In Chapter 4, Ponyboy and Johnny are relaxing in a nearby park when a blue Mustang begins to circle the park slowly. Ponyboy begins to worry, and Johnny says the Socs were probably upset at them for picking up their girls. Five Socs then exit the vehicle and begin to walk towards Johnny and Pony. Ponyboy says the Socs were staggering, and he figured they were "reeling pickled." Reeling is defined as losing one's balance, and "pickled" is slang for extremely intoxicated. Ponyboy recognizes the Socs are drunk, which is why they stagger towards them. Ponyboy and Johnny are outnumbered by a gang of drunk Socs who are looking for trouble. Unfortunately, the Socs attempt to drown Ponyboy in the park's fountain, but Johnny saves his life by stabbing Bob Sheldon.
Does anybody know the etymology of the phrase "sweet dreams"? I tried googling but did not find anything satisfying. Is this a relatively new phrase of the modern world or has this been in use for some time? I think it's the latter one. Answer The OED has the interjection as "a farewell to someone going to bed" from the 20th century: 1908 Sears Roebuck Catal. 198/1 Tenor Solos..Good Bye, Sweet Dreams, Good Bye. But it goes back until at least the 19th and possibly 18th centuries. John Wolcot, writing under the pseudonym of Peter Pindar, used it in his poem "Orson and Ellen; A Legendary Tale" published in 1801: Also from 1801 in The infernal Quixote (Page 287) by Charles Lucas: In the March 1776 of The Universal Magazine was published "The Serenade. A Pastoral Tale. From the German of Gesner" , where the shepherd Daphnis watches over his beloved as she sleeps and sings: The same tale appears in 1776's as Idyl XI, " Daphnis ...
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