[lit-ideas] Re: 5 Short Stories
- From: Robert.Paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Robert Paul)
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: 15 May 2004 16:20:08 PDT
David Ritchie writes, re 'bucket shop':
>A "bucket shop" is (or was) a discount, and possibly fly-by-night(!), travel
agent. By extension, a "bucket shop hernia repair" would be done by a
fellow you meet in the back of some pub, who has very good prices and not a
lot of scruples.<
Yes, it seems to mean that but this would be a later extension of the term.
Here's the OED:
1886 Statist 28 Aug. 234 The `bucket shop' is an American institution..and it
was first used for retail gambling in grain.
1886 Statist 235 Men opened offices..and started a business in Stocks which was
simply betting..The `bucket shop' keeper..offered to deal at close prices and
without commission..There are `bucket shops' and `bucket shops'. The worst
class of them are thimble and pea sharpers under a more polite name.
1957 Encycl. Brit. IX. 703/2 `Bucket shop' means the business of a sham share
broker who gambles with his customers on the rise or fall in the prices of
stock exchange securities without acquiring these securities at all.
1973 Times 17 Nov. 13/1 Latest reports indicate that the introduction of ABCs
has virtually driven the `bucket shop' operators from that..scene.
1980 Daily Tel. 4 Dec. 6 The International Air Transport Association is being
pressed to allow all air travellers a fair opportunity to buy cheap tickets at
`bucket shop' prices.
1981 Times 16 Dec. 16/8 One of the worst problems [for motorcycle
manufacturers] was the activity of `bucket shop' dealers who undermined the
standing of official retailers.
1982 Daily Tel. 26 July 2/5 The meeting will seek..co-ordinated airline action
to stamp out bucket shop sales of tickets.
Robert Paul,
furthering truth at
Reed College
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