tobacco

Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.

(Span. tabaco.) An American plant; the dried leaves of the plant used for smoking, chewing, and for making snuff. The name is supposed to be derived from Tabaco, a province of Yucatan, where it was first found by the Spaniards.--Worcester. According to Gilii, it is the name of an instrument which the Indians used for smoking.--Storia Americana.


Among the host of names given to the weed according to the various modes in which it is prepared for chewing are, Pig-tail, Ladies' twist, Cavendish, Honey-dew, Negro-head (pron. Nigger-head), Long cut, Short cut, Bull's eye, Plug, Oronoko leaf, Nail-rod or 32's, Roll, Fine spun, Pound, &c. &c. There is besides smoking tobacco put up in papers of various kinds, as Canaster, Kite-foot, Cut-stems, &c. In the form of snuff, there are also many terms for it, as Maccoboy, Rappee (American and foreign, named after the places it is manufactured in), American gentleman, Demigros, Pure Virginia, Copenhagen, Nachitoches, Bourbon, St. Domingo, Scotch of various qualities in bladders, High toast, Irish blackguard, Irish High toast, &c. &c.

Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.

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