[Ads-l] to coup

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Here are two earlier instances of "coup" (verb).

Date: September 8, 1991
Newspaper: The Daily World
Newspaper Location: Helena, Arkansas
Article: Life in the Slow Lane
Author: Gary Schwartz
Quote Page 5, Column 1
Database: Newspapers.com
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-world-couping/207524698/

[Begin excerpt]
"Couping" sounds like a mating ritual, but now might be construed as a
new form of enlightenment. A new book is probably being written in
some dark basement, it will describe in detail how to succeed in
getting rid of an unwanted boss, and it will be based on the failures
of Gorbachev's enemies.
I suspect it will include tips on finding out when and where the boss
is going on vacation.
[End excerpt]

Date: December 12, 1991
Newspaper: The Plain Dealer
Newspaper Location: Cleveland, Ohio
Article: Who is 'couping' whom?
Author: Editorial
Quote Page 6C, Column 1
Database: Newspapers.com
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-couping/207523943/

[Begin excerpt]
Who is 'couping' whom?

It is a measure of the sorry state of the old Soviet body politic that
its public hemorrhaging should still be labeled a "coup."
A coup is power being wrested from the people, from its lawful
repository, by force or threat of force. A coup is what occurred for
three days in Moscow in August. This "coup" involves a radical and
unforeseen shift of power at the center.
[End excerpt]

Garson

On Sun, Oct 4, 2026 at 5:21 PM ADSGarson O'Toole
<adsgarsonotoole at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Verbing is a perennial topic on the ADS list. Here are two citations
> from twitter:
>
> https://x.com/shadihamid/status/353495657828462592
> Shadi Hamid @shadihamid
> #Turkey had its first coup against democratically-elected PM in 1960.
> It took them 48 years to undo the precedent of military "couping."
> 8:48 AM · Jul 6, 2013
>
>
> https://x.com/Sethisuwan/status/475903449842737153?s=20
> Sethisuwan @Sethisuwan
> I wish this #ThaiCoup Junta would stop bullshitting their way with all
> these 'explanations' of why they're couping to restore happiness etc.
> 3:33 AM · Jun 9, 2014
>
> Garson
>
> On Fri, Oct 2, 2026 at 8:01 AM Jonathan Lighter
> <00001aad181a2549-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu> wrote:
> >
> > https://thehill.com/homenews/house/6124635-moore-nixon-couped-watergate/  :
> >
> > Rep. Riley Moore (R-W.Va.) said Thursday that former President Nixon was
> > “absolutely couped out of office” and added that he was “framed” during the
> > infamous Watergate scandal.
> >
> > JL
> > --
> > "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."
> >
> > ------------------------------------------------------------
> > The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org