shindig

[Mark A. Mandel]

Ben Zimmer writes:
   >>>>>
OED2 has an 1871 cite from Bret Harte for the 'country dance' sense.
(There's an obsolete sense, 'a blow on the shins', attested in 1859.)  But
the American Periodical Series takes it back at least to 1848:
 <<<<<

I would guess that the 'dance event' sense originated as a joking use of the
'blow to the shin' sense. It certainly describes my dancing style...

-- Mark
[This text prepared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.]