Wilson" <douglas at NB.NET> wrote:
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Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: "Douglas G. Wilson"
Subject: Re: Best 18th Century Quote Ever
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>"Adam and Eve were a swinging Couple."
>
> --W. R. Chetwood, "The Generous Free-mason; or, The Constant Lady
> (London, 1731), p. 27.

Is the verb here "swing" or "swinge"? Can one tell from the extended context?

-- Doug Wilson



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