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1764. Wilkes [in P. Fitzgerald's Life of] (1888), vol. I., p. 244. As they have no other relation but Miss Wilkes, I therefore suppose they will leave everything to her, independent of me. Yet this is, after all, waiting for dead men's shoes.
1878. C. H. Wall, tr. Molière II., 218. Death is not always ready to indulge the heir's wishes and prayers, and we may starve while waiting for dead men's shoes.
Dead-nap, subs. (provincial).—A
thorough-going rogue.
Dead-nip, subs. (provincial).—A
plan or scheme of little importance
which has turned out a
failure.
Dead-oh, adv. (naval).—In the
last stage of intoxication. For
synonyms, see Drinks and cf.,
Screwed.
Dead on, or Dead nuts on, adv.
phr. (common).—Originally, having
some cause of complaint or
quarrel; also, very fond of; having
complete mastery over; sure
hand at. Cf., death on,
Derry on and down on, all
of which are variants.—See
also nuts on, an older form.
1877. Five Years' Penal Servitude, ch. iv., p. 288. Davies was dead nuts upon cutting men's hair. The whole evening long was he calling men out to be operated upon.
Dead-set, subs. (colloquial).—A
pointed and persistent effort or
attempt.
1781. G. Parker, View of Society, I., 196. He then gave me what I term the dead set with his eye.
1877. Five Years' Penal Servitude, ch. iii., p. 145. He was made a dead set at by some other prisoners, who schooled him for a career of vice and crime.
1889. Globe, 2 Nov., p. 6, col. 2. Certain persons of the 'thoughtful' kind, says Rod and Gun, are making a dead set against the field sports of Britain.
Dead Sow's Eye, subs. phr.
(tailors').—A badly worked
button-hole.
Dead Stuck, adv. phr. (theatrical).—Said
of actors who break down
in the midst of a performance
through sudden lapse of memory.
Dead Swag, subs. (thieves').—'Dead
stock' or dead cargo
(q.v.); plunder that cannot be
disposed of. [Swag = booty.]
Dead to Rights, adv. phr. (common).—Certain;
without doubt.
An amplification of To rights
(q.v.)
1888. Cincinnati Weekly Gazette, 22 Feb. Hill claims he has the thing down dead to rights, and that he will make the farmers sweat who have been asserting that his claim was 'N.G.'
Dead-'un, subs. (thieves').—1. An
uninhabited house. The cracksman
who confines his attentions
to 'busting' of this kind is, in Fr.,
un nourrisseur.
1879. J. W. Horsley, in Macm. Mag., xl., 505. Me and the screwsman went to Gravesend, and I found a dead 'un (uninhabited house).
2. (common).—A half-quartern loaf. Cf., dead man, sense 2.
3. (turf).—A horse destined to be scratched or not intended to win, and against which odds may be safely laid; a safe 'un (q.v.).
1864. Bailey's Magazine, June. These al fresco speculators have their dead 'uns, and carry 'milking pails,' like their more civilised brethren, privileged with the entrée to the clubs and the Corner.
1868. London Review, 11 July, p. 38, col. 2. The stable and owners might safely lay against what was technically a dead 'un from the first.
1880. Hawley Smart, Social Sinners, ch. v. Lord, what dead 'uns he did back, to be sure!
