subs. (old).—1.  A horse-dealer’s jockey (B. E. and GROSE).

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  1568.  U. FULWELL, Like will to Like [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, i. 565. Here we see knave of clubs, SKIPJACK, snip-snap].

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  1608–9.  DEKKER, Lanthorne and Candlelight, x. The boyes, striplings, &c., that have the ryding of the Jades up and downe are called SKIP-JACKS.

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  2.  A nobody; a trifler: also SKIPPER.

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  1580.  SIDNEY, Arcadia, III. Now the devil, said she, take these villains, that can never leave grinning, because I am not so fair as mistress Mopsa; to see how this SKIP-JACK looks at me.

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  d. 1592.  GREENE, The Comicall Historie of Alphonsus, King of Arragon, i. What, know’st thou, SKIP-JACK, whom thou villain call’st.

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  1593.  SHAKESPEARE, Taming of the Shrew, ii. 1. 341. SKIPPER, stand back; ’tis age that nourisheth.

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  1611.  COTGRAVE, Dictionarie, s.v. Nimbot. A dwarfe, dandiprat, little SKIP-JACKE.

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  1670.  COTTON, Burlesque upon Burlesque: or, The Scoffer Scofft [Works (1725), 190]. But till thou hadst this SKIP-JACK got.

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