To break a leg, verb. phr. (venery).—See quot. 1737.
1684. R. Head, Proteus Redivivus, 153. Though she hath broken her
leg, she is sound enough for a Drawer, newly out of his time, who,
having credit for wine, his house is furnish’t with the money that
did set his wife’s Broken Leg.
1737. Ray, Proverbs (3rd ed.), p. 200. She hath broken her leg
above the knee, i.e. had a bastard.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Leg.
To cut one’s leg, verb. phr. (old).—To get drunk. For synonyms see
Drinks and Screwed.
1767. Ray, Proverbs [Bohn (1893), 63]. s.v.
To lift (or lay) a leg on (or over), verb. phr. (venery).—To possess a
woman. Hence, to lift one’s leg or to play at lift-leg = to copulate
(of both sexes); leg-lifter = whoremaster; and leg-lifting =
fornication. For synonyms see Greens and Ride.
1719. Durfey, Pills to Purge etc., v. No snarling rebel shall e’er
lay leg o’er me.
17[?]. Old Song [quoted by Burns], ‘Duncan Davidson’. She fee’d a
lad to lift her leg.
c. 1787. Burns, Holy Willie’s Prayer. I’ll ne’er lift a lawless leg
Again upon her.