English Synonyms.—Anodyne necklace; Bridport dagger; choker; hempen cravat; hempen elixir; horse’s neckcloth; horse’s necklace; neck-squeezer; neckweed; squeezer; St. Andrew’s lace; Sir Tristram’s knot; tight cravat; Tyburn tiffany; Tyburn tippet; widow.
French Synonym.—La cravate de chanvre.
1593. Bacchus’ Bountie in Harl. Misc. (ed. Park), ii., 304. Yea, his very head so heavie as if it had beene harnessed in an horse-nightcap.
1608. Penniles Parliament in Harl. Misc. (ed. Park), I., 181. And those that clip that they should not, shall have a horse night-cap for their labour.
1681. Dialogue on Oxford Parliament (Harl. Misc., ii., 125.). He better deserves to go up Holbourn in a wooden chariot, and have a horse night-cap put on at the farther end.
1883. Echo, 25 Jan., p. 2, c. 4. Even an attempt is made to lighten the horror of the climax of a criminal career, by speaking of dying in a horse’s night-cap, i.e., a halter.
Horse-editor, subs. (American journalists’).—A sporting editor. Horse-copy = sporting news.
Horseflesh, See Dead Horse and Horse, verb. sense 2.
Horse-godmother, subs. (old).—A strapping masculine woman; a virago. Fr., une femme hommasse.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.