[Ads-l] "a solid" vs. "some solid"

Tue Feb 13 07:49:42 UTC 2018

> In the pay version of GDoS, you can see that the sense with history back
to
> the 1920s is #3: "a trustworthy fellow criminal or prison inmate." The
> earliest for the phrase "do (someone) a/the solid" is actually dated
a.1964.

But 1964 is later than the late '40's for "do (someone) some solid,"
already so ordinary that grade-schoolers used it.

On Wed, Feb 7, 2018 at 12:20 PM, Ben Zimmer <bgzimmer at gmail.com> wrote:

> In the pay version of GDoS, you can see that the sense with history back to
> the 1920s is #3: "a trustworthy fellow criminal or prison inmate." The
> earliest for the phrase "do (someone) a/the solid" is actually dated
> a.1964.
>
> a.1964 [US] ‘Honky-Tonk Bud’ in D. Wepman et al. _Life_ (1976) 55: Say, you
> look sick, like you need a fix, / Perhaps I can do some solids for you.
>
> The full reference is:
>
> _The Life: The Lore and Folk Poetry of the Black Hustler_ by Dennis Wepman,
> R.B. Newman, and M.B. Binderman, Philadelphia 1976.
>
> I double-checked with Jonathon Green, who says that the dates given in the
> free interface derive from an earlier version of the dictionary. There are
> some errors in that data, for which he apologizes -- he'll make the
> necessary changes in his research database for the next online update.
>
> --bgz
>
>
> On Wed, Feb 7, 2018 at 8:29 AM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > 1920s??  Source?
> >
> > JL
> >
> > On Tue, Feb 6, 2018 at 7:25 PM, Wilson Gray <hwgray at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > > do him some solid
> > >
> > > Wow! _Great_ catch, Garson!😳 You're a "solid sender," to coin a
> > > phrase/pun.
> > >
> > > On Tue, Feb 6, 2018 at 4:49 PM, ADSGarson O'Toole <
> > > adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com
> > > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > Here is a relatively recent example with "some", i.e., "do him some
> > > solid".
> > > >
> > > > Forum Name: Go Deep at FinHeaven.com
> > > > Poster: Peter North (Seasoned Veteran)
> > > > Date: January 16, 2014
> > > >
> > > > http://finheaven.com/threads/alonzo-highsmith-not-a-
> > > > consideration-for-gm-position.308669/
> > > >
> > > > [Begin slightly reformatted message]
> > > > Mike13 said
> > > > >Former Packers staff don't poach from Green Bay. Its an unwritten
> rule
> > > > they have.
> > > >
> > > > Then why go through the charade of interviewing Ben McAdoo for the OC
> > > > position? Just to do him some solid and make him look more appealing
> > > > for the team that did hire him? I doubt it.
> > > > [End message]
> > > >
> > > > Green's Dictionary of Slang (free version without citations) has a
> > > > pertinent entry. Sense 4 below and the phrase sense seem to fit
> > > > Wilson's usage, but it is unclear whether the citations use "a
> solid",
> > > > "the solid", or "some solid". The claim of a citation in the 1920s is
> > > > intriguing.
> > > >
> > > > Jon Lighter's private files might have information. The public
> volumes
> > > > did not reach the letter "S" (as list members know).
> > > >
> > > > https://greensdictofslang.com/entry/dqk6aai
> > > >
> > > > [Begin entry]
> > > > solid n.
> > > > [someone or something that has substance, thus dependable,
> trustworthy]
> > > >
> > > > 1. [late 18C] constr. with the, a guinea.
> > > > 2. [20C+] (UK tramp) the road.
> > > > 3. [1920s] (US Und.) a trustworthy fellow criminal or prison inmate.
> > > > 4. [1950s+] (US black) a favour.
> > > >
> > > > In phrases
> > > > do (someone) a/the solid (v.)
> > > > [1920s+] (US) to perform a great favour.
> > > > [End entry]
> > > >
> > > > Garson
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On Tue, Feb 6, 2018 at 2:06 PM, MULLINS, WILLIAM D (Bill) CIV USARMY
> > > > RDECOM AMRDEC (US) <william.d.mullins18.civ at mail.mil> wrote:
> > > > > Dialog from the Pixar film _The Incredibles_ (2004), Holly Hunter's
> > > > character speaking:
> > > > >
> > > > > "Snug, I'm calling in a solid you owe me."
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >> ----
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Around the time that the expression, _do me a solid_ "do me a
> favor"
> > > > was coming into use, I noted that, in StL, back in the '40's and
> '50's,
> > > > >> the phrase was "do me _some_ solid," with its negative being, "I
> > can't
> > > > do you no solid."
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Occasionally, I Google this kind of stuff to see whether it may
> have
> > > > appeared in print since the last time that I looked. So...
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Can you do Gymnastics with Scoliosis? | Yahoo Answers
> > > > >> https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=
> 20100610000643AAzb6FA
> > > > >> Jun 10, 2010 - "i became entreated [interested?] to do
> calisthenics
> > > and
> > > > putting [pulling?] workouts in my freshman and sophomore 365 days
> > > > >> [years?] in extreme [?] college to decrease my scoliosis. That
> > advice
> > > > would do you properly[?]. i'd use the pull up bars to hold from, and
> > > > >> stretch my back. It appeared to _do me some solid_."
> > > > >>
> > > > >> It's unclear that this means _do me some solid_ in the relevant
> > sense
> > > -
> > > > "do me some good, help me out" - considering the lack of clarity of
> > > > >> what precedes it. But, "until the real thing comes along," as the
> > song
> > > > says...
> > > > >>
> >
>
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-- 
-Wilson
-----
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