Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. one who keeps regular hours and thus pursues a dull life.

1821		Egan Life in London (1869) 311: The glass was pushed about so quickly, that the ‘First of the Month’ was soon forgotten, and we kept it up till very long after the regulars had been tucked up in their dabs, and only the Roosters and the ‘Peep-o’-Day-Boys’ were out on the prowl for a spree.
1835		G. Kent Modern Flash Dict. 27: Regulars – persons thus called from their leaving parties of pleasure at eleven or twelve o’clock at night, to the no small discomfiture of many an out-and-outer.
1848		Flash Dict. in Sinks of London Laid Open [as cit. 1835].

2. one’s usual or habitual drink or order in a pub, bar etc.

1858		W. Pratt Ten Nights in a Bar-Room II i: I’ve been in the habit of taking my regulars ever since I was weaned [...] when uncle Kreosote Swichel used to bring home the communion wine.
1937–84		Partridge DSUE (1984) 969/2: from ca. 1850.
1973		E. Droge Patrolman 77: Spotting a coffee wagon by the patrol wagon, I walked over, got a cup of regular.

3. (US) a close friend, a boy or girlfriend, a lover.

1899		W.J. Kountz Billy Baxter’s Letters 55: I used to be Billy Brighteyes, and sneak out to my regular’s home, thinking that perhaps I would catch some one else there.
1928		N.I. White Amer. Negro Folk-Songs 327: [reported from Auburn, Ala., 1915–1916] ’Oman, ’oman, who can yo’ reg’lar be? [Ibid.] 327: [reported from Durham, N.C., 1919] I don’t want no jet black woman for my regular.
1935		Big Bill Broonzy ‘Sun Gonna Shine in My Door Someday’ 🎵 Lordy, lordy, lordy, lord / I used to be your regular, now I got to be your dog.
1958		Hughes & Bontemps Book of Negro Folklore 402: I don’t want no coal-black woman for my regular.
1971		H.E. Roberts Third Ear n.p.: regular n. a close friend.

4. one who frequents the same public house, or bar, on a regular basis.

1905		H. Green Actors’ Boarding House (1906) 195: Mary and Maw rustled into grimy seats, creating a mild sensation among the regulars.
1910		H. Hapgood Types from City Streets 309: The question the regulars and ‘gorillas’ discust was how much truth there was in the yarn.
1920		Ade Hand-made Fables 154: There was a customary Round-Up between 5 and 6 p.m. The Regulars would drop in on their way Home.
1931		Ade Old-Time Saloon 105: The ‘regulars’ were roughly divided into two groups—one consisting of those who dropped in and drank and departed, the other made up of the ever-thirsty, who kept hanging around.
1945		(con. 1923) R. Westerby Mad in Pursuit 56: He said ‘Good-evening’ to two or three regulars, and began drawing beer.
1957		C. MacInnes City of Spades (1964) 48: The grim spectacle of ‘regulars’ at their belching back-slapping beside the counter.
1968		G. Slatter Pagan Game (1969) 155: There were the usual Friday regulars sitting at the tables drinking their beer.
1977		A. Brooke Last Toke 65: It was late afternoon – too early for most of the regulars at the Grotto.
1986		C. Hiaasen Tourist Season (1987) 47: ‘He’s a regular,’ the bartender boasted.
2000		I. Rankin Set in Darkness 406: He was in his first pub [...] Two ancient regulars watched morning television and smoked diligently.

5. a sensible person.

1929

F. Borden ‘Guns of Gangland’ Gangster Stories Dec. 🌐 Aw, Jimmy, be a regular for once in your life [...] You an’ me ain’t nothin’ to each other.

6. (US Und.) an admirable person (in criminal sense); a career criminal.

1886		‘Lady Kate, the Dashing Female Detective’ in Roberts et al. Old Sleuth’s Freaky Female Detectives (1990) 14/2: ‘Is he a regular?’ ‘Yes; he’s over from England. He’s a dead regular; been at it all his life, [...] he’s very high-toned, and they say the best “jail-jumper” in the world — a regular, natural-born Jack Shephard.’.
1934		L. Berg Prison Nurse (1964) 94: Well, fellows, it’s sure swell to be able to be with you tonight and to knock off a swell supper with a lot of regulars.
1949		Monteleone Criminal Sl. (rev. edn).
1967		M. Braly On the Yard (2002) 161: Studs who used to be solid regulars are out there giving up their own mothers.
1975		D. Nobbs Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin (1976) 192: Old Dave Binstead’s a regular. He’s a lad.