I was asked today the origin of the footballing term nutmeg (it's both a verb and a noun referring to a player kicking the ball between the legs of an opposing player then regaining possession of the ball). The OED cannot give a definitive answer. Theories that have been put forward are that i) it is derived from another dictionary definition of nutmegs (going back to the 17th century), namely testicles and ii) that it is old Cockney rhyming slang for 'leg'. The OED can find no evidence for either theory.
Other sources on the web (including this Guardian piece) refer to a book on footballing terms by Peter Seddon, in which he says the footballing term developed from duplicitous goings-on in the nutmeg trade in the 19th century. Nutmegs were very valuable and American exporters would put some wooden replicas in sacks being shipped over to England. So, being nutmegged meant being duped by a clever swindler. Indeed, the OED has a sub-entry for the Nutmeg State, which refers to Connecticut, with the reason for the nickname given as "to some of whose inhabitants was formerly imputed the practice of passing off nutmeg-shaped pieces of wood as the spice".
The term was used in the TV coverage of the FA Cup semi-final Merseyside Derby today. I hadn't actually heard it used for a while and had forgotten it until this post.
Posted by: John | April 14, 2012 at 09:06 PM
There were many many alches unaccounted for, probably several hundred thousands.
Posted by: cremation chandler | November 09, 2012 at 06:14 AM