JOE/MAX/DICK/SUSAN – Please make a MudCat third "break" into a longer lasting "academic-thread" area!!! The barbarian whores have over-run the forum and it is hard to to sift the gems from the mud.

From J.E. Lighter's wonderful Random House Dictionary of Historical American Slang Vol I, p. 368-369.

(An intended three volumn collection that will probably never see Jonathan's third and final volumn because Random House has dropped their reference materials publishing after two of his volumns….and his refusal to settle for a smaller, less detailed version.)

catawampus

n. a peculiar or remarkable thing or person.
Often joc.
1833 Paulding Lion of the West 21: On my way I took a squint at my wild lands along by the Big Muddy and Little Muddy to Bear Grass Creek, and had what I call a rael [sic], roundabout catawampus, clean through the destrict 1843 in DA 282: The tother one what got most sker'd, is a sort of catawampus. 1936 R. Adams Cowboy Lingo 236: This old catawampus…orates as how he's got more troubles than a rat-tailed hoss tied short in fly-time. 1947> in DA 282.

catawampus

adj. [orig. unkn.] Midland 1. ferocious or impressive.

1843 Dickens Chuzzlewit ch xxi: There air some catawampous chawers in the small way too. 1847 Davy Crockett's Alm. (unp.): On the back of catawampus grate wolf.

2. out of shape; diagonal, crooked, or askew. Also adv.
1851 Spirit of Times (Nov. 8) 453: They sed that he and his wife and children had their faces so wrinkled up an turned catter-wompus like, that the skeeters couldn't lite on um long enuf to bite. 1905 DN III 73: Catawampus, adj. Drawn out of shape. "This cloth's catawampus. "Universal. 1906 DN III 116: Caterwampust, adj. Diagonally. 1911 DN III 542: Catawampus, cattywampus, adj. (1) Crosswise, diagonal, (2) Askew, awry. 1931 Nat. Geo. (Dec) 734: A new fence post, set out of line, is "catawampus" 1941 AS (Feb) 21: Catawampas. Out of proportion, crooked. 1942 ATS 43: Diagonal(ly)….catawampous, catawompus. 1963 G. Coon Short End 78: But over here things always seem to get balled up, cattyshampus. 1963> E. M. Miller Exile 161: She had a nose like a big fat cork and a scar catawampus across her horehead. 1973 Ace Stand On It *: But is is still just a teensy bil sideways or caterwampus, if you follow me.

3. incorrect or out of order.

1884 in DA: I kin prove gter ye that ye air all cat-a-wampus on that p'int.

1943 AS (Feb) 66: Catawampus (badly out of order) S.C.

4. (see quot.).
1935 Algren Boots 13: The townsfolk called him "catawampus," meaning that they thought him violently cross-tempered….Mebbe ther'd learn him to be so derned catawampus all the time.

catawampus

v. 1. to confuse, fonfound, injure, or damage. 1839 in DA 282: A catawompussed fix. 1880 in DA May I be cat-a-wampussed. 1906> DN III 129: Catawampus, v. tr. To warp. "The fire just catawampused this boiler."

2. to move diagonally.
DN III 230: Cattering …Moving diagonally or obliquely…catterwampusin, P. pr. and adj. The same as proceeding.

(THIS COULD KEEP GOING AND GOING….but a couple more …..)

catawampously

adv. vigorously or completely.

1834 in DARE: The gineral was catawampously inclin'd tu the United States' service. 1836 Cather Voyage 112: These tarnation bugs will catawamously chaw me up. 1844 Spirit of Time (Jan 27) 572: You will be separetly and singly, collectively and jointly catawampously and tetotaciously "chawd" up

Sincerely,
Gargoyle