Citations:down the banks

Noun " a severe criticism, scolding, reprimand, or punishment"

 * 1855, Albany Register, "An Independent Voter" (reprinted in Supplement to the Connecticut Courant, v.20 no.27 p.211):
 * Independent woters ain't the chalk—and the K. Ns. has done it!— They've spiled the trade. Sam's done it—Amerikins has done it! Take 'em up for interfeerin' with other people's bisness. Give 'em down the banks; send em up ninety days ; give em that,"—and he struck straight out at an imaginary head, with a force that sent him with a lurch across the sidewalk, up against the side of the buildings.
 * c.1860, Cooke's campaign songs, as sung by Cooke's New York Glee Club., "Lincoln, He's the Man":
 * Douglas he is full of pranks,
 * Full of pranks, full of pranks,
 * Lincoln gave him down the banks,
 * Our noble western farmer.
 * 1867, Emily Lawless, Major Lawrence, F.L.S., Vol.3, p.70:
 * "By Jove, Eleanor, you did give it her down the banks, and no mistake ! " her brother exclaimed in tones of admiration. " Serve her right too ! I only wonder you didn't break your parasol over her head ! "
 * 1884, Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Chapter 27:
 * He give me down the banks for not coming and telling him I see the niggers come out of his room acting that way—said any fool would a knowed something was up.
 * 1888, Tid-bits: an illustrated weekly journal of these times, Vol 7–8, p.7:
 * He gave me down the banks for marking some goods wrong. He thinks because he is a little higher up than I am he can say what he likes.
 * 1892, Wolcott Balestier, The Average Woman, "Captain, My Captain!", p.160:
 * Good-night ! We sha'n't meet any more for talks about the paper. I suppose we sha'n't meet at all except in editorials, where we'll give each other down the banks. I'm sorry.
 * 1917, Francis Rufus Bellamy The Balance, p.148:
 * "Of course, we will get down the banks from a lot of sappy critics, Tappy," she is saying now. "But what is the difference? They never give me a good line anyway, and the more they say in this case, the better advertising."
 * 1924, Algernon Sidney Crapsey, Last of the Heretics, p.26:
 * Mr. Hollingshead came along and gave me "down the banks." He told me that I was an idle, good-for-nothing boy, that I didn't earn my wages, and, without further words, turned on his heel and left.
 * 1932, Van Powell, The Mystery Crash:
 * "...Lang came in and ... said, 'I see you're bothering Griff again,' and he gave me 'down the banks' about it."
 * 1980, Padraic O'Farrell, How the Irish speak English, p.34:
 * I went to him once with a sprain and he gave me down the banks for annoying him with something so small
 * 2008 (October 17), Suzanne Power Evening Herald, "Girls, stop bitching about our stars... these women work hard for a living"
 * Now Claudine Keane and Sile Seoige have no interest in what two carpers have to say about their good fortune and the hard work that went into making it. I just get distressed when I see successful, talented, beautiful women being given down the banks by those who fail to invest emotionally in their own lives, and see those that have grafted and are gifted visibly improving theirs.
 * 2008 (December 10), Peter Etherington, "Three great LFC books for Christmas":
 * Losing a match would affect your week. You had to go into school to face the Evertonians and they'd give you down the banks.
 * 2009 (October 1), Wexford Echo, "Little Angel Davina’s massive legacy in €25,000 fundraiser"
 * In a time in Ireland when politicians and public representatives and others are getting down the banks (if you’ll pardon the pun), a special word of gratitude goes to TD John Browne and Enniscorthy Town Councillor Keith Doyle for their support.

adverb: "in prison"

 * 1852 (April), "Flavul", The Knickerbocker, v.39 p.336; "Transcripts from the docket of a late Sheriff of New-York":
 * Mr. Heberton Fitzjames was (and, if he has not gone  'down the banks,' is) a gentleman such as we frequently see at the watering-places ; a leader of the select parties there congregated. ... I became acquainted with Fitzjames in my way of making new friends. I had professional engagements with him, and from the name of 'the plaintiff,' I concluded it grew out of a sporting debt. Ah, Heberton, in that you were nearly gone  'down the banks !'
 * 1855, Albany Register, "An Independent Voter" (reprinted in Supplement to the Connecticut Courant, v.20 no.27 p.211):
 * A independent woter ain't the cheese any longer. ... The Stars is out in all kinds o' weather, and if they shines on a feller when he's got half a dozen glasses on board, the Watch-us', Squire Cole, and ten days down the banks, is the word!