Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 37

Greetings and welcome, literary adventurer. Let’s take a journey into a brand new bag of idioms that traveled through the Wild West into modern times. Soap, solder, wooden barrels and George Washington all enter the discussion, so let’s get going.

Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 37

Soft Soap

Today, as in the Wild West, using persuasive flattery in order to gain a benefit is to 'soft soap' another person or persons. This colloquial expression likens the slipperiness of soft soap to such cajolery.

Historical Reference: The earliest use of ‘soft soap’ in the figurative sense I could find occurred in 1840: “To see them flattering and soft soaping me all over.” “John Beedle’s Sleigh Ride" by John Neal

A now-obsolete synonym, ‘soft sawder,’ made its debut in "The Trotting Horse," a short story by Thomas Haliburton, who apparently coined it. Although much-used in the 19th century, it fell out of use by 1950. ‘Soft sawder’ was a phonetic spelling of soft solder, which melts at a lower temperature. It’s not hard to see the connection between the literal and figurative meanings.

Example: “No matter how much you try to soft soap me, I’m not interested in buying that car.”

Squatter

Someone who occupies land or a building without legal title or the owner’s permission is called a squatter.

Historical Reference: Squatting seems to have been going on for centuries, at least on land. This sense of the term dates from 1788, according to many reputable sources. It is recorded in 1880 in reference to buildings.

In a letter to George Washington dated 18 October 1788, one Brice McGeehon threw himself on Washington’s mercy. He requested that land belonging to Washington that he was living on with his family be given to him. The letter gives an interesting perspective on the problem of squatters, which was prevalent in America through Wild West times, and it still exists today.

Example: “I’m having trouble getting a squatter off my property.”

Stave Off

‘Stave off’ means to fend off, avert, delay, or hold someone or something threatening at bay. It is so old that it harkens to a now-defunct definition of the word stave. A curved slat that forms part of the side of a wooden barrel is what we know as a stave today. However, in the mid-1400s, ‘stave’ was the plural form of staff. Around 1595, stave developed a verb form which described warding off someone or something with a staff. From there, the figurative sense evolved.

Historical Reference: The first recorded use of ‘stave off,’ according to Merriam Webster, occurred in 1611.

Example: Take Elderberry extract to stave off a cold.

Thanks for exploring the often-fascinating history of words with me. I’m curious whether any of the expressions are familiar to you and which of them you’ve never heard before. What are your thoughts on the letter to George Washington?

What's New with Janalyn Voigt

The manuscript for The Whispering Wind (Montana Gold, book 6) has returned to me for line edits. If you didn't know, this is when an author or editor examines each line of a manuscript in detail. This results in a story that is very close to print-ready. It's exhaustive work that calls for alertness and concentration, but it's one of my favorite stages in developing a book for publication.

Once the line edits are done, several beta readers will check the manuscript for typos and other errors. Then I'll proofread it. My editor's turn will come next. 

When every question is answered and each 'i' dotted, the manuscript will go to my publisher's interior formatter to create Kindle and print versions. I'll receive a proof copy of the book to look over and approve. At some point I'll also work with the graphic designer assigned to create a winsome cover.  

Bringing a book to print really does take a village.

Learn more about Janalyn Voigt and the Montana Gold books.

To celebrate reaching 3 Million views, HHH is hosting a HUGE giveaway of over 60 books in 18 prizes, so there are many chances to win! One grand prize will consist of 10 books, two readers will win a second prize containing 5 books, and there will be 15 winners of a third prize containing 2 books each. There are several ways to earn entries, such as following, or commenting on the HHH blog each day. Thank you for being part of the HHH community, and best wishes in the giveaway!

 

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Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 36

All aboard as we begin another journey on the word-history train! Come along for the fun of it, and learn as you go. :)  

Clean as a Whistle

This phrase describes something that is spic-and-span. You might ask yourself, what’s so clean about an object you blow through? That’s a good question. It doesn’t help that the origin of ‘clean as a whistle’ is uncertain, but the best answer is that the meaning of this phrase evolved from its 18th-century meaning of ‘utterly complete’ to ‘pristine.’ Both nuances remain with the term today. When a child licks his ice cream bowl until it is empty, he leaves the bowl ‘clean as a whistle.’ I would still wash it though, and so would you. Once your dishes are ‘clean as a whistle,’ you wouldn’t mind using the bowl.

To complicate matters, the early form of this phrase was ‘clear as a whistle.’ Call to mind the peal of a whistle cutting through the air, and the ‘complete’ meaning becomes a lot more understandable. Why the phrase took on the meaning of ‘pure’ is not known, but theories abound. Maybe it comes from the fact that brass train whistles were kept clean. Or it could have happened because whistles need to be kept clean to exude their purest sounds. My favorite is that the clean, piercing sound of a whistle inspired the shift in meaning.

Historical Reference: The Oxford English Dictionary places the first occurrence of the idiom in the “The Dialect of Craven V1: In the West Riding of the County of York, with a Copious Glossary by A Native Of Craven, William Carr (1828): “The dialect of Craven, in the West-Riding of the County of York (anon.) 1824, 1828. s.v., ‘As clean as a whistle’, a proverbial simile, signifying completely, entirely.”

Example: She polished her silver teapot until it was clean as a whistle.

Small Potatoes

Today, as they did in the Wild West, ‘small potatoes’ described something of little consequence, importance, or worth. 

(Side note: I feel the need to defend the potato, which is rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Studies indicate they can balance blood sugar, reduce the risk of heart disease, and boost the immune system. Potatoes may also improve digestive health and combat signs of aging. Because potatoes are filling, they can curb hunger pains and cravings during weight loss.)

Small potatoes was well-established in America during the first part of the 19th century. It originated much earlier, however.

Historical Reference: Samuel Taylor Coleridge used a strikingly similar phrase with the same meaning in a letter to another English poet, Roberty Southey. Coleridge referred to William Wordsworth in the letter, which he dated ‘17th July 1797’: “Wordsworth is a very great man, the only man to whom at all times and in all modes of excellence I feel myself inferior, the only one, I mean, whom I have yet met with, for the London literati appear to me to be very much like little potatoes, that is, no great things, a compost of nullity and dullity.”

(Side note #2: What an interesting word he created there: ‘dullity.’ I like it.)

What may be the earliest instance of ‘small potatoes’ appeared in The Boston Morning Post (Boston, Massachusetts) on September 7, 1832: “The Onion Crop on Cape Cod, it is feared, will turn out rather “small potatoes” this year.” However, the usage seems to imply that the phrase was in wide use by this date.

Example: My paycheck is small potatoes compared to what my brother makes.

We're back at the station for another month. Thanks for traveling along with me on another fun exploration of Wild West Sayings We Use Today. Let me know in the comments your thoughts on the double meaning of 'clean as a whistle.' Do you agree that potatoes are much-maligned? 

What's New With Janalyn Voigt

I'll admit to some doubt that summer would ever arrive. In the Pacific Northwest, where I live, spring brought more rain than the area has seen in eighty years. With the sun shining, it's harder to remember the storms  Bootsy is a stray cat that adopted me. I don't let him roam, although I might if coyotes didn't regularly snatch up pets. 'Boo,' as I like to call him, is harness-trained, and he takes me on regular walks. We linger more on our jaunts these days, due to the balmy weather. 

I had a little more time to indulge my cat while The Whispering Wind (Montana Gold, book 6) was in my editor's capable hands. The manuscript just returned to me for edits, however. I hope to strike a balance between my home life and writing life. I haven't been good at this in the past, but I think I've learned my lesson. Slow and steady wins the day. 

Want to know more? Visit the website for Janalyn Voigt.

Discover Montana Gold 

Set during a time of unrest in America, the Montana Gold series follows the lives and loves of a family of Irish immigrants who must call upon their faith to survive in the Wild West.  Learn more. 

Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 34

Bannack, Montana Jail

Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 34

It's time for another deep-dive into Wild West idioms and their histories. But first, let's discuss the image, above. This is a picture of the original jail in Bannack, Montana. When Sheriff Henry Plummer erected this building, he oriented the windows to offer his prisoners a sobering view of the gallows. Little did the sheriff realize that one day he would gaze through these barred windows himself. Sheriff Plummer and the dramatic events in Bannack comprise the historical background of Hills of Nevermore (Montana Gold, book 1).

Skinflint

They called a tight-fisted person a skinflint in the Wild West, just as we do today. We don't know the genesis of this slang term, but several theories provide clues.

Lexicographer Craig M. Carver suggests that 'skinflint' came from a thrifty practice of certain riflemen. Flintlock rifles contained a small piece of flint. A flint, if you don't know, is a fragment of hard rock that sparks easily. Modern cigarette lighters use flints to generate sparks. When someone pulled the trigger of a flintlock rifle, the spring-loaded cock struck the flint against a steel plate. This sent a shower of sparks into a pan below the plate. The priming powder in the pan ignited the charge in the bore, firing the rifle. When a rifle flint wore out, most people replaced it. However, a miserly individual would pull out a knife and sharpen, or “skin,” the flint.

Another idea is that ‘skinflint’ derived from ‘skin the flint,’ an earlier idiom denoting a person who ensured frugality through excessive measures. The existence of similar phrases (shave a louse, shave a flea, and the French shave an egg) makes this theory seem likely. 

Both of these suggestions may be true, for all we know. 

Historical Reference: ‘Skinflint’ was first recorded in A New Dictionary of the Terms Ancient and Modern of the Canting Crew by B. E. Gent (1699): “Skin-flint, a griping, sharping, close-fisted Fellow.”

‘To skin a flint’ made its print debut in a poem from The Legend of Captaine Jones: relating his adventure to sea, his first landing, and strange combat with a mighty beare : his furious battell with his six and thirty men, against the army of eleven kings, with their overthtow [sic] and deaths : his relieving of Kemper Castle : his strange and admirable sea-fight with six huge gallies of Spain, and nine thousand soldiers : his taking prisoner and hard usage : lastly, his setting at liberty by the Kings command, and returne for England by David Lloyd (1656):

’Mongst all those Blustering sirs that I have read

(Whose greatest wonder is that they are dead)

There’s not any Knights, nor bold Atchivers Name,

So much as Jones’s in the Booke of Fame:

They much of Greeces Alexander bragg,

Hee’d put ten Alexanders in a Bag:

Eleven fierce Kings, backt with two thousand Louts,

Jones with a Ragged Troope beats all to Clouts.

But sure it was a Conquest by Compact,

For he could never be accus’d of fact:

And yet no story a Romancer sings,

That ere exploited more stupendious things;

Quixot a winged Gyant once did kill,

That’s but a flying tale, beleiv’t who will:

This were but petty hardship, Jones was one

Would Skinne a Flint, and eat him when h’had done.”

Example: My uncle is such a skinflint that, after a party, he goes through the trash to salvage all the plastic cups and cutlery.

Skulduggery

Here’s a colorful word that’s fun to say. It brings pirates to mind. Yes? ‘Skulduggery’ means treachery, which certainly helps the association. The first syllable sounding like ‘skull’ doesn’t hurt either. Well, and the second syllable recalls digging. (But I digress.) The slang term, 'skulduggery,' is thought to have come from ‘sculdudrie,’ a Scottish word of uncertain origin used by at least 1713. It described adultery and other bawdy misbehavior. This is the most popular origin theory, but it's interesting to note that the modern meaning of skulduggery differs. Other opinions on its origin exist. Several attach it to similar-sounding words for guilt.

Historical Reference: ‘Skulduggery’ arose as a separate term in America, where it meant subterfuge. William Faulkner is credited with creating a verb form (skuldug). The first known print citation, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, dates from 1867: “From Minnesota had been imported the mysterious term ‘scull-duggery’, used to signify political or other trickery.” Apparently, this word mystified folks in the nineteenth century, too. 

Example: What sort of skulduggery are they up to?

What’s New with Janalyn Voigt

Books take time, and the wheels of publishing move slowly. I’m still editing The Whispering Wind (Montana Gold, book 6). Catching up on my writing and household duties is a bit challenging after suffering a burn injury while on deadline. Thank the Lord, I'm in a lot better shape now. Unfortunately, my email inbox isn’t. I have to admit that focusing is hard, with everything going on in the news. I regularly have to cast my crown at Jesus’s feet, and surrender my worries to Him. 

If you want to know more about the books I write, visit the bookstore at my website.

About Hills of Nevermore

Can a young widow hide her secret shame from the Irish preacher bent on helping her survive? 

In an Idaho Territory boom town, America Liberty Reed overhears circuit preacher Shane Hayes try to persuade a hotel owner to close his saloon on Sunday. Shane lands face-down in the mud for his trouble, and there’s talk of shooting him. America intervenes and finds herself in an unexpectedly personal conversation with the blue-eyed preacher. Certain she has angered God in the past, she shies away from Shane. 

Addie Martin, another widow, invites America to help in her cook tent in Virginia City, the new mining town. Even with Addie’s teenage son helping with America’s baby, life is hard. Shane urges America to depart for a more civilized location. Neither Shane’s persuasions nor road agents, murder, sickness, or vigilante violence can sway America. Loyalty and ambition hold her fast until dire circumstances force her to confront everything she believes about herself, Shane, and God. 

Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America.

Sayings that Use Shine (Wild West Sayings We Use Today)

All aboard the Wild West train for another journey into the history of words. Today, we’ll explore colloquial expressions that use ‘shine.’ Some of the older senses of the word surprised me. All brought to life a bygone era.

Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 34

Take a Shine To

An individual who develops a fondness for a person, animal, or object is said to ‘take a shine to’ someone or something.

Historical Reference: The origin of this phrase is lost in time, but we do know that it emerged in America during the nineteenth-century. It may have originated from an earlier phrase. 'To shine up to’ once meant to ingratiate yourself to someone, particularly a suitor. 

The earliest print citation is from High Life in New York, Volume 1, by Ann Sophia Stephens: “If she wanted to take a shine to a Yankee, why couldn’t she a found a fellor worth a looking at?”

Example: His parents sure took a shine to you.

Rise and Shine

This phrase comes in handy to urge another person to rise from bed and get to work.

Historical Reference: One of the earliest print references for 'rise and shine' as a colloquial term appeared in The Testimony of William Erbery (1658) by William Erbery: “They shall so rise and shine, that the glory shall rise upon them.”

“They” in the citation refers to Christians. That’s unsurprising, when you consider that ‘rise and shine’ comes from the Bible: ”Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee” (Isaiah 60:1; KJV).

Example: “Rise and shine, sleepyhead, and get ready to hoe the garden.”

Make Hay While the Sun Shines

You may not be a farmer, but you may have been told at some point in your life to ‘make hay while the sun shines.’ This timeless proverb inserts practical country wisdom into modern times. A proverb, if you don’t know, is a saying that crams a lot of wisdom into few words. ‘Make hay while the sun shines’ definitely qualifies.

The literal sense of this term, in use from the 1500s, is obvious. Farmers need to cut hay on sunny days. Weather patterns being unpredictable, a wise farmer should take advantage of a dry spell to make hay.

The phrase took on its figurative meaning by the 1600s. We still use it to suggest taking advantage of favorable conditions while they last.

Historical Reference: “Make hay while the sun shines is truly English, and could have had its birth only under such variable skies as ours.” On the Lessons in Proverbs (1852) by R.C. Trench, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Example: To claim the store’s early-bird prices, I’d better make hay while the sun shines and check out.

Monkeyshines

Monkeyshines, a colloquial expression dating from the early 19th century, describes a mischievous prank or otherwise boisterous behavior. It is one of many slang comparisons of humans to primates (‘monkey business,’ ‘monkeying around,’ ‘more fun than a barrel of monkeys,’ and the like). The ‘shine’ part may come from an obsolete nuance of ‘shine’ that denoted a party, ruckus, or commotion.

‘Monkeyshines’ was used as another way to describe cutting a caper from 1819. People spoke of 'cutting monkeyshines.' 'Monkey business' cropped up in 1858. Both terms may harken to an era when monkeys were imported to America in increasing numbers to entertain audiences in circuses and zoos.

Historical References: The term appeared in “Jump Jim Crow” (1828), a song by Thomas “Daddy” Rice, considered the father of minstrelsy: “I cut so many munky shines, I dance de gallopade.” The gallop, or gallopade, was a lively country dance.

“‘I’ll boun you pulled ’em out, some o’ your shines,’ said Aunt Chloe” Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Example: Stop your monkeyshines and quit pestering your sister!

Over to You

Thanks for riding along into another fun adventure with words. I’d love to know your thoughts on today’s sayings. Did any surprise you? Have you used any of them? Were any unfamiliar? Which is your favorite? Leave a comment and let me know.

What’s New with Janalyn Voigt

I’ve decided to celebrate spring as my personal new year. The season of emerging life is the best time for new beginnings. My editor needed more time before she could take on my manuscript. That means I can give The Whispering Wind a better polish before turning it in.

Funny how that went. The story came so readily that I should have known God would make a way for it. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to give a writing project to God, only to receive it back. I had no idea at the beginning of my writing career that the measure of success would not be book sales, social media likes, or accolades—but surrender. 

Learn more about me and my books at the website for Janalyn Voigt.

Strike Gold! Discover Romance and Adventure in the Wild West

Word History is So Delightful! (Wild West Sayings We Use Today)

The weather outside may be frightful, but learning the history of words is so delightful. So, fellow word-lovers, pour a cup of your favorite warm drink and settle down in a cozy spot. Let’s go time-traveling together!

Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 30

What do shooting, boxing, and textile mills have in common? All relate to this month’s selection of words that passed through the Wild West to us today. Curious? Read on.

Scoot

From 1758, people have said ‘scoot’ when they mean ‘take off in a hurry.’

Historical Reference: This slang term of uncertain origin may relate to the Old Norse ‘skjota’ (to shoot). It’s not hard to imagine the connection. In an interesting sidenote, the noun, ‘scooter,’ first emerged from the verb to designate ‘one who goes quickly’ in 1825. Scooter was also applied to a kind of plow and a syringe. The child's toy we are more familiar with today, is documented in 1919. It may have derived from motor scooter, which had its genesis two years earlier.

Example: “We’d better scoot or we’ll miss the beginning of the play.”

From Scratch

Today, as in the Wild West, making something ‘from scratch’ calls for basic ingredients or components.

Historical Reference: Scratch dates to the 1400s. It probably fused the Middle English words, ‘scratten’ and ‘crachen,’ both of which meant ‘to scratch’ and are of unknown origin.

As a noun and verb, 'scratch' developed a wide range of meanings. The nuance that concerns us here emerged in the late 18th century as a boxing term. It came from the practice of drawing (or ‘scratching’) a boundary or starting line in the dirt. At that time, crossing a line between fighters, rather than a bell, marked the beginning of a round. The boxer who could no longer cross the line was declared not ‘up to the scratch.’

This phrase eventually referred to other sports. A player who ran a race, for instance, without a head start, was said to run ‘from scratch.’ The earliest citation I could find for this use appeared in the Bicycle Journal, August 18, 1878 edition: "Mr. Tom Sabin, of the Coventry Bicycle Club, has won, during last week, three races from scratch."

By the late-19th century, “from scratch” meant starting with nothing at all, as this snippet from George Orwell’s satirical novel, Coming Up for Air (1939), makes clear: “We’d no fishing tackle of any kind, not even a pin or a bit of string. We had to start from scratch.”

This sense of the phrase is the one that attached to cooking from basic ingredients. While that context dominates today, we still use this phrase to denote other items made from basic components.

Example: Aunt Mae makes her delicious cakes from scratch.

Example: Uncle Joe built that barn from scratch.

Have a Screw Loose

This idiom indicates an eccentric person or someone with an unsound mind.

Historical Reference: ‘Have a screw loose’ might seem modern but actually goes back to the 1780s. That’s when the industrial revolution ushered in the mass production of textiles. Large mills were erected to house numerous machines to keep the cheap labor busy. Keeping all the machines running was difficult, however. When one malfunctioned, it was said to ‘have a screw loose’ somewhere.

Example: “Don’t stare like you’ve lost your wits or people will think you have a screw loose.”

Further Thoughts

Personally, a connection between a scooter and shooting seems appropriate. I think of the phrase, ‘take off like a shot.’ How interesting that ‘scoot’ is so old. I’ll never think of from-scratch cooking again without picturing boxers. The history of ‘have a screw loose’ surprised me. I had no idea it originated with the early textile industry.

What are your reactions to this batch of Wild West sayings we use today? I’d love to know.

What’s New with Janalyn Voigt

Christmas seems especially precious this year. Set apart to celebrate the coming of our Savior, it stands as a marker of holiness. I feel that way not despite the chaotic world in which we live, but because of it. Jesus was born, lived, died, rose again, and lives today. In Him, through repentance, we are able to really live. This is the truth that sings in my heart this Christmas and each day of the year. May you also join the angels in a chorus of praise to God.

Merry Christmas, dear friends.

My personal history: I fell in love with literature at an early age when my father read chapters from classics to me as bedtime stories. After I grew older, I put herself to sleep with tales "written" in my head. Today I'm a storyteller who writes in several genres. Romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy appear in all my novels. I am represented by Wordserve Literary Agency. Learn more about me and the books I write at http://janalynvoigt.com.

Christmas Specials

My publisher has both Hills of Nevermore (Montana Gold, book 1) and The Promise Tree (Montana Gold, book 5) on special. I honestly don't know when the sale will end, so if you want to claim either of these titles, sooner is better than later. 

Hills of Nevermore: America Reed hides her secret shame, certain that God is angry with her. She does her best to avoid Shane Hayes, the blue-eyed circuit preacher, never guessing that Shane is trying to live down his own past.  

For readers who enjoy redemptive love stories.

The Promise Tree: America Hayes's daughter, Liberty, is all grown up and ready to sort out her priorities. A preacher's daughter shouldn't marry a troublemaker, like Jake. She should never have made that unfortunate promise to him. If he would stop pursuing her, keeping herself from falling in love with him would be a whole lot easier.

For readers who enjoy multi-layered love stories. 

Please note that The Promise Tree cover states it is Montana Treasure, book 1. However, my publisher and I decided to place this book in chronological order in the Montana Gold series instead of creating a spin-off series. The cover will soon reflect the change. Meanwhile, this is a rare opportunity to obtain a limited-edition cover. :)

What Do Fish, Hiding, and Hunting Have to do With it? (Wild West Sayings We Use Today)

Welcome to a fun adventure into word history. The origin stories of words can be mystifying or enlightening, but they are always intriguing. Ready to explore the past in a often surprising way? All aboard for a journey through time. 

Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 29

So, what do fish, hiding, and hunting have to do with the Wild West? Read on and discover how they connect to the current crop of Wild West sayings used today. 

 Scad

In the 18th century, fishermen harvested millions of scads, silvery fish with deeply-forked tails, that congregated in schools off the coast of Britain. It’s not difficult to imagine how such abundance might have fostered a metaphor. 

‘Scad’ or 'scads' was used in the Wild West, as today, to describe bountiful quantities of an item. The connection to fish seems plausible but is unproven. The origin of the idiom is unknown.

Historical Reference: 

The first print citation for ‘scad’ gave the word as a slang term for ‘dollar’: "This land of our dads...is a dinger at nailing the scads" (The American Magazine; 1809). This little ditty meant that America provided abundant opportunities to make money. At that time, scads referred to dollars. By the mid-19th century, scad meant large quantities of anything. It was often used with ‘oodles,’ which means the same thing. This gave rise to the emphatic form: ‘scadoodles.’ (Don't you just love that word?) When describing a grandiose amount, I suppose you had to improvise.

Examples:

• We harvested a scad of walnuts.
• We harvested scads of walnuts.
• We harvested scads and scads of walnuts.

Make Yourself Scarce

Going from abundance to our next expression may seem dizzying, but let’s take a look at ‘make yourself (myself, oneself) scarce.’ This expression for abandoning, escaping, or avoiding a difficult situation was first noted in 1771 according to Etymology Online. While I couldn’t verify this, I did come up with a quaint quote dated only ten years later.

Historical Reference 

“He thought he should insure their love, to which he had the best possible title, and by those very means he lost it. Be wise, my friend; take warning; make yourself scarce, if you wish that persons of little understanding should know how to prize you" (Private Letter from renowned poet and hymn writer William Cowper to the Reverend John Newton; 1781).

Example

You might want to make yourself scarce until our neighbor calms down a bit.

Scare Up

This phrase describes finding something with perhaps a little difficulty. “Rustle up’ is another way of saying this. The English Oxford Dictionary defines ‘scare up’ as colloquial, which means that if I tried to slip it into one of my manuscripts, it wouldn't make it past my editor. However, i might get away with couching this term in dialogue for a colorful character. A colloquial phrase, if you haven’t guessed, is more appropriately spoken than written.

Scare up originated as a hunting term in 19th-century America. It meant to frighten game out of cover. The figurative nuance naturally arose from the practical meaning.

Historical Reference

The first printed citation for ‘scare up’ as a hunting term is from 1846: “He is also to send us the rattles of the biggest snake ever scared up in ‘Old Norf Caline’” ("Spirit of the Times," a New York sporting periodical).

The phrase is used as an idiom in “Loyalties,” a 1922 play by John Galsworthy: “I can scare up the money for that.”

Example

I’d better scare up some coffee.

Thanks for joining me again! I hope you enjoyed this month’s selection. Tell me, did you guess any of the phrase origins (or likely origins)? Which of them have you heard or used? See you next month for another word adventure.

What’s New with Janalyn Voigt

Work on The Whispering Wind (Montana Gold, book 6) is progressing. As I mentioned last month, I’ve been dealing with distractions lately. Those haven’t let up, a fact that has pros and cons. On the negative side, distractions can steal both my focus and time. They force me, out of self-defense, to improve my concentration and better manage my time. If you also struggle in this area, I can tell you that prayer works wonders.

Here's my brief author bio:

Janalyn Voigt fell in love with literature at an early age when her father read chapters from classics as bedtime stories. When Janalyn grew older, she put herself to sleep with tales "written" in her head. Today Janalyn is a storyteller who writes in several genres. Romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy appear in all her novels in proportions dictated by their genre. Janalyn Voigt is represented by Wordserve Literary. Learn more and visit the bookstore at http://janalynvoigt.com.

The Promise Tree 

A preacher’s daughter shouldn’t encourage a troublemaker—no matter what her wayward heart desires.

Liberty has always believed she should marry a man of God, but Jake doesn’t qualify. The promises they’d made at age twelve can’t change that. If only Jake would stop pursuing her, she might keep from falling in love with him.

Jake fears he’ll lose Liberty to Beau, the new man in town. He doesn’t trust the smooth-talker—and certainly not with Liberty. Expressing his opinion sounds jealous and pushes Liberty further away. Jake’s efforts to forget the woman he loves lands him in jail for a crime he didn’t commit.

A bounty hunter on the trail of a notorious outlaw gallops into town, and Liberty finds herself in unexpected peril. When Jake rides after her, he faces a test of faith. Jake and Liberty must each overcome their own false beliefs. Only then can they experience the truth of God’s redeeming love.

Set during a troubled time in America, the Montana Treasure series explores faith, courage, and love in the Wild West. Read this heartwarming story to affirm your faith in love.

Fall in Love with The Promise Tree

What do Horses, Arguments, and Stonehenge Have in Common? (Wild West Sayings We Use Today)

Welcome back for more fun with words. New around here? All you need is to a) enjoy history and b) love words, and you'll fit right in. One of the sayings we'll study today touched on research I did for a blog post. I think you'll enjoy reading about Sam Hill. So pull up a chair and sit a spell as we discover more Wild West sayings we use today. 

Wild West Sayings We Use Today, Part 28

Rode Hard and Put Away Wet

Horses and people have a lot in common.

This quaint expression refers to horseback riding. A horse that works up a sweat after running needs to cool down before resting. If stabled without being walked and brushed, the horse can suffer chills, stiffness, and lameness—resulting in resentment and ill-temper. It’s not hard to imagine how the term, ‘rode hard and put away wet’ broadened to include people who look rough, weary, sickly, and out of sorts, possibly due to abuse or neglect. The phrase might describe a particular incident (a bad night) or a long-term condition (having lived a hard life).

Historical Reference: The exact origins of this phrase are uncertain, but it most likely originated in the American South. Use of the past form of a verb as a past participle (‘been rode’ rather than ‘been ridden’) points to the South’s linguistic connection to Scotland.

Example: After digging ditches all day, Henry looks like he’s been rode hard and put away wet.

Ruckus

A ruckus is a noisy commotion.

Today, as in the Wild West, we consider a noisy uproar or an argument a ‘ruckus.’ 

Historical Reference: The “Cherokee Advocate,” an Oklahoma newspaper, included a variant spelling in the February 24th, 1882 edition: “It is but right that they should know how the matter stands, and have fair warning to avoid a ‘pending’ rucus of some sort.”
Note: Other spellings (rookus, rukus and rucus) may hint at the way this word was pronounced in various parts of America.

Ruckus is an American term with uncertain origins. The word most likely evolved from blending ‘rumpus’ (a playful commotion) and ‘ruction’ (a disorderly tumult), but other theories exist. Ruckus may have derived from ‘rook,’ a Scottish word for a quarrel or uproar that dates from at least 1808. Another idea is that ‘ruck,’ a British rugby play, birthed ‘ruckus.’

What in the Sam Hill…

Sam Hill's Stonehenge Memorial, Image by Janalyn Voigt

Substituting ‘Sam Hill’ for a four-letter word beginning with ‘h,’ this phrase has various endings: "…just happened?”; “…do you think you’re doing?”; and so forth. This idiom was used more in the 1800s than today, but it is still known, and I couldn’t resist including it. 

Historical Reference: According to the Oxford English Dictionary, on Aug. 1, 1839, the Havana, New York, Republican newspaper carried this line: "What in sam hill is that feller ballin' about?" This is the first known print citation for our phrase.

Various stories about the origin of 'What in the Sam Hill' include one Colonel Samuel Hill who consistently ran for office in Connecticut. However, no other records have turned up to confirm his existence. However, other names have been bandied about. Samuel Ewing Hill, an adjutant general from Kentucky investigated the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys in 1887. Mystified reporters wanted to know what in the Sam Hill was going on. H.L. Mencken, an American journalist and scholar, posed that the phrase derived from 'Samiel,' the devil's name in the opera, "Der Freischutz" (1825). A surveyor by the name of Sam Hill who lived between 1819 and 1889 is noted as liberally sprinkling his speech with cuss words. Folks who quoted him in more polite society had to substitute 'sam hill' for his colorful epithets. Another idea is that Sam Hill never existed as a person at all. I have by no means exhausted the possibilities, but you get the picture. 

My own opinion of the origins of our expression came about because of a road trip I took with my husband. Little did I know that it would turned into a voyage of discovery, complete with an epiphany. You can read about my experience in When Dreams Don’t Make Sense at my website. This was when I met Samuel Hill, American lawyer, businessman, and railroad executive. I use 'met' euphemistically, because this Sam Hill lived between 1857 and 1931, which means he left this world before I entered it. We can blame it on my being a historical fiction author, but the historical figures I study often become so real that it seems I know them. But I digress.

The Sam Hill I discovered in my travels is only one of the characters recognized (or blamed, as the case may be) for the saying in question. Let me explain why I can’t imagine it originating with anyone else. 

Sam Hill had a knack for creating things that made sense in his own mind but often left others baffled. He envisioned the ‘Promised Land,' a farming utopia in a part of Washington state that was so arid it was almost a desert. Undeterred by criticism that his vision was impractical, he bought 7,000 acres of arid land in the Columbia Gorge. Sam built an expansive mansion overlooking the Columbia River and named it Maryhill after his daughter, Mary. He founded a town by the same name and invited some Quaker farmers to settle it. 

No one came. 

After the town burned in a fire, Sam abandoned the Maryhill mansion. The building stands today, a solid concrete behemoth that appears sturdy enough to withstand a nuclear blast. Go inside for a small fee, like I did, and lose yourself in extensive collections of art. Sam dedicated his abandoned home to artistic endeavors, a fate that strikes me as appropriate for the remnant of a broken dream.

Arguably the oddest of Sam Hill’s projects is the miniature Stonehenge replica he erected a short distance from Maryhill. It still stands. That's right. You can come to Washington state and see Stonehenge, at least in miniature. Visiting the memorial can be a windy prospect but well worth the trouble. I found the experience moving. Sam Hill built his Stonehenge to commemorate the brave souls who lost their lives in World War I. He also meant it to protest war in general. But, why Stonehenge? 

I mean, doesn't every war protestor recreate an ancient megalith? Maybe not. This is where we gain a glimpse into Sam Hill's thinking. You see, he traveled to the original Stonehenge in 1915. There he learned that the Britons once used the site for "bloody sacrifices to their heathen gods of war." Struck by this, Sam decided that his replica would be a reminder that "humanity is still being sacrificed to the god of war." His logic is impeccable, if not immediately accessible to most people. I’m sure Sam Hill's Stonehenge came across as another anomaly from a man with too much money.

We can’t speak of the curiosities Sam Hill introduced to a puzzled world without mentioning that he also built the Cascade Highway. This feat of construction benefited farmers in particular. It removed from them the burden of navigating their carts along muddy roads. Not too shabby for a misunderstood man people laughed at. At the Stonehenge Memorial, if you look down the hill to the banks of the Columbia, you'll notice a farm. Modern irrigation practices have made Sam Hill's dream possible. Perhaps it is justice that ‘What in the Sam Hill…’ is fading into memory.

View from Sam Hill's Stonehenge Memorial that shows the farm below; image by Janalyn Voigt  

Example: “What in the Sam Hill was that about?”

Question for You

Can you relate to Sam Hill's quirky mindset or does it baffle you? 

What's New With Janalyn Voigt

Like perhaps many of you, I struggle with events in our world today. My reaction doesn't change my deadlines as an author, but being forced to focus on writing has turned into a blessing. I think of what Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastis 2:24: "There is nothing better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labor. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God" (World English Bible). I had to recommit myself to work diligently at the tasks to which I am called, refusing to be pulled aside by temporal worries. 

Let us place our unwavering trust in God, who loves us all. 

Learn more about Janalyn Voigt. 

New Release! 

I'm delighted to announce that Cheyenne Sunrise is now available as an audiobook. Cheyenne Sunrise, book two in the Montana Gold series, joins Hills of Nevermore, book one, which released in audio format last year. 

Cheyenne Sunrise

Can a woman with no faith in men learn to trust the half-Cheyenne trail guide determined to protect her?

Based on actual historical events during a time of unrest in America, Cheyenne Sunrise explores faith, love, and courage in the Wild West.

Beautiful narration melds seamlessly with lyrical writing to produce an immersive listening experience. Lose yourself in the romance. You won't want the story to end.

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