"much ink spilt"

Posted by Antiquary on May 10, 2006

In Reply to: "Much ink spilt" posted by Barbara on May 10, 2006

: what is the origin of the phrase "much ink spilt"

The phrase 'much ink has been spilt over [a question]' is a humorous variant on 'much blood has been spilt over [ditto]'. Likewise 'much ink has been shed' and 'there has been much inkshed' are echoes of the more violent 'bloodshed'. I see from OED that the noun 'inkshed' has been traced as far back as 1672.