or salt-horse, subs. phr. (nautical).—1. Salt junk. Fr. sous-pied, and tire-fiacre.
1889. Chambers’s Journal, 3 Aug., 495. Mr. Clark Russell declares that SALT-HORSE works out of the pores, and contributes to that mahogany complexion common to sailors, which is often mistakenly attributed to rum and weather.
2. (American).—An endearment: a familiar address. See OLD, adj., sense 4. Also OLD HOSS.
1884. S. L. CLEMENS (‘Mark Twain’), The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, xvii. Are you all ready? All right—come along, OLD HOSS.
1888. A. C. GUNTER, Mr. Potter of Texas, 123. Lubbins, OLD ’OS, is that ’ere lunch ready?
1893. P. H. EMERSON, Signor Lippo, xiv. Well, OLD HOSS, how are you, and how’s the world been playing on yer since I last vardied yer? Alright, mate.
