Where there's a whip there's a way

[venta]

Quick question: what, if anything, does the phrase "misery whip" mean to you ?

In a second-hand CD shop in Camden at the weekend I was delighted to find Vol 2 of Everclear's "Songs From An American movie" for £2. On it, there is a track called Misery Whip.

Which is odd, because I also have a song called The Misery Whip on "Asphyxia" by the Dream Disciples. And they're definitely not the same song. This would seem to be a strange example of convergent evolution, so I'm just wondering if the phrase exists independently, and if so, how well-known is it ?

Yes, I could just google the phrase, and I probably will. But I'm curious to hear people's thoughts, first.

Comments

Re: OEDey goodyness

[wimble.livejournal.com]

We're trying to figure it out. I've got a pet woodworker to hand :)

We think that it must be referring to a frame saw, really. So you've got an H-shaped frame (although far wider than it is tall). Across the bottom of the H you place a saw blade, and then you run a cord across the top arms of the H. As the cord is tightened, the top of the arms pull together, and the bottom arms pull apart, tensioning the saw blade. This does, at least, explain the whip (cord) in the word. Where the misery comes from we can't figure.

One possibility (but I'm really speculating) is that it might also be referring to a pit sawing operation, where you lay a treetrunk over a pit, and conduct a two man cutting operation. The poor bugger in the pit would be pretty miserable, don't you think? (I'm not convinced that'd be enough for an etymology though!)

Apparently, this is where the phrases "top dog" and underdog come from though. So you can still have some useless trivia :)

Re: OEDey goodyness

[zotz]

I think it might be a straightforward two-ended spring steel (hence the whip bit) crosscut saw. If you go to google images, that's what people seem to be using in the photos. But it still doesn't explain the misery.

Re: OEDey goodyness

[eostar.livejournal.com]

Had some slack time before going out this evening, and googled up this page, which suggests that your explanation of where the misery in "misery whip" comes is pretty close! And also a pictureTwo men and a misery whip, which gives a some idea of the size of the beast.

No sign of any etymology, unless, of course, you know otherwise ...