M.
To have an M under (or by) the girdle, verb. phr. (old).—To have a courteous address. [By using the titles Mr., Mrs., Miss, etc.]. See quot. 1850.
1597-8. Haughton, A Woman will have her Will [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), x. 531]. Hark ye . . . methinks you might do well to have an M under your girdle.
1605. Jonson, Chapman, etc., Eastward Hoe, iv. 1. You might carry an M under your girdle.
1738. Swift, Polite Conversation, i. The devil take you Neverout . . . What plain Neverout! methinks you might have an M under your girdle, Miss.
1850. Halliwell, Dict. Arch. & Prov. Words, s.v. M . . . To keep the term 'Master' out of sight, to be wanting in proper respect.
Mab, subs. (old).—1. See quot.
1823. Moncrieff, Tom & Jerry, i. 7. Tom. But if you dislike going in a hack, we'll get you a mab. Jerry. A mab? I'm at fault again—never shall get properly broken in. Tom. A mab is a jingling jarvy!—a cabriolet, Jerry.
2. (old).—A slattern. See verb.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v.
1725. New Canting Dict., s.v.
3. (American).—A prostitute. For synonyms see Barrack-hack and Tart.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
Verb. (old).—See quots.
1596. Shakspeare, Hamlet,* ii. 2. But who, O! who had seen the mobled queen Run bare-foot up and down. . . .
1672. Ray, Proverbs, 'North Country Words,' s.v. To mab [pronounced mob], to dress carelessly. Mabs are slatterns.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Mab . . . Mab'd up, Drest carelessly, like a Slattern.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
d.1728. Kennett, MS. Lansd. 1033, Mobb'd up, dresst in a coarse clownish manner.
Macaroni, subs. (old).—1. See quot.
1711. [It. maccarone, now maccherone,
a blockhead: cf., Ger.
Hanswurst; Fr. Jean-farine; and
Jack-pudding].
1711. Addison, Spectator, No. 47, Ap. 24. 'In the first Place I must observe that there is a Set of merry Drolls whom the Common People of all Countries admire, and seem to love so well that they could eat them, according to the old Proverb: I mean those circumforaneous Wits whom every Nation calls by the Name of that Dish of Meat which it loves best. In Holland they are termed Pickled Herrings; in France Jean Pottages; in Italy Maccaronies; and in Great Britain Jack Puddings. These merry Wags, from whatsoever Food they receive their Titles, that they may make their Audiences laugh, always appear in a Fool's Coat, and commit such Blunders and Mistakes in every Step they take, and every Word they utter, as those who listen to them would be ashamed of.'
