Gentleman of the (three, or four, or five) outs (or ins), subs. phr. (old).—A varying and ancient wheeze, of which the following are representative:—
Out of money, and out of clothes; Out at the heels, and out at the toes; Out of credit, and in debt.
A man in debt, in danger, and in poverty; or in gaol, indicted, and in danger of being hanged.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1830. BULWER-LYTTON, Paul Clifford, ch. iv. Paul became A GENTLEMAN OF THREE OUTS—out of pocket, out of elbows, and out of credit.
1834. W. H. AINSWORTH, Rookwood, Bk. III., ch. v. Jerry Juniper was what the classical Captain Grose would designate A GENTLEMAN WITH THREE OUTS, and, although he was not entirely without wit, nor his associates avouched, without money, nor certainly, in his own opinion, had that been asked, without manners.
GENTLEMAN OF THE BACK (or BACKDOOR), subs. (old).—A sodomist. For synonyms, see USHER.
GENTLEMAN OF FORTUNE, subs. phr. (common).—An adventurer.
1890. R. L. STEVENSON, Treasure Island, p. 149. ‘Why, in a place like this, where nobody puts in but GENTLEMEN OF FORTUNE, Silver would fly the jolly roger, you don’t make no doubt of that.
GENTLEMAN OF OBSERVATION, subs. phr. (turf).—A tout.
GENTLEMAN OF THE ROUND, subs. phr. (old).—An invalided or disabled soldier, making his living by begging.
1596. JONSON, Every Man out of his Humour, iii. 2. Your decaied, ruinous, worme-eaten GENTLEMEN OF THE ROUND.
GENTLEMAN OF THE SHORT STAFF, subs. phr. (old).—A constable.
1839. W. H. AINSWORTH, Jack Sheppard (1889), p. 12. In the language of the GENTLEMAN OF THE SHORT STAFF an important caption could be effected.
GENTLEMAN OF THE FIST, subs. phr. (pugilists’).—A prizefighter.
1819. T. MOORE, Tom Crib’s Memorial to Congress, p. 44. Furnish such GEMMEN OF THE FIRST.
GENTLEMAN IN BROWN, subs. phr. (common).—A bed bug. For synonyms, see NORFOLK HOWARD.
1885. G. A. SALA in Daily Telegraph, 14 Aug., 5/3. Bed bugs, the convertible term for which is ‘chintzes,’ are the disagreeable insects known in modern polite English as ‘Norfolk Howards,’ or GENTLEMEN IN BROWN.
THE LITTLE GENTLEMAN IN BROWN VELVET, subs. phr. (obsolete).—A mole. [The Tory toast after the death of William III., whose horse was said to have stumbled over a mole-hill.]
GENTLEMAN OF THE GREEN BAIZE ROAD, subs. phr. (gamesters’).—A card sharper.
