[off-list] Re: [ADS-L] "fanny", n.4

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Here is some more information from an entry in Jon Lighter's
masterwork: Historical Dictionary of American Slang:

fanny n. [orig. unkn., but perh. cf. Fanny Hill (1748-49), erotic
novel by John Cleland]

1. the vulva or vagina. - usu. considered vulgar. [Chiefly BrE and
always rare in U.S. The *1882 quot. could possibly belong at (2),
below.]

*ca 1835-40 in Speaight Bawdy Songs of Music Hall 76: I've got a
little Fanny,/That with hair is overspread. Ibid. 39: Johnny touched
her Fanny up. *1882 Boudoir 88: Come...feel our soft little fannys.

*1889 Barrere & Leland Dict. Slang I 354: Fanny (common), the fern. pud.

<<additional citations omitted>>


2. the backside; buttocks. - also used in substitution for Ass in
various senses.

1919 12th U.S. Inf. 73: They made us all get in a circle and stoop
over while a guy ran around and hit us on the - never mind where -
with a strap - I believe they call the game "Bat the Fanny" and they
sure did bat me.

<<additional citations omitted>>

Here is a link into Google Books for the 1919 cite:

http://books.google.com/books?id=dj8tAAAAYAAJ&q=fanny#v=snippet&

Typos and OCR errors are possible in the text above.

Garson

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