Mazzard (Mazard, or Mazer), subs. (common).—The head; the face.
1602–3. Shakspeare, Hamlet, v. 1. Ham. Chapless, and knocked about
the mazzard with a sexton’s spade.
1602. Dekker, Honest Whore [Dodsley, Old Plays, iii. 329]. Break
but his pate, or so; only his mazer, Because I’ll have his head in
a cloth as well as mine.
1605. Chapman, All Fools, iv. 1. But in thy amorous conquests, at
the last, Some wound will slice your mazer.
1639. Fletcher, Wit Without Money, ii. 3. The pint-pot has so
belaboured you with wit, your brave acquaintance, that gives you
ale, so fortified your mazard, that now there’s no talking to you.
1819. Moore, Tom Crib, 14. The Porpus kept guard O’er his beautiful
mug, as if fearing to hazard One damaging touch in so dandy a
mazzard.
1823. Bee, Dict. of the Turf, s.v. Mazzard—the face, or perhaps the
whole head. ’Tis Irish, and mostly confined to Dublin. ‘Toss up the
coppers now Thady,’ ‘head or harp?’ ‘Harp!’ cried Paddy, ‘and down
came three black mazzards.’ ‘Chop his mazzard,’ a cut in the face.
1833. Cruikshank, Sunday in London, p. 63. Knocking each other over
the mazzard for a qvort’n of gin!
1834. W. H. Ainsworth, Rookwood, p. 312 [ed. 1864]. ‘Here is that
shall put fresh marrow into your old bones,’ returned Jem, handing
him a tumbler of brandy; ‘never stint it. I’ll be sworn you’ll be
the better on’t, for you look desperate queer, man, about the
mazzard.’
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
Verb. (old).—To knock on the head.
M.B.coat (or waistcoat), subs. (clerical).—A long coat worn by some
clergymen. [M.B. = Mark of the Beast]. See Capella.
1853. Dean Conybeare, in Edin. Rev., Oct., p. 315. Who does not
recognise ... the stiff and tie-less neckcloth, the M.B.coat and
cassock waistcoat, the cropped hair and un-whiskered cheek?
1884. Graphic, 20 Sept., p. 307/2. He has begun to affect the
strictest clerical garb—M.B.waistcoat, hard felt hat with band and
tassels.
Meacock, subs. (old colloquial).—1. See quots. 1581, 1584–7, 1590, and
1610; and (2), a hen-pecked husband. (Coles: ‘uxorius, uxori nimium
deditus et obnoxius’).
1563. Appius & Virginius [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), iv. 118]. As
stout as a stockfish, as meek as a meacock.
1581. Lyly, Euphues, 109. I shall be compted a mecocke, a milksop.
1584–7. Greene, Carde of Fancie [Grosart (1881–6), iv. 47]. Shall I
then ... proue such a meacocke, or a milkesoppe.
1590. Newes out of Purgatorie (Halliwell). She found fault with him
because he was a meacocke and milksoppe.
1593. Nashe, Strange Neues [Grosart (1885), ii. 245]. Meere
meacocks and ciphars in comparison of thy excellent out-cast selfe.
1593. Harvey, Pierce’s Supererogation [Grosart (1884), ii. 49].
Martin himselfe but a meacocke; and Papp-hatchet himself but a
milkesop.
1603. Dekker, The Batchelars Banquet [Grosart (1886), i. 274]. The
poore meacock ... hauing his courage thus quailed, wil neuer
afterwards fal at ods with her.
1610. Mir. for Magistrates, 418. A meacock is he who dreadth to see
bloud shed.
1619. Fletcher, Wildgoose Chase, v. 2. Fools and meacocks, To
endure what you think fit to put upon ’em.
1635. Glapthorne, Hollander [Pearson (1874), i. 98]. They are like
my husband, meere meacocks, verily: and cannot lawfully beget a
childe once in seaven yeares.
Adj. (old colloquial).—Cowardly.
1593. Shakspeare, Taming of the Shrew, ii. 1. 315. ’Tis a world to
see How tame, when men and women are alone, A meacock wretch can
make the curstest shrew.
1593. Harvey, Pierces Supererog. [Grosart (1885), ii. 17]. The
meacock Verse that dares not sing.
Meal. See Square-meal.
Mealer, subs. (teetotallers’).—1. A partial abstainer: pledged to take
intoxicants only at meals.