Wordsmith Talk |
About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us | |||
Register Log In Wordsmith.org Forums General Topics Q&A about words Gussy up guessing
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
OP Good catch - when I googled that title and author I got guess what! (and it seem to confirm your earlier usage memory, Bill)
an earlier use of Gussy or Gussie as a term for an effeminate or weak person. This appeared in the US at the end of the nineteenth century. The same word was used in Australia from about the same period to describe a male homosexual. In both cases, the word was usually written with an initial capital letter, which suggests it came from the proper name Augustus, being the sort of name that authors associated with an effete or weak-willed man (think of P G Wodehouse’s wonderful invention of Gussie Fink-Nottle, who wasn’t gay but otherwise fitted the stereotype).
http://www.quinion.com/words/qa/qa-gus1.htm
Entire Thread Subject Posted By Posted Gussy up guessing maverick 07/30/03 10:30 PM Re: Gussy up guessing sjmaxq 07/30/03 10:36 PM Re: Gussy up guessing wwh 07/30/03 10:42 PM Re: Gussy up guessing tsuwm 07/30/03 10:52 PM Re: Gussy up guessing maverick 07/30/03 10:59 PM Re: Gussy up guessing dxb 07/31/03 06:50 AM Re: Gussy up guessing AnnaStrophic 07/31/03 12:05 PM Re: Gussy up guessing of troy 07/31/03 12:16 PM Re: Gussy up guessing Bobyoungbalt 08/01/03 01:51 AM Re: Gussy up guessing of troy 08/01/03 02:49 AM Re: Gussy up guessing Wordwind 07/31/03 12:19 PM Gussie Fink-Nottle Father Steve 08/13/03 10:03 PM Re: Gussy up guessing guest 07/31/03 02:55 PM Re: Gussy up guessing JohnHawaii 07/31/03 11:05 PM Re: Gussy up guessing wow 08/02/03 12:04 PM Re: Gussy up guessing maverick 08/02/03 12:54 PM Re: Gussy up guessing Jackie 08/05/03 01:15 AM
Moderated by Jackie
Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics Forums16Topics13,913Posts229,345Members9,182 Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members Ineffable, ddrinnan, TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV
9,182 Registered Users
Who's Online Now 0 members (), 718 guests, and 0 robots. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days) A C Bowden 20ddrinnan 1
Top Posters wwh 13,858Faldage 13,803Jackie 11,613wofahulicodoc 10,547tsuwm 10,542LukeJavan8 9,918Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210AnnaStrophic 6,511Wordwind 6,296of troy 5,400
Forum Rules · Mark All Read Contact Us · Forum Help · Wordsmith.org