subs. (old).—1. Bad, thick beer: cask-dregs or tap-droppings. Hence, as adj. = poor, washy, trivial (B. E. and GROSE). Hence (2) a publican: in contempt.
1631. BRATHWAITE, Clitus’s Whimzies, 32. Whatsoever hee draines … goes in muddy TAPLASH downe Gutter-lane.
1630. RANDOLPH, Aristippus [HAZLITT, Works (1875), i. 14]. Drinking college TAP-LASH, that will let them have no more learning than they size.
1630. TAYLOR (‘The Water Poet’), Workes, III. 5. Fac’d with the TAP-LASH of strong Ale and Wine.
1640. Witts Recreations, C. 4 b, Ep. 25.
| What? must we then a muddy TAP-LASH swill, | |
| Neglecting sack? |
c. 1648. English Ballads [Brit. Mus., C. 22, e, 2.67]. ‘No Money, no Friend.’
| Each TAP-LACH that I passed by: | |
| Would cringe and bow, and swear to be | |
| My Servant to Eternity. |
1673. S. PARKER, A Reproof to the Rehearsal Transprosed, 111. Did ever any man run such TAPLASH as this at first Broaching? Ibid., 197. It was much teased and bandied up and down by the School-men in their TAPLASH disputes.
1793. O’KEEFE, The London Hermit, i. 1. They’ve rare things at home, yet come drinking our TAPLASH.
