1821. Lamb, Elia (Mrs. Battle). All people have their blind side—their superstitions; and I have heard her declare, under the rose, that Hearts was her favourite suit.
18[?] Snelling, Coins, 2. The rose . . . symbol of secrecy . . . [was] used with great propriety on privy seals, which came into use about the middle of the twelfth century.
1868. Ouida, Under Two Flags, iv. All great ladies gamble in stock nowadays UNDER THE ROSE.
1892. Nisbet, Bushranger's Sweetheart, 37. I no longer wondered that he should have quitted England under the rose.
A ROSE BETWEEN TWO THORNS (or nettles), phr. A woman sitting between two men: the usual retort is, mutatis mutandis, as in quot.
1708-10. Swift, Polite Conversation, i. [Miss, sitting between Neverout and the Colonel.]—Miss. Well; here's a Rose between Two Nettles. Neverout. No, Madam; with submission, here's a Nettle between Two Roses.
TO STRIKE WITH A FEATHER AND STAB WITH A ROSE, &C, &C, phr. (colloquial).—To chastise playfully. A Music Hall refrain (c. 1888), but see quot.
1612. Webster, White Devil, iv. iv. Mar. If I take her near you, I'll CUT HER THROAT. Flam. WITH A FAN OF FEATHERS.
Roseberys, subs. (Stock Exchange).—London
County Council 2-1/2 per
cent. Stock. [Lord Rosebery
was the first Chairman of the
Council.]
Rosebud, subs. (common).—A
débutante.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, Prol. A ROSEBUD set with little wilful thorns, And sweet as English air could make her, she.
1885. Century, xl. 582. They flutter their brief hour in society. . . . Some of them hold on like grim death to rosebud privileges.
Rosh (or Roush), verb. (Royal
Military Academy).—To hustle;
to horse-play. Hence stop roshing!
= an injunction to silence.
Rosin (Rozin or Rozin-the-bow),
subs. (old).—1. A fiddler;
and (2) fiddler's lap. Whence as
verb. = (1) to fiddle; and (2) to
drink: rosinned (Halliwell)
= drunk.
1607. Dekker, Westward Hoe, v. 1. They are but rosining, sir, and they'll scrape themselves into your company presently.
1870. Figaro, 31 Oct. They playfully call me "Rosin," and . . . yet I must, perforce, go on with my playing.
1892. Watson, Wops the Waif, iii. A short lame man, with a violin under his arm, suggesting the identity with the rozin announced.
Rosser. See Rozzer.
ROST. TO TURN BOAST TO ROST,
verb. phr. (old).—To turn from
swagger to humility (Halliwell).
Rosy, subs. (common).—1. Drink;
and (2)blood: i.e., CLARET (q.v.).
Hence rosy-drop = a grog blossom.
Also THE RUBY.
1840. Dickens, Old Curiosity Shop, vii. "Fred," said Mr. Swiveller, "remember the once popular melody of Begone, Dull Care, . . . and pass the rosy wine." . . . "The Rosy Wine was, in fact, represented by one glass of cold gin and water." . . . Richard Swiveller finished the Rosy, and applied himself to the composition of another glassful." Ibid., lvi. "I shall wear this emblem of woman's perfidy, in remembrance of her with whom I shall never again thread the windings of the mazy; whom I shall never more pledge in the Rosy; who during the short remainder of my existence will murder the balmy."
1854. Martin and Aytoun, Bon Gualtier, "Lay of the Love-Lorn." Comrades, you may pass the rosy.
1891. Sporting Life, 25 Mar. Goddard was smothered in the rosy as he went to his chair.
