1889. Illustrated Bits, 13 July, p. 1. ‘I want to see some gloves.’
‘Certainly, miss. Can I show you some undressed kids?’ ‘Young man!
I only require gloves.’
Verb. (common).—1. To quiz; to wheedle; to cheat.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v. Kid, to coax or wheedle. To amuse a man or
divert his attention while another robs him.
1872. Daily News, 5 Jan., p. 2, col. 1. A stern man and a strong,
he was not to be blinded, by emphatic expostulators against
kidding, to the fact that the clamourers against that species of
throwing dust in a fellow mortal’s eyes were in fact themselves
kidding with the greatest activity. Comfort is a relative term.
1879. Macmillan’s Mag., xl. 505. I thought they were only kidding
at first.
1880. Jas. Greenwood, Fly Faker’s Hotel, in ‘Odd People in odd
Places,’ p. 55. ‘Why, you don’t mean to say that you’ve been kidded
to expect a bed for your fourpence,’ said he; ‘a regler turn-in, I
mean, with sheets and that?’
1884. R. Jefferies, in Longm. Mag., iv. 255. While the fisherman
was telling me this woeful story, I fancied I heard voices from a
crowd of the bigger boys collected under a smack, voices that said,
‘Ho! ho! Go on! you’re kidding the man!’
1889. Answers, 2 March, p. 218, col. 1. ‘One and tuppence a day,’
said the bootblack, sarcastically; ‘’E’s on’y a kiddin’ on yer.
Arsk that there copper whether he don’t take ’is four or five bob a
day.’
1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, 33. He wos kidding me.
To kid on, verb. phr. (common).—To lead on by gammon or deceit.
1851. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lond. Poor, i. p. 473. ‘At the
same time he kids them on by promising three times more than the
things are worth.’
1888. J. Runciman, The Chequers, p. 186. I was kiddin’ him on.
1889. Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 4 Jan. He kidded—who had just
come in for his father’s brass—to let him have the lot.
To kid oneself, verb. phr. (common).—To be conceited.
Hard Kid, subs. phr. (common).—Hard lines; bad luck; hard cheese
(q.v.).
Kidden (or Kid-ken or Kiddy-ken), subs. (thieves’).—A lodging house
frequented by young thieves.
1839. Brandon, Poverty, Mendicity, and Crime, pp. 74 and 90, s.v.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
Kidder, subs. (old).—1. See quot. 1785.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulgar Tongue, s.v. Kidder, a forestaller.