subs. (theatrical).—(1) A leading or principal part; (2) the person who plays it.
FRIENDLY LEAD, subs. (thieves’).—An entertainment—sing-song, dance, or drinking party—got up to assist a friend IN TROUBLE (q.v.). Fr. une bouline.
1851–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, vol. iii. p. 164. ‘We went to a public-house where they were having a LEAD, that is a collection for a friend who is ill, and the company throw down what they can for a subscription, and they have in a fiddle and make it social.’
1871. Daily Telegraph, 4 Dec. They distribute tickets for a FRIENDLY LEAD, for the benefit of Bill, who is ‘just out of his trouble.’
1889. Cassell’s Saturday Journal, 5 Jan. The men frequently club together in a FRIENDLY LEAD to help a brother in distress.
1892. Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday, 2 April, p. 106, col. 3. My father takes the chair at FRIENDLY LEADS.
TO LEAD APES IN HELL, verb. phr. (old).—The employment jocularly assigned to old maids in hell.
1575. GASCOIGNE, The Adventures of Master F. J. [HAZLITT (1869), Poems, i. 463]. I am afrayde my marryage will be marred, and I may go LEAD APES IN HELL.
1579. J. LYLY, Euphues (ARBER), 87. Rather thou shouldest leade a lyfe to thine owne lyking in earthe, than … LEADE APES IN HELL.
1600. SHAKESPEARE, Much Ado about Nothing, ii. 1. Therefore I will even take sixpence in earnest of the bear-herd, and LEAD HIS APES INTO HELL.
1605. The London Prodigal, i. 1.
| ’Tis an old proverb, and you know it well, | |
| That women dying maids, LEAD APES IN HELL. |
1870. RAY, Proverbs [BOHN (1893), 45]. Old maids LEAD APES IN HELL.
1717. CENTLIVRE, A Bold Stroke for a Wife, ii. 1. Poor girl; she must certainly LEAD APES, as the saying is.
1830. T. P. THOMPSON, Exercises, Political and Others, in Westminster Review, 1 Jan. (1842), I. 198. Joining with other old women, in LEADING THEIR APES IN TARTARUS.
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends, ‘Bloudie Jacke of Shrewsberrie.’ So they say she is now LEADING APES … below.
