1868. Putnam's Mag., Jan. Old miser Dyser, skin a fly, Sir, Sell the skin and turn the money in.
1869. Byron, Not such a Fool as He Looks [French], 12. Sharp old skinflint, downy old robber as he is.
1884. Century Mag., xxxix. 227. He would refer to . . . his former employer as that skin.
1889. D. Tel., 11 May. It was suggested that the obstructive vehicles should stop in front of the Museum of Economic [sic] Geology—popularly known as the Skinflinteries.
1890. Lancet, II. 246. As a rule the whole of the men in a factory would contribute, and skinny ones were not let off easily.
1898. Hume, Hagar, i. He was . . . so avaricious that throughout the neighbourhood he was called skinflint.
1900. Savage, Brought to Bay, vi. This old skinflint is such a character that you should keep all the working results sealed, till he certifies his own.
Skinful, subs. (common).—A bellyful—liquor or food.
1600. Kemp, Dænce to Norwich [Arber, Eng. Garner, vii.]. [Oliphant, New Eng., ii. 52. A man takes a jump; he may have his skinfull of drink.]
1640-50. Howell, Letters, iii. 5. [Howell calls his body a skinfull of bones.]
1773. Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer, . . . I'll wager the rascals a crown, They always preach best with a SKINFUL.
1868. W. S. Gilbert, Bab Ballads, 'Sir Macklin.' He wept to think each thoughtless youth Contained of wickedness a skinful.
1868. Runciman, Chequers, 85. They were reasonably anxious to secure a skinful, and they feared lest my powers might prove abnormal.
1897. D. Mail, 25 Sep., 7, 3. The elastic skin man comes over here for the first time, and the Custom House authorities will need to look out that he is not employed for smuggling purposes—he has certainly been known many a time to have his skinful.
Skink, verb. (old).—Primarily to draw, serve, or offer drink. Whence as subs. = drink or lap (q.v.); and skinker = (1) a tapster, or waiter (B. E.); (2) a landlord, and (3) see quots. 1785 and 1847.
1205. Layamon [Madden], 8124. Weoren tha bernes [men], i-scængte mid beore, & tha drihliche gumen, weoren win-*drunken.
1383. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, 'Merchant's Tale,' 478. Bacus the wyn hem skynketh al aboute.
1582-7. Hakluyt, Voyages, I. 480. For that cause called this new city by the name of Naloi: that is skinck or poure in.
1594. Green and Lodge, Looking Glass for London and England. I'll have them skink my standing bowls with wine. Ibid. Jack Skinker, fill it full.
1600. Haughton, Grim the Collier [Dodsley, Old Plays (Reed), xi. 222]. I must be skinker then . . . They all shall want ere Robin shall have none.
1601. Jonson, Poetaster, iv. 3. Alb. I'll ply the table with nectar, and make them friends. Her. Heaven is like to have but a lame skinker, then. Ibid. (1614), Bartholomew Fair, ii. Then skink out the first glass ever, and drink with all companies. Ibid. (d. 1637), Verses at Apollo, vii. 295. Hang up all the poor hop-drinkers, Cries old Sym, the King of skinkers.
1606. Marston, Sophon, v. 2. Let me not drink 'Till my breast burst, O Jove, thy nectar skinke.
1609. Dekker, Gull's Hornbook, 26. Awake thou noblest drunkard Bacchus—teach me, thou sovereign skinker.
1617. Fletcher, Knight of Malta, iii. 1. Our glass of life runs wine, the vintner skinks it.
c. 1650. Brathwayte, Barnaby's Jo. (1723), 57. There I toss'd it with my skinkers, Not a drop of Wit remained Which the Bottle had not drained.
1652. Shirley, Impost., A5, 57. Such wine as Ganymede doth skinke to Jove.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Skink . . . to wait on the company, ring the bell, stir the fire, and snuff the candles; the duty of the youngest officer in the military mess.
