Ginned up

Definitions

• Create or fabricate something
  To make up or invent something, often in a hurried or haphazard manner

• Excite or stir up emotions
  To arouse or stimulate strong emotions or reactions in someone

Examples of Ginned up

• The accusations against the politician were completely ginned up by his political rivals.

  In this example, "ginned up" is used as a verb phrase, meaning to create or manufacture something artificially or maliciously. In this case, the accusations against the politician were not based on any actual evidence, but were instead fabricated by his political opponents in order to harm his reputation.

• The controversy surrounding the product was purely ginned up by the media in order to generate buzz.

  Here, "ginned up" is used as a participial phrase, meaning created or manufactured. The controversy was not a genuine issue with the product, but rather a manufactured one designed to attract attention and media coverage.

• Their plan to overthrow the government was a complete and utter ginned up scheme.

  This example uses "ginned up" as a noun phrase, meaning a contrived or fraudulent plan or idea. In this case, the plan to overthrow the government was not a viable or realistic option, but rather a fictitious and impractical scheme created by the individuals involved.

• The tanto knife was ginned up and imported for use as a "prop" in the movie, and is not actually intended for self-defense or other practical purposes.

  In this final example, "ginned up" is used as a verb phrase with a gerund ("imported") to indicate that the knife was specifically created or imported for fictional use, rather than being a practical or functional item intended for self-defense or other purposes. This usage highlights the fact that "ginned up" can be used in a variety of different ways, depending on the context and the specific meaning required in the sentence.

• The accusations against the politician were completely ginned up by his political rivals.

  In this example, the phrase "ginned up" is used to mean that the accusations against the politician were falsely created or manufactured by his political opponents. This idiom is commonly used to describe situations where false information or evidence is invented or fabricated for some purpose, often political in nature. Here, it suggests that the accusations were not based on any actual wrongdoing by the politician, but rather were contrived in order to damage his reputation or hurt his political career.

Conclusion

The idiom "ginned up" has two main meanings, both of which involve creating or stirring up something. The first meaning is to fabricate or make up something, often in a quick or careless manner. This can refer to creating a story, explanation, or excuse, or even fabricating physical objects. The second meaning is to excite or stimulate emotions in someone, often in a negative or exaggerated way. This can refer to stirring up anger, fear, or excitement in someone.

Origin of "Ginned up"

The origin of this idiom is often debated, but it is believed to have originated from the process of making gin. In the 1800s, gin was made by distilling juniper berries with other ingredients. This process involved a lot of mixing and stirring, or "ginning up," to create the final product. Over time, the term evolved to mean creating or fabricating something, possibly due to the haphazard or rushed nature of the gin-making process.

Another theory suggests that the idiom may have originated from the phrase "ginned up like a horse," which was used to describe a horse that was excited or agitated. This phrase may have been shortened to simply "ginned up" and evolved to mean stirring up emotions in humans.

Regardless of its exact origin, the idiom "ginned up" has become a common phrase in modern English, used to describe both the act of creating something and the act of exciting emotions. It is a versatile and expressive idiom, and its colorful origin adds to its charm and appeal.