Abraham Lincoln’s Last Word

Sockdologising

Although we can not be certain of the last word that Abraham Lincoln heard. It was probably the word “Sockdologising”.

During the performance of Tom Taylor’s Our American Cousin, the actor John Wilkes Booth who was quite familiar with the play waited for the line

Well, I guess I know enough to turn you inside out, you sockdologising old man-trap.

and as the audience laughed, he fired the fatal shot.

Sockdolager: 1. A conclusive blow, a knockout or knockdown punch. 2. A humdinger of a humdinger, the 800 lb. gorilla, something so exceptionally large and outstanding that it settles a question or issue. source: https://www.alphadictionary.com/goodword/word/sockdolager

Sockdolager is a colorful word that was coined in 19th century America other examples include.

slantindicular

flummadiddle

slumgullion

katzenjammer

highfalutin

jimberjawed

bodacious

absquatuate

Jim McAulay🍁 asks, “ Why is the third hand on a clock called the second hand?”

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