On Sun, 22 Apr 2001, Shel Belinkoff wrote:
> Actually, Peter is way off base here. A Naugatuck is a surgical
> procedure used on older, fat Naugas, and is quite similar to what we
> would call a "tummy tuck".
> Naugatuck was named for the place where the Native Americans first
> practiced this procedure.
Close, but you're still a little off, Shel. The noun "Naugatuck" (and its
verb, "to Naugatuck") is only used in an ironic sense. The hide of the
Nauga was prized for its thickness and delicacy, and the best way to
achieve this was the fatten the poor beast until its skin was excessively
baggy and folding. Certain Nauga ranchers would visit their neighbours'
herds in the dead of night and secretly Naugatuck their competitors'
animals in order to stretch the skin and lower the value of the hide.
Thus, the word "Naugatuck" came to stand in for any procedure that appears
proper or necessary but which really has detrimental intent or results.
chris
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