ˈshoeing-horn
[shoeing vbl. n.]
1. = shoe-horn n. 1.
| c 1440 Promp. Parv. 447/2 Schoynge horne, parcopollex. 1523–34 Fitzherb. Husb. §142 Shoyng horne, boget, and shoes. 1614 B. Jonson Barth. Fair ii. ii, Oyly as the Kings constables Lampe and shining as his Shooing-horne. 1713 Swift Elegy Death Partridge Misc. (1727) 100 The Horned Moon, which heretofore Upon their Shoes the Romans wore..And whence we claim our Shoeing-Horns. 1825 T. Hook Sayings Ser. ii. Man of Many Fr. I. 250 A pair of pumps into which, with the assistance of..a shoeing-horn, the old gentleman had compressed his proper proportions. 1855 Dickens Dorrit xxii, A little instrument like a shoeing horn for serving it [snuff] out. |
| attrib. 1623 Fletcher Rule a Wife iv. i, Here's a shooing-horn Chain gilt over. |
| Proverbial. 1508 Stanbridge Vulgaria (W. de W.) B v, His nose is lyke a shoynge horne. 1659 Howell Lex., Prov. 4/1 Every one cannot have a nose like a shooing-horn. |
2. fig. a. An appetizer for food or drink.
| 1536 Remedy for Sedition 19 b, We haue to many sawces, to many showying hornes to drawe in meate. 1575 Gammer Gurton i. i, I..caught a slyp of bacon..Which..Shall serue for a shoinghorne to draw on two pots of ale. 1622 Mabbe tr. Aleman's Guzman d'Alf. ii. 275 The hungry sauour of our porrige was a shooing-horne to draw downe the hardnesse of our bread. 1737 Ozell Rabelais I. 152 note, Thus we say, a Red Herring is a shoing-horn to a Pot of Ale. 1815 Scott Guy M. xxiv, This [conversation] served as a ‘shoeing-horn’ to draw on another cup of ale. |
b. Something serving to facilitate a transaction, to bring on a condition, or to procure acceptance for something else.
| 1584 D. Fenner Def. Ministers (1587) 71 This was nothing but a shoing-horne, to pull on a page or two more. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. i. ii. ii. vi. 115 Voluntary solitarinesse..gently brings on as a Siren, a shooing-horne, or some Sphinx to this irrevocable gulfe [Melancholy]. 1759 Franklin Ess. Wks. 1840 III. 198 It appeared..that a treaty and a purchase went on together, that the former was a shoeing-horn for the latter. 1819 Scott Leg. Montrose v, A long story, my lord,..is..the best shoeing-horn for drawing on a sound sleep. 1864 T. Seaton From Cadet to Colonel xvii. 358 An occupation that was a certain shoeing horn for cholera. |
| attrib. a 1704 T. Brown Walk round London, Tavern Wks. 1709 III. iii. 6 As soon as that [his money] begins to fail, then her Shooing-horn Looks and Freedoms, are turn'd into moody Pouts. |
c. A person used as a tool by another;
esp. one who is employed as a decoy.
| 1602 Narcissus 441 O, that same youthe's the scummer of all skorne, Of surquedry the very shooing horne. 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. v. i. 61. 1692 Wood Ath. Oxon. II. 494 Oliver had made him..his shooing horn, merely to serve his turn. 1712 Addison Spect. No. 536 ¶5 Most of our fine young Ladies..retain in their Service..supernumerary and insignificant Fellows, which they..commonly call Shoeing-Horns. These are..designed..when a good Offer comes, to whet and spur him up to the Point. 1864 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xvi. vii. IV. 335 D'Arnaud—once Friedrich's shoeing-horn and ‘rising-sun’ for Voltaire's behoof. |
† 3. The Avocet:
= shoe-horn n. 3.
Obs.| 1668 Sir T. Browne Let. Wks. 1836 I. 400 A shoeing-horn or barker, from the figure of the bill and barking note. |
† 4. A cuckold's horn: see
horn n. 7. In
quot. attrib. (
Cf. shoe-horn v. 1.)
| 1663 Killigrew Pars. Wedding v. iv, Fine y' faith, none but the small Levites brow to plant your shooing-horn-seed in? How now? |
Hence
† ˈshoeing-horn v. = shoe-horn v. 2.
| 1658–9 Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 77 This House does not intend to trepan, or shoeing-horn, any body. |