1624. Middleton, Game at Chess, iii. 1. Mass, here will be old firking.
1664. Cotton, Vergil Travestie (1st ed.), 104. There was old drinking and old singing.
1883. Referee, 11 Mar., 3, 2. All the children who have been engaged in the Drury Lane Pantomime took tea on the stage, and had a high old time (while it lasted).
1888. J. McCarthy, and Mrs. CAMPBELL-PRAED, Ladies' Gallery, xxxv. I went down to Melbourne, intending to have a high old time.
1891. J. Newman, Scamping Tricks, 7. You are a big fraud and a high old liar.
1892. F. Anstey, Voces Populi, 'The Riding Class,' 108. 'We've bin having a gay old time in 'ere.'
1899. Gunter, Florida Ench., 86. Well, my boy, did you have a high old time last evening with that pretty widow.
3. (Old Cant).—See quot. 1811. Lex. Bal. Old, ugly.
4. (old literary: now colloquial).—A general term of endearment or cordiality: e.g., OLD CHAP; OLD FELLOW; OLD BOY; OLD HOSS; OLD MAN; OLD GAL; etc. See Boy.
1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV., ii. 4. Go thy ways, old Jack.
1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Old Cuff, a frolicksome old Fellow. Ibid, Old Toast, a brisk old Fellow.
1740. Richardson, Pamela, iii. 380. Never fear, old boy, said Sir Charles, we'll bear our parts in conversation.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Old toast, a brisk old fellow.
1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue [EGAN]. Old Chap, a good-natured flash phrase.
1854. Our Cruise in the Undine, 142. Here's a go, Bill! said the Doctor. Never mind, old boy, replied the Captain; we'll get the other side of him yet.
1871. The Echo, 16 March. Are you going to have a wet, old boy? one familiarly remarked.
1889. Illus. London News Summer Number, 26, col. 2. You are right there, old boy, said Eustace.
1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger's Sweetheart, p. 165. Now for business, OLD BOY.
5. (common).—A general disparagement: as in OLD BLOKE; OLD BUFFER; OLD CAT; OLD COCK; OLD CODGER; OLD COON; OLD CRAWLER; OLD CURMUDGEON; OLD DOG; OLD FILE; OLD FIZ-GIG; OLD GEEZER; OLD HUDDLE AND TWANG; OLD IMAGE; OLD POT-AND-PAN; OLD SHAVER; OLD SQUARE-TOES; OLD STAGER; OLD STICK; OLD STICK-IN-THE-MUD.
1600. Sir John Oldcastle, i 2. If ever wolf were clothed in sheep's coat, Then I am he; old huddle and twang.
1760 George Colman, Polly Honeycombe, i. 3. The old codger's gone, and has locked me up with his daughter.
1823. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, ii. 4. Tom. Good night, old stick-in-the-mud.
1836. Leman Rede and R. Brinsley Peake, The Middle Temple, 3. Bru. Thank you, ma'am; there was an old fizgig told me to bring that card here. Mrs. M. old fizgig! (Aside) Does not speak quite respectful of his parent.
1838. Selby, The Dancing Master, 2. Hard-hearted old codger, he'd see me killed with as much unconcern as he would a sucking-pig.
1846. Planche, Court Favour, i. Duke. (Aside) Tiresome old cat! Madam—(aloud)—permit me.
1864. Sun, 28 Dec., Review of Hotten's Slang Dict. We look in vain here for any mention of Old Square-Toes.
1867. Mark Lemon, Golden Fetters, ii. p. 74. Mr. Clendon did not call Mr. Barnard OLD COCK, OLD FELLOW, or OLD BEESWING.
1870 Haylewood and Williams, Leave it to Me, i. Jos. {aside) Blowed if I know what to say. (Aloud to Quince) My worthy old Cockalorum.
1888. Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, xxxvi. You're a regular old image, Jim, says she. Ibid, i. I used to laugh at him, and call him a regular OLD CRAWLER.
