Happy-despatch, subs. (common).—Death, specifically, a sudden or violent end.
Happy-dosser. See Dosser.
Happy Eliza, subs. (common).—A
female Salvationist [As in the
Broadside Ballad (1887-8), 'They
call me Happy Eliza, and I'm
Converted Jane: We've been two
hot'uns in our time.']
Happy-family, subs. (colloquial).—See
quot.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. and Lond. Poor, iii., p. 224. Happy families, or assemblages of animals of diverse habits and propensities living amicably, or at least quietly, in one cage.
Happy-go-lucky, subs. (colloquial).—Careless;
thoughtless;
improvident. Fr., va comne je te
pousse and à la flan.
1856. Reade, Never Too Late to Mend, ch. xv. In the happy-go-lucky way of his class.
1883. Illust. London News, 8 Dec., p. 551, c. 1. He dashes off a play in a happy-go-lucky style, basing it on theatrical precedent so far as certain stock situations are concerned.
Happy Hunting-grounds, subs,
(American).—1. The future state;
glory (q.v.). [From the North-American
Indian's conception of
heaven.]
1848. Ruxton, Life in the Far West, p. 98. After a long journey, they will reach the happy hunting-grounds.
1891. Gunter, Miss Nobody of Nowhere, ch. v. Old Mescal is now keeping a sharp eye out for the child and the cowboy, that he may send them to the happy hunting-grounds also.
2. (colloquial).—A favourable place for work or play.
1892. Cassell's Sat. Journal, 26 Oct., p. 119. The happy hunting-ground of the swell mobsman is the opening of some Exhibition.
3. (venery).—The female pudendum. For synonyms, see Monosyllable.
Happy-land, subs. (common).—The
after life; glory (q.v.).
1893. Danvers, The Grantham Mystery, ch. xiii. The old 'un will soon join the young 'un in the happy land.
Happy-returns, subs. (Australian).—Vomiting.
See Flay the Fox.
Harbour, subs. (venery).—The
female pudendum. For synonyms,
see Monosyllable. Also Harbour
of Hope.
Hard, subs. (prison).—1. Hard
labour.
1890. Globe, 26 Feb., p. 1, c. 4. Monetary penalties, therefore, do not act as deterrents, but the certainty of seven days' incarceration, with or without hard, would soon diminish the nuisance.
2. See Hard-Shell.
3. (colloquial).—-Third-class. As opposed to soft (q. v.). Thus: 'Do you go hard or soft?' = 'Do you go Third or First?' An abbreviation of Hard-arse.
Adj. (American).—1. Applied to metal of all kinds: e.g., hard (cole or stuff) = silver or gold as compared to cheques or soft (q.v.).
1825. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, ii., ch. 18. The bill . . . amounted to one dollar and a quarter hard money.
1844. Puck, p. 146. That cunning old file wont let her go with the hard cash down.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hard; metal.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hard cole. Silver or gold money.
1863. Charles Reade, Hard Cash. [Title.]
