cocktail (1803)

[Laurence Horn]

>I just found cocktail 1803.  I found it in _Early American Newspapers,
>series I_ from _The Farmer's Cabinet_ April 28, 1803, p [2]
>
>The word is used twice:
>
>"11. Drank a glass of coctail--excellent for the head ...  Call'd at the
>Doct's. found Burnham--he looked very wise--drank another glass of
>cocktail."
>
>So, I guess they're a few years off in Las Vegas.  Maybe more, if someone
>has older evidence.
>

We shouldn't be too hard on the Vegas folks, since they do appear to
have given it their best shot(s) under the circumstances:

OED, s.v. COCKTAIL
3. [A slang name, of which the real origin appears to be lost.]    a.
A drink, consisting of spirit mixed with a small quantity of bitters,
some sugar, etc. orig. U.S.

1806 Balance (Hudson, N.Y.) 13 May 146 Cock tail, then, is a
stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water,
and bitters.

(My browser wasn't up to the task of actually getting me to
http://www.cocktail200.com/ so I don't know if they cited other
sources beyond the OED.)

Larry

>
>American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on Monday, January 23,
>2006 at 2:00 PM  wrote:
>
>
>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>-----------------------
>>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>Poster:       bapopik at AOL.COM
>>Subject:      Wyoming Historical Newspapers; "Cocktail" is 200?
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>WYOMING HISTORICAL NEWSPAPERS--About 1850-1922 will be digitized, maybe
>>by 2008. Wyoming should be about as exciting as Utah and Colorado.
>>...
>>...
>>1806 "Cocktail"--the 200th anniversary of the word "cocktail" will be
>>celebrated in Las Vegas. Gotta go.
>>...
>>COCKTAIL 200?, a celebration of the cocktail's 200th birthday is coming
>>May 13, 2006!  featuring the First Annual American Cocktail Awards?  at
>>the Aladdin Hotel, just steps from the Museum's new exhibit at
>>Commander's Palace Las Vegas. DEADLINE for entries: April 1st, 2006. For
>  >more information visit:http://www.cocktail200.com/
>>...
>>The Museum of the American Cocktail? is a nonprofit organization
>>providing education in mixology and preserving the rich history of the
>>American cocktail. JOIN today and receive discounts on seminars, books,
>>admission, and our monthly newsletter. For further info
>>visit:http://www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org/membership/index.html
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------
>>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org