antedating of SWAG

[Jonathan Lighter]

Not in OED.

I first heard this in the early '70s as the acronym of "Scientific
Wild-Assed Guess."  Also "Stupid...."

1966 James H. Pickerell _Vietnam in the Mud_ (Indianapolis: Bobbs-Merrill)
14: Consequently, troops in the field have started turning in what they
refer to as a SWAG count, but what their superiors still call a "body
count." (SWAG stands for "Stupid Wild-Ass Guess.")

Malcolm W. Browne's intro is dated "February, 1966."

JL

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

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