burn coal en · VERB
Etymology
First use appears c. 1946. See cite below.
Meanings
-
(derogatory, offensive, slang) Of a nonblack person, usually a woman, to seek sexual relationships with black people, usually men.
"Not for you, nigger," she spat at him. "When I left you I was through burning coal."
1946, Esquire, volume 25, page 158:
- (literally) To burn coal, usually for heat.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| burning coal | Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| burnt coal | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| burnt coal | Tense=Past | lexicographic | |
| burn the coal | alternative | lexicographic | |
| burns coal | Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres | lexicographic | |
| burned coal | Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part | lexicographic | |
| burned coal | Tense=Past | lexicographic |