10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «SPINE-BASHER»
Discover the use of
spine-basher in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to
spine-basher and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang
Hence spine-basher, noun Austral A loafer. 1945–. spinnaker noun Austral,
dated Five pounds; a five-pound note. Cf. spin2 noun. 1898–. N. PULLIAM I'll bet
the first Aussie taker a couple of spinnakers the Snowy Mountains dream comes
true ...
John Ayto, John Simpson, 2010
2
A Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English
Hence, spine-basher, a lazy man Cf. charpoy- or pitbashing, the Brit. Service
synonyms. Spinifex wire, the. A.N. Aus. version of the bush telegraph: since ca.
1930. (H. Drake Brockman, Men Without Wives, 1938.) Hence, a spinifex wire, ...
3
An Australian Dictionary for North Americans
To kill or destroy, e.g. If you give me any lip I'll spiflicate you. spine-basher n. A
sleeping person, a lazy person. spine-bashing v. Sleeping, lying down on the job,
goofing off. spinifex n. Spiny-leafed grasses of outback Australia. spinifex wire, ...
4
Diggerspeak: The Language of Australia at War
He had a furtive, shifty face. He looked at me suspiciously. L. Glassop We Were
the Rats p. 175. spine-basher a person who sleeps a lot or is prone to loafing. [
From spine- bash. This is first recorded in 1945.] Second World War 1945 'a
spine ...
The Outback was a great school. In all the years he should've learnt, he hadn't
noticed that coffin-makers didn't bother to French-polish the bottom of coffins. It
wasn't until he'd started as a general labourer, spine-basher and grave digger
with ...
... there is a non-churchgoer who claims descent from 'a long line of
Calathumpians'; there is a 'sook', a 'spine-basher', a 'confirmed bachelor' and lots
of 'Aunties and Uncles'; boys come 'busters' off bikes; and father goes to 'the
rubbidy'.
Another thing: that lazy spine-basher of a partner of yours is leaving in the
morning with his boyfriend; I couldn't stand either of them — they make me feel
sick." He went on, "With them out of the way this ship will be a new place for
everybody.
He'd called Andrews a "spine-basher" — a parasite. "Don't worry, Paul. You'll
both get credit for your efforts in the scientific literature, where it really matters. I've
already given you first authorship for the Nature communique, and Freddy's
name ...
GIG: The big spine-basher. Why don't you knock him, Andy? OT : He's just a great
big lazy cunt. I wish we didn't have him in the hut. GIG : He never pulls his weight.
You have to do all his duties for him. OT: He never does a guard. GIG : I swept ...
Sumner Locke Elliott, 1980
10
Three Australian plays
... and your friend Wimpy . . . you dirty . . . [vic appears other side of doorway.] vic :
Mac . . . Keghead's looking for you. mac: Struth. [He disappears in one second,
leaving andY tottering against the side of the hut.] gig : The big spine-basher .
Eunice Hanger, Sumner Locke Elliott, Ray Mathew, 1968
