1889. Lic. Vict. Gaz., 18 Jan. The largest number we saw carry silk during the two days.
Silk-petticoat. See Silk-stocking.
Silk post, subs. phr. (Grose).—'Assumption
of a gentleman commoner's
gown. Oxf. Univ. Cant.'
Silk-purse. See Sow's-ear.
Silk-snatcher, subs. phr.
(Grose).—'Thieves who snatch
hoods or bonnets from persons
walking in the streets.'
Silk-stocking, subs. phr. (old).—A
rich man or woman. [Silken
hose were regarded as extravagant
and luxurious.] Hence,
the silk-stocking gentry (or
element) = the wealthy classes;
and silken = luxurious; Your
silkiness! = Mr. Luxury. Also
silk-petticoat = a woman of
fashion (in quot. 1706 = a whore
of price).
1596. Shakspeare, King John, v. i, 70. A cocker'd silken wanton.
1601. Jonson, Poetaster, iii. 1. Sir, your silkiness clearely mistakes Mæcenas and his house.
1706. Ward, Wooden World, 62, 'A Midship-Man.' He will have a Whore . . . tho' he pay for it. . . . Silk-petticoats are not to be had for the uptaking.
Silkworm, subs. (old).—See quot.
1712. Steele, Spectator, No. 1564. The fellow who drove her came to us, and discovered that he was ordered to come again in an hour, for that she was a silk-worm. I was surprised with this phrase, but found it was a cant among the hackney fraternity for their best customers, women who ramble twice or thrice a week from shop to shop, to turn over all the goods in town without buying anything. The silkworms are, it seems, indulged by the tradesmen; for though they never buy, they are ever talking of new silks, laces, and ribbons, and serve the owners, in getting them customers.
Silly, subs. (colloquial).—A simpleton:
also silly-billy (or willy),
see quot. 1851, sillyton and
sillikin. Hence to knock one
silly = to hit out of time, or to
affect au possible: e.g., 'She
knocked him silly' = 'She sent
him off his chump (wits, onion)
about her.'
c.1620-50. Percy Folio MS., 199. I . . . proffered him a favour; he kist me, and wisht me to beare with his behauior; but hie tro lolly lolly, le silly willy cold not doe, all content with him was spent.
1725. Bailey, Erasmus, 586. Sillyton, forbear railing, and hear what's said to you.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., i. 144. Silly Billy is a kind of clown, or rather a clown's butt; but not after the style of Pantaloon, for the part is comparatively juvenile. Silly Billy is supposed to be a schoolboy, although not dressed in a charity-boy's attire. He is very popular with the audience at the fairs; indeed, they cannot do without him.
c.1876. Music Hall Song, 'Blessed Orphan.' They think I am a sillikin, But I am rather knowing.
1869. Spurgeon, John Ploughman's Talk, 101. Poor sillies they have wind on the brain.
Silly-season, subs. phr. (journalists').—The
parliamentary recess:
in the absence of debates, with
a real or assumed dearth of news,
the newspapers are driven to print
all kinds of political and social
twaddles: cf. gigantic goosebery,
shower of frogs, Lord
Rosebery's latest.
1882. Payn, For Cash Only, viii. Sir Peter's eyes grew big as gooseberries in the silly season, in his earnest intentness.
1883. G. A. S[ala] [Ill. London News, 22 Sep., 275, 1]. The Silly Season, forsooth! Why September is a month when, perhaps, the daily newspapers are fuller of instructive and entertaining matter than is the case at any other season of the year.
