Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (also outer) one who is seen as reaching extremes of behaviour, both good and bad and defined according to context; usu. of people but also of animals [SE after 1880; note Egan’s 1821 definition: ‘A phrase in the sporting world for goodness; a sort of climacteric – the ne plus ultra’].

1812		Vaux Vocab. of the Flash Lang. in McLachlan (1964) 256: out-and-outer a person of a resolute determined spirit, who pursues his object without regard to danger or difficulties; also an incorrigible depredator, who will rob friend or stranger indiscriminately, being possessed of neither honour nor principle.
1821		Egan Life in London (1869) 70: He was denominated an out-and-outer as far as the character of a man went.
1824		Annals of Sporting 1 Feb. 107/2: Thinking it a pity that an out-and-outer like him should be shipped across the herring pond without a bit of gig to comfort him.
1832		Egan Bk of Sports 3: Indeed he was [...] a complete hero on the box; and an ‘out-and-outer’ in every other point of view upon the Turf.
1846		Swell’s Night Guide 60: An out-and-outer she is to go and no mistake, a rattling piece and a stunning charver, s’elp my never.
1846		Bell’s Life in Sydney 14 Feb. 2/6: [heading] An Out-and-Outer. Mary Ann Hadley, a nymph of the pave [...] was brought up on warrant.
1848		Ladies’ Repository (N.Y.) Oct. VIII:37 316/2: Outer, a regular thief.
1852		Bell’s Life in Sydney 2 Oct. 1/2: I am not such an outer as Knuckler, else I might come up with a something spicy.
1854		‘Cuthbert Bede’ Adventures of Mr Verdant Green (1982) II 147: Mr Bouncer pronoucing him to be ‘an out-and-outer, an no mistake!’.
1854		N.Y. Clipper 4 Mar. 3/3: Trainor is an out-and-outer, having fought eight prize battles, in only one of which was he defeated.
1856		Morn. Post (London) 26 Sept. 3/6: A good high jumper will clear five feet [...] and an out-and-outer among the first rates six feet.
c.1865		‘The Stagestruck Chambermaid’ in Fred Shaw’s Champion Comic Melodist 58: The Ladies call me Saucy Kate, / The Men an out-and-outer.
1871		Hamilton Spectator (Vic.) 7 Jan. 1/7: Does a gentleman wish to express his admiration for a young lady: she is a ‘stunner,’ an ‘out and outer,’ a ‘screamer’.
1877		Five Years’ Penal Servitude 246: She were an out and outer in going into shops on the filch.
1888		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Robbery Under Arms (1922) 147: Isn’t he [i.e. a horse] a regular out-and-outer to look at?
1892		Albert Chevalier ‘My Old Dutch!’ 🎵 I’ve got a pal, A reg’lar out-an’-outer.
1895		C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 55: Out-and-Outer, a person fit for anything.
1902		Bulletin (Sydney) 23 Aug. 14/4: ‘That’s Old Polonius, the hurdle-racer,’ he said. ‘The best horse I ever threw my legs over – bar none.’ / ‘Yes,’ I assented, ‘he looks as if he’s been a good one.’ / ‘Good,’ he spat eloquently, ‘you’ve just said it. He was an out-an’-outer.’.
1907		Dundee Courier 25 Apr. 3/6: He hoped that West Fife would send to parliament a Labour member who would be a ‘whole hogger,’ an ‘out-and-outer’ to assist Mr Asquith .
1916		J.N. Hall Kitchener’s Mob 5: Don’t forget to myke the lads think you’re an out-an’-outer, if you understand my meaning – a Britisher.
1920		Sun. Times (Perth) 24 Oct. 1s/8: Of all the Labor chaps you know / There never was a stouter / [...] A regular out-and-outer.
1927		(con. 1835–40) P. Herring Bold Bendigo 121: ‘Who’s that cove with the frills,’ he asked the landlord [...] ‘Lord Lavender – he’s a regular out-and-outer.’.
1936		(con. 1830s–60s) ‘Miles Franklin’ All That Swagger 249: He’s too much of an out-and-outer for that.
1957		G. Kersh Fowlers End (2001) 120: Just because Sam Yudenow is such a bloody out-and-outer, and you’ve read too many books, you see what you call a character.
1977		(con. 1941) R. Beilby Gunner 166: Well, I don’t go ’im [...] He’s a real out-an’-outer if you ask me.
1981		(con. c.1906) A. Harding in Samuel East End Und. 264: In Bethnal Green they had speakers who were barred at other places – the out-and-outers.

2. something exceptional.

1821		Egan Life in London 43: He was denominated as an out and outer [note] A phrase in the sporting world for goodness; a sort of climacteric – the ne plus ultra.
1829		Pierce Egan’s Wkly Courier 22 Mar. 4/1: The battle was an out-and-outer on both sides.
1838		‘Alfred Crowquill’ Seymour’s Humourous Sketches (1866) 10: ‘I never did spend sich a pleasant day afore — never!’ [...] ‘It’s ralely bin a hout and houter!’.
1847		‘Epistle from Joe Muggins’s Dog’ in Era (London) 6 June 5/1: You know all about the race, of course; it was [...] an out and outer.
1855		Bell’s Life in Sydney 2 June 3/2: Why, hers was one of those bonnets which you buy for half-a-crown, but mine was an out-and-outer, and worth two pounds in cheap times.
c.1864		‘The Catalogue’ in Rakish Rhymer (1917) 8: I keeps a catalogue of all / The regular out and outers [i.e. ballads].
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 23 May 14/3: In a rifle match up there the other day one of ‘the competitors managed to hit the target once in four shots.’ It was an outer, but such a good one that it might be called an ‘out-and-outer.’.

3. a notable lie.

1831		Satirist (London) 12 June 74/1: The prisoner : Now, how can you look me in the face, and tell such an out-and-outer?
1984		Partridge DSUE (8th edn) 838: ca. 1830–1930.

4. (US, also out-and-out) a brawl, fistfight.

1899

J. Flynt Tramping with Tramps 330: We had a reg’lar out-’n’-outer.