subs. (old).—See quots.: also SLIP-COIN. Whence TO BE NAILED UP FOR SLIPS = to be tried and found wanting.
d. 1592. GREENE, Theeves Falling-Out [Harleian Miscellany, VIII. 399]. Certain SLIPS, which are counterfeit pieces of money, being brasse, and covered over with silver, which the common people call SLIPS.
1594. J. LYLY, Mother Bombie, ii. 1. I shall goe for silver though, when you shall be NAILED UP FOR SLIPS.
1595. SHAKESPEARE, Romeo and Juliet, ii. 4. Rom. Good-morrow to you both. What counterfeit did I give you? Mer. The SLIP, sir, the SLIP: can you not conceive?
c. 1637. JONSON, Epigrams, 64.
| First weigh a friend, then touch and try him too: | |
| For there are many SLIPS and counterfeits. |
d. 1655. T. ADAMS, Works, i. 247. To take a piece of SLIP-COIN in hand.
2. (old).—A miscarriage; an abortion. Also as verb. = to miscarry.
PHRASES.—TO SLIP ONE’S CABLE (BREATH, or WIND) = to die: see ALOFT; TO GIVE THE SLIP = to escape unobserved; A SLIP (or FALL) ’TWIXT CUP AND LIP = a thing not done may spoil in the doing; TO SLIP INTO = (1) to attack, and (2) to execute with vigour; TO SLIP UP = to err, to trip; A SLIP OF THE TONGUE = an inadvertency in speech; TO MAKE A SLIP = to give chastity the go-by: whence see SLIP, ante 2.
1567. EDWARDS, Damon and Pithias [DODSLEY, Old Plays (REED), iv.] [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, i. 565. Among the verbs are GIVE HIM THE SLIP …].
1570. W. LAMBARDE, A Perambulation of Kent, 422. Many things happen BETWEENE THE CUP AND THE LIPPE.
1598. JONSON, Every Man in his Humour, ii. 3. It’s no matter; let the world think me a bad counterfeit, if I cannot GIVE him THE SLIP at an instant.
1599. CHAPMAN, An Humorous Day’s Mirth [SHEPHERD, Works (1874), 39. 2]. He GAVE us THE SLIP before dinner.
d. 1704. T. BROWN, Works, ii. 14. He had no sooner turn’d his back, but I pluck’d too the wicket, and GAVE him THE SLIP.
1726. VANBRUGH, The Provoked Husband, ii. 1. A plague on him, the monkey has GIN us THE SLIP. Ibid., v. 1. While she stood gaping, I GAVE her THE SLIP.
1751. SMOLLETT, Peregrine Pickle, lxxiii. I told him [a doctor] as how I could SLIP MY CABLE without his direction or assistance.
1772. BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 109.
| That both those blades had SLIPT THEIR WIND, | |
| And in their rough fir coffins bound, | |
| Were safe from brabbles, under ground. |
c. 1796. WOLCOT, Peter Pindar, 69, ‘Old Simon.’
| And for their cats that happed TO SLIP THEIR BREATH, | |
| Old maids, so sweet, might mourn themselves to death. |
1809. MALKIN, Gil Blas [ROUTLEDGE], 177. The sequel proved … that many things FALL out BETWEEN THE CUP AND THE LIP.
1827. BULWER-LYTTON, Pelham, lxxvii. Oh, oh! Sir Reginald thought of GIVING ME THE SLIP, eh?
1856. C. READE, It Is Never Too Late to Mend, x. Give him the right stuff, doctor … and he won’t SLIP HIS WIND this time.
1883. A. B. HERRICK, Richard Malcolm Johnston, in The Century Magazine, xxxvi. 279. SLIP UP in my vernacular! How could I? I talked it when I was a boy with the other boys.
1886. The Field, 25 Sept. In agonies of fear lest our stag should GIVE us THE SLIP.
