Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun US A historical reenactor (especially a US civil war reenactor) whose efforts at a historically accurate portrayal are, in the opinion of the speaker, inadequate. (For example, wearing a modern wristwatch with period costume.) The opposite of farb is "hard-core" (or hardcore), someone who is, in the opinion of the speaker, an "authenticity fanatic".

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Various explanations of the origin are given:

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Examples

  • To be called a farb, is to be a posuer, a failed reenactor.

    Archive 2006-03-01 Tripp 2006

  • To be called a farb, is to be a posuer, a failed reenactor.

    In the land of cotton Tripp 2006

  • On being shown the Bavarian flag he spelt: 'lib mudr sei fei farb!'

    Lola or, The Thought and Speech of Animals Henny Kindermann

  • Then comes the rude awakening: food riots, industrial stagnation, a reign of lawless looting and plunder, everything George Wallace ever warned us against - but the Supreme Court, who are all anarchists with names ending in - stein or - farb or

    Popular Posts Across MetaFilter 2009

  • I'll let you enjoy the silly stuff over there; here I want to highlight one paragraph about finding new words and usages on the internet:That's where Oxford lexicographer Erin McKean has found words like farb (not authentic, badly done), nomenklatura (non-literally; by analogy), drabble (a short story of 100 words or fewer), haxie (a hack for the Macintosh operating system) and swancho (a combination poncho/sweater).

    languagehat.com: NOMENKLATURA? 2005

Comments

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  • What's it mean? Okay, I read the Urban D definitions regarding civil war reenactors, but I didn't detect the euphemistic sense.

    January 29, 2009

  • Its etymology is unknown--but Wiktionary takes a stab at some theories.

    Every time I see this word, I think of Tony Horwitz's hilarious Confederates in the Attic. Great read.

    January 29, 2009