press in the scriptorium of Westminster Abbey; and the associations of this place gave rise to the slang expressions monk and friar for black and white defects.
Monkery, subs. (tramps').—1. The
country; daisyville (q.v.).
1819. Vaux, Memoirs, s.v.
1820. Egan, Boxiana, iii. 18. Having a snooze and blowing a long one in the monkery.
1823. Grose, Vulg. Tongue (3rd. ed.), s.v.
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., i. 266. 'Well,' said he, 'I don't know what this ere monkry will come to, after a bit.'
1893. Emerson, Signor Lippo, v. 'Do you belong to the start or the monkery?' they asked. 'London,' says I. Ibid. 58. The boss had training quarters in the monkery for racers and hunters.
2. (tramps').—Tramps; vagrants: collectively.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., i. 336. The place was well-known to the MONKERY.
On the monkery, phr. (tramps').—On tramp.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., i. 344. Thirty years on the monkery.
Monkey, subs. (colloquial).—1. A
term of real or affected displeasure.
Also, an endearment.
1602. Shakspeare, Othello, iv. 1. 'This is the monkey's own giving out; She is persuaded that I will marry her.'
1606. Return from Parnassus [Dodsley, Old Plays (1874), ix. 206]. My mistress is so sweet . . . she never goes to the stool. O she is a most sweet little monkey.
1639. Glapthorne, Wit in a Constable [Pearson (1874), i. 219]. Clar. Grace. Ha, ha, ha. Free. What doe the monkyes laugh at?
1786. Burns, Address to the Deil. The bleezin', curst, mischievous monkeys.
1879. Ruskin, Letter to Young Girls [Century]. Serve the poor, but, for your lives, you little monkeys, don't preach to them.
1895. Iota, A Comedy in Spasms, vii. That monkey there might be a countess in her own right.
2. (racing).—Five hundred pounds sterling; also (in America) $500. See Rhino.
1856. The Druid, Post and Paddock. 'Voltigeur's Derby-day.' 'Our Jim' is 'up', triumphant over surgeon, drugs, and nurse, And he hopes to see Newmarket with a monkey in his purse.
1861. Whyte-Melville, Good for Nothing [Century]. A monkey at least to the credit side of your own book landed in about a minute and a half.
1864. Derby-day, 132. 'In that case, I'll lay you two to one in monkeys.' The Duke took out his book, and made an entry.
1882. Punch, lxxx11. 69. 1. He'll bet in monkeys, ponies, though he has seldom ready cash.
1883. Graphic, 13 Jan., p. 39, col. 2. Notwithstanding the increase of 'added' money from 200 sovs. to a monkey, which, as every one knows, is the turf parlance for 500 sovs.
1885. Daily Chronicle, 3 Feb. The Grand Hurdle Handicap, the added money to which is a monkey.
1890. Globe, 13 Feb., p. 5, col. 5. The amount of the Slavin testimonial subscribed by the sporting public was £500, which was given to him at his wedding breakfast yesterday. Slavin is indeed a lucky fellow to have a monkey and a charming wife presented to him on one day.
1891. Lic. Vict. Gaz., 9 Jan. Keen, yet honest and business-like, he soon got on, and took a place inside the ring, and worked his way up until he disdained to lay odds to anything under a monkey, and had some £30.000 depending upon the great events of the year.
1892. N. Gould, Double Event, p. 101. He had bought a couple of horses with Lord Mayfield's monkey, and was preparing them for a selling race.
3. (bricklayers').—A hod.
4. (prison).—A padlock.
1819. Vaux, Memoirs, s.v.
