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 1866. London Miscellany', 3 Mar., 57. It was a regular trosseno. If it went on like that always, he said, he should precious soon nommus (cut it).

1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. A regular scab! and a coster declared he was 'a trosseno, and no mistake!'

Trot (or Trat), subs. (old).—1. An old woman: in contempt: usually old trot; a bawd: 'a sorry base old woman' (B. E.): 'a decrepit old woman' (Grose).

1512-3. Douglas, Virgil, B. iv. 96, l. 97. Out on the old trat agit wyffe or dame. Ibid., 122, 39. Thus saith Dido, and the tother with that, Hyit or furth with slow pase like ane trot.

1551. Still, Gammer Gurton's Needle, i. 1. The old trot sits groaning with alas and alas. Ibid., ii. 2. I will have the young whore by the head and the old trot by the throat.

1560. Gascoigne, Supposes, ii. 5. Goe: that gunne pouder consume the old trotte!

1570. Turberville, Of a Contrerie Mariage. Put case an aged trot be somewhat tough? If coyne shee bring the care will be the lesse. Ibid. [Chalmers, ii. 618]. A filthie Trull is yrksome to the eie An aged Trot to lyke is hard to finde.

c. 1586. Warner, Albion's England, ii. 47. He got assurance to be wedded to the old deformed trot.

1593. Shakspeare, Taming of Shrew, i. 2. 80. Or an old trot, with ne'er a tooth in her head, though she have as many diseases as two and fifty horses. Ibid. (1603), Meas. for Meas., iii. 2. 52. What sayest thou, Trot? Bawd is he doubtless, and of antiquity, too.

1593. Churchyard, Challenge, 250. Awaie old trotts, that sets young flesh to sale.

1594. Affectionate Shepheard. This leare I learned of a beldame Trot, (When I was yong and wylde as now thou art).

1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe. A cage roomsome enough to comprehend her, and the toothless trot her nurse, who was her only chat mate and chamber maid.

1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, i. vi. An ugly old trot in the company had the reputation of an expert she-physician.

1678. Cotton, Virgil Travestie (1770), 138. The hobbling Trot limps down the Stairs.

2. (old).—An endearment: of a child learning to run.

1854-5. Thackeray, Newcomes, x. Ethel romped with the little children, the rosy little trots.

1897. Ouida, Massarenes, 10. She must not keep this bonbonnière; the contents are more than enough for a careless little trot who knocks people about with her balloon.

3. (American schools').—A pony (q.v.), crib (q.v.). Whence as verb (or to trot a lesson) = to use a translation or other adventitious aid to study.

Verb. (thieves').—1. To steal in broad daylight.

2. (colloquial).—Generic for doing: thus to trot out (= express) an opinion; to trot out (= escort) a judy; to trot out (= sing) a song; to trot out (= spend) the pieces, and so forth. To trot round = to take a turn round the town, the halls, etc.; on the trot = on the go (q.v.), pegging away; dog-trot = 'a gentle pace' (Grose); to trot up (auctioneers') = to bid against, to run up prices.

1888. Christie Murray, Weaker Vessel, xiii. They would sit for hours solemnly trotting out for one another's admiration their commonplaces until I tingled from head to foot.

1860. New York Ev. Post, 18 Feb. The friends of Alexander H. Stephens are making vigorous efforts to trot him out for the Presidency.

To trot out (or feed) one's pussy, verb. phr. (venery).—To receive a man: see Greens and Ride.

Phrase.—'He lies as fast as a dog can trot' (of a persistent liar).