1750. Fielding, Tom Jones, bk. XV., ch. viii. Mr. Nightingale, and his love, stepped into a hackney-coach, which conveyed him to Doctors' Commons, where Miss Nancy was, in vulgar language, soon made an honest woman.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1825. Scott, St. Ronan's Well, ch. xxv. My right honourable father nourished some thoughts of making an honest woman of Marie de Martiguy, and a legitimate elder brother of Francis.
1827. Egan, Anecdotes of the Turf, p. 182. She had now only to play her cards well, she was sure of winning the game, also of becoming an honest woman.
As honest a man as when kings are out, phr. (old).—Knavish.
Honest as the skin between the brows (or Horns), phr. (old).—As honest as may be.
1551. W. Still, Gammer Gurton's Needle, (O.P.), ii., 67. I am as true, I wold thou knew, as skin betwene thy brows.
1599. Jonson, Every Man out of his Humour, ii., 2. Punt. Is he magnanimous? Gent. As the skin between your brows, sir.
1600. Shakspeare, Much Ado, iii., 5. An old man, sir, and his wits are not so blunt, as, God help, I would desire they were, but in faith, honest, as the skin between his brows.
1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, iv., 5. It shall be justified to thy husband's faish, now: tou shalt be as honesht as the skin between his hornsh, la.
Honest Injun! phr. (American).—A
pledge of sincerity; honour
bright (q.v.).
1884. Clemens [Mark Twain], Huckleberry Finn. She says 'Honest Injun, now hain't you been telling me a lot of lies?' 'Honest Injun' says I.
1892. Detroit Free Press, 12 Aug. I'll agree not to feel hard about it. Honest Injun?
Honey, subs. (American).—1. A
good fellow.
1888. Missouri Republican, 24 Feb. Dave is a honey.
2. (rhyming slang).—Money. For synonyms, see Actual and Gilt.
3. (old colloquial).—A term of endearment.
4. (venery).—The semen. Also White Honey (q.v.). Cf., Hive.
Verb (American).—To cajole; to exchange endearments; to deceive by soft words or promises.
1596. Shakspeare, Hamlet, iii., 4. Stew'd in corruption; honeying and making love Over the nasty sty.
1602. Marston, Antonio and Mellida, A. 4. Can'st thou not honey me with fluent speach, And even adore my toplesse villany?
1604. Marston and Webster, Malcontent, O.P., iv., 66. O unpeerable! invention rare! Thou god of policy, it honies me.
1631. Chettle, Hoffman. Clo. A pretious villaine: a good villaine too. Well if he be no worse; that is doe worse, And honey me in my death-stinging thoughts, I will preferre him.
1888. Tuskaloosa News. It is of no use to honey; payments must be made at least once a year.
To sell honey for a halfpenny, verb. phr. (old).—To rate at a vile price.
1592. Nashe, Pierce Penilesse [1842], p. 43. Thou that in thy dialogues soldst hunnie for a halfe-penie, and the choysest writers extant for cues a peece.
Honey-blobs, subs. (Scots').—Large,
ripe, yellow gooseberries.
1746. Walpole, Letters, i., 144. As he returned to the Tower, he stopped the coach at Charing Cross to buy honey-blobs, as the Scotch call gooseberries.
Honeycomb, subs. (old).—A sweetheart;
a general term of endearment.
