beddy-bye; sparrow-crack

[Jonathan Lighter]

OED seems to lack an entry. Incredible!:

  1921 Ardern Beaman _The Squadroon_ (London: John Lane) 137 [ref. to 1918]: Well, we've got to get up at sparrow crack - train goes at half-five, so I'm for beddy-byes [sic].

  "Sparrow-fart" is dated to 1886, but the euphemistic "sparrow-crack" is absent.

  JL


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