Old Braggs, subs. phr. (military).—The 28th Foot, now the 1st Batt. Gloucestershire Regiment: from its Colonel's name, 1734-51. Also "The Slashers."
Old Bucks, subs. phr. (military).—The
Bedfordshire Regiment,
formerly The 16th Foot. Also
"The Peacemakers" and "The
Feather-beds."
Old Buffs, subs. phr. (military).—The
Third Foot, now The Buffs
(East Kent Regiment). Also
Nut-crackers and Resurrectionists.
Old-crow, subs. phr. (American).—A
drink; a dram. [In the
United States old crow = a
choice brand of Bourbon or corn
whiskey].
c. 1862 Broadside Ballad [quoted in Slangy Jargon and Cant]. Life seems a bit to soften when I try a good old crow.
Old-ding, subs. phr. (venery).—The
female pudendum: see
Monosyllable.—Lex. Bal.
(1811); Grose (1823).
Old-dog, subs. phr. (common).—1.
A half-burnt plug of tobacco
left in the bowl of a pipe.
2. (colloquial).—A lingering antique.
1846. Dickens, Dombey, x. 79. An old campaigner, sir, said the Major, a smoke-dried, sun-burnt, used-up, invalided old dog of a Major, sir.
Adj. phr. (old).—Particularly good.
1596. Nashe, Have with you, Epis. Ded. par. 5. O, he hath been olde dogge at that drunken, staggering kinde of verse.
1664. Butler, Hudibras; II. iii. 5, 208. He (Sidrophel) was old dog at physiology.
1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Old-dog-at-it, good or expert. Ibid. Old-dog-at-common-prayer, a poor Hackney that cou'd Read, but not Preach well.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
Old Donah (or Old Woman),
subs. phr. (tramps').—A mother.
1893. Emerson, Signor Lippo> xvi. Well my old pot switched with the cook, my old donah, and . . . I was born a twelvemonth afterwards.
Old Doss, subs. phr. (thieves').—See
quots. and Cage.
1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue [Egan]. s.v. Old doss, Bridewell.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Old doss, The Tombs [the New York City gaol].
Old Dozen, subs. phr. (military).—The
Suffolk Regiment, formerly
the 12th Foot.
Old Driver, subs. phr. (common).—The
devil: see Skipper.
Old Ebony, subs, (literary).—Blackwood's
Magazine. Also Maga.
Old Eyes, subs. phr. (military).—The
Grenadier Guards; also
known as "The Sand Bags,"
"The Coalheavers," "The House-maids'
Pets," and "The
Bermuda Exiles."
Old File, subs. phr. (common).—A
miser; a skinflint (q.v.).
Also see Old, adj. sense 5.
Old Five and Threepennies,
subs. phr. (military).—The Fifty-third
Foot. [From its number
and (formerly) the daily pay of an
ensign]. Also Brickdusts.
Old Floorer, subs. phr. (common).—Death.
