Heard on The Doctors: _bug juice_

[Jonathan Lighter]

>  don't know why it isn't in the slang dictionaries.

Then how do you explain this?:

HDAS: "bug juice...1. cheap potent whiskey [1863 - 1978].  2.a. A soft
drink, esp. (in recent use) an instant fruit drink.  [1889-1990; that would
include Kool-Aid].  b.  a sedative or other drug in liquid form [1942
-1974; cf. Wilson's ex.]  3. an insecticide or insect repellent [1944 1982]
  4. gasoline [1942 - 1983]  5. de-icing fluid -1945-1956].

JL

On Wed, Mar 14, 2012 at 8:33 PM, Joel S. Berson <Berson at att.net> wrote:

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Joel S. Berson" <Berson at ATT.NET>
> Subject:      Re: Heard on The Doctors: _bug juice_
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> At 3/14/2012 08:22 PM, Arnold Zwicky wrote:
> >  i found some evidence of military usage, probably before the
> > summer-camp usage (though it wouldn't be surprising if these were
> > related).  i'm overwhelmed with other stuff and am not much on
> > tracking usages back in time, but this might make a little project
> > of cultural interest for someone.
>
> I'm afraid of exactly what cultures will come up.
>
> Joel
>
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