subs. (thieves’).—1.  A sentence of imprisonment; specifically three months’ hard labour.

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  ENGLISH SYNONYMS.—Spell, time, drag, three moon, length, stretch, seven-pennorth, sixer, twelver, lagging.

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  FRENCH SYNONYM.—Une marque.

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  1877.  W. H. THOMSON, Five Years’ Penal Servitude, iii. 221. ‘What’s yer DOSE?’ looking on to my badge, ‘Five, oh, you can do that little lot on yer ’ed easy.’

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  2.  (thieves’).—A burglary.

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  1859.  G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.

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  3.  (pugilistic).—A beating.

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  1819.  T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, p. 17.

        Sandy tipp’d him a DOSE of that kind, that, when taken,
It is n’t the stuff, but the patient that’s shaken.

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  4.  (colloquial).—As much liquor as one can hold.

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  TO HAVE A DOSE OF THE BALMY, verbal phr. (common).—To ‘do a sleep.’—See BALMY and DOSS.

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  TO TAKE A GROWN MAN’S DOSE, verb. phr. (common).—To take a very large quantity of liquor.

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