subs. phr. (common).—1. A half-burnt plug of tobacco left in the bowl of a pipe.
2. (colloquial).—A lingering antique.
1846. DICKENS, Dombey and Son, x. 79. An old campaigner, sir, said the Major, a smoke-dried, sun-burnt, used-up, invalided OLD DOG of a Major, sir.
Adj. phr. (old).—Particularly good.
1596. NASHE, Have with You to Saffron-Walden, Epis. Ded. par. 5. O, he hath been OLDE DOGGE at that drunken, staggering kinde of verse.
1664. BUTLER, Hudibras, II. iii. 5, 208. He (Sidrophel) was OLD DOG at physiology.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. OLD-DOG-at-it, good or expert. Ibid. OLD-DOG-AT-COMMON-PRAYER, a poor Hackney that cou’d Read, but not Preach well.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
