1852. Judson, Mysteries of New York, bk. II., ch. x. What'll it be, my covies? Heavy wet, cold or warm?
1888. J. Runciman, The Chequers, p. 86. Mother up with your heavy wet and try suthin' short.
2. (common).—An extraordinarily heavy drinking bout.
Hebe, subs. (old).—1. See quots.
1648-9. Crashaw, Poems. 'On the Death of Mr. H.' Ere hebe's hand had overlaid His smooth cheeks with a downy shade.
1778. Bailey, Eng. Dict., s.v. The first Hair appearing about the genital parts; also the Parts themselves; but more specifically the Time of Youth at which it first appears.
2. (common).—A waiting maid at an inn; a barmaid.
1603. J. Sylvester, Tr. Du Bartas, Mag., p. 65 (1608). Heer, many a Hebe faire, heer more than one Quick-seruing Chiron neatly waits vpon The Beds and Boords.
1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, ch. xlix. Shortly after the same Hebe brought up a plate of beef-collops.
1886. Athenæum, 9 Jan., 63/2. It is not with the Colonel's Hebes, however, that the manœuvres of the military quintet are carried on.
1891. Sportsman, 25 Mar. Not even the kindly morning welcome of La Rærdon, most pleasant and courteous of deft-handed Hebes, could blot out the fact.
Hebrew, subs. (common).—Gibberish;
Greek (q.v.). To talk
Hebrew = to talk nonsense or
gibberish.
1705. Vanbrugh, Confederacy, ii., 1. Mon. If she did but know what part I take in her sufferings. Flip. Mighty obscure. Mon. Well, I'll say no more; but. Flip. All Hebrew.
1823. Bee, Dict. of the Turf, s.v. You may as well talk Hebrew,' said of jargon.
Hector, subs. (old).—A bully; a
blusterer.
1659. Lady Alimony, ii, 6 (Dodsley, Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 322). Hectors, or champion haxters, pimps or palliards. Ibid, iii., I., (p. 326). Levelling at honour, they declare themselves glorious hectors,
b. 1670. J. Hacket, Archbp. Williams, ii., 203. One Hector, a phrase at that time for a daring ruffian, had the ear of great ones sooner than five strict men.
1674. Cotton, Complete Gamester, p. 333. Shoals of Huffs, Hectors, Setters, Gilts, Pads. . . . And these may all pass under the general or common appellation of Rooks.
1677. Wycherley, Plain Dealer, iv, 1. She would rather trust her honour with some dissolute debauched hector.
1679. Butler, Hudibras. iii., 2, 108. As bones of Hectors when they differ The more th'are Cudgel'd, grow the Stiffer.
1689. Lestrange, Tr. Erasmus, p. 139. And a Ruffling Hector that lives upon the Highway.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hector, a Vaporing, Swaggering Coward.
1719. Durfey, Pills, etc., ii., 24. I hate, she cry'd, a hector, a Drone without a Sting.
1725. New Cant. Dict.
1750. Ozell, Rabelais, iv., Pref. xxiii. These roaring hectors.
1757. Pope, Imit. Hor., ii., 1, 71. I only wear it in a land of Hectors, thieves . . . and Directors.
1778. Bailey, Eng. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1826. Congress Deb., ii., 1., p. 1024. He hoped it would invite . . . a reply from the Southern Hector . . . of this debate.
Verb (common).—To play the bully; to bluster. Also to play the Hector.
1677. Wycherley, Plain Dealer, ii., 1. No hectoring, good Captain.
1849-61. Macaulay, Hist. of Eng., ch. xvi. To play the Hector at cockpits or hazard tables.
To wear Hector's cloak, verb. phr. (old).—To receive the right reward for treachery. [When Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland, was routed in 1569, he hid himself in the house of Hector Armstrong, of Harlaw, who betrayed him for hire, and prospered
