Here occur one or two PHRASES and COLLOQUIALISMS: TO HANG ON (or UPON) A SLEEVE = to be dependent; TO LAUGH IN ONE’S SLEEVES = to deride or exult in secret (B. E.); TO WEAR ONE’S HEART UPON ONE’S SLEEVE = to make no mystery, to be artless; IN (or UP) ONE’S SLEEVE = hidden, in reserve, ready for use; TO PIN TO ONE’S SLEEVE = to flaunt; TO HANG ON ANOTHER’S SLEEVE = to accept another’s authority.
1546. HEYWOOD, Proverbs. TO LAUGH IN MY SLEEVE.
1580. J. LYLY, Euphues [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, i. 607. Among the verbs are match (marry), PIN A MAN TO HER SLEEVE].
1589. PUTTENHAM, Art of English Poesie, 251. The better to winne his purposes … to HAVE a iourney or sicknesse IN HIS SLEEVE, thereby to shake off other importunities of greater consequence.
d. 1600. HOOKER, Ecclesiastical Polity, V. viii. It is not … to ask, ‘why we should HANG our judgment UPON THE CHURCH’S SLEEVE.’
1602. SHAKESPEARE, Othello, i. 1. I will WEAR MY HEART UPON MY SLEEVE for daws to peck at.
1713. ARBUTHNOT, The History of John Bull xx. John all this while was listening to this comical dialogue, and LAUGHED heartily IN HIS SLEEVE at the pride and simplicity of the Esquire.
1809. MALKIN, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 79. I made him a thousand low bows though I felt for him IN MY SLEEVE the contempt and hatred, &c. Ibid., 227. I could not help LAUGHING IN MY SLEEVE when I considered who and what they were.
1900. R. H. SAVAGE, Brought to Bay, ii. Sir Everard was … a close enough old man…. We, none of us, WEAR OUR HEARTS ON OUR SLEEVE! Ibid., viii. He is the equal of any man. The sort of fellow who always has ‘something UP HIS SLEEVE.’
