Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 3.pdf/322

 To talk the hind leg off a horse (or dog). See Talk.

To sit upon one's hind legs and howl, verb. phr. (American).—To bemoan one's fate; to make a hullabaloo.

Hindoo, subs. (American).—See Know Nothing.

Hindoo Punishment, subs, phr, (circus).—See quot.

1875. Frost, Circus Life, ch. xviii. The Hindoo Punishment is what is more often called the muscle grind, a rather painful exercise upon the bar, in which the arms are turned backward to embrace the bar, and then brought forward upon the chest, in which position the performer revolves.

Hind-shifters, subs. (old).—The feet. For synonyms, see Creepers.

1823. Lamb, Elia, Wks., (Ed. 1852), p. 311. They would show as fair a pair of hind-shifters as the expertest loco-motor in the colony.

Hinges. Off the hinges, adv. phr. (common)—In confusion; out of sorts; 'not quite the thing.'

Hinterland, subs. (old).—The breech.

Hip, (in. pl.), subs, (colloquial).—Conventional—as in the proverb, 'Free of her lips; free of her hips'—for the buttocks. Hence, to walk with the hips = to make play with the posteriors in walking; long in the hips; andL hips to sell = broad in the beam; nimble-hipped = active in copulation.

c. 1508. Dunbar. Poems, 'Of a Dance in the Quenis Chalmer' (1836), i., 119. His hippis gaff mony a hiddouss cry. Ibid. i., 124. 'Of Ane Blak-moir.' Sall cum behind and kiss hir hippis.

1540. Lindsay, Thrie Estaits, line 3227. My craig will wit quhat weyis my hippis. Ibid., line 4424. Ye wald not stick to preise my graith With hobbling of your hippis.

c. 1580. Collier of Croydon, iv., I. (Dodsley, Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, 459). I keep her lips and her hips for my own use.

d. 1607. Montgomerie, Poems, 'Polwart and Montgomerie's Flyting,' p. 85, line 779 (Scottish Text Soc, 1885-6). Kailly lippes, kiss my hips.

To have (get, or catch) on the hip, verb. phr. (old).—To have (or get) an advantage. [From wrestling.]

1591. Harington, Orlando Furioso, bk, xlvi., st. 117. In fine he doth apply one speciall drift, Which was to get the pagan on the hip, And having caught him right, he doth him lift By nimble sleight, and in such wise doth trip That down he threw him.

1598. Shakspeare, Merchant of Venice, i. 3. If I can catch him once upon the hip. I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.

1605. Marston, Dutch Courtezan. iii., 1. He said he had you a the hyp.

1617. Andrewes, Sermons ('Library of Ang.-Cath. Theology'), Vol. IV., p. 365. If he have us at the advantage, on the hip as we say, it is no great matter then to get service at our hands.

1635. D. Dike, Michael and the Dragon, in Wks., p. 328. The Divell hath them on the hip, he may easily bring them to anything.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Upon the Hip at an Advantage in Wrestling, or Business.

1697. Vanbrugh, Relapse, iv., 1. My lord, she has had him upon the hip these seven years.

1812. Johnson, Eng, Dict. Hip, s.v., A low phrase.

1836. Michael Scott, Cruise of the Midge, p. 226. 'Ha! ha! I have you on the hip now, my master,' shouted Peter.

Hipe, subs, (wrestling).—A throw over the hip. Hence Hipe, verb = to get across the hip before the throw.