Wednesday's Random Slang-o-rama: Merrythought

 I was searching for something appropriate for (U.S.) Thanksgiving Day, when loyal Slang-o-rama reader Liz V pointed me toward a great blog post 11 charming old slang words you can use this Thanksgiving. So, in the spirit of the holiday, I am bringing merrythought to the table for your etymological consumption.

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Acccording to the post, merrythought, meaning wishbone, dates waaay back to 16th century England and eventually made its way to the U.S. (New England and Virginia). The term eventually died out late 19th century, replaced by the current wishbone. The post noted a this from 1708: “the Original of the Name was doubtless from the Pleasant Fancies, that commonly arise upon the Breaking of that Bone.”

World Wide Words agrees, with an aside about wishbone:

The name of wishbone comes, of course, from the folk custom in which two people hold its ends and pull, the one left with the longer piece making a wish. Merrythought refers to an older version of the custom, in which it is assumed that the one left with the longer piece will get to marry first. So the bone-pulling ceremony resulted in what were euphemistically called "merry thoughts" among those taking part.

Wishing you and yours a safe and peace-filled Thanksgiving, whether you have a merrythought to pull or not!

Thankful for family, friends, turkey, and pumpkin pie!
Image by J Lloa from Pixabay