NEWS
ADJECTIVES
► FAMIGEROUS carrying news, tales, etc. → 1730 obs.
► HOT of news, information, etc.: latest, novel; fresh → 1908 Amer. sl.
► MUNG of information, news, etc.: false, misleading; confused and contradictory → 1844 US obs.
► NEWS-GIZZENED empty of news, parched for want of news or gossip → 1871 Sc.
► STRAIGHT FROM THE FEED BOX of news, information: absolutely reliable, from inside sources → 1900s
► STRAIGHT FROM THE NOSEBAG of news, information: absolutely reliable, from inside sources → 1900s
► WHAFFY full of news → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
NOUNS
► ACCOUNTS news, details, information → 1745 Sc.
► BAD MEDICINE bad news → 1945 US Western usage (Bk.)
► BIG NOISE the important current news; the current scandal → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► CADGER’S NEWS stale news → 1890 Sc.
► CAUSEY-TALES street news → 1825 Sc.
► CHEERFUL EARFUL 1. good news → 1942 US sl. (Bk.)
2. a bit of very unpleasant news → 1947 US sl.
► DINKUM OIL inside or accurate information or news; the true facts → 1915 Aust. sl.
► DOPE information, data, news → 1899 sl., orig. horse-racing usage
► EVENING WHEEZE false news, rumours → L19 sl.
► FARAWAY SCREED foreign news, a letter from abroad → 1900 Sc. (Bk.)
► FAT a good piece of exclusive news → 1890 newspaper usage
► FERNYEAR’S NEWS stale news, news known some long time previously → 1825 Sc.
► GAFF news, gossip → 1940s Irish sl.
► GOOD GUTS correct information; the true facts; the news → 1957 Aust. sl.
► GRIFF a tip or piece of news or reliable information → 1891 Brit. sl.
► HAWKER’S NEWS news known to all the world; stale news → 1743
► HEARING something heard; information, a report, rumour, news; something to talk about → a1300 Eng. dial.
► HELL OF A NOTE 1. a bad thing to hear about; bad news → 1993 sl. (Bk.)
2. a surprising or amazing piece of news → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► HORSEY GAB bad news → 1971 US students’ sl. (Bk.)
► HOT COPY a late news item → 1942 Amer. sl.
► HOT DOPE the latest news or information → 1942 Amer. sl.
► IDIOTICALS foolish things; nonsense; cheap, trashy news → 1826 Sc.
► ILL-WEEN news → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
► ITEM a paragraph of news; a piece of news → 1896 Amer. journalist sl. (Bk.)
► JOHN TAMSON’S NEWS stale or unimportant news → 1900 Eng. dial.
► JUNGLE TELEGRAPH a network of gossip and rumour that brings news before the official sources → 1940s sl.
► KUBBER news → 1892 Anglo-Indian sl. (Bk.)
► LATRINE RUMOUR startling news, almost always incorrect; any rumour, esp. one which is alleged to spread at the latrine→ Amer. World War I sl.
► MARVELS news; something wonderful to relate → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► MOCCASIN TELEGRAPH the informal means by which news is spread in American Indian communities → 1927 Amer. dial.
► MONEY FROM HOME good news → 1942 US sl. (Bk.)
► MUKLUK TELEGRAPH news, word of mouth → 1945 Amer. dial.
► MUKLUK WIRELESS news, word of mouth → 1945 Amer. dial.
► MUNG NEWS false news → 1844 Amer.
► MYANCE information, news; grounds for believing something → 1552 Sc. obs.
► NAILS AND SCREWS news → 1905 Aust. rhyming sl.
► NASTYGRAM an unpleasant note, letter, or a communication that brings bad news → 1967 US sl., orig. military usage
► NAUPER bad, disheartening news → 1895 Eng. dial.
► NEWS-BELL n. a singing in the ears supposed to portend bad news → 1874 Eng. dial.
► NEWSIE a newsagent’s → 2000s sl.
► NOISE information, news → 1942 Amer. sl.
► OCCURRENTS news → a1577 obs.
► OIL, THE news, information → 1915 Aust. & NZ sl.
► PEDLAR’S NEWS stale news → 19C colloq.
► PIPERS NEWS stale news → 1820 Sc. colloq.
► PRIMEUR an early piece of news → 1900
► QUEERS something odd or strange and surprising; news → 1825 Sc. obs.
► QUID-NUNC-ISM curiosity; love of news or gossip → 1847
► QUIDNUNCKERY curiosity; love of news or gossip → 1804
► RAPS news, esp. in phrase ‘what raps’ → 1883 Eng. dial.
► SCA information; news; gossip → 1997 Ireland sl.
► SILLY SEASON in Great Britain, the months of August and September, when, owing to recess of Parliament and to other prominent persons being on holiday, there is a shortage of important news, the lack being supplied by trivialities → 1871 colloq.
► SILLY-SEASONER a typical ‘silly-season’ article or story → 1893 colloq.
► SILLY-SEASONING a typical ‘silly-season’ article or story → 1893 colloq.
► SOUND fame or knowledge, report or rumour, news or tidings → 1413 obs.
► TELL a talk, conversation; gossip, chat; tidings, news → 1867 Sc. & Eng. & Amer. dial.
► TELLGENCE tidings, news, ‘intelligence’ → 19C Eng. dial. obs.
► TELLING a story, narrative; talk, conversation; news; anything worth revealing or telling → 1660 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► THINK PIECE a story that is not news, but penetrating analysis, etc. → 1980s Amer. journalism sl.
► THUMBSUCKER a story that is not news, but penetrating analysis, etc. → 1980s Amer. journalism sl.
► THUNDERBOLT an awful denunciation, censure, or threat coming from a high
► THUNDER-CLAP a sudden startling or terrifying occurrence, act, or piece of news → 1610
► TINKER’S NEWS stale news → 1886 Eng. dial.
► UNCO a strange or unusual thing or tale; a novelty or piece of news; a wonder; a curiosity; generally plural → 1785 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
► UNCOUTHS things not commonly known; news → a1529
► UNKID news, esp. strange news; generally in plural → 1790 Eng. dial.
► UNKIN news, tidings → 1889 Sc.
► WORD, THE news or information → Aust. sl.
NOUNS – PERSON
► GAZETTE a newsmonger; one who spreads rumours → 1702
► GAZETTEER one who writes in a gazette; a journalist, a retailer of news → 1611
► GAZETTIST the writer of an official gazette → 1625 obs.
► NEWSAHOLIC a person who appears to be addicted to the news → 1979
► NEWSER a gossip, a retailer of news → 1900 Sc.
► NEWS-HUGGER a news-carrier; a gossip; a newspaper seller → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► NEWSIE ► NEWSY a news broadcaster or journalist → 1960 US sl.
► PAPER CRIER a street seller of newspapers; a news vendor → 1711 Sc.
► PIGEON a person hastening with news surreptitiously obtained → 1820 sl.
► ROARER a pushing news vendor → 1903 sl. (Bk.)
► SCAREMONGER a person who creates or spreads alarming news → 1885
► TALESMAN the teller of a tale; the author of a story; one who brings news or originates a statement; a relater, a narrator → a1568 obs. exc. Sc.
► TALES-MASTER the teller of a tale; the author of a story; the authority for a statement, one who brings news or originates a statement; a relater, a narrator → 1656 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
PHRASES
► MY LORD BALDWIN IS DEAD a retort on old news → c1670
► PASS THE GRAVEL, GERTIE what’s the news → 1947 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► QUEEN ANNE IS DEAD a retort on old news → 1722
► QUEEN ANNE IS DEAD AND HER BOTTOM’S COLD a retort on old news → c1870
► QUEEN ELIZABETH IS DEAD a retort on old news → 18C
► WHAT’S BUZZIN’ COUSIN? what’s the latest news? → 1941 Amer. jocular usage
VERBS
► CRY STALE FISH to tell stale or old news → 1826 Eng. dial.
► HAVE ITCHING EARS to be eager to hear news or gossip → 1897 (Bk.)
► NEWS to tell as news; to chat; to gossip → 1898 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► NOISE ABOUT to tell, to spread the news → 1861 sl.
► NOISE ABROAD to tell, to spread the news → 1913 sl.
► PUT A SPIDER IN ONE’S BISCUIT to communicate bad news; to injure a person, esp. by use of voodoo or other magic → 1909 Amer. dial.
► PUT A SPIDER IN ONE’S DUMPLING to communicate bad news; to injure a person, esp. by use of voodoo or other magic → c1938 Amer. dial.
► PUT A SPIDER IN ONE’S GRUB to communicate bad news; to injure a person, esp. by use of voodoo or other magic → c1938 Amer. dial.
► PUT ONE’S EARS OUT to listen for news; to gather information → 1990s sl.
► TAKE VENT of news, etc.: to become known, to be divulged or let out → 1611 obs.
Lexicophilia 