Long Eliza, subs. (trade).—See quot.
1884. Pall Mall Gazette, 4 Dec. Long-elizas (the trade term for
certain blue and white vases ornamented with figures of tall thin
china-women) is a name derived undoubtedly from the German or
Dutch. Our sailors and traders called certain Chinese vases from
the figures which distinguished them, lange Lischen (= tall
Lizzies) and the English sailors and traders promptly translated
this into long elizas.
Long-eye, subs. phr. (pidgin).—The female pudendum. For synonyms see
Monosyllable.
Long-faced one, subs. phr. (military).—A horse. For synonyms see Prad.
Long-feathers, subs. (military).—Straw; strommel (q.v.). Fr. piausser
sur plume de Beauce = to sleep in the straw.
1879. Correspondent of Notes & Queries, 5 S. xii. 246. Is this bit
of ironical slang worth preserving? An old man, lately emerged from
what we North-countrymen call the ‘Bastile,’ objected in my hearing
to that institution, because, inter alia, ‘you had to sleep there
on long feathers,’ that is, upon bedding stuffed with straw.
Long-firm, subs. (common).—See quot. 1869. Fr. la bande noire. A
somewhat similar mode of swindling is described in Parker’s View of
Society (ii. 33. 1781).
1869. Orchestra, 2 Jan., 235, i. Dismal records of the doings of
the long firm, a body of phantom capitalists who issue large orders
to supply an infinite variety of goods—from herrings to harmoniums,
from cotton-twist to pictures; the ledger of the long firm has room
for the most multifarious transactions. The rule of procedure with
the long firm is simple: a noble order, a moderate sum paid on
account, bills for the remainder, an order to deliver the goods at
some country warehouse or depository—and exit Montague Tigg. In the
next town he changes his name and his partner’s, and repeats the
operation. From Liverpool and Manchester he flings the bait to
London tradesmen, and now and then a fish is hooked.
1886. Daily News, 20 Sept., 7, 1. This was the usual case of what
is termed long firm swindling. The prisoner pretended to carry on
business in the city, and ordered goods of all descriptions, which
were never used for legitimate purposes, but which were immediately
pawned or otherwise disposed of.
1892. Pall Mall Gazette, 17 Oct., p. 5, c. 2. Not a few of the most
dangerous of the long firm class (and there are some about at the
present time) haunt the locality, as our criminal courts of justice
revealed only a few months ago.
Long-fork, subs. (Winchester College).—See quot.
1866. Mansfield, School Life, 80. We had not proper toasting forks,
but pieces of stick called long forks.
Long-gallery, subs. (old).—See quot.
1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue (3rd ed.), s.v. Long-gallery. Throwing,
or, rather, trundling, the dice the whole length of the board.
Long-ghost, subs. (common).—A gawk. For synonyms see Lamp-post.
Long-glass, subs. (Eton College).—See quot.
1883. Brinsley-Richards, Seven Years at Eton, 321. A glass nearly a
yard long, shaped like the horn of a stage-coach guard, and with a
hollow globe instead of a foot. It held a quart of beer, and the
ceremony of drinking out of it constituted an initiation into the
higher circle of Etonian swelldom. There was long-glass drinking
once or twice a week during the summer half. The invités attended
in an upper room of Tap after two, and each before the long glass
was handed to him had a napkin tied round his neck. It was
considered a grand thing to drain the glass without removing it
from the lips, and without spilling any of its contents. This was
difficult, because when the contents of the tubular portion of the
glass had been sucked down, the beer in the globe would remain for
a moment as if congealed there: then if the drinker tilted the
glass up a little, and shook it, the motionless beer would give a
gurgle and come with a sudden rush all over his face. There was a
way of holding the long glass at a certain angle by which
catastrophes were avoided. Some boys could toss off their quart of
ale in quite superior style, and I may as well remark that these
clever fellows could do little else.
Long-haired Chum, subs. phr. (tailors’).—A female friend; a sweetheart.
Long-headed, adj. (old: now colloquial).—Shrewd; far-seeing; clever.
Also long-headedness.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1711. Spectator, No. 52. But being a long-headed gentlewoman, I am
apt to imagine she has some further design than you have yet
penetrated.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1840. Dickens, Old Curiosity Shop, lxvi. Many distinguished
characters, called men of the world, long-headed customers, knowing
dogs, shrewd fellows.
1871. Lowell, Study Windows, 126. Ulysses was the type of
long-headedness.
Long-hogs, subs. (old).—The first growth of wool on a sheep.
1841. Punch, i. 85. The tailor clips the implicated long-hogs from
the prolific backs of the living mutton.
Long-home, subs. (old colloquial).—The grave.—Wright and Hall.
1701. Harl. MSS., fol. 61. And thy traveyle shalt thou sone ende,
For to thy long-home sone shalt thou wende.
1843. Dickens, Martin Chuzzlewit, l. 2. Following the order book to
its long ’ome in the iron safe.
Long-hope, subs. (old).—See quot.
1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue (3rd ed.), s.v. Long-hope.... At Oxford,
... the symbol of long expectations in studying for a degree.
Long-lady, subs. (old).—A farthing candle.
Long-lane, subs. (common).—The throat. For synonyms see Gutter-alley.
For the long-lane, adv. phr. (old).—Said when a thing is borrowed
without intention of repayment.
Long-legs (or Long-’un), subs. (common).—A tall man or woman. For
synonyms see Lamp-post.
Long-meg, subs. (old).—A very tall woman. For synonyms see
Lamp-post.—B. E. (1690); New Cant. Dict. (1725); Grose (1785).
Long-oats, subs. (military).—A broom or fork-handle used to belabour a
horse: cf. Thorley’s food for cattle.
Long-one, subs. (poachers’).—A hare: cf. Long-tail.
Long-paper, subs. (Winchester).—Paper for writing tasks on.
Long-pig, subs. (nautical).—See quots.
1883. St. Johnston, Camping amongst Cannibals [Century]. The
expression long pig is not a joke, nor a phrase invented by
Europeans, but one frequently used by the Fijians, who looked upon
a corpse as ordinary butcher meat, and called a human body puaka
balava, long pig, in contradistinction to puaka dina, or real pig.
1893. Fortnightly Review, Jan., p. 37. I cannot find it in my heart
to condemn them for trying to get a little long pig whenever an
opportunity presents itself.
Long-robe, subs. (old).—A lawyer.
1611. Barry, Ram Alley [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), x. 355]. What
would you, sir? I guess your long profession By your scant suit.
1662. Adv. Five Hours [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), xv. 230]. And,
having been affronted by the sword, To pray the aid of the long
robe, and take An advocate for second.
1694. Gentlemen’s Journal, Mar., p. 49. The third was of the long
robe.
Long-row. See Hoe.
Longs and Shorts (also Longs and Broads), subs. phr.
(card-sharpers’).—Cards so manufactured that all above the eight are a
trifle longer than those below it: nothing under an eight can be cut,
and the chances against turning up an honour at whist are reduced to
two to one. Cf. Brief and Concave.
Long-sauce, subs. (American).—Beets, parsnips, or carrots, in
contradistinction to short-sauce (q.v.) = onions, turnips, etc. [An old
English usage].
Long-shanks, subs. (old).—A tall man. For synonyms see Lamp-post.—B. E.
(1690); New Cant. Dict. (1725); Grose (1785).
Long-shore butcher, subs. phr. (nautical).—A coastguardsman; A
shingle-tramper (q.v.).
Long-shot, subs. (racing).—A bet made at large odds: as 100 to 1 on
anything not in favour.
1869. Leisure Hour, May. Will teach the tyro when to take a long
shot ... when to save himself by timely hedging.
1888. Sporting Life, 10 Dec. Bachelor was next in demand at 5 to 1,
and long shots were forthcoming about either of the others.
1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, 16. A jolly long shot.
Long-sleeved top, subs. (thieves’).—A silk hat.—Richardson (1889).
Long-sleeved ’un, subs. phr. (Australian).—A long glass. Fr. un wagon.
Long-stomach, subs. (old).—A voracious eater; a wolfer (q.v.).—Grose
(1785).
Long-tail, subs. (sporting).—1. A greyhound: hence, as dogs unqualified
to hunt were curtailed, gentlefolk.
1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives, iii. 4. Come cut and longtail under
the degree of a squire.
1662. Rump Songs, ii. 126. But long-tail and bob-tail can never
agree.
1885. Graphic, 17 Oct. 427/2. Greyhounds, as all coursers know, are
often designated as long-tails.