Heading
1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, V., iii. Who chances to come by but fair Nero in a sculler; And seeing Leander's naked leg and goodly calf, Cast at him from the boat a sheep's eye an' a half.
1748. Smollett, Rod. Random, ch. xvi. There was a young lady in the room, and she threw . . . many sheep's eyes at a certain person whom I shall not name.
1864. G. A. Lawrence, Guy Livingstone, ch. vii. He would stand for some time casting lamb's-eyes at the object of his affections—to the amorous audacity of the full-grown sheep he never soared.
1881. Hawley Smart, Gt. Tontine, ch. xi. It isn't to be expected a well-bred lass like this is going to knock under the minute a young fellow makes sheep's-eyes at her.
Cast Up Accounts.—See
Accounts, to which may be
added the following.
French Synonyms. Jeter du cœur—or son lest—sur carreau (general: literally to 'throw hearts or diamonds' or 'throw one's heart,' here meaning the stomach, 'on the floor'); compter ses chemises (popular); débecqueter (popular); deborder (popular); lâcher son goujon (general); lâcher une fusée (popular).
1607. Dekker, Westward Ho, Act v., Sc. i. Mist. Wafer. I would not have 'em cast up their accounts here, for more than they mean to be drunk this twelve-*month.
1808. R. Anderson, Cumbrld. Ball, 26. The breyde she kest up her accounts In Rachel's lap. [m.]
Cat, subs. (old).—1. A prostitute.
For synonyms, see Barrack-*hack.
[1401. Pol. Poems, II., 113. Be ware of Cristis curse, and of cattis tailis.] [m.]
1635. Lyndesay, Satyre, 468. Wantonnes. Hay! as one biydlit cat, I brank. [M.]
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew. Cat: a common Whore.
1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5 ed.). Cat (s.) . . . also a cant word for a lewd, whorish woman, or street-walker.
2. (popular).—A shortened form of cat-o'-nine-tails (q.v.).
1788. Falconbridge, Afr. Slave Tr., 40. A cat (an instrument of correction, which consists of a handle or stem, made of a rope three inches and a half in circumference, and about eighteen inches in length, at one end of which are fastened nine branches, or tails, composed of log line, with three or more knots upon each branch). [m.]
1870. London Figaro, 23 Dec. We are delighted to learn that Mr. Baron Bramwell, at the Warwick Assizes, on Saturday, sentenced a batch of street thieves to hard labour for eighteen months, and twenty lashes each, with an instrument called the cat.
1889. Globe, 26 Oct., p. 7, col. 3. The 'Cat.' A companion of the prisoner was convicted last session of being concerned in the assault and robbery, and was sentenced to eighteen months' hard labour and to receive twenty-five lashes.
3. (thieves').—A lady's muff. [Muff = female pudendum. See sense 4.]
1857. Snowden, Mag. Assistant, 3 ed., p. 444. To steal a muff—To free a cat.
4. (popular).—The female pudendum; otherwise a pussy; French, le chat.
5. (thieves').—A quart pot. Pint pots are called kittens. stealing these pols is termed cat and kitten sneaking.
1851. Mayhew, London Labour and London Poor, II., p. 118. The mistress of a lodging-house, who had conveniences for the melting of pewter-pots (called cats and kittens by the young thieves according to the size of the vessels). Ibid, I., p. 460. At this lodging-house cats and kittens are melted down . . . A quart pot is a cat, and pints and half-pints are kittens.
6. (popular).—See Tame cat.
7. (common).—A monster infesting lodging houses, and assimi-
