square WAS "Sweet Science" Not in OED (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Mullins, Bill AMRDEC]

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Likewise it is missing "squared/square circle" for the boxing ring (and
to a lesser extent, the wrestling and other martial arts rings).


_New York Herald_ Jul 17 1860 p 1 col 3 [ProQuest Civil War Era]
"It was impossible to play this point, however, against the high Jack,
whose adherents are as numerous as his virtues, with anything like
success, and the opinion of competent judges seemed to be that the
Infant was no match for the Boy, and this Stalybridge would be for Hurst
a veritable bridge of sighs if he persisted in pushing his way into the
squared circle before Heenan's renowned left."

_Chicago Daily Tribune_ Dec 4, 1871 p 4 col 5
"With little or no delay the materials for the ring were produced, and
Jim Coburn with an able corps of assistants at once went to work to
pitch the "square circle." "

_Chicago Daily Tribune_ Feb 8, 1882 p 1 col 5 [ProQuest]
"Barney Aaron, however, expressed his opinion in this wise, and it was
especially valuable as coming from one of the shrewdest and the most
skillful veterans of the squared circle:  "Sullivan is the hardest
hitter I ever saw, and has an arm on him like the trunk of a tree." "


_Sporting Life_  Nov 2, 1907 p 5 col 2 [LA84]
"John is there with the punch, either in the squared circle or the
pointed diamond."

_The American Golfer_ 1934, Vol. 38, Iss. 3 p 32 col 2 [LA84]
"But that is no more valid a reason for abolishing it than to say that
rope skipping is not a valuable part of training for a boxing contest
because one doesn't skip rope in the squared circle."

_Black Belt_ Nov 1988 p 78 col 2 [Google Books]
"Severn and Shamrock squared off recently, but it was not in the
octagon; it was in the squared circle of the World Wrestling Federation
(WWF)."

_Vibe_ Mar 1999 p 108 col 1 [Google Books]
"Along the way, they've battled sexist ridicule from skeptical boxing
fans as well as a steadfast belief among boxing officials that the
square circle is no place for the "fairer sex." "


_Spin_ Jan 2009 p 51 col 2 [Google Books]
" "Wrestlers," which generates a whimsical love song out of squared
circle metaphors and equal parts virginal harmony."




***********************************************




Under "square" v I 2.b "To convert (a circle) into an equivalent square
. . .", the definition is missing (what I think to be) the important
concept of an impossible task. Squaring a circle, along with trisecting
an angle and doubling a cube, are classically impossible constructions
to perform in Euclidean geometry using only an unmarked straight edge
and compass.  Most of the quotes under this sense refer to this element
of impossibility.





> -----Original Message-----
> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On
Behalf Of
> Shapiro, Fred
> Sent: Friday, December 10, 2010 7:29 AM
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: "Sweet Science" Not in OED
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
----------------------
> -
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
> Subject:      "Sweet Science" Not in OED
>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------
> -
>
> I don't see the term "sweet science," meaning the sport of boxing, in
OED.
> Can Jesse tell us whether an entry or subentry is planned for this?
>
> Fred Shapiro
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

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