Man

subs. (once literary: now vulgar).—1.  A husband; a lover: generally ‘my MAN.’

  c. 1369.  CHAUCER, Troilus and Criseyde, iv. 447.

  d. 1437.  JAMES I. (of Scotland), King’s Quhair, ii. 44.

  c. 1719.  ADDISON, The Ladies’ Association. In the next place, every wife ought to answer for her MAN.

  1788.  R. GALLOWAY, Poems, p. 124, ‘The Gudeman of Ballangeich.’

  2.  (common).—The ‘head’ or obverse of a coin used in tossing: cf. WOMAN.

  1828.  BADCOCK (‘Jon Bee’), Living Picture of London, 241. The person calling for MAN or ‘woman.’

  3.  (old university).—See quot.

  1811.  GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. MAN (Cambridge). Any undergraduate from fifteen to thirty. As a MAN of Emanuel—a young member of Emanuel.

  Verb. (venery).—To possess a woman. For synonyms, see GREENS and RIDE.

  DEAD MAN, subs. phr. (old).—A supernumerary.

  1659–60.  PEPYS, Diary, 8 March. Philip Holland … told me to have five or six servants entered on board as DEAD MEN, and I to give them what wages I pleased, and so their pay to be mine.

  MAN ALIVE! phr. (common).—A mode of salutation. Used in remonstrance or surprise.

  MAN OF MANY MORNS, subs. phr. (Scots’).—A procrastinator.

  MAN OF THE WORLD, subs. phr. (old: now colloquial).—See quot.

  1811.  GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v. MAN OF THE WORLD. A knowing man.

  MAN-FRIDAY, subs. (common).—A factotum. [From the character in Robinson Crusoe.]

  MAN-A-HANGING, subs. (old).—A man in difficulties.

  THE MAN IN THE MOON, subs. phr. (political).—1.  A mythical personage who finds money for electioneering, and for such electors as vote straight.

  1866.  Totness Election Petition, ‘Evidence of Mr. Rob. Harris.’ I have had to deal with unknown gentlemen at Totnes before. A MAN IN THE MOON is the natural consequence of a Totnes election.

  1881.  Contemporary Review, xxxix. 869. My labourers were paid in a public-house in the town by a man from behind a screen, who was invisible; after the fashion of the MAN IN THE MOON, who pays bribes at elections.

  1884.  Graphic, 9 Aug., p. 123, col. 1. What would Mr. Schnadhorst and the Six Hundred say if they were deprived of their favourite occupation because a few weak-kneed fellow-townsmen had been caught pocketing the guineas of some MAN IN THE MOON.

  1889.  Daily Telegraph, 25 Nov. Formerly bribery and corruption were personal. On or before the election day a mysterious stranger descended on the town, and took up his abode in a retired chamber of a private inn. The word was sent round, and there repaired to his presence quietly, and one by one, those undecided electors who were reported to have an itching palm. In many boroughs this stranger was called The MAN IN THE MOON, perhaps on account of the ‘silver lining’ to the voters’ pockets which resulted from his hidden rays.

  2.  (old).—A dolt. For synonyms, see BUFFLE and CABBAGE-HEAD.

  1621–8.  LAUD, Sermons, p. 17 (ed. 1847). ‘And all the Kings of the gentiles shall do homage to their King.’ Good God, what a fine people have we here? MEN IN THE MOON.

  IF MY AUNT HAD BEEN MY UNCLE SHE’D HAVE BEEN A MAN (or HAD A PAIR OF BALLS UNDER HER ARSE), phr. (old).—Said in derision of a ridiculous surmise:—‘If wishes were horses, beggars would ride’; ‘If pigs had wings, what lovely birds they’d make!’

  1767.  RAY, Proverbs [BOHN (1893), 167], s.v.

  HE’LL BE A MAN BEFORE HIS MOTHER. See MOTHER.

  TO GO OUT AND SEE A MAN, verb. phr. (common).—To drink: an excuse for a glass.

  THE MAN IN THE STREET, phr. (common).—Everybody.

  1868.  WHYTE-MELVILLE, The White Rose, ch. xlvii. The moment the door closed, Burton’s face assumed an expression of deep and friendly concern. ‘Jerry,’ said he, ‘I didn’t come here at early dawn only to tell you what the MAN IN THE STREET says.’

  1889.  Pall Mall Gazette, 6 Nov., p. 1, col. 3. The Swaziland question, which has been smouldering in Government offices and between the covers of Bluebooks for the last twelve years, has reached the flaming point when THE MAN IN THE STREET begins to turn round and look and wonder what is the matter in Swaziland.

  1892.  National Observer, 20 Aug., p. 355, c. 1. He tells you little or nothing that is not familiar to THE MAN IN THE STREET.

  TO GET BEHIND A MAN, verb. phr. (common).—To endorse a bill.

  THE FRUIT THAT MADE MAN WISE, phr. (old).—Copulation.

  1605.  MARSTON, The Insatiate Countesse, iii.

  OLD MAN, subs. phr.—An employer; a chief; the GOVERNOR (q.v.), the father of a family. Also, a husband.

  1847.  HOWITT, Journal, 187. To begin with the captain. He was a first-rate OLD MAN as far as good treatment and good living went.

  THE SICK MAN, subs. phr. (literary).—Turkey.

  MAN ABOUT TOWN, subs. phr. (colloquial).—See quot.

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. MAN O’ TH’ TOWN, a Lew’d Spark, or very Debaushe.

  1785.  GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.

  MAN OF KENT, subs. phr. (common).—See quot. 1787.

  1787.  GROSE, A Provincial Glossary, etc. (1811), p. 72. All the inhabitants of Kent, east of the river Medway, are called MEN OF KENT, from the story of their having retained their ancient privileges, particularly those of gavel-kind, by meeting William the Conqueror at Swanscomb-bottom; each man, besides his arms, carrying a green bough in his hand; by this contrivance concealing their number under the appearance of a moving wood. The rest of the inhabitants of the county are stiled Kentish-men.

  1861.  REV. E. BRADLEY (‘Cuthbert Bede’), Our New Rector, ch. x. p. 104. ‘And the MEN OF KENT, you know, were never conquered!—ar’n’t we just proud of that!’

  A MAN OR A MOUSE, phr. (old).—Something or nothing (FLORIO); one on the other.

  c. 1541.  The Schole-house of Women, 385 [HAZLITT, Remains of the Early Popular Poetry of England (1866), IV. 119].

  NINE TAILORS MAKE A MAN. See NINTH.

  THE LITTLE MAN IN THE BOAT, subs. phr. (venery).—The clitoris. See BUTTON.