Box

subs. (thieves’).—1.  a prison cell: cf. JUG.

  1834.  W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, 89.

  1878.  Notes and Queries, 5 S., x., 214. The BOX in the stone-jug is doubtless a cell.

  2.  (old: now recognised).—See quot.

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. BOX,… A pretty BOX, a Compleat little House, also a small drinking place.

  Verb. (Westminster School).—1.  To take possession; TO BAG (q.v.).

  2.  (pugilists’).—‘To fight with the fists’ (B. E., c. 1696).

  TO BE IN A BOX, phr. (common).—To be cornered (q.v.); in a FIX (q.v.); to be STUCK (q.v.), to be HUNG UP (q.v.).

  TO BE IN THE WRONG BOX, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be out of one’s element; to be in a false position.; to be mistaken.

  1554.  RIDLEY (Foxe, 1838), vi., 348. Sir, quoth I, if you will hear how St. Augustine expoundeth that place, you shall perceive that you are IN A WRONG BOX.

  1588.  J. UDALL, The State of the Church of England, etc., p. 31 (ARBER’S ed.). I perceiue that you and I are IN A WRONG BOXE.

  1607.  T. WALKINGTON, The Optick Glasse of Humors, 17. But Socrates said, laugh not, Zophyrus is not IN A WRŌG BOX.

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. BOX,… IN A WRONG BOX, of one that has taken wrong measures, or made false steps.

  1751.  SMOLLETT, Peregrine Pickle, xliii. ‘That, I grant you, must be confessed: doctor, I’m afraid we have got INTO THE WRONG BOX.’

  1836.  MARRYAT, Mr. Midshipman Easy, x. 48. ‘It’s the first time I ever heard a middy do such a bold thing: take care your rights of man don’t get you IN THE WRONG BOX—there’s no arguing on board of a man-of-war.’

  ON THE BOX, phr. (workmen’s).—On strike, and in receipt of strike pay.

  1889.  Daily News, 19 Nov., 6, 7. The ‘Blackleg’ Question Arising. As these have to be allowed strike pay in order to keep them out of temptation, the number of men ON THE BOX, as they say in the North, may be taken to be a thousand.

  TO BOX ABOUT, verb. phr. (old).—See quot.

  c. 1696.  B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. BOX,… BOX IT ABOUT BOYS, Drink briskly round.

  TO BOX THE FOX, verb. phr. (provincial).—To rob an orchard. (HALLIWELL).

  TO BOX THE COMPASS, verb. phr. (old).—To repeat in succession, or irregularly, the thirty-two points of the compass; beginners, on accomplishing this feat, are said to be able to box the compass.

  1751.  SMOLLETT, Peregrine Pickle, vi. ‘A light, good-humoured, sensible wench, who knows very well how to BOX HER COMPASS.’

  1753.  CHAMBERS, Cyclopædia, Supplement. BOXING, among sailors, is used to denote the rehearsing the several points of the compass in their proper order.

  1836.  MARRYAT, Mr. Midshipman Easy, xviii. 104. ‘I can raise a perpendicular, at all events, and BOX THE COMPASS.’

  1867.  W. H. SMYTH, Sailor’s Word-Book. TO BOX THE COMPASS. Not only to repeat the names of the thirty-two points in order and backwards, but also to be able to answer any and all questions respecting its division.

  1869.  BLACKMORE, Lorna Doone, xlii. After a week or so, the wind would regularly BOX THE COMPASS (as the sailors call it) in the course of every day, following where the sun should be, as if to make a mock of him.

  TO BOX HARRY, verb. phr. (commercial travellers’).—1.  To take dinner and tea together; (2) TO DINE OUT (q.v.), i.e., to do without a meal at all (but see quot.).

  1847.  HALLIWELL, A Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words, etc., s.v. BOX-HARRY. To dine with Duke Humphrey; to take care after having been extravagant.

  TO BOX THE JESUIT, verb. phr. (venery).—To masturbate: see FRIG and COCKROACHES.