fetch, v.¹ — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

fetch v.¹

1. to attract, to interest.

1592		Greene Disputation Betweene a Hee and a Shee Conny-Catcher (1923) 10: Cyrces had neuer more charms [...] the Syrens more subtil tunes, then I haue crafty slightes to inueagle a Conny, and fetch in a country Farmer.
1610		Jonson Alchemist II v: This will fetch em, And make them haste towards their gulling more. A man must deal like a rough nurse, and fright Those that are froward, to an appetite.
1727		J. Gay Beggar’s Opera I viii: Give her another Glass, Sir; my Mama drinks double the Quantity whenever she is out of Order. This, you see, fetches her.
1738		Swift Polite Conversation 87: lady sm.: Miss, that’s a very handsome gown of yours, and finely made, very genteel [...] miss.: Ay, I assure you, I won’t take it as I have done, if this won’t fetch him, the devil fetch him, say I.
1869		C.G. Leland ‘Ballad’ in Hans Breitmann’s Party 30: Dat fetched him – he shtood all shpell pound; / She pooled his coat-tails down, / She drawed him oonder der wasser, / De maidens mit nodings on.
1876		B. Harte Gabriel Conroy III 39: They did say that I used to sometimes fetch that congregation, jest snatch ’em bald-headed.
1877		‘’Arry on His ’Oliday’ in Punch 13 Oct. 160/2: My merstrash is a coming on proper — that fetches ’em, Charlie my boy.
1882		Nat. Police Gaz. (NY) 7 Jan. 7/4: [A]n invitation to ‘come around to my hotel and dine with me’ [...] accompanied by a bewitching glance [...] is sure to fetch the toughest old nut of the lot .
1882		Bristol Magpie 13 July 1/1: Equipped like this thinks he ’tis plain. / The fair ones I must ‘fetch’.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 7 Mar. 13/2: As for Osman Digger, if the flash fivers and the pitch about the legacy don’t fetch him, never call me Flymy any more.
1894		Truth (Sydney) 2 Dec. 2/7: The little lady looks very sprightly and in her song and dance ‘fetches ’em’ as they say in the classics.
1899		Crissie 75: ‘They’re [i.e. a chorus line] warranted to fetch the stalls of the Pandora every night for six months’.
1899		Kipling ‘The Impressionists’ in Complete Stalky & Co. (1987) 111: ‘Consequences of what, sir?’ said Beetle, genuinely bewildered this time; and McTurk quietly kicked him on the ankle for being ‘fetched’ by Prout.
1901		Boy’s Own Paper 27 Apr. 471: This seemed to ‘fetch’ the elephant, for now he stretched his proboscis towards the man.
1904		Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 1 June 2/3: But It is the ‘pics’ who fetch the house. Two droll, ape-headed little coons who have only to walk across the stage to raise yells of laughter.
1908		A.N. Lyons Arthur’s 110: That fetched ’em.
1913		Van Loan ‘For Revenue Only’ in Lucky Seventh (2004) 213: We told ’em they’d have to take those signs down [...] or we would n’t hit any home runs [...] That fetched ’em, you bet.
1930		‘Leslie Charteris’ Enter the Saint 40: That one’s been getting a big hand everywhere [...] and it’ll be one of the bitterest disappointments of my life if it doesn’t fetch you, sweetheart!

2. to excite sexually.

1878		‘’Arry on Pooty Women’ in Punch 21 Sept. in P. Marks (2006) 149: The spicey-cut toggery fetches me, Charlie, that’s poz.
1888–94		‘Walter’ My Secret Life (1966) II 357: We used to fetch each other by talking over that night.

3. to produce orgasm either in oneself or a partner.

1888–94		‘Walter’ My Secret Life (1966) X 1959: The lubricity and its clip fetched me [Ibid.] 2072: Oh you’ll fetch me — don’t.
1971		T. Lewis Plender [ebook]‘Bet you can’t fetch [...] I can,’ said Peter, ‘I can shoot three feet’.

4. to gain access to, to go to (esp. prison).

1903

J. Furphy Such is Life 232: I’ll show you how you’ll fetch his place.

In phrases

fetch a Tyburn stretch (v.)

see under Tyburn n.

fetch the brewer (v.)

to become drunk.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

SE in slang uses

In phrases

fetch away (v.)

to divide, to separate, to take away (something) from.

1890–1904

Farmer & Henley Sl. and Its Analogues.

fetch mettle (v.) [mettle n.]

to masturbate.

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum.
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue.

fetch one’s pennyworth out of (v.)

to ensure that a person works hard for their wages, to get one’s money’s worth out of.

c.1698

B.E. Dict. Canting Crew.

fetch out of pawn (v.)

(UK und.) pay a fine for somone in custody.

1935

Thieves Slang ms list from District Police Training Centre, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Warwicks n.p.: Fetch em out of pawn: Pay a fine for anyone in cistody.

fetch over the coals (v.) [the burning of heretics at the stake]

to reprimand.

1592		Greene Disputation Betweene a Hee and a Shee Conny-Catcher (1923) 28: Tush you men are foppes in fetching nouices ouer the coales.
1656		Mennis & Smith et al. Wit and Drollery 9: Your Bankrupt Citizens [...] laugh at their Creditors and their Catchpoles, Yet your Black-smith can fetch them over the Coales.
1699		‘The Black-Smith’ in Playford Pills to Purge Melancholy I 30: [as cit. 1656].

fetch v.1

In phrases

SE in slang uses

In phrases

fetch v.¹