1894. Argus, 26 Jan., 3, 5. To-day Tassy—as most Victorian cricketers and footballers familiarly term our neighbour over the straits—will send a team into the field.
Taste, verb. (venery).—To know
carnally; to enjoy (q.v.).
Hence tasty-bit (or morsel) =
a juicy wench (q.v.).
1602. Shakspeare, Othello, iii. 3. 345. I had been happy, if the general camp . . . had tasted her sweet body, So I had nothing known. Ibid. (1605), Cymbeline, ii. 4. 57. If you can make't apparent That you have tasted her in bed, my hand And ring is yours.
1628. Earle, Micro-cosmog., 1. A Childe is a Man in a small Letter, yet the best Copie of Adam before hee tasted of Eve, or the Apple.
1638. Carew, Counsel to a Young Maid, No. 2 [Ebsworth, 22]. So shalt thou be despis'd, fair maid, When by the sated lover tasted.
d. 1704. Brown, Works, i. 74. Then having let us see, pray let us taste Those dear conceal'd Delights below the Waste.
Taste of the Creature, subs. phr. (old).—A dram; a drink; esp. of whiskey. See Crater, and add quots., infra.
c. 1570. Pride and Lowliness. The creature [wine] of the proper kind Was good, though use offenden therewithal.
1604. Shakspeare, Othello, ii. 3. 313. Come, come, good wine is a good familiar creature, if it be well us'd.
1638. Penkethman, Artach., Kiij. The moderate use of the Creature, and sparing Dyet, which is very little practised.
1690. Dryden, Amphit., iii. 1. My master took too much of the creature last night.
1694. Motteux, Rabelais, v. xxxvi. This was the place where we were to have a taste of the creature.
1758. Smollett, Fathom, xiii. The German . . . never went to bed without a full dose of the creature.
1827. Hone, Ev. Day Book, ii. 286. His followers . . . take a little crathur.
1888. Standard, 14 Aug., 2. Says he, 'Maggie,' have a drop of the Cratur.
A nasty taste in one's mouth, subs. phr. (colloquial).—An unpleasant feeling: regret, loathing, anxiety, etc.
1899. Whiteing, John St., xxv. Never before have I heard such a speech . . . 'Sort o' gives a nasty taste in your mouth,' says Low Covey.
Taster, subs. (colloquial).—A
small quantity; a taste: in quot.
a small glass of ice-cream.
1901. D. Tel., 21 May, 10. The irate signor . . . produced—not a halfpenny taster for the policeman, but a tattered copy of a work called 'Law without Lawyers.'
Tasty, adj. (common).—1. Full-flavoured
(q.v.); nutty
(q.v.); spicy (q.v.); thick
(q.v.). Hence (2) of the best;
ripping (q.v.).
1897. Marshall, Pomes, 31. He's fond of something tasty . . . me and him was spliced last Monday week.
1899. Whiteing, John St., vii. Nice and tastey, observes my friend . . . as he points to a leg that seems to fear nothing on earth . . . not even Lord Campbell's Act.
Tat, subs. (Old Cant).—1. In pl.
= dice. Whence tat box = a
dice box; tat-monger (or
tatogey) = a sharper or cheat
using loaded dice; tat's-man =
a dicing gambler; tat-shop = a
gambling den (B. E. and Grose):
see Ivories.
1887. Henley, Villon's Straight Tip. Rattle the tats, or mark the spot.
2. (Old Cant).—A rag: milky tats = white linen. Also as verb
to collect rags; and tatter
a rag-gatherer.
1851-61. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., i. 417. He goes tatting and billy-hunting in the country. Ibid., 424. I'll tell you about the tat-gatherers, buying rags they call it, but I call it bouncing people.
