Sunday, October 24, 2004

Today's OED antedating: "the big lie"

(The) big lie, a blatant falsehood that gains credibility through repetition ("big," a., sec B (2) (a), first use cited 1946): Play titled There Shall Be No Night, by Robert E. Sherwood, 1940, scene 3: "KAARLO. ... I cannot help wondering just how you establish proof that these other races are inferior, especially when you know it is a lie./.../ZIEMSSEN. ... They are eager to accept the big lies we give them, because they cannot comprehend the big truth."