1947 citing in Archie Comic of "butthole." What did it mean?

[Victor Steinbok]

Over the past decade or so, we've seen a significant increase in sales
of "rump steak" and, less frequently, rump roast. You can still see
occasional "Boston butt", but "butt ham" has pretty much disappeared.
One packer that I've noticed actually specializes in "Boston butts"
(they are the original precursor to Canadian Bacon, before packers
started using tenderloins). I'm not sure if beef "rump" was ever "butt",
but, like skirt steak, it used to be "butcher's cut", i.e., the leftover
parts that the butcher would take home after selling all the "good" cuts.

AFAICT rump has always been associated with cows. In the less refined
circles, I usually hear "rump" in place of a "large butt", so there may
be some differentiation there as well. That is, no one is going to say,
"Get your rump over here!" And "rump" rhymes with "hump", so...

     VS-)

On 4/30/2012 11:57 AM, Jonathan Lighter wrote:
> Good work, John and Doug.
>
> But "Rumpole" isn't "Rumphole."  Would that have gotten by?  Anyway, _butt_
> 'human posteriors, including the anus' seems more offensive (theoretically)
> than _rump_ 'buttocks.'
>
> Nobody says, "Stick it up your rump(hole)!"  Or "up your bottom-hole!"
>   Nobody said usage makes sense.
>
> For the record, I never suggested that _butthole_ meant 'ashtray,' though
> that kind of tall receptacle is/was frequently called a _butt-can_ in the
> military.
>
> JL

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