1871. Atkins, House Scraps. 'How kind of them,' says he, 'to gi'e me 'em, Since they're at such a whacking premium.'
1887. Field, 14 Nov. Good half-pounders every one, with an occasional whacker of ten ounces.
Whacky, subs. (tailors').—A term
applied to anyone doing anything
ridiculous or fooling about
(q.v.).
Whale, subs. (Cheltenham College).—1.
Codfish.
2. (Royal Military Academy).—A sardine.
3. (common).—In pl. = anchovies on toast.
Verb (common)—1. To beat, thrash, lash vigorously. Hence whaling = a trouncing, walloping (q.v.).
1847. New York Tribune, Aug. But it is possible that we may, at some future time, go to war with England, her writers and speakers having spoken disparagingly of us, while her actors, half-pay officers, and other travelling gentry, carry their heads rather high in passing through our country,—for which 'arrogant' demeanour we are bound to give her a whaling!
1870. Winthrop, Canoe and Saddle, xii. I have whipped you . . . but have I whaled you?
1884. Bret Harte, Society on the Stanislaus. But first I would remark, that it is not a proper plan For any scientific gent to whale his fellow man.
2. (American).—To talk vehemently, harangue, spout (q.v.)': also to whale away.
18[?]. Widow Bedott Papers, 289. Professor Stubbins is always a whalin' away about the dignity of labor, and has been deliverin' a course o' lectures on the subject. Ibid., 105. I went to Baptist meeting. The elder, as usual, whaled away through his nose, thumped the desk, and went over and over the same thing.
1848. Lowell, Biglow Papers, i. 13. Their masters can cuss 'em, and kick 'em, and wale 'em, An' they notice it less 'an the ass did to Balaam.
To fish for herring and catch a whale (or sprat), verb. phr. (old).—1. To get a result other than that expected. Hence (2) to 'catch a tartar' (q.v.), fail miserably.
It's very like a whale, phr. (old).—Ironical assent to a preposterous assertion: see quot.
1596. Shakspeare, Hamlet, iii. 2. 392. Ham. Do you see yonder cloud that's almost like a camel? Pol. By the mass and 'tis a camel, indeed. Ham. Methinks it is like a weasel. Pol. It is backed like a weasel. Ham. Or like a whale. Pol. Very like a whale.
To go ahead like a whale, verb. phr. (common).—To forge ahead, to act, speak, or write vigorously.
See Tub and Whaler.
Whalebone. As white as
whalebone, phr. (old).—A
common simile for whiteness.
[Halliwell: Some writers
imagined ivory, formerly made
from the teeth of the walrus, to
be formed from the bones of the
whale.]
c.1430. Destruction of Troy [E.E.T.S.], 3055. To telle of hir tethe that tryelly were set, Alse qwyte & qwem as any qwalle bon.
1567. Turberville, Poems, S. 8 b. A little mouth, with decent chin, A corall lip of hue, With teeth as white as whale his bone, Ech one in order due.
1590. Spenser, Faery Queen, III. i. 15. Whose face did seem as clear as crystal stone, And eke, through fear as white as whale's bone.
