[Lexicog] Re: Coinage of 'in a pinch'

[Sharyn Thomson]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of David K.
> Barnhart
> Sent: September 7, 2006 13:52
> To: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [Lexicog] Re: Coinage of 'in a pinch'
> 
> I just looked in OED.
> 
> The original form appears to be _at_ (or _on_) _a pinch_ [n. def.
> 4].
> The supplement has "Also _in a pinch_." The e.q. (earliest date) for
> _in a pinch_ appears to be 1903. However, I'll do some search about
> and post antedatings.
> 
> Regards,
> David K. Barnhart, Editor/Publisher
> The Barnhart DICTIONARY COMPANION
> 
> --- In lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
> <mailto:lexicographylist%40yahoogroups.com> , "bolstar1"
> <bolstar1 at ...> wrote:
> >
> > Does anyone have a phrasal etymology book that can find the origin
> > of 'in a pinch'? (Mine don't help me.)I heard that bartenders
> during
> > the gold rush in Cali. would ask for a small pinch of gold dust
> from a
> > prospector's bag of gold dust if they didn't have cash handy. That
> > is, 'in a pinch,' a prospector would give up a little gold for a
> little
> > golden brew. (Please don't refer me to 'pinch' per se. The word
> goes
> > back a loooong way.)
> > Scott N.
> >
> 
> 
> 
> 



 
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