1830. W. Carleton, Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry. ‘What
do you mean by the Earl of Cork?’ asked Mr. Squander. ‘The ace of
diamonds, your honour. It’s the worst ace, and the poorest card in
the pack, and is called the Earl of Cork, because he’s the poorest
nobleman in Ireland.’
1864. Athenæum, 29 Oct. The ace of diamonds acquired the name of
‘the earl of cork’ because his lordship happened to be the poorest
nobleman in Ireland.
Earl of Mar’s Grey Breeks, subs. phr. (military).—The Twenty-First
Foot. [In allusion to the colour of the men’s breeches and to the
original title of the regiment, The Earl of Mar’s Fuzileers.] Obsolete.
Early. To get up early, verb. phr. (common).—To be astute; ready;
wide-awake. Cf., ‘It’s the early bird that catches the worm.’
1738. Swift, Polite Convers., Dial. 3. They must rise early that
would cheat her of her money.
c. 1869. Vance, Broadside Ballad. For to get me on the hop, or on
my ‘tibby’ drop, You must wake up very early in the morning.
1880. A. Trollope, The Duke’s Children, ch. xlvi. It was said of
him that ... if you wished to take him in you must get up early.
Early-riser, subs. (common).—An aperient. Cf., Custom-house officer and
Two gunners and a driver.
Early-worm, subs. (common).—A man who searches the streets at daybreak
for cigar stumps.
Earth-bath, subs. (old).—A grave. To take an earth-bath = to be buried;
cf., ground sweat.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, or Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
Earthquake. Bottled earthquake, subs. phr. (American).—Intoxicating
drinks.
Earth-stoppers, subs. (old).—Horse’s feet.
1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, i., 6. There’s action for
you—there’s one to tip ’em the go-bye at a mill,—there’s
earth-stoppers—quiet to drive, quiet in harness, trots fifteen
miles in less than an hour.
Earthy, adj. (colloquial).—Gross; common; devoid of ‘soul.’
Ear-wig, subs. (old).—A private prompter or flatterer; also (thieves’)
a clergyman. [From the popular delusion that the earwig lodges itself
in the ear with a view to working its way into the brain when it causes
death.]
1639. Beaumont and Fletcher, Bloody Brother. Dram. Personæ, Latorch
Rollo’s Earwig.
1789. Geo. Parker, Life’s Painter p. 77. And the court, mercy on
us! there are no words equal to the just painting of its ear-wigs,
its sycophants, pensioners, placemen, scouters, masters of the
ceremonies, etc.
1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, A pack of mouthers, and flatterers,
and ear-wigs.
Verb (common).—To prompt; to influence by covert statements; to whisper
insinuations.
1842. Marryat, Percival Keene, xiii. And by way of a hint, make him
your friend if you can, for he earwigs the captain in fine style.
1879. Jas. Payn, High Spirits (Confiscated Weeds). He is a sound
divine and politician, but a little apt to be led away by specious
arguments on the subject of education; and Carker was in the habit
... of earwigging him.
Ease, verb (common).—1. To rob; Fr., soulager. Cf., Annex and Convey.
To ease a bloke = to rob a man.
1630. Jonson, New Inn, I. Ease his pockets of a superfluous watch.
1817. Scott, Rob Roy, ch. viii. ‘The law’s hard—very severe—hanged
poor Jack Winterfield at York, despite family connexions and great
interest, all for easing a fat West-country grazier of the price of
a few beasts.’
1840. Thackeray, Paris Sketch Book, p. 109. His was the place at
the écarté table, where the Countess would ease him nightly of a
few pieces.
1849. Punch, November, ‘The Swell Mobsman’s Almanack.’ Remember,
wen you’ve eased a cove in a fogg, never cut away in an ’urry, or
crushers stop you.