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Drinking
Terms.
Hob-nob
is
now
an
euphemism
for
an
invitation
|
to
a
social
bout.
It
is
found
in
Shakespeare's
I
“
Twelfth
Night
Hob-nob
is
his
word
:
give’t
I
or
take't."
The
Stirrup
Gup
,
once
so
honoured
an
institu-
I
tion
amongst
us,
has
its
origin
in
the
parting
cup
I
of
the
ancients.
I
The
Loving
Cup
is
a
splendid
feature
of
the
Hall
feasts
of
the
City
and
Inns
of
Court.
The
cup
is
I
of
silver
or
silver-gilt,
and
is
filled
with
spiced
I
wine,
immemorially
termed
“
sack." “
Immediately
after
the
dinner
and
grace,
the
Master
and
Wardens
drink
to
their
visitors
a
hearty
welcome
;
the
cup
;
is
then
passed
round
the
table,
and
each
guest,
after
he
has drunk,
applies
his
napkin
to
the
mouth
of
the
cup
before
he
passes
it
to
his
neighbour.
The more
formal
practice
is
for
the
person
who
pledges
with
the
loving
cup
to
stand
up
and
bow
.
to
his
neighbour,
who,
also
standing,
removes
the
cover
with
his
right
hand,
and
holds
it
while
the
other
drinks
;
a
custom
said
to
have
originated
in
the
precaution
to
keep
the
right,
or
dagger-hand,
employed,
that
the
person
who
drinks
may
be
assured
of
no
treachery,
like
that
practised
by
R
Elfrida
on
the
unsuspecting
King
Edward
the
Martyr
at
Corfe
Castle,
who
was
slain
while
drink-