being called mivvies (q.v.), and the largest bonces (q.v.). The word sometimes appears as alley tor, or alley taw. De Foe, in 'Duncan Campbell,' as early as 1720, speaks of a large bag of marbles and alleys, and at that time the term was considered vulgar. It is interesting to note that the supposed derivation of alley from alabaster is borne out by the fact, that among school-boys stone marbles are called stoneys (q.v.), and clay ones commoneys (q .v.). Additional weight is also given to the accuracy of this derivation, when it is remembered that what are known as 'Dutch alleys' (q.v.), are only stoneys enamelled or glazed different colours. In old Berlin slang, alley tors were known as Kalbacher.
All-Fired, adj. All-Firedly, adv.
(American).--Thought by most
to be a Puritanical corruption of
'hell-fired,' and in that respect
a profane euphemistic adjective.
In this connection it carries
with it the meaning of 'immense,'
'excessive,' or 'inordinate'
in general; but, of
course, the primary signification
of this corruption is
perfectly obvious. Some, however,
think the word may be
taken at its face value [all+fire+ed.],
an intensitive of the
merely rhetorical fire. Common
now on both sides of the
Atlantic.
1755. The World, No. 140. How arbitrary is language! and how does the custom of mankind join words, that reason has put asunder! Thus we often hear of hell-fire cold, of devilish handsome, and the like.
1835. Haliburton, Clockmaker, I[** "1"?] S., ch. xxiv. 'Look at that 'ere Dives,' they say, 'what an all-fired scrape he got into by his avarice with Lazarus[**.]'
1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, ch. xl. 'I knows I be so all-fired jealous; I can't abear to hear o' her talkin', let alone writin' to----'
1883. James Payn, Thicker than Water, ch. xvii. 'Well,' he said .... 'you've been an all-fired time you have in selling those jars.'
All fly.--See Fly.
All Fours. To go or be on all
fours, verb. phr. (popular).-From
the four legs of a quadruped, or
the two legs and two arms of a
child or man. Hence to go on
all fours is to go evenly, the
figure of speech presented being
the reverse of limping like a lame
dog. Thence follows the metaphorical
use of the phrase in
the sense of exact analogy and
similarity of relation. It is
thus synomyous[**P1: "synonymous"?] with 'as like
as two peas' (the French say,
comme deux gouttes d'eau, as like
as two drops of water); 'a
chip of the old block'; a
'Chinese copy,' etc. At the
same time, a show of probability
must be conceded to
those philologists who refer the
phrase to the masonic symbol
of the square, emblematic of
harmony and completeness.
Possibly masons gave its use a
fresh impetus.
All Gammon! phr. (common).--All
nonsense; rubbish!--See
All my eye.
All Gay, adv. (thieves').--All
serene; all right; the coast is
clear. The French voleur says,
c'est franco!
