Nouns into Intransitive Verbs-Hoover and Beaver

[Laurence Horn]

At 7:52 PM +0000 2/1/09, ronbutters at aol.com wrote:
>Does this use of "hoover" derive from the UK use to mean ' vacuum'?

Definitely, or a separate derivation resulting from the proliferation
of Hoover v.c.s in this country too.  Not to be confused with the
Hoovervilles that arose after the first stock market crash, which did
not feature large numbers of vacuum cleaners.

>  And why "beaver"? Are beavers more single-minded than any other krittir?

They are to me at least by reputation; they're basically famous just
for relentlessly building and rebuilding those dams.

LH

>
>------Original Message------
>From: Carter Rila
>Sender: ADS-L
>To: ADS-L
>ReplyTo: ADS-L
>Subject: [ADS-L] Nouns into Intransitive Verbs-Hoover and Beaver
>Sent: Feb 1, 2009 8:04 AM
>
>I have found myself using these terms often in the last twenty years
>or so. The meanings should be obvious.
>I use "beavering away" more in the present tense to denote heads
>down concentrating on one's immediate task to the exclusion of any
>other thing going. Characteristic of "cubicle rat" programmers.
>As to "hoover it up" or the past tense this specifically refers to
>the way a dog eats. Bolt it down, "scarf it up", or "wolf it down"
>All mean the same. Hasty eating hardly pausing to chew, let alone,
>enjoy one's sustenance. Such people would probably prefer an IV.
>
>Charles Franklin Carter
>
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