Well, it looks like RStern wins first prize on this question. I didn't think to go to the dictionary. He wrote that it might be a person who works in a cotton gin...that he had heard it used in the Bootheel of Missouri so I looked it up. Thanks everyone and especially RStern. :) Ava Main Entry: [3]gin Pronunciation: 'jin Function: transitive verb Inflected Form(s): ginned; gin·ning Date: circa 1625 1 : <A HREF="aol://4344:1708.D0064894.40172928.672503929">SNARE</A> 2 : to separate (cotton fiber) from seeds and waste material - gin·ner noun