Toad eater. A poor female relation,
and humble companion,
or reduced gentlewoman, in a great family,
the standing
butt, on whom all kinds of practical jokes
are played
off, and all ill humours vented.
This appellation is derived
from a mountebank’s servant, on
whom all experiments
used to be made in public by the doctor,
his master; among
which was the eating of toads, formerly
supposed poisonous.
Swallowing toads is here figuratively
meant for swallowing
or putting up with insults, as disagreeable
to a person
of feeling as toads to the stomach.
Toad. Toad in a hole; meat baked or boiled
in pye-crust.
He or she sits like a toad on a chopping-block;
a saying
of any who sits ill on horseback.
As much need of it
as a toad of a side-pocket; said of a
person who desires
any thing for which he has no real occasion.
As full of
money as a toad is of feathers.
Toast. A health; also a beautiful woman whose
health is
often drank by men. The origin of
this term (as it is said)
was this: a beautiful lady bathing
in a cold bath, one of
her admirers out of gallantry drank some
of the water:
whereupon another of her lovers observed,
he never drank
in the morning, but he would kiss the
toast, and immediately
saluted the lady.
Toasting iron, or cheese toaster. A sword.
Toby lay. The highway. High toby
man; a highway-man.
Low toby man; a footpad.
Tobacco. A plant, once in great estimation as a medicine:
Tobacco
hic
Will make you well if you be sick.
Tobacco
hic
If you be well will make you sick.
Toddy. Originally the juice of the cocoa
tree, and afterwards
rum, water, sugar, and nutmeg.
Toddle. To walk away. The cove was
touting, but
stagging the traps he toddled; be was
looking out, and
feeing the officers he walked away.
TODGE. Beat all to a todge: said of anything beat to mash.
TOGE. A coat. Cant.
TOGEMANS. The same. Cant.
Togs. Clothes. The swell is rum-togged.
The gentleman
is handsomely dressed.
Token. The plague: also the venereal
disease. She tipped
him the token; she gave him a clap or
pox.
Tol, or Toledo. A sword: from
Spanish swords made at
Toledo, which place was famous for sword
blades of an
extraordinary temper.
TOLLIBAN rig. A species of cheat carried
on by a woman,
assuming the character of a dumb and deaf
conjuror.
Tom T—DMAN. A night man, one
who empties necessary
houses.
Tomboy. A romping girl, who prefers the
amusement used
by boys to those of her own sex.


