Sam Hill (1832?)

[Wilson Gray]

I can't tell whether your comment is facetious or not, Barry, but isn't Sam
_Hall_ the labor guy? There was a story featuring (a folksong about) him in
Astounding back in the '50's, IIRC.

-Wilson

On 12/21/05, Bapopik at aol.com <Bapopik at aol.com> wrote:
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Bapopik at AOL.COM
> Subject:      Sam Hill (1832?)
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> What does OED, HDAS have? I think I just saw Sam Hill on strike  today.
> ...
> ...
> ...
> _A  JOCKIED FRENCHMAN._=20
> (
> http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=3D2&did=3D752121462&SrchMode=3D1&sid=
>
> =3D1&Fmt=3D10&VInst=3DPROD&VType=3DPQD&RQT=3D309&VName=3DHNP&TS=3D1135202961=
> &c
> lientId=3D65882)=20
> Boston Masonic Mirror  (1830-1834). Boston: Jan 7, 1832. Vol. 3, Iss. 28;
> p.=
> =20
> 221 (1 page)  :
> Sare, de gar, you be one grand rascalle--you lie like Sam--like
> Sam--vat  yo=
> u=20
> call the leetle mountain?"
> ...
> "Sam Hill, I suppose you mean."
> ...
> "Oui, Monsieur--Sam de Hill--yes, sar, you lie like two Sam Hill."
> ...
> ...
> ...
> (OED)
> Sam Hill
> N. Amer. slang.
> =20
> A euphemism for hell; used especially  in expressions of impatience or=20
> irritation preceded by in or the  with an interrogative word. =20
> 1839  Havana (N.Y.) Republican 21 Aug.  1/4 What in sam hill is that
> feller=20
> ballin' about? 1868  _J. T.  TROWBRIDGE_=20
> (http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-t2.html#j-t-trowbridge)  Three
> Scou=
> ts vi. 26 When you  might a'married!why=20
> in Sam Hill didn't ye, then? 1894  _=E2=80=98MARK  TWAIN=E2=80=99_=20
> (http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-t2.html#mark-twain)  in St.
> Nichola=
> s Jan. 257/2 Hateful =20
> people..giving me Sam Hill because I shirked. 1909  N.Y. Even. Post. 10
> Apr.=
> (Sat.=20
> Suppl.) 3/5 How in Sam Hill can she do it? She's just as hot when she gets
> t=
> o =20
> bilin' p'int as she'll ever be. 1918  _M. E. FREEMAN_=20
> (http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-f2.html#m-e-freeman)  Edgewater
> Peo=
> ple 314 What in Sam  Hill=20
> made you treat him so durned mean fur? 1927  W. R. JAMES  Cow Country 77
> Wha=
> t=20
> the Sam Hill  do you think we are out here, servants? 1948  Salt Lake
> Tribun=
> e=20
> 18 Dec. 10/7  He wondered who the Sam Hill the =E2=80=98senator=E2=80=99
> was=
> . 1962  _H. =20
> GREEN_ (http://dictionary.oed.com/help/bib/oed2-g2.html#h-green)  Time to
> pa=
> ss=20
> Over xii. 147 Why  in the samhill didn't you step in and stop them,
> Mike.  1=
> 973 =20
> B. BROADFOOT Ten Lost Years xxiii. 262 He  probably never could have
> figured=
> =20
> what the Sam Hill was going  on.
>



--
-Wilson Gray