subs. (old: now colloquial).—1. A blow delivered with the full length of the arm. As verb = to DRIVE (q.v.); to bang. Hence SWIPER = a hard hitter, a SLOGGER (q.v.), a KNOCKER-OUT (q.v.). At Harrow = to birch.
c. 1200. The Legend of St. Katherine of Alexandria [E.E.T.S.], 2452. SWIPTE hire of þat heaued.
1857. T. HUGHES, Tom Brown’s School-days, II. viii. Jack Raggles, the long-stop, toughest and burliest of boys, commonly called SWIPER Jack…. The first ball of the over, Jack steps out and meets, SWIPING with all his force.
1886. The Field, 4 Sept. In driving for Tel-el-Kebir, Kirk had a long SWIPE off the tee.
1901. Free Lance, 9 March, 558, 2. I am indebted to Mr. Gilbert Jessop, the well-known bowler and SWIPER (I hope the word has not gone out), for the excellent and temperate article which he contributes to another part of this number.
1903. Punch’s Almanack, 11. Dicky Sinclair … hit a tremendous SWIPE, and ran eight before they had the sense to call ‘Lost Ball.’
2. (common).—In pl. = thin, washy beer; small beer: also (schools) any poor tipple. As verb = to drink. Hence SWIPEY (or SWIPED) = drunk; and SWIPES = a potman (GROSE). Also see PURSER’S SWIPES.
1824. SCOTT, Redgauntlet, xiii. Small SWIPES—more of malt than hop—with your leave I’ll try your black bottle.
1838. WILLIAM WATTS (‘Lucian Redivivus’), Paradise Lost, 32. And I have nought to drink but SWIPES.
1843. DICKENS, Martin Chuzzlewit, xxviii. He’s only a little SWIPEY, you know.
Verb. (American).—To steal: see PRIG.
1900. FLYNT, Tramping with Tramps, 43. Some one suggested a clever plan by which even a can of preserves could be ‘SWIPED,’ as they called it.
1903. BART KENNEDY, A Sailor Tramp, I. iv. That is rotten hard work. It’s a job I’d SWIPE from no man.
