Fatals (noun)

Charles Doyle cdoyle at UGA.EDU
Mon Jul 3 16:30:46 UTC 2006


Speaking of things elliptical:  When did one's Social
Security number start being referred to simply as
his "social"?  (It's hard to search that!)

The OED (social B.3) gives "social" as elliptical
for "Social Security" (1981, 1983) but not for "Social
Security number"--a use that is now ubiquitous.

--Charlie

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