reality, a provincialism. It is quoted in more than one of the English Dialect Society's Glossaries as a very common phrase for one who is always behind, i.e., late in preparing his land, in sowing or harvesting his crops. It is only slang when used figuratively apart from agricultural pursuits.
After Twelve, subs. phr. (Eton).--From
noon till 2 p.m.
1861. Whyte Melville, Good for Nothing, p. 39. I used to visit him regularly in the dear old college from the after twelve.
AGAINST COLLAR. To work against
collar, verb. phr. (popular).--To
battle or cope with difficulties;
'to kick against the
pricks'; 'to pull against the
tide.'
1876. C. Hindley, Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 114. 'It is always thought to be a bad plan to let journeymen Cheap Johns get into debt with their employers. It is bad in two ways, for if they owe their governors a few pounds, they are working an uphill game, or against collar, and that don't suit their book, and it destroys the independence which is, and always should be, between the master and the man.'
Against the Grain, adv. phr. (popular).--Against the fibres of the wood; hence, in opposition to the wish; unwillingly; unpleasantly; reluctantly. 'It went against the grain to do it, but I knew I must,' is a common expression.
1673. Dryden, Amboyna, Act i. Seizing their factories I like well enough, it has some savour in't; but for this whoresome cutting of throats, it goes a little against the grain.
1693. Dryden, Juvenal, i., 202. Though much against the grain forc'd to retire.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 2. Nothing in nature is so ungrateful as story-telling against the grain, therefore take it as the author has given it you.
1868. Wilkie Collins, The Moonstone, 1st Period., ch. xi. As I had promised for them, the other servants followed my lead, sorely against the grain, of course, but all taking the view that I took.
1884. W. C. Russell, Jack's Courtship, ch. xxiii. It went against my grain to leave the poor chap alone.
Agaze, adv. (American thieves').--Astonished;
open-eyed.
Aggerawator, subs. (common);
also Haggerawator, both forms
being corruptions of 'aggravator.'--A
lock of hair brought
down from the forehead, well
greased, and then twisted in
spiral form upon the temple,
either toward the ear, or conversely
toward the outer corner
of the eye. This style of dressing
the hair was formerly much
affected by costermongers, male
and female, and other street
folk, but the 'ornament' is now
rarely seen. It appears to be
known among certain classes
in France, especially prostitutes'
bullies.
Eng. Synonyms. Kiss-curls; cobbler's knots; cow-licks[**cow-licks?]; Newgate knockers (from a supposed resemblance to the knocker on the prisoner's door at Newgate); number sixes; bell-*ropes (being wherewith to draw the belles); bow-catchers; spit-*curls; lovelocks, etc.
French Argot. Des guiches; des rouflaquettes (from being sported by prostitutes' bullies), des accroche-cœeurs (lit. heart-hooks).
1836. Dickens, Sketches by Boz, p. 132. His hair carefully twisted into the outer corner of each eye, till it formed a variety of that description of semi-curls, usually known as 'aggerawators.'
