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Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

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Sold American!
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1
2009/01/25 - 6:09am

I found a phrase come out of my own mouth, er, uh, fingers the other day while on a forum buying something. Another user and I had agreed on a price of some tires via public posting and I wrote "Sold American!". After posting I looked at the phrase and had no idea really what its meaning was. I had heard it said elsewhere and was now using it. 

What is the meaning of this phrase? Where did it come from?

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2
2009/01/25 - 9:26am

ben2.0 said:

 I wrote “Sold American!”.


I have no idea why, but I think it used to mean something like:  "American Tobacco Company has won the bid on this lot of tobacco."

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3
2009/01/25 - 1:52pm

Frances said:


I have no idea why, but I think it used to mean something like:  “American Tobacco Company has won the bid on this lot of tobacco.”


It's been reported that way (see here), but other sources (a recent history; scroll up for more background) report that it was used in Lucky Strike radio commercials starting in 1937, and performed in those ads by auctioneer L.A. Riggs.

Guest
4
2009/01/25 - 7:01pm

Sold American was part of an ad for a "premium"  lot of  tobacco auctioned off to make the best (Lucky) cancer sticks one could buy.

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