subs. (thieves’).—An informer.

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  1840.  BULWER-LYTTON, Paul Clifford, xxxiv. He’ll turn a RUSTY, and scrag one of his pals!

2

  Adj. (also resty) (colloquial).—Ill-tempered; sullen; restive; insolent; or (GROSE) ‘out of use’: whence TO RIDE RUSTY or NAB THE RUST: see RUST; and RUSTY-GUTS (B. E., GROSE) = a churl.

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  1362.  LANGLAND, Piers Plowman, 3941.

            Robyn the ribaudour
For hise RUSTY wordes.

4

  [?].  Coventry Mysteries [Shakespeare Society], 47. RUSTYNES of synne is cawse of these wawys.

5

  c. 1625.  The Court and Times of Charles the First, I. 36. In the meantime, there is much urging and spurring the parliament for supply and expedition, in both which they will prove somewhat RUSTY.

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  1649.  MILTON, Iconoclastes, xxiv. The master is too RUSTY or too rich to say his own prayers.

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  1662.  FULLER, Worthies, ii. 293. This Nation long restive and RUSTY in ease and quiet.

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  1706.  WARD, The Wooden World Dissected, 22. If he stand on his Punctilio’s … he is immediately proclaimed throughout the Fleet a REISTY Puppy.

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  1772.  BRIDGES, A Burlesque Translation of Homer, 74.

        They’re not to blame for being crusty,
’Twould make a Highlander RIDE RUSTY.

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  d. 1794.  COLMAN, The Gentleman, No. 5. His brown horse, Orator, took RUST, ran out of the course, and was distanced.

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  1815.  SCOTT, Guy Mannering, xxviii. The people got RUSTY about it, and would not deal. Ibid. (1821), The Pirate, xxxix. Even Dick Fletcher RIDES RUSTY on me now and then.

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  1851–61.  H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, III. v. If then she [a cat] TURN’S RUSTY … he’ll [a monkey] … give her a nip with his teeth.

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  1860.  Punch, xxxix. 177. He don’t care in whose teeth he RUNS RUSTY.

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  1863.  C. READE, Hard Cash, xlv. They … watched the yard till dusk, when its proprietor RAN RUSTY and turned them out.

15

  1864.  B. HEMYNG, Eton School Days, xix., p. 216. What is the good of turning RUSTY? with me, too. I haven’t done anything.

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  1866.  G. ELIOT, Felix Holt, xi. Company that’s got no more orders to give, and wants to TURN up RUSTY to them that has, had better be making room for filling it.

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  1892.  W. E. HENLEY and R. L. STEVENSON, Deacon Brodie, i. 7. Smith. Confound it, Deakin! Not RUSTY?

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