[Ads-l] Slight Antedating of "Drag" (Cross-Dressing)

[dave@wilton.net]

My recent post on "drag" is here. [ https://www.wordorigins.org/big-list-entries/drag ]( https://www.wordorigins.org/big-list-entries/drag ) 
 
It goes into the background of these uses (a police raid and criminal case against gay men), which antedate the ones I've got by a day or two.
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: "Shapiro, Fred" <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
Sent: Monday, August 14, 2023 5:33pm
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: [ADS-L] Slight Antedating of "Drag" (Cross-Dressing)



A similar usage is in the London Evening Standard, 21 May 1870, p. 5.

Fred Shapiro

________________________________
From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Shapiro, Fred <fred.shapiro at YALE.EDU>
Sent: Monday, August 14, 2023 4:07 PM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Slight Antedating of "Drag" (Cross-Dressing)

drag, n. (OED, 3.g., 1870 [29 May])

1870 _Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper_ 22 May 7/3 (Newspapers.com) Cross-examined by Mr. Besley: ... he said that he would have some fancy dress affair, and that they would come in "drag," which is the slang term for women's clothes.

Fred Shapiro

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