1854. Quarterly Rev., cxlv. 292. One individual, several years ago,
possessed 1500 milkers.
Milker’s-calf, subs. (Australian).—A calf yet with the cow; hence, a
mother’s boy or girl.
1888. Rolf Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, i. I used to laugh at
him, and call him a regular old crawler of a milker’s calf in the
old days.
Milk-fever. See Pencil-fever.
Milk-hole, subs. (Winchester College).—The hole formed by the roush
(q.v.) under a pot (q.v.).—Notions.
Milking-pail. To work (or carry) the milking-pail, verb. phr. (old
racing).—See Milk, verb., sense 3.
c. 186[?]. Baily’s Magazine. These al fresco speculators have their
‘dead uns’ and carry milking-pails like their more civilized
brethren privileged with the entrée to the clubs and the Corner.
Milk-livered, adj. (old colloquial).—Timid; cowardly.
1605–6. Shakspeare, King Lear, iv. 2. Gon. Milk-liver’d man! That
bear’st a cheek for blows, a head for wrongs.
Milkman (Milker, or Milk-woman), subs. (venery).—A trader in
masturbation; a shagster (q.v.).
Milk-shop (Milk-walk, or Milky way), subs. (common).—The paps. For
synonyms see Dairies.
1640. Wit’s Recr. [Hotten], 363. Her breast ... Bears up two globes
... Which headed with two rich round Rubies, show Like wanton
Rose-buds ... And in the milky-valley that’s between, sits Cupid.
Milk-sop, subs. (old: now recognised).—A coward; a ladified man; a
novice; a meacock (q.v.).
1390. Chaucer, Monkes Tale, b. 15396. ‘Allas!’ sche saith, ‘that
ever I was i-schape, To wedde a mylk-sop or a coward ape.’
1590. Greene, Mourning Garment [Grosart (1881–6), ix. 173]. What is
it for mee to pinne a fayre meacocke and a witty milksop on my
sleaue who dare not answere with their swords in the face of the
enemy?
1593. Harvey, Pierces Superer. [Grosart (1885), ii. 17]. Are
milksop Muses such whiteliuer’d Trontes?
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Biancone, a goodly, great
milke-sappe, a fresh-water soldier.
1600. Shakspeare, Much Ado, v. 1. Boys, apes, braggarts, Jacks,
milksops.
1603. Dekker, Patient Grissill [Grosart (1886), v. 167]. Fye,
Signior; no musicke in your mouth but battles, yet a meere
milkesop?
1618. Field, Amends for Ladies, iv. 2. Thou art a faint-hearted
fellow, a milk-sop.
1621. Burton, Anat., p. 143. ’Tis now come to that pass that he is
no gentleman, a very milk-sop, a clown.
1660. Tatham, The Rump, i. [Maidment (1873), p. 202]. A meer
milksop.... A wheybrain’d fellow.
1892. Evening Standard, 25 Nov. p. 4, c. 5. Everyone knows how boys
dread being set down as milksops.
Milk-woman, subs. (Scots’ colloquial).—1. A wet-nurse. Green milk-woman
= a woman recently delivered.