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 bore his torments without a writhe or groan, which caused some of those standing by to remark, 'How great must be his faith!' But his pagan executioner said, 'It is not his faith, but his idleness; he is too lazy to turn himself.'

Lazy-man's load, subs. (old).—See quot.

1811. Lex. Bal., s.v. Lazy-man's load. Lazy people frequently take up more than they can safely carry, to save the trouble of coming a second time.

Lazy-tongs, subs. (old).—See quot.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. An instrument like a pair of tongs for old or very fat people, to take anything off the ground without stooping.

1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.

Lead, subs. (theatrical).—(1) A leading or principal part; (2) the person who plays it.

Friendly Lead, subs. (thieves').—An entertainment—sing-song, dance, or drinking party—got up to assist a friend in trouble (q.v.). Fr. une bouline.

1851-61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. & Lon. Poor, vol. iii. p. 164. 'We went to a public-house where they were having a lead, that is a collection for a friend who is ill, and the company throw down what they can for a subscription, and they have in a fiddle and make it social.'

1871. Daily Telegraph, 4 Dec. They distribute tickets for a friendly lead, for the benefit of Bill, who is 'just out of his trouble.'

1889. Cassell's Saturday Journal, 5 Jan. The men frequently club together in a friendly lead to help a brother in distress.

1892. Ally Sloper, 2 Ap., p. 106, col. 3. My father takes the chair at friendly leads.

To lead apes in hell, verb. phr. (old).—The employment jocularly assigned to old maids in hell.

1575. Gascogne, Adv. Master F. J. [Hazlitt (1869), Poems, i. 463]. I am afrayde my marryage will be marred, and I may go lead apes in hell.

1581. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 87. Rather thou shouldest leade a lyfe to thine owne lyking in earthe, than leade apes in hell.

1600. Shakspeare, Much Ado etc., ii. 1. Therefore I will even take sixpence in earnest of the bear-herd, and lead his apes into hell.

1605. Lond. Prodigal, i. 2. 'Tis an old proverb, and you know it well, That women dying maids lead apes in hell.

1670. Ray, Proverbs [Bohn (1893), 45]. Old maids lead apes in hell.

1717. Mrs. Centlivre, Bold Stroke, ii. 1. Poor girl; she must certainly lead apes, as the saying is.

1830. General P. Thompson, Exerc. (1842), I. 198. Joining with other old women, in leading their apes in Tartarus.

1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, 'Bloudie Jacke.' So they say she is now leading apes below.

Leading Article, subs. phr. (common).—1. The nose. For synonyms see Conk.

1886. Chambers's Journal, 3 July, p. 428. Men of note almost invariably possess decided and prominent leading articles, whilst an insufficient nasal accompaniment not unfrequently denotes inanity.

2. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms see Monosyllable.

Leaf, subs. (American thieves').—See quot.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Leaf 'I will be out in the leaf,' 'I will be out in the autumn.'

To go off with the fall of the leaf, verb. phr. (Irish).—See quot.

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Leaf, to go off with the fall of the leaf, to be hanged; criminals hanged