Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. physically, economically or emotionally, lacking, bereft of.

1796		Thrale Thraliana ii 30 July 962: Did he pay off part of Nesbitt’s Debt with that Cash? and did it for that reason never come to Acct? or is it possible, or likely that the Govt should give him another Contract, merely to wipe off the Infamy of being minus upon that for wch he was bound with Nesbitt?
1813		Chronicle in Annual Register (1814) 44/1: He was considerably minus at the last Newmarket meeting ; and he is known to have lost 10,0001. on the Derby race.
1848		‘Ned Buntline’ Mysteries and Miseries of N.Y. I 11: Only you are a little minus in the filling up – you have to work, I reckon?
1866		W. Stamer Life of Adventure II 139: [M]y precious steed was not brought back until the evening of the second day after his escape, and then minus saddle and bridle .
1874		‘A.P.’ [Arthur Pember] Mysteries and Miseries 371: [C]ries of ‘Stand at ease,’ ‘Dress to the right,’ ‘Shoulder arms,’ etc., to return thanks for those members of the profession who are minus an optic.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 1 Aug. 16/3: Just fancy what was picked up in Paling’s music room the other night, after Madame Woolner’s soiree musicale! An odd glove, a small cloud, and a lady’s improver! [...] [W]hat agony the poor lady must have suffered when she felt herself ‘minus’ – Oh, it’s too horrible to think about.
1906		C. Fowler letter 23 Dec. in Tomlinson Rocky Mountain Sailor (1998) 188: I feel very uncomfortable when any one is with me and feel perfectly free but rather minus when I am alone, which I always am .
1915		A.C. Champollion letter 1 Mar. in DeWolfe Howe Harvard Volunteers (1916) 16: [W]e saw some of the wounded on their way to the rear. Some were merely sick, others minus a leg or arm.
1930		F. Jaxon ‘You Got to Wet It’ 🎵 If you bip it and bop it and tell us too bad jim / The next day you’ll be minus of your vigor and vim.
1943		Smith & Carnes American Guerrilla 39: The flames were soon brought under control, but the freighter’s engines had been put out of action [...] The convoy kept going, minus one unit.
2000		Lehr & O’Neill Black Mass 202: Condon made his exit less than sixty minutes after he’d arrived. [...] The party was now minus one.

2. absent.

1858

A. Mayhew Paved with Gold 342: If we ain’t minus in less than no time we’re blowed upon.

3. (US campus) as a negative retort.

2003

Eble Campus Sl. Nov. 5: minus – retort of disagreement: ‘That song’s great.’ ‘Minus.’.