[Ads-l] hoedown (and hoe-up?)

[Stephen Goranson]

There are at least two competing, almost opposite, etymologies for hoedown (shindig and suchlike).

One might suggest vigorous movements like using a hoe; another suggests a celebratory dance after putting down the hoe, after the crop, no longer using a hoe.

OED can be slightly antedated for hoedown, n. (i.e., 1842, and a bracketed 1807), though not remarkably, in a quick glance.

OED online etymology:
Summary
Formed within English, by compounding.
Etymons: hoe<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/hoe_v1?tab=meaning_and_use#1422046> <https://www.oed.com/dictionary/hoe_v1?tab=meaning_and_use#1422046> v.1<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/hoe_v1?tab=meaning_and_use#1422046>, down<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/down_adv?tab=meaning_and_use#6200223> <https://www.oed.com/dictionary/down_adv?tab=meaning_and_use#6200223> adv.<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/down_adv?tab=meaning_and_use#6200223>
Probably < hoe<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/hoe_v1?tab=meaning_and_use#1422046> <https://www.oed.com/dictionary/hoe_v1?tab=meaning_and_use#1422046> v.1<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/hoe_v1?tab=meaning_and_use#1422046> + down<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/down_adv?tab=meaning_and_use#6200223> <https://www.oed.com/dictionary/down_adv?tab=meaning_and_use#6200223> adv.<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/down_adv?tab=meaning_and_use#6200223>, with reference to movements or actions characteristic of the dance (compare quot. 1807<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/hoedown_n?tab=meaning_and_use#1422422>).
Compare breakdown<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/breakdown_n?tab=meaning_and_use#14569872> <https://www.oed.com/dictionary/breakdown_n?tab=meaning_and_use#14569872> n.<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/breakdown_n?tab=meaning_and_use#14569872> 3<https://www.oed.com/dictionary/breakdown_n?tab=meaning_and_use#14569872>.

What was news to me (if not y'all) was that several earlier agricultural uses (not in OED) give hoe-down and hoe-up--contrastive?
E.g.:
"The cotton should be well weeded by hoes every twelve days until blown, and even longer, if there is grass, observing to hoe up, that is, to the cotton, till it pods; and hoe down when the cotton is blown, in order to check the growth of the plants."
Till, no pun intended. Check meaning inspect or stunt? Up and down meaning towards and away from? Relevant or not?
True Republican or American Whig (published as THE TRUE REPUBLICAN,) <https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.lib.duke.edu/apps/readex/publication-browse?p=EANX&t=pubname%3A14B7AF1FC9807B20%21True%2BRepublican%2Bor%2BAmerican%2BWhig> (Wilmington, North Carolina) May 23, 1809, 4/2. Am.Hist.News.

sg
https://infoweb-newsbank-com.proxy.lib.duke.edu/apps/readex/doc?p=EANX&sort=YMD_date%3AA&fld-base-0=alltext&val-base-0=%22hoe%20up%22&val-database-0=&fld-database-0=database&fld-nav-0=YMD_date&val-nav-0=&docref=image%2Fv2%3A14B7AF1FC9807B20%40EANX-150AA857267BF1A8%402381926-150AA4235C815D00%403&origin=image%2Fv2%3A14B7AF1FC9807B20%40EANX-150AA857267BF1A8%402381926-150AA4235C815D00%403-150AA4235C815D00%40


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