"White knuckle" flight (1965); "White knuckler" (1971)

Wed Jul 7 11:25:26 UTC 2004

WHITE KNUCKLES--12,900 Google hits, 4,090 Google Groups hits
WHITE KNUCKLER--885 Google hits, 914 Google Groups hits

"I won't deny Plotz his boondoggle on Slate's dime--Tennessee is a 
fascinating state--but maybe in the future he'll do his homework first and concentrate 
on states, like Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, which, barring a blowout by 
either candidate, look like legitimate whire-knucklers for each campaign."
---NEW YORK PRESS, July 7-12, 2004, pg. 16, col. 4.

   "White  knuckler?"  California's Magic Mountain ride gets in dictionaries? 
 This was added to OED in 1997, with first citations of 1973 and 1976.

(GOOGLE)
The Word Spy - white knuckler
Search Word Spy: A Web site by Paul McFedries. white knuckler noun.
A short-haul commuter airline flight. Example Citation: "Short ... 
www.wordspy.com/words/whiteknuckler.asp - 21k - Cached - Similar pages

(OED)
APPENDED FROM ADDITIONS 1997 
white, a.     
   Add:    [12.] [d.] white-knuckle colloq., (orig. N.Amer.), (esp. of a 
fairground ride) causing or supposed to cause fear or suspense of such intensity 
that one's knuckles whiten in an anxious grip; also (of a person), experiencing 
or showing such fear. 

  1976 Business Week 26 July 119/2 A less extreme, cheaper, and yet often 
effective course for the ‘*white knuckle’ passenger is to join a fairly new type 
of therapy group devoted to taking the fear out of flying. 1982 N.Y. Times 11 
Apr. V. 5/3 Stadler salvaged a stroke with a two-foot birdie putt at the 
fifth, but it was whiteknuckle time again at the seventh, where he saved par from 
a bunker. 1985 Times 7 June 27/6 Wonderworld would eschew the ‘white knuckle’ 
rides but there would be thrills in another mode. 1986 Woman's Day 
(Melbourne) 25 Aug. 35/2 All you white-knuckle flyers will understand why Bob..put his 
private jet on the market..when the plane lost an engine and had to make an 
emergency landing. 1992 Caravan Mag. Sept. 36/3 It has the ususal array of rides, 
offering everything from the white-knuckle thrills of the Rattlesnake 
roller-coaster and the Tempest, in which passengers are suspended upside down.

    So white-knuckled a., having white knuckles; (transf. and fig.) tense 
from barely contained emotion, esp. fear or suspense. 

  1973 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 8 Sept. 8/6 He meets local editors, goes on 
talk shows, flies *white-knuckled in bumpy bush planes. 1989 Daily Tel. 16 Sept. 
8/2 [They] open the gate for a white-knuckled sailor in a fat rented boat, who 
shrieks orders at his wife as she nips ashore with the bow rope. 1993 
Saturday Night (Toronto) June 53/2 It felt like an airplane about to crash. The 180 
students..focused on the teacher with white-knuckled concentration.

(PROQUEST HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS) ("white knuckler")
  1. 50 Cities Within a City
By Curtis J. Sitomer Christian Balance Monitor News Service. The Washington 
Post, Times Herald (1959-1973). Washington, D.C.: Feb 27, 1972. p. E2 (1 page):
   ...Magic Mountain's "white knuckler" playland thrills in Valencia,...

  2. Marquette Goes From Mid-Court to Final
New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Mar 27, 1977. p. 169 (1 
page) 

  3. Fear of Flying Lists Big Gains; Air Travel Insurance Increases During 
Strike 
By Jura Koncius Washington Post Staff Writer. The Washington Post 
(1974-Current file). Washington, D.C.: Aug 21, 1981. p. A9 (1 page) 

(PROQUEST HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS)  ("white knuckled")
  1. WIFE BEATERS and their LOVE LETTERS; Rough and Brutal? No! Warm and 
Tender 
Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1963). Chicago, Ill.: Jan 2, 1916. p. 4H (1 page) 

  2. TAWDRY STREET
Harold Mac Grath. Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1963). Chicago, Ill.: Mar 12, 
1916. p. C2 (1 page) 

  3. ELECTROCUTE RUTH AND GRAY; WOMAN GOES TO CHAIR FIRST, PRAYER ON LIPS 
Judd Calm as He Follows Her. Ruth Snyder and Henry Judd Gray Die in Electric 
Chair--Democrats Pick Houston as Convention City 
SID SUTHERLAND. Chicago Daily Tribune (1872-1963). Chicago, Ill.: Jan 13, 
1928. p. 1 (3 pages) 

  4. RUTH SNYDER DIES FIRST; Then Judd Gray Goes to Chair Electrocution for 
Murder of Woman's Husband Ends Day of Turmoil Blond Pallid and Haggard as She 
Whimpers at Sight of Lethal Chamber 
SIDNEY SUTHERLAND. Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File). Los Angeles, 
Calif.: Jan 13, 1928. p. 1 (3 pages) 

  5. DEWEY IS UPHELD ON HIS HINES DATA; But Pecora Warns on Introducing of 
New Names--Rival Counsel in Bitter Clash Rule for Trial Is Set Up Defense 
Lawyers Surprised DEWEY IS UPHELD ON HIS HINES DATA Points to Early Statement Reads 
Part of Editorial Denies Reveallng Facts Court Cites renal Law 
New York Times (1857. Aug 5, 1938. p. 1 (2 pages) 

  6. NOVELS; ADAM RESURRECTED. By Yoram Kaniuk. Translated by Seymour S
imches. Atheneum. 370 pp. $8.95 Memorial candles Of the railss ANCIENT HISTORY: A 
Paraphase. By Joseph McElroy. Knopf. 307 pp. $6.95 Domestic scenen THE BIRDS ON 
THE TREES. By Nina Bawden. Harper & Row. 194 pp. $5.95 The private truth THE 
BOOK OF DANIEL By E. L. Doctorow. Random House. 303 pp $6.95 
Reviewed by Steven Kroll. The Washington Post, Times Herald (1959-1973). 
Washington, D.C.: Aug 1, 1971. p. 237 (1 page) :
   ...Bob's white-knuckled fist..."

  7. Display Ad 40 -- No Title
New York Times (1857-Current file). New York, N.Y.: Jun 12, 1990. p. C14 (1 
page) 

(WWW.NEWSPAPERARCHIVE.COM) ("white knuckler")
   Lima News Sunday, November 28, 1971 Lima, Ohio 
...A bit of a snap, smirks the WHITE-KNUCKLER. It was to be much 
later.....out of hand and massacre a number of WHITE settlers. Their actions also..

   Chronicle Telegram Thursday, June 07, 1973 Elyria, Ohio 
...Illinois engineer: and the renowned "WHITE KNUCKLER.V the roller-coaster. 
"v..

Valley News Thursday, April 15, 1971 Van Nuys, California 
...the amusement park balances "WHITE KNUCKLER" thrill rideswith live..
Pg. 11B:  Now nearing completion, the amusement park balances "white 
knuckler" thrill rides with live entertainment and gentle rides for the children, 
Lemmon said.
(Valencia Magic Mountain--ed.)

Newark Advocate Saturday, January 11, 1969 Newark, Ohio 
...editor of The Steve Pyle, Advocate 'WHITE KNUCKLER' Films Flight 
Movie.....airport pi-friM; IT POETICALLY me a WHITE-knuckle passenger manager's..

Post Crescent Sunday, November 28, 1971 Zanesville, Ohio 
...A bit of a snap, actually. smirks the WHITE-KNUCKLER. It was to be much 
later.....wrons 1 ex-plained. "I'm an advanced WHITE knuckle flyer." said the 
boss with.. 

(WWW.NEWSPAPERARCHIVE.COM) ("white knuckle")
   Frederick Post Tuesday, April 01, 1930 Frederick, Maryland 
...the flight. Franklin Roosevelt, a WHITE KNUCKLE flyer who was the 
first.....all identically painted in blue and WHITE with the presidential seal.. 
(CAUTION!  THIS IS REALLY FROM 1980!--ed.)

Valley Independent Thursday, October 07, 1965 Monessen, Pennsylvania 
...with the offer of a paper bag on the WHITE KNUCKLE flight? Absolutely 
not..
Pg. 6, col. 1:  Could the airlines lure businessmen up into the clouds in a 
rainstorm with the offer of a paper bag on the whire knuckle flights?  
Absolutely not. 

Reno Evening Gazette Wednesday, May 03, 1967 Reno, Nevada 
...into the blue. Your first flight, or WHITE-KNUCKLE trip as it _ known in 
the.....Kathy Grant Crosby is devoted to tiny WHITE orchids. Rita Hayworth 
would love..   

   Lima News Saturday, January 11, 1969 Lima, Ohio 
...But that was enough to make me a WHITE-KNUCKLE passenger after that.. 

   Gettysburg Times Monday, July 14, 1969 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 
...main clinic for the nurses to look at. WHITE KNUCKLE FLIGHT He never told 
me.....have a baby, and darn soon. It was a WHITE KNUCKLE flight for me after 
he.. 
   Post Crescent Sunday, September 28, 1969 Appleton, Wisconsin 
...RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 (AP) For the WHITE KNUCKLE flyer who must go down 
to..