subs. phr. (old: now chiefly American).—(1) Anything unexpected (spec. disagreeable), after the conclusion of a matter. Hence, 2 (modern) a demand made over and above a stipulated price, or for an amount already paid (GROSE).

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  [?].  Lansdowne MS., 762, f. 100.

        To thy frende thowe lovest moste,
Loke thowe telle not alle thy worste,
      Whatesoever behappes;…
      Beware of AFTER-CLAPPES!

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  [?].  MS. Douce, 236, f. 14.

        So that hit was a sory happe,
And he was a-gast of AFTER-CLAPPE.

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  c. 1420.  OCCLEVE, De Regimine Principum, 855.

        That AFTER-CLAP in my mynde so depe
Ifycched is.

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  1515.  LATIMER, Sermons, I. 27. He can give us an AFTER-CLAP when we least ween.

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  1573.  MORE, History of King Richard III. (1641), 404. To provide for AFTER CLAPPES that might happen and chance.

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  1591.  SPENSER, Prosopopoia, or Mother Hubberds Tale, l. 331.

        For the next morrowes meed they closely ment,
For feare of AFTERCLAPS, for to prevent.

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  1611.  SPEED, The Historie of Great Britaine, IX. iii. 31. Who fearing AFTER-CLAPS, had strongly fortified the Castle.

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  1624.  MASSINGER, The Renegado, i. 3.

        To spare a little for an AFTERCLAP
Were not improvidence.

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  1663.  BUTLER, Hudibras, I. iii. 4.

        What plaguy Mischiefs and Mishaps,
Do dog him still with AFTERCLAPS.

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  1678.  COTTON, Virgil Travestie, 91.

        Not minding Mischiefs, or Mishaps,
Nor fearing Dido’s AFTERCLAPS.

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  1715.  SOUTH, Sermons, vi. 227. Those dreadful AFTERCLAPS which usually bring up the rear.

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  1772.  BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 3.

        And when you’ve stormed the Trojan gaps
May you escape all AFTER-CLAPS.

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  c. 1852.  HALIBURTON (‘Sam Slick’), ed. Traits of American Humour, I. 226. I’m for no rues and AFTER-CLAPS.

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  1862.  S. LUCAS, Secularia, 12. The mitigated AFTERCLAP of this [the French] Revolution in 1848.

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