little finger-nail

little finger-nail (plural little finger-nails)

1. Alternative form of little fingernail.
   • 1831 October 31, “Novel Wager”, in Nicholas Byrne, editor, The Morning Post, number 18,998, London: […] Nicholas Byrne. […] Thomas Payne, […], →OCLC, page [3], column 2:

     Mr. M. Y. betted Mr. G. R. dinner and wine for a dozen friends, that the latter did not succeed in getting one of his finger-nails to grow an inch and a half from the end of the finger. Since that time Mr. G. R. has been in London, and, having taken particular care of his little finger-nail, it has now arrived to an inch and three-eighths in length.

     A later version in The Bath Chronicle has little-finger nail.

   • 1844, Douglas [William] Jerrold, “The Chronicles of Clovernook”, in Douglas Jerrold, editor, The Illuminated Magazine. […], volume III, London: […] Proprietors, […], published 1845, →OCLC, page 127, column 2:

     My royal master was so pleased with the respectful bearing of one of these good people, that he held forth his little finger-nail to be kissed, which, with some trepidation, only proper on the part of the Sirloinian, was reverently saluted.

   • 1852 April 8, Mr. Walker, quotee, “Congressional. Deferred Debate.”, in Andrew J[ackson] Donelson, editor, The Daily Union, volume I, number 303, Washington, D.C.: A. J. Donelson and Robert Armstrong, published 11 April 1852, →ISSN, →OCLC, page [2], column 1:

     Yes, sir, with my little finger-nail I can remove the mortar from the outside of that wall, and you can judge whether on the inside it is hardened or not.