subs. (old).—An act of theft. Cf., old proverb, ‘to go out to shear and come home shorn.’ For synonyms, see SKIN.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew. FLEECE, to Rob, Plunder, or strip.
1703. CENTLIVRE, The Beau’s Duel, ii., 2. Had a FLEECE at his purse.
2. (venery).—The female pubic hair. Fr. toison (BAUDELAIRE); It: barbiglioni (FLORIO). For foreign synonyms, see MOTT.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS.—Banner (D’URFEY); bandoliers (old); beard; bearskin; belly-bristles; belly-thicket; belly-whiskers; Boskage of Venus; broom; brush; bush; cat-skin; cloverfield; cunny-skin (D’URFEY); Cupid’s Arbour; cunt-curtain; damber-, dilberry-, gooseberry-, furze-, quim-, or whin-bush; down; Downshire; front-doormat; feather (Prior and Moore); fluff; forest (Donne); fud (Burns); fur; fur-below (old catch); ‘grove of eglantine’ (Carew); hedge on the dyke; lower-wig (Burton); moss; mott-carpet; mustard-and-cress; nether eye-brow (or -lashes); nether-whiskers; parsley (D’URFEY); plush; quim-whiskers; quim-wig; scut (Shakespeare); shaving-brush (cf., LATHER); scrubbing-brush; shrubbery; sporran; stubble (see POINTER); sweet-briar; thatch; tail-feathers; ‘toupee’; ‘tufted honours’; twat-rug.
Verb (now recognised).—To cheat; to shear or be shorn (as a sheep).
1593. NASHE, Christ’s Teares, in wks. (GROSART) IV. 140. Tell me (almost) what gentleman hath been cast away at sea, or disasterly souldiourizd it by lande, but they (usurers) have enforst him thereunto by their FLEECING.
1598. SHAKESPEARE, 1 Henry IV., ii. 2. Down with them: FLEECE them!
1620. DEKKER, His Dreame, in wks. (GROSART) III. 52.
| Catchpolles, and varlets, who did poore men FLEECE | |
| (To their undoing) for a twelve-peny peece. |
1712. ARBUTHNOT, The History of John Bull, pt. IV., ch. ii. When a poor man has almost undone himself for thy sake, thou art for FLEECING him.
1822. SCOTT, The Fortunes of Nigel, ch. xxiii. He is now squeezed and FLEECED by them on every pretence.
1836. M. SCOTT, The Cruise of the Midge, p. 106. He was stabbed by the Ragamuffin he had FLEECED.
1849. THACKERAY, Pendennis, ch. xxxi. Bloundell is a professional blackleg, and travels the Continent, where he picks up young gentlemen of fashion and FLEECES them.
1859. Times, 25 Oct. ‘Review of Dean Ramsay’s Reminiscences.’ I don’t know whether they are black or white sheep, but I know that if they are long there they are pretty certain to be FLEECED.
1891. Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette, 16 Jan. How you would be FLEECED! You’ve got a lot to learn yet.
Hence FLEECED = ruined; DEAD-BROKE (q.v. for synonyms).
