1838. Desmond, Stage Struck, i. Instead of gallivanting a goddess to our shores I had . . . to usher from the boat the ninth part of a man.
1868. Blackley, Word Gossip, 76. Nine taillers (itself corrupted from tellers) make it a man [i.e. nine counting strokes at the end of a knell proclaim the death of a male adult].
1877. Jewitt, Half-Hours Eng. Antiq. 176. At Woodborough the Passing bell consists of three tolls thrice repeated for a man, and two tolls thrice repeated for a woman.
1882. Spectator, 26 Aug., iiii. 'How many tellers make a man?' asked a clergyman of a working man, as they listened to the tolling of a death-bell. 'Nine,' replied he promptly.
1899. Whiteing, John St. vii. A wrangling discussion . . . between '48 and a tailor . . . who . . . it appears is the ninth of a Conservative working man.
The fag-end of a tailor, suds. phr. (old).—See quot.
1600. Weakest to Wall, i. 3. Zounds! twit me with my trade? I am the fag end of a tailor, in plain English, a botcher.
Phrases. 'A tailor's shreds are worth the cutting'; 'Like the tailor who sewed for nothing, and found the thread himself'; 'Thieving and tailor go together'; 'Put a tailor, a miller, and a weaver into a sack, shake them well, and the first that puts out his head is certainly a thief' (Grose).
16[?]. Pasquil's Nightcap [Rept.], 1. Theeving is now an occupation made, Though men the name of tailor do it give.
Tailoring. To do a bit of
tailoring, verb. phr. (venery).—To
get with child; to sew
up (q.v.).
Tail-pipe, verb (colloquial).—1.
To fasten anything to the tail
of a cat or dog; hence (2) to
annoy.
1857. Kingsley, Two Years Ago, ii. Even the boys . . . tail-piped not his dog.
1876. Blackmore, Cripps the Carrier, xxix. He might have been tail-piped for seven leagues, without troubling his head about it.
Tail-pulling, subs. phr. (publishers').
The publication of
books of little or no merit, the
whole cost of which is paid by
the author: cf. Barrabas.
Take, verb (colloquial).—To
please; to succeed. Hence
taking (or taky) = attractive,
captivating. Also to take to
(or with) or to have a take.
1340. Hampole, Works [E. E. T. S.], 2. With whas lufe it es takyn.
1607. Beaumont, Woman Hater, iv. 2. So I shall discourse in some sort takingly.
1609. Jonson, Epicœne, i. 1. Such sweet neglect more taketh me Than all the adulteries of art.
1614. Anon., Faithful Friends, iii 3. There's something in thee takes my fancies so I would not have thee perish for a world.
1625-30. Court and Times Charles I., 1. 101. A young man . . . tenderly and firmly affectionate where he takes.
d.1667. Jer. Taylor, Artif. Hand. 41 [Latham]. All outward adornings . . . have something in them of a complaisance and takingness.
1677. Cotton [Walton, Angler, ii. 237]. To say the truth it is not very taking at first sight.
1680. Aubrey, Lives, 'Samuel Butler.' He printed a witty poem called Hudibras; the first part . . . tooke extremely. Ibid. 372. A taking doctrine.
c.1696. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Take-time . . . very taking, acceptable, agreeable or becoming. It takes well, or, the Town takes it, the Play pleas'd, or was acted with Applause, or the Book sells well. No doubt but it will take, no question but it will sell.
