shadow, a reflection in water; ‘Aesop had a foolish dog that let go the flesh to catch the shadow’, Webster, White Devil (Flamineo), ed. Dyce, p. 37; a disguise, Fletcher, Beggar’s Bush, ii. 1 (Hempskirke); a friend of an invited guest (L. umbra), Massinger, Unnat. Combat, iii. 1. 11.
shaft, a May-pole, esp. the May-pole in Aldgate ward, London, which ‘shaft’, when it was set on end and fixed to the ground, was higher than the steeple of the church, which was hence called St. Andrew Undershaft. This ‘shaft’ was not raised after May-day, 1517, on account of a disturbance of the apprentices. Thirty-two years after it was sawn in pieces and burned as an idol. Stow, Survey (ed. Thoms, 54); Pennant’s London, 587. See Nares (s.v. Shaft), and Chambers, Book of Days, p. 574.
shaftman, a measure of about six inches, being the length from the top of the extended thumb to the wrist-side of the palm. Harington, tr. Ariosto, xxxvi. 56; shaftmon, Morte Arthur, leaf 124, back, 8; bk. vii, c. 22; shaftmont, ‘His leg was scarce a shaftmont lang’, Child’s Pop. Ballads, ii. 330; shaftement, Ascham, Toxophilus, p. 112. ‘Shaftment’ is in prov. use in the north country (EDD.). ME. schaftmonde (Death of Arthur, 2546, 3843, 4232); OE. sceaftmund, a palm’s length (B. T.). See NED. (s.v. Shaftment).
shag-rag, ragged, vagabond-like; ‘A shag-rag knave’, Marlowe, Jew of Malta, iv. 5 (Barabas). The word ‘shag-rag’ is in prov. use in the north country to denote an idle, ragged vagabond, see EDD. (s.v. Shag, vb.3 2 (2)). See [shake-rag].
†shailes, scarecrows. Sir T. Elyot, Governour, bk. i, c. 23, § 2; see Croft’s note. Perhaps cognate with ME. schey, shy, timid (Prompt.). See [shewelle].
shake-rag, a ragged disreputable person, Brome, Jovial Crew, iii. (NED.). [‘He was a shake-rag like fellow’, Scott, Guy Man., xxvi.] Also shake, Middleton, The Widow, ii. 1 (1 Suitor).
shake the elbow, to throw dice, to gamble. Webster, Devil’s Law-case, ii. 1 (Ariosto).
shaking of the sheets, the name of an old dance, usually mentioned with an indecent suggestion. Westward Ho, v. 3.
shale, a shell, husk. Hen. V, iv. 2. 18; Parliament of Bees, character 5 (end). ME. shale (Chaucer), OE. scealu, a husk.
shale, to shell, take of the husk; ‘I shale peasen’, Palsgrave; ‘A little lad set on a bancke to shale the ripen’d nuts’, W. Browne, Brit. Pastorals, bk. ii, song 4. In prov. use, see EDD. (s.v. Shale, vb.1 14). ME. shale, notys or odyr frute, ‘enucleo’ (Prompt. EETS. 451). Cp. F. eschaller: ‘eschalleur de noys, qui écale des noix’ (Glossaire, Rabelais, ii. 160).