Institution, subs. (colloquial).—A practice; an idea; an invention; an
established custom or usage.
1851. Thackeray, English Humorists, p. 207. The pillory was a
flourishing and popular institution in those days.
1858. Times, April. The camels form an institution of India.
Instrument, subs. (old).—The female pudendum. For synonyms see
Monosyllable.
1606. Return from Parnassus [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), ix. 165].
Her viol-de-gamba is her best content; For ’twixt her legs she
holds her instrument.
Int, subs. (old).—A sharper.
1621. Brathwayte, Clitus’s Whimzies, p. 12. His nipps, ints, bungs
and prinados.
1658. Brathwayte, Honest Ghost, p. 231. Nips, and ints, prinados
etc.
Intense, adj. (colloquial).—Serious; soulful; Æsthetic (q.v.);
year-nest (q.v.).
1879. W. D. Howells, Lady of the Aroostook, xiv. ‘Why Miss Blood
you are intense.’ ‘I don’t know what you mean by that’ said Lydia.
‘You like to take things seriously. You can’t bear to think that
people are not the least in earnest, even when they least seem so.’
1889. Du Maurier, English Society at Home, plate 49. Fair Æsthetic
to Smith who has just been introduced ‘Are you intense’?
Intimate, subs. (American thieves’).—A shirt.
To be improperly intimate with, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To copulate
outside marriage. For synonyms see Greens and Ride.
Intercourse, To have improper intercourse with, verb. phr.
(colloquial).—To possess a woman outside marriage. For synonyms see
Greens and Ride.
Interesting condition (or Situation), To be in a, verb. phr.
(colloquial).—To be with child.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Random, lxix. So that I cannot leave her in
such an interesting situation, which I hope will produce something
to crown my felicity.
1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, lxxxi. I found myself in a fair
way of being a mother; and that I might be near my own relations in
such an interesting situation, etc.
1838. Dickens, Nicholas Nickleby, xxix. Mrs. Leuville was in an
interesting state.
Interfere, verb. (Western American).—To maltreat.
Interloper, subs. (old: now recognised).—An unlicensed trader; a
smuggler; one who interferes, or intercepts unwarrantably. Also as in
quot. 1690.
1627. Minshew, Dict., Interlopers in trade.
1675. Sir W. Temple, Letter, (To the Gov. and Compt. of Merchant
Adventurers) 26 March. Whatever privileges are allowed your Company
at Dort will be given at the other towns, either openly or
covertly, to all those interlopers who may bring their manufactures
directly thither.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Interlopers, Hangers on,
retainers to, or dependers upon other folks; also Medlers and
Busybodies, intruders into other Men’s Professions, and those that
intercept the Trade of a Company, being not legally authorised.
1725. New Canting Dict., s.v.
Intercrural Trench, subs. phr. (venery).—The female pudendum.—Urquhart.
For synonyms see Monosyllable.
Into. To be into a man, verb. phr. (common).—To pitch into him; to
fight him.
Prep. (American).—‘Short of’; wanting: e.g. ‘I thought I did pretty
well delivering all the load into one box’ (i.e., all but one box).
To be (or get) into a woman, verb. phr. (venery).—To possess a woman
carnally. For synonyms see Greens and Ride.
Invade, verb. (venery).—To effect intromission; also, to lay hands on;
to grope (q.v.).
1684. Dryden, The Disappointment (Prologue). Invade and grubble one
another’s punk.
Invite, subs. (vulgar: once literary).—An invitation.
1615. Sandys, Relation of a Journey, 305. The Lamprey swims to his
Lord’s invites.
1778. D’Arblay, Diary, (1876) i. 73. Everybody bowed and accepted
the invite but me.
1836. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, ‘Steam Excursion.’ Guest after
guest arrived, the invites had been excellently arranged.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, ‘Merchant of Venice.’ To give all
his old friends that farewell invite.
Inward, subs. (old).—1. An intimate.
1603. Shakespeare, Measure for Measure, iii. 2. Sir, I was an
inward of his: a shy fellow was the Duke.
1607. Middleton, Michaelmas Term, ii. 3. He is a kind gentleman, a
very inward of mine.