[Ads-l] Nimrod?

[Jonathan Lighter]

All of these appear to me to mean "hunter" - as in Looney Tunes. The point
is that many of the millions who saw the cartoon(s) were unfamiliar with
the word and likely to have misunderstood it as a synonym for fool.

JL

On Wed, Dec 13, 2023 at 5:23 PM Steven Losie <stevenlosie at gmail.com> wrote:

> John Baker pushed the ironic/foolish sense of "nimrod" back to 1889 on this
> list a few years ago, with an additional ironic usage in 1903:
> https://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/ads-l/2018-October/153180.html
>
> Here are a few subsequent usages that appear to pour cold water on the
> claim that the ironic/sarcastic sense originated with Looney Tunes:
>
> [begin quote]
> It also throws some light upon the mystery of one bunny which was brought
> in dead, but without a shot in its carcass.
>
> "Here is what happened," says this nimrod. "When that particular rabbit was
> stirred out of a clump of grass one of the hunters blazed away, but missed.
> Another member of the party took a shot, but it was wide. Then came a
> fusilade that sounded like a young world war. In all 18 shots were fired at
> that poor cottontail, but not one took effect. Then the dogs saved the day
> by capturing bunny."
> [end quote]
> Source: Pittsburgh Post, 27 Nov 1921, p.24, col.2 (newspapers.com)
>
> [begin quote]
> Ye Ed — "What does a nimrod mean?"
>
> Other Ed — "A mighty hunter."
>
> Ye Ed — "Well, a lady friend called me one and I didn't know if that was a
> compliment or a slam."
>
> O.E. — "What have you been hunting, Wild Geese?"
>
> Y.E. — "No Titles."
>
> O.E. — "Toitles?"
>
> Now when we come to think of it we guess that is just as good a name for
> some of them as any.
> [end quote]
> Source: Decatur (Ill.) Herald, 21 Oct 1928, p.40, col.6 (newspapers.com)
>
> [begin quote]
> NIMROD OF NOTE
>
> It happened in the Cascade mountains. "What," demanded the amateur hunter,
> a college professor, of his guide, "what is the name of the species I just
> shot?"
>
> "Well, sir," returned the guide, suavely, "I've just been investigating,
> and he says his name is Smith."
> [end quote]
> Source: Lincoln Heights Bulletin-News (Los Angeles, Cal.), 23 Jul 1931,
> p.4, col.3 (newspapers.com)
>
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>


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