1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford. Oh! those jovial days are ne'er forgot! But the tape lags. Ibid., 80. Red tape those as likes it may drain.
Tape-worm, subs. phr. (Stock
Exchange).—An official who
collects the prices of stock for
transmission on the tape.
Taplash, subs. (old).—1. Bad,
thick beer: cask-dregs or tap-droppings.
Hence, as adj. = poor,
washy, trivial (B. E. and
Grose). Hence (2) a publican:
in contempt.
. . . Clitus's Cater Char., 32. Whatever he drains . . . goes in muddy tap-*lash down gutter-lane.
1630. Randolph, Artistippus [Hazlitt, Works (1875), 14]. Drinking College tap-lash . . . will let them have no more learning than they size.
1630. Taylor, Works, iii. 5. Fac'd with the tap-lash of strong ale and wine.
1640. Witts Recr., C. 4b, Ep. 25. What, must we then a muddy taplash swill, Neglecting sack?
c.1648. Eng. Ballads [Brit. Mus., C. 22, e, 2.67]. 'No Money, no Friend.' Each Tap-lach . . . Would cringe and bow, and swear to be My Servant to Eternity.
1673. Parker, Reproof Rehear. Transp. iii. Did ever any man run such taplash as this at first broaching? Ibid. [Todd], Bandied up and down by the schoolmen, in their taplash disputes.
1793. O'Keefe, The London Hermit, i. 1. They've rare things at home, yet come drinking our Taplash.
Tap-pickle, subs. phr. (Scots).—'The
grain at the top of the
stalk' (T. F. Henderson). By
implication = a girl's maidenhead,
or even favour.
1786. Burns, Hallowe'en, vi. Her tap-pickle maist was lost When kittlin' in the fause-house wi' him that night.
Tappy. On the tappy, phr.
(common).—Under consideration;
on the tapis.
1690. Clarendon, Diary. [They] gave no votes in the matter which was upon the tapis.
Tap-shackled, adj. phr. (old).—Drunk;
see Screwed.
1610. Healey, Disc. New World, 82. Being truly tapp-shackled, mistook the window for the dore.
Tap-tub (The), subs. phr. (obsolete
literary).—The Morning
Advertiser: also The Gin and
Gospel Gazette.
1823. Bee, Dict. Turf, s.v. Tap-tub . . . Morning Advertiser . . . because that print catcheth the drippings of yesterday's news, and disheth it up anew.
Tar, subs. (old).—A sailor: also
tarpaulin (of which tar is an
abbreviation), Jack Tar (B. E.
and Grose), tarbreech (or
tarrybreeks), and tarbarrel.
Hence tar-terms (B. E.) =
'proper Sea Phrases or Words.'
Tar-hood = the navy.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneid, iv. 393. Fro the shoare late a runnygat hedgebrat, A tarbreeche quystroune dyd I take, with phrensye betrasshed.
1672. Phillips, Maronides, 117. A young tarpaulin Jack-a-lent.
1677. Wycherley, Plain Dealer, ii. 1. Dear tar, thy humble servant.
1695. Congreve, Love for Love, iii. 7. If I were a man—you durst not talk at this rate . . . you stinking tar-barrel.
[?]. Turkish Spy, i. The Archbishop of Bourdeaux is at present General of the French naval forces, who, though a priest, is yet permitted to turn tarpaulin and soldier.
1701. Brown, Works, i. 151. They'll provide for our tarrs, and settle the nation.
1706. Ward, Wooden World. 'To Reader.' The most glorious Piece of the Creation, called a tar.
1725. Bailey, Erasmus, 1. 277. Adol. If you won't consent we'll throw you and your Cabinet into the Sea together. Ant. Spoken like a Tarpaulin.
