soft sawder
English
Etymology
Phonetic spelling of soft solder; that is, solder that melts at a lower temperature. Coined by Thomas Haliburton in the short story "The Trotting Horse" (1836). Popular in the 19th century, but out of common use by 1950.
Noun
soft sawder (uncountable)
- (obsolete, idiomatic) Cajoling or flattery.
Quotations
| 1836 1850 1863 | |||||||
| ME « | 15th c. | 16th c. | 17th c. | 18th c. | 19th c. | 20th c. | 21st c. |
- 1836, Thomas Haliburton, "The Trotting Horse" (1836) — first usage
- If she goes to act ugly, I'll give her a dose of "soft sawder"; that will take the frown out of her frontispiece...!
- 1850, Thomas Carlyle, Latter-Day Pamphlets, The present time
- A sorrowful spectacle to men of reflection, during the time he lasted, that poor M. de Lamartine; with nothing in him but melodious wind and soft sawder, which he and others took for something divine and not diabolic!
- 1863, Tom Taylor, The Ticket-of-Leave Man
- How the old boy swallowed my soft sawder and Brummagem notes!
See also
- soft soap
- butter up
- sweet-talk
References
- Questions & Answers: Soft sawder