[Ads-l] "Big ask"

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Ben Yagoda wrote:
> Google Books has what I read as a legitimate (and non-sporting) use of
> “big ask” from what appears to be a short story in the Australian journal
> The Bulletin, vol. 97, 1975. It’s a snippet view: "A big ask, though. They
> wanted a grand. Anyway I got two spot bail and the case is still swingin’."
>
> https://books.google.com/books?id=pNQXAQAAIAAJ&q=%22a+big+ask%22&dq=%22a+big+ask%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiexve_8NbfAhUDT6wKHXEaD2EQ6AEwA3oECAIQAg

Excellent lead for "big ask", Ben. A search in the document for dates
such as 1977, 1980, and 1981 produces snippets indicating that those
years are in the future. So, this should be a fine antedating (after
verification) for the modern Australian resurgence of the noun "ask"
in the form "big ask".

Garson

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