Light-wet, subs. (old).—Gin. For synonyms see Drinks and Satin.
1822. Randall’s Scrap-book. Pure and clear rose the beads on the
glass of light-wet.
Like. This word enters into numerous combinations indicating energetic,
rapid, or intense action, motion, and thought. The chief are:—
Like (or as) anything; a basket of chips; beans; billy-ho; a bird;
blazes; boots, or old boots; bricks, or a thousand, or a cart-load
of bricks; a dog in a fair; fun; a house on fire; hell; hot cake;
mad; one o’clock; shit to a shovel; a shot; a streak; thunder; the
very devil; a tom-tit on a horse-turd; winkey or winky. (Fr. comme
la bourrique à Robespierre).
1542. Udall, Erasmus Apoph., p. 32. The young maiden, where the
lokers on quaked and trembled for feare, daunced without any feare
at all emong sweardes and kniues, beyng as sharpe as anythyng.
1690. The Pagan Prince [quoted by Nares]. So that the Belgians,
hearing what a clutter the Albionians made of their victory which
they had got but by one spot of a die, they fell a making a
bonfires and fire-works like mad, and rejoicing and triumphing for
the great victory.
1690. Crowne, English Friar, iii. As soon as ever the stop of
coaches is over, my lady will drive like mad.
d. 1703. Pepys, Diary, ii. 6. A mad coachman that drove like mad.
d. 1704. Lestrange [Century]. A bear, enraged at the stinging of a
bee, ran like mad into the bee-garden, and overturned all the
hives.
1716. Croker, Suff. Cor., i. 8. [Tell] dear Molly I like her like
anything.
1740. Richardson, Pamela, ii. 57. O my dear father and mother, I
fear your girl will grow as proud as anything.
1819. Moore, Tom Crib, 23. But a pelt in the smeller ... set it
going like fun. Ibid. 25. The whole populace flashed the white grin
like a basket of chips.
1835. Dickens, Sketches, 139. Bump they cums agin the post, and out
flies the fare like bricks.
1836. M. Scott, Tom Cringle’s Log, 2. The breeze struck us, and it
came on to blow like thunder. Ibid. We were bowling along right
before it, rolling like the very devil.
1837. Barham, I. L. (Jackdaw of Rheims). That little Jackdaw kept
hopping about, Here and there, Like a dog in a fair, Over comfits
and cakes, And dishes and plates. (Ibid. Witches’ Frolic). Old
goody Jones All skin and bones, Follows like winking. Ibid.
(Misadv. at Margate). The tear-drop in his little eye again began
to spring, His bosom throbb’d with agony, he cried like anything.
Ibid. (Ingoldsby Penance). For the Friar to his skirts closely
sticks, ‘Running after him,’—so said the Abbot,—like bricks!
1845. B. Disraeli, Sybil or The Two Nations, 330. Syllabubs like
blazes, and snapdragon as makes the flunkeys quite pale.
1847. Robb, Squatter Life, 37. He lit upon the upper town and its
member like a thousand of brick!
1850. Smedley, Frank Fairlegh, 204. Tapping his claret for him, as
the pugilists call it, and sending him down like a shot.
1851. Mayhew, London Labour and London Poor, iii. p. 159. She liked
this very much, in fact so much, that the other little ones used to
cry like blazes because I wouldn’t let them have a turn at them
[the stilts]. Ibid. i. 29. He trotted on like one o’clock.
d. 1859. De Quincey, Spanish Nun, sect. 24. The horse was so
maddened by the wound, and the road so steep, that he went like
blazes.
1860. New Orleans Picayune, 27 April (Police Report). When it came
to the breakdown, Your Honor, he kicked up a row like a drove of
contrary mules, and when we wanted to turn him out, he fell upon us
like a thousand of bricks, and threatened to make minced meat of
the police and every one of us.
1864. Western World, 5 March. ‘When Mr. Nye had finished, Mr.
Stewart rose, and with his irresistible logic and impressive
language came down upon him like a thousand of bricks, till he was
utterly crushed and demolished.’
1868. Miss Braddon, Sir Jasper, xxvii. p. 282. I’ll stick to you
like old boots.
1869. W. S. Gilbert, Bab Ballads, ‘Captain Reece.’ If ever they
were dull or sad, The Captain danced to them like mad.
1873. Carroll, Through a Looking Glass, iv. 73. They wept like
anything to see such quantities of sand.
1874. Saturday Review, Jan., 55. An Oxford man, nay even a Balliol
man ... introduced in the story a pleasing change by such a phrase
as jawing away like old boots.
1883. Graphic, 17 March, 287, 1. Nevertheless, this solid fare
disappeared, with the beer, like winking.
1888. Puck’s Library, 15. ‘Will go like hot cakes.’ Book Seller (to
Clerk). ‘Haven’t we an overstock of ‘Jack, the Giant Killer,’ on
hand, James?’ Clerk. ‘Yes, sir.’ Book Seller. ‘Well, take ’m up to
the Polo Grounds this afternoon; they’ll sell fast enough there.’
1890. Gunter, Miss Nobody, 153. ‘Second National Bank like a
streak,’ screams the new-made lord to the driver.
1891. Mrs. Lovett-Cameron, in Lippincott, Aug., p. 142. ‘He’s as
fit as a fiddle, miss,’ said Griggs, admiringly, as Susan kissed
her old friend’s satin coat with enthusiasm, ‘and he’ll carry you
like a bird to-morrow.’
1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, 57. I’d be there, like a shot. Ibid.
33. I jest blew away like old boots.
Like one o’clock half struck, phr. (common).—Hesitatingly.
1876. Hindley, Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 19. He stands like
one o’clock half-struck.
Like a whale. See Whale.
Like Christmas Beef. See Beef.
Like a Birch-broom in a fit. See Birch-broom.
I like that! phr. (common).—A derisive answer to a questionable
statement: e.g. ‘I am a capital pedestrian.’ ‘I like that!’
You talk like a halfpenny book (or penny book), adv. phr.
(common).—Said in derision of a fluent or affected speaker.
Likeness, subs. (thieves’).—See quot.
1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue (3rd ed.), s.v. likeness, a phrase used
by thieves when the officers ... are examining their countenances;
as, ‘the traps are taking our likeness.’
Lil (or Lill), subs. (common).—A book; a document of any kind; a five
pound note. In America a dollar. [Gypsy: cf. Borrow, Romano-lavo-lil =
Gypsy Word Bk.]. See quots.
1821. D. Haggart, Life’s Glossary, 172. Lil, a pocket-book.
1851. G. Borrow, Lavengro, xvii. p. 63 (1888). The more shame for
you—a snake-fellow—a horse witch—and a lil reader—yet you can’t
shift for yourself.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Lil, a pocket-book. Lill, a bad
bill.
Lilliputian, subs. (colloquial).—A dwarf.
1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue (3rd ed.), s.v.
Lily-Benjamin, subs. (common).—A white great coat. See Benjamin.
Lily-liver, subs. (common).—A coward.
1863. Thackeray, Roundabout Papers, xii. When people were yet
afraid of me, and were taken in by my swagger, I always knew that I
was a lily-liver, and expected that I should be found out some day.
Lily-livered, adj. (old).—cowardly; dastardly.
1605–6. Shakspeare, King Lear, ii. 2. Osw. What dost thou know me
for? Kent. A knave; a rascal; a lily-livered, action-taking knave.
1857. A. Trollope, Barchester Towers, xiv. You will not be so
lily-livered as to fall into this trap which he has baited for you.
Lily of St. Clements. See St. Clements.
Lily-shallow, subs. (common).—A white driving hat.—Grose (1823).
Lilywhite, subs. (old).—1. A negro; a chimney-sweep.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Lilly white, a chimney sweep.
1819. Moore, Tom Crib, 45. Show the lilywhites fair play.
2. in pl. (military).—The Seventeenth Foot [from its facings]. Also,
Bengal Tigers (q.v.). Also, the Fifty-ninth Foot.
Lillywhite groat, subs. (common).—A shilling. For synonyms see Bob.
1894. Daily Bourse, 13 Sept., p. 1. For instance, a ‘man,’ starting
with 6s. a week, and, after six years, finding himself in
possession of weekly wages amounting to 19s., say nineteen
shillings, can assuredly have no legitimate cause for complaint....
Fancy nineteen ‘Lillywhite groat’ a week, and not to be satisfied!
Limb, subs. (old).—1. A mischievous child; an imp. Also (in
depreciation to older persons) Limb of Satan &c.
1589. Nashe, Martin’s Month’s Mind [Grosart (1883–4), i. 155]. He
that is termed Satan ... and a very limm of him.
1625. Jonson, Staple of News, iii. 2. She had it from a limb o’ the
school, she says, a little limb of nine year old.
1706. R. Estcourt, Fair Example, iii. 2. p. 34. Blood and thunder!
I’ll broil ye, you limb of Satan.
1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, xxxiv. Meg Merrilies, the old devil’s
limb of a gipsy witch.
1862. Calverley, Verses & Translations, p. 7. He was what nurses
call a limb.
1864. Derby Day, p. 68. You limb of brimstone; just let me get hold
of you.
1880. G. R. Sims, Ballads of Babylon (Little Jim). Our little Jim
Was such a limb His mother scarce could manage him.
1892. Anstey, Model Music Hall Songs, p. 94. Now I’ve grown into an
awful young limb.