"party screws", 1854?

Joel S. Berson Berson at ATT.NET
Sat Apr 7 16:52:59 UTC 2012


"Party Screws".  [Article headline.  The article is a complaint from
a U.S. Representative about constant accosting and interrogating of
members about whether they are for or against the administration.]

Fayetteville Observer, (Fayetteville, NC) Thursday, January 05, 1854;
Issue 259; col A   10th Century U.S. Newspapers

Is this OED "screw, n.1, II. 17., U.S. College slang. (See quot.)"?
   1851   B. H. Hall Coll. College Words 265   In some American
colleges, an..unnecessarily minute, and annoying examination of a
student by an instructor is called a screw. The instructor is often
designated by the same name. An imperfect recitation is sometimes
thus denominated.

I didn't see anything else plausible.  But it's a long, long entry.

Joel

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