[f. SUCK- + EGG sb.1] a. An animal that is reputed to suck eggs, e.g., a weasel, cuckoo; fig. an avaricious person. b. A young fellow; slang, ‘a silly person’ (Barrère & Leland).
1609. Armin, Maids of More-Cl., C iij b. Where’s this suck-egge, wheres Jack a boy?
16[?]. Middleton, etc., Old Law, III. ii. This beard cannot get children, you lank suck-eggs, Unless such weasels come from court to help us.
c. 1640. [Shirley], Capt. Underwit, V. i., in Bullen, Old Pl. (1883), II. 395. Con. Is there not a weesill crept into your Chamber, lady?… A Mounsier sucklegge [sic]. Sis. Do you take my Chamber for a henns neast?
1685. Crowne, Sir C. Nice, II. A Scholler Madam? a Schollers Egg—emptyed by old suck-Eggs, of all that Nature gave me.
1836. Haliburton, Clockm., Ser. I. v. (1839), 12. I guess, said he, if General Campbell knew what sort of a man that are magistrate was, he’d disband him pretty quick, he’s a regular suck-egg.
1851. Sternberg, Dial. Northants., 109. Suck, Suck-egg, the cuckoo; also applied to a stupid fellow.
c. attrib. That sucks eggs.
1631. Quarles, Hist. Samson, Wks. (Grosart), II. 141. The suck-egge Weasell.
1658. Rowland, trans. Moufet’s Theat. Ins., 934. Of the first kinde is the Flesh-fly, Horse-fly, Oxe-fly, the Suck-egge-fly.
