Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 4.pdf/292

 Marrowbone- (or Marylebone) stage (or coach). To ride in (or go by) the marrowbone-stage, verb. phr. (common).—To go on foot. See Bayard of ten toes and Shanks' mare.

Marrow-pudding, subs. (venery).—The penis. Hence, A belly-full of marrow-pudding = the condition of pregnancy.

Marrowskying, subs. (general).—At the London University they had a way of disguising English (described by Albert Smith, in Mr. Ledbury, 1848, as the 'Gower-street dialect'), which consisted in transposing the initials of words: as 'poke a smipe' = smoke a pipe; 'flutter-by' = butterfly; 'stint of pout' = pint of stout; etc. This is often termed Marrowskying. See Medical (or Hospital) Greek.

1883. Sala, Living London, p. 491. On the whole, the Kaukneigh Awlminek seems to consist in pretty equal proportions of the vocabulary of Tim Bobbin, Josh Billings, Joe Scoap, the 'Fonetik Nuz', and the marrowsky language.

Marshall, subs. (obsolete).—A five pound Bank of England note: cf. Abraham Newland.

c. 1870. Newspaper Cutting. To the Yankee I'm partial, and those who see far shall, Impounding each Marshall, so smooth and so crisp.

Martext, subs. (common).—A clergyman: specifically a blundering or ignorant preacher. For synonyms see Sky-pilot.

1600. Shakspeare, As You Like It, iii. 3, 43. I have been with Sir Oliver Martext, the vicar of the next parish. Idem v. 1. 5. A most vile martext.

1663. Killigrew, Parson's Wedding [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), xiv. 385]. Adieu, heir-apparent to Sir Oliver Martext.

Martin, subs. (old).—1. See quot.

1612. Rowlands, Hist. of Rogues [Century]. I have heard and partly know a highway lawyer rob a man in the morning, and hath dined with the martin or honest man so robbed the same day.

2: (tramps').—A boot.

1893. Emerson, Signor Lippo, 55. A pair of turtles on his martins finished him.

3. See St. Martin.

Martin-drunk, adj. (old).—See quot. For synonyms see Drinks and Screwed.

1592. Nashe, Pierce Penilesse [Grosart, ii. 82]. The sixt is martin drunke, when a man is drunk, and drinkes himselfe sober ere he stirre.

Martinet, subs. (old: now recognised).—See quot.

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

1811. Lex. Bal., s.v. A military term for a strict disciplinarian: from the name of a French general, famous for restoring military discipline to the French army. He first disciplined the French infantry, and regulated their method of encampment; he was killed at the siege of Doesbourg in the year 1672.

Martingale, subs. (gaming).—Doubling a stake at every loss. [From the fact that, as in all fair games, a player must win once, there is a safe hold of fortune. The difficulty is to command a big enough bank, or, having the bank, to find some one to follow in a fair game].

1823. Bee, Dict. of the Turf, s.v. Martingale—at play, to double stakes constantly, until luck taking one turn only, repays the adventurer all.

1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, xxviii. You have not played as yet? Do not do so; above all, avoid a martingale if you do.