Smelt, subs. (old).—1. A gull: see Buffle. Hence (proverbial) 'Westward for smelts!' (old colloquial) = on the spree (i.e., in search of conies, male or female).
c.1600. Weakest to the Wall, iii. 4. Now mine host rob-pot . . . gudgeon!—smelt, I should say.
1600. Jonson, Cynthia's Revels, ii. 1. Cup. What's he, Mercury? Mer. A notable smelt.
1607. Dekker and Webster, Westward Ho, iv. 2. To see how plain dealing women can pull down men! Moll, you'll help us to catch smelts, too? Ibid., ii. 3. But wenches, with what pullies shall we slide with some cleanly excuse, out of our husbands suspicion; being gone westward for smelts all night?
1608. Great Frost [Arber, Garner, i. 85]. Let your news be as country folk bring fruit to your markets, the bad and good together. Say, have none 'gone westward for smelts,' as our proverbial phrase is.
1635. Fletcher, Love's Pilgrimage, v. 2. Talk what you will, this is a very smelt.
2. (Old Cant).—Half-a-guinea (B. E. and Grose).
1822. Scott, Fort. Nigel, xxiii. You see . . . that noble Master Grahame, whom you call Green, has got the decuses and the smelts.
Smicker, verb. (old).—To look
wantonly: as adj. = amorous;
smickering = amorous inclination;
smickly = amorously.
1606. Ford, Fame's Memorial, 574. Regardful of his honour he forsook The smicker use of court humanity. Ibid. (1623-4), Sun's Darling, ii. 1. Ray. Who is he that looks so smickly? Fol. One that loves mutton so well that he always carries capers about with him.
1608. Cobler of Canterburie [Halliwell]. The smith seeing what a smicker wench the coblers wife was . . . wished that he could finde meanes to have such a one his friend.
d.1625. Lodge, Poems, 'Coridon's Sons' [Rept., 106]. A smicker boy . . . a smicker swaine; That in his love was wanton faine.
1701. Dryden, To Mrs. Steward, Let. 35. We had a young doctour, who . . . seem'd to have a smickering to our young lady of Pilton.
Smicket, subs. (old).—A smock or
shift.
1719. Durfey, Wit and Mirth, . . . Touch but her smicket and all's your own.
1820. Coombe, Syntax, ii. 5. The roaring, dancing bumpkins show, And the white smickets wave below.
Smiggins, subs. (obsolete prison).—Hulk
soup.
Smile, subs. (American).—A drink:
as verb. = to drink, spec. in
company: cf. shout.
1855. N. Y. Tribune, 31 Jan. The 'crowd' was invited into the Fifth Ward Hotel, and one general smile entirely absorbed the fee.
1858. Baltimore Sun, 23 Aug. There are many more fast boys about—some devoted to "the sex," some to horses, some to smiling, and some to "the tiger."
1870. Browne, Artemus Ward, His Book, 36, Note. 'Tods' a shortening of toddy . . . Recently, however, to smile has taken its place.
1887. Francis, Saddle and Mocassin. With what exquisite feeling will he graduate his cup from the gentle smile of early morning to the potent 'smash' of night.
Smiling. To come up smiling,
verb. phr. (common).—To rise
superior to the moment.
Smirk, subs. (B. E. and Grose).—A
finical spruce Fellow. To
smirk, to smile or look
pleasantly.'
Smish, subs. (Old Cant).—A
chemise; a shirt: cf. camesa and
mish (Grose and Vaux).
Smite, verb. (old).—To get money;
to rush (q.v.): 'Academic term'
(Grose).
