mivvy

plural mivvies

1. obsoleteslangA landlady; a woman who is the owner or manager of a guesthouse.
2. derogatoryobsoleteslangAn (old) woman.First known use 19th c.

   “Is Marriage a failure ?” old mivvies are asking.

   1888 September 29, 'Arry, “'Arry on Marriage”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, volume 95, page 156

   4 more examples

   Yah booh! Chuck ’em here, you old mivvy. I’ll cop ’em.

   1885 June 6, “Quitting the Course”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, volume 88, number 2291, page 273

   Vanity stepped out and grabbed up her dressing gown. "I don’t care what people think! I’m not any of those names you call me. And ke is my papa... you... you... black-hearted mivvy!" Vanity shuddered with satisfaction. She had no idea what a mivvy was, save that it had been Belle’s foulest name for a woman.

   1987, Samantha Harte, Vanity Blade, Paperjacks, page 82

   Drav a old mivvy to chapel larst Sanday, two mile and ten yard, and she tipped me—a shillin!

   1896 March 7, Hansom Jack, “Cabby; or, Reminiscences of the Rank and the Road”, in Punch, or The London Charivari, volume CX, No. XIV, page 112

   A perfect storm of yells follow. Cries of " J'yer, Jack, what'er yer done with yer bloomin' mivvy ? " " Brass up. Jack." " 'As yer old Dutch been a-gettin' of 'er daisies out again ? " and similar interrogatories ; but the voice of J. Hoop is silent.

   1898, Arthur M. Binstead, chapter XI, in A Pink 'Un and a Pelican, London: Bliss Sands & Co., page 224

3. obsoleteslangA skillful, smart, adept person.

   " 'E does all the plannin' an' that, y'know," said Marketer, awkwardly. " He's a mivvy at makin' things easy."

   1906, Edwin William Pugh, The Spoilers, London: George Newnes Ltd, page 162

   1 more example

   The Jewish flashboy is " the goods. " He is a lad, a " mivvy," a man about town, a " one " with the girls, a " kernel."

   1922, Sydney Alexander Moseley, “The "Flashboy"” (chapter VII), in The Much Chosen Race!, London: Stanley Paul & Co., page 60

plural mivvies

1. obsoleteslangA marble.First known use 19th c.

   You certainly would have laughed to see others playing at marbles, for the “mivvies” were like footballs, […]

   1891 July 29, Fred Armitage, “How to Move the World”, in The Ludgate Monthly, volume 1, page 181

   2 more examples

   In our time the boys were much given to "mivvies," or marbles, and some skilful fortunate youngsters would by the end of the marble season, amass an immense stock, and so become absolute merchants in them.

   1877, William Harnett Blanch, “School Life in London” (chapter VII), in The Blue-coat Boys; or, School Life in Christ's Hospital, London: E. W. Allen, page 58

   Mahony rallied him. “You were always a good one at striking a bargain, my boy! What about: ‘Four mivvies for an alley!’—eh, Dickybird?”

   1917 August 29, Henry Handel Richardson, chapter IV, in The Fortunes of Richard Mahony, New York: Henry Holt and Company, page 36