kibosh (lash) ca. 1830

Stephen Goranson goranson at DUKE.EDU
Fri Sep 17 08:15:44 UTC 2010


I just received a scan of a broadside-- "Penal Servitude!"-- thought
(by Ferguson, Bibliography of Australia 1390aaaa)
 to be printed in London ca. 1830.

The song, from one found guilty at the Old Baily and just returned
from Australia, includes the text:

There is one little dodge I am thinking,
  That would put your profession all to smash,
It would put on the kibosh like winking,
  That is if they was to introduce the lash.

(This broadside has been incorrectly transcribed in two books.)

If there is interest, I will type the full text and provide other
information on this early attestation that kibosh, as suggested
before, like kurbach, meant lash.

Stephen Goranson
http://www.duke.edu/~goranson

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