1877. Five Years' Penal Servitude, iii. p. 146. A leary look, in which fear, defiance, and cunning are mixed up together.
1888. J. Runciman, The Chequers, 85. The bastard gipsy smiled in leary fashion.
2. (American).—Drunk. For synonyms see drinks and screwed.
Leary-cum-Fitz, subs, (theatrical).—A vulgarian amongst actors.
Least. Least in sight, phr.(old).—See quots.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Least in sight, to play least in sight, to hide, keep out of the way, or make oneself scarce.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Least. Keep out of the way; hide; out of sight.
Leather, subs. (American thieves').—1. A pocket book. For synonyms see Reader.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Leather. The bloke lost his leather, the man lost his pocket book.
1881. New York Slang Dict., 'On the Trail.' We touched his leather too, but it was very lathy.
1883. Clemens ('Mark Twain'), Life on the Mississippi, p. 459. When we got to Chicago on the cars from there to here, i pulled off an old woman's leather,: i hadn't no more than got it off when i wished i hadn't donn it, for awhile before that i made up my mind to be a square bloke.
2.(venery).—The female pudendum. Hence, to labour leather (old) = to copulate; leather-stretcher = the penis: cf. Kid-leather; and nothing like leather (q.v.). For synonyms see Monosyllable.
1540. Lindsay, Thrie Estaitis [Laing (1879), ii. 72. 1332]. It is half ane yeir almaist, Sen ever that loun laborde my ledder.
1678. Cotton, Virgil Travestie, in Wks. (1725), Bk. iv. p. 74. At that Queen Juno smil'd and said . . . if they once do come together, He'll find that Dido's reaching leather.
d.1796. Burns, Court of Equity. Hunter, a willing, hearty brither, weel skilled in dead and living leather.
3. in pl. (common).—The ears; lugs (q.v.). For synonyms see Hearing cheats.
4. (sporting).—A cricket-, or foot-ball. To hunt leather (cricket) = to field. Leather-hunting (subs.) fielding.
1883. Graphic, 11 August, p. 138, col. 1. The giants of the past who handled so efficiently the 'willow' and the leather.
1884. Daily News, 12 April, p. 5, col. 2. A man has Morley's genius with the leather, combined with Morley's deficiencies as a fielder and bat.
1886. G. Sutherland, Australia, p. 178. In most parts of Australia cricket can be played with tolerable comfort all the year round. Occasionally, in summer, there are days when the heat is unusually oppressive, and the pastime of leather hunting becomes somewhat tiresome.
1890. Palace Journal, 4 Aug. Our fellows were kept leather-hunting pretty well the whole innings.
Verb. (common).—To beat; to tan (q.v.); To dust (q.v.).
1763. Foote, Mayor of Garratt, i. Now, if you think I could carry my point, I would so swinge and leather my lambkin.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. To leather also means to beat, perhaps originally with a strap. I'll leather you to your heart's content.
1858. G. Eliot, Janet's Repentance, ch. xxi. 'He'll want to be leatherin' us, I shouldn't wonder. He must hev somethin' t'ill-use when he's in a passion.'
