Heading
of identity of sound and a love of variety, from 'not worth a curse' to 'not worth a damn' is easy.]—See Care and Curse.
1869. S. L. Clemens ('Mark Twain'), The Innocents at Home, p. 20. He didn't give a continental for anybody. Beg your pardon, friend, for coming so near saying a cuss-word.
1888. Missouri Republican, 16 Feb. I am not worrying about the nomination, though. I don't care a continental if I don't receive it.
Continuations, subs. (general).—Trousers.
[Of analogous derivation
to inexpressibles; unmentionables;
musn't-mention'ems;
untalkaboutables,
etc.] For synonyms, see Bags
and Kicks.
1841. Punch, vol. I., p. 4, col. 1. Like the London dustmen, the Newmarket jockeys, the peripatetic vendors, or buyers of 'old clo',' or the Albert continuations at one pound one, they appear to be made to measure for the same.
1853. Whyte Melville, Digby Grand, ch. xx. To whose wonderfully-fitting continuations, 'pants' he calls them, the 'Ananyridians' themselves are but as a Dutchman's drawers.
Contraptions, subs. (American).—Small
articles; tools; and so
forth.
1833. J. C. Neal, Charcoal Sketches. For my part, I can't say as how I see what's to be the end of all of them new-*fangled contraptions. [de v.]
Control Fortune, verbal phr.
(card-sharpers').—To cheat at
cards.—See Rook.
Convenience, subs. (common).—A
water-closet or chamber-pot.
Convenient, subs. (old).—A mistress.
For synonyms, see Barrack-hack
and Tart.
1676. Etherege, Man of Mode, III., iii., in wks. (1704), 233. Dorimant's convenient, Madam Loveit.
1688. Shadwell, Sq. of Alsatia, II., in wks. (1720), iv., 47. But where's your lady, captain, and the blowing, that is to be my natural, my convenient, my pure? Ibid, I., iv., p. 22. Shamwell. Thou art i' th' right; but, captain, where's the convenient, the Natural? Hackum. Why, at my house; my wife has brought her into a good humour; she is very pretty.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
Convexes.—See Concaves.
Convey, verb (old).—To steal. [In
law, to transfer from one person
to another; by which it will be
seen that there is a certain
humour in the expression.] For
synonyms, see Prig. Cf., Annex.
1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, Act i., Sc. 3. Nym. The good humour is, to steal at a minute's rest. Pist. Convey, the wise it call.
1607. Marston, What You Will, II., 260. But, as I am Crack, I will convey, crossbite, and cheat upon Simplicius.
1883. A. Dobson, Old World Idylls, p. 237. If they hint, O Musician, the piece that you played Is nought but a copy of Chopin or Spohr; That the ballad you sing is but merely conveyed From the stock of the Arnes and the Purcells of yore.
1889. Pall Mall Gaz., 31 Oct., p. 3. col. 1. Three great works of research and collaboration have been projected and partially or wholly executed in England within the lifetime of the present generation. They are the Encyclopædia Britannica, the Dictionary of National Biography, and the New English Dictionary. Each of these, but especially the last (from which the Century crew have conveyed freely) is as perfect in its way as any human undertaking can be.
1890. Scots Observer, 14 June, p. 98, col. 1. Lest this may seem an ungenerous suspicion, I hasten to say that it would never have crossed my mind had not so many of the other characters in this remarkable production (?) been obviously conveyed (delicious word!) from well-known novels.
