Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 4.pdf/203

 Light-weight, adj. (American).—1. Of little importance; weak.

2. (pugilists').—Under twelve stone.—Grose (1823).

Light-wet, subs. (old).—Gin. For synonyms see Drinks and Satin.

1822. Randall's Scrap-book. Pure and clear rose the beads on the glass of light-wet.

Like. This word enters into numerous combinations indicating energetic, rapid, or intense action, motion, and thought. The chief are:—

Like (or as) anything; a basket of chips; beans; billy-ho; a bird; blazes,; boots, or old boots; bricks, or a thousand, or a cart-load, of bricks; a dog in a fair; fun; a house on fire; hell; hot cake; mad; one o'clock; shit to a shovel; a shot; a streak; thunder; the very devil; a tom-tit on a horse-turd; winkey or winky. (Fr. comme la bourrique à Robespierre).

1542. Udall, Erasmus Apoph., p. 32. The young maiden, where the lokers on quaked and trembled for feare, daunced without any feare at all emong sweardes and kniues, beyng as sharpe as anythyng.

1690. The Pagan Prince [quoted by Nares]. So that the Belgians, hearing what a clutter the Albionians made of their victory which they had got but by one spot of a die, they fell a making a bonfires and fire-works like mad, and rejoicing and triumphing for the great victory.

1690. Crowne, English Friar, iii. As soon as ever the stop of coaches is over, my lady will drive like mad.

d.1703. Pepys, Diary, ii. 6. A mad coachman that drove like mad.

d.1704. Lestrange [Century]. A bear, enraged at the stinging of a bee, ran like mad into the bee-garden, and overturned all the hives.

1716. Croker, Suff. Cor., i. 8. [Tell] dear Molly I like her like anything.

1740. Richardson, Pamela, ii. 57. O my dear father and mother, I fear your girl will grow as proud as anything.

1819. Moore, Tom Crib, 23. But a pelt in the smeller set it going like fun. Ibid. 25. The whole populace flashed the white grin like a basket of chips.

1835. Dickens, Sketches, 139. Bump they cums agin the post, and out flies the fare like bricks.

1836. M. Scott, Tom Cringle's Log, 2. The breeze struck us, and it came on to blow like thunder. Ibid. We were bowling along right before it, rolling like the very devil.

1837. Barham, I. L. (Jackdaw of Rheims). That little Jackdaw kept hopping about, Here and there, Like a dog in a fair, Over comfits and cakes, And dishes and plates. (Ibid. Witches' Frolic). Old goody Jones All skin and bones, Follows like winking. Ibid. (Misadv. at Margate). The tear-drop in his little eye again began to spring, His bosom throbb'd with agony, he cried like anything. Ibid. (Ingoldsby Penance). For the Friar to his skirts closely sticks, 'Running after him,'—so said the Abbot,—like bricks!

1845. B. Disraeli, Sybil or The Two Nations, 330. Syllabubs like blazes, and snapdragon as makes the flunkeys quite pale.

1847. Robb, Squatter Life, 37. He lit upon the upper town and its member like a thousand of brick!

1850. Smedley, Frank Fairlegh, 204. Tapping his claret for him, as the pugilists call it, and sending him down like a shot.

1851. Mayhew, London Labour and London Poor, iii. p. 159. She liked this very much, in fact so much, that the other little ones used to cry like blazes because I wouldn't let them have a turn at them [the stilts]. Ibid. i. 29. He trotted on like one o'clock.

d.1859. De Quincey, Spanish Nun, sect. 24. The horse was so maddened by the wound, and the road so steep, that he went like blazes.

1860. New Orleans Picayune, 27 April (Police Report). When it came to the breakdown, Your Honor, he kicked up a row like a drove of contrary mules, and when we wanted to