General
a body
What does a body mean?
Used to mean "a person" generally, as in "a body could get lost out here."
"A body can't hardly think with all this racket."
Origin
Older English use of "body" for "person" (as in "somebody"), preserved in Appalachian speech.
Frequently asked questions
What does "a body" mean in this sense?
It means "a person" or "anyone" in general, e.g. "a body could get lost out here."
Where does this usage come from?
It's an older English use of "body" to mean "person"—the same sense preserved in words like "somebody" and "nobody"—and it survives in Appalachian speech.
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