1892. Pall Mall Gaz., 16 Aug., 4, 2. Signs of the so-called silly season, which has been somewhat delayed this year owing to the political crisis, are now beginning to appear.
Silver, subs. (Stock Exchange).—In
pl. = India Rubber, Gutta
Percha, and Telegraph Co. shares.
[The works are at Silvertown.]
See Penny.
Silver-beggar (or -lurker),
subs. phr. (common).—A tramp
with briefs (q.v.) or fakements
(q.v.) concerning bogus losses by
fire, shipwreck, accident, and the
like; guaranteed by forged signatures
or shams (q.v.) of clergymen,
magistrates, &c, the false
subscription-books being known
as delicates (q.v.). Also sil
= (1) a forged document, and (2) a
note on 'The Bank of Elegance'
or 'The Bank of Engraving.'
1859. Sala, Gaslight and Daylight, xiii. Did you never hear of cadgers, silver-beggars, shallow-coves?
Silver-cooper, subs. phr. (Scots').—See
quot.
1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, xxxiv. You rob and you murder, and you want me to rob and murder, and play the silver-cooper, or kidnapper, as you call it, a dozen times over, and then, Hagel and Sturm! You speak to me of conscience!
Silver-fork, subs. phr. (Winchester:
obsolete).—A wooden
skewer: used as a chop-stick
when forks were scarce (Mansfield,
c. 1840).
The Silver Fork School,
subs. phr. (obsolete literary).—A
school of novelists which laid
especial stress on the etiquette of
the drawing room: as Theodore
Hook, Lady Blessington, Mrs.
Trollope, and Lord Lytton. [It
is only within the last forty years
that the old two-pronged steel
fork has been ousted by cheap
four-prongs in imitation of silver
ware.]
Silver-grays, subs. phr. (American).—At
a convention of New
York State certain measures being
unacceptable, 'many withdrew
whose locks were silvered by age,'
drawing forth the remark, 'There
go the silver grays!' 'The
term remains and is the only one
now (1859) used to distinguish
one branch of the Whig party'
(Bartlett).
Silver-hell, subs. phr. (common).—A
low-class gambling den:
where silver is the usual stake.
1843. Moncrieff, Scamps of London, i. 1. He's the principal partner in all the silver hells at the West End.
Silver-hook. To catch fish
with a silver-hook, verb. phr.
(anglers').—To purchase a catch
in order to conceal unskilful
angling: It. pescar col hamo
d'argenta (Ray).
Silver-laced, adj. phr. (old).—Lousy:
e.g., 'The cove's kicksies
are silver-laced' = 'The fellow's
breeches are covered with
lice' (Grose).
Silver-spoon. Born with a
silver spoon in one's mouth,
adj. phr. (colloquial).—Born
rich: It. aver la pera monda (= to
have his pear ready pared, Ray).
1830. Buckstone, Wreck Ashore, i. 2. Mag. A branch of the aristocracy, and to be one of that order means a man born to a good place; or, as we say in the vulgar tongue, with a silver spoon in his mouth.
Silver State (The), subs. phr. (American).—Nevada.
