[Ads-l] Antedating of "Wisecrack" (Verb)

[ADSGarson O'Toole]

Fascinating citation, Bill. Thanks for locating it.
Garson

On Wed, Oct 7, 2026 at 1:18 AM Bill Mullins <amcombill at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> 1899 Des Moines Daily Leader 3/4
>
> Riley and McFarland "cracked wise" at police station and declined to make any statemen to the detectives.
>
> https://www.newspapers.com/image/128085858/?match=1&terms=%22cracked%20wise
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ---------
> From: ADSGarson O'Toole <00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu<mailto:00001aa1be50b751-dmarc-request at listserv.uga.edu>>
> Date: Tue, Oct 6, 2026 at 9:26 AM
> Subject: Antedating of "Wisecrack" (Verb)
> To: <ADS-L at listserv.uga.edu<mailto:ADS-L at listserv.uga.edu>>
>
>
> The OED presents a 1946 citation for the verb form of wisecrack.
>
> [Begin OED excerpt]
> wisecrack verb
> colloquial (originally U.S.).
> (intransitive) to make wisecracks; also transitive, with quoted words as object.
>
> 1946 Both authors wisecrack their way through adverse circumstances.
> Saturday Review of Literature (U.S.) 2 November 41/1
> [End excerpt]
>
> On May 19, 1906, the "Arkansas Democrat" of Little Rock, Arkansas used
> the phrase "the wise-cracking kid", but the meaning of "wise-cracking"
> was ambiguous to me. During the following years "wise-cracking kid"
> and "wise-cracking guy" appeared.
>
> An unambiguous instance of the verb form of "wisecrack" appeared in 1920.
>
> Date: April 25, 1920
> Newspaper: The Boston Globe
> Newspaper Location: Boston, Massachusetts
> Article: Overall Parade in New York a Farce
> Quote Page 16, Column 6
> Database: Newspapers.com
> https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-wisecracked/207726653/
>
> [Begin excerpt]
> "But I think we created a lot of sentiment," observed one overalled
> marcher in his club after the fliv expired.
> "You mean sediment." wise-cracked his file-mate.
> [End excerpt]
>
> Garson
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org

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