Heading
1592. Defence of Conny-catching, in Greene's wks., xi., 43. If euer I brought my Conny but to crush a potte of ale with mee.
1595. Shakspeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act I., Sc. 2. And if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine.
1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ch. vii. I crushed a quart with that jolly boy Jenkin.
Crusher, subs. (popular).—1. A policeman. [Possibly from the slang verb to crush = to run. Crush! was once a favourite signal of the 'pea and thimble' and other race-course sharpers, the meaning being: 'Run! the police!' The word came into general use, and was ultimately converted into crusher = a policeman.] For synonyms, see Beak, sense 1, and Copper.
c. 1840. Thackeray, The Organ-Boy's Appeal. Though you set in Vestminster surrounded by your crushers, Harrogant and habsolute like the Hortocrat of hall the Rushers.
1842. Punch, vol. II., p. 137. 'Proverbial Philosophy.' There is not one crusher who is proof against the waistcoat pocket.
1853. Diogenes, II., 46. Here in came [to the Court] a crusher (Beg pardon—mean usher), Dragging in a Pot-boy, With great show of joy.
1859. Sala, Tw. Round the Clock, 5 p.m., par. 19. A crusher, or policeman, there is indeed.
1877. Five Years' Penal Servitude, ch. iii., p. 223. Oh, that's one of the cleverest gentlemen cracksmen out. . . . The blooming crushers were precious glad when they 'pinched' 'im.
2. (popular).—Anything large, fine, or extraordinary. [From crush, to overwhelm or subdue.] Akin to whopper, stinger, corker, bouncer, etc. (q.v.).
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, ch. iv. She is a crusher, ain't she now?
1870. New York Herald, Jan. The Fenians in England received rather a crusher, if I may use so slang a word, two days ago.
Crushing, ppl. adj. (colloquial).—Excellent; first-rate. For synonyms, see A1 and Fizzing.
Crust or Upper Crust, subs. (common).—1. The head. For synonyms, see Crumpet.
Upper-crust (q.v.), also = Society with a capital S.
Crusty-Beau, subs. (old).—One that uses paint and cosmetics to obtain a fine complexion.—Grose.
Crutch, subs. (colloquial).—The 'fork,' or inner angle of the thigh.
Crutches are Cheap.—See Wooden-Legs.
Cry, subs. (common).—A large number; a quantity. [From cry, a pack of dogs.] As in Shakspeare's Coriolanus, Act iii., Scene 3. 'You common cry of curs.'
Great cry and little wool, phr. (general).—Much ado about nothing. The original text of the proverb was, 'Great cry and little wool, as the devil said when he sheared the hogs.' Hudibras alters it into 'All cry and no wool.'
To cry carrots and turnips, verbal phr. (old).—See quot.
1747. Charles Johnson, Highwaymen and Pyrates, p. 254. He came oft with crying carrots and turnips, a term which rogues use for whipping at the cart's arse.
