Munster-heifer, subs. (old).—See quot.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Munster Heifer. An Irish woman. A
woman with thick legs is said to be like a Munster heifer; i.e.,
beef to the heels.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
Munster-plums, subs. (common).—Potatoes; murphies (q.v.).
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
Mur, subs. (back slang).—Rum. Nettock of mur = quartern of rum.
Murder. See Blue Murder.
The murder is out, phr. (colloquial).—The mystery is displayed.
Murerk, subs. (tramps’).—The mistress of the house. See Burerk.
Murkauker, subs. (obsolete).—A monkey. [Jacko Macauco, or Maccacco, was
a famous fighting monkey, who used some fifty years ago to display his
prowess in the Westminster Pit].
Murphy, subs. (common).—1. A potato: cf. Donovan. Also murph.
English synonyms. Bog-orange; Donovan; Irish apricot; Munster-plum, or
orange; murph; ruggin; spud; tatur.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1821. Egan, Anecdotes of the Turf, 154. Mathews relished the Irish
stews and murphies.
1839. Comic Almanack, 199. Having well roasted my murphy, I take
him cum grano salis.
1842. Punch, ii. 214, col. 2. A story that Raleigh first introduced
the potato—meaning the murphy—into this country.
1856. T. Hughes, Tom Brown’s School-Days Pt. 1. vi. ‘That’s our
School-house tuck-shop—she bakes such stunning murphies, we’ll have
a penn’ orth each for tea; come along, or they’ll all be gone.’
1856. Leisure Hour, 3 Jan., p. 12, col. 2. Past the potato and coal
shed, well known to the Irish labourer, who for twopence can get
three pounds of murphies.
1869. Thackeray, Peg of Limavaddy. Playing round the fire, which of
blazing turf is, Roaring to the pot which bubbles with the
murphies.
1888. Sporting Life, 10 Dec. Surround him with a stack of bottles
of ale and a dish of murphies.