Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) duplicitous, deceptive.

1901

Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 14 Aug. 1/5: There you’ll see the ‘strong-oh’ talent / On the lookout for a bloke / Who will back some stiffened pony.

see under come it v.¹

see under come on v.¹

to act generously.

1848

Aytoun Dreepdaily Burghs 2: I had of late come out rather too strong. When a man has made money easily, he is somewhat prone to launch into expense [F&H].

to exaggerate.

1847		in Bentley’s Misc. XXI 258: You men draw it strong when you want anything.
1864		G.A. Sala in Daily Tel. 6 Apr. n.p.: Our ladies faithfully promised to ‘draw it as mild’ as possible; but when they made their appearance in most splendid array, I felt rather uncertain as to what the consequences might have been if they had drawn it strong.
1872		‘Mark Twain’ Innocents at Home 334: He was one of the whitest men that was ever in the mines. You can’t draw it too strong.
1884		in Testimony Taken Before the Judiciary Committee of the Senate of Calif. 144: They draw it strong and say ‘You shall purchase all.’.
1902		A.H. Lewis Wolfville Days 64: ‘Tell him to come a-runnin’, Enright,’ says Jack Moore; ‘an’ draw it strong.’.

1. to speak frankly, to act forcefully.

a.1848		N.-Y. Trib. n.p.: President Polk in his message goes it strong for the Sub-treasury [B].
1862		‘Artemus Ward’ Artemus Ward, His Book 64: But its my onbiassed ’pinion that they go it rather too strong on Ethiopians at Oberlin.
1864		‘Edmund Kirke’ Down in Tennessee 57: Come all you darkies jine de song [...] You all am free – so go it strong.
1890		Kipling ‘My Great & Only’ in Civil & Military Gaz. 11 Jan. (1909) 271: Oh, think o' my song when you're gowin' it strong / An’ your boots is too little to ’old yer .
1917		R. Lardner ‘The Water Cure’ Gullible’s Travels 163: I got to thinkin’ over what I’d said and wonderin’ if I’d went too strong.
1958		F. Norman in Sun. Graphic 20 July in Norman’s London (1969) 18: I don’t think I had better go too strong on what I think about these geezers in Soho.
1959		E. De Roo Young Wolves 27: Ma was still going strong. Pa was letting her have her habitual summing-up and last words.

2. (Aus.) to act unrestrainedly, e.g. as regards sex.

1913

Truth (Sydney) 8 June 12/4: But they mustn’t knock around Sir / Openly, and go it strong.

see under pitch v.

(US black) to act in an aggressive, determined manner.

1952		H. McCoy Corruption City 20: You’ll tip your hand if you play it too strong.
a.1963		‘The Fall’ in D. Wepman et al. Life (1976) 87: I played it strong, but it wasn’t long / Before they took me to court.
1972		(con. 1950s) D. Goines Whoreson 68: Since I really didn’t know what to do, I decided to play strong.

(US) for a performer, e.g. acting more raunchily in burlesque, to perform in an aggressively crowd-pleasing manner, thus overshadowing ensuing acts.

1975

J. Roe Same Old Grind 42: So where was the applause? [...] The spick who had been on just before Flame must have worked too strong. Flame would fix her frijole!