antedating "mess" = to 'injure'

[Jonathan Lighter]

OED (mess, v., 4d) has "mess up" only (from 1915).

1918 _St. Joseph [Mo.] Observer_ (Sept. 21) 7: I hain't hurt much -
and there's a lot guys here that's messed bad.

JL



--
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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