1861. New York Tribune, Dec. The rebels assert that the Union has no friends at the South. The assertion is false. There are white Unionists there, but they are weak sisters,—overawed, terrorized, silenced.
1885. Field, 4 April. This was a feat not to be attempted by a weakling.
1888. St. James's Gazette, 14 Jan. Such another weak-kneed effort . . . will lead to no good result.
1893. Harper's Mag., lxxxvi. 570. The weakling cry of children.
Weaker-sex, subs. phr. (colloquial).—Womankind:
also (in
singular) the weaker vessel
[See 1 Peter iii. 7].
1600. Shakspeare, As You Like It, ii. 4. 6. I must comfort the weaker vessel, as doublet and hose ought to show itself courageous to petticoat.
1719. Durfey, Pills to Purge, v. 259.
Weanie. See Weenie.
Weapon, subs. (venery).—The
penis: see Prick (Halliwell):
cf. Sheath = female pudendum.
1772. Bridges, Burlesque Homer, 132. She guides his weapon where she lists Knowing a touch of her soft hand . . . will make him stand. Ibid., 178. If you meet the whoring goddess, Drive your stiff weapon through her boddice, But take great care the gypsy's eyes, Don't guide to where her mousetrap lies. Ibid. When she appears don't gasping stand, But use the weapon in your hand, If you exhibit any other Don't think that I my rage will smother.
Wear. To wear it, verb. phr.
(old).—'To wear it upon a
person (meaning to wear a nose,
or a conk) is synonymous with
nosing, conking, splitting, or
coming it, and is merely one of
those fanciful variations so much
admired by flash people'
(Grose).
Phrases. To wear the heart upon the sleeve (see Sleeve); to wear the breeches (see Breeches); to wear the willow (see Willow); to wear yellow stockings or hose (see Yellow); to wear the collar = to be subject to control, or under the direction of another (chiefly political); to wear the bands (see Band); to wear ill (or well) = to look older (or younger) than one's years. Also proverbial, 'Let every cuckold wear his own horns'; 'to wear Pannier-alley on one's back' (see Pannier-man).
Weary, adj. (common).—Drunk:
see Screwed.
Weasel, subs. (old).—A mean,
greedy, or sneaking fellow. Also
as adj.
1599. Shakspeare, Henry V., i. 2. 170. To her unguarded nest the weasel Scot Comes sneaking.
See Whistle.
Weather. Phrases: To make
fair weather = to flatter, coax,
conciliate, make the best of
things; to keep the weather
eye open = to be on one's guard,
alert, watchful: see 'Keep one's
eyes skinned'; under the
weather = seedy, ill, indisposed;
the clerk of the
weather = an imaginary controller
of temperature, rainfall,
etc.
. . . Cheeke to King Edward [Nugæ Ant., i. 20]. And if anye suche shall be, that shall of all things make fair weather, and, whatsoever they shall see to the contrarye, shall tell you all is well; beware of them, they serve themselves, not you.
