"D.O.A.." "skip tracer," "burlesque queen."

Wed Aug 9 02:21:20 UTC 2006

The appearance of these now familiar terms in the article "Lady Cops," by Lowell Brentano antedates the OED exx. by a good number of years:

  1939 _Forum & Century_ (Apr.) 226: Three probation officers,...two "skip tracers."  Ibid. 227: And th searching of all female D.O.A's (dead on arrival).

  As a bonus, on p. 225: "Then there is an ex-burlesque queen." This should go under OED _queen_ , 5.d.

  And Barry--it was all happening in New York.

  JL

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