1749. Smollett, Gil Blas (1812), x. x. Falling into a passion he gave me half-a-dozen boxes on the face . . . that made me see more candles than ever burnt in Solomon's temple. Ibid. (1751), Peregrine Pickle, c. Notwithstanding the disgrace and discouragement they had met with in their endeavours to serve our adventurer, they were still resolved to persevere in their good offices, or, in the vulgar phrase, to see him out.
1857. Dickens, Xmas Stories (Perils of Prisoners), (Household ed.), 46. We saw out all the drink that was produced, like good men and true, and then took our leaves, and went down to the beach.
Seed, subs. (venery).—The semen:
see Spendings. Hence seed-plot
(or seed-land) = the female
pudendum: see Monosyllable;
run to seed = pregnant, lumpy
(q.v.)
1555. A Pore Helpe, 84. They saye ye leade euyll lyues With other mennes wyues . . . And so your sede is sowne In other mennes grounde.
1656. Fletcher, Martiall, xi. 105. The Phrygian Boyes in secret spent their seed As oft as Hector's wife rid on his steed.
1719. Durfey, Pills, iii. 107. For there where other gardeners here been sowing their seed. . . .
1865. Swinburne, Atalanta in Calydon, 107. Thou, I say Althea, since my father's ploughshare, drawn Through fatal seedland of a female field, Furrowed thy body.
Run to seed, adv. phr. (colloquial).—1. Shabby; gone off the bloom; seedy (q.v.).
1837. Dickens, Pickwick Papers (1857), 20. Large boots running rapidly to seed.
1891. Ally Sloper, 4 Ap. He had run very much to seed: there was no gloss on his hat or boots, but any amount of it on the sleeves of his coat.
Seedy, adj. and adv. (colloquial).—Generic
for depreciation = (1)
weak or out-of-sorts in health,
(2) worn or out at elbows in dress,
(3) poor in pocket, (4) suspicious or
shady in character (Grose).
Hence, seediness.
1743. Fielding, Jonathan Wild, 1. xii. However seedy Mr. Bagshot may be now . . . when he is in cash, you may depend on a restoration.
1768. Goldsmith, Good Natured Man, iii. Little Flanigan here, to be sure, has . . . a very good face; but then, he is a little seedy, as we say among us that practise the law.
1789. Parker, Bunter's Christening [Life's Painter]. A queer procession of seedy brims and kids.
1819. Moore, Tom Crib, 27. The Prince of Rag Rhino, who stood . . . bail for the seedy Right Liners.
1835. Fisher, Garland. Oh, let my hat be e'er sae brown, My coat be e'er sae seedy, O!
1840. Lytton, Paul Clifford, vi. You look cursed seedy to be sure.
1854. Martin and Aytoun, Bon Gualtier Ballads, 'The Knight, &c.' I feel extremely seedy, Languishing in vile duresse.
1857-9. Thackeray, Virginians, ix. A seedy raff who has gone twice or thrice into the Gazette.
1864. Tangled Talk, 169. One of the flattering unctions that I lay to my soul when it strikes me that I am becoming morally seedy is, that I have not lost the child's capacity for wonder.
1873. Blackie, Self-culture, 74. What is called seediness, after a debauch, is a plain proof that nature has been outraged, and will have her penalty.
1883. D. Telegraph, 6 Jan., 6, 1. Gradually his habiliments become what is vulgarly but expressively termed seedy.
1893. Emerson, Lippo, xvi. The 'oss is very bad and very seedy.
1899. Pot and Swears, Scarlet City, 119. I've sent a wire to old Dibbler the stage manager to say I'm seedy.
Seek. To seek others and
lose oneself, verb. phr. (old
colloquial).—See quot.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Lanternare . . . to play the foole, to seeke others and loose himselfe.
