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O.Henry describes a masked gunman robbing the local J.P. of a new $5 bill, and ordering him to roll it into a "spill"
and stick it into the muzzle of the rifle. I cannot find any definition of spill that fits. I wonder if "spill" was once slang name for a drinking straw.
Something reminded me of the word "spile"
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Spile \Spile\, n. [Cf. LG. spile, dial. G. speil, speiler, D.
spijl. [root]170.]
1. A small plug or wooden pin, used to stop a vent, as in a
cask.
Spile \Spile\, v. t.
To supply with a spile or a spigot; to make a small vent in,
as a cask.
Maybe O.Henry knew a dialectical variation of "spile"
written "spill". Any comments?
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted ![]()
spill
wwh 01/21/2004 10:40 PM ![]()
Re: spill
jheem 01/21/2004 11:00 PM ![]()
Re: spill
wwh 01/22/2004 12:04 AM ![]()
Re: spill
jheem 01/22/2004 2:21 AM ![]()
Re: spill
maverick 01/22/2004 9:30 AM ![]()
Re: bogart
Buffalo Shrdlu 01/22/2004 10:26 AM ![]()
Re: spill
of troy 01/22/2004 2:04 PM ![]()
Re: spill
jheem 01/22/2004 2:24 PM ![]()
Re: spill
maverick 01/22/2004 4:45 PM ![]()
Re: spill
dxb 01/22/2004 5:05 PM ![]()
Re: spill
Faldage 01/22/2004 5:17 PM ![]()
Re: spill
wwh 01/22/2004 6:06 PM ![]()
Re: spill
dxb 01/23/2004 7:22 AM
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