1838. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 2. S. ch. ii. 'Well, I'm e'en a'most starved, and Captain Jack does look as poor as Job's turkey; that's a fact.'
1854. F. E. Smedley, Harry Coverdale, xxiv. The amiable and timid London butler, who had played the character of Job's comforter to Alice's Didone abandonata on the memorable evening of the first of September.
1857. Notes and Queries, 1, S. vii. 180. s.v.
1871. Once a Week. May (quoted by De Vere). Intensified, in American fashion, by some energetic addition; for instance, 'As poor as Job's turkey, that had but one feather in its tail,' or, 'As poor as Job's turkey, that had to lean against a fence to gobble.'
JOCK, subs. (venery).—1. See quot.
For synonyms see Creamstick,
Prick, and Monosyllable.
Jock-hunting = seeking the
sexual favor; and Jock-Hunter
= Mutton-monger (q.v.).
[Probably an abbreviation of
(Old Cant) jockum (q.v.). For
synonyms see Greens and Ride.
1790. Potter, Dict. of Cant & Flash, s.v. Jock, private parts of a man or woman.
2. (colloquial).—See JOCKEY.
Verb. (venery).—1. See quot. For synonyms see Greens and Ride.
1690. B.E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Jock, to copulate with a woman.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Jock, to enjoy a woman.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
2. (American).—To enjoy oneself.
JOCKEY, subs. (old: now recognised
in most senses).—1. A professional
rider; also a horse-dealer.
Hence (see quot. 1690) a sharper.
Also (colloquially) JOCK and GENTLEMEN-JOCK
and JOCKER.
1638. Brome, Antipodes, i. 5. Let my fine lords talk o' their horse-tricks, and their jockies that can out-talke them.
1684. R. Head, Proteus Redivivus, 306. There are such plenty of jockeys in this bungalow, they swarm everywhere.
1690. B.E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Jockeys, rank Horse-Coursers, Race Riders; also Hucksters or Sellers of Horses, very slippery Fellow to deal with.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1725. Bailey, Colloq. Erasmus, i. 412. You know what cheating tricks are play'd by our jockeys, who sell and let out Horses.
1815. Scott, Guy Mannering, vii. The tribes of gipsies, jockeys, or cairds,—for by all these denominations such banditti were known,—became few in number.
1828-45. T. Hood, Poems, vi. p. 252 [ed. 1846]. And what with keeping a hunting box Following fox. . . . Shooting blue rocks, Trainers and Jocks. . . .
d.1881. G. Borrow (in Annandale).—The word jockey is neither more nor less than the term (chukni) slightly modified, by which they (the gypsies) designate the formidable whips which they usually carry, and which are at present in general use amongst horse-traffickers, under the title of jockey-whips.
2. in pl. (commercial).—Top-boots.
1851. Lond. Lab. Lond. Poor, V. II. p. 43. Top boots (they're called jockeys in the trade and sold in the streets).
3. (old).—A Scot.
d.1529. Skelton, Against the Scots, line 92. King Jamy, Jemmy, Jockey, my jo.
Verb. (colloquial).—1. To cheat; to ride foul. Generally, to use dishonest means to a profitable end. For synonyms see Bamboozle.
1748. Thompson. Letter to Mr. Paterson, May. 'Coriolanus has not yet appeared on the stage, from the little dirty jealousy of Jullus (Quin) towards him (Garrick) who alone can act Co-
