WITH SYNONYMS IN ENGLISH, FRENCH, GERMAN, ITALIAN, ETC. (continued 8)

2. (American thieves’).—Coffee.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

Grueller, subs. (common).—A knock-down blow; a settler; a floorer (q.v.).

Grumble-guts, subs. (popular).—An inveterate croaker. Also Grumble-gizzard.

Grumbles. To be all on the grumbles, verb. phr. (popular).—To be discontented; cross; on the snarly-yow (q.v.).

Grumbletonian, subs. (common).—A pattern of discontent: one ever on the grumble. [Grumbleton (during the reigns of the later Stuarts) = an imaginary centre of discontent; hence, Grumbletonian, a nickname of the County party, distinguished from the Court, as being in opposition.]

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew. Grumbletonians, malecontents, out of Humour with the Government, for want of a Place, or having lost one.

1705–7. Ward, Hudibras Redivivus, vol. I., pt. 1, p. 24 (2nd Ed.). But all the grumbletonian throng Did with such violence rush along.

1773. Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, Act 1. Now, if I pleased, I could be so revenged upon the old grumbletonian.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue. Grumbletonian, s.v., a discontented person.

1849–61. Macaulay, Hist. of Eng., ch. xix. Who were sometimes nicknamed the grumbletonians, and sometimes honoured with the appellation of the County party.

Grummet, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

Grumpy (or Grumpish), adj. (colloquial).—Surly; cross; angry.

1840. Mrs. Trollope, Michael Armstrong, ch. vi. If you blubber or look grumpish.

1859. Sala, Twice Round the Clock, 3 a.m., par. 13. Calling you a ‘cross, grumpy, old thing,’ when you mildly suggest that it is very near bed-time.

1868. Miss Braddon, Trail of the Serpent, bk. IV., ch. i. A grumpy old deaf keeper, and a boy, his assistant.

1883. Punch, 19 May, p. 230, c. 2. They all looked grumpy and down in the mouth.

Grundy, subs. (old).—A short fat man; a forty-guts (q.v.).—See Mrs. Grundy.

1563. Fox, Acts and Monuments (London, 1844), iii., 1104. For that he being a short grundy, and of little stature, did ride commonly with a great broad hat.

Grunter, subs. (old).—1. A pig; a grunting-cheat (q.v.). In quot. 1652 = pork. For synonyms, see Sow’s Baby.

1656. Brome, Jovial Crew. Here’s grunter and bleater, with tib-of-the-buttry.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew. Grunter, s.v. A sucking pig.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue. Grunter, s.v.

1841. Comic Almanack, p. 266. And the squeaking grunter is loose on the green.

1847–50. Tennyson, Princess, v. 26. A draggled mawkin, That tends her bristled grunters in the sludge.

2. (common).—A sixpence. In quot. 1785 = 1s. Cf., Hog and Pig.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, Grunter, s.v. A shilling.

1858. A. Mayhew, Paved with Gold, bk. III., ch. iii., p. 267. One of the men … had only taken three ‘twelvers’ [shillings] and a grunter.

1885. Household Words, 20 June. p. 155. The sixpence … is variously known as a ‘pig,’ a ‘sow’s baby,’ a grunter, and ‘half a hog.’

3. (common).—A policeman; a trap (q.v.); a pig (q.v. sense 2). For synonyms, see Beak.

1820. London Magazine, i., 26. As a bonnet against … grunters.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum. Grunter, s.v., a country constable.

4. (tailors’).—An habitual grumbler; a grumble-guts (q.v.)

Grunter’s-gig, subs. (old).—A smoked pig’s chap.—Grose.

Grunting-cheat, subs. (old).—A pig. See Chete. For synonyms, see Sow’s Baby.

1567. Harman, Caveat, p. 86. She has a cackling-chete, a grunting-chete, ruff pecke, cassan, and poplarr of yarum.

1622. Fletcher, Beggars Bush, v., 1. Or surprising a boor’s ken for grunting-cheats? Or cackling-cheats?

Grunting-peck, subs. (old).—Pork or bacon.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Grunting-peck, s.v., pork.

1728. Bailey, Eng. Dict., s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

1836. Smith, Individual. ‘The Thieves’ Chaunt.’ But dearer to me Sue’s kisses far Than grunting peck or other grub are.

Gruts, subs. (common).—Tea; For synonyms, see Scandal-broth.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.

G. T. T. Gone to Texas, phr. (American).—Absconded. [Moonshining gentry used to mark G. T. T. on the doors of their abandoned dwellings as a consolation for inquiring creditors.] Fr., aller en Belgique. For synonyms, see Swartwort.

1835. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 5 S., ch. viii. Before this misfortin’ came I used to do a considerable smart chance of business; but now it’s time for me to cut dirt, and leave the country. I believe I must hang out the G. T. T. sign.—‘Why, what the plague is that?’ says I. ‘Gone to Texas,’ said he.

Guage.—See Gage.

Gubbins, subs. (old).—Fish-offal.

1611. Cotgrave, Dictionarie, q.v.

Gudgeon, subs. (old).—1. A bait; an allurement. Hence, To gudgeon (or to swallow a gudgeon) = to be extremely credulous or gullible.

1598. Shakspeare, Merchant of Venice, i., 1. But fish not with this melancholy bait, For this fool’s gudgeon, this opinion.

1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, Bersela, s.v. To swallow a gudgeon … to believe any tale.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, Gudgeon, s.v. To swallow the bait, or fall into a trap, from the fish of that name which is easily taken.

1892. National Observer, 23 July, vii., 235. It has educated Hodge into an increased readiness to gorge any gudgeon that may be offered him.

2. (colloquial).—An easy dupe; a buffle (q.v.).

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

Guerrilla, subs. (American sharpers’).—See quot.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. This name is applied by gamblers to fellows who skin suckers when and where they can, who do not like the professional gamblers, but try to beat them, sometimes inform on them, and tell the suckers that they have been cheated.

Guff, subs. (common).—Humbug; bluff; jabber. For synonyms, see Gammon.

1889. Sportsman, 19 Jan. Hereafter he can have the newspapers to himself, and with that windbag Mitchell fill them with guff and nonsense, but I won’t notice them.

Guffy, subs. (nautical).—A soldier. For synonyms, see Mudcrusher.

Guiders, subs. (general).—1. Reins; ribbons (q.v.).

2. (common).—Sinews; leaders (q.v.).

Guinea. A guinea to a gooseberry, phr. (sporting).—Long odds. See Lombard Street to a China Orange.

1884. Hawley Smart, Post to Finish, ch. vli. What! old Writson against Sam Pearson? Why, it’s a guinea to a gooseberry on Sam!

Guinea-dropper, subs. (old).—A sharper. Specifically one who let drop counterfeit guineas in collusion with a gold-finder (q.v.). For synonyms, see Rook.

1712, Gay, Trivia, iii., 249. Who now the guinea dropper’s bait regards, Tricked by the sharper’s dice or juggler’s cards.

Guinea-hen, subs. (old).—A courtezan. For synonyms, see Barrack-hack and Tart.

1602. Shakspeare, Othello, i., 3. Ere I would say I would drown myself for the love of a guinea-hen, I would change my humanity with a baboon.

1630. Glapthorne, Albertus Wallenstein. Yonder’s the cock o’ the game About to tread yon guinea-hen, they’re billing.

Guinea-pig, subs. (old).—1. A general term of reproach.

1748. Smollett, Roderick Random, xxiv. A good seaman he is, as ever stepp’d on forecastle—none of your guinea-pigs,—nor your freshwater, wishy-washy, fair-weather fowls.

2. (old).—Any one whose nominal fee for professional services is a guinea: as vets., special jurymen, etc. Now mainly restricted to clergymen acting as deputies, and (in contempt) to directors of public companies. Hence Guinea-trade = professional services of any kind.

1821. Coombe, Dr. Syntax, Tour III., c. iv. ‘Oh, oh,’ cried Pat, ‘how my hand itches, Thou guinea-pig [a ‘vet.’], in boots and breeches, to trounce thee well.’

1871. Temple Bar, vol. xxxi., p. 320. A much more significant term is that of guinea pigs, the pleasant name for those gentlemen of more rank than means, who hire themselves out as directors of public companies, and who have a guinea and a copious lunch when they attend board meetings.

1880. Church Review, 2 Jan. Guinea pigs … are, for the most part, unattached or roving parsons, who will take any brother cleric’s duty for the moderate remuneration of one guinea.

1883. Saturday Review, 25 Aug., p. 246, c. 2. A country parson was suddenly attacked with diphtheria, late in the week. Recourse was had in vain to the neighbours, and it was decided at last to telegraph to London for a guinea pig.

1884. Echo, 19 May, p. 1, c. 5. Let us apply the principle further, and imagine … limited liability swindlers tried by a jury of guinea-pigs and company promoters.

1884. Graphic, 29 Nov., p. 562, c. 3. And the guinea-pig, whose name is on a dozen different Boards, is justly regarded with suspicion.

1886. Chambers’s Jour., 24 Apr., p. 258. In order to be considered of any value as Director of a Company, a guinea-pig ought to have a handle to his name.

1887. Payn, Glow Worm Tales. ‘A Failure of Justice.’ He is best known to the public as a guinea-pig, from his habit of sitting at boards and receiving for it that nominal remuneration, though in his case it stands for a much larger sum.

1889. Drage, Cyril, vii. The rector has, as usual, got the gout, and we live under a régime … of guinea-pigs.

1890. Standard, 26 June, p. 5, c. 4. The least attempt to saddle responsibility for misleading statements upon Boards of Directors would drive prudent, ‘respectable’ men out of what is vulgarly called the guinea-pig business.

3. (nautical).—See quot.

1840. Marryat, Poor Jack, ch. xxvi. While Bramble was questioned by the captain and passengers, I was attacked by the midshipmen, or guinea-pigs as they are called.

Guise’s Geese, subs. phr. (military).—The Sixth Foot or ‘Saucy Sixth.’ [From its Colonel’s name, 1735–63.]

Guiver, subs. (theatrical).—(1) Flattery, and (2) artfulness (q.v.). For synonyms, see Soft Soap.

Adj. (common).—Smart; fashionable; on it (q.v.). Guiver lad = a low-class dandy; also an artful member (q.v.).

a. 1866. Vance, Chickaleary Cove. The stock around my squeeze of a guiver colour see.

Verb (sporting).—To humbug; to fool about (q.v.); to show off.

1891. Sporting Life, 25 Mar. He goes into a ring to fight his man, not to spar and look pretty, and run, and dodge, and guiver.

Gulf, subs. (old).—1. The throat; also the maw. For synonyms, see Gutter-alley.

1579. Spencer, Shephearde’s Calendar, Sept. That with many a lamb had glutted his gulf.

2. (Cambridge Univ.).—The bottom of a list of ‘passes,’ with the names of those who only just succeed in getting their degree.

1852. Bristed, Five Years in an English University, p. 205. Some ten or fifteen men just on the line, not bad enough to be plucked, or good enough to be placed, are put into the gulf, as it is popularly called (the examiners’ phrase is ‘degrees allowed’), and have their degrees given them, but are not printed in the calendar.

3. (Oxford Univ.).—A man who, going in for honours, only gets a pass.

Verb (Cambridge Univ.).—To place in the gulf, subs., sense 2 (q.v.); to be gulfed = to be on such a list. [Men so placed were not eligible for the Classical Tripos]. Cf., Pluck and Plough.

1853. Bradley, Verdant Green, pt. iii., p. 89. I am not going to let them gulph me a second time.

1863. H. Kingsley, Austin Elliot, p. 123. The good Professor scolded, predicted that they would all be either gulfed or ploughed.

1865. Sporting Gaz., 1 Apr. A man who was gulfed for mathematical honours was certainly, in olden time, unable to enter for the classical examination; but though the arrangement is altered, the term is not obsolete. A man who is gulfed is considered to know enough mathematics for an ordinary degree, but not enough to be allowed his degree in mathematics only; he is consequently obliged to pass in all the ordinary subjects (except mathematics) for the ‘poll,’ before taking his degree.

1876. Trevelyan, Life of Macaulay (1884), ch. ii., p. 61. When the Tripos of 1822 made its appearance, his name did not grace the list. In short … Macaulay was gulfed.

1852. Bristed, Five Years in an English University, p. 297. I discovered that my name was nowhere to be found—that I was gulfed.

Gulf-spin, subs. (American cadet).—A rascal; a worthless fellow; a beat (q.v.) a shyster (q.v.).

Gull, subs. (old, now recognised).—1. A ninny. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.

1596. Sir J. Davies, Book of Epigrams. A gull is he who feares a velvet gowne, And when a wench is brave dares not speak to her; A gull is he which traverseth the towne, And is for marriage known a common wooer; A gull is he, which while he proudly weares A silver-hilted rapier by his side. Indures the lye and knockes about the eares, While in his sheath his sleeping sword doth bide. But to define a gull in termes precise—A gull is he which seems, and is not, wise.

1598. Florio, A World of Wordes, passim.

1609. Jonson, Case is Altered, iv., 3. Jun. Tut, thou art a goose to be Cupid’s gull.

1609. Shakspeare, Timon of Athens. Lord Timon will be left a naked gull. Which flashes now a phœnix.

1614. Overbury, Characters. ‘A Roaring Boy.’ He cheats young guls that are newly come to town.

1618. Rowlands, Night Raven, p. 28 (H. C. Rept., 1872). I know the houses where base cheaters vse, And note what gulls (to worke vpon) they chuse.

1661. Brome, Poems, ‘The Cure of Care.’ Those gulls that by scraping and toiling.

1818. S. E. Ferrier, Marriage, ch. li. The poor gull was caught, and is now, I really believe, as much in love as it is in the nature of a stupid man to be.

1850. D. Jerrold, The Catspaw, Act i. Pshaw! some rascal that lives on simpletons and gulls.

1892. R. L. Stevenson and L. Osbourne, The Wrecker, p. 231. I was a dweller under roofs; the gull of that which we call civilisation.

2. (old).—A cheat; a fraud; a trick.

1600. Shakspeare, Much Ado about Nothing, ii., 3. I should think this a gull, but that the white-bearded fellow speaks it.

1611. Cotgrave, Dictionarie, q.v.

3. (Oxford Univ.).—A swindler; a trickster. Cf., Gull-catcher, of which it is probably an abbreviation.

1825. The English Spy, v. I., p. 161. ‘You’ll excuse me, sir, but as you are fresh, take care to avoid the gulls.’ ‘I never understood that gulls were birds of prey,’ said I. ‘Only in Oxford, sir, and here, I assure you, they bite like hawks.’

Verb (old: now recognised).—To cheat; to dupe; to victimise; to take in (q.v.). in any fashion and to any purpose.

1596. Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, v. This is a mere trick, a device, you are gulled in this most grossly.

1602. Shakspeare, Twelfth Night, ii., 3. Mar. For Monsieur Maluolio, let me alone with him; If I do not gull him into a nayword, and make him a common recreation, do not thinke I haue witte enough to lye straight in my bed; I know I can do it.

1607. Rowlands, Diogenes, his Lanthorne, p. 11 (H. C. Rept. 1873). He promist me good stuffe truly, a great pennyworth indeed, and verily did gull me.

1610. Jonson, Alchemist, v., 2. Hast thou gulled her of her jewels or her bracelets?

1639. Selden, Table Talk, p. 98 (Arber’s ed.). Presbyters have the greatest power of any Clergy in the world, and gull the Laity most.

1778. Sketches for Tabernacle-Frames, p. 25, note. These fanatical Preachers frequently squeeze out Tears to gull their Audience.

1851–61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, I., 472. It’s generally the lower order that he gulls.

1892. Henley and Stevenson, Deacon Brodie, ix. Pay your debts, and gull the world a little longer.

Hence Gullible, adj., = easily duped.

1841. Thackeray, Character Sketches, ‘Fashionable Authoress.’ And, gulled themselves, gull the most gullable of publics.

Gullage, subs. (old colloquial).—The act of trickery; the state of being gulled.

1605. B. Jonson, Volpone, v., 5. Had you no quirk To avoid gullage, sir, by such a creature?

1611. Chapman, May Day, Act II., p. 284 (Plays, 1874). For procuring you the dear gullage of my sweetheart, Mistress Franceschina.

Gull-catcher (or Guller, Gull-sharper, etc.), subs. (old).—A trickster; a cheat. See Gull, senses 1 and 3.

1602. Shakspeare, Twelfth Night, ii., 5. Here comes my noble gull-catcher.

Gullery, subs. (old colloquial).—Dupery; fraud; a cheat’s device. Cf., Gullage.

1596. Jonson, Every Man in His Humour, iii., 2. Your Balsamum and your St. John’s wort are all mere gulleries and trash to it.

1608. John Day, Humour out of Breath, Act iv., Sc. 3. I am gulld, palpably gulld … and mine owne gullery grieves me not half so much as the Dukes displeasure.

1630. Taylor, Works. Neverthelesse, whosoever will but looke into the lying legend of golden gullery, there they shall finde that the poore seduced ignorant Romanists doe imitate all the idolatrous fornication of the heathen pagans and infidels.

1633. Ile of Guls. Upon you both, so, so, so, how greedily their inventions like beagles follow the sent of their owne gullery, yet these are no fooles, God forbid, not they.

1633. Marmion, Fine Companion. Lit. What more gulleries yet? they have cosend mee of my daughters, I hope they will cheate me of my wife too: have you any more of these tricks to shew, ha?

1689. Selden, Table Talk, p. 38 (Arber’s ed.). And how can it be proved, that ever any man reveal’d Confession, when there is no Witness? And no man can be Witness in his own cause. A meer gullery.

1819. H. More, Defence of Moral Cabbala, ch. iii. The sweet deception and gullery of their own corrupted fancy.

1821. Scott, Kenilworth, ch. xx. Do you think, because I have good-naturedly purchased your trumpery goods at your roguish prices, that you may put any gullery you will on me?

Gullet, subs. (old: now recognised).—The throat. For synonyms, see Gutter-alley.

1383. Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, 12, 477. [Quoted in Ency. Dict.] Out of the harde bones knocken they The mary, for they casten nought away, That may go thurgh the gullet soft and sote.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Gullet, s.v. A Derisory Term for the Throat, from Gula.

1836. Dickens, Pickwick, ch. 15. So he puts a pistol to his mouth, and he fires it down his gullet.

1893. National Observer, x. 168. Through sympathetic gullets.

Gull-finch, subs. (old).—A simpleton; a fool. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.

1630. Taylor, Works. For ’tis concluded ’mongst the wizards all, To make thee master of Gul-finches hall.

Gull-groper, subs. (old).—A gamesters’ money-lender.

1609. Dekker, Lanthorne and Candle-light. The gul-groper is commonly an old mony-monger, who having travaild through all the follyes of the world in his youth, knowes them well, and shunnes them in his age, his whole felicitie being to fill his bags with golde and silver.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew. Gull-groper, s.v. A Bystander that Lends Money to the Gamesters.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

Gully, subs. (common).—1. The throat. For synonyms, see Gutter-alley.

2. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

3. (old and Scots’).—A knife. For synonyms, see Chive.

1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, bk. I., ch. xxvii. Fair gullies which are little haulch-backed demi-knives.

1785. Burns, Death and Dr. Hornbook. I red ye weel, tak care o’ skaith, See, there’s a gully.

1789. Burns, Address to Captain Grose. The knife that nickit Abel’s craig, He’ll prove ye fully It was a faulding jocteleg, Or lang-kail gully.

Verb (common).—To gull (q.v.); to dupe; to swindle. For synonyms, see Stick.

1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, bk. III., ch. v. I rode about and speechified, and everybody gullied.

Gully-fluff, subs. (colloquial).—Pocket-filth; beggar’s velvet (q.v.). Also Flue (q.v.).

Gully-gut, subs. and adj. (common).—A glutton. For synonyms, see Stodger.

1598. Florio, A Worlde of Wordes. Crapulatore, a surfeiter; a gormand; a glutton; a gullie-gut.

1672. Lestrange, Fables. A gulli-gut friar.

Gully-hole (or Gully), subs. (common).—1. The throat, or gullet. For synonyms, see Gutter-alley.

2. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

Gully-raker, subs. phr. (venery).—1. The penis; and (2) a wencher. For synonyms, see Creamstick, Prick, and Molrower.

2. (Australian). A cattle-whip; a cattle-thief.

1881. A. C. Grant, Bush Life in Queensland … following up his admonition by a sweeping cut of his gully-raker, and a report like a musket-shot.

Gulpin, subs. (common).—A simpleton; a gapeseed (q.v.). Fr., un gobemouche; une éponge. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.

1886. W. Besant, World Went Very Well Then, ch. xxix. But Jack persisted, and I rose too. ‘Go then!’ the Admiral roared, with a great oath. ‘Go then, for a brace of gulpins!’

Gulpy, adj. (common).—Easily duped.

Gulsh. To hold one’s gulsh, verb. phr. (provincial).—To hold one’s tongue; to keep quiet.

Gum, subs. (old).—1. Chatter; talk; jaw (q.v.). Also abuse.

1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, ch. xiv. There’s no occasion to bowse out so much unnecessary gum.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Come let us have no more of your gum.

1824. R. B. Peake, Americans Abroad, i., 1. Dou. Come, none of your gum—now you are but an underlin’, tho’ you are so uppish and twistical—where’s the chair?

2. (American).—A trick; a piece of dupery; a sell (q.v.). Also gummation.

3. (American).—A golosh; an india-rubber overshoe. [Short for ‘gum-shoes.’]

1872. Morning Post, 9 Jan. Forbidding him again to cross her threshold or to leave his gum-shoes in her hall.

Verb (common).—To cheat; to take in (q.v.), to roast (q.v.) or quiz. For synonyms, see Gammon.

1859. Sala, Twice Round the Clock, 6 p.m., par. I. I began to think either that he was quizzing me—gumming is the proper Transatlantic colloquialism, I think.

1875. ‘American English’ in Chamb. Journal, 25 Sept., p. 611. To ‘gum-tree’ is to elude, to cheat [from opossum], and this again is shortened into ‘to gum,’ as the phrase, ‘Now don’t you try to gum me.’

Old Mother Gum, subs. phr. (common).—An old woman: in derision.

By gum! intj. (common).—A mild oath. For synonyms, see Oaths.

1860. Haliburton (‘Sam Slick’), The Season Ticket, No. ix. By gum, Squire Shegog, we have had the greatest bobbery of a shindy in our carriage you ever knowed in all our born days.

Bless your (or his, her, its, etc.) gums, phr. (common).—A piece of banter: a facetious way of saying ‘Bless your soul!’

Gummagy, adj. (common).—Snarling; of a scolding habit.

Gummed, adj. (billiards).—Said of a ball close to the cushion.

Gummy, subs. (common).—1. A toothless person; i.e., with nothing but gums to show. Generally, Old Gummy.

2. (thieves’).—Medicine. Also Gummy-stuff.—Matsell.

3. (common).—A dullard; a fool. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.

Adj. (common).—Puffed; swollen; clumsy.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Gummey, clumsy, particularly applied to the ancles of men, or women, and the legs of horses.

To feel Gummy, verb. phr. (University).—To perspire.

Gump, subs. (common).—A dolt. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.

1825. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, bk. II., ch. xv. He’s … sort of a nateral too, I guess; rather a gump, hey?

Gumption, subs. (colloquial).—Cleverness; understanding; nous (q.v.). Also Rum Gumption.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue. Gumption, or rum gumption, s.v., docility, comprehension, capacity.

1787. Grose, Prov. Glossary, s.v. ‘Gawm.’ Gawm, to understand; I dinna gawm ye, I don’t understand you. Hence, possibly, gawmtion, or gumption, understanding.

1834. Atlantic Club-book, I., 33. D’ye think I’m a fellow of no more gumption than that?

1843. Comic Almanack. Poor beasts, ’tis very clear, To any one possess’d of gumption, That if they’d not come over here, They’d have been carried off by home consumption.

1853. Lytton, My Novel, bk. IV., ch. xii. Gumption—it means cleverness.

1883. Daily Telegraph, 25 June, p. 3, c. 2. But poor people—leastways, those that have got any gumption—know better than that.

1890. Notes and Queries, 7 S., x., 303. As familiar as the Greek word nous for what … is known … as gumption.

Gumptious, adj. (colloquial).—Shrewd; intelligent; vain.

1853. Lytton, My Novel, bk. IV., ch. xii. Landlord. There’s gumption and gumptious! Gumption is knowing, but when I say that sum un is gumptious, I mean—though that’s more vulgar like—sum un who does not think small beer of hisself. You take me, sir?

Gum-smasher (or tickler), subs. (common).—A dentist. For synonyms, see Snag-catcher.

Gum-suck, verb. (American).—To flatter; to humbug; to dupe. For synonyms, see Gammon.

Gum-sucker, subs. (Australian).—1. See quot. Cf., Corn-stalk.

1887. All the Year Round, 30 July, p. 67. A gum-sucker is a native of Tasmania, and owes his elegant nickname to the abundance of gum-trees in the Tasmanian forests.

2. (common).—A fool. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.

Gum-tickler, subs. (colloquial).—1. A drink. Specifically, drop or short, or a dram. For synonyms, see Go.

1814. Quarterly Review, vol. X., p. 521. A gill, taken fasting, is called a gum-tickler.

1864. Dickens, Our Mutual Friend, bk. IV., ch. iii. I prefer to take it in the form of a gum-tickler.

2. See Gum-smasher.

Gum-tree. To be up a gum-tree, verb. phr. (American).—To be on one’s last legs; at the end of one’s rope. ‘He has seen his last gum-tree’ = It is all up with him.

Gun, subs. (old).—1. A lie. New Cant. Dict., 1725. For synonyms, see Whopper.

2. (common).—A thief; specifically, a magsman (q.v.) or street-artist. Also Gun-smith and Gunner. Gunning = thieving. [An abbreviation of Gonof (q.v.).] See Area-sneak and Thieves.

1858. A. Mayhew, Paved with Gold, bk. II., ch. i., p. 70. I tell you you ain’t a-going to make a gun (thief) of this here young flat.

1868. Temple Bar, xxv., 213. … returned to his old trade of gunsmith, gunning being the slang term for thieving, or going on the cross.

1882. Cornhill Mag., p. 649. Flats graft for guns.

1889. Clarkson and Richardson, Police. Gunners and grasshoppers sneak about watching their opportunities.

3. (American).—A revolver. For synonyms, see Meat-in-the Pot.

4. (Irish).—A toddy glass. See In the Gun.

Verb (American).—1. To consider with attention.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Gunned. The copper gunned me as if he was fly to my mug.

2. (American).—To strive hard; to make a violent effort: e.g., to gun a stock = to use every means to produce a ‘break’; when supplies are heavy and holders would be unable to resist.

In the Gun, phr. (old).—Drunk. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue. Gun, s.v., he’s in the gun, he is drunk, perhaps from an allusion to a vessel called a gun, used for ale in the universities.

Son of a Gun. See Son.

Sure as a Gun, phr. (common).—Quite certain; inevitable.

1633. Jonson, Tale of a Tub, ii., 1. ’Tis right; he has spoke as true as a gun, believe it.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew.

1694. Congreve, Double Dealer, v., 20. All turned topsy-turvy, as sure as a gun.

1720. Gay, New Song of New Similes. Sure as a gun she’ll drop a tear.

1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, bk. xviii., ch. ix. As sure as a gun I have hit o’ the very right o’t.

1759. Sterne, Tristram Shandy, vol. vi., ch. xxvi. Think ye not that, in striking these in,—he might, peradventure, strike something out? as sure as a gun.

1825. Egan, Life of an Actor, iv. By gum! he roared out, sir, as sure as a gun.

d. 1842. Father Prout, Reliques, I. 19. ‘Vert-Vert, the Parrot.’ Scared at the sound,—‘Sure as a gun, The bird’s a demon!’ cried the nun.

1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. lviii. In every party of the nobility his name’s down as sure as a gun.

1891. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 141. Nobbed, sure as a gun!

1892. Manville Fenn, New Mistress, xxxv. They were both down there about that school-money Betsey, as sure as a gun.

Gundiguts, subs. (common).—A fat man; a forty guts (q.v.).

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

Gunner’s Daughter. To Kiss (or Marry) the Gunner’s Daughter, verb. phr. (nautical). To be flogged. [Gunner’s daughter = the gun to which boys were lashed for punishment.]

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

1833. Marryat, Peter Simple, ch. xxxii. I don’t know what officers are made of now-a-days. I’ll marry some of you young gentlemen to the gunner’s daughter before long. Quarter-deck’s no better than a bear-garden.

Gunpowder, subs. (old).—An old woman.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

Gunter.—See Cocker.

Gup, subs. (Anglo-Indian).—Gossip; scandal.

1868. Florence Marryat, Gup, xix. With regard to my title … Gup is the Hindustani for ‘Gossip.’ Voilâ tout!

1883. Hawley Smart, Hard Lines, ch. xxix. Our Eastern empire is much addicted to what they term gup, whereby they mean gossip, scandal, or by whatever other equivalent the taking away of one’s neighbours’ characters may be designated.

To be a gup, verb. phr. (American).—To be easy to take or steal.

Gurtsey, subs. (American Cadet).—A fat man; a podge (q.v.). For synonyms, see Forty-guts.

Gush, subs. (colloquial).—The expression of affected or extravagant sentiment.

1883. Saturday Review, 3 Feb., p. 148, c. 2. Mr. Picton’s style is pleasant and easy, as long as he allows himself to be natural, and does not fall into gush.

1886. Church Times, 17 Sep. Not mere gush or oratorical flip-flap.

Verb (colloquial).—To overflow with extravagant or affected sentiment.

1883. Miss Braddon, Golden Calf, ch. vii. ‘Yes, and you saw much of each other, and you became heart-friends,’ gushed Miss Wolf, beaming benevolently at Brian.

Gusher, subs. (colloquial).—A practitioner of gush (q.v.). Also Gushington.

1864. E. Yates, Broken to Harness, ch. vi., p. 66 (1873). The enthusiastic gusher who flings his or herself upon our necks, and insists upon sharing our sorrow.

1882. Miss Braddon, Mount Royal, ch. viii. ‘But, surely there is nothing improper in the play, dear Lady Cumberbridge,’ exclaimed the eldest gusher, too long in society to shrink from sifting any question of that kind.

Gushing, adj. (colloquial).—Extravagant; affected or irrational in expression; demonstratively affectionate. Also Gushingly.

1864. ‘The Campaigner’ (No. XVI.), in Fraser’s Mag., p. 627. Donald did not belong to what, in the slang of translated Cockneys, is called the Gushing School.

1864. Punch’s Almanack, ‘Our Growling Bard.’ Some, I admit, are Milingtary Dears, As gushing ladies say, and some are Muffs.

1872. Sunday Times, 18 Aug. This however, was no surprise to the plaintiff, it having been understood from the first that the parties being past the gushing age the letters between them should be of a business character.

1880. Ouida, Moths, ch. viii. Your heroics count for nothing. All girls of sixteen are gushing and silly.

1883. Hargrave Jennings, quoted in Saturday Review, 28 Apr., p. 536, c. 1. Women are not the gushingly credulous creatures that man in his constant condescension and in his appreciation of himself would deem.

1884. F. Anstey, Giant’s Robe, ch. xx. ‘It’s not precisely gushing,’ he said to himself, ‘but she couldn’t very well say more just yet.’

Gusset, subs. (common).—Generic for the female sex. Thus, Brother (or Knight, or Squire) of the Gusset = a pimp; Gussetting = wenching; Gusseteer = a wencher; etc.

Gusset of the Arse, subs. phr. (common).—The inside edge of the buttocks.

d. 1796. Burns, Merry Muses, pp. 99–100. An’ he grippit her fast by the gusset of her arse.

Gut, subs. (vulgar).—The vice or habit of gluttony; the belly [as opposed to the Groin (q.v.).]

2. in. pl. (common).—The stomach and intestines.

1609. Dekker, Gul’s Horne-Booke, chap. ii. The Neapolitan will (like Derick, the hangman) embrace you with one arme, and rip your guts with the other.

1640. Rawlins, The Rebellion, iii. (Dodsley, Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 48). Thou hast a gut could swallow a peck loaf.

1661. Brome, Poems, ‘A Satire on the Rebellion.’ The grumbling guts, the belly of the State.

1713. Bentley, On Free Thinking, sect. 53. What then was our writer’s soul? Was it brain or guts?

1754. Fielding, Jonathan Wild, bk. iv., c. 1. But so it was that the knife, missing these noble parts (the noblest of many) the guts, perforated only the hollow of his belly.

1787. Burns, Death and Dr. Hornbook, st. 27. A countra Laird had ta’en the batts, Or some curmurring in his guts.

3. in. pl. (old).—A fat man; a forty-guts (q.v.). Also Guts-and-garbage. More Guts (also More Balls) than Brains = a fool.

1598. Shakspeare, Henry IV., pt. 1, ii., 2. Peace, ye fat-guts.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Gutts, a very fat gross Person.

4. (artists’ and colloquial).—Spirit; quality; a touch of force, or energy, or fire: e.g., a picture, a book, an actor. With guts = a strong thing. Put your guts into it (aquatic) = Row the very best you can. He (or it) has no guts in him (or it) = He (or it) is a common rotter (q.v.). Hence, Gutsy, adj. = having guts, and Gutsiness, subs. = the condition of being gutsy.

1738. Swift, Polite Conversation, I. The fellow’s well enough if he had any guts in his brain.

1893. Pall Mall Budget. No. 1292 (June 29), 1906. The body of the cigar, or what might vulgarly be called the guts.

Verb (vulgar).—1. To plunder, or take out all or most of the contents (i.e., intestines) of a place or thing; to drain; to ‘clean out’: e.g., to gut a house (thieves’) = to rifle it; to gut an oyster = to eat it; to gut a book = to empty it of interesting matter; to gut a quart pot = to drain at a draught. Whence, Gutted = dead-broke.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib, p. 1. Whether diddling your subjects or gutting their jobs.

1849–61. Macaulay, Hist. of England. The king’s printing-house … was, to use a coarse metaphor, which then for the first time came into fashion, completely gutted.

1892. R. L. Stevenson and L. Osbourne, The Wrecker, p. 373. Well, we’ve got the guts out of you!

2. (schools’).—To eat hard, fast, and badly. For synonyms, see Wolf.

To fret one’s guts, verb. phr. (common).—To worry.

To have plenty of guts but no bowels, verb. phr. (common).—To be unfeeling, hard, merciless.

My great guts are ready to eat my little ones, phr. (old).—‘I am very hungry.’ Also, my guts begin to think my throat’s cut; my guts curse my teeth; and my guts chime twelve.—Grose.

Not fit to carry guts to a bear, phr. (common).—To be worthless; absolutely unmannerly; unfit for human food (q.v.).

Gut-entrance, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. Also front-gut. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

Gut-foundered, adj. (old).—Exceedingly hungry.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

Gut-pudding, subs. (old).—A sausage.—Nomenclator (1696). For synonyms, see Mysteries.

Gut-puller, subs. (common).—A poulterer; a chicken-butcher (q.v.).

Gut-scraper, subs. (common).—A fiddler. Also catgut scraper, and tormentor of catgut. For synonyms, see Rosin-the-bow.

1719. Durfey, Pills, ii., 218. ‘A Song’ etc. Strike up, drowsie gut-scrapers.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

1785. Burns, Jolly Beggars. Her charms had struck a sturdy Caird, As weel’s a poor gut-scraper.

1834. W. H. Ainsworth, Rookwood, p. 192 (ed. 1864). Make ready there, you gut-scrapers, you shawm-shavers; I’ll put your lungs in play for you presently. In the mean time—charge, pals, charge—a toast, a toast!

1834. Marryat, Peter Simple, ch. xxxi. ‘You may save yourself the trouble, you dingy gut-scraper,’ replied O’Brien [addressing a fiddler].

Gut-stick, subs. (venery).—The penis. For synonyms, see Creamstick and Prick. To have a bit (or a taste) of the gut-stick = to copulate (of women only).

Gut-sticker, subs. phr. (venery).—A sodomite. Also gut-fucker and gut-monger. For synonyms, see Usher.

Gutter, subs. (American thieves’).—1. Porter.—Matsell. [Probably a corruption of gatter (q.v.).]

2. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

Verb (Winchester College).—To fall in the water flat on the stomach. Fr., piquer un plat-ventre.

To lap the gutter, verb. phr. (common).—To be in the last stage of intoxication. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

Carry me out and leave me in the gutter, phr. (American).—See Carry me out.

Gutter-alley (or Lane), subs. (common).—The throat. All goes down Gutter-lane = ‘He spends all on his stomach.’

English Synonyms.—Beer Street; common sewer; drain; funnel; Gin Lane; gulf; gullet; gully-hole; gutter; Holloway; Peck Alley; Red Lane; the Red Sea; Spew Alley; swallow; thrapple; throttle; whistle.

French Synonyms.—La carafe (tramps’); la creuse (popular = Holloway); le corridor; le cornet (popular); le couloir; le lampas; la goule (popular); le gose (popular: an abbreviation of gosier: also gésier); la gargoine (thieves’); la gargarousse (thieves’ = Old Gargles); le four (popular = the oven); le fanal (popular); l’entonnoir (popular = the funnel); l’avaloir (thieves’ = the swallow).

German Synonym.—Kollert (Hanoverian).

Spanish Synonym.—La gorja.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

1787. Grose, Prov. Glossary, g. (1811), p. 81. All goeth down Gutter Lane. That is, the throat. This proverb is applicable to those who spend all their substance in eating and drinking.

2. (common).—A urinal. For synonyms, see Pissing-post.

Gutter-blood, subs. (common).—1. See quot. Also (2) a vulgarian; an upstart from the rabble.

1822. Scott, The Fortunes of Nigel, ch. v. In rushed a thorough Edinburgh gutterblood—a ragged rascal.

Gutter-chaunter, subs. (common).—A street singer.

Gutter-hotel, subs. (tramps’).—The open air. For synonyms, see Hedge-square.

Gutter-literature. See Blood-and-thunder, and Awful.

Gutter-master, subs. (old).—A term of reproach.

1607. Marston, What You Will, iii, 1. And now my soule is skipt into a perfumer, a guttermaster.

Gutter-prowler, subs. (thieves’).—A street thief. For synonyms, see Area-sneak and Thieves.

Gutter-snipe, subs. (common).—1. A street arab. Also Gutter-slush. For synonyms, see Mudlark.

2. (American printers’).—A poster for the kerb.

3. (American Commercial).—An ‘outside’ broker who does business chiefly in the street; a kerbstone broker (q.v.). Fr., un loup-cervier.

Guttie, subs. (golfers’).—1. A gutta-percha ball.

2. (colloquial).—A glutton.—For synonyms, see Stodger.

3. (colloquial).—A forty-guts, which see for synonyms.

Guttle, verb. (vulgar).—To eat greedily; to gormandize (q.v.). Also to drink: e.g., to guttle a pint = to take off, or do, a pint; ‘He’s been guttling swipes’ = he’s been drinking beer. Hence guttler = a coarse, or greedy eater; a sturdy pot-companion: a gorger (q.v.). Cf., Thackeray’s Book of Snobs for Guttlebury Fair. See Guzzle.

1672. Lestrange, Fables, p. 260. A jolly guttling priest.

Guttle-shop, subs. (Rugby).—A pastry-cook’s; a tuck-shop (q.v.).

Guv, subs. (common).—An abbreviation of governor (q.v.).

Guy, subs. (colloquial).—1. A Fifth of November effigy; whence (2) an ill-dressed person. As in the old street cry, ‘Hollo, boys, there goes another guy!’ (an abbreviation of Guy Fawkes) = a figure of fun; a fright.

English Synonyms.—Caution; Captain Queer-nabs; chivey; comic bird; ragamuffin; sight.

French Synonyms. Un paquet (popular); une hallebarde (popular = a clothes-prop); un nippe-mal (popular); une bécasse (= a gaby); un carnavale (popular = a figure of fun).

1806. W. Burrell, in C. K. Sharpe’s Correspondence (1888), i., 277. A month ago there was neither shape nor make in use … no guy ever matched me.

1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends. ‘The Nurse’s Story.’ Did you see her, in short, that mud-hovel within, With her knees to her nose, and her nose to her chin, Leering up with that queer, indescribable grin, You’d lift up your hands in amazement and cry, ‘Well!—I never did see such a regular guy!’

1858. G. Eliot, Janet’s Repentance, ch. vi. Ned Phipps … whispered that he thought the Bishop was a guy, and I certainly remember thinking that Mr. Prendergast looked much more dignified with his plain white surplice and black hair.

1871. Morning Advertiser, 26 Jan. There is no imperative reason why a constable should be a guy.

3. (common).—A dark lantern. [Obviously a reminiscence of the Gunpowder Plot].

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum. Guy, s.v. Stow the guy, conceal the lanthorn.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

4. (streets).—A jaunt; an expedition.

1889. Sporting Times, 3 Aug., p. 5, c. 5. There was a gee, there was a buggy, but there wasn’t a punctual Pitcher. So a cheerful guy to Waterloo was the game.

Verb (common).—1. To quiz; to chaff; to roast (q.v.); to josh (q.v.).

1889. Detroit Free Press, 26 Jan. His advent here created much merriment, and the operators guyed him loud enough for him to hear them.

2. (common).—To escape; to hedge (q.v.); to run away. Also to do a guy (which also = to give a false name). For synonyms, see Amputate and Skedaddle.

1879. J. W. Horsley, in Macmillan’s Mag., xl. 500. I planned with another boy to guy (run away).

1887. Fun, 23 Mar., p. 125. ‘Boat-race Day, as per usual,’ said the clerk to the court, ‘they’ll all be doing guys’ (giving false names!).

1889. Clarkson and Richardson, Police, p. 321. To run away.… Do a guy.

1892. Punch, 24 Sept. ‘’Arry at Arrygate.’ I just did a guy.

3. (American).—To spoil; to muddle; to disfigure or distort.

1891. New York Herald, 31 May, p. 12, c. 4. Finally, I would remind them that they are apt to guy their cause by making ‘guys’ of themselves, and that the best way of making women a power in the land is by encouraging them to be womanly women.

4. (theatrical).—To damn; to hiss; to slate (q.v.) or give the bird (q.v.).

Guzzle (or Guttle), subs. (vulgar).—1. An insatiable eater or drinker. For synonyms, see Stodger and Lushington respectively.

2. (vulgar).—A debauch.

1876. Hindley, Adventures of Cheap Jack, 58. Doing a guzzle with money he earned.

3. (common).—Drink.

1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, Bk. II., ch. i., note. It signifies rum-booze, as our gipsies call good-guzzle.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.

1698–1700. Ward, London Spy, part III., p. 47. A Pennyworth of burnt Bread soften’d in a Mug of Porter’s guzzle.

c. 1795. Wolcot [P. Pindar], Peter’s Pension, in wks. (Dublin, 1795), vol. i., p. 484. Lo, for a little meat and guzzle, This sneaking cur, too, takes the muzzle.

Verb. (vulgar).—1. To drink greedily, or to excess.

1607. Dekker, Westward Ho, v., 1. My master and Sir Gosling are guzzling; they are dabbling together fathom-deep.

1693. Dryden, Persius, vi., 51. And, lavish of suspense, Quaffs, crams, and guttles, in his own defence.

1698. Farquhar, Love and a Bottle, Act i. His education could reach no farther than to guzzle fat ale.

1727. Gay, Beggars Opera, i., 3. Tom Tipple, a guzzling soaking sot, who is always too drunk to stand himself.

1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5th ed.). Guzzle (v.) to tipple, to fuddle, to drink much and greedily.

1782. Wolcot [P. Pindar], Lyric Odes, Ode i. The poet might have guttled till he split.

1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. lxi. Are you … to tell me that the aim of life is to guttle three courses and dine off silver?

Guzzle-guts, subs. (common).—A glutton; a hard drinker.—Lex. Bal. (1811). See Guzzle.

Guzzler, subs. (colloquial).—A hard drinker; a coarse, voracious feeder. See Guzzle.

a. 1760. T. Brown, Works, iii., 265 [ed. 1760]. Being an eternal guzzler of wine, his mouth smelt like a vintner’s vault.

1841. Dickens, Barnaby Rudge, ch. xiii. To be looked upon as a common pipe-smoker, beer-bibber, spirit-guzzler, and toss-pot.

Guzzling, subs. (vulgar).—Eating or drinking to excess; also eating or drinking in a coarse unmannerly fashion.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib, p. 28. What with snoozing, high-grubbing and guzzling like Chloe.

1882. F. Anstey, Vice Versâ, ch. xv. There shall be no pocketing at this table, sir. You will eat that pudding under my eye at once, and you will stay in and write out French verbs for two days. That will put an end to any more guzzling in the garden for a time, at least.

Guzzum, subs. (American).—Chatter; noise. For synonyms, see Patter.

1888. Detroit Free Press, 22 Dec. ‘Now, Jerry, if yer don’t stop yer guzzum I’ll skin yer alive!’ she exclaimed as she stood in the door and flourished a skillet at him.

G.Y. All a G.Y., adv. phr. (North Country).—Crooked; all on one side; ‘all of a hugh.’

Gybe, subs. (old).—A written paper.

1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 65 A gyb, a writing.

1608. Dekker, Belman of London, in wks. (Grosart) III., 104. His office is to make counterfet licences, which are called gybes.

1724. E. Coles, Eng. Dict. Gybe, any Writing or Pass.

1818. Scott, Heart of Midlothian, ch. xxv. He knows my gybe [pass] as well as the jark [seal] of e’er a queer cuffin [justice of peace] in England.

Verb (old).—1. To whip; to castigate. E.g., gybed at the cart’s arse = whipped at the cart’s tail.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, Gyb’d, jerkt or whipt.

Gybing (also Gibery), subs. (old: now recognised).—Jeering.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

Gyger. See Jigger.

Gymnasium, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

Gyp, subs. (Cambridge University).—1. A college servant. At Oxford, a scout, at Dublin, a skip. [Etymology doubtful: according to Sat. Rev. an abbreviation of Gipsy Joe; according to Cambridge undergraduates from the Greek γύψ (gups) = a vulture; from the creature’s rapacity.]

1794. Gent. Mag., p. 1085. [A Cambridge college servant is called a jip.]

1842. Tait’s Mag., Oct., ‘Reminiscences of Coll. Life.’ There is attached to colleges and halls a person more useful than ornamental, and better known than paid, whom Oxonians name Gyp, from his supposed moral affinity to a vulture (γύψ). The same is in Dublin denominated a Skip, because of the activity which is an indispensable item in his qualifications.

1849. C. Kingsley, Alton Locke, ch. xii. I’ll send you in luncheon as I go through the butteries; then, perhaps, you’d like to come down and see the race. Ask the Gyp to tell you the way.

1850. Smedley, Frank Fairleigh, p. 254. Fellow you call the gyp wanted to make me believe you were out—thought I looked too like a governor to be let in, I suppose.

1882. F. Anstey, Vice Versâ, ch. v. Who should we see coming straight down on us but a Proctor with his bull-dogs (not dogs, you know, but the strongest gyps in the college).

2. (American).—A thief. For synonyms, see Thieves.

Gypsies of Science, subs. phr. (literary.)—The British Association.

1846. Times, 5 Sept. On Thursday next, the Gipsies of Science (the British Association) will have pitched their tents at Southampton.

Gyrotwistive, adj. (American).—Full of evasions and tricks; a ‘portmanteau word.’

Gyte, subs. (common).—1. A child; in contempt. [A corruption of goat.]

2. (Scots’).—A first year’s pupil in the Edinburgh High School.

Gyvel, subs. (Scots’ venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

d. 1796. Burns, The Merry Muses, ‘Nine Inches for a Lady,’ 33–4. Come louse and lug your battering ram, An’ thrash him at my gyvel.

aberdasher, subs. (old colloquial: now recognised).—1. A dealer in small wares; specifically (1) a hatter, and (2, humorously) a publican (i.e., a seller of tape [q.v.]). Now restricted to a retail draper.

1599. Minsheu, Dictionarie, s.v.

1632. Jonson, The Magnetic Lady, ‘Induction.’ Poetaccios, poetasters, poetitos.… And all haberdashers of small wit.

d. 1680. Butler, Remains (1759), ii., 107. He set up haberdasher of a small poetry.

1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, iii., 5. The haberdasher is the whistler, otherwise the spirit-merchant, Jerry—and tape the commodity he deals in.

Haberdasher of pronouns, subs. phr. (common).—A schoolmaster. For synonyms, see Bumbrusher.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

Habit, subs. (old University).—See quot.

1803. Gradus ad Cantabrigiam. Habit. College Habit, College dress, called of old, Livery: the dress of the Master, Fellows, and Scholars.

Hab-nab (or Hob-nob (q.v.)), adv. (old).—1. At random; promiscuously; helter-skelter; ding-dong.

1602. Shakspeare, Twelfth Night, iii., 4. His incensement at this moment is so great that satisfaction can be none but by pangs of death and sepulchre. Hob-nob is his word; give’t, or take’t.

1664. Butler, Hudibras, ii., 3. Although set down hab-nab at random.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v. Hab-nab, at a Venture, Unsight, Unseen, Hit or Miss.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.

2. (old).—By hook or by crook; by fair means or foul.

1581. Lilly, Euphues, 109. Philantus determined habnab to send his letters.

Verb (old).—To drink with; giving health for health.

1836. Horace Smith, The Tin Trumpet. ‘Address to a Mummy.’ Perchance that very hand now pinioned flat Has hob-and-nobbed with Pharaoh glass for glass.

Hack (or Hackney), subs. (old: now recognised).—1. A person or thing let out for promiscuous use: e.g., a horse, a whore, a literary drudge. Whence (2) a coach that plies for hire; (3) (stables’) a horse for everyday use, as offered to one for a special purpose—hunting, racing, polo. (4) (Cambridge Univ.), see quot. 1803. Also Hackster.

1383. Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, 16,027. His Hakeney, which that was a pomele gris.

1540. Lyndsay, Satyre of the thrie Estaits, 3237. I may finde the Earle of Rothus best hacknay.

1582. Hakluyt, Voyages, i., 400. There they use to put out their women to hire as we do here hackney horses.

1594. Shakspeare, Love’s Labour’s Lost, iii., 1. The hobby-horse is but a colt, and your love perhaps a hackney.

1594. Nashe, Unf. Traveller, 101 (Chiswick Press, 1890). Out whore, strumpet, sixpenny hackster, away with her to prison!

1672. Ray, Proverbs. Hackney mistress, hackney maid.

1678. Butler, Hudibras, pt. iii., c. 1. That is no more than every lover Does from his hackney-lady suffer.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v. Hacks, or Hackneys, Hirelings. Ibid., Hackney Horses. Ibid., Hackney Scribblers. Ibid., Hackney Whores, Common Prostitutes.

1738. Pope, Ep. to Sat. Shall each spurgall’d hackney of the day, Or each new pension’d sycophant, pretend To break my windows?

1754. Fielding, Jonathan Wild, iv., 14. With wonderful alacrity he had ended almost in an instant, and conveyed himself into a place of safety in a hackney-coach.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hackney-writer, one who writes for attornies or booksellers.

1803. Gradus ad Cantabrigiam. Hacks. Hack Preachers; the common exhibitioners at St. Mary’s, employed in the service of defaulters, and absentees.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib. I first was hired to peg a hack.

1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, i., 7. A rattler is a rumbler, otherwise a Jarvy! Better known, perhaps, by the name of a hack.

1841. Leman Rede, Sixteen String Jack, ii., 3. I’ll get a hack, be off in a crack.

Verb (colloquial, football).—To kick shins. Hacking = the practice of kicking shins at football.

1857. G. A. Lawrence, Guy Livingstone, ch. i. I saw, too, more than one player limp out of his path disconsolately, trying vainly to dissemble the pain of a vicious hack.

1869. Spencer, Study of Sociology, ch. viii. p. 186 (9th ed.). And thus, perhaps, the ‘education of a gentleman’ may rightly include giving and receiving hacking of the shins at foot-ball.

1872. The Echo, 3 Nov. Some of the modern foot ball players have the tips of their shoes tipped with iron, and others wear a kind of armour or iron plate under their knicker-bockers to avoid … what is called hacking.

Hackle, subs. (common).—Pluck; spirit; bottom (q.v.). To show hackle = to show fight. [Hackle = a long shining feather on a cock’s neck.] Fr., avoir du foie; n’avoir pas le flubart, or avoir du poil au ciel.

Hackslaver, verb. (old).—To stammer; to splutter; to hesitate in speech.

Hackum (or Captain Hackum, or Hackster), subs. (old).—A bully; a bravo. For synonyms, see Furioso.

1657. Lady Alimony, 1, 3 (Dodsley, Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., p. 282). Vowing, like a desperate haxter that he has express command to seize upon all our properties.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v. Hackam, Fighting Fellow.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hackum, Captain Hackum, a bravo, a slasher.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum. Hackum, a bravado, a slasher, ‘Capt. Hackum,’ a fellow who slashes with a bowie-knife.

Had.—See Have.

Haddock, subs. (common).—1. A purse. Haddock of Beans = a purse of money. [Haddock = cod: O. Sw., Rudde; Ic., Koddi = a small bag. Cf., Codpiece.] For synonyms, see Poge.

1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes. Melrusio, the fish we call a hadock, or a cod. Ibid. Metter la faua nel bacello, to put the beane into the cod.

1834. H. Ainsworth, Rookwood, bk. III., ch. xiii. ‘What’s here?’ cried he, searching the attorney’s pockets … ‘a haddock, stuffed with nothing, I’m thinking.’

2. in. pl. (Stock Exchange).—North of Scotland Ordinary Stock.

Haddums (or Had ’em).—See quots.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew. The Spark has been at Haddums. He is Clapt, or Poxt.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. He has been at Had’em and come home by Clapham, said of one who has caught the venereal disease.

Hag, subs. (old: now recognised).—1. A witch. Whence (2) an ugly old woman; a she-monster. Also (3) a nightmare. At Charterhouse, a female of any description; at Winchester, a matron. Hence, Hag-ridden = troubled with nightmare. Hag-born = witch-born. Hag-seed (Shakspeare, Tempest) = spawned of a witch. Hag-faced = foul-featured. In another sense, Hags = spots of firm ground in a moss or bog.

d. 1529. Skelton, Duke of Albany, Lyke a Scottish hag.

1606. Wily Beguiled (Dodsley, Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, ix., 277). Like to some hellish hag or some damned fiend.

1606. Shakspeare, Macbeth, iv., 1. How now, you secret, black, and midnight Hags!

1627. Drayton, The Moon-calf (Chalmer’s English Poets, 1810, iv., 133). The filthy hag abhoring of the light.

1632. Jonson, Magnetic Lady, v. 6. Out hag!

1637. Jonson, Sad Shepherd, ii., 2. As if you knew the sport of witch-hunting, Or starting of a hag.

1680. Cotton, Poems, etc., ‘To Poet E.W.’ Adulterate hags, fit for a common stew.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v.

1748. Thomson, Castle of Indolence, i., 73. Fierce fiends and Hags of hell their only nurses were.

1773–83. Hoole, Orlando Furioso, xliii., 998. But such a Hag to paradise conveyed, Had withered by her looks the blissful shade.

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, xliii. Hatteraick himself, and the gypsy sailor, and that old hag.

1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 89. Old women were there also, with hideous vice-stamped features, veritable hags all of them.

Your Hagship! phr. (common).—In contempt (of women).

Hag-finder, subs. (old).—A witch finder.

1637. Jonson, Sad Shepherd, ii., 2. That I do promise, or I am no good hag-finder.

Hagged, adj. (old, now [as Haggard] recognised).—Ugly; gaunt; hag-like.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v. Hagged, Lean, Witched, Half-starved.

1716–1771. Gray, A Long Story. The ghostly prudes with Hagged face.

Haggisland, subs. (common).—Scotland.

Haggle, verb. (old, now recognised).—To bargain keenly; to stick at, or out for, trumpery points; to debate small issues.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v.

1849–61. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., ch. xx. Haggling with the greedy, making up quarrels.

Haggler, subs. (old).—Formerly a travelling merchant; a pedlar: now (in London vegetable markets) a middleman. Cf., Bummaree.

1662. Fuller, Worthies; Dorsetshire. Horses, on which Haglers used to ride and carry their commodities.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v. A Hagler, one that buys of the Country Folks, and sells in the Market, and goes from Door to Door.

1697. Vanbrugh, Æsop, ii, 1. I’se no hagler, gadswookers; and he that says I am—’zbud, he lies!

1851–61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, vol. I., p. 83. A Haggler being, as I before explained, the middle-man.

Hail. To raise hail (or Ned, or Cain, or Hell), verb. phr. (American).—To make a disturbance; to kick up a row.

1888. Portland Transcript, 7 Mar. He is determined that they shall have a clear deed to one hundred and sixty acres of land when the question is settled, or he will raise hail.

To be hail fellow well met, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be on very easy terms: also at hail-fellow.

1574–1656. Hall’s Satires, III., i., p. 40. Now man, that erst haile-fellow was with beast, Woxe on to weene himselfe a god at least.

1665. Homer à la Mode. The cookes too, having done, were set At table hay fellow well met. [Quoted by Nares].

1667–1745. Swift, My Lady’s Lamentation. Hail fellow, well met, all dirty and wet; Find out, if you can, who’s master, who’s man.

1886. R. L. Stevenson, Kidnapped, p. 108. And at first he sings small, and is hail-fellow-well-met with Sheamus—that’s James of the Glens, my chieftain’s agent.

To be hailed for the last time, verb. phr. (nautical).—To die. For synonyms, see Aloft.

1891. W. C. Russell, Ocean Tragedy, p. 322. He’s been hailed for the last time.

Hair, subs. (venery).—1. The female pubes. Whence (2) generic for the sex: e.g., after hair = in quest of a woman; plenty of hair = lots of girls; hair to sell = a woman with a price; hair-monger = a wencher; bit of hair = the sexual favour. For synonyms, see Fleece.

To go against the Hair, verb. phr. (old colloquial).—To go against the grain, or contrary to nature. [From the texture of furs.]

1589. Nashe, Martin’s Months Minde (Grosart), i., 188. For hee euer went against the haire.

1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives, ii., 3. If you should fight, you go against the hair of your professions.

1661. Middleton, Mayor of Queenborough, C. P. xi., 122. Books in women’s hands are as much against the hair, methinks, as to see men wear stomachers, Or night-railes.

Both of a Hair, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Very much alike. Also, two of a trade, and two in a tale.

Not worth a Hair, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Utterly worthless. Cf., Cent, Rap, Dump, etc.

To a Hair, adv. phr.—(colloquial).—Exactly; to a nicety. Cf., To fit to a Hair = to fit perfectly.

1697. Vanbrugh, Æsop, i, 1. Here was a young gentlewoman but just now pencilled me out to a hair.

1738. Swift, Polite Conversation. Miss. Well I love a Lyar with all my Heart; and you fit me to a hair.

1891. W. C. Russell, Ocean Tragedy, p. 30. The fellow fits my temper to a hair.

To split Hairs, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To cavil about trifles; to quibble; to be over-nice in argument.

1693. Congreve, Old Bachelor, ii., 2. Now, I must speak; it will split a hair by the Lord Harry.

Suit of Hair, subs. phr. (American).—A head of hair (q.v.).

To raise (or lift) Hair, verb. phr. (American).—To scalp; hence, idiomatically, to defeat; to kill. To keep one’s hair = to escape a danger.

1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 194. Kit Carson … had raised more hair from the red-skins than any two men in the Western country.

1891. Gunter, Miss Nobody, p. 101. If you’ll take the chances of keeping your hair.

To comb one’s Hair, verb. phr. (common).—To castigate; to monkey (q.v.). See Comb one’s Hair, ante.

To hold (or keep) one’s Hair (or Wool) on, verb. phr. (common).—To keep one’s temper; to avoid excitement; to take easily. Also to keep one’s shirt on, or to pull down one’s jacket (or vest). Fr., être calme et inodore.

1885. Bret Harte, A Ship of ’49, ch. vi. ‘But what the devil——’ interrupted the young man impetuously. ‘Keep yer hair on!’ remonstrated the old man with dark intelligence.

1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 78. Do keep your ’air on, dear pal.

1892. Cassell’s Sat. Jour., 5 Oct., p. 45, c. 1. ‘Who make devil’s row like that all night?’ he asked. ‘Keep your hair on, Moses Trinko,’ replied the reception officer, cheerily.

A Hair of the Black Bear (or B’ar), subs. phr. (American).—A spice of the devil.

1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 6. Thar was old grit in him, too, and a hair of the black b’ar at that.

To get one’s Hair Cut, verb. phr. (venery).—To visit a woman; to see a sick friend (q.v.). For synonyms, see Greens and Ride.

1892. Anstey, Model Music Hall, 154. Tommy. What, Uncle, going? The W. U. (with assumed jauntiness). Just to get my hair cut.

To make one’s hair stand on end, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To astonish.

1697. Vanbrugh, Provoked Wife, lv., 4. It’s well you are come: I’m so frightened, my hair stands on end.

1886. J. S. Winter, Army Society, ch. iii. If I were to tell you some incidents of my life since you and I last met, I should make your hair stand on end.

A Hair of the Dog that Bit you, subs. phr. (common).—A ‘pick-me-up’ after a debauch. [Apparently a memory of the superstition, which was and still is common, that, being bitten by a dog, one cannot do better than pluck a handful of hair from him, and lay it on the wound. Also figuratively, see quot. 1888.]

1531. Bovilli, Prov. ii., xvi. siècle, t. i., p. 102. Du poil de la beste qui te mordis, Ou de son sanc sera guéris.

1546. Heywood, Proverbs [1874], 79. What how fellow, thou knave, I pray thee let me and my fellow have A haire of the dog that bit us last night. And bitten were we bothe to the braine aright.

1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fayre, I. ’Twas a hot night with some of us, last night, John: shall we pluck a hair of the same wolf to-day, proctor John?

1738. Swift, Polite Convers., Dial. 2. Lady Gur. But, Sir John, your ale is terrible strong and heady.… Sir John. Why, indeed, it is apt to fox one; but our way is to take a hair of the same dog next morning.

1841. Dickens, B. Rudge, ch. lii. Put a good face upon it, and drink again. Another hair of the dog that bit you, captain!

1888. Detroit Free Press. ‘Talk of the Day,’ 3 Nov. Travis.—‘Hello, De Smith! You’re looking better than I expected. I understood that you were completely crushed by that love affair. How did you recover?’ De Smith.—‘Hair of the dog that bit me. Fell in love with another girl.’

Hair-butcher, subs. (American).—A barber. For synonyms, see Nob-thatcher.

1888. Puck’s Library, May, p. 15. ’Oi ’m wullin’ thot bloomin’ hair-butcher shud have a fit, av he wants.

Hair-court, subs. phr. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable. To take a turn in Hair-court = to copulate.

Hair-divider (or -splitter), subs. (venery).—The penis. For synonyms, see Creamstick and Prick. Also Beard-splitter.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. Hair-splitter, a man’s yard.

Hair-pin, subs. (American).—An individual, male or female: e.g., That’s the sort of hair-pin I am = that’s my style.

1888. Detroit Free Press, 6 Oct. ‘That’s the kind of hairpins we are,’ said the enthusiastic swain.

Hairy, adj. (Oxford University).—1. Difficult.

d. 1861. Arthur Clough, Long Vacation Pastoral. Three weeks hence we return to the shop and the wash-hand-stand-bason, Three weeks hence unbury Thicksides and hairy Aldrich.

1864. The Press, 12 Nov. Hairy for difficult is a characteristic epithet.

2. (colloquial).—Splendid; famous; conspicuous; uncommon.

1892. Rudyard Kipling, Barrack Room Ballads. ‘The Sons of the Widow.’ Did you hear of the Widow of Windsor with a hairy gold crown on her head?

3. (venery).—Desirable; full of sex; fuckable (q.v.). [Said only of women: e.g., Hairy Bit = an amorous and taking wench.] See Hair.

To feel hairy, verb. phr. (venery).—To be inclined for coition; to have a must (q.v.).

Hairyfordshire, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. To go to Hairyfordshire = to copulate. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

Hairy-oracle (or -ring), subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. Working the hairy-oracle = wenching. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

Halbert. To get the halbert, verb. phr. (old military).—To rise to sergeant’s rank. [The weapon was carried by sergeants of foot.] To be brought to the halberts = to be flogged; to carry the halbert in one’s face = to show that one rose from the ranks (of officers in commission).

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

Half. It’s half past kissing time and time to kiss again. phr. (common).—The retort impudent (to females) when asked the time. A snatch from a ballad. [In Swift (Polite Conversation) = an hour past hanging time.]

Half-a-crack (or jiffy, or tick).—Half a second.

Half-and-half, subs. (colloquial).—Equal quantities of ale and porter; Cf., Four-half and Drinks.

1824. Reynolds, Peter Corcoran, 41. Over my gentle half-and-half.

1835. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, p. 111. We were never tired of wondering how the hackney-coachmen on the opposite stand could … drink pots of half-and-half so near the last drop.

1841. Albert Smith (in Punch). ‘The Physiology of the London Medical Student.’ Half-and-half … is … ale and porter, the proportion of the porter increasing in an inverse ratio to the respectability of the public house you get it from.

1854. Martin and Aytoun, Bon Gaultier Ballads. ‘My Wife’s Cousin.’ Half-and-half goes down before him, Gurgling from the pewter-pot; And he moves a counter motion For a glass of something hot.

1872. Fun, July. ‘The Right Tap.’ If the lever, meaning a plumper, were labelled ‘stout,’ and those recording a split vote half and half, the illusion would be complete.

Adj. (common).—Half-drunk; half-on (q.v.). For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

1848. Duncombe, Sinks of London. Half and half, half seas over, tipsy.

Half-and-half-coves (or men, boys, etc.), subs. (old).—Cheap or linsey-woolsey dandies; half-bucks (q.v.) and half-tigers (q.v.).

1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, i., 7. Jerry. The half-and-half coves are somewhat different from the swaddies, and gay tyke boys, at the dog pit—Eh, Tom?

Half-an-eye. To see with half an eye, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To discern readily; to be quick at conclusions.

Half-baked (or Soft-baked), adj. (common).—Halfwitted; cracked; soft (q.v.); doughy (q.v.); also half-rocked (q.v.). For synonyms, see Apartments and Tile Loose. Fr., n’avoir pas la tête bien cuite.

1825. Scott, St. Ronan’s Well, ii., 221. He must scheme forsooth, this half-baked Scotch cake! He must hold off and on, and be cautious, and wait the result, and try conclusions with me, this lump of natural dough!

1857. C. Kingsley, Two Years Ago, ch. iv. ‘A sort of half-baked body,’ said Kate.

1886. W. Besant, Children of Gibeon, Bk. II., ch. xiv. A daughter of seventeen not quite right in her head—half-baked, to use the popular and feeling expression.

1890. Answers, Xmas No., p. 19, c. 3. ‘You needn’t be so crusty,’ said Todkins to his better half. ‘Better be a little crusty than not half-baked,’ was the reply of his amiable spouse.

1892. Pall Mall Gaz., 1 Nov., p. 2, c. 3. Mr. Vane Tempest as serenest of half-baked cynics, and Mr. H. Vincent as most credulous of bibulous optimists.

Half-breed, subs. (American political).—A nick-name applied to certain New York Republicans, who wavered in their allegiance during an election to the Senate in 1881.—Norton.

Half-cocked, adv. (common).—Half-drunk. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

1887. H. Smart, Saddle and Sabre, ch. xvii. ‘Black Bill,’ as he was called by his brother jockeys, was very often half-cocked when he got up to ride.… The man could ride as well half-drunk as sober.

To go off at half-cock (or half-cocked), verb. phr. 1. (sporting).—To fail through hasty and ill considered endeavours; and 2. (venery) = to ejaculate before completing erection.

1848. Lowell, Biglow Papers [Wk. 1891], p. 231. Now don’t go off half-cock: folks never gains By usin’ pepper-sarse instid o’ brains.

Half-cracked, adv. (common).—Lacking in intelligence. See Apartments and Tile Loose.

1887. W. P. Frith, Autobiog., i., 129. Who was what is vulgarly called half-cracked.

Half-crown Word, subs. phr. (common).—1. A difficult or uncommon vocable; a jaw-breaker (q.v.) or crack-jaw. Also (tailors’) = a sleeveboard (q.v.).

Half-crowner, subs. (booksellers’).—A publication costing 2s. 6d.

Half-cut, adv. (common).—Half-drunk. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

Half-fly Flat, subs. phr. (thieves’).—A thief’s jackal; a man (or woman) hired to do rough or dirty work.

Half-grown Shad, subs. phr. (American).—A dolt. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.

1838. Neal, Charcoal Sketches. No more interlect than a half-grown shad.

Half Laugh and Purser’s Grin, subs. phr. (nautical).—A sneer; a half-and-half meaning.—Clark Russell.

Halflings, adj. (Scots’).—Betwixt and between. [Usually said of a boy or girl just leaving childhood.]

1818. Scott, Heart of Midlothian, xi. In my youth, nay, when I was a hafflins callant.

Half-man, subs. (nautical).—A landsman rated as A.B.

Half-marrow, subs. (old Scots’).—1. A faithless spouse; also a parcel husband or wife.

1600–61. Rutherford, Letters, i., 123. Plead with your harlot-mother, who hath been a treacherous half-marrow to her husband Jesus.

2. (nautical).—An incompetent seaman.

Half-moon, subs. (old).—1. A wig; and (2) the female pudendum. For synonyms, see Periwinkle and Monosyllable.

1611. Lodowick Barry, Ram Alley (Dodsley, Old Plays, vii., 326, ed. 1875). Is not her half-moon mine?

Half-mourning, subs. (common).—A black eye. Full-mourning = two black eyes or deep grief.

Half-nab (or nap), adv. (old).—See quot.

1791. Bampfylde-Moore Carew, Life. Half-nab—at a venture, unsight unseen, hit or miss.

Half-on, adj. (colloquial).—Half-drunk.

Half-rocked, adv. (common).—Half-witted; silly. [From a West Country saying that all idiots are nursed bottom upwards.] See Apartments and Tile Loose.

Half-saved, adv. (common).—Weak-minded; shallow-brained. See Apartments and Tile Loose.

1834. Southey, The Doctor, ch. x. William Dove’s was not a case of fatuity. Though all was not there, there was a great deal. He was what is called half-saved.

1874. M. Collins, Frances, ch. xlii. This groom was what they call in the west country half-saved.

Half-screwed, adj. (common).—More or less in liquor. See Drinks and Screwed.

1839. Lever, Harry Lorrequer, ch. ii. He was, in Kilrush phrase, half-screwed, thereby meaning more than half tipsy.

Half-seas Over, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Loosely applied to various degrees of inebriety. Formerly = half way on one’s course, or towards attainment. For synonyms, see Screwed.

[In its specific sense Gifford says, “a corruption of the Dutch op-zee zober, ‘over-sea beer,’ a strong heady beverage introduced into Holland from England.” ‘Up-zee Freese’ is Friezeland beer. The German zauber means ‘strong beer’ and ‘bewitchment.’ Thus (1610) in Jonson, Alchemist, iv., 2. ‘I do not like the dulness of your eye, It hath a heavy cast, ’tis upsee Dutch.’ Other nautical terms = drunk are water-logged; sprung; slewed; with one’s jib well bowsed; three sheets in the wind; channels under, but see Drinks and Screwed.]

1631–1701. Dryden. I am half-seas over to death.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v. Half-seas over, almost Drunk.

1697. Vanbrugh, Relapse, iii., 3. Good; that’s thinking half-seas over. One tide more brings us into port.

1714. Spectator, No. 616. The whole magistracy was pretty well disguised before I gave them the slip. Our friend the alderman was half-seas over before the bonfire was out.

1738. Swift, Pol. Convers., Dial. 1. You must own you had a drop in your eye; when I left you, you were half seas over.

1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, ch. ix. Who, by this time, had entered into all the jollity of his new friends, and was indeed more than half-seas-over.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

1829. J. B. Buckstone, Billy Taylor. The public-houses will not close till morn, And wine and spirituous liquors are so cheap, That we can all get nicely half seas over, And see no sea at all.

1839. Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard [1889], p. 40. Mr. Smith, now being more than half-seas over, became very uproarious.

1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. xxx. It’s pay-day with the General … and he’s a precious deal more than half-seas over.

1866. G. Eliot, Felix Holt, ch. xxviii. There’s truth in wine, and there may be some in gin and muddy beer.… I’ve got plenty of truth in my time out of men who were half-seas-over, but never any that was worth a sixpence to me.

1890. Globe, 16 Apr., p. 2, c. 1. The familiar phrase half-seas over, for example, is wanting, and for this we appear to be indebted to the Dutch.

1892. The Cosmopolitan, Oct., p. 724. The fellow half-seas-over everyone excuses.

Half-slewed, adj. (common).—Parcel drunk. For synonyms, see Screwed.

Half-snacks (or Half-snags), adv. phr. (colloquial).—Half-shares. See quots.

1683. Earl of Dorset, A Faithful Catalogue. She mounts the price and goes half snack herself.

1887. Walford’s Antiquarian, p. 252. Half-snags is a corrupted form of half snacks, i.e., half shares. If one of a party of arabs finds any article it becomes his entire property unless his fellows say Half-Snags, or ‘Quarter-bits,’ or ‘Some for your neighbours.’

Half-’un, subs. (common).—Half-a-glass of spirits and water; Half-a-Go (q.v.).

Half-widow, subs. (American).—A woman with a lazy and thriftless husband.

[For Half in combination, see also Bean: Borde; Bull; Case: Century; Couter; Dollar; George; Go; Grunter; Hog; Jack; James; Ned; Ounce; Quid; Skiv; Stretch; Tusheroon; Wheel.]

Halifax. Go to Halifax, verb. phr. (American).—Be off! go to hell (q.v.). The full text is Go to Hell, Hull, or Halifax. Cf., Bath, Blazes, Hull, Putney, etc.

1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe (Grosart, 1883–84, p. 284). If frier Pendela and his fellowes, had any thing to say to him, in his admiral court of the sea, let them seek him, and neither in hull, hell, nor halifax.

1875. Notes and Queries, 5 S., iv., p. 66. Go to Halifax. This expression is sometimes used in the United States as a mild substitute for a direction to go to a place not to be named to ears polite.

Hall, subs. (fishmongers’).—1. Specifically the hall = Leadenhall Market. Cf., Garden, Lane, etc.

2. (Oxford Univ.).—Dinner. [Which is taken in College hall.] To hall = to dine.

Go and Hire a Hall. phr. (American).—A retort upon loquacious bores.

Hall by the Sea, subs. phr. (medical students’).—The Examination Hall of the conjoined Board of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons. [Situate on the Embankment at the foot of Waterloo Bridge.]

Hall of Delight, subs. phr. (Australian).—A music hall.

1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 53. I thought you coons would find your way to this hall of delight.

Hallan-shaker (or Hallen-shaker), subs. (old).—A vagabond or sturdy beggar. For synonyms, see Cadger and Mumper.

c. 1503–4. Dunbar, A General Satyre wks. (ed. David Laing, 1834), ii., 26. Sic knavis and crakkeris to play at cartis and dyce. Sic halland-schakkaris.

c. 1600. Montgomerie, Poems (Scottish Text Soc., 1885–7), ‘Polwart and Montgomerie’s Flyting,’ p. 85. halland-shaker, draught-raiker, bannock-baiker, ale-beshitten.

(?) 1642. Old Ballad. ‘Maggie Lauder.’ Right scornfully she answered him, Begone, you Hallan-shaker.

1724. Journal from London, p. 4. Had seen me than staakin about like a hallen-shaker, You wou’d hae taen me for a water-wraith.

1816. Scott, Antiquary, ch. iv. I, and a wheen Hallenshakers like mysel’.

Halliballo.—See Hulliballo.

Hallion (or Hallyon), subs. (old).—1. A rogue; a clod; a gentleman’s servant out of livery; also (2) a shrew. Cf., Hell-cat.

1817. Scott, Rob Roy, ch. iv. This is a decentish hallion.

1847. Porter, Big Bear, etc., p. 69. The scoundrels! the oudacious little hellions!

Halloo. To halloo with the under dog, verb. phr. (American).—To take the losing side.

Halo. To work the halo racket, verb. phr. (common).—To grumble; to be dissatisfied. [From the story of the Saint in Heaven who got dissatisfied with his nimbus.]

Haltersack, subs. (old).—A gallows-bird; a general term of reproach and contempt.

1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, Bazaro, a shifter, a conicatcher … a haltersacke.

1619. Beaumont and Fletcher, King and no King, ii., 2. Away, you haltersack, you.

Halves, subs. (Winchester College).—(pro. Hāves.) Half-Wellington boots, which were strictly non licet (obs.).—Notions.

To go (or cry) halves, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To take (or claim) a half share or chance. In America, at the halves.

1831. Neal, Down Easters, ch. iv., p. 45. ‘Lives by preachin’ at the halves a sabba’-days.’ ‘Preaching at the halves—how’s that?’ ‘Why don’t you know? in partnership for what’s taken arter the sarmon’s over.’

1851–61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, III., 122. He’ll then again ask if anybody will go him halves.

Ham, subs. (old).—1. (in. pl.) Trousers: also Ham-cases. For synonyms, see Kicks.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. Hams, Breeches.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

1791. Bampfylde-Moore Carew, Life. Hams—breeches.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hams. Pants.

2. (American).—A loafer (q.v.). Also Ham-fatter. [The American Slang Dict. says ‘A tenth-rate actor or variety performer.’]

1888. Missouri Republican, 27 Mar. Connelly … is a good fighter, but will allow the veriest ham to whip him, if there is any money to be made by it.

1888. New York Herald, 29 July. The … more prosperous professional brother of the hamfatter.

No ham and all hominy, phr. (American).—Of indifferent quality; ‘no great shakes’; ‘all work and no play’; ‘much cry and little wool.’

Hamlet, subs. (old and American). See quots.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v. Hamlet … a High Constable.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. Hamlet, a High-Constable.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hamlet, a high constable (cant).

1791. Bampfylde-Moore Carew. Hamlet, a high-constable.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hamlet. A captain of police.

Ham-match, subs. (common).—A stand-up luncheon.

1890. Daily Telegraph, 4 Feb. At one o’clock they relieve their exhausted frames by taking perpendicular refreshment—vulgarly termed a ham match—at some City luncheon bar.

Hammer, subs. (pugilistic).—1. A hard-hitter: especially with the right hand, like the illustrious Hammer Lane. Also Hammerer and Hammer-man.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib, p. 33. A letter written on the occasion by Henry Harmer, the hammerer.

1823. Bee, Dict. of the Turf, 93. When a man hits very hard, chiefly with a favorite hand, his blows are said to fall like those of a sledge-hammer. Such boxers are hammering fighters, that do not defend their own vitals, cannot make sure of a blow, and are termed hammerers and hammermen.

2. (common).—An unblushing lie. For synonyms, see Whopper.

Verb (pugilistic).—1. To beat; to punish (q.v.).

1887. T. E. Brown, The Doctor, p. 159. And bedad I did, and before herself too, And hammered him well.

1891. Gunter, Miss Nobody, ch. ii. ‘Hammer him? What with?—a club?’ ‘No, with my fists.’

2. (American).—To bate; to drive down (prices, etc.).

1865. Harper’s Magazine, p. 619. The chronic bears were amusing themselves by hammering, i.e., pressing down the price of Hudsons.

3. (Stock Exchange).—To declare one a defaulter.

1885. Fortnightly Review, xxxviii., p. 578. A ‘defaulter’ has been declared or hammered, as it is technically termed.

1888. Echo, 28 Dec. If any unfortunate member be hammered to-day or to-morrow it will in all probability be a bear.

1890. Daily Telegraph, 1 Nov. This being the third day after the general settlement, a defaulter who had been unable to provide cash was hammered, and private arrangements are reported in other quarters without resort to this extreme measure.

1891. Pall Mall Gazette, 25 July, p. 1, c. 3. But what is an ‘outside broker?’ some (possibly lady) reader may ask. Well, he may be, and often is, a regular, who has been hammered for failing to meet his ‘differences.’

1891. Tit Bits, 15 Aug. I need not go into the circumstances which led to my being expelled from that honourable body, or hammered as it is familiarly called, owing to the taps with a hammer which the head porter gives before he officially proclaims the name of a defaulter.

Down as a hammer, adv. phr. (common).—1. Wide-awake; knowing (q.v.); fly (q.v.).

1819. Moore, Tom Crib, p. 45. To be down to anything is pretty much the same as being up to it, and down as a hammer is, of course, the intensivum of the phrase.

2. (colloquial).—Instant; peremptory; merciless. Cf., Like a thousand of bricks. Also To be down on … like a hammer.

At (or under) the hammer, adv. phr. (auctioneers’).—For sale at auction.

That’s the hammer, verb. phr. (colloquial).—An expression of approval or assent.

To be hammers to one, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To know what one means.

To hammer out (or into), verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be at pains to deceive; to reiterate; to force to hear.

1596. Ben Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, iii., 3. Now am I, for some five and fifty reasons, hammering, hammering revenge.

1719. Durfey, Pills, etc., iii., 23. If any Scholar be in doubt, And cannot well bring this matter about; The Blacksmith can hammer it out.

1888. J. McCarthy and Mrs. Campbell-Praed, The Ladies’ Gallery, ch. i. I think the chaps that are always hammering on about repentance and atonement and forgiveness of sin have got hold of the wrong end.

Hammer-and-Tongs, adv. phr. (common).—Very violently; ding-dong.

1781. G. Parker, View of Society, II., 108. His master and mistress were at it hammer and tongs.

1833. Marryat, Peter Simple, ch. xxxv. Our ships were soon hard at it, hammer and tongs.

1837. Marryat, Snarleyow. Ods bobs! Hammer and Tongs! long as I’ve been to sea.

1861. H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, ch. lx. Mr. Malone fell upon them hammer and tongs

1862. M. E. Braddon, Lady Audley’s Secret, ch. iv. ‘I always said the old buffer would marry,’ he muttered, after about half an hour’s reverie. ‘Alicia and my lady, the stepmother, will go at it hammer and tongs.’

1884. Jas. Payn, Talk of the Town, ch. xx. Both parties went at it hammer and tongs, and hit one another anywhere and with anything.

Hammer-headed, adj. (common).—1. Oafish; stupid.

1600. Nashe, Summers Last Will (Grosart), vi., 169. A number of rude Vulcans, vnweldy speakers, hammer-headed clownes.

2. (colloquial).—Hammer-shaped: i.e., long and narrow in the head.

1865. Dickens, Our Mutual Friend, i., 9. Mr. Boffin’s equipage consisted of a long hammer-headed old horse, formerly used in the business … a driver being added in the person of a long hammer-headed young man.

Hammering, subs. (pugilistic and colloquial).—1. A beating; excessive punishment (q.v.).

2. (printers’).—Over-charging time-work (as ‘corrections’).

Hammering-trade, subs. (pugilistic).—Pugilism.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib, p. 49. The other, vast, gigantic, as if made, express, by Nature for the hammering trade.

Hammersmith. To go to Hammersmith, verb. phr. (common).—To get a sound drubbing.

Hampered, adj. (old: now recognised).—Let or hindered; perplexed; entangled. [From Old. Eng., hamper = a fetter: see quot. 1613].

1613. Browne, Britannia’s Pastorals, bk. i., s. 7. Shackles, shacklockes, hampers, gives and chaines.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.

Hampstead Donkey, subs. phr. (common).—See quot. For synonyms, see Chates.

c. 1870. Daily Paper. The witness testified to the filthy state of the linen which she wore, and also the state of the sheets. Was told not to get into bed until she had looked for the Hampstead donkeys. ‘Did you know what that meant?’—‘No sir, not until I looked on the pillow and saw three’ (loud laughter). ‘Do you mean lice?’—‘Yes, sir, I do.’

Hampstead-heath, subs. phr. (rhyming).—The teeth. For synonyms, see Grinders.

1887. Referee, 7 Nov., p. 7, c. 3. She’d a Grecian ‘I suppose,’ And of Hampstead Heath two rows, In her ‘Sunny South’ that glistened Like two pretty strings of pearls.

Hampstead-heath Sailor, subs. phr. (common).—A landlubber (q.v.); a freshwater sailor (q.v.). Fr., un marin d’eau douce or un amiral Suisse (= a Swiss admiral: Switzerland having no seaboard).

Hanced, adj. (old).—In liquor. [From Hance = ‘to elevate.’] For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

1630. Taylor, Works. I doe finde my selfe sufficiently hanced, and that henceforth I shall acknowledge it; and that whensoever I shall offer to bee hanced again, I shall arme my selfe with the craft of a fox, the manners of a hogge, the wisdom of an asse, mixt with the civility of a beare.

Hand, subs. (colloquial).—Properly a seaman; now a labourer, a workman, an agent.

1658. Phillips, New World of Words, s.v. Hand … a Word us’d among Mariners … when Men are wanted to do any Labour they usually Call for more hands.

1632–1704. Locke, Wks. A dictionary containing a natural history requires too many hands, as well as too much time.

1711. Spectator, No. 232. The reduction of the prices of our manufactures by the addition of so many new hands, would be no inconvenience to any man.

1754. Fielding, Jonathan Wild, i, 14. The mercantile part of the world, therefore, wisely use the term ‘employing hands,’ and esteem each other as they employ more or fewer.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. We lost a hand, we lost a sailor.

1871. Chambers’ Miscellany, No. 113, p. 3. He was admitted as a hand in an establishment already numbering three hundred active workers.

1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 70. The hands has all bloomin’ well struck.

1892. National Observer, 22 Oct., vol. viii., p. 571. The dispute in the South-East Lancashire cotton trade is like to result in the stoppage of fourteen or fifteen million spindles which will take employment from sixty thousand hands, a fifth of them women and children.

1893. Fortnightly Review, Jan., p. 62. The wages paid to the operatives in our woollen industry are, to a marked extent, lower than those received by the hands employed in our cotton mills.

2. (coachmen’s).—See quot.

1856. Whyte Melville, Kate Coventry, ch. xv. Lady Horsingham was tolerably courageous, but totally destitute of what is termed hand, a quality as necessary in driving as in riding, particularly with fractious or high-spirited horses.

A good (or cool, neat, old, fine, etc.) hand, subs. phr. (colloquial).—An expert.

1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5th ed.), s.v. Hand (v.). ‘He is a good hand,’ spoke of one that is an artist in some particular mechanical art or trade, etc.

1773. Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, iii., 1. When I was in my best story of the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene, he asked if I had not a good hand at making punch.

1854. Whyte Melville, General Bounce, xii. A quaint boy at Eton, cool hand at Oxford, a deep card in the regiment, man or woman never yet had the best of ‘Uppy.’

1877. Five Years’ Penal Servitude, i., p. 33. The new man, the green hand, takes little or no heed of the entrance of the officers.… Not so the old hand.

1886. R. L. Stevenson, Kidnapped, p. 195. Ye’re a grand hand at the sleeping!

1892. W. E. Gladstone, Times ‘Report.’… This old Parliamentary hand.

1892. Henley and Stevenson, Deacon Brodie, i., 7, p. 18. You always was a neat hand with the bones.

A hand like a foot, phr. (common).—A large, coarse hand. Also a vulgar or uneducated handwriting.

1738. Swift, Polite Conversation, i. Col. Whoe’er writ it with a hand like a foot.

A hand like a fist, phr. (gamesters’).—A hand full of trumps. Also (in derision) a hand there’s no playing.

To take a hand with the outside music, verb. phr. (American).—See quot.

1892. J. L. Sullivan, A 19th Century Gladiator, iii. After thirty-seven rounds in fifty-five minutes, the umpires and seconds got into a fight, and Sullivan felt fresh enough to take a hand in the outside music.

To get a hand on, verb. phr. (tailors’).—To suspect; to be distrustful.

To get one’s hand in, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To practise with a view to proficiency.

To get one’s hand on it, verb. phr. (venery).—To grope a woman.

To bear a hand, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. Bear a hand, make haste.

To bring up by hand, verb. phr. (venery).—To procure erection manually.

To bring down (or off) by hand, verb. phr. (venery).—To masturbate. For synonyms, see Frig.

To stand one’s hand, verb. phr. (Australian).—To Treat (q.v.); to Stand Sam (q.v.).

1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 58. I used to see her at some of the public-houses frequented by Mrs. Condon, standing her hand liberally to all who happened to be in the bar, and therefore being made much of by the thirsty loafers whom she treated.

To hand in one’s chips (or checks).—See Cash one’s Checks.

To have (or get) the upper hand, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To have at an advantage; to get to windward (q.v.).

1886. R. L. Stevenson, Kidnapped, p. 173. I was growing impatient to get back and have the upper hand of my uncle.

To hand up, verb. (Winchester College).—To give information against; to betray.—Notions.

Hands up! intj. (common).—An injunction to desist; stow it! (q.v.). Also (police) = a command to surrender. Bail up (q.v.).

1888. J. Runciman, The Chequers, p. 120. Hands up! Jerry.

[Amongst other colloquial usages of Hand are the following:—At hand = readily, hard by; at any hand (Shakspeare) = on any account; at no hand = on no account; for one’s own hand = for one’s own purpose or interest; from hand to hand = from one to another; in hand = in a state of preparation, under consideration, or control; off one’s hands = finished; on hand = in possession; in one’s hands = in one’s care; out of hand = completed, without hesitation; to one’s hand = ready; hand over head = negligently, rashly; hand to mouth = improvident; hands off! = stand off; heavy on hand = hard to manage; hot at hand = difficult to manage; light in hand = easy to manage; to ask (or give) the hand of = to ask (or give) in marriage; to be hand and glove with = to be very intimate with; to bear a hand = to help; to bear in (or on) hand = to cheat or mock by false promises; to change hands = to change owners; to come to hand = to be received; to get hand = to gain influence; to give a hand = to applaud; to give the hand to = to be reconciled to; to have a hand in = to have a share in; to have one’s hands full = to be fully occupied; to hold hands with = to vie with, to hold one’s own; to lay hands on = to assault, to seize; to lend a hand = to help; to make a hand = to gain an advantage; to put (or stretch) forth the hand against = to use violence; to set the hand to = to undertake; to strike hands = to make a bargain; to take by the hand = to take under one’s guidance; to take in hand = to attempt; to wash one’s hands of = to disclaim responsibility; a heavy hand = severity; a light hand = gentleness; a slack hand = idleness, carelessness; a strict hand = severe discipline; clean hands = freedom from guilt; to stand one in hand = to concern, to be of importance to; hand to fist = tête-a-tête, hip to haunch; hand over hand = easily; to get a hand = to be applauded.]

Hand-and-Pocket Shop, subs. phr. (old).—See quot.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. Hand-and-Pocket-Shop. An eating house, where ready money is paid for what is called for.

Handbasket-portion, subs. (old).—See quot.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. Hand-basket-portion. A woman whose husband receives frequent presents from her father, or family, is said to have a hand-basket-portion.

Handbinder (in. pl.), subs. (old).—Chains for the wrists. For synonyms, see Darbies.

1696. Ray, Nomenclator, Menotes, liens à lier les mains, fers à enferrer les mains. Manicls, or handbinders.

Hander, subs. (schoolboys’).—A stroke on the hand with a cane; a palmie (q.v.).

1868. Jas. Greenwood, Purgatory of Peter the Cruel, v., 149. You’ve been playing the wag, and you’ve got to take your handers.

Handicap, subs. (colloquial).—An arrangement in racing, etc., by which every competitor is, or is supposed to be, brought on an equality so far as regards his chance of winning by an adjustment of the weights to be carried, the distance to be run, etc.: extra weight or distance being imposed in proportion to their supposed merits on those held better than the others. [A handicap is framed in accordance with the known performances of the competitors, and, in horse-racing, with regard to the age and sex of the entries. The term is derived from the old game of hand-in-cap, or handicap.]

1660. Pepys, Diary, 18 Sep. Here some of us fell to handycapp, a sport that I never knew before.

1883. Hawley Smart, Hard Lines xxi. The race carried so many penalties and allowances that it partook somewhat of the nature of a handicap.

Verb (colloquial). 1. To adjust or proportion weights, starts, etc., in order to bring a number of competitors as nearly as possible to an equality.

1841. Lever, Charles O’Malley, ch. lxviii. Pleasant and cheerful enough, when they’re handicapping the coat off your back, and your new tilbury for a spavined pony and a cotton umbrella; but regular devils if you come to cross them the least in life.

2. To make even or level; to equalise between.

3. To embarrass, burden, hinder, or impede in any way.

1883. Grenville-Murray, People I Have Met, 123. He was not handicapped by a title, so that the beautiful ethics of hereditary legislation had no claim on his attention.

Handie-Dandie, subs. phr. (old).—Copulation.

1490–1554. David Lyndsay, Kitty’s Confessioun [Laing], i., 136. Ane plack I will gar Sandie, Gie the agane with Handie-Dandie.

Handle, subs. (common).—1. The nose. For synonyms, see Conk.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum. The cove flashes a rare handle to his physog; the fellow has a large nose.

1887. Modern Society, 27 Aug., 864. A restless, intriguing, and busy old lady, with an immense handle to her face.

2. (colloquial).—A title. Fr., une queue, as Monsieur Sans-queue = Mr. Nobody.

1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, xxiii. She … entertained us with stories of colonial governors and their ladies, mentioning no persons but those who had handles to their names, as the phrase is.

1857. Ducange Anglicus, Vulg. Tongue. Handle, n. Title. Oh, you want a handle to your name.

1871. London Figaro, 17 June, ‘The plaint of a poor Parson.’ Neither he nor his clerical neighbours—unless they belong to county families, or have handles to their names—have ever been invited by the Dean to partake of the hospitalities of the Deanery.

1886. J. S. Winter, Army Society, ch. ii. That’s the worst of having a handle to one’s name.

1891. Licensed Vict. Gaz., 16 Jan. Here’s the Honourable Tom Jones, and Lord Smith, and Viscount Brown—that’s them, with the handles knocked off their names.

1892. Henley and Stevenson, Deacon Brodie, i., 2. He was aye ettling after a bit handle to his name.

3. (colloquial).—Occasion; opportunity; means.

1753–77. Melmoth, Cicero, bk. ii., let. 17 (note 5). The defence of Vatinius gave a plausible handle for some censure upon Cicero.

Verb (cardsharpers’).—1. To conceal cards in the palm of the hand, or up the sleeves; to palm (q.v.).

2. (colloquial).—To use; to make use of; to manage.

1606. Chapman, Gentleman Usher, iii., 5. Now let the sport begin: I think my love will handle him as well as I have done.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. Handle. To know how to handle one’s fists; to be skilful in the art of boxing.

1836. Dickens, Pickwick, ii., 7. Smart chap that cabman—handled his fives well.

1892. Henley and Stevenson, Admiral Guinea, ii., 5. Commander, you handled him like a babby, kept the weather gauge, and hulled him every shot.

To handle the ribbons, verb. phr. (common).—To drive.

1857. Moncrieff, Bashful Man, ii. 4. Shouldn’t have any objection in life, squire, to let you handle the ribands for a stage or two, but four-in-hand, you know, requires——.

1872. Evening Standard, 10 Aug. The Princess of Wales is expected, and her Royal Highness has several times during the week driven through the town in an open phaeton, drawn by four beautiful ponies, and she appears to handle the ribbons in a very skilful manner.

1891. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 198. It was agreed Marston should handle the ribbons.

1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 32. He ’andled the ribbings to rights.

To fly off the handle. See Fly, to which add the following earlier quot.

1825. Neal, Brother Jonathan, bk. I., ch. iv. Most off the handle, some o’ the tribe, I guess.

Hand-me-downs (or Hand-’em-downs), subs. (common).—Second-hand clothes. Hand-me-down-shop, or Never-too-late-to-mend-shop = a repairing tailors’. Fr., un decrochez-moi-ça.

1878. Notes and Queries, 5, s. ix., 6 Apr., p. 263. Hand-’em-down—A second-hand garment (Northamptonshire).

1888. New York World, 5 Mar. Russell Sage, it is said, walked into a Broadway clothing store the other day and tried on and purchased a twelve-dollar suit of hand-me-downs.

1889. Sporting Times, 29 June. Trousers which fit him nowhere in particular, and which all over proclaim themselves entitled to the epithet of hand-me-downs.

English Synonyms.—Reach-me-downs; translations; wall-flowers.

French Synonyms.—La musique (popular); la mise-bas (servants’: especially ‘perks’).

Hand-out, subs. (American).—Food to a tramp at the door.

1887. Morley Roberts, The Western Avernus. Some of the boys said it was a regular hand-out, and that we looked like a crowd of old bummers.

Handpiece, subs. (American).—A handkerchief. For synonyms, see Wipe.

1852. Bristed, Upper Ten Thousand, p. 67. Then … he tied his white hand-pieces to an opening made for the purpose on one side of the dashboard.

Handsaw, subs. (common).—A street vendor of knives and razors; an itinerant Chive-fencer (q.v.).

Handsome, adj. and adv. (colloquial, and formerly literary).—Sharp, severe; convenient, fit; neat, graceful; dextrous, skilful, ready; ample, generous, liberal; manageable; in good or proper style; and (in America) grand or beautiful.

1553. Wilson, Arte of Rhetorique, p. 3. Phauorinus the Philosopher did hit a yong man ouer the thumbes very handsomely.

1553–99. Spenser, Wks. For a thief it is so handsome, As it may seem it was first invented by him.