Reliving History

Reliving History next month is all about re-enactments, living history and the people within the hobby. It is also about photography of the people and events that forms the public community for the group. Enjoy the site, the photographs and the stories.

N is for Nohow, no way you can fix it

Submitted by david d on Wed, 12/03/2008 - 22:57

Nigger In the woodpile: a way of explaining the disappearance of fuel or any unsolved mystery.

  • 1862: These gentlemen ... spoke two whole hours ... in showing -to borrow an elegant phrase, the paternity of which belongs, I think, to their side of the House -that there was a nigger in the woodpile. Mr. Kelley, Pennsylvania, House of Reps., Congressional Globe, June 3, p.252

No-account: worthless.

  • 1853: Yes, Massa, dem no'count calves done fool me again. Paxton, A Stray Yankee in Texas, p.282
  • 1881: Mitchell of Oregon is another of the no-account men. Philadelphia Record, February 8
  • 1888: Did I come way off down in this here no count country to wash white counterpanes for dogs? Mrs. Elizabeth Custer, Tenting on the Plains, p.255

Nohow, no way you can fix it: not at all.

  • 1833: They don't raise such humans in the Old Dominion, no how. James Hall, Harpe's Head, p.91
  • 1833: This ain't no part of a priming to places that I've seed afore, no how. James Hall, Legends of the West, p. 190
  • 1836: [They] would have nothing to do with the affair, nohow they could fix it. Colonel Crockett in Texas, p.125
  • 1843: I couldn't read a chapter in the Bible no how you could fix it, bless the Lord! R. Carlton, The New Purchase, P.141
  • 1854: Here's my six-shooter, but you can't toll me up thar, nohow. Knickerbocker Magazine, June

Not a jugful: not at all.

  • 1835: Did you ever follow the business of peddling? Not by a jugful, Mister; I never was one of your wooden nutmeg fellers. D.P. Thompson, Adventures of Timothy Peacock, p.87
  • 1854: Take medicine, said I "Not by a jugful," said Jim. H.H. Riley, Puddleford, p. 162
  • 1855: Not by a jugful, Mr. Souley; Cuba is the most valuable patch of ground we've got. Seba Smith, Major Jack Downin, p.429

Notions: a wide range of miscellaneous articles for sale.

  • 1819: This cleared up the mystery of the toys and play-things, which, with hats, bonnets, shoes and stockings of various sizes, [and] Webster's spelling-books, were part of the notions. "An Englishman in the Western Star", May 12
  • 1830: I thought I'd go and see about my load of turkeys and other notions. Seba Smith, Major Jack Downing, p.49
  • 1846: She had a cargo of notions, consisting of Boston china, onions, apples, coffins in nests, cheese, potatoes, etc. Cornelius Mathews, Writings, P.309
»