verb. (colloquial).—To enquire the cost of.
1837. R. H. BARHAM, The Ingoldsby Legends, ‘The Lord of Thoulouse,’ II. 261.
| If you PRICED such a one in a drawing-room here, | |
| And was ask’d fifty pounds, you’d not say it was dear. |
1886–96. MARSHALL, ‘Pomes’ from the Pink ’Un [‘The Age of Love’], 26. They PRICED him at fifty to one.
WHAT PRICE ——? phr. (racing and common).—How’s that? What do you think? How much? What odds?
1893. P. H. EMERSON, Signor Lippo, xiv. What PRICE you, when you fell off the scaffold.
1895. R. POCOCK, The Rules of the Game, II. x. WHAT PRICE Mr. Jack Hayles, eh, boys? That proves he’s a thief!
1898. Cigarette, 26 Nov., 13, 1. Ain’t he gone on saucy colours, Eh? WHAT PRICE the green and red?
1899. R. WHITEING, No. 5 John Street, I. ix. WHAT PRICE grammar? It don’t seem to teach people to keep a civil tongue in their ’ead.
1901. Free Lance, 13 April, 28, 2. “It is all very well,” writes a traveller, “to legislate with regard to pure beer, but WHAT PRICE pure wine?”
