subs. (common). A bed. Cf., DOWNY FLEA PASTURE.

1

  1857.  A. TROLLOPE, The Three Clerks, ch. ix. I’ve a deal to do before I get to my DOWNY.… Good night, Mr. Scott.

2

  Adj. (common).—Artful; KNOWING (q.v., for synonyms). [Cf., DOWN, adv., sense 2, of which DOWNY is a derivative.]

3

  1823.  W. T. MONCRIEFF, Tom and Jerry, Act ii., Sc. 3. Bob. You’re a DOWNEY von—you’ll not give a chance avay if you knows it.

4

  1842.  Punch, vol. II., p. 217, col. 2.

5

  1849.  DICKENS, David Copperfield, ch. xxii., p. 198. Up to mischief, I’ll be bound. Oh, you’re a DOWNY fellow.

6

  1849.  THACKERAY, Pendennis, ch. x. I’m not clever, p’r’aps, but I am rather DOWNY; and partial friends say I know what’s o’clock tolerably well.

7

  1860.  Punch, vol. XXXVIII., ‘That ’Ere ’Oss’ p. 230.

        The ’tother party named ten pound:
  You never come across
A cove more DOWNIER, I ’ll be bound.
  But you knows that ’ere ’oss.

8

  1869.  H. J. BYRON, Not Such a Fool as He Looks [French’s acting edition], p. 12. Sharp old skinflint, DOWNY old robber as he is, he’s under Jane Mould’s thumb.

9

  TO DO THE DOWNY.—See DO.

10