step out= to die

[Garson O'Toole]

Joan H. Hall wrote
>
> Volume V of DARE will have an entry for "step out" meaning 'to die,'
> with the first citation from 1843. We label it "chiefly New England."
>
> By the way, Volume V text has been submitted to Harvard University
> Press, and we're working on examining page proof! Official publication
> will be in March of 2012.

This 1842 citation uses three different euphemisms: "been dispatched",
"gone to the land of spirits", and "stepped out."

Cite: 1842 February 18, Botanico-Medical Recorder, A. Curtis, M.D.,
editor and Proprietor, Communications, Page 145, Printed by Shepard &
Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. (Google Books full view)

Not long since, I made my entrance into a house of sick people, by the
request of a young widow, whose husband had lately been despatched.
Two had gone to the land of spirits, and four more were ready to
start. I took the worst one of the bunch, which was the widow, and in
twenty-four hours, she was well. This astonished the calomelite very
much. In a few days more, another of his patients stepped out. The
other two refused any more medicine, and got well. I could give you
many facts, if I had room.
 Yours &c.
    J.D. Lowber.
 Marlow, Hickman Co., Ky., Jan 9 1842.

http://books.google.com/books?id=EgygAAAAMAAJ&q=%22stepped+out%22#v=snippet&

Garson

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