Nutmegs

subs. (venery).—The testes; THE CODS (q.v.).—GROSE (1785); HALLIWELL (1847).

  16[?].  History of Jack Horner (1697), p. 13.

  WOODEN NUTMEGS, subs. phr. (American).—See quot. 1872.

  1871.  Congress-Globe, March [DE VERE, 620]. I leave the honorable gentleman from Massachusetts to his WOODEN NUTMEGS and silver spoons; he will receive his deserts before the people are done with him.

  1872.  DE VERE, Americanisms, 620, s.v. NUTMEGS, when made of wood, as were those immortalized by Sam Slick, have become so familiar to the public mind, that they have passed into a slang term for any cunning deception. Not only is Connecticut called the NUTMEG State—although a factious native says the true reason is ‘because you will have to look for a grater,’—but in the press and in Congress WOODEN NUTMEGS have to answer for forged telegrams, political tricks and falsified election-returns.