Hare-brained (or Hair-brained), adj. (old colloquial: now recognised).—Reckless; flighty; impudent; skittish. Also, substantively, hare-brain = a hare-brained person.
1534. N. Udal, Roister Doister, I., iv., p. 27 (Arber). Ah foolish hare-braine, This is not she.
1592. Nashe, Pierce Penilesse, in Wks., ii., 53. A harebraind little Dwarfe it is.
1621. Burton, Anat. of Mel., I., III., I., ii., 259 (1836). Yet again, many of them, desperate hare-brains.
1622. Bacon, Henry VII. That same haire-braine wild fellow, my subject.
1751. Smollett, Peregrine Pickle, ch. xliii. When the government of a nation depends upon the caprice of the ignorant, hair-brained vulgar.
1870. Chambers' Miscellany, No. 53, p. 28. The Slater girls are as hare-brained as herself.
Hared, adj. (old).—Hurried.
Hare-sleep, subs. (old).—Sham
slumber; foxes' sleep (q.v.).
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hare-sleep, with Eies a'most open.
Harking, subs. (old).—See quots.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Harking, whispering on one side to borrow Money.
1725. New. Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hark-ye-ing, whispering on one side to borrow money.
Harlequin, subs. (theatrical).—1.
A sovereign. For synonyms, see
Canary.
2. (Winchester College).—The wooden nucleus of a red india-rubber ball.
3. (old).—A patchwork quilt.
Harlequin China, adj. phr.
(old).—Sets composed of several
patterns and makes.
Harlotry, subs. (old).—A wanton.
d. 1529. Skelton, Bowge of Courte. He had no pleasure but in harlotrye.
1672. Wycherley, Love in a Wood, iv., 1. But O the harlotry, did she make that use of it then.
1695. Congreve, Love for Love, iii., 1. O you young harlotry.
1893. T. E. Brown, Old John, p. 205. That specious harlotry from hell's black bosom spewed.
Adj. (old).—Disreputable.
1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV., ii., 4. Oh rare! he doth it as like one of these harlotry players, as ever I see.
Harman-beck (or Harman), subs.
(old).—An officer of justice. For
synonyms, see Beak and Copper.
1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 66. The harman-beck, the constable.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-All. With the harman-beake out and alas to Whittington we goe.
1656. Broome, Jovial Crew, ii. Here safe in our skipper let's cly off our peck, And bowse in defiance o' th' harman-beck.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Harman-beck, a Beadle.
1714. Memoirs of John Hall (4th ed.), p. 12. Harminbeck, a Constable.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v Harman Beck, a beadle (cant).
1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ch. xvii. From the watchmen who skip On the Harman Beck's errand.
1828. Lytton, The Disowned. The worst have an awe of the harman's claw.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Harman Beak. The Sheriff.
Harmans, subs. (Old Cant).—The
stocks. [The suffix 'mans' is
common; Cf. lightmans,
darkmans, roughmans, etc.]
1567. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 66. The harmans, the stockes.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-All, p. 39 (H. Club's Rept., 1874). Harmons the stockes.
