d. 1884. C. Reade, Art, 174. She was always mimicking. She took off the exciseman, and the farmers, and her grandmother, and the very parson—how she used to make us laugh!
1885. Howells, Silas Lapham, xv. I've disgusted you—I see that; but I didn't mean to. I—I take it back.
1887. A. Jessopp, Arcady, ii. He took up £500 of Lawyer X . . . and then somehow he war bankrupt.
18[?]. W. S. Gilbert, Phrenology. Policeman, take me up—No doubt I am some criminal.
1895. Argus [Melbourne], 5 Dec., 5. 2. [The defendant] accused him of having taken him down, stigmatised him as a thief and a robber.
1897. Marshall, Pomes, 107. He was 'dicky,' She was tricky—Took him in, and cleared him out.
See Aback; Back-Seat; Beard; Beef; Bit; Book; Bosom; Bull; Bush; Button-hole; Cake; Earth Bath; Ease; French Leave; Grinder; Ground Sweat; Heels; Hook; Measure; Napping; Peg; Pepper; Pot-luck; Rag; Rise; Road; Running; Shilling; Shine; Sight; Silk; Snuff; Starch; Sun; Toll; Turn; Vain; Wind.
Take-a-fright, subs. phr. (rhyming).—Night.
Taker, subs. (sporting).—One who
accepts a bet; a bookie (q.v.).
1898. Gould, Landed at Last, v. The offer was not accepted, or the taker would have lost his money.
Taking, subs. (colloquial).—In pl.
= receipts.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab. ii. 528. [Crossing sweepers] at one period have considered fifteen shillings a bad week's work. But now the takings have very much reduced.
1889. Sci. American [Century]. The average takings are $1250 a week.
Tale, subs. (colloquial).—An incredible
story; a marvellous narration:
also old wife's (or old
man's) tale: see Bull and
Tub. Whence tale-teller
(B. E. and Grose) = 'Persons said
to have been hired to tell wonderful
stories of giants and fairies, to
lull hearers to sleep.' Also to
tell tales out of school =
(1) to romance, and (2) to play
the informer: tell-tale (or
tell-tale-tit) = an informer;
to tell a tale = to turn a matter
to profit; 'His tale is told'
= 'It is all over with him'; to
be in a tale = to agree: also
to jump in one tale; thereby
hangs a tale, or tell that
for a tale (the retort suggestive)
= 'That's another story';
to pitch a tale = to spin a
yarn: hence tale-pitcher = a
romancing talker or chattering
malcontent.
1469. Cov. Myst. [Oliphant, New Eng. i. 316. We see the phrases: take it or ellys lef . . . telle no talys].
d. 1536. Tyndale [Oliphant, New Eng. i. 429]. To tell tales out of school.
1546. Heywood, Proverbs. To tell tales out of schoole.
1590. Peele, Old Wives' Tale [Bullen], 99. I am content to drive away the time with an old wives' winters' tale.
1592. Nashe, Piers Pennilesse, 66. Not two of them iumpe in one tale.
1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives, iv. 1. Quick. Have not your worship a wart above your eye? Fent. . . . What of that? Quick. Well, thereby hangs a tale . . . we had an hour's talk of that wart. Ibid. (1600). Much Ado, iv. 2. 33. 'Fore God, they are both in a tale. Ibid. (1602), Twelfth Night, ii. 1. Mine eyes will tell tales of me. Ibid., Winter's Tale.
1621. Burton, Anat. Melan., III. ii. ii. 4. Whether this be a true story or a tale, I will not much contend.
1625-30. Court and Times Charles I. ii. 65. We have some news . . . I must not tell tales forth of school.
