solitaire

[victor steinbok]

Perhaps I do not understand how OED entries are constructed. But consider
the following:

Solitaire, n.

> 3. A game which can be played by one person:
>
>  a. One of various kinds of card-games.
>
>  b. A game played on a board with marbles or pegs, which have to be removed
> by jumping as in draughts.
>


Only 3.b. has citations (from 1746 to 1873).

Then I come across this (Amazon.com):

http://goo.gl/71vPt

> There are infinite ways to play with Rory's Story Cubes. You can play
> solitaire or with others.
> ...
> This pocket-sized creative story generator provides hours of imaginative
> fun for all ages. The Story Cubes are nine dice with a different icon on
> each side. Roll the cubes and look at the face up images. Pick an image that
> will be the starting point for your story.
>

There is also an adjective entry:

Obs.
>   Solitary, in various senses.


But the latest citation on that one is 1647.

Another point is that the last two citations under noun 3.b. refer to
"solitaire-board". No separate subentry is listed for "solitaire board"
compound, although the layout of cards in a solitaire game is often referred
to as "the board" as well (also the case in other games).

Under board n. 2.c.

2. c. spec. The tablet or frame on which some games are played, as
> chess-board, draught-board, bagatelle-board, backgammon-board; the frame
> used for scoring at cribbage. Also, the target in the game of darts. Often
> fig.
>

Again, a restricted meaning--only the physical board is mentioned, not the
layout. I suppose, one could say that "layout" is a metaphorical sense for a
physical game board, but it still needs to be mentioned.

Then there is the second game sense, apparently unrelated:

> 3. b. In pl., playing-cards. slang.
>
> 1923    S. T. Felstead Underworld of London i. 11   The‥steward [at the
Cardsharpers' Club] is a well-known criminal famous for his skill with the
‘boards’.
> 1927    E. Wallace Mixer i. 7   The greatest and most amazingly clever
card-sharp that ever handled the ‘boards’.

In any case, I am somewhat confused by the "solitaire" entry. The main
header has a good definition, but the split subentries are too restrictive.
Shouldn't the main head be 3.a. and the other two b. and c. (all three with
examples)?

VS-)

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