[Ads-l] Curfuffle
victor steinbok
aardvark66 at GMAIL.COM
Thu Jul 18 04:06:32 UTC 2024
OED lists "curfuffle" (n) as a precursor to 20th century "kerfuffle", both
with some variations in spelling. But only the noun has an entry under
"curfuffle". Yet, the 1808 Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language
lists "to curfuffle" as a verb ("to discompose, to dishevel). [Same entry
in the 1818 abridged version, minus citations.]
https://books.google.com/books?id=Hjx2iKsucZQC&pg=PA146&dq=%22curfuffle%22&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&ovdme=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj5qqqy1a-HAxXxEGIAHfChBDoQuwV6BAgIEAc#v=onepage&q=%22curfuffle%22&f=false
This predates both the Bruce (1813 carfuffle) and the Scott (1816 carfuffle
and 1816 curfuffle) OED citations for the noun.
VS-)
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