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According to Partridge "A shirker: 1914-18. ('Sapper' in The Lieutenant, 1915.) Ex 'lounge lizards' disporting themselves at Maidenhead." And lounge-lizard: "A sleek adventurer frequenting lounges in the expectation of women, their money and caresses: US s. (1923), anglicized by 1925; by 1935 coll. (Krapp's prophecy as to its lack of viability has been proved false.)" Marvellous.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I remember "lounge lizard" in twenties synonym for current "couch potato" which I think is less effective. And there is more than one meaning to 'Maidenhead'. Remember Mark Twains Elizabethan essay. "Nay, Mary, 'twere never thee, many a mousie squeak will tickle thy tender .......ere you give birth to a blast like that." The version I saw long ago must have had some additions not in the version I just found. No "maidenhead" here. But such as it is here it is: http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:bgesCwZoCbgJ:home.kqnet.pt/timoteo/page24.html+Mark+Twain+1601&hl=en&ie=UTF-8When I tried it again the URL didn't work. You can try searching for "Mark Twain 1601" if you wish.
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I think the Maidenhead here referred to is the town near Slough in Berkshire.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Most such don't last long.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Depending on how close to the Slough it is, there might not be all that much interest.
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Let's not all despond over it.
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Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
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Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough! It isn't fit for humans now, There isn't grass to graze a cow. Swarm over, Death!
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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Thanks, dixbie. Up to now I hadn't known how to pronounce it!
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Thanks. I didn't know this poem by John Betjeman. Later on: But spare the bald young clerks who add The profits of the stinking cad; It's not their fault that they are mad, They've tasted Hell. It's not their fault they do not know The birdsong from the radio, It's not their fault they often go To Maidenhead. http://www-cdr.stanford.edu/intuition/Slough.html
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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how to pronounce itslehth?
formerly known as etaoin...
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