Entry revised for OED Online

shaggy, a.

DRAFT REVISION Apr. 2007

3. shaggy dog story, a lengthy tediously detailed story of an inconsequential series of events, more amusing to the teller than to his audience, or amusing only by its pointlessness; also shaggy dog yarn, etc.

1937 Esquire May 56/1 One of the more sporting ways of finding out which ones are not [sane] is to try *shaggy-dog stories on them.

1952 A. R. K. BARNARD in A. Redman Somewhat 'Shaggy' 4 The comparatively recent type of story

the 'Shaggy Dog' yarn. 1952 KOESTLER Arrow in Blue I. viii. 68 The people of Budapest have a peculiar shaggy-dog kind of humour. 1958 Listener 16 Oct. 623/1 It was a shaggy-dog story about a small-town worthy who shams madness to avoid paying bills. 1972 P. RUELL Red Christmas xi. 102 He seemed to be in the middle of an autobiographical shaggy-dog story.