1599. Shakspeare, Henry V, i. 2. 200. The poor mechanic porters crowding in.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Mechanic, a Tradesman; also a mean, inconsiderable, contemptible Fellow.
Med (Medic, Medical, or Medico),
subs. (medical).—A medical man.
Also a student.
1823. The Crayon (Yale Coll.), p. 23. Who sent The medic to our aid!
1850. Yale Banger [Hall], Nov. Seniors, Juniors, Freshmen blue, And medics sing the Anthem too.
1853. Songs of Yale, p. 16. Take . . . Sixteen interesting meds, With dirty hands and towzeled heads.
1864. D. Masson, in Macm. Mag., Dec., p. 124. Those minute physiognomic differences, which enable an expert to distinguish a jolly young medical from a prematurely-sharp leguleian.
1885. B. G. Wilder, Journal Nervous Diseases, xii. Medic is the legitimate paronym of medicus, but is commonly regarded as slang.
1889. Lancet, 13 July [No. 3437], p. 96. The London medicals were quite as popular.
1890. Answers, 25 Dec. She did her exercise and work and had her meals alone, and during the whole of that period the only persons she spoke to were the governor (known in prison as the 'boss'), the chaplain (in prison parlance 'sky pilot'), the medico (doctor), and the 'screw' (female warder).
Meddler. Lay-overs for
meddlers. See Lare-over.
Medes and Persians, subs. phr.
(Winchester College).—Jumping
on a man (q.v.) when in bed.
Medical Greek, subs. phr. (common).—See
Marrowskying.
1885. Household Words, 20 June, p. 155. Medical students have liberally assisted in the formation of slang, their special department thereof being known as medical greek.
Medicine, subs. (common).—1.
Liquor; and (2) greens (q.v.). To
take one's medicine = (1) to
drink; and (2) to copulate. For
synonyms see Drinks and Ride.
Medium, subs. (Australian).—A person
engaged by a squatter, part of
whose 'run' is offered by Government
at a land lottery. The medium
takes lot-tickets, as if bent upon
cultivation, attends the drawing,
and, if his ticket be drawn before
his principal's land is gone, selects
it, and hands it over on payment
of the attendance fee.
Medlar, subs. (venery).—1. The
female pudendum. Cf. Open-arse.
For synonyms see Monosyllable.
Hence, a harlot.
1603. Shakspeare, Measure for Measure, iv. 3. Else they would have married me to the rotten medlar.
2. (American thieves').—A dirty person.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
Meech, Meeching. See Mike.
Meerschaum, subs. (pugilistic).—The
nose. For synonyms see Conk.
1891. Sporting Life, 25 March. At the call of 'Time' ending in favour of Burford, Phillips being very weak, and his meerschaum beautifully painted. Ibid., 3 April. Determined left-handed exchanges, Macdonald standing over Harland, who made the most of the ring, but coloured Mac's meerschaum in the last minute.
Meetinger, subs. (Nonconformist).—A
chapel-goer.
1885. Notes and Queries, 11 April, p. 297. Those who attend the meeting are called meetingers.
Meg, subs. (old).—1. See quots. For
synonyms see Yellow-boys and
Canary. Cf. Mag, subs., sense 2.
