1530. Tyndale, Works [Parker Soc. i. 299]. We know not whether they be good or bad, or whether they be fish or flesh.
1546. Heywood, Proverbs, 1. x. Shee is neither fish, nor flesh, nor good red herring.
1598. Shakspeare, 2 Hen. IV., iv. 3. She's neither fish nor flesh; a man knows not where to have her.
1656. Muses Recr. [Hotten], 94. They are neither fish, flesh, nor good red herring.
[?] Marsden, Hist. Ch. Churches, i. 267. "They were neither Parsons, nor Vicars, nor stipendiary curates; in fact, They were neither fish, nor flesh, nor good red herring."
1683. Dryden, Duke of Guise, Epil. Damn'd Neuters, in their Middle way of Steering, Are Neither Fish, nor Flesh, nor good Red Herring.
To paint (or varnish) the town red (or crimson), verb. phr. (American).—See quot.
1889. Detroit Free Press, 9 Mar. Painting the town red undoubtedly originated among the cowboys of western Texas, who, upon visits to frontier towns, would first become very drunk, or pretend to be so, and then mount their bronchos, gallop up and down the principal street, shooting at anything, and signifying their intention to paint the whole town red if any opposition to their origies was attempted. It was a mere extravagant threat: one constable could usually put the whole band in the calaboose.
1891. Harry Fludyer at Cambridge, 105. Now, do come . . . to see us row. We've got a good chance of going head, and if we do, my eye, won't we paint the whole place red on Tuesday night!
1892. Pall Mall Gaz., 17 Oct., 2, 3. He appears here as the typical Johnnie . . . whose aid is sought by young men who are desirous of painting the town red.
Redbreasts (The), subs. phr.
(military).—1. The 5th (Royal
Irish) Lancers.
2. See Red.
Red Feathers (The), subs. phr.
(military).—The late 46th Foot,
now the 2nd Batt. Duke of Cornwall's
Light Infantry. [A light
company were brigaded with
others in 1777 as "The Light
Battalion." The Americans,
harassed by the Brigade, vowed
"No Quarter." In derison, to
prevent mistakes, the Light Battalion
dyed their feathers red.]
Also "Murray's Bucks"; "The
Surprisers"; "The Lacedemonians";
and "The Docs."
Redge (or Ridge), subs. (old).—Gold:
see Red, subs. 1. Hence
redge-cully = a goldsmith.
1665. Head, English Rogue (1874), 1. v. 52, s.v. Ridge-cully.
1741. Kentish Post, No. 2479, 4, 1., s.v.
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, 111. v. With my thimble [watch] of ridge.
Red-knights, subs. phr. (military).—The
Cheshire Regiment (formerly
the Twenty-second Regiment
of Foot). [In 1795 it was
served with red jackets, waistcoats
and breeches in lieu of the
proper uniform.] Also The Two
Two's.
Red (or Scarlet) Lancers (The),
subs. phr. (military).—The 16th
(The Queen's) Lancers. [The
only Lancer regiment with a
scarlet tunic.]
Red-lane (-close or -sea), subs.
phr. (old).—The throat; gutter-alley
(q.v.).—Grose.
1566. Udal, Roister Doister, i. 3. M. Mumb. And sweete malte maketh ioly good ale for the nones. Tib Talk. Whiche will slide downe the lane without any bones.
1814. Colman, Poetical Vagaries (1814), 75. O butter'd egg, best eaten with a spoon, I bid your yelk glide down my throat's red lane.
