subs. (various).—1. Used in humorous or sarcastic combination: e.g., OIL OF ANGELS = a gift or bribe (in allusion to the coin); OIL OF BARLEY = beer; OIL OF BASTON (BIRCH, GLADNESS, HAZEL, HOLLY, ROPE, STIRRUP, STRAPPEM, or WHIP) = a beating; OIL OF GIBLETS (or HORN) = a woman’s spendings (BUTTER, q.v.; LETCHWATER, q.v.); OIL OF MAN (COTGRAVE) = the semen; OIL OF PALMS (or PALM-OIL) = a bribe; OIL OF TONGUE = flattery.
1592. GREENE, Repentance, etc. Sig C. My Mother pampered me so long, and secretly helped mee to the OYLE OF ANGELS, that I grew thereby prone to all mischefs.
1608. WITHALS, Dictionary, 308, s.v. OIL OF BASTON.
1608. Penniles Parliament, in Harleian Miscellany (ed. PARK), I., 183. The OIL OF HOLLY shall prove a present remedy for a shrewd housewife.
1609. DEKKER, Ravens Almanacke, in Wks. (GROSART), IV. 202. To apply … the OILE OF HOLLY to her shoulders, I heatherto was affraide, because I had no warrant that a man might lawfullye beate his wife.
1623. MASSINGER, The Duke of Milan, iii. 2.
| His stripes wash’d off | |
| With OIL OF ANGELS. |
c. 1650. The Bad Husband [COLLIER, Roxburghe Ballads (1847), 300].
| She’d tell me it was too early, | |
| or else it was too late, | |
| Until by the OYL OF BARLEY | |
| they had gotten my whole estate. |
1662. FULLER, The History of the Worthies of England, ‘The Beggars of Bath.’ And although OIL OF WHIP be the proper plaister for the cramp of laziness, yet some pity is due to impotent persons.
1693. Poor Robin [NARES].
| Now for to cure such a disease as this, | |
| The OYL OF WHIP the surest medicine is. |
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. OYL OF BARLEY, Strong Drink.
1715. CENTLIVRE, Wife Well Managed, sc. 5.
| Don. Pif. When Wives, like mine, gives Inclination Scope, | |
| No cure for Cuckoldom like OYL OF ROPE. |
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v. OIL OF BARLEY, barley broth, strong beer.—Ibid. OIL OF GLADNESS, I will anoint you with the OIL OF GLADNESS, ironically spoken for, I will beat you.—Ibid. OIL OF STIRRUP, a Dose the cobler gives his wife, when ever she is Obstropulus.
1819. T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, 81.
| OIL OF PALM’S the thing that flowing, | |
| Sets the naves and felloes going. |
1823. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue [EGAN], s.v. OIL OF PALMS. Money.
1840. BULWER-LYTTON, Paul Clifford, viii. I dare say you may manage to soften the justice’s sentence by a little OIL OF PALMS.
1854. Punch, ii. 168. OIL OF PALMS.—Metaphora vetustissima. A specific much in vogue for rigid fingers and horny fistedness; though strange to say, it only serves to augment the itch which so often affects the hand.
1879. DICKENS, Jr., Dictionary of London, s.v. SIGHT-SEEING. The enterprising sight-seer who proceeds on this plan, and who understands the virtues of PALM OIL, is sure to see everything he cares to see.
2. (venery).—The semen: see CREAM.
1647–80. ROCHESTER, The Imperfect Enjoyment.
| Only too hasty Zeal my Hopes did soil, | |
| Pressing to feed her Lamp, I spilt my OIL. |
Verb. (common).—To flatter; to bribe.
1616. JONSON, The Devil is an Ass, iii. 1.
| They’ll part, sir, with no books, without the haut-gout | |
| He OIL’D: and I must furnish. |
1877. W. THORNBURY, in Gentleman’s Magazine, Jan., 85. Passed my things through the Custom-house quickly, having first OILED the douanier’s hands.
1881. DORAN, In and About Drury Lane, ii. 62. Sir Edward had OILED the palms of men-servants and clerks to the tune of eighty shillings.
1891. J. NEWMAN, Scamping Tricks, 95. After OILING him a little, and pleasing him in the old-fashioned way, we managed to overcome the natural dulness of his mind.
TO STRIKE OIL (or ILE), verb. phr. (American).—To meet with a stroke of good luck; to be successful. [From the financial advantage accruing from the discovery of the Pennsylvanian and other mineral oil springs.]
1866. The Saturday Review, 6 Jan. Here the ingenious and industrious explorer constantly STRIKES ILE, and of the very best quality.
1894. Sketch, 28 March, 462, 1. You were speaking just now of ‘Babil and Bijou’ having been a financial failure, but I suppose you have STRUCK ILE sometimes?
TO OIL THE KNOCKER, verb. phr. (common).—To fee the porter. Fr. graisser le marteau.
