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 (1874), x. 496]. I am no meat for his mowing.

1611. Ram Alley [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), x. 369]. Faith, take a maid, and leave the widow, master: Of all meats I love not a gaping oyster.

1664. Falkland, Marriage Night, i. 1. But is she man's meat? I have a tender appetite, and can scarcely digest one in her teens.

1668. Killigrew, Parson's Wedding, v. 2. Your bed is big enough for two, and my meat will not cost you much.

1684. Lacy, Sir Hercules Buffoon, iii. 3. I am so plagued with citizens that I cannot have a deer that's man's meat, but they steal it out of my park, my Lord.

1760. Foote, Minor, ii. Did I not tell you old Moll was your mark? Here she has brought a pretty piece of man's meat already; as sweet as a nosegay, and as ripe as a cherry.

1856. Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Children of Adam (1891-2, ix. 87). The naked meat of the body.

To chew one's own meat, verb. phr. (American).—To do a thing oneself; hence, to chew meat for one = to do another's work for him.

Meat-and-drink, subs. (common).—1. Strong drink; also liquor thickened with yolk of eggs, etc.

2. (old colloquial).—Delight.

1600. Shakspeare, As you Like it, v. 1. It is meat-and-drink to me to see a clown.

3. (venery).—See Meat.

Meat-axe. Savage as a meat-axe, phr. (American).—Extremely hungry.

1843. Carlton, New Purchase [Bartlett]. It would be a charity to give the pious brother some such feed as chicken fixins and doins, for he looks half-starved and as savage as a meat axe.

1852. Kirkland, Forest Life, i. 103. 'Why, you don't eat nothing!' he exclaimed; 'ridin' don't agree with you, I guess! Now, for my part, it makes me as savage as a meat-axe.'

Meat-bag (or -safe), subs. (American).—The stomach. For synonyms see Victualling-office.

1848. Ruxton, Life In The Far West, p. 8. Well, Dick was as full of arrows as a porkypine; one was sticking right through his cheek, one in his meat-bag, and two more 'bout his hump-ribs.

Meat-flashing, subs. (common).—Exposure of the person. Hence, meat-flasher = a public offender in this line.

Meat-in-the-pot, subs. (Western American).—A revolver.

English synonyms. Barker; barking iron; black-eyed Susan; blazer; bulldog; Colt; the democratiser (American: as making all men equal); unconverted friend; pop, or pop-gun; persuader; shooting-iron; shot-gun; six-shooter; stick; towel; two-pipe scatter-gun.

French synonyms. Un bayafe (thieves'); un blavin (also = pocket handkerchief); les burettes (= phials); un crucifix or crucifix à ressorts (thieves'); un mandolet (thieves'); un mouchoir de poche (Cf. blavin).

Meaty, adj. (common).—1. Plump; and (2) enjoyable. See Meat.

1851-61. Mayhew, London Lab., iii. 210. I'm just meaty enough for my profession.

Mechanic, subs. (old: now recognised).—See quot. 1690. As adj. = common; vulgar; mean.