Verb. (Grose).—'To play badly on the harpsichord or any other stringed instrument. A strummer of wire, a player on any instrument strung with wire.'
Strumpet (or Strum), subs. (old).—A
harlot: see Tart (B. E. and
Grose). As adj. = wanton; as
verb = (1) to play the whore; and
(2) to hold up to contempt as
a strumpet; also strum = to
copulate (Grose and Byron);
Strumpetocracy = government
by the privities; and the strum
(or STRAM), subs. = street-walking.
1593. Shakspeare, Com. Errors, ii. 2. 146. Strumpeted by the contagion. Ibid. (1602). Othello, v. 1. 'I am no strumpet; but of life as honest, As you that thus abuse me.'
1594. Nashe, Unf. Trav. (1890), 101. Out whore! strumpet . . . away with her to prison.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, Palandrina, a common queane, a harlot, a strumpet, a gill.
1608. Middleton, Trick to Catch, v. 1. Daintily abus'd! you've put a just upon me—a common strumpet.
1611. Cotgrave, Dict., s.v. Gaultière, A whore, drab, queane, strumpet.
1622. Marmion, Holland's Leaguer, ii. 2. Didst thou think that I could be corrupted To personate a strumpet's dalliance?
1630. Times Whistle [E. E. T. S.], 88. Shameless strumpets, whose vncurbéd swing Many poor soules vnto confusion bring.
1633. Ford, Broken Heart, iv. 2. Poor Penthea's name is strumpeted.
1681. Radcliffe, Ovid Travestie, 75. You now Have caught a most notorious STRUMPET.
d. 1704. Brown, Works, ii. 52. Keeping a saucy strumpet under my nose.
1818. Byron, Beppo, ii. Guitars, and every other sort of strumming. Ibid. 'To Thomas Moore.' Guitarring or strumming, now? O, Thomas Moore.
c. 1857. Carlyle, Misc., iv. 80. The strumpetocracy sits at its ease, in high-cushioned lordliness.
1887. Henley, Villon's Good Night. You judes that clobber for the stram.
Strunt, subs. (Old Cant).—The
penis: see Prick.
1608. Middleton, Epig. and Satyres. Consenting she, his art'rizde strunt he drew, And to 'es venereous game he hastily flew.
2. (Scots).—Liquor.
1787. Burns, Hallowe'en, xxviii. Syne, wi' a social glass of strunt, They parted aff careerin'.
Strut-noddy, subs. phr. (old).—A
mincing fool.
Stub, subs. (old).—1. A fool: see
Buffle.
1632-74. Milton, Letters on Education. Our dullest and laziest youth, our stocks and stubs.
2. (American).—A counter-foil of a cheque. Hence stub-book = a book of counterfoils of cheques or other duplicate records.
1886. Report of Secretary of Treas., 700. The filed stub-books of stamps.
1896. Lillard, Poker Stories, 136. Miss Hill's attorney . . . endeavoured to have produced in court, in evidence of Senator Sharon's maintenance of the plaintiff, the millionaire's check stubs.
Verb. (Felsted).—To kick a football about.
Stubble, subs. (venery).—The
pubic hair: see Fleece. To
SHOOT OVER THE STUBBLE (or
in the bush) = to ejaculate before
intromission; to take a
TURN IN THE STUBBLE = to copulate:
see Ride and Greens.
Cf. The Sportsman's Toast:
'Pointer and Stubble.'
