Shanghai, subs. (American).—1. A tall dandy [Bartlett: In allusion to the long-legged fowls from Shanghai, all the rage a few years ago].
1859. Gt. Republic Mag., Jan., 70. I degenerated into a fop, and became a Shanghai of the most exotic breed.
2. (Australian).—A catapult: also as verb.
3. (American).—See quot.
1880. Scribner's Mag., Jan., 365. The shanghai is the glaring daub required by some frame-makers for cheap auctions. They are turned out at so much by the day's labor, or at from 12 dollars to 24 dollars a dozen, by the piece. All the skies are painted at once, then all the foregrounds. Sometimes the patterns are stenciled. The dealer attaches the semblance of some well-known name, of which there are several, and without initials.
3. (American).—See quot. 1871.
1871. De Vere, Americanisms, 347. Shanghai applied to sailors refers not to the bird, but, according to a seaman's statement, to the town of Shanghai, where the process so called is said to have been once very common. The latter consists in drugging the unlucky sailor, when he enjoys himself after a long cruise, on shore, and carrying him, while in a state of insensibility, to a vessel about to depart, where he finds himself upon his recovery, entered in all forms on the book.
1871. New York Tribune, 1 Mar. They would have been drugged, shanghaied, and taken away from all means of making complaint.
Shank, subs. (B. E. and Grose).—In
pl. = the legs; gams (q.v.).
To shank it (or to ride
shanks's mare, or nag) = (1)
to go on foot or by the Marylebone
stage (q.v.): and (2) to
leave without ceremony (B. E. and
Grose).
1302-11. Political Songs [Camden Soc.] 223. He [King Edward I] with the longe shonkes.
d. 1529. Skelton [Dyce, Works, i. 117]. Your wynde schakyn shankkes . . . crokyd as a camoke. Ibid. 168 [Oliphant, New Eng. i. 371. The word shank had not then the lowering idea of our days; it is applied to the limbs of Christ on the cross].
d. 1555. Lyndsay, Thrie Estaitis [E.E.T.S. 469].
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Gambe, legges or shankes.
1600. Shakespeare, As You Like It, ii. 7, 161. His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide, For his skrunk shank.
1635. [Glapthorne], Lady Mother Bullen's, Old Plays, ii. 131]. But come, stir your shanks nimbly or Ile hough ye.
1785. Burns, Epistle to J. Lapraik, Postcript. The youngsters took the sands Wi' nimble shanks.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxii. Sitting on the bed, to rest his shanks, as he was pleased to express the accommodation which that posture afforded him.
1843. Thackeray, Irish Sketch Book, xvi. Along the banks you see all sorts of strange figures washing all sorts of wonderful rags, with red petticoats and redder shanks standing in the stream.
1847. Porter, Quarter Race, 90. Dick and Jule had to ride shanks' mar'.
1855. Kingsley, Westward Ho, xv. I am away to London town to speak to Mr. Frank!! "To London! how wilt get there?" "On shanks his mare," said Jack, pointing to his bandy legs.
1857. Hood, Pen and Pencil Pictures, 118. Three pairs of woollen socks . . . will cherish thy lean shanks, old fellow!
1885. Chambers' Journal, 2 May, 287. Your true swagsman detests the sight of a horse . . . give him shanks' mare.
1891. Lic. Vict. Gaz., 9 Jan. The distance had choked off those whose only mode of locomotion was shanks's mare.
1891. Russell, Ocean Tragedy, 194. I could see his naked yellow shanks.
1891. Globe, 5 June, 3, 3. People would be deprived of their habitual method of locomotion. Some would solve the difficulty by staying at home. Others would resort to shanks's pony; and the minority to cabs.
