- critic = an epicurean law-monger;
trim as a trencher = as trim or exact as may be, as clean as a trencher when licked.
1542. Udal, Eras. Apoth., 276. Filling vp as trimme as a trencher the space that stood voide.
1547. Heywood, Dialogues [Pearson, Works (1874), vi. 171]. His trencher-flies about his table jearing.
d. 1586. Sidney, Works [Ency. Dict.]. Palladius assured him, that he had already been more fed to his liking than he could be by the skilfullest trencher-men of Media.
1594. Shakspeare, Love's Labour Lost, v. 2. 464. Some carry-tale, some please-man . . . some mumble-news, some trencher-knight. ibid. (1600), much Ado, i. 1. He is a very valiant trencher-man; he hath an excellent stomach. Ibid. (1609), Timon of Athens, iii. 6. Courteous destroyers, affable wolves, meek bears, You fools of fortune, trencher-friends, time's flies.
1594. Hooker, Eccles. Politie. These trencher-mates frame to themselves a way more pleasant.
1599. Hall, Satires, iv. iv. 221. When spleenish morsels cram the gaping maw, Withouten diet's care or trencher-law; Tho' never have I Salerne rhymes profess'd To be some lady's trencher-critic guest. Ibid., ii. vi. 2. A gentle squire would gladly entertain Into his house some trencher-chapperlain.
1600. Letting of Humours Blood in the Head-Vaine. Spotted in divers places with pure fat, Knowne for a right tall trencher-man by that.
1608. Withals, Dict., 263. A fellow that can licke his lordes or his ladies trencher in one smooth tale or merrie lye, and picke their purses in another.
1612. Davies, Muse's Sacrifice, Dedication. [Davies speaks of] trencher-buffons.
1678. Cotton, Virgil Travestie (1770), 134. The good Trencher-man, his nasty Sire.
1692. Lestrange, Fables [Ency. Dict.]. He tried which of them were friends, and which only trencher-flies and spungers.
1847-8. Thackeray, Vanity Fair [Ency. Dict.]. A led-captain and trencher-man of Lord Steyne.
2. (University and schools).—A college cap, a mortar-board (q.v.). [In shape thought to resemble an inverted trencher with a basin upon it.] Also trencher-cap.
1862. Mrs. Wood, Channings, 91. The college boys raised their trenchers.
Trepan. See Trapan.
Trey. See Tray.
Treyning-cheat. See Trine.
Trial, subs. (Harrow).—An examination:
hence trials = the
examinations at the end of the
summer and winter terms.
Triangle, subs. (military).—1. In
pl. = a frame of three halberds
stuck in the ground and bound at
the top: to this soldiers were
bound to be flogged: obsolete.
2. (common).—In pl. = delirium tremens: see Jim-jams.
Triantelope, subs. (Australian).—A
comic variation of Tarantula.
[Applied in Australia to a perfectly
harmless spider (though
popularly supposed to be poisonous),
with mandibles, but which
will attack nobody unless itself
attacked.]
1846. Hodgson, Reminiscences of Australia, 173. The tarantulas, or 'triantelopes,' as the men call them, are large, ugly spiders, very venomous.
1860. Anon., My Experiences in Australia, 151. There is no lack of spiders either, of all sorts and sizes, up to the large tarantula, or tri-antelope, as the common people persist in calling it.
Trib, subs. (Old Cant).—A prison
(B. E. and Grose): see Cage.
[That is, tribulation.] He is in
trib (B. E.) = 'he is layd by the
Heels, or in a great deal of
trouble.'
