1861. Macmillan's Mag., Feb., p. 273. He let fly a terrific left-hander at the doctor.
Leg, subs. (common).—1. A swindling gamester.
1836. Dickens, Pickwick, xlii. 365. 'He was a horse-chaunter: he's a leg now.'
1840. Thackeray, Character Sketches (Capt. Rook and Mr. Pigeon). As for Tom, he is a regular leg now—leading the life already described. When I met him last it was at Baden, where he was on a professional tour, with a carriage, a courier, a valet, a confederate, and a case of pistols.
1843. W. T. Moncrieff, The Scamps of London, i. 1. He's your brother, Mr. Frank; but there isn't a bigger leg on the whole pavement.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., i. 501. Now and then a regular leg, when he's travelling to Chester, York, or Doncaster, to the races, may draw other passengers into play, and make a trifle, or not a trifle, by it; or he will play with other legs; but it's generally for amusement, I've reason to believe.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Leg, a gambler.
1866. London Miscellany, 5 May, p. 201. The two who were not of their race were of the genus leg.
1882. Thormanby, Famous Racing Men, p. 75. He [John Gully] worked on gradually as a layer of odds—a 'bettor round,' or leg, as he was called in those days. [c. 1820.]
1884. Hawley Smart, From Post to Finish, p. 172. The world regards me as a compound of leg and money-lender.
2. (cards').—A 'chalk' or point scored in a game.
3. in pl. (common).—A lanky-built man or woman; a lamppost (q.v.).
4. (old).—A bow: see Make a leg.
1596. Nashe, Have With You, etc. [Grosart (1885), iii. 146]. Whither . . . haue you brought mee? To Newgate, good Master Doctour, with a lowe leg they made answer.
1598. Shakspeare, I Henry IV, i. Well, here's my leg.
1602. Cooke, How to Choose a Good Wife etc. [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), ix. 18]. With legs, with curtsies, congees, and such like.
1603. Dekker, Wonderful Yeare [Grosart (1886), i. 83]. Janus . . . made a very mannerly lowe legge.
1663. Killigrew, Parson's Wedding, ii. 7. Then a stranger . . . beats about with three graceful legs.
Verb. (common).—1. To trip up.
1882. Sat. Review, 22 April. Presently they legged the copper, and he fell to the ground.
2. (common). See leg it.
To make (or scrape) a leg, verb. phr. (old and colloquial).—To bow; to curtsey. Also To leg it.
1592. Nashe, Pierce Penilesse [Grosart (1885), ii. 63]. How much better is it then to haue an eligant Lawier to plead ones cause, than a stuttring Townsman, that loseth himselfe in his tale, and dooth nothing but make legs.
1603. Dekker, Wonderful Yeare [Grosart (1886), i. 91]. He calls forth one by one, to note their graces, Whilst they make legs he copies out their faces.
1606. Chapman, Mons. D'Olive, i. p. 117 (Plays, 1874). Pages and parasites [live] by making legs.
1616. Jonson, Devil is an Ass, ii. 3. I learned in it myself, To make my legs, and do my postures.
1633. Shirley, Bird in a Cage, v. 1. He'll kiss his hand and leg it.
1662. Rump, ii. p. 192. Shall's ask him, what he means to do?—Good faith, with all my heart; Thou mak'st the better leg o' th' two.
1670. J. Eachard, Contempt of the Clergy, in Arber's Garner, vol. vii. p. 264. He comes to the end of the table . . . having made a submissive leg.
1673. Davenant, Playhouse to Let, Epilogue. Female fishes never make a leg.
1714. Lucas, Gamesters, 25. The prentice makes a handsome leg and bow.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Leg.
