subs. (old).—See quots. TAWLINGS (or TAW) = the line from which the marble is shot: hence (American), TO COME TO TAW = to come to SCRATCH (q.v.), to be called to account; TO BE ON ONE’S TAW = ‘a species of threat’ (GROSE).

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  1764.  CHURCHILL, The Candidate, 325. To whip a top, to knuckle down at TAW.

2

  1784.  COWPER, Tirocinium, i. 307.

        As happy as we once to kneel and draw
The chalky ring, and knuckle down at TAW.

3

  1801.  J. STRUTT, The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England, 491. TAW, wherein a number of boys put each of them one or two marbles in a ring and shoot at them alternately with other marbles, and he who obtains the most of them by beating them out of the ring is the conqueror.

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  1819.  J. H. VAUX, Memoirs, ii. 193. ONE UPON YOUR TAW, a person who takes offence at the conduct of another, or conceives himself injured by the latter, will say, never mind, I’ll be ONE UPON YOUR TAW; or, I’ll be a MARBLE ON YOUR TAW; meaning, I’ll be even with you some time.

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  1837.  DICKENS, Pickwick Papers, xxxiv. He [inquired] whether he had won any alley TORS or commoneys lately.

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  d. 1892.  TENNYSON, Will Waterproof’s Lyrical Monologue.

        A something-pottle-bodied boy,
  That knuckled at the TAW.

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  1857.  T. HUGHES, Tom Brown’s School-days, i. 3. His small private box was full of peg-tops, white marbles (called ‘alley TAWS’ in the Vale).

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  1888.  EGGLESTON, The Graysons, xx. Their cries of ‘rounses,’ ‘TAW,’ ‘dubs,’ … might often be heard there before and after school hours.

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  Verb. (old).—1.  To beat; to scourge (GROSE); and (2) to torment. [A.S. tawian = to beat.] Also TAWS (or TAWSE) = a leather strap, slit or fringed at one end, used by schoolmasters (Scots’).

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  1549.  CHALONER, Moriæ Encomium, G 2. They are not TAWED, nor pluckt asunder.

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  1607.  MARSTON, What You Will, iii., 1.

        For Ile make greatnesse quake, Ile TAWE the hide
Of thick-skind Hugenes.

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  1609.  HOLLAND, Ammianus Marcellinus, 329. When he had been well TEWED with rods, and compelled to confesse.

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  1613.  FLETCHER, The Captain, iii. 3. Fra. He’s to be made more tractable I doubt not. Clo. Yes, if they TAW him as they do whit-leather.

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  1656.  Men Miracles, 45.

        They TAW’D it faith, their gunnes would hit,
As sure as they had studied it.

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