injun


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honest injun

An expression used to emphasize the veracity of one's statement. Based on an informal spelling of "Indian" (i.e., Native American). One of many expressions often considered offensive for making reference to Native American stereotypes or tropes. Primarily heard in US. I swear it wasn't me who broke the lamp, honest injun!
See also: honest, injun

honest to God

1. expression Honestly; truly; genuinely. Used to emphasize the veracity of one's statement. I swear it wasn't me who broke the lamp, honest to God! Honest to God, how are we supposed to finish this project on time with half of our staff laid off?
2. adjective Genuine; actual. In this uage, the phrase is hyphenated. It was a real, honest-to-God treasure map. I couldn't believe me eyes.
See also: god, honest

honest to God

Also, honest to goodness or Pete ; honest Injun. Truly, really, as in Honest to God, I didn't know it was yours, or Honest to goodness, we had exactly the same experience, or I promise I'll finish in time, honest to Pete, or Honest Injun, I didn't take your wallet. These colloquial assertions date from about 1900, except for honest Injun, dating from the late 1800s and today considered offensive.
See also: god, honest

honest Injun

honestly; really. dated
See also: honest, Injun
References in periodicals archive ?
The Northern Ireland man sawa a similar effof rt, during injun ry time, flyl straight inton Sullivai n's hands.
Woods seals fightback for Albion
The type of pidgin English used in the Ole Time Injun column
Indian play: students, wordplay, and ideologies of Indianness at a School for Native Americans
Huck and Tom and even Injun Joe get a good scrubbing behind the ears, too, in this sunny and handsome but deflatingly bland musical adaptation of the Twain classic.
THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER
The murder in the graveyard surfaces again, and Tom and Huck are filled with suppressed terror of the murderous Injun Joe and compassion for the falsely accused Muff Potter.
Tom Sawyer's games of death
When the bartender called him a filthy Injun, Granddad pulled the gun from his belt, shot him, and walked out of the bar.
Nothing but Cherokee
While curing warts with a dead cat in the cemetery under a full moon, Tom and Huck witness a murder and, in terror of the murderer, Injun Joe, secretly flee to Jackson's Island.
Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of (1876)
Dar's buckwheat cakes an' Injun batter, Makes you fat or a little fatter, Look away
Dixie
They were Injun joe, Muff Potter, and Doctor Robinson.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Knowing that the true murderer is Injun Joe, the boys are helpless with fear; they decide to run away to Jackson's Island.
Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of
Though The Fantasticks isn't 1/100th nearly as good, where would Tom Sawyer be without Injun Joe or The Merchant of Venice be without Shylock?
Play not so fantastick from this P.O.V. The Urbane Indian
While there, the boys stumble upon the murder of Dr Robinson by Injun Joe.
WEEKEND: BOOKS: Follow the adventures of Tom Sawyer; GREAT FAMILY READS
Vienna's Boy completed the Hannon HQ brace under Dane O'Neill, beating Honest Injun by a length and a half in the claimer, but the winner was claimed by Willie Musson for pounds 20,000.
Newmarket: Meehan relives a special day as Chief Scout and Fallon connect
Double Vodka's style of racing requires luck as he needs to be brought with a late run and, though the gaps appeared at the right time for him, it wasn't the same story involving the favourite Honest Injun who suffered an interrupted passage.
Rainstorm will bring a brighter forecast
Brodie takes on South Korean Injun Chi for the vacant WBC featherweight crown aiming to erase the memory of his heartache three years ago.
Chi can wreck Brodie's title dream
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