Green’s Dictionary of Slang

bears no comparison, cannot equal, has no chance of competing with.

1895

Daily News 26 Aug. 7/1: When he [a bowler] went on for the second time the batsmen [...] ‘could not look at him’.

an ostentatious automobile; a limousine.

2001

K. Sampson Outlaws (ms.) 32: They’re going into town for their big Christmas hoolie and they’re waiting for the fleet of look-at-me’s to turn up.

of a woman, to have sexual intercourse in the missionary position.

1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.
1924		(con. 1880–1924) F.J. Wilstach Anecdota erótica 2: [The Bride] replied that she had not seen the Falls; she spent all her time looking at the ceiling.
1971		Winick & Kinsie Lively Commerce 173: My old man is on the nut (out of work) and I can’t get any other job except looking at the ceiling (prostitution).

to drink heavily.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

of a man, to urinate.

1678

J. Ray Proverbs (2nd edn) 88: To make water &c. [...] To look upon the wall.

(W.I.) to be a professional thief.

1996

Allsopp Dict. Carib. Eng. Usage.

looking like a fool or simpleton.

c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions n.p.: Looking as if one could not help it. Looking like a simpleton, or as if one could not say Boh! to a goose.
1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue (2nd, 3rd edn) n.p.: [as 1786].
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1786].
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue [as cit. 1786].

to be drunk.

1933		‘William Juniper’ True Drunkard’s Delight 225: Our tippler [...] looks lively.
1937–84		Partridge DSUE (1984) 699: [...] late C.19–20.

to glare at, to ‘look daggers’ at.

1806		J. Davis Post-Captain 27: Why, when I took his wife by the hand, he looked at me marlinespikes.
1834		N. Ames ‘Morton’ An Old Sailor’s Yarns 173: I took notice that he looked marline-spikes at Mr. Morton for paying so much attention to the girl.
1840		Vindicator (London) 12 Feb. 4/5: Mr L—g looked daggers at Mr B—r, Mr B—r looked pitchforks at Mr L—g.
1841		H.J. Mercier Man O’ War (1927) 144: He looked marlin-spikes at you as he picked himself up.
1844		‘Jonathan Slick’ High Life in N.Y. II 70: ‘I don’t know jest yet,’ [...] sez I, looking pitchforks and hatchel teeth at the auctioneer.

to squint.

1542		Udall (trans.) Erasmus’ Apophthegms (1564) Bk II 203: Squyntyied he was and looked nyne wayes.
1798		Sporting Mag. July XII 195/2: ‘Ah,’ says the little fellow who looked nine ways for Sundays.
1866		Wild Boys of London I 261/1: Why, yer sneaking Pug of a Waddington beggarbo, I’ll make yer look nine ways for Sunday, and knock yer into the middle of next week.
1876		C. Hindley Life and Adventures of a Cheap Jack 258: Letting go his left mawley, it alighted on – The Bridge of Sighs / Between nose and eyes – which made the fellow blink, squint, and look nine ways for next Sunday.
1890–1904		Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

(US black) to be vigilant or supportive on behalf of another person.

1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 52: My man, Earl Bassey—good looking out. Took care of my bank and my crew plus his own all the time I was in.
1996		W.D. Myers Slam! 191: ‘Carl looks out,’ she said. ‘He was as happy to find the camera for us as I was to get it back’.
2006		(con. 1972) Jurgenson & Cea Circle of Six 170: It was cop-to-cop, extending gratitude for looking out. That was what this was all about, looking out for one another.
2008		W.D. Myers Sunrise Over Fallujah 10: ‘Yo, Jones, that’s good,’ I said. [...] ‘That way I know you looking out’.

see under spike n.¹

1. to squint.

1833		A. Greene Life and Adventures of Dr. Dodimus Duckworth 181: Landlord Lovejoy was a cute little fellow, who, as the neighbors said, looked both ways for Sunday.
1848		‘Ned Buntline’ Mysteries and Miseries of N.Y. I 35: A sight cast in his left eye [...] makes him ‘look two ways for a Sunday’.
1850		N.Y. Herald 7 Apr. 3/2: A young man well known to the police authorities, who frequently looks two ways for Sunday, called Alburtis, was arrested yesterday. . .
1909		J. Ware Passing Eng. of the Victorian Era.
1958		(con. 1800) O. Warner Victory 351: [...] seeing my squinting husband come in [...] and how he looks crosseyed; why, as my lady says, he looks 2 ways for Sunday!
1997		Share Slanguage.

2. to take care; to keep a sharp look-out.

1833		Lancaster Gaz. 14 Dec. 4/2: Ye want to ken mine [i.e. a name]?, but ye’ll look two ways for Sunday before I’m explicit.
1839		Odd Fellow 4 May 4/1: When I seen this by jappers it made me look two ways for Sunday.
1843		Carroll Free Press (Carrolton, OH) 1 Sept. 2/4: He ’can give them jesse to the hilt’ — [...] which will make certain nominees look seven ways for Sunday.
1846		Hereford Times 24 Oct. 3/6: Oh, but I’ll make yes look two ways for Sunday.
1884		Ipswich Jrnl. 26 Apr. 5/1: I have to keep my nose very close to the grindstone and like some of my brethren [...] to look ‘two ways for a Sunday’.
1893		‘’Arriet on Labour’ Punch 26 Aug. 88/1: Sam gives his greasy curl a twist, and looks seven ways for Sunday.
1901		Omaha Dly Bee (NE) 23 June 23/1: Money enough to [...] buy a lot of plays, with which she hopes to make the octopus look seven ways for Sunday.
1919		Bennington Eve. Banner (VT) 9 Dec. 2/3: The snowstorm struck them hard and they had to ‘get out and get under’ the automobile. They had to look seven ways for Sunday.

3. lit. or fig., to appear askew, out of kilter.

1866		Jackson Standard (OH) 5 July 2/4: I think McCoy would look seven ways for Sunday if he had to live on the pension of a disabled officer.
1896		Sheffield Dly Teleg. 2 Nov. 4/6: The right hand of Mr Gladstone does not lose its cunning in concocting leters which [...] ‘look seven ways for Sunday’.
1898		F.B. Lloyd Sketches of Country Life 103: His fences ramshackled and tumbled down and settin seven ways for Sunday.
1898		Wkly Irish Times 1 Apr. 3/7: ‘’E roamed about ’ere, there, and everywhere [...] like a dog in a fair, looking seven ways for Sunday’.
1904		West Somerset Press 5 Nov. 6/2: To try to provide for a man and wife, and, saay, five children, out of 10s or 12s a week — they would look seven ways for Sunday.

see under snappy adj.

to be drunk.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

to stand in the pillory.

1639		J. Taylor Crabtree Lectures 184: I will make you looke through a two inch boord on Market day.
1639		J. Taylor Juniper Lecture 218: The reverend grave Iudges [...] made him looke and see poerfectly through an Inch Boord, for he was mounted on a Market-day on the Pillory.

to drink a health.

1848		Thackeray Vanity Fair III 71: The ladies drank to his ’ealth, and Mr. Moss, in the most polite manner ‘looked towards him’.
1857		E.M. Whitty Friends of Bohemia i 166: Ladies, I looks toward you [F&H].
1890		B.L. Farjeon Mystery of M. Felix I 26: ‘You know where the bottle is, and per’aps Mr. Wigg will jine you.’ ‘Mrs. Middlemore,’ said Constable Wigg, ‘you’re a lady after my own heart [...] Here’s looking towards you.’.

to urinate.

c.1610		Shakespeare Winter’s Tale IV iii: I will trust you. Walk before toward the sea-side; go on the right hand; I will but look upon the hedge and follow you.
1991		C. Howell Book of Naughty Nomenclature 🌐 Urinate Look upon a Hedge.

(US campus) hello.

1978		Eble Campus Sl. Apr. 4: what does it look like? – greeting in conversation similar to ‘what’s happening?’.
1996		Eble Sl. and Sociability 100: Question forms such as these versions of how are you? signal that a response is in order: how’s it going?what does it look like?what it is?
2002		‘Touré’ Portable Promised Land (ms.) 151: We Words (My Favorite Things) [...] Yo!!! What it look like? What it is. Whazzzap?!

see lookee here! excl.

(orig. RN) hurry up! get on with it!

1864		Derby Day 68: Let us in, and look slippery.
1879		Edinburgh Eve. News 20 Aug. 4/2: Just look slippery, will you?
1899		Hants. Teleg. 20 May 12/3: ‘Look slippery,’ or ‘shake a leg’ means you are to make haste.
1902		J.H.M. Abbott Tommy Cornstalk 64: As an afterthought, he enjoins upon you the necessity for ‘looking slippery’. Your single swear-word speaks volumes.
1908		G. Seagram Bushman All 194: You’d better look slippery, old man.
1918		Kia Ora Coo-ee 15 Mar. 1/3: Look slippery – next relief. Put on your bandolier man, and creep across to that bush and relieve number one.
1922		Joyce Ulysses 404: Two Ardilauns. Same here. Look slippery.

hurry up! get on with it!

1858		A. Mayhew Paved with Gold 293: If you don’t want to be lagged [...] he must look slippy.
1885		A. Griffiths Fast and Loose III 146: Look slippy! the cab’s here.
1894		‘Price Warung’ Tales of the Early Days 10: Give us my five hunderd quick an’ a’ done wi’ it. Look slippy now, Ol’ King-o’-th’-Lags!
1906		O.C. Malvery Soul Market 140: ’Op it, and look slippy about getting back.
1918		K.F. Purdon Dinny on the Doorstep 153: Look slippy and make up your mind what you’ll do.
1922		‘Sapper’ Black Gang 440: Look slippy, Bill [...] a boat will be coming through about half-past nine.
1938		S. Beckett Murphy (1963) 42: The boots [...] handed him a telegram. found stop look slippy cooper.
1945		‘Henry Green’ Loving (1978) 21: Holy Moses look at the clock [...] Come on look slippy.
1954		Wodehouse Jeeves and the Feudal Spirit 61: Look slippy about it.

see under story n.