Stoobs, subs. (back slang).—Boots.
Stook, subs. (thieves').—A pocket-handkerchief: stook-hauler = a handkerchief thief.
1893. Emerson, Signor Lippo, xiv. All I get is my kip and a clean mill tog, a pair of pollies and a stoock, and what few meddays I can make out of the lodgers and nudies, and what I earn for keeping the grubs—a soldi from each as I told you.
Stool, subs. (American).—A decoy:
see Stale and Stall. Also
(common) stool-pigeon = a
cardsharper's accomplice: cf.
pigeon and rook.
To fall between two stools, verb. phr. (old).—To hesitate between alternatives and lose (or be disappointed in) both.
1546. Heywood, Proverbs. Betwene two stools my taile goes to the ground.
1696. Motteux, Rabelais, V. xliv. She ordered him to sit down, between two stools . . . his arse on the ground.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Random, xxxiii. Between the pride of one and the insolence of another the enterprise mis-*carried, according to the proverb, 'Between two stools the backside falls to the ground.'
1867. Trollope, Last Chronicle of Barset, xxxv. Lily was aware . . . that she was like to fall to the ground between two stools—having two lovers, neither of whom could serve her turn.
To lay the stool's foot in water, verb. phr. (old).—To make much preparation to receive a guest.
Stoop, subs. (old).—The pillory.
'The cull was served for macing
and napped the stoop (or was
set on the stoop)' = 'The
swindler was convicted and
pilloried.' Stooping-match =
a pillory exhibition; stoop-napper
= one under punishment
(Grose and Parker).
To give the stoop, verb. phr. (old).—To yield; to knock under (q.v.).
1692. Hacket, Williams, ii. 186. O that a king should give the stoop to such as these.
Stoop-gallant, subs. phr. (old).—See
quot.
1611. Cotgrave, Dict. s.v. Trousse-*galant.
Stop, verb. (pugilists').—To ward
off; to parry.
1860. Chambers' Jo., xiii. 347. He is initiated into all the mysteries of hitting and counter-hitting, stopping and infighting.
d. 1870. A. L. Gordon, In Utrumque Paratus. Don't stop with your head too frequently.
Colloquialisms.—To stop one's mouth = to silence: spec. with a sop or bribe; to stop out (theatrical) = to cover teeth with black wax to make them invisible; to stop off (or over) = to make a break in a journey: also as subs., e.g., a stop off in Philadelphia (American); stop my vitals = 'A silly Curse in use among the Beaux' (B. E.); stop thief (rhyming) = beef: see Beef it.
1628. Ford, Lover's Melancholy, iv. 1. Let repentance stop your mouth; Learn to redeem your fault.
1673. Wycherley, Gentleman Dancing Master, v. 1. If you would have her silent stop her mouth with that ring.
Stop-dice, subs. pl. (old).—A kind
of false dice (Palsgrave, 1540).
Stop-hole Abbey, subs. phr. (Old
Cant).—See quot.
c. 1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Stop-hole Abbey, the Nick-name of the chief Rendezvous of the Canting Crew of Gypsies, Beggers, Cheats, Thieves, &c.
