1861. M'Combie, Australian Sketches, 47. Evident symptoms of the return of the YELLOW FEVER, and a journey to the new goldfields seemed to be the only cure.
1884. Clemens, Huckleberry Finn. When they found the bag they spilt it out on the floor, and it was a lovely sight, all them YALLER BOYS.
2. (American).—A mulatto, or dark quadroon: also YELLOW GIRL.
Yellow-cover, subs. phr. (American).—A notice of dismissal from government employment: pron. yaller kiver. [From being usually enclosed in a yellow envelope.]
Yellow-covered, adj. phr. (orig. American: now general).—Cheap, sensational, trashy. Also YELLOW-BACKS = a generic term for cheap board-bound railway novels.
Yellow-dog, subs. phr. (American).—A strong term of contempt.
Yellow-fancy, subs. phr. (pugilists').—A yellow silk handkerchief spotted white: cf. Yellow-man.
Yellow-fever, i. See Yellow-boy.
2. (old nautical).—Drunkenness: see Screwed. [Part of the punishment of drunkards at Greenwich Hospital consisted in wearing a yellow coat.]
Yellow-hammer. See YELLOW and YELLOW-BOY.
Yellow Jack, subs. phr. (nautical).—Yellow fever. [A yellow flag (or jack) being generally displayed at naval hospitals, or from vessels at quarantine, to denote the existence of contagious disease.]
1848. Dickens, Dombey and Son, x. His elder brother died of Yellow Jack in the West Indies.
1857. Kingsley, Two Years Ago, iv. Have seen three choleras, two army-fevers, and YELLOW-JACK without end.
Yellow-man, subs. phr. (pugilists').—A yellow silk handkerchief: cf. Yellow-fancy.
1832. Egan, Book of Sports. Sporting the YELLOW MAN. The wipe was of bright yellow, made on purpose for him.
Yellow-mould. See YELLOW-BOY.
Yellow-pine, subs. phr. (American).—A quadroon or light mulatto.
Yellow-plaster, subs. phr. (provincial).—Alabaster:
freq. pronounced
'YALLOW'-plaster.
Yellow-slipper, subs. phr. (common).—A very young calf.
Yellow-stuff. See YELLOW-BOY.
Yellow-stocking, subs. phr. (old).—1. See Yellow.
2. (London).—A Blue (q.v.) -coat boy: also Yellows.
Yennep, subs, (back slang).—A penny: 1d.: see Rhino.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. 'All a fellow wants to know to sell potatoes,' said a master street seller to me, 'is to tell how many tanners make a bob, and how many YENNEPS a tanner.'
1877. Diprose, Lond. Life. I've been doing awful dab with my tol . . . haven't made a YENNEP.
Yeoman of the Mouth, subs. phr. (old).—'An officer belonging to his Majestis's Pantry' (B. E.).
Yes siree, bob! phr. (American).—See Sirrah.
