2. (Winchester).—The pitch: at cricket, the 'field' being 'long grass.'
3. (Felsted School).—The cricket field: always without the definite article.
1881. Felstedian, Nov., 75. There are (or were) six cricket pitches on turf.
Verb. (Derby School).—1. To send to bed at bedtime.
2. (Marlborough School).—To chastise.
Turk, subs. (old).—1. A sword: cf.
Andrew, Fox, Toledo.
1638. Albino and Bellama, 108. That he forthwith unsheath'd his trusty turke, Cald forth that blood which in his veines did lurk.
2. (old).—A savage fellow; 'a cruel hard-hearted man' (B. E. and Grose); a Tartar (q.v.). Also to turn Turk = to turn renegade, to change for the worse, to go off (q.v.). To Turkise = to play the Turk; Turkish treatment = barbarous usage, 'very sharp or ill dealing in business' (B. E.); Turkish shore = 'Lambeth, Southwark, and Rotherhithe sides of the Thames' (Grose); Turk-a-tenpence = a term of contempt: cf. 'tenpenny infidel' (a term applied to the Turk in Dekker's Westward Hoe, 1607) and Turk, sense 1, with an eye on tenpenny sword = a poor tool. In modern usage Turk has lost somewhat of its rigorous meaning, and is frequently employed as a half-jesting endearment to a mischievous, destructive boy: e.g. 'You young Turk!'
1596. Shakspeare, Hamlet, iii. 2. 287. If the rest of my fortunes turn Turk with me. Ibid. (1600), Much Ado, iii. 4. 57. An you be not turned Turk.
1602. Dekker, Satiromastix [Nares]. Turk-a-tenpence.
1630. Taylor, Works [Nares]. He call'd thee Giaur, but thou so well didst answer (being hot and fierie, like to crabbed Cancer) That if he had a Turke of ten pence bin, Thou toldst him plaine the errors he was in.
3. (old).—A target: a dummy made up of cloth and rags.
Turkey. To have a turkey on
one's back, verb. phr. (American).—To
be drunk: see
Screwed.
See Talk.
Turkey-merchant, subs. phr.
(old).—1. 'A driver of Turkies'
(B. E.); 'a poulterer' (Grose);
a chicken-thief (tramps').
1837. Disraeli, Venetia. We'll make a turkey-merchant of you yet . . . never fear that.
2. (old).—A dealer in contraband silk.
Turk's-head, subs. phr.
(common).—1. A long broom:
used for sweeping ceilings and
the like. See Pope's-head.
1853. Lytton, My Novel, x. 20. Dick was all for sweeping away other cobwebs, but he certainly thought heaven and earth coming together when he saw a Turk's-head besom poked up at his own.
2. (nautical).—An ornamental knot worked on to a rope: in shape supposed to resemble a turban.
Turn, subs. (old colloquial).—1. A
trick, stratagem, device. Hence
as verb = to trick, beguile, cheat,
get at (q.v.).
1383. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, 'Canon Yeoman's Tale,' 160. Til he had torned him he coude rot blinne.
