"to ring changes", sexual, 1736

[Jonathan Lighter]

If it makes any difference, I've never encountered "ring the changes" with
an explicit sexual meaning.

To "ring the bell" is easily comprehensible but not widely used
.

JL
On Mon, Apr 5, 2010 at 9:07 AM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: "to ring changes", sexual, 1736
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>
> At 4/4/2010 09:06 PM, Cohen, Gerald Leonard wrote:
> >So, the reason why the 1736 maid used the expression "ring the
> >changes" seems clear.  A full-fledged orgy was about to get under
> >way, and "ring the changes" conveyed in a cutesy way all the
> >exertion/energy that would soon be expended plus, of course, most
> >likely the exchanging of partners.
>
> I would say the exchanging of partners is the primary connotation,
> given the four participants, and definitely drawn from bell
> ringing.  (The other associations add to the image.)  And for the
> exertions, one can read "The Nine Tailors" of Dorothy Sayers.
>
> Joel
>
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