Robo (1978), tuss (1993), dex (1994)

[Grant Barrett]

Great stuff, as always, Ben. Don't forget the combined form
"robodexing."

Grant Barrett
gbarrett at worldnewyork.org

On Aug 21, 2005, at 19:20, Benjamin Zimmer wrote:

> Grant Barrett has a DTWW entry for "robotripping" (or "roboing"),
> meaning
> "the recreational use of over-the-counter cough syrup for its narcotic
> effects": http://www.doubletongued.org/index.php/dictionary/
> robotripping/
>
> "Robo" is a shortened form of the brand name Robitussin. Here's an
> early
> cite for the nickname:
>
>  * Robo, n. 'Robitussin'
>
>  1978 S. MARSHALL _Young, Sober, and Free_ 83 After about two days
> of no
>  Robitussin, Wade told me about a drug that was just like Robo,
> only it
>  was more powerful and cost more.
>  http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0894860550/
>
> Another nickname is "tussin" or "tuss", which has also become a
> verb --
> perhaps by back-formation, reanalyzing "'tussin" as "tussin'"?
>
>  * tuss, n. 'Robitussin'
>
>  1993 _Robitussin as a drug_ in _alt.drugs_ 20 Jul., The best way I've
>  found to ingest the stuff is to mix 4 oz. of Tuss with 4 oz.
> Sprite and
>  gulp wait until your stomach settles and repeat.
>
>  * tuss, v. 'to take Robitussin for its narcotic effects'
>
>  1993 _Tuss_ in _alt.drugs_ (Usenet newsgroup) 7 Sep., I like the fact
>  that people have been saying good things about 'tussin. I tussed for
>  years and no one could understand my love for it and said it wasn't a
>  "real" trip.
>
> The narcotic ingredient in Robitussin and other over-the-counter cough
> syrups used to be codeine, but it began to be replaced by
> dextromethorphan
> (DXM) in the '70s.  This has been shortened to "dex" (confusingly,
> since
> "dex" previously referred to dextroamphetamine), which of course
> has also
> spawned a verb.
>
>  * dex, n. 'DXM'
>
>  1994  _Robitussin DM_ in _alt.drugs_ (Usenet newsgroup) 10 Feb., With
>  dex (dextromethorphan that is) you almost can't tell that its a
> chemical
>  making you feel good.
>  http://groups.google.com/group/alt.drugs/msg/c0ac7f612ffe87af
>
>  * dex, v. 'to take DXM, usu. in the form of cough syrup'; dexing,
> ppl. n.
>
>  1996 _DXM question_ in _alt.drugs.psychedelics_ (Usenet newsgroup) 20
>  Feb., Also, if you want to have a BLAST when you're dexing, try some
>  nitrous during your peak.. it's far out.  Happy dexing.
>  http://groups.google.com/group/alt.drugs.psychedelics/msg/
> 6a9e6f8899428e4f
>
>  2003 _USA Today_ 29 Dec. A1 (Factiva) Kids don't have to drink entire
>  bottles of goopy cough syrup to go "Robotripping" or "Dexing." Pills
>  such as Coricidin HBP Cough & Cold tablets -- known as "Triple
> C's" --
>  offer far more potent doses of DXM with less hassle.
>
>
> --Ben Zimmer
>
>
>