# Etymology of "well hung"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-well-hung/189553>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 19, 2003, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-well-hung/189553 "2003-07-19T05:37:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mr.Feely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mr.Feely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Feely)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-well-hung/189553/1 "2003-07-19T05:37:34Z")

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I recently heard that “well hung” was coined as a description of a man who was hanged in a satisfactory manner, such that his penis became erect (ref [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=137776) and [this column](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_218.html)).

Is this true? I’ve had a hard time finding reliable evidence to support this claim. Of all places, [this site](http://www.guidemag.com/magcontent/invokemagcontent.cfm?ID=0F0D6C7C-E808-47D5-B4BA8DFF95477797) (well _actually_… other than the SDMB, it’s where I would most expect a discussion of this topic) quotes Shakespeare as the earliest reference, which is definitely related to hanging. However, it seems unlikely that Shakespeare would engage in this type of wordplay if it was common knowledge that the term was derived from the hanging of a man. The later references in the 17th century do not seem to be related to hanging.

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**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-well-hung/189553/2 "2003-07-19T06:29:14Z")

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It has all the marks of folk etymology to me. Be very skeptical.

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**Author:** ![Agback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Agback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agback)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-well-hung/189553/3 "2003-07-19T11:12:36Z")

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G’day

If this speculatioin were true it woud be “well hanged”, not “well hung”.

Regards,  
Agback

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**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-well-hung/189553/4 "2003-07-19T13:33:07Z")

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An earlier thread on this subject:

[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=85120](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=85120)

Not that originally, it applied to females as well as males, although referring to different parts. OED confirms this dual usage.

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2003, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-well-hung/189553/5 "2003-07-20T00:04:32Z")

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The earliest cite is from Shakespeare, _Twelfth NIght_…

> [@](#):
>
> MARIA…My lady will hang thee for thy absence. CLOWN. Let her hang me. He that is well hanged in this world needs to fear no colors.

And in 1610, there is another cite which would confer that the meaning was indeed about being “well hung” in a genital kinda way. I could go on and on, citing multiple examples from the 1600’s, 1700’s, etc.

It’s old. And it don’t have to do with an erection from a guy who was hanged, althoug that may be “noose” to you.