[Ads-l] money shot

[Laurence Horn]

I would think that the 1989 cite from the L.A. Times included in the HDAS entry (s.v. “money shot”, adj., 2) for the narrowed meaning relating to umfilms and videos of a certain character might be antedatable.  Or is that the 1977 “derivative sense” you mention (but don’t illustrate below)?  

LH

> On Jul 28, 2020, at 10:21 AM, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> 
> HDAS found a derivative sense from 1977.  The basic sense seems to be "a
> shot (in any sense) likely or deserving of bringing in money."
> 
> A winning or exceptionally accurate golf shot:
> 
> 1921 _Evening Public Ledger_ (Phila._  (Feb. 8) 16: Miller got home with a
> screaming iron, the best shot of the day." ... "That is a money shot,"
> explained Maxwell...."Right in the bank."
> 
> 1960 _Progress-Bulletin_ (Pomona, Calif.) (Jan. 10) III 1: [Caption:] MONTI
> "MONEY SHOT" - Eric Monti of Los Angeles rifles an iron shot out of the
> rough on the first hole Saturday in the L.A. Open.  The ball stopped three
> feet from the cup but his putt for a birdie refused to drop.
> 
> 1960 _Salt Lake Tribune_ (Sept. 13) 16: Billy climaxed his tremendous round
> with a great eagle on No. 18. This was the money shot. It meant $2,800 to
> the Provo pro.
> 
> "A chance to make much money, as in a boxing match":
> 
> 1940 _Cumberland [Md.] News_ (Jan. 24) 13: He never won a fight in this
> country, but I got him a couple of great money shots just like he was a
> winner.
> 
> 1960 _Press-Democrat_ (Santa Rosa, Calif.) (March 11)  13: Gonsalves
> retired after a recent loss to Paolo Rossi, but announced later he was
> always available for "money shots."
> 
> It's hard to look for because of the preponderance of "an even-money shot"
> (a fifty-fifty bet or chance) and "big money shot" (a chance for big money).
> 
> JL
> 
> 
> -- 
> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
> 
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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org