Hustings

So, ladies, are you in a hurry to hear the huff-and-puff that is soon to emanate from the hustings?

Huh?

Let me clarify.

Tomorrow, the chosen candidates will engage in their first official debate from the hallowed … you guessed it:

Hustings.

Amusingly, my computer spell checker doesn’t even recognize this term, which originally described the platform on which candidates for the British Parliament stood and addressed their electors. Spoken in Old Danish, it’s hūs-thing or house meeting.

These days, hustings (a singular noun) can refer to any place from which political campaign speeches are made or the political campaign trail in general.

Did this word morph into hustle and hustler?

I’m just saying.