subs. (legal).—1. A daily fee given to a barrister after the retainer: spec. when a case is adjourned.
1616. The Court and Times of James the First [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, ii. 71. A man is REFRESHED with money; a well-known legal phrase now].
1841. Punch, i. 33, 2, ‘A barrister’s card.’ Mr. Briefless, feeling the injustice done to the public by the system of REFRESHERS, will take out his REFRESHERS in brandy, rum, gin, ale, or porter.
d. 1859. DE QUINCEY, Sketches, I. 72. Every fortnight, or so, I took care that he should receive a ‘REFRESHER.’
1886. Times, 30 March. Fees had been paid and extra REFRESHERS in order to swell the bill of costs.
1887. Fortnightly Review, N.S. xl. 28. He might have attained to the dignity of the Bench, after feathering his nest comfortably with retainers and REFRESHERS.
1901. Evening Standard, 16 Feb., 1, 1. The late Sir Charles Russell was familiar with fees of 1000 guineas a brief and REFRESHERS of 100 guineas a day.
2. (common).—A drink; a GO (q.v.).
1872. Globe, 12 March. That species of REFRESHER which in some parts of our country is known as a ‘morning’ is also a German institution.
1889. Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday, 3 Aug., 242, 1. As a rule barristers don’t object to REFRESHERS.
