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Encyclopedia > Buck Naked
Look up buck naked in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Dating from the 1920s, the expression buck naked dmess is wrong... commonly means completely naked or without a "stitch" (as opposed to partially naked). Synonyms include "bare naked", "buck-arse naked", and "butt naked" (also spelled, facetiously, "butt nekkid"). In the American South, "buck naked" or its corruption "butt naked" means not in your house, out looking for trouble on Saturday night and wearing no clothes.[citation needed] Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary (a portmanteau of wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 150 languages. ... Look up Naked in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...


The origin of the term is "buck naked" as in as naked as a buck deer. It originated during a time when people were less urban and a deer or other wildlife were not such alien concepts, and their references were sprinkled throughout speech. "Naked as a jay-bird" is another such cliché. It was further reinforced in its usage by the fact that a buck-skin is similar to tanned human skin. The corrupted term "butt naked" is just another example of mispronunciation that gets ingrained in people's speech. Just like "coming down the pipe" has garnered common usage for those that don't understand that the term "pike" is the proper word. Such corruptions are common in that a mis-heard expression gains acceptance as the erroneous phrase is also reasonably non-sensical when it is heard by others, and propagated.


There is much debate over the origin and proper form of this phrase. This is common with corrupted clichés, because admitting the corruption is often seen as a comment on intelligence. Thus, many argue that "butt naked" came first and that "buck" was later adopted by some to tone down any vulgarity perceived in using the word "butt." Regardless of origin, the Associated Press style guide currently advises using "buck naked."


Uses

  • In the classic Seinfeld episode "The Outing", George reveals that if he ever became a porn star his stage name would be "Buck Naked".
  • Australia's underground DJ "Buck Naked" is known for playing "music to have sex to". Most known for playing in the "Hordern Pavilion Toilets" for the 20th Anniversary of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras to thousands of men, he is also famous for playing the Black Party at the Gay Games in Sydney in 2002, among others.
  • Actor Lee Weaver played a friendly exhibitionist named "Buck Naked" (from his favorite line -- "I'm Buck Naked!") on several episodes of Hill Street Blues and NYPD Blue.

  Results from FactBites:
 
Language Log: Bu?? naked (678 words)
One story is that the original is "butt naked" and that "buck naked" is either a euphemism or a mishearing.
Originally a 'buck' was a dandy, a pretentious, overdressed show-off of a man. Condescendingly applied in the U.S. to Native Americans and fl slaves, it quickly acquired negative connotations.
Buck naked, slang for 'completely naked' came on the scene in the late 1920's, and the qualified buck-ass naked a bit later.
Take Our Word For It, page two, Words to the Wise (1118 words)
The use of buck as a disparaging term for a man is as old as 1303 when an author contrasts berdede buckys ("bearded bucks") with crystyn mennys ("Christian men").
If buck naked did derive from the use of buck to mean "male slave" we would expect its earliest use to refer to male nudity, not female.
A plausible explanation of the buck in buck naked is that it originated as a polite avoidance of butt.
  More results at FactBites »


 
 

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