Well hung

Posted by ESC on October 14, 2001

In Reply to: Well hung: Well, maybe posted by R. Berg on October 14, 2001

: : I was given to understand that the origin of the term well hung referred to the sad physiological effect of having one's spine broken, as when hung by the neck, with a resultant instantaneous penile erection. If the subject was not well hung, or hung well, then there was no erection.

: : yes? no?

: That sounds questionable. I believe hanging kills by suffocation, not by spine-breaking. If the operative feature of hanging were the breaking of the neck, it would produce quadriplegia but not necessarily death. Anyway, doesn't "well hung" usually refer to a man's endowment in the relaxed state rather than his potency?

I cast my vote with R. Berg. It refers to the male organ at rest because, well, it hangs. Well-hung is an old expression:

HUNG - adj. 1.a. (of a male) having large genitals - usua. considered vulgar. Earlier HANGED.ca. Shakespeare "Twelfth Night" I iv: Maria: my lady will hang thee for thy absence. Clown: Let her hang me. He that is well hanged in this world needs to fear no colors. ca 1610 Rowley "Woman Never Vext.You must be well-hang'd e'r you can be as I am. From the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Volume 2, H-O by J.E. Lighter, Random House, New York, 1994.