1870. Athenæum, 8 July. ‘Rev. of Comic Hist. of United States.’ He finds himself confronted by a plumed and lightly-clad Indian, who salutes him with what street-boys term a grinder.
Grinding-house, subs. (old).—1. The House of Correction. For synonyms, see Cage.
1614. Terence in English. The fellow is worthy to be put into the grinding-house.
2. (venery).—A brothel. For synonyms, see Nanny-shop. [Grinding-tool = the penis.] [[218]]
Grinding-mill, subs. (common).—The house of a tutor or Coach (q.v.) where students are prepared for an examination.
Grind-off (or Grindo), subs. (common).—A miller. [From a character in The Miller and his Men.]
Grindstone, subs. (common).—1. A tutor; a coach (q.v.).
2. (venery).—The female pudendum.
To bring (hold, put, or keep) one’s nose to the grindstone, verb. phr. (colloquial).—To oppress, harass, or punish; to treat harshly. To have one’s nose kept to the grindstone = to be held to a bargain, or at work.
1578. North, Plutarch, p. 241. They might be ashamed, for lack of courage, to suffer the Lacedæmonians to hold their noses to the grindstone.