1874. Mortimer Collins, Frances, ix. 'This is my cousin, Dick Wyldote. You ought to know him. He's got an infallible martingale—breaks the bank everywhere.'
1887. Science, x. 44. The fallacy of those who devise sure methods of defeating the bank (martingales as they are termed), etc.
Martin's-hammer. Martin's-hammer
knocking at the wicket,
subs. phr. (old).—Twins.
Marvel, verb. (American).—To
walk; to be off: e.g. 'He marvelled
for home.' Also marble
(q.v.).
Mary! intj. (printers').—No score
or love in jeff-ing (q.v.) with
quads.
To tie with St. Mary's knot, verb. phr. (Scots').—To hamstring.
1784. Poetical Museum, 'Dick o' the Cow,' p. 27. Then Dickie into the stable is gane,—Where there stood thirty horses and three; He has tied them a' wi' St. Mary's knot, A' these horses but barely three.
Mary-Ann, subs. (obsolete).—1. The
dea ex machinâ evolved from
trades-unionism at Sheffield, to the
utter destruction of recalcitrant
grinders. Cf. Molly Maguires.
2. (dressmakers').—A dress stand.
3. (common).—A sodomite. For synonyms see Usher. Sp. manflorito.
1895. Reynolds's Newsp., 2 June, p. 1, col. 4. I remember when residing in Oxford having pointed out to me in 'the High' more than one professional catamite; just as waiting for a 'bus at Piccadilly-circus a few years later I heard prostitutes jocosely apostrophizing the Mary-Anns who plied their beastly trade upon the pavement beside the women.
Marygold. See Marigold.
Mary-Jane, subs. phr. (venery).—The
female pudendum. For synonyms
see Monosyllable.
Maryland-end, subs. (American).—The
hock of a ham: cf. Virginia-end.—Bartlett.
Marylebone Stage. See Marrowbone-stage.
Mary-Walkers, subs. phr. (American).—Trousers.
For synonyms
see Kicks. [After Dr. Mary Walker,
who adopted Turkish trousers].
Mascot, subs. (common).—A luck-piece,
or talisman; somebody,
or something, which ensures good
fortune to the owner. Fr. la
mascotte. [If the luck-piece be
alive, the master-quality disappears
with the loss of his (or her) virginity].
1886. Popular Science Monthly, xxx. 121. It is even fashionable to talk about mascots—a mascot being an object, animate or inanimate, that contributes to the good fortune of its possessor.
1888. Lippincott, Jan., p. 137. What is the origin of the term mascot?
Mash, subs. (common).—1. A sweet-*heart.
Also masher.
1883. Illustrated London News, 9 June, p. 563, col. 3. He appears to be the mash (if it is permissible to quote the cant phrase of the day) at one and the same time of Queen Anne, the Duchess of Marlborough, and his own legitimate sweetheart.
1889. The Mirror, 26 Aug., p. 6, col 2. For whom, dear Mabel, do you dye your wig-hair, And paint and powder?—Who is this new mash?
2. (common).—On the mash, see Masher.
