Hangman’s-day, subs. (old).—Monday, and (in America) Friday.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v. Hangman’s day. Friday is so called from the custom of hanging people on a Friday.
Hangman’s-wages, subs. (old).—Thirteen-pence-halfpenny. [The fee for an execution was a Scots [[264]]mark: the value of which piece was settled, by a proclamation of James I., at 13½d.]
1602. Decker, Honest Whore, Pt. II., in Wks. (1873) ii., 171. Why should I eate hempe-seed at the hangman’s thirteene-pence halfe-penny ordinary?
1659. Hangman’s Last Will (Rump Song quoted in Notes and Queries, 2 S. xi., 316). For half thirteen-pence half-penny wages, I would have cleared out all the town cages, And you should have been rid of all the sages. I and my gallows groan.
1678. Butler, Hudibras, Pt. III., c. 2. To find us pillories and cart’s-tails, Or hangman’s wages.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Hangman’s wages, thirteenpence half-penny, which according to the vulgar tradition was thus allotted, one shilling for the execution, and three halfpence for the rope.
Hang-slang about, verb. phr. (common).—To abuse; to slang (q.v.); to Billingsgate (q.v.).
Hank, subs. (old colloquial).—1. A tie; a hold; an advantage; a difficulty. [In a hank = in trouble].
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. He has a hank upon him, or the Ascendant over him.