part II

., Sc. iii. Why, I’m a strong young dog, you old gent, you.

1703. Mrs. Centlivre, Stolen Heiress, I., wks, (1872), i., 336. She is in love, forsooth, with a young beggarly dog not worth a groat.

1736. Fielding, Don Quixote, II. iv. A comical dog, I fancy; go, give my service to him.

b. 1764, d. 1817. J. G. Holman, Abroad and at Home, I., 3. And my praise to withhold none so currish, With a girl so divine! Such dinners! such wine! What a d—d clever dog was Jack Flourish!

1810. Crabbe, The Borough, Letter 6, Law. For he’d a way that many judg’d polite, A cunning dog—he’d fawn before he’d bite.

1836. C. Dickens, Pickwick Papers, p. 369. (ed. 1857). Curse me, they’re friends of mine from this minute and friends of Mivins, too. Infernal pleasant, gentlemenly, dog Mivins, isn’t he? said Smangle, with great feeling.

1856. Whyte Melville, Kate Coventry, ch. vii. Then comes Ascot, for which meeting they leave the metropolis, and enjoy some quiet retreat in the neighbourhood of Windsor, taking with them many potables, and what they call a dog cook.

2. (thieves’).—A burglar’s iron. For synonyms, see Jemmy.

1888. American Humorist, 31 Mar. The safe was rifled, and every appearance of robbery was manifest. In this case the murderer was discovered by means of a dog, which was described in the newspapers as having certain peculiar scratches on it.

Verb (venery).—To copulate on all fours.

To go, or throw to the dogs.—See Go and Demnition Bow-wows.

Hair of the dog that bit you.—See Hair.

To blush like a blue dog.—See Blush.

Dogberry, subs. (common).—A stupid constable, or magistrate. [From Much Ado about Nothing.] For synonyms, see Beak and Copper.

1864. M. E. Braddon, Aurora Floyd, ch. xxxviii. The detective had reason to know that the dogberries of Doncaster, ... were on the wrong scent.

1869. Gent. Mag., July, p. 195. I trust I shall not be accounted a dogberry, lavish in my tediousness, if I bestow one more anecdote upon my readers.

Dog Biting Dog, adv. phr. (theatrical).—Said of actors who spitefully criticise each others performance.

Dog-Cheap, adj. (colloquial).—Very cheap; of little worth; foolish. [Skeat: from Swed., dog, = very; Latham: the first syllable is god = good, transposed + cheap, from chapman, a merchant—hence, a good bargain (Fr., bon marché).]

1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV., iii. 3. The sack ... would have bought me lights as good-cheap at the dearest chandler’s in Europe.

1606. Dekker, Newes from Hell, in wks. (Grosart), ii., 116. Three things there are dog-cheap, learning, poore men’s sweat, and others.

1663. Dryden, Wild Gallant, Act II. No fat over-grown virgin of forty ever offered herself so dog cheap, or was more despised.

1772. Foote, Nabob, Act II. dog-cheap; neck-beef; a penny-loaf for a halfpenny.

1830. Marryat, Kings Own, ch. xxx. I’ll sell mine, dog-cheap, if any one will buy it.

1851. Carlyle, John Sterling, pt. I., ch. x. There lay in a certain neighbouring creek of the Irish coast, a worn-out royal gun-brig condemned to sale, to be had dog-cheap.

Dog-Collar, subs. (common).—A ‘stand-up’ shirt collar; an all-rounder (q.v.).

1883. Grenville-Murray, People I have Met, p. 42. The dog-collar which rose above the black cloth was of spotless purity.

Dog-Drawn (old), adj. phr.—Said of a bitch from which a dog has been removed by force during coition. Sometimes applied to women.

Dogger, verb (Charterhouse).—To cheat; to sell rubbish.

Doggery, subs. (popular).—1. Transparent cheating. Cf., dogger.

[Carlyle in Frederick uses doggery = the doings of a scurvy set of soldiers.]

2. (American).—A low drinking saloon.

1871. De Vere, Americanisms, p. 315. Doggeries are only found near the shanties of Irish laborers or in remote western and southern settlements.

Doggoned, adj. (American).—A euphemistic oath.—See Oaths.

1852. Gladstone, Englishman in Kansas, p. 46. If there’s a dog-goned abolitionist aboard this boat, I should like to see him. I’m the man to put a chunk o’ lead into his woolly head right off.

1873. Carlton, Farm Ballads, p. 80. But when that choir got up to sing, I couldn’t catch a word; They sung the most dog-gondest thing A body ever heard!

1879. Eggleston, The Hoosier Schoolmaster. I never knowed but one gal in my life as had cyphered into fractions, and she was so dog on stuck up, that she turned up her nose one night at an apple-peelin’ bekase I tuck a sheet off the bed to splice out the table-cloth, which was rather short.

Doggy, subs. (mining).—See quot.

1845. Disraeli, Sybil, bk. III., ch. i., note. A Batty in the mining districts is a middleman; a doggy is his manager.

Adj. (colloquial).—1. Connected with, or relating to dogs.

1883. Graphic, 24 Feb., p. 199, col. 3. Liverpool and the Adelphi Hotel in particular, are now [time of Altcar coursing meeting] the headquarters of all the doggy men of the three kingdoms.

2. (colloquial).—Stylish.

Dog in a Blanket, subs. phr. (colloquial).—A pudding of preserved fruit spread on thin dough, rolled up, and boiled; also called roly-poly and stocking.

1887. G. A. Sala, in Ill. Lon. News, 12 Feb., p. 174, col. 3. Bubble and squeak ... is a colloquialism, and no more slangy than ‘toad in the hole’ or dog in a blanket.

Like a dog in shoes, adv. phr. (Irish).—A pattering sound; as the noise of a brisk walk.

Dog in the Manger, subs. phr. (colloquial).—A selfish churl; who does not want himself, yet will not let others enjoy. [From the fable.]

1621. Burton, Anat. of Mel., I., II., III., xii., 189 (1836). Like a hog, or dog in the manger, he doth only keep it, because it shall do nobody else good.

1673. Dryden, Amboyna, Act ii. You’re like dogs in the manger, you will neither manage it yourselves nor permit your neighbours.

1757. Garrick, Irish Widow, II. That’s the dog in the manger; you can’t eat the oats, and won’t let those who can.

1836. Marryat, Japhet, ch. lxxii. Why, what a dog in the manger you must be—you can’t marry them both.

Dog-Latin, subs. (colloquial).—Barbarous or sham Latin; also Kitchen, Bog, Garden, or Apothecaries’ Latin.

1856. H. Mayhew, Great World of London, p. 149. A Spaniard ... who called himself a physician, and who, being unable to speak English, communicated with the doctor in a kind of Spanish dog-Latin.

Dogs, subs. (university).—1. Sausages; otherwise Bags of Mystery (q.v.), or Chambers of Horrors (q.v.).

2. (Stock Exchange).—Newfoundland Land Company’s shares; now amalgamated with the Anglo-American United, and called Anglos.

To go to the dogs.—See under Go.

To let sleeping dogs lie.—See Sleeping Dogs.

Dog’s-Body, subs. (nautical).—Pease pudding.

1851. Chambers’ Papers, No. 52, p. 16. Peas-pudding (alias dog’s body) is often allowed upon pork days.

1883. W. Clark Russell, Sailors’ Language, p. 42. dogs-body.—A mess made of pea-soup, powdered biscuit, and slush.

1889. Chambers’ Journal, 3 Aug., p. 495, col. 1.

Dog’s-eared, adj. (colloquial).—Crumpled, as the leaves of a page with much reading.

Dog’s Match. To make a dog’s match of it, verb. phr. (vulgar).—To copulate by the wayside.

Dog’s Meat, subs. (colloquial).—Anything worthless; as a bad book, a common tale, a villainous picture, etc.

Dog-shooter, subs. (old).—1. A volunteer.

2. (Royal Military Academy).—See quot.

1889. Barrère, Slang, Jargon and Cant, p. 317. Cadets thus term a student who accelerates, that is, who, being pretty certain of not being able to obtain a commission in the engineers, or not caring for it, elects to join a superior class before the end of the term.

Dog’s-nose, subs. (common).—A mixture of gin and beer.—See Drinks.

1812. Vaux, Flash Dict., s.v.

1836. Dickens, Pickwick, ch. xxxiii., p. 285. dog’s nose ... your committee find upon enquiry, to be compounded of warm porter, moist sugar, gin, and nutmeg.

1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, ch. xl. Ah! that’s not bad tipple after such a ducking as we’ve had. dog’s nose, isn’t it?

Dog’s-paste, subs. (common).—Sausage or mince-meat. Cf., bags of mystery and chambers of horror (q.v.).

Dog’s-portion, subs. (common).—‘A lick and a smell,’ i.e., next to nothing.

Dog’s Sleep, subs. phr. (colloquial).—The lightest possible form of slumber.

Dog’s-soup, subs. (common).—Water. For synonyms, see Adam’s Ale and Fish Broth.

1836. W. H. Smith. ‘The Thieves’ Chaunt.’ For she never lushes dog’s-soup or lap.

Dog’s-tail, subs. (nautical).—The constellation of Ursa minor or Little Bear.

Dog-stealer, subs. (common).—A dog-dealer; applied sarcastically.

1854. Whyte Melville, General Bounce, ch. xiii. Now nodding to a trainer, now indulging in quaint badinage, which the vulgar call ‘chaff,’ with a dog-stealer.

Doldrums, subs. (colloquial).—Low spirits; the dumps or hump (q.v.). [Properly parts of the ocean near the Equator abounding in calms and light, baffling winds.]

1865. M. Browne, in the ‘Argosy,’ I., 36. An Apology for the Nerves. All I say is, do not let us have any abuse of the nerves. Do not confound nervousness with the megrims, or the doldrums, or any other complaint. Do not confound it with cowardice or ill-temper.

1883. James Payn, The Canon’s Ward, ch. xi. She treated all subjects in the same light way; ... from aversion to serious thoughts of any kind, which she stigmatised generally as the doldrums.

Dole, subs. (Winchester College).—A stratagem or trick. [From Latin dolus.]

Dolifier, subs. (Winchester College).—One who contrives a trick.—See Dole.

Dollar, subs. (common).—A five-shilling piece. Half-dollar = half-a-crown, or two shillings. For synonyms, see Caroon.

Dollop, subs. and verb (common).—A lot; All the dollop = the whole thing. Cf., quot., 1812. In Norfolk to dollop = to dole out; also to ‘plank.’ Dolloping = throwing down.

1812. Vaux, Flash Dict., s.v. = the whole sum of money.

1853. Notes and Queries, 16 July, p. 65, col. 2. Applied to lumps of any substances, whether food or otherwise. Such a phrase as this might be heard: What a dollop of fat you have given me.

1871. Beli’s Life, 23 Dec. All we wish to convey is, that a large bait is absolutely necessary to a heavy bag of chub. Exceptions may arise, as giants may dally with crumbs, but as a rule these fish desire a dollop.

1876. Hindley, Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 28. I have known men literally give their goods away, or to throw them at each other, which is termed dolloping.

1883. Daily Telegraph, 8 March, p. 4, col. 1. A dollop of something having a mortar-like appearance, imaginatively styled pudding.

Dolly, subs. (venery).—1. A mistress. For synonyms, see Barrack-hack and Tart.

1647–48. Herrick, Hesperides, p. 38. Drink, and dance, and pipe, and play, Kisse our dollies night and day.

1843. Punch, vol. V., p. 8. Dol is a pure Anglo-Saxon word signifying dull, erring—whence the English Dolly, any one who has made a faux pas.

2. (tailors’).—A piece of cloth used as a sponge.

3. (venery).—The penis. For synonyms, see Creamstick.

Adj. (popular).—Silly.

1864. Dickens, Our Mutual Friend, bk. I., chap. 4. You are a chit and a little idiot, returned Bella, or you wouldn’t make such a dolly speech.

Dolly-mop, subs. (common).—Specifically, a professional strumpet, but see quot., 1851. For synonyms, see Barrack-hack and Tart.

1833. Marryat, Peter Simple, ch. iv. The captain says we are to take the young gentleman on board directly. His liberty’s stopped for getting drunk and running after the Dolly-Mops!

1851. H. Mayhew, Lon. Lab. and Lon. Poor, IV., 234. Those women who, for the sake of distinguishing them from the professionals, I must call amateurs, are generally spoken of as Dolly-mops.

Dolly-Shop, subs. (common).—A marine store: really an illegal pawn-shop and fence (q.v.); also leaving-shop. No questions are asked; all goods are received on the understanding that they may be repurchased within a given time; so much per day is charged; no duplicate is given; and no books are kept. [From the black doll (q.v.) suspended outside as a sign.]

1851–61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 142. If she hasn’t, or if the neighbours hasn’t it, she borrows it at a dolly-shop (the illegal pawnshop).

1860–68. Chambers’ Encyclopædia, s.v.

1871. Echo, 16 March. Chimney sweeps having lent their machines to dolly-shop keepers for the price of a spree, could not redeem them to commence business.

Dome, subs. (common).—The head. For synonyms, see Crumpet.

Domestic-Afflictions, subs. (common).—The menstrual flux; a woman’s flower-time. For synonyms, see Flag-up.

Dome-stick, subs. (common).—A ‘domestic’ servant.

Dominie, subs. (old).—A clergyman; modern Scots = a pedagogue or schoolmaster. [From Latin dominus, a lord or master.]

1616. Beaumont and Fletcher, Scornful Lady, II., i. Wel. [addressing parson], Adieu, dear Domine!

1754. Foote, Knights, Act ii. She falls in love with young Sleek, her father’s chaplain; ... what does me I, but slips on Domine’s robes, you; passed myself upon her for him, and we were tacked together.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib’s Memorial, p. 21. And, take him at ruffianing work (though, in common, he Hums about Peace and all that, like a Domine.

1883. Brinsley-Richards, Seven Years at Eton, xii., 122. The Scotch dominie, from whom he had learnt Latin ... knew nothing of elegiacs.

Dominie Do-Little, subs. phr. (old).—An impotent old man.

Domino! intj. (common).—An ejaculation of completion: e.g., for sailors and soldiers at the last lash of a flogging; and for ’bus conductors when an omnibus is full inside and out [N. and Q., 6 S., v., 229]; also, by implication, a knock-down blow, or the last of a series. [From the call at the end of a game of dominoes.]

Domino-Box, subs. (old).—The mouth. For synonyms, see Potato-trap.

1812. Vaux, Flash Dictionary, s.v.

Dominoes, subs. (popular).—1. The teeth. For synonyms, see Grinders.

1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, ii., 6. Mr. J. Sluice your dominos—vill you? Green. Vot! I never plays at dominos—It’s too wulgar. Mr. J. Vy, then vash your ivories? Green. I’ve got no hiveries to vash. Mr. J. Drink, vill you? don’t you understand Hinglish?

1856. H. Mayhew, Gt. World of London, p. 6, note. Fanciful metaphors contribute largely to the formation of slang. It is upon this principle that the mouth has come to be styled the ‘tater-trap’; the teeth, dominoes.

1864. E. D. Forgues, in Revue des deux Mondes, 15 Sept., p. 470. Le mot ‘dents’ est remplacé par celui de dominos aussi bien sur les bordes de la Tamise que sur ceux de la Seine.

2. (colloquial).—The keys of a piano.

To sluice one’s dominoes, verb. phr. (common).—To drink.—See quot., 1823 ante.

Domino-thumper, subs. (common).—A pianist.

Dommerar, Dommerer, or Dummerer, subs. (old).—A beggar feigning to be deaf and dumb; also, a madman.

1567. Harman, Caveat, p. 57. These Dommerars are leud and most subtyll people: the moste part of these are Walch men, and wyll neuer speake, vnlesse they haue extreame punishment, but wyll gape, and with a maruelous force wyll hold downe their toungs doubled, groning for your charyty, and holding vp their handes full pitiously, so that with their deepe dissimulation they get very much.

1621. Burton, Anat. of Mel., I., II., IV., vi., 233 (1836). It compels some miserable wretches to counterfeit several diseases, to dismember, make themselves blind, lame, to have a more plausible cause to beg ... we have dummerers, Abraham men, etc.

1671. R. Head, English Rogue, pt. I., ch. v. (Repr. 1874), p. 49. Dommerar, a Madman.

1706. E. Coles, Eng. Dict. Dommeror, a Madman.

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

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum. Dommerer, a fellow that pretends to be deaf and dumb.

Don, subs. (colloquial).—An adept; a swell; also a man that ‘puts on side.’ At the Universities a fellow or officer of a college; whence the vulgar usage. [From Latin, dominus, a lord, through the Spanish title.]

1665. Dryden, Indian Emperor, Epilogue, 21. For the great dons of wit—Phœbus gives them full privilege alone, To damn all others, and cry up their own.

1698–1700. Ward, London Spy, pt. xiii., p. 299. Like the Great Old Dons of the Law, when they dance the Measures in an Inns-of-Court Hall upon the first day of Christmas.

1730. Jas. Miller, Humours of Oxford, Act I., p. 7 (2 ed.) The old dons ... will come cringing, cap in hand, to offer to show the ladies the curiosities of the college.

1826. Reynolds (‘Peter Corcoran’), Song on the Fancy. Dull innocence! Twaddle on, Thy weary worshipper—and fain Would give thee up, to be a don, And beat the watch in Drury Lane.

1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. xi. Does not go much into society, except ... once or twice to the houses of great country dons who dwell near him in the country.

c. 1880. Broadside Ballad, sung by Jenny Hill. ‘’Arry, ’Arry, There you are now, ’Arry, I say, ’Arry, by Jove, you are a Don.’

Adj. (common).—Clever, expert; first rate. [From the subs. sense.]

Dona, Donna, Donny, or Doner, subs. (vulgar).—A woman. [From the Italian.] For synonyms, see Petticoat.

1875. Athenæum, 24 April, p. 545, col. 2. A circus man almost always speaks of a circus woman, not as a woman, but a dona.

Donaker, subs. (old).—A cattle-lifter.

1669. Nicker Nicked, in Harl. Misc. (ed. Park), ii., 108.

Done! intj. (common).—An interjection of acceptance or agreement.

1602. Dekker, Honest Whore, in wks. (1873), ii., 17. Cast. ... I’le wage a hundred duckats upon the head on’t, that it moves him, frets him, and galles him. Pio. Done, ’tis a lay, joyne gols [hands] on’t.

1761. Colman, Jealous Wife, IV., in wks. (1777), i., 106. Why, it’s a match, miss! it’s done and done on both sides.

1762. Goldsmith, Life of Nash, in wks., p. 546 (Globe). Why, if you think me a dab I will get this strange gentleman, or this, pointing to the flat. done! cries the sailor, but you shall not tell him.

1840. Thackeray, Paris Sketch-book, p. 196. ‘I will bet thee thy water for a year that none of the three will pray for thee.’ ‘Done!’ said Rollo. ‘Done! said the daemon.’

Ppl. adj. (common).—Exhausted; ruined; cheated; convicted.

[See Do in most of its senses.]

Done-over, adj. (common).—1. Intoxicated. For synonyms, see Screwed.

2. (venery). Possessed in kind; said only of women.

Donkey, subs. (printers’).—1. A compositor; pressmen are in turn called Pigs (q.v.).

English Synonyms.—Ass; moke; galley-slave.

French Synonyms.—Un mulet (printers’); un compositeur mie de pain (an unskilled or clumsy workman; mie de pain also = a louse); un marron (a compositor working on his own account with another printer’s plant); un homme de lettres (= a man of letters); un singe (= a monkey); un amphibie (a compositor who is donkey and pig [q.v.] together).

1857. In Notes and Queries, 2 S., iv., 192. Compositors are jocosely called mokes or donkeys.

2. (nautical).—A sailor’s chest.

3. (colloquial).—A blockhead. For synonyms, see Cabbage-head and Buffle.

A penny, twopence or threepence more and up goes the donkey, phr. (common).—An exclamation of derision. [Street acrobats’: the custom was to finish off the pitch by balancing a donkey at the top of a ladder on receipt of ‘tuppence more’; which sum, however often subscribed, was always re-demanded, so that the donkey never ‘went up’ at all.]

1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 41, col. 2. Mr. Joseph Muggins begs to inform his old crony, Punch, that the report of Sir John Pullon, ‘as to the possibility of elevating an ass to the head of the poll by bribery and corruption’ is perfectly correct, provided there is no abatement in the price. Let him canvass again, and Mr. J. M. pledges himself, whatever his weight, if he will only stand one penny more, up goes the donkey!

1850. F. E. Smedley, Frank Fairleigh, ch. xv. He ... has left the key in the lock; so I shall take the liberty of exploring a little; I’ve a strong though undeveloped taste for architectural antiquities. Twopence more, and up goes the donkey! Come along! So saying, he flung open the door.

Who stole the donkey? phr. (common).—A street cry once in vogue on the appearance of a man in a white hat. With a similar expression ‘Who stole the leg of mutton’? applied to the police, it had its rise in a case of larceny. J. H. Dixon, writing to Hotten, Nov. 6th, 1864, remembered both. The first occurred at Hatton Garden Police Court, where a man, wearing a white hat, was charged with stealing a costermonger’s donkey.

1889. Sporting Times, 3 Aug., p. 3, col. 5. Who stole the donkey? The man with the white hat! This was a very popular street colloquy some years ago.

To ride the donkey, verb. phr. (common).—To cheat with weights and measures. Also donkey-riding = cheating as aforesaid. Cf., Ambush.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, or Rogue’s Lexicon. Donkey-Riding. Cheating in weight or measure; miscounting.

To talk the hind leg off a donkey.—See Talk.

Donkey-Drops, subs. phr. (cricket).—See quot.

1890. The Hon. and Rev. E. Lyttelton, Cricket, p. 69. Slow round-hand bowling, such as is seldom seen in good matches, but is effective against boys, and is known by the contumelious designation of donkey-drops.

Donkey’s-ears, subs. (old).—An old-fashioned shirt-collar with long points.

Donna.—See Dona.

Donnish, adj. Donnism, Donnishness, subs. (University).—Arrogant; arrogance. [From Don (q.v.).]

1823. Hints for Oxford, p. 66. The Bachelors, we imagine, are the most pleasant set of beings in Oxford.... They have luckily not been so long emancipated as to have become stiff, and donnish, and disagreeable.

c. 1830. Ballad, quoted in N. and Q., 2nd S., xii., 154. Our Yankee, who’d commenced the fight and rather to be donnish meant, Sam squabbled felt (as well he might) with genu-ine astonishment.

1853. Thackeray, in Scribner’s Mag., Oct., 1887, p. 415. At Boston is very good literate company indeed; it is like Edinburgh for that,—a vast amount of toryism and donnishness everywhere.

1888. Mrs. Ward, Robt. Elsmere, vol. I., bk. I., ch. ii., p. 48. He was a curious man, a refined-looking, melancholy creature, with a face that reminded you of Wordsworth, and cold donnish ways, except to his children and the poor.

Donny.—See Dona.

Donovans, subs. (old).—Potatoes. Cf., Murphy. [Donovan, like Murphy, is a common Irish patronym.]

Don’s Week, subs. phr. (tailors’).—The week before a general holiday.

Don’t get your Back up.—See Back, and Hold your Hair on.

Don’t-name-’ems, subs. phr. (common).—Trousers. For synonyms, see Kicksies.

Don’t you wish you may get it, phr. (street).—A retort forcible.

1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends (ed. 1862), p. 179. A thousand marks, continued the confessor.... Sir Guy shrank from the monk’s gaze; he turned to the window, and muttered to himself something that sounded like, ‘don’t you wish you may get it?’

1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 22, col. 2. Who would own her heart thine, Though a monarch beset it, And love on unchanged, ‘don’t you wish you may get it?’

1844. Puck, p. 14. The Proctor caught him in a spree, Asked his name and college with courtesie; ‘Don’t you wish you may get it?’ and off he ran, Did my spicy swell small college man.

Doodle, subs. (old).—1. A dolt. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head. [Thought to be a corruption of Dawdle, to trifle.]

1775. Ash, Eng. Dict., s.v.

1830. S. Warren, Diary of a Late Physician, ch. v. I know it was every word composed by that abominable old addlehead, Dr. ——, a doodle that he is!

2. (old).—The penis. For synonyms, see Creamstick.

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

Doodled, ppl. adj. (old).—Cheated, ‘done.’

1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, i., 7. No, I’m out of spirits because I have been dished and doodled out of forty pounds to-day.

Doodle-dasher, subs. (venery).—A masturbator. [From Doodle, the penis + dasher.]

Doodle-doo-man, subs. (old cock-pit).—A cockfighter or breeder. [From the childish name for poultry.]

Doodlesack, subs. (old).—The female pudendum. Also Doodle-case and Doodle-trap. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

Doog, adj. (back-slang).—Good.

Dookie, subs. (theatrical).—A penny show or unlicensed theatre. Cf., Gaff.

Dookin and Dookering, subs. (thieves’ and gypsies’).—Fortune-telling.

1857. Snowden, Mag. Assistant, 3rd ed., p. 444.

Dookin-Cove, subs. (common).—A fortune-teller. [From dookin = fortune-telling + cove, a man.]

Door-nail. Dead as a door-nail.—See Dead.

Doorsman, subs. (common).—See Barker and Clicker.

Doorstep, subs. (common).—A thick slice of bread and butter. Fr., une fondante.

1885. Miss Tennant, in Eng. Ill. Mag., June, p. 604. Doorsteps, I found, were thick slices of bread spread with jam.

1890. Spectator, 3 May, Rev. of vol. I., ‘Slang and its Analogues.’... The extraordinary ‘bouncer’ that a very common request at Lockhart’s coffee-houses in London is for ‘a doorstep and a sea-rover,’ i.e., for a halfpenny slice of bread and butter and a herring, &c.

Dooteroomus or Doot, subs. (American).—Money. For synonyms, see Actual and Gilt.

1871. De Vere, Americanisms, s.v.

Dope, verb (American).—To drug with tobacco. Also doping = the practice.

Dopey, subs. (old).—1. A beggar’s trull.

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

2. (old).—The podex.

Dor, subs. (Old Westminster School).—1. See quot.

1715. J. Kersey, English Dictionary. Sub voce, a term used at Westminster School for leave to sleep awhile.

2. (old).—An affront.

1600. Jonson, Cynthia’s Revels.

Doras, subs. (Stock Exchange).—South-Eastern Railway Deferred Ordinary Stock, sometimes applied to the ‘A’ Stock.

Dorbie, subs. (Scots Masonic).—An initiate.

The Dorbies’ knock, subs. phr.—A peculiar rap given by masons as a signal amongst themselves. It may be represented by the time of the following notes: [Music notes].

Dorcas, subs. (colloquial).—A sempstress; especially one employing herself for charitable purposes.

Dorse.—See Doss.

Dose, subs. (thieves’).—1. A sentence of imprisonment; specifically three months’ hard labour.

English Synonyms.—Spell, time, drag, three moon, length, stretch, seven-pennorth, sixer, twelver, lagging.

French Synonym.—Une marque.

1877. Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. iii., p. 22. ‘What’s yer dose?’ looking on to my badge; ‘five, oh, you can do that little lot on yer ’ed easy.’

2. (thieves’).—A burglary.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, or Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.

3. (pugilistic).—A beating.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress p. 17. Sandy tipp’d him a dose of that kind, that, when taken, It isn’t the stuff, but the patient that’s shaken.

4. (colloquial).—As much liquor as one can hold.

To have a dose of the balmy, verbal phr. (common).—To ‘do a sleep.’—See Balmy and Doss.

To take a grown man’s dose, verb. phr. (common).—To take a very large quantity of liquor.

Doss or Dorse, subs. (vagrants’).—A bed, or lodging; also a sleep, or lib (q.v.). [Origin uncertain.] For synonyms, see Kip and Balmy.

1789. Geo. Parker, Life’s Painter, p. 165. Dorsed. The place where a person sleeps, or a bed. ‘I dorsed there last darkey.’

1858. Mayhew, Paved with Gold, p. 118. Into this branch curtained retreat, the lads crept on all fours, one after another, to enjoy their doss, as, in their slang, they called sleep.

1883. Daily News, 3 April, p. 3, col. 5. He replied that he had only come there to have a doss (sleep).

1889. Pall Mall Gazette, 9 Sep., p. 3, col. 2. If you want a doss, a doss is provided. A wooden framework, about as wide as the widest part of a coffin, and a wooden pillow and a blanket of leather.

Verb (vagrants’).—To sleep. For synonyms, see Balmy and infra. Also Dorse.

English Synonyms.—To go to the arms of Murphy (q.v.); to have forty winks; to go to Bedfordshire; to take a little (or do a dose) of the balmy; to chuck (or do) a doss; to snooze; to go to by-by; to read the paper; to shut one’s eyes to think; to retire to the land of Nod.

French Synonyms.—Battre la couverte (military); se foutre un coup de traversin (= to have a little turn up with the bolster); se bâcher, pagnotter or percher (to roost); se mettre dans la bâche; se bourser (popular); éteindre son gaz (popular: to put out one’s light; = also to die); entrer aux quinze-vingts (Les Quinze-vingts = a government hospital for the blind); dormir en chien de fusil (i.e., to sleep sitting, the head between the knees); dormir en gendarme (popular: ‘to sleep with one eye round the corner’); fermer les châssis (to put up shutters or ‘peepers’); se coller dans le pieu (popular).

Spanish Synonyms.—Acostarse con las gallinas (= to go to bed by cock-light); encamarse; tomarle á uno el sueño; tumbar (literally, to tumble down).

1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v. To dorse with a woman signifies to sleep with her.

1846. Punch, vol. XI., p. 165. Then silent flowed the tears of those maidens as perforce, Each saw her favourite champion sent, as Bell’s Life says, dorse.

1850. Lloyd’s Weekly, 3 Feb., ‘Low Lodging House of London.’ One said, Mate, how long have you been knocking about; where did you doss? I didn’t know what they meant, and when they’d told me, they meant, where did I sleep?

Dosser, subs. (vagrants’).—One who frequents a doss house (q.v.).

’Appy-dossers, subs. (vagrants’).—Houseless vagrants who creep in, sleep on stairs, in passages, and in empty cellars.

1880. G. R. Sims, How the Poor Live, p. 43. A ’appy dosser can make himself comfortable anywhere. I heard of one who used to crawl into the dust-bin, and pull the lid down.

1883. Referee, 15 July, p. 7, col. 2. The Lazaruses of to-day don’t lie exactly at Dives’s front door—the police are too active to allow such happy dossing as that.

The dosser, subs.—The father of a family.

Doss-house or Dossing-crib or Ken, subs. (vagrants’).—A common lodging-house. [From doss, to sleep + crib, or ken, a place of abode.] Fr., un bastengue and un garno. English variants: Libken, two-penny-rope, padding-ken, and kidden (all of which see). Doss-money = the price of a night’s lodging.

1838. Comic Almanack, April. The hulks is now my bowsing-crib, the hold my dossing-ken.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. I., p. 150. When their funds are insufficient to defray the charge of a bed, or a part of one, at a country dossing-crib (his lodging-house).

1885. Daily Telegraph, 22 August, p. 2. col. 1. Her’s is no common dossing-crib, with a squalid kitchen, common to all comers.

1889. Globe, 29 Aug., p. 2, col. 2. Various other smart people who are at present residing in the doss-houses of London.

1890. Speaker, 22 Feb., p. 211, col. 1. Equally bad doss-houses exist in Notting Hill and near Drury Lane.

Dossy, adj. (common).—Elegant, ‘spiff’ (q.v.).

Dot, subs. (old).—A ribbon. Dot-drag = a watch ribbon.

1821. D. Haggart, Life, Glossary, p. 171, s.v.

Dot-and-Carry-, or Go-one, subs. phr. (common).—1. Properly, a man with a wooden leg; by implication, a hopping-giles or limping jesus (q.v.). Fr., un (or une) banban. Cf., verbal sense.

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

1822. Scott, The Fortunes of Nigel, ch. v. That was his father.... You old dotard. Dot-and-carry-one that you are.

1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends (Lay of S. Nicholas). How he rose with the sun, limping dot and go one.

1841. Leman Rede, Sixteen-String Jack, Act i., Sc. 4. Kit. Of all the rummy chaps I ever did see, that dot-and-carry-one-of-old poetry is the queerest; he’s as green as a babby, and as deep as a wooden spoon.

2. (old).—A writing-master or teacher of arithmetic. [Grose, 1785.]

Verb (old).—To ‘hirple’; especially applied to a person with one leg shorter than the other, or, ‘with an uneven keel.’

Do tell! intj. (American).—A useful interjection, for listeners who feel that some remark is expected; equivalent to the English Really? and Indeed? A similar phrase in the South is the old English, You don’t say so? which a Yankee will vary by, I want to know! Do tell is also used with inexperienced Munchausens who by its means may often be lured to repeat themselves.

1824. R. B. Peake, Americans Abroad, Act I., Sc. ii. Mrs. L. But when they order nothing at all— Dou: What then, du pray tell?

1854. N. and Q., 1 S., x., p. 84, R. Does Jeremiur behave well now? S. No, he’s very ugly. He tried to burn the barn. R. do tell!

1871. De Vere, Americanisms, p. 598 s.v.

Dots, subs. (American journalist).—1. Items of news.

2. (popular).—Money. For synonyms, see Actual and Gilt.

Dotter, subs. (common).—A reporter; penny-a-liner. Cf., Dots, sense 1.

Dottle, subs. (common).—The same as Dodder (q.v.).

1885. John Coleman, in Longm. Mag., VII., 69. During the performance of ‘It’s Never Too Late to Mend,’ some gentleman of the proletariat, in knocking out the burning dottle of his pipe, succeeded in setting the gallery on fire.

Dotty, adj. and adv. (common).—1. Feeble; dizzy; idiotic; e.g., dotty in the crumpet = weak in the head; dotty in the pins = unsteady on the legs. [Totty is given in Cole’s Eng. Dict. (1724) = dizzy, but cf., dotish and dotage.] For synonyms, see Apartments, Balmy, and Cf., Cabbage-head.

1870. Sportsman, 9 April. Although he begins to go a little stiff in his limbs and dotty on his feet he enjoys good health.

1884. Daily Telegraph, 9 April, p. 2, col. 6. His bad leg grows worse ... and, as usual, he [a race-horse] pulled up in a dotty condition.

1889. Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday, 3 Aug., p. 242, col. 3. As poor Doody on his knees had dropt In front of lovely Tottie, And the fatal question just had pop’t. He really look’d quite dotty.

Subs. (common).—The fancy man of prostitutes of the lowest type.

Doubite, subs. (old).—A street.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, or Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.

Double, subs. (colloquial).—1. A trick.

2. (theatrical).—An actor playing two parts in the same piece; used also as a verb.

1825. Egan, Life of an Actor, ‘The Country Manager.’ I make no reserve for myself, like all other managers; indeed, I am to double any character, and only anxious to make the most of every little bit.

3. (thieves’).—See quot.

1879. J. W. Horsley, in Macm. Mag., xl., 501. I piped a slavey (servant) come out of a chat (house), so when she had got a little way up the double (turning) I pratted (went) in the house.

4. (printers’).—Repetition of a word or sentence.

[Double, adj. and adv., is also used as an intensitive in many obscene or offensive connotations: e.g., double-arsed = large in the posteriors; double-duggs (and double-dugged or diddied) = heavy breasted; double-guts (and double-gutted) = excessively corpulent; double-cunted = stretched beyond service; double-hocked = abnormally thick ankled; double-shung = extravagantly large in the genitals; double-mouthed = mouth-almighty (q.v.); and so forth.]

To put the double on, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To circumvent.

To tip or give the double, verb. phr. (common).—To run or slip away openly or unperceived; to double as a hare; formerly to escape one’s creditors. Also to tip one the Dublin packet. For synonyms, see Amputate and Skedaddle.

1781. G. Parker, View of Society, I., 174, s.v.

1860. The Druid, ‘Post and Paddock.’ Alas! my innocent rural police, Your fondest hopes were a bubble; Your attempts to prevent a breach of the peace, Your race o’er the Derbyshire stubble; You must freely own that you felt like geese, When Sam Rogers gave you the double.

1870. Daily News, 26 May. ‘The Metropolitan Police.’ The policeman must do his best to ‘keep square’ with the sergeant who looks after him and his beats, who can be down upon him at any moment and double upon him three or four times a-night.

1884. Hawley Smart, Post to Finish, ch. i. Old Gregson would never put the double upon us. No, it’s right enough, you may depend upon it.

Double-back, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To go back upon oneself; an

## action; an opinion.

Double-barrel, subs. (popular).—A field or opera glass.

1890. H. D. Traill, Saturday Songs, p. 61. Intently as the masher plies O’er all the stage his double-barrel That Eightyer mute had fixed his eyes Upon his honoured guest’s apparel.

Double-barrelled, adj. (venery).—Said of a harlot working both before and behind.

Double-bottomed, adj. (colloquial).—Insincere; saying one thing and meaning another.

Double-breasted feet, subs. phr. (common).—Club feet. Also Double Breasters.

Double-cross or Double-double, subs. (sporting).—Winning or doing one’s best to win after engaging to lose or ‘mike’; (q.v.).

1887. Referee, 21 Aug., 1, 3. When the pair raced before, Teemer declared, and Hanlan did not deny, that a double cross was brought off. Teemer promised to sell the match, and finished by selling those who calculated on his losing.

Double-distilled, adj. (colloquial).—Superlative: e.g., ‘a double-distilled whopper’ = a tremendous lie.

Double-dutch, adj. (colloquial).—Unintelligible speech; jargon; gibberish. ‘It was all Double-dutch to me’ = I didn’t understand a word of it.

Double-event, subs. (sporting).—1. Backing a horse for two races.

1883. Grenville Murray, People I Have Met, p. 155. His lordship, who had won largely on a double event.

2. (venery).—Gonorrhœa and syphilis at once. Said also of simultaneous defloration and impregnation.

Double-finn, subs. (common).—A £10 note.—[See Finn.]

1879. J. W. Horsley, in Macm. Mag., xl., 505. Yes, there it was, fifty quid in double finns (£10 notes).

Double-header, subs. (common).—A false coin with a head on the obverse and reverse, made by soldering two split coins. Cf., Cover and Heading ’em.

1887. Walford’s Antiquarian, p. 252. A double-header is the usual property of the gutter sharper.

Double-juggs, subs. (old).—The posteriors (Burton). For synonyms, see Blind cheeks, Bum, and Monocular eyeglass.

Double-lines, subs. (nautical).—Ship casualties. So called from the manner of entering at Lloyd’s.

Doubler, subs. (pugilistic).—A blow in the side or stomach, causing a man to bend from pain or lack of wind. Cf., Double up, sense 1. For synonyms, see Dig.

1821. The Fancy, vol. I., p. 255. In the fourth round he came in all abroad, and got a doubler in the bread-basket, which spoiled him for the remainder of the fight.

Double-ribbed, adj. phr. (common).—Pregnant. For synonyms, see Lumpy.

Double-shotted, adj. (colloquial).—Said of a whiskey (or brandy) and soda, containing twice the normal quantity of alcohol.

Double-shuffle, subs. (common). 1. A hornpipe step in which each foot is shuffled twice in succession, the more rapidly and neatly the better.

1835. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, p. 47. The waterman ... is dancing the double shuffle, in front of the pump, to keep his feet warm.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. i., p. 542. I used to talk to him and whistle. I can just whistle ... and to dance him the double-shuffle.

1871. Echo, 11 Dec., ‘Sunday among the Silk Weavers.’ The clumsy high low with which they execute scientific ‘elephant dances’ and double-shuffles.

2. subs. (common).—A trick or fakement.

Double-Slang.—See Slangs.

Double-Sucker, subs. (venery).—A term descriptive of an abnormal development of the tissues of the labia majora.

Doublet, subs. (thieves’).—A doctored diamond or other precious stone. Cf., Triplet. [The quots. show derivation.]

1706. E. Coles, Eng. Dict. Doublet, a precious stone of two pieces joyned.

1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ch. xxxi. Your een are sharp enough to look after gowd and silver, gems, rubies, and the like of that.... Look at them—they are a’right and tight, sound and round, not a doublet crept in amongst them.

1877. Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. iv., p. 273. Most jewellers and pawnbrokers are well acquainted with what are called doublets. These are rubies or emeralds made of two pieces. The face is a real ruby, emerald, or sapphire, as the case may be, and this is backed up by a piece of coloured glass.

Double-Thumper, subs. (common).—A prodigious lie.

Double-Tongued, adj. (colloquial).—Mendacious; given to change opinions in changing company.

Double-tongued Squib, subs. phr. (common).—A double-barrelled gun. For synonyms, see Squib.

1864. G. W. Reynolds, Pickwick Abroad. A double-tongued squib to keep in awe The chaps that flout at me.

Double-up, verb (pugilistic).—1. To punish. Also to be collapsed. Cf., Doubler.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib’s Memorial, p. 20. Doubled him up, like a bag of old duds.

1827. Reynolds (‘Peter Corcoran’), The Fancy, note on p. 89. Randall doubles up an opponent, as a friend lately declared, as easily as though he were picking a flower or pinching a girl’s cheek.

1830. S. Warren, Diary of a Late Physician, ch. xii. Accompanied by a tremendous doubling up body-blow, as in an instant brought him senseless to the ground.

1845. Punch, vol. IX., p. 163. Ben’s reference to the Premier’s friend, Canning, completely doubled him up.

1849. Thackeray, Dr. Birch, p. 6. I reflect as I go up and set him a sum, that he [Champion] could whop me in two minutes, double up Prince and the other assistant and pitch the Doctor out of the window.

1866. London Miscellany, 5 May, p. 202. Doubled you up, I mean, sir. Smashed you.

2. (common).—To pair off, to chum with.

1885. W. Westall, Larry Lohengrin, ch. iii. He ... promised the steward a handsome tip if nobody were doubled up with him,—i.e., if no other person were put into the same cabin.

Dough, subs. (public schools’).—Pudding.

Dough-baked, adj. phr. (colloquial).—Deficient in intellect. U.S.A. = Easily moulded: said of politicians. For synonyms, see Apartments.

1675. Wycherley, Country Wife, IV., iv. in wks. (1713), 212. These dow-baked, sensless, indocile animals, women.

Doughy, subs. (common).—A baker.—See Burncrust, and for synonyms, master of the rolls.

Douse.—See Dowse.

Dover, subs. (hotel).—A made dish; hash; rechauffé.

Dovers, subs. (Stock Exchange).—South Eastern Railway Ordinary Stock. [From one of the termini on the line.]

Doves, subs. (University).—Members of St. Catharine’s College, Cambridge.—See quot. Obsolete.

1888. C. Whibley, Three Centuries of Cambridge Wit, p. xxix. It is said that the members of St. Catharine’s Hall were first of all called ‘Puritans,’ from the derivation of the name of their patroness from καθαίρειν. The ‘dove’ being the emblem of purity, to change a name from ‘Puritans’ to doves was but one short step.

Soiled-Doves, subs. (common).—High-class prostitutes. For synonyms, see Barrack-Hack and Tart.

Dove-Tart, subs. (colloquial).—A pigeon pie. (Doo-tairt is excellent Scots for the same thing.) Cf., Snake Tart = eel pie.

1857. Rev. E. Bradley (‘Cuthbert Bede’), Verdant Green, pt. II., ch. vii. Why, a dove tart is what mortals call a pigeon-pie.

Dowlas, subs. (common).—A draper. [From dowlas, now a kind of towelling, but mentioned by Shakspeare (1 Henry IV., III., iii., 1597) as a material for shirts. Popularised as a sobriquet by Colman’s Daniel Dowlas in The Heir at Law.—See Dickey Diaper, and cf., Dripping = cook; Grindo = miller; Gallipot = chemist; Lint-scraper = surgeon, (q.v.).

Dowling, subs. (public school).—See quot.

1871. Newspaper Report, 18 Feb., of a charge of assault against the head boy of Shrewsbury School. Mr. Chandler addressed the Bench for the defence. He said the game of dowling was practised at Eton, Harrow, Rugby, Westminster and other large schools, etc.

1877. Everyday Life in our Public Schools. There are four or five compulsory games a week (football) known as dowlings δοῦλος.

Down, subs. (thieves’).—1. Suspicion; alarm; a diversion. There is no down = All is quiet, it is safe to go on.

1821. D. Haggart, Life, Glossary, p. 171. Down, alarm; rose the down, gave the alarm.

2. (American).—Small beer. Up = bottled ale.

Adv. (colloquial).—1. Dispirited; hard-up; in disgrace. Found in various combinations: e.g., down in the mouth, or dumps = dejected; down on one’s luck = reduced in circumstances; down at heel = shabby; down on one’s back-seam = out of luck; down to bed-rock (American) = penniless, etc., etc.

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.

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.

3. (old).—Hang-dog. Cf., adv., sense 1.

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.’

To take down a peg.—See Peg.

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.

1857. Snowden, Mag. Assistant, 3rd ed., p. 444. Sixpence, downer, also sprat.

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.’

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.

1856. H. Mayhew, Great World of London, p. 82, note, s.v.

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.

Down upon the nail.—See Nail.

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.

1842. Punch, vol. II., p. 217, c. 2.

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.

To do the downy.—See Do.

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).

Portuguese Synonym.—Tinente.

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.

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering. Dowse the glim!

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.

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.

2. (colloquial).—A strumpet. Also drabbing = strumming.

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.

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.

1820. Reynolds (‘Peter Corcoran’). Glossary at end of The Fancy, s.v.

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.

2. (old).—A chain.

1821. D. Haggart, Life, Glossary, p. 171, s.v.

3. (old).—A street or road; Back-drag = a back street.

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.

6. (common).—A lure; trick; stratagem.

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.

8. (old).—See Dragging.

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.

1827. Maginn, Translation of Vidocq. And collar his dragons clear away.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, or Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.

2. (venery).—A wanton. Cf., St. George (q.v.).

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.

2. (old).—Gin. [From its diuretic qualities.] For synonyms, see Drinks.

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

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.

1846. Punch, vol. XI., p. 40, col. 2.

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

1864. Churchman’s Family Magazine, Nov., p. 420.

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.’]

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.

3. (cricket).—A stroke with the surface of the bat inclined to the ground.

Verb (common).—1. To attract public attention.—See subs., sense 2.

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.

3. (common).—To tease into vexation; take in; make game of.

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’!

6. (venery).—Cf., Dog-drawn (q.v.).

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 a straight furrow, verbal phr. (American).—To live uprightly.

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.

To draw straws, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.

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.

To draw the badger.—See Badger, verb.

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

To draw the bow up to the ear.—See Bow.

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.).

1860. Chambers’ Journal, vol. XIII., p. 348.

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

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

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.

1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 65, s.v.

1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all, p. 38 (H. Club’s Repr., 1874), s.v.

1671. R. Head, English Rogue, pt. I., ch. v., p. 48 (1874), s.v.

1706. E. Coles, Eng. Dict., s.v.

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.

1706. E. Coles, Eng. Dict. Draw Latches, Roberdsmen, Night thieves.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.

[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.

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.

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.

Synonyms for Champagne.—Cham or chammy; boy; fiz; dry; bitches’ wine.

Synonyms for Port.—Red fustian (q.v.).

Synonyms for Sherry.—Bristol milk; white wash.

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; 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.

Verb (cricket).—To send a ball off the bat with full force horizontally.

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.

1736. Fielding, Don Quixote, III., iv. You are to drive a humming trade here.

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.

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.

Driver’s pint, subs. phr. (military).—A gallon.

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’).

1812. De Vaux, Flash Dict., s.v.

1834. H. Ainsworth, Rookwood, bk. III., ch. v. [see Camesa].

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.

Verb (common).—1. To lose, give, or part with.

1812. Vaux, Flash Dict. He dropped me a quid, He gave me a guinea.

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 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.’

3. (pugilistic).—To knock down. Cf., to drop into = to thrash.

4. (sporting and duelling).—To bring down with a shot.

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 anchor, verb. phr. (racing).—To pull up a horse.

To drop one’s anchor, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To sit (or settle) down.

To drop a cog.—See Drop-game.

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.

1857. Ducange Anglicus, The Vulgar Tongue, s.v.

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 drop the scabs in, verb. phr. (tailors’).—To work buttonholes.

To drop one’s wax, or to drop a turd (vulgar).—to evacuate or ‘rear.’

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.

1888. Texas Siftings, Aug. At any rate, we will not let Arcturus get the drop on the reading public.

To have a drop in the eye, verb. phr. (common).—To be slightly drunk. For synonyms, see Screwed.

1738. Swift, Polite Conversation. O faith, Colonel, you must own you had a drop in your eye, for when I left you you were half-seas over.

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

Drop it! phr. (colloquial).—Cease! Cut it! Cheese it (q.v. sense 2).

1854. Whyte Melville, General Bounce, ch. xxvi. A jackdaw on the roof brings their hearts into their mouths; were it not for the case-bottle they would drop it even now.

1859. Dickens, Tale of Two Cities, bk. II., ch. xix. You might as well flop as meditate. You may as well go again me one way as another. Drop it altogether.

1872. Public Opinion, 24 Feb., p. 241. ‘Inside Newgate.’ Do you know Newgate? I said to a cabman whom I hailed in Piccadilly on Saturday afternoon. He looked at me angrily, and briefly answered, drop it.

Drop-game, subs. (old).—A variety of the confidence trick:—The thief picks out his victim, gets in front of him, and pretends to pick up (say) a pocket-book, (snide) which he induces the greenhorn to buy for cash. The object is a Cog, and the operator a Dropper or Drop-cove.

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

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, or Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.

Dropped on, adv. phr. (tailors’).—Disappointed.

Dropper, subs. (old).—A specialist in the drop-game (q.v.). Also drop-cove.

1669. Nicker Nicked, in Harl. Misc. (ed. Park), ii. 108. [In list of names of thieves.]

Dropping, verb. subs. (old Royal Military Academy).—A beating; ‘I’ll give you a good dropping’ i.e., I’ll thrash you severely. For synonyms, see Tanning.

Dropping-member, subs. (old).—The penis; specifically one affected with gonorrhœa.

Droppings, subs. (vulgar).—The excrement of horses and sheep.

Drown the Miller.—See Miller.

Drudge, subs. (American).—Whiskey in its raw state, as used in the manufacture of alcohol. For synonyms, see Drinks.

1869. S. S. Haldeman, Pennsylvania Dutch. Drudge, another name for raw whiskey, originating in the Eastern States. I doubt whether the word drudge is thirty years old.

Drug, verb (colloquial).—To administer a narcotic.

A drug in the market, subs. phr. (colloquial).—Anything so common as to be not vendible.

Drum, subs. (old).—1. An entertainment; now a tea before dinner; a kettle-drum (q.v.).

1750. Fielding, Tom Jones, bk. XVII., ch. vi. A drum, then, is an assembly of well-dressed persons of both sexes, most of whom play at cards and the rest do nothing at all, while the mistress of the house performs the part of the landlady at an inn.

1854. Whyte Melville, General Bounce, ch. i. We recollect it well, not so many years ago, lit up for one of those great solemnities which novelists call ‘a rout,’ but which people in real life, equally martially as well as metaphorically designate ‘a drum.’

2. (thieves’).—A road, street, or highway. [From the Gr. δρομός through the Gypsy drom.]

English Synonyms. Drag; toby; high or main toby; pad; donbite; finger and thumb (rhyming).

French Synonyms. La trime (thieves’); le Général Macadam (popular, also = the public).

Spanish Synonym. Calca.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. i., p. 231. We ... slink into the crib (house) in the back drum (street).

3. (pugilistic).—The ear. For synonyms, see Hearing-Cheat.

4. (old).—A building; Hazard-drum = a gambling hell; Flash-drum = a brothel; Cross-drum = a thieves’ tavern. For synonyms, see Ken. In U.S.A., a drinking place.

1867. Jas. Greenwood, Unsent. Journeys, xxvi., 204. ‘Come along; I shall be a pot to your pot.’ ‘Where shall we go?’ ‘Oh, to the old drum, I suppose.’

1890. Illustrated Bits, 29 March, p. 11, col. 1. The two chums were footing it to the ‘ancient drum,’ as they called the Norwich theatre.

5. (Australian).—A bundle carried on tramp; generally worn as a roll over the right shoulder and under the left arm. Also Bluey and Swag (q.v.). Cf., Swagsman.

1887. G. A. Sala, in Ill. London News, 12 March, 282/2. Here are a few more items of Australian slang kindly forwarded to me by a correspondent:—‘To hump one’s swag,’ or ‘drum,’ i.e., to pack up a bundle to be carried on the shoulders.

1890. Family Herald, 8 Feb., p. 227. I was just debating whether I had better ‘hump my drum.’

6. (tailors’).—A small workshop. Cf., sense 4.

Drummer, subs. (old).—1. A horse, the action of whose forelegs is irregular. [Grose—1785.]

2. (old).—A thief who before robbing narcotises or otherwise stupifies his victim.

1856. H. Mayhew, Great World of London, p. 46. Those who hocus or plunder persons by stupifying; as ‘drummer’ who drug liquor.

3. (general).—A commercial traveller; also Ambassador of Commerce or Bagman (q.v.); Fr., un gaudissart (from one of Balzac’s novels); une hirondelle (= a swallow). [Cf., Drum = a road; and old-time pedlars announced themselves by beating a drum at the town’s end.]

1827. Scott, to C. K. Sharpe, in C. K. S.’s Correspondence (1888), ii. 398. Dear Charles,—I find the Nos. of Lodge’s