Page:Farmer - Slang and its analogues past and present - Volume 6.pdf/191

 Shooter, subs. (colloquial).—Generic. Thus (1) = a revolver: also, according to capacity, a five, six, or seven-shooter; (2) = the guard of a mail coach (old): he was armed with a blunderbuss; (3) = a shooting star; (4) = a shooting-stick (printers'); a piece of hard word or metal used with a mallet for tightening quoins in a chase; (5) = a ball (cricket) bowled full pitch but shooting in close to the ground; and (6) = a black morning coat (Harrow) as distinguished from the tail coat worn by the Fifth and Sixth Forms.

d.1633. G. Herbert, Artillery. But I have also stars, and shooters too.

1840. Thackeray, Shabby Genteel Story. He had a word for the hostler about that grey mare, a nod for the shooter or guard.

1899. Scarlet City, 107. Miss Winks took the terrible shooter with a trembling hand. 'You're sure it's not loaded?' she ejaculated.

Shooter's-hill, subs. phr. (venery).—The mons veneris: see Venus. Hence, to take a turn on shooter's-hill = to copulate: see Greens and Ride.

Shooting-iron, subs. phr. (common).—A gun or revolver.

1847. Porter, Quarter Race, 135. He said his old shooting-iron would go off at a good imitation of a bear's breathing!

1848. Burton, Waggeries, 175. This antique shooting-iron had not been visible on board the boat.

1871. De Vere, Americanisms His rifle he loves with almost tender affection and speaks of it as a shooting-iron The more recent revolver, now quite common in the West, is, on the other hand, his five or six shooter.

1888. Harper's Mag., lxxvi. 78. Timothy drew his shooting-iron cocking it with a metallic click.

1888. Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, xxx. Hev' ye nary shootin' iron?

1894. To-Day, 21 Ap., 351, 1. Say, what's that for? you've emptied yure shooting iron into him; what's he done?

1897. Mitford, Romance Cape Frontier, ii. v. We'll just get out our shooting-irons and go and see.

1902. Kernahan, Scoundrels and Co., xxiii. Keep your shooting irons, Mr. Hall I've got a brace of my own in my pocket.

Shooting-stars, subs. phr. (common).—Dizziness: as caused by a blow.

Shop, subs. and verb. (colloquial).—1. Generic for a place: of residence, business, manufacture, engagement, or resort (in quot. 1590 = the body); and (2) one's profession, business or occupation. Spec. (old, and thieves') = (3) a prison (B. E. and Grose): whence, as verb. = to imprison, to confine (B. E. and Grose); 4. (army) = a guardroom: also see quot. 1890; and 5. (racing) a place: whence to be shopped (or get a shop) = to come in first, second, or third; and (6) to kill, to burke (q.v.). Whence, to talk shop = to talk business in society: Fr. parler boutique; to sink the shop = to refrain from shop-talk; shoppy (or full of the shop) = wholly engrossed in business matters; the other shop = a rival (trader, establishment, &c.).

1548. Patten, Exped. to Scotl. [Arber (Eng. Garner, iii. 86)]. They had likewise shopped up themselves in the highest of their house.

1563. Foxe, Acts and Monuments [Cattley] iv. 652 [Oliphant, New Eng. i. 541. Foxe wishes that More had kept himself in his own shop (profession); hence our 'talk shop'].

1590. Spenser, Fairy Queen, ii. i. 43. Then [he] gan softly feel Her feeble pulse he hoped faire To call backe life to her forsaken shop.