bulldog edition

English

Etymology

Uncertain. One popular theory is that competition mainly drove the term; publishers "fought like bulldogs" to "get out editions that would catch the mails going out of town." Another theory suggests that it comes from the nautical term dogwatch (“evening shift”), as printers had to work late in the evening to put out an early edition for the morning paper. Numerous other theories have been proposed.

Noun

bulldog edition (plural bulldog editions)

1. (chiefly US, newspapers, publishing) The earliest edition of a periodical publication, especially a daily newspaper.
   • 1932 August 5, “The Detroit Mirror, a Tabloid, Suspends”, in New York Times, retrieved 14 September 2012:

     The Detroit Mirror, morning tabloid, which has been under the same ownership as The Chicago Tribune and The New York Daily News, suspended publication with its early bulldog edition today.

   • 1970 June 10, “Today in History”, in Owosso Argus-Press, Michigan, USA, retrieved 14 September 2012, page 23:

     In journalism, a "bulldog edition" is an edition of a daily newspaper printed early for transportation to distant points.

   • 1980 October 2, Bruce Keidan, “Ali-Holmes strike out before bout”, in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, retrieved 14 September 2012, page 9:

     Larry Holmes marched into view at 20 minutes before the hour of 11 a.m. . . . The guys with the cameras could snap away, and everybody would have a story for the 6 O'Clock News or the bulldog edition.

   • 2008 April 10, Chris Matthews, “Philly Politicos Kick it Old-School”, in Time:

     He took us on evening walks. […] On the way home, he'd stop at the corner next to the subway stop, get the bulldog edition of the Inquirer and chat with the guy selling the papers.

See also

• pup

References

• “bulldog edition”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.