subs. (common).—1. A potato: cf. DONOVAN. Also MURPH.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS. Bog-orange; Donovan; Irish apricot; Munster-plum, or orange; murph; ruggin; spud; tatur.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1821. P. EGAN, Anecdotes of the Turf, 154. Mathews relished the Irish stews and MURPHIES.
1839. The Comic Almanack, 199. Having well roasted my MURPHY, I take him cum grano salis.
1842. Punch, ii. 214, col 2. A story that Raleigh first introduced the potato—meaning the MURPHY—into this country.
1856. T. HUGHES, Tom Brown’s School-days, pt. i. vi. ‘That’s our school-house tuck-shop—she bakes such stunning MURPHIES, we’ll have a penn’orth each for tea; come along, or they’ll all be gone.’
1856. The Leisure Hour, v. 3 Jan., p. 12, col. 2. Past the potato and coal shed, well known to the Irish labourer, who for twopence can get three pounds of ‘MURPHIES,’ and for a penny more buys seven pounds of coals to cook them with.
1869. THACKERAY, Peg of Limavaddy.
| Playing round the fire, | |
| Which of blazing turf is, | |
| Roaring to the pot | |
| Which bubbles with the MURPHIES. |
1888. Sporting Life, 10 Dec. Surround him with a stack of bottles of ale and a dish of MURPHIES.
2. (American).—An Irishman.
3. (colloquial).—Morpheus, i.e., sleep.
1748. SMOLLETT, Roderick Random, xvi. When MURFY sends his puppies to the heys of slipping mortals.
