Former FBI director James Comey found himself in the midst of controversy after posting a photo of seashells arranged to spell out the numbers 8647 on a beach. Supporters of Donald Trump interpreted this as a call to assassinate the president, as the slang term “86” is commonly used to indicate stopping or getting rid of something. While Merriam-Webster notes that “86” has occasionally been used to mean “to kill,” the origins of the term are varied.
One popular theory traces the term back to Chumley’s, a Prohibition-era bar in New York City, where “86” referred to the address from which unruly guests would be ejected. Another story involves police raids during Prohibition, where officers would tell bartenders to “86” their customers before a raid. The term also has roots in lunch-counter slang and navy coding systems.
The first recorded use of “86” dates back to a 1944 book about actor John Barrymore, where it meant “Don’t serve him.” Additionally, there are mafia connections to the term, with some claiming it means taking someone “eight miles out of town” and burying them “six feet under.”
Interestingly, the number 86 has been used by Republicans calling for the impeachment of Joe Biden, as seen in T-shirts reading “8846,” indicating a call to impeach the 46th president. This has sparked accusations from liberals of deliberate misinterpretation for political gain. The controversy surrounding the interpretation of “86” highlights the complexities and varied origins of slang terms in popular culture.
