Eatanswill

/ˌiːtənzˈwɪl/ noun

Definition

A fictional newspaper in Charles Dickens' 'The Pickwick Papers,' or by extension, a sensational or low-quality publication.

Etymology

A proper noun created by Charles Dickens combining 'eat' and 'swill' (drink greedily). The name is meant to be humorous and contemptuous, suggesting a publication for people who consume information indiscriminately.

Kelly Says

Dickens was brilliant at creating satirical names—'Eatanswill Gazette' mocks the sensationalist newspapers of Victorian England that fed public gossip and misinformation, making the invented name more famous than many real newspapers of the era!

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