slickern.
/ˈslɪkə/, U.S. /ˈslɪkər/ 1.
a. A tool used for scraping or smoothing leather. (Cf. sleeker n.)
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society > occupation and work > equipment > equipment for working with skins or leather > [noun] > for removing flesh or hair
fleshing-iron1547
pilling knife1688
grainer1839
slicker1852
worker1860
scraper1865
beaming machine1874
beaming-tool1874
flesher1885
slater1885
shaver1897
society > occupation and work > equipment > equipment for working with skins or leather > [noun] > for smoothing
sleeker1611
smoothing-iron1627
stretcher-iron1839
stretching-iron1839
slicker1852
stake1853
staking-iron1889
1852 C. Tomlinson Cycl. Useful Arts (1854) II. 136/1 The cylinder drags the hide under the governor, which acts similarly to a slicker.
1860 C. Tomlinson Useful Arts & Manuf. 2nd Ser. Leather 20 It is..well rubbed with a smooth lump of glass called a ‘slicker’.
1885 Harper's Mag. Jan. 277 The hides are ‘whitened’ by scraping them with a whitening slicker.
b. A tool used for smoothing the surfaces of moulds in founding.
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1875 E. H. Knight Amer. Mech. Dict. III. 2208/1.
2. Originally and chiefly U.S. A waterproof overcoat; spec. a loose-fitting oilskin outer garment, usually of a bright yellow or orange colour.
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the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > clothing for body or trunk (and limbs) > [noun] > coat > types of > weatherproof > waterproof
raincoat1830
mackintosh coat1835
mackintosh1836
nor'-wester1853
slicker1884
mac1901
gabardine1909
rain slicker1910
trench coat1921
pac-a-mac1951
the world > textiles and clothing > clothing > types or styles of clothing > clothing for body or trunk (and limbs) > [noun] > coat > types of > weatherproof > waterproof > oilskin
ulipy1529
oil coat1653
oiler1889
slicker1910
1884 Harper's Mag. July 300/1 Carry..a rubber pillow, and a ‘slicker’.
1888 Home Missionary (N.Y.) May 14 I put on my thick overcoat, then a duster, and over them my slicker.
1910 C. E. Mulford Hopalong Cassidy xx. 126 After throwing his saddle on his horse he went back to the house to get his ‘slicker’, a yellow water-proof coat.
1953 M. Peake Mr. Pye xxii. 176 Tintagieu..now wore a black oilskin slicker.
1971 N.Z. Listener 19 Apr. 56/5 One was a nuggety bloke in a sou'-wester, oilskin slicker, and bowyangs.
1978 R. Ludlum Holcroft Covenant iii. 43 Police and maintenance crews were everywhere, distinguished from one another by the contrasting black and orange of their slickers.
3. = city slicker n. at city n. Compounds 2. Originally and chiefly U.S.
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society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > roguery, knavery, or rascalry > [noun] > rogue, knave, or rascal > smart or plausible rogue
slicker1900
city slicker1914
1900 ‘J. Flynt’ Notes Itinerant Policeman iii. 62 Pick~pockets!.. You just bring the slickers in.
1932 J. T. Farrell Young Lonigan vi. 230 Swan, the slicker, who wore a tout's gray checked suit with narrow-cuffed trousers [etc.].
1936 Sat. Morning Advertiser (Durant, Okla.) 14 Mar. 1/3 (heading) ‘Slicker’ insurance agents better be a bit wary now.
1942 P. G. Wodehouse Money in Bank xii. 124 I'm going to put it across that slicker..if it's the last thing I do.
1978 Morecambe Guardian 14 Mar. 15/4 He becomes a sort of Midnight Cowboy, lost and confused by the slickers around him.
4. U.S. = silver-fish n. 2.
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > subclass Apterygota or Ametabola > [noun] > order Thysanura > member of genus Lepisma (silver-fish)
sugar-mite1796
silver-fish1855
fish-moth1859
slicker1902
fish insect1905
silver lady-
1902 L. O. Howard Insect Bk. 380 (Order Thysanura.) The insects of this order are usually of very small size... They comprise the little insects known as springtails, bristletails, fishmoths or slickers.
1962 Metcalf & Flint Destructive & Useful Insects (ed. 4) xix. 905 The silverfish or slicker..is uniform, silvery or greenish gray.
Compounds
slicker coat n. a coating of oil applied to leather in preparation for the use of the slicker.
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1897 C. T. Davis Manuf. Leather (ed. 2) 446 The hide then receives a slicker coat, which is linseed oil boiled to about the consistency of New Orleans molasses... After the slicker coat is dry..it is rubbed with a flat piece of pumice stone.
Derivatives
slicker v. transitive (a) transitive, to smooth (leather) with a slicker; (b) to cheat; to defeat by being ‘slick’.
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the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > treat fraudulently, cheat [verb (transitive)]
deceivec1330
defraud1362
falsec1374
abuse?a1439
fraud1563
visure1570
cozen1583
coney-catch1592
to fetch in1592
cheat1597
sell1607
mountebanka1616
dabc1616
nigglea1625
to put it on1625
shuffle1627
cuckold1644
to put a cheat on1649
tonya1652
fourbe1654
imposturea1659
impose1662
slur1664
knap1665
to pass upon (also on)1673
snub1694
ferret1699
nab1706
shool1745
humbug1750
gag1777
gudgeon1787
kid1811
bronze1817
honeyfuggle1829
Yankee1837
middle1863
fuck1866
fake1867
skunk1867
dead-beat1888
gold-brick1893
slicker1897
screw1900
to play it1901
to do in1906
game1907
gaff1934
scalp1939
sucker1939
sheg1943
swizz1961
butt-fuck1979
1897 C. T. Davis Manuf. Leather (ed. 2) 398 As soon as one-half of the hide is slickered it is immediately hung up in the drying loft.
1935 H. L. Davis Honey in Horn xxii. 376 His entertainment had mostly been swindling and slickering them.
1971 R. Laver & B. Collins Educ. Tennis Player xiii. 157 It happens all the time, an older, less powerful team who understand the principles of doubles slickering a couple of youths who might be considerably superior in singles.
1974 Telegraph (Brisbane) 4 Sept. 30/4 I thrive on guys who try to slicker me.
1979 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 16 May 41/8 What was it Charlie had said about being slickered?
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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