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Related: Culture Forums, Support Forums7 Good Stories That Just Aren't True: No, that's not where that word comes from.
Though the Duesenberg was a very impressive car, it was not the source of 'doozy.'
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7 Good Stories That Just Aren't True
No, that's not where that word comes from
....
Doozy
Definition: an extraordinary one of its kind
The Duesenberg car company produced very fine cars in the early 20th century. The word doozy appears in writing somewhere near the beginning of the 20th century. Therefore doozy must be a shortening of Duesenberg, mustnt it? Isnt this how etymology works? No, it mustnt, and no, it isnt.
The obvious problem with saying that doozy comes from Duesenberg is that the former is older than the latter. The car company did not start producing vehicles until 1920, and the word had been in use for more than 20 years by that time. The argument that the name of the car may not have come first but possibly helped doozy become popular is also problematic, as we have no evidence linking the two terms in the early 20th century. Doozy most likely came about as an alteration of daisy, which in 19th century slang was something or someone considered the best.
How do farmers like it? It is just simply a doozy.
The Democrat (McKinley, TX), 26 Mar. 1896
The Democratic party would soon become what Cy. Lyle might call a doozy under the leadership of such men as Mr. Davis.
The Comet (Johnson City, TN), 17 Mar. 1904
He nailed a doozy toward center field which looked like a hit.
Daily Illinois State Register, (Springfield, IL), 25 Aug. 1907
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7 Good Stories That Just Aren't True: No, that's not where that word comes from. (Original Post)
mahatmakanejeeves
Mar 2018
OP
underpants
(182,271 posts)1. Bookmarking. Love these kinds of posts.
Ohio Dem
(4,357 posts)2. Everybody knows they call it "golf" because
all the other four-letter words were taken.
Wolf Frankula
(3,595 posts)3. Golf was originally Gowff
And must be 'utterly cryit down.'
Wolf
Wounded Bear
(58,437 posts)4. You're no daisy...
Ron Obvious
(6,261 posts)5. And FUCK does not stand for "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" either.
Or Fornication Under Charles the King. It's an old English/Germanic word.
I'm sure the Merriam Webster people would have wanted to include it, but shied away.