Word: rump
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Dates: during 1920-1929
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...Harrison Dale would seem to be more ingenious than accurate in his explanation of the titles of the "Rump" and "Barebones" parliaments of England...
...Rump," declares Mr. Dale, "doesn't mean 'a portion of the original whole.'" Turn to Funk and Wagnalls "Standard Dictionary": "rump ... 3) Figuratively, the last or poor end of anything; an inferior remnant, spec (R) the Rump Parliament...
...Champagne, on the other hand, must submit to indecent manipulations. To render it epileptic they dose it with candied sugar, tannin, brandy, alum. They mix it with other wines. They shake it. They set each bottle rump in air, and they oblige it to spit?and this word is a euphemism?the muck that has settled against the cork. . . . The manufacturers, in spite of all difficulties, finally conquer the undisciplined beverage. They stick a label on its belly, slap a gold or silver plaque on its head, and there it is ready to conquer the world...
...Sweringens refused to admit the legality of the Taplin proceedings (which included declaring that all acts of the directors since May, 1927 were null and void). Designating the Taplin meeting as a "rump"* meeting, they got an injunction preventing the Taplin officers from occupying Wheeling offices and especially from examining Wheeling records...
...There is excellent historical precedent for the "rump" designation. In 1648, when the English Parliament was about to move for the execution of Charles I, the only way to get a majority for such a proceeding was to expel many a moderate member who did not wish for the King's death. After this expulsion, commonly known as Pride's Purge, the portion of Parliament remaining was the original "rump" meeting ?i. e., a portion of the original whole...