1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1754. Martin, Eng. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1830. Moncrieff, Heart of London, ii. 1. You'll make me lace you presently, if you don't mind—go on, Sir.
1847. C. Bronte, Jane Eyre, xxi. Lace my quivering palm or shaking neck.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
3. (colloquial).—To wear tight stays.
Lacedemonians, subs. (military).—The
Forty-sixth Foot. [From its
Colonel making it a long speech
under a heavy fire about the Lacedemonians
and their discipline].
Also Murrays bucks, and the
surprisers.
Laced Mutton, subs. phr. (old).—A
woman; especially a wanton:
cf. Mutton. For synonyms see
Barrack-hack and Tart.
1578. Whetstone, Promos and Cas., 6, pl. i. p. 14. And I smealt he loved lase mutton well.
1595. Shakspeare, Two Gentlemen of Verona, i. 1. Ay, sir: I, a lost mutton, gave your letter to her, a lac'd mutton; and she, a lac'd mutton, gave me, a lost mutton, nothing for my labour.
1596. Nashe, Have with You [Grosart (1885), iii. 61]. He that wold not stick so to extoll stale rotten lac'd mutton, will . . . sucke figges out of an asses fundament.
1599. Breton, Wil of Wit [Grosart (1879), ii. c. 62/1. 18]. If your stomache stande to flesh, eate of a little warme mutton, but take heede it be not laced.
1602. Middleton, Blurt Master Constable, sign. B. Laz. Pilcher, Cupid hath got me a stomacke, and I long for lac'd mutton. Pil. Plaine mutton without a lace would serve.
1602. Dekker, Honest Whore [Dodsley, Old Plays, iii. 466]. The sturdy beggar, and the lazy lown, Gets here hard hands, or lac'd correction.
1624. Jonson, Masque of Nep. Triumph [Cunningham, iii]. Cook. O whom for mutton, or kid? Child. A fine lac'd mutton Or two; and either has her frisking husband.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v. Laced Mutton, a prostitute.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Laced Mutton, a common woman.
Lacing, subs. (common).—1. See
Lace, verb. sense 2.
2. (common).—See quot. 1690; flogging; a lashing.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Lacing, Beating, Drubbing.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Lacing.
1835. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 1. S. ch. xiv. 'He would . . . throw all the blame on him and order him to have an everlastin' lacin' with the cowskin.'
Lach, verb. (American thieves').—To
let in.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Lach. 'The cove is bene, shall we lach him?' 'The man is good, shall we let him in.'
Lack-latin, subs. (old).—An ignoramus:
specifically an unlettered
priest.
d.1555. Latimer, Sermon, p. 304. Some will say our curate is naught, an ass-head, a dodipole, a lack-latin.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes. Arlotto, the name of a merie priest, a lack latine or hedge-priest.
1598. Servingman's Comfort [Hazlitt: Roxburgh Library (1868), Tracts, p. 103]. Hoe, syr John lack-lattin, you are out of the text.
1626. Breton, Pasquil's Madcappe [Grosart (1879), i. e 6/2. 24]. Sir John Lack latine with a face of brass.
1762. Foote, The Orators, i. I'll step to the Bull and Gate, and call upon Jerry Lack-latin.
