subs. phr. (common).—The devil: see SKIPPER.

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  1861.  H. KINGSLEY, Ravenshoe, xxxvii. Hornby (who would, like Faust, have played chess with OLD GOOSEBERRY) allowed himself to be taken into a skittle-ground.

2

  TO PLAY OLD GOOSEBERRY, verb. phr. (common).—To play the devil.—GROSE (1785); BEE (1823).

3

  1819.  T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, 22. Will PLAY UP OLD GOOSEBERRY soon with them all.

4

  1835.  C. SELBY, Catching an Heiress, sc. 1. Go to the fair, get jolly, and PLAY UP OLD GOOSEBERRY.

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  1843.  R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends (Bloudie Jacke of Shrewsberrie).

                        There ’s a pretty to-do!
        All the people of Shrewsbury
        Playing OLD GOOSEBERRY
With your choice bits of taste and vertu.

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  1843.  DICKENS, Martin Chuzzlewit, xxxviii. I’ll PLAY OLD GOOSEBERRY with the office.

7

  1865.  H. KINGSLEY, The Hillyars and the Burtons, lxii. LAY ON LIKE OLD GOOSEBERRY.

8

  1892.  Globe, 12 July, 2, 2. We all know his capacity for PLAYING OLD GOOSEBERRY with things in general.

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