1695. Congreve, Love for Love, ii. 2. Madam, you are too severe
upon miss; you must not find fault with her pretty simplicity.
1712. Swift, Corinna [Chalmers, English Poets (1810), xi. 386]. She
made a song how little miss Was kissed and slobbered by a lad.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Money.
3. (dressmakers’).—A girl from about 10 to 15 years of age. Before and
after, a ‘child’ and a ‘young lady’ respectively.
A miss is as good as a mile, phr. (colloquial).—A narrow escape is as
good as an easy one.
To miss the cushion, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Armeggiare ... to raue or
commit some foolish part, to misse the cushion, or to be wide from
the purpose.
To miss one’s tip. See Tip.
To miss the figure. See Combination and Slump.
Miss Brown, subs. phr. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms see
Monosyllable.—Grose (1785).
Miss Laycock, subs. (venery).—See quot. For synonyms see Monosyllable.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Miss Laycock. The monosyllable.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
Miss-Nancy, subs. (colloquial).—An affectedly prim person: male or
female. Hence, Miss-Nancyism = affected nicety; effeminacy.
1883. Philadelphia Times, 2 July. The milksops and Miss-Nancys
among the young men, etc.
1886. Harper’s Weekly, 20 March. Ineffable silliness, sneering at
the demand for honesty in politics as Miss-Nancyism.
Missus (The), subs. (vulgar).—1. A wife: sometimes written as in quot.
1864; and (2), among servants, a mistress.
1846–8. Thackeray, Vanity Fair, xxv. So he altered these words,
bowing to the superior knowledge of his little missis.
1857. Trollope, Barchester Towers, xxxii. Mr. Harding and Mr.
Arabin had all quarrelled with missus for having received a letter
from Mr. Slope.
1864. Glasgow Herald, 11 Nov. ‘Bankruptcy Examinations.’ I did not
buy the property in Crown Street. The Mrs. bought a property in
Rosehall Street.
Mist. Scotch mist, subs. phr. (colloquial).—Rain.
Mistake. And no mistake, phr. (colloquial).—Unquestionably; without
fail.
Mistress, subs. (old).—The mark in the game of bowls; the jack (q.v.,
sense 2).
1580. Sidney, Arcadia, p. 281. Zelmane using her own byas, to bowl
near the mistresse of her own thoughts.
1600. Weakest goes to the Wall, 4to. G. 3. I hope to be as near the
mistresse as any of you all.
1602. Shakspeare, Troilus & Cressida, iii. 2. So, so, rub on, and
kiss the mistress.
1632. W. Rowley, Woman Never Vext, ii. 1. Everyone strives to lie
nearest the mistress. Ibid. iv. 1. This city bowler has kissed the
mistress at first cast.
1653. Brome, Queen and Concubine, ii. 3. Rather than to have my
head bowl’d at her, though I were sure it should kiss the
mistresse.
1655. Fanshaw, Lusiad, ix. 71. Like one That rubs the mistress when
his bowl is gone.
1657. Middleton, No Wit like a Woman’s, ii. 3. There’s three rubs
gone, I’ve a clear way to the mistress.
Mistress Roper, subs. phr. (nautical).—A marine. [Because he handles
the ropes awkwardly].
Mite (or Mitey), subs. (common).—A cheesemonger; cf. Burncrust, Corks,
etc.
1765. Foote, Commissary, iii. 1. There liv’d Miss Cicely Mite, the
only daughter of old Mite the cheesemonger.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
Mitre, subs. (University).—A hat. See Tufts. For synonyms see Golgotha.
Mitten, subs. (common).—1. A hand. For synonyms see Bunch of
Fives.—Grose (1823).
1819. Vaux, Memoirs, s.v.