Heard in Missouri: "but good!"

[David Donnell]

Pardon my asking: by "opaque idiom" what do you mean?

I reckon you mean there is no literal sense to either idiom... (If
so, I agree with you. Otherwise, please correct me.)

Also, below you say it's "general american.  colloquial, but widespread."

Don't you find the expression a wee bit anachronistic? I mean, can
you imagine any young adult using it nowdays? Just curious.

Note: I don't have enough info to circumscribe usage of the
expression--didn't mean to suggest it is regional. I simply reported
the identity & location of the person using the expression. (My dear
old ma.)

DD
Missouriano @ NYC

At 10:10 AM -0800 12/19/07, Arnold M. Zwicky wrote:
>let me try this again; it slipped out of my grasp the first time...
>
>On Dec 19, 2007, at 9:18 AM, David Donnell wrote:
>
>>  Question about an expression I just heard: "but good!"
>>
>>  ... The expression never registered with me before, although it
>>  sounded
>>  familiar rolling off her tongue; it apparently means something like
>>  "and how!"
>
>note that it really won't do to define one opaque idioms by another.
>
>>
>>  Is anyone familiar with this critter?
>
>it's in the AHD Dictionary of Idioms (1997):
>
>   Emphatically, thoroughly, as in Ruth decided to clean up the whole
>yard but good. The word but in this colloquialism functions as an
>intensive. Also see _and how_. x
>
>so far as i know, it's general american.  colloquial, but widespread.
>
>arnold
>
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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org