[Ads-l] snollygoster

[Jonathan Lighter]

1846: OED

The 1845 ex. was reprinted in more than a dozen papers from Maine to
Michigan to Louisiana. OED's primary sense, "a shrewd, unprincipled
person," is clearly a later development.

It seems originally to have meant "an extraordinary example of a person or
thing; ripsnorter," hence also a vague term of ridicule.

1845 _Sentinel of the Valley__ (Woodstock, Va.) (Oct. 9) 5: Now, here I am,
a rale self-propelling double revolving locomotive Snolly Goster, ready to
attack anything but a combination of Thunder-lightning-smoke-railroad-iron,
and hot water. --Cin. Com. [sc. "Cincinnati Commercial"]

1848 _National Eagle_ (Claremont, N.H.) (Sept. 21) 2: A "snollygoster"...
is defined to be "A natural born ASS, who...cannot comprehend the extent of
his own stupidity."

1855 _Daily Union_ (Pittsburgh, Pa.) (Dec. 13) 3: John grabbed a huge
shin-bone, and gave the fellow a snollygoster over the back, which caused
him to make tracks.

1865 _Gazette & Comet_ (Baton Rouge)  In the evening, a Ball will be given
by the "Snolly Goster Glee Club," at the New Court Room.

1866 _Kansas Chief_ (White Cloud, Kans.)  (Oct. 25) 3: "R. Cole Foster, the
Snollygoster," is one of the nominees for the State Senate. He had better
stay at home; there will be no person at the Capital, next Winter, to
properly take care of his morals.

JL

-- 
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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