Joe Louis
12
3.5
- proper noun
- /dʒoʊ ˈluːɪs/
- I'll earn a title fight by beating Joe Louis.
Examples
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The winner by knockout, and new heavyweight champion of the world, Joe Louis!
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Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Joe Louis.
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Max: You know, people said I was lucky to beat Joe Louis the first time around.
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The first three rounds belong to The Brown Bomber, Joe Louis.
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23-year-old Joe Louis makes history tonight!
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Schemling wants to end this fight right here, but here comes Joe Louis.
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70,000 strong here in Yankee Stadium, all cheering for Joe Louis.
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Joe Louis is often regarded as a symbol of excellence in boxing history.
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Many consider Joe Louis to be one of the greatest heavyweight champions ever.
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In 1938, Joe Louis became a national hero after defeating Max Schmeling.
Surface Forms
Morphology
Joe + Louis
This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the constituent names 'Joe' and 'Louis' does not allow a learner to infer the referent's identity or biographical details (American heavyweight champion). Proper nouns are arbitrary referents requiring encyclopedic knowledge rather than compositional understanding, so a B1 learner who only knows the parts would not derive the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Joe Louis is a well-known American boxer who was world heavyweight champion for 12 years. He was called the 'Brown Bomber' because he fought with calm, powerful punches, so today Joe Louis brings to mind a strong, famous fighter.