"Shooting the breeze"

Posted by Smokey Stover on August 29, 2004

In Reply to: "Shooting the breeze" and "Paint the town red" posted by James Briggs on August 28, 2004

: : : Can anyone tell us the history of these phrases - "Shooting the breeze" and "Paint the town red."

: : : Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

: : : Ray

: : Here's a theory on one:

: : PAINT THE TOWN RED - "This colorful term for a wild spree, especially one involving much drinking, probably originated on the frontier. In the nineteenth century the section of town where brothels and saloons were located was known as the 'red light district.' So a group of lusty cowhands out for a night 'on the town' might very well take it into their heads to make the whole town red." From Morris Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins by William and Mary Morris (HarperCollins, New York, 1977, 1988).

: Here's a bit more:
: The phrase started in the USA in about 1880 and came to Britain about ten years later. It is said to come from the US slang use of "paint" to mean "drink", When someone's drunk their face and nose are flushed red, hence the analogy.
: An alternative origin comes from the Wild West and alludes to revelling cowboys who would express their exuberance by letting off shots and saying that they would paint the town red if anybody tried to stop them.

I can't tell you the history of "shooting the breeze," but the meaning is clear. As the OED puts it, "Shoot, v. 32d. to shoot the breeze (U.S.) to chat, talk idly." Citation in that sense from 1943 (in another sense, 1941). SS