Before 1905, as it appears in the English Dialect Dictionary in 1905
(Full title: The English Dialect Dictionary: Being the Complete
Vocabulary of All Dialect Words Still in Use, Or Known to Have Been in
Use During the Last Two Hundred Years). The OED lists the English
Dialect Dictionary as the first use. Unfortunately the Urban
Dictionary is of no use in this case.
Ashley
--
Lucrecia (by which he signifies any chast matron) will blush and be ashamed to
read a lascivious booke. But how? not except Brutus be by, that is if he any
grave man should see her read it. But if Brutus turne his backe, she
will go to
it agayne and read it all.
-Sir John Harington, translating Martial
Quoting "Peter C. Herman" <[log in to unmask]>:
> Dumb question, but does anyone know when "Willy" took on the
> connotations we all find so fascinating? Ipch
>
> At 10:47 AM 9/3/2009, you wrote:
> Amazing too that the author is "Proper"!! Too bad her initials aren't
> I.M.
>
> On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 1:30 PM, Arlen Nydam <
> [log in to unmask][1]> wrote:
> The subtitle is worth noting, also (discovered from Google Books):
>
> "A SLICE OF CONCEALED ELIZABETHAN HISTORY"
>
> On Thu, Sep 3, 2009 at 12:05 PM, Sean Gordon Henry
> <[log in to unmask][2]> wrote:
> Something quite beside the point with which to welcome autumn: I was
> wandering in the stacks of the library at the University of Victoria,
> B.C. yesterday, when I spotted the book shown in the attached picture,
> deep in the Shakespeare section; a *fine* example of how important it
> really is to choose a title for one's book that will stand the test of
> time.
>
> Sean Henry.
>
> PS I already sent this picture to a number of friends who may also be
> on this list; forgive me for the double-posting. It was too good not
> to share more widely!
>
> --
> Hannibal Hamlin
> Associate Professor of English
> The Ohio State University
> 164 West 17th Ave., 421 Denney Hall
> Columbus, OH 43210-1340
> [log in to unmask]
> [log in to unmask][4]
>
> Links:
> ------
> [1] mailto:[log in to unmask]
> [2] mailto:[log in to unmask]
> [3] [log in to unmask]" target="_blank">http:[log in to unmask]
> [4] mailto:[log in to unmask]
>
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