subs. (common).—Strong waters added to coffee or tea. Also (by inference, see verb.) sugar.
1712. Spectator, No. 488. He is forced every morning to drink his dish of coffee by itself, without the addition of the Spectator, that used to be better than LACE to it.
Verb. (common).—1. To intermix with spirits. Fr. consoler son café = to brandy one’s coffee. Also (see quot. 1696) = sugar.
1677. WYCHERLEY, The Plain Dealer, iii. Ald. No, faith; prithee, captain, let’s go drink a dish of LACED coffee, and talk of the times.
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. LAC’D coffee, Sugar’d.
1712. Spectator, No. 317. Mr. Nisby of opinion that LACED coffee is bad for the head.
1725. A New Canting Dictionary, s.v.
1815. SCOTT, Guy Mannering, xi. He had his pipe and his tea-cup, the latter being LACED with a little spirits.
1851–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, iii. 359. Breakfast 1s., good tea and good bread-and-butter, as much as you liked always, with a glass of rum in the last cup for the LACING of it. Tea the same as breakfast, and LACED ditto.
1852. THACKERAY, Esmond, ix. ‘D—n it, Polly loves a mug of ale, too, and LACED with brandy, by Jove!’
1872. Athenæum, 2 Nov., p. 556, col. 2. Schiller refreshed himself at the small hours of the morning with coffee LACED with old cognac.
1892. MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, 35. Talk is like tea; it wants LACING with something a little bit stronger.
2. (common).—To flog. Also TO LACE ONE’S COAT (or JACKET).
1599. HENRY PORTER, The Two Angry Women of Abingdon [DODSLEY, Old Plays, 1874, vii. 359]. I do not love to be LAC’D in when I go to LACE a rascal.
1665. R. HEAD, The English Rogue, Pt. I. ch. iii. p. 27 (1874). It was not long after that I was so LACED for it, that comparatively to my punishment Bridewell whipping is but a pastime.
1678. COTTON, Virgil Travestie, in Works (1725), Bk. iv. p. 126.
| Then if they have a mind to LACE us, | |
| Let Carthage, if they can, come trace us. |
c. 1696. B. E., A New Dictionary of the Canting Crew, s.v. LACING. … I’ll LACE YOUR COAT, Sirrah, I will beat you soundly.
1725. A New Canting Dictionary, s.v.
1754. MARTIN, English Dictionary, 2nd ed., s.v.
1785. GROSE, A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, s.v.
1811. GROSE and CLARKE, Lexicon Balatronicum, s.v.
1830. W. T. MONCRIEFF, The Heart of London, ii. 1. You’ll make me LACE you presently, if you don’t mind—go on, Sir.
1847. C. BRONTË, Jane Eyre, XXI. LACE my quivering palm or shrinking neck.
1859. G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
3. (colloquial).—To wear tight stays.
