[Ads-l] "verse" redux

[Ben Zimmer]

We've previously discussed the use of "verse" as a transitive verb meaning
"to compete against or oppose (a person or team)," a back-formation from
"versus" reinterpreted as "verses." Nancy Friedman's newsletter today links
to a 2012 Language Log post on the topic.

https://fritinancy.substack.com/p/word-of-the-week-aesthetics
https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4029

As Arnold Zwicky mentions in a comment on the Language Log post, Charles
Doyle has a note about the usage in the 1981 issue of American Speech.
Also, Merriam-Webster's Unabridged Dictionary dates it to 1956, in an
online entry for "verse" added in 2016. Here are examples going back to
1936.

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https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-carmen-headlight-versed/165141769/
Carmen (OK) Headlight, Dec. 17, 1936, p. 1, col. 1
Ralph Partrick's team versed Chas. Cox's, Jr. team No. 2 with a score of 25
to 4 in favor of Partrick.
---
https://www.newspapers.com/article/effingham-republican-versed/165141884/
Effingham (IL) Republican, Nov. 11, 1937, p. 3, col. 6
Wednesday, November 3, Geneva Bolin's team versed Lucille Walker's team in
an exciting game in which Geneva's team won with a score of 2-1.
---
https://www.newspapers.com/article/la-grande-observer-versed/165141274/
La Grande (OR) Observer, Dec. 24, 1941, p. 2, col. 1
The Haines Girls' Volley Ball team versed the Powder Girls' Volley Ball
team on the Powder floor Friday afternoon. Haines won with a score of 13 to
10.
---

--bgz

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