Saturday, November 06, 2004

Today's OED antedating: "alibi"

Alibi, figurative, colloquial, excuse, ex criminal law defense (n., sec B (b), first use cited 1912): Article headlined "Red Liberals," by Ren Mulford, Jr, Sporting Life, June 3, 1911, p 7, col 1: "The 'boys at the front' have had a tough time all year, issuing 'The Daily Alibi.'"