part III

., p. 47. A Pennyworth of burnt Bread soften’d in a Mug of Porter’s guzzle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gybe, subs. (old).—A written paper.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gyger. See Jigger.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

H

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

1599. Minsheu, Dictionarie, s.v.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Had.—See Have.

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

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

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

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

Haddums (or Had ’em).—See quots.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Haggisland, subs. (common).—Scotland.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. (nautical).—An incompetent seaman.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Halliballo.—See Hulliballo.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. (coachmen’s).—See quot.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1889. Sporting Times, 29 June. Trousers which fit him nowhere in

## particular, and which all over proclaim themselves entitled to the

epithet of hand-me-downs.

English Synonyms.—Reach-me-downs; translations; wall-flowers.

French Synonyms.—La musique (popular); la mise-bas (servants’: especially ‘perks’).

Hand-out, subs. (American).—Food to a tramp at the door.

1887. Morley Roberts, The Western Avernus. Some of the boys said it was a regular hand-out, and that we looked like a crowd of old bummers.

Handpiece, subs. (American).—A handkerchief. For synonyms, see Wipe.

1852. Bristed, Upper Ten Thousand, p. 67. Then ... he tied his white hand-pieces to an opening made for the purpose on one side of the dashboard.

Handsaw, subs. (common).—A street vendor of knives and razors; an itinerant Chive-fencer (q.v.).

Handsome, adj. and adv. (colloquial, and formerly literary).—Sharp, severe; convenient, fit; neat, graceful; dextrous, skilful, ready; ample, generous, liberal; manageable; in good or proper style; and (in America) grand or beautiful.

1553. Wilson, Arte of Rhetorique, p. 3. Phauorinus the Philosopher did hit a yong man ouer the thumbes very handsomely.

1553–99. Spenser, Wks. For a thief it is so handsome, As it may seem it was first invented by him.

1590. Goldynge, Cæsar, p. 220. They had not so handsome horses.

1593. Shakspeare, Titus Andronicus, ii., 3. If we miss to meet him handsomely.

1600. P. Holland, Livy, p. 255. A light footman’s shield he takes with him, and a Spanish blade by his side, more handsome to fight short and close.

1604. Shakspeare, Winter’s Tale, iv., 3. His garments are rich, but he wears them not handsomely.

1614. Raleigh, History of the World, Bk. III., ch. viii., § 6. Playing their games handsomely against so nimble a wit.

1672–1719. Addison, Wks. An alms-house, which I intend to endow very handsomely.

1778–79. V. Knox, Essays, 102. A handsome sum of money.

1798. Lodge, Illust. Brit. Hist., i., 178. He is very desyrus to serve your Grace, and seymes to me to be a very handsome man.

1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 8. He turned on his back handsome.

To do the handsome (or the handsome thing), verb. phr. (common).—To behave extremely well; to be ‘civil.’

1887. Manville Fenn, This Man’s Wife, ii., 15. Sir Gordon’s ready to do the handsome thing.

Handsome is that handsome does, phr. (colloquial).—‘Actions, not words, are the test of merit’; also ironically of ill-favoured persons.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum. Handsome is that handsome does: a proverb frequently cited by ugly women.

Handsome-bodied in the face, adv. phr. (old).—See quot.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Handsome Bodied Man in the Face, a jeering commendation of an ugly fellow.

Handsome as a last year’s corpse, adv. phr. (American).—A sarcastic compliment.

Handsomely! intj. (nautical).—Gently! A cry to signify smartly, but carefully. Also Handsomely over the bricks = Go cautiously.

Handsome-reward, subs. phr. (old).—See quot.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum. Handsome-reward. This, in advertisements, means a horse-whipping.

Handsprings. To chuck handsprings, verb. phr. (common).—To turn somersaults.

Handstaff, subs. (venery).—The penis. For synonyms, see Creamstick and Prick. [From that member of the flail which is held in the hands].

Handy. Handy as a pocket in a shirt, phr. (American).—Very convenient.

Handy-blows, (or cuffs), subs. (old).—Cuffs with the hand; fisticuffs; hence close quarters.

1603. Knolles, Hist. of the Turkes. If ever they came to handy-blows.

1690. B. E., Cant. Crew, s.v. Handy Blows, Fistycuffs.

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

Handy-man, subs. (colloquial).—A servant or workman doing odd jobs.

1847. De Quincey, The Spanish Military Nun, Wks. (1890), xiii., 165. She was a handy girl. She could turn her hand to anything.

1872. Times, 27 Aug. ‘Autumn Manœuvres.’ The result is he cannot be called a handy-man.

1889. Pall Mall Gaz., 8 Nov., p. 2, c. 1. Again did Mr. Sambourne’s handy-man appear, this time clad in the real robes of the Lord Mayor.

1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 55. He was a handy-man.

Hang, subs. (colloquial).—1. The general drift, tendency, or bent: as in to get the hang of = to get conversant with; to acquire the trick, or knack, or knowledge of.

1847. Darley, Drama in Pokerville, p. 67. The theatre was cleared in an instant ... all running to get the hang of the scrape.

1848. Jones, Sketches of Travel, p. 70. By this time I began to git the hang of the place a little better.

1851. Hooper, Widow Rugby’s Husband, etc., p. 64. To be efficient a solicitor must get the hang of his customers.

a. 1871. Prime, Hist. of Long Island, p. 82. If ever you must have an indifferent teacher for your children, let it be after they have got a fair start and have acquired the hang of the tools for themselves.

1884. Milliken, Punch, 11 Oct. They ain’t got the ’ang of it, Charlie, the toffs ain’t.

1890. Daily Chronicle, 4 Apr., p. 7 c. 2. When the Raw Cadet enters Woolwich Academy, it is sometime before he gets what some call the hang of the place.

1892. Illustrated Bits, Oct. 22, p. 6. c. 2. When I get the hang of them I shall be a regular dab at theosophy.

2. (colloquial).—A little bit; a bit; a Damn. See Care. Fr., s’en contreficher or s’en tamponner le coquard (or coquillard).

1861. H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, ch. xliii. She looks as well as you by candle-light, but she can’t ride a hang.

Verb (generally Hang it!).—An exclamation of vexation, disgust, or disappointment; also, more forcibly, a euphemism for Damn it! Fr., Ah! mince alors.

1598. Shakspeare, 2 Henry IV., ii., 4. He a good wit? hang him, baboon!

1609. Jonson, Epicœne, ii., 2. A mere talking mole, hang him.

1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, v. 3. Ay, and be hanged.

1694. Dunton, Ladies’ Dict., p. 229. Aristænetus telling a brisk buxom Lass of a proper fine Man that would make her a good Husband, Hang him [reply’d she] he has no Mony.

1772. Coles, Eng.-Lat. Dict., s.v. Hanged. Go and be hanged.

1780. Mrs. Cowley, Belle’s Stratagem, iv., 1. Hang Harriet, and Charlotte, and Maria! the name your father gave ye?

1823. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, ii., 5. Hang cards! bring me a bobstick of rum slim.

1836. M. Scott, Cruise of the Midge, p. 169. ‘You be hanged, Felix,’ quoth his ally, with a most quizzical grin.

1863. Ch. Reade, Hard Cash, ii., 218. Hang the grub; it turns my stomach.

1883. R. L. Stevenson, Treasure Island, p. 161. You can go hang!

1889. Sporting Times, 6 July. Hebrew Scholar: Rub up your Hebrew. Or go and hang yourself.

1890. Grant Allen, Tents of Shem, ch. xvii. Hang it all, if that’s English law, you know, I don’t thing very much of the wisdom of our ancestors.

1891. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 164. Hang it all.

1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 7. But ’ang it, I can’t stand the style of the silent and the stare-me-down sort.

1892. F. Anstey, Voces Populi, ‘On the Ice,’ p. 122. Stick by me, old fellow, till I begin to feel my——Oh, hang it all!

To hang an arse, verb. phr. (old).—To hang back; to hesitate.

1598. Marston, Satyres, ‘Ad Rythmum.’ But if you hang an arse like Tubered, When Chremes dragged him from his brothel bed.

1637. Massinger, Guardian, v, 5. Nay, no hanging an arse.

1639–61. Rump Songs, ii., 86. Nay, if it hang an arse; We’ll pluck it from the stares, And roast it at hell for its grease.

1748. Smollett, Roderick Random, ch. lxv. My lads, I’m told you hang an arse.

1780. Tomlinson, Slang Pastoral, 2. My arse hangs behind me as heavy as lead.

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

To hang in, verb. phr. (common).—To get to work; to do one’s best; to wire in (q.v.).

To hang in the bellropes, verb. phr. (common).—To defer marriage after being ‘asked’ in church.

To hang on by one’s eyelashes, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To persist at any cost, and in the teeth of any discouragement.

To hang on by the splash-board, verb. phr. (common).—To ‘catch’ a tram, omnibus, etc., when it is on the move; hence to succeed by the ‘skin of one’s teeth.’ Fr., arcpincer l’omnibus.

To hang around (or about), verb. phr. (American).—To loiter; to loaf; to haunt.

To hang out, verb (common).—To live; to reside. Also (subs.), a residence; a lodging; and (American university) a feast; an entertainment.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. Hang out. The traps scavey where we hang out; the officers know where we live.

1836. Dickens, Pickwick, ch. xxx. ‘I say, old boy, where do you hang out?’ Mr. Pickwick replied that he was at present suspended at the George and Vulture.

1852. Bristed, Five Years in an English University, p. 80. The fourth of July I celebrated by a hang-out.

1871. City Press, 21 Jan. ‘Curiosities of Street Literature.’ He hangs out in Monmouth-court.

1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 14. I should like to go in for blue blood, and ’ang out near the clubs and the parks.

To hang out a shingle, verb. phr. (American).—To start or carry on business.

1871. Public Opinion, Dec. Tom Stowell hung out his shingle as a lawyer at the Tombs, afterwards at Essex-market, and eventually in Brooklyn.

To hang one’s latchpan, verb. phr. (common).—To be dejected; to pout. Fr., faire son aquilin.

To hang it out, verb. phr. (common).—To skulk; to mike (q.v.).

To hang up, verb. phr. (common).—1. To give credit; to score (or chalk) up: said of a reckoning. Also ‘to put on the slate’ or (American) on the ice (q.v.).

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. Hang-it-up, speaking of the Reckoning at a Bowsing-Ken, when the Rogues are obliged, for want of Money, to run on Tick.

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

2. (American).—To bear in mind; to remember.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hang it up. Think of it, remember it.

3. (American).—To pawn, For synonyms, see Pop.

4. (thieves’).—To rob with violence on the street; to hold up (q.v.). Fr., la faire au père François.

5. (common).—To be in extremis; to know not which way to turn for relief: e.g., a man hanging = one to whom any change must be for the better.

6. (colloquial).—To postpone; to leave undecided.

1887. Cornhill Magazine, June, p. 624. To hang up a bill is to pass it through one or more of its stages, and then to lay it aside, and defer its further consideration for a more or less indefinite period.

To hang on, verb. phr. (colloquial).—(1) To sponge; and (2) to pursue an individual or a design.

1601. Shakspeare, Henry VIII., iii., 2. Oh, how wretched Is that poor man that hangs on princes’ favours!

To hang off, verb. phr. (printers’).—To fight shy of.

To hang up one’s fiddle, verb. phr. (American).—To retire; to desist. To hang up one’s fiddle anywhere = To adapt oneself to circumstances.

To hang up one’s hat, verb. phr. (common).—1. To die. For synonyms, see Aloft.

1854. Notes and Queries, Vol. X., p. 203. He has hung up his hat. This sentence, which is sometimes used in reference to persons deceased, etc.

1882. Punch, lxxxii., 185, c. 1.

2. (common).—To make oneself permanently at home.

Hang-bluff, subs. (rhyming).—Snuff.

1857. Ducange Anglicus, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

Hang-by, subs. (old).—A hanger-on; a parasite; a companion.

1598. Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, iv., 2. I am not afraid of you nor them neither, you hang-byes here.

Hang-dog, subs. (old).—A pitiful rascal, only fit for the rope or the hanging of superfluous curs. Cf., Gallows-bird.

1732. Fielding, Mock Doctor, i., 4. Heaven has inspired me with one of the most wonderful inventions to be revenged on my hang-dog.

Adj. (old).—Vile, or suspicious, in aspect; gallows-looking (q.v.).

Hang-gallows, adj. (old).—See quot.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hang-gallows Look, a thievish, or villainous appearance.

Hanger, subs. (old).—A side-arm—short sword or cutlass—hanging from the girdle. (See Hangers, in. pl., sense 1.)

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, x. A couteau de chasse, or short hanger.

In. pl. (old).—1. Ornamental loops from the girdle to suspend the sword and dagger.

1596. Shakspeare, Hamlet, v. 2. Six French rapiers and poignards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so on.

1596. Nashe, Unf. Trav. [Chiswick Press, 1891]. Huge hangers that have half a cowhide in them.

1599. Jonson, Every Man out of his Humour, iv., 4. I had thrown off the hangers a little before.

1610. Jonson, Alchemist, v., 2. Where be the French petticoats, And girdles and hangers?

2. (common).—Gloves; specifically gloves in the hand.

3. See Pothooks.

Hang-in-chains, subs. phr. (old).—See quots.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hang-in-chains, a vile desperate fellow.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, Hang-in-chains. A vile, desperate fellow. Persons guilty of murder, or other atrocious crimes, are frequently, after execution, hanged on a gibbet, to which they are fastened by iron bandages; the gibbet is commonly placed on or near the place where the crime was committed.

Hanging, adj. (colloquial).—Fit for the halter.

Hanging-bee, subs. (American).—A gathering of lynch-lawmongers, bent on the application of the rope. See Bee.

Hanging Johnny, subs. phr. (venery).—The penis: specifically, in a condition of impotence or disease. For synonyms, see Creamstick and Prick.

Hangman, subs. (old).—A jocular endearment.

1600. Shakspeare, Much Ado About Nothing, iii., 2. He had twice or thrice cut Cupid’s bowstring, and the little hangman dare not shoot at him.

Hangman’s-day, subs. (old).—Monday, and (in America) Friday.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hangman’s day. Friday is so called from the custom of hanging people on a Friday.

Hangman’s-wages, subs. (old).—Thirteen-pence-halfpenny. [The fee for an execution was a Scots mark: the value of which piece was settled, by a proclamation of James I., at 13½d.]

1602. Decker, Honest Whore, Pt. II., in Wks. (1873) ii., 171. Why should I eate hempe-seed at the hangman’s thirteene-pence halfe-penny ordinary?

1659. Hangman’s Last Will (Rump Song quoted in Notes and Queries, 2 S. xi., 316). For half thirteen-pence half-penny wages, I would have cleared out all the town cages, And you should have been rid of all the sages. I and my gallows groan.

1678. Butler, Hudibras, Pt. III., c. 2. To find us pillories and cart’s-tails, Or hangman’s wages.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hangman’s wages, thirteenpence half-penny, which according to the vulgar tradition was thus allotted, one shilling for the execution, and three halfpence for the rope.

Hang-slang about, verb. phr. (common).—To abuse; to slang (q.v.); to Billingsgate (q.v.).

Hank, subs. (old colloquial).—1. A tie; a hold; an advantage; a difficulty. [In a hank = in trouble].

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. He has a hank upon him, or the Ascendant over him.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. He has a hank upon him; He ... will make him do what he pleases.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. He has a hank on him, i.e., an ascendant over him, or a hold upon him: A Smithfield hank = An ox rendered furious by over driving and barbarous treatment.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hank. To know something about a man that is disreputable. He has a hank on the bloke, whereby he sucks honey when he chooses, he knows something about the man, and therefore induces him to give him money when he chooses.

2. (common).—A spell of rest; an easy time.

1888. Sporting Life, 7 Dec. So quiet was the first round that the ire of the company was raised, and they called out, ‘No hank!’

Verb (common).—To worry; to bait; to drive from pillar to post.

Hanker, verb (old: now recognised).—To desire eagerly; to fret after; to long or pine for: generally with ‘after.’ Also, Hankering (subs.) = an importunate and irritating longing.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hanker after, to Long or wish much for.

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

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. To hanker after anything, to have a longing after or for it.

1847. Robb, Squatter Life, p. 98. I did see a creatur’ once, named Sofy Mason ... that I tuk an orful hankerin’ arter.

1878. Whitman, Leaves of Grass, ‘Spontaneous Me,’ 90 (ed. 1884). The hairy wild-bee that murmurs and hankers up and down.

Hankin, subs. (commercial).—The trick of putting off bad work for good. [Cf., To play hankey, or To play hanky-panky.]

Hanktelo, subs. (old).—See quots.

1593. Nashe, Strange Newes (Grosart, Wks., ii., 251). Is the Astrologicaall Discourse a better booke than Pierce Pennilesse? Gabriel Hangtelow saies it is?

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hanktelo, a silly Fellow, a meer Cods-head.

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

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

Hanky-Panky, subs. (common).—(1) Legerdemain; whence (2) trickery; underhand (q.v.) work; cheating; any manner of double-dealing or intrigue. Hanky-panky business = conjuring; hanky-panky work (or tricks) = double-dealing. A bit of hanky-panky = a trick; a piece of knavery.

1841. Punch, Vol. I., p. 88. Only a little hanky-panky.

1880. G. R. Sims, Zeph, ch. xiii. He knew that ... any crime committed on his premises would tell against him on licensing day, and he kept a pretty sharp look out to see that what he was pleased to term hanky panky was not carried on under his nose.

1864. E. Yates, Broken to Harness, ch. xxxviii. If there was any hanky panky, any mystery I mean, he’d always swear he was out whenever he called, for fear it should be bullied out of him.

1877. Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. v., p. 323.——There’s some hanky panky business going on among the men of No. 2 prison; the Catholic side is ringing changes and it is done in this shop.

Hanky-panky-bloke, subs. phr. (theatrical).—A conjuror; a pile of mags (q.v.).

Hanky-Spanky, adj. (common).—Dashing; nobby (q.v.). Specifically of well-cut clothes.

Hannah. That’s the man as married Hannah, phr. (streets’).—‘That’s the thing’: used of a thing well begun and well ended; or as an expressive of certainty. Varied sometimes by that’s what’s the matter with Hannah.

Hans Carvel’s Ring, subs. phr. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable. [From Poggio (tit. Annulus); Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles (xi.); Ariosto (Sat. v.); the Nouvelle of Malespini (89, ii.); Rabelais (Pantagruel, iii., 28); and Matthew Prior.]

Hansel (or Handsel), subs. (common).—The first money taken in the morning; lucky money. Hence, earnest money; first-fruits, &c. Hansel-Monday = the first Monday in the new year, when presents were received by children and servants. [A. S., handselen = to deliver into the hand.]

1587. Greene, Menaphon (Arber), p. 71. He should like inough haue had first handsell of our new Shepheards sheepehooke.

1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, ii. Bring him a sixpenny bottle of ale: They say a fool’s handsel is lucky.

1679. Holland, Ammianus Marcellinus. With which wofull tidings being sore astonied, as if it were the first hansell and beginning of evils comming toward him.

1787. Grose, Prov. Glossary, etc. (1811), p. 121. It is a common practice among the lower class of hucksters, pedlars, or dealers in fruit or fish, on receiving the price of the first goods sold that day, which they call hansel, to spit on the money, as they term it, for good luck.

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, ch. iii. There was a whin bonnie lasses there, forbye mysel’, and deil ane to gie them hansels. Ibid., ch. xxxii. Grizzy has naething frae me, by twa pair o’ new shoon ilka year, and maybe a bit compliment at Hansel Monanday.

1821. Scott, Kenilworth, ch. xix. ‘How wears the Hollands you won of me?’ ‘Why, well, as you may see, Master Goldthred,’ answered Mike; ‘I will bestow a pot on thee for the handsel.’

Verb (common).—1. To give handsel to; also (2), to use for the first time.

1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe, in Wks., v., 249. And gather about him as flocking to hansell him and strike him good luck.

1605. Chapman, etc., Eastward Hoe, ii. My lady ... is so ravished with desire to hansell her new coach.

1639–61. Rump Songs, i. [1662], 137. Belike he meant to Hansell his New Satten.

1663. Pepys, Diary, 12 Apr. Coming home to-night, a drunken boy was carrying by our constable to our new pair of stocks to handsel them.

1874. [G. A. Lawrence], Hagarene, ch. xvii. The habit of stout blue cloth ... was Pete Harradine’s last and crowning extravagance, as they passed through town on their way to Fulmerstone, and it had never been hanselled yet.

1881. Besant and Rice, Sweet Nelly, in Ten Years’ Tenant, etc., Vol. I., p. 200. I wanted to present her with something to hansel friendship.

Hanseller, subs. (common).—A street vendor; a Cheap Jack.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, i., 392. The sellers of tins, who carry them under their arms, or in any way on a round, apart from the use of a vehicle, are known as hand-sellers.

1876. Hindley, Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 10. Cheap-Jacks, as they were then as now called by the people, although the term han’-seller is mostly used by themselves.

Hans-en-Kelder, subs. (old).—A child in the womb: literally, Jack-in-the-Cellar (q.v.). [From the Dutch.]

1647. Cleaveland, Character of a London Diurnall. The originall sinner in this kind was Dutch; Galliobelgicus, the Protoplast; and the moderne Mercuries, but hans-en-kelders. The countesse of Zealand was brought to bed of an almanack; as many children as dayes in the yeare.

1648. Mercurius Pragmaticus, i. The birthday of that precious new government which is yet but a Hans-en-kelder.

d. 1658. Lovelace, Poems, p. 63. Next beg I to present my duty To pregnant sister in prime beauty, Whom [who] well I deem (ere few months elder) Will take out Hans from pretty kelder.

1663. Dryden, Wild Gallant, v., Wks., i. 61 (1701). Seems you are desirous I should Father this Hans en Kelder heere.

1672. Marvell, Char. of Holland, line 65. More pregnant then their Marg’ret, that laid down For Hans-in-Kelder of a whole Hanse town.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hans-en-Kelder, Jack in the Box, the Child in the Womb, or a Health to it.

1672. Wycherley, Love in a Wood, v. Then I am as it were a grandfather to your new Wiffe’s, hans en kelder.

1678. T. Baker, Tunbridge Wells, p. 27. Here’s a health to this Lady’s Hans in Kelder!

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

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hans in Kelder, a health frequently drank to breeding women, or their husbands.

Hansom, subs. (coster).—A chop.

Hap-Harlot, subs. (old).—A coarse stuff to make rugs or coverlets with; a rug. Cf., Wrap-rascal = an overcoat.

1577–87. Holinshed, Description of England, bk. ii., ch. xii. A sheet vnder couerlets made of dagswain, or hap-harlots (I vse their owne termes).

Ha’porth o’ Coppers, subs. phr. (legal).—Habeas Corpus.

Ha’porth of Liveliness, subs. phr. (Coster).—1. Music.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, i., p. 21. Or they will call to the orchestra, saying, ‘Now then you catgut-scrapers! Let’s have a ha’porth of liveliness.’

2. (common).—A loitering Lawrence; a slowcoach (q.v.).

Happify, verb. (American).—To please.

1612. Sylvester, Lach. Lach., 642. One short mishap for ever happifies.

1848. Burton, Waggeries, etc., p. 70. For eatin’ and drinkin’, it happifies me to say that we bang the bush.

Happy, adj. (common).—Slightly drunk; elevated (q.v.). For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

Happy-despatch, subs. (common).—Death, specifically, a sudden or violent end.

Happy-dosser. See Dosser.

Happy Eliza, subs. (common).—A female Salvationist [As in the Broadside Ballad (1887–8), ‘They call me Happy Eliza, and I’m Converted Jane: We’ve been two hot’uns in our time.’]

Happy-family, subs. (colloquial).—See quot.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, iii., p. 224. Happy families, or assemblages of animals of diverse habits and propensities living amicably, or at least quietly, in one cage.

Happy-go-lucky, subs. (colloquial).—Careless; thoughtless; improvident. Fr., va comme je te pousse and à la flan.

1856. Reade, Never Too Late to Mend, ch. xv. In the happy-go-lucky way of his class.

1883. Illust. London News, 8 Dec., p. 551, c. 1. He dashes off a play in a happy-go-lucky style, basing it on theatrical precedent so far as certain stock situations are concerned.

Happy Hunting-grounds, subs. (American).—1. The future state; glory (q.v.). [From the North-American Indian’s conception of heaven.]

1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 98. After a long journey, they will reach the happy hunting-grounds.

1891. Gunter, Miss Nobody of Nowhere, ch. v. Old Mescal is now keeping a sharp eye out for the child and the cowboy, that he may send them to the happy hunting-grounds also.

2. (colloquial).—A favourable place for work or play.

1892. Cassell’s Sat. Journal, 26 Oct., p. 119. The happy hunting-ground of the swell mobsman is the opening of some Exhibition.

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

Happy-land, subs. (common).—The after life; glory (q.v.).

1893. Danvers, The Grantham Mystery, ch. xiii. The old ’un will soon join the young ’un in the happy land.

Happy-returns, subs. (Australian).—Vomiting. See Flay the Fox.

Harbour, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable. Also Harbour of Hope.

Hard, subs. (prison).—1. Hard labour.

1890. Globe, 26 Feb., p. 1, c. 4. Monetary penalties, therefore, do not act as deterrents, but the certainty of seven days’ incarceration, with or without hard, would soon diminish the nuisance.

2. See Hard-Shell.

3. (colloquial).—Third-class. As opposed to soft (q.v.). Thus: ‘Do you go hard or soft?’ = ‘Do you go Third or First?’ An abbreviation of Hard-arse.

Adj. (American).—1. Applied to metal of all kinds: e.g., hard (cole or stuff) = silver or gold as compared to cheques or soft (q.v.).

1825. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, ii., ch. 18. The bill ... amounted to one dollar and a quarter hard money.

1844. Puck, p. 146. That cunning old file wont let her go with the hard cash down.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hard; metal.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hard cole. Silver or gold money.

1863. Charles Reade, Hard Cash. [Title.]

2. (old: now recognised).—1. Sour or souring; as in hard-cider; (2) hard drinks (American) = intoxicating liquors, as wine, ale, etc., while lemonade, soda-water, ginger-beer, etc., are soft.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hard drink, that is very Stale, or begining to Sower.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hard, stale beer nearly sour, is said to be hard.

1882. Daily Telegraph, 10 Oct., p. 5, c. 3. A fourth defendant, in pleading guilty, urged that the month of August last ‘turned a lot of beer sour,’ and that he had only used some sugar for the purpose of mollifying the hard or sour porter.

Hard as a Bone (Nails, etc.), adj. phr. (colloquial).—Very hard; austere; unyielding.

1885. Indoor Paupers, p. 79. He stood it for a week or two without flinching—being at that date hard as nails, as he expresses it.

Hard at it, adj. phr. (colloquial).—Very busy; in the thick of a piece of work.

To die hard, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To sell one’s life dearly; e.g., The die-hards (q.v.), the 59th Regiment, so called from their gallantry at Albuera.

To give hard for soft, verb. phr. (venery).—To copulate. See Greens.

To be Hard Hit. See Hard-hit.

[Hard, adj., is used in many combinations; generally with an unpleasant intention. Thus, hard-arsed (or fisted, or handed) = very niggardly; hard-bit (or hard-mouthful) = an unpleasant experience; hard-driven (or hard-run) = sore bested; hard-faced (or favoured, or featured) = grum, shrewish, or bony; hard-headed (or hard-witted) = shrewd and intelligent, but unimaginative and unsympathetic; hard-hearted = incapable of pity; hard-lipped = obstinate, dour; hard-master = a nigger-driver; hard-nut = a dangerous antagonist; hard-on = pitiless in severity; hard-riding = selfish and reckless equestration; hard-service = the worst kind of employment; hard-wrought = overworked, etc., etc.]

Hard-a-weather, adj. (nautical).—Tough; weather-proof.

1891. W. C. Russell, Ocean Tragedy, p. 44. They were hard-a-weather fellows.

Hard-bake, subs. (schoolboys’).—A sweetmeat made of boiled brown sugar or treacle with blanched almonds.

1825. Hone, Every-day Bk., I., 51. Hardbake, brandy-balls, and bull’s-eyes.

1836. Dickens, Pickwick, ii. The commodities exposed for sale in the public streets are marine stores, hard-bake, apples, etc.

Hard-baked, adj. (old).—1. Constipated.

1823. Jon Bee, Dict. of Turf, s.v.

2. (common).—Stern; unflinching; strong.

1847. Robb, Squatter Life, p. 73. It’s my opinion, these squirtish kind a fellars ain’t perticular hard-baked.

Hard-bargain (or Case), subs. (common).—1. A lazy fellow; a bad-egg (q.v.); a skulker. One of the Queen’s Hard-bargains = a bad soldier.

1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 71. La Bonté had lost all traces of civilised humanity, and might justly claim to be considered as hard a case as any of the mountaineers then present.

1888. Lynch, Mountain Mystery, ch. xliii. A fellow who comes and goes between here and Rockville, generally considered a hard case, and believed to be more outlaw than miner.

2. (trade).—A defaulting debtor.

3. (nautical).—A brutal mate or officer. Also hard-horse.

Hard-bit (or Bit of Hard), subs. (venery).—1. The penis in erection; whence (2), for women, the act of connection.

Hard-bitten, adj. (colloquial).—Resolute; game (q.v.); desperate.

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, liii. My sooth, they’ll be hard-bitten terriers will worrie Dandie.

Hard-cheese, subs. (Royal Military Academy).—Hard lines; bad luck; specifically at billiards.

Hard-cole. See Hard and Cole.

Hard-doings, subs. (American).—1. Rough fare; and (2) hard work.

1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 37. Hard doins when it comes to that.

Hard-drinking, subs. (old: now recognized).—Drinking to excess.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hard-drinking, excessive Soking, or toping aboundance.

Hard-head, subs. (American).—A man of good parts, physical, intellectual, or moral.

1824. R. B. Peake, Americans Abroad, i., 1. Dou. None of your flouting, by jumping jigs, I won’t stand it—we Americans have got hard heads—we warn’t brought up in the woods to be scart at by an owl—you can’t scare me so.

1848. Durivage, Stray Subjects, p. 110. Most of the passengers had disappeared for the night, and only a knot of hard-heads were left upon deck.

Hard-hit. To be hard hit, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To have experienced a heavy loss; as over a race, at cards, etc.

2. (colloquial).—To be deeply in love; completely gone on (q.v.).

1888. J. McCarthy and Mrs. Campbell-Praed, Ladies’ Gallery, ch. xxv. The wound was keen, I had been hit hard.

1891. M. E. Braddon, Gerard, p. 312. You’ve been hard hit.

Hard-lines, subs. (colloquial).—Hardship; difficulty; an unfortunate result or occurrence. [Formerly line = lot: Cf., Bible and Prayer book version of Psalm xvi., 5, 6.]

1855. Notes and Queries, 1 S. xii., p. 287. Hard Lines. Whence is this expression, so common, particularly among seafaring men, derived?

1881. W. Black, Beautiful Wretch, ch. xxiii. I think it’s deuced hard lines to lock up a fellow for merely humbugging an old parson up in Kentish Town.

1888. Sporting Life, 15 Dec. For the Kempton folks it was rather hard lines.

1888. J. McCarthy and Mrs. Campbell-Praed, Ladies’ Gallery, ch. xxvi. It’s awful hard lines, Lady Star Strange, that I am only thought good enough for you Londoners in the dead season.

1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 3. I call it ’ard lines, dear old man.

Hard-mouthed, adj. (colloquial).—Difficult to deal with; wilful; obstinate. Also coarse in speech. [From the stable.]

1686. Durfey, Commonw. of Wordes, i., 1. [Speaking of a girl.] I hate your young Wechees, Skitish Colts—they are so hard mouth’d, there’s no dealing with em.

1704. Swift, Tale of a Tub, Sect. ix. I myself, the author of these momentous truths, am a person, whose imaginations are hard-mouthed, and exceedingly disposed to run away with his reason.

1704. Swift, Operation of the Spirit, Sect. ii., par. 9. The flesh ... when it comes to the turn of being bearer, is wonderfully headstrong and hard-mouthed.

Hard-neck, subs. (tailors’).—Brazen impudence, monumental cheek (q.v.).

Hard-on, adj. phr. (venery).—Prick-proud. For synonyms, see Horn.

Hard-pan, subs. phr. (American).—The lowest point; bed-rock (q.v.).

1882. Besant, All Sorts and Conditions of Men, ch. xxi. And as for business, it’s got down to the hard pan, and dollars are skurce.

1861. Holmes, Elsie Venner, ch. viii. Mr. Silas Peckham had gone a little deeper than he meant, and came upon the hard pan, as the well-diggers call it, of the Colonel’s character, before he thought of it.

1888. Missouri Republican, 2 Mar. Prices were at hard pan.

To get down to hard-pan, verb. phr. (American).—To buckle to; to get to business.

Hard-puncher, subs. (common).—The fur cap of the London rough; formerly worn by men in training; a modification of the Scotch cap with a peak. [From the nickname of a noted pugilist.]

Hard-pushed, adv. (colloquial).—In difficulties; hard-up (q.v.).

a. 1871. Perils of Pearl Street, p. 123. As I said, at the end of six months we began to be hard-pushed. Our credit, however, was still fair.

Hard Put To, adj. phr. (colloquial).—In a difficulty, monetary or other; e.g., He’d be hard put to it to find a sovereign (or a word, or an excuse) = It would take him all his time, etc.

Hard-row. See Row.

Hard-run, adj. (colloquial).—In want of money; hard-up (q.v.)

Hard-shell, subs. (American).—A member of an extreme section of Baptists holding very strict and rigid views. [The soft-shells are of more liberal mind.] Also Hards and Softs.

1848. Jones, Sketches of Travel, p. 30. The old hard-shell laid about him like rath.

1888. Baltimore Sun. Mr. E., a regular member of the hard-shell Baptist Church.

1893. Stevenson, Island Night’s Entertainments, p. 35. He’s a hard-shell Baptist is Papa.

2. (political American).—A division of the Democratic Party in 1846–48, when the Hunkers (q.v.) received the name of Hards, and their opponents, the Barn-burners (q.v.) that of Softs.

1847. Robb, Squatter Life, p. 91. Hards, softs, whigs and Tylerites were represented.

Adj. (American).—Extremely orthodox; unyielding; hidebound.

Hard-stuff, subs. (American).—1. Money.

2. (Australian).—Intoxicating liquors; see Hard (adj. sense 2). For synonyms see Drinks.

Hard-tack, subs. (nautical).—1. Ship’s biscuits; specifically, ordinary sea-fare as distinguished from food ashore, or Soft-Tommy (q.v.).

1841. Lever, Charles O’Malley, ch. lxxxviii. No more hard-tack, thought I, no salt butter, but a genuine land breakfast.

1889. Lippincott, Oct., p. 476. They have feasted on salt horse and hard-tack many a day; but they know a good thing when they find it.

2. (common).—Coarse or insufficient fare.

Hard-up, subs. (common).—1. A collector of cigar ends, a topper-hunter. [Which refuse, untwisted and chopped up, is sold to the very poor.] Sometimes Hard-cut. Fr., un mégottier.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, i., p. 5. The cigar-end finders, or hard-ups, as they are called, who collect the refuse pieces of smoked cigars from the gutters, and having dried them, sell them as tobacco to the very poor.

1888. Tit Bits, 24 March, 373. Smoking hard-up is picking up the stumps of cigars thrown away in the streets, cutting them up, and smoking them in the pipe.

1891. Morning Advertiser, 26 Mar. A constable on duty on the Embankment early in the morning saw the accused prowling about, and on asking what he was doing, received the reply that he was looking for hard cut.—Mr. Vaughan: Looking for what?—The Prisoner: Hard-cut; dropped cigar-ends.

2. (common).—A poor man; a stony-broke (q.v.).

1857. Ducange Anglicus, Vulg. Tongue. Hard-up, a poor person.

Adv. phr. (colloquial).—1. Very badly in want of money; in urgent need of anything. Also Hard-run and Hard-pushed.

1809–41. Th. Hook, The Sutherlands. He returned, and being hard up, as we say, took it into his head to break a shop-window at Liverpool, and take out some trumpery trinket stuff.

1821. Haggart, Life, p. 104. There I met in with two Edinburgh snibs, who were hard up.

1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, ‘Merchant of Venice.’ Who by showing at Operas, Balls, Plays, and Court, ... Had shrunk his ‘weak means,’ and was ‘stump’d’ and hard up.

1852. Dickens, Bleak House, ch. xi. He ... was, not to put too fine a point upon it hard-up.

1865. New York Herald. This anxiety ... shows conclusively that they are hard-up for political capital.

1871. Lond. Figaro, 25 Jan. For years, England has been a refuge for hard-up German princelings.

1887. Manville Fenn, This Man’s Wife, i., 13. I don’t look hard up do I? No, because you’ve spent my money on your wretched dress.

1891. Fun, 25 Mar. You’re hard up, ain’t you? Stumped? Well, it’s Threadneedle Street to a frying-pan, that if Popsy knew your real name, he’d lend you a thousand or two like a shot.

English Synonyms.—Many under floored apply equally to hard-up; others are:—At low water mark; cracked up; dead-broke; down on one’s luck; fast; in Queer Street; in the last of pea time; in the last run of shad; low down; low in the lay; oofless; out of favor with the oof-bird; pebble-beached; seedy; short; sold-up; stony-broke; strapped; stuck; stumped; suffering from an attack of the week’s (or month’s) end; tight; on one’s uppers; under a cloud; on one’s beam ends.

French Synonyms.—Se mettre dans le bœuf (common = to go in for block ornaments (q.v.)); être en brindezingue (mountebanks = gone to smash); être brouillé avec la monnaie (familiar = to have had a row with one’s banker); être coupé (printers’); être à la côte (familiar = on the shelf); être fauché (thieves’ = cut down); être dans la purée (thieves’); être molle (thieves’); être à la faridon (popular); être en dèche (popular); être désargenté (thieves’ = oofless); être bref (popular = short); être à fond de cale (popular = down to bed-rock); être à la manque (popular = on short commons); manger de la misère (popular = to sup sorrow); être dans le lac (popular = a hole); être pané (general); panné comme la Hollande (general = very hard up).

Spanish Synonyms.—Estar pelado or ser un pelado (= skinned); tiñoso (= scabby).

Italian Synonym.—Calcare a ventun ’ora.

2. (common).—Intoxicated. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

3. (Winchester College).—Out of countenance; exhausted (in swimming).

Hard-upness or Hard-uppishness, subs. (colloquial).—Poverty; a condition of impoverishment.

1876. Hindley, Adventures of a Cheap Jack. There were frequent ... collapses from death or hard-upness.

1883. Illust. London News, 26 May, p. 519, c. 3. These I O U’s ... do not imply, as might be supposed, common hardupness.

1891. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 28. Ike’s knowledge of some of the

## bookmakers he had met in the old land led him to believe that

hard-uppishness would scare any knight of the pencil away.

Hardware (or Hard), subs. (American).—Counterfeit coin.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

Hardware-bloke, subs. (thieves’).—A native of Birmingham; a Brum (q.v.).

Hardy-annual, subs. (Parliamentary).—A bill that is brought in every year, but never passed into law. Hence (journalistic), any stock subject.

1892. Pall Mall Gaz., 16 Aug., p. 4, c. 2. Signs of the so called ‘silly season’ which has been somewhat delayed this year owing to the political crisis, are now beginning to appear. The readers of the Daily Telegraph are once more filling the columns of that journal with ‘Is Marriage a Failure?’ The hardy annual is called ‘English Wives’ this time.

Hare, verb. (old).—To dodge; to double; to bewilder.

1719. Durfey, Pills, etc., i., 92. Running, haring, gaping, staring.

1672. Marvell, Rehearsal, Tr. (Grosart), iii, 372. They amaze, shatter and hare their people.

To hare it, verb. phr. (American thieves’).—To retrace one’s steps; to double back. [From the way of a hare with the hounds.]

To make a hare of, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To make ridiculous; to expose the ignorance of any person.

1830–32. Carleton, Traits and Stories, ‘The Hedge-School.’ What a hare that made of him ... and did not leave him a leg to stand on!

1844. Lever, Tom Burke of Ours, ii., 393. It was Mister Curran made a hare of your Honor that day.

To swallow a hare, verb. phr. (old).—To get very drunk. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

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

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

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. He has swallowed a hare, he is drunk, more probably a hair which requires washing down.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

To hold with the hare and hunt with the hounds, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To play a double game; to keep on good terms with two conflicting parties.

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

To kiss the hare’s foot, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be late; to be a day after the fair; to kiss the post.

Hare-brained (or Hair-brained), adj. (old colloquial: now recognised).—Reckless; flighty; impudent; skittish. Also, substantively, hare-brain = a hare-brained person.

1534. N. Udal, Roister Doister, I., iv., p. 27 (Arber). Ah foolish hare-braine, This is not she.

1592. Nashe, Pierce Penilesse, in Wks., ii., 53. A harebraind little Dwarfe it is.

1621. Burton, Anat. of Mel., I., III., I., ii., 259 (1836). Yet again, many of them, desperate hare-brains.

1622. Bacon, Henry VII. That same haire-braine wild fellow, my subject.

1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, ch. xliii. When the government of a nation depends upon the caprice of the ignorant, hair-brained vulgar.

1870. Chambers’ Miscellany, No. 53, p. 28. The Slater girls are as hare-brained as herself.

Hared, adj. (old).—Hurried.

Hare-sleep, subs. (old).—Sham slumber; foxes’ sleep (q.v.).

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hare-sleep, with Eies a’most open.

Harking, subs. (old).—See quots.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Harking, whispering on one side to borrow Money.

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

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hark-ye-ing, whispering on one side to borrow money.

Harlequin, subs. (theatrical).—1. A sovereign. For synonyms, see Canary.

2. (Winchester College).—The wooden nucleus of a red india-rubber ball.

3. (old).—A patchwork quilt.

Harlequin China, adj. phr. (old).—Sets composed of several patterns and makes.

Harlotry, subs. (old).—A wanton.

d. 1529. Skelton, Bowge of Courte. He had no pleasure but in harlotrye.

1672. Wycherley, Love in a Wood, iv., i. But O the harlotry, did she make that use of it then.

1695. Congreve, Love for Love, iii., i. O you young harlotry.

1893. T. E. Brown, Old John, p. 205. That specious harlotry from hell’s black bosom spewed.

Adj. (old).—Disreputable.

1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV., ii., 4. Oh rare! he doth it as like one of these harlotry players, as ever I see.

Harman-beck (or Harman), subs. (old).—An officer of justice. For synonyms, see Beak and Copper.

1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 66. The harman-beck, the constable.

1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-All. With the harman-beake out and alas to Whittington we goe.

1656. Broome, Jovial Crew, ii. Here safe in our skipper let’s cly off our peck, And bowse in defiance o’ th’ harman-beck.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Harman-beck, a Beadle.

1714. Memoirs of John Hall (4th ed.), p. 12. Harminbeck, a Constable.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Harman Beck, a beadle (cant).

1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ch. xvii. From the watchmen who skip On the Harman Beck’s errand.

1828. Lytton, The Disowned. The worst have an awe of the harman’s claw.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Harman Beak. The Sheriff.

Harmans, subs. (Old Cant).—The stocks. [The suffix ‘mans’ is common; Cf., lightmans, darkmans, roughmans, etc.]

1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 66. The harmans, the stockes.

1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-All, p. 39 (H. Club’s Rept., 1874). Harmons the stockes.

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

1714. Memoirs of John Hall (4th ed.), p. 12, s.v.

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

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

Harness. In Harness, adj. phr. (colloquial).—In business; at work: as, to die in harness = to die at one’s post; to get back into harness = to resume work after a holiday. [Harness also = armour.]

1872. Fun, 10 Aug. ‘Over.’ Aye! But the sting of it’s here, Just as I’m back into harness, Others are off to sea, mountain, and mere.

1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 2. My father died in harness.

Harp, interject. (Irish).—See quot.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Harp ... harp is also the Irish expression for ‘woman’ or ‘tail,’ used in tossing up in Ireland, from Hibernia being represented with a harp, on the reverse of the copper coins of that country, for which reason it is in hoisting the copper, i.e., tossing up, sometimes likewise called music.

To harp on, verb. phr. (old, now recognised).—To dwell persistently and at any cost upon a subject.

1596. Nashe, Have with you to Saffron Walden. As if I had continually harped upon it in every tenth line of my book.

1596. Shakspeare, Hamlet, ii., 2. Still harping on my daughter.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Harp-upon a business, to insist on it.

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

1886. R. L. Stevenson, Kidnapped, p. 291. He was back harping on my proposal.

Harper, subs. (old).—A brass coin current in Ireland, temp. Elizabeth, value one penny. [From the Irish Harp figured upon it.]

1574–1637. Ben Jonson, The Gipsies Metamorphosed. A two-pence I had to spend ever and above; besides the harper that was gathered amongst us to pay the piper.

Have among you my blind harpers, phr. (old).—See quot.

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

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Have among you my blind harpers, an expression used in throwing or shooting at random among a crowd.

Harridan, subs. (old, now recognised).—See quots. Also (colloquial) a disagreeable old woman. [A corruption of O. Fr. haridelle = a worn out horse, a jade.]

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Harridan, one that is half Whore, half Bawd.

1705–7. Ward, Hudibras Redivivus, vol. II., pt. ii., p. 27. Old Leachers, Harridans, and Cracks.

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

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Harridan, a hagged old woman, a miserable scraggy worn out harlot, fit to take her bawd’s degree.

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, ch., xxxix. ‘Now what could drive it into the noddle of that old harridan,’ said Pleydell.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

Harrington, subs. (old).—A brass farthing. [Lord Harrington obtained a patent of manufacture under James I.]

1616. B. Jonson, Devil is an Ass, ii., 1. Yes, sir, it’s cast to penny half-penny farthing, O’ the back side there you may see it, read; I will not bate a Harrington o’ the sum.

1632. B. Jonson, Magn. Lady, ii., 6. His wit he cannot so dispose by legacy As they shall be a Harrington the better for’t.

Harry, subs. (old).—1. A countryman; a clown. For synonyms, see Joskin.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. Harry. A country fellow.

2. (colloquial).—See ’Arry.

Old Harry, subs. (common).—The devil. For synonyms, see Skipper.

1693. Congreve, Old Bachelor, ii., 1. By the Lord Harry I’ll stay no longer.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.

1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, ch. iv. May Old Harry fly off with him.

1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends (1865), p. 406. Shall I summon Old Harry himself to this spot?

Harry of the West, subs. phr. (political American).—Henry Clay.

To play old Harry, verb. phr. (common).—To annoy; to ruin; to play the devil.

1889. Licensed Vict. Gaz., 18 Jan. Otherwise played old Harry with the guardians of the peace.

Tom, Dick, and Harry, phr. (common).—Generic for any and everybody; the mob.

1886. R. L. Stevenson, Kidnapped, p. 287. He rode from public house to public house and shouted his sorrows into the lug of Tom, Dick, and Harry.

What Harry gave Doll, verb. phr. (old venery).—The penis: also generic for fornication.

Harry-bluff, subs. (rhyming).—Snuff.

Harry-common, subs. phr. (old).—A general wencher.

1675. Wycherley, Country Wife, v., 4. Well, Harry Common, I hope you can be true to three.

Harry-soph, subs. (Cambridge Univ.: obsolete).—See quots.

1795. Gent. Mag., p. 20. A Harry, or errant Soph, I understand to be either a person, four-and-twenty years of age, and of an infirm state of health, who is permitted to dine with the fellows, and to wear a plain, black, full-sleeved gown: or, else, he is one who, having kept all the terms, by statute required previous to his law-act, is hoc ipso facto entitled to wear the same garment, and, thenceforth, ranks as bachelor, by courtesy.

1803. Gradus ad Cantabrigiam. Harry Soph; or Henry Sophister; students who have kept all the terms required for a law act, and hence are ranked as Bachelors of Law by courtesy. They wear a plain, black, full-sleeved gown.

Harum-scarum, adj. and subs. (old colloquial).—1. Giddy; careless; wild; a thoughtless or reckless fellow.

1740. Round about our Coal Fire, c. i. Peg would scuttle about to make a toast for John, while Tom run harum scarum to draw a jug of ale for Margery.

1780 Mad. D’Arblay, Diary, i., 358 [ed. 1842]. He seemed a mighty rattling harem-scarem gentleman.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Harum Scarum, he was running harum scarum, said of any one running or walking carelessly and in a hurry, after they know not what.

1836. Marryat, Japhet, ch. xcii. I’m not one of those harum-scarum sort, who would make up a fight when there’s no occasion for it.

1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. v. They had a quarrel with Thomas Newcome’s own son, a harum-scarum lad, who ran away, and then was sent to India.

1870. London Figaro, 19 Oct. ‘Within an inch.’ Tom—that’s my son—has worked with me in the mine ever since he was quite a little chap; and a harum-scarum young dog he was, when a boy.

2. (sporting).—Four horses driven in a line; suicide (q.v.).

Has-been, subs. (colloquial Scots’).—Anything antiquated; specifically in commendation: as ‘the good old has-beens’; cf., never was.

1891. Sportsman, 1 Apr. Big Joe M’Auliffe proved conclusively that he is one of the has beens or else one of the never wasers, as Dan Rice, the circus man, always called ambitious counterfeits.

Hash, subs. (colloquial).—1. A mess; specifically in the phrase ‘to make a hash of.’ For synonyms, see Sixes and Sevens.

1747. Walpole, Lett. to Mann, 23 Feb. (1833) Vol. II., p. 274. About as like it, as my Lady Pomfret’s hash of plural persons and singular verbs or infinitive moods was to Italian.

1836. Michael Scott, Cruise of the Midge, p. 115 [Ry. ed.]. Listado never could compass Spanish, because, as he said, he had previously learnt French, and thus spoke a hash of both.

1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends. ‘M. of Venice.’ Don’t suppose my affairs are at all in a hash, But the fact is, at present I’m quite out of cash.

1843. Punch’s Almanack, July (q.v.).

1845. Punch’s Guide to Servants, ‘The Cook,’ Vol. IX., p. 45. He who gives a receipt for making a stew, may himself make a sad hash of it.

1886. R. L. Stevenson, Kidnapped, p. 97. Ye’ve made a sore hash of my brig.

1889. Sporting Life, 30 Jan. Successfully negotiated the tricky entrance to the stable-yard of the hotel, at which job I have been in a mortal funk many a time with poor old Jim beside me, for fear of making a hash of it.

1890. Grant Allen, Tents of Shem, ch. xvi. She made a hash of the proper names, to be sure.

2. (American cadets’).—Clandestine preparation for supper after hours.

3. (colloquial).—A sloven; a blockhead.

1785. Burns, Epistle to J. Lapraik. A set o’ dull, conceited hashes.

Verb (colloquial).—1. To spoil; to jumble; to cook up and serve again.

1891. Notes and Queries, 7 S. xii., 22 Aug., p. 144. I do not think that Earle, a scholar of a high order and a man of the most keen wit and judgment, would have spoken thus of a thing hashed up by a hard-headed pedant, however able, such as Gauden.

2. (American).—To vomit. Also to flash the hash (q.v.). For synonyms, see Accounts and Cat.

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

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

3. (Cheltenham School).—To study hard; to swat (q.v.).

To settle one’s hash, verb. phr. (common).—To defeat one’s object; to kill. For synonyms, see Cook one’s Goose.

1864. Browning, Dramatis Personæ. ‘Youth and Art.’ You’ve to settle yet Gibson’s hash.

c. 1871. Butler, Nothing to Wear. To use an expression More striking than classic, it settled my hash.

1883. Punch, Nov. 3, p. 208, c. 1. That one stab, with a clasp-knife, which settled the young Squire’s hash in less than two seconds.

1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 123. We’ll keep the cops off till you settle his hash, the rest replied, getting round us.

To go back on one’s hash, verb. phr. (American).—To turn; to succumb; to weaken (q.v.).

Hash-house, subs. (American).—A cheap eating-house; a grubbing crib (q.v.).

1883. Daily Telegraph, 10 Jan., p. 5, c. 4. There are [in New York] lunch counters, cookshops, ‘penny’ restaurants, fifteen-cent restaurants, commonly called hash-houses and foreign cafés.

Haslar-hag, subs. (nautical).—A nurse at the Haslar Hospital. Cf., Hag.

Hastings. To be none of the Hastings sort, verb. phr. (old colloquial).—To be slow, deliberate, or slothful.

1690. b. e., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. You are none of the Hastings, of him that loses an Opportunity or a Business for want of Dispatch.

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

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. He is none of the Hastings sort; a saying of a slow, loitering fellow: an allusion to the Hastings pea, which is the first in season.

Hasty, adj. (old: now recognised).—Rash; passionate; quick to move.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hasty, very Hot on a sudden.

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

Hasty G., subs. (Cambridge Univ.).—See quot.

1883. Daily News, 24 Mar., p. 5, c. 2. Mr. Weller’s own hasty g. (as Cambridge men say when they mean a ‘hasty generalisation’).

Hasty Pudding, subs. (common).—1. A bastard. For synonyms, see Bloody Escape.

2. (old).—A muddy road; a quag.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. The way through Wandsworth is quite a hasty pudding.

Hat, subs. (Cambridge Univ.).—1. A gentleman commoner. [Who is permitted to wear a hat instead of the regulation mortar-board.] Also Gold Hatband.

1628. Earle, Microcosmographie. ‘Young Gentleman of the Universitie’ (ed., Arber, 1868). His companion is ordinarily some stale fellow that has beene notorious for an ingle to gold hatbands, whom hee admires at first, afterwards scornes.

1803. Gradus ad Cantabrigiam. Hat Commoner; the son of a Nobleman, who wears the gown of a Fellow Commoner with a hat.

1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, ch. xxxii. I knew intimately all the hats in the University.

1841. Lytton, Night and Morning, bk. I., ch. i. He had certainly nourished the belief that some one of the hats or tinsel gowns—i.e., young lords or fellow-commoners, with whom he was on such excellent terms ... would do something for him in the way of a living.

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

1754. Fielding, Jonathan Wild, i., 6 (note). I shall conclude this learned note with remarking that the term old hat is used by the vulgar in no very honourable sense.

1760. Sterne, Tristram Shandy, ch. cxxvi. A chapter of chambermaids, green gowns, and old hats.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. [‘Because often felt.’] See also Top Diver.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.

3. (Scots’).—A prostitute of long standing. For synonyms, see Barrack-Hack and Tart.

To eat one’s hat (or head), verb. phr. (common).—Generally, I’ll eat my hat. Used in strong emphasis. See Eat.

1836. Dickens, Pickwick, xlii., 367. ‘If I knew as little of life as that, I’d eat my hat and swallow the buckle whole,’ said the clerical gentleman.

1837. Dickens, Oliver Twist, ch. xiv. Even admitting the possibility of scientific improvements being ever brought to that pass which will enable a man to eat his own head, Mr. Grimwig’s head was such a particularly large one that the most sanguine man alive could hardly entertain a hope of being able to get through it at a sitting.

1844. J. B. Buckstone, The Maid with the Milking Pail. If you are not as astonished as I was, I’ll eat old Rowley’s hat.

1876. Hindley, Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 216. I’ll eat my hat.

1887. E. E. Money, Little Dutch Maiden, II., viii., 148. And if you don’t run up against him next day in Bond Street, you may eat your hat!

1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 38. If some of the swells didn’t ditto, I’ll eat my old hat, which it’s tough.

To get a hat, verb. phr. (cricketers’).—See Hat-trick.

To get into the hat, verb. phr. (common).—To get into trouble.

To have a brick in one’s hat, verb. phr. (American).—To be top-heavy with drink. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

To hang up one’s hat.—See Hang.

To pass (or send) round the hat, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To make a collection.

To talk through one’s hat, verb. phr. (American).—To rag; to huff; to bluster.

1888. New York World, 13 May. Dis is only a bluff dey’re makin’—see! Dey’re talkin’ tru deir hats.

All round my hat, phr. (streets).—A derisive retort. [From a Broadside Ballad, popular c. 1830: ‘All round my hat I wears a green willow, All round my hat for a twelvemonth and a day, And if any one should ask you the reason why I wear it, Tell them my true love is gone far away’; sung to a tune adapted from a number in Zampa.] Also, as in quot. = all over; completely; generally.

1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 54. I’m a ’ot un, mate, all round my ’at.

Shoot that hat! phr. (streets).—A derisive retort. Also I’ll have your hat! Both circa 1860–72.

Well, you can take my hat! phr. (American) = ‘Well, that beats me,’ i.e., ‘that is past belief.’

1873. A Yankee in a Planter’s House. ‘What’s yer name?’ ‘Name Grief, manssa.’ ‘Name what?’ ‘Name Grief.’ ‘Get out! Yew’re jokin’! What’s yer name, anyhow?’ ‘Name Grief manssa.’ ‘Wal, yew kin take my hat.’

What a shocking bad hat, phr. (streets).—[Said to have originated with a candidate for parliamentary honours, who made the remark to his poorer constituents, and promised them new head-gear.]

1892. Anstey, Model Music Hall, 140. Lord B. Regular bounder! Shocking bad hat! Ver. Not so bad as his boots, and they are not so bad as his face.

Hatch, verb. (common).—To be brought to bed with child; to bust up (q.v.).

To be under hatches, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be in a state of trouble, poverty or depression. Also dead.

1606. Marston, The Fawne, iv. Remember hee got his elder brother’s wife with child ... that will stow him under hatches, I warrant you.

1632–1704. Locke [quoted in Ency. Dict.]. He assures us how this fatherhood continued its course, till the captivity in Egypt, and then the poor fatherhood was under hatches.

1639–1661. Rump Songs, i. [1662], 260. And all her orphans bestowed under hatches.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Under the Hatches, in Trouble, or Prison.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. Under the Hatches, in Trouble, or Prison.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Under the hatches, in trouble, distress, or debt.

1789. Dibdin, Tom Bowling, For though his body’s under hatches his soul has gone aloft.

1835. Buckstone, Dream at Sea. iii., 3. Good-bye, dame, cheer up; you may not always be under hatches.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

Hatchet, subs. (tailors’).—1. An ill-favoured woman. For general synonyms, see Ugly Mug.

2. (American).—A bribe received by Customs officers in New York for permitting imported dutiable goods to remain on the wharf when they ought to go to the general store-house.

To bury (or dig up) the hatchet.—See Bury.

To throw (or sling) the hatchet, verb. phr. (common).—1. To tell lies, to yarn; to draw the long bow (q.v.). Hence hatchet flinging (or throwing) = lying or yarning.

1789. Geo. Parker, Life’s Painter, p. 94. This is a fault, which many of good understanding may fall into, who, from giving way too much to the desire of telling anecdotes, adventures, and the like, habituate themselves by degrees to a mode of the hatchet-flinging extreme.

1821. P. Egan, Life in London, p. 217. There is nothing creeping or throwing the hatchet about this description.

1893. Emerson, Signor Lippo, ch. xx. We had to call her mother, and, if anyone stopped, she’d sling the hatchet to them, and tell them she was a poor lone widow left with five children.

2. (nautical).—To sulk.

Hatchet-faced, adj. (old colloquial: now recognised).—See quots. For synonyms, see Ugly-mug.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hatchet-fac’d, Hard favor’d, Homely.

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

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hatchet Face, a long thin face.

1865. Sala, Trip to Barbary, p. 130. The man in black baize with the felt képi, and who had a hatchet face desperately scarred with the small-pox, looked from head to heel a bad egg.

1888. J. Runciman, The Chequers, p. 7. His hatchet face with its piggish eyes, his thin cruel lips, his square jaw, are all murderous.

Hatch, Match, and Dispatch Column, subs. phr. (journalistic).—The births, marriages, and deaths announcements. Also Cradle, Altar and Tomb Column.

Hatchway, subs. (common).—1. The mouth. For synonyms, see Potato-trap.

2. (venery).—The female pudendum. Also Fore-hatch. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

Hate-out, verb. (American).—To boycott; to send to Coventry.

18(?). S. Kercheval, History of Virginia. The punishment for idleness, lying, dishonesty, and ill-fame generally, was that of hating the offender out, as they expressed it. It commonly resulted in the reformation or banishment of the person against whom it was directed. If a man did not do his share of the public service, he was hated-out as a coward.

Hatfield, subs. (common).—A drink, whose chief ingredients are gin and ginger-beer.

1883. Daily News, 5 July, p. 5, c. 1. There are, we believe, all sorts of strong waters in the mild-looking and seductive hatfield, while the majority of ‘cups’ are distinctly ‘mixed.’

Hatful, subs. (colloquial).—A large quantity; a heap.

1859. Punch, lxxx., vi., 236. If they had trusted their own judgment they would have won a hatful.

1864. M. E. Braddon, Henry Dunbar, ch. xxii. He was in a very good temper however, for he had won what his companions called a hatful of money on the steeple-chase.

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

Hatter, subs. (Australian).—A gold-digger working alone.

1881. A. Bathgate, Waitaruna, p. 88. He is what they call a hatter, that is he works alone.

1885. Chambers’ Journal, 2 May, p. 286. Some prefer to travel, and even to work, when they can get it, alone, and these are known to the rest as hatters.

1890. Illustrations, p. 158. The former occupant was what is known as a hatter, i.e., a digger living by himself.

1890. Marriott Watson, Broken Billy. He was looked upon as a hatter, that is to say, a man who has lived by himself until his brain has been turned.

Who’s your hatter? phr. (streets).—A catch-cry long out of vogue.

Mad as a hatter, phr. (colloquial).—Very mad.

1863. Marshall [Title, of a farce]. Mad as a Hatter.

Hat-trick, subs. (cricket).—Taking three wickets with three consecutive balls: which feat is held to entitle the bowler to a new hat at the cost of the club.

1888. Sportsman, 28 Nov. Mr. Absolom has performed the hat trick twice, and at Tufnell Park he took four wickets with four balls.

1892. Cassell’s Sat. Jour. 21 Sept., p. 13, c. 2. On one occasion I succeeded in doing the hat trick.

1892. Woolwich Polytechnic Mag., 20 May. Three of these wickets were taken in succession, thus accomplishing the hat-trick.

Hat-work, subs. (journalists’).—Hack work; such stuff as may be turned out by the yard without reference to quality.

1888. H. Rider Haggard, Mr. Meeson’s Will, c. 1. And five-and-twenty tame authors (who were illustrated by thirteen tame artists) sat—at salaries ranging from one to five hundred a year—in vault-like hutches in the basement, and week by week poured out that hat-work for which Meeson’s was justly famous.

Haulable, adj. (University).—Used of a girl whose society authorities deem undesirable for the men: e.g., she’s haulable = a man caught with her will be proctorised.

Haul-bowline, subs. (nautical).—A seaman. For synonyms, see Strawyarder.

Haul-devil, subs. (common).—A clergyman. For synonyms, see Devil-dodger and Sky-pilot.

Haul Devil, Pull Baker. See Devil.

Haut-boy (or Ho-boy), subs. (American).—A night scavenger; a jakesman or gold-finder (q.v.).

Have, subs. (common).—1. A swindle; a take-in (q.v.); a do (q.v.). For synonyms, see Sell.

2. in. pl. (common).—The moneyed classes; as opposed to the Have-nots, their antipodes.

1893. National Observer, Feb. 25, ix., 357. A body whose policy is to make the Have-nots as comfortable and objectionable as possible at the cost in coin and comfort of the Haves.

3. (in. pl.) subs. (Winchester College).—Half-boots. Pronounced Hāves.

Is that a Catch or a Have? verb. phr. (vulgar).—A formula of acknowledgment that the speaker has been ‘had.’ [If the person addressed be unwise enough to answer with a definition, the instant retort is ‘Then you catch (or have, as the case may be) your nose up my arse.’]

Verb (colloquial).—1. To cheat; to take-in; to do. See Be.

1805. G. Harrington, New London Spy (4th Ed.) p. 26. Ten to one but you are had, a cant word they make use of, instead of saying, as the truth is, we have cheated him.

1825. Egan, Life of an Actor, ch. iv. ‘He’s not to be had,’ said Gag, in an audible whisper.

1878. Hatton, Cruel London, bk. II., ch. v. ‘They have had me, bless you,’ said Brayford, ‘the men who have “limbed” you.’

1889. Licensed Vict. Gaz., 8 Feb. Not to be had so easily, my good man.

1889. Answers, 23 Feb., p. 196, c. 2. But even these fellows, sharp as they are, have been caught napping lately in a humorous way. Those who have had them have been young fellows with friends inside the Stock Exchange.

1891. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 161. Had me nicely once at cards.

1891. Licensed Vict. Gaz., 23 Jan. I never felt so wild in my life. I’m no fool, you know, and I began to think I was being had a bit.

1891. J. Newman, Scamping Tricks, p. 58. I was nearly had.

1892. Illus. Bits, 22 Oct., p. 14. c. 2. Oh, mebboy, Oi wasn’t t’ be had that way. Oi always kape resates—spishully Gov’ment wans. Oi got it safe and cosy in me pocket-book.

2. (venery).—To possess carnally. [Said indifferently of, and by, both sexes.] For synonyms, see Greens.

To have had it, verb. phr. (venery).—To have been seduced.

To have (or take) it out of one, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To punish; to retaliate; to extort a quid pro quo; to give tit for tat.

To have it out with one, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To speak freely in reproof; to complete an explanation; to settle a dispute with either words or blows.

1886. J. S. Winter, Army Society, ch. xix. Instead of going down to St. Eve’s and having it out, he fretted, and worried, and fumed the six days away.

1888. Daily News, 8 Dec. There was a question as to who struck the first blow, but it seemed to him certain that a man who crossed the road to have it out with another was the most likely to have commenced hostilities.

To have on, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To secure a person’s interest, attention, sympathy: generally with a view to deceiving him (or her).

To have towards (or with, or at), verb. phr. (old).—1. To pledge in drinking; to toast. See Here.

1637. Cartwright, Royal Slave. Here’s to thee, Leocrates. Leoc. Have towards thee, Philotas. Phil. To thee, Archippus. Arch. Here, Molops. Mol. Have at you, fidlers.

1836. M. Scott, Tom Cringle’s Log, ch. ii. ‘Have with you, boy—have with you,’ shouted half-a-dozen other voices, while each stuck his oaken twig through the handkerchief that held his bundle, and shouldered it, clapping his straw or tarpaulin hat, with a slap on the crown, on one side of his head, and staggering and swaying about under the influence of the poteen.

2. (common).—To agree with.

To have on toast, verb. phr. (common).—1. To take in.

2. (common).—To worst in argument.

To have on the raws, verb. phr. (common).—To teaze; to touch to the quick.

To let one have it, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To punish severely.

1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 8. ‘Hurraw, Dick, mind your hair,’ and I ups old Greaser and let one Injun have it, as was going plum into the boy with his lance.

Have up, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To bring before the authorities; to summons (q.v.).

Havercake-lads, subs. phr. (Military).—The Thirty-third Foot. [From the circumstance that its recruiting sergeants always preceded their party with an oatcake on their swords.]

Havey-cavey, adj. (old).—Uncertain; doubtful; shilly-shally.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

Havil, subs. (old).—A sheep. For synonyms, see Wool-bird.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

Havock, subs. (old: now recognised).—Devastation; waste.

1607. Shakspeare, Julius Cæsar, iii., 1. Cry havock, and let slip the dogs of war.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. They made sad Havock, they Destroy’d all before ’em.

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

Hawcubite, subs. (old).—A roysterer; a street bully. [After the Restoration there was a succession of these disturbers of the peace: first came the Muns, then followed the Tityre Tus, the Hectors, the Scourers, the Nickers, the Hawcubites, and after them the Mohawks (q.v.).]

Hawk, subs. (common).—1. A card-sharper; a rook (q.v.).

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hawk, c., a Sharper.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. Hawk, a Sharper.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hawk also signifies a sharper, in opposition to pigeon.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hawk. A Confidence Man; a swindler.

1891. New York Herald [London ed.], 31 May. These were hawks and pigeons, and those who are no longer pigeons, and never had, or will have, an inclination to be hawks.

2. (common).—A bailiff; a constable. For synonyms, see Beak.

1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, bk. I., ch. iii. ‘The game’s spoiled this time, Rob Rust, anyhow,’ growled one, in an angry tone; ‘the hawks are upon us, and we must leave this brave buck to take care of himself.’

Verb (old).—See quots.

1589. Nashe, Anatomie, Whereas, by their humming and hawking ... they have leisure to gesture the mislike of his rudeness.

1600. Shakspeare, As You Like It, v., 3. Shall we clap into ’t roundly, without hawking, or spitting, or saying we are hoarse?

1604. Marston, Malcontent, ii., 2. Is he troubled with the cough of the lungs still? Does he hawke a night’s?

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. ... Also spitting difficulty.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. ... Hawking, an effort to spit up the thick phlegm, called oysters, whence it is wit upon record, to ask the person so doing, whether he has a license, a punning allusion to the act of hawkers and pedlars.

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, ch. xlvi. This tremendous volley of superlatives which Sampson hawked up from the pit of his stomach.

1822. Byron, Vision of Judgment, xc. To cough and hawk, and hem, and pitch His voice into that awful note of woe.

Ware Hawk! phr. (old).—A warning; look sharp! See subs. sense 2.

d. 1529. Skelton, Ware Hawk (Title).

1625. Jonson, Staple of News, v. 2. See! the whole covey is scattered; ware, ware the hawks!

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hawk, ware hawk, the word to look sharp, a bye-word when a bailiff passes.

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, ch. iii. Ware hawk! Douse the Glim.

To hawk one’s meat, verb. phr. (common).—To peddle one’s charms, i.e., to show a great deal of neck and breasts. Fr., montrer sa viande.

Hawk-a-mouthed, adj. phr. (old).—See quot.

c. 1750. Dialogue in the Devonshire Dialect (Palmer, 1839) s.v. One that is perpetually hawking and spitting; also foul-mouthed.

Hawker, subs. (old: now recognized).—A pedlar.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hawkers. Retail News-Sellers.

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

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hawkers, licensed itinerant retailers of different commodities, called also pedlars; likewise the sellers of newspapers.

Hawking, verb. subs. (old: now recognised).—Peddling; offering small wares for sale from door to door. Also see quot. 1690.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hawking, going about Town and Country with Scotch-Cloth, etc., or News-Papers: also Spitting difficultly.

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

Hawk-eye State, subs. phr. (American).—Iowa. [After the famous Indian chief.]

Hawse. To fall athwart one’s hawse, verb. phr. (nautical).—To obstruct; to fall out with; to counter and check.

Hawse-holes. To come (or creep) in through the hawse-holes, verb. phr. (nautical).—To enter the service at the lowest grade; to rise from the forecastle.

1830. Marryat, King’s Own, ch. viii. His kind and considerate captain was aware that a lad who creeps in at the hawse-holes, i.e., is promoted from before the mast, was not likely to be favourably received in the midshipmen’s mess.

1889. Chambers’ Journal, 3 Aug., 495. A sailor who rose from the ranks was formerly said to have crept through the hawse-holes.

Hay. To make hay, verb. phr. (University).—To throw into confusion; to turn topsy-turvy; to knock to pieces in argument or single combat. Also, to kick up a row.

1861. H. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, ch. vii. The fellows were mad with fighting too. I wish they hadn’t come here and made hay afterwards.

To dance the hay, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. To Dance the Hay. To make Hay while the Sun Shines, or make good use of one’s Time.

Hay-bag, subs. (thieves’).—A woman. [I.e., something to lie upon.] For synonyms, see Petticoat. Fr., une paillaisse.

1851–61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, Vol. I., p. 231, q.v.

Hay-band, subs. (common).—A common cigar. For synonyms, see Weed.

1864. Glasgow Herald, 9 Nov., q.v.

Haymarket-hector, subs. (old).—A prostitute’s bully. See Hector.

c. 1675. Marvell, Cutting of Sir John Coventry’s Nose, vi. O ye Haymarket Hectors!

Haymarket-ware, subs. (common).—A common prostitute. For synonyms, see Barrack-hack and Tart.

Hay-pitcher (or Hay-seed), subs. (American).—A countryman. Cf., Gape-seed.

1851. Herman Melville, Moby Dick, p. 36 (ed. 1892). Ah! poor hayseed.

1888. New York World. ‘I wouldn’t hev come into his shop if I had known it,’ protested the imitation hay-pitcher.

1888. Detroit Free Press, Sept. Al. (to hayseed)—Ever read Ouida? H.—No, but by golly I must get his books. The weeds in my garden are raisin’ eternal tarnation.

1890. Norton, Political Americanisms, p. 53. Hayseeds—rustics. The ‘hayseed delegation’ in a State legislature is supposed to consist of farmers or their representatives.

1890. Judge, ‘Christmas No.’, p. 31. Them two fellers ... has been passin’ d’rog’tory remarks about that hayseed’s ears.

1893. Clark Russell, Life of the Merchant Sailor, in Scribner’s, xiv, 8. Hired by the State to court the hayseed to the tenders.

Hays! intj. (American).—An injunction to be gone; git (q.v.).

1851. Judson, Mysteries of New York, ch. i., p. 12. Cut and run, my darling! Hays! is the word, and off you go.

Haze, subs. (American).—Bewilderment; confusion; fog (q.v.).

Verb (American).—1. To play tricks or practical jokes; to frolic. Hence, Hazing. Also to mystify or Fog (q.v.).

1848. N. Y. Com. Adv., 2 Dec. W. had been drinking, and was hazing about the street at night, acting somewhat suspiciously or strangely [when the officer arrested him].

1887. Lippincott’s Mag., July, p. 105. This and the Dyke are the only approaches to hazing that I have ever heard of here.

1888. Philadelphia Bulletin, 27 Feb. So woman is completing her conquest of the planet. She rows. She smokes. She preaches. She hazes. She shoots. She rides.

1892. R. L. Stevenson and L. Osbourne, The Wrecker, p. 39. In some of the studios at that date, the hazing of new pupils was both barbarous and obscene.

2. (nautical).—To harass with overwork or paltry orders. Also to find fault.

1840. R. H. Dana, Two Years Before the Mast, ch. viii. Haze is a word of frequent use on board ship, and never, I believe, used elsewhere. It is very expressive to a sailor, and means to punish by hard work. Let an officer once say ‘I’ll haze you,’ and your fate is fixed. You will be ‘worked up,’ if you are not a better man than he is.

1852. Bristed, Upper Ten Thousand, p. 205. Here I have been five days ... hazing—what you call slanging—upholsterers.

1883. Stevenson, Treasure Island, ch. xi., p. 89 (1886). I’ve had a’most enough o’ Cap’n Smollett; he’s hazed me long enough, by thunder!

1889. Notes and Queries, 7 S. viii., 31 Aug. My old partner, who served his time at sea, always spoke of giving a man ‘a good hazing’ when he meant he had been finding fault with his doings, etc.

Hazel-geld, verb. (old).—See quots.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hazel-geld, to Beat any one with a Hazle-Stick or Plant.

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

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hazle-gild, to beat anyone with a hazle stick.

Hazy, adj. (old: now recognised).—1. See quot.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hazy Weather, when it is Thick, Misty, Foggy.

2. (common).—Stupid with drink; mixed (q.v.). For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

1824. T. Hook, Sayings and Doings, 1st. S. ‘Friend of the Family,’ p. 179. One night at a public-house I was foolish enough to brag. Hazy, Sir—you understand? smoking and drinking.

1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends. ‘Lay of S. Cuthbert.’ Stamp’d on the jasey As though he were crazy, And staggering about just as if he were hazy.

He, subs. (Charterhouse).—A cake. A young he = a small cake. See She.

Head, subs. (nautical).—1. A man-of-war’s privy.

2. (common).—The obverse of a coin or medal. Heads or tails? = Guess whether the coin spun will come down with head uppermost or not. [The side not bearing the Sovereign’s head has various devices: Britannia, George and the Dragon, a harp, the Royal arms, an inscription, etc.—all included in the word ‘tail,’ i.e., the reverse of ‘head.’ The Romans said heads or ships?]

d. 1680. Butler, Remains (1759), ii., 431. Let his chance prove what it will, he plays at cross you lose, and pile you win.

1871. Observer, 16 Apr. Perhaps for the first time Parliament is asked to enjoin a settlement of public dispute by means of tossing heads or tails, ‘cross or pile.’

3. (old).—An arrangement of the hair; a coiffure.

1773. Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, ii., 10. Pray how do you like this head?... I dressed it myself from a print in the Ladies’ Memorandum Book for last year.

To have at one’s head, verb. phr. (old).—To cuckold.

1640. Gough, Strange Discovery. Not if you stay at home, and warm my bed; But if you leave me, have at your head.

To take one in the head, verb. phr. (old).—To come into one’s mind.

1609. Holland, Amenianus Marcellinus. Now, it tooke him in the head, and incensed was his desires (seeing Gaule now quited) to set first upon Constantius.

To do on head, verb. phr. (old). To act rashly.

1559. Eliote, Dict. Abruptum ingenium, a rash brayne that dooeth all thinges on head.

To do on one’s head, phr. (thieves’).—To do easily and with joy.

To fly at the head, verb. phr. (old).—To attack; to go for (q.v.).

1614. Terence in English. Fellow servant, I can very hardly refraine my selfe, but that I must needes flee at the head of him.

To eat one’s head. See Hat.

To eat one’s (or its) head off, verb. phr. (common).—To cost more than the worth in keep.

1703. Country Farmer’s Catechism. My mare has eaten her head off at the Ax in Aldermanbury.

1878. Parker Gillmore, Great Thirst Land, ch. vii. Our horses were eating their heads off at livery.

1893. Cassell’s Sat. Jour., 1 Feb. p. 384, 2. A lot of raw material in stock which, in local parlance, would eat its head off if kept warehoused.

To run on head, verb. phr. (old).—To incite.

1556. Heywood, Spider and Fly. Thirdlie, to set cocke on hope, and run on heade.

To give one’s head (or one’s beard) for washing, verb. phr. (old).—To yield tamely and without resistance. Fr., laver la tête = to reprimand; to admonish with point, energy, and force.

1615. Beaumont and Fletcher, Cupid’s Revenge, iv., 3. I’m resolved.... And so am I, and forty more good fellows, That will not give their heads for the washing, I take it.

1663. Butler, Hudibras, I., iii., 255. For my part it shall ne’er be said, I for the washing gave my head, nor did I turn my back for fear.

To put a head (or new-head) on one, verb. phr. (common).—1. To change a man’s aspect by punching his head: hence, to get the better of one’s opponent; to annihilate. Also to put a new face on.

1870. R. Grant White, Words and their Uses. But all his jargon was surpassed, in wild absurdity, By threats, profanely emphasised, to put a head on me.... Instead of putting on a head he strove to smite off mine.

18(?). Bret Harte, Further Words from Truthful James. To go for that same party for to put a head on him.

1888. Runciman, The Chequers, p. 80. I’d put a new head on yer for tuppence.

2. (colloquial).—To froth malt liquors. [E.g., ‘Put a head on it, Miss,’ addressed to the barmaid, is a request to work the engine briskly, and make the liquor take on a cauliflower (q.v.)]

Heads I win, tails you lose, phr. (common).—A gage of certainty = In no case can I fail: I hold all the trumps.

1890. Welfare, Mar., p. 8., c. 1. A director holding shares to the extent of £50 will draw a yearly recognition of his patronage to the tune of £100. It is unnecessary to ask whether such a course of speculation follows the principle of tails you lose, heads I win.

To get the head into chancery, verb. phr. (formerly pugilists’: now common).—To get the other fighter’s head under one arm and hold it there; a position of helplessness. See Chancery.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib, p. 18. When Georgy, one time, got the head of the Bear into chancery.

2. (colloquial).—Hence to get, or be got, into a posture of absolute helplessness.

To knock on the head, verb. phr. (common).—To kill; to destroy; to put an end to.

1871. Weekly Dispatch, 21 May. ‘Police Report.’ The magistrate (Mr. Newton) refused the application for bail, remarking that the sooner the house was done away with the better, and he would take care that it and all connected with it were knocked on the head.

To get (or put) the head in a bag. See Bag.

To get (or have) a swelling in the (or a big-) head, verb. phr. (common).—To be or become conceited; to put on airs.

1888. Cincinnati Enquirer. Anna Kelly ... is missing from her home in Newport. Somebody has been swelling her head.

1890. Star, 27 Jan. Although he received but £100 for his share, he got the big head, went to pieces, and is now on the retired list.

To hit the right nail on the head, verb. phr. (common). To speak or act with precision and directness; to do the right thing. [The colloquialism is common to most languages. The French say, Vous avez frappé au but (= You have hit the mark). The Italians, Havete dato in brocca (= You have hit the pitcher: alluding to a game where a pitcher stood in the place of Aunt Sally (q.v.)). The Latins, Rem acu tetigisti (= You have touched the thing with a needle: referring to the custom of probing sores.)]

1719. Durfey, Pills, etc., iii., 21. The common Proverb as it is read, That a Man must hit the nail on the head.

1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 43. That’s what I meant when I said that that josser, whose name I’ve forgotten ’ad ’it the right nail on the ’ead.

To argue (or talk) one’s head off, verb. phr. (common).—To be extremely disputative or loquacious; to be all jaw (q.v.).

1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 22. Argue your ’ead off like.

To bundle out head (or neck) and heels, verb. phr. (common).—To eject with violence.

To have no head, verb. phr. (common).—1. (of persons). To lack ballast; to be crack-brained. See Apartments to Let. Hence, to have a head on = to be cute, alert; to have sand (q.v.).

1888. Lynch, Mountain Mystery, ch. 2. Caledonia was declared to possess a Coroner with a head, and a very good one on him, and a messenger was sent to rouse him.

2. (of malt liquors).—To be flat. See Cauliflower.

To have a head, verb. phr. (common).—To experience the after-effects of heavy drinking (cf., Mouth); also to have a head-ache. For synonyms, see Screwed.

To give one his head, verb. phr. (common).—To give one full and free play; to let go.

To have maggots in the head, verb. phr. (common).—To be crotchetty, whimsical, freakish; to have a bee in one’s bonnet. For synonyms, see Apartments.

To hurt in the head, verb. phr. (old).—To cuckold; to cornute.

To lie heads and tails, verb. phr. (common).—To sleep packed sardine fashion, i.e., heads to head-rail and foot-rail alternately.

Over head and ears (in work, love, debt, etc.), phr. (common).—Completely engrossed in; infatuated with; to the fullest extent.

1589. Nashe, Pasqvill of England (Grosart), i., 114. Presently he fetcheth his seas himselfe, and leaps very boldly ouer heade and eares.

1735. Granville (quoted in Johnson’s Dict., s.v. Head). In jingling rimes well fortified and strong, He fights intrenched o’er head and ears in song.

Without head or tail, adv. phr. (common).—Incoherent; neither one thing nor the other. E.g., I can’t make head or tail of it = I cannot make it out.

1728. Vanbrugh, Journey to London, iv. He had the insolence to intrude into my own dressing room here, with a story without a head or tail.

1736. Fielding, Pasquin, v. Take this play, and bid ’em forthwith

## act it; there is not in it either head or tail.

1874. Mrs. H. Wood, Johnny Ludlow, 1st Series, No. 12, p. 203. Mrs. Blair has been writing us a strange rigmarole, which nobody can make head or tail of.

1891. W. C. Russell, Ocean Tragedy, p. 22. There is nothing to make heads or tails of in it that I can see.

To have a head like a sieve, verb. phr. (common).—To be unreliable; to be forgetful.

Heads out! phr. (American university).—A warning cry on the approach of a master.

Arse over Head. See Arse and Heels over Head.

Mutton-head (or Headed).—See Mutton-head.

Fat (or soft) in the head, adv. phr. (common).—Stupid. For synonyms, see Apartments.

Off one’s head, adv. phr. (common).—Stupid; crazy. For synonyms, see Apartments.

Shut your head, phr. (American).—‘Hold your jaw.’

Head-beetler, subs. (workmen’s).—1. A bully; and (2) a foreman; a ganger (q.v.).

1886. Chambers’ Journal, 18 Sept., p. 599. Head-beetler is used (in Ulster) in the same vulgar sense as ‘Head-cook and bottle-washer’ in some localities. The ‘beetle’ was a machine for producing figured fabrics by the pressure of a roller, and head-beetler probably means the chief director of this class of work.

Head-bloke. See Head-screw.

Head-bully (or -cully).—See quots.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Head bully of the pass or passage bank. The Top Tilter of the Gang, throughout the whole Army, who Demands and receives Contribution from all the Pass Banks in the Army.

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

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

Head-cook and bottle-washer, subs. phr. (common).—1. A general servant; in contempt.

2. (common).—One in authority; a boss (q.v.). Cf., Head-beetler.

1876. Hindley, Adv. of a Cheap-Jack, p. 66. Fred Jolly being the head-cook and bottle-washer.

Head-clerk. Head-clerk of doxology works, subs. phr. (American).—A parson. See Devil-dodger.

1869. Clemens (Mark Twain), Innocents at Home, ch. ii. If I’ve got the rights of it, and you are the head clerk of the doxology works next door.

Header, subs. (tailors’).—A notability; a big-wig (q.v.).

to take a header, verb. phr. (colloquial).—1. To plunge, or fall, headforemost, into water: and (theatrical), to take an apparently dangerous leap in sensational drama. Hence, to go straight and directly for one’s object.

1856. Inside Sebastopol, ch. xiv. We may surely shut the door and take a header.

1863. Fun, 4 Apr., p. 23. Did the chairman commence the proceedings by taking a tremendous header ... a verbatim report might be interesting.

1884. W. C. Russell, Jack’s Courtship, ch. vii. ‘Miss Hawke,’ said I, plucking up my heart for a header and going in, so to speak, with my eyes shut and my hands clenched.

Head-fruit, subs. (old).—Horns: i.e., the result of being cuckolded.

1694. Congreve, Double Dealer, ii., 3. That boded horns: the fruit of the head is horns.

Head-Guard, subs. (thieves’).—A hat; specifically, a billy-cock.

1889. Clarkson and Richardson, Police, p. 21. A billy-cock, a head-guard.

Heading, subs. (American cowboys’).—A pillow; any rest for the head.

Heading ’em, subs. phr. (streets).—The tossing of coins in gambling. (In allusion to the head on the coin.)

Head-marked, adj. (venery).—Horned. To know by head-mark = to know (a cuckold) by his horns.

Headquarters, subs. (racing).—Newmarket. (Being the chief racing and training centre.)

1888. Sportsman, 28 Nov. Of the two-year olds that ran ... races for them are the strong point of that particular gathering at headquarters.

Head-rails, subs. (old nautical).—The teeth. For synonyms, see Grinders.

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

1853. Bradley, [Cuthbert Bede] Verdant Green, Pt. II., ch. iv. He had agreeable remarks for each of his opponents ... to another he would cheerfully remark, ‘your head-rails were loosened there, wasn’t they?’

Head-robber, subs. (journalists’).—1. A plagiarist.

2. (popular).—A butler.

Head-screw (or bloke), subs. (prison).—A chief warder.

Heady, adj. (old: now recognised).—1. See quot.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Heady, strong Liquors that immediately fly up into the Noddle, and so quickly make Drunk.

2. (colloquial).—Restive; full of arrogance and airs; opinionated.

1864. National Review, p. 535. I think it’s the novels that make my girls so heady.

Heady-whop, subs. (streets).—A person with a preternaturally large head. (A corruption of whopping-head (q.v.).)

Healtheries, subs. (common).—The Health Exhibition, held at South Kensington. [Others of the series were nick-named The Fisheries, The Colinderies, The Forestries, etc.]

Heap, subs. (colloquial).—A large number; lots; a great deal.

1371. Chaucer, Boke of the Duchesse, iii., 295 (1888, Minor Poems, Skeat, p. 23). Of smale foules a gret hepe.

1383. Chaucer, Canterbury Tales, i., 23/575 (Riverside Press). The wisdom of an heepe of lerned men.

1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, ch. xxxv. I sha’n’t see her again, and she wont hear of me for I don’t know how long; and she will be meeting heaps of men.

1885. Punch, 4 July, p. 4. ‘Splendid sight,’ he goes on, ‘heaps of people—people you don’t see anywhere else—and lots of pretty girls.’

1888. Texas Siftings, 20 Oct. He did not encroach on the domain of familiarity, but he looked a heap.

1892. Gunter, Miss Dividends, xi. Every one here would do a heap for Bishop Tranyon’s darter.

Adv. (American).—A great deal.

1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 223. He pronounced himself a heap better.

All of a heap, phr. (old: now colloquial).—Astonished; confused; taken aback; flabbergast (q.v.); and (pugilists’) ‘doubled up.’

1593. Shakspeare, Titus Andronicus, ii., 4. Lord Bassianus lies embrewed here, all on a heap.

1775. Fielding, Tom Jones, bk. VIII., ch. ii. My good landlady was (according to vulgar phrase) struck all of a heap by this relation.

1775. Sheridan, Duenna, ii., 2. That was just my case, too, Madam; I was struck all of a heap for my part.

1817. Scott, Rob Roy, ch. xxiv. The interrogatory seemed to strike the honest magistrate, to use the vulgar phrase, all of a heap.

1832. Egan, Book of Sports, s.v. All of a heap and all of a lump, unmistakably doubled up by a smasher.

1836. Dickens, Pickwick. ‘And what’s the lady’s name?’ says the lawyer. My father was struck all of a heap. ‘Blessed if I know,’ said he.

1888. J. McCarthy and Mrs. Campbell-Praed, The Ladies’ Gallery, ch. xiv. The idea seemed to take him all of a heap.

1891. Scots’ Mag., Oct., p. 321. Spinks and Durward were struck, as we may say, all of a heap, when they fully realised that Folio had disappeared.

Heaped, adj. (racing).—1. Hard put to it; floored (q.v.).

1884. Hawley Smart, From Post to Finish, p. 158. They’ve all heard of Blackton’s accident, and fancy we’re fairly heaped for someone to ride.

2. (venery).—Piled in the act.

1607. Cyril Tourneur, Revenger’s Tragedy, ii., 1. O, ’twill be glorious to kill ’em ... when they’re heaped.

Hear. To hear a bird sing (old).—To receive private communication; in modern parlance, a little bird told me so.

1598. Shakspeare, 2 Henry IV., v., 5. I will lay odds, that ere this year expire, We bear our civil swords and native fire As far as France. I hear a bird so sing.

Hearing, subs. (common).—A scolding; a lecture. For synonyms, see Wigging.

Hearing-cheats, subs. (old cant).—The ears.

1567. Harman, Caveat, s.v.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hearing Cheats, Ears.

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

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

English Synonyms.—Drums; flappers; leathers; lugs (Scots’); taps; wattles.

French Synonyms.—Les plats à barbe (popular = large ears); les oches or loches (thieves’); les isgourdes (popular); des feuilles de chou (popular = cabbage leaves); des écoutes or éscoutes (popular = hearing cheats); des cliquettes (popular).

German Synonyms.—Horcher (= the listener); Linzer, Loser, (Viennese: also Losling, Leusling, Leisling, or Lauschling): Osen.

Heart. Next the heart, adv. phr. (old).—Fasting.

1592. Nashe, Pierce Penilesse [Grosart], ii., 37. You may command his hart out of his belly, to make you a rasher on the coales, if you will next your heart.

1633. Rowley, Match at Midnight, i. Made drunk next her heart.

[Other colloquial usages are at heart = in reality, truly, at bottom; for one’s heart = for one’s life; in one’s heart of hearts = in the inmost recesses of oneself; to break the heart of = (a) to cause great grief, or to kill by grief, and (b) to bring nearly to completion; to find in one’s heart = to be willing; to get or learn by heart = to commit to memory; to have at heart = to feel strongly about; to have in the heart = to design or to intend; to lay or take to heart = to be concerned or anxious about; to set the heart at rest = to tranquilize; to set the heart on = to be desirous of, to be fond of; to take heart of grace = to pluck up courage.]

Heart-and-dart, subs. (rhyming). A fart (q.v.).

Heartbreaker, subs. (old).—A pendant curl; a love-lock (q.v.). Fr., un crêvecœur.

1663. Butler, Hudibras, Pt. I., c. 1. Like Samson’s heartbreakers, it grew In time to make a nation rue.

1694. Ladies’ Dict. A crevecœur, by some called heartbreaker, is the curled lock at the nape of the neck, and generally there are two of them.

1816. Johnson, Eng. Dict., s.v. A cant name for a woman’s curls, supposed to break the hearts of all her lovers.

Heartburn, subs. (streets).—A bad cigar. For synonyms, see Weed.

Heartsease, subs. (old).—1. See quot.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Heartsease. A twenty-shilling piece.

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

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

2. (old).—Gin. For synonyms, see White Satin.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hearts-ease. An ordinary sort of strong water.

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

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

Hearty, subs. and adj. (common).—Drink; drunk. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed.

My Hearty, phr. (nautical).—A familiar address.

Hearty-choke. To have a hearty choke and caper sauce for breakfast, verb. phr. (old).—To be hanged. Cf., Vegetable breakfast, and for synonyms, see Ladder.

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

1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, ‘Nix my Doly,’ Who cut his last fling with great applause To a hearty choke with caper sauce.

1893. Danvers, The Grantham Mystery, ch. xiii, I am not

## particularly anxious to run the risk of being compelled to have a

hearty-choke for breakfast one fine morning.

Heat, subs. (racing and colloquial).—A bout; a turn; a trial; by whose means the ‘field’ is gradually reduced. Cf., Handicap.

1681. Dryden, Epil. to Saunders’s Tamerlane, 25. But there’s no hope of an old battered jade; Faint and unnerved he runs into a sweat, And always fails you at the second heat.

1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, ch. lxxxviii. Our adventurer had the satisfaction of seeing his antagonist distanced in the first and second heats.

1753. Adventurer, No. 37. The first heat I put my master in possession of the stakes.

1819. Scott, Bride of Lammermoor, ch. xxii. There was little to prevent Bucklaw himself from sitting for the county—he must carry the heat—must walk the course.

On Heat, subs. phr. (venery).—Amorously inclined, hot (q.v.). [Said of women and bitches.]

Heathen-philosopher, subs. (old).—See quot.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. A sorry poor tatter’d Fellow, whose Breech may be seen through his Pocket-holes.

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

1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v. This saying arose from the old philosophers, many of whom despised the vanity of dress to such a point, as often to fall into the excess complained of.

Heave, subs. (old).—1. An attempt to deceive or cajole: a dead-heave = a flagrant attempt.

2. in. pl. (American).—An attack of indigestion or vomiting.

Verb (American).—1. To vomit.

1862. Browne (‘Artemus Ward’), Artemus Ward, his book. ‘Cruise of the Polly Ann.’ Stickin my hed out of the cabin window, I hev.

2. (old).—To rob: has survived, in Shropshire, as a provincialism. The heler (hider) is as bad as the heaver = the receiver is as bad as the thief.

1567. Harman, Caveat, p. 66. To heue a bough, to robbe or rifle a boweth.

1575. Awdeley, Fraternitye of Vacabondes. But hys chiefest trade is to rob bowthes in a faire, or to pilfer ware from staules, which they cal heaving of the bowth.

1608. Dekker, Belman of London in Wks. (Grosart) III., 102. But the end of their land-voiages is to rob Boothes at fayres, which they call Heaving of the Booth.

1671. R. Head, English Rogue, Pt. I., ch. xlv. p. 319 (1874). I met with an old comrade that had lately heav’d a booth, Anglice broken open a Shop.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Heave a bough. To rob a house.

1724. Coles, Eng. Dict., s.v.

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

1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary, (5th Ed.). Heave (v.) ... and in the Canting Language, it is to rob or steal from any person or thing.

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

To heave on (or ahead), verb. phr. (old).—To make haste; to press forward.

1833. Marryat, Peter Simple, ch. iv. Come heave ahead, my lads, and be smart.

Heaven, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable. To feel one’s way to heaven = to grope (q.v.) a woman. See also, St. Peter.

Heavenly-collar, (or lappel), subs. (tailors’).—A collar or lappel that turns the wrong way.

Heaver, subs. (old).—1. The bosom; the panter (q.v.).

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Heaver. A breast.

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

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

2. (American).—A person in love: i.e., sighing (= heaving the bosom, or making play with the heaver) like a furnace.

3. (old).—A thief: cf., Heave (verbal sense 2).

Heavy. See Heavy-wet.

Adj. (American).—Large: e.g., a heavy amount = a considerable sum of money.

To come (or do) the heavy, verb. phr. (common).—To affect a vastly superior position; to put on airs or frills (q.v.). See Come and Do.

The heavies, subs. phr. (military).—The regiments of Household Cavalry, 4th and 5th Dragoon Guards, and 1st and 2nd Dragoons. [From their equipment and weight.]

1841. Lever, Chas. O’Malley, ch. lviii. I’m thinking we’d better call out the heavies by turns.

Heavy-arsed (old colloquial), adj. phr.—Slow to move; inert; hard to stir. See Arse.

d. 1691. Richard Baxter. Shove to heavy-arsed Christians. [Title.]

Heavy-Cavalry (or Dragoons), subs. (common).—Bugs; light-infantry = fleas. Also heavy horsemen, the heavy troop, and the heavies.

Heavy-grog, subs. (workmen’s).—Hard work.

Heavy-grubber, subs. (common).—1. A hearty eater; a glutton. For synonyms, see Stodger.

1858. Dickens, Great Expectations, ch. xl., p. 190. ‘I’m a heavy grubber, dear boy,’ he said, as a polite kind of apology when he had made an end of his meal, ‘but I always was. If it had been in my constitution to be a lighter grubber, I might ha’ got into lighter trouble.’

Heavy-plodder, subs. (old).—A stock-broker.

1848. Duncombe, Sinks of London, s.v.

Heavy- (or Howling-) swell, subs. (common).—A man or woman in the height of fashion: a spiff (q.v.).

1892. Anstey, Model Music Hall, 74. We look such heavy swells, you see, we’re all aristo-crats.

Heavy-wet, subs. (common).—1. Malt liquor; specifically porter and stout. Also heavy. For synonyms, see Drinks and Swipes.

1821. Egan, Tom and Jerry, p. 75. The soldiers and their companions were seen tossing off the heavy wet and spirits.

1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, ch. vii. I had been lushing heavy wet.

1838. Grant, Sketches in London, p. 92. If it be heavywet, the favorite beverage ... of Dr. Wade.

1849. C. Kingsley, Alton Locke, ch. ii. Here comes the heavy. Hand it here to take the taste of that fellow’s talk out of my mouth.

1852. Judson, Mysteries of New York, bk. II., ch. x. What’ll it be, my covies? Heavy wet, cold or warm?

1888. J. Runciman, The Chequers, p. 86. Mother up with your heavy wet and try suthin’ short.

2. (common).—An extraordinarily heavy drinking bout.

Hebe, subs. (old).—1. See quots.

1648–9. Crashaw, Poems. ‘On the Death of Mr. H.’ Ere Hebe’s hand had overlaid His smooth cheeks with a downy shade.

1778. Bailey, Eng. Dict., s.v. The first Hair appearing about the genital parts; also the Parts themselves; but more specifically the Time of Youth at which it first appears.

2. (common).—A waiting maid at an inn; a barmaid.

1603. J. Sylvester, Tr. Du Bartas, Mag., p. 65 (1608). Heer, many a Hebe faire, heer more than one Quick-seruing Chiron neatly waits vpon The Beds and Boords.

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, ch. xlix. Shortly after the same Hebe brought up a plate of beef-collops.

1886. Athenæum, 9 Jan., 63/2. It is not with the Colonel’s Hebes, however, that the manœuvres of the military quintet are carried on.

1891. Sportsman, 25 Mar. Not even the kindly morning welcome of La Rærdon, most pleasant and courteous of deft-handed Hebes, could blot out the fact.

Hebrew, subs. (common).—Gibberish; Greek (q.v.). To talk Hebrew = to talk nonsense or gibberish.

1705. Vanbrugh, Confederacy, ii., 1. Mon. If she did but know what

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