adj. (Century: American political slang).—United; unanimous. Thus, a SOLID vote = a unanimous vote; THE SOLID SOUTH (American) = the Southern States during reconstruction: from their uniform support of the Democratic party; A SOLID PARTY = a united party; TO MAKE ONESELF SOLID WITH = to come to an agreement with, &c.
1888. G. KENNAN, Political Exiles and Common Convicts at Tomsk, in The Century Magazine, xxxvii. Nov., 30. We thus succeeded in making ourselves ‘SOLID with the administration’ before we had been in a town or village forty-eight hours.
1888. W. D. HOWELLS, Annie Kilburn, xviii. I’m SOLID For Mr. Peck every time.
1892. W. S. WALSH, Handy-book of Literary Curiosities, 1019. SOLID SOUTH … The first occurrence of the phrase in the modern sense may be traced back to circa 1868…. The persistent solidarity of action of the Southern States … found expression in it as a term of reproach.
