Saturday, December 27, 2008

Powdering one's nose

"I have to go powder my nose" is a conventional euphemism for "I have to go to the bathroom."

But does anyone actually powder their nose as their primary make-up touch-up?

Personally, if I'm going to powder anything, it's going to be my forehead. I might do my nose, but my forehead gets shiny way sooner and if anything needs a touch-up it's either that or the lipstick.

Do other people's noses get shiny first?

4 comments:

laura k said...

Which came first, the euphemism "powder room" for washroom / bathroom or "powdering one's nose" for having to go? Do you know?

If "powder room" came first, then that would explain the nose-powdering euphemism. But not if it happened the other way round.

impudent strumpet said...

OED gives the first instance of powder room as a washroom in 1927, and the first instance of powdering one's nose as a euphemism for going to the washroom in 1921.

laura k said...

Hurrah for the OED. Do you have it on CD or a big papery thing?

impudent strumpet said...

OMG, the Toronto Public Library just gave us OED online access with our library cards! I've been on an insane etymology kick (even moreso than usual) ever since.