adj. and adv. (colloquial).—Generic for depreciation = (1) weak or out-of-sorts in health, (2) worn or out at elbows in dress, (3) poor in pocket, (4) suspicious or shady in character (GROSE). Hence, SEEDINESS.
1743. FIELDING, Jonathan Wild, I. xii. However SEEDY Mr. Bagshot may be now … when he is in cash, you may depend on a restoration.
1768. GOLDSMITH, The Good-Natured Man, iii. Little Flanigan here, to be sure, has … a very good face; but then, he is a little SEEDY, as we say among us that practise the law.
1789. G. PARKER, Life’s Painter, ‘The Bunter’s Christening.’
| But such a queer procession, | |
| Of SEEDY brims and kids. |
1819. T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, 27. The Prince of Rag Rhino, who stood … bail for the SEEDY Right Liners.
1835. The Fisher’s Garland, ‘My Glendale Friend, Will Reedy O!’
| O let my hat be e’er sae brown, | |
| My coat be e’er sae SEEDY, O! |
1840. BULWER-LYTTON, Paul Clifford, vi. You look cursed SEEDY to be sure.
1854. MARTIN and AYTOUN, Bon Gualtier Ballads, ‘The Knyghte and the Taylzeour’s Daughter.’
| And I ’d feel extremely SEEDY, | |
| Languishing in vile duresse. |
1857–9. THACKERAY, The Virginians, ix. A SEEDY raff who has gone twice or thrice into the Gazette.
1864. Tangled Talk, 168, ‘The First Mild Day of March.’ One of the flattering unctions that I lay to my soul when it strikes me that I am becoming morally SEEDY is, that I find I have not lost the child’s capacity for wonder.
1873. BLACKIE, Self-culture, 74. What is called SEEDINESS, after a debauch, is a plain proof that nature has been outraged, and will have her penalty.
1883. Daily Telegraph, 6 Jan., 6, 1. Gradually his habiliments become what is vulgarly but expressively termed SEEDY.
1893. P. H. EMERSON, Signor Lippo, xvi. The ’oss is very bad and very SEEDY.
1899. H. BEAUCHAMP and E. WELLS, (‘Pot and Swears’), The Scarlet City, 119. I’ve sent a wire to old Dibbler the stage manager to say I’m SEEDY.
