1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., i., 204. So I may no more pogue thehoneof a Woman.Honest,adj.(old).—1. Chaste.1596.Ben Jonson,Every Man in his Humour, ii., 1. Why’t cannot be, where there is such resort, O wanton gallants, and young revellers, That any woman should behonestlong.1599.Henry Porter,Two Angry Women of Abingdon(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, vii., 389). Is my fellow Dick in the dark with my mistress? I pray God they behonest, for there may be much knavery in the dark.1600.Look About You, Sc. 28 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, vii., 476). What, lecher? No, she is anhonestwoman. Her husband is well known.1602.Shakspeare,Othello, iii., 3. I do not think but Desdemona’shonest.1614.Jonson,Bartholomew Fair, v., 3. Dehonestwoman’s life is a dull scurvy life, indeed.1663.Killigrew,The Parson’s Wedding, iii., 2 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 454). There’s none buthonestwomen.1663.Killigrew,The Parson’s Wedding, v., 4 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 525). Crooked, dirty-souled vermin, predestined for cuckolds, painted snails with houses on their backs, and horns as big as Dutch cows.… Can any woman behonestthat lets such hodmandods crawl o’er her virgin breast and belly?1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, ii., 1. A man … may bring his bashful wench, and not have her put out of countenance by the impudenthonestwomen of the town.1686–7.Aubrey,Gentilisme(1881), p. 163. The towne is full of wanton wenches, and … (they say) scarce threehonestwomen in the Town.1693.Congreve,Old Bachelor, iii., 10.Silvia.I’m not such a fool neither, but I can keep myselfhonest.1695.Congreve,Love for Love, iii., 14.Mrs. Fore.Do you think any womanhonest?Scan.Yes, several very honest; they’ll cheat a little at cards sometimes; but that’s nothing.Mrs. Fore.Pshaw! but virtuous, I mean.2. (common).—Not positively illegal: ashonest pennyorshilling= money earned by means immoral (as by prostitution)but within the law. Also,To turn an honest penny= to make a profitable deal.1677.Wycherley,Plain Dealer, iii., 1. You must call usury and extortion God’s blessing, or thehonest turning of the penny.1886.J. S. Winter,Army Society, ch. xxi. There was a chance ofturning an honest pennyin hiring them out for the donkey-race.To make an honest woman,verb. phr.(colloquial).—To marry a mistress.1629.Earle,Microcosmographie(5th ed.). ‘A Serving Man.’ The best work he does is his marrying, for hemakes an honest woman, and if he follows in it his master’s direction, it is commonly the best service he does him.1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, v., 6.Dap.Why she was my wench.Gripe.I’llmake her honestthen.[338]1750.Fielding,Tom Jones, bk. XV., ch. viii. Mr. Nightingale, and his love, stepped into a hackney-coach, which conveyed him to Doctors’ Commons, where Miss Nancy was, in vulgar language, soonmade an honest woman.1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.1825.Scott,St. Ronan’s Well, ch. xxv. My right honourable father nourished some thoughts ofmaking an honest womanof Marie deMartigny, and a legitimate elder brother of Francis.1827.Egan,Anecdotes of the Turf, p. 182. She had now only to play her cards well, she was sure of winning the game, also of becoming anhonest woman.As honest a man as when kings are out,phr.(old).—Knavish.Honest as the skin between the brows(orHorns),phr.(old).—As honest as may be.1551.W. Still,Gammer Gurton’s Needle, (O.P.), ii., 67. I am as true, I wold thou knew,as skin betwene thy brows.1599.Jonson,Every Man out of his Humour, ii., 2.Punt.Is he magnanimous?Gent.As the skin between your brows, sir.1600.Shakspeare,Much Ado, iii., 5. An old man, sir, and his wits are not so blunt, as, God help, I would desire they were, but in faith,honest, as the skin between his brows.1614.Jonson,Bartholomew Fair, iv., 5. It shall be justified to thy husband’s faish, now: tou shalt be ashonesht as the skin between his hornsh, la.Honest Injun!phr.(American).—A pledge of sincerity;honour bright(q.v.).1884.Clemens[Mark Twain],Huckleberry Finn. She says ‘Honest Injun, now hain’t you been telling me a lot of lies?’ ‘Honest Injun’ says I.1892.Detroit Free Press, 12 Aug. I’ll agree not to feel hard about it.Honest Injun?Honey,subs.(American).—1. A good fellow.1888.Missouri Republican, 24 Feb. Dave is ahoney.2. (rhyming slang).—Money. For synonyms,seeActualandGilt.3. (old colloquial).—A term of endearment.4. (venery).—Thesemen. AlsoWhite Honey(q.v.).Cf.,Hive.Verb(American).—To cajole; to exchange endearments; to deceive by soft words or promises.1596.Shakspeare,Hamlet, iii., 4. Stew’d in corruption;honeyingand making love Over the nasty sty.1602.Marston,Antonio and Mellida, A. 4. Can’st thou nothoneyme with fluent speach, And even adore my toplesse villany?1604.MarstonandWebster,Malcontent, O.P., iv., 66. O unpeerable! invention rare! Thou god of policy, ithoniesme.1631.Chettle,Hoffman.Clo.A pretious villaine: a good villaine too. Well if he be no worse; that is doe worse, Andhoneyme in my death-stinging thoughts, I will preferre him.1888.Tuskaloosa News.It is of no use tohoney; payments must be made at least once a year.To sell honey for a half-penny,verb. phr.(old).—To rate at a vile price.1592.Nashe,Pierce Penilesse[1842], p. 43. Thou that in thy dialoguessoldst hunnie for a halfe-penie, and the choysest writers extant for cues a peece.Honey-blobs,subs.(Scots’).—Large, ripe, yellow gooseberries.1746.Walpole,Letters, i., 144. As he returned to the Tower, he stopped the coach at Charing Cross to buyhoney-blobs, as the Scotch call gooseberries.Honeycomb,subs.(old).—A sweetheart; a general term of endearment.[339]1552.Huloet,Abcedarium, s.v.Darlynge, a wanton terme used in veneriall speach, as be these:honycombe, pyggisnye, swetehert, true love.Honey-fogle(orfugle),verb.(American).—To cheat; to swindle; to humbug. For synonyms,seeGammon.1888.Missouri Republican, 20 Jan. Noonan’s companion objected to thishoney-fuglingby knocking the demonstrative stranger down.Honey-pot,subs.(old).—The femalepudendum. For synonyms,seeMonosyllable.1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., iii., 342. For when you have possession got, Of Venus’ Mark, orhony-pot.Honour Bright!intj.(common).—Upon my honour.1819.Moore,Tom Crib, p. 36. At morning meet, and,—honour bright,—Agree to share the blunt and tatters!1843.Selby,Antony and Cleopatra Married.Cle.Will you love me as dearly as ever?Ant.Dearer, dear Chloe, dearer!Cle.Honour?Ant.Brightandshining.1869.F. Hall, Marginal reading toLyndsay’sSatire of Three Estates[E.E. Text Soc.], p. 382. She is more than a match for twenty-four a night,honour bright.1878.Hatton,Cruel London, bk. VIII, ch. ii.Honour bright, no kid, as we say in London.1881.W. Black,Beautiful Wretch, ch. xix. ‘I do not mean to marry Mr. Jacomb, if that is what you mean.’ ‘No?Honour bright?’ ‘I shall not marry Mr. Jacomb.’1892.Cassell’s Sat. Jour., 28 Sep., p. 29., c. 3. ‘Come, come, Mr. Smith, you’re drawing the long bow!’ ‘Honour bright, I’m not.’1892.N. Gould,Double Event, p. 158. ‘She did,honour bright,’ said Smirk.Hood.two faces under one hood(orHat),phr.(old).—Double-dealing.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hood.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.Hood.May the man be d——d and never grow fat, Who carriestwo faces under one hat.To put a bone in one’s hood,verb. phr.(obsolete).—To cuckold.1560.Nice Wanton(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, ii., 169). I could tell you who puttetha bone in your hood.Ibid.(p. 170), Then by the rood,a bone in your hood, I shall put you ere long.Hoodlum,subs.(American).—A boy rough. Also, a rough of either sex. Also (political), a low-class voter. Originally Californian.Cf.,Arab.1872.Sacramento Weekly Union, 24 Feb., p. 2. All the boys to be trained as scriveners, tape-measurers, counter-hoppers, clerks, pettifoggers, polite loafers, street-hounds,hoodlums, and bummers.1877.Los Angeles Express, 25 Aug. A gang of boys … associated for the purpose of stealing.… Their words of warning were ‘Huddle ’em, Huddle ’em.’ … soon contracted intohoodlum.1877.Boston Journal, Aug. You at the East have but little idea of thehoodlumsof this city. They compose a class of criminals of both sexes, far more dangerous than are to be found in the Eastern cities. They travel in gangs, and are ready at any moment for the perpetration of any crime.1877.Congregationalist, 26 Sep. A newspaper man attempting to coin a word to designate a gang of young street Arabs under the beck of one named ‘Muldoon,’ hit uponnoodlums, simply reversing the leader’s name.… The compositor, taking thenfor anh, printed ithoodlum.1877.Morning Call, 27 Oct. The rowdy element in the city … who were soon after designated ashoodlums.1885.G. A. Sala, inDaily Telegraph, 12 Aug., p. 5, c. 5. In order to guard against the contingency of the whitehoodlums, or roughs, coming down in force from the American quarter of the city [San Francisco], and ‘going for’ the Celestials.[340]1888.Missouri Republican, 31 Mar. It is conceded by all that thehoodlumshave nominated weak men, and the citizens will have easy sailing on Tuesday.1890.Norton,Political Americanisms, s.v.hoodlums, A general name for roughs. It originated on the Pacific coast, as the designation of a company of young ruffians in San Francisco (about 1868). Subsequently it spread Eastward, and attained some political significance; as ‘thehoodlumelement’ in politics.1892.Pall Mall Gaz., 29 Feb., p. 2, c. 2. A right of public meeting dependent on the good will of thehoodlumis not worth having.1893.National Observer, 4 Mar., ix., 398. In America, home of theHoodlum, where they turn their murderers into mayors.Hoodman,subs.(old).—A blind man; agroper(q.v.).Adj.(old).—1. Blind. AlsoHoodman Blind= blind drunk;cf., sense 2. Fr.,berluandsans mirettes.2. (streets).—Drunk. For synonyms,seeDrinksandScrewed.Hoof,subs.(common).—A foot. For synonyms,seeCreepers.1836.M. Scott,Cruise of the Midge, p. 134. Contriving in their complex twirlifications not only to tread heavily on my toes with his ownhoofs, but to hop his partner repeatedly over the same unfortunate members.1838.Grant,Sketches in London, p. 213. He again put both his uglyhoofson it.1867.Browne(‘Artemus Ward’),Among the Mormons[People’s ed.], p. 193. Waving their lily-whitehoofsin the dazzling waltz.1892.Sydney Watson,Wops the Waif, ch. iv., p. 5. Teddy, look out, yer’ve got yerhoofon my trotters!Verb(common).—To kick;e.g.,to hoof(ortoe)one’s bum; toroot(q.v.for synonyms). Hence tohoof out= to eject; to dismiss; to discharge; to decline to see.To hoof it, (orto padorbeat the hoof),verb. phr.(common).—To walk; to ‘tramp it’; to run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle. HenceHoof-padding.1596.Shakspeare,Merry Wives, i., 3. Rogues, hence, avaunt, vanish like hailstones, go: Trudge, plod,away o’ the hoof.d.1687.Cotton,Poems, ‘Epistles’ (ChalmersEnglish Poets), vi., 736. Being then on foot away I go Andbang the hoofincognito.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hoof itorbeat it on the hoof, to walk on Foot.1691–2.Wood,Athenæ Oxonienses, ii., 560. Landing at Liverpool, in Lancashire, they allbeated it on the hoofthence to London.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1772.Cumberland,Fashionable Lover. Prologue. I am a devil, so please you, and musthoofUp to the poet yonder with this proof.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Hoof.To beat the hoof, to travel on foot; hehoofed it, orbeat the hoof, every step of the way from Chester to London.1813. J. andH. Smith,Horace in London, ‘Hurly-Burly,’ p. 24. When hostile squadronsbeat the hoof.1837.Dickens,Oliver Twist, ch. ix. Charley Bates expressed his opinion that it was timeto pad the hoof.1885.Detroit Free Press, 5 Sept., p. 1, c. 1. These busted theatrical people who arehoofing itback to Detroit. They come along at all hours of the day and night.1888.Lynch,Mountain Mystery, ch. xviii. I s’posed he was tired out, and had got over watchin’ for tricks. So Ihoofed itin.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 70. Scenery’s all very proper, but where is the genuine pot who’dpad the ’oofover the moors.[341]To see one’s hoof in(a thing),verb. phr.(common).—To detect personal influence or interference in a matter.1863.Thackeray,Roundabout Papers, ‘On Screens in Dining Rooms’ (1887, p. 58). I am informed by the same New York correspondent that … I once said to a literary gentleman, who was possibly pointing to an anonymous article as his writing, ‘Ah! I thought Irecognised your hoof in it.’Hoof-padder,subs.(common).—A pedestrian.Hoofy,adj.(common).—Splay (or large).Hook,subs.(thieves’).—1. A finger. (Cf.,Cunt-hooks). For synonyms,seeFork. Inplural= the hands. Also,HooksandFeelers.d.1842.Maginn,Vidocq Versified. To his clies myhooksI throw in.1877.Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. iv., p. 259. I one day asked a man … if the hard work of prison did not spoil his hands for delicate manipulations. ‘Oh, bless you, no!’ he replied;‘… In a week or two a man can bring hishooksand feelers into full working trim again and no mistake.’2. (thieves’).—A thief. Specifically, a pickpocket; ahooker(q.v.). For synonyms,seeThieves.1562.Jacke Juggler(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, ii., 139). So, yonder cometh that unhappyhook.1887.Horsley,Jottings from Jail. Take my tip and turn square, from ahookwho is going to be lagged, would be, in common parlance, take my advice and get your living honestly.1892.Anstey,Voces Populi(2nd Series). ‘In Trafalgar Square.’ A professionalhook.3. (common).—A catch; an advantage; an imposture.Verb(old).—1. To rob; to steal. Specifically, to steal watches, rings, etc., from a shop by cutting a small hole in the window, and fishing for such articles with a piece of string with a hook at the end.1615.Albumazar, iii., 3. Is not this braver than sneak all night in danger, Picking of locks, orhookingcloths at windows.b.1796.Burns,Jolly Beggars. For mony a pursie she hadhookit.1876.Clemens[Mark Twain],Tom Sawyer, p. 34. And while Aunt Polly closed with a happy Scriptural flourish, Tomhookeda doughnut.1884.M. Twain,Huck. Finn, xxx., 312. Didn’t you have it in your mind tohookthe money and hide it?2. (colloquial).—To secure, as for marriage; to marry.1886.J. S. Winter,Army Society, ch. xviii. I wonder if Mrs. Traff has contrived tohookhim for her sweet Laura.1892.Manville Fenn,New Mistress, ch. xxv. Have you I will—there now. Don’t you think you’re going tohookLambent.Intj.(Oxford Univ.).—An expression implying doubt. [Query from the note of interrogation (?) or connected withHookey Walker(q.v.).]On the hook,subs. phr.(common).—1. On the thieve;on the cross(q.v.).2. (old).—On theHip(q.v.); at an advantage.1694.Congreve,Double Dealer, iv., 18. Consider I have youon the hook; you will but flounder yourself a-weary, and be nevertheless my prisoner.Hook and eye,subs. phr.(tailors’).—Arm in arm.To take(orsling)one’s hook(orto hook it),verb. phr.(common).—To decamp; to run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle.[342]1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, ii., 137. He slipped from her andhooked it.1852.Dickens,Bleak House, ch. xlvi. ‘Hook it!Nobody wants you here,’ he ses. ‘You Hook it.You go and tramp,’ he ses.1856.Bradley[Cuthbert Bede],Tales of College Life, p. 36.Hook it!old ’un,hook it!1861.H. Kingsley,Ravenshoe, ch. xli. They all begins to get a bit noisy and want to fight, and so Ihooked it.1891.Licensed Vict. Gaz., 16 Jan., p. 43, col. 3. If you lot don’thook it, I’ll stave in your blooming cocoa-nuts.1891.Sportsman, 2 Apr., p. 2, col. 1. Plainly the worthy magistrate laid it down that a wife mayhook itwhen and how she pleases.1892.Anstey,Model Music Hall, 129–30.Take your ’ookwhile you can. Even now the outraged populace approaches.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 58. I went jest for a lark, and wos quietlyslinging my ’ook.1892.Kipling,Barrack-Room Ballads, ‘Loot.’ Before yousling your ’ook, at the ’ousetops take a look.1892.Globe, 19 Oct., p. 3. Again from some neighbouring roof comes back the weird responsive cry,Hook it! hook it.1892.Herbert Campbell,Broadside Ballad, ‘Then Up Comes I with My little Lot.’ And the houses shook and the coppertook his ’ook, and down come all the tiles.To drop(go, orpop)off the hooks,verb. phr.(common).—1. To die. For synonyms,seeAloft.1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends, ‘Black Mousquetaire.’ I fear by his looks, Our friend, Francis Xavier, haspopp’d off the hooks!1842.Punch’s Almanack, Dec. 15. Death wandered by the sea And struck by Walton’s looks Broke Isaac’s line of life Andtook him off the hooks.1872.M. E. Braddon,Dead Sea Fruit, ch.iv. ‘S’pose the odds are against Jerninghamgoing off the hooksbetween this and the first spring-meeting, so as to give a party a chance with Mrs. J. herself,’ speculates young Belgravia, dreamily.1880.Greenwood,Odd People in Odd Places, p. 37. I thought, to be sure, I wasgoing off the hooks, and it was no use talking about it.1890.Grant Allen,Tents of Shem, ch. xii. The old man haspopped off the hooksthis afternoon at Aix.2. (colloquial).—To get married.1876.M. E. Braddon,Joshua Haggard, ch. x. Some of the young chaps will be wanting her to get married. These here pretty onesgo off the hooksso soon.To hook on to,verb. phr.(colloquial).—To attach oneself to;to buttonhole(q.v.); to follow up.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 4. It’s nuts to’ook on toa swell.On one’s own hook,adv. phr.(colloquial).—On one’s own account, risk, or responsibility; for one’s own sake; dependent on one’s own resources or exertions.1847.Robb,Squatter Life, p. 23. The signal was given, and in poured the subscribers to the dinner, with their guest, and in poured Johnon his own hook.1849.Thackeray,Pendennis, ch. lxix. Do we come out as Liberal Conservative, or as Government man, oron our own hook?1861.Whyte Melville,Good for Nothing, ch. xxvii. I workedon my own hook, after that, and I rather think I paid my expenses.1869.Greenwood,Seven Curses of London, p. 409. To stealon your own hookas a bookmaker.1889.Answers, p. 52, c. 3. Finally Edison went to workon his own hook.1893.Emerson,Signor Lippo, ch. viii. We used to have to part company and go in twos and threes thenon our own hook.[343]By hook or by crook,phr.(colloquial).—By some means or other; by fair means or foul; atallhazards. [Probably of forestal origin.]d.1298.Thomas the Rhymer,On Parliaments. Their work wasby hook or crookto rap and bring all under the emperor’s power.1525.Bodmin Register.Dynmure Wood was ever open and common to the … inhabitants of Bodmin … to bear away upon their backs a burden of lop, crop,hook,crook, and bag wood.d.1529.Skelton,Collyn Cloute. Nor wyll suffer this bokeBy hooke ne by crookePrynted for to be.1550.Bacon,Fortress of the Faithful. Whatsoever is pleasant or profitable must be theirsby hook or by crook.1557.Tusser,Good Husbandrie, 30 Mar. Watch therefore in Lent, to thy sheepe go and look, For dogs will have vittelsby hooke and by crooke.1566.Archbp. Parker,Correspondence(Parker Soc.), p. 252. To win him in time,by hook or crook.1596.Spenser,Faery Queen, v., 2, 27. The spoyle of people’s euill gotten good, The which her sire had scraptby hooke and crooke.1598.Florio,Worlde of Wordes, s.v.Barocco, a shift made for good cheere, meate and drinke gottenby hooke or crooke.1621.Burton,Anatomy of Melancholy, xi., 186 (1836).By hook and by crookhe will obtain it.1629.Fonseca[Eng. by J. M.].Devout Contemplations.Bee itby hooke or by crooke, by right or wrong.1678.Butler,Hudibras, iii., 1. Which heby hook,or crook, had gather’d.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. By Hedge or By Style,by Hook or by Crook.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1781.Cowper,Letter to Newton, 12 July. Andby hook or crook, with another book, If I live and am here, another year.1820.Reynolds[Peter Corcoran].The Fancy.Father, ere our purpose cool, Get downby hook or crookto Liverpool.1824.HitchingsandDrewe,Hist. Cornwall, ii., 214. The prior’s cross, on which is cut the figure of a hook and a crook, in memory of the privilege granted … to the poor … for gathering such boughs and branches of such trees … as they could reach with a hook or by a crook … whence … they will have it byhook and by crook.1836.Michael Scott,Cruise of the Midge, p. 363. We must be mannedby hook or crook, you know, however unwilling to distress running ships.1868.ReadeandBoucicault,Foul Play, p. 54. Several fellow-creatures have cheated me. Well, I must get as much back,by hook or by crook, from several fellow-creatures.1883.W. Black,Yolande, ch. xlix. I should get you a ticketby hook or by crook, if I failed at the ballot; I heard that one was sold for £40 the last time.1888.Rider Haggard, ‘Mrs. Meeson’s Will’ [inIllustrated News, Summer Number, p. 5, c. 1]. Somehow or other, it would go hard if, with the help of the one hundred a year that he had of his own, he did not manage, with his education, to get a livingby hook or by crook.With a hook at the end,phr.(common).—A reservation of assent;over the left(q.v.);in a horn(q.v.).Cf.,hook,intj.: andHookey Walker.1823.Bee,Dict. of the Turf, s.v.Hookey Walker—andwith a hook, usually accompanied by a significant upliftment of the hand and crooking of the forefinger, implying that what is said is a lie, or is to be taken contrary-wise.1843.Moncrieff,Scamps of London, i., 1.Bob.Will you have some gin?Fogg.Gin—Yes!Bob(turning away). Ha—ha!—With a hook… I wish you may get it.1870.Traill,Saturday Songs, p. 22. It’s go and go over the left, It’s gowith a hook at the end.Off the hooks,phr.(old).—Out of temper; vexed; disturbed; out of sorts. Fr.,sortir de ses gonds= off thehinges(q.v.). For synonyms,seeNab the rust.[344]1639–61.Rump Songs.‘Bum-fodder.’ That’s a thing would please the Butchers and Cooks, To see this stinking Rump quiteoff the hooks.1665.Pepys,Diary, 26 May. In the evening by water to the Duke of Albemarle, whom I found mightilyoff the hooks, that the ships are not gone out of the River; which vexed me to see.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hooks.Off the hooks, in an ill Mood, or out of Humour.d.1704.L’Estrange[quoted inEncy. Dict.]. Easily putoff the hooks, and monstrous hard to be pleased again.1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., iii., 22. Another that’s in the Blacksmith’s Books, And only to him for remedy looks, Is when a Man is quiteoff the hooks.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1825.Scott,St. Ronan’s Well, ch. xxx. Everybody that has meddled in this St. Ronan’s business is a littleoff the hooks—… in plain words, a little crazy.Hook and Snivey(orHookum Snivey),subs. phr.(old).—1. An imposture; specifically, the getting of food on false pretences.1781.G. Parker,View of Society, ii., 79. ‘Hook and Snivey, with Nix the Buffer’ [Title].1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.Hook and Snivey with Nix the Buffer.This rig consists in feeding a man and a dog for nothing.… Three men, one of whom pretends to be sick and unable to eat, go to a public house; the two well men make a bargain with the landlord for their dinner, and when he is out of sight feed their pretended sick companion and dog gratis.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf. s.v.Hook and Snivvy—practised by soldiers in quarters when they obtain grub fornix.1835 inComic Almanack1835–43 (Hotten), p. 17,Zoological Society atHookem Snivey. A new animal has been transmitted from No-Man’s Land, which has been named the Flat-Catcher.2. (old).—An impostor as described in sense 1.3. (streets).—A contemptuous or sarcastic affirmation, accompanied by the gesture oftaking a sight(q.v.) orplaying hookey(q.v.).4. (thieves’).—A crook of thick iron wire in a wooden handle, used to undo the wooden bolts of doors from without.1801.Edgeworth,Irish Bulls, With that I ranges ’em fair and even on myhook ’em snivey, up they goes.Hooked,adj.(old).—Seequot.1690. B.E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hookt, over-reached, Snapt, Trickt.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Hooker,subs.(Old Cant).—1. A thief; anangler(q.v.). Also, (modern) a watch-stealer; adip(q.v.).Cf., quots. 1567 and 1888.1567.Harman,Caveat, p. 35. Thesehokers, or Angglers, be peryllous and most wicked knaues, … they customably carry with them a staffe of v. or vi. foote long, in which, within one ynch ofthe tope thereof, ys a lytle hole bored through, [leaf 9] in which hole they putte an yron hoke, and with the same they wyll pluck vnto them quickly any thingthatthey may reche ther with.1610.Rowlands,Martin Mark-all, p. 8 (H. Club’s Rept., 1874). They are sure to be clyd in the night by the angler, orhooker, or such like pilferers that liue upon the spoyle of other poore people.d.1626.John Davies,Scourge of Folly, p. 34. [Wks., Ed. Grosart]. A false knaue needs no brokers, but a broker Needs a false knaue (a hangman or ahooker).1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hookers, the third Rank of Canters; also Sharpers.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1834.H. Ainsworth,Rookwood, bk. III., ch. v. No strange Abram, ruffler crack,hookerof another pack.1888.Tit Bits, 17 Nov., p. 82, col. 2. There are usually three men in a gang; thehookerhaving got into conversation with his man, number two ‘covers’ his movements, whilst number three (on the opposite side of the[345]street) keeps a look-out for the ‘enemy.’ Thehooker, having by careful manipulation got a hold of the desired prize, detaches it from the chain by breaking the ring and passes it to number two, who in turn passes it on to number three, from whom it is usually transferred to a receiver and melted down within a few hours of its being purloined.2. (American).—A prostitute:i.e., a fisher, angler, orHookerof men. For synonyms,seeBarrack HackandTart.Hookey.To play hookey,verb. phr.(American).—To play truant; to doCharley-wag(q.v.).1876.Clemens[Mark Twain],Tom Sawyer, p. 100. Took his flogging … forplaying hookeythe day before.To do(orplay)hookey(orhooky),verb. phr.(common).—To apply the thumb and fingers to the nose;to take a sight(q.v.);to coffee-mill(q.v.).Hookey Walker!(orWalker!)intj.(common).—Be off! go away. Also implying doubt.Cf.,with a hook. [Bee: From John Walker, a hook-nosed spy, whose reports were proved to be fabrications.]1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.Hookey Walker, An expression signifying that the story is not true, or thatthething will not occur.1843.Dickens,Christmas Carol[1843], p. 169. ‘Buy it,’ said Scrooge. ‘Walker!’ said the boy.1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends. ‘Old Woman Clothed in Grey.’ For mere unmeaning talk her Parch’d lips babbled now,—such asHookey!—andWalker!—She expired, with her last breath expressing a doubt If ‘his Mother were fully aware he was out?’1840. ‘Characters of Freshmen’ (Whibley,Cap and Gown, p. 183). The pestilent freshman … is very pugnacious, and walking in the streets suddenly turneth and asketh a huge snob ‘what the deuce he meant by that?’ Whereat the snob (having done nothing at all) coolly answereth (as the Pestilent Freshman intended he should)Hooky Walker, provocative of a combat.Hooking-cow,subs.(Western American).—A cow that shows fight.1887.Francis,Saddle and Mocassin. One … was … ahooking-cow, and to escape her repeated charges tested all our ability.Hook-pointed(orHook-pintled),adj.(venery).—Imperfectly erected.Cf.,Lob(q.v.).Hook-pole Lay,subs. phr.(old).—Pulling a man off his horse by means of iron hooks at the end of a long pole, and plundering him. (Smith,Lives of Highwaymen, III., 192, 1720).Hook-shop,subs.(American).—A brothel. [Hooker(q.v.) = prostitute.] For synonyms,seeNanny-shop.Hoop,subs.(American).—1. A ring.2. (Devon).—SeeBullfinch.3. (venery).—The femalepudendum. For synonyms,seeMonosyllable.Verb(old).—To beat.To well hoop one’s barrel= to thrash soundly. For synonyms,seeTan.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.To hoop it(orgo through the hoop),verb. phr.(old).—1. To pass the Insolvent Debtor’s Court;to get hooped up=whitewashed(q.v.). For synonyms,seeDead-broke.[346]2. (old).—To run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle.1839.Brandon,Poverty, Mendicity, and Crime, 116. I have heard them tell … boys … who havehooped itfrom home that they had better go back whilst they had a home to go to.Hooper’s Hide,subs. phr.(old venery).—Copulation. For synonyms,seeGreens.1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., i., 278. The while that his wife with Willy Was playing atHooper’s Hide.Hoop-stick,subs.(common).—The arm. For synonyms,seeChalk Farm.Hoosier,subs.(American).—A native of Indiana. [Perhaps the most reasonable of several ingenious explanations is, that in the early days the customary challenge or greeting in that region was, ‘Who’s yer?’ (who’s here?): pronounced hoosier.—Norton.]1843.D. Corcoran,A Genuine Hoosier. An original character is your genuineHoosier. By genuine, we mean such a one as has all the attributes that peculiarly belong to the back-woodsmen of the West.1847.Darley,Drama in Pokerville, p. 197. None of them ‘cotton’d’ to him more kindly than an elderlyhoosierfrom the innermost depths of Indiana.1848.Durivage,Stray Subjects, p. 79. There is a swarm of ‘suckers,’ ‘hoosiers,’ ‘buckeyes,’ ‘corn-crackers,’ and ‘wolverines’ eternally on thequi vivein those parts.Hooter,subs.(American).—1.A steam-whistle; anAmerican devil(q.v.).2. (colloquial).—A wooden trumpet, so contrived as to make a horrible noise.3. (American).—A corruption of ‘iota’:e.g., ‘I don’t care ahooterfor him.’Hooting-pudding,subs.(provincial).—A plum-pudding with such a paucity of plums that you can hear them hooting after each other.—Slang, Jargon, and Cant.Hop,subs.(common).—A dance. [Generally informal, as aCinderella(q.v.).] Also, as in quot. 1579, the motions of dancing. For synonyms,seeSkip.1579.Gosson,Schoole of Abuse, p. 33 (Arber’s Ed.). He gaue Dauncers great stipends for selling theirhopps.1811.Jane Austen,Sense and S., ch. ix. At a littlehopat the park, he danced from eight o clock till four.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.Hop—a contra-dance of ordinary persons and promiscuous company is ‘ahop’ and ‘a penny-hop’ from the price formerly paid for admission.1830.Lytton,Paul Clifford, iv. He gave them from time to time a very agreeablehop.1847.Thackeray,Mrs. Perkins’s Ball(Mr. Larkins). To describe this gentleman’s infatuation for dancing, let me say, in a word, that he will even frequent boarding-househops, rather than not go.1848.Ruxton,Life in the Far West, p. 189. The ‘temple’ was generally cleared for ahoptwo or three times during the week.1850.Smedley,Frank Fairleigh, p. 121. You’ll be at old Coleman’shopto-night, I suppose; so bye! bye! for the present.1852.Bristed,Upper Ten Thousand, p. 129. Two undress-balls—hopsthey were.1882.Daily Telegraph, 13 Nov., p. 5, c. 3. At all seasons there is an immense amount of dancing; and at Washington there are continual ‘hotelhops’ in the winter.1887.W. S. Gilbert,Patience, ii. Prefers suburbanhopsTo all your Monday Pops.1889.Lippincott, Oct., p. 447. Hang me if she isn’t always on the plain, or at ahop, with one of those twin kids![347]1892.Kipling,Barrack Room Ballads. ‘Gentlemen Rankers.’ To dance with blowzy housemaids at the regimentalhops.Hop-and-go-kick,subs. phr.(tailors’).—A lameter; aHop-and-go-one.Cf.,Dot-and-carry-one.To hop the wag,verb. phr.(common).—To play truant, orCharley-wag(q.v.).1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, iii., 207. They often persuaded meto hop the wag, that is play truant from school.To hop(orjump)over the broom(orbroomstick),verb. phr.(colloquial).—To live as husband and wife; tolive(orgo)tally(q.v.).1811.Poole,Hamlet Travestied, ii., 3.Jump o’er a broomstick, but don’t make a farce on The marriage ceremonies of the parson.1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, i., 336. There was always abroomstickwedding. Without that ceremony a couple weren’t looked on as man and wife.1860.Dickens,Great Expectations, xlviii., 227. This woman in Gerrard Street, here, had been married very young,over the broomstick(as we say), to a tramping man.c.18(79).Broadside Ballad, ‘David Dove that Fell in Love.’ ByL. M. Thornton. The girl that I had hoped to hear Pronounce my happy doom, sir, Had bolted with a carpenter, In facthopped o’er the broom, sir.To hop the twig,verb. phr.(common).—1. To leave; to run away;to skedaddle(q.v.). For synonyms,seeamputate.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.1789.Geo. Parker,Life’s Painter, p. 143.Hop the twig… means to depart suddenly.1830.Egan,Finish to Life in London, p. 217. I have lost my ticker; and all my toggery has been boned, I am nearly as naked as when I was born—and the cause—the lady bird—hashopped the twig.1884.Daily News, 31 Oct., p. 3, c. 1. They knocked the Liberals down as fast as they could until they got too numerous and strong, and then wehopped the twig.1888.All the Year Round, 9 June 543.To hop the twig… and the like, are more flippant than humorous.2. (common).—To die; to ‘kick thebucket’ (q.v.); topeg out(q.v.). AlsoTo hop off.English Synonyms.To be content; to cock up one’s toes; to croak; to cut (or let go) the painter; to cut one’s stick; to give in; to give up; to go to Davy Jones’ locker; to go off the hooks; to go under; to go up; to kick the bucket; kickeraboo (West Indian); to lay down one’s knife and fork; to lose the member of one’s mess; to mizzle; to pass in one’s checks; to peg out; to put on a wooden surtout; to be put to bed with a shovel; to slip one’s cable; to stick one’s spoon in the wall; to snuff it; to take an earth bath; to take a ground sweat.French Synonyms.—Passer l’arme à gauche(pop.: = to ground arms);casser sa pipe(= to break one’s pipe);dévisserordécoller son billard(= to break one’s cue);graisser ses bottes(= to grease one’s boots);avaler sa langue(= to swallow one’s tongue);avaler sa gaffe(= to lower one’s boat-hook);avaler sa cuillerorsa fourchette(= to swallow one’s spoon or one’s fork);avaler ses baguettes(military: = to swallow one’s drumsticks);n’avoir plus mal aux dents(= to get rid of the toothache:mal de dents, also = love);[348]poser sa chique(pop.: = to put down one’s quid);claquer(familiar: = to croak);saluer le public(theat.: = to go before the curtain);recevoir son décompte(military: = to get one’s quietus;décompte= also [military] a mortal wound);cracher son embouchure(= to spit one’s mouthpiece);déteindre(pop.: = to wash off one’s colour);donner son dernier bon à tirer(familiar: in American = to pass in one’s checks; properly = to send one’s last proof to press);lâcher la perche(pop.: = to hop the twig);éteindre son gaz(pop.: = to turn off one’s gas.Cf., to snuff it);épointer son foret(pop.: = to blunt one’s drill, as in boring);être exproprié(pop.: = to be dispossessed);exproprier(= to take possession of a debtor’s land);péter son lof(sailor’s);fumer ses terres;fermer son parapluie(pop.: = to close one’s umbrella);perdre son bâton(pop.: = to lose one’s walking stick);descendre la garde(pop.: = to come off guard);défiler la parade(military: = to face about);tortiller, ortourner de l’œil(pop.);perdre le goût du pain(pop.: = to lose one’s appetite);lâcher la rampe(theat.: = to chuck the footlights);faire ses petits paquets(pop.: = to pack up one’s traps);casser son crachoir(pop.: = to break one’s spittoon);remercier son boulanger(thieves’: = to thank the baker;boulanger= the Devil);canner;dévider à l’estorgue(thieves’);baiserorépouser la Camardeorcamarder(pop: = to hug, or go to church with, Mother Bones [Camarde= Death]);fuir(thieves’: = to flee or escape);casser son câble(pop.: = to slip one’s cable);casser son fouet(pop.: = to break one’s whip);faire sa crêvaison(pop.:crêver= to burst up);déralinguer(sailors’: = to loose from the bolt-rope);virer de bord(sailors’: = to tack about);déchirer son faux-col(pop.: = to break one’s collar);dégeler(= to thaw);couper sa mèche(coachman’s: = to cut off one’s lash);piquer sa plaqu(sailors’);mettre la table pour les asticots(pop.: = to lay the cloth for the worms);aller manger les pissenlits par la racine(pop.: = to go grubbing off dandelion roots);laisser fuir son tonneau(familiar);calancher(vagrants’);laisser ses bottes quelque part(familiar: = to leave one’s boots about);déchirer son habit(pop.: = to tear one’s coat);déchirer son tablier(pop.: = to tear one’s apron);souffler sa veilleuse(pop.: = to blow out one’s candle:cf., to snuff it);pousser le boum du cygne(pop.);avoir son coke(familiar: = to get one’s cargo);rendre sa secousse(pop.);rendre sa bûche(tailors’);rendre sa canne au ministre(military: = to resign one’s commission);rendre sa clef(gipsy: = to give in one’s key);rendre son livret(pop.: = to pass in one’s checks);passer au dixième régiment(military);s’ennuyer(pop.: = to be at death’s door);chasser les mouches(pop.: to go fly-catching);ingurgiter son bilan(popular);resserrer son linge(pop.);faire sa malle(pop.: = to pack one’s trunk);avaler le goujon(pop.);s’habiller de sapin(pop.: = to put on a wooden surtout);avoir son compte(pop.);battre de l’œil(thieves’);s’évanouir(pop.: to mizzle);machaber(pop.:machabre= the Dance of Death);glisser(pop.);s’en aller dans le pays des marmottes(pop.:marmotte= puppet);déménager(pop.: = to move house).[349]German Synonyms.—Krachen gehen;niftern;pegernorpeigern;schochernorverschochern(= to get black);verschwarzen.Italian Synonyms.Sbasire(= to faint);sbasire su le funi(= to faint on the rope).Spanish Synonyms.—Hacer bodoques(= to take an earth bath);liarlas(= also to run away);obispar;corvado(= bent, curved);cierto(= certain).1839.Dance,Alive and Merry, i., 1. Couldn’t you wait a bit till she’shopped off, and then you and I could marry, and be ladies and gentlemen?1841.Punch, I., 2, 2. Clare pines in secret—Hops the twigand goes to glory in white muslin.1842.Punch, vol. II., p. 20, c. 2. Yet henceforth—dash my wig! I’ll live with thee, with thee I’llhop the twig!1863.Fun, vol. IV., p. 188. The night when Cromwell died a storm tore up many of the trees [of St. James’s Park]—though what connexion there may be between the destruction of their branches and thehopping the twigof the Protector, we leave to our philosophical readers to decide.1870.Chambers’s Miscellany, No. 87, p. 26. That her disease was mortal, was past a doubt, and a month or two more or less could make no difference, provided shehopped off… before the year was expired.On the hop,adv. phr.(common).—1. Unawares; at the nick of time; inflagrante delicto. AlsoOn the h. o. p.1868.Broadside Ballad, ‘The Chickaleary Cove.’ For to catch meon the hop.… You must wake up very early in the morning.1870.London Figaro, 26 Aug. If to catch any of the more ordinary folkon the hopis to secure a laugh, what must it be to catch the Tycoon ‘on the—top?’1872.Daily Telegraph, 3 Sept. Goodbye, Johnny: before I leave you, One more kiss before I go. For to catch meon the hop.1892.Anstey,Model Music Hall, 32. I never saw a smarter hand at serving in a shop, For every likely customer she caughtupon the ’op.2. (common).—On the go; in motion; unresting.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 22. A dealon the ’op.3. (colloquial).—SeeHip.Hopeful(orYoung Hopeful),subs.(colloquial).—A boy or young man; in sarcasm or contempt.1856.Bradley(‘Cuthbert Bede’),Tales of College Life, 24. He’ll be no end riled at seeing hishopefulplay truant in this fashion.Hop-(orHap-)Harlot,subs.(old).—A coarse coverlet;Cf.,Wrap-rascal.1807–8.Hollinshed,Chronicles of England, ch. 12. Covered only with a sheet, under coverlets made of dag-swain, orhop-harlots.Hopkins(Hoppy, orMr. Hopkins),subs.(old).—A lameter. For synonyms,seeDot-and-go-one Giles.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Don’t Hurry, Hopkins!phr.(American).—Ironical to persons slow to move or to meet an obligation.Hop-merchant(orHoppy),subs.(common).—A dancing master; acaper-merchant(q.v.). Also, a fiddler.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.1892.Sydney Watson,Wops the Waif, ch. iii., p. 4. Who-ay, Cully, here’sHoppywith therozin.[350]Hop-o-my-thumb,subs.(common).—A dwarf.1599.Nashe,Lenten Stuffe, inWks.v., 248. Though the greatnesse of the redde herring be not small (as small ahoppe-on-my-thumbeas hee seemeth).1603.Dekker, etc.,Patient Grissell, IV., ii., inWks.(Grosart) vi., 195.Bab.No; he shall not haue them [children]: knocke out his braines, and saue the littlehop-a-my-thombes.1748.Smollett,Rod. Random, ch. xi. You pitifulhop-o’-my-thumbcoxcomb.1764.O’Hara,Midas, i., 5. You Stump-o’-the-gutter, youHop-o’-my-thumb, A husband must for you from Lilliput come.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Hop-o-my-Thumb. She was such ahop-o-my-thumbthat a pigeon, on sitting on her shoulder, might pick a pea out of her a—se.1821.Scott,Kenilworth, ch. xi. A mean-lookinghop-o’-my-thumbsort of person.1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends. ‘Account of a New Play.’ Ahop-o’-my-thumbof a Page.English Synonyms.—Go-by-the-ground; grub; grundy; Jack Sprat; little breeches; shrimp; stump-of-the-gutter; tom-tit.Seealso,Forty-foot.Hopper,subs.(colloquial).—The mouth. For synonyms,seePotato-trap.To go a hopper,verb. phr.(sporting).—To go quickly.Hopper-arsed(orHipped),adj.(old).—Large in the breech. Also (as in quot. 1529) snaggy-boned. Also assubs.d.1529.Dunbar,Poems, ‘Complaint to the King’ (1836, i., 144). Withhopper-hippisand hanches narrow.1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, ii., 1. Moreover, she is bow-legged,hopper-hipped, and, betwixt pomatum and Spanish red, has a complexion like a Holland cheese.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hopper-arst, when the Breach sticks out.
1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., i., 204. So I may no more pogue thehoneof a Woman.Honest,adj.(old).—1. Chaste.1596.Ben Jonson,Every Man in his Humour, ii., 1. Why’t cannot be, where there is such resort, O wanton gallants, and young revellers, That any woman should behonestlong.1599.Henry Porter,Two Angry Women of Abingdon(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, vii., 389). Is my fellow Dick in the dark with my mistress? I pray God they behonest, for there may be much knavery in the dark.1600.Look About You, Sc. 28 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, vii., 476). What, lecher? No, she is anhonestwoman. Her husband is well known.1602.Shakspeare,Othello, iii., 3. I do not think but Desdemona’shonest.1614.Jonson,Bartholomew Fair, v., 3. Dehonestwoman’s life is a dull scurvy life, indeed.1663.Killigrew,The Parson’s Wedding, iii., 2 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 454). There’s none buthonestwomen.1663.Killigrew,The Parson’s Wedding, v., 4 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 525). Crooked, dirty-souled vermin, predestined for cuckolds, painted snails with houses on their backs, and horns as big as Dutch cows.… Can any woman behonestthat lets such hodmandods crawl o’er her virgin breast and belly?1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, ii., 1. A man … may bring his bashful wench, and not have her put out of countenance by the impudenthonestwomen of the town.1686–7.Aubrey,Gentilisme(1881), p. 163. The towne is full of wanton wenches, and … (they say) scarce threehonestwomen in the Town.1693.Congreve,Old Bachelor, iii., 10.Silvia.I’m not such a fool neither, but I can keep myselfhonest.1695.Congreve,Love for Love, iii., 14.Mrs. Fore.Do you think any womanhonest?Scan.Yes, several very honest; they’ll cheat a little at cards sometimes; but that’s nothing.Mrs. Fore.Pshaw! but virtuous, I mean.2. (common).—Not positively illegal: ashonest pennyorshilling= money earned by means immoral (as by prostitution)but within the law. Also,To turn an honest penny= to make a profitable deal.1677.Wycherley,Plain Dealer, iii., 1. You must call usury and extortion God’s blessing, or thehonest turning of the penny.1886.J. S. Winter,Army Society, ch. xxi. There was a chance ofturning an honest pennyin hiring them out for the donkey-race.To make an honest woman,verb. phr.(colloquial).—To marry a mistress.1629.Earle,Microcosmographie(5th ed.). ‘A Serving Man.’ The best work he does is his marrying, for hemakes an honest woman, and if he follows in it his master’s direction, it is commonly the best service he does him.1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, v., 6.Dap.Why she was my wench.Gripe.I’llmake her honestthen.[338]1750.Fielding,Tom Jones, bk. XV., ch. viii. Mr. Nightingale, and his love, stepped into a hackney-coach, which conveyed him to Doctors’ Commons, where Miss Nancy was, in vulgar language, soonmade an honest woman.1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.1825.Scott,St. Ronan’s Well, ch. xxv. My right honourable father nourished some thoughts ofmaking an honest womanof Marie deMartigny, and a legitimate elder brother of Francis.1827.Egan,Anecdotes of the Turf, p. 182. She had now only to play her cards well, she was sure of winning the game, also of becoming anhonest woman.As honest a man as when kings are out,phr.(old).—Knavish.Honest as the skin between the brows(orHorns),phr.(old).—As honest as may be.1551.W. Still,Gammer Gurton’s Needle, (O.P.), ii., 67. I am as true, I wold thou knew,as skin betwene thy brows.1599.Jonson,Every Man out of his Humour, ii., 2.Punt.Is he magnanimous?Gent.As the skin between your brows, sir.1600.Shakspeare,Much Ado, iii., 5. An old man, sir, and his wits are not so blunt, as, God help, I would desire they were, but in faith,honest, as the skin between his brows.1614.Jonson,Bartholomew Fair, iv., 5. It shall be justified to thy husband’s faish, now: tou shalt be ashonesht as the skin between his hornsh, la.Honest Injun!phr.(American).—A pledge of sincerity;honour bright(q.v.).1884.Clemens[Mark Twain],Huckleberry Finn. She says ‘Honest Injun, now hain’t you been telling me a lot of lies?’ ‘Honest Injun’ says I.1892.Detroit Free Press, 12 Aug. I’ll agree not to feel hard about it.Honest Injun?Honey,subs.(American).—1. A good fellow.1888.Missouri Republican, 24 Feb. Dave is ahoney.2. (rhyming slang).—Money. For synonyms,seeActualandGilt.3. (old colloquial).—A term of endearment.4. (venery).—Thesemen. AlsoWhite Honey(q.v.).Cf.,Hive.Verb(American).—To cajole; to exchange endearments; to deceive by soft words or promises.1596.Shakspeare,Hamlet, iii., 4. Stew’d in corruption;honeyingand making love Over the nasty sty.1602.Marston,Antonio and Mellida, A. 4. Can’st thou nothoneyme with fluent speach, And even adore my toplesse villany?1604.MarstonandWebster,Malcontent, O.P., iv., 66. O unpeerable! invention rare! Thou god of policy, ithoniesme.1631.Chettle,Hoffman.Clo.A pretious villaine: a good villaine too. Well if he be no worse; that is doe worse, Andhoneyme in my death-stinging thoughts, I will preferre him.1888.Tuskaloosa News.It is of no use tohoney; payments must be made at least once a year.To sell honey for a half-penny,verb. phr.(old).—To rate at a vile price.1592.Nashe,Pierce Penilesse[1842], p. 43. Thou that in thy dialoguessoldst hunnie for a halfe-penie, and the choysest writers extant for cues a peece.Honey-blobs,subs.(Scots’).—Large, ripe, yellow gooseberries.1746.Walpole,Letters, i., 144. As he returned to the Tower, he stopped the coach at Charing Cross to buyhoney-blobs, as the Scotch call gooseberries.Honeycomb,subs.(old).—A sweetheart; a general term of endearment.[339]1552.Huloet,Abcedarium, s.v.Darlynge, a wanton terme used in veneriall speach, as be these:honycombe, pyggisnye, swetehert, true love.Honey-fogle(orfugle),verb.(American).—To cheat; to swindle; to humbug. For synonyms,seeGammon.1888.Missouri Republican, 20 Jan. Noonan’s companion objected to thishoney-fuglingby knocking the demonstrative stranger down.Honey-pot,subs.(old).—The femalepudendum. For synonyms,seeMonosyllable.1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., iii., 342. For when you have possession got, Of Venus’ Mark, orhony-pot.Honour Bright!intj.(common).—Upon my honour.1819.Moore,Tom Crib, p. 36. At morning meet, and,—honour bright,—Agree to share the blunt and tatters!1843.Selby,Antony and Cleopatra Married.Cle.Will you love me as dearly as ever?Ant.Dearer, dear Chloe, dearer!Cle.Honour?Ant.Brightandshining.1869.F. Hall, Marginal reading toLyndsay’sSatire of Three Estates[E.E. Text Soc.], p. 382. She is more than a match for twenty-four a night,honour bright.1878.Hatton,Cruel London, bk. VIII, ch. ii.Honour bright, no kid, as we say in London.1881.W. Black,Beautiful Wretch, ch. xix. ‘I do not mean to marry Mr. Jacomb, if that is what you mean.’ ‘No?Honour bright?’ ‘I shall not marry Mr. Jacomb.’1892.Cassell’s Sat. Jour., 28 Sep., p. 29., c. 3. ‘Come, come, Mr. Smith, you’re drawing the long bow!’ ‘Honour bright, I’m not.’1892.N. Gould,Double Event, p. 158. ‘She did,honour bright,’ said Smirk.Hood.two faces under one hood(orHat),phr.(old).—Double-dealing.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hood.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.Hood.May the man be d——d and never grow fat, Who carriestwo faces under one hat.To put a bone in one’s hood,verb. phr.(obsolete).—To cuckold.1560.Nice Wanton(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, ii., 169). I could tell you who puttetha bone in your hood.Ibid.(p. 170), Then by the rood,a bone in your hood, I shall put you ere long.Hoodlum,subs.(American).—A boy rough. Also, a rough of either sex. Also (political), a low-class voter. Originally Californian.Cf.,Arab.1872.Sacramento Weekly Union, 24 Feb., p. 2. All the boys to be trained as scriveners, tape-measurers, counter-hoppers, clerks, pettifoggers, polite loafers, street-hounds,hoodlums, and bummers.1877.Los Angeles Express, 25 Aug. A gang of boys … associated for the purpose of stealing.… Their words of warning were ‘Huddle ’em, Huddle ’em.’ … soon contracted intohoodlum.1877.Boston Journal, Aug. You at the East have but little idea of thehoodlumsof this city. They compose a class of criminals of both sexes, far more dangerous than are to be found in the Eastern cities. They travel in gangs, and are ready at any moment for the perpetration of any crime.1877.Congregationalist, 26 Sep. A newspaper man attempting to coin a word to designate a gang of young street Arabs under the beck of one named ‘Muldoon,’ hit uponnoodlums, simply reversing the leader’s name.… The compositor, taking thenfor anh, printed ithoodlum.1877.Morning Call, 27 Oct. The rowdy element in the city … who were soon after designated ashoodlums.1885.G. A. Sala, inDaily Telegraph, 12 Aug., p. 5, c. 5. In order to guard against the contingency of the whitehoodlums, or roughs, coming down in force from the American quarter of the city [San Francisco], and ‘going for’ the Celestials.[340]1888.Missouri Republican, 31 Mar. It is conceded by all that thehoodlumshave nominated weak men, and the citizens will have easy sailing on Tuesday.1890.Norton,Political Americanisms, s.v.hoodlums, A general name for roughs. It originated on the Pacific coast, as the designation of a company of young ruffians in San Francisco (about 1868). Subsequently it spread Eastward, and attained some political significance; as ‘thehoodlumelement’ in politics.1892.Pall Mall Gaz., 29 Feb., p. 2, c. 2. A right of public meeting dependent on the good will of thehoodlumis not worth having.1893.National Observer, 4 Mar., ix., 398. In America, home of theHoodlum, where they turn their murderers into mayors.Hoodman,subs.(old).—A blind man; agroper(q.v.).Adj.(old).—1. Blind. AlsoHoodman Blind= blind drunk;cf., sense 2. Fr.,berluandsans mirettes.2. (streets).—Drunk. For synonyms,seeDrinksandScrewed.Hoof,subs.(common).—A foot. For synonyms,seeCreepers.1836.M. Scott,Cruise of the Midge, p. 134. Contriving in their complex twirlifications not only to tread heavily on my toes with his ownhoofs, but to hop his partner repeatedly over the same unfortunate members.1838.Grant,Sketches in London, p. 213. He again put both his uglyhoofson it.1867.Browne(‘Artemus Ward’),Among the Mormons[People’s ed.], p. 193. Waving their lily-whitehoofsin the dazzling waltz.1892.Sydney Watson,Wops the Waif, ch. iv., p. 5. Teddy, look out, yer’ve got yerhoofon my trotters!Verb(common).—To kick;e.g.,to hoof(ortoe)one’s bum; toroot(q.v.for synonyms). Hence tohoof out= to eject; to dismiss; to discharge; to decline to see.To hoof it, (orto padorbeat the hoof),verb. phr.(common).—To walk; to ‘tramp it’; to run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle. HenceHoof-padding.1596.Shakspeare,Merry Wives, i., 3. Rogues, hence, avaunt, vanish like hailstones, go: Trudge, plod,away o’ the hoof.d.1687.Cotton,Poems, ‘Epistles’ (ChalmersEnglish Poets), vi., 736. Being then on foot away I go Andbang the hoofincognito.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hoof itorbeat it on the hoof, to walk on Foot.1691–2.Wood,Athenæ Oxonienses, ii., 560. Landing at Liverpool, in Lancashire, they allbeated it on the hoofthence to London.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1772.Cumberland,Fashionable Lover. Prologue. I am a devil, so please you, and musthoofUp to the poet yonder with this proof.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Hoof.To beat the hoof, to travel on foot; hehoofed it, orbeat the hoof, every step of the way from Chester to London.1813. J. andH. Smith,Horace in London, ‘Hurly-Burly,’ p. 24. When hostile squadronsbeat the hoof.1837.Dickens,Oliver Twist, ch. ix. Charley Bates expressed his opinion that it was timeto pad the hoof.1885.Detroit Free Press, 5 Sept., p. 1, c. 1. These busted theatrical people who arehoofing itback to Detroit. They come along at all hours of the day and night.1888.Lynch,Mountain Mystery, ch. xviii. I s’posed he was tired out, and had got over watchin’ for tricks. So Ihoofed itin.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 70. Scenery’s all very proper, but where is the genuine pot who’dpad the ’oofover the moors.[341]To see one’s hoof in(a thing),verb. phr.(common).—To detect personal influence or interference in a matter.1863.Thackeray,Roundabout Papers, ‘On Screens in Dining Rooms’ (1887, p. 58). I am informed by the same New York correspondent that … I once said to a literary gentleman, who was possibly pointing to an anonymous article as his writing, ‘Ah! I thought Irecognised your hoof in it.’Hoof-padder,subs.(common).—A pedestrian.Hoofy,adj.(common).—Splay (or large).Hook,subs.(thieves’).—1. A finger. (Cf.,Cunt-hooks). For synonyms,seeFork. Inplural= the hands. Also,HooksandFeelers.d.1842.Maginn,Vidocq Versified. To his clies myhooksI throw in.1877.Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. iv., p. 259. I one day asked a man … if the hard work of prison did not spoil his hands for delicate manipulations. ‘Oh, bless you, no!’ he replied;‘… In a week or two a man can bring hishooksand feelers into full working trim again and no mistake.’2. (thieves’).—A thief. Specifically, a pickpocket; ahooker(q.v.). For synonyms,seeThieves.1562.Jacke Juggler(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, ii., 139). So, yonder cometh that unhappyhook.1887.Horsley,Jottings from Jail. Take my tip and turn square, from ahookwho is going to be lagged, would be, in common parlance, take my advice and get your living honestly.1892.Anstey,Voces Populi(2nd Series). ‘In Trafalgar Square.’ A professionalhook.3. (common).—A catch; an advantage; an imposture.Verb(old).—1. To rob; to steal. Specifically, to steal watches, rings, etc., from a shop by cutting a small hole in the window, and fishing for such articles with a piece of string with a hook at the end.1615.Albumazar, iii., 3. Is not this braver than sneak all night in danger, Picking of locks, orhookingcloths at windows.b.1796.Burns,Jolly Beggars. For mony a pursie she hadhookit.1876.Clemens[Mark Twain],Tom Sawyer, p. 34. And while Aunt Polly closed with a happy Scriptural flourish, Tomhookeda doughnut.1884.M. Twain,Huck. Finn, xxx., 312. Didn’t you have it in your mind tohookthe money and hide it?2. (colloquial).—To secure, as for marriage; to marry.1886.J. S. Winter,Army Society, ch. xviii. I wonder if Mrs. Traff has contrived tohookhim for her sweet Laura.1892.Manville Fenn,New Mistress, ch. xxv. Have you I will—there now. Don’t you think you’re going tohookLambent.Intj.(Oxford Univ.).—An expression implying doubt. [Query from the note of interrogation (?) or connected withHookey Walker(q.v.).]On the hook,subs. phr.(common).—1. On the thieve;on the cross(q.v.).2. (old).—On theHip(q.v.); at an advantage.1694.Congreve,Double Dealer, iv., 18. Consider I have youon the hook; you will but flounder yourself a-weary, and be nevertheless my prisoner.Hook and eye,subs. phr.(tailors’).—Arm in arm.To take(orsling)one’s hook(orto hook it),verb. phr.(common).—To decamp; to run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle.[342]1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, ii., 137. He slipped from her andhooked it.1852.Dickens,Bleak House, ch. xlvi. ‘Hook it!Nobody wants you here,’ he ses. ‘You Hook it.You go and tramp,’ he ses.1856.Bradley[Cuthbert Bede],Tales of College Life, p. 36.Hook it!old ’un,hook it!1861.H. Kingsley,Ravenshoe, ch. xli. They all begins to get a bit noisy and want to fight, and so Ihooked it.1891.Licensed Vict. Gaz., 16 Jan., p. 43, col. 3. If you lot don’thook it, I’ll stave in your blooming cocoa-nuts.1891.Sportsman, 2 Apr., p. 2, col. 1. Plainly the worthy magistrate laid it down that a wife mayhook itwhen and how she pleases.1892.Anstey,Model Music Hall, 129–30.Take your ’ookwhile you can. Even now the outraged populace approaches.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 58. I went jest for a lark, and wos quietlyslinging my ’ook.1892.Kipling,Barrack-Room Ballads, ‘Loot.’ Before yousling your ’ook, at the ’ousetops take a look.1892.Globe, 19 Oct., p. 3. Again from some neighbouring roof comes back the weird responsive cry,Hook it! hook it.1892.Herbert Campbell,Broadside Ballad, ‘Then Up Comes I with My little Lot.’ And the houses shook and the coppertook his ’ook, and down come all the tiles.To drop(go, orpop)off the hooks,verb. phr.(common).—1. To die. For synonyms,seeAloft.1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends, ‘Black Mousquetaire.’ I fear by his looks, Our friend, Francis Xavier, haspopp’d off the hooks!1842.Punch’s Almanack, Dec. 15. Death wandered by the sea And struck by Walton’s looks Broke Isaac’s line of life Andtook him off the hooks.1872.M. E. Braddon,Dead Sea Fruit, ch.iv. ‘S’pose the odds are against Jerninghamgoing off the hooksbetween this and the first spring-meeting, so as to give a party a chance with Mrs. J. herself,’ speculates young Belgravia, dreamily.1880.Greenwood,Odd People in Odd Places, p. 37. I thought, to be sure, I wasgoing off the hooks, and it was no use talking about it.1890.Grant Allen,Tents of Shem, ch. xii. The old man haspopped off the hooksthis afternoon at Aix.2. (colloquial).—To get married.1876.M. E. Braddon,Joshua Haggard, ch. x. Some of the young chaps will be wanting her to get married. These here pretty onesgo off the hooksso soon.To hook on to,verb. phr.(colloquial).—To attach oneself to;to buttonhole(q.v.); to follow up.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 4. It’s nuts to’ook on toa swell.On one’s own hook,adv. phr.(colloquial).—On one’s own account, risk, or responsibility; for one’s own sake; dependent on one’s own resources or exertions.1847.Robb,Squatter Life, p. 23. The signal was given, and in poured the subscribers to the dinner, with their guest, and in poured Johnon his own hook.1849.Thackeray,Pendennis, ch. lxix. Do we come out as Liberal Conservative, or as Government man, oron our own hook?1861.Whyte Melville,Good for Nothing, ch. xxvii. I workedon my own hook, after that, and I rather think I paid my expenses.1869.Greenwood,Seven Curses of London, p. 409. To stealon your own hookas a bookmaker.1889.Answers, p. 52, c. 3. Finally Edison went to workon his own hook.1893.Emerson,Signor Lippo, ch. viii. We used to have to part company and go in twos and threes thenon our own hook.[343]By hook or by crook,phr.(colloquial).—By some means or other; by fair means or foul; atallhazards. [Probably of forestal origin.]d.1298.Thomas the Rhymer,On Parliaments. Their work wasby hook or crookto rap and bring all under the emperor’s power.1525.Bodmin Register.Dynmure Wood was ever open and common to the … inhabitants of Bodmin … to bear away upon their backs a burden of lop, crop,hook,crook, and bag wood.d.1529.Skelton,Collyn Cloute. Nor wyll suffer this bokeBy hooke ne by crookePrynted for to be.1550.Bacon,Fortress of the Faithful. Whatsoever is pleasant or profitable must be theirsby hook or by crook.1557.Tusser,Good Husbandrie, 30 Mar. Watch therefore in Lent, to thy sheepe go and look, For dogs will have vittelsby hooke and by crooke.1566.Archbp. Parker,Correspondence(Parker Soc.), p. 252. To win him in time,by hook or crook.1596.Spenser,Faery Queen, v., 2, 27. The spoyle of people’s euill gotten good, The which her sire had scraptby hooke and crooke.1598.Florio,Worlde of Wordes, s.v.Barocco, a shift made for good cheere, meate and drinke gottenby hooke or crooke.1621.Burton,Anatomy of Melancholy, xi., 186 (1836).By hook and by crookhe will obtain it.1629.Fonseca[Eng. by J. M.].Devout Contemplations.Bee itby hooke or by crooke, by right or wrong.1678.Butler,Hudibras, iii., 1. Which heby hook,or crook, had gather’d.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. By Hedge or By Style,by Hook or by Crook.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1781.Cowper,Letter to Newton, 12 July. Andby hook or crook, with another book, If I live and am here, another year.1820.Reynolds[Peter Corcoran].The Fancy.Father, ere our purpose cool, Get downby hook or crookto Liverpool.1824.HitchingsandDrewe,Hist. Cornwall, ii., 214. The prior’s cross, on which is cut the figure of a hook and a crook, in memory of the privilege granted … to the poor … for gathering such boughs and branches of such trees … as they could reach with a hook or by a crook … whence … they will have it byhook and by crook.1836.Michael Scott,Cruise of the Midge, p. 363. We must be mannedby hook or crook, you know, however unwilling to distress running ships.1868.ReadeandBoucicault,Foul Play, p. 54. Several fellow-creatures have cheated me. Well, I must get as much back,by hook or by crook, from several fellow-creatures.1883.W. Black,Yolande, ch. xlix. I should get you a ticketby hook or by crook, if I failed at the ballot; I heard that one was sold for £40 the last time.1888.Rider Haggard, ‘Mrs. Meeson’s Will’ [inIllustrated News, Summer Number, p. 5, c. 1]. Somehow or other, it would go hard if, with the help of the one hundred a year that he had of his own, he did not manage, with his education, to get a livingby hook or by crook.With a hook at the end,phr.(common).—A reservation of assent;over the left(q.v.);in a horn(q.v.).Cf.,hook,intj.: andHookey Walker.1823.Bee,Dict. of the Turf, s.v.Hookey Walker—andwith a hook, usually accompanied by a significant upliftment of the hand and crooking of the forefinger, implying that what is said is a lie, or is to be taken contrary-wise.1843.Moncrieff,Scamps of London, i., 1.Bob.Will you have some gin?Fogg.Gin—Yes!Bob(turning away). Ha—ha!—With a hook… I wish you may get it.1870.Traill,Saturday Songs, p. 22. It’s go and go over the left, It’s gowith a hook at the end.Off the hooks,phr.(old).—Out of temper; vexed; disturbed; out of sorts. Fr.,sortir de ses gonds= off thehinges(q.v.). For synonyms,seeNab the rust.[344]1639–61.Rump Songs.‘Bum-fodder.’ That’s a thing would please the Butchers and Cooks, To see this stinking Rump quiteoff the hooks.1665.Pepys,Diary, 26 May. In the evening by water to the Duke of Albemarle, whom I found mightilyoff the hooks, that the ships are not gone out of the River; which vexed me to see.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hooks.Off the hooks, in an ill Mood, or out of Humour.d.1704.L’Estrange[quoted inEncy. Dict.]. Easily putoff the hooks, and monstrous hard to be pleased again.1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., iii., 22. Another that’s in the Blacksmith’s Books, And only to him for remedy looks, Is when a Man is quiteoff the hooks.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1825.Scott,St. Ronan’s Well, ch. xxx. Everybody that has meddled in this St. Ronan’s business is a littleoff the hooks—… in plain words, a little crazy.Hook and Snivey(orHookum Snivey),subs. phr.(old).—1. An imposture; specifically, the getting of food on false pretences.1781.G. Parker,View of Society, ii., 79. ‘Hook and Snivey, with Nix the Buffer’ [Title].1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.Hook and Snivey with Nix the Buffer.This rig consists in feeding a man and a dog for nothing.… Three men, one of whom pretends to be sick and unable to eat, go to a public house; the two well men make a bargain with the landlord for their dinner, and when he is out of sight feed their pretended sick companion and dog gratis.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf. s.v.Hook and Snivvy—practised by soldiers in quarters when they obtain grub fornix.1835 inComic Almanack1835–43 (Hotten), p. 17,Zoological Society atHookem Snivey. A new animal has been transmitted from No-Man’s Land, which has been named the Flat-Catcher.2. (old).—An impostor as described in sense 1.3. (streets).—A contemptuous or sarcastic affirmation, accompanied by the gesture oftaking a sight(q.v.) orplaying hookey(q.v.).4. (thieves’).—A crook of thick iron wire in a wooden handle, used to undo the wooden bolts of doors from without.1801.Edgeworth,Irish Bulls, With that I ranges ’em fair and even on myhook ’em snivey, up they goes.Hooked,adj.(old).—Seequot.1690. B.E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hookt, over-reached, Snapt, Trickt.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Hooker,subs.(Old Cant).—1. A thief; anangler(q.v.). Also, (modern) a watch-stealer; adip(q.v.).Cf., quots. 1567 and 1888.1567.Harman,Caveat, p. 35. Thesehokers, or Angglers, be peryllous and most wicked knaues, … they customably carry with them a staffe of v. or vi. foote long, in which, within one ynch ofthe tope thereof, ys a lytle hole bored through, [leaf 9] in which hole they putte an yron hoke, and with the same they wyll pluck vnto them quickly any thingthatthey may reche ther with.1610.Rowlands,Martin Mark-all, p. 8 (H. Club’s Rept., 1874). They are sure to be clyd in the night by the angler, orhooker, or such like pilferers that liue upon the spoyle of other poore people.d.1626.John Davies,Scourge of Folly, p. 34. [Wks., Ed. Grosart]. A false knaue needs no brokers, but a broker Needs a false knaue (a hangman or ahooker).1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hookers, the third Rank of Canters; also Sharpers.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1834.H. Ainsworth,Rookwood, bk. III., ch. v. No strange Abram, ruffler crack,hookerof another pack.1888.Tit Bits, 17 Nov., p. 82, col. 2. There are usually three men in a gang; thehookerhaving got into conversation with his man, number two ‘covers’ his movements, whilst number three (on the opposite side of the[345]street) keeps a look-out for the ‘enemy.’ Thehooker, having by careful manipulation got a hold of the desired prize, detaches it from the chain by breaking the ring and passes it to number two, who in turn passes it on to number three, from whom it is usually transferred to a receiver and melted down within a few hours of its being purloined.2. (American).—A prostitute:i.e., a fisher, angler, orHookerof men. For synonyms,seeBarrack HackandTart.Hookey.To play hookey,verb. phr.(American).—To play truant; to doCharley-wag(q.v.).1876.Clemens[Mark Twain],Tom Sawyer, p. 100. Took his flogging … forplaying hookeythe day before.To do(orplay)hookey(orhooky),verb. phr.(common).—To apply the thumb and fingers to the nose;to take a sight(q.v.);to coffee-mill(q.v.).Hookey Walker!(orWalker!)intj.(common).—Be off! go away. Also implying doubt.Cf.,with a hook. [Bee: From John Walker, a hook-nosed spy, whose reports were proved to be fabrications.]1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.Hookey Walker, An expression signifying that the story is not true, or thatthething will not occur.1843.Dickens,Christmas Carol[1843], p. 169. ‘Buy it,’ said Scrooge. ‘Walker!’ said the boy.1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends. ‘Old Woman Clothed in Grey.’ For mere unmeaning talk her Parch’d lips babbled now,—such asHookey!—andWalker!—She expired, with her last breath expressing a doubt If ‘his Mother were fully aware he was out?’1840. ‘Characters of Freshmen’ (Whibley,Cap and Gown, p. 183). The pestilent freshman … is very pugnacious, and walking in the streets suddenly turneth and asketh a huge snob ‘what the deuce he meant by that?’ Whereat the snob (having done nothing at all) coolly answereth (as the Pestilent Freshman intended he should)Hooky Walker, provocative of a combat.Hooking-cow,subs.(Western American).—A cow that shows fight.1887.Francis,Saddle and Mocassin. One … was … ahooking-cow, and to escape her repeated charges tested all our ability.Hook-pointed(orHook-pintled),adj.(venery).—Imperfectly erected.Cf.,Lob(q.v.).Hook-pole Lay,subs. phr.(old).—Pulling a man off his horse by means of iron hooks at the end of a long pole, and plundering him. (Smith,Lives of Highwaymen, III., 192, 1720).Hook-shop,subs.(American).—A brothel. [Hooker(q.v.) = prostitute.] For synonyms,seeNanny-shop.Hoop,subs.(American).—1. A ring.2. (Devon).—SeeBullfinch.3. (venery).—The femalepudendum. For synonyms,seeMonosyllable.Verb(old).—To beat.To well hoop one’s barrel= to thrash soundly. For synonyms,seeTan.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.To hoop it(orgo through the hoop),verb. phr.(old).—1. To pass the Insolvent Debtor’s Court;to get hooped up=whitewashed(q.v.). For synonyms,seeDead-broke.[346]2. (old).—To run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle.1839.Brandon,Poverty, Mendicity, and Crime, 116. I have heard them tell … boys … who havehooped itfrom home that they had better go back whilst they had a home to go to.Hooper’s Hide,subs. phr.(old venery).—Copulation. For synonyms,seeGreens.1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., i., 278. The while that his wife with Willy Was playing atHooper’s Hide.Hoop-stick,subs.(common).—The arm. For synonyms,seeChalk Farm.Hoosier,subs.(American).—A native of Indiana. [Perhaps the most reasonable of several ingenious explanations is, that in the early days the customary challenge or greeting in that region was, ‘Who’s yer?’ (who’s here?): pronounced hoosier.—Norton.]1843.D. Corcoran,A Genuine Hoosier. An original character is your genuineHoosier. By genuine, we mean such a one as has all the attributes that peculiarly belong to the back-woodsmen of the West.1847.Darley,Drama in Pokerville, p. 197. None of them ‘cotton’d’ to him more kindly than an elderlyhoosierfrom the innermost depths of Indiana.1848.Durivage,Stray Subjects, p. 79. There is a swarm of ‘suckers,’ ‘hoosiers,’ ‘buckeyes,’ ‘corn-crackers,’ and ‘wolverines’ eternally on thequi vivein those parts.Hooter,subs.(American).—1.A steam-whistle; anAmerican devil(q.v.).2. (colloquial).—A wooden trumpet, so contrived as to make a horrible noise.3. (American).—A corruption of ‘iota’:e.g., ‘I don’t care ahooterfor him.’Hooting-pudding,subs.(provincial).—A plum-pudding with such a paucity of plums that you can hear them hooting after each other.—Slang, Jargon, and Cant.Hop,subs.(common).—A dance. [Generally informal, as aCinderella(q.v.).] Also, as in quot. 1579, the motions of dancing. For synonyms,seeSkip.1579.Gosson,Schoole of Abuse, p. 33 (Arber’s Ed.). He gaue Dauncers great stipends for selling theirhopps.1811.Jane Austen,Sense and S., ch. ix. At a littlehopat the park, he danced from eight o clock till four.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.Hop—a contra-dance of ordinary persons and promiscuous company is ‘ahop’ and ‘a penny-hop’ from the price formerly paid for admission.1830.Lytton,Paul Clifford, iv. He gave them from time to time a very agreeablehop.1847.Thackeray,Mrs. Perkins’s Ball(Mr. Larkins). To describe this gentleman’s infatuation for dancing, let me say, in a word, that he will even frequent boarding-househops, rather than not go.1848.Ruxton,Life in the Far West, p. 189. The ‘temple’ was generally cleared for ahoptwo or three times during the week.1850.Smedley,Frank Fairleigh, p. 121. You’ll be at old Coleman’shopto-night, I suppose; so bye! bye! for the present.1852.Bristed,Upper Ten Thousand, p. 129. Two undress-balls—hopsthey were.1882.Daily Telegraph, 13 Nov., p. 5, c. 3. At all seasons there is an immense amount of dancing; and at Washington there are continual ‘hotelhops’ in the winter.1887.W. S. Gilbert,Patience, ii. Prefers suburbanhopsTo all your Monday Pops.1889.Lippincott, Oct., p. 447. Hang me if she isn’t always on the plain, or at ahop, with one of those twin kids![347]1892.Kipling,Barrack Room Ballads. ‘Gentlemen Rankers.’ To dance with blowzy housemaids at the regimentalhops.Hop-and-go-kick,subs. phr.(tailors’).—A lameter; aHop-and-go-one.Cf.,Dot-and-carry-one.To hop the wag,verb. phr.(common).—To play truant, orCharley-wag(q.v.).1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, iii., 207. They often persuaded meto hop the wag, that is play truant from school.To hop(orjump)over the broom(orbroomstick),verb. phr.(colloquial).—To live as husband and wife; tolive(orgo)tally(q.v.).1811.Poole,Hamlet Travestied, ii., 3.Jump o’er a broomstick, but don’t make a farce on The marriage ceremonies of the parson.1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, i., 336. There was always abroomstickwedding. Without that ceremony a couple weren’t looked on as man and wife.1860.Dickens,Great Expectations, xlviii., 227. This woman in Gerrard Street, here, had been married very young,over the broomstick(as we say), to a tramping man.c.18(79).Broadside Ballad, ‘David Dove that Fell in Love.’ ByL. M. Thornton. The girl that I had hoped to hear Pronounce my happy doom, sir, Had bolted with a carpenter, In facthopped o’er the broom, sir.To hop the twig,verb. phr.(common).—1. To leave; to run away;to skedaddle(q.v.). For synonyms,seeamputate.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.1789.Geo. Parker,Life’s Painter, p. 143.Hop the twig… means to depart suddenly.1830.Egan,Finish to Life in London, p. 217. I have lost my ticker; and all my toggery has been boned, I am nearly as naked as when I was born—and the cause—the lady bird—hashopped the twig.1884.Daily News, 31 Oct., p. 3, c. 1. They knocked the Liberals down as fast as they could until they got too numerous and strong, and then wehopped the twig.1888.All the Year Round, 9 June 543.To hop the twig… and the like, are more flippant than humorous.2. (common).—To die; to ‘kick thebucket’ (q.v.); topeg out(q.v.). AlsoTo hop off.English Synonyms.To be content; to cock up one’s toes; to croak; to cut (or let go) the painter; to cut one’s stick; to give in; to give up; to go to Davy Jones’ locker; to go off the hooks; to go under; to go up; to kick the bucket; kickeraboo (West Indian); to lay down one’s knife and fork; to lose the member of one’s mess; to mizzle; to pass in one’s checks; to peg out; to put on a wooden surtout; to be put to bed with a shovel; to slip one’s cable; to stick one’s spoon in the wall; to snuff it; to take an earth bath; to take a ground sweat.French Synonyms.—Passer l’arme à gauche(pop.: = to ground arms);casser sa pipe(= to break one’s pipe);dévisserordécoller son billard(= to break one’s cue);graisser ses bottes(= to grease one’s boots);avaler sa langue(= to swallow one’s tongue);avaler sa gaffe(= to lower one’s boat-hook);avaler sa cuillerorsa fourchette(= to swallow one’s spoon or one’s fork);avaler ses baguettes(military: = to swallow one’s drumsticks);n’avoir plus mal aux dents(= to get rid of the toothache:mal de dents, also = love);[348]poser sa chique(pop.: = to put down one’s quid);claquer(familiar: = to croak);saluer le public(theat.: = to go before the curtain);recevoir son décompte(military: = to get one’s quietus;décompte= also [military] a mortal wound);cracher son embouchure(= to spit one’s mouthpiece);déteindre(pop.: = to wash off one’s colour);donner son dernier bon à tirer(familiar: in American = to pass in one’s checks; properly = to send one’s last proof to press);lâcher la perche(pop.: = to hop the twig);éteindre son gaz(pop.: = to turn off one’s gas.Cf., to snuff it);épointer son foret(pop.: = to blunt one’s drill, as in boring);être exproprié(pop.: = to be dispossessed);exproprier(= to take possession of a debtor’s land);péter son lof(sailor’s);fumer ses terres;fermer son parapluie(pop.: = to close one’s umbrella);perdre son bâton(pop.: = to lose one’s walking stick);descendre la garde(pop.: = to come off guard);défiler la parade(military: = to face about);tortiller, ortourner de l’œil(pop.);perdre le goût du pain(pop.: = to lose one’s appetite);lâcher la rampe(theat.: = to chuck the footlights);faire ses petits paquets(pop.: = to pack up one’s traps);casser son crachoir(pop.: = to break one’s spittoon);remercier son boulanger(thieves’: = to thank the baker;boulanger= the Devil);canner;dévider à l’estorgue(thieves’);baiserorépouser la Camardeorcamarder(pop: = to hug, or go to church with, Mother Bones [Camarde= Death]);fuir(thieves’: = to flee or escape);casser son câble(pop.: = to slip one’s cable);casser son fouet(pop.: = to break one’s whip);faire sa crêvaison(pop.:crêver= to burst up);déralinguer(sailors’: = to loose from the bolt-rope);virer de bord(sailors’: = to tack about);déchirer son faux-col(pop.: = to break one’s collar);dégeler(= to thaw);couper sa mèche(coachman’s: = to cut off one’s lash);piquer sa plaqu(sailors’);mettre la table pour les asticots(pop.: = to lay the cloth for the worms);aller manger les pissenlits par la racine(pop.: = to go grubbing off dandelion roots);laisser fuir son tonneau(familiar);calancher(vagrants’);laisser ses bottes quelque part(familiar: = to leave one’s boots about);déchirer son habit(pop.: = to tear one’s coat);déchirer son tablier(pop.: = to tear one’s apron);souffler sa veilleuse(pop.: = to blow out one’s candle:cf., to snuff it);pousser le boum du cygne(pop.);avoir son coke(familiar: = to get one’s cargo);rendre sa secousse(pop.);rendre sa bûche(tailors’);rendre sa canne au ministre(military: = to resign one’s commission);rendre sa clef(gipsy: = to give in one’s key);rendre son livret(pop.: = to pass in one’s checks);passer au dixième régiment(military);s’ennuyer(pop.: = to be at death’s door);chasser les mouches(pop.: to go fly-catching);ingurgiter son bilan(popular);resserrer son linge(pop.);faire sa malle(pop.: = to pack one’s trunk);avaler le goujon(pop.);s’habiller de sapin(pop.: = to put on a wooden surtout);avoir son compte(pop.);battre de l’œil(thieves’);s’évanouir(pop.: to mizzle);machaber(pop.:machabre= the Dance of Death);glisser(pop.);s’en aller dans le pays des marmottes(pop.:marmotte= puppet);déménager(pop.: = to move house).[349]German Synonyms.—Krachen gehen;niftern;pegernorpeigern;schochernorverschochern(= to get black);verschwarzen.Italian Synonyms.Sbasire(= to faint);sbasire su le funi(= to faint on the rope).Spanish Synonyms.—Hacer bodoques(= to take an earth bath);liarlas(= also to run away);obispar;corvado(= bent, curved);cierto(= certain).1839.Dance,Alive and Merry, i., 1. Couldn’t you wait a bit till she’shopped off, and then you and I could marry, and be ladies and gentlemen?1841.Punch, I., 2, 2. Clare pines in secret—Hops the twigand goes to glory in white muslin.1842.Punch, vol. II., p. 20, c. 2. Yet henceforth—dash my wig! I’ll live with thee, with thee I’llhop the twig!1863.Fun, vol. IV., p. 188. The night when Cromwell died a storm tore up many of the trees [of St. James’s Park]—though what connexion there may be between the destruction of their branches and thehopping the twigof the Protector, we leave to our philosophical readers to decide.1870.Chambers’s Miscellany, No. 87, p. 26. That her disease was mortal, was past a doubt, and a month or two more or less could make no difference, provided shehopped off… before the year was expired.On the hop,adv. phr.(common).—1. Unawares; at the nick of time; inflagrante delicto. AlsoOn the h. o. p.1868.Broadside Ballad, ‘The Chickaleary Cove.’ For to catch meon the hop.… You must wake up very early in the morning.1870.London Figaro, 26 Aug. If to catch any of the more ordinary folkon the hopis to secure a laugh, what must it be to catch the Tycoon ‘on the—top?’1872.Daily Telegraph, 3 Sept. Goodbye, Johnny: before I leave you, One more kiss before I go. For to catch meon the hop.1892.Anstey,Model Music Hall, 32. I never saw a smarter hand at serving in a shop, For every likely customer she caughtupon the ’op.2. (common).—On the go; in motion; unresting.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 22. A dealon the ’op.3. (colloquial).—SeeHip.Hopeful(orYoung Hopeful),subs.(colloquial).—A boy or young man; in sarcasm or contempt.1856.Bradley(‘Cuthbert Bede’),Tales of College Life, 24. He’ll be no end riled at seeing hishopefulplay truant in this fashion.Hop-(orHap-)Harlot,subs.(old).—A coarse coverlet;Cf.,Wrap-rascal.1807–8.Hollinshed,Chronicles of England, ch. 12. Covered only with a sheet, under coverlets made of dag-swain, orhop-harlots.Hopkins(Hoppy, orMr. Hopkins),subs.(old).—A lameter. For synonyms,seeDot-and-go-one Giles.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Don’t Hurry, Hopkins!phr.(American).—Ironical to persons slow to move or to meet an obligation.Hop-merchant(orHoppy),subs.(common).—A dancing master; acaper-merchant(q.v.). Also, a fiddler.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.1892.Sydney Watson,Wops the Waif, ch. iii., p. 4. Who-ay, Cully, here’sHoppywith therozin.[350]Hop-o-my-thumb,subs.(common).—A dwarf.1599.Nashe,Lenten Stuffe, inWks.v., 248. Though the greatnesse of the redde herring be not small (as small ahoppe-on-my-thumbeas hee seemeth).1603.Dekker, etc.,Patient Grissell, IV., ii., inWks.(Grosart) vi., 195.Bab.No; he shall not haue them [children]: knocke out his braines, and saue the littlehop-a-my-thombes.1748.Smollett,Rod. Random, ch. xi. You pitifulhop-o’-my-thumbcoxcomb.1764.O’Hara,Midas, i., 5. You Stump-o’-the-gutter, youHop-o’-my-thumb, A husband must for you from Lilliput come.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Hop-o-my-Thumb. She was such ahop-o-my-thumbthat a pigeon, on sitting on her shoulder, might pick a pea out of her a—se.1821.Scott,Kenilworth, ch. xi. A mean-lookinghop-o’-my-thumbsort of person.1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends. ‘Account of a New Play.’ Ahop-o’-my-thumbof a Page.English Synonyms.—Go-by-the-ground; grub; grundy; Jack Sprat; little breeches; shrimp; stump-of-the-gutter; tom-tit.Seealso,Forty-foot.Hopper,subs.(colloquial).—The mouth. For synonyms,seePotato-trap.To go a hopper,verb. phr.(sporting).—To go quickly.Hopper-arsed(orHipped),adj.(old).—Large in the breech. Also (as in quot. 1529) snaggy-boned. Also assubs.d.1529.Dunbar,Poems, ‘Complaint to the King’ (1836, i., 144). Withhopper-hippisand hanches narrow.1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, ii., 1. Moreover, she is bow-legged,hopper-hipped, and, betwixt pomatum and Spanish red, has a complexion like a Holland cheese.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hopper-arst, when the Breach sticks out.
1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., i., 204. So I may no more pogue thehoneof a Woman.Honest,adj.(old).—1. Chaste.1596.Ben Jonson,Every Man in his Humour, ii., 1. Why’t cannot be, where there is such resort, O wanton gallants, and young revellers, That any woman should behonestlong.1599.Henry Porter,Two Angry Women of Abingdon(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, vii., 389). Is my fellow Dick in the dark with my mistress? I pray God they behonest, for there may be much knavery in the dark.1600.Look About You, Sc. 28 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, vii., 476). What, lecher? No, she is anhonestwoman. Her husband is well known.1602.Shakspeare,Othello, iii., 3. I do not think but Desdemona’shonest.1614.Jonson,Bartholomew Fair, v., 3. Dehonestwoman’s life is a dull scurvy life, indeed.1663.Killigrew,The Parson’s Wedding, iii., 2 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 454). There’s none buthonestwomen.1663.Killigrew,The Parson’s Wedding, v., 4 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 525). Crooked, dirty-souled vermin, predestined for cuckolds, painted snails with houses on their backs, and horns as big as Dutch cows.… Can any woman behonestthat lets such hodmandods crawl o’er her virgin breast and belly?1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, ii., 1. A man … may bring his bashful wench, and not have her put out of countenance by the impudenthonestwomen of the town.1686–7.Aubrey,Gentilisme(1881), p. 163. The towne is full of wanton wenches, and … (they say) scarce threehonestwomen in the Town.1693.Congreve,Old Bachelor, iii., 10.Silvia.I’m not such a fool neither, but I can keep myselfhonest.1695.Congreve,Love for Love, iii., 14.Mrs. Fore.Do you think any womanhonest?Scan.Yes, several very honest; they’ll cheat a little at cards sometimes; but that’s nothing.Mrs. Fore.Pshaw! but virtuous, I mean.2. (common).—Not positively illegal: ashonest pennyorshilling= money earned by means immoral (as by prostitution)but within the law. Also,To turn an honest penny= to make a profitable deal.1677.Wycherley,Plain Dealer, iii., 1. You must call usury and extortion God’s blessing, or thehonest turning of the penny.1886.J. S. Winter,Army Society, ch. xxi. There was a chance ofturning an honest pennyin hiring them out for the donkey-race.To make an honest woman,verb. phr.(colloquial).—To marry a mistress.1629.Earle,Microcosmographie(5th ed.). ‘A Serving Man.’ The best work he does is his marrying, for hemakes an honest woman, and if he follows in it his master’s direction, it is commonly the best service he does him.1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, v., 6.Dap.Why she was my wench.Gripe.I’llmake her honestthen.[338]1750.Fielding,Tom Jones, bk. XV., ch. viii. Mr. Nightingale, and his love, stepped into a hackney-coach, which conveyed him to Doctors’ Commons, where Miss Nancy was, in vulgar language, soonmade an honest woman.1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.1825.Scott,St. Ronan’s Well, ch. xxv. My right honourable father nourished some thoughts ofmaking an honest womanof Marie deMartigny, and a legitimate elder brother of Francis.1827.Egan,Anecdotes of the Turf, p. 182. She had now only to play her cards well, she was sure of winning the game, also of becoming anhonest woman.As honest a man as when kings are out,phr.(old).—Knavish.Honest as the skin between the brows(orHorns),phr.(old).—As honest as may be.1551.W. Still,Gammer Gurton’s Needle, (O.P.), ii., 67. I am as true, I wold thou knew,as skin betwene thy brows.1599.Jonson,Every Man out of his Humour, ii., 2.Punt.Is he magnanimous?Gent.As the skin between your brows, sir.1600.Shakspeare,Much Ado, iii., 5. An old man, sir, and his wits are not so blunt, as, God help, I would desire they were, but in faith,honest, as the skin between his brows.1614.Jonson,Bartholomew Fair, iv., 5. It shall be justified to thy husband’s faish, now: tou shalt be ashonesht as the skin between his hornsh, la.Honest Injun!phr.(American).—A pledge of sincerity;honour bright(q.v.).1884.Clemens[Mark Twain],Huckleberry Finn. She says ‘Honest Injun, now hain’t you been telling me a lot of lies?’ ‘Honest Injun’ says I.1892.Detroit Free Press, 12 Aug. I’ll agree not to feel hard about it.Honest Injun?Honey,subs.(American).—1. A good fellow.1888.Missouri Republican, 24 Feb. Dave is ahoney.2. (rhyming slang).—Money. For synonyms,seeActualandGilt.3. (old colloquial).—A term of endearment.4. (venery).—Thesemen. AlsoWhite Honey(q.v.).Cf.,Hive.Verb(American).—To cajole; to exchange endearments; to deceive by soft words or promises.1596.Shakspeare,Hamlet, iii., 4. Stew’d in corruption;honeyingand making love Over the nasty sty.1602.Marston,Antonio and Mellida, A. 4. Can’st thou nothoneyme with fluent speach, And even adore my toplesse villany?1604.MarstonandWebster,Malcontent, O.P., iv., 66. O unpeerable! invention rare! Thou god of policy, ithoniesme.1631.Chettle,Hoffman.Clo.A pretious villaine: a good villaine too. Well if he be no worse; that is doe worse, Andhoneyme in my death-stinging thoughts, I will preferre him.1888.Tuskaloosa News.It is of no use tohoney; payments must be made at least once a year.To sell honey for a half-penny,verb. phr.(old).—To rate at a vile price.1592.Nashe,Pierce Penilesse[1842], p. 43. Thou that in thy dialoguessoldst hunnie for a halfe-penie, and the choysest writers extant for cues a peece.Honey-blobs,subs.(Scots’).—Large, ripe, yellow gooseberries.1746.Walpole,Letters, i., 144. As he returned to the Tower, he stopped the coach at Charing Cross to buyhoney-blobs, as the Scotch call gooseberries.Honeycomb,subs.(old).—A sweetheart; a general term of endearment.[339]1552.Huloet,Abcedarium, s.v.Darlynge, a wanton terme used in veneriall speach, as be these:honycombe, pyggisnye, swetehert, true love.Honey-fogle(orfugle),verb.(American).—To cheat; to swindle; to humbug. For synonyms,seeGammon.1888.Missouri Republican, 20 Jan. Noonan’s companion objected to thishoney-fuglingby knocking the demonstrative stranger down.Honey-pot,subs.(old).—The femalepudendum. For synonyms,seeMonosyllable.1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., iii., 342. For when you have possession got, Of Venus’ Mark, orhony-pot.Honour Bright!intj.(common).—Upon my honour.1819.Moore,Tom Crib, p. 36. At morning meet, and,—honour bright,—Agree to share the blunt and tatters!1843.Selby,Antony and Cleopatra Married.Cle.Will you love me as dearly as ever?Ant.Dearer, dear Chloe, dearer!Cle.Honour?Ant.Brightandshining.1869.F. Hall, Marginal reading toLyndsay’sSatire of Three Estates[E.E. Text Soc.], p. 382. She is more than a match for twenty-four a night,honour bright.1878.Hatton,Cruel London, bk. VIII, ch. ii.Honour bright, no kid, as we say in London.1881.W. Black,Beautiful Wretch, ch. xix. ‘I do not mean to marry Mr. Jacomb, if that is what you mean.’ ‘No?Honour bright?’ ‘I shall not marry Mr. Jacomb.’1892.Cassell’s Sat. Jour., 28 Sep., p. 29., c. 3. ‘Come, come, Mr. Smith, you’re drawing the long bow!’ ‘Honour bright, I’m not.’1892.N. Gould,Double Event, p. 158. ‘She did,honour bright,’ said Smirk.Hood.two faces under one hood(orHat),phr.(old).—Double-dealing.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hood.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.Hood.May the man be d——d and never grow fat, Who carriestwo faces under one hat.To put a bone in one’s hood,verb. phr.(obsolete).—To cuckold.1560.Nice Wanton(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, ii., 169). I could tell you who puttetha bone in your hood.Ibid.(p. 170), Then by the rood,a bone in your hood, I shall put you ere long.Hoodlum,subs.(American).—A boy rough. Also, a rough of either sex. Also (political), a low-class voter. Originally Californian.Cf.,Arab.1872.Sacramento Weekly Union, 24 Feb., p. 2. All the boys to be trained as scriveners, tape-measurers, counter-hoppers, clerks, pettifoggers, polite loafers, street-hounds,hoodlums, and bummers.1877.Los Angeles Express, 25 Aug. A gang of boys … associated for the purpose of stealing.… Their words of warning were ‘Huddle ’em, Huddle ’em.’ … soon contracted intohoodlum.1877.Boston Journal, Aug. You at the East have but little idea of thehoodlumsof this city. They compose a class of criminals of both sexes, far more dangerous than are to be found in the Eastern cities. They travel in gangs, and are ready at any moment for the perpetration of any crime.1877.Congregationalist, 26 Sep. A newspaper man attempting to coin a word to designate a gang of young street Arabs under the beck of one named ‘Muldoon,’ hit uponnoodlums, simply reversing the leader’s name.… The compositor, taking thenfor anh, printed ithoodlum.1877.Morning Call, 27 Oct. The rowdy element in the city … who were soon after designated ashoodlums.1885.G. A. Sala, inDaily Telegraph, 12 Aug., p. 5, c. 5. In order to guard against the contingency of the whitehoodlums, or roughs, coming down in force from the American quarter of the city [San Francisco], and ‘going for’ the Celestials.[340]1888.Missouri Republican, 31 Mar. It is conceded by all that thehoodlumshave nominated weak men, and the citizens will have easy sailing on Tuesday.1890.Norton,Political Americanisms, s.v.hoodlums, A general name for roughs. It originated on the Pacific coast, as the designation of a company of young ruffians in San Francisco (about 1868). Subsequently it spread Eastward, and attained some political significance; as ‘thehoodlumelement’ in politics.1892.Pall Mall Gaz., 29 Feb., p. 2, c. 2. A right of public meeting dependent on the good will of thehoodlumis not worth having.1893.National Observer, 4 Mar., ix., 398. In America, home of theHoodlum, where they turn their murderers into mayors.Hoodman,subs.(old).—A blind man; agroper(q.v.).Adj.(old).—1. Blind. AlsoHoodman Blind= blind drunk;cf., sense 2. Fr.,berluandsans mirettes.2. (streets).—Drunk. For synonyms,seeDrinksandScrewed.Hoof,subs.(common).—A foot. For synonyms,seeCreepers.1836.M. Scott,Cruise of the Midge, p. 134. Contriving in their complex twirlifications not only to tread heavily on my toes with his ownhoofs, but to hop his partner repeatedly over the same unfortunate members.1838.Grant,Sketches in London, p. 213. He again put both his uglyhoofson it.1867.Browne(‘Artemus Ward’),Among the Mormons[People’s ed.], p. 193. Waving their lily-whitehoofsin the dazzling waltz.1892.Sydney Watson,Wops the Waif, ch. iv., p. 5. Teddy, look out, yer’ve got yerhoofon my trotters!Verb(common).—To kick;e.g.,to hoof(ortoe)one’s bum; toroot(q.v.for synonyms). Hence tohoof out= to eject; to dismiss; to discharge; to decline to see.To hoof it, (orto padorbeat the hoof),verb. phr.(common).—To walk; to ‘tramp it’; to run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle. HenceHoof-padding.1596.Shakspeare,Merry Wives, i., 3. Rogues, hence, avaunt, vanish like hailstones, go: Trudge, plod,away o’ the hoof.d.1687.Cotton,Poems, ‘Epistles’ (ChalmersEnglish Poets), vi., 736. Being then on foot away I go Andbang the hoofincognito.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hoof itorbeat it on the hoof, to walk on Foot.1691–2.Wood,Athenæ Oxonienses, ii., 560. Landing at Liverpool, in Lancashire, they allbeated it on the hoofthence to London.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1772.Cumberland,Fashionable Lover. Prologue. I am a devil, so please you, and musthoofUp to the poet yonder with this proof.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Hoof.To beat the hoof, to travel on foot; hehoofed it, orbeat the hoof, every step of the way from Chester to London.1813. J. andH. Smith,Horace in London, ‘Hurly-Burly,’ p. 24. When hostile squadronsbeat the hoof.1837.Dickens,Oliver Twist, ch. ix. Charley Bates expressed his opinion that it was timeto pad the hoof.1885.Detroit Free Press, 5 Sept., p. 1, c. 1. These busted theatrical people who arehoofing itback to Detroit. They come along at all hours of the day and night.1888.Lynch,Mountain Mystery, ch. xviii. I s’posed he was tired out, and had got over watchin’ for tricks. So Ihoofed itin.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 70. Scenery’s all very proper, but where is the genuine pot who’dpad the ’oofover the moors.[341]To see one’s hoof in(a thing),verb. phr.(common).—To detect personal influence or interference in a matter.1863.Thackeray,Roundabout Papers, ‘On Screens in Dining Rooms’ (1887, p. 58). I am informed by the same New York correspondent that … I once said to a literary gentleman, who was possibly pointing to an anonymous article as his writing, ‘Ah! I thought Irecognised your hoof in it.’Hoof-padder,subs.(common).—A pedestrian.Hoofy,adj.(common).—Splay (or large).Hook,subs.(thieves’).—1. A finger. (Cf.,Cunt-hooks). For synonyms,seeFork. Inplural= the hands. Also,HooksandFeelers.d.1842.Maginn,Vidocq Versified. To his clies myhooksI throw in.1877.Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. iv., p. 259. I one day asked a man … if the hard work of prison did not spoil his hands for delicate manipulations. ‘Oh, bless you, no!’ he replied;‘… In a week or two a man can bring hishooksand feelers into full working trim again and no mistake.’2. (thieves’).—A thief. Specifically, a pickpocket; ahooker(q.v.). For synonyms,seeThieves.1562.Jacke Juggler(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, ii., 139). So, yonder cometh that unhappyhook.1887.Horsley,Jottings from Jail. Take my tip and turn square, from ahookwho is going to be lagged, would be, in common parlance, take my advice and get your living honestly.1892.Anstey,Voces Populi(2nd Series). ‘In Trafalgar Square.’ A professionalhook.3. (common).—A catch; an advantage; an imposture.Verb(old).—1. To rob; to steal. Specifically, to steal watches, rings, etc., from a shop by cutting a small hole in the window, and fishing for such articles with a piece of string with a hook at the end.1615.Albumazar, iii., 3. Is not this braver than sneak all night in danger, Picking of locks, orhookingcloths at windows.b.1796.Burns,Jolly Beggars. For mony a pursie she hadhookit.1876.Clemens[Mark Twain],Tom Sawyer, p. 34. And while Aunt Polly closed with a happy Scriptural flourish, Tomhookeda doughnut.1884.M. Twain,Huck. Finn, xxx., 312. Didn’t you have it in your mind tohookthe money and hide it?2. (colloquial).—To secure, as for marriage; to marry.1886.J. S. Winter,Army Society, ch. xviii. I wonder if Mrs. Traff has contrived tohookhim for her sweet Laura.1892.Manville Fenn,New Mistress, ch. xxv. Have you I will—there now. Don’t you think you’re going tohookLambent.Intj.(Oxford Univ.).—An expression implying doubt. [Query from the note of interrogation (?) or connected withHookey Walker(q.v.).]On the hook,subs. phr.(common).—1. On the thieve;on the cross(q.v.).2. (old).—On theHip(q.v.); at an advantage.1694.Congreve,Double Dealer, iv., 18. Consider I have youon the hook; you will but flounder yourself a-weary, and be nevertheless my prisoner.Hook and eye,subs. phr.(tailors’).—Arm in arm.To take(orsling)one’s hook(orto hook it),verb. phr.(common).—To decamp; to run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle.[342]1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, ii., 137. He slipped from her andhooked it.1852.Dickens,Bleak House, ch. xlvi. ‘Hook it!Nobody wants you here,’ he ses. ‘You Hook it.You go and tramp,’ he ses.1856.Bradley[Cuthbert Bede],Tales of College Life, p. 36.Hook it!old ’un,hook it!1861.H. Kingsley,Ravenshoe, ch. xli. They all begins to get a bit noisy and want to fight, and so Ihooked it.1891.Licensed Vict. Gaz., 16 Jan., p. 43, col. 3. If you lot don’thook it, I’ll stave in your blooming cocoa-nuts.1891.Sportsman, 2 Apr., p. 2, col. 1. Plainly the worthy magistrate laid it down that a wife mayhook itwhen and how she pleases.1892.Anstey,Model Music Hall, 129–30.Take your ’ookwhile you can. Even now the outraged populace approaches.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 58. I went jest for a lark, and wos quietlyslinging my ’ook.1892.Kipling,Barrack-Room Ballads, ‘Loot.’ Before yousling your ’ook, at the ’ousetops take a look.1892.Globe, 19 Oct., p. 3. Again from some neighbouring roof comes back the weird responsive cry,Hook it! hook it.1892.Herbert Campbell,Broadside Ballad, ‘Then Up Comes I with My little Lot.’ And the houses shook and the coppertook his ’ook, and down come all the tiles.To drop(go, orpop)off the hooks,verb. phr.(common).—1. To die. For synonyms,seeAloft.1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends, ‘Black Mousquetaire.’ I fear by his looks, Our friend, Francis Xavier, haspopp’d off the hooks!1842.Punch’s Almanack, Dec. 15. Death wandered by the sea And struck by Walton’s looks Broke Isaac’s line of life Andtook him off the hooks.1872.M. E. Braddon,Dead Sea Fruit, ch.iv. ‘S’pose the odds are against Jerninghamgoing off the hooksbetween this and the first spring-meeting, so as to give a party a chance with Mrs. J. herself,’ speculates young Belgravia, dreamily.1880.Greenwood,Odd People in Odd Places, p. 37. I thought, to be sure, I wasgoing off the hooks, and it was no use talking about it.1890.Grant Allen,Tents of Shem, ch. xii. The old man haspopped off the hooksthis afternoon at Aix.2. (colloquial).—To get married.1876.M. E. Braddon,Joshua Haggard, ch. x. Some of the young chaps will be wanting her to get married. These here pretty onesgo off the hooksso soon.To hook on to,verb. phr.(colloquial).—To attach oneself to;to buttonhole(q.v.); to follow up.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 4. It’s nuts to’ook on toa swell.On one’s own hook,adv. phr.(colloquial).—On one’s own account, risk, or responsibility; for one’s own sake; dependent on one’s own resources or exertions.1847.Robb,Squatter Life, p. 23. The signal was given, and in poured the subscribers to the dinner, with their guest, and in poured Johnon his own hook.1849.Thackeray,Pendennis, ch. lxix. Do we come out as Liberal Conservative, or as Government man, oron our own hook?1861.Whyte Melville,Good for Nothing, ch. xxvii. I workedon my own hook, after that, and I rather think I paid my expenses.1869.Greenwood,Seven Curses of London, p. 409. To stealon your own hookas a bookmaker.1889.Answers, p. 52, c. 3. Finally Edison went to workon his own hook.1893.Emerson,Signor Lippo, ch. viii. We used to have to part company and go in twos and threes thenon our own hook.[343]By hook or by crook,phr.(colloquial).—By some means or other; by fair means or foul; atallhazards. [Probably of forestal origin.]d.1298.Thomas the Rhymer,On Parliaments. Their work wasby hook or crookto rap and bring all under the emperor’s power.1525.Bodmin Register.Dynmure Wood was ever open and common to the … inhabitants of Bodmin … to bear away upon their backs a burden of lop, crop,hook,crook, and bag wood.d.1529.Skelton,Collyn Cloute. Nor wyll suffer this bokeBy hooke ne by crookePrynted for to be.1550.Bacon,Fortress of the Faithful. Whatsoever is pleasant or profitable must be theirsby hook or by crook.1557.Tusser,Good Husbandrie, 30 Mar. Watch therefore in Lent, to thy sheepe go and look, For dogs will have vittelsby hooke and by crooke.1566.Archbp. Parker,Correspondence(Parker Soc.), p. 252. To win him in time,by hook or crook.1596.Spenser,Faery Queen, v., 2, 27. The spoyle of people’s euill gotten good, The which her sire had scraptby hooke and crooke.1598.Florio,Worlde of Wordes, s.v.Barocco, a shift made for good cheere, meate and drinke gottenby hooke or crooke.1621.Burton,Anatomy of Melancholy, xi., 186 (1836).By hook and by crookhe will obtain it.1629.Fonseca[Eng. by J. M.].Devout Contemplations.Bee itby hooke or by crooke, by right or wrong.1678.Butler,Hudibras, iii., 1. Which heby hook,or crook, had gather’d.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. By Hedge or By Style,by Hook or by Crook.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1781.Cowper,Letter to Newton, 12 July. Andby hook or crook, with another book, If I live and am here, another year.1820.Reynolds[Peter Corcoran].The Fancy.Father, ere our purpose cool, Get downby hook or crookto Liverpool.1824.HitchingsandDrewe,Hist. Cornwall, ii., 214. The prior’s cross, on which is cut the figure of a hook and a crook, in memory of the privilege granted … to the poor … for gathering such boughs and branches of such trees … as they could reach with a hook or by a crook … whence … they will have it byhook and by crook.1836.Michael Scott,Cruise of the Midge, p. 363. We must be mannedby hook or crook, you know, however unwilling to distress running ships.1868.ReadeandBoucicault,Foul Play, p. 54. Several fellow-creatures have cheated me. Well, I must get as much back,by hook or by crook, from several fellow-creatures.1883.W. Black,Yolande, ch. xlix. I should get you a ticketby hook or by crook, if I failed at the ballot; I heard that one was sold for £40 the last time.1888.Rider Haggard, ‘Mrs. Meeson’s Will’ [inIllustrated News, Summer Number, p. 5, c. 1]. Somehow or other, it would go hard if, with the help of the one hundred a year that he had of his own, he did not manage, with his education, to get a livingby hook or by crook.With a hook at the end,phr.(common).—A reservation of assent;over the left(q.v.);in a horn(q.v.).Cf.,hook,intj.: andHookey Walker.1823.Bee,Dict. of the Turf, s.v.Hookey Walker—andwith a hook, usually accompanied by a significant upliftment of the hand and crooking of the forefinger, implying that what is said is a lie, or is to be taken contrary-wise.1843.Moncrieff,Scamps of London, i., 1.Bob.Will you have some gin?Fogg.Gin—Yes!Bob(turning away). Ha—ha!—With a hook… I wish you may get it.1870.Traill,Saturday Songs, p. 22. It’s go and go over the left, It’s gowith a hook at the end.Off the hooks,phr.(old).—Out of temper; vexed; disturbed; out of sorts. Fr.,sortir de ses gonds= off thehinges(q.v.). For synonyms,seeNab the rust.[344]1639–61.Rump Songs.‘Bum-fodder.’ That’s a thing would please the Butchers and Cooks, To see this stinking Rump quiteoff the hooks.1665.Pepys,Diary, 26 May. In the evening by water to the Duke of Albemarle, whom I found mightilyoff the hooks, that the ships are not gone out of the River; which vexed me to see.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hooks.Off the hooks, in an ill Mood, or out of Humour.d.1704.L’Estrange[quoted inEncy. Dict.]. Easily putoff the hooks, and monstrous hard to be pleased again.1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., iii., 22. Another that’s in the Blacksmith’s Books, And only to him for remedy looks, Is when a Man is quiteoff the hooks.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1825.Scott,St. Ronan’s Well, ch. xxx. Everybody that has meddled in this St. Ronan’s business is a littleoff the hooks—… in plain words, a little crazy.Hook and Snivey(orHookum Snivey),subs. phr.(old).—1. An imposture; specifically, the getting of food on false pretences.1781.G. Parker,View of Society, ii., 79. ‘Hook and Snivey, with Nix the Buffer’ [Title].1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.Hook and Snivey with Nix the Buffer.This rig consists in feeding a man and a dog for nothing.… Three men, one of whom pretends to be sick and unable to eat, go to a public house; the two well men make a bargain with the landlord for their dinner, and when he is out of sight feed their pretended sick companion and dog gratis.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf. s.v.Hook and Snivvy—practised by soldiers in quarters when they obtain grub fornix.1835 inComic Almanack1835–43 (Hotten), p. 17,Zoological Society atHookem Snivey. A new animal has been transmitted from No-Man’s Land, which has been named the Flat-Catcher.2. (old).—An impostor as described in sense 1.3. (streets).—A contemptuous or sarcastic affirmation, accompanied by the gesture oftaking a sight(q.v.) orplaying hookey(q.v.).4. (thieves’).—A crook of thick iron wire in a wooden handle, used to undo the wooden bolts of doors from without.1801.Edgeworth,Irish Bulls, With that I ranges ’em fair and even on myhook ’em snivey, up they goes.Hooked,adj.(old).—Seequot.1690. B.E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hookt, over-reached, Snapt, Trickt.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Hooker,subs.(Old Cant).—1. A thief; anangler(q.v.). Also, (modern) a watch-stealer; adip(q.v.).Cf., quots. 1567 and 1888.1567.Harman,Caveat, p. 35. Thesehokers, or Angglers, be peryllous and most wicked knaues, … they customably carry with them a staffe of v. or vi. foote long, in which, within one ynch ofthe tope thereof, ys a lytle hole bored through, [leaf 9] in which hole they putte an yron hoke, and with the same they wyll pluck vnto them quickly any thingthatthey may reche ther with.1610.Rowlands,Martin Mark-all, p. 8 (H. Club’s Rept., 1874). They are sure to be clyd in the night by the angler, orhooker, or such like pilferers that liue upon the spoyle of other poore people.d.1626.John Davies,Scourge of Folly, p. 34. [Wks., Ed. Grosart]. A false knaue needs no brokers, but a broker Needs a false knaue (a hangman or ahooker).1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hookers, the third Rank of Canters; also Sharpers.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1834.H. Ainsworth,Rookwood, bk. III., ch. v. No strange Abram, ruffler crack,hookerof another pack.1888.Tit Bits, 17 Nov., p. 82, col. 2. There are usually three men in a gang; thehookerhaving got into conversation with his man, number two ‘covers’ his movements, whilst number three (on the opposite side of the[345]street) keeps a look-out for the ‘enemy.’ Thehooker, having by careful manipulation got a hold of the desired prize, detaches it from the chain by breaking the ring and passes it to number two, who in turn passes it on to number three, from whom it is usually transferred to a receiver and melted down within a few hours of its being purloined.2. (American).—A prostitute:i.e., a fisher, angler, orHookerof men. For synonyms,seeBarrack HackandTart.Hookey.To play hookey,verb. phr.(American).—To play truant; to doCharley-wag(q.v.).1876.Clemens[Mark Twain],Tom Sawyer, p. 100. Took his flogging … forplaying hookeythe day before.To do(orplay)hookey(orhooky),verb. phr.(common).—To apply the thumb and fingers to the nose;to take a sight(q.v.);to coffee-mill(q.v.).Hookey Walker!(orWalker!)intj.(common).—Be off! go away. Also implying doubt.Cf.,with a hook. [Bee: From John Walker, a hook-nosed spy, whose reports were proved to be fabrications.]1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.Hookey Walker, An expression signifying that the story is not true, or thatthething will not occur.1843.Dickens,Christmas Carol[1843], p. 169. ‘Buy it,’ said Scrooge. ‘Walker!’ said the boy.1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends. ‘Old Woman Clothed in Grey.’ For mere unmeaning talk her Parch’d lips babbled now,—such asHookey!—andWalker!—She expired, with her last breath expressing a doubt If ‘his Mother were fully aware he was out?’1840. ‘Characters of Freshmen’ (Whibley,Cap and Gown, p. 183). The pestilent freshman … is very pugnacious, and walking in the streets suddenly turneth and asketh a huge snob ‘what the deuce he meant by that?’ Whereat the snob (having done nothing at all) coolly answereth (as the Pestilent Freshman intended he should)Hooky Walker, provocative of a combat.Hooking-cow,subs.(Western American).—A cow that shows fight.1887.Francis,Saddle and Mocassin. One … was … ahooking-cow, and to escape her repeated charges tested all our ability.Hook-pointed(orHook-pintled),adj.(venery).—Imperfectly erected.Cf.,Lob(q.v.).Hook-pole Lay,subs. phr.(old).—Pulling a man off his horse by means of iron hooks at the end of a long pole, and plundering him. (Smith,Lives of Highwaymen, III., 192, 1720).Hook-shop,subs.(American).—A brothel. [Hooker(q.v.) = prostitute.] For synonyms,seeNanny-shop.Hoop,subs.(American).—1. A ring.2. (Devon).—SeeBullfinch.3. (venery).—The femalepudendum. For synonyms,seeMonosyllable.Verb(old).—To beat.To well hoop one’s barrel= to thrash soundly. For synonyms,seeTan.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.To hoop it(orgo through the hoop),verb. phr.(old).—1. To pass the Insolvent Debtor’s Court;to get hooped up=whitewashed(q.v.). For synonyms,seeDead-broke.[346]2. (old).—To run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle.1839.Brandon,Poverty, Mendicity, and Crime, 116. I have heard them tell … boys … who havehooped itfrom home that they had better go back whilst they had a home to go to.Hooper’s Hide,subs. phr.(old venery).—Copulation. For synonyms,seeGreens.1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., i., 278. The while that his wife with Willy Was playing atHooper’s Hide.Hoop-stick,subs.(common).—The arm. For synonyms,seeChalk Farm.Hoosier,subs.(American).—A native of Indiana. [Perhaps the most reasonable of several ingenious explanations is, that in the early days the customary challenge or greeting in that region was, ‘Who’s yer?’ (who’s here?): pronounced hoosier.—Norton.]1843.D. Corcoran,A Genuine Hoosier. An original character is your genuineHoosier. By genuine, we mean such a one as has all the attributes that peculiarly belong to the back-woodsmen of the West.1847.Darley,Drama in Pokerville, p. 197. None of them ‘cotton’d’ to him more kindly than an elderlyhoosierfrom the innermost depths of Indiana.1848.Durivage,Stray Subjects, p. 79. There is a swarm of ‘suckers,’ ‘hoosiers,’ ‘buckeyes,’ ‘corn-crackers,’ and ‘wolverines’ eternally on thequi vivein those parts.Hooter,subs.(American).—1.A steam-whistle; anAmerican devil(q.v.).2. (colloquial).—A wooden trumpet, so contrived as to make a horrible noise.3. (American).—A corruption of ‘iota’:e.g., ‘I don’t care ahooterfor him.’Hooting-pudding,subs.(provincial).—A plum-pudding with such a paucity of plums that you can hear them hooting after each other.—Slang, Jargon, and Cant.Hop,subs.(common).—A dance. [Generally informal, as aCinderella(q.v.).] Also, as in quot. 1579, the motions of dancing. For synonyms,seeSkip.1579.Gosson,Schoole of Abuse, p. 33 (Arber’s Ed.). He gaue Dauncers great stipends for selling theirhopps.1811.Jane Austen,Sense and S., ch. ix. At a littlehopat the park, he danced from eight o clock till four.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.Hop—a contra-dance of ordinary persons and promiscuous company is ‘ahop’ and ‘a penny-hop’ from the price formerly paid for admission.1830.Lytton,Paul Clifford, iv. He gave them from time to time a very agreeablehop.1847.Thackeray,Mrs. Perkins’s Ball(Mr. Larkins). To describe this gentleman’s infatuation for dancing, let me say, in a word, that he will even frequent boarding-househops, rather than not go.1848.Ruxton,Life in the Far West, p. 189. The ‘temple’ was generally cleared for ahoptwo or three times during the week.1850.Smedley,Frank Fairleigh, p. 121. You’ll be at old Coleman’shopto-night, I suppose; so bye! bye! for the present.1852.Bristed,Upper Ten Thousand, p. 129. Two undress-balls—hopsthey were.1882.Daily Telegraph, 13 Nov., p. 5, c. 3. At all seasons there is an immense amount of dancing; and at Washington there are continual ‘hotelhops’ in the winter.1887.W. S. Gilbert,Patience, ii. Prefers suburbanhopsTo all your Monday Pops.1889.Lippincott, Oct., p. 447. Hang me if she isn’t always on the plain, or at ahop, with one of those twin kids![347]1892.Kipling,Barrack Room Ballads. ‘Gentlemen Rankers.’ To dance with blowzy housemaids at the regimentalhops.Hop-and-go-kick,subs. phr.(tailors’).—A lameter; aHop-and-go-one.Cf.,Dot-and-carry-one.To hop the wag,verb. phr.(common).—To play truant, orCharley-wag(q.v.).1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, iii., 207. They often persuaded meto hop the wag, that is play truant from school.To hop(orjump)over the broom(orbroomstick),verb. phr.(colloquial).—To live as husband and wife; tolive(orgo)tally(q.v.).1811.Poole,Hamlet Travestied, ii., 3.Jump o’er a broomstick, but don’t make a farce on The marriage ceremonies of the parson.1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, i., 336. There was always abroomstickwedding. Without that ceremony a couple weren’t looked on as man and wife.1860.Dickens,Great Expectations, xlviii., 227. This woman in Gerrard Street, here, had been married very young,over the broomstick(as we say), to a tramping man.c.18(79).Broadside Ballad, ‘David Dove that Fell in Love.’ ByL. M. Thornton. The girl that I had hoped to hear Pronounce my happy doom, sir, Had bolted with a carpenter, In facthopped o’er the broom, sir.To hop the twig,verb. phr.(common).—1. To leave; to run away;to skedaddle(q.v.). For synonyms,seeamputate.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.1789.Geo. Parker,Life’s Painter, p. 143.Hop the twig… means to depart suddenly.1830.Egan,Finish to Life in London, p. 217. I have lost my ticker; and all my toggery has been boned, I am nearly as naked as when I was born—and the cause—the lady bird—hashopped the twig.1884.Daily News, 31 Oct., p. 3, c. 1. They knocked the Liberals down as fast as they could until they got too numerous and strong, and then wehopped the twig.1888.All the Year Round, 9 June 543.To hop the twig… and the like, are more flippant than humorous.2. (common).—To die; to ‘kick thebucket’ (q.v.); topeg out(q.v.). AlsoTo hop off.English Synonyms.To be content; to cock up one’s toes; to croak; to cut (or let go) the painter; to cut one’s stick; to give in; to give up; to go to Davy Jones’ locker; to go off the hooks; to go under; to go up; to kick the bucket; kickeraboo (West Indian); to lay down one’s knife and fork; to lose the member of one’s mess; to mizzle; to pass in one’s checks; to peg out; to put on a wooden surtout; to be put to bed with a shovel; to slip one’s cable; to stick one’s spoon in the wall; to snuff it; to take an earth bath; to take a ground sweat.French Synonyms.—Passer l’arme à gauche(pop.: = to ground arms);casser sa pipe(= to break one’s pipe);dévisserordécoller son billard(= to break one’s cue);graisser ses bottes(= to grease one’s boots);avaler sa langue(= to swallow one’s tongue);avaler sa gaffe(= to lower one’s boat-hook);avaler sa cuillerorsa fourchette(= to swallow one’s spoon or one’s fork);avaler ses baguettes(military: = to swallow one’s drumsticks);n’avoir plus mal aux dents(= to get rid of the toothache:mal de dents, also = love);[348]poser sa chique(pop.: = to put down one’s quid);claquer(familiar: = to croak);saluer le public(theat.: = to go before the curtain);recevoir son décompte(military: = to get one’s quietus;décompte= also [military] a mortal wound);cracher son embouchure(= to spit one’s mouthpiece);déteindre(pop.: = to wash off one’s colour);donner son dernier bon à tirer(familiar: in American = to pass in one’s checks; properly = to send one’s last proof to press);lâcher la perche(pop.: = to hop the twig);éteindre son gaz(pop.: = to turn off one’s gas.Cf., to snuff it);épointer son foret(pop.: = to blunt one’s drill, as in boring);être exproprié(pop.: = to be dispossessed);exproprier(= to take possession of a debtor’s land);péter son lof(sailor’s);fumer ses terres;fermer son parapluie(pop.: = to close one’s umbrella);perdre son bâton(pop.: = to lose one’s walking stick);descendre la garde(pop.: = to come off guard);défiler la parade(military: = to face about);tortiller, ortourner de l’œil(pop.);perdre le goût du pain(pop.: = to lose one’s appetite);lâcher la rampe(theat.: = to chuck the footlights);faire ses petits paquets(pop.: = to pack up one’s traps);casser son crachoir(pop.: = to break one’s spittoon);remercier son boulanger(thieves’: = to thank the baker;boulanger= the Devil);canner;dévider à l’estorgue(thieves’);baiserorépouser la Camardeorcamarder(pop: = to hug, or go to church with, Mother Bones [Camarde= Death]);fuir(thieves’: = to flee or escape);casser son câble(pop.: = to slip one’s cable);casser son fouet(pop.: = to break one’s whip);faire sa crêvaison(pop.:crêver= to burst up);déralinguer(sailors’: = to loose from the bolt-rope);virer de bord(sailors’: = to tack about);déchirer son faux-col(pop.: = to break one’s collar);dégeler(= to thaw);couper sa mèche(coachman’s: = to cut off one’s lash);piquer sa plaqu(sailors’);mettre la table pour les asticots(pop.: = to lay the cloth for the worms);aller manger les pissenlits par la racine(pop.: = to go grubbing off dandelion roots);laisser fuir son tonneau(familiar);calancher(vagrants’);laisser ses bottes quelque part(familiar: = to leave one’s boots about);déchirer son habit(pop.: = to tear one’s coat);déchirer son tablier(pop.: = to tear one’s apron);souffler sa veilleuse(pop.: = to blow out one’s candle:cf., to snuff it);pousser le boum du cygne(pop.);avoir son coke(familiar: = to get one’s cargo);rendre sa secousse(pop.);rendre sa bûche(tailors’);rendre sa canne au ministre(military: = to resign one’s commission);rendre sa clef(gipsy: = to give in one’s key);rendre son livret(pop.: = to pass in one’s checks);passer au dixième régiment(military);s’ennuyer(pop.: = to be at death’s door);chasser les mouches(pop.: to go fly-catching);ingurgiter son bilan(popular);resserrer son linge(pop.);faire sa malle(pop.: = to pack one’s trunk);avaler le goujon(pop.);s’habiller de sapin(pop.: = to put on a wooden surtout);avoir son compte(pop.);battre de l’œil(thieves’);s’évanouir(pop.: to mizzle);machaber(pop.:machabre= the Dance of Death);glisser(pop.);s’en aller dans le pays des marmottes(pop.:marmotte= puppet);déménager(pop.: = to move house).[349]German Synonyms.—Krachen gehen;niftern;pegernorpeigern;schochernorverschochern(= to get black);verschwarzen.Italian Synonyms.Sbasire(= to faint);sbasire su le funi(= to faint on the rope).Spanish Synonyms.—Hacer bodoques(= to take an earth bath);liarlas(= also to run away);obispar;corvado(= bent, curved);cierto(= certain).1839.Dance,Alive and Merry, i., 1. Couldn’t you wait a bit till she’shopped off, and then you and I could marry, and be ladies and gentlemen?1841.Punch, I., 2, 2. Clare pines in secret—Hops the twigand goes to glory in white muslin.1842.Punch, vol. II., p. 20, c. 2. Yet henceforth—dash my wig! I’ll live with thee, with thee I’llhop the twig!1863.Fun, vol. IV., p. 188. The night when Cromwell died a storm tore up many of the trees [of St. James’s Park]—though what connexion there may be between the destruction of their branches and thehopping the twigof the Protector, we leave to our philosophical readers to decide.1870.Chambers’s Miscellany, No. 87, p. 26. That her disease was mortal, was past a doubt, and a month or two more or less could make no difference, provided shehopped off… before the year was expired.On the hop,adv. phr.(common).—1. Unawares; at the nick of time; inflagrante delicto. AlsoOn the h. o. p.1868.Broadside Ballad, ‘The Chickaleary Cove.’ For to catch meon the hop.… You must wake up very early in the morning.1870.London Figaro, 26 Aug. If to catch any of the more ordinary folkon the hopis to secure a laugh, what must it be to catch the Tycoon ‘on the—top?’1872.Daily Telegraph, 3 Sept. Goodbye, Johnny: before I leave you, One more kiss before I go. For to catch meon the hop.1892.Anstey,Model Music Hall, 32. I never saw a smarter hand at serving in a shop, For every likely customer she caughtupon the ’op.2. (common).—On the go; in motion; unresting.1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 22. A dealon the ’op.3. (colloquial).—SeeHip.Hopeful(orYoung Hopeful),subs.(colloquial).—A boy or young man; in sarcasm or contempt.1856.Bradley(‘Cuthbert Bede’),Tales of College Life, 24. He’ll be no end riled at seeing hishopefulplay truant in this fashion.Hop-(orHap-)Harlot,subs.(old).—A coarse coverlet;Cf.,Wrap-rascal.1807–8.Hollinshed,Chronicles of England, ch. 12. Covered only with a sheet, under coverlets made of dag-swain, orhop-harlots.Hopkins(Hoppy, orMr. Hopkins),subs.(old).—A lameter. For synonyms,seeDot-and-go-one Giles.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Don’t Hurry, Hopkins!phr.(American).—Ironical to persons slow to move or to meet an obligation.Hop-merchant(orHoppy),subs.(common).—A dancing master; acaper-merchant(q.v.). Also, a fiddler.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.1892.Sydney Watson,Wops the Waif, ch. iii., p. 4. Who-ay, Cully, here’sHoppywith therozin.[350]Hop-o-my-thumb,subs.(common).—A dwarf.1599.Nashe,Lenten Stuffe, inWks.v., 248. Though the greatnesse of the redde herring be not small (as small ahoppe-on-my-thumbeas hee seemeth).1603.Dekker, etc.,Patient Grissell, IV., ii., inWks.(Grosart) vi., 195.Bab.No; he shall not haue them [children]: knocke out his braines, and saue the littlehop-a-my-thombes.1748.Smollett,Rod. Random, ch. xi. You pitifulhop-o’-my-thumbcoxcomb.1764.O’Hara,Midas, i., 5. You Stump-o’-the-gutter, youHop-o’-my-thumb, A husband must for you from Lilliput come.1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Hop-o-my-Thumb. She was such ahop-o-my-thumbthat a pigeon, on sitting on her shoulder, might pick a pea out of her a—se.1821.Scott,Kenilworth, ch. xi. A mean-lookinghop-o’-my-thumbsort of person.1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends. ‘Account of a New Play.’ Ahop-o’-my-thumbof a Page.English Synonyms.—Go-by-the-ground; grub; grundy; Jack Sprat; little breeches; shrimp; stump-of-the-gutter; tom-tit.Seealso,Forty-foot.Hopper,subs.(colloquial).—The mouth. For synonyms,seePotato-trap.To go a hopper,verb. phr.(sporting).—To go quickly.Hopper-arsed(orHipped),adj.(old).—Large in the breech. Also (as in quot. 1529) snaggy-boned. Also assubs.d.1529.Dunbar,Poems, ‘Complaint to the King’ (1836, i., 144). Withhopper-hippisand hanches narrow.1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, ii., 1. Moreover, she is bow-legged,hopper-hipped, and, betwixt pomatum and Spanish red, has a complexion like a Holland cheese.1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hopper-arst, when the Breach sticks out.
1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., i., 204. So I may no more pogue thehoneof a Woman.
Honest,adj.(old).—1. Chaste.
1596.Ben Jonson,Every Man in his Humour, ii., 1. Why’t cannot be, where there is such resort, O wanton gallants, and young revellers, That any woman should behonestlong.
1599.Henry Porter,Two Angry Women of Abingdon(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, vii., 389). Is my fellow Dick in the dark with my mistress? I pray God they behonest, for there may be much knavery in the dark.
1600.Look About You, Sc. 28 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, vii., 476). What, lecher? No, she is anhonestwoman. Her husband is well known.
1602.Shakspeare,Othello, iii., 3. I do not think but Desdemona’shonest.
1614.Jonson,Bartholomew Fair, v., 3. Dehonestwoman’s life is a dull scurvy life, indeed.
1663.Killigrew,The Parson’s Wedding, iii., 2 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 454). There’s none buthonestwomen.
1663.Killigrew,The Parson’s Wedding, v., 4 (Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 525). Crooked, dirty-souled vermin, predestined for cuckolds, painted snails with houses on their backs, and horns as big as Dutch cows.… Can any woman behonestthat lets such hodmandods crawl o’er her virgin breast and belly?
1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, ii., 1. A man … may bring his bashful wench, and not have her put out of countenance by the impudenthonestwomen of the town.
1686–7.Aubrey,Gentilisme(1881), p. 163. The towne is full of wanton wenches, and … (they say) scarce threehonestwomen in the Town.
1693.Congreve,Old Bachelor, iii., 10.Silvia.I’m not such a fool neither, but I can keep myselfhonest.
1695.Congreve,Love for Love, iii., 14.Mrs. Fore.Do you think any womanhonest?Scan.Yes, several very honest; they’ll cheat a little at cards sometimes; but that’s nothing.Mrs. Fore.Pshaw! but virtuous, I mean.
2. (common).—Not positively illegal: ashonest pennyorshilling= money earned by means immoral (as by prostitution)but within the law. Also,To turn an honest penny= to make a profitable deal.
1677.Wycherley,Plain Dealer, iii., 1. You must call usury and extortion God’s blessing, or thehonest turning of the penny.
1886.J. S. Winter,Army Society, ch. xxi. There was a chance ofturning an honest pennyin hiring them out for the donkey-race.
To make an honest woman,verb. phr.(colloquial).—To marry a mistress.
1629.Earle,Microcosmographie(5th ed.). ‘A Serving Man.’ The best work he does is his marrying, for hemakes an honest woman, and if he follows in it his master’s direction, it is commonly the best service he does him.
1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, v., 6.Dap.Why she was my wench.Gripe.I’llmake her honestthen.[338]
1750.Fielding,Tom Jones, bk. XV., ch. viii. Mr. Nightingale, and his love, stepped into a hackney-coach, which conveyed him to Doctors’ Commons, where Miss Nancy was, in vulgar language, soonmade an honest woman.
1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1825.Scott,St. Ronan’s Well, ch. xxv. My right honourable father nourished some thoughts ofmaking an honest womanof Marie deMartigny, and a legitimate elder brother of Francis.
1827.Egan,Anecdotes of the Turf, p. 182. She had now only to play her cards well, she was sure of winning the game, also of becoming anhonest woman.
As honest a man as when kings are out,phr.(old).—Knavish.
Honest as the skin between the brows(orHorns),phr.(old).—As honest as may be.
1551.W. Still,Gammer Gurton’s Needle, (O.P.), ii., 67. I am as true, I wold thou knew,as skin betwene thy brows.
1599.Jonson,Every Man out of his Humour, ii., 2.Punt.Is he magnanimous?Gent.As the skin between your brows, sir.
1600.Shakspeare,Much Ado, iii., 5. An old man, sir, and his wits are not so blunt, as, God help, I would desire they were, but in faith,honest, as the skin between his brows.
1614.Jonson,Bartholomew Fair, iv., 5. It shall be justified to thy husband’s faish, now: tou shalt be ashonesht as the skin between his hornsh, la.
Honest Injun!phr.(American).—A pledge of sincerity;honour bright(q.v.).
1884.Clemens[Mark Twain],Huckleberry Finn. She says ‘Honest Injun, now hain’t you been telling me a lot of lies?’ ‘Honest Injun’ says I.
1892.Detroit Free Press, 12 Aug. I’ll agree not to feel hard about it.Honest Injun?
Honey,subs.(American).—1. A good fellow.
1888.Missouri Republican, 24 Feb. Dave is ahoney.
2. (rhyming slang).—Money. For synonyms,seeActualandGilt.
3. (old colloquial).—A term of endearment.
4. (venery).—Thesemen. AlsoWhite Honey(q.v.).Cf.,Hive.
Verb(American).—To cajole; to exchange endearments; to deceive by soft words or promises.
1596.Shakspeare,Hamlet, iii., 4. Stew’d in corruption;honeyingand making love Over the nasty sty.
1602.Marston,Antonio and Mellida, A. 4. Can’st thou nothoneyme with fluent speach, And even adore my toplesse villany?
1604.MarstonandWebster,Malcontent, O.P., iv., 66. O unpeerable! invention rare! Thou god of policy, ithoniesme.
1631.Chettle,Hoffman.Clo.A pretious villaine: a good villaine too. Well if he be no worse; that is doe worse, Andhoneyme in my death-stinging thoughts, I will preferre him.
1888.Tuskaloosa News.It is of no use tohoney; payments must be made at least once a year.
To sell honey for a half-penny,verb. phr.(old).—To rate at a vile price.
1592.Nashe,Pierce Penilesse[1842], p. 43. Thou that in thy dialoguessoldst hunnie for a halfe-penie, and the choysest writers extant for cues a peece.
Honey-blobs,subs.(Scots’).—Large, ripe, yellow gooseberries.
1746.Walpole,Letters, i., 144. As he returned to the Tower, he stopped the coach at Charing Cross to buyhoney-blobs, as the Scotch call gooseberries.
Honeycomb,subs.(old).—A sweetheart; a general term of endearment.[339]
1552.Huloet,Abcedarium, s.v.Darlynge, a wanton terme used in veneriall speach, as be these:honycombe, pyggisnye, swetehert, true love.
Honey-fogle(orfugle),verb.(American).—To cheat; to swindle; to humbug. For synonyms,seeGammon.
1888.Missouri Republican, 20 Jan. Noonan’s companion objected to thishoney-fuglingby knocking the demonstrative stranger down.
Honey-pot,subs.(old).—The femalepudendum. For synonyms,seeMonosyllable.
1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., iii., 342. For when you have possession got, Of Venus’ Mark, orhony-pot.
Honour Bright!intj.(common).—Upon my honour.
1819.Moore,Tom Crib, p. 36. At morning meet, and,—honour bright,—Agree to share the blunt and tatters!
1843.Selby,Antony and Cleopatra Married.Cle.Will you love me as dearly as ever?Ant.Dearer, dear Chloe, dearer!Cle.Honour?Ant.Brightandshining.
1869.F. Hall, Marginal reading toLyndsay’sSatire of Three Estates[E.E. Text Soc.], p. 382. She is more than a match for twenty-four a night,honour bright.
1878.Hatton,Cruel London, bk. VIII, ch. ii.Honour bright, no kid, as we say in London.
1881.W. Black,Beautiful Wretch, ch. xix. ‘I do not mean to marry Mr. Jacomb, if that is what you mean.’ ‘No?Honour bright?’ ‘I shall not marry Mr. Jacomb.’
1892.Cassell’s Sat. Jour., 28 Sep., p. 29., c. 3. ‘Come, come, Mr. Smith, you’re drawing the long bow!’ ‘Honour bright, I’m not.’
1892.N. Gould,Double Event, p. 158. ‘She did,honour bright,’ said Smirk.
Hood.two faces under one hood(orHat),phr.(old).—Double-dealing.
1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hood.
1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.Hood.May the man be d——d and never grow fat, Who carriestwo faces under one hat.
To put a bone in one’s hood,verb. phr.(obsolete).—To cuckold.
1560.Nice Wanton(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, ii., 169). I could tell you who puttetha bone in your hood.Ibid.(p. 170), Then by the rood,a bone in your hood, I shall put you ere long.
Hoodlum,subs.(American).—A boy rough. Also, a rough of either sex. Also (political), a low-class voter. Originally Californian.Cf.,Arab.
1872.Sacramento Weekly Union, 24 Feb., p. 2. All the boys to be trained as scriveners, tape-measurers, counter-hoppers, clerks, pettifoggers, polite loafers, street-hounds,hoodlums, and bummers.
1877.Los Angeles Express, 25 Aug. A gang of boys … associated for the purpose of stealing.… Their words of warning were ‘Huddle ’em, Huddle ’em.’ … soon contracted intohoodlum.
1877.Boston Journal, Aug. You at the East have but little idea of thehoodlumsof this city. They compose a class of criminals of both sexes, far more dangerous than are to be found in the Eastern cities. They travel in gangs, and are ready at any moment for the perpetration of any crime.
1877.Congregationalist, 26 Sep. A newspaper man attempting to coin a word to designate a gang of young street Arabs under the beck of one named ‘Muldoon,’ hit uponnoodlums, simply reversing the leader’s name.… The compositor, taking thenfor anh, printed ithoodlum.
1877.Morning Call, 27 Oct. The rowdy element in the city … who were soon after designated ashoodlums.
1885.G. A. Sala, inDaily Telegraph, 12 Aug., p. 5, c. 5. In order to guard against the contingency of the whitehoodlums, or roughs, coming down in force from the American quarter of the city [San Francisco], and ‘going for’ the Celestials.[340]
1888.Missouri Republican, 31 Mar. It is conceded by all that thehoodlumshave nominated weak men, and the citizens will have easy sailing on Tuesday.
1890.Norton,Political Americanisms, s.v.hoodlums, A general name for roughs. It originated on the Pacific coast, as the designation of a company of young ruffians in San Francisco (about 1868). Subsequently it spread Eastward, and attained some political significance; as ‘thehoodlumelement’ in politics.
1892.Pall Mall Gaz., 29 Feb., p. 2, c. 2. A right of public meeting dependent on the good will of thehoodlumis not worth having.
1893.National Observer, 4 Mar., ix., 398. In America, home of theHoodlum, where they turn their murderers into mayors.
Hoodman,subs.(old).—A blind man; agroper(q.v.).
Adj.(old).—1. Blind. AlsoHoodman Blind= blind drunk;cf., sense 2. Fr.,berluandsans mirettes.
2. (streets).—Drunk. For synonyms,seeDrinksandScrewed.
Hoof,subs.(common).—A foot. For synonyms,seeCreepers.
1836.M. Scott,Cruise of the Midge, p. 134. Contriving in their complex twirlifications not only to tread heavily on my toes with his ownhoofs, but to hop his partner repeatedly over the same unfortunate members.
1838.Grant,Sketches in London, p. 213. He again put both his uglyhoofson it.
1867.Browne(‘Artemus Ward’),Among the Mormons[People’s ed.], p. 193. Waving their lily-whitehoofsin the dazzling waltz.
1892.Sydney Watson,Wops the Waif, ch. iv., p. 5. Teddy, look out, yer’ve got yerhoofon my trotters!
Verb(common).—To kick;e.g.,to hoof(ortoe)one’s bum; toroot(q.v.for synonyms). Hence tohoof out= to eject; to dismiss; to discharge; to decline to see.
To hoof it, (orto padorbeat the hoof),verb. phr.(common).—To walk; to ‘tramp it’; to run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle. HenceHoof-padding.
1596.Shakspeare,Merry Wives, i., 3. Rogues, hence, avaunt, vanish like hailstones, go: Trudge, plod,away o’ the hoof.
d.1687.Cotton,Poems, ‘Epistles’ (ChalmersEnglish Poets), vi., 736. Being then on foot away I go Andbang the hoofincognito.
1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hoof itorbeat it on the hoof, to walk on Foot.
1691–2.Wood,Athenæ Oxonienses, ii., 560. Landing at Liverpool, in Lancashire, they allbeated it on the hoofthence to London.
1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1772.Cumberland,Fashionable Lover. Prologue. I am a devil, so please you, and musthoofUp to the poet yonder with this proof.
1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Hoof.To beat the hoof, to travel on foot; hehoofed it, orbeat the hoof, every step of the way from Chester to London.
1813. J. andH. Smith,Horace in London, ‘Hurly-Burly,’ p. 24. When hostile squadronsbeat the hoof.
1837.Dickens,Oliver Twist, ch. ix. Charley Bates expressed his opinion that it was timeto pad the hoof.
1885.Detroit Free Press, 5 Sept., p. 1, c. 1. These busted theatrical people who arehoofing itback to Detroit. They come along at all hours of the day and night.
1888.Lynch,Mountain Mystery, ch. xviii. I s’posed he was tired out, and had got over watchin’ for tricks. So Ihoofed itin.
1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 70. Scenery’s all very proper, but where is the genuine pot who’dpad the ’oofover the moors.[341]
To see one’s hoof in(a thing),verb. phr.(common).—To detect personal influence or interference in a matter.
1863.Thackeray,Roundabout Papers, ‘On Screens in Dining Rooms’ (1887, p. 58). I am informed by the same New York correspondent that … I once said to a literary gentleman, who was possibly pointing to an anonymous article as his writing, ‘Ah! I thought Irecognised your hoof in it.’
Hoof-padder,subs.(common).—A pedestrian.
Hoofy,adj.(common).—Splay (or large).
Hook,subs.(thieves’).—1. A finger. (Cf.,Cunt-hooks). For synonyms,seeFork. Inplural= the hands. Also,HooksandFeelers.
d.1842.Maginn,Vidocq Versified. To his clies myhooksI throw in.
1877.Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. iv., p. 259. I one day asked a man … if the hard work of prison did not spoil his hands for delicate manipulations. ‘Oh, bless you, no!’ he replied;‘… In a week or two a man can bring hishooksand feelers into full working trim again and no mistake.’
2. (thieves’).—A thief. Specifically, a pickpocket; ahooker(q.v.). For synonyms,seeThieves.
1562.Jacke Juggler(Dodsley,Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, ii., 139). So, yonder cometh that unhappyhook.
1887.Horsley,Jottings from Jail. Take my tip and turn square, from ahookwho is going to be lagged, would be, in common parlance, take my advice and get your living honestly.
1892.Anstey,Voces Populi(2nd Series). ‘In Trafalgar Square.’ A professionalhook.
3. (common).—A catch; an advantage; an imposture.
Verb(old).—1. To rob; to steal. Specifically, to steal watches, rings, etc., from a shop by cutting a small hole in the window, and fishing for such articles with a piece of string with a hook at the end.
1615.Albumazar, iii., 3. Is not this braver than sneak all night in danger, Picking of locks, orhookingcloths at windows.
b.1796.Burns,Jolly Beggars. For mony a pursie she hadhookit.
1876.Clemens[Mark Twain],Tom Sawyer, p. 34. And while Aunt Polly closed with a happy Scriptural flourish, Tomhookeda doughnut.
1884.M. Twain,Huck. Finn, xxx., 312. Didn’t you have it in your mind tohookthe money and hide it?
2. (colloquial).—To secure, as for marriage; to marry.
1886.J. S. Winter,Army Society, ch. xviii. I wonder if Mrs. Traff has contrived tohookhim for her sweet Laura.
1892.Manville Fenn,New Mistress, ch. xxv. Have you I will—there now. Don’t you think you’re going tohookLambent.
Intj.(Oxford Univ.).—An expression implying doubt. [Query from the note of interrogation (?) or connected withHookey Walker(q.v.).]
On the hook,subs. phr.(common).—1. On the thieve;on the cross(q.v.).
2. (old).—On theHip(q.v.); at an advantage.
1694.Congreve,Double Dealer, iv., 18. Consider I have youon the hook; you will but flounder yourself a-weary, and be nevertheless my prisoner.
Hook and eye,subs. phr.(tailors’).—Arm in arm.
To take(orsling)one’s hook(orto hook it),verb. phr.(common).—To decamp; to run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle.[342]
1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, ii., 137. He slipped from her andhooked it.
1852.Dickens,Bleak House, ch. xlvi. ‘Hook it!Nobody wants you here,’ he ses. ‘You Hook it.You go and tramp,’ he ses.
1856.Bradley[Cuthbert Bede],Tales of College Life, p. 36.Hook it!old ’un,hook it!
1861.H. Kingsley,Ravenshoe, ch. xli. They all begins to get a bit noisy and want to fight, and so Ihooked it.
1891.Licensed Vict. Gaz., 16 Jan., p. 43, col. 3. If you lot don’thook it, I’ll stave in your blooming cocoa-nuts.
1891.Sportsman, 2 Apr., p. 2, col. 1. Plainly the worthy magistrate laid it down that a wife mayhook itwhen and how she pleases.
1892.Anstey,Model Music Hall, 129–30.Take your ’ookwhile you can. Even now the outraged populace approaches.
1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 58. I went jest for a lark, and wos quietlyslinging my ’ook.
1892.Kipling,Barrack-Room Ballads, ‘Loot.’ Before yousling your ’ook, at the ’ousetops take a look.
1892.Globe, 19 Oct., p. 3. Again from some neighbouring roof comes back the weird responsive cry,Hook it! hook it.
1892.Herbert Campbell,Broadside Ballad, ‘Then Up Comes I with My little Lot.’ And the houses shook and the coppertook his ’ook, and down come all the tiles.
To drop(go, orpop)off the hooks,verb. phr.(common).—1. To die. For synonyms,seeAloft.
1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends, ‘Black Mousquetaire.’ I fear by his looks, Our friend, Francis Xavier, haspopp’d off the hooks!
1842.Punch’s Almanack, Dec. 15. Death wandered by the sea And struck by Walton’s looks Broke Isaac’s line of life Andtook him off the hooks.
1872.M. E. Braddon,Dead Sea Fruit, ch.iv. ‘S’pose the odds are against Jerninghamgoing off the hooksbetween this and the first spring-meeting, so as to give a party a chance with Mrs. J. herself,’ speculates young Belgravia, dreamily.
1880.Greenwood,Odd People in Odd Places, p. 37. I thought, to be sure, I wasgoing off the hooks, and it was no use talking about it.
1890.Grant Allen,Tents of Shem, ch. xii. The old man haspopped off the hooksthis afternoon at Aix.
2. (colloquial).—To get married.
1876.M. E. Braddon,Joshua Haggard, ch. x. Some of the young chaps will be wanting her to get married. These here pretty onesgo off the hooksso soon.
To hook on to,verb. phr.(colloquial).—To attach oneself to;to buttonhole(q.v.); to follow up.
1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 4. It’s nuts to’ook on toa swell.
On one’s own hook,adv. phr.(colloquial).—On one’s own account, risk, or responsibility; for one’s own sake; dependent on one’s own resources or exertions.
1847.Robb,Squatter Life, p. 23. The signal was given, and in poured the subscribers to the dinner, with their guest, and in poured Johnon his own hook.
1849.Thackeray,Pendennis, ch. lxix. Do we come out as Liberal Conservative, or as Government man, oron our own hook?
1861.Whyte Melville,Good for Nothing, ch. xxvii. I workedon my own hook, after that, and I rather think I paid my expenses.
1869.Greenwood,Seven Curses of London, p. 409. To stealon your own hookas a bookmaker.
1889.Answers, p. 52, c. 3. Finally Edison went to workon his own hook.
1893.Emerson,Signor Lippo, ch. viii. We used to have to part company and go in twos and threes thenon our own hook.[343]
By hook or by crook,phr.(colloquial).—By some means or other; by fair means or foul; atallhazards. [Probably of forestal origin.]
d.1298.Thomas the Rhymer,On Parliaments. Their work wasby hook or crookto rap and bring all under the emperor’s power.
1525.Bodmin Register.Dynmure Wood was ever open and common to the … inhabitants of Bodmin … to bear away upon their backs a burden of lop, crop,hook,crook, and bag wood.
d.1529.Skelton,Collyn Cloute. Nor wyll suffer this bokeBy hooke ne by crookePrynted for to be.
1550.Bacon,Fortress of the Faithful. Whatsoever is pleasant or profitable must be theirsby hook or by crook.
1557.Tusser,Good Husbandrie, 30 Mar. Watch therefore in Lent, to thy sheepe go and look, For dogs will have vittelsby hooke and by crooke.
1566.Archbp. Parker,Correspondence(Parker Soc.), p. 252. To win him in time,by hook or crook.
1596.Spenser,Faery Queen, v., 2, 27. The spoyle of people’s euill gotten good, The which her sire had scraptby hooke and crooke.
1598.Florio,Worlde of Wordes, s.v.Barocco, a shift made for good cheere, meate and drinke gottenby hooke or crooke.
1621.Burton,Anatomy of Melancholy, xi., 186 (1836).By hook and by crookhe will obtain it.
1629.Fonseca[Eng. by J. M.].Devout Contemplations.Bee itby hooke or by crooke, by right or wrong.
1678.Butler,Hudibras, iii., 1. Which heby hook,or crook, had gather’d.
1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. By Hedge or By Style,by Hook or by Crook.
1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1781.Cowper,Letter to Newton, 12 July. Andby hook or crook, with another book, If I live and am here, another year.
1820.Reynolds[Peter Corcoran].The Fancy.Father, ere our purpose cool, Get downby hook or crookto Liverpool.
1824.HitchingsandDrewe,Hist. Cornwall, ii., 214. The prior’s cross, on which is cut the figure of a hook and a crook, in memory of the privilege granted … to the poor … for gathering such boughs and branches of such trees … as they could reach with a hook or by a crook … whence … they will have it byhook and by crook.
1836.Michael Scott,Cruise of the Midge, p. 363. We must be mannedby hook or crook, you know, however unwilling to distress running ships.
1868.ReadeandBoucicault,Foul Play, p. 54. Several fellow-creatures have cheated me. Well, I must get as much back,by hook or by crook, from several fellow-creatures.
1883.W. Black,Yolande, ch. xlix. I should get you a ticketby hook or by crook, if I failed at the ballot; I heard that one was sold for £40 the last time.
1888.Rider Haggard, ‘Mrs. Meeson’s Will’ [inIllustrated News, Summer Number, p. 5, c. 1]. Somehow or other, it would go hard if, with the help of the one hundred a year that he had of his own, he did not manage, with his education, to get a livingby hook or by crook.
With a hook at the end,phr.(common).—A reservation of assent;over the left(q.v.);in a horn(q.v.).Cf.,hook,intj.: andHookey Walker.
1823.Bee,Dict. of the Turf, s.v.Hookey Walker—andwith a hook, usually accompanied by a significant upliftment of the hand and crooking of the forefinger, implying that what is said is a lie, or is to be taken contrary-wise.
1843.Moncrieff,Scamps of London, i., 1.Bob.Will you have some gin?Fogg.Gin—Yes!Bob(turning away). Ha—ha!—With a hook… I wish you may get it.
1870.Traill,Saturday Songs, p. 22. It’s go and go over the left, It’s gowith a hook at the end.
Off the hooks,phr.(old).—Out of temper; vexed; disturbed; out of sorts. Fr.,sortir de ses gonds= off thehinges(q.v.). For synonyms,seeNab the rust.[344]
1639–61.Rump Songs.‘Bum-fodder.’ That’s a thing would please the Butchers and Cooks, To see this stinking Rump quiteoff the hooks.
1665.Pepys,Diary, 26 May. In the evening by water to the Duke of Albemarle, whom I found mightilyoff the hooks, that the ships are not gone out of the River; which vexed me to see.
1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hooks.Off the hooks, in an ill Mood, or out of Humour.
d.1704.L’Estrange[quoted inEncy. Dict.]. Easily putoff the hooks, and monstrous hard to be pleased again.
1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., iii., 22. Another that’s in the Blacksmith’s Books, And only to him for remedy looks, Is when a Man is quiteoff the hooks.
1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1825.Scott,St. Ronan’s Well, ch. xxx. Everybody that has meddled in this St. Ronan’s business is a littleoff the hooks—… in plain words, a little crazy.
Hook and Snivey(orHookum Snivey),subs. phr.(old).—1. An imposture; specifically, the getting of food on false pretences.
1781.G. Parker,View of Society, ii., 79. ‘Hook and Snivey, with Nix the Buffer’ [Title].
1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.Hook and Snivey with Nix the Buffer.This rig consists in feeding a man and a dog for nothing.… Three men, one of whom pretends to be sick and unable to eat, go to a public house; the two well men make a bargain with the landlord for their dinner, and when he is out of sight feed their pretended sick companion and dog gratis.
1823.Bee,Dict. Turf. s.v.Hook and Snivvy—practised by soldiers in quarters when they obtain grub fornix.
1835 inComic Almanack1835–43 (Hotten), p. 17,Zoological Society atHookem Snivey. A new animal has been transmitted from No-Man’s Land, which has been named the Flat-Catcher.
2. (old).—An impostor as described in sense 1.
3. (streets).—A contemptuous or sarcastic affirmation, accompanied by the gesture oftaking a sight(q.v.) orplaying hookey(q.v.).
4. (thieves’).—A crook of thick iron wire in a wooden handle, used to undo the wooden bolts of doors from without.
1801.Edgeworth,Irish Bulls, With that I ranges ’em fair and even on myhook ’em snivey, up they goes.
Hooked,adj.(old).—Seequot.
1690. B.E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hookt, over-reached, Snapt, Trickt.
1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Hooker,subs.(Old Cant).—1. A thief; anangler(q.v.). Also, (modern) a watch-stealer; adip(q.v.).Cf., quots. 1567 and 1888.
1567.Harman,Caveat, p. 35. Thesehokers, or Angglers, be peryllous and most wicked knaues, … they customably carry with them a staffe of v. or vi. foote long, in which, within one ynch ofthe tope thereof, ys a lytle hole bored through, [leaf 9] in which hole they putte an yron hoke, and with the same they wyll pluck vnto them quickly any thingthatthey may reche ther with.
1610.Rowlands,Martin Mark-all, p. 8 (H. Club’s Rept., 1874). They are sure to be clyd in the night by the angler, orhooker, or such like pilferers that liue upon the spoyle of other poore people.
d.1626.John Davies,Scourge of Folly, p. 34. [Wks., Ed. Grosart]. A false knaue needs no brokers, but a broker Needs a false knaue (a hangman or ahooker).
1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hookers, the third Rank of Canters; also Sharpers.
1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1834.H. Ainsworth,Rookwood, bk. III., ch. v. No strange Abram, ruffler crack,hookerof another pack.
1888.Tit Bits, 17 Nov., p. 82, col. 2. There are usually three men in a gang; thehookerhaving got into conversation with his man, number two ‘covers’ his movements, whilst number three (on the opposite side of the[345]street) keeps a look-out for the ‘enemy.’ Thehooker, having by careful manipulation got a hold of the desired prize, detaches it from the chain by breaking the ring and passes it to number two, who in turn passes it on to number three, from whom it is usually transferred to a receiver and melted down within a few hours of its being purloined.
2. (American).—A prostitute:i.e., a fisher, angler, orHookerof men. For synonyms,seeBarrack HackandTart.
Hookey.To play hookey,verb. phr.(American).—To play truant; to doCharley-wag(q.v.).
1876.Clemens[Mark Twain],Tom Sawyer, p. 100. Took his flogging … forplaying hookeythe day before.
To do(orplay)hookey(orhooky),verb. phr.(common).—To apply the thumb and fingers to the nose;to take a sight(q.v.);to coffee-mill(q.v.).
Hookey Walker!(orWalker!)intj.(common).—Be off! go away. Also implying doubt.Cf.,with a hook. [Bee: From John Walker, a hook-nosed spy, whose reports were proved to be fabrications.]
1811.Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.Hookey Walker, An expression signifying that the story is not true, or thatthething will not occur.
1843.Dickens,Christmas Carol[1843], p. 169. ‘Buy it,’ said Scrooge. ‘Walker!’ said the boy.
1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends. ‘Old Woman Clothed in Grey.’ For mere unmeaning talk her Parch’d lips babbled now,—such asHookey!—andWalker!—She expired, with her last breath expressing a doubt If ‘his Mother were fully aware he was out?’
1840. ‘Characters of Freshmen’ (Whibley,Cap and Gown, p. 183). The pestilent freshman … is very pugnacious, and walking in the streets suddenly turneth and asketh a huge snob ‘what the deuce he meant by that?’ Whereat the snob (having done nothing at all) coolly answereth (as the Pestilent Freshman intended he should)Hooky Walker, provocative of a combat.
Hooking-cow,subs.(Western American).—A cow that shows fight.
1887.Francis,Saddle and Mocassin. One … was … ahooking-cow, and to escape her repeated charges tested all our ability.
Hook-pointed(orHook-pintled),adj.(venery).—Imperfectly erected.Cf.,Lob(q.v.).
Hook-pole Lay,subs. phr.(old).—Pulling a man off his horse by means of iron hooks at the end of a long pole, and plundering him. (Smith,Lives of Highwaymen, III., 192, 1720).
Hook-shop,subs.(American).—A brothel. [Hooker(q.v.) = prostitute.] For synonyms,seeNanny-shop.
Hoop,subs.(American).—1. A ring.
2. (Devon).—SeeBullfinch.
3. (venery).—The femalepudendum. For synonyms,seeMonosyllable.
Verb(old).—To beat.To well hoop one’s barrel= to thrash soundly. For synonyms,seeTan.
1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
To hoop it(orgo through the hoop),verb. phr.(old).—1. To pass the Insolvent Debtor’s Court;to get hooped up=whitewashed(q.v.). For synonyms,seeDead-broke.[346]
2. (old).—To run away. For synonyms,seeAmputateandSkedaddle.
1839.Brandon,Poverty, Mendicity, and Crime, 116. I have heard them tell … boys … who havehooped itfrom home that they had better go back whilst they had a home to go to.
Hooper’s Hide,subs. phr.(old venery).—Copulation. For synonyms,seeGreens.
1719.Durfey,Pills, etc., i., 278. The while that his wife with Willy Was playing atHooper’s Hide.
Hoop-stick,subs.(common).—The arm. For synonyms,seeChalk Farm.
Hoosier,subs.(American).—A native of Indiana. [Perhaps the most reasonable of several ingenious explanations is, that in the early days the customary challenge or greeting in that region was, ‘Who’s yer?’ (who’s here?): pronounced hoosier.—Norton.]
1843.D. Corcoran,A Genuine Hoosier. An original character is your genuineHoosier. By genuine, we mean such a one as has all the attributes that peculiarly belong to the back-woodsmen of the West.
1847.Darley,Drama in Pokerville, p. 197. None of them ‘cotton’d’ to him more kindly than an elderlyhoosierfrom the innermost depths of Indiana.
1848.Durivage,Stray Subjects, p. 79. There is a swarm of ‘suckers,’ ‘hoosiers,’ ‘buckeyes,’ ‘corn-crackers,’ and ‘wolverines’ eternally on thequi vivein those parts.
Hooter,subs.(American).—1.A steam-whistle; anAmerican devil(q.v.).
2. (colloquial).—A wooden trumpet, so contrived as to make a horrible noise.
3. (American).—A corruption of ‘iota’:e.g., ‘I don’t care ahooterfor him.’
Hooting-pudding,subs.(provincial).—A plum-pudding with such a paucity of plums that you can hear them hooting after each other.—Slang, Jargon, and Cant.
Hop,subs.(common).—A dance. [Generally informal, as aCinderella(q.v.).] Also, as in quot. 1579, the motions of dancing. For synonyms,seeSkip.
1579.Gosson,Schoole of Abuse, p. 33 (Arber’s Ed.). He gaue Dauncers great stipends for selling theirhopps.
1811.Jane Austen,Sense and S., ch. ix. At a littlehopat the park, he danced from eight o clock till four.
1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.Hop—a contra-dance of ordinary persons and promiscuous company is ‘ahop’ and ‘a penny-hop’ from the price formerly paid for admission.
1830.Lytton,Paul Clifford, iv. He gave them from time to time a very agreeablehop.
1847.Thackeray,Mrs. Perkins’s Ball(Mr. Larkins). To describe this gentleman’s infatuation for dancing, let me say, in a word, that he will even frequent boarding-househops, rather than not go.
1848.Ruxton,Life in the Far West, p. 189. The ‘temple’ was generally cleared for ahoptwo or three times during the week.
1850.Smedley,Frank Fairleigh, p. 121. You’ll be at old Coleman’shopto-night, I suppose; so bye! bye! for the present.
1852.Bristed,Upper Ten Thousand, p. 129. Two undress-balls—hopsthey were.
1882.Daily Telegraph, 13 Nov., p. 5, c. 3. At all seasons there is an immense amount of dancing; and at Washington there are continual ‘hotelhops’ in the winter.
1887.W. S. Gilbert,Patience, ii. Prefers suburbanhopsTo all your Monday Pops.
1889.Lippincott, Oct., p. 447. Hang me if she isn’t always on the plain, or at ahop, with one of those twin kids![347]
1892.Kipling,Barrack Room Ballads. ‘Gentlemen Rankers.’ To dance with blowzy housemaids at the regimentalhops.
Hop-and-go-kick,subs. phr.(tailors’).—A lameter; aHop-and-go-one.Cf.,Dot-and-carry-one.
To hop the wag,verb. phr.(common).—To play truant, orCharley-wag(q.v.).
1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, iii., 207. They often persuaded meto hop the wag, that is play truant from school.
To hop(orjump)over the broom(orbroomstick),verb. phr.(colloquial).—To live as husband and wife; tolive(orgo)tally(q.v.).
1811.Poole,Hamlet Travestied, ii., 3.Jump o’er a broomstick, but don’t make a farce on The marriage ceremonies of the parson.
1851–61.Mayhew,Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, i., 336. There was always abroomstickwedding. Without that ceremony a couple weren’t looked on as man and wife.
1860.Dickens,Great Expectations, xlviii., 227. This woman in Gerrard Street, here, had been married very young,over the broomstick(as we say), to a tramping man.
c.18(79).Broadside Ballad, ‘David Dove that Fell in Love.’ ByL. M. Thornton. The girl that I had hoped to hear Pronounce my happy doom, sir, Had bolted with a carpenter, In facthopped o’er the broom, sir.
To hop the twig,verb. phr.(common).—1. To leave; to run away;to skedaddle(q.v.). For synonyms,seeamputate.
1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1789.Geo. Parker,Life’s Painter, p. 143.Hop the twig… means to depart suddenly.
1830.Egan,Finish to Life in London, p. 217. I have lost my ticker; and all my toggery has been boned, I am nearly as naked as when I was born—and the cause—the lady bird—hashopped the twig.
1884.Daily News, 31 Oct., p. 3, c. 1. They knocked the Liberals down as fast as they could until they got too numerous and strong, and then wehopped the twig.
1888.All the Year Round, 9 June 543.To hop the twig… and the like, are more flippant than humorous.
2. (common).—To die; to ‘kick thebucket’ (q.v.); topeg out(q.v.). AlsoTo hop off.
English Synonyms.To be content; to cock up one’s toes; to croak; to cut (or let go) the painter; to cut one’s stick; to give in; to give up; to go to Davy Jones’ locker; to go off the hooks; to go under; to go up; to kick the bucket; kickeraboo (West Indian); to lay down one’s knife and fork; to lose the member of one’s mess; to mizzle; to pass in one’s checks; to peg out; to put on a wooden surtout; to be put to bed with a shovel; to slip one’s cable; to stick one’s spoon in the wall; to snuff it; to take an earth bath; to take a ground sweat.
French Synonyms.—Passer l’arme à gauche(pop.: = to ground arms);casser sa pipe(= to break one’s pipe);dévisserordécoller son billard(= to break one’s cue);graisser ses bottes(= to grease one’s boots);avaler sa langue(= to swallow one’s tongue);avaler sa gaffe(= to lower one’s boat-hook);avaler sa cuillerorsa fourchette(= to swallow one’s spoon or one’s fork);avaler ses baguettes(military: = to swallow one’s drumsticks);n’avoir plus mal aux dents(= to get rid of the toothache:mal de dents, also = love);[348]poser sa chique(pop.: = to put down one’s quid);claquer(familiar: = to croak);saluer le public(theat.: = to go before the curtain);recevoir son décompte(military: = to get one’s quietus;décompte= also [military] a mortal wound);cracher son embouchure(= to spit one’s mouthpiece);déteindre(pop.: = to wash off one’s colour);donner son dernier bon à tirer(familiar: in American = to pass in one’s checks; properly = to send one’s last proof to press);lâcher la perche(pop.: = to hop the twig);éteindre son gaz(pop.: = to turn off one’s gas.Cf., to snuff it);épointer son foret(pop.: = to blunt one’s drill, as in boring);être exproprié(pop.: = to be dispossessed);exproprier(= to take possession of a debtor’s land);péter son lof(sailor’s);fumer ses terres;fermer son parapluie(pop.: = to close one’s umbrella);perdre son bâton(pop.: = to lose one’s walking stick);descendre la garde(pop.: = to come off guard);défiler la parade(military: = to face about);tortiller, ortourner de l’œil(pop.);perdre le goût du pain(pop.: = to lose one’s appetite);lâcher la rampe(theat.: = to chuck the footlights);faire ses petits paquets(pop.: = to pack up one’s traps);casser son crachoir(pop.: = to break one’s spittoon);remercier son boulanger(thieves’: = to thank the baker;boulanger= the Devil);canner;dévider à l’estorgue(thieves’);baiserorépouser la Camardeorcamarder(pop: = to hug, or go to church with, Mother Bones [Camarde= Death]);fuir(thieves’: = to flee or escape);casser son câble(pop.: = to slip one’s cable);casser son fouet(pop.: = to break one’s whip);faire sa crêvaison(pop.:crêver= to burst up);déralinguer(sailors’: = to loose from the bolt-rope);virer de bord(sailors’: = to tack about);déchirer son faux-col(pop.: = to break one’s collar);dégeler(= to thaw);couper sa mèche(coachman’s: = to cut off one’s lash);piquer sa plaqu(sailors’);mettre la table pour les asticots(pop.: = to lay the cloth for the worms);aller manger les pissenlits par la racine(pop.: = to go grubbing off dandelion roots);laisser fuir son tonneau(familiar);calancher(vagrants’);laisser ses bottes quelque part(familiar: = to leave one’s boots about);déchirer son habit(pop.: = to tear one’s coat);déchirer son tablier(pop.: = to tear one’s apron);souffler sa veilleuse(pop.: = to blow out one’s candle:cf., to snuff it);pousser le boum du cygne(pop.);avoir son coke(familiar: = to get one’s cargo);rendre sa secousse(pop.);rendre sa bûche(tailors’);rendre sa canne au ministre(military: = to resign one’s commission);rendre sa clef(gipsy: = to give in one’s key);rendre son livret(pop.: = to pass in one’s checks);passer au dixième régiment(military);s’ennuyer(pop.: = to be at death’s door);chasser les mouches(pop.: to go fly-catching);ingurgiter son bilan(popular);resserrer son linge(pop.);faire sa malle(pop.: = to pack one’s trunk);avaler le goujon(pop.);s’habiller de sapin(pop.: = to put on a wooden surtout);avoir son compte(pop.);battre de l’œil(thieves’);s’évanouir(pop.: to mizzle);machaber(pop.:machabre= the Dance of Death);glisser(pop.);s’en aller dans le pays des marmottes(pop.:marmotte= puppet);déménager(pop.: = to move house).[349]
German Synonyms.—Krachen gehen;niftern;pegernorpeigern;schochernorverschochern(= to get black);verschwarzen.
Italian Synonyms.Sbasire(= to faint);sbasire su le funi(= to faint on the rope).
Spanish Synonyms.—Hacer bodoques(= to take an earth bath);liarlas(= also to run away);obispar;corvado(= bent, curved);cierto(= certain).
1839.Dance,Alive and Merry, i., 1. Couldn’t you wait a bit till she’shopped off, and then you and I could marry, and be ladies and gentlemen?
1841.Punch, I., 2, 2. Clare pines in secret—Hops the twigand goes to glory in white muslin.
1842.Punch, vol. II., p. 20, c. 2. Yet henceforth—dash my wig! I’ll live with thee, with thee I’llhop the twig!
1863.Fun, vol. IV., p. 188. The night when Cromwell died a storm tore up many of the trees [of St. James’s Park]—though what connexion there may be between the destruction of their branches and thehopping the twigof the Protector, we leave to our philosophical readers to decide.
1870.Chambers’s Miscellany, No. 87, p. 26. That her disease was mortal, was past a doubt, and a month or two more or less could make no difference, provided shehopped off… before the year was expired.
On the hop,adv. phr.(common).—1. Unawares; at the nick of time; inflagrante delicto. AlsoOn the h. o. p.
1868.Broadside Ballad, ‘The Chickaleary Cove.’ For to catch meon the hop.… You must wake up very early in the morning.
1870.London Figaro, 26 Aug. If to catch any of the more ordinary folkon the hopis to secure a laugh, what must it be to catch the Tycoon ‘on the—top?’
1872.Daily Telegraph, 3 Sept. Goodbye, Johnny: before I leave you, One more kiss before I go. For to catch meon the hop.
1892.Anstey,Model Music Hall, 32. I never saw a smarter hand at serving in a shop, For every likely customer she caughtupon the ’op.
2. (common).—On the go; in motion; unresting.
1892.Milliken,’Arry Ballads, p. 22. A dealon the ’op.
3. (colloquial).—SeeHip.
Hopeful(orYoung Hopeful),subs.(colloquial).—A boy or young man; in sarcasm or contempt.
1856.Bradley(‘Cuthbert Bede’),Tales of College Life, 24. He’ll be no end riled at seeing hishopefulplay truant in this fashion.
Hop-(orHap-)Harlot,subs.(old).—A coarse coverlet;Cf.,Wrap-rascal.
1807–8.Hollinshed,Chronicles of England, ch. 12. Covered only with a sheet, under coverlets made of dag-swain, orhop-harlots.
Hopkins(Hoppy, orMr. Hopkins),subs.(old).—A lameter. For synonyms,seeDot-and-go-one Giles.
1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Don’t Hurry, Hopkins!phr.(American).—Ironical to persons slow to move or to meet an obligation.
Hop-merchant(orHoppy),subs.(common).—A dancing master; acaper-merchant(q.v.). Also, a fiddler.
1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1725.New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1823.Bee,Dict. Turf, s.v.
1892.Sydney Watson,Wops the Waif, ch. iii., p. 4. Who-ay, Cully, here’sHoppywith therozin.[350]
Hop-o-my-thumb,subs.(common).—A dwarf.
1599.Nashe,Lenten Stuffe, inWks.v., 248. Though the greatnesse of the redde herring be not small (as small ahoppe-on-my-thumbeas hee seemeth).
1603.Dekker, etc.,Patient Grissell, IV., ii., inWks.(Grosart) vi., 195.Bab.No; he shall not haue them [children]: knocke out his braines, and saue the littlehop-a-my-thombes.
1748.Smollett,Rod. Random, ch. xi. You pitifulhop-o’-my-thumbcoxcomb.
1764.O’Hara,Midas, i., 5. You Stump-o’-the-gutter, youHop-o’-my-thumb, A husband must for you from Lilliput come.
1785.Grose,Vulg. Tongue, s.v.Hop-o-my-Thumb. She was such ahop-o-my-thumbthat a pigeon, on sitting on her shoulder, might pick a pea out of her a—se.
1821.Scott,Kenilworth, ch. xi. A mean-lookinghop-o’-my-thumbsort of person.
1837.Barham,Ingoldsby Legends. ‘Account of a New Play.’ Ahop-o’-my-thumbof a Page.
English Synonyms.—Go-by-the-ground; grub; grundy; Jack Sprat; little breeches; shrimp; stump-of-the-gutter; tom-tit.Seealso,Forty-foot.
Hopper,subs.(colloquial).—The mouth. For synonyms,seePotato-trap.
To go a hopper,verb. phr.(sporting).—To go quickly.
Hopper-arsed(orHipped),adj.(old).—Large in the breech. Also (as in quot. 1529) snaggy-boned. Also assubs.
d.1529.Dunbar,Poems, ‘Complaint to the King’ (1836, i., 144). Withhopper-hippisand hanches narrow.
1672.Wycherley,Love in a Wood, ii., 1. Moreover, she is bow-legged,hopper-hipped, and, betwixt pomatum and Spanish red, has a complexion like a Holland cheese.
1690. B. E.,Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.Hopper-arst, when the Breach sticks out.