I’ve learned the answers to a lot of questions I haven’t even thought of asking through the Straight Dope. However there’s one question I’ve started asking myself and the internet, but to no avail. I’ve searched the web, this forum, and TSD.
What’s the origin of the expression “straight dope” ?
Does anyone know?
Regards
schiz
I’m pretty sure Cecil tackled this question in one of his books, but I can’t seem to find it in the archives so it may not have been added yet.
The way Cecil explained it: “dope” is informal/slang for “information”, much in the same way you would also use “skinny” or “lowdown”. Dictionary.com supports this in defintion #4. Put “straight” in front of it, which dictionary.com gives various definitions as “Direct and candid” (5a), “Coming from a reliable source; factual” (5c), and “Right, correct” (6b), and you’ve got a phrase that informally means “reliable and correct information, with no tapdancing around the answer”.
ah, thank you!