She's orkard

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Marius Hancu - 30 Jan 2008 13:28 GMT

Hello:

"Orkard," is this (Victorian?) slang for "drunk?"

Also, the meaning of "stand up" in
"she'll drink anything she can stand up and pay her money for"

----
... he heard a noise below, and presently a neighbour ran upstairs and
entered his room hurriedly -

"Good gracious, Mr Pontifex," she exclaimed, "for goodness' sake come
down quickly and help. Mrs Pontifex is took with the horrors--and she's
orkard."

The Way of All Flesh, by Samuel Butler, p. 439
http://www.classicreader.com/read.php/bookid.265/sec.75
------

Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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CDB - 30 Jan 2008 14:00 GMT

> Hello:
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> The Way of All Flesh, by Samuel Butler, p. 439
> http://www.classicreader.com/read.php/bookid.265/sec.75

"Orkard" sounds like a variant of "awkward". For that word, my SOD
3rd Ed. gives "Of persons: dangerous to meddle with" from 1863; so Mrs
P might have become violent in her excited delirium, as we say. If
associated with drink, "the horrors" would probably mean delirium
tremens ("the DTs") caused by alcohol withdrawal, rather than simple
drunkenness.

"Stand up" could mean "remain upright", or it could simply (or also)
be an intensifier: pay for in cash, honestly(?) (which would bring us
back to "upright").

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Marius Hancu - 30 Jan 2008 14:11 GMT

> > Also, the meaning of "stand up" in
> > "she'll drink anything she can stand up and pay her money for"
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> > come down quickly and help. Mrs Pontifex is took with the
> > horrors--and she's orkard."

> "Orkard" sounds like a variant of "awkward". For that word, my SOD
> 3rd Ed. gives "Of persons: dangerous to meddle with" from 1863; so Mrs
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> be an intensifier: pay for in cash, honestly(?) (which would bring us
> back to "upright").

Interesting.

Thanks.
Marius Hancu

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CDB - 31 Jan 2008 22:35 GMT

>>> Also, the meaning of "stand up" in
>>> "she'll drink anything she can stand up and pay her money for"

[orkard]

>> "Stand up" could mean "remain upright", or it could simply (or
>> also) be an intensifier: pay for in cash, honestly(?) (which would
>> bring us back to "upright").

> Interesting.

Thank you. I've been thinking about the idiomatic phrase "to stand
someone a drink", meaning to purchase it for them. I wonder if it
used to be a crude sobriety test in pubs, that drinks must be ordered
while standing or service would be refused. Pure speculation.

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Discussion Groups / English Usage / January 2008

She's orkard