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Origin and history of slosh

slosh(n.)

1814, "slush, sludge, a watery mess," probably a blend of slush and slop (n.1) in its Middle English sense of "muddy place." Later extended to weak, soggy food or writing.

also from 1814

slosh(v.)

"flounder or splash about in mud or wet," 1844, from slosh (n.). The meaning "pour carelessly" is recorded from 1875. Related: Sloshed; sloshing.

also from 1844

Entries linking to slosh

slop(n.1)

c. 1400, "mudhole, puddle," probably from Old English -sloppe "dung" (in plant name cusloppe, literally "cow dung"), related to slyppe "slime" (from PIE root *sleubh- "to slide, slip").

The meaning "semi-liquid food" is by 1650s; that of "refuse liquid of any kind, household liquid waste" (usually slops) is from 1815. The meaning "affected or sentimental material" is by 1866.

sloshed(adj.)

"drunk," c. 1900, colloquial, past-participle adjective from slosh (v.).

slush(n.)

1640s, "melting snow, snow and water," perhaps from a Scandinavian source (compare Norwegian and Swedish slask "slushy ground;" obsolete Danish slus "sleet"), all probably imitative of the sound of sloshing. It is attested by 1772 as "sludge, watery mire."

Slush fund is first attested 1839, from an earlier sense of slush "refuse fat from the cook's galley of a ship" (1756); the money from the sale of a ship's slush became a cook's prerequisite; on a man-of-war the money was distributed among the officers.

It is sometimes a considerable sum, which may be expended at the discretion of the commanding officer or a board of officers, without accounting for it to any higher authority. [Century Dictionary]

The extended meaning "money collected for bribes and to buy influence" is first recorded 1874, no doubt with suggestions of "greasing" palms. Related: Slush-money. The galley slush also was used as grease, hence slush (v.) "grease (a mast) with slush."

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Trends of slosh

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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splash

1715 (intransitive), "dabble about in water or some other liquid;" 1722 (transitive), "spatter," probably an alteration of plash with an intensive s-. Related: Splashed; splashing. Splash-board, to protect the occupants of a vehicle from splashing of the horse's feet, is attested

swash

1530s, expressing a blow or the fall of a heavy body, probably imitative. It also meant "pig-wash, filth, wet refuse" (1520s) and may have been imitative of the sound of water dashing against solid objects or a heavy blow on a yielding surface. The meaning "a body of splashing wa

pad

1550s, "bundle of straw to lie on," a word of obscure origin (perhaps a merger of several separate words), possibly from or related to Low German or obsolete Flemish pad "sole of the foot," which is perhaps from PIE *pent- "to tread, go" (see find (v.)), but see path (n.). Sense

dap

fist-bump greeting, in African-American popular culture by 1972, with various theories as to origin and name meaning. Probably imitative (dap was used in 19c. for the bounce of a ball or the skip of a stone on water). Dap, meanwhile, is listed in the DAS as African-American verna

Old English gan "to advance, walk; depart, go away; happen, take place; conquer; observe, practice, exercise," from West Germanic *gaian (source also of Old Saxon, Old Frisian gan, Middle Dutch gaen, Dutch gaan, Old High German gan, German gehen), from PIE root *ghē- "to release,

sound

"noise, what is heard, sensation produced through the ear," late 13c., soun, from Old French son "sound, musical note, voice," from Latin sonus "sound, a noise," from PIE *swon-o-, from root *swen- "to sound." The unetymological -d was established c. 1350-1550 (see D). Sound-boar

tapster

"person employed to tap liquors, one who draws and sells ale, tavernkeeper," Middle English tappester, which especially meant "woman tapster, barmaid, tavern hostess," from Old English tæppestre "female tavern-keeper, hostess at an inn, woman employed to tap liquors," fem of tæpp

around

c. 1300, "in circumference, in a circle, on every side," from phrase on round; see a- (1) + round (adj.). It was rare before 1600. In the sense of "here and there with no fixed direction" it is attested from 1776 in American English (British English prefers about). As a prepositi

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