1824. Peake, Americans Abroad, i. 1. I'll larrup you till you can't stand, if you hang chattering and stickling behind after this fashion.
1841. Punch, 17 July, p. 5. 'Toby,' says she, 'go and see the old gentleman; perhaps it might comfort him to larrup you a little'
1847. Lytton, Lucretia, 11. xx. 'I wanted sum un to take care of the childern, so I takes Peg into the 'ouse. But Lor! how she larrupped 'em—she has a cruel heart.'
1854. Dickens, Hard Times, v. 'There was no rope-dancing for me! I danced on the bare ground, and was larruped with the rope.' Ibid. He tries to coax her into the stall to larrup her.
1867. Smythe, Sailor's Word Book, s.v. Larrup, An old word, meaning to beat a rope's end, strap, or colt.
Larruping, subs. (colloquial).—A
thrashing. Fr. la schlague.
1844. Peake, Court and City, i. 3. I've a great mind to give you a good larrupping in the open park!
1860. Punch xxxix. p. 181. Ain't a cove just a larrupin' his wife up the court.
1888. Rolf Boldrewood, Robbery Under Arms, xxi. 'Your father 'll give you a fine larrupin' if he comes home and there's that cow lost.'
Larry Dugan's Eye-water, subs.
phr. (old).—See quot.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Larry Dugan's Eye-water, blacking. Larry Dugan was a famous shoe-black at Dublin.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
Lash, verb. (Blue Coat School).—To
envy. Usually used in the
imperative as a taunt.—Blanch
(1877).
Lashings (or Lashins), subs. (common).—Plenty;
abundance. Also
lashin's and lavin's—plenty
and to spare.
1841. Lever, Charles O'Mallye, lxvii. I'd as soon be myself as Lord Mayor, With lashings of drink on the table.
1850. F. E. Smedley, Frank Fairlegh, ch. xxii. 'A taste for, that is, an unbounded admiration of, the sublime and beautiful, as exemplified under the form of—' 'Rum punch, and lashings of it,' chimed in Archer.
1855. Thackeray, Lyra Hibernica, 'Mr. Malony's Account of the Ball.' A rare buffet before them set Where lashins of good dhrink there was.
1892. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 18. Men patter in pubs about Jack, over lashing o' lugs.
Lask, subs. (old).—See quot.
1621. Burton, Anatomy (ed. 1893), i. 304. A grave and learned Minister, and an ordinary Preacher . . . was (one day as he walked in the fields for his recreation) suddenly taken with a lask or looseness, and thereupon compelled to retire to the next ditch.
Lass in a red petticoat, subs.
phr. (old).—See quot.
1767. Ray, Proverbs (ed. 1893), 59. The lass in the red petticoat shall pay for all . . . meaning a wife with a good portion.
Last compliment, subs. phr. (common).—1. Burial.
1780. Lee, Chapter of Accidents, i. 2. Lord G. Why, then, does not Hardy bring her up to you? Gov. H. Why, for two very sufficient reasons. In the first place, that identical parson paid him the last compliment—that is, buried him a twelvemonth ago.
2. (venery).—The sexual embrace. Also last favour.
1694. Crowne, Married Beau, ii. I own common favours; that's no matter, But if she ever grants me the last favour,—I give her leave to cast me off for ever.
Last-feather, subs. (old.)—The
latest fashion.
