Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume I.djvu/447

AMERICANISMS 415 latter country the meaning has been changed. The word sick is an example of this. Fifthly, words preserved in American use, which have become obsolete in England ; such as tarry, freshet. Subjoined we give a list of some of the most noteworthy Americanisms, many of which are occasionally used in American news- papers, while almost all are frequently employ- ed in conversation by the less educated people. A large proportion are of course mere vulgar- isms, never used by Americans of any culture. It deserves to be remarked that many Ameri- canisms current in the southern, western, and middle states, are not used in New England, where the language, at least as written, ap- proximates more closely to that of the mother country. Approbate, used Instead of approve. Bad, used In the sense of ill. Baggage, used to signify the trunks, boxes, valiseh, cloth- ing, &c., of a traveller. The English say luggage, and con- sider baggage pretentious. Balance, meaning remainder ; as, " Two of the professors were dismissed, but the balance were retained." Board, always used to signify all kinds of boards. In Eng- land pine and nr boards are ordinarily called " deals." Bogus, meaning counterfeit, false, fraudulent. Border, in the sense of a greensward or line of flowers bordering on a wall, in a garden or yard ; called an edging in England. Boss, meaning an employer or superintendent of laborers. Brash, for brittle. Breadstuff's, much objected to by English writers 20 years ago, but now admitted to be a good word. Buggy, denotes a light four-wheeled wagon ; in England it means a two- wheeled carriage. Buncombe, used in the phrase to " speak to Buncombe," meaning to speak only to catch the applause or favor of the vulgar. This phrase, often abbreviated " to talk Buncombe," was derived from the name of Buncombe county, N. C. A representative in congress from this county was wont to make speeches to which no one listened ; observing the members ' leaving the house while he was speaking, he one day declared that he cared little how many left he was not speaking to the house, but to Buncombe. The phrase soon came to mean any speech made solely to please a constituency or the public. Bureau, universally used to the exclusion of the English " chest of drawers." Calculate, used in the sense of think, suppose ; as " I calcu- late I can do it." Calico, in the United States, means printed cotton goods ; In England it means only white cotton cloth. Caption, used in the United States to mean the heading of a chapter, section, or page, is not used in England. Clever usually means good-natured, obliging, in America, and quick-witted or intelligent in England. Conclude is used by Americans in the sense of determine, as, " I have concluded to go." In Great Britain it is used to signify the formation of an opinion, not of an intention. In this connection is a phrase much used in the United States, and appears to have been first brought into currency about 60 years ago, chiefly in New England periodical litera- ture. English writers would prefer to say, " in connection with this subject." Corn means only maize in the United States ; in England it means grain generally. County, in America, is ordinarily used after the proper noun used to designate particular counties, as " Pike coun- ty," &c. The English always say "county of," as " county of Lancaster;" and the Irish say "county Wexford," &c., omit- ting " of." Creek, in most of the American states, means a small river; In England it means a small arm of the sea. Creole properly means a person descended from European parents, born in some portion of America which belongs or did once belong to Spain ; but the Americans often use the word to designate a native of the South tinctured with negro blood. Deadhead, a person who has- the use of public conveyances, the telegraph, or the mail, admission to public entertainments, &c., without payment The transitive verb to deadhead is sometimes used.. Declination, the refusal to accept a nomination to office. Dry goods, a general term used by Americans to signify such articles as are sold by linen drapers, haberdashert, mer- cers, drapers, hosiers, <fcc. The word " haberdashery " is al- most unknown to the United States. Dress, the word almost universally used by American women to designate their gowns. Elect, used intransitively in the sense of choose ; as, in a division of property, " He elected to take the real estate." Endorse, a word adopted from commercial usage to signify sanction, approve, confirm. Eventuate, meaning to result in. Expect, misused in application to past events ; as, " I ex- pect it was." Fall, meaning autumn. Fancy, used as an adjective to signify fantastic, various. It is frequently used on signs of shops where assorted goods are sold ; thus, " Fancy Store." Whatever is ornamental ra- ther than useful, fantastic, adapted to gratify luxurious tastes rather than necessary wants, more elegant than substantial, figured as opposed to plain, may be described as " fancy." Thus there are " fancy silks," " fancy horses," &c. For anal- ogous reasons the term is also applied to certain classes of men and women. Fish-dealer, the American name for a fishmonger. Fix in England means to fasten or make firm ; in America it means almost anything in the way of putting in order, ad- justing, mending, setting to rights, or making. Fleshy for stout. Freshet, meaning a flood, is not recognized in England as a good word ; but it was used several centuries ago by good English writers. Frock is the name sometimes given by American women to their gown. Ogilvie says frock is now used in England " for a loose garment or shirt worn by men over their other clothes, and for a kind of gown, open behind, worn by fe- males." Fruit-dealer, the name generally given in the United States to fruiterers and green-grocers. Gerrymander, a method of arranging election districts so that the political party making the arrangements will be en- abled to elect a greater number of representatives than they could on a fair system of districting, and more than they should have in proportion to their numerical strength. The word was derived from the name of Elbridge Gerry, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who was accused of being the first to practice this species of fraud on the rights of the people while governor of Massachusetts. Go ahead is of American origin, and is used by Americans in cases where the British would say " All right." Guess, used as "think; " as, " I guess I do," "I guess so." Hack usually means a hackney-coach in America ; in Eng- land it means a livery stable horse, or one merely used for travelling and routine work. Hardware merchant, or hardware dealer, is the Ameri- can name for an ironmonger. Help is frequently used in the United States to signify servant, servants, or service. Hold on is a common Americanism for " stop." It is prob- ably derived from the German halt an. Homely means plain-featured or ugly in the United States ; in England, it means pertaining to home, plain, simple, un- adorned. Improve is an Americanism for opening a farm on wild land by cutting away the wood and brush, erecting buildings and fences, ploughing the ground and putting it in order. The buildings and fences are styled improvements. Levee, in the United States, is often applied to ceremonious reception parties given by official personages, whether In the morning or evening. In England the word is restricted to morning receptions. Loafer, Americanism for lounger or vagabond. Loan, frequently used in the United States as a verb, but seldom in England, where lend is the usual word. Lobby, verb, to attempt to exercise an influence on mem- bers of a legislative body by persons not members. Locate, to determine and designate the place of, to settle in. Logrolling (with the verb to logroll), a system of man- agement by which a member of a deliberative or legislative body attempts to secure the adoption of a favorite measure, by inducing other members to vote for it in return for assist- ance in carrying their several pet measures. It originated in the mutual aid of the early settlers in clearing trees from the land. Lot, a small tract of land, such as the subdivisions in towns. The English usually say "allotment." Lumber means trash in England; in the United States, sawn wood for building and other mechanical purposes. Lum- bering means making lumber; lumberman, one engaged in making it; and lumber merchant, one who sells it. Mad is frequently used by Americans to signify angry ; it is not so used by the English. Matt is the ordinary word used in the United States to ex- press the ideas conveyed by " post " in England. Americans say " mail a letter," " send it by mail." In such expressions the English say " post."