subs., adj., and verb. (old).—1. Generic for wantonness. As subs. = (1) a wanton (also RIG-MUTTON and RIGSBY); (2) a drinking or wenching bout; (3) anything dubious, as a knock-out, a cross fight, a cheat; (4) an unscrupulous person; and (5) a half or whole gelding (see quots. 1647 and 1678). As verb. = (1) to play the wanton; (2) TO SPREE (q.v.); (3) to trick, to steal; and (4) to ride pick-a-back. Hence RIGGISH = wanton; RIGOLAGE = wantonness; TO RUN (PLAY or CARRY) A RIG = to play fast-and-loose; TO RIG THE MARKET = to raise or depress prices for one’s private advantage: hence to swindle; UP TO THE RIGS = expert, wide-awake, FLY (q.v.).—GROSE (1785).
c. 1320. Cursor Mundi, MS. Coll. Trin., Cantab., f. 1.
| In ryot and in RIGOLAGE | |
| Spende mony her ȝouthe and her age. |
1551. STILL, Gammer Gurton’s Needle, iii. 3 [DODSLEY, Old Plays (REED), ii. 43]. Gammer. Nay, fy on thee thou rampe, thou RYG, with al that take thy part.
1557. TUSSER, Five Hundred Pointes of Good Husbandrie, Sept., 39.
| Some prowleth for fewel, and some away RIG | |
| fat goose and the capon, duck, hen, and the pig. |
1570. P. LEVINS, Manipulus Vocabulorum, 119. To RIGGE, lasciuire puellam.
1598. FLORIO, A Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Galluta, a cockish, wanton, or RIGGISH wench. Ibid., Mocciacca … a RIGGE, a harlot.
1608. SHAKESPEARE, Antony and Cleopatra, ii. 2.
| For vildest things | |
| Become themselves in her, that the holy priests | |
| Bless her when she is RIGGISH. |
c. 1620. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, Women Pleased, ii., 6. A pox o’ yonder old RIGEL.
1650. FULLER, A Pisgah Sight of Palestine, IV. vi. Let none condemn them [the girls] for RIGS because thus hoyting with the boys.
1653. URQUHART, Rabelais, III. ix. The mad-pate REEKS of Bedlam.
1678. COTTON, Scarronides, or, Virgil Travestie [Works (1725), 64].
| I hate a base cowardly Drone, | |
| Worse than a RIGIL with one Stone. |
1739. DUKE OF MONTAGUE [quoted by Theodore Hook in Precepts and Practice, 284]. “Now all my wig-singeing, nose-blacking exploits, will be completely outdone by the ‘RIG’—that was the favourite word in the year 1739—I shall run upon this unhappy devil with the tarnished lace.”
1775. Old Song, ‘The Potato Man’ [FARMER, Musa Pedestris (1896), 55]. I’m up to all your knowing RIGS.
1782. COWPER, John Gilpin, 25.
| He little dreamt when he set out | |
| Of RUNNING such a RIG! |
1821. W. T. MONCRIEFF, Tom and Jerry, ii. 6. We haven’t had a better job a long vile nor the shabby genteel lay. That, and the civil RIG told in a pretty penny.
1836. MARRYAT, Japhet, ii. Sometimes I carry on my RIGS a little too far.
1837. DICKENS, Pickwick Papers (1857), 351. One expressed his opinion that it was “a RIG,” and the other his conviction that it was “a go.”
1848. J. R. LOWELL, The Biglow Papers, iv.
| Who ever ’d ha’ thought sech a pisonous RIG | |
| Would be RUN by a chap thet WUZ chose fer a Wig? |
1857–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, iii. 144. You’re up to the RIGS of this hole; come to my hole—you can’t play there!
1851. Chambers’s Journal, xv. 103. A pawnbroker contributes the linen, an exuberant quantity of which is generally one of the characteristics of the RIG Sale.
1855. TOM TAYLOR, Still Waters Run Deep, ii. 2. We must RIG THE MARKET. Go in, and buy up every share that’s offered.
1892. Pall Mall Gazette, 28 Oct., 6, 2. Mr. Burr, without the knowledge of Mr. Westmacott, issued underwriting agreements, and proceeded to … RIG THE MARKET.
1892. W. E. HENLEY and R. L. STEVENSON, Deacon Brodie, I. vii. That’s the RIG, Deacon.
1901. Daily Telegraph, 29 April, 4, 4. He never thought of RUNNING such A RIG as that which caused his appearance before Mr. Sheil, at Westminster Police-court, on Saturday. Ibid., 21 Dec., 2, 7. Yesterday the RIG in Scotch pig-iron collapsed.
2. (common).—Dress; style: whence = a turn-out, or outfit: also RIG-OUT and RIGGING. As verb = to equip; RIGGED = dressed; TO RIG A BLOSS = to strip a wench; RUM RIGGING = fine clothes.—B. E. (c. 1696); GROSE (1785).
1594. NASHE, The Unfortunate Traveller [Wks. v. 164]. Her wardrop was richly RIGD.
1625. JONSON, The Staple of News, ii. 1.
| P. Can. She is not RIGGED, sir; setting forth some lady | |
| Will cost as much as furnishing a fleet. |
1639. MASSINGER, The Unnatural Combat, iv. 2. But if you will look on the malecontent Belgarde, newly RIGG’D UP, with the train that follows him, ’twill be an object worthy of your noting.
1677. WYCHERLEY, The Plain Dealer, iv. 1. You shall see how I RIGGED my ’squire OUT, with the remains of my shipwrecked wardrobe.
1709. CENTLIVRE, The Busy Body, ii. Buy a Lady’s Favour at the Price of a thousand Pieces, to RIG OUT an Equipage for a Wench.
1729. GAY, Polly, i. 2. She is in most charming RIGGING; she won’t cost you a penny, Sir, in cloaths at first setting out.
1757. FOOTE, The Author, i. He’s very young, and exceedingly well RIGGED.
1789. G. PARKER, Life’s Painter, 62. We shortly after RIGGED her with an entire new and very neat change of wearables.
1818. BYRON, Beppo, v.
| Such as in Monmouth-street, or in Rag-Fair, | |
| Would RIG you OUT in seriousness or joke. |
1821. W. T. MONCRIEFF, Tom and Jerry, 5. This toggery will never fit—you must have a new RIG-OUT.
1878. BESANT and RICE, By Celia’s Arbour, ch. ix. I was saluted in the street—it was on the Hard—by a tall and good-looking young sailor, in his naval RIG, the handiest ever invented.
1899. R. WHITEING, No. 5 John Street, xvii. A fad every week at the ’osiers’ shops … and … a new RIG-OUT for every fad.
