Wet

subs. (common).—Generic for drink, BOOZE (q.v.): spec. ‘drink demanded or expected of anyone wearing new clothes’ (GROSE). Whence TO WET A COAT (BARGAIN, DEAL, etc.) = to TREAT (q.v.), to ratify by drinking success. As verb = to drink, LUSH (q.v.): also TO WET ONE’S WHISTLE (CLAY, SWALLOW, THE RED LANE, etc.): Fr. se mouiller: see WHISTLE and WHISTLE-DRUNK; TO WET THE OTHER EYE = to take one drink after another. As adj. (or WET-HANDED) = (1) addicted to drinking, (2) = drunk: see SCREWED; and 3 (American) = anti-prohibition; e.g., a WET-TOWN = a town opposed to prohibition in the sale of intoxicants: cf. ‘dry’: whence A WET = one opposed to prohibition. Also HEAVY-WET = porter; TWOPENNY-WET (see TWOPENNY); A WET-HAND (WHETTER or WET-’UN) = a toper: see LUSHINGTON; WET-BARGAIN (see BARGAIN); WET-NIGHT = an evening carousal; WET-GOODS = drink: cf. ‘dry-goods’; WET-QUAKER = (1) a secret drinker, and spec. (2) = ‘a Drunkard of that Sect’ (B. E.); TO WET THE SICKLE = to drink out earnest money at harvest-time; WETTING THE BLOCK = a custom among shoemakers on the first Monday in March, when they cease from working by candlelight, and have a supper so called (HALLIWELL).

  1383.  CHAUCER, The Canterbury Tales, ‘Reeves Tale.’

  1530.  PALSGRAVE, Langue Francoyse, 780. I WETE MY WHYSTELL, as good drinkers do. Je crocque la pie. Wyll you WETE YOUR WHYSTELL.

  1622.  FLETCHER, Beggar’s Bush, iii. 1. Give the boy some drink there! Piper, WET YOUR WHISTLE!

  1653.  WALTON, The Compleat Angler, 86. I have not yet WETTED my line since we met together.

  d. 1692.  SHADWELL, Humours of the Navy, ii. 3. Then we should have commissions to WET.

  c. 1700.  WARD, England’s Reformation, ii. 175.

  1703.  STEELE, The Tender Husband, i. Then, harkye! brother; we’ll go take a WET, and settle the whole affair. Ibid. (1709–10), The Tatler, No. 141, 4 March. The WHETTER is obliged to refresh himself every moment with a liquor, as the snuff-taker with a powder. Ibid., The Tatler, No. 138. People … known by the name of WHETTERS, who drink themselves into an intermediate state of being neither drunk nor sober before the hours of Exchange, or business. Ibid. (1711), Spectator, No. 88, 30 May. Three quarts to my new lord for WETTING his title.

  d. 1704.  T. BROWN, Works, iii. 26. Would you buy any naked truth, or light in a dark lanthorn? Look in the WET-QUAKER’S walk.

  d. 1721.  PRIOR, Celia to Damon, 65.

  1731.  FIELDING, The Letter Writers, ii. 2.

  1847–8.  THACKERAY, Vanity Fair, xi. As he knew he should have a WET NIGHT, it was agreed that he might gallop back again in time for church on Sunday morning.

  1864.  J. R. LOWELL, Fireside Travels, 119. When his poor old CLAY WAS WET with gin.

  1871.  Echo, 16 March. ‘Are you going to have a WET, old boy?’ one familiarly remarked.

  1874.  BEETON, The Siliad, 16.

  1876.  C. HINDLEY, ed. The Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, 268. I shall be back again shortly, when we will WET THE DEAL.

  c. 1887.  J. BRUNLEES PATTERSON, Life in the Ranks of the British Army, ch. xvii. Many are the schemes, contrivances, and devices of some of the old topers to obtain a ‘WET’ or reviver, first thing in a morning.

  1881.  A. C. GRANT, Bush-Life in Queensland, I. 30. No bargain could be completed without a ‘WET’ over it, and no friendship formed or enmity forgotten without recourse to the bottle.

  1897.  MARSHALL, Pomes, 76. For no hot summer sun ever dried up the WET Like the lads did—why, some of ’em ain’t sober yet.

  Adj. (venery).—Spec. of women when secreting LETCH-WATER (q.v.). Also TO HAVE (DO or PERFORM) a BOTTOM-WETTER (WET-’UN or GET A WET BOTTOM) = to copulate: of women only: see GREENS and RIDE.

  1772.  BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 123.