Slang and its analogues past and present, volume 3 [of 7] : $b A dictionary, historical and comparative, of the heterodox speech of all classes of society for more than three hundred years. With synonyms in English, French, German, Italian, etc.Henley, William Ernest
History
Slang and its analogues past and present, volume 3 [of 7] : $b A dictionary, historical and comparative, of the heterodox speech of all classes of society for more than three hundred years. With synonyms in English, French, German, Italian, etc.
Henley, William Ernest
English language -- Slang -- Dictionaries; Slang -- Dictionaries
1878. M. E. Braddon, Cloven Foot, ch. xlv. Some sea coast city in
South America would suit me down to the ground.
1891. Licensed Vict. Gaz., 9 Feb. I knows the very bloke that’ll
suit you down to the ground.
1891. Sporting Life, 28 Mar. At Knowle he is suited down to the
ground.
1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. ii. They suit me right down to
the ground.
To wipe (or mop) up the ground (or floor) with one, verb. phr.
(common).—To administer the very soundest thrashing; to prove oneself
absolutely superior to one’s opposite.
1887. Henley and Stevenson, Deacon Brodie, i., 3. Muck! that’s my
opinion of him; ... I’ll mop the floor up with him any day, if so
be as you or any on ’em ’ll make it worth my while.
1888. Detroit Free Press, Aug. The Scroggin boy was as tough as a
dogwood knot. He’d wipe up the ground with him; he’d walk all over
him.
To go (or get) well to the ground, verb. phr. (old colloquial).—To
defæcate; to rear (q.v.). For synonyms, see Mrs. Jones.
1608. Middleton, Family of Love, v. 3. Do you go well to the
ground?
1856. Notes and Queries, 2 S., i., p. 324. To get to the ground, in
medical phraseology, means to have the bowels opened.
Grounder, subs. (cricketers’).—A ball with a ground delivery; a sneak;
a grub; and (in America) at base-ball, a ball struck low, or flying
near the ground.
Ground-floor. To be let in on the Ground-floor, verb. phr.
(American).—To share in a speculation on equal terms with the original
promoters.
Ground-squirrel, subs. (old).—A hog; a grunter—Lex. Bal. For synonyms,
see Sow’s Baby.
Ground-sweat. To have (or take) a ground-sweat, verb. phr. (old).—To be
buried.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew. Ground sweat, s.v., a grave.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Grouse. To do a grouse (or to go grousing), verb. phr. (venery).—To
quest, or to run down, a woman; to molrow (q.v.). Groused = Molled
(q.v.).
Grouser, subs. (popular).—1. A grumbler. For synonyms, see Rusty-guts.
2. (venery).—One who goes questing after women; a molrower (q.v.).
3. (sporting).—A rowing man; a wet-bob (q.v.).
Grousing, subs. (venery).—Going in quest of women; sparrow-catching
(q.v.); molrowing (q.v.).
Groute, verb. (Marlborough and Cheltenham Colleges).—To work or study
hard; to swot (q.v.). For synonyms, see Wire In.
Grouty, adj. (common).—Crabbed; sulky.
Grove of Eglantine, subs. phr. (venery).—The female pudendum; also the
female pubic hair. For synonyms, see Monosyllable and Fleece.
1772. Carew, Poems. ‘A Rapture.’ Retire into thy Grove of
Eglantine.
Grove of the Evangelist, subs. phr. (common).—St. John’s Wood; also
Apostle’s Grove, and the Baptist’s Wood.
Grow, verb. (prison).—To be accorded the privilege of letting one’s
hair and beard grow. Also to grow one’s feathers.
Growler, subs. (common).—A four-wheeled cab. Cf., Sulky.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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