1730. Ramsay, Fables & Tales, in Wks. [1800], ii. 515. Ah me! your
reverence’s sister, Ten times I carnally have—kist her.
1786. Capt. Morris. ‘The Plenipotentiary’. The next to be kissed on
the Plenipo’s list, was a delicate Maiden of Honor.
To kiss the claws (or hands), verb. phr. (old).—To salute.
1630. Taylor, Wks. [quoted by Nares]. These men can kisse their
claws, with, Jack, how is’t? And take and shake me kindely by the
fist, And put me off with dilatory cogges.
1630. Taylor, Wks. [quoted by Nares]. I’m glad to see thee well
with all my heart. Long have I long’d to drinke with thee a quart,
I have beleev’d this drosse had beene pure gold, When presently I
have beene bought and sold Behind my backe (for no desert and
cause), By those that kindly cap’d and kist their clawes.
1650. Howell, Familiar Letters [quoted by Nares]. This letter comes
to kisse your hands from fair Florence, a citie so beutifull.
To kiss the Counter, verb. phr. (old).—To be confined in the Counter
prison. Also Clink.
1618. Rowlands, Night Raven, p. 11. (Hunterian Club Repr. 1872).
Constable:—Tell me of supper, tut a puddings end, You kisse the
Counter, sirra, that is flat, Ile teach you know my place deserves
a hat.
1626. Letter dated idem [quoted by Nares]. Some constables, for
refusing to distrain, have kissed the Counter; and some have taken
up their lodgings in Newgate, but have been since released.
To kiss the dust, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To die. For synonyms see
Aloft.
To kiss the Hare’s foot, verb. phr. (old).—To be too late for meals; to
dine with Duke Humphrey (q.v.).
... Serving Man’s Comfort, Sign. C. The hall summons this consort
of companions (upon payne to dyne with duke Humphfrie, or to kisse
the hare’s foot) to appeare at the first call.
1616. Brown, Brit. Past, ii. 2, p. 67. ’Tis supper time with all,
and we had need Make haste away, unless we meane to speed With
those that kisse the hare’s foot; rhumes are bred, Some say, by
going supperlesse to bed.
1672. Ray, Proverbs, p. 195. To kiss the hare’s foot, prov. Spoken
to one that comes so late that he hath lost his dinner or supper.
1677. Cole, Dict. You must kiss the hare’s foot, post festum
venisti.
1851. Notes and Queries, 1 S. 4. p. 21. Kiss the Hare’s Foot.—This
locution is commonly used in some parts of the United Kingdom, to
describe, what is expressed by the Latin proverb: ‘Sero venientibus
ossa.’
To kiss the master, verb. phr. (old).—To hit the jack (q.v.) at bowls.
1579. Gosson, Schoole of Muse, p. 60 (Arber’s ed.). At Diceplay,
euery one wisheth to caste well; at Bowles euery one craues to
kisse the maister; at running euery one starteth to win the goale.
To kiss the post, verb. phr. (old).—To be shut out.
1600. Heywood, King Edward, iv. [Nares]. Dost thou hear me, Ned? If
I shall be thy host. Make haste thou art best, for fear thou kiss
the post.
1612. Pasquils’ Nightcap [Nares]. Men of al countries travels
through the same, And, if they money want, may kisse the post.
1630. Taylor, Wks. [Nares]. Mars yeelds to Venus, gown-men rule the
rost now, And men of war may fast, or kisse the post now.
Kiss my arse. See Arse.
To Kiss the maid, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Kissing the maid, an Engine in
Scotland, and at Halifax in England, in which the Head of a
Malefactor is Laid to be Cut off, and which this way is done to a
Hair, said to be invented by Earl Morton who had the ill Fate to
Handsel it. [Also New Cant. Dict. (1725)].
Kiss-curl, subs. (common).—A small curl twisted on the cheek or temple;
a beau-catcher (q.v.): cf. Aggrawator and Love-lock. Also
Kiss-me-quick.
1856. Punch, xxxi. 219. I declare when I read that letter in print,
with a picture in the corner not the least bit in the world like me
(tho’ I admit rather pretty in its way) I coloured up to the
tip-top of my forehead and I am sure that if I had worn those
pastry-cook’s girl’s ornaments called kiss-curls the gum would have
been melted off in a minute.
Kisser, subs. (pugilistic).—1. The mouth; the dripping- or latch-pan
(q.v.). For synonyms see Potato-trap.
1860. Chambers’ Journal, xiii. 348. His mouth is his ‘potatoe
trap’—more shortly, ‘tatur trap’—or Kisser.
2. in pl. (pugilistic).—The lips; lispers (q.v.); mums (q.v.). Fr. les
balots.
Kissing, subs. (venery).—1. Copulation. For synonyms see Greens and
Ride.