#35670
07/15/2001 10:25 PM
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Word-Detective for 4/17/98 gives the following definition for "no-account".
'Meanwhile, on to "no-account." According to the Dictionary of American Regional English,
"no-account" is largely a Northeastern phrase, though its shortened form, "no-count," is common
to the American South. "No-account" means, of course, shiftless, lazy, dishonest, useless and
good-for-nothing, and can be applied to both animate beings (such as dogs and lawyers) and
inanimate objects (such as fuel pumps and brothers-in-law). It's a very handy term. "
The way I have always heard it used is to have a reputation for being lazy, etc. So it may be applied
unfairly to someone who merely happens to have no commendable achievements, though he may have actually tried hard.
|
|
|
#35671
07/16/2001 12:12 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,819 |
In reply to:
(such as dogs and lawyers) and
inanimate objects (such as fuel pumps and brothers-in-law). It's a very handy term.
That's a pretty funny definition. It took me a second to realize that brothers-in-law were being classified as inanimate.
|
|
|
#35672
07/16/2001 2:18 AM
|
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
orig. U.S.
Of no account, importance, value, or use; insignificant, worthless. (See also no-'count a.)
1845 Spirit of Times 1 Feb. 583/2 I'll just tell you that the land I'm after is a d-d, little, no-account quarter section, that nobody would have but me. 1886 Pall Mall Gaz. 29 Sept. 4/1 We submit to be+treated as no-account people in all affairs of State. 1898 H. S. Canfield Maid of Frontier 109 It seems to me+that Charlie is gettin mighty no account. 1900 Conrad Lord Jim v. 47 The other two no-account chaps spotted their captain, and began to move towards us. 1902 G. H. Lorimer Lett. Merchant vi. 69 A mailing-clerk so no-account as to be writing personal letters in office hours. 1936 ‘J. Tey’ Shilling for Candles v. 51 ‘You mean she thinks he's a wrong 'un?’ ‘No. Just no account.’ Ibid. vii. 71 We both felt no-account and were afraid people'd find it out. 1952 C. Day Lewis tr. Virgil's Aeneid xi. 246 Are we, we no-account souls, to litter the plains? 1973 M. Mackintosh King & Two Queens xii. 180 I'm only a no-account Irisher, but I like to pay my debts.
B. n. A ‘no-account’ person.
1896 ‘Mark Twain’ in Harper's Mag. Sept 523 Who ever had anything agin that poor trifling no-account? 1936 J. Dos Passos Big Money 169 The child of a no-account like Fred.
[OED2]
|
|
|
#35673
07/16/2001 2:51 AM
|
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
It took me a second to realize that brothers-in-law were being classified as inanimate
Yeah, Alex, me too. Though I have a brother-in-law who's pretty close to being inanimate...nah! But--several years ago I read where an older gentleman in England sat in a
chair for something like seven years. His nephew said they took him to the bathroom every so often, and if I recall correctly that was the only time he moved. There was no mention of how he took in sustenance, I don't think. Then he came out of this trance-like state. If it had not been in Discover magazine, I would have dismissed it outright.
I'm still not sure I believe it.
|
|
|
#35674
07/18/2001 2:19 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773
Pooh-Bah
|
|
Pooh-Bah
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 1,773 |
Where can I sign up for that sit-in-the-chair job?
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,917
Posts230,555
Members9,211
| |
Most Online17,319
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
