lamb down

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris

v. tr.


1) To knock down a cheque or a sum of money in a spree.There is an old English verb, of Scandinavian origin, andproperly spelt lamm, which means to thrash, beat.

1873. J. B. Stephens, `Black Gin,' p. 51:

«It is the Bushman come to town – – Come to spend his cheque in town,

Come to do his lambing down.»

1890. `The Argus,' June 7, p. 4, col. 2:

«The lambing down of cheques.»

1890. Ibid. Aug. 9, p. 4, col. 5:

«The old woman thought that we were on gold, and would lambdown at the finish in her shanty.»

2) To make a man get rid of his money to you; to clean himout.»

1873. Marcus Clarke, `Holiday Peak, etc.,' p. 21:

«The result was always the same – – a shilling a nobbler. True,that Trowbridge's did not `lamb down' so well as the ThreePosts, but then the Three Posts put fig tobacco in its brandycasks, and Trowbridge's did not do that.»

1880. Garnet Walch, `Victoria in 1880,' p.30:

«The operation – – combining equal parts of hocussing,overcharging, and direct robbery – – and facetiously christenedby bush landlords `lambing down.'»

1890. `The Argus,' Aug. 16, p. 4, col. 7:

«One used to serve drinks in the bar, the other kept thebilliard-table. Between them they lambed down more shearersand drovers than all the rest on the river.»

Dictionary of Australasian Words Phrases and Usages by Edward E. Morris

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