[Ads-l] U-turn (1907)

[Amy West]

On 10/19/22 00:00, ADS-L automatic digest system wrote:
> Date:    Tue, 18 Oct 2022 12:07:29 -0400
> From:    Ben Zimmer<bgzimmer at GMAIL.COM>
> Subject: Re: U-turn (1907)
>
> Thanks to Pete, Garson, and Amy for their comments and cites. I'm writing
> about "U-turn" for my Wall Street Journal column this week (because of
> the term's current prominence in UK politics), so I appreciate the
> insights. I'll be sure to cover the semantic shift from the earlier
> "hairpin turn/bend" sense.
>
> As for the earliest uses of the "hairpin" expressions, OED2 has "hairpin
> turn" and "hairpin corner" from 1906, and "hairpin bend" from 1914 (also
> standalone "hairpin" from 1912). Some antedatings:

And then there's "switchback" for hiking trails . . .

---Amy West

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