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I got interested in this when reading a historical novel set in 1860s New York. The heroine wnet out on her birthday, alone, with a couple of dollars "mad money". I wondered what the origin of the phrase might be. I found an article that explained it.
"Mad Money: A Semantic Change" by George Javor in American Speech, Vol. 50, No. 1/2, (Spring - Summer, 1975),.
Apparently "mad money" was "noted as early as 1922 by Howard J. Savage (Dialect Notes 5: 148) at the end of an article on Bryn Mawr slang. Savage's definition is 'money a girl carries in case she has a row with her escort and wishes to go home alone.' "
But it developed a second meaning:
"By 1946, a second meaning of the term had been recorded by C. M. Woodard ("A Word-List from Virginia and North Carolina," PADS, no. 6, pp. 4-43). He gave the meaning already noted ('money taken along by a girl on a date to be used in case she falls out with her companion and wants to come home early,' p. 20), and then added: 'Also money used by a girl or woman for small purchases.' Among general dictionaries, Webster's Third was the first to record the term with both meanings. Its definitions are 'carfare carried by a girl on a date to provide a means of escaping her escort in the event of unwanted familiarities; broadly: a small sum carried by a woman for emergency use.' The second definition is similar to Woodard's, but it relates the sum used for "small purchases" to the sense of emergency implicit in the older meaning."
The author then gave some of his students a "questionnaire that they completed asked: "What is your definition of mad money? If you know the term in more than one meaning, give both." An overwhelming number, 92 percent, gave as their answers a definition that is different from either of those in the dictionaries. This new meaning of mad money may be phrased thus: 'money to be spent FOOLISHLY, for some- thing you DON'T NEED, on the SPUR OF THE MOMENT or FRIVOLOUSLY, indeed CRAZILY.' One or more of the emphasized concepts appeared in practically every answer."
Javor points out that the meanings of "mad" from angry to crazy allow this drift. His article was written in 1975. I wonder what "mad money" can mean now!
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What is the origin of the phrase hey presto?
The Spanish for "I have put" is he puesto, could this be the origin?
What is the origin of money burning a hole in your pocket?
There is no clear origin to this phrase. In the 1700's, it was just used as "burning your pocket," but by the 1800's it had become "burning a hole in your pocket." The implication is that the coins are so hot that you jerk them out of your pocket and throw them away.
What is the origin of the phrase arm pit?
It's not a phrase, and it's one word "armpit". Origin is from Old English earm "arm" and pytt "hole in the ground".
What does mad-bread means?
lots of money....mad (figuratively, as crazy: unbelievable amounts of) bread (figurative for money)
What is the meaning of the phrase 'Money is the root cause of all evil'?
The origin of the phrase comes from the Bible. However, it's not "money is the root cause of all evil." The phrase is "The LOVE of money is the root of all evil." Basically, this means that greed causes us to do evil.
What is the origin of the phrase eat you?
There is no such phrase as "eat you".
What does the phrase mad lames mean?
mad = many, lame= uncool people
Dont get mad get everything?
I think the correct phrase is "Don't get mad get even"
What is the origin of the phrase ram page?
There is no such phrase. There is a word rampage. It is of Scottish origin, perhaps from RAMP, to rear up.
Is a phrase for gets you mad?
ticks you off
What phrase of a Greek origin means the common people?
The phrase of Greek origin referring to the common people is "hoi polloi."
When was Don't Get Mad Get Money created?
Don't Get Mad Get Money was created in 2002.
When was Mad Money released?
Mad Money was released on 01/18/2008.
What was the Production Budget for Mad Money?
The Production Budget for Mad Money was $22,000,000.
What is the origin of the phrase on the rocks?
"on the rocks"
What is the duration of Mad Money?
The duration of Money Madness is 1.22 hours.
