DCHP-2

Yankeeism Slang DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

THIS ENTRY MAY CONTAIN OUTDATED INFORMATION, TERMS and EXAMPLES

1 n.
the quality that characterizes the United States or its people in their speech, customs, political views, etc.
- a1855 (1956) . . . such things were now looked upon as a useless relic of "Yankeeism". . . .
- 1822 There are a few symptoms of yankeeism in the language, such as the use of the words grade for degree, and avails for profits.
- 1833 (1917) It has two newspapers. The one a violent Tory, the other a Liberal, and represented as favoring Yankeeism, which I think, from all I have seen, is not true.
2 n.
a word, expression, turn of phrase, etc. that is characteristic of the speech of Americans; Americanism.
- 1822 All those who read this epistle . . . will contribute . . . such words and terms as may be fairly deemed true Yankeeisms. . . .
- 1853 The article on the Agricultural Bureau--a Yankeeism, by the way, which we abhor--is a sad attempt at an apology for a disgraceful and barefaced job.
- 1882 To use a Yankeeism, it is eternally and perennially behind time.