Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 4.pdf/199

 To lift hair, verb. phr. (American).—To scalp.

1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, 23. Lift as much hair as they could.

1868. Congressional Report, 17 Aug. The Arrapahoes were not after stealing cattle but after lifting hair.

On the lift, adv. phr. (American).—On the move; ready to depart.

Lifter, subs. (old).—1. A thief. See Lift, subs., sense 1.

2. in pl. (old).—A crutch.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.

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

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

Lift-leg, subs. (old).—Strong ale; stingo (q.v.).

Lig, subs. (old).—1. Abed.—New Cant. Dict. (1725); Grose (1785). (2) A bedstead.—Matsell (1859). See Lib.

2. (provincial).—A lie.

Ligby, subs. (old).—A bedfellow: specifically a concubine. Cf. Ludby and Loteby.

1632. Brome, Northern Lass. Con. He is wed already, sir. Another wife would gar him be put down at gallows; and I would not be she for all the worldly good that e're I saw with both mine eyen. And o' my conscience I'll be none of his ligby, for twise so mickle.

1684. Lacy, Sauny the Scot, ii. 1. He means to make one of your lasses his wench—that is, his love and his ligby.

Light, subs. (common).—1. Credit. To get a light = to get credit; To have one's light put out = to exhaust one's credit; to go stony (q.v.).

2. (colloquial).—A model; an example: generally shining light.

1871. Figaro, 15 April. 'A Lay of a Chelsea Bus.' And still the light seemed ill at ease, And knocked his fists upon his knees. Ibid. 'Another' was a shining light; His tie was limp, and once was white.

3. in. pl. (pugilistic).—The eyes. Also daylights (q.v.) and top-lights (q.v.).

1820. J. H. Reynolds ('P. Corcoran'), The Fancy, 72. She knew a smart blow, from a handsome giver Could darken lights.

4. in pl. (common).—A fool. For synonyms see Buffle and Cabbage-head.

Adj. (old).—Wanton. Hence, light-given (Burton, Anat.) = lewd of habit; light-heeled (q.v.); light-o'-love (q.v.); light-skirts, (q.v.); and so forth.

1538. Elyot, Dictionary, s.v. Meretrix, An harlot, a brothel, an hoore, a strompet, a light housewyfe.

1567. Edwards, Damon & Pithias [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), iv. 50]. Believe her not, she is a light goddess; she can laugh and low'r.

1594. Barnfield, Hellen's Rape or a Light Lanthorne for Light Ladies (ed. Arber), p. 38, in title.

1594. Nashe, Dido, Queen of Carthage [Grosart (1885), vi. 33]. I feare me, Dido hath been counted light, In being too familiar with Iarbas.

1598. Shakspeare, Second Henry IV, i. 1. He hath the horn of abundance, and the lightness of his wife shines through it. Idem, i. 2. Not so, my lord; your ill angel is light.

1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Femina red monate, A bad light woman.

1599. Porter, Two Angry Women [Dodsley, Old Plays, iv. 367]. Hark ye, maid, if [a] maid, are ye so light, That you can see to wander in the night?

1621. Burton, Anatomy (ed. 1893), i. 479. I write not this to patronize any wanton idle flirt, lascivious or light