2. (venery).—(a) The penis: see Prick; (b) the pudendum: see Monosyllable. Hence (Grose) 'Mr Thingstable, a ludicrous affectation for Mr Constable.' Fr. chose.
1610. Jonson, Alchemist, v. 1. Sure he ha' got some bawdy pictures . . .; or the new motion Of the knight's courser covering the parson's mare; The boy of six years old with the great thing.
d. 1631. Donne, Satires, vi. [Chalmers, Eng. Poets, v. 160. 2]. I found him thoroughly taught In curing burns. His thing had had more scars Than T . . . himself.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, i. xi. Madam, do you cut little children's things? Were his cut off, he would be then Monsieur Sans-queue.
1700. Farquhar, Constant Couple, iv. 3. Lady L. And what shall I give you for such a fine thing [a ring]? Sir H. You'll give me another, you'll give me another fine thing.
17[?]. Pope, Sober Advice front Horace (Warton, vi.). Did I demand in my most vigorous hour A Thing descended from the Conqueror ('Magno prognatum deposco connile cunnum')?
1707. Ward, Terræfilius, i. v. 7. Pray Mr Whorehound of a Thingstable. . . .
1772. Bridges, Burlesque Homer; 62. [She] hated Paris in her heart, Because he'd seen her shady spring, And did not think it was the thing . . . no matter whether They'd singly shew'd or both together.
3. (colloquial).—In pl. = (a) belongings; sticks(q.v.); traps (q.v.); and (b) clothes: as in the phrase 'Put on your things.'
1383. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, 'Second Nun's Tale,' 540. And hem she yaf hire mebles and hire thing.
c. 1400. Towneley Myst. [Camden Soc.], 47. [Oliphant, New. Eng., i. 200. Property appears as] our thynges.
1593. Shakspeare, Taming of the Shrew, iv. 3. Ruffs and cuffs and farthingales and things.
1775. Sheridan, Duenna, i. 3. I suppose you don't mean to detain my apparel—I may have my things, I presume?
1899. Whiteing, John St., iv. By this time the heroine of the adventure has gathered up her 'things.'
The thing, subs. phr. (colloquial).—1.
What is right, proper,
becoming, fashionable, etc.
1759-62. Goldsmith, Citizen of the World, lxxvii. It is at once rich, tasty, and quite the thing.
1781. Johnson [Boswell, Life, viii. 64]. A bishop's calling company together in this week is, to use the vulgar phrase, not the thing.
1809. Malkin, Gil Blas [Routledge], 136. Young men of fashion are the thing for me.
1814. Austen, Mansfield Park, xii. It is quite delightful, ma'am, to see young people so properly happy, so well suited, and so much the thing.
1823. Song [quoted by Bee in Dict. Turf]. I know I'm the thing, And I wish I may swing, If I arn't now a nice natty crop.
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood, iii. 5. Just twig his swell kicksies and pipes; if they ain't the thing, I'm done.
1863. Doran, Their Majesties' Servants, i. 182. It was the thing to look upon the company unless some irresistible attraction drew attention to the stage.
1868. Whyte-Melville, White Rose, i. v. Tangible advantage was the thing after all.
1873. Arnold, Literature and Dogma, Pref. [A state church] is in itself . . . unimportant. The thing is to re-cast religion.
1882. Punch, lxxxii. 103. They had low foreheads, and had big buttonholes . . . it was 'the thing' to wear.
1901. Free Lance, 9 Feb., 470. 2. By the time the boom was at its height it had become the thing for ladies . . . to gamble in 'Chartereds,' and 'Goldfields,' and 'Simmers.'
2. (thieves').—In pl. = base coin.
See Know; Soft; Handsome (adding quot. infra), and Good thing.
