Mike

subs. (common).—1.  An Irishman.

  2.  See MIKER.

  3.  See MICKY.

  Verb. (common).—1.  To lurk; to skulk; to hang about: also TO DO A MIKE (or MOUCH). Also MICH, MICHE, MOOCH, or MOUCH. For synonyms, see LOAF.

  149[?].  Towneley Mysteries (‘Judicium’), Surtees Society’s Publication (1835), p. 320. The negons thai MOWCHID, and hadde no wile.

  1598.  FLORIO, A Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Fare a chetichegli. … to sneake or MICH about lurkingly.

  1596.  SPENSER, A View of the Present State of Ireland. [Encyclopædic Dictionary]. ‘Straggle up and down the country, or MICH in corners amongst their friends idlely.’

  1612.  CHAPMAN, The Widow’s Tears, v. 1 [DODSLEY, Old Plays (REED) vi. 212].

  1613.  BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, The Honest Man’s Fortune, v. 1. Mal. Say we should all MEACH here, and stay the Feast now, what can the worst be? we have plaid the knaves, that’s without question.

  1825.  P. EGAN, The Life of an Actor, p. 28. MIKE or Shammock. Technical or cant phrases amongst printers. To have a MIKE is to loiter away the time, when it might be more usefully or profitably employed.

  1851–61.  H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, i. p. 472. These hedge fellows are slow and dull; they go MOUCHING along as if they were croaking themselves.

  1876.  C. HINDLEY, ed. The Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, p. 59. When not so employed ‘MOUCHED’ about.

  1887.  W. E. HENLEY, Villon’s Good-Night. You sponges MIKING round the pubs.

  1888.  Cornhill Magazine, Feb., p. 178. The poacher is a product of sleepy village life, and usually MOUCHES on the outskirts of country towns.

  1888.  BOLDREWOOD, Robbery under Arms, xxii. MOOCHING about cattle.

  2.  (old).—To play truant; to CHARLEY-WAG (q.v.).

  1581.  J. LYLY, Euphues, 29. What made the gods so often to trewant from heaven, and MICH here on earth.

  1787.  GROSE, A Provincial Glossary, etc., s.v. MOOCH.

  3.  (tramps’).—To hang about: for alms, a job, or a chance to pilfer. Also ON THE MOUCH.

  1888.  Daily Telegraph, 27 Nov. Yet it might safely be wagered that, while the poor street folk who pick up a precarious livelihood in this way would not resent being called costermongers, they would be bitterly offended at being stigmatised as mouchers, and would hotly assert that they never MOUCHED a penny from anybody.

  1888.  Indoor Paupers, i. Most of these people knew how to MOUCH or beg with skill and effect, while I could not beg at all.

  1888.  Bulletin, Nov. 24. All the dead-beats and suspected hen-snatchers plead when before the Bench that they were ‘only MOUCHING ROUND to find out whether the family neglected its religious dooties, yer washup.’

  4.  (old).—To steal.

  1655.  History of Francion [NARES]. The eagle more mindfull of prey than honour, did one day MOOTCH from the thunder which lame Vulcan had made, as crooked as himself, for almighty Jupiter.

  1862.  H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, iv. 418. I don’t mean to say that if I see anything laying about handy that I don’t MOUCH it (i.e., steal it).