Green’s Dictionary of Slang

ninth part of a man n.

a tailor.

1635		H. Glapthorne The Lady Mother I i: He was by trade a taylor, sir, and is the tenth part of the bumbast that goes to the setting forth of a man.
1707		N. Ward London Terraefilius V 33: He is so Cunning and Old Fox [...] the very Ninth part of a Man that put the jest upon the Shoe-maker.
1754		Derby Mercury 6 Sept. 3: D’ye think, cry’d the Sempstress, I’ll take thee for a Spouse / One whom no one esteems at three Skips of a Louse? / [...] / A Taylor is but the ninth Part of a Man.
1764		Foote Mayor of Garrat in Works (1799) I 177: This crosslegg’d cabbage-eating son of a cucumber, this whey-fac’d ninny, who is but the ninth part of a man.
1771		Foote Maid of Bath Married I iv: Mr. Button has the spirit of a taylor [...] and you know, nine of them make a man.
1791		Oxford Jrnl 16 July 3/2: There were then nine in Company whose Prowess was levelled at this ninth Part orf a Man.
1813		Cheltenham Chron. 27 May 2/3: If I were possessed of only the ninth part of the spirit of a man it would be imposible to avoid answering [...] If this sapient detector of fraud really thinks I did Cabbage the public money, he must allow I cut my cloth to the best advantage [...] permit me, Mr Editor, with the coolness of a Cucumber, to subscribe myself, Your humble servant, WM Hastings, Tailor.
1819		Z. Grey (ed.) annotation in edn of S. Butler Hudibras Pt I Canto 2 105: [note] Petruchio [...] uses his taylor with as much contempt, as if he had really been but the ninth part of a man.
1822		Egan Life and Adventures of Samuel Hayward 9: The appellations of snip, the ninth part of a man, young cabbage, &c. added to the idea of spoiling his well-turned limbs by sitting cross-legged.
1832		Albany Microscope (NY) 2 June n.p.: This ‘ninth part of a man’ has shear-ed us of 1.30.
1834		‘The Tailors Vindication’ Museum of Mirth 70: That I’m but the ninth part of a man, Boys laugh and cry out in the street, sir. [...] But admitting nine tailors make one, / We’ll argue, for joke sake, no further.
1841		Hants. Teleg. 26 July 2/2: Miss Muggins had a sweetheart, a journeyman tailor [...] She accordingly proceeded to her residence leaning on the arm of her ‘ninth part’.
1841		Sun. Flash (NY) 19 Sept. n.p.: Miss Muggins had a sweetheart, a journeyman tailor [and] leaning on the arm of the ‘ninth part’.
1843		Satirist & Sporting Chron. (Sydney) 18 Feb. 3/2: Although certain parties hint, that I am only the ninth part of a man, in this Chamber I have cabbaged a whole vote.
1848		‘The Cissor’ in Sharpe’s London Mag. 19/2: Why, you ninth part of a man, you tailor.
1850		Bell’s Life in Sydney 8 June 3/2: John Coghlan, the ninth part of a man by profession.
1856		Life in Boston & N.Y. (Boston, MA) 11 Oct. n.p.: A certain ‘ninth part of a man’ [...] who sports a huge pair of black whiskers.
1857		Bell’s Life in Sydney 31 Jan. 3/4: The ninth part of a man, who gave his name Edward Dunn, of Dowling-street, was placed at the bar.
1860		Elgin Courier 8 June 7/4: A takilor, being reproached by a silly fellow as only a ninth part of a man, retorted by saying [etc.].
1876		Luton Times 25 Nov. 5/4: Not the Ninth Part of a Man. Charles Foster tailor [...] was charged with destroying clothes while an inmate of the Luton Workhouse.
1884		Motherwell Times 29 Mar. 2/3: The long-looked-for tailors’ ‘hop’ has come and gone [...] It was amusing to see a lady dancing with the ninth part of a man.
1899		R. Whiteing No. 5 John Street 82: This time it is a wrangling discussion in the backyard between ’48 and a tailor on the premises, who, in public life, it appears, is the ninth of a Conservative working-man.
1901		Lincs. Echo 30 Sept. 4/1: [advt] It takes a Tailor, who is every Inch the Ninth part of a Man to Cut, make, and Fit Stylish Overcoats [...] for any Man of Refined Taste.
1909		Aberdeen Jrnl 4 Aug. 6/7: Inteernational Conference of Tailors [...] A tailor was but the ninth part of a man [...] In the literature of all nations he was lampooned.