I remember reading somewhere that the word primarily, or perhaps only, had meaning no. 1. Then Dashiell Hammett slipped it into one of his stories, knowing full well what it meant, but counting on readers (and editors/censors) to misinterpret as something along the lines of no. 2.
1. a young man kept as a sexual companion. 2. a hoodlum armed with a handgun
"Another thing," Spade repeated, glaring ar the boy. "Keep that gunsel away from me while you're making up your mind. I'll kill him." The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
I remember reading somewhere that the word primarily, or perhaps only, had meaning no. 1. Then Dashiell Hammett slipped it into one of his stories, knowing full well what it meant, but counting on readers (and editors/censors) to misinterpret as something along the lines of no. 2.
1. a young man kept as a sexual companion.
2. a hoodlum armed with a handgun
"Another thing," Spade repeated, glaring ar the boy. "Keep that gunsel away from me while you're making up your mind. I'll kill him."
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett