Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a ne’er-do-well, one who lives on his wits and others’ gullibility, thus Caterpillars of the Nation, those characterized as politically disloyal.

1580		Lyly Euphues and his England (1916) 296: Thy Caesar being turned to a vicar [...] thy Senate of three-hundred grave counsellors to a shameless synod of three-thousand greedy caterpillars.
c.1597		Shakespeare Henry IV Pt 1 II ii: Ah! whoreson caterpillars!
1606		Wily Beguiled 48: How now foole? how now Caterpiller?
1610		Rowlands Martin Mark-all 5: Hauing gathered together a Conuocation of Canting Caterpillars, as wel in the North parts at the Diuels arse apeake, as in the South.
1621		Middleton Anything for a Quiet Life I i: A pox upon him [...] Such caterpillars may hang at their Lords ears, when better men are neglected.
1630		J. Taylor ‘A Dogge of Warre’ in Works (1869) II 230: Caterpillers of a Nation, / Whom few esteeme for wise men.
1647		Two Knaves for a Penny title page: Dialogue between Mr Hord the Meal-man and Mr Gripe the Broker. Wherein is Discovered the unjust and oppressive practices of those Caterpillers.
1659		Catterpillers of this Nation Anatomized [title].
1660		Wandring Whore II 15: An Advertisement [...] Let all persons know the design and intent hereof, is to rout those Caterpillers, and to give the Magistrate notice of the vileness and wickedness of their Actions.
1674		Head Canting Academy (2nd edn) 2: I shall endeavour to give you an exact account of these Caterpillars, with their hidden and mysterious way of speaking.
1680		Crackfart & Tony 30: Ye are the Catterpillars of the Nation, the Locusts that would devour every thing.
1680		Character of a Town-Miss in C. Hindley Old Book Collector’s Misc. 2: She is a caterpillar that destroys many a hopeful Young Gentleman in the Blossom.
1698		N. Ward London Spy I 11: The former are your rare Sycamore Rogues [...] and the other are the Catterpillars that hang upon ’em.
1700		Congreve Way of the World V ii: Out, caterpillar, call me not aunt! I know thee not!
1709		N. Ward Compleat and Humorous Account of Remarkable Clubs (1756) 111: The chief Motives that induc’d such a swarm of two-leg’d Caterpillars to give their constant Attendance at this School of Venus.
1714		T. Lucas Lives of the Gamesters (1930) 223: Those spunging caterpillars, who swarm where any Billiard-Tables are set up.
1730		J. Miller Humours of Oxford I i: Your Fellows of Colleges are a parcel of Sad, Muzzy, Humdrum, Lazy, Ignorant old Caterpillars.
1764		Foote Patron in Works (1799) I 333: Conceive [...] such a plantation of perfections to be devoured by that caterpillar Rust.
1776		New Brooms! I: Why, your critick’s a parfict caterpillar!
1822		(con. early 17C) W. Scott Fortunes of Nigel I 219: If he has come up a caterpillar, like some of his countrymen, he may cast his slough like them, and come out a butterfly.
1825		Hobart Town Gaz. Tas.) 25 Mar. 2/2: The vilest and most notorious veterans in the rank of infamy [...] must have recourse to their ‘second nature,’ or accustomed dishonesty. Hobart Town is infested by these caterpillars on the verdure of morality.
1886		Exeter & Plymouth Gaz. 9 Mar. 2/3: Mr Healy was violently opposed to Mr Parnell’s nominee [...] because he was a Whig, ‘A rotten Whig.’ ‘A scabby sheep.’ [...] ‘A political caterpillar’.
1903		Bulletin (Sydney) 17 Sept. 13/4: Beside the awful flood of ‘loyal’ slush from the literary caterpillars [...] at the late lamentable Durbar, the plain, true words of Mrs. Craigie [...] gleam like pearls set in gold.
1916		G. Jennings Poached Eggs and Pearls (1917) 25: Lady Penzance is a spiteful caterpillar.

2. a soldier.

c.1786		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue ms. additions n.p.: Caterpillar. A nickname for a soldier. In the year 1745, a Soldier quartered at a house near Derby, was desired by his Landlord to call upon him, whenever he came that way, adding that soldiers are the Pillars of the nation. The Rebellion being finished, it happened the same Regiment was quartered in Derbyshire, when the Soldier resolved to accept of his Landlord’s invitation, & accordingly obtained leave to go to him: but on his arrival he was greatly surprised to find a very cold reception; whereupon expostulating with his Landlord, he reminded him of his Invitation, & the circumstance of his having said, Soldiers were the Pillars of the Nation. If I did, answered the Landlord, I meant Catterpillars.
1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue (2nd, 3rd edn).
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.