150 years ago today, in the play “Our American Cousin”, the actor Henry Hawks uttered the line, “Well, I guess I know enough to turn you inside out, old gal, you sockdologizing old man-trap!” It was the biggest laugh line of the show.

“Sockdologize” was a slang term which became very popular in the United States during the 1850’s and 1860’s. It means a forceful or decisive blow, a finisher, something that ends, or settles a matter and leaves nothing else to follow, a knockdown blow, a decisive overwhelming finish, reply argument, conclusive remark which leaves no possible response.

Which is ironic, because after that line was uttered, Abraham Lincoln, sitting in the loge, was shot.