1530. Palsgrave, Lang. Francoyse. Payre of sloppe hoses, braiettes a marinier.
1555. Eden, Works [Arber], 327. [Oliphant, New English, i. 535. We hear of mariner's sloppes; this old word for vestes seems henceforth to have been restricted to seamen.]
1772. Bridges, Homer Burlesque, 205. One kept a slop-shop in Rag Fair.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lon. Lab., ii. 47. It was good stuff and good make . . . that's the reason why it always bangs a slop.
1882. Queen, 7 Oct. It must not be imagined that, to be easy, dress must necessarily be sloppy.
1886. D. News., 3 Dec. The harsh oppressive middleman, and the heartless indifferent slopseller have sat for their portraits again and again.
1887. Fish, of U. S., v. 2. 226 [Century]. If a poor voyage has been made, or if the man has drawn on the slop-chest . . . [so] as to ruin his credit, he becomes bankrupt ashore.
3. (common).—A tailor.
4. (back slang).—A policeman: a corruption of 'esclop.'
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. I wish I'd been there to have a shy at the esclops.
c.1870. Music Hall Song [S. J. & C.]. Never to take notice of vulgar nicknames, such at slop, "copper," "rabbit-pie shifter," "peeler."
1886. Sims, Ballads of Babylon . . . I dragged you in here and saved you, and sent out a gal for the slops.
1887. Fun, 9 Nov., 201. A vanishing point [is] the corner you bunks round when the slop's after yer.
1899. Whiteing, John St., 49. She is Boadicea . . . a right-down raughty gal leading her alley to battle against the Roman slops.
5. (Christ's Hospital).—A term of contempt.
Verb. (colloquial).—1. To make a mess; to walk or work in the wet.
1888. Murray, Weaker Vessel, xi. He came slopping on behind me, with the peculiar sucking noise at each footstep which broken boots make on a wet and level pavement.
To slop over, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To enter into with enthusiasm, and speak, write, or act like a fool; to put on side (q.v.); to make a mistake.
1859. Browne, Fourth of July Oration [Works (1899), 124]. The prevailin' weakness of most public men is to slop over . . . They get filled up and slop. They rush things. Washington never slopped over.
1888. Harper's Mag., lxxviii. 818. One of his great distinctions was his moderation . . . he never slopped over.
Slope, verb. (common).—To run
away; to bunk (q.v.). As subs.
= an escape: e.g., to do a
slope.
18[?]. Ballad of Blouzelinda [Bartlett]. He . . . made a slope, and went off to Texas.
1844. Haliburton, The Attache, xxvii. They jist run like a flock of sheep . . . and slope off, properly skeered.
1847. Robb, Squatter Life. The Editor of the "Eagle" cannot pay his board bill, and fears are entertained that he will slope without liquidating the debt.
c.1866. Vance, Chick-a-leary Cove. Now, my pals, I'm going to slope, See you soon again I hope.
1897. Marshall, Pomes, 17. So she sloped from her Brummy.
2. (Old Cant).—See quot.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Mark-all [Hunt. Club Rep. (1874), 38]. Cowch a hogshead . . . is like an Alminacke that is out of date; now the duch word to slope is with them vsed to sleepe, and liggen, to lie downe.
Sloper's Island, subs. phr. (London).—A
weekly tenement
neighbourhood: spec. c.1870 the
Artisan's Village near Loughborough
Junction, originally in
