Humbug

Humbug in the sense of "hoax, jest" is first attested in 1751 in student slang. Its etymology is unknown. Its present meaning as an exclamation is closer to "nonsense, gibberish", while a humbug means "a fraud, an impostor".

The exclamation "Bah, humbug!" has become associated with Ebenezer Scrooge in the story book, A Christmas Carol and a dismissive attitude towards Christmas (characterizing the holiday itself as a fraud).

Elsewhere in fiction, in The Wizard of Oz, the Scarecrow denounces the Wizard as a humbug, which the Wizard concedes is true.

In Stephen King's Dark Tower series, many of the villains turn about to humbugs (or bumhugs as the series says); characters who appear menacing but are vanquished with little to no fanfare.

A mint humbug is also a type of boiled mint, striped with alternate dark brown and beige stripes. They have a strong, sugary taste and are often sold wrapped individually in plastic film.

Both terms were used for comic effect in Blackadder's Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Blackadder's first line is "Humbug, humbug!", which is heard by Mr Baldrick in the streets, making it seem as if he is in a foul mood. However, he enters his shop with a bag of sweets, saying kindly "Humbug, Mr Baldrick?".

The Humbug (original French title Le Humbug) is a short story by Jules Verne.

HUM bug is a colloquial term for a hydrocarbon utilizing microorganism, living in jet fuel and causing microbial corrosion of fuel systems.

The Humbug is a character in Norton Juster's book The Phantom Tollbooth.

There is a computer game called Humbug by Graham Cluley.

References

• Black, Max. "The Prevalence of Humbug" from The Prevalence of Humbug and Other Essays. Cornell University Press. 1983.

See also

• P. T. Barnum described as the "Prince of Humbugs".