Comments on: In exactly which year

By: Doc

Doc — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:41:56 +0000

in the mid 60s, on some bone dry base while running forever, we would have said “cut”.

so…post-60′s and pre-90s, what?

By: Michael Smith

Michael Smith — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 14:15:25 +0000

And I thought I was just making up that 1992 thing.

By: Kári

Kári — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:49:29 +0000

The OED does indeed give the first instance as 1992, but that of course doesn't mean a) that it originated in that year or b) that that was the exact year of the switch.

six-pack n. colloq. a set of well-developed abdominal muscles; a lean, muscular midriff. 1992 Los Angeles Times (Nexis) 30 Sept. C6/1 Rousseve believes his stomach muscles to be quite defined, but not quite as defined as someone with a total *six-pack.

By: Kris

Kris — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 22:29:01 +0000

It still seems to be washboard here in Tasmania.

By: Sheila Ryan

Sheila Ryan — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:57:32 +0000

Mmmnh, good point, Michael. Placed in that context, washboard abs takes on a kind of dance-of-death quality.

By: Michael Smith

Michael Smith — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:55:22 +0000

My guess is that a large number of people with, “washboard” abs have never seen an actual washboard.

By: Michael Smith

Michael Smith — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:54:15 +0000

I’d say around 1992.

My craft beer drinking ways are, probably, to blame for the fact that nobody has ever used washboard or six-pack in a description of my abs.

By: Cooper Renner

Cooper Renner — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:53:08 +0000

I’m Joe Four-Eyes.

By: Sheila Ryan

Sheila Ryan — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:52:15 +0000

Six-pack abs has always sounded funny to me. Either I think of the abdominal consequences of six-pack consumption, or the phrase “one can (or beer) shy of a six-pack” pops to mind.

Washboard abs makes ever so much more sense.

By: Mike Dresser

Mike Dresser — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 19:49:44 +0000

I’m Joe Four-Pack. My effete, craft beer drinking ways find me often buying beer marketed in foursomes (presumably to avoid going too far over the $10 price point, which scares off the bargain-minded).