1838. Lytton, Alice, 111. i. The men of more dazzling genius began to sneer at the red-tape minister as a mere official manager of details. Ibid. (1853), My Novel, x. xx. Throw over that stiff red-tapist.
1849. Kingsley, Alton Lock, iv. Fops of red-tape statesmen.
1855. Dickens, Prince Bull [Rep. Pieces]. He had a tyrannical old godmother whose name was Tape (et passim).
1863. Braddon, Aurora Floyd, xiii. A brief respite from parliamentary minutes and red-tape.
1871. Daily News, 29 Dec. It is more red tape.
1884. Spencer, Man v. State, 59. The press and criticisms in Parliament leave no one in ignorance of the vices of red-tape routine.
1873. W. Mathews, Getting on in World, 99. In no country is the red-tapeist so out of place as here. Every calling is filled with bold, keen, subtle-witted men.
1890. Pall Mall Gaz., 17 Feb., 7, 1. An amusing instance of red-tapeism is reported from America.
2. See Red.
Reeb, subs. (back slang).—Beer:
top of reeb = a pot of beer.
Reef, subs. (thieves').—To draw
up a dress-pocket until the purse
is within reach of the fingers.
2. (racing).—See quot. [from Century].
1888. Atlantic, lxiv. 115. When the driver moves the bit to and fro in his mouth, the effect is to enliven and stimulate the horse . . . If this motion be performed with an exaggerated movement of the arm, it is called reefing.
To let out a reef, verb. phr. (common).—To unfasten a button after a meal.
To need a reef taken in, verb. phr. (common).—To be drunk: see Drinks and Screwed.
Reefer, subs. (nautical).—1. A
midshipman.
1834. Marryatt, Peter Simple, iv. A young lady, very nicely dressed, looked at me very hard, and said "Well, Reefer, how are you off for soap?"
1888. Harper's Mag. [Century]. The gun-room, the home of darling reefers.
2. (colloquial).—A short all-round jacket; an arse-hole perisher or bum-freezer (q.v.).
Reek, subs. (Old Cant).—Money:
see Rhino.
Reekie. See Auld Reekie.
Reel. To reel off (or out),
verb. phr. (colloquial).—To speak
or produce easily. Off the
reel = in succession; right off.
1883. D. Telegraph, 26 Oct. Winning three nurseries off the reel.
1888. Elec. Rev. [Century]. [They] reeled off exactly the same number of words.
1894. Moore, Esther Waters, xxx. First five favourites straight off the reel, three yesterday, and two second favourites the day before.
To dance the miller's-reel (reel o' stumpie or reel of bogie), verb. phr. (venery).—To copulate: see Ride.
b. 1796. Old Scots Song, 'The Mill, Mill, O' [Merry Muses (collected by Burns)]. Then she fell o'er, an' sae did I, An' danc'd the miller's reel, O.
17[?]. Old Song, 'Cald Kaill of Aberdene' [Sharpe, Ane Pleasant Garden]. The lasses about Bogingicht, Their eens they are baith cleer and richt, And if they are but girded richt, They'll dance the reel of Bogie.
Reeler, subs. (rhyming).—A policeman;
a peeler (q.v.).
1879. Horsley [Macm. Mag., xl. 502. A reeler came to the cell and cross-kiddled (questioned) me.
