Leary-cum-Fitz, subs. (theatrical).—A vulgarian amongst actors.
Least. Least in sight, phr. (old).—See quots.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Least in sight, to play least in
sight, to hide, keep out of the way, or make oneself scarce.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Least. Keep out of the way; hide;
out of sight.
Leather, subs. (American thieves’).—1. A pocket book. For synonyms see
Reader.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Leather. The bloke lost his leather,
the man lost his pocket book.
1881. New York Slang Dict., ‘On the Trail.’ We touched his leather
too, but it was very lathy.
1883. Clemens (‘Mark Twain’), Life on the Mississippi, p. 459. When
we got to Chicago on the cars from there to here, i pulled off an
old woman’s leather; i hadn’t no more than got it off when i wished
i hadn’t donn it, for awhile before that i made up my mind to be a
square bloke.
2. (venery).—The female pudendum. Hence, to labour leather (old) = to
copulate; leather-stretcher = the penis: cf. Kid-leather; and nothing
like leather (q.v.). For synonyms see Monosyllable.
1540. Lindsay, Thrie Estaitis [Laing (1879), ii. 72. 1332]. It is
half ane yeir almaist, Sen ever that loun laborde my ledder.
1678. Cotton, Virgil Travestie, in Wks. (1725), Bk. iv. p. 74. At
that Queen Juno smil’d and said ... if they once do come together,
He’ll find that Dido’s reaching leather.
d. 1796. Burns, Court of Equity. Hunter, a willing, hearty brither,
weel skilled in dead and living leather.
3. in pl. (common).—The ears; lugs (q.v.). For synonyms see Hearing
Cheats.
4. (sporting).—A cricket-, or foot-ball. To hunt leather (cricket) = to
field. Leather-hunting (subs.) fielding.
1883. Graphic, 11 August, p. 138, col. 1. The giants of the past
who handled so efficiently the ‘willow’ and the leather.
1884. Daily News, 12 April, p. 5, col. 2. A man has Morley’s genius
with the leather, combined with Morley’s deficiencies as a fielder
and bat.
1886. G. Sutherland, Australia, p. 178. In most parts of Australia
cricket can be played with tolerable comfort all the year round.
Occasionally, in summer, there are days when the heat is unusually
oppressive, and the pastime of leather hunting becomes somewhat
tiresome.
1890. Palace Journal, 4 Aug. Our fellows were kept leather-hunting
pretty well the whole innings.
Verb. (common).—To beat; to tan (q.v.); to dust (q.v.).
1763. Foote, Mayor of Garratt, i. Now, if you think I could carry
my point, I would so swinge and leather my lambkin.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. To leather also means to beat,
perhaps originally with a strap. I’ll leather you to your heart’s
content.
1858. G. Eliot, Janet’s Repentance, ch. xxi. ‘He’ll want to be
leatherin’ us, I shouldn’t wonder. He must hev somethin’ t’ill-use
when he’s in a passion.’
1892. G. M. Fenn, The New Mistress, xxii. Please, teacher, mother
leathers the boys if they don’t get home in time for dinner.
1892. Anstey, Voces Populi, ‘The Travelling Menagerie,’ p. 61.
Bain’t she a leatherin’ of ’un too!
To go to leather, verb. phr. (American).—See quot.
1882. Dodge, Ranch Life in the Far West. After a few jumps,
however, the average man grasps hold of the horn of the saddle—the
delightful onlookers meanwhile earnestly advising him not to go to
leather—and is contented to get through the affair in any shape,
provided he can escape without being thrown off.
To lose leather, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be saddle-galled.—Grose
(1785).
Leathers, subs. (common).—A postboy.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. xx. ‘Come along; jump in, old
boy—go it, leathers!’ and in this way Pen found himself in Mr.
Spavin’s postchaise.
Leatherhead, subs. (old).—1. A swindler. For synonyms see Rook.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1884. Phillips Woolley, Trottings of a Tenderfoot. Now the Senator
is only a leatherhead who made his pile by such and such a swindle.