1884. W. C. Russell, Jack's Courtship, xii. I'm afraid he'll now take such steps to stop all chance of my meeting or communicating with his daughter as will play old harry with my hopes.
Old Harvey, subs. phr. (nautical).—The
large boat (the launch) of
a man-of-war.
Old hat, subs. phr. (venery).—See
quots. and Monosyllable.
1754. Fielding, Jonathan Wild, 1. vi. (note). I shall conclude this learned note with remarking that the term old hat is used by the vulgar in no very honourable sense.
1760. Sterne, Tristram Shandy, cxxvi. A chapter of chambermaids, green gowns, and old hats.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hat. Old hat, a woman's privities: because frequently felt.
Old Horney (or Hornington),
sub. phr. (venery).—The penis:
see Prick. Cf. Miss Horner =
the female pudendum.
Old (or salt) horse, subs. phr.
(nautical).—1. Salt junk. Fr. sous-*pied,
and tire-fiacre.
1889. Chambers's Journal, 3 Aug., 495. Mr. Clark Russell declares that salt-horse works out of the pores, and contributes to that mahogany complexion common to sailors, which is often mistakenly attributed to rum and weather.
2. (American).—An endearment: a familiar address. See old, adj., sense 4. Also old hoss.
1884. S. L. Clemens ('M. Twain'), Huckleberry Finn, xvii. Are you all ready? All right—come olong, old hoss.
1888. Gunter, Mr. Potter of Texas, 123. Lubbius, old os, is that ere lunch ready?
1893. Emerson, Signor Lippo. xiv. Well, old hoss, how are you, and how's the world been playing on yer since I last vardied yer? Alright, mate.
Old Inniskillings, subs. phr.
(military).—The 6th (Inniskilling)
Dragoons. Also "The Skillingers."
Old iron, subs. phr. (nautical).—Shore
clothes. To work up old
iron = to go ashore.
Old Lady, subs. phr. (card-sharpers').—1.
See quot and cf. old
gentleman, sense 1.
1828. G. Smeeton, Doings in London, 78. There is not only an old gentleman, but an old lady (a card broader than the rest) amongst them.
2. (venery).—The female pudendum: see Monosyllable.
The old lady of Threadneedle St., subs. phr. (common).—The Bank of England.
1797. Gilray, The Old Lady in Threadneedle Street in Danger [Title of Caricature, the reference being to the temporary stopping of cash payments 26th February, 1797, and the issue of pound bank-notes 4th March the same year.]
1859. Punch, xxxvi. 174. The girl for my money. The old lady of Threadneedle Street.
1864. Braddon, Henry Dunbar, xxv. The . . . convenient and flimsy paper circulating medium dispensed by the Old Lady in Threadneedle Street.
1871. Chambers's Journal, 9 Dec., 773. The Old Lady in Threadneedle Street can always take care of herself: if a note is stolen, she don't suffer; while, if it is lost, it is just so much in her own pocket, unless you can get a justice of the peace to swear it's burned.
1889. Tit Bits, 30 Nov., 119, 1. From seven o'clock in the evening until seven o'clock in the morning the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street is as well protected by Her Majesty's soldiers as Her Majesty in her palace.
1894. Pall Mall Gazette, 28 July. In its infancy there were only fifty-four persons employed in the service of the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street; now the staff numbers nearly a thousand employees.
