swan-hopping
corruption of swan-upping.
| 1598 in W. M. Williams Ann. Founders' Co. (1867) 75 Mr. Glover presented a debte of iij s. iiij d. which was laid out for bakeing of Pyes when they went Swan Hopping. 1657 Howell Londinop. 395 How stately is he attended when he goes to take a view of the River, or a Swan-hopping? 1746 H. Walpole Lett. (1846) II. 145 Two city companies in their great barges, who had been a swan⁓hopping. 1833 T. Hook Parson's Dau. iii. xi, [Like] my Lord Mayor's barge on the river Thames when his lordship is graciously pleased to go swan hopping. 1854 L. A. Meall Moubray's Poultry 29 The Royal Swan Happing (or upping, as it was called by the Cockneys). 1884 Alice Carr in Harper's Mag. July 255/2 The City Companies..had been up the river ‘swan-hopping’. |