subs. (vulgar).—In pl. = the testes. Hence STONE-HORSE = a STALLION (q.v.); STONE-PRIEST = a lascivious cleric; STONE FRUIT = children. TO TAKE A STONE UP IN THE EAR (venery) = to play the whore; TWO STONE UNDER WEIGHT (or WANTING) = castrated.
1598. FLORIO, A Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Coglioni, the STONES or testicles of a man.
1600. Grim, the Collier of Croydon, v. [DODSLEY, Old Plays (REED), xi. 256].
| But ne’er hereafter let me take you | |
| With wanton love-tricks: lest I make you | |
| Example to all STONE-PRIESTS ever, | |
| To deal with other men’s loves never. |
c. 1600. The Merry Devil of Edmonton, iv. 1. The STONE PRIEST steals more venison than half the country. Ibid., iv. 2. I would to God my mill were an eunuch, and wanted her STONES, so I were hence.
1602. MARSTON, Antonio and Mellida, ii. 1, 3. My grandfathers great STONE-HORS, flinging up his head, and jerking out his left leg.
1605. CHAPMAN, Eastward Ho, iv. 1. Farewell, thou horn of destiny, th’ ensign of the married man! Farewell, thou horn tree, that bearest nothing but STONE-FRUIT.
1608. The Merry Devil of Edmonton [DODSLEY, Old Plays, xi. 155]. The villainous vicar is abroad in the chase this dark night: the STONE-PRIEST steals more venison than half the county.
1609. JONSON, Epicœne, or the Silent Woman, v. 1. Damp. Your ladyship sets too high a price on my weakness. Han. Sir, I can distinguish gems from pebbles ——. Damp. Are you so skilful in STONES? [Aside.]
1611. COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Entier … cheval entier, a STONE-HORSE. Ibid., s.v. Couillon, STONED; or that wants not his STONES. Ibid., s.v. Couillon, a cod, STONE, testicle, cullion.
1622. MARMION, Holland’s Leaguer, v. 4.
| When her husband has followed | |
| Strange women, she has turned him into a bezar [goat], | |
| And made him bite out his own STONES. |
1678. COTTON, Scarronides, or Virgile Travestie (1770), 68.
| I hate a base cowardly Drone, | |
| Worse than a Rigil with one STONE. |
d. 1704. T. BROWN, Works, i. 60.
| My spouse, alas! must flaunt in silks no more, | |
| Pray heav’n, for sustenance, she turn not whore; | |
| And daughter Betty too, in time, I fear, | |
| Will learn to TAKE A STONE UP IN HER EAR. |
Adj. (old).—In combination = quite; wholly: e.g., STONE-blind, STONE-cold, STONE-dead, STONE-still, &c.: cf. STOCK (B. E. and GROSE).
c. 1330. Romance of Seven Sages [WEBER, Metrical Romances, iii.] [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, i. 16. Among the adjectives we find BLIND SO STON. Ibid. The substantive qualifies the adjective as STANE STILL (p. 141)].
[?]. Perceval, 841.
| Ever satt Percyvelle STONE STILLE, | |
| And spakke nothynge hir tille. |
c. 1500. The Romans of Partenay [E.E.T.S.], 3121.
| The Geant was by Gaffray don bore, | |
| So discomfite, STANDEDE, And all cold. |
1597. SHAKESPEARE, Richard III., iv. 4, 227.
| No doubt the murderous knife was dull and blunt, | |
| Till it was whetted on thy STONE-HARD heart. |
1605. JONSON, Volpone, or the Fox, i. 1. He cannot be so stupid, or STONE-DEAD.
1609. DAVIES, Humour’s Heauen on Earth [GROSART, Works (1876), i. 47].
| For the contagion was so violent | |
| (The wil of Heau’n ordaining so the same) | |
| As often strooke STONE-DED incontinent. |
1621. SYLVESTER, Du Bartas, v. i. 434.
| The Remora, fixing her feeble horn | |
| Into the tempest-beating Vessel’s stern, | |
| Stayes her STONE-STILL. |
1647–8. HERRICK, Appendix, 451.
| Loue will | |
| Part of the way be mett, or sitt STONE STILL. |
1856. G. ELIOT, Mr. Gilfil’s Love-Story, xviii. I thought I saw everything, and was STONE-BLIND all the while.
COLLOQUIALISMS.—TO KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE = to do (or achieve) a double purpose: cf. (FOXE) ‘to stop two gaps with one bush’; TO LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED = to spare no endeavour; TO MARK WITH A WHITE STONE = to single out as lucky or esteemed; TO LIVE IN A GLASS HOUSE AND YET THROW STONES = to lay oneself open to blame or attack.
1623. MABBE, The Spanish Rogue (1630), i. 61. He THREW STONES on my house top,… but when hee found his owne [tiles] to be of glasse, he left his flinging.
1650–5. HOWELL, Familiar Letters, 91. He who hath glasse windows of his own, should take heed how he THROWES STONES at those of his neighbours.
d. 1663. BRAMHALL, Works, iv. 66. T. H[obbes] thinks to KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, and satisfy two arguments with one answer.
1697. DRYDEN, Æneid, ii. 133.
| New crimes invented; LEFT UNTURN’D NO STONE, | |
| To make my guilt appear, and hide his own. |
1709[?]. WARD, Terræ Filius, iii. 22. Her most Topping School is among the Meeting-House Allies in Moorfields … that the Saints may KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE, and tumble out of the School of Piety into that of Debauchery.
1774. BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 180.
| Thus swimmingly the knave went on, | |
| And KILL’D TWO BIRDS WITH EVERY STONE. |
