Heading
1706. E. Coles, Eng. Dict. Draw Latches, Roberdsmen, Night thieves.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
[Date uncertain]. Nursery Rhyme. Cross-patch, draw the latch, sit by the fire and spin.
Draw-off, verb (pugilistic).—To
throw back the body to strike;
'he drew off, and delivered on
the left peeper.' A sailor would
say, 'he hauled off and slipped
in.'
Dreadful, subs. (common).—A
'sensational' story, newspaper, or
print. For variants, see Awful,
and Shilling Shocker.
1890. Academy, 1 Feb., p. 78, col. 1. Mr. George Manville Fenn is an old hand at a story with an alarming title, and he seldoms fails to live up to it. The only thing we can say against his last 'dreadful' is that it is a little deficient in 'body.'
Dredgerman, subs. (common).—Explained
in quot.
1857. Dickens, Down with the Tide, in Reprinted Pieces, p. 269. Besides these, there were the dredgermen, who, under pretence of dredging up coals and such like from the bottom of the river, hung about barges and other undecked craft, and when they saw an opportunity, threw any property they could lay their hands on overboard: in order, slyly, to dredge it up when the vessel was gone. Sometimes, they dexterously used their dredges to whip away anything that might lie within reach. Some of them were mighty neat at this, and the accomplishment was called dry dredging.
Dress, subs. (Winchester College).—The
players who come next in
order after Six or Fifteen. [So
called because they come down
to the matches ready dressed to
act as substitutes if required.]
Dress a Hat, verb. phr. (common).—To
exchange pilferings: e.g.,
to swap pickings from a hosier's
stock with a shoemaker's assistant
for boots or shoes.
Dress Down, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To
beat; also to scold.—See
Tan and Wig respectively
for synonyms. Cf., Dressing.
1715. Mrs. Centlivre, Gotham Election, Sc. v. I'll dress her down, I warrant her, and she be for fighting.
Dressed Like Xmas Beef.—See
Beef.
Dress-house, subs. (common).—A
brothel. Cf., Dress-lodger.
Dressing, or Dressing-down,
subs. (colloquial).—Correction,
whether manual or verbal; also
defeat. Cf., Baste. For synonyms,
see Tanning.
1811. Jane Austen, Sense and S., ch. xxx. If ever I meet him again I will give him such a dressing as he has not had this many a day.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, ch. xxviii. The Scourge flogged him heartily . . . and the Penny Voice of Freedom gave him an awful dressing.
Dress-lodger, subs. (common).—A
woman boarded, fed, and
clothed by another, and paying
by prostitution.
1836. Kidd, London and all its Dangers, p. 32. Dress ladies are a class of Cyprians who deserve no pity. They are voluntarily the property of an old hag who clothes them elegantly for the wages of their prostitution, and their only aim is to enjoy themselves, and cheat her of half her perquisites.
1869. Greenwood, Seven Curses of London. You would never dream of the deplorable depth of her destitution if you met her in her gay attire. . . . She is absolutely poorer than the meanest beggar that ever whined for a crust. These women are known as Dress lodgers.
Dress to Death, Dress Within
an Inch of One's Life, or
Dress to Kill, verb. phr. (colloquial).
To dress in the extreme
of fashion.
