Spanish Synonym. Calca.
1851-61. H. Mayhew, London Lab. and Lon. Poor, vol. i., p. 231. We . . . slink into the crib (house) in the back drum (street).
3. (pugilistic).—The ear. For synonyms, see Hearing-Cheat.
4. (old).—A building; Hazard-drum = a gambling hell; Flash-drum = a brothel; Cross-drum = a thieves' tavern. For synonyms, see Ken. In U.S.A., a drinking place.
1867. Jas. Greenwood, Unsent. Journeys, xxvi., 204. 'Come along; I shall be a pot to your pot.' 'Where shall we go?' 'Oh, to the old drum, I suppose.'
1890. Illustrated Bits, 29 March, p. 11, col. 1. The two chums were footing it to the 'ancient drum,' as they called the Norwich theatre.
5. (Australian).—A bundle carried on tramp; generally worn as a roll over the right shoulder and under the left arm. Also Bluey and Swag (q.v.). Cf., Swagsman.
1887. G. A. Sala, in Ill. London News, 12 March, 282/2. Here are a few more items of Australian slang kindly forwarded to me by a correspondent:—'To hump one's swag,' or 'drum,' i.e., to pack up a bundle to be carried on the shoulders.
1890. Family Herald, 8 Feb., p. 227. I was just debating whether I had better 'hump my drum.'
6. (tailors').—A small workshop. Cf., sense 4.
Drummer, subs. (old).—1. A horse, the action of whose forelegs is irregular. [Grose—1785.]
2. (old).—A thief who before robbing narcotises or otherwise stupifies his victim.
1856. H. Mayhew, Great World of London, p. 46. Those who hocus or plunder persons by stupifying; as 'drummers' who drug liquor.
3. (general).—A commercial traveller; also Ambassador of Commerce or Bagman (q.v.); Fr., un gaudissart (from one of Balzac's novels); une hirondelle (= a swallow). [Cf., Drum = a road; and old-time pedlars announced themselves by beating a drum at the town's end.]
1827. Scott, to C. K. Sharpe, in C. K. S.'s Correspondence (1888), ii. 398. Dear Charles,—I find the Nos. of Lodge's book did not belong to the set which I consider yours, but were left by some drummer of the trade upon speculation, so I must give you the trouble to return it. [In another letter on next page S. again refers to the 'scoundrelly drummer.'
ante 1871. [in De Vere], A Country Merchant out West, p. 217. Look at that man, he s drummer for A. T. Stewart.
1877. M. Twain, Life on the Mississippi, ch. xxxix., p. 365. It soon transpired that they were drummers—one belonging in Cincinnati, the other in New Orleans.
1885. G. A. Sala, Daily Telegraph, 14 August, 5, 3. Among whom were conspicuous sundry drummers, or representatives of American commercial firms, bound for Australasia, there to push their wares.
4. (tailors').—A trousers' maker, or Kickseys'-builder (q.v.).
Drumstick-Cases, subs. (common).—Trousers. [From drumstick = a leg + case, a cover.] For synonyms, see Bags and Kicks.
Drumsticks, subs. (common).—1. The legs—especially of birds.
English Synonyms. Cheese-cutters (bandy legs); stumps; cabbage-stumps; pins; gams; notches; shanks; stems; stumps; clubs; marrow-bones; cat-sticks; trap-sticks; dripping sticks; trams; trespassers; pegs; knights of the garter.
