Slang and its analogues, 2 | Project Gutenberg

1608–11. Bishop Hall, Epistles, i., 6. The Roman orator was down in the mouth; finding himself thus cheated by the money-changer.

1693. Congreve, Old Batchelor, Act iv., Sc. 9. Sir J. Witt. Now am I slap-dash down in the mouth, and have not one word to say!

1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, ch. xlix. He … told the physician that he was like the root of the tongue, as being cursedly down in the mouth.

1836. C. Dickens, Pickwick Papers, p. 6, (ed. 1857). I see—never ruined—accidents will happen—best regulated families—never say die—down upon your luck—pull him up.

1840. Comic Almanack, p. 208. Let’s not be down upon our luck Nor out of heart at our condition.

1846. Thackeray, Vanity Fair, vol. II., ch. xxix. They say, that when Mrs. Crawley was particularly down on her luck, she gave concerts and lessons in music here and there.

1851. H. Mayhew, Lon. Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 58. If the hucksters know that the person calling the raffle is down, and that it is necessity that has made him call it, they will not allow the property put up to be thrown for.

1861. Marian Evans (G. Eliot), Silas Marner, ch. viii. Well, here’s my turning, said Bryce, not surprised to perceive that Godfrey was rather down; so I’ll bid you good-day.

1864. Edmund Yates, Broken to Harness, ch. x. What won’t do? asked Prescott, with flaming face, Why, this Kate Mellon business, Jim. It’s on hot and strong, I know. You’ve been down in the mouth all the time she was away.

1880. A. Trollope, The Duke’s Children, ch. xlvii. I’m sorry you’re so down in the mouth. Why don’t you try again?

1880. Jas. Greenwood, Veteran of Vauxhall in ‘Odd People in Odd Places,’ p. 40. Then I got down at heel, as the saying is; and when a man is reduced to one bare suit of black, and that one so shaky with long wear that it wants as tender handling as an invalid, he hasn’t got much of a chance to get on well as a waiter.

2. (old).—Acquainted with; ‘fly’ (q.v.); up to (q.v.). Also in combination: down to, down on, and down as a hammer.

1610. Jonson, Alchemist, IV., iv. Thou art so down upon the least disaster! How would’st thou ha’ done, if I had not help’t thee out?

1825. The English Spy, vi., p. 162. Dick’s a trump, and no telegraph—up to every frisk, and down to every move of the domini, thoroughbred and no want of courage. [317]

1839. W. H. Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard, p. 138, [ed. 1840.] Awake! to be sure I am, my flash cove, replied Sheppard, I’m down as a hammer.

1850. F. E. Smedley, Frank Fairleigh, ch. iv. You’re about right there, Mr. Lawless, you’re down to every move, I see, as usual.

1865. G. F. Berkeley, Life, etc., II., 103. Crib. I said … I’m down on it all; the monkey never bit your dog.

1703. Ward, London Spy, pt. xv., p. 353. He describes a swarthy, black, ill-looking Fellow, with a down look, or the like.

1879. Jas. Payn, High Spirits (Number Forty-seven). ‘Well, he was rather a down-looking cove.’ ‘Hang-dog?’ said I. ‘Well, yes, to be frank, hang-dog.’

4. Verb (common).—To put on one’s back: whether by force or by persuasion: e.g., to down a woman = to lay her out for copulation.—See also quot.

1874. Henley, Unpublished Ballad. Then I downs my bleedin’ Judy, And I puts a new head on her.

To be down a pit, verb. phr. (theatrical).—To be very much ‘taken’ with a part.

To be, or come down upon one, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To berate; to attack; to oppose. Sometimes with a tag: e.g., like a thousand, or a load, of bricks; like one o’clock; like a tom-tit on a horse-turd, etc.

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, ch. xxviii. I think we should be down upon the fellow one of these darkmans, and let him get it well.

1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry (Dicks’ ed., 1889), p. 6. Prime. From the cut of the gentleman’s clothes, I presume he’s lately come from the Esquimaux Islands. Tom. Ha! ha! very good, Primefit; I say, Jerry—you see he’s down upon you.

1864. London Review, 28 May. There are no loungers in this mortal sphere who so nicely judge a horse’s points, or who are so inexorably down upon any blemish as this careless fringe of observers upon those two fashionable promenades.

1877. Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. iii., p. 167. Let him only find out a man in some artful little game, and he would be down on him and hunt his life out almost.

To be down pin, verb. phr. (skittle alley).—To be out of sorts, or despondent. Cf., Down, adv., sense 1.

To drop down to one, verb. phr. (old).—To discover one’s character or designs.

To put a down upon one, verb. phr. (old).—To peach so as to cause detection or failure.

To put one down to [a thing], verb. phr. (old).—To apprize, elucidate, or explain; to coach or prime; to ‘let one into the know.’

Downed, ppl. adj. (common).—Tricked; beaten; ‘sat upon.’ [Cf., down, adv., sense 1.]

Downer, subs. (old).—1. A sixpence. In U.S.A., a five-cent. piece. [Cf., deaner (q.v.); now corrupted into Tanner (q.v.).] For synonyms, see Bender.

1861. Whyte Melville, Good for Nothing, ch. vi. It’s not the first downer I’ve had by a good many; and if it was not for leaving you I shouldn’t care so much about it!

1885. Household Words, 20 June, p. 155. Two more names for a sixpence are a downer and a ‘tanner.’ [318]

2. (pugilistic).—A knock-down blow. Cf., Bender, Doubler, and Dig, for synonyms.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib’s Mem. Cong., p. 25. In the twelfth and last round Sandy fetch’d him a downer.

Down-hills, subs. (old).—Dice cogged to run on the low numbers. [1785, Grose.]

Downs, subs. (thieves’).—Tothill Fields Prison. For analagous terms, see Cage.

Downstairs, subs. (old).—Hell.

1837. Barham, I. L. (Brothers of Birchington.) Now if here such affairs Get wind unawares, They are bruited about, doubtless much more downstairs, Where Old Nick has a register-office they say, With commissioners quite of such matters au fait.

Down the Road, abj. and adv. phr. (common).—Vulgarly showy; ‘flash.’

1859. Sala, Tw. Round the Clock, 4 p.m., par. 9. A knot of medical students, who should properly, I take it, in this sporting locality, have a racing and down-the-road look, but who, on the contrary, have the garb and demeanour of ordinary gentlemen.

Down to Dandy.—See Up to Dick.

Down to the Ground, adv. phr. (old).—Entirely; thoroughly; to the last degree. Formerly, up and down. Cf., up to the knocker or the nines, up to the handle, up to dick, etc. [Literally, from top to bottom.]

1542. Udal’s, Erasmus’s Apophth., p. 324 [ed. 1877]. He [Phocion] was euen Socrates vp and downe in this pointe and behalfe, that no man euer sawe hym either laughe or weepe.

1606. John Day, Ile of Guls, Act v., p. 98. For, saies my mother, a thinge once wel done is twice done: and I am in her mind for that, vp and downe.

1878. M. E. Braddon, Cloven Foot, ch. xlv. Some sea coast city in South America would suit me down to the ground.

1883. Echo, 6 Aug., p. 4, col. 1. A post which would suit the noble lord … down to the ground.

1889. John Strange Winter, That Imp, p. 3. A name that suited him well—down to the ground, the officers of the Royal Horse said.

Downy, subs. (common). A bed. Cf., Downy flea pasture.

1857. A. Trollope, Three Clerks, ch. ix. I’ve a deal to do before I get to my downy.… Good night, Mr. Scott.

Adj. (common).—Artful; knowing (q.v., for synonyms). [Cf., down, adv., sense 2, of which downy is a derivative.]

1823. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, Act ii., Sc. 3. Bob. You’re a downey von—you’ll not give a chance avay if you knows it.

1849. Dickens, David Copperfield, ch. xxii., p. 198. Up to mischief, I’ll be bound. Oh, you’re a downy fellow.

1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. x. I’m not clever, p’r’aps, but I am rather downy; and partial friends say I know what’s o’clock tolerably well.

1860. Punch, vol. XXXVIII., p. 230. You never come across A cove more downier, I’ll be bound, But you knows that ’ere ’oss.

1869. H. J. Byron, Not Such a Fool as He Looks [French’s acting ed.], p. 12.… Sharp old skinflint, downy old robber as he is, he’s under Jane Mould’s thumb.

Downy Bit, subs. phr. (venery).—A half-fledged girl.

Downy Cove, (or Bird, or in pl., The Downies), subs. phr. (common).—A clever rogue.

English Synonyms.—Mizzler; leary bloke or cove; sly dog; old dog; nipper; file; Greek; one that knows what’s o’clock; one who knows the ropes, or his way about; don; dodger; dab; doll’s-eye-weaver; dam-macker; shaver; dagen; chickaleary-cove; ikey bloke; artful member; one that is up to the time of day; fly cove; one that’s in the know; one that has his eye-teeth skinned, or that has cut his wisdoms.

French Synonyms.—Un gaspard (popular); un fouinard (pop.: fouiner = to slink off); un ficellier (popular); être d’affût (thieves’ = to be on the track or scent); un arcasien (thieves’: from arcane = a secret); un pante désargoté (thieves’: one ‘fly to the time of day’); un mariolle (thieves’ = English file [q.v.]); un lapin (popular); un écopeur (pop.: a safe hand); un emberlificoteur (O.F., popular).

German Synonyms. Barje or Borje (from the Hebrew birjah: also = a fop); Bochur, Bacher, or Bocher (from Hebrew bochur: also an official who understands thieves’ lingo); Chochom, Chochem, or Chochemer (more frequently spelled with ‘k’: from Hebrew chochom); Lowon (also = silver, shining).

Spanish Synonyms.—Candonguero (applied to one who is mischievous as well as cunning); zarapeto; zorrastron; perro viejo; estuche (also = a pair of scissors); guitarron (also = a large guitar); perillan; pua (also = a sharp point: es buena pua = he is a keen blade); carlancon; es un buen sastre (= he is a sly dog or cunning blade. Sastre = tailor); soga; alpargatilla; sobon or sobonazo (also = a lazy fellow).

1821. Egan, Tom and Jerry (ed. 1890), p. 95. Mr. Mace had long been christened by the downies, the ‘dashing covey.’

1841. Leman Rede, Sixteen-String Jack, ii., 4. Tom Bullock, the downiest cove, the leary one that never goes to sleep.

1877. Greenwood, Dick Temple, Downy-looking Cove, the fair ’un; a mug like that ought to be worth a fortune to him.

Downy Flea-pasture, subs. phr. (common).—A bed. For synonyms, see Bug Walk and Kip.

Dowry, subs. (common).—A lot; a great deal; dowry of parny = lot of rain or water.

Dowse or Douse, verb (old).—1. A verb of action.—See quots.

1785. Grose, Dict. Vulgar Tongue. Dowse your dog vane = take the cockade out of your hat. Dowse the glim = put out the candle. Dowse on the chops = a blow in the face.

1860. Punch, vol. XXXVIII., p. 252. ‘The Death and Burial of poor little Bill.’ And who’ll put on mourning ‘Not we,’ said the House ‘The Reform flag we’ll douse, But we won’t put on mourning.’

1863. C. Reade, Hard Cash, I., 212. At nine p.m., all the lights were ordered out. Mrs. Beresford had brought a novel on board and refused to comply;… The master-at-arms, finding he had no chance in argument, doused the glim—pitiable resource of a weak disputant—then basely fled the rhetorical consequences. [320]

Dout, verb (provincial).—Literally = to do out; as Dup (q.v.) = to do up, and don = to do on. Cf., Hamlet, iv. Then up he rose and donned his clothes, And dupped the chamber door.

1874. Mrs. H. Wood, Johnny Ludlow, 1 S., No. VIII., p. 131. The guard seemed not to hear it, so lost was he in astonishment at there being no light. Why, what can have douted it? he cried aloud.

Doxology-Works, subs. (common).—A church or chapel. For synonyms, see Gospel Mill.

Doxy, subs. (old).—A mistress; a prostitute; occasionally, a jade, a girl, even a wife. In West of England, doxy = a baby. For synonyms, see Barrack-hack and Tart.

1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 14. And thither repayre at accustomed tymes, their harlotes which they terme mortes and doxes.

1592. Greene, Quip, in wks., xi., 283. The Pedler as bad or rather worse, walketh the country with his docksey at the least.

1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark all, p. 14 (H. Club’s Repr., 1874). You decypher and point out a poore Rogue, or a doxie that steale and rob hedges of a few ragged clothes.

1611. Chapman, May-Day, Act IV., p. 299 (Plays, 1874). He called me … pandar, and doxy, and the vilest nicknames.

1617. C. Shadwell, Fair Quaker of Deal, Act v. Thou couldst not have picked out a wife so fit for thee, out of a whole regiment of doxies.

1694. Dunton, Ladies’ Dict. Prostitute doxies are neither wives, maids, nor widows; they will for good victuals, or for a very small piece of money, prostitute their bodies, and then protest they never did any such thing before, that it was pure necessity that now compell’d them to do what they have done, and the like; whereas the jades will prove common hacknies upon every slight occasion.

1727. John Gay, Beggar’s Opera, Act III., Sc. 3. Finale. Thus I stand like the Turk, with his doxies around, From all sides their glances his passion confound.

1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5th ed.). Doxy (s.) a she-beggar … the female companion of a foot-soldier, travelling tinker, etc.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 231. List of patterers’ words. Doxy—a wife.

Dozing-crib, subs. (old).—A bed. For synonyms, see Bug Walk and Kip.

D.Q., On the D.Q., phr. (American).—On the dead quiet. Cf., Strict Q.T., etc.

Drab, subs. (common).—1. Poison; also medicine. [From the gypsey.] Also used as a verb.

1851. G. Borrow, Lavengro, ch. lxxi., p. 226 (1888). At him, juggal [a dog], at him; he wished to poison, to drab you.

Drabbut, verb (provincial).—A vague and gentle form of imprecation. Drabbut your back = Confound you.

Draft on Aldgate Pump, subs. (old).—A fictitious banknote or fraudulent bill. See N. and Q., 7 S., i., 387–493.

17(?). Fielding, Essay on Character of Men, in wks., p. 647, ed. 1840 (b. 1754). This is such another instance of generosity as his who relieves his friend in distress by a draught on Aldgate pump. [A footnote says] A mercantile phrase for a bad note.

1828. Jon Bee, Picture of London, p. 187. Why, he might as well have accosted Aldgate-pump with a bill for payment.

Drag, subs. (old: now recognised).—1. A cart of any kind; now usually applied to a four-horse coach. [321]

1819. Moore, Tom Crib’s Memorial, p. 11. While Eld—n, long doubting between a grey nag And a white one to mount, took his stand in a drag.

1839. Lever, Harry Lorrequer, ch. x. He turned out what he calls a four-in-hand drag which dragged nine hundred pounds out of my pocket.

1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. xxviii. Lord Kew’s drag took the young men to London; his lordship driving, and the servants sitting inside.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 232. He ‘patters’ very little in a main drag (public street).

4. (thieves’).—Three months’ imprisonment; also three moon. For synonyms, see Dose.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 233. Sometimes they are detected, and get a drag (three months in prison).

1883. Horsley, Jottings from Jail. But neither Snuffy (Reeves, the identifier), nor Mac (Macintyre) knew me, so I got a drag and was sent to the Steel.

1884. Greenwood, Seven Years’ Penal Servitude. Well, sir, as I was saying, I only got a drag for the last job. Oh, I beg pardon, a drag means three months. Three weeks is called a drag, too—a cadger’s drag.

5. (general).—Feminine attire worn by men. To go on, or flash the drag = to wear women’s attire for immoral purposes.

1870. Reynold’s, 29 May, ‘Police Proceedings.’ He afterwards said, that instead of having a musical party he thought he would make it a little fancy dress affair, and said, We shall come in drag, which means men wearing women’s costumes.

1870. London Figaro, 23 June. There is a good deal about Tom and Jerry which our superior refinement might term low—not quite so low though, as going about in drag or consorting with creatures who do.

7. (hunting).—A fox prepared with herring or aniseed and brought to covert in a bag.

1869. W. Bradwood, The O.V.H., ch. v. He subscribed to the drag at Oxford, though his first season had taught him to seek a less emulous scene of horsemanship.

1887. Cassell’s Mag., Dec, p. 27. He was thrown from his horse, near London, they say, huntin’ with a drag.

Done for a drag, phr. (old).—Convicted of dragging (q.v.). Cf., drag = term of imprisonment.

To put on the drag, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To ease off or go slow; also to put on pressure.

Drag-cove, subs. (old).—A carter or driver of a drag (q.v., sense 1).

Dragging, verb. subs. (old).—Robbing vehicles.

Drag-lay, subs. (old).—The practice of robbing vehicles. [Grose, 1785.]

Dragon, subs. (common).—1. A sovereign. [From the device.] For synonyms, see Canary.

d. 1625. Fletcher, How our St. George’s will be stride the dragons! The red and ramping dragons!

To water the dragon, verb. phr. (common).—To urinate; ‘pump ship;’ ‘rack off.’

Dragsman.—A coachman; also a Drag-sneak (q.v.).

1832. Egan, Book of Sports, p. 2. The Swell dragsman or in plain English a well-dressed stage coachman.

1851. H. Mayhew, Lon. Lab. and Lon. Poor, IV., 332. This locality is much infested with pickpockets and also with dragsmen, i.e., those persons who steal goods or luggage from carts and coaches.

Drag-Sneak, subs. (old).—A thief who makes a speciality of robbing vehicles.—[See Drag, sense 1.] Also Dragsman and Dragger, see quot., 1781.

1781. G. Parker, View of Society, II., 151. Draggers [named and described in].

1856. H. Mayhew, Gt. World of London, p. 46. Belonging to the first variety, or those who sneak off with goods, are drag-sneaks, who make off with goods from carts or coaches.

Drag the Pudding, verb. phr. (tailors’).—To ‘get the sack’ just before Christmas-time.

Drain, subs. (common).—A drink. For synonyms, see Go. To do a drain, wet (q.v.), or Common Sewer (q.v.) = to take a friendly drink.

1835. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, p. 106. Those two old men who came in just to have a drain, finished their third quartern a few seconds ago.

1883. Daily Telegraph, 2 July, p. 5, col. 3. The drinking portion of the Americans are excessively partial to perpendicular drains of cocktails and other drams with more or less preposterous names.

Drains, subs. (nautical).—A ship’s cook; otherwise the doctor (q.v.).

Drammer.—See Drummer.

Draper.—See Gammon the Draper.

Drat, verb, and Dratted, adj. (colloquial).—A mild and indefinite imprecation of contempt, or impatience. [A corruption of ‘God rot it.’] For synonyms, see Oaths.

1852. Dickens, Bleak House, ch. xxi., p. 178. Drat you, be quiet! says the good old man.

1869. Mrs. H. Wood, Roland Yorke, ch. v. If that dratted girl had been at her post indoors … it might never have happened.

1883. James Payn, Thicker than Water, ch. xxix. An observation which, I am sorry to say, … she supplemented with ‘Drat the girl!’

Draught, subs. (colloquial).—A privy. For synonyms, see Mrs. Jones.

1602. Shakspeare, Troilus and Cressida, v. 1. Sweet draught! Sweet quoth ’a! sweet sink, sweet sewer!

1633. Harrington, Epigrams. A godly father sitting on a draught, To do as need and nature hath us taught, Mumbled (as was his manner) certaine prayers.

Draw, subs. (popular).—1. An undecided contest. [An abbreviation of ‘drawn game.’] [323]

2. (common).—An attraction; e.g., an article; a popular preacher; a successful play; and so forth.

1883. Saturday Review, 21 April, p. 497, col. 2. The insinuation that umbrellas are the creation of the devil to tempt otherwise honest men … is an unfailing draw, whether in a comic paper or an after-dinner speech.

1883. Hawley Smart, At Fault, III., xv., 238. Like a judicious theatrical manager, he usually kept ‘his show’ running as long as it would draw.

2. (thieves’).—To steal; to pick pockets. To draw a wipe or ticker = to prig a handkerchief or watch; to draw a damper = to empty a till.

1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v. To draw a swell of a clout, To pick a gentleman’s pocket of a handkerchief.

1878. Charles Hindley, Life and Times of James Catnach. Chorus. Frisk the Cly and fork the rag, Draw the fogles plummy, Speak to the tattler, bag the swag, And finely hunt the dummy.

4. (colloquial).—To bring out; to cause to act, write, or speak, by flattery, mis-statement, or deceit. Also to draw out; Fr., tirer les vers du nez.

1860. Thackeray, Philip, ch. vi. The wags who call upon Mrs. Brandon can always, as the phrase is, ‘draw’ her father, by speaking of Prussia, France, Waterloo, or battles in general.

1883. Greenwood, Tag, Rag, and Co. The older tramp was in conversation with him, and evidently drawing him out.

1889. Colonies and India, 24 July, p. 11, col. 1. Any libel or unjust criticism on Western Australia is sure to draw that sturdy friend of the Colony in London, Mr. Charles Bethell.

1890. Pall Mall Gazette, 16 July, p. 4, col. 2. They had the satisfaction last night of seeing him regularly drawn by Mr. Morley.

5. (colloquial).—To ease of money: e.g., ‘I drew him for a hundred’; ‘She drew me for a dollar’!

To draw on [a man], verb. phr. (common and American).—To use a knife.—See Bead.

1885. Saturday Review, 7 Feb., p. 167. I’ll never draw a revolver on a man again as long as I live.

To draw a bead on, verb. phr. (common and American).—To attack with rifle or revolver.

1886. World, 11 August, p. 12. It is said that twice a bead was drawn upon him, but fortunately the shots missed.

To draw one’s fireworks (or to draw one off), verb. phr. (venery).—To cool one’s ardour by coition (said of men by women).

To draw plaster, verb. phr. (tailors’).—To ‘fish’ for a man’s intentions.

1738. Swift, Polite Conversation (conv. iii). Lady Ans. I’m sure ’tis time for all honest folks to go to bed. Miss. Indeed my eyes draw straws (she’s almost asleep).… Col. I’m going to the Land of Nod. Ner. Faith, I’m for Bedfordshire.

To draw teeth, verb. phr. (old).—To wrench knockers and handles from street doors. [324]

To draw blanks, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To fail; to be disappointed. [From drawing a blank in a lottery.]

To draw or pull the long bow, verb. phr. (colloquial).—See Bow and quots., infra.

1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. xxx. What is it makes him pull the long bow in that wonderful manner?

1883. A. Dobson, Old World Idylls, p. 134. The great Gargilius, then, behold! His long bow hunting tales of old Are now but duller.

To draw the cork, verb. phr. (pugilistic).—To make blood to flow; to tap the claret (q.v.).

To draw the King’s or Queen’s picture, verb. phr. (common).—To manufacture counterfeit coins.

To draw wool or worsted, verb. phr. (tailors’).—To irritate; to foment a quarrel. Cf., Comb one’s hair.

Draw it mild! phr. (common).—An interjection of (1) derision; (2) incredulity; (3) supplication. Cf., Come it strong.

1837. R. H. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends (ed. 1862), p. 322. It was not so much for myself as for that vulgar child, And I said, ‘A pint of double X, and please to draw it mild.’

1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 60, col. 2. Draw it mild! as the boy with the decayed tooth said to the dentist.

1841. Comic Almanack, p. 271. Vehement cries of ‘bravo!’ and ‘draw it mild!’ here interrupt the speaker; but he declares he cannot draw it any milder.

1850. Smedley, Frank Fairleigh, p. 10. Draw it mild, old fellow! interrupted the young gentleman in question.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 154. This caused angry words, and Nancy was solemnly requested to draw it mild, like a good soul.

1854. Martin and Aytoun, Bon Gaultier Ballads. ‘The Biter Bit.’ And if you’d please, my mother dear, your poor desponding child, Draw me a pot of beer, mother, and mother! draw it mild.

Draw-boy, subs. (trade).—A superior article ticketed and offered at a figure lower than its value. Cf., Draw, sense 2.

Drawer-on, subs. (colloquial).—An appetiser: used only of food as puller-on (q.v.) of drink. Both are in Massinger.

Drawers, subs. (old).—Embroidered stockings. Fr., bas-de-tire; tirants brodanchés. Spanish, demias; tirantes. German, Zehnling. It., tiranti.

Draw-fart (or Doctor Draw-fart), subs. (common).—A wandering quack.

Draw-latch, subs. (old).—A thief; also a loiterer.

1631. Chettle, Hoffman. Well, phisitian, attend in my chamber, heere, till Stilt and I returne; and if I pepper him not, say I am not worthy to be cald a duke, but a drawlatch. [325]

[Date uncertain]. Nursery Rhyme. Cross-patch, draw the latch, sit by the fire and spin.

Draw-off, verb (pugilistic).—To throw back the body to strike; ‘he drew off, and delivered on the left peeper.’ A sailor would say, ‘he hauled off and slipped in.’

Dreadful, subs. (common).—A ‘sensational’ story, newspaper, or print. For variants, see Awful, and Shilling Shocker.

1890. Academy, 1 Feb., p. 78, col. 1. Mr. George Manville Fenn is an old hand at a story with an alarming title, and he seldoms fails to live up to it. The only thing we can say against his last ‘dreadful’ is that it is a little deficient in ‘body.’

Dredgerman, subs. (common).—Explained in quot.

1857. Dickens, Down with the Tide, in Reprinted Pieces, p. 269. Besides these, there were the dredgermen, who, under pretence of dredging up coals and such like from the bottom of the river, hung about barges and other undecked craft, and when they saw an opportunity, threw any property they could lay their hands on overboard: in order, slyly, to dredge it up when the vessel was gone. Sometimes, they dexterously used their dredges to whip away anything that might lie within reach. Some of them were mighty neat at this, and the accomplishment was called dry dredging.

Dress, subs. (Winchester College).—The players who come next in order after Six or Fifteen. [So called because they come down to the matches ready dressed to act as substitutes if required.]

Dress a Hat, verb. phr. (common).—To exchange pilferings: e.g., to swap pickings from a hosier’s stock with a shoemaker’s assistant for boots or shoes.

Dress Down, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To beat; also to scold.—See Tan and Wig respectively for synonyms. Cf., Dressing.

1715. Mrs. Centlivre, Gotham Election, Sc. v. I’ll dress her down, I warrant her, and she be for fighting.

Dressed Like Xmas Beef.—See Beef.

Dress-house, subs. (common).—A brothel. Cf., Dress-lodger.

Dressing, or Dressing-down, subs. (colloquial).—Correction, whether manual or verbal; also defeat. Cf., Baste. For synonyms, see Tanning.

1811. Jane Austen, Sense and S., ch. xxx. If ever I meet him again I will give him such a dressing as he has not had this many a day.

1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. xxviii. The Scourge flogged him heartily … and the Penny Voice of Freedom gave him an awful dressing.

Dress-lodger, subs. (common).—A woman boarded, fed, and clothed by another, and paying by prostitution.

1836. Kidd, London and all its Dangers, p. 32. Dress ladies are a class of Cyprians who deserve no pity. They are voluntarily the property of an old hag who clothes them elegantly for the wages of their prostitution, and their only aim is to enjoy themselves, and cheat her of half her perquisites.

1869. Greenwood, Seven Curses of London. You would never dream of the deplorable depth of her destitution if you met her in her gay attire.… She is absolutely poorer than the meanest beggar that ever whined for a crust. These women are known as Dress lodgers.

Dress to Death, Dress Within an Inch of One’s Life, or Dress to Kill, verb. phr. (colloquial). To dress in the extreme of fashion. [326]

1859. Notes and Queries, S. 2, viii., 490. ‘He was got up very extensively,’ said of a man who is dressed within an inch of his life or dressed to death.

Dressy, adj. (colloquial).—Fond of dress.

Drilled, ppl. adj. (old).—Shot through the body.

1833. Marryat, Peter Simple [ed. 1846], I., iv., 17. And what is winged and drilled? enquired I.

Drinks.—The subjoined lists will be of interest.

Invitations to Drink.—What’ll you have? Nominate your pizen! Will you irrigate? Will you tod? Wet your whistle? How’ll you have it? Let us stimulate! Let’s drive another nail! What’s your medicine? Willst du trinken? Try a little anti-abstinence? Twy (zwei) lager! Your whiskey’s waiting. Will you try a smile? Will you take a nip? Let’s get there. Try a little Indian? Come and see your pa? Suck some corn juice? Let’s liquor up. Let’s go and see the baby.

Responses to Invitations to Drink.—Here’s into your face! Here’s how! Here’s at you! Don’t care if I do. Well, I will. I’m thar! Accepted, unconditionally. Well, I don’t mind. Sir, your most. Sir, your utmost. You do me proud! Yes, sir-ree! With you—yes! Anything to oblige. On time. I’m with you. Count me in. I subscribe.

Synonyms for a Drink [i.e., a portion], generally, or when taken at specified times.—Anti-lunch; appetiser; ball; bullock’s eye (a glass of port); bead; bosom friend; bucket; bumper; big-reposer; chit-chat; cheerer; cinder; corker; cobbler; damper, or something damp; dannie; drain; dram; deoch-an-doras; digester; eye-opener; entr’acte; fancy smile; flash; flip; facer; forenoon; go; gill; heeltap; invigorator; Johnny; joram; morning rouser; modicum; nip, or nipperkin; night cap; nut; pistol shot; pony; pill; quantum; refresher; rouser; reposer; shout; smile; swig; sleeve-button; something; slight sensation; shant; sparkler; settler; stimulant; soother; thimble-full; tift; taste; toothful; Timothy. For other synonyms, see Go.

General Synonyms for Drink.—Breaky-leg; bub; crater (also = whiskey); fuddle; gargle; grog; guzzle; lap; lush; neck-oil; nectar; poison; slum-gullion; swizzle; stingo; tipple; tittey; toddy. For other synonyms, see Tipple.

Synonyms for Beer (including stout).—Act of Parliament; artesian; barley; belch; belly-vengeance; bevy or bevvy; brownstone; bum-clink; bung-juice; bunker; cold-blood; down (see up); English burgundy (porter); gatter; half-and-half; heavy-wet; John Barleycorn; knock down or knock-me-down; oil of barley; perkin; ponge, pongelow, or ponjello; rosin; rot-gut; sherbert; stingo; swankey; swipes; swizzle; up (bottled ale or stout). For other synonyms, see Swipes.

Synonyms for Brandy.—Ball of fire; bingo; cold-tea; cold-nantz; French elixir or cream. For other synonyms, see French Elixir. [327]

Synonyms for Whiskey.—Aqua vitæ; bald-face; barley-bree; breaky-leg; bottled-earthquake; bum-clink; caper-juice; cappie; curse of Scotland; family-disturbance; farintosh; forty-rod lightning; grapple-the-rails; hard stuff; hell-broth; infernal compound; kill-the-beggar; lightning; liquid fire; moonlight; moonshine; mountain-dew; old man’s milk; pine-top; railroad; red-eye; rotgut; screech; Simon pure; sit-on-a-rock (rye whiskey); soul-destroyer; square-face; stone-fence; tangle-foot; the real thing; the sma’ still; white-eye. For other synonyms, see Old Man’s Milk.

Synonyms for Gin.—Blue ruin; blue-tape; Brian O’Lynn (rhyming); cat-water; cream of the valley; daffy; diddle; drain; duke; eye-water; frog’s wine; juniper; jackey; lap; max; misery; old Tom; ribbon; satin; soothing-syrup; stark-naked; strip-me-naked; tape; white satin, tape, or wine. For other synonyms, see Satin.

Terms Implying Various Degrees of Intoxication.—All mops and brooms; at rest; Bacchi plenus; battered; be-argured; beery; been at a ploughing match, crooking the elbow, drowning the shamrock, having a cooler or warmer, having the eyes opened, in the sun, looking through a glass, lifting the little finger, making fun, on sentry, talking to Jamie Moore or trying Taylor’s best; bemused; been bit by a barn mouse; blued; boosed or boosy; bosky; bright in the eye; buffy; canon; can’t see a hole in a ladder; can’t say National Intelligencer; chirping-merry; clear; corned; croaked; crooked; cup-shot; cut; damaged; dipped rather deep; disguised; doing the lord or emperor; done over; down with barrel fever; dry; electrified; elevated; elephant’s-trunk (rhyming); far-gone; feeling right royal; flushed; flustered; flawed; been flying rather high; foggy; fou’, or fou’ as a piper; fuddled; full; foxed; glorious; got a drop in the eye; got the back teeth well afloat; greetin’ fu’; groggy; got the gravel rash; half-cut; half-seas-over; hard-up; hazy; hearty; helpless; in a difficulty; in liquor; in the altitudes; in one’s cups; inspired; in the blues, shakes, or horrors; jolly; kisky; been lapping the gutter; loose; looking lively; lumpy; lushy; mellow; miraculous; mortal; moony; muggy; muddled; muzzy; nappy; obfuscated; on; on his fourth; on the batter, beer, bend, fuddle, loose, muddle, ramble, ran-tan, ree-raw, rampage, skyte, or spree; off his nut; out of funds; overcome; overtaken; paralysed; peckish; ploughed; podgy; pruned; pushed; raddled; rather touched; reeling; roaring; salubrious; screwed; scammered; sewed-up; shaky; slewed; smeekit; smelling of the cork; soaked; spiffed; spreeish; sprung; stolling; starchery; swipey; tavered; taking it easy; thirsty; three-sheets-in-the-wind; tight; tipsy; top-heavy; unco’ happy; under the influence; up a tree; waving a flag of defiance; with the mainbrace well spliced; got the sun in the eyes; [328]whittled; wet; winey; yaupish, yappy, or yaupy. For other synonyms, see Screwed, and cf., Drunk as Davy’s sow.

See also lists under Elbow-crooker; Drunk; Lush; Gallon Distemper; Gladstone; Pistol; Flesh and Blood; and Razors.

Dripper, subs. (old).—A gleet.

Dripping, subs. (common).—A cook; especially an indifferent one. Fr., un fripier and une daube. Cf., doctor and slushy (q.v.) = a ship’s cook.

Drive, subs. (common).—A blow. Cf., ‘let drive’ = to aim a blow; to strike. ‘Four rogues in buckram let drive at me.’—Shakspeare. For synonyms, see Dig.

1863. H. Kingsley, Austin Elliot, ch. xix. Lord Charles, after three or four attempts, had managed to give him a violent ‘drive’ on the shins under the table.

To drive at, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To aim at: e.g., What are you driving at? = What do you mean?

1697. Vanbrugh, Relapse, Act iii., Sc. 2. I can’t imagine what you drive at, Pray tell me what you mean.

1730. Jas. Miller, Humours of Oxford, Act iii., p. 41 (2 ed.). Tru. What does the coxcomb drive at?

1752. Fielding, Amelia, bk. IX., ch. iii. ‘O, your servant, sir,’ said the Colonel, ‘I see what you are driving at.’

1861. H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, ch. xii. Howld yer impudence, ye young heretic doggrel-writer; can’t I see what ye are driving at?

To drive a bargain, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To conduct a negotiation; to make the best terms you can; to dispute a condition or a price; to succeed in a ‘deal.’ Cf., to drive a humming trade.

1580. Sidney, Arcadia. My true love hath my heart, and I have his, There never was a better bargain driven.

1638. Ford, Lady’s Trial, V., ii. Love drove the bargain, and the truth of love confirmed it.

1668. Etherege, She Would if She Could, V., in wks. (1704), p. 172. How … goes the business between you and these ladies? Are you like to drive a bargain?

1688. Shadwell, Sq. of Alsatia, ii., in wks. (1720), iv., 43. He never … drinks hard, but upon design, as driving a bargain, or so.

1697. Vanbrugh, Provoked Wife, II., i. Why, madam, to drive a Quaker’s bargain, and make but one word with you, if I do part with it, you must lay down your affectation.

1712. Spectator, No. 450. I do not remember I was ever overtaken in drink, save … five times at driving of bargains.

1837. Lytton, Ernest Maltravers, wks. IV., ch. vii. You’ll drive a much better bargain with me than with her.

1855. Mrs. Gaskell, North and South, ch. xxvii. As it affected his branch of the trade he took advantage of it, and drove hard bargains.

To drive a humming or roaring trade, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To do well in business.

1625. Jonson, Staple of News, II. And as you say, drive a quick pretty trade still.

1883. Hawley Smart, Hard Lines, ch. vii. The vendors of apples, oranges, and gingerbread … were driving a roaring trade.

1883. A. Dobson, Hogarth, p. 71. The gentleman at the sign of the ‘Three Balls’ is driving a roaring trade.

To drive oneself to the wash, verb. phr. (common).—To drive in a basket-chaise. [329]

To drive pigs to market, verb. phr. (common).—To snore.—See quot. Fr., jouer à la ronfle or de l’orgue; also fumer.

1787. Grose, Prov. Glossary, &c., p. 64 (1811). He is driving his hogs over Swarston-bridge. This is a saying used in Derbyshire, when a man snores in his sleep. Swarston-bridge (or bridges, for there are several of them, one after another) is very long, and not very wide, which causes the hogs to be crowded together, in which situation they always make a loud grunting noise.

To drive turkeys to market, verb. phr. (common).—To reel and wobble in drink.

To drive French horses, verb. phr. (common).—To vomit. [From the ‘Hue donc’ of French carters to their teams.] For synonyms, see Accounts.

Driz, subs. (thieves’).—Lace. Fr., la miche (pop., in allusion to the holes in a loaf of bread); la gratouse (thieves’: gratousé = adorned with lace); la paille (thieves’: also, straw, or chaff); la galuche (thieves’); le rayon de miel (thieves’).

1851–61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 233. Scotch Mary, with ‘driz’ (lace), bound to Dover and back.

Driz-Fencer, subs. (thieves’).—A seller of lace; also a receiver of stolen material. [From Driz + Fence.]

1851–61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 429. Among street-people the lace is called driz, and the sellers of it driz-fencers.

Dr. Johnson, subs. phr. (old).—The penis. For synonyms, see Creamstick.

Droddum, subs. (Scots’).—The posteriors. For synonyms, see Blind cheeks, Bum, and Monocular eyeglass.

1786. Burns, To a Louse.—O for some rank mercurial rozet, Some fell, red smeddum, I’d gie ye sic a hearty doze o’t, Wad dress your droddum!

Dromaky, subs. (provincial).—A prostitute: north of England, particularly N. and S. Shields. [From a strolling actress who personated Andromache.]

Dromedary, subs. (old).—A bungler; specifically, a bungling thief. Also purple dromedary (q.v.).

Drop, subs. (old).—See Drop-game.

1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. xliii. That rascal Blackland got the bones out, and we played hazard on the dining-table. And I dropped all the money I had from you in the morning.

1870. London Figaro, 7 June. The money dropped by the turf prophets in the investment of advertisments, postage-stamps, and ‘an office for the transaction of the increasing business of their numerous clients,’ is quickly returned to them.

1876. Besant and Rice, Golden Butterfly, ch. xxxi. Ladds is hard at work at ecarté with a villainous-looking stranger. And I should think, from the way Tommy is sticking at it, that Tommy is dropping pretty heavily.

1880. A. Trollope, The Duke’s Children, ch. lxiii. Nobody could have been more sorry than me that your Lordship dropped your money.

2. (colloquial).—To relinquish; abandon; leave: e.g., to drop an [330]acquaintance = to gradually withdraw from intercourse. Cf., Cut, verb, sense 2. To drop the main Toby = to turn out of the main road.

1711. Spectator, No. 89. He verily believes she will drop him in his old age, if she can find her account in another.

1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, ch. lxxxi. They attempted to make a proselyte of me; but finding the task impracticable on both sides, we very wisely dropped each other.

1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. xxiv. What do these people mean by asking a fellow to dinner in August, and taking me up after dropping me for two years?

1872. Dr. Doran, A Lady of the Last Century. ‘Mrs. Montague, sir,’ said Dr. Johnson, ‘has dropt me.’

1852. F. E. Smedley, Lewis Arundel, ch. v. But when you do make a hit, drop your man if possible; it settles him and frightens the rest.

To drop one’s flag (colloquial).—To salute; also to submit; to lower one’s colours.

To drop, hang, slip, or walk into, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To attack. Cf., Drop on to.

1852. Dickens, Bleak House, ch. xxiv., p. 217. He’s welcome to drop into me, right and left, if he likes.

1884. Punch, 10 May, p. 217, col. 2. If I ever drop into tune, I deserve to be dropped into by the critics afterwards.

To drop off the hooks, verb. phr. (common).—To die. For synonyms, see Aloft and Hop the twig.

To drop one’s leaf, verb. phr. (common).—To die. [From the ‘fall of the leaf’ in nature.] For synonyms see Aloft and Hop the twig.

To drop on one, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To accuse or call to account without warning. Also = to thrash. Cf., To drop into.

1877. Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. iv., p. 268. During the weeks or months that the siege is going on, and the plans are working, do the police ever drop upon the parties and frustrate their plans?

To get or have the drop on, verb. phr. (American).—To hold at disadvantage; to forestall.

1888. Troy Daily Times, 8 Feb. I also kept my revolver handy and did not propose that he should get the drop on me. When he found that I was prepared for him, he did not try to shoot me.