Disperwig

/dɪsˈpɛrwɪɡ/ verb

Definition

To remove or knock off someone's wig (especially in a mocking or aggressive way).

Etymology

From dis- (to remove or reverse) plus perwig, a variant spelling of periwig (an elaborate wig worn in the 17th-18th centuries). Created as a humorous verb.

Kelly Says

In Restoration comedy and period literature, characters who were 'disperwiggled' in fights or brawls lost a symbol of status—since expensive wigs were marks of nobility, removing them was both practical and deeply insulting.

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