Buncombe

Buncombe
Buncombe Bun"combe, Bunkum Bun"kum, n. [Buncombe a county of North Carolina.] Speech-making for the gratification of constituents, or to gain public applause; flattering talk for a selfish purpose; anything said for mere show. [Cant or Slang, U.S.] [1913 Webster]

All that flourish about right of search was bunkum -- all that brag about hanging your Canada sheriff was bunkum . . . slavery speeches are all bunkum. --Haliburton. [1913 Webster]

{To speak for Buncombe}, to speak for mere show, or popularly. [1913 Webster]

Note: ``The phrase originated near the close of the debate on the famous `Missouri Question,' in the 16th Congress. It was then used by Felix Walker -- a na["i]ve old mountaineer, who resided at Waynesville, in Haywood, the most western country of North Carolina, near the border of the adjacent county of Buncombe, which formed part of his district. The old man rose to speak, while the house was impatiently calling for the `Question,' and several members gathered round him, begging him to desist. He preserved, however, for a while, declaring that the people of his district expected it, and that he was bound to `make a speech for Buncombe.''' --W. Darlington. [1913 Webster] ||


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Buncombe — may refer to: * Buncombe County, North Carolina * Buncombe, Illinois * or , a term meaning nonsense , derived from 19th century American politics …   Wikipedia

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  • Buncombe, IL — U.S. village in Illinois Population (2000): 186 Housing Units (2000): 86 Land area (2000): 1.208937 sq. miles (3.131132 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 1.208937 sq. miles (3.131132 sq. km) FIPS… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • buncombe — ☆ buncombe [buŋ′kəm ] n. [after Buncombe county, N.C.: the representative to Congress (1819 21) from the district including this county felt bound to “make a speech for Buncombe”] BUNKUM …   English World dictionary

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  • Buncombe — This is an English locational surname. It apparently originates from a place which judging by the known surname spellings of Buncam, Buncom, Buncom, Buncombe, Bunkham and others, should be found in one of these spellings or at least somewhere… …   Surnames reference

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