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 Mercury-women, subs. (old).—See quot.

1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Mercury Women, Wholesale News-sellers who retail to the Hawkers.

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

Meridian, subs. (old).—Refreshment taken at noon. Ante-meridian = a morning dram: Post-meridian = an appetizer before dinner.

1818. Scott, Heart of Midlothian, iv. Plumdamas joined the other two gentlemen in drinking their meridian (a bumper-dram of brandy).

Merkin, subs. (old).—1. See quots. 1736 and 1796.

1620. Percy, Folio MS., p. 508. A health to all Ladyes that neuer used merkin.

16[?]. Jonson, A Song of the Moon [Cunningham and Bell (1870), iii. 465]. The moon commends her to the merry beards in hall Morts and mirkins that wag all, Tough, foul, or tender.

1647-80. Rochester, To the Author of a Play called 'Sodom'. Or wear some stinking merkin for a beard.

167[?]. Cotton, Voyage to Ireland, iii. 26. By these the true colour one can no more know Than by mouse-skins above-stairs the merkin below.

1688. Randal Holme, Academy of Armoury, 389. Some term it merkin when set about the lower parts.

1720. Phillips, New World of Words, s.v.

1724. E. Coles, Eng. Dict., Merkin (f. la mère, matrix) pubes (eminentia) mulieris.

1736. Baily, Engl. Dict., s.v. Merkin counterfeit hair for the privities of women.

1796. Grose, Vulg. Tongue (3rd ed.), s.v. Merkin, counterfeit hair for the private parts of a woman.

1873. Hotten, Slang Dict., s.v.

1890. Barrère and Leland, Slang, Jargon, and Cant, s.v.

2. (obsolete).—Fur.

1678. Cotton, Virgil Travestie, in Wks. (1725), Bk. iv. p. 90. Upon his back he had a Jerkin Lin'd through, and through with sable merkin.

3. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms see Monosyllable.

1656. R. Fletcher, Martiall. Why dost thou reach thy merkin now half dust?

1661. Merry Drollery, 'A Puritan' [Ebsworth (1876), p. 196]. Her zeal was in a sound. He edified her merkin Upside down.

1719. A. Smith, Higwaymen, ii. 6. A strange whim which was to get the hairy circle of her merkin. This he dried well, and combed out.

4. (American thieves').—Hair dye.

1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.

Mermaid, subs. (old).—A strumpet. For synonyms see Barrack-hack and Tart.

1599. Middleton, Rowley, and Massinger, Old Law, iv. 1. What, a mermaid? No, but a maid.

Merry (or Merry-arsed), adj. (venery).—Wanton. Hence, merry-arsed Christian = a whore (Grose, 1823); merry-begot (q.v.); merry-bit = a willing wench; merry-maker = the penis; merry-legs = a light-skirts (q.v.) or quicunque-vult (q.v.).

1610. Beaumont and Fletcher, Maid's Tragedy, iii. 1. Diph. What odds, he has not my sister's maidenhead to-night? She's merry enough of herself; she needs no tickling.

c.1800. Burns, The Merry Muses of Caledonia [In title, and passim].

1887. Henley, Book of Verses, 'Ballade of a Toyokuni Colour-Print' When merry maids in Miyako.