Language is ever-evolving. New words are always coming into use. For instance, Merriam-Webster added 200 words to the English dictionary in 2024. Similarly, other words that were once popular, like "crapulous" (meaning hungover), fall out of use . But some words stick around so long that their origins become obscure and leave etymologists making educated guesses at how they came to be. The term "86" (sometimes written out), meaning to eject someone from a bar or restaurant, falls into this category. And it's not even that old.

Over the years, the word has come to encompass a broader meaning — getting rid of something or someone. There's been a lot of speculation as to its origins, which dates to the 1930s. One of the best possible guesses pins it as slang used by workers at soda fountai

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