subs. (common).—1. An ass.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS. Baldwin; cuddy (Scots’); donkey; Dick; Edward; Issachar; Jack; Jenny; Jerusalem; Jerusalem pony; King of Spain’s trumpeter; long-ears; myla; Neddy.
1851. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, ii. 85. I had a good MOKE, and a tidyish box of a cart.
1855. THACKERAY, The Newcomes, xxx. The one who rides from market on a MOKE.
1856. Punch, xxxi. 218. We understand that the directors have been actually challenged by a sporting minded costermonger who has offered to back his MOKE against the fastest engine.
1866. G. A. SALA, A Trip to Barbary, iii. As one out of every three Bedouins you meet in the country is mounted on a meek little MOKE … I should put down the number of Arab asses at about one million.
1888. BOLDREWOOD, Robbery under Arms, viii. I am regular shook on this old MOKE, I believe.
1888. J. RUNCIMAN, The Chequers, 85. I got to go to market, and we ain’t no bloomin’ MOKE.
1889. Illustrated Bits, 13 July. Billy Skipper once came to Ben Bouncer to ask for the loan of his MOKE.
1894. Sketch, 28 March, 458, col. 2. ‘’E wants a barrer an’ a MOKE of ’is hown,’ said Nan. ‘’E’s tired of a barsket.’
2. (common).—A dolt. See quot. 1871.
1871. DE VERE, Americanisms, s.v. MOKE, possibly a remnant of the obsolete moky, which is related to ‘murky,’ is used in New York to designate an old fogy or any old person, disrespectfully spoken to.
1871. Galveston News, 4 May. See here, my lively MOKE, said he, you sling on too much style.
3. (theatrical).—A variety artist who plays on several instruments.
4. (American).—A negro; a SNOWBALL (q.v.).
1859. G. W. MATSELL, Vocabulum; or, The Rogue’s Lexicon, s.v.
1871. DE VERE, Americanisms, p. 617, s.v.
