subs. (venery).—The fundament. Hence BACKDOOR-TRUMPET = ARS MUSICA (see ARSE); BACKDOOR-TROT = diarrhœa; BACKDOOR-WORK (or BACKGAMMON) = sodomy; BACKDOOR’S-MAN (BACKGAMMON PLAYER, BACKGAMMONER [BEE], or GENTLEMAN OF THE BACKDOOR) = a sodomist.

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  1694.  MOTTEUX, Rabelais, IV. xliv. Joan’s BACK-DOOR was filthily puffing and roaring: So, for spite he bepiss’d her.

2

  1774.  BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 59. And Jove, for fear they should not all attend … Bid Fame … sound both her fore and BACK-DOOR TRUMPET.

3

  Adj. (old colloquial).—Clandestine; speciously secret: also BACKSTAIRS: e.g., BACKDOOR COUNSELLOR, BACKSTAIRS INFLUENCE (or WORK), etc.; orig. and spec. of underhand intrigue at Court, i.e., when the Sovereign is approached secretly by the private stairs of a palace instead of by the State entrance.

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  [1611.  SHAKESPEARE, Cymbeline, v. 3. 45. Hauing found the BACKE DOORE open Of the vnguarded hearts.]

5

  1618–21.  HORE, The History of Newmarket, i. 203. [A courtier] plies the BACKE-STAIRES.

6

  1641.  SIR E. DERING, Speeches on Religion, xi. 40. I hope we are not going up the BACK-STAIRS to Socinianisme.

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  1697.  VANBRUGH, The Relapse, II. 1. Like a BACKSTAIR minister at Court, who, while favourites are sauntering in the bedchamber, is ruling in the closet.

8

  1700.  LAW, Proposals and Reasons for Constituting a Council of Trade in Scotland (1751), 276. Their BACK DOOR to let in mischief.

9

  1768.  GOLDSMITH, Good-natured Man, ii. Is he not a BACKSTAIRS FAVOURITE—one that can do what he pleases with those that do what they please.

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  1770.  BURKE, Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents [Works (1842), I. 131]. A BACK-STAIRS INFLUENCE and clandestine government.

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  1805.  JEFFERSON, Writings (1830), IV. 46. Our BACK-DOOR COUNSELLORS.

12

  1809.  MALKIN, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 291. You are no novice in BACKSTAIRS INFLUENCE.

13

  1877.  GRENVILLE MURRAY, Round about France, 77. These men are the most indefatigable retailers of BACKSTAIRS small talk.

14

  1882.  L. STEPHEN, Swift, 110. The BACK-STAIRS PLOTS by which the administration of his friends was hampered.

15

  1888.  Truth, 26 April. There is no rule of the service so strict that it will not yield to BACKSTAIRS, or other INFLUENCE.

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  1901.  Referee, 7 April, 1, 1. The Paul Prys of the Press—who used to be in the BACK-STAIRS LINE,… now are generally recruited from the carriage company.

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