Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. to caress or fondle a woman sexually.

1912		Bulletin (Sydney) 24 Oct. 13/4: They had been sampled. [...] gertie: ‘I don’t know – I like Ted’s mouth best.’ / cissy: ‘Oh, of course, that’s merely a matter of taste.’.
1937–84		Partridge DSUE (1984) 1010/1: C.19–20.

2. to drink [? backform. f. sample room n.].

1847		W.T. Porter Quarter Race in Kentucky and Other Sketches 118: Old T. never samples too much when on business.
1881		Greenock Advertiser 1 Oct. 4/1: The rancher slapped him on the shoulder and asked him if he would [...] ‘smile,’ [...] ‘test the tipple,’ [...] ‘sample,’ [...] ‘paint your nose’.
1890		R.M. Praed Romance of a Station I 132: Stonehampton is a better place to ‘sample’ in. [...] Sampling means starting at one end of the street and taking a nip at each inn or handy private house all the way down.
1900		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘Good in Their Different Lines’ Sporting Times 6 Jan. 1/4: He saw her approach, a tired gentleman, who / Had been looking on liquor, and sampling it, too.