Shrubbery, subs. (venery).—The pubic hair: see Bush.
Shuck, subs. (American).—The
lowest standard of value; spec.
the paper currency of the Confederate
States. [At the close of
the Civil War these notes became
as valueless as pea-SHUCKS].
Hence, less than shuck = less
than nothing; to care (or be
worth) not a shuck = to care
(or be worth) little; shuckless
= worthless; Shucks! = Nonsense:
a contemptuous denial or
refusal.
Verb. (American).—To undress; TO PEEL (q.v.).
1847. Robb, Squatter Life [Bartlett]. If them thar is all he's got to offer, he ain't worth shucks; and, if you don't lick him you ain't worth shucks either.
1847. Darley, Drama in Pokerville, 68. Mr. Bagly was there with five more barrels [revolver] to do the same for any gentleman who might say 'shucks!'
1848. Jones, Sketches of Travel, 117. I shucked out of my old clothes, and got into my new ones.
1850. Longstreet, Southern Sketches, 31. He'd get mad as all wrath . . . and the first thing you know'd, he'd shuck off his coat to fight.
c. 1852. Traits of Amer. Humour, 56. Arch he hopped down offn his ole hoss, an' commenced shuckin' hisself fur er fight.
1856. Major Jones's Courtship, 48. One great, big, yellow cow, what wasn't worth shucks to trail.
1888. Detroit Free Press, 8 Dec. Did you ever see a family which amounted to shucks which didn't keep a dog? Ibid., 29 Dec. Might hev bin the biggest lawyer or doctor or preacher in these Yunited Staits if he hadn't bin so slashin' shuckless.
Shuffle, verb. (Grose).—1. 'To
make use of false pretences or
unfair shifts.' Shuffling-fellow
(B.E. and Grose) = 'A
slippery, shiteing Fellow.'
2. (Winchester).—To pretend; to feign: as to shuffle sleep. Hence shuffler.
Shum, subs. (American Circus).—In
pl. = money: see Rhino.
Shunter, subs. (Stock Exchange).—See
quot.
1871. Atkin, House Scraps, . . . Shunter . . . one who buys or sells stocks on the chance of undoing his business, on one of the provincial Stock Exchanges, at a profit.
Shurk, subs. (old).—A sharper
(B.E.).
Shut. To shut up, verb. phr.
(old: now vulgar).—To hold
one's tongue; to compel silence;
TO DRY UP (q.v.). Also SHUT
YOUR NECK (MOUTH, HEAD, or
face; Shut-up! or Shut it!):
Fr. ferme ta boîte. Hence, TO BE
shut up = to be silenced, exhausted,
or done for.
1563. Foxe, Acts and Monuments [Cattley], viii. 216. I have shut up your lips with your own book.
c. 1570. Gascoigne, Poems [Chalmers, Eng. Poets, ii. 571]. Beautie shut up thy shop [mouth].
1605. Shakspeare, Lear, v. 3, 155. Shut your mouth, dame, Or with this paper shall I stop it?
1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, v. 3. Hold thy peace, thy scurrility, shut UP THY MOUTH.
1856. Stowe, Dred., 1. 312. This is the Lord's ground here; so shut up your swearing, and don't fight.
1857. Dickens, Little Dorrit, i. 13. It shuts them up! They haven't a word to answer.
1858. Mursell, Lecture on Slang. When a man speaks, he spouts; when he holds his peace, he shuts up.
1865. Fun, 29 July, 'English Undefiled.' I sigh, "Carina! how I suffer; Be thou my Juliet! Be my queen!" She only says, "Shut up, you duffer!"
