Nathan Hale
<character> An asterisk ("*", see also splat, ASCII). Notionally, from "I
regret that I have only one asterisk for my country!" ("life to give" -> "ass to
risk" -> "asterisk"), a misquote of the famous remark uttered by Nathan Hale
just before he was hanged. Hale was a (failed) spy for the rebels in the
American War of Independence.
[Jargon File]
(1996-09-22)
Nearby terms:
NASTRAN « nastygram « NAT « Nathan Hale »
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