1621–3. Archbp. Laud, Sermons, p. 17 (ed. 1847). ‘And all the Kings
of the gentiles shall do homage to their King.’ Good God, what a
fine people have we here? Men in the moon.
If my aunt had been my uncle she’d have been a man (or had a pair of
balls under her arse), phr. (old).—Said in derision of a ridiculous
surmise:—‘If wishes were horses, beggars would ride;’ ‘If pigs had
wings, what lovely birds they’d make!’
1767. Ray, Proverbs [Bohn (1893), 167], s.v.
He’ll be a man before his mother. See Mother.
To go out and see a man, verb. phr. (common).—To drink: an excuse for a
glass.
The man in the street, phr. (common).—Everybody.
1868. Whyte Melville, White Rose, ch. xlvii. The moment the door
closed, Burton’s face assumed an expression of deep and friendly
concern. ‘Jerry,’ said he, ‘I didn’t come here at early dawn only
to tell you what the man in the street says.’
1889. Pall Mall Gaz., 6 Nov., p. 1, col. 3. The Swaziland question,
which has been smouldering in Government offices and between the
covers of Blue-books for the last twelve years, has reached the
flaming point when the man in the street begins to turn round and
look and wonder what is the matter in Swaziland.
1892. National Observer, 20 Aug., p. 355, c. 1. He tells you little
or nothing that is not familiar to the man in the street.
To get behind a man, verb. phr. (common).—To endorse a bill.
The fruit that made man wise, phr. (old).—Copulation.
1605. Marston, Insatiate Countess, iii. I’ll lead the way to
Venus’s paradise, Where thou shalt taste that fruit that made man
wise.
Old man, subs. phr. (common).—An employer; a chief; the governor
(q.v.); the father of a family. Also, a husband.
1847. Howitt, Journal, p. 187. To begin with the captain. He was a
first-rate old man as far as good treatment and good living went.
The sick man, subs. phr. (literary).—Turkey.
Man about town, subs. phr. (colloquial).—See quot.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Man o’ th’ town, a Lew’d Spark,
or very Debaushe.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Man of Kent, subs. phr. (common).—See quot. 1787.
1787. Grose, Prov. Glossary etc. (1811), p. 72. All the inhabitants
of Kent, east of the river Medway, are called Men of Kent, from the
story of their having retained their ancient privileges,
particularly those of gavel-kind, by meeting William the Conqueror
at Swanscomb-bottom; each man, besides his arms, carrying a green
bough in his hand; by this contrivance concealing their number
under the appearance of a moving wood. The rest of the inhabitants
of the county are stiled Kentish-men.
1861. Cuthbert Bede, Our New Rector, ch. x. p. 104. ‘And the Men of
Kent, you know, were never conquered!—ar’n’t we just proud of
that!’
A man or a mouse, phr. (old).—Something or nothing (Florio); one or the
other.
1541. Schole House of Women [Hazlitt, Early Pop. Poetry (1866), iv.
111]. Fear not, she saith unto her spouse, A man or a mouse whether
ye be.
Nine tailors make a man. See Ninth.
The little man in the boat, subs. phr. (venery).—The clitoris. See
Button.
Manablins, subs. (old).—Broken victuals. Fr. arlequin, and le bijou.
Also manavilins.
1888. Rolf Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, xxii. No end of
manavilins either.
Manarvel, verb. (nautical).—To pilfer small stores.
Man-box, subs. (old).—A coffin.
1820. Reynolds (‘Peter Corcoran’), The Fancy, ‘King Tims the
First.’ Mr. Munster Hatband, when shall I have a long man-box
bespoke?
Manchester, subs. (common).—The tongue. For synonyms see Prating-cheat.
1819. Vaux, Memoirs, s.v.
1820. London Magazine, i. 26. Bidding her hold her Manchester.
1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue (3rd ed.), s.v.
Manchester-silk, subs. (common).—Cotton.
Manchester sovereign, subs. phr. (common).—A shilling. For synonyms see
Bob.
Manchet. See Brewer’s-basket.
Man-chovey. See Chovey.
Mander, subs. (thieves’).—See quot.
1877. J. Greenwood, Dick Temple, ch. xvi. A couple of manders (the
slang phrase amongst this callow brood of young gaol-birds for
‘remands’).
Mandozy, subs. (old).—1. A telling hit; and (2) term of endearment
among East-end Jews. [Both from the fighter, Mendoza].
Mang, verb. (Scots’).—To talk; to brag; to boast.
1819. Vaux, Memoirs, s.v.
1821. D. Haggart, Life, ‘Glossary’, p. 172. Mang, to boast; to talk
of.
Manger. See Dog.
Mangle, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms see
Monosyllable.
Manhandle, verb. (common).—To maltreat; to handle roughly; to thrash.
For synonyms see Tan.
1886. Century, xxxi. 905. In two minutes they were so mauled and
manhandled that it was reported aft.
Manhole, subs. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms see
Monosyllable.
Man-in-black, subs. phr. (old).—A parson. For synonyms see Devil-dodger
and Sky-pilot.
1691–2. Gentlemen’s Journal, May, p. 5. The man in black makes ...
one of two in less than half an hour.
Man-in-blue, subs. phr. (old).—A policeman. For synonyms see Beak.
Manners. After you is manners, phr. (old).—A jocular implication of
inferiority.
1659. Brome, Queen & Concubine [1873], p. 61. Cur. Wilt thou be a
scholar? Andr. After you is manners.
Mannish, adj. (old).—Amorous.
1383. Chaucer, Merchant’s Tale, i. 292. A childstere or wastour of
thy good, Or riche or poore, or elles mannysh wood.
Manoeuvre. See Apostle.
Man-of-straw. See Straw.
Man (or lad) of wax, subs. phr. (old).—A sharp, clever fellow; a model
man.
1595. Shakspeare, Romeo & Juliet, i. 3. Why, he’s a man of wax....
Nay, he’s a flower, i’ faith, a very flower.
1612. Field, Woman is a Weathercock [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), xi.
19]. By Jove! it is a little man of wax.
1823. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, ii. 3. A glass of good max,
had they twigg’d it, Would have made them, like us, lads of wax.
Man-root, subs. (venery).—The penis [Whitman]. For synonyms see
Creamstick and Prick.
Man’s meat. See Meat.
Man-Thomas, subs. phr. (venery).—The penis. For synonyms see Creamstick
and Prick.
Man-trap, subs. (common).—1. A widow; house to let (q.v.).
1773. Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, iii. Y. M. There’s Mrs.
Man-trap.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.