1848. Ruxton, Life In The Far West, 47. Sport a figure on the light fantastic toe.
1855. Strang, Glasgow and its Clubs, 150. In evening dress, muslins, which were then expensive, were much patronised by those who tripped on the light fantastic toe.
1892. Gunter, Miss Dividends, ix. 'You dance very nicely;' she murmurs. 'Yes, for a man who has not tripped the light fantastic for years.'
Light-feeder, subs. (thieves').—A
silver spoon.
Light-fingered, adj. (colloquial).— Dextrous
in stealing; given to
thieving.
1560. Nice Wanton [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), ii. 167]. I must say more, Your son is suspect light-fingered to be.
1592. Greene, Defence of Conny-catching [Grosart (1881-6), xi. 97]. A . . . . Taylor, famous for his art, but noted for his filchinge, which although he was light-fingerd, yet. . . . he was much sought.
1607-9. Dampier, Voyages, ii. 1. 14. The Tonguinese being very light-fingered.
1630. Thos. Adams, Workes, 170. 'The Fatal Banket! Is any tradesman light-fingered, and lighter conscienced? Here [Stolen waters are sweet] is a whole feast of Fraudes, a table furnished with Trickes, conveyances, glossings, perjuries, cheatinges.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Light-fingered, thievish, apt to pilfer.
c.1868-9. W. S. Gilbert, Bohemian Girl. And yet I've heard you called light fingered gentry.
Light-frigate, subs. (old).—A woman
of loose morals.— B.E. (1690); New
Cant. Dict. (1725).
Light-heeled, adj. (old).—1.
Wanton.
c.1633. Lady Alimony, ii. 6. Lose a light-heeled trull—That in my judgment's nothing.
1640. The Bride, Sig G. She is sure a light-heeld wench.
1661. Davenport, City Nightcap, ii. Who have heavier heads than those whose wives have light heels.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Light-heeled . . . a light-heeled wench, one who is apt by the flying up of her heels, to fall flat on her back—a willing wench.
2. (old).—See quot.
1670. Ray, Proverbs [Bohn (1893), 47]. A light-heeled mother maketh a heavy-heeled daughter. Because she doth all her work herself, and her daughter meantime sitting idle, contracts a habit of sloth. Mère piteuse fait sa fille rogneuse = a tender mother breeds a scabby daughter.
Light-heels. See Light-skirts.
Light-house, subs. (old).—A red-nosed man.—Grose (1823). [Cf. Shakspeare, I Henry IV, iii. 3. 'Thou art our Admiral, thou bearest the lantern in the poop.' etc.].
Light-infantry, subs. (common).— Fleas;
F sharps (q.v.). Cf
Heavy Dragoons. Fr. la sauterelle
and la sauteuse.
Lightmans, subs. (Old Cant).— See
quots. Cf. Darkmans = night.
Fr. le matois; It. specchio.
1573. Harman, Caveat (1814), 65. The lightmans, the day.
1609. Dekker, Lanthorne and Candlelight. If we . . . dup but the gigger of a country-cove's ken, from thence at the chats we trine in the lightmans.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Markall, p. 39 (H. Club's Repr. 1874). Lightmans, the day.
1611. Middleton and Dekker, Roaring Girle, v. 1. Oh, I would lib all the lightmans.
1663. R. Head, English Rogue, Pt. I. v. 50 (1874). Lightmans, Morning or Day.
