subs. (old).—A hard riding horse; a rickety conveyance: cf. BONESHAKER.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. BONE SETTER, a hard trotting horse.
1821. W. T. MONCRIEFF, Tom and Jerry, Act i., Sc. 7. Jerry. I long to be there,—let’s hasten to dress at once. Log. Aye; call a rattler. Jerry. A rattler! I’m at fault again. Log. A rattler is a rumbler, otherwise a jarvey! better known perhaps by the name of a hack; handy enough in a wet day, or a hurry. Jerry. A hack! If it’s the thing we rattled over the stones in to-day, it might more properly be called a BONE-SETTER. Tom. Or bone-breaker.—But if you dislike going in a hack, we’ll get you a mab. Jerry. A mab! I’m at fault again—never shall get properly broken in. Tom. A mab is a jingling jarvey,—a cabriolet, Jerry.—But we must mind our flash doesn’t peep out at Almack’s. ’Tis classic ground there.
