MEALY-MOUTHED. Over-modest or backward in speech.
MEDLAR. A fruit, vulgarly called an open a-se; of which it is more truly than delicately said, that it is never ripe till it is as rotten as a t—d, and then it is not worth a f—t.
MELLOW. Almost drunk.
MELTING MOMENTS. A fat man and woman in the amorous congress.
TO MELT. To spend. Will you melt a borde? will you spend a shilling? The cull melted a couple of decusses upon us; the gentleman spent a couple of crowns upon us. CANT.
MEMBER MUG. A chamber pot.
MEN OF STRAW. Hired bail, so called from having straw stuck in their shoes to distinguish them.
MEN OF KENT. Men born east of the river Medway, who are said to have met the Conqueror in a body, each carrying a green bough in his hand, the whole appearing like a moving wood; and thereby obtaining a confirmation of their ancient privileges. The inhabitants of Kent are divided into Kentish men and men of Kent. Also a society held at the Fountain Tavern, Bartholomew Lane, A.D. 1743.
MERKIN. Counterfeit hair for women's privy parts. See
BAILEY'S DICT.
MERRY ANDREW, or MR. MERRYMAN. The jack pudding, jester, or zany of a mountebank, usually dressed in a party-coloured coat.