1838. J. C. NEAL, Charcoal Sketches, i. If your tongue wasn’t so thick, I’d say you must MOSEY: but MOSEYING is only to be done when a gemman’s half shot.
18[?]. N. Y. Family Companion [quoted by BARTLETT]. After I left you, or rather after you left me, when them fellows told you to MOSEY OFF before the boat went to sea.
1848. BARTLETT, Dictionary of Americanisms, s.v. MOSEY. The following is said to be the origin of the word: A postmaster in Ohio by the name of Moses ran away with a considerable sum of money belonging to the government. TO MOSEY OFF, or to run away, as Mr. Moses had, then became a by-word in Ohio, and, with its meaning somewhat extended, has spread over the Union.
1857. Louisville Journal, 9 Oct. My friend, let me tell you, if you do not MOSEY this instant, and clear out for good, you’ll have to pay pretty dear.
1871. DE VERE, Americanisms, s.v. This mysterious word MOSEY is, probably correctly, said to be nothing more than a mere variety of the Americanized verb vamose, with the final vowel sounded, and the first syllable lost. It certainly has the same meaning, of leaving suddenly, and generally involuntarily.
1888. Chicago Daily Inter Ocean, 6 Feb. But the bullets and their own fighting began to tell pretty soon, even on grizzlies. First one rolled over and stretched out, then another sat down on his haunches and dropped his head and finally sprawled out, a third MOSEYED OFF some distance to sit down and lick his wounds.
TO MOSEY ALONG, verb. phr. (American).—1. To jog along.
18[?]. New York Tribune [quoted by BARTLETT]. I’ll get a room nicely furnished, and my wife and I will jes MOSEY ALONG till the election trouble is over, an’ den dere’ll be a powerful sight of whitewashin’ to be done.
2. (American).—To bustle about.
1885. M. N. MURFREE, The Prophet of the Great Smoky Mountains, xiii. ‘Hurry ’long, D’rindy,’ she said peremptorily, ‘you-uns ain’t goin’ ter reel a hank ef ye don’t MOSEY.’
