1729. Swift, Libel on Delany and Carteret. His (Pope's) heart too great, though fortune little, To lick a rascal statesman's spittle.
1855. Thackeray, Newcomes, xvii. Averring that they were a parcel of sneaks, a set of lickspittles, and using epithets still more vulgar.
1856. C. Bronte, Professor, v. You mean, whining lickspittle!
1857. Thackeray, Shabby Genteel Story, iii. We call him tuft-hunter, lickspittle, sneak, unmanly.
1887. Hannay, Smollett, p. 96. No surgeon was ever quite such a fool, coward, figurant lick-spittle as Mack-*shane.
Lick-twat, subs. (old).—A fellator;
a cunnilingist (q.v.).
1656. Fletcher, Martiall, xi. 67. A lick-twat and a fencer too.
Lie, subs. (common).—See Whole
cloth and White lie.
Verb. (old).—To be in pawn. For synonyms see Pop.
1609. Man in the Moon [quoted by Nares, s.v. Lie]. Sir, answered the begger, I have a good suite of apparell in the next village which lieth not for above eightpence, if you will helpe me to that first I shall thinke myselve beholding unto you.
To lie low, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To conceal one's thought, or one's intentions. Also to keep to one's bed.
1847. Porter, Big Bear etc., p. 129. 'Lay low and keep dark,' says I.
1884. F. Anstey, Giant Robe, xxxviii. So you've very prudently been lying low till you could get Master Mark off his guard, or till something turned up to help you.
1890. Athenæum, 22 Feb., 241. 2. It becomes clear in the first chapter, or at any rate in the second, that John Ardell's intended heir is only suppressed, that he is lying low only in a metaphorical sense.
To lie off, verb. phr. (turf).—To make a waiting race. To lie out of one's ground = to 'lie off' too long, so as to be unable to recover lost ground.
To lie around loose, verb. phr. (American).—To loaf; to be out of employment.
To lie flat, verb. phr. (common).—See to lie low.
To lie like truth, verb. phr. (common).—To lie with verisimilitude and propriety.
1876. Hindley, Cheap Jack, 3. The fraternity . . . are always supposed, and by common consent allowed, to lie like truth.
To lie down, verb. phr. (old).—To be brought to bed.
1582. Lyly, Euphues and his England [quoted by Nares]. I have brought into the world two children: of the first I was delivered before my friends thought me conceived; of the second, I went a whole yeere big, and yet when every one thought me ready to lie down, I did then quicken.
1720. The Hartlepool Tragedy [quoted by Nares]. I promis'd her fair, that I would take care Of her and her infant, and all things prepare At Hartlepool town, where she should lie down; Poor soul she believ'd me, as always she'd done.
To lie in, verb. phr. (Royal Military Academy).—To keep one's room when supposed to be out on leave.
To lie in state, verb. phr. (venery).—To lie between two women.
Lie with a latchet (or lie made of whole cloth) (common).—An out-and-out falsehood. Also lie laid on with a trowel.
