1850. Dickens, David Copperfield, xxii. 'He pays well, I hope' . . . 'Pays as he speaks . . . through the nose . . . None of your close shavers the Prince ain't.'
c.1857. Parody on Emerson's Brahma, [Bartlett]. If the stock broker thinks he shaves, Or if the victim think's he's shaved, Let both the rascals have their say, And he that's cheated let him pay.
1862. North Am. Rev., July, 113. This Wall-Street note-shaving life is a new field, a very peculiar field.
1863. Once a Week, viii., 179. We have all heard for instance of an operation called shaving the ladies, yet we doubt if any lady is aware of the very clean shave she is constantly undergoing.
1864. Sala [Temple Bar, Dec., 40]. He is as dextrous as a Regent Street counter-jumper in the questionable art of shaving the ladies.
c.1870. Life in New York [Bartlett]. Make your money by shaving notes or stock-jobbing, and every door is thrown open; make the same amount by selling Indian candy, and the cold shoulder is turned upon you.
1871. D. Telegraph, 6 Oct. 'Official Corruption in America.' Tax-gatherers, brokers, shavers, &c, . . . pets of the Treasury.
1893. Emerson, Lippo, xiv. What wages? says I. Shaving terms, shaving terms, my boy, says he.
Shaved, adj. (common).—Drunk:
see Screwed.
1598. Shakspeare, 1 Hen. IV., iii. 2. Bardolph was shaved . . . and I'll be sworn my pocket was picked.
1834. Atlantic Club-book, 1. 138. When I met him, he was about—yes—just about half shaved.
1837-40. Haliburton, Clockmaker (1862), 102. They remind me of Commodore Trip. When he was about half-shaved he thought everybody drunk but himself.
Shaveling (or Shorling), subs.
(old).—1. A monk: cf. Beardling.
Also (2) see Shaver.
d.1563. Bale, Image of Both Churches, xvii. 6. This Babylonish whore, or disguised synagogue of shorlings, &c.
1577. Kendall, Epigrammes [Nares]. Wouldst knowe the cause why Ponticus Abroade she doeth not rome? It is her use these shavelyngs still With her to have at home.
1601. Heywood, Death Rob., Earl of Huntingdon, F3. Through that lewd shaveling will her shame be wrought.
1630. Taylor, Epig., 1. Curse, exorcise with beads, with booke and bell, Polluted shavelings.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, II, xxx. [Note]. Pope Alexander VI. who was ras [a shaveling] was poisoned by another ras [a shaveling] with rat's bane.
d.1657. J. Bradford, Works [Parker Soc. (1858)], II. 276. That is the prerogative of the priests and shaven shorlings. Ibid., 291. No matter . . . so thou have the favour of the pope and his shavelings.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, iv. 45. About him stood three priests, true shavelings, clean shorn and polled.
1767. Sterne, Tristram Shandy, vii. 16. A poor soldier shows you his leg, or a shaveling his box.
d.1859. Macaulay, Moncontour. Alas! we must leave thee, dear desolate home, To the spearmen of Uri, the shavelings of Rome.
1883. Green, Conq. of England, ii. 63. Houses guarded only by priests and shavelings, who dared not draw sword.
Shaver, subs. (old).—1. A fellow;
a party: spec. (modern) = a more
or less precocious youngster (B.E.,
Martin, and Grose); (2) a
child, but see quot. 1664. Also
Shaveling and Shave, verb.
1586. Marlowe, Jew of Malta, iii. 3. Bar. Let me see, sirrah, are you not an old shaver? Slave. Alas, sir! I am a very youth.
c.1597. Wily Beguiled [Hawkins, Eng. Drama, III. 376]. If he had not been a merry shaver, I would never have had him.
1630. Crimsall, Kind-Heartea Creature [Rox. Ball. (Brit. Mus.) iii. 166]. This bonny Lass had caught a clap It seems by some young shauer.
1635. Cranley, Amanda [Nares]. Thou art a hackney, that hast off beene tride, And art not coy to grant him such a favour, To try the courage of so young a shaver.
