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muriel_volestrangler

(106,425 posts)

11. Used in 1916 as a business term; 1819 talking about personal relations

Reply to tblue37 (Reply #6)

Thu May 11, 2017, 11:50 AM

May 2017

The Oxford English Dictionary's examples:

1819 Scott Let. 18 Jan. (1933) V. 295 Thus ended her attempt, notwithstanding her having primed the pump with a good dose of flattery.

1916 Everybody's Mag. 35 131 When the waters of business are stagnant, gentlemen, it becomes necessary, if I may say so, to prime the pump.

'Scott' is Sir walter Scott; Everybody's Magazine was a New York magazine published from 1899 to 1929: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Everybody%27s_Magazine

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Trump says he invented an 84-year-old phrase. But, why? [View all] riversedge May 2017 OP

I beg to differ with Director Comey, that the position of Director of the FBI leaves that person no_hypocrisy May 2017 #1

I'll bet he wouldn't even know how to "prime a pump" and furthermore he probably shraby May 2017 #2

What crap. Pumps are older than 84 years even. brush May 2017 #3

I Think This Meant To Suggest. . . ProfessorGAC May 2017 #4

Oh I get the sense in which he used it, but for him to think that he invented that phrase... brush May 2017 #5

I Guess I Was More Amplifying That Sentiment ProfessorGAC May 2017 #10

Long before the invention of centrifugal pumps unc70 May 2017 #7

Your Second Paragraph ProfessorGAC May 2017 #9

First used as an economic term in 1933. First recorded use in uneconomic terms tblue37 May 2017 #6

Maybe, but the term "priming the pump" has been around much longer than 84 years... brush May 2017 #8

Used in 1916 as a business term; 1819 talking about personal relations muriel_volestrangler May 2017 #11

Link to context. Orsino May 2017 #12

He became very familiar with the phrase on one of his trips to Russia. NCTraveler May 2017 #13