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#104597 05/31/03 08:31 PM
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My sainted grandmother on my father's side used an expression which, while it defies formal definition, carried apparent meaning derived from the context in which it was used and the emphasis with which it was delivered. Do you know the word "pishtosh"? From what does it derive? I pray it is not naughty. Grandmother was rather proper, in her fashion.


#104598 05/31/03 08:43 PM
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Darn it, I feel sure that expression has been at least used here before, if not commented on, but a Search came up empty. I tried Pishtosh, pishtosh, and pish tosh, for all forums and all posts...nothing.
But for what it's worth, I've heard of it, yes. It means pshaw.


#104599 05/31/03 08:45 PM
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AHD4 says of pish that it is an interjection signifying dismissal and that tosh means rubbish, nonsense. Tosh is said to be possibly derived from a combination of trash and bosh. The OED claims pish is "[a] natural exclamation."

The lightbulb of inquiry does not shine upon the single entry pishtosh


#104600 05/31/03 08:47 PM
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I can't help you in the derivation department, but my grandmother too used this word. When we said something she didn't believe or said we couldn't do something she wanted us to do, she would reply, "Oh Pishtosh, you can too." I think a rude person would use bullsh** for this same word, but I don't think Grandma was thinking she was using a nice form of a vulgarism when she used it. It was just the thing she said in these instances.


#104601 05/31/03 08:48 PM
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pshaw

\Pshaw\, v. i. To express disgust or contemptuous disapprobation, as by the exclamation `` Pshaw!''

"The goodman used regularly to frown and pshaw wherever this topic was touched upon." --Sir Walter Scott.





#104602 05/31/03 08:50 PM
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just to complete the picture, or complicate it, one; W3 has pishposh, reduplication of pish (used to express disdain or contempt): NONSENSE


(this is the word I thought you were asking about..)

#104603 05/31/03 10:10 PM
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I'd heard of pishposh and tosh, but I'd never heard of them being used together. Sounds like the Padre's gran may just have not picked it up correctly. Well, I'm off on the ran tan. See ya later.


#104604 05/31/03 10:25 PM
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Yep, tsuwm...I was going to say we used to use a slight derivative: pishposh.


#104605 06/01/03 02:02 AM
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Sounds like the Padre's gran may just have not picked it up correctly.

It is a good thing (for you, Capfka) that my sainted grandmother is long in her grave. The suggestion, nay, even the hint that she might have "mis-picked" a word would certainly lead to punishment too horrible to contemplate.


#104606 06/01/03 02:02 AM
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I have no idea why my last post posted twice ... but it did. Gremlins? Again??

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