If something’s larrupin’ good, it’s spankin’ good or thumpin’ good. It comes from the word larrup, a verb meaning “to beat or thrash.” This is part of a complete episode.
Leave a comment
1 comment
More from this show
An 1875 dictionary of the Sussex dialect from southeastern England gives a colorful glimpse of life there in those days. A beever is “an 11 o’clock luncheon.” In parts of Sussex, a ladybug is variously known as a Bishop Barnaby, a fly-golding, or...
A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, listener says when he was growing up, his family used the word schmutz as a verb. For example, when one parent reminded the other to apply sunscreen to the youngsters, they might say Make sure you schmutz the kids...
My mother was from Missouri. She used the word larrupin to describe especially delicious food (after tasting it). (A couple generations prior to hers immigrated from England, so I thought there might be a chance it had been carried over).
I am having trouble understanding how the meaning is related to the meaning of the original word meaning thrashing or beating.
I have heard of “brand spanking new", but I have never heard of spankin’ good or thumpin’ good.
One source said larrupin is a word from a dialect used in the western US, which also puzzled me, as the limited range doesn’t include the part of the country I grew up in (Missouri) and heard it used. I have lived in Colorado for 45 years and have never heard it used here. Everyone looks at me cross-eyed when I use it.
(I have also seen larrupin defined as too sweet, cloying, which is surprising as it is a derogatory term rather than complimentary).