> as lemmas

1600 I. H. tr. Z. Ursine Coll. Learned Disc. 229 If you would not crie rostmeat, you might haue fared much better.

1638 T. Herbert Some Yeares Trav. (rev. ed.) 209 At length the home-bred Chyna cryes roast-meat.

1673 W. Wycherley Gentleman Dancing-master i. ii Hark you, madame, can't you fare well but you must cry ‘Roast meat’?

1687 E. Settle Refl. Dryden's Plays 41 It being something Drydenish, Illnatured and unjauntee.., to fair well, and cry Roastmeat, especially to a Husbands face.

1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones II. iv. v. 27 To trumpet forth the Praises of such a Person, would, in the vulgar Phrase, be crying Roast-meat; and calling in Partakers of what they intend to apply solely to their own Use. View more context for this quotation

1764 K. O'Hara Midas iii. 48 Lay snug—far'd well—ne'er cried, roast meat, but chuckled.

1823 C. Lamb Christ's Hosp. in Elia 33 The foolish beast, not able to fare well but he must cry roast meat.

1887 Cassell's Encycl. Dict. VI. i. 168/3 To cry roast meat, not to be able to keep one's good fortune to one's self.

2000 Guardian (Nexis) 25 Mar. 5 ‘To cry roast meat’..was a proverb in Hogarth's time that meant to draw attention, obnoxiously and foolishly, to a piece of good fortune.