1891. Sportsman, 25 Mar. Not even the kindly morning welcome of La Rærdon, most pleasant and courteous of deft-handed Hebes, could blot out the fact.
Hebrew, subs. (common).—Gibberish; Greek (q.v.). To talk Hebrew = to talk nonsense or gibberish.
1705. Vanbrugh, Confederacy, ii., 1. Mon. If she did but know what part I take in her sufferings——. Flip. Mighty obscure. Mon. Well, I’ll say no more; but——. Flip. All Hebrew.
1823. Bee, Dict. of the Turf, s.v. ‘You may as well talk Hebrew,’ said of jargon.
Hector, subs. (old).—A bully; a blusterer.
1659. Lady Alimony, ii., 6 (Dodsley, Old Plays, 4th ed., 1875, xiv., 322). Hectors, or champion haxters, pimps or palliards. Ibid., iii., I., (p. 326). Levelling at honour, they declare themselves glorious hectors.
b. 1670. J. Hacket, Archbp. Williams, ii., 203. One Hector, a phrase at that time for a daring ruffian, had the ear of great ones sooner than five strict men.
1674. Cotton, Complete Gamester, p. 333. Shoals of Huffs, Hectors, Setters, Gilts, Pads.… And these may all pass under the general or common appellation of Rooks.
1677. Wycherley, Plain Dealer, iv., 1. She would rather trust her honour with some dissolute debauched hector.
1679. Butler, Hudibras, iii., 2, 108. As bones of Hectors when they differ, The more th’are Cudgel’d, grow the Stiffer.