| 释义 |
† ˈdraw-latch, n. Obs.
[f. draw v. + latch. With sense 3 cf. dial. latch, a lazy or indolent fellow.]
1. A string hanging on the outside of a door by which a latch is drawn or raised.
1614J. Cooke Tu Quoque in Hazl. Dodsley XI. 249 I'll pull out my tongue, and hang it at her door for a draw-latch.
2. A thief who enters by drawing up the latch; a sneaking thief; a sneak. Cf. latch-drawer.
1331Act 5 Edw. III, c. 14 Roberdesmen, Wastours & Draghlacche. 1383Act 7 Rich. II, c. 1 §5. c 1515 Cocke Lorell's B. (Percy Soc.) 5 With davy drawelache of rokyngame. 1546J. Heywood Prov. (1867) 72 To make me Iohn drawlache, or such a snekebill. 1607Cowell Interpr., Drawe latches..Master Lamberd..calleth them miching theeves, as wasters.
3. Applied opprobriously, esp. to a lazy laggard.
1538Latimer Serm. & Rem. (1845) 393 If the masters be not good, but honourers of drawlatches, change them. 1583Stanyhurst æneis ii. (Arb.) 55 Your drawlach loytrers. 1599Warn. Faire Wom. i. 394 Some heavy drawlatch would have been this month..Before he could have found my policy. a1610Chettle Hoffman G j (N.), If I pepper him not, say I am not worthy to be cald a duke, but a drawlatch.
Hence † ˈdrawlatch v. intr., to sneak, shuffle, lag behind.
1599Nashe Lenten Stuffe 59 Baw waw quoth Bagshaw to that which drawlacheth behinde. |