Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 5.pdf/381

 1888. Puck's Library, Jan. 13. When the Chinaman becomes a compositor, he will most likely prefer a rat-office.

1892. Globe, 2 Ap., 2, 4. He would rather like to see him brought down to this House," he said, "where he would find plenty of occupation, as on this (the Opposition) side there were a good many rats.

2. (Old Cant).—A clergyman: see Sky-pilot.—Grose (1785).

1628. Earle, Microcos. [Bliss (1811), 195]. A profane man is one that nick-names clergymen with all the terms of reproach as rat, black-coat, and the like.

3. (old).—'A drunken person when in custody.'—B. E. (c. 1696); Grose (1785). Whence (in pl.) = d.t.'s (q.v.); drunk as a rat = hopelessly drunk: see Screwed.

1553. T. Wilson, Rhet. (1580), 128. As dronke as a ratte.

1661. Merry Drollery, 28. He walks about the country Drunk as a rat, you'd hardly wot That drinking so he could trudge it.

c. 1685. Roxburghe Ballads [Brit. Mus. ii. 101]. His master one night got drunk as a rat.

4. (nautical).—An infernal machine: espec. one used to founder insured bottoms.

c. 1880. Times [S. J. & C.]. There are two species of rats. One species is intended to operate upon iron ships, the other upon wooden ones.

5. (back slang).—In pl. = a star.

6. (thieves').—A police spy: see Nark; hence (general) a term of contempt.

7. (obsolete).—A hairpad, somewhat resembling a rat in shape, circa 1860-70. Also as verb.

Phrases.—To smell a rat = to suspect a trick or roguery (Florio; B. E.; Grose); to give green rats = to malign or backbite; to have (or see) rats = (1) to be eccentric, (2) out of sorts, (3) drunk, and (4) crazy: also rats in the garret (loft, or upper story); like a drowned rat = sopping wet; rat me = a varient of rot me: an objurgation; Rats! = a contemptuous retort: see Water.

c. 1508. Colyn Blowbol's Test [Hazlitt, Early Pop. Poetry, i. 93, 31.]. He lokyd furyous as a wyld catt, And pale of hew like a drowned ratt.

c. 1529. Image of Ipocrysy, 51. For yf they smell a ratt, They grisely chide and chatt.

1630. Wadsworth, Pilgr. viii., 84. I got on shore as wet as a drowned rat.

1633. Jonson, Tale of a Tub, iv. 3. Do you not smell a rat? I tell you truth, I think all's knavery.

1664. Cotton, Virgil Travestie, 23. He straight began to smell a rat, And soon perceiv'd what they'd be at.

1708-10. Swift, Pol. Conv., 17. Take Pity on poor Miss; don't throw Water on a drownded rat.

1772. Bridges, Burlesque Homer, 204. Tydides' heart went pit-a-pat, For he began to smell a rat.

1830. Barrington, Personal Sketches. Sir Boyle Roche: 'Mr. Speaker, I smell a rat; I see him forming in the air and darkening the sky; but I'll nip him in the bud.'

1840. Lytton, Paul Clifford, xxxiv. "Whew!" said he, lifting up his fore-*finger, "whew! I smell a rat; this stolen child, then, was no other than Paul.,

1865. Yates, Land at Last, v. "Well, and now, old boy, how are you?" "Well, not very brilliant this morning, Algy. I —" "Ah, like me, got rats, haven't you?"

1880. New Virginians, 11. 229. Looking like the drowndest of drowned rats.

1886-96 Marshall, His Bit of Trouble ['Pomes,' 122]. One word, and that was Rats!

1892. Ally Sloper, 27 Feb., 66, 3. "I had 'em again last night, old man,' "The usual thing?" asked Boozer "No," said Lushington, "it was a regular mixture—rats and skeletons all sorts."