in Dublin, being turned off from the outside of the prison, by the falling of a board, propped up, and moving on a hinge like the leaf of a table.
Leafless-tree, subs. (Old Cant).—The
gallows. For synonyms see
Nubbing Cheat. Fr. la sans-feuille.
1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford. . . . Oh! there never was life like the robber's. . . . And its end—why, a cheer from the crowd below, And a leap from a leafless tree.
Leak, subs. (venery).—The female
pudendum. For synonyms see
Monosyllable.
1720. Gay, Tales, 'Work for a Cooper'. Her coats rose high, her master saw—I see—he cries—(then claspt her fast) The leak through which my wine has past.
Verb. (American thieves').—1. To impart a secret.—Matsell (1859).
2. (old).—To make water.—Grose (1823). Hence to spring a leak = to piss:
Leaky, adj. (old).—See quots.
d. 1704. Lestrange [Century]. Women are so leaky that I have hardly met with one that could not hold her breath longer than she could keep a secret.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Leaky. . . . One who cannot keep a secret is said to be leaky.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
2. (old).—Incontinent of urine.
Lean, adj. (printers').—Unremunerative;
the reverse of fat (q.v.).
Also as subs. = unprofitable work.
Lean-and-fat, subs, (rhyming).—A
hat. For synonyms see Golgotha.
Lean-and-lurch, subs, (rhyming).—A
church.
Lean-away, subs. (Australian).—A
drunkard. For synonyms see
Lushington.
Leap, verb, (venery).—To copulate.
For synonyms see Greens and
Ride. Hence leap in the
dark (or up a ladder) = the
act of copulating; copulation.
Also to do a leap.
1599. Shakspeare, King Henry V, v. ii. 145. If I could win a lady . . . by vaulting into my saddle . . . I should quickly leap into a wife.
1600. Shakspeare, Much Ado etc., v. 4. 1. Bull Jove, Sir, had an amiable low, And some such strange bull leaped your father's cow, And got a calf.
1614. Jonson, Bartholomew Fair, IV. iii. (Cunningham, ii. 191). How now, Whit! close vapours! stealing your leaps! covering in a corner. Idem, idem, idem. Sayst thou so, filly? Thou shalt have a leap presently, I'll horse thee myself else.
1623. Webster, Duchess of Malff, ii. 5. Till I know who leaps my sister, I'll not stir.
1662. Rump Songs, i. 289. And to their children's credits and their wives, Be it still said, they leap fair for their lives.
1662. Wilson, The Cheats, v. 5. Your daughter has married a gentleman. It this not better than a Smithfield bargain—give me so much money, and my horse shall leap your mare.
1694. Dryden, Virgil, Georgic iii. 328. Whether the bull or courser be thy care, Let him not leap the cow, nor mount the mare.
Adv. (old).—All safe.—New Cant. Dict. (1725).
to take a leap at Tyburn (or in the dark), verb. phr. (old).—To be hanged.
c. 1600-62. Common Cries of London [Collier, Roxburghe Ballads (1847),
