cheechako n Usu |čiˈčɑko, čiˈčɔko| For var spp, see quots [Chinook Jargon] AK, Pacific NW
A newcomer, tenderfoot.
1897 Chicago Rec. (IL) 2 Mar 4/4 AK, Many a “Chechaco” (tenderfoot) on his way to the mines, with a pack on his back, has thrown down everything and struck back for town . . cursing the country and its mosquitoes. 1900 Spurr Through Yukon Gold Diggings 51 (Tabbert Alaskan Engl.), The veteran miner in Alaska is a splendid, open-hearted, generous fellow; the newcomer, or “chicharko,” is a thing to be avoided. 1901 Pall Mall Mag. 23.56 cwAK, ‘Nome is a good camp, but too many cheechakers’, that is ‘tender feet’, new comers. 1902 Clark Roadhouse Tales 112, He thoroughly prospected the claim and found there was no gold only in this one place, so he cleaned up nearly all the corner, and then laid for a “che-choker” to buy the claim. He soon found his man. 1904 (1969) Robins Magnetic North 271 AK, It is curious to see how soon travellers get past that first cheechalko feeling that it is a little ‘nervy’ . . to walk into another man’s house uninvited. 1905 (1966) London White Fang 202 AK, The men who came . . were newcomers. They were known as chechaquos. . . They made their bread with baking powder. This was the invidious distinction between them and the Sour-doughs. 1933 Marshall Arctic Village 355, You help him poor man, help him cheechawker. 1939 Franck Lure of AK 118, Sourdoughs and Cheechakoes (“cheechalker” is the way Alaska really pronounces its word for tenderfoot) mingle freely in the streets of Fairbanks. 1939 FWP Guide Alaska xl, Chechakho “just arrived,” hence, tenderfoot (Chinook). 1943 Brandt AK Bird Trails 24 (as of 1924), This was another hard run for the cheechockar (tenderfoot). 1944 Williamson Far North 46 AK, At Cook Inlet you might be on Monday morning a mere cheechakho, as a tenderfoot was called. 1955 U.S. Arctic Info. Center Gloss., Cheechako, chechako, cheechaco. . . A term for a newcomer, derived from Northwest Coast Indian words meaning ‘to come lately.’ 1958 McCulloch Woods Words Pacific NW, Cheechako—A greenhorn. 1962 Salisbury Quoth the Raven 48 seAK (as of 1920s), Bill Gardner was out after deer, or to show the checacho how to hunt for deer. 1966–68 DARE (Qu. HH2, . . A citified person) Inf AK5, [ˌčiˈčɑko]; AK8, In Alaska a newcomer is a [čiˈčɔko] (not necessarily derisory); (Qu. HH15, A very inexperienced person) Inf AK5, Cheechako; (Qu. HH31, Somebody who is not from your community, and doesn’t belong) Inf WA16, Cheechako [ˌčiˈčɑko].