L, The three L's, subs. phr. (nautical).—Lead, latitude, and look-out.—Clark Russell.
Label, subs. (American).—A postage
stamp: cf. Toadskin.
Labour, verb. (old).—To beat.
Labourer, subs. (common).—An
accoucheur; a midwife. For synonyms
see Finger-Smith. [From
labour = child-birth].
Labour-lea, verb. (Scots').—To
copulate. For synonyms see
Greens and Ride.
Lace, subs. (common).—Strong waters
added to coffee or tea. Also
(by inference, see verb.) sugar.
1712. Spectator, No. 488. He is forced every morning to drink his dish of coffee by itself, without the addition of the Spectator, that used to be better than lace to it.
Verb. (common).—1. To inter-mix with spirits. Fr. consoler son café = to brandy one's coffee. Also (see quot. 1690) = sugar.
1677. Wycherley, Plain Dealer, iii. Ald. No, faith; prithee, captain, let's go drink a dish of laced coffee, and talk of the times.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Lac'd coffee, Sugar'd.
1712. Spectator, No. 317. Mr. Nisby of opinion that laced coffee is bad for the head.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, xi. He had his pipe and his tea-cup, the latter being laced with a little spirits.
1851-61. Mayhew, London Lab. etc., iii. 359. Breakfast 1s., good tea and good bread-and-butter, as much as you liked always; with a glass of rum in the last cup for the lacing of it. Tea the same as breakfast, and laced ditto.
1852. Thackeray, Esmond, ix. 'D—n it, Polly loves a mug of ale, too, and laced with brandy, by Jove!'
1872. Athenæum, 2 Nov., p. 556, col. 2. Schiller refreshed himself at the small hours of the morning with coffee laced with old cognac.
1892. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 35. Talk is like tea; it wants lacing with something a little bit stronger.
2. (common).—To flog. Also to lace one's coat (or jacket).
1599. Porter, Two Angry Women [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), vii. 359]. I do not love to be lac'd in when I go to lace a rascal.
1665. R. Head, English Rogue, Pt. 1. ch. iii. p. 27 (1874). It was not long after that I was so laced for it, that comparatively to my punishment Bridewell whipping is but a pastime.
1673. Cotton, Virgil Travestie, in Wks. (1725), Bk. iv. p. 126. Then if they have a mind to lace us, Let Carthage, if they can, come trace us.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Lacing. . . . I'll lace your coat, Sirrah, I will beat you soundly.
