c.1611. Beaumont and Fletcher, Two Noble Kinsmen, v. 4. We come towards the gods Young and unwapper'd, not halting under crimes.
1612. Dekker, 'Bingout, bien Morts,' v. [Farmer, Musa Pedestris (1896), 11]. And wapping Dell that niggles well, and takes loure for her hire.
c.1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Wap c., to Lie with a Man. If she won't wap for a Winne, let her trine for a Make, If she won't Lie with a Man for a Penny, let her Hang for a Half-penny. Mort wap-*apace, a Woman of Experience, or very expert at the sport.
1707. Shirley, Triumph of Wit, 'Maunder's Praise of Strowling Most.' Wapping thou I know does love . . . then remove, Thy drawers, and let's prig in sport.
1725. Canting Songs. This doxy dell can cut been whids, And wap well for a win, And prig and cloy so benshiply Each deuseavile within.
2. See Whop.
Wapper. See Whopper.
Wapper-eyed, adj. phr. (B. E.).—'That
has sore or running eyes.'
d.1627. Middleton, Black Book, 528. A little wapper-eyed constable, to wink and blink at small faults.
Waps, subs. (common).—A wasp.
War. Tug-of-war, subs. phr.
(common).—A severe and
laborious contest.
1671. Lee, Alexander the Great, iv. 2. When Greeks join'd Greeks, then was the tug of war.
See Before the War.
Wardrobe, subs. (old).—A privy.
1383. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, 'Prioress' Tale,' 120. I seye that in a wardrobe they him threwe, Wher as thes Jewes purgen his entraille.
Ware, subs. (venery).—1. The
female privities; also lady-*ware:
see Monosyllable; (2)
the penis and testes: see Prick
and Cods: hence standing
ware = an erectio penis; also
occasionally (3) the paps. Hence
to hawk one's wares = (1)
to quest for men, and (2) to
expose one's charms (of women).
1705. Ward, Hud. Rediv., 1. ix. 6. Till she had burnt with Claps and Poxes, More standing Ware than Sampson's Foxes.
1772. Bridges, Burlesque Homer, 4. Had well examined all her ware. Ibid., 60. Our money spent, and breeks so torn, That for my own part, I declare, I'm dd hard switch'd to hide my ware. Ibid., 64. He huffd thy ware as well as mine, And tho' in every part he'd seen us, He gave the prize to Madam Venus.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas [Routledge], 148. As Beatrice was one of those ladies who was obliged to hawk their wares . . . I was . . . shielded from any temptation to break the commandments.
Warehouse, verb (society).—To
pawn. Hence as subs. = a
fashionable uncle (q.v.).
War-hat. See War-pot.
War-horse, subs. phr. (common).—A
veteran: soldier or politician.
Warling, subs. (old).—Apparently
= slave, drudge: only occurring
in proverbial saying, 'It is better
to be an old man's derling, than
an old man's werling' (Heywood,
1542; Camden, 1605).
Warm, adj. (old and still colloquial).—Generic
for extra-ordinary:
e.g. a warm (= intimate
friend; warm (= sincere)
thanks; a warm (= hearty)
welcome; a warm (= fresh)
trail: cf. 'hot,' 'warm,' and
'cold' in children's play of
guessing or 'hide-and-seek';
warm (= easy) circumstances:
whence to cut up warm = to
