1847. Albert Smith, Nat. Hist. of the Gent, vi. 42. They were all dressed nearly alike; hats with narrow brims, coats with large buttons, staring shawls, and trousers of the most prominent style—very loud patterns, as a friend appropriately called them.
1849. Thackeray, Pendennis, xxx. Rakish young medical students, gallant, dashing, what is called loudly dressed.
1851. Carlyle, Life of Sterling, 1. ch. 2. In a much louder style than is freely patronised on this side of the Channel.
1853. E. Bradley ['Cuthbert Bede'], Verdant Green, 11. p. 7. And as Mr. Fosbrooke was far too politic a gentleman to irritate the examiners by appearing in a loud or sporting costume, he had carried out the idea of clerical character by a quiet, gentlemanly suit of black.
1864. Eton School Days, xxiii. Butler Burke made his appearance in a Jersey, which was decidedly loud; and some of the lookers-on exclaimed, 'By Jove! that's a loud shirt playing in Wynne's.'
1871. Figaro, 4 Jan. At the last moment Mrs. Tripp, terribly flustered, and also shiny, with a very loud shawl on, suggestive of an amalgamation of the brightest Scotch plaids, just popped in.
1885. Truth, 26 March, p. 502, col. 2. I saw a good frock of this kind with stripes of cardinal, navy blue, and amber. That sounds loud does it not?
1889. Ouida, Moths, xv. Her own daughter . . . had loud costumes with wonderful waistcoats.
2. (colloquial).—Strong-smelling.
1887. Fisheries of U. S., vol. ii. 473. They prefer to have the meat tainted rather than fresh, declaring that it is most tender and toothsome when decidedly loud.
Loud one, subs. phr. (old).—A big lie.
1767. Ray, Proverbs [Bohn (1893), 64], s.v.
Lounce, subs. (nautical).—A drink:
specifically a pint of beer. [From
'allowance'].
Lounge, subs. (Eton and Cambridge).—I.
A treat; a chief meal.
1864. The Press, 12 Nov. By the way, we miss the Etonian word, lounge, for which there is classic authority. 'I don't care for dinner,' said Harry Coningsby at his grandfather's table; 'Breakfast is my lounge.'
2. (old: now recognised).—A loitering place, or gossiping shop.—Grose (1785).
3. (American thieves').—The dock in a criminal court.
Lour (Loure or Lowre), subs. (old).—Money.
Fr. louer = to hire: 'It
was granted him in lower of his
servyse' (Merlin, E. E. T. S. i. 59).
1568. Colkelbie Sow, 1. 148 (Bann. MSS.]. A lass that luvis bot for lour.
1573. Harman, Caveat (1814), p. 65. Lowre, money.
1610. Rowlands, Martin Markall, p. 39 (H. Club's Repr. 1874). Lower, money.
1622. Fletcher, Beggar's Bush, ii. 1. A very tyrant I, an arrant tyrant, If e'er I come to reign (therefore look to 't!) Except you do provide me hum enough, and lour to bowze with!
1632. Dekker, English Villanies, sig. M. What are they, but drunken Beggers? All that they beg being either lowre or Bowse.
1670. Cotton, Scoffer Scofft, in Wks. (1725), p. 280. But ere this life I'll longer lead, I'll stroll for lower, or beg my bread.
1671. Richard Head, The English Rogue. Bing out, bien morts and toure. The bien cove hath the loure.
1724. E. Coles, Eng. Dict., s.v.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v. Lour, money.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s. v. Cloy. To cloy the lour, to steal money.
1834. W. H. Ainsworth, Rookwood, p. 315 (ed. 1864). 'Well, say no more about it, Sir Luke,' said Jem, fawningly; 'I knows I owes you my life, and I thank you for it. Take back the
