grandmother) to roast (or suck) eggs, verb. phr. (common).—A derisive retort upon a piece of information or an offer of help. Fr. les oisons veulent mener les oies paître = the goslings want to drive the geese to pasture.
1670. Ray, Proverbs [Bohn (1893), 7]. Teach your father to get children.
He'll be a man before his mother, phr. (common).—A derisive retort.
Mother-and-daughter, subs.
(rhyming).—Water.
Mother-Carey's Chickens, subs.
phr. (nautical).—1. Snow; goose-fluff
(q.v.). Fr. les mouches
d'hiver.
2. (old).—See quot.
1823. Bee, Dict. Turf, s.v. Mother Cary's chickens—to fare alike and pay the same.
Mother-in-law, subs. (common).—A
mixture of 'old' and 'bitter'
ales.
1884. Daily Telegraph, 3 July, p. 5, col. 4. Others incline towards mother-in-law, otherwise 'old-and-bitter.'
Mother-in-law's bit, subs. phr. (old).—See quot.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Mother. Mother in law's bit; a small piece, mothers-in-law being supposed not apt to overload the stomachs of their husband's children.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v.
Mother-midnight, subs. (common).—1.
A midwife; a fingersmith
(q.v.) and (2) a bawd.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Mother-midnight, a midwife (often a Bawd).
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v. Mother.
Mother Morey. I'll tell you a
story of old Mother Morey,
phr. (American).—In derision of
an inconsequent yarn. [In allusion
to the nursery rhyme].
Mother-of-all-Saints (All souls,
masons, St. Patrick), subs. (venery).—The
female pudendum.
For synonyms see Monosyllable.
1785. G. A. Stevens, Songs Comic and Satyrical, p. 88. Lads pour out libations from bottles and bowls, The mother of all saints is drunk by all souls.
1788. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Mother of all Saints. The Monosyllable. Ibid. Mother of all Souls. The same. Irish. Ibid. Mother of St. Patrick. The same. Irish.
1823. Bee, Dict. Turf, s.v. Mother of masons—a toast—not among their secrets in lodge, whatever it be at home.
Mother-of-the-maids, subs. phr.
(old).—See quot.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v. Mother of the Maids. A bawd.
Mother's-milk, subs. (common).—Gin.
For synonyms see Drinks
and White-satin. Also = spirits
of any kind (quot. 1860).
1823. Moncrieff, Tom & Jerry, iii. 3. Log. What, my lily! here, take a drop of mother's milk. (Gives black child gin out of measure he has received from Landlord).
1860. Dion Boucicault, Colleen Bawn, i. 3. Sheelah. Here's the hot water. Myles. Lave it there till I brew Father Tom a pint of mother's milk.
Mother's-son, subs. (old colloquial).—A
man.
