Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#178694 08/13/08 04:47 PM
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
tsuwm Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
from the Go Figure Dept.

I had occasion to wonder at the the provenance of petrophile* (rock-lover) and find that it's one of those words that dictionaries don't deign to gloss. but in looking at OED(online) I noticed, in the expected vicinitude, this gem: petsywetsy

1879 T. H. SAYRE Strategist II. 20 He called her pet names, his sweetsie, sweetsie, petsie-wetsie, get up and getsie, and then the immoral cuss kissed her. 1928 D. H. LAWRENCE Lady Chatterley's Lover xvii. 305 I'm not content to be any man's little petsywetsy. 1994 A. CAMERON Wedding Cakes, Rats & Rodeo Queens I. iv. 38 Nyah-nyah, SmartyPants, forgot about 'cha, didn't they?..Har-de-har-har, little PetsyWetsy. [originally listed as nonce-wd from Lawrence in OED2]



*"The Chinese are the world's greatest petrophiles. They plant stones were[sic] others might choose an herbaceous border." - Stanley Stewart, Frontiers of Heaven (2004)

-joe (stone cold sober) friday

tsuwm #178696 08/13/08 07:26 PM
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 293
enthusiast
Offline
enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 293
"PetsyWetsy" I would have guessed that is a response to the animal leaving a stain in my lap when I picked it up to hold!


"I am certain there is too much certainty in the world" -Michael Crichton
tsuwm #178702 08/14/08 12:58 AM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,067
old hand
Offline
old hand
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,067
 Originally Posted By: tsuwm
...but in looking at OED(online) I noticed, in the expected vicinitude...

I know the feeling. I can't pick up a dictionary without spending half an hour in it! There are so many interesting words to look at that sometimes I forget why I am there, having never quite made it to the word I was originally looking for...

The Pook #178706 08/14/08 06:12 AM
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Z
Zed Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Z
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Wasn't there a Petsy-wetsy doll that did.

Zed #178956 08/31/08 12:56 PM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1
B
stranger
Offline
stranger
B
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 1
The doll was called a "Betsy Wetsy" and she had both the charming always open mouth and the ability to urinate after feeding. It is amazing that any of us went on to give birth to actual children.

Baca #178970 09/02/08 06:51 AM
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
Z
Zed Offline
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
Z
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,154
That was the one.
welcome Baca


Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 674 guests, and 4 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5