humbug English · revision 2437

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈhʌmbʌɡ/ ''(UK)''; /ˈhəmˌbəɡ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is of unknown origin.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) It appeared in 1751 as student slang at Oxford and Cambridge,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) and, as the OED noted, its origin seems to have been lost before it became common enough to attract attention.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A hoax, a jest or trick (1751).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was a vogue word of the early 1750s, used from the start as both noun and verb.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The noun soon meant any sham or fraud (1751) and a person who deceives, an impostor (1763).^(OED 1989) As an exclamation of disbelief, “nonsense!”, it is recorded from 1825,^(OED 1989) the year it also first names a hard peppermint sweet.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1751 – a hoax or trick; a sham; verb, to deceive.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1763 – an impostor.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1825 – interjection, nonsense!^(OED 1989)

+ * 1825 – a kind of sweet.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Something meant to deceive; a hoax or fraud.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A person who pretends to be what they are not; an impostor.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Nonsense; rubbish.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Pretence; deception.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # ''(British)'' A hard mint-flavoured sweet.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To deceive or trick.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Interjection===

+ # Used to express disbelief or disgust.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[humbugger]]

+ * [[humbuggery]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[hoax]]

+ * [[bug]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}