1697. Vanbrugh, Æsop, , 1. Ise no hagler, gadswookers and he that says I am—'zbud, he lies!
1851-61. H. Mayhew Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, vol. I., p. 83. A Haggler being, as I before explained, the middle-man.
Hail. To raise hail (or Ned,
or Cain, or Hell), verb. phr.
(American).—To make a disturbance;
to kick up a row.
1888. Portland Transcript, 7 Mar. He is determined that they shall have a clear deed to one hundred and sixty acres of land when the question is settled, or he will raise hail.
To be hail fellow well met, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be on very easy terms: also at hail-fellow.
1574-1656. Hall's Satires, III., i., p. 40. Now man, that erst haile-fellow was with beast, Woxe on to weene himselfe a god at least.
1665. Homer à la Mode. The cookes too, having done, were set At table hay fellow well met [Quoted by Nares].
1667-1745. Swift, My Lady's Lamentation. Hail fellow, well met, all dirty and wet; Find out, if you can, who's master, who's man.
1886. R. L. Stevenson, Kidnapped, p. 108. And at first he sings small, and is hail-fellow-well-met with Sheamus—that's James of the Glens, my chieftain's agent.
To be hailed for the last time, verb. phr. (nautical).—To die. For synonyms, see Aloft.
1891. W. C. Russell, Ocean Tragedy, p. 322. He's been hailed for the last time.
Hair, subs. (venery).—1. The
female pubes. Whence (2) generic
for the sex: e.g., after hair =
in quest of a woman; plenty of
hair = lots of girls; hair to
sell = a woman with a price;
hair-monger = a wencher; bit
of hair = the sexual favour.
For synonyms, see Fleece.
To go against the Hair, verb. phr. (old colloquial).—To go against the grain, or contrary to nature. [From the texture of furs.]
1589. Nashe, Martin's Months Minde (Grosart), i., 188. For hee euer went against the haire.
1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives, ii., 3. If you should fight, you go against the hair of your professions.
1661. Middleton, Mayor of Queenborough, C. P. xi., 122. Books in women's hands are as much against the hair, methinks, as to see men wear stomachers, Or night-railes.
Both of a Hair, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Very much alike. Also, two of a trade, and two in a tale.
Not worth a Hair, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Utterly worthless. Cf., Cent, Rap, Dump, etc.
To a Hair, adv. phr.—(colloquial).—Exactly; to a nicety. Cf., To fit to a Hair = to fit perfectly.
1697. Vanbrugh, Æsop, i, 1. Here was a young gentlewoman but just now pencilled me out to a hair.
1738. Swift, Polite Conversation. Miss. Well I love a Lyar with all my Heart; and you fit me to a hair.
1891. W. C. Russell, Ocean Tragedy, p. 30. The fellow fits my temper to a hair.
To split Hairs, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To cavil about trifles; to quibble; to be over-*nice in argument.
1693. Congreve, Old Bachelor, ii., 2. Now, I must speak; it will split a hair by the Lord Harry.
Suit of Hair, subs. phr. (American).—A head of hair (q.v.)
