If Jennifer ever ran into a masher she didn't report back. She did run into a sleaseball at Books-A-Million once and reported back on that, but sleazeballs are in a whole 'nother league, don't you think?
You may very well wonder what a masher is. The (slang) word masher came in use around 1860. It probably went out of common use around 80 to 100 years ago, for all I know, but it's a wonderful word and I still use it.
There are several definitions for masher.
Dictionary.com: a man who makes advances, esp. to women he does not know, with a view to physical intimacy.
American Heritage Dictionary: A man who attempts to force his attentions on a woman. On the notion of "pressing one's attentions,"
Word Net: a man who is aggressive in making amorous advances to women, Synonym: wolf
Webster: A man who persistently makes overtures to women unacquainted with him.
The 1960's TV program Laugh In had a perfect example of a masher. Ruth Buzzy and Arte Shaw appeared in skits as Gladys and LaMonte. Gladys, who appeared to be virginal and untouched by human hands, would be sitting on a park bench, minding her own business.
LaMonte, a confident dirty old man of the world, would come along, sit down next to her and attempt to strike up a conversation. Gladys would hit him with her purse and slide over a bit. LaMonte would persist. He would slide ever closer and in his gravelly voice, make offers of some sort of tete-a-tete. Gladys would respond with disgust, adjust her clothing more closely about her and hit him with her purse. She would slide even further over on the bench.
LaMonte, undaunted by her lack of willingness, and dazzled perhaps by her fresh beauty, would sidle over to her and continue with suggestions of intimacy. Gladys would let him have it again. Eventually LaMonte thought better of continuing his pursuit. Usually due to unconsciousness.
I don't know about you, but I for one don't see mashers on the same level of sleazeballs. To prove this to myself I looked up sleazeball. There were two definitions in Wicktionary: Sleaze bag and cad. That's odd, I thought, because I had not thought of a cad as being at the same level of slimeyness as a sleazeball, have you? So I looked up cad. Hold on to your seats for this one:
Cad: 1) One who stands at the door of an omnibus to receive fares. An idle hanger on about innyards. Short for caddie. (Why I believe I am suddenly swept over to the land of the Queen!)
2) a low bred presuming person. A mean vulgar fellow. A seducer.
The second definition sounds more like a libertine, doesn't it?
What ever. I'm getting away from myself here. I guess what I'm trying to say is: Watch out for mashers, now that you know what they are, and have a lovely day!
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