1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hulkey, or Hulking, a great hulkey fellow, an overgrown clumsy lout, or fellow.
1858. G. Eliot, Mr. Gilfil's Love-Story, ch. ii. When you've got . . . some great hulky fellow for a husband, who swears at you and kicks your children.
1870. Chambers's Journal, 9 July, p 447. He sees a slouching, shambling, hulk of a fellow standing listlessly in a doorway.
1871. G. Eliot, Middlemarch, ch. lvi. I want to go first and have a round with that hulky fellow who turned to challenge me.
1883. A. Dobson, Old-World Idylls, p. 164. I'd like to give that hulking brute a hit—Beating his horse in such a shameful way!
1893. National Observer, 29 July, p. 267, col. 2. The absolute ascendancy exercised by a small but brilliant member . . . over a hulking Junior.
Verb (colloquial).—To hang about; to mooch (q.v.).
Hull between Wind and
Water, verb. phr. (venery).—To
possess a woman. For synonyms,
see Greens and Ride.
Hull-cheese, subs. (Old Cant).—See
quot. For synonyms, see
Swipes.
1622. Taylor, A Very Merry Wherry-Ferry (Hindley, Works, 1872), 19. Give me hull-cheese, and welcome and good cheer. Ibid. Hull-cheese, is much like a loafe out of a brewers basket, it is composed of two simples, mault and water, in one compound, and is cousin germane to the mightiest ale in England.
Hulverhead, subs., and Hulver-headed, adj. (old).—See quots. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hulver-head, a silly Foolish fellow.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hulver Headed, silly, puzzle-pated.
Hum, subs. (Old Cant).—1. A kind of strong liquor: probably a mixture of beer and spirits, but see quot. 1690. Also hum-cap.
1616. Ben Jonson, Devil's an Ass, i., 1. Carmen Are got into the yellow starch, and chimney sweepers To their tobacco, and strong waters, hum, Meath, and Obarni.
1619. Fletcher, Wild Goose Chase ii., 3. Lord, what should I ail? What a cold I have over my stomach; would I'd some hum.
1622. Fletcher, Beggars' Bush, ii., 1. Except you do provide me hum enough, And lour to bouze with.
d. 1645. Heywood, Drunkard, p. 48 [Gifford]. Notwithstanding the multiplicity of wines, yet there be stills and limbecks going, swetting out aqua vitæ and strong waters, deriving their names from cinnamon, balm, and aniseed, such as stomach-water, humm, etc.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Hum-cap, old, mellow and very strong Beer.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
2. (common).—A trick; a delusion; a cheat. Also a lie.
1756, The World, No. 164. Now if this be only a hum (as I suppose it is) upon our country apes, it being blown in the World will put an end to it.
d. 1764. Lloyd, Poems (1774), 'A Tale.' There, my good critics, lies the hum.
1806. Lamb, Letters in Wks. (Ed. 1852), ch. v., p. 81. I daresay all this is hum!
1820. Reynolds (P. Corcoran), The Fancy, 'King Tims the First.' You or your son have told a bouncing hum.
1823. Bee, Dict. Turf, s.v. Hum—a whispered lie.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, 'Row in an Omnibus Box.' It's 'No Go!'—it's 'Gammon!'—it's 'all a Hum!'
1848. Punch, vol. XIV., p. 37. 'Ye Frenche Goe Uppe to London.' That ye French threats were all bouncing, That ye muster was a hum, And they'd never dare to come.
1885. T. E. Brown, The Doctor, p. 49. A hum and a huff, And none o' the real stuff.
1892. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, p. 76. Married life may be ticketed honey, but I know it's more of a hum.
