Winker, subs. (common).—1. The eye; and (2) in pl. = eyelashes.
Winking. Like winking, adv.
phr. (common).—Very quickly.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Leg., 'Witches' Frolic.' Old goody Jones All skin and bones, Follows like winking.
d.1845. Hood, Sailor's Apology for Bow-legs. Both my legs began to bend like winkin'.
1861. Dickens, Great Expectations, xxi. Nod away at him, if you please, like winking.
1883. Graphic, 17 March, 287. 1. Nevertheless, this solid fare disappeared, with the beer, like winking.
Winks, subs. pl. (streets').—Periwinkles.
Winter-cricket, subs. phr. (common).—A
tailor.
Winter-hedge, subs. phr. (common).—A
clothes-horse.
Wipe, subs. (old).—1. A handkerchief:
orig. wiper = a hand
towel, but see quot. 1624 (B. E.
and Grose).
1624. Jonson, Masque of Owls. Wipers for their noses.
1830. Moncrieff, Heart of London, i. 1. Rummy Spitalfields wipes.
1837. Barham, Ingoldsby Legends, 'The Forlorn One.' This here warment's prigged your wipe.
1838. Dickens, Oliver Twist, ix. 'And what have you got, my dear?' said Fagin to Charley Bates. 'Wipes,' replied Master Bates, at the same time producing four pocket-handkerchiefs.
1861. Kingsley, Ravenshoe, xxxv. 'But what is clyfaking?' said Charles. 'Why, a prigging of wipes, and sneeze-boxes, and ridicules, and such.'
2. (common).—A blow; literally or figuratively. As verb = to strike: e.g. a wipe over (= a rap) over the knuckles.
1577. Guevara, Letters (Hellowes), 235. Since you were the first that layde hand to weapon, the fault is not mine if I haue happened to giue you a wype.
1589. Nashe [Grosart, Works, i. 232]. A wipe over the shins.
1695. Congreve, Love for Love, iv. He was woundy angry when I giv'n that wipe, he hadn't a word to say, and so I left'n.
1705. Vanbrugh, Confederacy, v. 2. That's a wipe for me now, because I did not give her a new year's gift.
1733. Swift, On Poetry. To statesmen would you give a wipe, You print it in Italic type.
1772. Bridges, Burlesque Homer, 16. Or else your jaws may get a wipe.
1843-4. Haliburton, Attaché, xxvi. Father . . . gave me a wipe . . . that knocked me over and hurt me properly.
1900. Kipling, Stalky & Co., 224. 'Mary'll weep sore when she knows we're leaving,' said Beetle. 'She gave me a awfull wipe on the head last time,' said Stalky.
Phrases. To wipe one down = (1) to flatter, (2) to pacify; to wipe off a score = to pay one's debts; to wipe a person's eye = (1) to shoot game which another has missed, (2) to gain an advantage through skilful manipulation; to wipe the other eye = to take another drink; to wipe out = to kill, to exterminate; to wipe one's nose = to cheat; to wipe up the floor with one = to completely demolish an adversary; to wipe a person's nose {see Nose, adding quots. 1611 and 1622).
1611. Chapman, May-day [Anc. Dr., iv. 110]. 'Sfoot, lieutenant, wilt thou suffer thy nose to be wip'd of this great heir?
1622. Fletcher, Spanish Curate, iv. 5. Most finely fool'd, and handsomely, and neatly, Such cunning masters must be fool'd sometimes, sir, And have their worship's noses wip'd, 'tis healthful, We are but quit.
