subs. phr. (colloquial).—A person with flat, awkward, or spreading feet: SPLAY-FOOTED = awkward in gait, heavy-footed. SPLAY-MOUTH = (1) a large, wide, grinning mouth; hence (2) a grimace.
1588–93. TARLETON, Jests [HALLIWELL (1844)] [T. L. KINGTON-OLIPHANT, The New English, ii. 13. Amongst the romance words are undecentnes … SPLAIE-FOOTED].
1608. L. MACHIN, The Dumb Knight, iv. 1. Sure I met no SPLEA-FOOTED beggar.
1633. FORD, The Broken Heart, v. 1.
| The doublers of a hare,—or, in a morning, | |
| Salutes from a SPLAY-FOOTED witch. |
1692. DRYDEN, Persius, i.
| Hads’t thou but, Janus like, a Face behind, | |
| To see the people, when SPLAY-MOUTHS they make. |
d. 1704. T. BROWN, Works, ii. 271. These solemn SPLAY-MOUTHED Gentlemen, Madam, says I, only do it to improve in natural Philosophy.
