subs. (printers’).—Brains. [From ‘paste-and-scissors’: in sarcasm.]

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  Verb. (common).—To beat; to thrash: specifically to slap the face right and left. [From bill-sticking.] Hence PASTING = a drubbing.

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  1851.  H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, I. 461. He … gave me a regular PASTING.

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  1882.  Daily Telegraph, 6 Oct., 2, 2. No matter how he punches her and PASTES her, she won’t give in about that.

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  1887.  W. E. HENLEY, Villon’s Good-Night.

        PASTE ’EM, and larrup ’em, and lamm!
Give Kennedy, and make ’em crawl!

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  1888.  Sporting Life, 11 Dec. Set to work in earnest, and, driving his man round the ring, PASTED him in rare style.

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  1896.  CRANE, Maggie, a Girl of the Streets, iii. I’ll PASTE yeh when I ketch yeh!

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