Antagonise, verb. (sporting).--This, 'to act as an opponent,' sounds very like slang; but, as a matter of fact, so long as the antagonising forces are of the same kind the word is legitimate enough. It has been so used from 1634 downwards, by Herbert, Keats, John Stuart Mill, and others. Only when (as for example in America a person in political phraseology is said to antagonise a measure when it is meant that he opposes it) the word is used in connection with antagonistic forces not of a kind can it be regarded as partaking of slang. In the quotation by Barrère from the Saturday Review (no date given: refer, however, to Sat. R., Dec. 18, 1886, p. 799) the word is used in a perfectly correct manner.
1886. Saturday Review on Sporting Slang, 18 Dec, p. 799, col. 1. Dingley Dell sent Tones and Robinson to the wickets, where they were antagonised with the leather by Alf and the Young Phenomenon.
Anthony, or To Cuff Anthony, verb.
(old).--To knock one's knees
together from an infirmity.
Also called to cuff Jonas.
Antony, or Anthony Cuffin, subs.--A knock-kneed man.
Anthony, or Tantony Pig, subs.
(old).--See Tantony pig.
1787. Grose, Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. The favourite or smallest pig in the litter; to follow like a tantony pig, i.e., St. Anthony's pig, signified to follow close at one's heels. St. Anthony, the hermit, was a swine herd, and is always represented with his bell and pig.
Antimony, subs. (printers').--Type;
so called from one of
its component parts.
Anyhow. Anyhow you can fix
it, phr. (American).--A slang
expression of acquiescence as,
e.g., 'I don't know if you'll
succeed, but anyhow you can
fix it.'
Any Other Man! phr. (American).--A
call to order addressed to
prosy, discursive speakers when
they give themselves over to
the use of synonymous terms.
Any Racket, subs. (rhyming slang).--A
penny faggot.
Anything. Like, or as anything,
adv. phr. (common).--A vulgarism
rather than slang. Used
in the same manner, as are like
one o'clock; like old boots
(q.v.), when a person is at a loss
for a simile.--See Winkey.
1542. Udall's Erasmus Apoph., p. 32. The young maiden, where the lokers on quaked and trembled for feare, daunced without any feare at all emong sweardes and kniues, beyng as sharpe as anythyng.
1740. Richardson, Pamela, ii., 57. O my dear father and mother, I fear your girl will grow as proud as anything.
1840. Barham, I. L. (Misadv. at Margate).
The tear-drop in his little eye again began to spring, His bosom throbb'd with agony, he cried like anything.
1878. Carroll, Through a Looking Glass, iv., 73. They wept like anything to see such quantities of sand.
Anythingarian, subs. (common).--A
contemptuous term for one
who is apathetic as regards his
political or religious creed, or
other matters upon which mankind
generally hold decided
views. [From anything +
arian, after trinit-arian, unit-arian.]
