subs. (printers’).—A hoax; a discredited story. Hence as verb = to hoax, to deceive. Also (BEE) ON A STRING (or LINE) = hoaxed, bamboozled; STUFFED (q.v.).
1897. MARSHALL, Pomes, 68. You can’t kid me … they’ve been having you ON STRING.
Verb. (billiards).—To cast for play: each player to the top of the table to return to balk; the one nearest the bottom cushion has then the choice.
IN A STRING, phr. (old).—At command.
1706. WARD, The Wooden World Dissected, 27. ‘A Sea Lieutenant.’ In fine, he is the Captain’s humble Pig IN A STRING.
TO HARP UPON ONE STRING, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To repeat incessantly (HEYWOOD, Proverbs, 1546).
1640. BRATHWAITE, The Two Lancashire Lovers, iii. 14. But her Parents, ever HARPING UPON ONE STRING; expounded all this aversenesse and declining of hers to a modest bashfull shame.
TO FEEL LIKE GOING TO HEAVEN IN A STRING, verb. phr. (old).—To feel blindly and confusedly happy.
