HAG, n. An elderly lady whom you do not happen to like; sometimes called, also, a hen, or cat. Old witches, sorceresses, etc., were called hags from the belief that their heads were surrounded by a kind of baleful lumination or nimbus — hag being the popular name of that peculiar electrical light sometimes observed in the hair. At one time hag was not a word of reproach: Drayton speaks of a "beautiful hag, all smiles," much as Shakespeare said, "sweet wench." It would not now be proper to call your sweetheart a hag — that compliment is reserved for the use of her grandchildren.
2009 Update: A woman time has granted a man's portion of disagreeableness or a goat deprived of lechery.
I'm thinking of a childrens' story but I can't remember anything about it.
ReplyDeleteI had a landlady once who would qualify.
..
You called?
ReplyDeleteDark
Jim - I think you are going for any good German fairytale.
ReplyDeleteDark
Nessa, I love German fairytales, too!
ReplyDeleteGeordies (people who live in Newcastle, England) use the term hen as an endearment but also refer to those they like as pet as in 'Why aye pet' which means, loosely translated, 'Yes my dear'
ReplyDeleteI think that Londoner's used to think of me as a 'baleful luminesence' back in the punk fuelled seventies but that is another story.
the
ReplyDeletefrau braun
in everyone
Peace Bless
Popeye's nemesis -- uhm, the one uglier than Bluto, and o, I didn't mean Olive Oyl, although .....
ReplyDeleteAargh! He can't laugh at me aboard me own ship, the Black Barnacle! Hang the Dog! Hang Him High!
ReplyDeleteBilge and Blaggard, I say!
ReplyDeleteI was Tricked! Fooled!
Duped by the Dreaded Copy and Paste!
This here is a Better Image
of My Loathsome Visage!
Remember it Well
as I'm
Obsessed With
Capturing Popeye's Dark Soul!
Just a nice, sweet, older lady who didn't comb her hair yet.
ReplyDeleteOne whose inner bitterness and bile have finally gone all the way through. Pl. haggis.
ReplyDeleteI can only think Macbeth. A hag is more of a precursor to the witch than the witch though.
ReplyDeleteC.J.D. ~ Never in a million years could I imagine why 1970s punk-fueled Londoners would think you a baleful luminesence. You will have to share that story with us on another day.
ReplyDeleteJim, you might be thinking of all of them.
ReplyDeleteNessa, that didn't take long.
Sure, Ariel. Nothing in them happens to Hungarians.
C.J., and here you are a perfect family man. I never would have guessed you were once so wholesome.
Thom, I don't think you first to make that connection and doubt you'll be the last.
Amen, Bear. And who doesn't have a little Frau Braun in them at 4:20.
Quilly, you just put your finger on exactly what I loved about that cartoon.
Ah, hag, I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.
Of course, TLP. Of course.
Bill, I never thought of haggis as the bread of a hag.
Exactly, Cooper. More of a diagnostic warning, really.
Karen, there are 8 million stories in the naked city.
After all the snow, it's nice and toasty in heah... now, where are my bread crumbs?
ReplyDeleteIt's unwise to call one's sweetheart a wench, either.
ReplyDeleteI heard this term often used by some men referring to their mother in law ;)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that there was a time in history when the term 'hag' was actually a nicety :)
Hansel, there will be plenty of panko in your immediate future, I think.
ReplyDeleteDouble so if true, Weirsdo.
Nicole, I think Bierce was being sarcastic. But it's true, a lot of insults come from old compliments and visa-versa.