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Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]>
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David Davis <[log in to unmask]>
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Thu, 17 Mar 2011 09:02:26 -0400
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http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/

The Word of the Day for March 17 is: 

galley-west   \gal-ee-WEST\   adverb
: into destruction or confusion


"American author Mark Twain is on record as one of the first to use
"galley-west" in his writing. Etymologists believe the word is a
corruption of dialectal English "colleywest" or "collyweston." The
earliest appearance of those words, used with the meaning "askew or
awry," dates from the late 16th century. The ultimate source of
"colleywest" and "collyweston" is not known but is suspected to be from
a personal name. When "galley-west" is used in speech or writing, the
verb "knock" usually precedes it."

[Interesting. I don't know that he made-up many words - Shakespeare a
far greater coiners of neologisms than our boy. Does anyone recall where
he used this one? /DDD ]

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