subs. (stock exchange).—1. A fictitious bargain or sale: a broker gets instructions from one client to buy, and from another to sell, a particular stock; instead of making separate transactions of the two commissions to the best advantage of each principal, he merely transfers from one to the other, putting the difference in his own pocket: the practice is against the rules. Hence WASHED as applied to stock sold or bought in this way. Also a bogus deal made for the sake of a fictitious quotation: one broker arranges with another to buy a certain stock when he offers it for sale, the effect, when not detected, being to keep it quoted, and, if the plotters buy and sell the stock to a high figure, to afford a basis for bona fide sales.
1870. J. K. MEDBERY, Men and Mysteries of Wall Street, 327. From the spring of ’58 to ’60, the Stock Board slowly recovered its old tone. The bear element … was in its glory. Brokers had become fearful of forced quotations. ‘WASHING’ had been a constant trick before the panic, and bids were now closely scrutinized.
1888–9. New York Produce Exchange Report, 265. WASHED or fictitious sales are positively forbidden, and will render the parties concerned liable to suspension or expulsion from the Produce Exchange.
2. (B. E.).—‘Paint for faces.’
Verb (colloquial).—1. To bear investigation; stand testing; prove genuine, reliable or trustworthy: as good fabrics and fast dyes stand the operation of washing.
1857. T. HUGHES, Tom Brown’s School-days, ii. 2. He’s got pluck somewhere in him. That’s the only thing after all that’l WASH, ain’t it?
1876. C. HINDLEY, ed. The Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack, 220. The conversation, as a rule, ended in Charley’s giving them an order too. Of course this little ‘caper’ would only ‘WASH’ once.
2. (craftsmen’s).—To signify doubt of an assertion, or disapproval of conduct by language or action more forcible than pleasant: e.g., printers bang and knock on the cases; tailors indulge in strong language, etc. See JERRY and WHACK!
TO WASH ONE’S HEAD, verb. phr. (old).—To insult, to put indignity on one. Hence WASHING-BLOW = a box on the ears, a blow on the head; and TO GIVE ONE’S HEAD FOR WASHING = to submit to overbearing insult.
1612. BEAUMONT and FLETCHER, Cupid’s Revenge, iv. 3.
| 2 Cit. I am resolved. | |
| 1 Cit. And so am I, and forty more good fellows, | |
| That will not GIVE THEIR HEADS FOR the WASHING, I take it. |
1621. FLETCHER, The Wild-Goose Chase, v. 4. And give her but a WASHING blow.
1663. BUTLER, Hudibras, I. iii. 255.
| For my part, it shall ne’er be said, | |
| I for the WASHING GAVE MY HEAD. |
1710. WARD, Hudibras Redivivus, 14. Some of the laundry were (no flashing) That would not GIVE THEIR HEADS FOR WASHING.
TO WASH (or SLUICE) THE IVORIES, verb. phr. (common).—To drink: Fr. se rincer la dent. Also TO WASH ONE’S NECK.
1821. W. T. MONCRIEFF, Tom and Jerry, ii. 6. Mr. J. VASH YOUR IVORIES, will you? Green. I’ve got no HIVERIES TO WASH. Mr. J. Drink, vill you? don’t you understand Hinglish.
1882. Punch, lxxxii. 185. 2. I never heard of him SLUICING HIS IVORIES with what you call S. and B.
TO WASH ONE’S SHEEP WITH SCALDING WATER, verb. phr. (old).—To do the absurd: a simile of folly (RAY). Also TO WASH THE CROW (THE ETHIOPIAN, A BLACKAMORE, etc.), WHITE.
