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 18 Athenæum, 3197, 146. As a specimen of newspaper slapdash we may point to the description of General Ignatieff as 'the Russian Mr. Gladstone.'

A slap (or slat) in the face, phr. (colloquial).—A rebuff; a reproach (Bee).

See Slop up.

Slap-bang shop, subs. phr. (old).—1. See quot. 1785. Also Slam-bang Shop (Bee).

1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Slap-bang shop. A petty cook's shop, where there is no credit given, but what is had must be paid for, down with the ready slap-bang, i.e. immediately. This is a common appellation for a night cellar frequented by thieves.

1856. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, 'Making a Night of it.' They dined at the same slap-bang every day, and revelled in each other's company every night.

2. (old).—A stage coach, or caravan (Grose).

See Slap, adv.

Slap-jack. See Flap-jack.

Slappaty-pouch (or Slatter-*pouch), subs. (old).—Beating the arms on the chest to keep warm.

1654. Gayton, Festivous Notes, 86. When they were boyes at trap, or Slatterpouch They'd sweat.

d.1704. Brown, Works, ii. 126. We have tir'd our palms and our ribs at slappaty-pouch.

Slap-sauce, subs. phr. (old).—A hanger-on; a toady. As adj. = to sponge (q.v.).

1557. Tusser, Husbandrie, 188. Ere tongue be too free, Or slapsauce be noted too saucie to bee.

1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, i. xxv. Slapsauce fellows lubbardly louts.

Slap-sided. See Slab-sided.

Slash, subs. (thieves').—An outside pocket [cf. Grose, s.v. Slip, 'the slash pocket in the skirt of a coat behind.'].

Verb. (literary).—To criticise severely, sarcastically, or at random; to cut up (q.v.).: also to slash in. Hence slashing, subs. = damning criticism; as adj. = trenchent harsh; slasher = a vigorous critic.

d.1859. De Quincey, Homer, i. The Alexandrian critics with all their slashing insolence groped about in twilight.

1874. Mortimer Collins, Frances, xvii. The slashing writers who delight to cut up a book, especially if the author is a friend or a rival.

1888. Athenæum, 14 Jan., 43. He may be called the inventor of the modern slashing article.

Slasher, subs. (old).—1. A bully; a bravo: see Furioso (Grose and Matsell). Also (2) a pounding pugilist, a Hittite (q.v.); and (3) see Slash.

1593. Harvey [Grosart, Works, ii. 57]. That most threatening slassher.

4. (old).—A sword.

1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, xxxiii. 'Had he no arms'? 'Ay, ay, he was never without barkers and slashers.

5. (colloquial).—Anything exceptional: see Whopper. Hence slashing = exceptionally brilliant, vigorous, successful, expert, &c. Also as adv., as a slashing fine woman; a slashing good race; and so forth.

1854. Dickens, Hard Times [Ency. Dict.]. A slashing fortune.

The. Slashers, subs. phr. (military).—The 1st Batt. Gloucestershire Regiment, formerly The 28th Foot. Also "The Old Braggs" and "The Right-abouts."