Where did the word “Bang” come from to describe a hair style or cut?
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“Bang” continued to evolve, and by the 19th century was used to convey suddenness or finality, which brings us at last from Old Norse hammers to modern haircuts. “Bangs” are so-called because they are created by cutting the hair “bang- off,” abruptly and straight across the forehead. And finally, at the risk of offending our bang-coiffed readers, I must tell you that “bangs” as a young lady’s hairstyle almost certainly originated with the practice of cutting horses’ tails straight across, a style known to this day as a “bang-tail.”
bang-Often, bangs. a fringe of hair combed or brushed forward over the forehead.
[Origin: 1860–65, Americanism; short for bangtail]