Wowser

Wowser is a term that originated as a slang expression; it is most commonly heard in Australian and New Zealand English. "Wowser" refers to a person who seeks to deprive others of behaviour deemed to be immoral or "sinful".

History

The term originated in Australia, at first carrying a similar meaning to "lout" (an annoying or disruptive person, or even a prostitute). Around 1900 it shifted to its present meaning: one whose sense of morality drives them to deprive others of their sinful pleasures, especially liquor. The term was particularly applied to members of temperance groups such as the antipodean branches of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

John Norton, editor of the Australian scandal newspaper, Truth, claimed he first used the word in 1899, a claim supported by the OED. However some authors claim that the present meaning originated from an Australian temperance slogan, "We Only Want Social Evils Remedied." This apparent backronym is considered a "less credible provenance" by the ANU.

Wowser (TV series)

Wowser (どんどんドメルとロン, Don-Don Domeru/Domel to Ron) is an anime based on the Belgian cartoon comic strip Cubitus. It consisted of 52 two-part episodes the running time of 20 minutes in total, and it originally aired from 5 April 1988 to 27 March 1989.

Plot

Wowser is a big white dog who lives with his owner, the Professor. In each episode, Wowser's appetite and the Professor's inventions, along with the interference of their wacky neighbors, results in chaos.

Characters