Chapter Oi Polloi to Old as Adam of O by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Old Boots Like old boots. Famously. “Cheeky as old boots,” very saucy. “He ran like old boots,” i.e. very fast. The reference is to the nursery story of the Seven-leagued Boots, old being simply a word of fondness, as “Well, old boy,” etc. The allusion, suitable enough in many phrases, becomes, when used in slang, very remotely applicable.

Old Dominion Virginia. Every Act of Parliament to the Declaration of Independence designated Virginia “the Colony and Dominion of Virginia.” Captain John Smith, in his History of Virginia (1629), calls this “colony and dominion” Ould Virginia, in contradistinction to New England, and other British settlements.

Old England This term was first used in 1641, twenty-one years after our American colony of New Virginia received the name of New England.

Old Faith Men (See Philipntus. )

Old Fogs The 87th Foot; so called from the war-cry “Fag-an-Bealach” (Clear the way), pronounced Faug-a-bellagh. The 87th Foot is now called “The Royal Irish Fusiliers.”

Old Fox Marshal Soult: so called by the soldiers because of his strategic abilities and never-failing resources. (1769-1851.) (See Fox. )

Old Gentleman (The). The devil; a cheating card.

Old Glory The United States' Flag. Sir Francis Burdett (1770-1844).

Old Gooseberry To play [or play up] old gooseberry. To be a third person; to be de trop. Old Gooseberry is the name given to a person accompanying an engaged couple.

Old Grog Admiral Edward Vernon; so called by British sailors from his wearing a grogram cloak in foul weather. (1684-1757.)

Old Hands supernumeraries who have been used to the work. “New hands” are those new to the work.

Old Harry The devil. (See Harry. )

Old Humphrey The nom-de-plume of George Mogridge, of London, author of several interesting books for children. (Died 1854.)

Old Mortality The itinerant antiquary in Sir Walter Scott's novel of that name. It is said to be a picture of Robert Paterson, a Scotchman, who busied himself in clearing the moss from the tombstones of the Covenanters.

Old News Stale news. Hawker's (or piper's) news. “Le secret de polichinelle.”
   A pinch for old news. A schoolboy's punishment to one of his mates for telling as news what is well known.

Old Noll (See Noll. )

Old Noll's Fiddler (See Fiddler. )

Old Port School Old-fashioned clergymen, who stick to Church and State, old port and “orthodoxy.”

Old Reeky (See Auld Reekie .)

Old Rowley Charles II. was so called from his favourite racehorse. A portion of the Newmarket racecourse is still called Rowley Mile, from the same horse.

Old Salt (An). An experienced sailor.