swag

[Laurence Horn]

On Nov 10, 2011, at 6:00 AM, Jesse Sheidlower wrote:

> On Thu, Nov 10, 2011 at 04:53:29AM -0500, Victor Steinbok wrote:
>> Wilson may correct me on this, but is one of Obama's aides Australian?
>>
>> http://goo.gl/NSFEq
>>> Internal Revenue Service mugs and Homeland Security sweatshirts may
>>> soon become collector’s items.
>>>
>>> President Obama is set to unveil an executive order on Wednesday aimed
>>> at cutting wasteful spending on excess travel, printing, cell phones
>>> and government “swag.”
>>>
>>> The swag under fire includes plaques, clothing, mugs and other
>>> agency-identified items distributed to employees.
>>
>> The closest I see in OED is
>>
>>> 11. A great quantity of something (now chiefly Austral. and N.Z.); a
>>> large draught of liquor (dial.). (Cf. Sc. swack.)
>>
>> The next closest is
>
> Scroll down to the end, to sense a. in the Draft Additions September
> 2008: "colloq. Items given away free, typically for promotional
> purposes, to people attending an event, using a service, etc.", from
> 1961-
>
Is the dispenser of such favors (at least if male) known as the jolly swagman?

LH

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