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 1688. Shadwell, Sq. of Alsatia, i. in Wks. (1720), iv. 18. Sham. No, no; meggs are guineas, smelts are half guineas.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Meggs We fork'd the Rum Culls meggs to the tune of Fifty, We pickt the Gentleman's Pocket of full Fifty Guineas.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.

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

2. in pl. (Stock Exchange).—Mexican Railway First Preference Stock.

3. (Old Scots').—A wench. Meg Dorts = a pert girl. Meg-Harry (Lanc.) = a hoyden.

1538. Lindsay, Syde Taillis [Chalmers, ii. 201]. Ane muirland meg, that milkes the yowis, Claggit with clay abone the howis.

1725. Ramsay, The Gentle Shepherd. She scour'd away, and said—'What's that to you?' 'Then fare ye weel meg dorts, and e'en's ye like.'

Roaring Meg, subs. phr. (old).—A monster piece of ordnance; hence, an unfailing antidote.

1624. Burton, Anat. Melan., Pt. II. ii. 6. 3. Musica est mentis medecina mæstæ, a roaring meg against melancholy.

Megrim, subs. (old colloquial).—1. A crotchet; and (2) a headache. Fr. une migraine.

d.1520(?). Dunbar, My Heid did Yak, in Poems (Scottish Text Society Edition, 1888-9), p. 254. So sair the megrym dois me menzie.

1609. Dekker, Almanacke [Grosart, iv. 185]. But shall be strucke with such megrims and turnings of the braine, that insteed of going to church, they will (if my Arte faile me not) stumble into a Tauerne.

1639. Beaumont & Fletcher, Wit without Money, i. 1. He had never Left me the misery of so much means eke, Which, till I sold, was a mere megrim to me.

1673. Dryden, The Assignation, iii. 3. Now will I have the headach, or the megrim, or some excuse.

1795. R. Cumberland, The Jew, ii. 2. Dorcas. How you ramble, Sirrah! What megrims you have in your head!

1866. G. Eliot, Felix Holt, xi. 'Can't one work for sober truth as hard as for megrims?'

Meg's diversions, subs. phr. (common).—1. Whimsical pleasantry; and (2) old Harry (q.v.).

1834. M. G. Dowling, Othello Travestie, i. 3. The galley slaves Are playing meg's diversion on the waves.

1850. Craven, Meg's Diversions [Title].

Megsman. See Magsman.

Mejoge, subs. (old).—A shilling; a bob (q.v.).—Discoveries of John Poulter (1754).

Mell, subs. (Old Cant).—The nose. For synonyms see Conk.

Verb. (venery).—To copulate. For synonyms see Greens and Ride. Also Meddle.

d.145O. Lydgate (Halliwell). Like certeyn birdes called vultures, Withouten mellyng conceyven by nature.

b.1468. Ludus Coventriæ [Shaks. Soc. 1841], p. 215. And a talle man with her dothe melle We xul take them both togedyr Whylle that thei do that synful dede.

1541. Schole House of Women [Hazlitt, Early Pop. Poetry (1866), iv. 133]. Made him drunk, and so at last medled with him.

1598. Shakspeare, All's Well etc., iv. 3. Men are to mell with, boys are not to kiss.

Mellow, adj. (common).—See quot. 1690.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Mellow, a'most Drunk; also smooth, soft Drink.

1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.

1774. Garrick, Epitaph on Goldsmith, 'Here Hermes,' says Jove, who with nectar was mellow.

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