Hall, subs. (fishmongers').—1. Specifically the hall = Leadenhall Market. Cf., Garden, Lane, etc.
2. (Oxford Univ.).—Dinner. [Which is taken in College hall.] To hall = to dine.
Go and Hire a Hall. phr. (American).—A retort upon loquacious bores.
Hall by the Sea, subs. phr. (medical students').—The Examination Hall of the conjoined Board of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons. [Situate on the Embankment at the foot of Waterloo Bridge.]
Hall of Delight, subs. phr. (Australian).—A music hall.
1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger's Sweetheart, p. 53. I thought you coons would find your way to this hall of delight.
Hallan-shaker (or Hallen-shaker),
subs. (old).—A vagabond
or sturdy beggar. For
synonyms, see Cadger and
Mumper.
c. 1503-4. Dunbar, A General Satyre wks. (ed. David Laing, 1834), ii., 26. Sic knavis and crakkeris to play at cartis and dyce. Sic halland-schakkaris.
c. 1600. Montgomerie, Poems (Scottish Text Soc., 1885-7), Polwart and Montgomerie's Flyting,' p. 85. halland-shaker, draught-raiker, bannock-baiker, ale-beshitten.
(?)1642. Old Ballad. 'Maggie Lauder. Right scornfully she answered him, Begone, you Hallan-shaker.
1724. Journal from London, p. 4. Had seen me than staakin about like a hallen-shaker, You wou'd hae taen me for a water-wraith.
1816. Scott, Antiquary, ch. iv. I, and a wheen Hallenshakers like mysel'.
Halliballo.—See Hulliballo.
Hallion (or Hallyon), subs. (old).—1.
A rogue; a clod; a gentleman's
servant out of livery; also
(2) a shrew. Cf., Hell-cat.
1817. Scott, Rob Roy, ch. iv. This is a decentish hallion.
1847. Porter, Big Bear, etc., p. 69. The scoundrels! the oudacious little hellions!
Halloo. To halloo with the
under dog, verb. phr. (American).—To
take the losing side.
Halo. To work the halo
racket, verb. phr. (common).—To
grumble; to be dissatisfied.
[From the story of the Saint in
Heaven who got dissatisfied with
his nimbus.]
Haltersack, subs. (old).—A
gallows-bird; a general term of
reproach and contempt.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, Bazaro, a shifter, a conicatcher . . . a haltersacke.
1619. Beaumont and Fletcher King and no King, ii., 2. Away, you haltersack, you.
Halves, subs. (Winchester College).—(pro.
H[=a]ves.) Half-Wellington
boots, which were strictly non
licet (obs.).—Notions.
To go (or cry) halves, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To take (or claim) a half share or chance. In America, at the halves.
1831. Neal, Down Easters, ch. iv., p. 45. 'Lives by preachin' at the halves a sabba'-days.' 'Preaching at the halves—how's that?' 'Why don't you know? in partnership for what's taken arter the sarmon's over.'
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, III., 122. He'll then again ask if anybody will go him halves.
Ham, subs. (old).—1. (in. pl.)
Trousers: also Ham-cases. For
synonyms, see Kicks.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. Hams, Breeches.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1791. Bampfylde-Moore Carew, Life. Hams—breeches.
