Quotable quotes

Thought-provoking snippets from the OED quotation files:

fine dining...

1785 E. Montagu Let., The lovers sigh’d and look’d..and piddled a little on a gooseberry tart.

...kill or cure?...

1760 T. Jefferys Nat. & Civil Hist. French Dominions N. & S. Amer., They perform the ceremony of drawing blood from several parts of his body with the tooth of an acouti, and then bath the punctures with a strong pickle of Indian pepper, or pimento water.

...and how to treat your worst enemy...

1594 Good Huswifes Handmaid Kitchin, Cut off his legs..and after the manner of a feasant trusse him short then perboyle him a litle.