Earl of Cork, the ace of diamonds.—Hibernicism.“‘What do you mean by the Earl of Cork?’ asked Mr. Squander. ‘The ace of diamonds, your honour. It’s the worst ace, and the poorest card in the pack, and is called theEarl of Cork, because he’s the poorest nobleman in Ireland.’”—Carleton’s Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry.Early, “to get upEARLY,” to prepare for a difficult task. “You’ll have to get up veryEARLYin the morning to beat that.” Early rising and ability seem also closely connected by certain modifications of this expression. Possibly the belief is that a man who rises early for early rising’s sake deserves to be clever. Perhaps the greatest enjoyment a day labourer—whose work commences at six in the winter mornings, and who may have to rise at half-past four and trudge off—can have, is a “quiet snooze” after the usual time of rising. The early rising in “the steel” is the chief terror of that institution in the minds of habitual criminals.Earwig, a clergyman, also one who prompts another maliciously and privately.Earwigging, a private conversation; a rebuke in private; an attempt to defame another unfairly, and without chance of appeal; aWIGGINGis more public.Ease, to rob; “EASINGa bloke,” robbing a man.Eat his head off.A horse who is kept idle in the stable is said toEAT HIS HEAD OFF. Of late the phrase has been applied to servants who have little to do but constantly “dip their noses in the manger.”Eavesdropper, a listener. The name is derived from the punishment which, according to Oliver, was directed in the Lectures, at the revival of Masonry in 1717, to be inflicted on a detected Cowan [g. v.], and which was“To be placed under the eaves of the house in rainy weather, till the water runs in at his shoulders and out at his heels.”—Mackey’s Lexicon of Freemasonry.Efter, a thief who frequents theatres.Egg, orEGG ON, to excite, stimulate, or provoke one person to quarrel with another, &c. From the Anglo-Saxoneggian; or possibly a corruption ofEDGE, orEDGE ON, or even fromagere, to drive.—Ancient.Egg-flip, orEGG-HOT, a drink made after the manner of purl and bishop, with beer, eggs, and spirits made hot and sweetened.Elbow, “to shake one’sELBOW,” to play with dice; “to crook one’sELBOW,” to drink.Elbow grease, labour, or industry. Anything that is rusty, or in household work dirty or dingy, is said to requireELBOW GREASE.Elegant extracts, a Cambridge University title for those students who having failed only slightly in some one subject, and being “plucked” accordingly, were allowed their degrees. This applied to the “Poll” list, as the “Gulf” did to the “Honours.”Elephant, “to have seen theELEPHANT,” to be “upto the latest move,” or “downto the last new trick;” to be knowing, and not “green,” &c. Possibly a metaphor taken from the travelling menageries, where theELEPHANTis the finale of the exhibition.—Originally anAmericanism. Bartlett gives conflicting examples. General now, however. A modification of this is “having seen the king.” When a man becomes aware that he has been cheated or imposed on, and does not mean to stand it any longer, he is said to have seen the king,i.e., to have seen his adversary’s best card, and to be prepared for it.Elevated, intoxicated.Elevationis the name of a drug-mixture much used in the fen-counties for keeping up the spirits and preventing ague. It consists mainly of opium.Enemy, time, a clock, the ruthless enemy and tell-tale of idleness and of mankind generally; “what says theENEMY?”i.e., how goes the time?Essex lion, a calf. A calf is probably the only lively animal to be seen in a journey through Essex.Essex stile, a ditch. A jocular allusion to the peculiarities of the “low county.”Evaporate, to go, or run away.Everlasting shoes, the feet. The barefooted children about the Seven Dials, and other low quarters of London, are said to wearEVERLASTING SHOESand stockings. Another expression in connexion with this want is, “the shoes and stockings their mothers gave them.”Everlasting staircase, the treadmill. Sometimes, but very rarely now called “Colonel Chesterton’sEVERLASTING STAIRCASE,” from the gallant inventor or improver. Also known as “theSTEPPER.”Exasperate, to over-aspirate the letterH, or to aspirate it whenever it commences a word, as is commonly done by under-educated people who wish to show off their breeding.Exasperationdoes not refer to an omission of the aspirate.Exes, expenses. “Just enough to clear our exes.”Extensive, frequently applied in a slang sense to a person’s appearance or talk; “ratherEXTENSIVEthat!” intimating that the person alluded to is showing off, or “cutting it fat.”Extracted, placed on the list of “ELEGANT EXTRACTS.”—Camb. Univ.Eye teeth, supposed evidences of sharpness. A man is said to have, or have not, cut hisEYE TEETH, according to possession or want of shrewdness.Eye water, gin. Term principally used by printers.
Earl of Cork, the ace of diamonds.—Hibernicism.“‘What do you mean by the Earl of Cork?’ asked Mr. Squander. ‘The ace of diamonds, your honour. It’s the worst ace, and the poorest card in the pack, and is called theEarl of Cork, because he’s the poorest nobleman in Ireland.’”—Carleton’s Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry.
Earl of Cork, the ace of diamonds.—Hibernicism.
“‘What do you mean by the Earl of Cork?’ asked Mr. Squander. ‘The ace of diamonds, your honour. It’s the worst ace, and the poorest card in the pack, and is called theEarl of Cork, because he’s the poorest nobleman in Ireland.’”—Carleton’s Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry.
“‘What do you mean by the Earl of Cork?’ asked Mr. Squander. ‘The ace of diamonds, your honour. It’s the worst ace, and the poorest card in the pack, and is called theEarl of Cork, because he’s the poorest nobleman in Ireland.’”—Carleton’s Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry.
Early, “to get upEARLY,” to prepare for a difficult task. “You’ll have to get up veryEARLYin the morning to beat that.” Early rising and ability seem also closely connected by certain modifications of this expression. Possibly the belief is that a man who rises early for early rising’s sake deserves to be clever. Perhaps the greatest enjoyment a day labourer—whose work commences at six in the winter mornings, and who may have to rise at half-past four and trudge off—can have, is a “quiet snooze” after the usual time of rising. The early rising in “the steel” is the chief terror of that institution in the minds of habitual criminals.
Earwig, a clergyman, also one who prompts another maliciously and privately.
Earwigging, a private conversation; a rebuke in private; an attempt to defame another unfairly, and without chance of appeal; aWIGGINGis more public.
Ease, to rob; “EASINGa bloke,” robbing a man.
Eat his head off.A horse who is kept idle in the stable is said toEAT HIS HEAD OFF. Of late the phrase has been applied to servants who have little to do but constantly “dip their noses in the manger.”
Eavesdropper, a listener. The name is derived from the punishment which, according to Oliver, was directed in the Lectures, at the revival of Masonry in 1717, to be inflicted on a detected Cowan [g. v.], and which was“To be placed under the eaves of the house in rainy weather, till the water runs in at his shoulders and out at his heels.”—Mackey’s Lexicon of Freemasonry.
Eavesdropper, a listener. The name is derived from the punishment which, according to Oliver, was directed in the Lectures, at the revival of Masonry in 1717, to be inflicted on a detected Cowan [g. v.], and which was
“To be placed under the eaves of the house in rainy weather, till the water runs in at his shoulders and out at his heels.”—Mackey’s Lexicon of Freemasonry.
“To be placed under the eaves of the house in rainy weather, till the water runs in at his shoulders and out at his heels.”—Mackey’s Lexicon of Freemasonry.
Efter, a thief who frequents theatres.
Egg, orEGG ON, to excite, stimulate, or provoke one person to quarrel with another, &c. From the Anglo-Saxoneggian; or possibly a corruption ofEDGE, orEDGE ON, or even fromagere, to drive.—Ancient.
Egg-flip, orEGG-HOT, a drink made after the manner of purl and bishop, with beer, eggs, and spirits made hot and sweetened.
Elbow, “to shake one’sELBOW,” to play with dice; “to crook one’sELBOW,” to drink.
Elbow grease, labour, or industry. Anything that is rusty, or in household work dirty or dingy, is said to requireELBOW GREASE.
Elegant extracts, a Cambridge University title for those students who having failed only slightly in some one subject, and being “plucked” accordingly, were allowed their degrees. This applied to the “Poll” list, as the “Gulf” did to the “Honours.”
Elephant, “to have seen theELEPHANT,” to be “upto the latest move,” or “downto the last new trick;” to be knowing, and not “green,” &c. Possibly a metaphor taken from the travelling menageries, where theELEPHANTis the finale of the exhibition.—Originally anAmericanism. Bartlett gives conflicting examples. General now, however. A modification of this is “having seen the king.” When a man becomes aware that he has been cheated or imposed on, and does not mean to stand it any longer, he is said to have seen the king,i.e., to have seen his adversary’s best card, and to be prepared for it.
Elevated, intoxicated.Elevationis the name of a drug-mixture much used in the fen-counties for keeping up the spirits and preventing ague. It consists mainly of opium.
Enemy, time, a clock, the ruthless enemy and tell-tale of idleness and of mankind generally; “what says theENEMY?”i.e., how goes the time?
Essex lion, a calf. A calf is probably the only lively animal to be seen in a journey through Essex.
Essex stile, a ditch. A jocular allusion to the peculiarities of the “low county.”
Evaporate, to go, or run away.
Everlasting shoes, the feet. The barefooted children about the Seven Dials, and other low quarters of London, are said to wearEVERLASTING SHOESand stockings. Another expression in connexion with this want is, “the shoes and stockings their mothers gave them.”
Everlasting staircase, the treadmill. Sometimes, but very rarely now called “Colonel Chesterton’sEVERLASTING STAIRCASE,” from the gallant inventor or improver. Also known as “theSTEPPER.”
Exasperate, to over-aspirate the letterH, or to aspirate it whenever it commences a word, as is commonly done by under-educated people who wish to show off their breeding.Exasperationdoes not refer to an omission of the aspirate.
Exes, expenses. “Just enough to clear our exes.”
Extensive, frequently applied in a slang sense to a person’s appearance or talk; “ratherEXTENSIVEthat!” intimating that the person alluded to is showing off, or “cutting it fat.”
Extracted, placed on the list of “ELEGANT EXTRACTS.”—Camb. Univ.
Eye teeth, supposed evidences of sharpness. A man is said to have, or have not, cut hisEYE TEETH, according to possession or want of shrewdness.
Eye water, gin. Term principally used by printers.