1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Land-lopers or land-lubbers, Freshwater Seamen so called by the true Tarrs; also Vagabonds that Beg and Steal through the Country.
1696. Nomenclator. Erro . . . Rodeur, coureur, vagabond. A roge: a land leaper: a vagabond: a runagate.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Land Lopers or Land-Lubbers, vagabonds lurking about the country, who subsist by pilfering.
17[?]. Ballad, 'One Fine Morning' (The Mermaid), Refrain. Three jolly sailor boys up on the mast, And the land-lubbers down below.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
1884. Graphic, April 5. p. 338, col. 2. The veriest land-lubber cannot fail to become something of a sailor after reading it.
Land of Nod, subs. phr. (common).—Sleep.
To go to the land of
nod = to go to bed; to fall
asleep. For synonyms see Balmy.
1818. Scott, Heart of Mid-Lothian, xxx. There's queer things chanced since ye hae been in the land of nod.
1828. Hood, Poems, i. 205 [ed. 1846]. To the happy [bed is] a first class carriage of ease To the land of nod, or where you please.
1892. Hume Nisbet, Bushranger's Sweetheart, p. 275. Saying which he led the way back to our hut, where we flung ourselves down on our blankets, and were soon in the land of nod.
Land of Promises, subs. phr.
(University).—See quot.
1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Land of Promises the fair expectation cherished by a steady novice at Oxford.
Land of Steady Habits, subs. phr.
(American).—Connecticut.
Land of Sheepishness, subs. phr.
(old University).—See quot.
1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Land of Sheepishness, schoolboy's bondage.
Land-packet, subs. (American).—See
quot.
1847. Porter, Quarter Race, 115. Known as the Captain of a land-packet, in plain terms, the driver of an ox-team.
Land-pirate (or Land-rat), subs.
(old).—1. See quot. 1690. For
synonyms see Road-agent.
1598. Shakspeare, Merchant of Venice, i. 3. There be land-rats and water-rats, land thieves and water thieves.
1609. Dekker, Gul's Horn-booke [Grosart (1885), ii. 233]. The Dukes tomb is a sanctuary, and will keep you alive from land-rats. Ibid. iii. 262. These land-pyrates lodge in . . . the out-barnes of farmers.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Land-pirates, Highwaymen or any other robbers. [Also New Cant. Dict. (1725) and Grose (1785)].
2. (nautical).—See Land-shark.
Land-raker, subs. (old).—A vagabond;
a land-lubber (q.v.).
1598. Shakspeare, 1 Henry IV, ii. 1. I am joined with no foot land-rakers, no long-staff sixpenny strikers.
Land Security. See Leg-bail
Land-shark, subs. (nautical).—1.
A boarding-house keeper; a runner;
a crimp; anyone living
by the plunder of seamen. Fr.
une vermine.
1838. Glascock, Landsharks and Seaguls [Title].
1857. Kingsley, Two Years Ago, ch. iv. These land-sharks . . . 'll plunder even the rings off a corpse's fingers.
1888. Notes and Queries, 7 S. v. 4 Feb., p. 83. Honest Jack, may he ever be kept from land-sharks. [An old Toast].
2. (common).—A usurer.
3. (common).—A landgrabber; one who seizes land by craft or force.
