Harlequin China, adj. phr. (old).—Sets composed of several patterns and
makes.
Harlotry, subs. (old).—A wanton.
d. 1529. Skelton, Bowge of Courte. He had no pleasure but in
harlotrye.
1672. Wycherley, Love in a Wood, iv., i. But O the harlotry, did
she make that use of it then.
1695. Congreve, Love for Love, iii., i. O you young harlotry.
1893. T. E. Brown, Old John, p. 205. That specious harlotry from
hell’s black bosom spewed.
Adj. (old).—Disreputable.
1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV., ii., 4. Oh rare! he doth it as like
one of these harlotry players, as ever I see.
Harman-beck (or Harman), subs. (old).—An officer of justice. For
synonyms, see Beak and Copper.
1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 66. The harman-beck, the constable.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-All. With the harman-beake out and alas
to Whittington we goe.
1656. Broome, Jovial Crew, ii. Here safe in our skipper let’s cly
off our peck, And bowse in defiance o’ th’ harman-beck.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Harman-beck, a Beadle.
1714. Memoirs of John Hall (4th ed.), p. 12. Harminbeck, a
Constable.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Harman Beck, a beadle (cant).
1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ch. xvii. From the watchmen who
skip On the Harman Beck’s errand.
1828. Lytton, The Disowned. The worst have an awe of the harman’s
claw.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Harman Beak. The Sheriff.
Harmans, subs. (Old Cant).—The stocks. [The suffix ‘mans’ is common;
Cf., lightmans, darkmans, roughmans, etc.]
1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 66. The harmans, the stockes.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-All, p. 39 (H. Club’s Rept., 1874).
Harmons the stockes.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1714. Memoirs of John Hall (4th ed.), p. 12, s.v.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Harness. In Harness, adj. phr. (colloquial).—In business; at work: as,
to die in harness = to die at one’s post; to get back into harness = to
resume work after a holiday. [Harness also = armour.]
1872. Fun, 10 Aug. ‘Over.’ Aye! But the sting of it’s here, Just as
I’m back into harness, Others are off to sea, mountain, and mere.
1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger’s Sweetheart, p. 2. My father died in
harness.
Harp, interject. (Irish).—See quot.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Harp ... harp is also the Irish
expression for ‘woman’ or ‘tail,’ used in tossing up in Ireland,
from Hibernia being represented with a harp, on the reverse of the
copper coins of that country, for which reason it is in hoisting
the copper, i.e., tossing up, sometimes likewise called music.
To harp on, verb. phr. (old, now recognised).—To dwell persistently and
at any cost upon a subject.
1596. Nashe, Have with you to Saffron Walden. As if I had
continually harped upon it in every tenth line of my book.
1596. Shakspeare, Hamlet, ii., 2. Still harping on my daughter.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Harp-upon a business, to insist
on it.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1886. R. L. Stevenson, Kidnapped, p. 291. He was back harping on my
proposal.
Harper, subs. (old).—A brass coin current in Ireland, temp. Elizabeth,
value one penny. [From the Irish Harp figured upon it.]
1574–1637. Ben Jonson, The Gipsies Metamorphosed. A two-pence I had
to spend ever and above; besides the harper that was gathered
amongst us to pay the piper.
Have among you my blind harpers, phr. (old).—See quot.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. Harpers.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Have among you my blind harpers, an
expression used in throwing or shooting at random among a crowd.
Harridan, subs. (old, now recognised).—See quots. Also (colloquial) a
disagreeable old woman. [A corruption of O. Fr. haridelle = a worn out
horse, a jade.]
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Harridan, one that is half
Whore, half Bawd.
1705–7. Ward, Hudibras Redivivus, vol. II., pt. ii., p. 27. Old
Leachers, Harridans, and Cracks.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Harridan, a hagged old woman, a
miserable scraggy worn out harlot, fit to take her bawd’s degree.
1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, ch., xxxix. ‘Now what could drive it
into the noddle of that old harridan,’ said Pleydell.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
Harrington, subs. (old).—A brass farthing. [Lord Harrington obtained a
patent of manufacture under James I.]
1616. B. Jonson, Devil is an Ass, ii., 1. Yes, sir, it’s cast to
penny half-penny farthing, O’ the back side there you may see it,
read; I will not bate a Harrington o’ the sum.
1632. B. Jonson, Magn. Lady, ii., 6. His wit he cannot so dispose
by legacy As they shall be a Harrington the better for’t.
Harry, subs. (old).—1. A countryman; a clown. For synonyms, see Joskin.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. Harry. A country fellow.