TREAT (q.v.), to ratify by drinking success. As verb = to drink, lush (q.v.): also to wet one's WHISTLE (CLAY, SWALLOW, THE RED lane, etc.): Fr. se mouiller: see Whistle and Whistle-drunk; TO WET THE OTHER EYE = to take one drink after another. As adj. (or wet-handed)
(1) addicted to drinking, (2)
drunk: see Screwed; and 3 (American) = anti-prohibition; e.g. a wet-town = a town opposed to prohibition in the sale of intoxicants: cf. 'dry': whence A wet = one opposed to prohibition. Also heavy-wet = porter; twopenny - wet (see Two-*PENNY); A WET-HAND (WHETTER or WET-'UN) = a toper: see Lushington; WET - BARGAIN (see Bargain); wet-night = an evening carousal; wet-goods = drink: cf. 'dry-goods'; wet-Quaker = (1) a secret drinker, and spec. (2)='a Drunkard of that Sect' (B. E.); to wet the sickle = to drink out earnest money at harvest-time; wetting the block = a custom among shoemakers on the first Monday in March, when they cease from working by candlelight, and have a supper so called (Halliwell).
1383. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, 'Reeves Tale.' As any jay she light was and jolyf So was his joly whistle wel ywet.
1530. Palsgrave, Lang. Franc., 780. I WETE MY WHYSTELL, as good drinkers do. Je crocque la pie. Wyll you WETE YOUR WHYSTELL.
1622. Fletcher, Beggars Bush, iii. 1. Give the boy some drink there! Piper, Whet your whistle.
1653. Walton, Compleat Angler, 86. I have not yet wetted my line Since we met together.
d. 1692. Shad well, Humours of the Navy, ii. 3. Then we should have commissions to wet.
c. 1700. Ward, England's Reformation, ii. 175. Socinians and Presbyterians, Quakers, and Wet-Quakers or Merry-ones.
1703. Steele, Tender Husband, i. Then, harkye! brother; we'll go take a wet, and settle the whole affair. Ibid. (1710), Tatler, No. 141. The Whetter is obliged to refresh himself every moment with a liquor, as the Snuff-taker with a powder. Ibid., Tatler, 138. People . . . known by the name of Whetters who drink themselves into an intermediate state of being neither drunk nor sober before the hours of Exchange or business. Ibid. (1714), Spectator, No. 88. Three quarts to my new Lord for wetting his title.
d. 1704. Brown, Works, iii. 26. Would you buy any naked truth, or light in a dark lanthorn? Look in the Wet-Quaker's walk.
d. 1721. Prior, Celia to Damon. When my lost lover the tall ship ascends, With music gay, and wet with jovial friends, The tender accents of a woman's cry Will pass unheard, will unregarded die.
1731. Fielding, Letter Writers, ii. 2. A soph, he is immortal, And never can decay; For how should he return to dust Who daily wets his clay?
1847-8. Thackeray, Vanity Fair, xi. As he knew he should have a wet night, it was agreed that he might gallop back again in time for church on Sunday morning.
1864. Lowell, Fireside Trav., 119. When his poor old clay was wet with gin.
1871. Echo, 16 March. 'Are you going to have a wet, old boy?' one familiarly remarked.
1874. Siliad, 16. Bacchus is in an awful vinous sweat; His hot brow laves he with all sorts of wet.
1876. Hindley, Cheap Jack, 268. I shall be back again shortly, when we will WET THE DEAL.
1879. Brunlees Patterson, Life in the Ranks. Many are the schemes, contrivances, and devices of some of the old topers to obtain a wet or reviver, first thing in the morning.
1881. Grant, Bush-life in Queensland, I. 30. No bargain could be completed without a wet, and no friendship or enmity forgotten without recourse to the bottle.
