conniption U.S. vulgar.
(kəˈnɪpʃən)
Hysteria, hysterical excitement; pl. hysterics. Also Comb., as conniption-fit.
| 1833 Seba Smith Major J. Downing 209 Ant Keziah fell down in a conniption fit. 1844 ‘Jon. Slick’ High Life N.Y. II. 171 By Golly! it was enough to drive any human critter into a conniption-fit! 1848 in Dict. Amer. Eng., Conniption, fainting-fit. 1859 Harper's Weekly 19 Nov. 747/1 She..went into a conniption at the sight of poor Snap. 1860 Bartlett Dict. Amer. s.v. ‘George, if you keep coming home so late to dinner, I shall have a conniption.’ 1888 Daily Times (Troy, N.Y.) 25 Aug., Here the bard is supposed to have gone into ‘conniptions’ and collapsed. 1889 New York Tribune 31 Mar. 19/6 The first [ovation] was the silly conniption over Alvary. 1911 H. Quick Yellowstone N. xi. 290 One of the lawyers..threw a conniption fit every block. 1948 Sat. Rev. 19 June 4/3 The idea sounded fine on paper and gave story editors of rival studios conniption fits, but did not work out in practice. 1963 M. McCarthy Group i. 14 Conny Storey's fiancé..was working as an office boy..and her family, instead of having conniptions, was taking it very calmly. |