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1837. Barham, I. L. (Ingoldsby Penance.) None of your rascally DIPS, but sound, Best superfine wax-wicks, four to the pound.
Verb (thieves').—1. To pick pockets. To dip a lob = to rob a till. Also to go on the dipe = to go pocket-picking. For synonyms, see Frisk.
1817. Sporting Mag. Defence of Groves at Bristol Assizes. I have dipped into 150 . . . pockets and not found a shilling.
2. (old).—To pawn; mortgage.
1693. Dryden, Persius, vi., 160. Put out the principal in trusty hands: Live of the use; and never DIP thy lands.
1711. Spectator, No. 114. What gives the unhappy man this peevishness of spirit is, that his estate is dipped, and is eating out with usury; and yet he has not the heart to sell any part of it.
1860. Thackeray, Philip, ch. xiv. You have but one son, and he has a fortune of his own, as I happen to know. You haven't dipped it, Master Philip?
3. (thieves').—To be convicted; to get into trouble.
To dip one's beak, verb. phr. (common).—To drink. For synonyms, see Lush.
Dipe.—See Dip, verb, sense 1.
1877. S. L. Clemens ('Mark Twain') Life on the Mississippi, p. 460. i felt very rough and was thinking i would have TO GO ON THE DIPE again.
Dipped in Wing, adv. phr. (popular).—Worsted.
Dipper, subs. (old).—1. A baptist.—[Grose,
1785.]
2. See Dip, subs., sense 1.
Dipping-bloke.—See Dip, subs.,
sense 1.
Dips, subs, (nautical).—1. The purser's
boy.
2. (colloquial).—A grocer.
Dipstick, subs. (old).—A gauger.
Dirk, subs. (Scots').—The penis.
For synonyms, see Creamstick.
Dirt, subs. (American).—Money.
For synonyms, see Actual and
Gilt.
To eat dirt, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To submit to insult; to eat broiled crow, or humble pie (q.v.); to retract.
1854. Whyte Melville, General Bounce, ch. x. Though they bow before a calf, is it not a golden one? though they 'eat dirt,' is it not dressed by a French cook?
1861. New York Evening Post, 4 Jan. After eating so much dirt, are we asked to swallow free soil?
To fling dirt or mud, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To abuse; to vituperate.
1689. Selden, Table Talk, p. 104 (Arber's ed.). One that writes against his Adversary, and throws all the dirt he can in his Face.
1705. Ward, Hudibras Redivivus, vol. I., pt. ii., p. 11. Scurrility's a useful trick, Approv'd by the most politick; Fling dirt enough, and some will stick.
1875. Ouida, Signa, vol. I., ch. xv., p. 358. A wicked old tongue that could throw dirt with any man's or woman's either.
1885. J. S. Winter, Bootles' Baby, p. 66. I suppose he wants to daub Bootles with some of his own MUD. Thinks if he only throws enough some of it's sure to stick.
To cut dirt.—See Cut.
Dirt-Baillie, subs. (Scots').—An
inspector of nuisances.
Dirt-scraper subs. (American).—An
advocate who rakes up unpleasant
facts in a witness's past.
