Date:  Tue, 14 Mar 1995 08:22:44 -0800

From:  Allen Maberry <maberry[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]U.WASHINGTON.EDU>

Subject: Re: Expletive origin



The University of Chicago's Dictionary of American English (U.of Chicago,

1944) gives the citation:

Sam Hill. A euphemism for hell. 1839 Havana (N.Y.) "Republican" 21 Aug. (Th.)

"What in sam hill is that feller ballin' about?" ("sam hill" in lower case

in original)

Allen Maberry

maberry[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]u.washington.edu

On Mon, 13 Mar 1995, Jerry (NMN) Miller wrote:



> "I Hear America Talking" by Flexner includes "Sam Hill" in a long list of mild

> curses and mincing terms and gives 1839 as its date of introduction in America.

> It doesn't explain the origin of the phrase, however, although presumably, Hill

> is Hell minced, and perhaps Sam is damned minced? Could happen. (But not nearly

> as scintillating as W. C. Fields' classics, "Godfrey Daniel" and "Shivering

> Shinola," in my humble opinion!)

>

>                     jmiller

>