nabe (attrib.) 'neighborhood': 1922, 1938

[Ben Zimmer]

Responding to a reporter's inquiry I took a look at "nabe", which OED3
dates to 1933 in the sense of 'neighborhood cinema' and to 1942 in the more
general sense of 'neighborhood' (n. and attrib.). Here are earlier attrib.
uses for the general sense from Genealogybank:

1922 _Denver Post_ 2 Dec. 10/8 (head & text) Cagers Will Attend 'Nabe' Gym
Smoker. Practically every basketball player in the city has promised to
attend the benefit smoker at the Neighborhood House gym, Tenth and
Galapago, Monday night.

1938 Tommy Dorsey and Geo. D. Lottman "Love in Swingtime" (syndicated
serial) _Times-Picayune_ (New Orleans) 9 Aug. 12/2 "Biggest flopperoo of
year, so far," wrote Green [sc. Abel Green of Variety] "was the highly
touted preeming of Biff Brown's band at the Ritz, nabe dancery near
Bridgeport."

1938 Tommy Dorsey and Geo. D. Lottman "Love in Swingtime" (syndicated
serial) _Times-Picayune_ (New Orleans) 9 Aug. 12/3 Glossary of Swing Words
in this Chapter. ... Nabe dancery: Neighborhood ballroom.

--bgz

--
Ben Zimmer
http://benzimmer.com/

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