1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, ii. But, alas . . . he became totally incapable of proceeding in his intended discourse—gasped, grinned, hideously rolled his eyes till the congregation thought them flying out of his head—shut the Bible—stumbled down the pulpit-stairs, trampling upon the old women who generally take their station there—and was ever after designated a stickit-minister.
1893. Crockett, The Stickit Minister [Title].
Stickler, subs. (old).—An obstinate
or trifling contender; a
zealot; a precisian (q.v.): also
stiffler. [Orig. an umpire].
d. 1575. Parker [Davies], Works, 252. The drift was, as I judged, for Dethick to continue such stifflers in the College of his pupils, to win him in time by hook or crook the master's room.
1813. Aubrey, Lives, 'William Aubrey.' He was one of the delegates . . . for the Tryall of Mary, Queen of Scots, and was a great stickler for the saving of her life.
1885. Field, 4 Ap. The Englishman—in his own country greatest of all sticklers for the correct thing in raiment.
1900. Kernahan, Scoundrels and Co., xv. I'm a bit of a stickler for what's gentlemanly myself.
Stick-slinger, subs. phr. (thieves').—See
quot.
1856. Mayhew, Great World of London, 46. Those who plunder with violence; as . . . bludgers or stick-slingers, who rob in company with low women.
Stick-up, subs. phr. (common).—In
pl. = a high-standing collar;
gills (q.v.).
1884. D. Tel., 8 July, 5, 4. Lord Macaulay wore to the close of his life, stick-ups or gills.
Sticky, subs. (common).—Sealing-wax.
Stiff, subs. (Old Cant).—1. A bill
of exchange; negotiable paper;
thick (q.v.). To take (or give)
the stiff = to receive (or pay) in
paper (Grose); to do a bit of
stiff = to accept a bill.
1828. Bee, Living Picture of London. [He] could not otherwise obtain his share of the plunder than by taking paper from P., i.e., stiff in the form 'I promise to pay.'
1854-5. Thackeray, Newcomes, vi. I wish you'd do me a bit of stiff, and just tell your father if I may overdraw my account, I'll vote with him.
1899. Marsh, Crime and Criminal, xviii. 'I must be unknown . . . or he would never lend.' 'Can't you do anything on a bit of stiff.'
2. (thieves').—Forged bank notes.
3. (old).—A corpse: also stiff one (Grose).
1871. John Hay, Myst. of Gilgal. They piled the stiffs outside the door—They made, I reckon, a cord or more.
4. (racing).—A horse certain not to run, nor if it run, to win: also dead-un, safe-un, stumer, &c. (q.v.). Bookmakers stiff = a horse nobbled at the public cost in the bookmakers' interest. Also as adj. (Australian) = dead certain to win; e.g., 'Grand Flaneur is stiff for any race for which he may enter.'
1871. "Hawk's-eye," Turf Notes, 11. Most assuredly it is the bookmakers that profit by the safe uns, or stiff uns, as, in their own language, horses that have no chance of winning are called.
1897. [Advt. on front fly of Pomes] The Rialto . . . Do not invest money Until you read The Rialto. Never on stiff 'uns, wrong 'uns, or dead 'uns.
5. (prison).—A clandestine letter.
1900. Griffiths, Fast and Loose, xxxiii. 'Will your pal trust me,' says I. 'Yes, if I send him a bit of a stiff.'
Adj. and adv. (colloquial).—A general intensive: cf. steep, tall, wide, &c. thus a stiff (= a strong or long) drink; a stiff (= a cramped) style; a stiff (= a formal) manner: also crusty, whence to cut up
