"the Big [initial]"

[Laurence Horn]

On Aug 31, 2011, at 7:27 PM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:

> HDAS includes a number of these (e.g., "the Big D" - 'Dallas').
>
And it sports three entries for The Big O, including one for Opium as well as the one you were thinking of.  Not to be confused with "The Big --Oh", as in the Big 6-Oh (for the birthday of that number), which is also listed in HDAS and which strikes me as becoming more frequently used (or maybe it's just used more frequently as a euphemism for people whose ages are tracking mine…)

LH

> Here's an antedating:
>
> 1917 _The Marines Magazine_  (Dec.) 20-21: U.S.S. "Utah." ...Brothers Mace
> and Jordan...were presented with a gorgeous bouquet of flowers apiece just
> prior to the BIG "U's" departure for sea.
>
> JL
>

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