What is the meaning and origin of the phrase "Great Scott!"?
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thelintlady thelintlady
ANSWERS: 2
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Scott is the American general Winfield Scott (1786 - 1866). He joined the army in 1809, and acquired the nickname "Fuss and Feathers" for his attention to dress and protocol. He didn't become "Great Scott" until the Mexican War. In the 1830s, Mexico included most of what is now New Mexico and California. President James Polk wanted to buy the territory from Mexico for $20 million. Mexico didn't feel like giving up half their country no matter what the price, so they attacked some Americans moving to the disputed area. In November 1846, Polk sent General Scott to attack Mexico. Scott won repeated victories and occupied Mexico City in 1848. Scott also ran for president as the Whig candidate in 1852, but lost by a narrow margin to the Democrat candidate Franklin Pierce.
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There was indeed a famous American general named Scott, who did have the title of commander-in-chief of the US Army at the time of the outbreak of the Civil War, though he is best known as one of the two American heroes of the Mexican War of 1846–48 (if, that is, you’re American and not Mexican). This was General Winfield Scott, known to his troops as Old Fuss and Feathers. It seems plausible that he is the source being pointed to, especially as in his later years he weighed 300 pounds (21 stone or 136kg) was too fat to ride a horse and was certainly a great Scott in a very literal sense. There’s nothing new in this attribution, however. Winfield Scott has previously been fingered as the origin by several writers, among them Eric Partridge. And we still can’t be absolutely sure that he was the Scott being alluded to. But the combination of dates and the references written so soon after the event point to him quite strongly. For more info on possibilities, you can see here: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-gre4.htm
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