[f. as prec.] An office concerned with the victualling of ships, esp. of ships of the Royal Navy.
1668. Extr. St. P. rel. Friends, III. (1912), 278. The Place was originally called Maison de diew, but now his Ma[jes]tis victualing office in this Port is seated there.
1710. C. Shadwell, Fair Quaker Deal, I. i. 9. We … pry into the Rogueries of the Victualling-Office.
1757. W. Thompson, R. N. Advoc., 48. The Labourers of Portsmouth Victualling Office are … employed in extra Hours.
1751. Eng. Gazetteer, I. s.v., Dover.… The courts of chancery, admiralty, &c. relating to them all, are kept in St. James’s Ch., and here are a custom-house and victualling-office.
1827. Scott, Chron. Canongate, iii. Now, my wife had keepit a victualling office.
1834. Encycl. Metrop. (1845), VI. 350. The Victualling Office at Plymouth is now brought almost into juxta-position with it [sc. the Dockyard].
b. Boxing slang. The stomach.
1751. Smollett, Per. Pic., c. He … found it impracticable to smite his antagonist upon the victualling office.
1785. Grose, Dict. Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1820. Sporting Mag., VI. 80. Spring put in a heavy claim on his opponent’s victualling office.
