1663. Pepys, Diary, 12 Apr. Coming home to-night, a drunken boy was carrying by our constable to our new pair of stocks to handsel them.
1874. [G. A. Lawrence], Hagarene, ch. xvii. The habit of stout blue cloth . . . was Pete Harradine's last and crowning extravagance, as they passed through town on their way to Fulmerstone, and it had never been hanselled yet.
1881. Besant and Rice, Sweet Nelly, in Ten Years' Tenant, etc., Vol. I., p. 200. I wanted to present her with something to hansel friendship.
Hanseller, subs. (common).—A
street vendor; a Cheap Jack.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, i., 392. The sellers of tins, who carry them under their arms, or in any way on a round, apart from the use of a vehicle, are known as hand-sellers.
1876. Hindley, Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 10. Cheap-Jacks, as they were then as now called by the people, although the term han'-seller is mostly used by themselves.
Hans-en-Kelder, subs. (old).—A
child in the womb : literally,
Jack-in-the-Cellar (q. v.).
[From the Dutch.]
1647. Cleaveland, Character of a London Diurnall. The originall sinner in this kind was Dutch; Galliobelgicus, the Protoplast; and the moderne Mercuries, but hans-en-kelders. The countesse of Zealand was brought to bed of an almanack; as many children as dayes in the yeare.
1648. Mercurius Pragmaticus, i. The birthday of that precious new government which is yet but a Hans-en-kelder.
d.1658. Lovelace, Poems, p. 63. Next beg I to present my duty To pregnant sister in prime beauty, Whom [who] well I deem (ere few months elder) Will take out hans from pretty kelder.
1663. Dryden, Wild Gallant, v., Wks.,i. 61 (1701). Seems you are desirous I should Father this Hans en Kelder heere.
1672. Marvell, Char. of Holland, line 65. More pregnant then their Marg'ret, that laid down For hans-in-Kelder of a whole Hanse town.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hans-en-Kelder, Jack in the Box, the Child in the Womb, or a Health to it.
1672. Wycherley, Love in a Wood, v. Then I am as it were a grandfather to your new Wiffe's, hans en kelder.
1678. T. Baker, Tunbridge Wells, p. 27. Here's a health to this Lady's Hans in Kelder!
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hans in Kelder, a health frequently drank to breeding women, or their husbands.
Hansom, subs. (coster).—A chop.
Hap-Harlot, subs. (old).—A coarse
stuff to make rugs or coverlets
with; a rug. Cf., Wrap-rascal
= an overcoat.
1577-87. Holinshed, Description of England, bk. ii., ch. xii. A sheet vnder couerlets made of dagswain, or hap-harlots (I vse their owne termes).
Ha'porth o' Coppers, subs. phr.
(legal).—Habeas Corpus.
Ha'porth of Liveliness, subs.
phr. (Coster).—1. Music.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, i., p. 21. Or they will call to the orchestra, saying, 'Now then you catgut-scrapers! Let's have a ha'porth of liveliness.'
2. (common).—A loitering Lawrence; a slowcoach (q.v.).
Happify, verb. (American).—To
please.
1612. Sylvester, Lach. Lach., 642. One short mishap for ever happifies.
1848. Burton, Waggeries, etc., p. 70. For eatin' and drinkin', it happifies me to say that we bang the bush.
Happy, adj. (common).—Slightly
drunk; elevated (q.v.). For
synonyms, see Drinks and
Screwed.
