"ironwork" as wielding an erect penis?

[Joel S. Berson]

I knew someone would have the Kurzweil book!  (BTW, re Jesse's
comment about the sequel, it seems the Google-featured reviewer
didn't like its predecessor.)

At 10/31/2007 11:04 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>HDAS has the relevant sense of "iron" from ca1700.

So I will send the related but not identical "ironwork" off to the OED.

Joel


>   JL
>
>Jesse Sheidlower <jester at PANIX.COM> wrote:
>   ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
>Sender: American Dialect Society
>Poster: Jesse Sheidlower
>Subject: Re: "ironwork" as wielding an erect penis?
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>On Wed, Oct 31, 2007 at 09:20:24PM -0400, Joel S. Berson wrote:
> > Does "ironwork" have a sense of employing an erect penis? In "A
> > Satyrical Description of Commencement (?1740 but describing itself as
> > first printed in 1719), there are the lines:
> >
> > While some intoxicated are with Wine,
> > Others (as brutish) propagate their Kind:
> > Where amorous Lads to shady groves resort,
> > And under Venus with their Misses sport.
> > Some sing, some dance, some lay the Ground upon,
> > Whatever fails, the IRON-WORK goes on.
> >
> > Google gives me a tantalizing snippet:
> >
> > "... application of clenched fists and ironwork. And despite all
> > that, he left me in the same state in which he found me. Do not
> > forget that _you_ have benefited from our liaison. I have given you
> > time and funds. We should both be thankful."
> >
> > Allen Kurzweil, _A Case of Curiosities_, 1992, p. 233. The review on
> > the Google page says this novel is set in the 18th century, and
> > mentions sexual incidents from the book.
>
>Spectacular book. Its long-awaited sequel, _The Grand
>Complication,_ was stunningly bad. Really one of the biggest
>disappointments in ages.
>
>Here's more context:
>
>I was unfortunate enough to marry a man with a penis the size
>of a wart and testicles smaller than two field peas. You
>allowed me to forget his inadequacies. For that I thank
>you. My God! Do you know what it was like to pass whole nights
>with him upon me? My body was forced to suffer inconceivable
>distress and pain. A thousand vain efforts, from book readings
>to the crude application of clenched fists and ironwork. And
>despite all that, he left me in the same state in which he
>found me. Do not forget that _you_ have benefited from our
>liaison. I have given you time and funds. We should both be
>thankful.
>
>So, clearly in a sexual context, but I'm inclined to read this
>as literal.
>
>Jesse Sheidlower
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>
>  __________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
>http://mail.yahoo.com
>
>------------------------------------------------------------
>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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