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

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. He is none of the Hastings sort; a saying of a slow, loitering fellow: an allusion to the Hastings pea, which is the first in season.

Hasty, adj. (old: now recognised).—Rash; passionate; quick to move.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hasty, very Hot on a sudden.

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

Hasty G., subs. (Cambridge Univ.).—See quot.

1883. Daily News, 24 Mar., p. 5, c. 2. Mr. Weller's own hasty G (as Cambridge men say when they mean a 'hasty generalisation').

Hasty Pudding, subs. (common).—1. A bastard. For synonyms, see Bloody Escape.

2. (old).—A muddy road; a quag.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. The way through Wandsworth is quite a hasty pudding.

Hat, subs. (Cambridge Univ.).—1. A gentleman commoner. [Who is permitted to wear a hat instead of the regulation mortar-board.] Also Gold Hatband.

1628. Earle, Microcosmographie. 'Young Gentleman of the Universitie' (ed., Arber, 1868). His companion is ordinarily some stale fellow that has beene notorious for an ingle to gold hatbands, whom hee admires at first, afterwards scornes.

1803. Gradus ad Cantabrigiam. Hat Commoner; the son of a Nobleman, who wears the gown of a Fellow Commoner with a hat.

1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, ch. xxxii. I knew intimately all the hats in the University.

1841. Lytton, Night and Morning, bk. I., ch. i. He had certainly nourished the belief that some one of the hats or tinsel gowns—i.e., young lords or fellow-commoners, with whom he was on such excellent terms would do something for him in the way of a living.

2. (venery).—The female pudendum. Generally Old Hat. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.

1754. Fielding, Jonathan Wild, i., 6 (note). I shall conclude this learned note with remarking that the term old hat is used by the vulgar in no very honourable sense.

1760. Sterne, Tristam Shandy, ch. cxxvi. A chapter of chambermaids, green gowns, and old hats.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. ['Because often felt.'] See also Top Diver.

1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.

3. (Scots').—A prostitute of long standing. For synonyms, ee Barrack-Hack and Tart.

To eat one's hat (or head), verb. phr. (common).—Generally, I'll eat my hat. Used in strong emphasis. See Eat.

1836. Dickens, Pickwick, xlii., 367. 'If I knew as little of life as that, I'd eat my hat and swallow the buckle whole,' said the clerical gentleman.

1837. Dickens, Oliver Twist, ch. xiv. Even admitting the possibility of scientific improvements being ever brought to that pass which will enable a man to eat his own head, Mr. Grimwig's head was such a particularly large one that the most sanguine man alive could hardly entertain a hope of being able to get through it at a sitting.

1844. J. B. Buckstone, The Maid with the Milking Pail. If you are not as astonished as I was, I'll eat old Rowley's hat.

1876. Hindley, Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 216. I'll eat my hat.

1887. E. E. Money, Little Dutch Maiden, II., viii., 148. And if you don't run up against him next day in Bond Street, you may eat your hat!

1892. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, p. 38. If some of the swells didn't ditto, I'll eat my old hat, which it's tough.

To get a hat, verb. phr. (cricketers').—See Hat-trick.