Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 4.pdf/119

 TO KISS THE MASTER, verb. phr. (old).—To hit the JACK (q.v.) at bowls.

1579. Gosson, Schoole of Muse, p. 60 (Arber's ed.). At Diceplay, euery one wisheth to caste well; at Bowles euery one craues to kisse the maister; at running euery one starteth to win the goale.

To kiss the post, verb. phr. (old).—To be shut out.

1600. Heywood, King Edward, iv. [Nares]. Dost thou hear me, Ned? If I shall be thy host. Make haste thou art best, for fear thou kiss the post.

1612. Pasquils' Nightcap [Nares]. Men of al countries travels through the same, And, if they money want, may KISSE THE POST.

1630. Taylor, Wks. [Nares]. Mars yeelds to Venus, gown-men rule the rost now, And men of war may fast, or kisse the post now.

Kiss my arse. See Arse.

To Kiss the maid, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Kissing the maid, an Engine in Scotland, and at Halifax in England, in which the Head of a Malefactor is Laid to be Cut off, and which this way is done to a Hair, said to be invented by Earl Morton who had the ill Fate to Handsel it. [Also New Cant. Dict. (1725)].

Kiss-curl, subs. (common).—A small curl twisted on the cheek or temple; a beau-catcher (q.v.): cf. Aggrawator and Love-*lock. Also Kiss-me-quick.

1856. Punch, xxxi. 219. I declare when I read that letter in print, with a picture in the corner not the least bit in the world like me (tho' I admit rather pretty in its way) I coloured up to the tip-top of my forehead and I am sure that if I had worn those pastry-cook's girl's ornaments called kiss-curls the gum would have been melted off in a minute.

Kisser, subs. (pugilistic).—1. The mouth; the dripping- or latch-pan (q.v.). For synonyms see Potato-trap.

1860. Chambers' Journal, xiii. 348. His mouth is his 'potatoe trap'—more shortly, 'tatur trap'—or Kisser.

2. in pl. (pugilistic).—The lips; LISPERS (q.v.); MUMS (q.v.). Fr. les balots.

Kissing, subs. (venery).—1. Copulation. For synonyms see Greens and Ride.

2. (billiards).—See Kiss, verb. sense 1. Fr. l'oculaire astronomique.

Kissing-Crust, subs. (colloquial).—The soft-baked surface between two loaves; also the under-crust in a pudding or pie.

1708. King, Art of Cookery. These baked him kissing-crusts and those Brought him small beer.

1714. Spectator, No. 608. A quarrel about the kissing-crust; spoiling of dinners, and coming in late at nights.

1822. Lamb, Elia (Praise of Chimney-sweepers). How he would recommend this slice of white bread, or that piece of Kissing-crust, to a tender juvenile.

1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, 'Nell Cook.' And a mouldy piece of kissing-crust as from a warden pie.

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

1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.

Kissing-strings, subs. (old).—Ribands hanging over the shoulders; FOLLOW-ME-LADS (q.v.). Fr. Suivez-moi-jeune-homme.

1705. London Ladies Dressing Room [Nares]. Behind her back the streamers fly, And kissing-strings hang dangling by.

1768. A. Ross, Helenore, 34. The first time I to town or market gang A pair of kissing-strings and gloves shall be your due.