subs. (common).—1. A confirmed tippler: also BEER-BARREL. Whence BARREL-HOUSE (American) = a low groggery; BARREL-FEVER = drunkenness (or disease caused by tippling): see GALLON-DISTEMPER; BARREL-BOARDER = a bar loafer.
1888. Missouri Republican, 11 Feb. The West-Side police are still arresting BARREL-HOUSE loafers in the hope of catching an expert cracksman among them.
2. (American political).—Money used in a political campaign; spec. that expended for corrupt purposes: cf. BOODLE. Hence BARREL-CAMPAIGN = an election in which bribery is a leading feature. [A wealthy candidate for office (c. 1876) is said to have remarked, ‘Let the boys know that there’s a BAR’L o’ money ready for ’em,’ or words to that effect.]
1884. Boston (Mass.) Journal, 1 Nov., 1. We are accustomed to BARREL-CAMPAIGNS here … the Democrats depend upon carrying it with money.
1888. Florida Times Union, 11 Feb., 4. Mr. Flower was the nominal candidate of the anti-Cleveland men four years ago, and with the aid of his BARREL they achieved some show of success.
NEVER (or THE DEVIL) A BARREL THE BETTER HERRING, phr. (old).—Much alike, not a pin to choose between them; six of one and half a dozen of the other. Also NEITHER (or LIKE) BARREL NOR HERRING = neither; THE SAME HERRING (or BRAN) AND BARREL = identical; THE SAME KIDNEY (q.v.).
1542. UDALL, The Apophthegmes of Erasmus, 187. Two feloes being like flagicious, and NEITHER BARELL BETTER HERRING, accused either other.
1579. GOSSON, The Schoole of Abuse, 32. Therefore of BOTH BARRELLES I judge Cookes and Painters THE BETTER HEARING.
1582. STANYHURST, Æneid, ii. 56. I lyk NOT BARREL OR HEARING.
[1659. GANDEN, Tears of the Church, 245. They disdain to pay any more civility or outward respect to their minister than they challenge to themselves, or than they give to their meanest comrades, which are of the SAME BRAN AND BARRELL with themselves.]
1725. N. BAILEY, trans. The Colloquies of Erasmus, 373, Similes habebant “THE DEVIL A BARREL THE BETTER HERRING,” (labra lactucas = ‘like lips, like lettuces’).
1749. FIELDING, Tom Jones, X. v. “NEVER A BARREL THE BETTER HERRING,” cries he … the lady in the fine garments is the civiler of the two; but I suspect neither of them are a bit better than they should be.”
1789. WALPOLE, Letter to Hannah More, in Letters (1820), 4 Nov., iv. 490. Vive la reine Billingsgate! the Thalestris who has succeeded Louis quatorze. A committee of those Amazons stopped the duke of Orleans, who, to use their style, I believe is NOT A BARREL BETTER HERRING.
