1707. Ward, Hud. Rediv., ii. iv. 4. No sooner had they fix'd their Peepers Upon the Lifeless Whipper-snappers.
1742. Fielding, Jos. Andrews, iv. vi. A parcel of Whipper-snapper sparks.
1834. Southey, Doctor, cxxvii. The dog was frequently detected in all its varieties, from the lap-dog, who had passed into the whipper-snapper petit-maître, and the turn-spit who was now the bandy-legged baker's boy, to the Squire's eldest son, who had been a lurcher.
1860-3. Thackeray, Roundabout Papers, xv. Though they had seven-leagued boots, you remember all sorts of whipping-snapping Tom Thumbs used to elude and outrun them.
1871. Browning, Balaustion's Adv. There spoke up a brisk little somebody Critic and whipper-snapper in a rage To set things right.
Whipping-boy, subs. phr. (old).—A
boy, companion to a prince,
educated with him, and punished
in his stead.
2. (racing).—A horse finishing last.
Whipping-cheer, subs. phr. (old).—Flogging,
flagellation, punishment:
cf. Belly-cheer.
1598. Shakspeare, 2 Henry IV., v. 4. She shall have whipping-cheer enough, I warrant her.
1616. Times' Whistle [E.E.T.S.], 13. Your works of supererogation, Your idle crossings, or your wearing haire Next to your skin, or all your whipping-cheer.
1647. Herrick, Noble Numbers, 398. Hell is the place where whipping-cheer abounds.
1661. Davenport, City Night-Cap, iv. Since there is no remedy but that whipping-cheer must close up my stomach, I would request a note from your grace to the carman to intreat him to drive apace; I shall never endure it else.
1675. Cotton, Burlesque upon Burlesque, 187. For better fare thou shalt find here Than that same sowre-sauc'd whipping-cheer.
Whippy, subs. (Scots).—A pert
girl, forward young woman.
Whip-round, subs. phr. (common).—A
subscription got up for
any purpose: see Whip, subs.
1887. Echo, 23 Nov. [Her] neighbours, who knew that she had no money, instituted a whip-round, and soon raised the necessary amount.
Whipsaw, verb (gaming).—At
faro to win at one turn, to beat
in two ways at once; hence to
win 'hands down,' to beat an
opponent willy-nilly.
1896. Lillard, Poker Stories, 119. The blacklegs showed no mercy. They did not let him win even a few dollars to encourage him, but either booked the cards every trip, or else whipsawed him until he was forced to drop.
Whipshire, subs. phr. (old).—Yorkshire
(B. E., c. 1696).
Whipster, subs. (thieves').—'A
sharp or subtil Fellow' (B. E.,
c. 1696, and Grose); 'a sharper'
(Bailey, 1731); a sly, cunning
blade (q.v.): also (old) whip-*stroke
(like whipster) = a term
of abuse.
1530. Jyl of Brentford's Testament [Oliphant, New Eng., i. 466. We see whypstroke].
1602. Shakspeare, Othello, v. 2. Every puny whipster gets my sword.
d. 1650. Fletcher, Poems, 64. From Memphis comes a whipster unto thee, And a Black Indian from the Red Sea.
1697. Vanbrugh, Provoked Wife, v. 3. That young liquorish whipster, Heartfree.
Whip-sticks, subs. phr. (Stock
Exchange).—The Dunaberg and
Witepsk Railway shares.
Whirligig, subs. (old colloquial).—1.
A whim, caprice, maggot
(q.v.), bee (q.v.).
1635. Shirley, Coronation, iii. The whirligigs of women.
