1884. Century Mag., xxxviii. 403. That's the bay stallion there . . . and he's never been beaten. It's his walk-over.
1887. Field, 13 Aug. He then proceeded to walk over the imaginary course for the imaginary plate. Ibid., 25 June. In cases where no second horse exists in racing law, either for want of placing or by reason of a walk-over.
Walk, knave, walk, phr. (old).—'A rude phrase which parrots were taught to use' (Fairholt).
1592. Lyly, Mydas, i. 2. Pet. That's a leaden dagger in a velvet sheath, to have a blacke tongue in a faire mouth. Lecio. Tush, it is not for the blacknesse, but for the babling, for every hour she will cry, walke, knave, walke.
1663-78. Butler, Hudibras. [Who] could tell what subtlest parrots mean, That speak and think contrary clean; What member 'tis of whom they talk, When they cry rope, and walk, knave, walk.
Also in various phrases: Thus to walk alone = to be an outcast, forsaken, shunned; to walk the hospitals = to attend the medical and surgical practice of hospitals as a student under one of the qualified staff; to walk Spanish = to be seized by the scruff and the seat and thus forced along, to act under compulsion; to walk about (military) = an occasional instruction from officers to sentinels for the purpose of waiving the ceremony of the salute; to walk the pegs (gaming) = to 'sharp' one's pegs forward or those of one's antagonist backward (cribbage); to walk (or jump) down one's throat = to rate, scold, abuse; to walk up Ladder-lane and down Hemp-street = to be hanged at the yardarm: see Ladder; to walk round one = to get an advantage, or the bulge over.
1853. Haliburton, Wise Saws, 20. My ambassadors, said the President, may not dance as elegantly as European courtiers, but they can walk round them in a treaty, that's a fact.
Walker, subs. (old).—1. A
prowler, moucher (q.v.): spec.
one questing for opportunities of
theft or harlotry: also (later)
night-walker and street-walker.
c. 1380. P. Plowman's Crede [E.E.T.S.], 90. Wepyng, y warne [=yogh]ow of walkers aboute; It beth enemyes of the cros that crist upon tholede.
1544. Ascham, Toxophilus. Men that hunt so be privy stealers, or night walkers.
1620. Beaumont and Fletcher, Chances, ii. 1. Sure these fellows Were night snaps. Ibid. The Night Walker, or the Little Thief [Title].
1637. Massinger, Guardian, v. 2. Ador. You have been, Before your lady gave you entertainment, A night-walker in the streets. Mirt. How, my good lord! Ador. Traded in picking pockets.
1664. Etherege, Comical Revenge, iv. 2. Grace. Do you take me for a night-walker, Sir?
1693. Congreve, Old Batchelor, i. 5. The knight was alone, and had fallen into the hands of some night-walkers, who, I suppose, would have pillaged him.
1708. Hatton, New View of London [quoted in Ashton's Soc. Life in Reign of Q. Anne], vii. 238. Loose and disorderly Servants, Night-walkers, Strumpets.
c. 1707. Durfey, Pills to Purge, iii. 99. Now Miss turn night-walker.
2. (old).—In pl. = the feet.
1603. Chapman, Iliad, xx. 36. And with them halted down (Proud of his strength) lame Mulciber, his walkers quite misgrown.
3. (colloquial).—A postman [Hotten: from an old song called, 'Walker, the twopenny postman.']
