subs. (venery).—1. The female pubes. Whence (2) generic for the sex: e.g., AFTER HAIR = in quest of a woman; PLENTY OF HAIR = lots of girls; HAIR TO SELL = a woman with a price; HAIR-MONGER = a wencher; BIT OF HAIR = the sexual favour. For synonyms, see FLEECE.
TO GO AGAINST THE HAIR, verb. phr. (old colloquial).—To go against the grain, or contrary to nature. [From the texture of furs.]
1589. NASHE, Martin’s Months Minde (GROSART), i., 188. For hee euer WENT AGAINST THE HAIRE.
1596. SHAKESPEARE, Merry Wives of Windsor, ii. 3. If you should fight, you GO AGAINST THE HAIR of your professions.
1661. MIDDLETON, The Mayor of Quinborough, C. P. xi., 122. Books in women’s hands are as much AGAINST THE HAIR, methinks, as to see men wear stomachers, or night-railes.
BOTH OF A HAIR, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Very much alike. Also, two of a trade, and two in a tale.
TO A HAIR, adv. phr. (colloquial).—Exactly; to a nicety. Cf., TO FIT TO A HAIR = to fit perfectly.
1697. VANBRUGH, Æsop, i., 1. Here was a young gentlewoman but just now pencilled me out TO A HAIR.
1738. SWIFT, Polite Conversation. Miss. Well I love a Lyar with all my Heart; and you FIT ME TO A HAIR.
1891. W. C. RUSSELL, An Ocean Tragedy, p. 30. The fellow FITS my temper TO A HAIR.
TO SPLIT HAIRS, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To cavil about trifles; to quibble; to be overnice in argument.
1693. CONGREVE, The Old Bachelor, ii., 2. Now, I must speak; it will SPLIT A HAIR by the Lord Harry.
SUIT OF HAIR, subs. phr. (American).—A HEAD OF HAIR (q.v.).
TO RAISE (or LIFT) HAIR, verb. phr. (American).—To scalp; hence, idiomatically, to defeat; to kill. TO KEEP ONE’S HAIR = to escape a danger.
1848. RUXTON, Life in the Far West, p. 194. Kit Carson … had RAISED MORE HAIR from the red-skins than any two men in the Western country.
1890. A. C. GUNTER, Miss Nobody of Nowhere, p. 101. If you’ll take the chances of KEEPING YOUR HAIR.
TO COMB ONE’S HAIR, verb. phr. (common).—To castigate; TO MONKEY (q.v.). See COMB ONE’S HAIR, ante.
TO HOLD (or KEEP) ONE’S HAIR (or WOOL) ON, verb. phr. (common).—To keep one’s temper; to avoid excitement; to take easily. Also TO KEEP ONE’S SHIRT ON, or TO PULL DOWN ONE’S JACKET (or VEST). Fr., être calme et inodore.
1885. BRET HARTE, A Ship of ’49, ch. vi. ‘But what the devil——’ interrupted the young man impetuously. ‘KEEP YER HAIR ON!’ remonstrated the old man with dark intelligence.
1892. MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, p. 78. Do KEEP YOUR ’AIR ON, dear pal.
1892. Cassell’s Saturday Journal, 5 Oct., p. 45, c. 1. ‘Who make devil’s row like that all night?’ he asked. ‘KEEP YOUR HAIR ON, Moses Trinko,’ replied the reception officer, cheerily.
A HAIR OF THE BLACK BEAR (or B’AR), subs. phr. (American).—A spice of the devil.
1848. RUXTON, Life in the Far West, p. 16. Thar was old grit in him, too, and a HAIR OF THE BLACK B’AR at that.
TO GET ONE’S HAIR CUT, verb. phr. (venery).—To visit a woman; TO SEE A SICK FRIEND (q.v.). For synonyms, see GREENS and RIDE.
1892. T. A. GUTHRIE (‘F. Anstey’), Mr. Punch’s Model Music-Hall Songs & Dramas, 154. Tommy. What, Uncle, going? The W. U. (with assumed jauntiness). Just TO GET MY HAIR CUT!
TO MAKE ONE’S HAIR STAND ON END, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To astonish.
1697. VANBRUGH, The Provoked Wife, iv., 4. It’s well you are come: I’m so frightened, MY HAIR STANDS ON END.
1886. J. S. WINTER, Army Society, ch. iii. If I were to tell you some incidents of my life since you and I last met, I should make your HAIR STAND ON END.
A HAIR OF THE DOG THAT BIT YOU, subs. phr. (common).—A ‘pick-me-up’ after a debauch. [Apparently a memory of the superstition, which was and still is common, that, being bitten by a dog, one cannot do better than pluck a handful of hair from him, and lay it on the wound. Also figuratively, see quot. 1888.]
1531. BOVILLUS, Proverbiorum vulgarium, ii., xvi. siècle, t. i., p. 102.
| Du poil de la beste qui te mordis, | |
| Ou de son sanc seras guéris. |
1646. HEYWOOD, Proverbs [1874], 79.
| What how fellow, thou knave, | |
| I pray thee let me and my fellow have | |
| A HAIRE OF THE DOG THAT BIT US last night. | |
| And bitten were we both to the braine aright. |
1614. JONSON, Bartholomew Fair, I. ’Twas a hot night with some of us, last night, John: shall we pluck a HAIR OF THE SAME WOLF to-day, proctor John?
1738. SWIFT, Polite Conversation, Dial. 2. Lady Gur. But, Sir John, your ale is terrible strong and heady … Sir John. Why? indeed, it is apt to fox one; but our way is to take a HAIR OF THE SAME DOG next morning.
1841. DICKENS, Barnaby Rudge, ch. lii. Put a good face upon it, and drink again. Another HAIR OF THE DOG THAT BIT YOU, captain!
1888. Detroit Free Press. ‘Talk of the Day,’ 3 Nov. Travis.—‘Hello, De Smith! You’re looking better than I expected. I understood that you were completely crushed by that love affair. How did you recover?’ De Smith—‘HAIR OF THE DOG THAT BIT ME. Fell in love with another girl.’
