1836. Dickens, Pickwick, xlix. He used to go back for a week, just
to look up his old friends.
1859. Punch, xxxvi. 177. 1. When you hung out in Soho, old cock,
one could often look you up.
Look-in, subs. (colloquial).—A chance of success.
1870. Bell’s Life, 12 Feb. If Fawcett imagines he has got a
look-in, young Mullins will fight him for all the money he can get
together in the London district.
1883. Daily Telegraph, August 7, p. 6, col. 2. Four had been
examined, and he had expressed his belief that neither of them had
a look in as regarded the prizes.
1884. Referee, 23 March, p. 1, col. 4. Easter fought with great
gameness, but he never had a look-in from the commencement.
1888. Sporting Life, 28 Nov. This athlete is stated to have run
through the distance from the 15 yards mark in 10 min. 2⅖ sec.,
which did not give much of a look-in to the scratch man.
1891. Licensed Vict. Gaz., 20 Mar. He will have a good look-in at
Epsom if he goes for the City and Suburban.
1891. Lic. Vict. Gaz., 17 April, p. 247, c. 1. It was not until the
15th round that Terry had a look-in—in a rapid exchange of
counters, he got home a terrific blow on Forster’s Roman nose,
which smashed the nasal bone.
1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 28. They didn’t get arf a look-in
’long o’ me.
Looking-glass, subs. (old).—See quot. 1690. For synonyms see It.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Looking-glass, a Chamber-pot.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
To look on, verb. phr. (turf).—Said of a horse not meant to do its
best.
To look nine ways for Sundays, verb. phr. (nautical).—To squint. Fr.
vendre des guignes.
Loon (Loun or Lown), subs. (old: now recognised).—A lout; a varlet; a
rogue.
c. 1500. Babees Book [E. E. T. S.], 291. And take it backe with
manlike cheere, not like a Rusticke lowne.
15[?]. Old Ballad (quoted in Othello, ii. 3, 1608), ‘King Stephen.’
With that he called the tailor lown.
1602. Dekker, Honest Wh., Pt. II, in Wks. (1873), ii. 167. The
sturdy begger, and the lazy lowne, Gets here hard hands, or laced
correction.
1606. Shakspeare, Macbeth, v. 3. ii. The devil damn thee black,
thou cream-faced loon.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Loonslatt ... A false loon, a
true Scotchman, or Knave of any Nation.
1697. Vanbrugh, Provoked Wife, iii. 2. Then away John Thompson ran,
And, egad! he ran with speed, But before he had run his length The
false loon had done the deed.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1771. Foote, Maid of Bath, iii. 2. I got acquainted with Maister
Foote, the play-actor: I will get him to bring the filthy loon on
the stage.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1798. Coleridge, Ancient Mariner, i. Hold-off; unhand me,
gray-haired loon.
1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, xxx. It might be worth your
lordship’s while to have the loon sent to a barber-surgeon’s to
learn some needful scantling of anatomy.
To play the loon, verb. phr. (Scots’).—To play the whore.
1568. Sempill, Ballats (ed. 1878), p. 232. ‘Being in ward for
playing of the loun With every ane list geif hir half a croun.’
[Title].
c. 1776. Herd, Ancient & Mod. Scottish Songs, ii. 7. I am o’er low
to be your bride, Your lown I’ll never be, Sir.
17[?]. Old Scots Ballad [quoted by Burns], ‘My Wife’s a Wanton Wee
Thing.’ She play’d the loon or she was married.
c. 1802–5. Minstrelsy Border, ii. 75. I trow some may has plaid the
lown, And fled her ain countree.
Loonslate (or Loonslatt), subs. (old).—Thirteen pence halfpenny. Cf.
Hangman’s Wages.—B. E. (1690); New Cant. Dict. (1725); Grose (1785).
Loony (or Luny), adj. (colloquial).—Crazy. [Short for ‘lunatic’]. Also
as subs. = a fool; a natural. For synonyms see Buffle and Cabbage-head.
1883. E. C. Mann, Psychol. Med., 424. He had frequent luny spells,
as he called them.
Loose, adj. (old).—1. Wanton; blue (q.v.). Hence, loose-legged, adj. =
light-heeled (q.v.); loose in the hilts (or haft) = incontinent;
loose-girdled (or gowned) = approachable; loose-woman = a harlot;
loose-liver = a whoremaster, etc.
1595. Shakspeare, Two Gentlemen, ii. 7, 41. I would prevent The
loose encounters of lascivious men.
1633. Massinger, New Way to Pay Old Debts, v. I had a reputation,
but ’twas lost in my loose course.
1636. Davenant, The Wits, iii. 3. This mansion is not her’s, but a
concealed retirement.... To hide her loose love.
1711. Addison, Spectator, No. 262. I have shown in a former Paper
with how much Care I have avoided all such Thoughts as are loose,
obscene, or immoral.
1756. The World, No. 182. Apollo obeyed, and became a wit. He
composed loose sonnets and plays.
1783–85. Cowper, Task, iii. 692. No loose, or wanton, though a
wandering Muse.