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A DICTIONARY
OF
SLANG, JARGON & CANT
($7j Copies only printed^ of ivhich this is
No. ^^ k: ^.
A DICTIONARY
SLANG, JARGON & CANT
EMBRACING
ENGLISH, AMERICAN, AND ANGLO-INDIAN SLANG
PIDGIN ENGLISH, TINKERS' JARGON
AND OTHER IRREGULAR
PHRASEOLOGY
COMPILED AND EDITED BY
ALBERT BAR R^. RE
Officier de l' instruction publiqtie ; Professor R.M.A. Woolwich
Author of " Argot and Slang" a'c. &r'c.
CHARLES G. LELAND, M.A., Hon. F.R.S.L
Author of " The Breitmann Ballads," " The English Gypsies
and their Language " a'c.
VOL-. I. .-V— K.
PRINTED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY
AT
THE B ALLAN TYNE PRESS
MDCCCLX.XXIX
;. 1. u <) :i 4
^v.
K^'
PREFACE.
a very great number of respectable and by no means
uneducated persons, slang is simply a collective name
for vulgar expressions, the most refined individual
\ i^B^flj^HI being the one who uses it least. To them it is all
that which in speech is " tabu," or forbidden. Others
<^ regard it as the jargon of thieves, which has spread to costermongers
and street-arabs, though in justice to the worthy people first men-
tioned it must be admitted that many of them are so fortified in
' their ignorance of what is beneath them, that they are unaware
CQ that thieves have a lingo of their own.
Zu Others, again, believe that it is identical with the gypsy tongue
or Romany, an opinion which, in spite of its easily demonstrated
0) etymological absurdity, has held its ground for more than a century ;
'^ whilst several writers, such as the author of the " Life of Bampfield
•H (or Bampfylde) Moore Carew," have published so-called gypsy
vocabularies, in which barely half-a-dozen words of corrupt Romany
are to be found.
Many, not without good excuse, find it very difficult to distinguish
between technical terms not as yet recognised by lexicographers,
and those which are, to all intents and purpose, firmly established.
It is worthy of notice, let it be said en passant, that the two nations
at the head of the intellectual movement, England and France, have
the most extensive slang vocabulary, the two being about on a par
in that respect.
Now, the dialect alluded to above was, centuries ago, almost the
only slang — and there are men so much behind the times that it is
vi Preface.
the only slang to them still. We put in the qualifying " almost "
because there always have been certain conditions, such as emigra-
tion to savage countries, which have bred new circumstances, with a
corresponding development of language. The Roman legionaries in
the wilds of Gaul and Germany found classical Latin as inadequate
for bush vocabulary as the Anglo-Saxon finds classical English in
the backwoods of America and the backblocks of Australia, and they
evolved a Low Latin slang corresponding with such terms as " war-
paint," " backwoodsman," " ring-barker," " bushmaii,"and " throwing-
stick." ^fodern French has its elements of base Latin origin, just
as the English lexicons of the future will include a number of
words forged by necessity in the busli and the backwoods— in New
"World mines and cities — and others which at the present time are
only to be found in such dictionaries as the present one.
But here, in the heart as well as at the extremities of "Anglo-
Saxony," new needs and new circumstances are being developed
unceasingly, and society both high and low, in every walk of life,
and on bypaths of art and trade, has of late years taken to inventing
new words and phrases, some for practical wants, others for amuse-
ment, some coarse and rude, others daintily cut and polished, deftly
veiled — all in such profusion, that every one of the old definitions
of slang is now inadequate to express the "new departure" phase
of the language.
Perhaps the best general definition at which one can arrive is
that "slang" is a conventional tongue with many dialects, which are
as a rule unintelligible to outsiders. In one case at least it has
been framed with the intention of its being intelligible only to the
initiated — the vagiibond and thievish fraternity.
The vocabulary is based chiefly on words of the language jn-oper,
ancient and modern (with an admixture of forei^ woi-ds), which
have become "slang" through a metaphoric process or misappro-
priation of meaning. Thus "brass," "timbers" and "pins," "red
lane," " nnig," "canister," "claret," "ivory," "tile," taken figura-
tively, enrich tlie slang vocabulary by respectively acquiring the
conventional meaning of "impudence," "legs," "throat," "face,''
"head," "blood," '• loetli," "hat."
Preface. vii
It has been well said therefore that slang, in its general features,
is hardly more than an arbitrary interpretation of the ordinary
language. It does not suffice, however, that it should be merely
conventional or figurative, else it might be multiplied ad infinitum.
But being to a great degree the outcome of the humour and wit,
more or less refined, of its promoters, it bears the stamp of
sarcasm, of callousness, and occasionally of a grim philosophy, as,
for example, when a drunkard is called a " lean away," or a man
" waiting for a dead man's shoes " is said to be " shepherding " his
rich relative — when a clergyman is jestingly called a "sky -pilot" or
a " fire-escape " — when a man who feels beaten says that he has been
" had on toast," and will " give it best."
Each profession or trade has its " lingo," not to be mistaken for
technical phraseology. Thus in cricket " wickets " is technical, but
"sticks" is slang ; to put a "break" on a ball the former, to put
"stuff" on it the latter. " Bone shaker," the old type of bicycle, is
slang ; but "kangaroo," the latest improvement on the spider bicycle,
and which in shape somewhat resembles the primitive "bone shaker^"
belongs to the technical phraseology of 'cycle machinists.
It sometimes occurs that a technical word conies to be used figura-
tively in an humorous and sarcastic sense. Sailors talk slang when
they say of a drunken man that his " mainbrace is well spliced," or
that he is " two sheets in the wind."
Occasionally a class slang word is adopted by the public, and
swells the vocabulary of general or " society " slang. This specially
applies to nautical and sporting phraseology. Thus it is quite pos-
sible for people Avho do not belong to the seafaring fraternity to
hear of a husband having to " look out for squalls " when he comes
home "heeling over" from having dined too well, even if he has
not " capsized " or been " thrown upon his beam-ends " in the
gutter. And many a person when asked to contribute to a charity
has declared himself " stumped," though he may never have been
near a cricket-field since he left school.
What one might call the classical slang of thieves is technically
termed "cant." It has the appearance of possessing more quaint
and original features than the more modern lingo, the sole reason
viii Preface.
for which is perhaps that it proceeds from dialects but little known,
as for instance Romany, or from Celtic and Anglo-Saxon words no
longer used as language-words and known only to a few scholars.
Gaiit possesses but few original terms coined in a direct manner
by those who employ the vocabulary, for it needs greater imaginative
powers than these light-fingered professors are generally credited
with to invent terms that shall remain and form part of a language.
An illustration of this may be found in the French argot — taken in
the narrower sense of malefactors' language and leaving out altogether
the Parisian slang — which in spite of all the efforts of those inte-
rested in the matter has remained very nearly what it was in the
seventeenth century.
The components have been elongated, then curtailed, then their
syllables have been interverted, and finally they have reappeared
under their original form.
Taking as a starting-point that slang and cant are of an essentially
conventional and consequently metaphoric and figurative nature, it
may safely be asserted that the origin of slang and cant terms must
certainly be sought for in those old dialect words which bear a
resemblance in form ; not however in words which bear an approxi-
mately identical meaning, but rather in such as allow of the supposed
offsprings having a figurative connection of sense.
The reader will probably best understand what is meant if he
will, for the sake of argument, suppose the modern English language
to have become a dead language known only to scholars. Then let
him take the slang word " top-lights," meaning eyes. He is seeking
the origin of top-lights. If he were to find in the old language a
word having some resemblance in form and bearing the identical
meaning of eyes he would have to reject it. But when he finds the
same word signifying the upper lanterns of a ship, he may adopt it
without hesitation, because the metaphor forms a connection link
and furnishes a safe clue.
So far we have spoken rather as if slang were a kind of outlaw
or Bedouin with every man's hand against it, but of late years
many judicious and intelligent writers h<ive recognised that there is
a vast number of words wliicli, while current, are still on probation,
Preface. ix
like emigrants in quarantine, awaiting the time when they are to
be admitted to the regular haven of the Standard Dictionary. But
this increase has been so enormous and so rapid that no standard
lexicographer could do it justice. It is generally admitted that to
keep pace with modem French journalism or novels, a " Dictionnaire
d' Argot " is absolutely indispensable, and this is now quite as much
the case with English. And when we consider that it is not possible
to take up a copy of any of the leading London society journals
without finding very often in one single article a dozen slang
phra.ses which have never yet been given in any dictionary what-
ever, it will be admitted that a time has certainly come to publish
a dictionary upon new lines in which every effort shall be made
to define such expressions without regard to what the department is
called to which they belong.
To show what a need there is of such a work, one only has to
reflect that a vast number of more recent American slang phrases
(not old English provincialisms established ah initio in New England,
but those chiefly of modern Western manufacture) have never been
collected and published. And the same may be said of those which
have cropped up and developed themselves in the English-speaking
colonies, in the bush of Australia, or South Africa. The real
amount of Romany, Dutch, Celtic, and Yiddish, in the various
slangs, has never yet been decided by writers who had a thorough
knowledge of these languages, and Mr. Hotten, while declaring that
to the gypsies we are in great measure indebted for the cant lan-
guage, and that it was the corner-stone and a great part of the edifice
of English slang, was still so utterly ignorant of it as to have
recourse to a vocabulary of Roumanian gypsy to explain the very
few words of English Romany in liis work, the great majority of
which were in some way erroneous. The present is the first Slang
Dictionary ever written which has had the benefit of contributors
who thoroughly understood Celtic dialects, Dutch, German, and
French slang, and who were thus enabled to establish their rela-
tions with English cant, and one of these gentlemen is equally
at home in Pidgin-English, Gypsy, and Slielta or tinker's slang,
which by- the-bye is one of the three principal slangs of the kingdom,
X Preface.
and is here made known for the first time in a work of this kind ;
this being also the first Slang Dictionary to which the rich and racy
slang of the fifth continent — the mighty Australian commonwealth
of the future — has been contributed by one long resident in the
country and familiar both with its life and its literature. Informa-
tion has been gathered at its very source from all classes of society,
and in every department contributors have been employed who
were perfectly at home in their respective specialities.
We began our preface with trying to define, or discover, the
nature of that slippery Proteus, slang ; after doing which to the
best of our power, we proceeded to show the necessity for a dic-
tionary such as the present, and to instance the precautions
taken to make it exhaustive. We might have added that the
majority of the contributors selected were men not only intimate
with their subject, but also of proved ability in literature. We
could hardly conclude without making some allusion to the volume
which was the forerunner of this, " Argot and Slang." One passage
in its preface has attracted much attention for its terse enunciation
of what is generally recognised.
" Slang has invaded all classes of society, and is often used for
want of terms sufficiently strong to convey the speaker's real feel-
ings. It seems to be resorted to in order to make up for the short-
comings of a well-balanced and polished tongue which will not lend
itself to exaggeration and violence of utterance. Journalists, artists,
politicians, mon of fa.shion, soldiers, even women, talk argot, some-
times unawares." A curious illustration of this has just been
brought under the editor's notice. A gentleman had been pub-
lishing for some years with the same firm of publishers, but with
very varying success. " I can never for the life of me," he used to
complain, " tell whether Mr. Pompous means that my new book is
a poor one or a bad one. His letters are tissues of under certain
circumstances, we should not feel justified in advising (or not advising),
in the present state of the public taste it is impossible to predict, con-
ceivably, &c." But a year or two ago a college friend of this author
became a member of this firm of publishers. In due time another
book was submitted, and the answer came from the new partner —
Preface. xi
" My dear , it would be rot publishing a thing like this. The
public would sfnort at it. Yours very truly, ." The author's
confidence in his publisher went up a hundred per cent. There
was now a member of the firm sufficiently intimate with him to
employ " slang " in their communications, and the author knew that
from that time he would be able to tell to a fraction the exact grade
of value they put upon every work he off'ered them. " Slang " is an
essential of the age. Even a bishop has used it in the pulpit, in a
modified form, when he said that "Society would be impossible
without white lies." It seems as if the day was not far off when
it might be true to say that " Society would be impossible without
slang."
One thing is Certain, that the taste of the age is to learn speci-
alities from those who have a special knowledge of them. The
public that goes to see the life of the Wild West and the prize-ring,
rejoice also in realistic novels by those whose special knowledge best
qualifies them for the work, whether it be an uncanny familiai'ity
with the mysteries of the Far West, or the mysteries of Paris ; and
these kind of works, as a rule, abound above all others in technical
expressions and argot. Granted that people of the same country as
the author are generally able to understand these by the context
without the labour of a dictionary, a very small percentage of the
intelligent foreigners who make a practice of reading English works
of note could, without the aid of a vocabulary, be able to decipher
the multifarious "lingos" which enter into these books, and this
is just the class who will be most assisted by the arrangement
adopted in this work of giving all the various departments of slang
together.
A. B.
A BRIEF
HISTORY OF ENGLISH SLANG.
By CHARLES G. LELAND.
T does not seem to have occuiied to any writer that the
chief reason why the early history of purely English
slang is obscure, is because that previous to a certain
determinate date, there was really so little of it, that
it hardly existed at all. There can be no biography of
a child worth writing so long as it can babble only a few words. It
is probable that of these few early slang words, none have been lost.
During the Saxon Early English and IMiddle English periods, there
were provincial dialects, familiar forms of speech, and vulgarisms,
but whether a distinct canting tongue was current in England, re-
mains as yet to be established. That the tinkers or metal-workers,
who roamed all over Great Britain, were a peculiar people,* with a
peculiar Celtic language called Shelta, may be true, but canting as
yet did not exist.
No discoveries have as yet been made which cast much light on
the process by which English canting, or the language of the loose
and dangerous classes, was first formed. This much we know, that
in England, to a beginning of antiquated and provincial or perverted
words, a few additions were made of Welsh, Irish, or Gaelic, with
here and there a contribution from the Continent. It seems to be
evident that this rill of impure English, most defiled, was a very
* John Bunyan, it may be remembered, once asked his father whether the
tinkers were not "a peculiar people." Regarded from any point of view,
this indicates that ho suspected they were not English. Bunyan, according
to recent researches, could not have been a gypsy, but as a tinker he must
have known Shelta, or the old tinker's language, and therefore naturally
suspected that ho belonged to some kind of separate race.
xiv A Brief History of English Slang.
slender one. But as C. J. Ribton Turner suggests, it was the arrival
of the gj'psies in England about 1505, speaking by themselves a
perfect language, which stimulated the English nomads to gi'eatly
improve their own rude and scanty jargon. According to Samuel
Rowlande, whose work, "The Runnagate's Race," appeared in 16 10,
one Cock Lorrell, a gi-eat rascal, but evidently a man of talents,
became, in 1501, the acknowledged head of all the strollers in Eng-
land. This person formed his followers into a regular guild or
order, according to the spirit of the time in which he lived, and
observing that the gypsies, under their leader, Giles Hathor, were a
powerful and rapidly increasing body, he proposed to them a general
council and union of interests and language.
" After a time that these vp-start Lossels had got vuto a head, the
two chief Commaunders of both these regiments met at the Diuels-
arse-a-peak, there to parle and intreete of matters that might tend to
the establishing of this their new found gouernment ; and first of all
they think it fit to deuise a certaine kinde of Language, to the end
that their cousenings, knaueries, and villainies might not be so easily
perceiued and knowne in places where they come."
Here Samuel Rowlande, speaking ignorantly, says that this
tongue was made up out of Latin, English, and Dutch, with a few
words borrowed from Spanish and French. To this day it is com-
mon enough for " travellers," or gypsies, to tell the ignorant that the
language which they speak is Latin, French, or Dutch, &c. From
the language itself, as given by Robert Copland (1535), and Ilarman
("Caveat for Cursitors") in 1567, it appears that the gypsies actually
contributed a certain amount of Romany, but that with their
natural dislike to teach it, they made this contribution as small as
possible — though it is larger than Mr. Turner supposes. He has,
however, with very approximate accuracy, shown the various Celtic
origins of the terms not reducible to English or Saxon. Of Latin
he finds only eight words, of which two are very doubtful, while
two others, ijcrry (i.e. jerry), excrement, and peck, meat, are plainly
from the lloimuiy jirr (rectum vel cxcremcntnm), and pehho; roast, i.e.,
roast meat. It is too far afield to seek these common gypsy words
in the Latin (jcrra', trifles, and })ecu>^, cattle.
This was the beginning made of the canting or thieves' tongiie,
and it must be admitted that the first meeting of this Philological
Orientil Congress for the ])urj)ose of forming a language was
probably not deficient in a certain ]>ictures(iuo element, and an abbi
artist might find a worse subject than tliis grand council of the
A Brief History of English Slang. xv
gypsies and vagabonds in their cavern among the hills. It is to
be observed that Harman, a magistrate who was not only very
familiar with every type of criminals, but who was the first who
ever published a canting vocabulary, declares that it was only
within thirty years previous to 1567 that the dangerous classes had
begun to use a familiar jargon at all. Mr. Turner says that this
statement is little better than a guess at the truth ; but Harman,
who seems to have been an earnest and honest writer, explicitly
declares that his statement was the result of inquiry among many,
or to use his own words : "As far as I can learne or understand by
the examination of a nuviber of them, their language — which they
terme peddelars Frenche or canting — began but within these xxx
yeeres or lyttle above."
What confirms this statement, if it does not actually prove it,
is the fact that Harman, though he evidently laboured hard to
make a full vocabulary and had many facilities for collecting words,
gives us in all only about 160, while those who came after him in the
field are accused of only repeating him. But the truth probably
is, that Harman was quite right ; canting was really young in his
time, and small in proportion to its age. Its growth may be very
clearly traced in dramatic, comic, or criminal literature from 1535,
as shown by Kobert Copland in his "Hye Way to the Spyttel
House," down to the present day.
In old canting the most striking element is the large proportion
of Celtic words, drawn from all parts of Great Britain. Turner has
observed that the Act 5 Edward III. c. 14, affords evidence that the
Welsh gwestwr, " unbidden guest," or vagabond, was a public nuisance
in England prior to 133 1. In fact the Welsh and Irish stroller, or
professional rogue and beggar, was a common type represented and
ridiculed in broadsides or plays till within a century.* Edicts and
Acts of Parliament, and the most vigorous punishment and reship-
ment of " ye vacabones " to their homes, were utterly ineffectual to
keep them out of England. In the English " kennick " or canting
of the lowest classes of the present day, the greater proportion of
* A majority of those travellers and tramps in England, who are simply
beggars and thieves, and who do not seek for work, are still Irish. Full
information on this subject may be found in the " History of Vagrants and
Vagrancy," by C. J. Ribton Turner ; and it may be said with truth that all
the criminals of the towns and cities put together do not injure the country
at large so much as these creatures, who carry vice into every hamlet, and
into the remotest corners of the kingdom.
xvi A Brief History of English Slang.
Celtic terms are apparently not taken directly from Gaelic, Erse,
Welsh, or Manx, but from a singular and mysterious language called
Shelta (Celtic ?), or Minklas Thari (tinkers' talk), wbich is spoken
by a very lai^e proportion of all provincial tinkers (who claim for
it great antiquity), as well as by many other vagabonds, especially
by all the Irish who are on the roads. The very existence of this
dialect was completely unknown until 1867, its vocabulary and
specimens of the language being first published in " The Gypsies "
(Boston, 1880). It has been ingeniously conjectured by a reviewer
tliat as all the Celtic tinkers of Great Britain formed, until tlie
railroad era, or about 1845, an extremely close corporation, always
intermarrying, and as they are all firmly persuaded^ that their
tinkerdom and tongue are extremely ancient, they may possibly
be descendauits of the early bronze-workers, who also perambu-
lated the country in bands, buying up broken implements and
selling new ones. This is at least certain, that the tinkers as a body
were ^'ery clannish, had a strongly-marked character, a well-de-
veloped langviage of their own, and that while they were extremely
intimate with the gypsies, often taking wives from among them,
and being sometimes half-bloods, they still always remained
tinklers and spoke Shelta among themselves. The nature of this
alliance is very singular. In Scotland the tinkler is popularly
identified with the gypsy, but even half-blood tinklers, such
as the Macdonalds,* who speak Romany, do not call themselves
gypsies, but tinklers. The caste deserves this brief mention since
it has apparently been the chief source through which Celtic woixls
have come into English canting — an assertion which is not the mere
conjecture of a philologist, but the opinion of more than one very
intelligent and well-informed vagabond. It is very remarkable that
though Shelta is more or less extensively spoken even in London,
and though it has evidently had a leading influence in contributing
the Celtic element to canting, thus far only one writer has ever
pul)lished a line relative to it. Hotten or his coUaborateurs seem,
in common with Turner and all other writers on vagabonds, never
to have lieard of its existence. It will probably be recognised by
future analysts of canting that in all cases wliere a corrupted Celtic
word is found in it, it will be necessary to ascertain if it did not
owe its change to liaving passed thi-ougli the medium of Shelta.
• It is needlesa to say th.at gypsies have assumed family names, such as
Stanley, Leo, &c., and among others that of Macdonald.
A Brief History of English Slang. xvii
Though the gypsy contribution to canting was not extensive, it
was much larger than many extensive writers on vagabonds have
supposed, and it is worth noting that a number of our most char-
acteristic slang words, such as row, shindy, tool (in driving), mash
(i.e., to fascinate), pal, chivvy, and especially the arch-term slang
itself, are all Komany. It is not remarkable that Cock Lorrell
recognised in the gypsies " a race with a back-bone," and one
from whom something could be learned. Their blood " had rolled
through scoundrels ever since the flood," and from the begin-
ning they had spoken not a mere slang, but a really beautiful and
perfect language resembling Hindustani or Urdu, but which was
much older. The constituents of this tongue are Hindi and Per-
sian — the former greatly predominating — with an admixture of
other Indo- Aryan dialects. It was first suggested in "English
Gypsies and their Language " that the true origin of the Kom or
gypsy was to be found among the Dom, a very low caste in India,
which sprung from the Domar, a mountain tribe of shepherd-
robbers ; and recent researches by Mr. Grierson among the Bihari
Dom have gone far to confirm the conjecture. Its author also
discovered that there exists to-day in India a wandering tribe
known as Trablus, who call themselves Rom, and who are in all
respects identical with the Syrian and European gypsies. About
the tenth century, owing to political convulsions, there were in
India a great number of outcasts of different kinds. Among
these the Jdts, a fierce and warlike tribe, crushed by Mahometan
power, seemed to have coalesced with the Doms or Rom, the
semi-Persian Luri or Nuri (originally Indian), and others, and
to have migrated westward. Miklosich, in a very learned work,
has, by analysing the language as it now exists, pointed out
the Greek, Slavonian, and other words which they picked up en
route. It was about the beginning of the fifteenth century that a
band of about 300 of these wanderers first appeared in Germany,
whence they in a few years spread themselves over Europe, so that
within a decade many thousands of them penetrated to eveiy corner
of the Continent. They were evidently led by men of gi'eat ability.
They represented themselves as pil{^rims, who, because they had
become renegades from Christianity, had been ordered by the King
of Hungary as a penance to wander for fifty years as pilgrims.
They had previously by telling the same story, but adapted to the
faith of Mahomet, got a foothold in Egypt. They thus obtained
official license to make themselves at home in every couutrv, except
h
xviii A Brief History of English Slang.
in England, yet went there all the same. Andrew Borde, the
eccentric physician, who lived during the reign of Henry VIII., was
the first person who made (in 1 542) a vocabulary of their language,
which he did under the impression that it was " Egyptian " or the
current tongue of Egypt. Bonaventura Vulcanius, in 1 597, in his
curious book " De Literis et Lingua Getarum," also gave specimens of
Romany as " Nubian." The first European writer who discovered
that Romany was really of Hindu origin, was J. C. Rudiger, and
this he announced in a book entitled " Neuester Zuwachs der Sprach-
kunde," Halle 1782. He was followed by Grellmann, whose work
was much more copious. It was translated into English at the begin-
ning of this century, and passed through thiee editions. George
Borrow, in his novels of " Lavengro " and " The Romany Rye," pub-
lished about 1845, and in "The Gypsies in Spain," first told the pub-
lic much about this subject, and his influence was very great both
in England and on the Continent in awakening an interest in it.
Among more recent writers. Dr. Bath C. Smart, Francis Groome,
and the writer, have been the principal collectors of Anglo-Romany
lore. Borrow, who knew the gypsies so well, was far from being
perfect in their language, as he declared positively that there are
only 1200 words in the English dialect; more recent researches
have more than doubled the numljer.
The next element of importance which enters into English slang
of the middle type, subsequent to old cant, is Dutch. Of this there
are two separate sources. In England, from the time of William
of Orange until that of George II., there was a constant influx
of Nederduytsch, while in America, the State of New York, while
subject to Holland, contributed an equally large proportion of quaint
expressions, and of these in time there was great interchange lietween
the old country and the new. To detect many of these, one must
go much deeper into Dutch than the standard dictionaries, and
descend to Teirlinck's and other collections of thieves' slang, or dig
into such old works as those of Sewcl, in which the vulgar and anti-
quated words " to be avoided " are indicated by signs. As English
and Dutch belong to the same stock, it naturally results that nimibers
of our provincial or obsolete terms are the same or nearly the same
in both ; in such cases we have generally placed them together. An
examination of the work cannot fail to convince any one that our
indebtedness to this source is much greater than has ever been su])-
posed. But as these derivations are often as doubtful as they are
numerous and plausible, the editor, with the exajnple of Bellenden
A Brief History of English Slang. xix
Kerr * before him, would beg the reader to observe that in this work
no ancient or foreign words are advanced as positively establishing
the etymology of any slang expression, but are simply adduced as
indicating possible relations. The day has gone by when it sufficed
to show something like a resemblance in sound and meaning between
a dozen Choctaw and as many Hebrew words, to prove positively
that the Red Indians are Jews. But " wild guess-work " is still
current even in very learned works, and though " in a pioneer way "
it is useful in affording hints to true philologists, it should never
claim to be more than mere conjecture.
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth many Italian words found
their way not only into English literature but also into slang, and
additions have occasionally been made since then from the same
source. Thus fogle, a handkerchief, is beyond question the Italian
foglia, a leaf, also slang for a silk handkerchief (Florentine folio),
and not the German vogel, a bird, as Hotten declares. The number
of these derivations is much larger than has ever been supposed,
and much of the mine is still unworked.
Old canting retained its character until the reign of Charles II.,
when a great deal of general slang began to be current, which weis
not connected in any way with the jargon of the dangerous classes.
Bite, macaroni, and quiz were slang, but not cant ; they originated
in or were first made popular by fashionable people. Following the
Spanish Quevedo, and other writers of the vida tunantesca, or " tag-
rag-and-bobtail school," as models, not only the dramatists, but
authors like Sir Roger L'Estrange and Defoe used directly, or put
into the mouths of their heroes, a familiar, free and easy, offhand
style, which was anything but conventional, or as many may think,
correct. Pedantic writers also continued for more than a century
to deliberately manufacture in great quantity, from Latin, words
of the kind used by the unfortunate Limousin student who was
beaten by Gargantua. An " about-town " dialect was developed
by "bloods" and wits, in which Dutch, Italian, and French began
to appear more frequently than of yore. Gypsy and old canting
terms rose now and then from the depths, or dregs, and remained
on the surface. It was during this which may be called the middle
slang epoch, that those conventional or colloquial terms began to be
* The author of an ingenious and eccentric work in two volumes, in which
he endeavoured to prove that most English proverbs, sayings, and nursery
rhymes are all in old Dutch, and have an esoteric meaning, being really
attacks on the Church.
A Brief Histoty of English Slang.
current, whicli, without being vulgar or directly associated with
crime, were, owing to their novelty, flippancy, or "fastness," still
kept in limbo, or under probation. It has been truly enough said
that the old slang was altogether coarse or vulgar, and that there
was subsequentl}'^ a great increase in the number of low and obscene
terms classed with it, a growth which went on vigorously until the
end of the reign of George IV. But while Butler, Swift, Tom
Brown, Grose, and scores of minor artists dealt out more or less
" dirt or deviltry," it should be remembered that the accretion of new
phrases, which were in no way "immoral," was really much greater.
About this time, during the latter part of the seventeenth century
and the first half of the eighteenth, was the beginning of the vast
array of words now in familiar use, which are unjustly called slang,
because that term forces upon them associations with vulgarity and
crime which they no more merit than that leaves or flowers should
be identified with the dirt from which they grow. This quarantine
language is simply the natural and inevitable result of a rapid in-
crease in inventions, needs, new sources of humour, and, in fact, of
all social causes. Kew names are in as great demand as they were
of yore, when heathen were converted and baptized in batches.
Then they were often all called John or James by the thousand
"for short," but now we are more discriminating and analytical.
But it is to be observed that hitherto no writer whatever has ever
dealt with these quarantined words or piobationers in the spirit
which they merit, or pointed out the fact that they fulfil a legitimate
function in language, or attempted to collect them in a book.
It would a])pear to have been about a century ago that a few
Yiddish, or Hebrew-German, woi-ds began to creep into English
slang. "When we consider that fully one-half of the Rothwalsch or
real slang of Germany is of this kind of Hebrew, and also the great
numbers of persons who speak it, it is remarkable that we really
have so little of it. As an instance of the guess-work philology
which we have alluded to, it may be pointed out that the common
Jewish word gomwf (Hebrew ganef), a thief, is according to Hotten
very old, in English, because it is found in a song of the time of
Edward VI. as grtoffe !
" Tho country gnoffcs, Hob, Dick, and Will,
With clubs and clouted shoon,
Shall fill up Dussyn Dale
With slaughtored bodies soon."
But gvnff,:^ according to Wright, does not mean a thief at all, but
A Brief History of English Slang.
a churl (also an old miser). Its true root is probably in the Anglo-
Saxon cneov, cnuf, or cnHvan (also cneav, knave), to bend, yield to,
cneovjan (genujlectere). If country boors or peasants be therefore the
meaning of gnoffes, it would be in Yiddish keferim. This remarkable
dialect is now spoken by some thousands of persons in London, and
there are one if not two newspapers published in it. The editor
has not only the German-Jewish Chrestomatie of Max Griinbaum,
and many books written in Yiddish, but also eleven vocabularies
of it, one of which, a MS. of about 3000 words, is by far the most
extensive ever compiled. It seems not unlikely that the word
poker, as a game of cards, is derived from Yiddish, since in it pochger
(from pochgen) means a man who in play conceals the state of his
winnings or losses, or hides his hand. This is so eminently char-
acteristic of poker that the resemblance seems to be something more
than merely accidental. There have always been Jewish card-
players enough in the United States to have given the word. The
most remarkable and desperate game of poker within the writer's
knowledge (in which not only a fortune but a life were risked)
occurred on board a Mississippi steamer, its hero being a Jew.
Of late years many Anglo-Indian and pidgin-English, or Anglo-
Chinese words, have become familiar to the public. For the former
our chief authority has been the "Glossary of Anglo-Indian Colloquial
Words and Phrases, and of Kindred Terms," by Col. Henry Yule and
the late Arthur Coke Burnell (870 ]ip. 8vo, London, John Murray,
1886), a copious work, as remarkable for extensive erudition as for
sagacity, common-sense, and genial humour. For pidgin-English
we have used the only work extant on the subject, viz., " Pidgin-
English Ballads, with a Vocabulary," by C. G. Leland (London,
Triibner & Co., 1887). This remarkable dialect, owing to the ease
with which it is acquired, is now spreading so rapidly all over the
East that Sir Richard Burton thinks that it may at no distant date
become the lingua-franca of the whole world.
Anything like a distinct history of the development of English
slang has hitherto been impossible, owing to the ignorance of most
of those who have put themselves forward as its analysts and lexico-
graphers. Samuel Rowlande told the world that gypsy and canting
had resolved themselves into one and the same thing, and following
his lead, one authority after the other, such as the author of the
"Life of Bampfylde Moore Carew," gave us as "Gypsy" vocabu-
laries, works in which hardly a trace of Romany was to be found.
In vain did Grellmann, Hoyland, and George Borrow explain that
xxii A Brief History of English Slang.
these wanderers spoke an Oriental language — even Mr. Edward
Gosse, in liis " Memoir of Samuel Rowlande," says that " ' Martin
Markall ' is entirely in prose, except some queer gyfsy songs " — the
" gypsy songs " in question having less resemblance to gypsy than
English has to Spanish or French. The editor has before him a
work written and published within a few years, called " The New
York Slang Dictionary," in which the writer tells us that " hilk is
a word in the gypsy language, from which most English slang is
derived " (hilk not being Romany at all), and assures the reader that
his book (which is simply a re-hash of Grose, with the addition of
some purely modern Americanisms) will enable him to make him-
self understood in the slums of St. Petersburg, Paris, or in any
country in the world ! In common with far gieater critics and
scholars, he believes that gypsy is a mixture of all European
tongues and corrupt English, when, in fact, it does not contain a
single French word.* Hotten had a far better knowledge of the
constituent elements of slang, unfortunately he had not even an
average "smattering" of the languages which must be understood,
and that into their very provincialisms, argots, and corruptions, in
order to solve the origin of all the really difficult problems in it.
He knew that tlie poet, Thomas Moore, made a great mistake in
believing that canting was gJl>sy, but he knew nothing whatever
of Romany, and asserts that it is mingled up and confused with
canting, and is ignorant enough to declare that " had the gypsy
tongue been analysed and committed to writing three centuries ago,
there is every probability that many scores of words now in common
use could be at once traced to its source." This was the result of an
erroneous belief that Mr. Borrow knew everything of English Romany
that could be known, while the fact is that by comparison with
Continental dialects, and with the aid of what Mr. Borrow did not
know, it is tolerably certain that the English gypsy of three cen-
turies ago is by no means the lost langujige which he assumed it
to be.
The last and not least important element in English slang consi.sts
of Americani.sms. The original basis or beginning of these is to be
found in Yankeeisms or words and phrases jieculiar at first to New
England. They consisted chiefly of old English provincialisms.
* Goorgo liorrow tliinks that the word bUddika, a shop, is from the French
boutique. It is niucli nioro probably the Italian hotter/a, thonffh it still more
reitombloit the Spanish bodega.
A Brief History of English Slang. xxiii
with an important addition of Dutch which came over the border
from New York and New Jersey, and a few Canadian-French
expressions. For these the dictionary of Mr. Bartlett is an invalu-
able source of reference. We cannot praise too highly the industry
and sagacity manifested in that work. His weak point lies in the
fact that having been guided by dictionaries such as that of Wright,
he too frequently assumes that a word which is marked as provincial
is not generally known in England. Hence he gives as peculiarly
and solely American words which have no special claim to be re-
garded as such. In addition to these mostly Saxon-born terms,
there is a much greater number of quaint eccentric expressions of
Western and Southern growth, which increase at such a rate that one
might easily compile from a very few newspapers an annual volume
of new ones. Yet again, English slang phrases are continually
being received and shifted into new meanings and forms, as caprice
or need may dictate. It may surprise the reader to learn that the
works of Artemus Ward, Bret Harte, Mark Twain, and other standard
humourists, are by no means the great mines of slang which they
are popularly supposed to be. It is in the newspapers, especially
in their reports, theatrical or local, and not infrequently in the
"editorials," that the new racy and startling words occur, as they
are improvised and picked up. This dictionary contains a large
collection of true and recent American colloquial or slang phrases,
and though the works of the great American humourists have been
carefully searched for this purpose, it will be found that the majo-
rity of terms given are from other sources. The reader who is
familiar with Bartlett and other writers on Americanisms, can judge
for himself to what extent — or to what a slight extent — we are
" indebted " to them. It is true that tliey are frequently cited, but
in the great majority of instances it lias been for the purpose of
correction, emendation, or illustration of their definitions.
The history of Slang is that of the transition of languages into
new forms, and from this jioint of view it may be assumed that
such a work as the present will be of as great interest to the
thorough student of history as tlie folk-lore to which it properly
belongs, or anything else which indicates the phases of culture.
CONTRIBUTORS.
PnOF. A. BABRiRE
K Brooksmith
Egebton Castle
J. C. Coleman
Sir Patrick Colquhoun
Major A. Griffiths
John Hollingshead
P. Beresfobd Hope
Rev. J. W. Horsley
C. Pelham Huggins
Rev. Blomfield Jackson
C. T. Jacobi
C. G. Leland
Hauon Le Stbanqb
Charles Mack ay, LL.D.
Prof. W. Paris
T, Preston
J. A. P. Price, M.D,
Alfred German Reed
Prof. D. B. W. Sladen
The Earl of Suffolk
M. Tylkcote
And Others.
A DICTIONARY
OF
SLANG, JARGON, AND CANT.
I (popular), a form
used to indicate a
high degree of excel-
lence.
The magistrates all praise my zeal,
And put me down Ai,
And burglars when they hear my step
Instantly cut and run.
They sometimes drop things in their flight.
Those things of course I take ;
To leave them there to tempt the poor
Would be a great mistake.
— Music Hall Song.
The expression is also used ad-
verbially.
My friends remark, " Oh, what a lark
To see the money fly ! "
They say we're two young sillies, and
We don't know what to buy.
But you just leave my Fred alone,
He's such a knowing sort,
He lays the money out A i.
And this is what he's bought.
—Music Hall Song.
She i^ Ax; in fact the aye-wunnest girl
I ever saw. — Shirley Brooks: The Gordian
Knot.
I am, A\,\ am all right, com-
fortable.
It originated from A i , Lloyd's,
an abbreviation commonly used
in mercantile circles to indi-
cate the character of a ship
and its appointments. To be
classed Ai at Lloyd's means
that the vessel, its anchor's,
sails, tackle, and stores have
been examined by official sur-
veyors, and found to be in
good trim, entitling it to be
ranked as first class. When a
vessel fails to reach the highest
standard, other marks are be-
stowed.
A. I or No. I (fenian). The latter
is often incorrectly used. It
should be Ai, a. title for the
commander of 900 men.
Aaron (thieves). The Aaron is
the chief or captain of a gang
or school of thieves. This
cognomen is invariably ac-
comimnied with the prefix The
— par excellence the first — simi-
A
Aaron — Abandoned.
lar to the eldest representa-
tive of certain Irish and Scotch
clans or families, such as The
O'Conor Don, The Chisholm, &c.
As Aaron was the first high-
priest, and the Aarons are the
chiefs of the Hebrew tribes, it
is probably of Jewish origin in
its slang application. Aaron was
an old cant term for a cadger
who combined begging with
acting as a guide to the sum-
mits of mountains, chiefly to
evade the laws against vaga-
bondage, no doubt a play in
its slang sense on its Hebrew
equivalent, lofty,
A-baa (various). An abaa cove,
a bad man ; an abaa muff, a
silly person. Among trade
unionists an abaa signifies a
non-unionist, who is generally
assailed with the derisive shout,
" Baa, baa, black sheep."
Abacter (old), a dishonest drover
or shepherd, one who connives
at the stealing of his master's
cattle. Probably from the Latin
abactores, ^stealers of cattle.
One of the tricks of the ab-
acters of old Smithfield was
the driving a bullock into a
jeweller's or other shop, and
during the confusion and excite-
ment of expulsion the abacter a
confederates, under the cloak
of assistance, would help them-
selves to any valuables handy.
The Annual Register for 1818
records that one shop was so
served three times in that
year.
Abaddon (old), a treacherous
thief, one who turns informer
against his fellow-rogues. From
the Hebrew dbaddon, a de-
stroyer ; often confounded with
the Cockneyism a-bad-'un, a bad
one.
The prisoner. Money Moses, better
known among thieves and fences as Moses
the abaddon, has been, to my knowledge,
for the last twenty years a receiver and
dealer in stolen property. — Report of the
Trial of the Great Gold Dust Robbery.
Abandannaad (thieves), one who
risks his liberty by committing
an act of contemptible petty
larceny. The phrase originated
through a footpad robbing a
woman of a paltry bandanna
(hence abandannaad) shawl
valued at ninepence, for which a
notorious high-class, or " high-
toby" thief, one "Kiddy Har-
ris," was hanged, although inno-
cent of any connection with the
robbery, the real culprit having
soon after confessed to the
crime. The poor prosecutrix
was so horrified at discovering
her mistaken identification that
she became a lunatic. This
incident was the chief cause
of the passing of Sir Samuel
Romilly's Act for the abolition
of capital punishment for rob-
beries on the highway of pro-
perty under forty shillings
value.
Abandoned habits (society), the
riding costume of the "Pretty
Horsebreakers " of "the Lady's
Mile," in Hyde Park.
Abandonees — Abbreviations.
Abandonees (provincial), house-
less tramps, wanderers. (Har-
lotry), a prostitute who has
either deserted her husband or
been abandoned by him.
The married abandonee looks down with
a ludicrous assumption of superiority on
such of her unfortunate companions as
have never vowed at the altar " to obey."
— H. Dowries Miles: Life of Richard
Palmer (Dick Turf in).
Abandonment, city term for the
bankruptcy of a railway com-
'pany.
Abandons (popular), foundlings,
also applied to street prostitutes.
Abbess, lady (obsolete), the mis-
tress of a brothel, also a pro-
curess.
The infernal wretches who traffic in the
souls and bodies of their helpless victims
^x& CtCCie-A lady abbesses. — W. Kidd: Lon-
don and all its Dangers.
The inmates were called the
' ' nuns," and sometimes ' ' Sisters
of Charity." The French slang
had formerly the corresponding
expression " abbesse," the estab-
lishment being termed " abhaye
des s'offre d tous," the inmates
"nonnes," and the male associate
of the mistress " le sacristain."
Abbey-lubber (nautical). This is
an old term of reproach for idle-
ness, and is applied only to the
nautical lubber. In the " Burn-
ynge of Paula's Church, 1563,''
it is thus explained : " An abbey -
lubber, that was idle, well-fed,
a long lewed lither loiterer,
that might work, and would
not." — Smyth : SaUor's Word-
Booh.
Abbot, the fancy man or husband
of an abbess. A crozier'd abbot,
or abbot on the cross, a man
who keeps a brothel more for
the purpose of robbery and ex-
tortion than that of prostitu-
tion.
Abbreviations. One of the most
notable signs of the degrada-
tion and deterioration of a lan-
guage is the popular habit, in
many other countries besides
England, of abbreviating words
and reducing them to their first
syllables, as if in a fast age
the common multitude had only
time to express themselves in
monosyllables. It prevails alike
in the learned halls of Oxford
and Cambridge and the lowest
slums of St. Giles's and White-
chapel. Among the most pro-
minent may be cited the f ollow-
ingwhich,though strictly speak-
ing are not slang, touch on
it as not being the original
terms. When written or printed
they are simply technical and
conventional, but used verbally
they are slang.
A.D.C., Aide-de-Camp ; Ad.O.,
adjutant ; Ad lib. , ad libitum ;
A.Q.M.O., Assistant Quarter-
Master-General ; biz, business ;
C. inC, Commander-in-Chief J
C. - 0., Commanding- Officer ;
Cri', " Criterion " (restaurant) ;
D. AQ.M. G., Deputy -Assistant
Quarter - Master - General ; Ex-
\
Abbreviations — Abigail.
am., university or competi-
tive examination; Gent., gen-
tleman ; the High, High Street,
Oxford ; I.G. , Inspector-Gene-
ral ; Jocks., jockeys ; J.P.,
Justice of the Peace ; Mem.,
memorandum or member ;
Mods., moderations (university) ;
N.C.O., Non - Commissioned
Officer; Nem. Con., nemine con-
tradicente ; O.C, Old Cheltonian
fCheltenham College) ; Ox., Ox-
ford music-hall; Pav., Pavilion
mu.sic-hall; Photo, photograph
Pops., popular concerts; P.R.
the prize ring ; Pub. , or pablic
public-house ; Pug., pugilist
Q.C., Queen's Counsel; Q.MO.
Quarter-Master-General ; Bad.
radical; Rep., representative
Sov., sovereign ; Spec, specula
tion; Specs., spectacles; S.U.O.
Senior Under - Officer (RM,
Academy) ; Tec, detective
Tol or tol lol, tolerable ; Tram,
tram-car; Typo., typographer
or printer ; Varsity, university
Vet., veterinary surgeon; Vice
Vice-Chancellor.
Cab and bus, which were ori-
ginally slang, have by dint of
usage succeeded in establishing
themselves in the language.
In the novels of Charles Dickens
they had already acquired a
certain archaic flavour.
Abdar (Anglo-Indian), a teeto-
taller. In Hindostanee abdar
signifies a water-carrier.
Abdeli (Anglo-Indian), a hypo-
crite, a canting preacher, a
fa.stidious or f.tlsc zealot.
Aberdeen cutlets (popular), cured
or dried haddocks, or " bad-
dies," as the Scotch term them.
Abiding (vagrants), "my abiding,"
generally refers to a temporary
resting or hiding place, secure
from capture. Abiding-hy, hid-
ing within call.
Abel had no friends, and as he was not
considered to have an aii'ding'-plixce, his
being missed from one spot only led to the
conclusion that he had gone to another. —
Mrs. Crowe: Lilly Dawson.
Abigfail (society), a lady's maid.
More properly one of an ill
temper, or tyrannical to her mis-
tress.
Tyrrill, on entering his apartment, found
that it was not lighted, nor were the obi-
gailsoi Mrs. Dods quite so alert as a waiter
at Longs'. — Sir IValter Scoit : St. Konans
Well.
Old English writers first em-
ployed it as a cant word for a
termagant woman, and after-
wards for a female bigamist.
It seems probable that having
originally received its present
signification from Abigail, who
called herself the handmaiden
of David, the word became
synonymous for a lady's maid,
in the same way that Job
and Samson came to be ap-
plied respectively to a model
of patience and to a man of
herculean strength. It was
used by Beaumont and Fletcher
as the name of a handmaiden in
their comedy of the " Scornful
Lady," and must have been fur-
thcr popularised l)y the maiden
A bigail — A bnormity.
5
name Abigail Hill of Mrs. Ma-
sham, waiting- woman to Queen
Anne. It appears to have been
adopted by many authors.
Whereas they petition to be freed from
any obUgation to marry the chamber-maid,
we can by no means assent to it ; the
Abigail, by immemorial custom, being a
deodand, and belonging to holy Church.
— Reply to Ladies and Bachelors Peti-
tion, 1694.
By coach to the king's play-house, and
there saw "The Scornful Lady" well
acted ; Doll Common doing Abigail most
excellently. — Pepys Diary.
There are many other in-
stances of the names of char-
acters of comedies or novels
having been adopted to denote a
whole class of individuals. Thus,
an inn-keeper is called Boni-
face, from Farquhar's "Beaux'
Stratagem." A Bob Acres, from
Sheridan's " The Eivals," is sy-
nonymous with a coward. The
French apply to a swindler
the name of Robert Macaire,
immortalised by Frdddric Le-
maitre in his impersonation of
the character in the melo-
drama "I'Auberge des Adrets"
— Robert Macaire, by the bye,
was the name of a notorious
bandit. One of the creations
of Balzac, in his "Comddie
Humaine," I'lUustre Gaudis-
sard, has provided an epithet
for a commercial traveller ; and
the French use A hUjail with the
same signification as on this
side of the Channel.
On vit paraitre une superbe berline,
forme anglaise, a quatre chevaux, re-
marc}uable surtout par deux trcs jolies
abigalls, qui ^taient juchdes sur le siege
du cocher. — Brillat-Savarin : Physiologic
du Goiit.
Dr. C. Mackay, alluding to the
generally accepted derivation of
the word, says, " This supposi-
tion may, or may not be correct ;
but it is curious to remark that
in the ancient Breton and Gaelic
language, abliagaU signifies flip-
pant, waspish, and snappish,
which word is derived from
abhug, a terrier, a snarling dog."
Abishag (thieves), the illegitimate
child of a mother who has been
seduced by a married man. In
Hebrew it means the mother's
error.
Walpole wrote — " I love David too well
not to be jealous of an Abishageight years
old." — Leigh Hunt's Indicator.
Able - whackets (nautical), a
popular sea-game with cards,
wherein the loser is beaten over
the palms of the hands with
a handkerchief tightly twisted
like a rope. It is very popular
among sailors. French soldiers
have a similar game, at least
as regards the penalty, termed
" foutro." — Vide Barrlre' s Argot
and Slang.
Abnormity (vulgarism), "a bleed-
ing abnormity," an opprobrious
epithet applied to the treache-
rous and deceitful ; a person of
crooked ways, an informer, a
deformed or humpbacked per-
son. Abnormeth was formerly
used in a similar sense.
A bob — Above.
Abob (Winchester), a large white
jug containing about a gallon in
measure.
Abounding (American), applied
to a person unmistakably pro-
minent at a party or a public
meeting.
When we are told of a professed wit
more than usually abounding at an even-
ing party, there is no temptation to recruit
our dictionaries from the English manu-
factured in the United States. — Evening
Standard.
About East (American). A term
used by men coming from the
New England, i.e., the eastern
and purely Yankee States, to
signify anything that meets
with approval. Such things or
people are said to be ahvat
Eoil. J, Russell Lowell in his
"Letters" well illustrates this
colloquialism of men who re-
gard everything done in their
native states as right, and whose
eyes are often turned to the old
home amidst the roughing and
struggle of the wilder West.
There was not a Yankee when Horace
Mann regretted we had not the French
word sorienter in our speech, " whose
problem has not always been to find out
what is about East. The enthusiastic
(though quaintly exaggerated) love borne
the East by its sons is, perhaps, most
strikingly illustrated in Major Jack Dow-
ning's oft-repeated phrase, ' I'd go East
of sunrise any day to see sich a place.' "
About right (vulgarism). To do
a thing ahout right is to do it
thoroughly.
About the size of it (American).
An expression indicating an
average, or estimate, or ex-
pression of value, or an equiva-
lent, in a very wide sense.
" Do you think that on the whole our
Phebe would marry Seth?"
" Wall — I guess that on the whole that's
about the size of it. She don't know
her own mind yet, but she will when she
comes to take the measure on't." — Ameri-
can Story.
When Eagle Davis died,
I was sittin' by his side,
Twas in Boston, Massachusetts, and he
said to me, " Old boy !
This climate as you see —
\%ViX.just the size for me ;
Dead or livin', take me back if you can
to Ellanoy."
—A Ballad: In the Wrong Box.
" Do you take this woman, whose hand
you're a-squeezin', to be your lawful wife,
in flush times an' .skimp?"
" I reckon that's about the siu of it,
squire." — Chicago Ledger.
Above one's bend (American),
beyond one's capacity.
It would be above tny bend to attempt
telling you all we saw among the Red-
skins. — J. T. Cooper: The Oak Openings.
In the South the phrase to sig-
nify the same idea is " above
my huckle-berry," or " a huckle-
berry above my persimmon."
Bend in this sense is probably
derived from the Anglo-Saxon
hend, signifying a bond or any-
thing that binds — a contract.
For ich am comen hider to-day,
For to saven hem, yive y may,
And bring hem out of bende.
— Anns and Atniloun, 1. 1233.
"Above my bend" is "more
than I am bound or held to do "
— a Saxon idiom.
A bove — A braham .
Above par, below par (popular).
To be above or below par signifies
that the person using the ex-
pression is in better or worse
health than usual. It is derived
from the commercial term which
refers to the price of stock, in
that case the meaning being
"average" or "level." Above
2)ar signifies also tolerably drunk ;
possessed of money beyond one's
actual expense.
Abracadabra (medical), applied
to any senseless gibberish or
extravagant notion. Organic
evolution has been stated to be
the new abracadabra of science.
The French use the epithet
abracadabrant, which is best
rendered by "stunning" or
' ' flabbergasting. " A bracadabra
was a cabalistic word in the
Middle Ages. It was written
in successive lines in the form
of an inverted triangle, each
line being shorter by a letter
than the one above, till the last
letter A formed the apex of a
triangle at the bottom. It was
said to have magical power, and
when hung around the neck
it was supposed to act as a
charm against ague. It is
thought to be derived from the
Hebrew ab, father, ruach, spirit,
and dabar, word. According to
this derivation it represents the
Trinity.
Abraham (popular), a cheap and
trashy slop shop.
Abraham's balsam or hempen
elixir (provincial), execution by
hanging. So named from the
hemp tree, a kind of willow,
that is called Abraham's balm
by botanists. By the gypsies
it is called Father's balm, and
it is used by them as a pre-
servative of chastity. There is
a pecuUar stone in the marshy
districts of the North of Eng-
land called Abrahams stone ; a
piece of this stone is worn by
the lower classes round their
necks as a charm against ague,
thus following the tradition that
Abraham wore a precious stone
round his neck to preserve him
from disease; when Abraham
died, God placed this stone in
the sun.
Abraham cove (thieves), a mean,
beggarly, despised thief, or
rather sneak. Decker writes
in 1608 that " The Abraham cove
is a lustie strong rogue who
walketh with a slade about his
guarrons" (a sheet about his
body). The Hon. Justice Matsel,
of New York, in the Rogue's
Lexicon, registers Abraham cove
" a naked or poor man ; a beg-
gar in rags" {Grove).
Abraham grains (thieves), a pub-
lican who brews his own beer.
Abraham -man or Abram-man
(ancient cant), a naked vaga-
bond, a lame or sick beggar, a
begging impostor. The Abra-
ham ward in Bedlam had cer-
tain inmates who were allowed
to go begging on behalf of
the hospital, and were called
8
Abraham.
Abraham-men, the term being
applied subsequently to lame or
sick beggars, or those shamming
distress. The begging impos-
tors designated as Abram-men
were well known in the six-
teenth century, and are men-
tioned in the " Fraternitie of
Vagabondes," 1575. "AnAbrar
ham-man is one that walketh
bare-armed and bare-legged, and
fayncth to be mad, calling him-
self Poor Tom." Abraham-men,
in Stephen's "Essays and Char-
acters," 1615, are designated as
fugitive ragamuffins, pretend-
ing to be cripples or impotent
soldiers. Harman thus describes
them : —
These A brahani-mcn be those that fayne
themselves to haue beene mad ; and haue
licene kept eyther in Bethelem or some
other pryson a good tyme, and not one
amongst twenty that euer came in pryson
for any such cause ; yet wyll they saye
howe pitiously and most extreamely they
haue beene beaten and dealt with all. . . .
These begge money. — Caveat or Waren-
ing/or Common Cursetors.
The old English dramatists
use Abraham as a cant word for
nakedness, in which sense it is
still common among tramps, who
say of a naked person, " He was
dressed in Abraham's suit, a suit
of everlasting flesh colour."
A tawny beard was termed
an " Abraham-coloured beard,"
probably in accordance with the
directions for representing all
the i)orsons in Scripture as given
in the " Byzantine Painters'
Guide," the "Book of Bally-
moti," &c. In all of these the
beards arc siKJcially described.
A "Judas-coloured beard," a
word of similar import, was so
called because Judas Iscariot
was traditionally supposed to
have had a red beard, and was
so represented by early Italian
painters. But the epithet of an
Abraham - coloured beard re-
mains as yet without any ex-
planation or justification. To
"sham Abraham" was to feign
sickness or distress, and the term
is used to the present day.
The " Sham Abraham " Agitation.
— Matters must have come to a pretty pass
when even the Daily News withdraws its
support from the Trafalgar Square impos-
tors. — TAe Globe.
A popular song of the last
century, when forgery of bank
notes for one pound was a com-
mon crime, and when the hang-
ing of the detected criminal was
quite as frequent, has preserved
for posterity the name of Abra-
ham Newland, the then cashier
of the Bank of England, who
signed all the notes in circula-
tion : —
Sham Abraham you may,
But you must not sham Abraham Newland.
Sailors use the term to de-
note an idle fellow who wants
to be put on the sick list so as
to shirk duty. Workmen also
use it, with the meaning "to
pretend to be ill," in order to
get off work.
Abraham suit, on the, any kind
of do<lge or deceit designed to
excite sympathy, used by beg-
ging-letter impostors.
Abraham — Abskize.
Abraham work (popular), ill-paid
trumpery work ; trading shams ;
showy swindles.
Abraham's willing (rhyming
slang), a shilling.
Abregoyns (American). Bartlett
spells this corruption of " abori-
gines " as Abergoins or Abrogans.
1 have often heard Ab-ree-goynes used
in jest for aborigines, especially by Virgin-
ians, but never Abrogans or Abergoins.—
C. G. Leland.
Abridgments (old), knee breeches,
small-clothes.
/^m«<2 (producing a pair of small-clothes
which Toke examines) — " Your master is
\'on beggar," &c.
Toke — " I accept the abridginents, but
you've forgotten to line the pockets." —
Lyttonl Money.
Abroad (Winchester), a boy is
said to be abroad when his
name is taken off " Continent
Roll " or Sick List, and he re-
turns to school duties.
Abroaded (society), a noble de-
faulter on the Continent to
avoid creditors. It is the police
officials' slang for convicts sent
to a colonial or penal settle-
ment, but applied by thieves in
this country, and formerly in
the colonies, to imprisonment
merely.
A.B.S. First-class sailors are
rated as A.B.S. , " able-bodied
seamen." Sometimes faceti-
ously translated as " a bottle-
sucker."
The Albatross
Is the captain and boss.
The sea-gull queers
Are the oflS-ceers ;
And the Carey chickens, as I guess,
Is every one an A.B.S.
— From a MS. of Sea Ballads.
Abs. (Winchester), abbreviation
for absent. To get ahi. is to get
away.
Abscotchalater (thieves), one who
is hiding away from the police.
From the American absquattdate,
to run away.
Absence (Eton). This word in the
slang of the boys is meant to
convey just the opposite mean-
ing. It signifies also roll-call.
Absent without leave (thieves),
broken out of gaol ; escaped
from the police. (Common), not
forthcoming when wanted for
some crime, debt, or difficulty ;
absconded.
Mr. Roupell, the member for Lambeth,
was reported absent without leave. — Morn-
ing Star: Ptirliatnentafy Summary.
At no former period on the expiration
of the racing season were there so many
speculators absent without leave. — Sport-
ing Life.
Absit (university), a permit to be
absent from college, hall, or
chapel for the day.
Abskize, abschize (American).
In a sketch of Western life
published in 1833, in a Phila-
delphia newspaper, this word
occurs as meaning to depart or
go away. It would seem to be
lO
A bsquatulate — A busive.
derived from the Dutch afschey-
den ; German abscheidm, to leave
or depart.
Absquatulate (American), to dis-
appear, to run away, to abscond.
The reverse of to "squat," from
ab and squat, originally settlers'
slang for abandoning a location
when fearing an unwelcome
visitation, and settling on a
more remote spot.
You'd thank me to absquatulate, as
the Yankees say. . . . Well, I will in a
minute. — Rhoda Broughton : Cometh up
as a Flower.
Bartlett calls this "a factitious
vulgarism." It was in use nearly
fifty years ago. At that time
running away with money by
bank presidents, &c. , became
very common in consequence of
financial panics or collapses,
and it was the fashion to coin
words from the names of the
delinquents, as " to Swartwout "
or " to Schylerise," &c. When
we reflect that there are many
Yankee and Western men ac-
customed to spelling bees, and
perhaps more familiar with the
difficult words of the dictionary
than are many scholars, it does
not appear remarkable that we
find in American slang a num-
l>er of words which have a
learned length and Latin sound.
To any half-educated man with
a fancy for extravagant ex-
pression, and familiar with
" abscond," " to .squattle away,"
and " perambulate," absquatu-
late would readily suggest itself
in an effort to recall one or the
other. Once uttered and heard,
it would become popular. To
deliberately invent a new word,
without some foregoing sug-
gestion or basis, and get it
adopted, is one of the rarest
events in the world, even in
America, where men are con-
tinually attempting it.
The various slang synonyms
are " to skedaddle, to cut one's
lucky, to sling one's hook, to
mizzle, to bolt, to cut and run,
to slip one's cable, to step it, to
leg it, to tip the double, to am-
putate one's mahogany, to make
or to take tracks, to hook it, to
slope, to slip it, to paddle, to
evaporate, to vamoose, to tip
your rags a gallop, to walk
one's chalks, to pike, to hop the
twig, to turn it up, to cut the
cable and run before the wind,"
and in the lingo of the light-
fingered and sure-footed gentry,
"to make beef, to guy, to speeL"
— Barrlre: Argot and Slang.
Abusive drill, adjutant's drill.
The adjutant, being respon-
sible for the drill of a regi-
ment, has constant parades for
instruction and practice, at
which he may occasionally
use strong language. He is
especially concerned with the
development of recruits, the
perfecting of awkward squads,
and of careless or inattentive
soldiers sent back to drill as
a punishment. A salutary
change has no doubt come over
the army, which was once pro-
verbial for cursing and swear-
A busive — A cademy.
II
ing. Even the highest ranks
were addicted to it, as witness
the old saying, " How we swore
in Flanders," and the story in
Greville's Memoirs of the Duke
of Wellington and Lord Anglesea
at Waterloo. When the latter
was wounded, he cried, " I've
lost my leg, by G — d ! " " Have
you, by G — d I " replied the
Duke. But language of cor-
rection and reproof is stiU likely
to be strong, and may at times
become " abusive " when issuing
from a much aggravated ad-
jutant's mouth. A story is told
of the last Lord Cardigan
which illustrates the style of a
military officer of a compara-
tively modern school. His lord-
ship was being driven to the
covert-side in a postchaise,
and the postiUion lost his way.
Lord Cardigan, furious at being
made late for the pieet, threw
down the glass of the chaise
and cried, " I may be right or
I may be wrong, or I may not
be the proper person to say so,
but you're a son of ,
and if I could get near you, I'd
twist your neck off,"
Academies, canting, the low lodg-
ings or public-houses for cad-
gers and tramps, lurkers, or the
houses of call or country lodg-
ing-houses for beggars and im-
postors who solicit alms by a
written petition or forged sol-
dier's or sailor's discharge.
Academy (obsolete), an organisa-
tion of thieves; a rendezvous
for practising the flash art
"dodge;" a goal; a brothel.
Termed also " flash-drum,'
" nanny - shop," " buttocking
shop," and in police-court re-
ports, "disorderly house." Esta-
blishments where " good beds "
are provided for couples are
termed "houses of accommoda-
tion," which correspond to the
French "maisons de passe." A
chronicler of old London relates
that Sir William Walworth, the
city fishmonger, who assassi-
nated Wat Tyler, possessed a
number of academies or low
brothels in Southwark, which
Wat Tyler had levelled with the
ground. " Hence," says the old
writer, " private feeling and re-
venge may have prompted Wal-
worth's activity to slay Tyler."
Peter Pindar writes that "aca-
demy is an euphemistic expres-
sion for a house that harbours
courtezans." A " finishing aca-
demy" is a private brothel,
where a staff of young (not
common) prostitutes are kept on
hire. So called from its being
the last gradation of private
prostitution before going on the
public streets. The girls who
chiefly resort to these brothels
are work girls who visit on the
sly : they are not driven by want
or desertion, but go from wil-
fulness ; to use their own words,
they "work honestly for a liv-
ing, but do the naughty for their
clothes." A "character aca-
demy," a rendezvous for cha-
racterless shopmen, footmen,
barmen, and others, whereat
12
Academy — According to.
false characters are concocted,
and other plans are matured for
robbing employers. These places
are chiefly alehouses kept by
discarded servants ; as the sub-
scriptions are enforced monthly
on those in place, the funds are
very large, and each academy
keeps a staff of well-educated
teachers who are well expe-
rienced in all the craft of trade,
and well-appointed agencies are
kept up in aU the manufacturing
towns, acting as references, and
to give good written characters.
A "gammoning academy" is a
reformatory for juvenile cri-
minals.
Acceleration (vagrants). " He
died of acceleration" he died of
starvation.
Accelerators, the union reheving
officers, from their frequent re-
fusal to give food to the dying
outcast, whose miserable career
of want often ends in death.
In such cases the jury invari-
ably accompany their verdict of
natural death with the rider,
" Accelerated through the want
of the common necessaries of
life."
Accommodated (thieves), sen-
tenced to a term of imiDrison-
ment.
For practising on the n.-it, I w.is appre-
hended and was accommodated with a
month's tioard and lodging at the expense
of the nM\a\\.—Mayhcw : London Labour
and London J'oor.
Accommodation houses (com-
mon), brothels. Their female
frequenters are termed " Ladies
of accommodating morals" being
a trifle more genteel than their
sisters, the street prostitutes.
Accommodation shops (city).
The oflicers of certain " Fin-
ance Joint Stock Companies "
who practise the accommodation
swindle on "Lloyd's Bonds,"
Debentures, Preference, and all
other shares.
Accommodators (thieves),
chiefly ex-police constables who
negotiate a compounding of
felonies and other crimes by
bribing witnesses and prose-
cutors.
According to Cocker (common),
proper, according to rule, ac-
cording to the best authority.
This phrase refers to a famous
writing-master of the name of
Cocker, who in tlie time of
Charles II. composed and pub-
lished an elaborate Treatise on
Arithmetic.
This work commences with a
"Frovena," or Preface, which
ends thus: "All the Problems
and Propositions are well
weighed, pertinent, and clear,
and not one of them taken on
trust throughout the tract;
therefore now
Zoilus and Momus lie you down and
die,
For these inventions your whole force
defy."
Professor De Morgan writes
that tlie plirase as a popular
According to — Acatmiilatives.
13
saying originated in 1756, and
was taken up by the people
from Murphy's play of "The
Apprentice," in which the strong
point of the old merchant Win-
gate is his extreme reverence
for Cocker and his Arithmetic.
In America, a similar confir-
mation phrase is in common
use, except that the name of
Gunter is substituted for that of
Cocker. Gunter was a famous
arithmetician, and no doubt
the American phrase is the
oldest. The old laws of Rhode
Island say, "All casks shall be
gauged by the rule commonly
known as ' gaugitig by Gunter.' "
" Mr. K., a respected citizen of
Detroit, has published a letter
entirely exonerating General
Cass from the charge of having
defrauded his association in the
land speculations. He is posi-
tive that all was done according
to Gunter." According to John
Norie is the standard of appeal
among sailors. John Norie
compiled a very popular work
entitled, "The Navigator's
Standard Manual." Among
schoolboys according to Walking-
hame is the confirmation of a
rule.
According to the revised sta-
tutes (American). Anything
that is legal, or properly
authorised or established. An
expression first used in this
general or humorous .sense by
a lawyer of New York named
Halstead, in Vanity Fair, in
i860.
Account (nautical). Going upon
account is a phrase for buc-
caneering.
(Sporting), to account for, re-
fers to one's personal share in
killing.
The persecuted animals (rats) bolted
above ground ; the terrier accounted for
one, the keeper for another. — TJiackeray :
Vanity Fair.
Accounts (common). To cast np
accounts is to vomit, and in
thieves' lingo it signifies to be-
come evidence against an accom-
plice.
Accumulatives (American). At
times an editor in the United
States will make a remark or a
joke, then another will cite it
and add a remark or a parody
of it, which will again be com-
mented on by a third. Thus
one says: —
" William, familiarly known as ' Bill '
Sticker, was indicted last week in Lead-
ville for passing counterfeit money. This
is according to law, for he who runs may
read in any street, ' Bill Stickers will be
prosecuted.' "
To which a rival adds :
' ' We say amen to that. We were stuck
yesterday ourself with a bad bill."
And a third exclaims :
" Suppose Sam Jones should put a bowie
into Bill Sticker, who would be the Bill
Sticker in that case ? Let us reflect ! "
We have seen as many as
twenty and more of these ac-
cumulative paragraphs of this
kind " going the rounds " of the
country press.
14
Accumulator — Acres.
Accumulator (racing), a person
who backs one horse, and then
if it wins results (sometimes in-
cluding original stakes) goes on
to some other horse.
Ace of spades (old slang), a
widow, alluding to the hue of
the card. This slang word is
given in the " Lexicon Bala-
tronicum," London 1811.
Ack (Christ's Hospital). In the •
slang of Blue Coat boys this
word is expressive of denial or
refusal.
Ack men or ack pirates (nautical),
fresh water thieves. Probably
from a corruption of "ark,"
meaning boat, as the term
" ark ruffs " has a like significa-
tion. Ack, however, seems to
have some connection with the
old term akcr (apparently from
the Anglo-Saxon egor, the flow-
ing of the sea), which is still
applied on the Trent to a kind
of eddying twirl which occurs
on the river when it is flooded.
In the dialect of Craven, ac-
cording to Mr. Thonaas Wright
(Dictionary of Obsolete and
Provincial English), a ripple on
the surface of the water is
termed an acker.
Acknowledge the com, to (Ame-
rican). To admit that one has
been got the better of, or is
outdone.
It is said that an Illinois hoosier once
came to New Orleans with two boats, one
loaded with corn, the other with potatoes.
He fell among gamblers, was made drunk,
and "anted off" or lost both his boats.
During the night there came a storm and
the boat full of com was sunk. In the
morning the gamblers came to claim their
stakes. The hoosier with great firmness
replied, " Gentlemen, I acknowledge the
com, but the potatoes you shan't have
— by thunder!" — American Newspaper.
{Given more fully in Bartlett's Dic-
tionary.)
A-cock (popular), knocked over,
defeated ; suddenly surprised,
astounded.
He made a rush at me and sent me
and my barrow all a-cock. — Thames Police
Report, May 23, 1867.
Also, cocked up.
The small grey sprig on the crown of
our pericranium and the thin grey tail
acock behind. — Recreations of Christopher
North.
Acorn (old cant), the gallows tree.
The acorn is planted for thee, my bonny
boy. — Wilson's Tales oftlu Border.
Acquisitive (American), booty,
plunder.
The officers surprised them packing
up the acquisitive. — The Man in Pos-
session, by Leman Rede : Sunday Times.
An acquisitive cove, a man
given to picking and stealing.
Acreocracy (American), a coined
word to signify the landlord
interest.
The introduction of a plutocracy amongst
the aristocracy and the acreocracy, though
it has tended somewhat to vulgarise our
social institutions, has not been without its
good effect. — I/allberger's Illustrated
Magazine (1878).
Acres (theatrical), a coward, from
the pusillanimous Bob Acres in
Sheridan's i)lay.
Acres — Adam.
15
In Ireland "a regular acres
man " meant a professed duellist .
From "the fifteen acres" for-
merly a field famous for duels
in Dublin, In India, Acre Farm,
near Calcutta, is used for duels,
hence " a regular acre's man,"
Across lots (American). " In the
most expeditious manner" (as
regards time), or (as regards dis-
tance) "by the shortest cut."
" He may be said to have at-
tained place and power across
lots," i.e., with great rapidity.
This phrase comes down to us
from the old settlers' days, when
the shortest road then, as indeed
now, was across lots, and not by
the main road.
You would cut across the lot like a streak
of lightning if you had a chance. — Char-
coal Sketches, i. 35.
And in the " Biglow Papers,"
Mr. J. Kussell Lowell says : —
" To all the mos' across lot ways of
preachin' an' convertin'."
Acting dickey (naval), an ofiicer
acting as lieutenant although
not confirmed by the Admiralty.
(Legal), a clerk or agent acting
in the name of a lawyer on the
Rolls. ' The practice of acting
dickey is generally resorted to
in questionable proceedings.
Action (American), quick work,
an immediate result. Western
card playing, &c., slang.
" That's my kind," says old Sam ; " you
get action there at every turn. No wait-
ing for any darned cards to turn up." —
F. Francis : Saddle and Moccasin.
Actionize, to (legal), to cite before
a legal tribunal.
Act of Parliament (old), small
beer. A military term referring
to the fact that publicans were
by Act of Parliament compelled
to supply billeted soldiers with
five pints daily gratis. There
is a story current among the
Chelsea veterans that the Duke
of Wellington saw a soldier
warming his weak regulation
beer. His Grace said, " Damn
the belly that won't warm Act
of Parliament." The soldier re-
plied, " Damn the Act of Parlia-
ment, it won't warm the belly."
Actual (American), "the actual,"
money.
As for happiness in this world without
the rhino, the chink, or the actual, you
might as soon think of winning a woman's
affections in a raffle. — Dow's Sermons.
Ad., adver. (printer's), abbrevia-
tions for advertisement.
" I want this adver. where it won't
show," said a lawyer, as he entered the
office of a newspaper. "It's got to be
published to comply with the law, but it
pertains to a divorce case, and we don't
want any more publicity than we can help.
Let me see ; your paper is Democratic,
isn't it?"
The editor replied that it was.
" Then run this ad. in under the church
notices. It will never be seen there by
your subscribers," said the lawyer. — Ame-
rican Newspaper.
Adam (popular), master-man, fore-
man, or superintendent ; termed
also "gaffer" or "boss of the
show."
i6
Adam — Admiral.
Adam's ale (old), water as a
beverage. It is supposed that
this was the only drink of our
first parent, and that before
Noah planted the vine all were
perforce teetotalers.
Your claret's too hot, sirrah drawer, go
bring
A cup of cold Adam from the next
purling spring.
— T.Brown: Works.
Another old term for the
beverage which "does not in-
toxicate but does not cheer,"
is " fish broth." The French
argot has the contemptuous
epithets "ratafia de grenouilles,"
and "vase," sometimes varied
to "vasinette."
Adam Tiler (old cant), a pick-
pocket's confederate, who re-
ceives the stolen article, and
runs off with it. Origin un-
known, but supposed to have
been the name of one notorious
for his skill at this kind of thing.
It is possibly from the German
Theiler, one who shares, a con-
federate.
Added to the list (racing), is said
of a horse which has been cas-
trated. A like operation per-
formed on a man is termed in
French slang " Abdlardiser,"
from the barbarous treatment
of Aboard by Chanoine Fulbert.
When a horse has been imper-
fectly castrated he is called a
"rig."
Addition, division, and — silence I
(American). This phrase origi-
nated in Philadelphia.
Addle-cove (popular), a foolish
man, same as addle-pate.
" Literally, a rank sucker." —
N. Y. Slang Diet.
Addled-egg (common), a canard,
an egg from the fabulous mare's
nest.
Addle-headed (common), with
little brains, or empty-headed;
from Anglo-Saxon adda, mud.
Addle-pate (common), one whose
brain cannot distinguish be-
tween the objects which are
outside it and the imaginations
within.
Addle - pot (common), a spoil-
sport ; a mar-all.
Adept (thieves), a pickpocket, a
conjuror.
An adept must be one of an audacious
spirit with a nimble conveyance and a
vocabulary of cabalistic phrases to astonish
the beholder. — The Merry Companion,
or Delights for the Ingenious, by Richard
Neve [Juggler), 1721.
(Old cant), an alchemist.
Adjutant's gig (military), the bar-
rack roller, which is drawn, pre-
sumably under the adjutant's
orders, by the defaulters — the
men imder punishment — who
are the slaves, the hewers of
wood and drawers of water for
officers, comrades, and the bar-
racks generally.
Admiral (naval), the ship which
carries the admiral. Formerly
all ships were called admirals.
Our t.-ill admirals that visit every sea.—
Cornelius 0'I)o7vd.
Admiral — A dopted.
17 ,
Admiral of the Blue (old slang),
a public-house keeper, so called,
says Grose, because publicans
were accustomed to wear blue
aprons. Properly an Admiral
of the Blue is one of the third
class in the navy, and holds the
rear in an engagement.
Admiral of the narrow seas (nau-
tical), one who from drunken-
ness vomits into the lap of his
opposite companion.
Admiral of the Red (common), a
person whose ruby countenance
gives unequivocal signs of his
penchant for the bottle. Pro-
perly, Admiral of the Red is an
admiral of the second class, and
holds the centre in an engage-
ment.
As regards the word admiral
taken in its literal sense, it may
be interesting to remark that
this word seems to have been
introduced into Europe by the
Genoese or Venetians in the
twelfth or thirteenth century,
from the Arabic Amir-al-bahr,
commander of the sea, the termi-
nating word having been omitted
(Webster).
Admirals of the red, white, and
blue (popular), street and square
beadles, office and club door-
keepers.
Admiral of the white (popular), a
white-faced person, a coward ;
a woman in a faint.
Admire, to (American), character-
istic of New England, and used
in many strange ways, e.g., " I
admire to look at pictures."
Admire is often used for liking,
predilection, or taste. " I do
admire peaches and cream."
" Don't you admire pumpkin-
pie with ginger in it ? " corre-
sponds to the prosaic use of
adorer, to worship : " j 'adore
les pommes de terre frites."
Adobe (American), a house made
of dried clay in adobes or large
clay blocks. " To the old
adobe," is the death-cry of the
vigilants of San Francisco when
a criminal is tried by lynch law
and condemned to death ; the
old adobe being the slang title
of the custom-house where the
execution of malefactors takes
place. Adobe signifies a sun-
baked brick, from the Spanish.
At Los Angelos, county California, the
skilled silk workers are comfortably housed
in adobe cottages. — United States Corres-
pondent, Standard, May i86g.
Adoi, adoy (gypsy), there. '' Adoi
se miri dye I " — " There is my
mother I "
Adonee (old cant), the Deity. Evi-
dently Yiddish, from Adonai,
Lord. Martin Luther uses the
word as a cant term among
beggars for God.
A tramps' toast says : —
" May the good Adonee
Soften the strong ;
Lighten our loads
And level our roads."
Adopted (American) signifies a
naturalised citizen. President
B
18
Adopted — Adullamites.
' Lincoln proposed to Congress
that the word adopted should be
struck from all public docu-
ments, so as to place foreign
citizens and native-born citizens
on an equality.
Adopter, a scoundrel who pre-
tends to be desirous of adopting
a child, out of philanthropic
motives, on the payment of a
certain sum, and either gets rid
of it at the earliest opportunity,
or leaves it to die of starvation
and neglect.
There can be no doubt that if the history
of every one of the ten thousand of the
young human pariahs that haunt London
streets could be inquired into, it would be
found that no insignificant percentage of
the whole were children abandoned and
left to their fate by mock adopters such
as F. X. — J antes Greenwood : Ttu Seven
Curses of London.
The initials refer to the sub-
joined advertisement, which is
given here as a specimen of the
mode of proceeding of adopters.
Adoption. — A person wishing a lasting
and comfortable home for a young child
of either sex will find this a good opjxjr-
tunity. Advertisers, having no children
of their own, are about to proceed to
America. Premium, fifteen pounds. Re-
spectable references given and required.
Address, F. X.
Adoption. (Low) "doption," an
adopted child. In baby farm-
ing, " to be mounted for lopping
the ' doption,' " is to be placed
in the criminal dock for causing
the death of an adopted child.
Adown in the viol (thieves), a hue
and cry against a detected cul-
prit. Adown, although now con-
sidered vulgar, was formerly
used by our best writers in
place of down ; viol refers to the
noise of the old-fashioned in-
strument when played by street
musicians, which was very dif-
ferent from its offspring the
violin.
Ad portas (Winchester), a Latin
speech delivered by the Senior
College Prefect to the War-
den of New College, and the
"Posers" (see this word), &c.,
under the middle gate when
they come down at election to
examine for Winchester and
New College scholarships and
ex^bitions.
Adrom (gypsy), away. From a
and dram, a road or way ; Greek
Spofids. " Jasa tu adrom, m5n
hatch akai" — "Go thou away,
do not stop here 1 "
Adsum (Charterhouse), roll-call or
name calling.
Adullamites (Parliamentary), the
seceders from the Liberal party
led by Mr. Gladstone during
the Reform Agitation of 1S67.
To "take refuge in the cave of
Adullam " is a phrase borrowed
from the Old Testament, and
was used during the great
American civil war in 1863 by
President Lincoln in reference
to the partisans of General
M'Lellan after liis dismissal
from the command of the army
of the Potomac. It was after-
Adullamites — Affinity.
19
wards used by John Bright in
the British Parliament.
John Bright invented another apt phrase
when he dubbed the seceders from the
Reform party Adullamites. ParHamen-
tary tactics have naturally given birth to
many slang words. — Comhill Magazine.
Adusta, adosta (gypsy), enough.
" But adosta Romany chals," — " Many
gypsies. " — L avengro.
Advantage (Califomian) ; pocket
advantage, carrying a pistol
charged and at half cock in the
coat pocket, so that if the hand
is placed in the pocket it rests
on the handle. Sometimes a
shot is fired at an adversary
through the pocket itself. This
is only done with a derringer.
^gers (university slang), letters
of excuse ; from the Latin ceger.
Pethaps it's a deep-laid scheme of yours to
post a heap of tegers while you're a Fresh-
man, and then to get better and better
every term, and make the Dons think that
you are improving the shining hours by
doing chapels and lectures more regularly,
artful Giglamps ! — Cuthbert Bede : The
Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green.
iEgrotat (university), a remission
of a collegiate duty, generally
obtained by some questionable
excuse to the principal. From
(E'jrotare, to be ill.
^Esthetic (American). This word,
from being supposed to mean
"artistic," has been extended
to excellence of all kinds. In
1884 a grocer in Philadelphia
advertised very seriously and
innocently that he had some
" very (esthetic cheese." It is
occasionally abused in much the
same way in England.
Aetna (Winchester), an ambitious
appellation given to a small
boiler for " brewing," that is,
making cocoa or coffee, the
combustible used being spirits
of wine.
A. F., abbreviation for "Across
the Flat," one of the numerous
subdivisions of the racing track
at Newmarket. The A. F. course
commences at the running gap
in the Ditch, and ends at the
winning post of the Rowley
Mile, whence also to the Grand
Stand. The distance A. F. is
one mile, two furlongs, and
seventy-three yards.
Affidavit men (old), men who loi-
tered about the courts of justice
ready to swear anything for
Ijay. They were also known as
Knights of the Post, and were
distinguished by the straw
which they stuck in the heels
of their shoes. The word has
become obsolete, but not so the
practice, as there are even now
plenty of scoundrels loitering
outside courts of justice who
are ready to swear to anything
for half-a-crown.
Affinity (American), a person of
the opposite sex who is per-
fectly in harmony with any
one. A passional affinity is
one in whom intense sexual
desire exists in common with
20
Affinity — Afflictions.
all other attributes. This is
the favourite and character-
istic expression of the Free-
Love sect, which sprang up
about 1850, and for a time
attracted a great deal of atten-
tion, holding public meetings in
New York, "giving rise" to
much newspaper writing, and
not a little extremely lively
literature, such as "Fanny
Greely, or the Confessions of a
Free-Love Sister," &c. Several
communities were founded to
carry out Free-Love practically ;
that at Berlin Heights was made
the subject of an amusing sketch
by Artemus Ward. The Oneida
county Free-Love community
is described by Hepworth Dixon
in " Spiritual Wives." The ori-
ginal Free-Lovers held that love
is, or should be made, the mo-
tive power and inspiration of
life, that to perfeQt ourselves
in every way we should have an
affinity, that two persons are
required to make one complete
life or destiny, and that it is
the great duty of life to seek
for this affinity. Everything
should yield to this, and should
the affinity unfortunately be al-
ready married to another, there
should be a divorce and re-
marriage at once. Of course, it
was soon discovered that a great
deal of experimenting with dif-
ferent ladies or gentlemen was
necessary before the true affinity
could be discovered. This
liberty to "chop and change
ribs A Jm mode Oermanorum "
was not, however, favourably
regarded by the "cold world"
of orthodox Christians.
In the year 1850, a house of ill-fame
having been broken up in Philadelphia,
its inmates were brought before a magis-
trate. Among them was a young lady of
very attractive personal appearance, who
was identified as belonging to an excellent
family in the North. On being asked why
she led such a disreputable life, she re-
plied that she was an advanced spiritualist
and free-lover, and considered it to be the
mission and duty of her life to offer herself
to men seeking for affinities, or to man
in the abstract, and that every man whom
she liked and who returned the feeling was
her husband. She defended her views with
great earnestness, and in language which
indicated an excellent education and ex-
tensive reading. — MS. Notes.
I was goin' along the street, 'bout
three-quarters past owl-time, when I met
as pretty a yard-and-a-half of black silk as
I ever looked at. "Young gentleman,"
says she, " don't you want a pashernal
affinity > " " What's that ? " says I. "It's
a prize bed-comforter," says she, "and the
price is five dollars, extras included ; don't
say no, for to-morrow and the day after
you'll be sorry to have missed such a chance
of addin' to the golden joys of youth." —
Ne7v York Sunday Journal.
Affirmative side, the winning side,
the side most likely to forward
one's self-interest and f)romo-
tion.
He was shrewd, sharp, and subtle enough
to be always on the affirmative side. —
Tiie Silent Placeman, 1824.
Cats and dogs have never been able tew
agree on the main question that both seem
tew want the affirmative side tew on'st. —
Josh Billings : On Cats.
Afflictions (drapers), mourning
habiliments, .^^tcii'owa are quiet,
i.e., mourning goods are not in
demand. Mitigated affiictiom,
half mournin<'.
Affygraphy — Age.
21
AflFygraphy (popular) is said of
anything that fits nicely.
" Is it in ? " said he — " It is," said she.
" Does it fit ? " said he — " It does," said
she.
"Quite affygraphyV — "Quite affy-
graphy."
— The Lady and the Shoemaker.
Aficionado (gypsy), a non-gypsy
who lives and mixes with the
tribe. From the Spanish afic-
ion, affection.
An aficionado, a true lover and student
of gypsy life. — Experiences of a Roumanie
Rhei ; Penny Illustrated Paper.
Afloat (common), in a promising or
a prominent state or condition.
All the town's afloat. — Gay.
A-fly (low), to get a-jly is to
become expert at.
Go first to costermongery,
To every fakement get a-Jly,
And pick up all their slangery.
— The Leary Man.
Afterdap (American). In Peiyi-
sylvania and the Western States
of America this signifies an ad-
ditional, and very often unjust
demand beyond the agreement
or bargain originally made.
"None of your afterclaps.'" In
Scotland the same word means
" evil consequences."
After-dinner man (old), a deep
drinker.
• The good Baronet (Sir Francis Burdett)
was not only a foxhunter, but a celebrated
after-dinner man. It must have been a
good bout indeed in which he was woisted.
— Dublin Sketch Book, 1830.
After four (Eton), the interval
between 3 and 6 f.k.
Afternoon buyer (popnlar), one
who waits until after the market
dinner with the hope of pur-
chasing cheaper than before
that time.
Afternoon farmer (popular), one
who neglects his farming opera-
tions until late in the season, or
holds over his stock until late
in the day, in the hope of getting
a better price.
After twelve (Eton), the recess
after morning school and before
afternoon class.
I used to visit him regularly in the dear
old college from the after tivelve. — Whyte-
Melville's Good for Nothing;.
Croppie, who abominated all laws and
delighted in transgressions, resolved to go
to the fair, and without difficulty he per-
suaded the Pug and me to join him. One
day after twelve the three of us passed over
Windsor Bridge in the same condition as
the "bold adventurers" alluded to in
Gray's Ode. — Brinsley Richards' Seven
Years at Eton.
Age (American, cards, technical),
the oldest hand or player to the
left of the dealer, who, at Poker,
is allowed to pass the first round
after the hands are " helped,"
and to come in again after all
have raised or gone out. He
signifies his intention by saying
" my aye," or *' I pass the aije."
The effect is that the first player
becomes the last player. This
expedient is sometimes used to
conceal a very good hand, and
at other times as preparatory to
22
Age — Agonise.
■ a " bluff," or a poor one. As
cases of absolute equality among
hands are all but impossible at
Poker, little is risked by it.
Aged (racing, technical), any
horse over six years is described
as aged.
We really do abuse the powers of our
blood stock in its undeveloped stage, and
use up our racehorses at far too early an
age. There is no disputing the fact that
Bendigo stands alone as a first-class aged
representative racehorse now on the turf,
where in former days we had our Laner-
costs. Touchstones, Beeswings, Alice Haw-
thorns, &c., by the dozen. — Sporting
Times.
Agee or ajee (American). Bartlett
defines this as " askew ; " as to
have one's hat agee. From the
term gee, used in driving cattle.
It seems rather to be derived
ir ova gee, "to agree with," "to
fit," with the prefix negative o.
In America it is also applied to
a door ajar or partly open, as
appears by the following rhymes
from a comic paper published
in Philadelphia in 1833 or 1834
on an incident which occurred
there : —
I am an undertaker true.
And know my business well ;
I'm just the man to punish you,
For sending folks to hell.
You quite forgot, behind the door,
When it was left agee,
I caught you hugging Mrs. ,
Your heart quite full of glee.
According to "Wright (Provincial
Dictionary), agee is North Eng-
lish, and means both awry and
ojnr. The word is, however, at
present far more generally used
in America than England.
Aggari (Anglo-Indian), lit. fire-
carriage, applied by the natives
to a railway train. — Eohson Job-
son, being an Anglo-Indian Glos-
sary, London 1886.
Aggerawators (popular), a corrup-
tion of " aggravators," the lock
of hair formerly in vogue alike
among honest costermongers and
men of the Bill Sykes type, worn
twisted back from the temple
towards the ear. It is now in
favour among gypsies and a
few " bruisers." The French
peasants of Berry are fond of
this ornament, which recalls,
though much shorter, the old
cadenettes of the French hus-
sars.
His hair was carefully twisted into the
outer corners of each eye, till it formed
a variety of that description of semi-
curls usually known as haggerawaiors .
— Dickens : Sketches by Boz.
Agitate the communicator (com-
mon), ring the bell.
Agitator (common), a bell rope;
the street door knocker.
Aglal, glal (gypsy), before, in
front of.
Ago gate (American thieves'
slan<r), be quick I A warning
signal. From agog.
Agonise (American), to endure
agony. A favourite word with
young or "sensational" clergy-
Agonise — Air.
23
men. The writer once heard
one of these declare (in Ken-
tucky), that "We must agonise
if we would see God," and
he has since met with the same
expression in print.
Agony (common), to put or to
pile the agony on, means to
thrill, to horrify, to keep up or
intensify the excitement attend-
ant on sensational productions.
"Wife" is a fair specimen of a book of
this kind. It is all agony from beginning
to end. There are no pauses for length-
ened descriptions of summer evenings or
old-fashioned gardens ; there are neither
panegyrics of virtuous heroes, nor verbal
portraits of lovely heroines. * The agony
is put on at full pressure in the first chap-
ter, and is never shut off till the last.—
Saturday Revieiv.
That particular column in the
daily papers, which is headed
by private communications be-
tween individuals, is called the
" agony column."
And how does she propose to succeed ?
Pollaky? The a^(7«y column ? Placards,
or a Bell-man "i— Black : A Princess 0/
Thvle.
Hard. — 1 beg of you to see me. Your
refusal does more harm than good. Your
time will suit me. Please don't refuse. I
ihink it most unkind of you, considering
all things. — Q.
— Standard.
The agony column does not
always contain unpleasant or
dismal tidings. It is used ex-
tensively by lovers and as a
means of communication be-
tween thieves, &c.
Should be delighted to take sweet
counsel of an Oracle so lovely, free, and
mild. True grief to have marred Elysian
blisses.
Sweetheart. — Shall be in town shortly
after Christmas. So longing to see you,
love. True and faithful even to your
shadow.
The Moon. — Bless ns and keep us, what
can you mean? 1 never supposed. — Eliab.
— Standard,
It is said that the last Carlist
revolution was arranged entirely
by means of the Time*' agony
column.
Football players say of the
side that makes a number of
goals that it " piles on the
agony." In theatrical parlance
an "agony piler" is an actor
who performs in a sensational
play in which the blood of the
audience is made to curdle
and their flesh creep. To "pile
on the agony " was originally
American ; it was common in
1840.
Aidh (tinker), butter,
Ainoch (tinker), a thing.
Air and exercise (thieves), penal
servitude at a convict settle-
ment. Two stretches of air
and exercise, i.e., two years' penal
servitude.
Airing (racing), a horse is
said to be " out for an airing"
when there is no intention on
the part of those concerned with
him that he should win.
Air line road, an (American), an
expression applied to a rail-
road track when it passes over
24
Air — Alderman.
the level unbroken prairie in a
straight line without bend or
gradient. "A straight shoot"
is also another term for this.
Aja, ajaw (gypsy), so. Often
pleonastic kushte ajd, good
enough.
"If waver f<5ki kirns lis,
Mukk lendy kair ajd."
(If other people like it, let them
do so." — £. H. Palmer.)
Akalak (Anglo-Indian), a cape
worn by Indian ofl5cers on state
occasions.
Akerman's Hotel (obsolete),
Newgate prison, the governor
being, in 1787, a man named
Akerman.
Akonyo (gypsy), alone.
" Me shon akonyo gilde yoi,
Men buti ruzhior,
Te sari chiricloi adoi.
Pen mandy giloir."
(" I am all alone," she sang,
" among many flowers, and all
the birds are singing songs to
me." — Janet Tuckey.)
Alay, ale (gypsy), do'WTi. — (" Besh-
tu alay adoi te me te vel pen
tute a kushto gudlo" — " Sit
thou down there, and I will tell
thee a nice story 1 ")
Albany beef (American), the
stnr<j;cun, so called because
Washington Irving spoke of the
"hospitable V>oards" of that
city as "smoking with stur-
geon." It is also sometimes
called "nigger beef," sturgeon
being in some parts of the
United States a cheap fish
which was once held in very
little account. It is to be re-
marked that several kinds of
fish are often spoken of as meat.
Thus a Yarmouth bloater is
called a two-eyed steak, or a
Yarmouth capon ; a kind of
fish in India is known as Bom-
bay ducks, and a fresh herring
is a Billingsgate pheasant.
Albert (common), a watch chain.
Albertopolis, according to Hotten,
a facetious appellation given by
the Londoners to the Kensington
Gore district. Now obsolete.
Aldea (Anglo-Indian and frontier
American), a village or a villa, a
country-seat. From the Spanish
aldea, which is in turn derived
from the Arabic.
Alderman (popular), a half-crown,
a long pipe, a turkey. An alder-
man in chains, is a turkey hung
with sausages. " Blood and
guts alderman," a fat and pom-
pous man.
(Thieves), au aldinnan, a large
"jemmy" or crowbar, used for
opening safes. An extra large
one is called a " lord mayor."
Alderman Lushington, intoxicat-
ing drink. (I'attor imported
into Australia by convicts.)
Beer or liquor of any kind is lush ; to
lus/t is to drink. .Speaking of a person
who is drunk, tlie " fl.ish " fraternity say,
" Aliiennan Lushington is concerned," or
Aldgate — All along.
25
simply, " He has been voting for the alder-
man. " A lush-crib, or lush-ken, is a public-
house. — From VaMx's Memoirs.
Aldgate pump (old), a draught
on Aldgate pump meant a bill of
exchange drawn on persons no
better able to pay than Aldgate
pump.
Ale draper (old), ale-house keeper.
Alemnoch (tinker), milk.
Ales (Stock Exchange), a nick-
name used by men on 'Change
for Allsopp & Sons' stock.
Alexandra limp, the (common),
a fashionable craze, resulting
from a toadying imitation of a
certain lady well known in
society who walks with a slight
limp.
Your owji advocacy for the Grecian bend
and the Alexandra limp — both positive
and practical imitations of physical afflic-
tion. — Chambers's Journal.
Alfred David (popular), affidavit ;
also Affidavy and Davy.
I almost dropped when up she jumped
And said, " I'm ready now,
But why this look of thusness
That is stealing o'er thy brow?"
I cried, " Avaunt and touch me not ! "
Then bolted up the lane.
And I'll take my Alfred David h.o\.
She don't catch me there again.
— Blighted Love, by Harry Adaufs.
He is engaged in receiving the after-
daty of a man who got his head broke by
a tinker. — Kingslty : Geoffrey Hamlyn.
Algerines (theatrical), performers
who bully the manager of a
theatre when the salaries are
not paid. Also petty money-
borrowers.
All abroad (common) an expres-
sion used when any undertaking
has failed, and a person is im-
certain as to the course to pur-
sue. A variant is " all at sea."
" Alas ! poor ghost ! " It's a doubt which
is most
To be pitied — one doom'd to fry, broil,
boil, and roast, —
Or one bandied about thus from pillar
to post, —
To be all abroad— K.a be " stumped," not
to know where
To go — so disgraced.
— Ingoldsby Legends : A Legend oj
Dover.
Allacompain or alicumpaine
(rhyming slang), rain, termed
"parney" in thieves' lingo;
also a common sweetmeat de-
rived from the name of the
plant.
Of ups and downs I've felt the shock.
Since days of bats and shuttlecocks.
And alicumpaine and Albert rocks
When I the world began.
— The Leary Man.
He had been noted for an immoderate
partiality for the saccharine though indi-
gestible cates known as alecampane, and
Bonaparte's ribs.— 6"a/a.- The Haddington
Peerage.
All afloat, rhyming slang for a
coat.
All alive (tailors), garments un-
fairly or slovenly made.
All along of, an illiterate synonym
for "on account of," "by rea-
son of," or "owing to such and
such a cause." The phrase oc-
26
AU-a-mort — AH fours.
curs in print so early as the time
of Chaucer, and is therefore in
all probability much older.
AU-a-mort (old), struck dumb,
confounded.
All around sports (American),
men who take an interest in all
kinds of sport — racing, shoot-
ing, fishing, ball, pedestrianism,
sparring, cock-fighting, ratting,
&c.
All at sea (common), bewildered,
confused ; " aU at tea on the
question."
" Dear, do scientific men become sailors
when they are scared?"
"Guess not. Why?"
" Because this paper says that since the
earthquake the scientists are all at sea." —
Pittsburg Bulletin.
All beer and skittles, recent slang
signifying that the life and the
circumstances of the person to
whom it is made applicable are
not so pleasant or so happy as
they might be, or as they are re-
presented to be. The allusion is
to the supposed amusements
of working men in the skittle
ground, and to the beer which
they drink to refresh themselves
•luring the exercise.
Even the life of an heir to the Russian
throne is not all beer and skittles. The
young Grand Dulce has narrowly escaped
lx:ing sent to the Crimea instead of to
Cannes for the benefit of his health. —
Globe.
The expression is sometimes
varied to idl skittles and beer.
There's danger even when fish are caught
To those who a wetting fear ;
For wliat's worth having must aye be
bought.
And sport's like life, and life's like sport,
It ain't all skittles and beer.
— Adam Lindsay Gordon's Poems.
The word skittles itself has
ceased to belong to slang phrase-
ology. It may be interesting
to remark that the game was
originally nine pins ; but the
Blue Laws of Connecticut having
forbidden that game, the astute
sons of the Puritans added a
pin, and made the game ten
pins, or, as it is now called,
"American bowls."
All brandy (popular), good, pro-
fitable, pleasant.
All bum (popular), a female with
a large bustle.
All-fired (English and Ameri-
can), immoderate, violent. This
common expression is thought
in New England to be an eu-
phemism for " hell-fired." Thus
people talk of an " all-fired
abuse," meaning a crying abuse ;
an '^all-fired hurry," i.e., in great
haste.
I knows I be so all-Jired jealous I can't
bear to hear o' her talking, let alone writing
to. — T. Hughes ; Ton Brown at Oxford.
All fours, to be on (common), to
be on good terms, to be exactly
similar ; probably of Masonic
origin, and referring to the com-
pleteness and harmony of the
four sides of a " square."
The cases [Rradlaugh v. Newdegafe,
Clarke v. Bradlaugh] are on all /ours. —
J'imes.
All gay — All my eye.
27
All gay (thieves), a term to denote
that the coast is clear, a variant
of "all serene," all right. French
thieves use the expression " tout
est franco " in the same sense.
Having selected one house, at which
James Hawes reported to the fourth man
that it was all gay, which the detective,
who was in hiding in a garden, understood
to mean that no one was at home, the four
men joined together near it. — The Globe.
All-get-out (American), an old
Yankee expression. " Oh, get
out 1 " appears to have suggested
it. This is uttered very often
when any person announces
or says something extravagant.
Whence the saying, " That beats
aU-geUout."
But hark ! behold ! to-morrer thou,
In deep revenge mayst dry thy tears,
I hev a plan which you'll allow
Beats all-git-out when it appears.
— The Ballad 0/ Tim Zioti Boggs.
All holiday at Peckham (popular)
is said when there is nothing
to eat. All holiday means no
work, and Peckham is a play on
"peck," food.
All hollow, hollow (old slang),
completely, utterly. " I beat
him all hollow at a race." Pro-
bably derived from ivhoUy. All
whole, or whole-and-all, heel en
al, is a Dutch idiom ; heel-all,
the universe.
All in (racing) means that bets
made on horses in the list are
to stand whether the horse runs
or not.
All in I (Stock Exchange), an ex-
pression used by men on 'Change
when a market goes flat, and
there is a general disposition to
sell.
All in a pucker (common), in
confusion ; so hurriedly as to
agitate and perplex. Women
of the lower classes, especially
when suddenly flustered and
agitated, will declare themselves
aU in a pucker, and most fre-
quently such a statement will be
deemed sufficient qualification
to justify a resort to the usual
"pick-me-up."
All in fits (tailors). See Paealy-
TIC FIT.
All mouth (American), a man who
is a great talker, and only a
talker, is said to be all mouth.
When one Congressman assaults another
he generally hits him in the mouth, that
being about all there is to strike at. —
A merican Journal.
All my eye (popular), nonsense,
untrue. Some philologists have
suggested — though they have
not adopted — a derivation from
the Welsh al mi hivy, it is very
tedious, i.e., it is all nonsense.
It seems far more probable that
it is a contraction of the phrase
" there is as much of it as there
is in all my eye," the words
being made more forcible by
closing one of the organs of
vision. To express dissent from
any statement, or a refusal to
comply with a request, French
slang has the corresponding term
■mon osil ! which is usually accom-
panied by a knowing wink and
28
All my eye — All nations.
a significant gesture as an in-
vitation to inspect the organ.
AU my eye is sometimes elon-
gated into ''All my eye and Betty
Martin," which seems to have
been the original phrase, and of
which many explanations have
been given. By many it is said
to be a corruption of a Popish
prayer to St. Martin, commenc-
ing with the words, " O mihi
beate Martine I " which fell into
discredit at the Reformation.
Mr. T, Lewis O. Davies thinks
that it arose from a gypsy
woman in Shrewsbury, named
Betty Martin, giving a black eye
to a constable, who was chaffed
by the boys accordingly. The
expression must have been com-
mon in 1837, as Dickens gives
one of the Brick-Lane testi-
monials as from " Betty Martin,
widow, one child, one eye"
("Pickwick," ch. xxxiii.). Tak-
ing for granted that the ex-
pression originated from the
beginning of a prayer (a theory
which is now rejected by
most etymologists), this would
be but one of the many in-
stances of a religious formula
being distorted and ridi-
culed. Thus, the cant term
"to patter flash," i.e., to talk
in cant, is from "to patter"
(signifying to mumble), which
itself is probably derived from
paternoster. The French use
palendtres with the significa-
tion of mumbling, and pate-
nCtrcs de sin;/c means mutter-
ing, grumbling; un voblscum,
from dominus voblscum, in the
mouth of French work-people,
is a disparaging epithet for
priest. The familiar cagot, i.e.
religious hypocrite, was for-
merly a friar of a mendicant
order. Then ears polite, on
both sides of the Channel, are
frequently offended by vulgar
allusions to the Bulgarian here-
tics, though the expression has
lost its former opprobrious
meaning. Again, some etymo-
logists derive the word " bigot "
from the first words of a prayer
"by God." " Un goddam"
used to be synonymous with an
Englishman, at the time when
it was thought in France that
all Britons had red hair, sold
their wives at Smithfield, got
drunk regularly after dinner
(this may have been a fact at
the time of three-bottle men),
and always had a bull-dog with
his nose at their heels. Bailey
ascribes the origin of hocus
pocus, used by quacks, to hoc
est corpus meum, when this for-
mula fell into ridicule with
many others after the Reforma-
tion. It is curious to note that
old-fashioned French charlatans
still use the Vfords priclii-pr^cha
as an opening to their boniment
or puffing speech.
All nations (obsolete), a coat or
garment of different patches ;
a woman with many colours
in her dress. A glass of all
Tmtions was supplied at the
dram shops, and consisted of
the mixed drippings of the spirit
taps and drops of spirits left in
All nations — All over.
29
the measnres and glasses. In
America this is called "all
sorts." It is generally mixed
with cayenne pepper. In Lon-
don " all sorts " is a rapidly in-
toxicating compound.
Alio (pidgin English), all, every.
is added to many words in
pidgin in an arbitrary manner.
"Alio man talkee my so fashion "
— "Every man talks to me
thus."
Slang-Whang when makee noise,
Wit 'he pigtail floggee alio boys,
Alio this pidgin long tim 'go,
What tim good olo Empelor Slo.
— Slang- Whang.
All of a hough (tailors), very
rough, twisted, or slovenly.
All of my lone (American), all
alone.
All on the go (vulgarism), gone,
done away with.
Then his supper — so 'nice! — that had
cost him such pains —
Such a hard day's work — now all on
the go !
'Twas beyond a joke, and enough to
provoke
The mildest and best-temper'd fiend
below!
— Ingoldsby Legends.
All out (popular), much, by far;
"o/i out the best," by far the
best. To be all out, to be quite
wrong. (Turf), one who has
been unsuccessful during a day's
racing is said to be all out.
(Stock Exchange), all out! an
expression to denote that the
market improves, and that there
is a general disposition to buy.
All out (athletic), where a runner
or walker has done his utmost,
and has not a yard up his sleeve.
All-overish (vulgarism), a sensa-
tion as of illness, chills, shud-
dering pleasure, or "the creeps"
from head to foot.
It made me feel all-overish to hear him
talk so !
Susan kissed me one, two, three times —
I swan it made me feel all-overish with
plum-goodness.
— An Honest Boy.
All over pattern (decorative de-
sign.) " A technical term that
is used to denote a design in
which the whole of a field is
covered with ornament in con-
tradistinction to such as have
units only at intervals, leaving
spaces of the ground between
them. The ornament of the
Moors, as seen in the decora-
tions of the Alhambra, and that
of Eastern nations generally, is
most commonly of this nature ;
the whole surface of the object
is covered with decorative forms
so as to present to the eye a
mass of elaborate detail, the
leading lines of which can often
only be detected by careful
scrutiny. When, as in some
Persian surfaces, these lines are
often quite lost, the result is
unsatisfactory." — F. E. Hulme :
Suggestions in Floral Design,
All over the shop (common), all
over the place ; refers also to an
obtrusive and exaggerated per-
formance which asserts itself in
an offensive manner. In retail
30
All over — All-rounder.
traders' slang it signifies a widely
spread movement of any kind,
a general scramble, disturbance,
or agitation. (Tailors), used of
a person or thing taking up too
much room.
Allow (American), to admit, to
declare, to intimate that a thing
must be done. This word is
quaintly used by rustics in dif-
ferent states to express thought,
or opinion on its utterance ; to
give. " AU the people in the
room cUloived that his conduct
was perfectly shameful." " He
allowed he'd give me a new trunk
if I'd allow him my arm-chair."
(Harrow), allorc, a boy's weekly
allowance of pocket-money.
Allowances (tailors), allowances
for making up a garment, i.e.,
for seams, padding, wadding,
buttoning, and respiration.
All plopa (pidgin), quite right.
OIo Howqua, he talkee. My wife she
velly 'culis 'bout pearlee (is very curious or
pecuUar as to pearls), she likee one kind
pearlee, no other chop (quality) can do ;
she likee pearlee numpa one lound, he
whitey colour. Look, see all plopa, alio
samee that he Empelor hab got top side
he hat. Supposey pearley blongy so
fashion, my wifee too much likee, golaw. —
Hmvqua and the Pearls.
All round (common), a phrase
applied to a thing or person
thoroughly adapted to its or
his purpose, and signifies in its
restricted sense complete and
perfect, as "an aiZ round man
of business," " an all round
lawyer," "an all round sports-
man," "waall round gentleman
or lady," or even a.n " all round
scoundrel or thief " (in America
an "all round crook.") An all
round man is one who can turn
his hand to anything, or a clerk
who can undertake all the de-
partments in his business.
A much graver question is raised by the
strongly expressed opinion of so many wit-
nesses, that the foreigner is at present a
better all roufui man. — The Times.
Mr. Cox in the small part of Coquelicot
is quite himself as a thoroughly all
round actor — at all events in appearance.
— Punch.
An all round player at billiards
is one who goes in for any kind
of stroke, in contradistinction to
a player who plays exclusively
the spot stroke.
It was very evident that the sympathies
of the audience were with the all round
player rather than with the spot performer.
The one was all grace and variety. The
other, with plenty of grace, was playing a
game which invariably became monotonous
after a while. There is no doubt that,
nowadays, the British public cares little
for billiard exhibitions in which the staple
is a continuous succession of spot strokes.
— The Star.
An all round cannon is said
of a cannon stroke effected by
touching the cushions in suc-
cession with one's ball before
striking another.
All-rounder (common). A shirt
collar meeting in front, thus
covering the throat, was very
fa.shionable a short time ago,
and no " masher" would be seen
without one reaching up to his
ears.
All round — Allspice.
31
All round my hat (popular), "I
feel all round my hat," I feel
queer, do not feel very well.
"That's aU round my hat" is
synonymous with " that's all
gammon," or nonsense. From
a song which was very popular
in 1834.
Alls (popular), tap droppings,
or inferior spirits, sold cheap ;
(workmen's), goods and chat-
tels, or, perhaps, more properly,
tools. "Come, pack up your
alls and be off," is a common
form of dismissal to a labourer
or workman.
All-same (pidgin), a very common
expression for " the same as,"
like, or equal.
Supposey you hearee plenty talkee 'bout
fashion. Ch 'hoy ! my tlnkee China-
woman, fankwei woman, dllo woman, alio
tinkey dllo same inside her mouth. Wat
tim you pay plenty doUa', he allo-tim
good fashion. — Hcrwqtui and the Pearls.
All serene (popular), all safe, all
right.
Who're you, sir? — oh, Mister So-and-
so — all right — and this gentleman ? — friend
o' Mr. W.'s — oh, very well — yes, there's
Barney — this a friend o' yours, Barney? —
yes? — all right, then — yes, I think we're
all serene I— Bird d Freedom.
Some years ago the phrase was
bawled in the streets, before
such expressions as " How's
your poor feet ? " " Who's your
hatter ? " came into vogue. The
Parisians at this time indulged
in equally idiotic inquiries or
calls, such as " Et tes pieds
8ont-ils Ji la sauce 1 " " Oh^
Lambert! as-tu vu Lambert?"
"Et ta soeor?" Of more re-
cent creation is the stupid " On
dirait du veau."
All smoke, gammon, and pickles
(popular), all deceit, nonsense.
All sorts. (See All Na'hons.)
All sorts and conditions of men.
The title of a novel by Walter
Besant, and the heading of a
well-known collect in the Pray er-
Book. It has passed into such
common and general use as to
have become a truly " fixed
popular phrase." (See All
Nations. )
It was a rare mess, all sorts and condi-
tions of men, women, and children, dogs
and cats, promiscuously intermingled, and
all on one grand kick-up. — American
Newspaper.
All sorts of (American). Bartlett
defines this as " expert, acute,
excellent, capital." It is more
accurately, as its name declares,
" perfect, complete in every de-
tail, having every quality." AU
sorts of a horse is a horse pos-
sessed of every merit, not one
that is merely excellent or
capital. AU sorts of a job (E. A.
Poe, cited by Bartlett) does not
mean an expert, acute, or excel-
lent undertaking, but one re-
quiring all conceivable abilities.
In this it corresponds to the
German allerlei and Dutch al-
lerley. " Hy is van aWer^e// soort
voorzien." Allerley is, in fact,
translated aU sorts by Sewel.
Allspice (popular), a grocer.
32
All^s quiet — All the way.
All's quiet on the Potomac 1
(American). This phrase ori-
ginated during the Civil War,
and has since been the refrain
of a very popular song. It de-
notes quietude ; a period of calm
enjoyment. " Don't fret about
things ; they are going on
swimmingly, for all's quiet on
tJie Potomac."
All T. H. (tailors), all right, or
very good indeed (stock cut-
ters).
All the caboose (common), every-
where. The caboose is the galley
or cooking place of a ship, or
simply a kitchen.
" The fact is he conquers us every one.
Does love, love, love !
We don't find it out till the mischief is
done.
By love, love, love !
To fight against him is no manner of use,
A gander's a gander, a goose is a goose.
And Cupid's the king over all the caboose.
Oh I love, love, love I "
All the go (common), in demand,
fashionable, meeting with a very
ready sale.
Jerry Hawthorn was agreeable, and he
and Corinthian Tom were soon in the midst
of Li/e in London, and lost no time in
calling on young Bob Logic, who was a
gay spark like his father, and quite aufait
with all the sprees of the metropolis.
" F'ashions have changed, my dear Coz,"
said the Corinthian, " and the young bucks
and exquisites seem to us to dress strangely ;
but I suppose their attire is all the go now,
and these are the swell suits made by the
Dickey Primefit of the day." — Punch.
It is also used in America.
.•\ gentleman entered a Chicago gun-
store and asked \.o be shown some revolvers.
" Here is a nice family weapon," said the
clerk. "Family weapon?" "Yes, a
family weapon. Just the thing for domes-
tic tragedies. It has six chambers, sir,
two bullets for your faithless wife, two for
the ruthless destroyer of your home, and
two for yourself. They are all the go
now." — Texas Si/tings.
Fine stock is getting to be all the go in
that line here now, and there is some as
fine here as can be found anywhere, —
Carlisle Correspondence.
All there (general), extensively
used with the signification of
first-rate, up to the mark. A
good player at any game is said
to be aU there ; the same is said
of a pretty, well-dressed woman.
A smart officer also is all there.
It likewise means to be in one's
element.
The band and the 'opping was prime,
though, and 'Arry in course was all
there,
I'd several turns with a snappy young
party with stror-coloured 'air ;
Her name she informed me was Polly, and
wen, in my 'appiest style,
I sez, "Polly is nicer than Politics I"
didn't she colour and smile !
— Punch.
All the shoot (popular), the whole
assembly, all the party. " Every
man-jack of them."
The Prince of Wales in a bricklayer's
suit,
I could scarcely believe my eyes.
Helping to build the Royal Institute !
At a penny an hour less than all the
shoot.
Oh ! what a surprise !
— Oh .' what a Surprise .' Broadside
Ballad.
All the way down, or simply all the
way (common slang, probably
American), entirely (r/. "down
All to — Almighty.
33
to the ground "). It implies
probably from top to bottom.
A common phrase is " that will
suit me all the way dovm," or all
the way.
All to his own cheek (tailors)
signifies all to himself.
All to pieces (common), utterly,
excessively. To beat one all to
pieces is to surpass one alto-
gether. The term is also used
by boating men. A crew are
said to have fallen all to pieces
when they are exhausted and
the rowing is wild.
All up (general), a synonym for
" all over," signifies that the end
has come to any one, that aU is
over with him. "All to smash"
is another phrase of a similar
meaning, applied to a person
whose affairs are irretrievably
involved, who is utterly bank-
rupt in fortune. Thus one hears
that " So-and-so has gone all to
smash," i.e., his credit is gone.
Plans, and indeed anything, may
go "all to smash." A similar
expression is popular among the
lower classes in Belgium and
Holland, and among children
alle op signifies that every-
thing is gone — all is over. An
odd variety of this slang is
sometimes heard in the United
States. Mr. Bartlett records
that it is a common expression
among servants in Pennsylvania
to say, " all any more," instead
of " all gone " or all's up.
All wag blue (American), a jolly
time, a frolic, a jamboree. —
MS. Americanisms, by C. Ze-
land Harrison.
'Tis merry in hall
When beards wag' all.
— Shakspeare.
Ally-begf, a bed. This very
ancient and nearly obsolete
cant word was expressive of
the pleasure found by the vaga-
bond classes in the unusual
luxury of a warm and comfort-
able resting-place for the night.
People who slept in a nook
in a wall, under a bush or a
hedge, or the chance shelter of
a barn or outhouse, spoke of a
bed as a\Re, pleasant, agreeable,
and heg, little, i.e., a little place
or harbour of pleasantness.
Leah is Gaelic for a bed, and
leab-beg, a little bed ; and leab-
ker or lybker, a house with beds
in it, a lodging-house for travel-
lers.
Almighty smash (American). The
adjective is used in an infinite
variety of ways, and Lord Lytton
in a certain measure acclima-
tised it on this side of the
water. For example, he speaks
in the following quotations of
almighty smash (that is, a state
of complete demolition) ; of
" driving into almighty shivers "
(a state of entire collapse) ; and
of "almighty crack" (that is,
without ceasing — a reference
to the popular crack of doom).
These phrases are thus illustrated
from one of his best works —
C
34
Almighty^ Altitude.
" I wish you would mind the child —
It is crumpling up and playing almighty
smash with that flim-flam book, which
cost me one pound one."
" As if that was not enough to destroy
and drive into ' almighty shivers,' a decent
fair-play Britisher like myself."
" Let us cut short a yam of talk which,
when it comes to likings and dislikings,
might last to ' almighty crack.' "
— My Novel.
"The ^almighty dollar,' that great ob-
ject of universal devotion throughout our
land, seems to have no genuine devotees
in these peculiar villages." — Washington
Irving: Creole Village.
Almyra, an Anglo-Indian word
for a chest of drawers, derived
from the Hindustani almdri, and
the Portugese almario. Old
English, ambry, a cupboard,
niche; Italian, anaodio; Latin,
armaria.
Alsatia (common), synonymous
with low quarter. The higher
Alsatia was a sanctuary in White
Friars, where people were for-
merly free from arrest for debt.
The lower Alsatia was also a
sanctuary of the same descrip-
tion, and was situated in the
Mint in Southwark.
And for this ruin the gambling-house is
responsible. Huntley is but one of the
thousands who are stripped annually of
all they possess in this modem Alsatia.
Not only of their money, but of their health
and of their happiness. — T. Greenwood:
A Gambling Hell.
Whitefriars, adjacent to the Temple,
then well known by the cant name of
Alsatia, had at this time, and for nearly
a century afterwards, the privilege of a
sanctuary, unless ag.ainst the writ of the
Lord Chief - J ustice. . . . The place
abounded with desperadoes of every de-
ncription — bankrupt citizens, ruined game-
sters, irreclaimable prodigals, &c &c. —
Scott : Fortunes of Nigel.
The haunt of gladiators and prize-
fighters — of the vicious and penniless — of
the savage and the obscene — the Alsatia
of an ancient city. — Lord Lytton: The
Last Days of Pompeii.
Alsatian (old), a rogue, such as
lived in Alsatia or Whitefriars,
He spurr'd to London, and left a
thousand curses behind him. There he
stmck up with sharpers, scourers, and
Alsatians.— Gentleman Instructed.
Altemal (American thieves' slang),
altogether ; the sum total of a
story or bill ; cut it short. From
the Dutch altemal, altogether.
What was the altemal^. It only raised
fifteen cases. The dummy raked a case
and a half, and the thimble was a first, but
the slang and onions were bene. — On the
Trail.
In olden days the phrase was
specially applied to the accounts
rendered to the frequenters of
brothels, such being given with-
out details — a practice which
allowed of gross overcharges
without any possible means of
verification-
Altering the Jeff's click (tailors),
making up a garment without
reference to the cutter's chalk
lines or style.
Altham (old cant), a "curtall's"
wife. A curtail was a second
in command in the fraternity of
vagabonds.
Altitude (obsolete), a drunken
man was said to be " out of his
altitude."
Amah — Ameer.
35
Amah (Anglo-Indian), a wet-nurse.
Portuguese ama, German amme,
a nurse.
A sort of good-natured housekeeper-like
bodies, who talk only of ayahs and amoAs,
and bad nights and babies, and the advan-
tages of Hodgson's ale while they are
nursing ; seeming, in short, devoted to
suckling fools and chronicling small beer. —
Letter froTtt Madras, Yule and BumelTs
Anglo-Indian Glossary.
In pidgin English it has the
same signification : —
My look-see, one amah, t'at amah has
got one piecee littee fankwei chilo, wat
look-see allo-same one Japanee nitchky.
I askee amah, " How much you sellum
my that one piecee culio?" — Th^ Sartcy
Sayings of Wan- Tong.
Amandi, mende, men (gypsy), we ;
amendi, a men did, we two.
"Jasa tu sar amandi, man se
trashno" — "Come with us;
don't be afraid."
Ambassador (nautical), a practical
joke performed on board ship
\>j Jack Tars in warm latitudes,
the victim being ducked in the
wash-deck tub, and subjected
to other indignities (Admiral
Smyth). Sailors of other nations
indulge in similar jokes when
crossing the equator.
Ambia or ambeer (American), a
euphemism for salivated tobacco .
juice, the result of chewing.
Bartlett says, "The word is a
corruption of amber, to which
it bears a slight resemblance in
colour, manifesting certainly a
delicacy of expression which
borders upon the poetical."
The word afiUna, as generally used at
Princeton, which largely represents the
solid South, is not applied to saliva, but to
the intensely strong nicotine, or thick brown
substance which forms in pipes. I have
always supposed that it is merely a South-
ern variation of amber, which exactly
represents its colour. — Notes by C. G.
Leland.
Ambidexter (obsolete), a barrister
who acts as a counsel for both
parties. Also a blackleg who
shares with both parties at the
gaming-table, or on the race-
course.
Ambush (American), a nickname
for the scales used by grocers,
coal-dealers, &c. So called be-
cause they are always " lying in
weight."
Ameen (Anglo-Indian), an Arabic
word amin, meaning a trust-
worthy person, but applied by
the English in India to several
kinds of native officials, nearly
all reducible to the definition
of fide commisaariiis. It is also
applied to native assistants
in land surveying. — Yide and
Burnell : A nglo - Indian Glos-
sary.
" Bengalee dewans, once pure, are con-
verted into demons ; ameens, once harm-
less, become tigers. — Peterson, Speech in
the Nte Durpan case, ibid.
Ameer (Anglo-Indian), originally
an Arab word amin, root amr,
signifying commanding or a
commander, is used in the East
in a very general way for digni-
taries and magnates.
36
Amen — Ampersand.
Amen (gypsy), among.
Amen a shel o' Gorgios,
Jinas len Romany ;
(Among a hundred Gorgios,
You'd know the Romany.)
—O. Patteran.
Amen chapel (Winchester), a
service on " Com. and Ob."
(which see), when the responses
are chaunted to the organ, and
instead of the ordinary psalms
and first lesson, Psalms 145, 146,
and 147, and Eccles. are used.
Amen curler (old), a parish clerk,
from the response so frequently
made use of by him.
Amen wallah (military), the
chaplain's clerk, who makes
the responses in the garrison or
other church. The suffix waU
lah is the well-known Hindu-
stani word signifying man or
person, and is one of innumer-
able instances of the adoption
in our army of Hindustani terms,
due to the lengthened occupa-
tion of India by British troops.
Amener (old), a regular amener,
one who says yes to everything.
Amerace (American thieves'
slang), very near, within call.
Americanesses (American). This
version of Americaine has begun
to appear in Western news-
papers.
Talented "Americanesses" Abroad.
— Miss Anna E. Klumpke, who has been
studying for many years under the best
Paris masters, can now be ranked among
the first American portrait artists. She
received an "Honourable Mention" in
last year's Salon for her portrait of her
sister, Dr. Klumpke, whose appointment
to be house surgeon in the Paris hospitals
created no little sensation a year ago in
French medical circles. Miss Klumpke,
the artist, is now in the South of France
finishing a portrait of Miss Elizabeth Cady
Stanton. — Chicago Tribune.
Americanising (American).
" Americanising a people," ac-
cording to the Rev. J. S. Gubel-
man, " consists in teaching
them the English language.
After this come sundry minor
virtues. He is not a true
American who desecrates the
Sabbath, who yields to intem-
perance, or treads down the
laws."
American shoulders (tailors),
shoulders cut broad and ' ' built
up," to give the wearer an ap-
pearance of massiveness about
the shoulder.
American tweezers (thieves'
slang), an instrument by means
of which an hotel thief is en-
abled to open a door fastened
with the key in the lock inside.
Ames all (old slang), within amea
all, nearly, very near.
Aminadab (cant), a jeering name
for a Quaker.
Ammunition leg (army), a wooden
leg.
Ampersand (American, but of
Enf^lish origin), the seat or
hinder part. In one of the
Ampersand — Analf.
Z7
Crockett almanacs a hunter
speaks of a bear's ampersand.
Derived from " and per se and,"
thus explained by Bartlett : —
" Two generations ago, when
Irish schoolmasters were com-
mon at the South, this expres-
sion, equivalent to the & annexed
to the alphabet (meaning & per
se and, to distinguish it from
&c.), was in frequent use."
As the ampersand came at the
bottom of the alphabet, it came
to be at length associated with
the breech itself.
But he observed in apology, that it (z)
was a letter you never wanted hardly, and
he thought it had only been put there "to
finish oflF th' alphabet, like, though antpus-
ena (&) would ha' done as well," for
what \\^co\:^A%^e..— George Eliot : Adam
Bede.
A shrivelled, cadaverous, neglected piece
of deformity, i' the shape of an ezard or
an empersi-and, or in short anything. —
Charles Macklin : The Man of the World.
Ample form. Lodge opened by
the Grand Master in person,
' ' Due Form " by the deputy,
"Form" by other mason or
person. Also used colloquially
for the " correct thing."
Amputate your timber, or your
mahogany, to (common), to go
away, run off. A variant of
" cut your stick," as a person
who cuts a walking-stick from
a tree or hedge previous to
starting on a journey.
A-muck ( Anglo- Andian), from the
Malay amuk or amok, to run
furiously and desperately at any
and every one, to make a furi-
ous onset. A word probably
derived from the Malay, though
there is some reason to ascribe
an Indian origin to the term.
Malayan scholars say it rarely
occurs in any other than the
verbal form mengdmuk, to make
a furious assault. It has passed
into general use, and is often
applied to any one who sets
himself up to defy popular
opinions, or the multitude. The
word was familiar to English-
men two centuries ago.
Frontless and satire-proof he scours the
streets,
And runs an Indian vtuck at all he
meets.
— Dry den : The Hind and the
Panther, a.d. 1687.
Satire's my weapon, but I'm too dis-
creet
To run a-muck, and tilt at all I meet.
— Pope : Imitation 0/ Horace, a. d.
1727 — Anglo-Indian Glossary.
To run amock is to get drunk with
opium ... to sally forth from the house,
kill the person or persons supposed to have
injured the amock, and any other person
that attempts to impede his passage.^^
Cook's Voyage.
Amusers (English and American),
thieves, who formerly used to
throw snuff or pepper in a vic-
tim's eyes, while an accomplice
robbed him, under pretext of
rendering assistance.
Anabaptist (obsolete), a thief,
caught in the act, and doused
in the horse trough or pond.
Analken (tinker), to wash.
Analt (tinker), to sweep, to broom.
38
Anava — Atigeliferous.
Anava, Anner (gypsy). In the
common dialect dnner or hanner,
to bring, fetch, carry.
" If tute '11 anner a truslo levinor
niandy 'II pessur lis" — " If you will bring
a quart of ale, I'll pay for it."
Anchor (nautical). "Bring your
a — e to an anchor" i.e., sit
down ; also " bring yourself to
an anchor," a common phrase.
"Hullo, Pet! . . . bring yourself to an
anchor, my man." The Pet accordingly
anchored himself by dropping on to the
edge of a chair.— C Bedt: Verdant Green.
" To let go an anchor to the
windward of the law," to keep
just within the letter of the law.
SaOors use the expression "to
heave anchor," meaning to go
away.
And yet, my boys, would you believe me ?
1 returned with no rhino from sea ;
Mistress Polly would never receive me,
So again I heav'd anchor — yo, yea !
— C. Dibdin : The Good Ship the Kitty.
Anchorage (popular), a place of
abode. The term explaining
itself.
Ancient mariners (Oxford Uni-
versity slang), rowing "dons"
at Oxford. A crew of dons {vide
DoKs) are always called ancient
mariners.
And don't you forget it ! (Ameri-
can). This common-place ex-
hortation, as it is popularly used
and forcibly intoned, illustrates
the fact that any word or ex-
pression, by dint of repetition
and emphasis, may become as-
sociated with humour until it
seems to have something in it
beyond its real meaning.
And he didn't (tailors), often used
to express the belief that a per-
son has really done something
discreditable in spite of the
attempt to prove his innocence.
And no mog^e (tailors), and no
mistake, joking apart. Some-
times it is used as an interroga-
tion, and at other times to ex-
press disbelief ; for instance, a
man may be relating some in-
credible story, and an auditor
will convey a world of meaning
by quietly remarking, but with
peculiar emphasis, and no moguc.
And no whistle (taUors). This
remark means, no one seems to
think that what you have said
applies to yourself, but I do.
Andrew Miller (nautical), a man-
o'-war ; Andrew Miller s lur/ger,
a vessel of the royal navy, is
smugglers' slang taken out to
Australia by the convicts,- and
is used by accomplices in warn-
ing the smugglers of the ap-
proach of revenue cutters, &c.
AnerjSl (gypsy), over against, vis-
n-vis. Mungw^ is also au obso-
lete term for the same.
An rikkerdas stardy anerjdl,
To akovo kalo Romany chdl.
—O. Delaben.
Angelicas (popular), young un-
married women.
Angeliferous (American), a word
signifying " angelic," and first
rl ugeliferous — A nglo-French .
39
used by Bird in his novel of
" Nick of the Woods," in which
roaring Ralph Stackpole fre-
quently calls the heroine ^'^an-
geliferous Madam I "
Heaven, my hyarers, is all sorts of a
glorious, beautiful, angeliferous place.
Eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard,
it hath not entered into the heart of any
cracker round in these hyar diggins to
conceive what carryins-on the jest-made-
perfect hev up thar. — A Hard- West Ser-
tnon.
Angels altogether (West Indian),
a sobriquet applied to those who
habitually give way to excessive
drinking.
Angel's footstool (nautical), an
imaginary sail jokingly assumed
to be carried by Yankee vessels.
It is said to be a square sail,
and to top the " sky sails,"
"moon sails," "cloud cleaners,"
&c. — W. Clark Rutiell : Sailors'
Language.
Ang-el's gear (nautical), a grace-
ful term used by gallant tars to
denote female attire.
Angel suit (tailors), vestand jacket
combined, and the trousers made
to button to the bottom of the
jacket. It is now a thing of the
past.
Angel's whisper (military), the
bugle or trumpet call for de-
faulters' drill. It sounds from
three to four times a day, and
the expression is undoubtedly
euphemistic ; like the favourite
expletive of the sea captain,
who, when reproving his crew.
said : " Bless you, my lads ;
bless vou 1 You know what I
Anglaterra, Anghiaterra (gypsy),
England.
Angled (billiards^, an angled ball
is one that is so near the edge
of the pocket, that a player is
prevented from playing at any
other ball direct.
Anglers or hookers (thieves)
petty thieves, who steal goods
by means of a stick with a hook
at the end.
Suffer none, from far or near,
With their rights to interfere ;
No strange Abram, ruffler crack.
Hooker of another pack.
Rogue, or rascal, frater, maunderer,
Irish toyle, or other wanderer ;
No dimber-damber, angler, dancer.
— Ainsivorth : Oath of the Canting
Crezv.
Modem French thieves call
this mode of purloining " grin-
chissage au boulon," from the
circumstance that the hook is
inserted through a bolt-hole in
the shutters. Angler is a very
old slang term (nearly obso-
lete) for an adventurer or catch-
penny. It may be found used in
Breton's "Wit's Trenchmen "
(159) in this sense. It is now
also applied to rogues, who at
races and country fairs entice
the unwary to try their luck at
the thimblerig, prick in the
garter, three-trick -card, &c
Anglo-French. Much notice has
been taken of late of English as
.40
A uglo- French — A nimals.
"she is spoken ; " not so much of
French as "he is Englished,"
possibly because it is no longer
fashionable in England to use
French words needlessly in con-
versation, although the number
of gentlemen who ask for lee-
cures after dinner is still " very
respectable." In the United
States it is, however, still very
current, if we may believe the
assertion of an American " news-
paporial writer," who asserts
that "there are on an average
six misquotations, malpronun-
ciations, or misapplications of
French daily among our entire
population per head."
Detroit is agog over the expected pro-
duction of a new comic opera, written by
Miss Marie M'Kenna, a local musician.
It is called " Lucile," and is a love story
of Alsatian peasants. Miss M'Kenna ad-
mits that she is " poetess as well as musi-
cian." The following is a stanza from one
of her " lyrics" :
Dear Claude will escort me au bon tnarche,
And whatever we buy will be recherche,
Recherche, recherche,
And nicer than anything here.
This is supposed to represent the ecstatic
delight of a young girl who has just caught
a husband. Miss M'Kenna's French is
rather rheumatic, but the verses will touch
a chord in every feminine heart. — Chicago
Tribune.
Anglomaniacs (American),
another name for Bostonians
as being ultra-English. There
is a club at Boston called the
A tifflomaniacs.
Angry boys. Slang of the early
part of the .seventeenth centurj-,
to designate the noisy and
riotous young men or " bloods,"
who in dronken or semi-drunken
frolics made nocturnal disturb-
ances in the streets, and com-
mitted outrages on unoffending
passengers. A century later
these public nuisances were
called Mohawks.
I have heard some speech
Of the angry boys, and seen 'em take to-
bacco.
— Ben Jonson : Tht A Ichemist.
Get thee another nose that will be pull'd
Off by the angry boys for thy conversion.
— Beaumont and Fletcher : The Scorn-
ful Lady.
Angular party (common), a party
composed of three, five, or
seven persons.
Angustrin (gypsy), a finger, a
ring, corrupted to wongashy.
It also means only a finger's-
breadth, or a very little, in any
sense. Hence wdngish, a little,
a short time. " ' Hatch a won-
gish, besh a wongish akai for
me,' pende laki " — " ' Stop a
little, wait a little here for me,'
she said."
Animal, to go the whole (Ameri-
can), in common use in the
West. It is a mere, though
more popular variant of the
English " to go the whole hog,"
and means the same.
That they had much better pay first-
class, and go the entire animal. — Sala :
Twice Round the Clock.
Opposing all half measures, and prefer-
ring to go the extreme animal. — Dickens :
Nicholas Nicklchy.
Animals (American cadets), the
cognomen by which new arrivals
A n imals — A nointing.
41
are known at the West Point
Military Academy (see also
"Bkasts"). The English have
' ' snooker " and the lYench
' ' melon " as equivalents. A new
cadet who puts on extravagant
airs and pretensions — a cox-
comb or "puppy" — is called
"a fast animal."
Ankair (gypsy), to begin.
" I ain't Idled kek religion,
An' I'll kek ankair kenna ;
But if waver foki kams lis
Mukk lendy kair aja."
—E. H. Palmer.
(" I have taken (got) no religion, and
I'll not begin now ; but if other people
like it, let them do so."
Ankle (American thieves' slang).
" She has sprained her anUe,"
she has had an illegitimate
child. Also, " She has broken
her leg." A somewhat similar
expression is used in the French
theatrical world ; a lady who is
enceinte is said to have a bad
knee : " Elle a mal au genou."
Anna (Anglo-Indian). Hindi, and
or dndh, the sixteenth part of a
rupee. The term is also applied
colloquially to persons of mixed
parentage. "Such an one has
at least two annas of dark
blood," or "of coffee colour."
This may be compared with the
Scotch expression that a person
of deficient intellect " wants
twopence in the shilling." —
Anglo-Indian Glossary.
In the United States this slang
is paralleled by the following
expressions :— " He "or " she
has a lick of the tar-brush."
" He has a white stripe down
the back," it being beUeved
that mulattoes or quadroons
have a line of light colour on
the spine.
Annex (American), to steal. It
became popular in 1835, at the
time of the annexation of Texas,
which was regarded by many as
a theft.
Robert, "Prince" of the Yetholm
gipsies, was recently charged with stealing
a pair of spectacles. The "Prince" said
that his eyes were in a very queer condi-
tion, and that he had no intention of an-
nexing the spectacles, which he picked up
quite by accident ; but the beak remarked
that bagging barnacles constituted a serious
offence, and was a short-sighted policy for
a man to pursue. As "Prince" Robert
left the dock he promised faithfully to
avoid the eyes of the law in future. — Fun.
Some account of this ready-
witted Prince Robert may be
found in ' ' The English Gypsies
and their Language," Triibner,
1874.
Anodyne necklace (old), a halter.
The hangman's noose was also
called the " Tyburn tippet," a
" horse's nightcap," a " hempen
cravat."
Anog (American), an andiron.
Bartlett derives this from hand-
dog, Dutch aan-hoog, that which
heightens or raises.
Anointed (Irish), is expressive of
great rascality.
Anointing (popular), a sound beat-
ing, the effect taken for the
cause.
42
Anonyma — Another.
Anonyma (obsolete), or incognita,
a lady of the demi-monde or even
quart-de-monde, corresponds to
the French cocotte.
The carefully sealed envelopes contain-
ing letters from fair anonytnas. — Bulwer
LyttoH : Kenebn Chillingly.
The late Mr. H. J. Byron,
the playwright and actor, in
some MSS. annotations to a
copy of the " Slang Dictionary,"
now in the British Museum,
says, writing in November 1868,
that " Miss , said to have
been the real Anonyma, died at
Paris about that time." Other
synonyms are " pretty horse-
breaker," "demi-rep," and the
more modern " tart," which,
however, is used also in the
sense of woman, wife. The
lower in the scale are — mot,
common jack, bunter, bed-fagot,
shake, bulker, gay woman, un-
fortunate, barrack-hack, dress
lodger, &c.
Another acrobat (music hall), for
another tumbler, i.e., another
glass of drink.
Another fellow's (popular), a
slang phrase which, like most of
its kind, owes its popularity to
its almost indefinite power of
application. Thus if a man re-
marks that he has a new coat,
he is awked if it was another
fellow's, or if the girl with whom
he is in company is not the
property of some one else.
Whenever you meet me, I've always a
joke,
A nothcr fellah' i.
I love a good weed, so invariably smoke
A nother fellah's.
Round into the Cri. every evening I slip.
And deep in the pale sparkling bitter I
dip.
And when I've no money I generally sip
A nother fellah 's.
Not mine, nor yours,
Not his, nor hers,
No, no — another fellah's.
— Another Fellah's Ballad.
Another gfuess sort of man (old).
The expression is invariably
applied to one who is knowing
and " fly," or not the man you
take him to be. It has a close
resemblance both in sound and
meaning to the Yiddish "chess."
This may be a mere coincidence,
but it is certainly of English
origin.
He has been a student in the temple
these three years ; another guess sort of
man, I assure you. — Tom D' Urfey : Ma-
dame Tickle, 1682.
Another lie nailed to the coimter
(American), a very common
expression in American news-
papers in reference to detected
slanders, &c. It was usual in
olden times to nail " Bungtown
(t.e., Birmingham) coppers," and
all kinds of counterfeit or worth-
less coins, to the counters of
the country "stores" or shops.
This is mentioned in the " Jack
Downing Letters,"
" If there is any truth," exclaims the
excited editor of a North Carolina paper,
" in the story that one of the Chicago An-
archists is employing his time in jail in
the perfecting of an invention by which a
clarionet, equal in tone to the best in the
market, can be made of tin and sold for
fifteen cents, the man ought to be hanged
at once." Rest easy, brother. None of
Antagonise — Any other.
43
the condemned Anarchists is fond enough
of work to spend his time in such a man-
ner. The story has doubtless been cir-
culated for political effect. Another lie
nailed. — Chicago Tribune.
Antagonise (sporting), to act as
an opponent.
Dingley Dell sent Jones and Brown to
the wickets, where they were antagonised
with the leather by Alf and the Young
Phenomenon. Alf threw up a maiden. —
The Saturday Review.
Anthony
kneed.
cuffins (old), knock-
Anthony or tantony pig (old),
the favourite or smallest pig
in the litter. To follow like
St. Anthony's pig meant to
follow close at one's heels. St.
Anthony the hermit was a swine-
herd, and is always represented
with his bell and pig.
Antimony (printer's), type.
Anty-up (Australian and Ame-
rican), a game of cards.
As they ride up, a savage-looking half-
bred bull dog yelps hoarsely, and two or
three men creep out from underneath the
tarpaulin of the nearest dray, where they
have been playing anty-up (a favourite
game with cards) for tobacco. John re-
cognises a teamster who has been employed
by himself. — D. Sladen.
From ante, the stake with
which the dealer at poker com-
mences each hand before deal-
ing the cards ; he puts up a
" chip" in front of him, hence
the name. Make good the ante ;
the dealer, after looking at his
hand, must either go out of the
game and forfeit his ante, or
must make it good by putting
up a sum equal to it, so as to
make his stake the same as that
of the other players. Raising
the ante ; any one at the time of
"chipping in" to fill his hand
may raise the ante, and the other
players must then in turn make
their stakes equal to the maxi-
mum so raised, or else must
" run " and abandon what they
have already staked.
Anxious or inquirers' meeting
(common, but of American ori-
gin), an after-meeting held dur-
ing a " revival " for the benefit
of those who profess "to be
anxious for their soul's salva-
tion." Those who during " re-
vivals " profess anxiety for
" salvation " are said to occupy
" the anxious seat."
Anyhow you can fix it (Ame-
rican), however you may try, try
as you may. " I don't see how
you can convince me of th9,t,
anyhow you can fix it,"
Once on a drift log I tink I see an
alligator,
Scull my boat roun' and chuck him sweet
po later.
I hit him on de head an' try fur to wix it,
Couldn't fool him bad, wouldn't nohow
nx it.
Den I up wid a brick,
An' I hit him such a lick !
An' 'twas nuffin but a pine log upon a big
stick.
— Gumbo Cuff, a Negro Ballad, 1832.
Any other man (American). This
phrase had a great "run" in
1 860. If a man became prosaic ,
44
Any other — Apes.
or b^an to " discurse," and to
use alternatives such as " Brown,
or Jones, or Robinson," he was
promptly called to order by the
cry " OT any other man." It was
first made known in type by
Charles G. Leland in a comic
sketch in the New York Vanity
Fair. It has since been dis-
covered that in " Waverley "
there is the expression " Gif
any man or any other man."
Any racket (rhyming slang), a
penny faggot.
Anything else, not doing (Ame-
rican), a strong affirmation gene-
rally in reply to a question as
to what is or has been done by
a third party. "Was So-and-
so drunk," or " bad tempered,"
or "in good spirits ? " " He
didn't do or want anything else,"
would be the reply.
Anywhere down there (tailors),
an expression which comes al-
most simultaneously from every
man in the "shop" when any-
thing is dropped on the floor.
The words are peculiarly aggra-
vating if it is a breakable article.
Apartments to let (popular), a
term used in reference to one
who is not over bright, whose
head requires metaphorically
some furniture to fill its empty
rooms. The French have a
kindred expression for a man
who shows signs of becoming
crazy, and say that he is remov-
ing his furniture, "ildemdnage."
It is related of the celebrated
Richard Brinsley Sheridan that
his son Thomas, who was a can-
didate for a seat in Parliament,
jestingly declared to him that
he had no decided political prin-
ciples, that he was inclined to
serve the party which would pay
him best, and that he should
put a placard on his forehead
inscribed with the words, "To
let." His father replied, "All
right, Tom ; but don't forget to
add, ' unfurnished 1 ' "
Ape, an " ape-leader " is an old
maid. The expression occurs in
" The Taming of the Shrew," and
is still common. The punish-
ment of old spinsters, it was
said, was to lead apes in Hades ;
whereby two equally innocent
beings — the maid and the
ape — were equally but unjustly
punished. It is probably an
old superstition derived from
the East. In India and China,
certain evil-doers are supposed
to carry about or lead in hell
certain animals. ( Vide Doo-
little, " China.") " To say an
ape's paternoster," is to chatter
indistinctly, either from cold or
excitement. The expression cor-
responds to the French "dire
des paten6tres de singe."
Apes (Stock Exchange), a nick-
name for Atlantic first mortgage
bonds.
If anything tickles our fancy,
We buy them "Brums," " Caleys," or
"A/ei."
— A tiift : House Scraps.
Apollo — Apple-pie.
45
Apollo bunder (Anglo-Indian), a
well-known wharf at Bombay.
The word Apollo appears to be
a very curious change of the
native word palla or pallaa, a
kind of fish, to that of a Greek
god. Other native authorities
derive it from pdl, a fighting
vessel, &c. — Anglo-Indian Glos-
sary,
Apopli (gypsy), once more, again,
yet again, Kair lis apopli, do it
again ; anpali, back again, lit.,
" or after."
Apostles (University, Cantab.).
The "Gradus ad Cantabrigiam "
says : " The apostles are the
clodhoppers of literature, who
have at last scrambled through
the Senate House without being
plucked, and have obtained the
title of B.A. by a miracle. The
last twelve names on the list of
Bachelor of Arts — those a degree
lower than the ol iroWoi — are
thus designated." The apostles
are so called because they are
twelve in number. (Common)
"to manoeuvre the apostles," to
borrow money from one person
to pay another, an allusion to
the expression, "Robbing Peter
to pay Paul."
Apostle's Grove, St. John's Wood,
also called ' ' Grove of the Evan-
gelist." Evilly disposed persons
might remark that the place is
saintly only in name, as in some
parts it corresponds to the Rue
Breda of Paris, where ladies of
the demi-monde and even quart-
de-monde dwell.
Apple-cart (popular), the human
body. The term is in keeping
with the " potato trap," which
does duty in the slang vocabu-
lary for mouth ; the " bread
basket," for stomach; "crum-
pet," for head, &c. To the
imaginative powers of coster-
mongers we probably owe the
metaphor. One will say that his
apple-cart is upset, meaning that
he has been disappointed by the
failure of his plans. (American)
" To ' upset one's apple-cart and
spill the peaches,' means to ruin
any undertaking. The phrase
was originally American, and
had peculiarly this signification
Hotten's limitation of it to the
human body was all conjecture
and fancy."
Apple-dumpling shop (common),
a fat woman's exposed breasts.
The French argot, with more
(jalanterie, terms the same
" oranges sur I'dtag^re."
Apple-pie bed (general), is made
by xmtucking the sheet at the
bottom of the bed and doubling
it up, so as to form a sort of
bag half way down the bed and
thus preventing the owner from
stretching himself at full length.
A common trick of mischievous
boys and girls at boarding-
schools and elsewhere.
Apple-pie day (Winchester col-
lege), the last Thursday in Long
Half, when the " men " get their
money and the scholars get
apple-pie.
46
Apple-pie — Ard.
Apple-pie order (common), in
regular order. "Order" is an
old word for a row, and a pro-
perly made apple-pie had, of
old, always an order, or row
of regularly cut " turrets," or
an exactly divided border. Pies
are seldom made now in this
manner in England, but in rural
America, especially in New Eng-
land, they are still common.
I am just in the order which some folks
— though why I am sure I can't tell you —
would call apple-pie. — Ingoldsby Legetids.
Apples and pears (rhyming slang),
the stairs.
Application (Irish), name ; a cor-
ruption and perversion of appel-
lation.
1 am not Aurora,
Or the beauteous Flora,
But a rural maiden to all men's view.
That's here condoling
My situation,
And my application is the Colleen Rue.
— Colleen Rue : Broadside.
Appro (trade), a contraction of
approbation. " On appro," on
sale for return. The term is
used by tradesmen generally.
Appropriation (tailors), garments
taken from old rejections and
worked in for another " force,"
or the next "supply" for the
same.
Apronstringf-hold (old), an estate
held by a man during his wife's
life.
" There are many estates like leasehold,
freehold, and copyhold, but a man least
likes the a/>ronstring;-hold."
Aqua pumpaginis (old), pump-
water. Termed also "Adam's
ale," and " fish broth," for-
merly, when people with weak
stomachs did not make a virtue
of necessity, and when the others
only " pledged " themselves in
bumpers of old Burgundy.
A-ratti, arati (gypsy), by night.
" Oh mandy jins ardtti to kister off a
gry"—
"Oh I know how to ride a horse off by
night."
Arch (popular), a boat.
I goes and sneaks a mikket and a lot of
lines of a pal's arvh. — H. Evans ; The
Brighton Beach Loafer.
Arch-cove (thieves), leader of mob
or party.
Archdeacon (Oxford), the Merton
strong ale.
Arch dell (old), the wife of a
headman of vagrants. Termed
also "arch doxy."
Arch-duke (American thieves), a
funny fellow.
Arch-gonnof (American thieves),
chief of a gang of thieves ;
termed " dimbcrdamber," " up-
right man," in old English cant ;
and archi-siipp6t in the old
French argot. Gonnof is Yid-
dish for thief ; Hebrew, ganef.
Ard (American thieves), hot ; evi-
dently from ardent. In old cant
it had the signification of foot.
Area — Arkansas.
47
Area sneak (popular), one who
sneaks into kitchens to steal.
Other varieties of malefactors go
by the appellations of " prig,
cracksman, crossman, sneaks-
man, moucher, hooker, flash -
cove, bug-hunter, cross-cove,
buz-faker, fogle-hunter, stook-
hauler, toy-getter, tooler, prop-
nailer, palmer, dragsman, buz-
gloak, amuser, bob-sneak, boun-
cer, bully-prigger, thimble-twis-
ter, gun, conveyancer, dancer,
pudding -snammer, ziff, drum-
mer, knuck, buttock -and -file,
poll-thief, little snakesman, mill-
ben, a cove on the cross, flash-
man, finder, gleaner, picker,
tax-collector," and formerly " a
good fellow, a bridle-cull, a
sampsman, an angler." — Bar-
r Ire's Argot and Slang.
Argify (popular), a jargon corrup-
tion of to argue.
"The European league of Peace and
Liberty have just held a congress at
Geneva. The hrst sitting was very noisy.
Most ' leagues ' prefer liberty to peace,
when it comes to argi/ying."
Do you want to argify, you little beggar.
— Leech's Cartoons.
Argol-bargol. According to Hot-
ten this is a Scotch phrase
signifying "to bandy words."
It is possible that it has a
Hebrew derivation. Bar-len in
Yiddish is, " to talk or speak
in any way," and hargolis is
one who goes about in misery
and poverty, perhaps a fluent
beggar. Argol is the popular
pronunciation of ergo — as given
by Dame Quickly — a word which
of old was continually used in
argumentative conversation.
Aristippus (old), a diet drink
much in vogue in the latter part
of the last century. It was
made of sarsaparUla and other
drugs, and sold at the coffee-
houses.
Ark (thieves), a boat or vessel.
(Military), a box in the barrack-
room used for holding extra
articles of a man's kit. In
America a large boat used on
rivers to transport produce to
market.
It may be noted, that in the
northern counties the large
chests in farm-houses used for
keeping meat or flour are called
arks. Villon, the old French
poet, in his Jargon Jobelin,
terms arque a coffer or money-
box, and in the modem French
argot "aller h, I'arche" means
to go frequently to the money-
box, to spend one's money freely.
Ark and dove (masonic), an
American degree preparatory
to the R.A.
Arkansas toothpick (American),
a large bowie knife which shuts
up into the handle. It is a
piece of savage irony which
thus dubs it, as the blade, which
has a point of half its length, is
over a foot long and two inches
broad.
Straightway leaped the valiant Slingby,
Into armour of Seville,
With a strong Arkansas toothpick.
Screwed in every joint of steel.
—Ben Gaultier: American Ballads, B.
48
A rk — A rsy-varsy.
Ark floater (theatrical), an actor
so loaded with years, that he is
supposed, through some effort
of the imagination, to have
made his d^but before the
" floats," i.e., the footlights in
Noah's ark. People will say,
"You must have come out of
the ark," or " You were born in
the ark ; " because you are so
old-fashioned, and ignorant of
current events.
Ark-man (old), Thames boatman
(Baumann).
Ark-ruff (old), fresh-water thief.
Armpits (old), petty larceny. The
term has been imported into
Australia by the convicts. Vaux,
in his Memoirs, says : " To work
under the armpits, is to practise
only such kinds of depredation
as will amount, upon conviction,
to what the law terms single
or petty larceny, the extent of
punishment for which is trans-
portation for seven years. By
following this system a thief
avoids the halter, which cer-
tainly is applied above the
armpits." Watches are stolen
by using the right hand under
the armpit of the left arm, which
is put across the breast.
Armstrong, Captain (turf), a dis-
honest jockey. " He came Cap-
tain Armstrong" is equivalent
to saying that the rider pulled
with a strong arm, thus prevent-
ing his horse from winning.
'Arry, for Harry, a familiar general
term for a young costermonger
dressed in his best clothes when
taking a Sunday walk with his
young woman. The correspond-
ing word for the young woman
is *' Sarah Jane " or "Jemima."
The 'Arri^ are almost indigenous
to London, are generally to be
seen with short pipes in their
mouths, and swarm at fairs and
races and other places of public
resort, talking slang and puff-
ing tobacco smoke, and if not
altogether of the same genus
as the roughs and rowdies that
infest great cities, are little re-
moved from them in manners,
appearance, and conversation.
'Arry smokes a two-penny smoke
Oh ! poor 'Arry!
' Arty's pipe's enough to choke,
Bad boy, 'A rry !
'Arry thinks it very good fun
To puff his cheap cigar
Into the faces of every one
While doing the la-di-da.
—Ballad : How do, 'A rry f
The female ^Ai'ri/ is sometimes
called an "'Arriet."
As an inhabitant of Munster Square, I
am quite content to gaze on the "green
space," and should be very sorry to see it
become the rendezvous of the 'Arrits and
"'Arriets" of the neighbourhood. — The
Echo.
Arse-board, the hinder part of a
cart.
Arse coolers (vulgar), a term
used by common women in
speaking of dress-improvers.
Arsy-varsy (old), topsy-turvy,
heels over head.
" The old mare pitched him arsy-Tarsy
into the ditch."
Artesian — Assay.
49
Artesian (Australian, popular),
Colonial beer. People in Gipps-
land, Victoria, use artesian just
as Tasmanians use cascade, in
the sense of " beer," because
the one is manufactured from
the celebrated artesian well at
Sale, Gippsland, and the other
from the cascade water.
Artful (popular), a word of wide
application to intimate trickery,
secrecy, and " dodges."
He'd an artful little bottle on an artful
little shelf,
He was not "a little silly," but a very
knowing elf.
— H. Adams: Sister Hannah.
Artful dodgers (thieves), lodgers ;
fellows who dare not sleep twice
in the same place for fear of
arrest.
Artichoke (American thieves), a
low and old prostitute. It is
curious to note that the French
argot has the term c(£ur d'arti-
chaut to denote a man or woman
of a highly amatory disposition.
Paillasson, quoi ! cceur d artichaut,
C'est men genre ; un' feuille pour tout
r monde,
Au jour d'aujourd'hui j'gobe la blonde ;
Apres d' main, c'est la brun' qu'i m'faut.
—Gill: La Muse ii Bibi.
Article (popular), a poor specimen
of humanity ; also, a wretched
animal.
Articles (American thieves), a suit
of clothes ; termed in the Eng-
lish slang, "togs, toggery, clob-
ber."
Articles of virtue (familiar) {i.e.,
vertu), virgins.
Artistic. It is a common error
to suppose that artistic is a
synonym for beautiful, symme-
trical, or attractive. That only
is artistic which, being made
by the hand of man, indicates
direct individual character and
touch. The more machinery in-
tervenes between the original
pattern and the mere copy, the
less art is there. The Sistine
Madonna is truly a work of art,
the most perfect chromo-litho-
graphic copy of it is not. As
used by many tradesmen, to
indicate their cast works,
machine-sawed furniture, &c.,
the word art or artistic is mere
slang.
Asa, asarla, asarlus (gypsy), thus,
so, in this manner.
Ash path (running), a running
path formed of pulverised cin-
ders or black ash.
Ask bogy (old slang), an indecent
evasive exclamation used by
sailors when not wishing to
answer any question.
Askew (old cant), this may be a
corruption of escuelle.
Asking (turf), a jockey is said to
" ask " or " call upon " a horse
when rousing him to greater
exertion.
Assay (American thieves' slang),
commence, try it. From the
D
50
Assay — Atmosphere.
expression to take the aaaay or
esiay, to taste wine to prove that
it is not poisoned. Hence to
try, to taste, trial or sample.
Shakspeare uses the term.
(He) makes vow before his uncle, never
more
To give the assay of arms against your
majesty.
— Hamlet.
Asses (printers). See Donkeys.
Term used by pressmen for com-
positors, by way of retaliation
in calling them "pigs." The
animal creation has furnished
a variety of slang terms for
French printers in sufficient
numbers to form a small mena-
gerie. Thus a compositor is
called " mulct ; " a master or
foreman, "singe;" anewspaper,
"canard" (which also means
false news) ; to have " one's
monkey up," that is, to be angry,
is "gober sa chfevre" or "son
boeuf ," from the effect produced
by the horns of the animal in
the metaphoric operation ; a
letter which has fallen from
the form is termed " chien ; " a
creditor, " loup ; " an idle work-
man whodisturbs others, " ours."
" Poser une sangsue" is to cor-
rect one's fellow-workman's
work in his absence. The Ger-
man typos say that one receives
liis "herring" when he gets
dismissed from his employ.
Astern (common), behind, in the
rear of ; from the nautical term.
Asti .(gypsy), would have, have
to ; astis, can, possible ; asti
si, it can be ; nasti negti, it is not
possible, i.e., it cannot be.
Astral body (theosophist), a
phrase borrowed from the Rosi-
crucians, and used by Paracelsus
and Van Helmont. It signifies
a semi-spiritual self, which goes
forth from the body.
Then there is the astral body, which is
a nice thing to have, as it can be made
responsible for all the doings of the carnal
body, and can be pressed into service for
any occasion when the latter would be of
no account, even to the materialising of
strawberries in January, or crockery at
picnics when the necessary plates and cups
have been forgotten. The only difficulty
with the astral body is its unreliability.
It is such a subtle, slippery thing that the
owner, unless he hangs on to it with the
utmost tenacity, is apt to lose it just when
he most needs it, like the Buddhist in
New York who wis jailed the other day.
He had been in the habit of depending
upon his astral body for the materialisation
of coin to meet his expenses, and when
arrested for obt.iining money under false
pretences could only defend himself by
saying that he had lost his astral body.
As he could not show that he had taken
any pains to find it, and had not even
advertised a reward for it, he had to take
the same penalties that are imposed upon
those who have no astral bodies to fall
back upon in time of financial emergency.
— Chicago Tribune.
Atch, hatch (gypsy), to remain,
stay.
" Sa mandy hatched to kur, my rye" —
" So I stayed to fight, my master."
Atmosphere (American, Boston),
a new slang phra.se of society
and literature thus explained
by an American journal : —
" The cant of the day is the word a/wioj-
/A^rr, which h.is displaced 'tone.' When
people tried to be exquisite they spoke of
Atomy — Attorney.
51
the tone of a novel, a club, or a person.
Now it is atmosphere. A city is said to
have a peculiar atmosphere when its people
and their customs seem peculiar to the
observer. Such words are very convenient
when people have nothing particular to
say, and mean to say it impressively."
Atomy (popular), a small or
deformed person. Varied some-
times to an "abortion,"
Atrish (gypsy), afraid.
" An whenever the bavol pudered he was
atrdsh he'd pel a-lay pr6 the shinger-
ballas o' the guro" — "And whenever the
wind blew he was afraid he would fall
down on the horns of the bull." — The
English Gypsies.
At that (American), meaning
something in addition to, an
intensive. Said to have origi-
nated in Pennsylvania, and to
be a translation of the German
dazu. " She is beautiful and
rich at that," " She is old and
ugly at that." It is also used
upon a variety of occasions,
without reason or necessity.
" Now then, Mister, drinks all round,
and cobblers at that." — Notes on Canada.
He's got a scolding wife, and an ugly
one at that. — Bartlett.
The Mississippi's a mighty big drink —
and a muddy one at that. — Idem.
The practice with one-half of the New
Yorkers, of moving on the first of May, is
an awful custom, and foolish at that. —
Major Downing.
In Australia one talks of dear
at that, weak at that, &c., some
such word as "rate" or "price "
being understood.
So we'll drain the flowing bowl,
'Twill not jeopardise the soul,
For it's only tea and weak at that.
—KeighlyGoodchild: The Old
Felt Hat.
Attic (popular), the human head,
to be " queer in the attic," to
be intoxicated or cracked. A
somewhat similar term in the
French slang is " grenier k sel."
The synonyms are, "knowledge-
box, tibby, costard, nob, nut,
chump, upper storey, crum-
pet."
Attleborough (American), sham.
Sham jewellery, from the town
of Attleborough, in Massachu-
setts, where much imitation or
trashy jewellery is made.
Attorney (thieves). The term is
applied to a cunning fellow, or
at least one who passes himself
off as such ; clever in getting
round people, or turning diffi-
culties [attorney, French A tour-
ner) ; a loafer who pretends to
a full knowledge of the legal
meshes in which the light-
fingered gentry are occasion-
ally involved. The attorney is
always ready to give advice in
these and other matters for a
small consideration in money,
and failing that, for a glass of
any kind of "tipple" at the
nearest "pub." This distant
relation to the great family of
"limbs of the law " hangs about
the favourite resorts of other
kinds of " practitioners," i.e.,
thieves. He is considered as a
shining light by some, as an
impostor by others, but what-
ever the case may be, he dis-
tinguishes himself from the real
attorney by the low rate of his
charges.
52
Attorney-General — Aunt.
Attorney-General's devil (legal).
This is a barrister, who, not
being a Queen's Counsel, is ap-
pointed by the Attorney-General
for the time being to be his
"junior" in Government cases.
He is always one of the best
men at the junior bar, and as
such is chosen by the Attorney-
GeneraL
Attory, venomous, from adder,
a poisonous little serpent, origi-
nally spelt and pronounced ad-
der y. Chaucer in the "Per-
son's Tale" speaks of attry anger;
Anglo-Saxon attor, poison.
Auctioneer (popular), to tip him
the auctioneer, is to knock a
man off his legs. Derived from
the saleroom phrase to knock
down.
Audit (Winchester), the day on
which the students receive their
pocket-money, called also "ap-
ple-pie day."
Audit ale (Cambridge), very
strong ale supposed to be drunk
on audit day. It is peculiar to
Trinity College. About two cen-
turies ago, some ale was brewed
for that college which was so
strong and good that the recipe
was preserved with care, and
the ale has ever since been
made every year in a limited
(quantity. Professors and un-
dergraduates arc allowed to
purchase a certain number of
bottles. This ale will burn like
spirits when thrown into the
fire.
ITie table was spread with coffee, audit,
devils, omelets, hare-pies, and all the other
articles of the buttery.— (?«;V/<a[; N eld in
Bondage.
Audley or orderly (theatrical), a
term used by theatrical show-
men when they wish to abridge
the performance, in consequence
of there being a sufficient num-
ber of persons waiting to fill
" another house." The manager
or parade master will then call
out, John Orderly I
Auger (American), a prosy fel-
low, a bore.
Aul. prae. (Winchester), an abbre-
viation which stands for Pra-
fectas Aula, that is. Prefect of
Hall.
Auly-auly (Winchester), a game
played on " grass court " on Sa-
turday afternoons after chapel.
It is played by throwing a
small cricket ball at your op-
ponent.
Aunt. This term, as used in the
phrase at " my aunt's,'" in a
brothel, is obsolete. The old
slang of the Elizabethan era,
aunt, had the signification of
a concubine, a prostitute, or a
woman of loose morals, or,
worse, a procuress. " Mine aunt
will feed me," was a, common
phrase at one time, meaning an
agent who would procure virgins
for the purposes of debauchery.
Shakspeare and Hen Jonson use
the word.
Aunt — Autem.
53
The lark, that tirra-lirra chants, —
With, hey ! with, hey ! the thrush and
the jay : —
Are summer songs forme and my aunts.
While we lie tumbling in the hay.
— Shakspeare.
The more modem expression
for a concubine — who lives in
a single man's house without
either of them letting the world
into the real secret of the con-
nection — is "niece." Thus
many reverend gentlemen in
Catholic countries, whose vows
of chastity debar them from
enjoying the sweets of pater-
nity, are fain to content them-
selves with being the uncles
of pretty "nieces." A curSs
niece is a standing joke in
France. The sons of the Pope
— if these high ecclesiastical
dignitaries have any, as they
had in ancient times far more
frequently than in the present
— are called " nephews."
To go to "my aunt's," to go
to the privy. The expression is
nowadays used chiefly by girls,
who say among themselves, " I
am going to my aunt," or " I
am going to my auntie."
Australian flag, the (Anglo-Austra-
lian slang), the bottom of a shirt.
The Australian who lives up the
country generally wears a belt
instead of braces, the result
being that when he exerts him-
self, there is usually a great
fold of shirt protruding between
his small clothes and his waist-
coat, which Englishmen have
called in scorn the Australian
flag. The Cornstalk talks of
him as a '* new chum ; " he talks
of the Cornstalk as " showing the
A ustralian flag."
Australian grip (up country Aus-
tralian), a hearty shake of the
hand (compare Masonic Grip.)
The bushman shakes hands very
heartily — a long grip with the
whole hand, following three
deep shakes. He does not crush
your hand ; but he is sarcastic
about the "limp shakes" and
"one-finger shakes" of people
" newly out from home."
None the less
Was he a graceful, well-bred host,
But he was hearty in accost,
And giving the A ustralian grip
And good up-country fellowship
As bushmeii.
—D. B. IV. Sladen : A Summer
Christmas.
Autem or autum, a church. This
word, which is of the oldest
cant, and is given by Harman, is
probably the Yiddish a'lhoummc,
a church {tifleheing the common
term), which in ordinary con-
versation would be pronounced
autem. It seems to have been
at first always associated with
clerical marriage, and as in cant
Adam and Eve are terms for
husband and wife, it is possible
that Autem also owes some-
thing to Outem or Oudem, as
Adam is pronounced in Yiddish.
Thoumme or tume reallj' means
the forbidden or impure (church).
("Unrein verboten." — Thiele.)
"A," or "ah," is the vulgar Yid-
dish pronunciation for "Ein."
It is curious to note that in old
54
A uteni — A uthor.
French cant a church was
termed entonne or entijle, tijle
being Yiddish for church.
Autem bawler or autem-jet (old),
a parson. The more modern
slang has the epithets, " devil
dodger," and " sky pilot."
At last Job explained the cause of my
appearance, viz., his wish to pacify Daw-
son's conscience by dressing up one of the
pals, whom the sinner could not recognise,
as an autem bawler, and so obtaining him
the benefit of the clergy without endanger-
ing the gang by his confession. — Buhver
Lytton : Pelkant.
Autem cackle tub (old), conven-
ticle, or Dissenters' meeting-
house.
Autem cacklers (old), Dissenters.
It also means married women.
Oh ! where will be the culls of the bing,
A hundred stretches hence ?
The bene morts, who sweetly sing,
A hundred stretches hence?
The aute>n<ackUrs , autem coves,
The jolly blade who wildly roves ;
And where the cuffer, bruiser, blowen,
And all the cops and beaks so knowin',
A hundred stretches hence ?
— A Hundred Stretches Hence.
Autem cove (thieves), a married
man.
Autem dippers or divers (old),
Anabaptist-s, from the custom
of dipping or baptizing the con-
verts.
Autem divers (old), church pick
purses, and derisively, the
churchwardens and overseers
of the j)Oor,
Autem goglers (old), pretended
French prophets.
Autem jet (old), one of the in-
numerable equivalents for a
parson. Autem,, a church ; jei,
black, from the prevailing hue
in a parson's dress.
Autem mort (old cant). A legal
wife, whose marriage has been
celebrated in a church. It
does not apply to marriages
celebrated by " hedge parsons"
on the highway, as rendered me-
morable by the lines supposed
to have been given to a pair of
gypsy lovers by Dean Swift : —
" Beneath this tree in rainy weather,
I've joined this whore and thief together ;
And none but He who wields the thunder
Shall part this whore and thief asunder."
The autum-mort finds better sport
In bowsing then in nigling,
This is bien bowse, this is bien bowse.
— R. Brome: A Jovial Crew.
Autem prickears (old), a gene-
ral name for Dissenters. (See
Autem Cacklkrs.)
Autem quavers (old), Quakers.
Autem quaver tub (old), a Quakers'
meeting-house.
Author baiting (theatrical), a
sprightly pastime, invariably
indulged in on the first night
of an unsuccessful play. The
process is as follows : —
"First. — Set your trap, and catch your
author. In order to do so— call for him
with spontaneity, and apparent enthusiasm.
"Second. — When you have caught him,
that is, as soon as he puts his hc.id before
the curtain, go for him, shout, shriek, yell,
bellow, hiss, emit a flood of ' obscure noises
from filthy lips."
Av — Avast.
55
"When you have degraded yourself to
thelevel of the lowest standard of humanity,
and when you have insulted the unfortu-
nate dramatist hy every means which your
paucity of brains and plenitude of lungs
can devise, your author baiting is com-
plete."
Av (gJTsy), come ; avakdi, come
here. • Full form me avava, I
come. " If tute'U av akai
mandy'll del tute a horra" —
"If you'll come here, I'll give
you a penny."
Av my little Romany chel,
Av along with mansar !
Av my little Romany chel,
Koshto si for mangue.
— Borrcnu.
Avails, profits or advantages, ab-
breviated into vaili, is the gratui-
ties given by visitors or guests
in great houses to servants for
civilities, attentions, or services
rendered.
Avast (nautical), a sailor's phrase
for stop, cease, stay. Accord-
ing to Webster a corruption of
the Dutch Koud vast, hold fast.
Some etymologists connect it
with the old cant term " bynge
a waste." Others ascribe its
origin to the Italian batta,
enough. This derivation seems
plausible, from the circum-
stance that French workmen
use hasta with the same signifi-
cation as EngUsh tars.
Avast heaving a minute, Tom, and
we'll light our pipes and gather round
and spin cuff; what do you say, lad? —
/iare Bits.
" No satisfactory explanation
of this term, which occurs
in the oldest English cant-
ing," says C. G. Leland, "has
ever been offered." In gypsy,
wast or vast (Hindu, hasta or
hast) means a hand, and, as in
English, it is intimately con-
nected with using the hands or
being ready. Chiv a vast adoi !
means exactly in Romany, "put
a hand there I" "be alert!"
It is equivalent to "lend a
hand ! " It will be readily un-
derstood that the injunctipn to
lend a hand might easily be-
come a synonym for " attend
there ! " " observe ! " or " look
out ! " It is to be remarked
that in modern English, gypsy
hatch a wowjish ! meang^'"stop
a bit!" or, literally, "stop a
thumb ! " Wongish is a cor-
rupted form of angustrin, a
fiuger or thumb, and it seems
to be a synonym for a bit or
small piece, because a digit
forms a smaller portion of the
hand. " I'll not bate a finger's
breadth of it." Vast, meaning
a hand, appears to denote a
greater extent or quantity, e.g.,
"a hand's breadth better," and
is sometimes confused with vast,
meaning a great deal. An old
Yorkshire song says —
" But Tom got the best of this bargain
avast,
And came off wi' a Yorkshireman's
triumph at last."
Wright gives vast as meaning
a waste or deserted space. In
the song the actual meaning is
that the victor beat his anta-
gonist not vastly but by a little,
or " by a hand," i.e., " barely,"
56
A vast — A wful.
as the succeeding lines clearly
prove : —
" For though between dead horses there's
rwt much to choose,
Yet Tom's were the better by the hide
and four shoes,"
Avail In old cant has the
signification of away.
Avast to the pad, let us bing. — T.
MiddUton : Roaring' Girle.
Avering', the trick of a be^ar
boy who strips himself and goes
naked into a town with a false
story of his being cold and rob-
bed of his clothes, to move com-
. passion and get other clothes.
This is called averts and to go
an avering. — Old Manuscript in
the Lansdotone Collection, quoted in
Wrigkt^s ^'Archaic Dictionary."
The word is evidently gypsy,
from aver, to come or go, as
further appears by averis, is or
OS being (as is common in Indian
dialects) a suffix to form a noun
{vide Av).
Avo, Swo, auwo, awali, avail
(gypsy), yes. Avali is rare in
England, but it may be com-
monly heard in Hungary.
Lei a chumer del a chumer
Avo, avali !
Buti, buti, sSr pa tQte,
Miro kilmlo zi.
Take a kiss — give a kiss — yes — yes. Many
and many, all for you, my dear heart.
— Janet Tuckey.
Avoirdupois lay (old), stealing
brass weights off shop counters.
A'wake (general), on one's guard,
warned, put up to.
" A common expression of
the ' family people ; ' thus a
thief will say to his accomplice
on perceiving that the person
they are about to rob is aware
of their intention and upon his
guard, ' Stow it, the cove's
awake.' To be awake to any
scheme, deception, or design,
means, generalh', to see through
or comprehendit." — From Vaux's
Memoirs.
Awer (gypsy), but. This recalls
the German aber, but it is pro-
bably only a form of the affirma-
tive awo.
Awful. This word does duty in
fa.'ihionable slang for "very."
Girls and women are no longer
"very pretty" or "very hand-
some," but "awfully pretty"
or " aicftdly handsome." The
expression is sometimes varied
into "dreadfully." An awful
shame or pity, or a dreadful
shame or pity, are common
expressions both among the
high and low vulgar. "An
aicfidly fine day " is a favourite
expletive among young and
old, but especially among the
young. All these, and count-
loss other perversions of the
word, might fitly be described
as awfully destructive of the
grace, elegance, and purity of
the English language. In like
manner very laughable farces
are declared to be screamingly
funny or excruciatingly funny ;
as if very were no longer an
English word.
A wful — Ayrshires.
57
" The lumberer very rarely mixes in polite
society, but when he does he never fails
to make his mark. Only a few weeks ago
he was introduced to , and that effu-
sive young lady was quite charmed with
him.
" ' I think him awfully nice,' she said ;
' I am quite taken with him.'
" And so were they all, until a subsequent
examination of the sideboard disclosed the
fact that a considerable portion of the plate
had likewise been taken with him."
The Philadelphia Press quotes
"a charming old lady's advice
to girls — very excellent advice
indeed, to the sv?eet-faced dam-
sels who are making their first
bows to society this winter.
Firstly, what to avoid :
" A loud, weak, affected, whining, harsh,
or shrill tone of voice.
" Extravagances in conversation — such
phrases as ''awfully this,' 'beastly that,"
' loads of time,' ' don't you know,' ' hate '
for ' dislike,' &c.
" Sudden exclamation of annoyance,
surprise, and joy — often dangerously
approaching to female swearing — as
' bother ! ' ' gracious ! ' ' how jolly ! ' "
Awkward squad (military and
nautical), a squad formed of
the men who are backward in
drill instruction. The French
have the corresponding term,
"Le peloton des maladroits."
Axe to grind, an (American,
political), said when a man who
has some pet scheme or hobby
of his own in view, supports
another who may in the future
be useful to him. Such men
are said to have axes to grind,.
Special legislation in behalf of private
interests is one of the curses of this country,
otherwise so blessed by the smiles of Divine
Providence. The number of axes which
are taken to the various State Capitols, to
be ground at the public expense, is per-
fectly enormous. — Ne^u York Tribune.
The phrase is derived from a
story told by Benjamin Franklin
in his life. Once when he was
a boy, a man who wanted to
grind an axe persuaded little
Benjamin by flattery to turn the
stone till he was utterly weary
and his hands were sore, and
then when it was done, told
him rudely to be off. After
this, whenever anybody was ex-
tremely amiable, the great Ame-
rican philosopher speculated
whether the polite person had
not an axe to grind.
Ayah (Anglo-Indian), a Hindoo
nurse or lady's attendant. From
the Portuguese aia, a nurse.
Ayrshires (Stock Exchange), is
used to describe Glasgow and
South-Western Railway stock.
58
Ba — Baboo- English.
(fenian). In the Fenian
vocabulary this letter
stands for a captain.
Ba (gypsy), brother,
friend. This resembles the north-
country hor, but is of Hindu
origin.
Babblers (sport), ill-bred hounds ;
when the pack is questing the
babblers frequently open without
cause.
Babelo-dye, babalo-dye (gypsy),
grandmother.
Babes (trade), the " small fry " or
lower orders of "knook-out"
men who are bought over by the
larger dealers just previous to
a sale coming off, and who for
a few shilUngs retire altogether,
or promise to make no biddings
while the lot is held by any of
the other party.
Baboo (Anglo-Indian), from the
Bengali and Hindu Bdbu, which
is properly a term of respect,
like Master or Mr. Its applica-
tion in this sense is now confined
to Lower Bengal, though C. P.
Brown states that it is also used
in Southern India for My Lord
or Your Honour. In Bengal
and elsewhere it is often used
among Anglo-Indians with a
slight savour of disparagement,
as characterising a superficially
cultivated but too often effemi-
nate Bengali. From the exten-
sive cmi)loyment of the class to
which the term was applied as
a title, in the capacity of clerks
in English oflBces, the word has
come often to signify a native
clerk who writes English. —
Anglo-Indian Glossary.
" But I'd sooner be robbed by a tall man
who showed me a yard of steel.
Than be fleeced by a sneaking Baboo with
a peon and badge at his heel."
—Sir A. C. Lyall: The Old
Pindaree.
Baboo - English (Anglo - Indian).
This term is applied to the
peculiar English which is rather
written than spoken by the
natives in India. It is difficult
to describe, not being specially
ungrammatical or faulty as re-
gards orthography, and yet it is
the drollest dialect of English
known. It is most humorous
when the writer has made him-
self familiar with, let us say
Shakspeare and the Referee, the
Bible and the "Slang Diction-
ary," Artemus Ward, Milton,
Punch, and the "Polite Letter
Writer," and then contrives to
happily unite all their character-
istics with most unexceptionable
gravity and skill. It is said that
a converted Baboo, wishing to
combine devotion with kindly
feeUng, ended a letter to an
English lady-patron, to whom
he supplied meat, with this
expression : " Your affectionate
butcher, in Christ." Of late
years many amusing specimens
of Baboo- English have been
collected and })ublished. There
is a work called " The Baboo
and Other Tales," by Augustus
Prinsep.
Babus — Back block.
59
Babus, bawbus (gypsy), grand-
father. " Mandy dikked yer
hdbus a chinnin kosbters kaliko
adr^ lestis tan" — "I saw your
grandfather a cutting woods
(making skewers) yesterday, in
his tent."
Baby-herder (American cowboy
slang), a nurse for an infant. —
C. Leland Harrison : MS. Ameri-
Baby-paps (thieves), rhyming
slang for caps.
Bacca-pipe (popular), old-fash-
ioned way of wearing whiskers.
The bacca-pipe was the whisker
curled in tiny ringlets.
Bach, to, batch, baching (Ame-
rican), from the word bachelor.
To form a party and live without
women's society or aid in the
woods or by the sea-side. The
expenses entailed on young
men who mix with ladies in
society at the watering-places
in America are great, and often
out of all proportion to their
means, the natural result being
that bachelors take to the
forests or sea-surf, and live
in tents, enjoying themselves
thoroughly without the aid of
" the muslin," for half, or quar-
ter the money which they must
otherwise have expended on
treating ladies to carriages,
juleps and cobblers after bath-
ing, billiards and ten pins, ball
tickets and suppers.
Baching', a delightful Western amuse-
ment which pleases the doctors. Never
bach? Well, it's a great scheme. Can
have just what your appetite craves, and
at a nominal price, and there is no woman
around to find fault and comment upon
the lay-out. Of course it requires judg-
ment to prorate the ingredients essential to
a first-class repast, and frequently one errs
in the quantity of seasoning necessary to
impart a palatable relish to corn, tomatoes,
string beans, and succotash, but you soon
catch on, and frequently before the salt
and pepper give out. . . . Yes, baching is
perfectly delightful, and while errors may
inter\'ene during the period in which the
dog is convalescing, the outcome cannot
be other than satisfactory — to resident
physicians. — California Newspaper.
Back (general) to get one's baxik
tip, to get angry, the idea being
taken from a cat, that always
arches its hack when irritated.
" Don't get your back up,"
" Keep your hair on," " Don't
lose your shirt," are synony-
mous expressions for an exhor-
tation to keep one's temper.
Back block (Australian), the
country outside the margin of
the settled districts.
Like the brief flight of a sparrow upon a
wintry night,
Out of the frost and and darkness into
the warm and light,
Is the advent of a stranger in the back
blocks out West,
Here to-night, and gone to-morrow, after
food, roof, and rest.
—D. B. IV. Sladen : Out West in
Queensland {First Edition of
Australian Lyrics).
These back blocks are, as a rule,
grazing country, often very
poor, let to the squatters (or
graziers) in immense tracts at a
nominal rent. One often hears
of a man holding a thousand
6o
Back block — Back-handed.
or two thousand squaxe miles.
Mr. Fisher, a South Austra-
lian, recently put upon the
market, in the northern terri-
tory of South Australia, lAocks
to the aggregate of thirty or
forty thousand square miles.
In very remote parts, crown-
lands are sometimes leased at
sixpence a square mile. The
two greatest difficulties to con-
tend with (besides droughts and
floods) are " getting up stores,"
and getting to market. Cattle
are sometimes driven all the way
from the Gulf of Carpentaria
to Melbourne, the whole length
of Australia, for sale, and some
cattle which had come this
journey had been six months
and three weeks en route.
Back-breakers. According to the
evidence taken before the Chil-
dren's Employment Commis-
sion, the ganger who contracts
to do the work hires the sm<allest
and cheapest children, select-
ing the strongest and most will-
ing of the gang as a back-breaker,
whose duty it is to. set an
example of activity to the rest
and " put them along."
Back-cheat (old cant), a cloak.
Back-cloth (theatrical), scenes in
a theatre or music hall.
'I"he hack<loth is the well-known " wood-
land glade" that Mr. de Pinna, the mana-
ger, invariably selects as the scene of these
combats, and three rounds are fought
under the Marquis of Queensberry rules.
— Evening Ncivs.
Back - door work (popular),
sodomy.
Backed (old slang), dead, with
" one's toes turned up."
Back end (racing), the last two
months of the racing season.
Lowestoft, though amongst the arrivals,
shirked some of his engagements last back
end. — Star.
A bad: enler, consequently, is
a horse which appears on the
racecourse at the end of the
season.
Lord Bradford's horse evidently likes
the Doncaster course, and he is undoubt-
edly a hack ender. It must be for these
reasons that he is so well backed, by the
public be it understood, the stable rarely
making any sign until the last moment. —
Sporting Times.
Backers (a racing technical term),
the general body of the betting
public who wager on horses
winning, in contradistinction to
the more limited society of the
"ring" or "bookmakers," who
bet against horses.
This term is also frequently
applied to coal carriers, whip-
pers, or heavers.
Mr. Dudley Baxter, M.A,,
states in National Income that a
coal backer is considered past
work at forty.
Back-gammon player (old), a
practiser of an unmentionable
vice. Also called " an usher," or
"gentleman of the back door."
Back-handed turn (Stock Ex-
change), leaving made an un-
profitable bargain.
Backhanders — Back seats.
6l
Backhanders (common), one who
keeps back the decanter in order
to hand himself a second glass
before he passes it. Also, a
drink out of turn.
Long experience has shown us that to
get small advantages over us gives the
Scotch so much pleasure that we should
not think of grudging them the mild satis-
faction, just as a kindly host affects not
to notice a valued guest, who, he observes,
always helps himself to an innocent back-
hander. — The Saturday Review.
Back handicap (running), the
process of revising a time handi-
cap, the time being reckoned
from the second the " limit
man " is sent off.
Back-house, or backward (com-
mon), a privy. So called from
being usually situated at the
rear of house. Soldiers also
call it "the rear," from asking
leave to fall to the rear of the
company.
Backing or turning-on (Ameri-
can thieves' slang), a very usual
kind of cheating, by which a
man is victimised in such a
manner as to render himself
liable to punishment.
Back jump (thieves), a back win-
dow. The window seems to be
considered by thieves only in
the light of a convenient means
of escape, hence the expression
"jump."
Back mark (running), the mark
nearest the scratch — sometimes,
of course, the scratch itself. A
man is said to be " backmarked ' '
in handicajjping when the
handicapper sets him back, or
gives him less start than he has
hitherto had.
Back of beyond, the (American),
a mythical country where large
fortunes are to be made — a Tom
Tiddler's ground.
I sat down to my breakfast on the
morning of the second day of April 188-,
with no more notion that I should find
myself at dinner-time that day at sea,
bound on a voyage, the story of which I
now propose to write, than I have, seeing
that I am come in safety home again, of
setting out before to-morrow to seek my
fortune in the uttermost part of the mys-
terious country known as the Back 0/
Beyond. — W. A. Pat on: Down tht Isr
lands.
Back scuttle, to (thieves), to enter
by the back way.
Back-seam (popular), to be down
on one's hack-seam is to be at
one's last breath.
Back seats (American), a very
common slang expression signi-
fying reserve or an obscure and
modest position. It originated
in a saying of President John-
son in 1868, that "in the work
of reconstruction traitors should
take hack seats."
General Shelby of rebel notoriety says : —
" Let it be distinctly understood at St.
Louis and everywhere else that, while the
issues of the war are past and forgotten,
we take back nothing, and there is no use
of their expecting us to do so."
That's true. You don't even take back
seats. In the Cleveland variety show
every man-jack of you is in the bald-headed
TOW.— Chicago Tribune.
62
Backsheesh — Back staircase.
" For my part," remarked a handsomely,
even sportively dressed young man in the
smoking-car, "I think this Grover Cleve-
land is getting altogether too much atten-
tion. ... I predict that in two months he
will take a back seat as it were. He will
discover that there are some big men in
this country b«side himself. This ain't no
one-man countrj-." — American Humorist.
Backsheesh (Anglo-Indian).
From the Persian bakhsMsh, a
gratuity, a " tip."
What an honour to think that 1 am to
be elevated to the throne, and to bring the
seat in Parliament as backsheesh to the
Sultan. — Thackeray: Pendennis.
Back slangy (Australian convicts),
the going stealthily to or into a
place, sneaking into it. Pro-
bably taken out to Australia
by the convicts transported
thither, though it may have
originated thera
(Thieves), to enter or come
out of a house by the back
door, or to go a circuitous or
private way through the streets
in order to avoid any parti-
cular place in the direct road,
is termed hack-slanging it. —
Vaux's Memoirs. Back dang also
means slang produced by spel-
ling words backwards, e.g., "nael
ekom " for lean moke, "occa-
bot " for tobacco.
Back-slangitig is quite aristo-
cratic up the country in Aus-
tralia, where, unless it is a formal
visit, it is almost the universal
custom for any one of any rank
to drive straight into the stables
of the house he is going to, call
for a groom (or quite as often
a boy) to take the horses, and
then walk round to the house.
Back slum (Australian convicts'
slang), a back room, a back
entrance. Probably taken out
to Australia by the convicts
transported thither.
In ordinary colloquial Eng-
lish, back slum simply means a
" back street " or a " bad neigh-
bourhood," but Vaux in his
Memoirs says that among the
Australian lays back dum is a
back room, also the back en-
trance to any liouse or premises ;
thus, "We'll give it 'em on the
back slum," means " We'll get in
at the back door."
Back staircase (popular), a de-
risive term for a bustle, called
by maid-servants "bird cage,"
or " canary cage." Parisian
ladies had formerly the un-
assuming polisson, superseded
imder the Third Empire by the
more "all round" crinoline,
brought into fashion by the
Empress, and which became so
much the rage all the world
over as to be worn even by Afri-
can belles, whose sole adorn-
ment it frequently was. Eng-
lish girls of the lower classes,
who could not afford to procure
the " real article," would aflix
wooden hoops to their petti-
coats. Scoffing Parisians now
term the modern " dress impro-
ver " — so elongated, painfully
pointed, and almost horizontal
— " un lieutenant " (a pun on
" tenant lieu de ce qui manque ")
" nuage " (" parcequ'il cache la
lune," tunc being .slang for the
posterior), and "volapuk."
Backstairs — Badgeer.
63
Backstairs influence (common),
a disparaging term for occult,
intriguing influence.
There is no rule of the service so strict
that it will not yield to backstairs, or other
influence.— rr«M, April 26, 1888.
Back talk (popular), no haclc
talk, i.e., speaking frankly.
Back-tommy (tailors), a piece of
cloth used to cover the stays at
the waist.
Back-track (American) ; going
back, retreating, eating one's
words; to take the back-track,
to recede from one's position.
The first law of self-preservation has
admonished Mr. Douglas that he has gone
as far in the slavery concessions to the
South as he can possibly go, and that if he
would save himself at home he must take
the back-track. — New York Herald, De-
cember 26, 1857.
I turned to Mac and said, " Come,
Mac, what's the use of fooling ; come
with me."
" No back-tracks, Texas. I'll stay here."
— R. Morley : The Western Av emus.
Back up (public schools), to call
out, as, for instance, when a
praefect requires a fag.
Backy (tailors), the man working
immediately behind the speaker.
The term is much affected by
" slop cutters."
Bacon (common), the body; "to
save one's hacon," to escape a
castigation ; "to baste one's
hacon," is to strike one ; (theat-
rical), to " pull hacon,"
The late Mr. H. J. Byron, the
actor, very popular in his time,
says this phrase has reference
to a grimace which he used
to make, and which was called
pulling a ba^on face, or, in
short, pulling hacon, but the ex-
pression is not in general use.
Bad break (American), an out-
break, outrage, turbulent con-
duct.
"Sam," he says, "you've made one or
two bad breaks since you've been in town."
— F. Francis : Saddle and Moccasin.
Bad egg (popular), a rascaL
There is some philosophy in the remark
that a man may be a bad egg, and yet not
be a nuisance unless he gets broke. —
Sporting Times.
The term is used in America
to express a man of unsound or
doubtful character. It became
popular about 1849-50. If the
corresponding slang term existed
in China, a had egg would, on the
contrary, mean a very honest
fellow.
But one gray-haired old veller shmiled
crimly und bet
Dat Breitmann vould prove a. /ad egg for
dem yet.
— Ballads of Hans Breitmann.
There was, however, a considerable
feeling amongst others there that he was
a bad egg, and they even went so far as to
suggest that the sooner he had a bullet in
him the better. — A, Staveley H ill : From
Home to Home.
Badge coves (old cant\ persons
existing on the bounty of the
parish.
Badgeer (Anglo-Indian), from the
Persian bdd-ger, wind-catch.
64
Badger — Bad man.
A contrivance for bringing air
down into, and for cooling and
ventilating a house, A wind
tower.
Badger (American thieves), a
"panel" thief (panel being pro-
bably a corruption of panny, a
cant word for a house), who robs
a man after a woman has enticed
him into bed.
In schools it is the fate of
red-haired boys to be nick-
named after this animal. (Na-
val) badger-hag, the fictitious
Neptune who visits the ship on
her crossing the line, and is so
called from his badgering the
uninitiated. Formerly the term
was applied to a huckster or
retailer, from badjulate, to carry,
Latin bajulare. To overdraw
one's badger is slang for over-
drawing one's banking account,
a play on the expression drawing
the badger.
His checks no longer drew the cash,
Because, as his comrades explain'd in
flash.
He had overdrawn his badger.
— Hood : Miss Kilviansegg.
Also applied in old cant to a
footpad who in old days robbed
persons near a river, subse-
quently throwing the body of
the victim into the water ; a
common prostitute.
Bad give-away (American), in-
cautious betrayal, lapsus.
It was a bad give-aivay when a temper-
ance lecturer absent-mindedly tried to blow
the foam off a glass of water. — American
!\eu'Spaper.
Bad halfpenny (Australian con-
victs' slang), a fruitless errand,
no go. Probably taken out by the
convicts transported thither.
Vaux in his Memoirs says : —
When a man has been upon any errand,
or attempting any object which has proved
unsuccessful or impracticable, he will say
on his return, "It is a bad halfpenny"
— meaning that he has returned as he
went.
A ne'er-do-well is called a
bad halfpenny, because the ne'er-
do-well of the family is so diffi-
cult to get rid of ; he is said " to
turn up like a bad halfpenny,"
because imperfect coins are
constantly being traced back to
and forced back on the person
who circulates them.
Bad lot (common), a person of
indifTerent character. The term
seems to be derived from an
auctioneering phrase. It is
often applied to girls who have,
as the French term it, " la
cuisse gaie."
The girl shuddered.
" I always thought you were a bad lot."
The chorus girl was trying to pluck up her
courage.
" Well, well — I was once as pretty as
you, and a deal prettier, and was made
more fuss with." — Aiiy Sli'per's Half
Holiday.
A very handsome girl she may be, but
a bud lot, as her father was. — Ji. D. Black-
more : Erema.
Bad man (American). This has
a special meaning in the West,
where it indicates a heartless,
cruel murderer. Rowdies and
Bad man — Baggage.
65
bullies in their boasting often
describe themselves as " hard
had men from Bitter Creek."
In vain he begged for mercy. Milton
was obdurate, and refused to be moved by
the would-be bad man's prayers. He led
him into the post tied up like a broncho
steer, and the jeers of the citizens as poor
Dosy shambled past them on his way to
the jail were the death-knell of his bad-
ness. He made no " John Branch plays "
after this, but attended faithfully to his
herd, and the bare mention of the name
of Mad Milton was sufficient to keep him
quiet whenever he forgot his defeat and
essayed the rdle of bad man. — Detroit
Free Press.
" Bad man " for a cruel mur-
derer is indeed a very mild way
of putting it. If the euphemism
were carried on, a murderer
pure and simple would probably
be styled a naughty man.
Bad match twist (barbers), red
hair and black whiskers.
Badminton (prize ring), blood ;
properly a kind of claret cup.
To " tap the badminton, or
claret," is to draw blood.
Bag (common), any kind of purse
when empty ; to give the bag,
i.e., to dismiss, run away.
When of oof they had bereft him, his
own tart had promptly left him.
And gone off with some one else upon
a drag.
It was cruel to forsake him; but, as
settling day would break him.
She had given him, quite cheerfully,
the bag.
— Sporting Times.
(Printers and sailors), a vulgar
term for a pint or pot of beer ;
" Come and have a hag " would
be a form of invitation given.
Bag, to (familiar), to steal or
seize.
The shameful way in which our ships
are being bagged without the slightest
scruple to suit private ends becomes our
wretched system of naval government in-
comparably. The public, who have to pay
the piper pretty sweetly for the Spithead
pageant, can hardly be expected to look
without wonder or disgust at the barefaced
partiality displayed by the Admiralty in
appropriating vessels. — Moderti Society.
Also a phrase in common use
signifying the expansion of gar-
ments by frequent wear.
" You men are so lucky," a fair maiden
said.
Discussing the question of dress,
" You're ne'er burdened with petticoats,
corsets, nor shawls,
Which to us are a source of distress."
" Yes, I know, " said a youth who'd been
waiting for this.
An argument ready to seize —
" What you've said is all true, but there's
one point you miss.
Your pants never bag 3X the knees."
Baggage smasher (American), a
word with two meanings. The
first applies to men who hang
about the railway stations to
steal luggage, the second to the
railway porters and others who
in America handle trunks and
boxes, &c., with extraordinary
carelessness.
" I feel depressed to-night," remarked a
large, down-town trunk manufacturer to
his wife. " I think I have a touch of
malaria," "I fancy it will soon pass
away," replied the lady, without much
concern. " Why don't you go around to
the Grand Central Station, and watch
them smash baggage for an hour. That
will revive you I " — New York Sun.
E
es
Bagged — Bogs.
A London thief who steals
luggage off carriages or cabs by
climbing up behind, is termed
a " dragsman."
Bagged (American thieves), im-
prisoned, " scooped in," i.e.,
taken in, victimised.
Bagging (northern counties), used
of food between meals ; in Lan-
cashire especially, an afternoon
meal, i.e., what is taken about
in a bag. See CARPET BAG-
GING.
Lancashire adopts the whole-board or
partial-board system very extensively. The
local term of bagging- implies bread and
cheese, or pies ; and there are all the
varieties of board and lodging, dinner of
potatoes and bacon with butter-milk,
bagging in the forenoon and afternoon,
dinner and lunch, and rations allowed for
women. — Chambers's Journal.
Bagging or jockeying the over
(cricketers), the practice of bats-
men who manage their running
in such a manner as to get all
the bowling to themselves.
Bagman (general), a commercial
traveller. A name formerly
given to commercial travellers
from their travelling on horse-
back and carrpng their samples
or wares in saddle-bags ; now
used only in a somewhat con-
temptuous manner.
The late lord came to London with four
post-chaises and sixteen horses. The pre-
sent lord travels with five bagmen in a
railway carriage. — \V. At. Thackeray :
Pendtnnis.
Bagnio (old), a bawdy house.
Bag of mdls (American), the same
as hurrah's nest or whore's nest.
Everything in confusion, and
topsyturvy. The sign of the
Bag of Nails in England has
been said by inventive and
imaginative etymologists to be
derived from " the Baccha-
nals."
" 1 may bid as high as your pintle, and
make you squint like a dag of nails,"
replied the intruder, " though you nib
us to whit for it." — On the Trail.
Bags (general), trousers. The
synonyms are " kicks," " sit
upons," "hams." Sometimes
rudely called " bumbags."
Then the throng begins to yell.
But I scatters 'em pell-mell,
Be their clothing manly bags or female
skirts ;
With my staff I goes for all,
Both the big 'uns and the small,
For I'm bound to give sich rabble their
" deserts."
— Funny Folks.
"But, hollo!" he cried, as he caught
sight of his legs. "Parsons don't wear
tight tweed bags." . . . Jack had to un-
pack his portmanteau, and get out his even-
ing inexpressibles. — Chambers's Journal.
When the pattern of the hagi
is very staring they are called
" howling bags." The synonyms
" unmentionables " and " inex-
pressibles," though generally
used jocosely, must have been
coined by people with indecent
imaginations who think more of
the contents tlian the container,
and who would cover with petti-
coats the nakedness of statues
or incase the legs of pianos in
" inexpressibles." It may, how-
ever, have been invented bv
Bags — Baked.
67
ladies who will blush at the word
chemise, but who do not scruple
to show themselves in public in
such a decollete state as to sug-
gest that only the lower half of
that garment has been retained.
To " have the bags off," is to
be of age and one's own master,
to have plenty of money. To
have the bags on would surely be
a more appropriate metaphor in
this instance.
Bags, to take the (athletic), to
go hare in a paper chase.
Ba-ha (tailors), bronchitis.
Bai, by (gypsy), a sleeve, a bough.
Bail (Australian Blackfellows'
lingo), no, not. The following
is a specimen of the pidgin-
English stuffed with Blackfel-
lows' words used by the whites
on stations in their intercourse
with the aborigines : —
" Too much big-fellow water, tail ply
(fly), come up ; iaii pind (find) him,"
answers the aboriginal, adding, however,
the question, "you patter potchum " (eat
possum).
" Yohi " (yes), said John, rather doubt-
fully, for he is not sure how his stomach
will agree with the strange meat. — A. C.
Grant.
(Society), to give leg bail and
land security, a phrase for run-
ning away, decamping.
Baist a snarl (tailors), york up a
quarrel.
Bait (Winchester), rage, to be in
a bait, or in a "swot," to be
angry,
him.
To bait a lad is to teaze
Bait-land (nautical), an old word,
formerly used to signify a port
where refreshments could be
procured. — Admiral Smyth.
Bak, bacht (gypsy), luck. A very
common word. Bdktalo, lucky.
" Rya del mandy a panjer." "What
for?" " For bdk." " For bock, kek — but
mandy'U dee it to tute to kin a cigarrus."
' ' Master give me fiver (5 cents). " ' ' What
for?" " ¥ or bdk." " For bock (beer), no
— but I'll give it to you to buy a cigar." —
Gypsy Notes in America (MS.).
Bake, to (Winchester), to rest, to
enjoy "dolce far niente;" (com-
mon), to fumigate a room.
Baked (Australian), tired out.
Slang delights in puns. Because
meat put in the oven is said to
be baked when it is "done," a
man who is " done up," or
" done," is said to be baked.
This distinctly "slang" use of
baked is quite different from
baked in the sense of " heated "
or " hot," in which even ladies
often use it. In the English
slang only "haXi-baked" means
imbecile.
Baked Spanish (common). A
Spanish means a large Spanish
onion.
Maria looks very nervous like at this,
but told me afterwards if it hadn't been as
she tried to forget of the young man, and
only to remember there was tripe for supper
and a baked Spanish, she'd have fainted
right clean away. — Fun: Murdle Visiting.
68
Bakelo — Bakes.
Bakelo (gypsy), hungry. " Shan tu
bakelo?" — "Are you hungry 7 "
Baker (American), a word dis-
covered or unconsciously in-
vented by the Baron E. de
Mandat Grancey.
We got there without unduly exciting
the idle curiosity of the bakers around us.
In America they call the habitual man-
about-town, the lounger — baker. I leave
to a more learned etymologist than myself
the care of discovering whether there is not
in this term an ironical allusion to the way
in which they make the execrable bread
we are forced to eat everywhere in the
country. — Baron E. Mandat Grancey :
Cotv-Boys and Colonels.
The writer of the above had
heard the word loaf a', and having
inquired its meaning, innocently
translated it as baker. In a short
time baka' will, perhaps, be
current as a joke, and a few
years hence some one learned
in Americanisms may possibly
declare it to be the original word,
or at least a well - established
American term, and one recently
heard by him in America.
(Winchester College), a baker
is a cushion, generally a large
green one, used by prefects and
by boys who have studies of their
own. The name is also given to a
small red cushion used at chapel.
Formerly it meant a portfolio.
A " baker layer " is a junior who
has to take a prefect's baker in
.and out of hall at meals. The
term was probably obtained by
punning on the connotation of
t)io word loaf.
Baker-kneed (workmen), an in-
kneed man, one whose knees
knock together — the position in
which bakers stand to knead
their bread tending to make
their knees incline inwards.
His voice had broken to a gruffish
squeak, he had grown blear-eyed, baker-
kneed, and gummy. — Coleman : Poetical
Vagaries.
Baker-legged (see Bakeb-kneed).
. . . His body crooked all over, big
belly'd, baker-lej^g'd. — L' Estrange: Life
of j-Esop.
Baker's dozen (common), thir-
teen. Originally the London
bakers supplied the retailers
with thirteen loaves to the
dozen, so as to make sure of not
giving short weight.
About a baker s dozen of cows and calves
were collected." — P. Francis : Saddle ami
Moccasin.
To " give a man a baker's
dozen " is to give him a good
beating, to give him full measure
in that respect.
Baker, to spell, an expression for
attempting anything difficult.
In old spelling-books, baker was
the first word of two syllables,
and when a child came to it,
he thought he had a hard task
before him.
If an old man will marry a young
wife, why then — why then— why then — he
must s/ell baker.— Longfellow : The A'rrc-
England Tragedies.
Bakes (American), one's original
stake in a game, a juvenile term ;
as " ' I will .'itop when I got my
bakes' said by a boy playing
marbles" (Ilartlett), in refer-
Bakes — Balance.
69
ence possibly to a baker's not
always getting his hake safely
out of the oven. More probably
' from the provincial English
bakes, marbles of baked clay or
porcelain.
Bakester (Winchester), one who
bakes — that is, a sluggard, an
idle fellow who is fond of lying
down doing nothing. (Provin-
cial), a cognomen for a baker.
Baking-leave (Winchester), per-
mission to "bake" — that is, to
sit in a study or " pigeon-hole."
Baking-place (Winchester), a sort
of couch or sofa, an important
article of furniture for those
who delight in baking, that is,
doing nothing.
Bakro, bokro (gypsy), a sheep or
lamb ; hakenyro, a shepherd.
Bal (gypsy), a hair (Hindu, bal).
Balm, bailor, hairs ; bdlnoi,
hairy.
Balaam-box (printing shops), used
by compositors to designate the
receptacle for silly paragraphs
about monstrosities in art or
nature ; or old jokes and anec-
dotes kept in reserve to lengthen
out pages or columns which
might otherwise remain vacant.
The phrase originated in the
comparatively remote days when
newspaper editors were some-
times at a loss to iill up the al-
lotted space at their command.
No such difficulty, however,
confronts them in this age
of verbosity, when the "gift of
the gab" is considered to be
one of the proofs of states-
manship, and when short-hand
writers supply the materials for
fiUing and overfilling the news-
papers, by full reports of the
speeches of vestrymen, platform
orators, members of Parliament,
and worse perhaps than all, of
windy barristers, doing their
utmost in courts of law to
make guilt look innocence,
or vice versa, and otherwise
"darkening counsel with vain
words." The disease that afflicts
the printing-offices is no longer
that of "atrophy," but of flatu-
lence in its worst and most per-
sistent forms.
An essay for the Edinburgh Review,
in the old unpolluted English language,
would have been consigned by the editor
to his <5(i/aaw-basket. — Hall: Modern
English.
Balaclava day (military), pay
day, a survival of the Crimean
war. The day on which men
ha^ang got their pay took it
down to Balaclava, the great
base of supply, where purchases
could best be made from sut-
lers who had their hut shops
there.
Balance (American), the rest or
remainder of anything. Bartlett
says that it is " a mercantile
word originally introduced into
the ordinary language of life by
the Southern people, but now
improperly used throughout the
United States to signify the re-
70
Balance — Ball.
mainder of a thing. The balance
of an account is a term well
authorised and proper, but we
also frequently hear such ex-
pressions as the balance of a
speech, the balance of the day,
&c." It seems doubtful whether
balance can ever be quite correct
unless it signifies an exactly
equal half.
I hit on her afifections for the balance of
the season.
— Nes^o Song- of 1843.
Balbus (university), Latin prose
composition. A term derived
from Arnold's " Latin Prose
Composition," a well - known
text-book in which Balbus (who
does not connect in his memory
this odious individual with the
magister's cane ?) occurs at the
beginning of the exercises and
on every page, sometimes over
and over again, right through to
the end of the book.
Balderdash (old), a term applied
to adulterated wine, and to
senseless talk or writing.
Bald-face (American), new whis-
key.
Bald-faced shirt (American cow-
boys), a white, i.e., muslin or
linen shirt. So called because
haldfactd, or Hereford cattle
have white faces. — C. Leland
Harrison: MS. Americanisms.
Bald-faced stag (popular), a term
of <lurision applied to a bald-
headed man.
Bald-headed row (American), the
front seats in the pit of a theatre.
It is an old joke in the United
States, that whenever there is
a great "leg-piece," or a "frog-
salad " (/.c, a ballet with unusual
opportimities for studying ana-
tomy), the front seats are always
filled with veteran roues, or
" Uncle Neds."
Baldober (see Baldower), a direc-
tor, or leader. In German
thieves' slang the director or
planner of a robbery, who gets
a double share.
Baldower (Yiddish), head-speaker.
One who conveys information ; a
spy. Connected with this are
baldowcm, to direct, plan, spy,
lurk, observe (in Dutch slang
baldoveren), also baldorcr, a spy
or traitor.
Bales, a little drive with (popu-
lar) ; Bales is the policeman who
superintends the Black Maria,
or prison van.
I was fined forty shillings, but not forty
pence
Had I in my pocket to pay.
So into the p'lice van soon bundled was I,
But to Bales I sung all the way.
— Ok, ain't I having a day. Bcrtini,
Marlborough Street.
Bale-up (common), an equivalent
of " fork out," that is, pay, give
the money instantly, ji phrase
imported from tlie Australian
bushrangers.
Ball (prison), prison allowance ;
six ounces of meal ; a drink. A
hall of fire in popular slang is a
Ballad-basket — Bally.
71
glass of brandy, in allusion to
the fieriness and pungency of
the wretchedly bad spirit sold
as brandy to the lower classes.
Ballad-basket (old cant), a street
Ballast (common), money. Some
of the slang synonyms for money
were or are — "Oof, ooftish,
stumpy, muck, brass, leaver,
blunt, needful, rhino, bustle, cole,
gilt, dust, dimmock, feathers,
brads, chinks, pieces, clinkers,
stuff, clumps, chips, coin, shek-
els, corks, dibbs, dinarly, horse-
nails, gent, huckster, mopusses,
palm oil, posh, ready, Spanish,
rowdy." — Barrere : Argot and
SlaiKj.
A rich man is said to be well-
ballasted. A man is said to
"lose his ballast" when his
judgment fails him, or when he
becomes top-heavy from conceit.
Ballooning' (Stock Exchange).
When stock is increased to a
figure far beyond its real value
it is said to be ballooned, and
the operation by which this
is effected is called Ixdlooning,
The means by which this result
is attained are cooked or other-
wise favourable reports, ficti-
tious sales, and so on.
Ballooning it (American), exag-
gerating, indulging in bounce,
pulling the long bow. It is
said to have originated in a story
of a man who boasted that he
had fought a duel in a balloon
and brought down his adversary,
balloon and all. But this was
a veritable occurrence, as ap-
pears by the St. James's Gazette
of August 5, 1887—
"Since General Boulanger's conditions
are unacceptable to M. Ferry, and as the
usages of duellists seem conflicting on this
subject, perhaps these eminent men might
try a duel on the very reasonable condi-
tions agreed on by M. de Grandpre and M.
le Pique in Paris in 1808. These gentlemen
having quarrelled about a lady, agreed to
have it out in balloons, each party to fire at
the other's balloon and try and bring him
down. A month was taken to build two
similar balloons ; and on a fine day the pair
ascended with their seconds from the Tui-
leries gardens, armed with blunderbusses.
When they were about half a mile up, and
some eighty yards apart, the signal was
given, and M. le Pique missed. M. de
Grandpr^, however, made a successful
shot, and his opponent's balloon went
down with tremendous rapidity, both
principal and second being instantly
killed — much to the satisfaction of the
spectators."
Balls (popular), "to make halls of
it," to make a mistake, to get
into trouble.
Balls' all (popular), all rubbish.
Ballum-rankum (old), a ball where
all the dancers arc thieves, pros-
titutes, or other very degraded
persons, as in the "buff-ball," in
which both sexes join without
clothing.
Bally (society), a word in use
among the young men of the
present day to emphasise a
speech. Coined by the Sportin'j
Times, from the Irish word
" bally-hooly." It is mostly
72
Bally — Balmy.
used as a euphemism for
"bloody." Of the samQ class
are "darn it!" "by golly 1"
" great Scott ! "
" Oh, that's b rot ! " quoth the dis-
dainful Chiderdoss, who byway of a change
had both backed and tipped the right 'un.
" Who interfered with him ? "
' ' Wliy, the bally winner, of course !
Didn't he get in front of him ? "
And then sundry sad and silent men
faded away into the Rainbow, and got in
front of several drinks. — Sporting Times.
Ballyrag (Oxford University),
a free fight in jest. This is
an old word that has been in
use at least a hundred years —
spelt also bullarag. The con-
clusion of a big "wine" (vide
Wine), is often a wholesale
ballyrag or milee, always carried
on in good temper (personal
violence in a*^narrel is practi-
cally unknown at Oxford). To
ballyrag a man is to mob him
and play practical jokes upon
him, to hustle him. To ballyrag
a man's rooms is to turn them
upside down, to make "hay"
of them.
Dear Muriel, — I always was rather a
toff; but when I tell you that this bloom-
ing house has become perfectly beastly, I
know you will pity the poor old bounder.
I have been rotting all day in the library,
but even ballyragging has lost its ch.irm.
A sweep or a smug would be a relief, but
there is not so much as a plunger to be
seen nor a mug to speak to. Under these
circumstances I miss you most awfully,
and I write to say that if you would come
to my di'.jgings for a little while it would
lie perfectly rippin. — Your affectionate
uncle, G. E. C.
P.S. — That's where the j .ke comes in.
— The Culture of the Misses : The St.
yames's Gazette.
(Common), to bully, to make
a kick up or riot.
None of your flaring up, and ballyrag-
ging the people about. — Edmund Yates :
The Rock Ahead.
The word is a corruption of
bullyrag, to threaten, bully,
hustle. "Bully" is a provin-
cialism for a riot. It may be
noted that in Yiddish balhe and
rag mean a riot, a fight, and
rage. Bahle-rag would, in fact,
be a roaring row.
Balm (old), a falsehood.
Balmy (common), sleepy, from
balmy (Ut., soothing) sleep ;
weak-minded, dull, easily im-
posed upon, mad.
The people in our alley call me Salvation
Sally,
Since I have been converted, but I try
to bear the load,
They say I must be balmy to go and
join the Army,
That leads you to salvation in the White-
chapel Road.
— Salvation Sally.
The expression is much in
favour with thieves.
I had hardly got outside when he came
out like a man balmy. — Horsley : Jottings
from Jail.
Among convicts to " put on
the balmy stick " is to feign in-
sanity.
There was always a number putting on
the ''^ balmy stick" — or, in plain terms,
feigning insanity. Nobody in prison be-
lieves in brain disease. Every lunatic is
accused of " putting it on," and is punished
for it. There are always a dozen or so in
the balmy \i3.xA.— Evening Ne^vs.
Balmy — Bamboozle.
7Z
To be a little bit " balmy in
one's crumpet " means to be
slightly crazy. The synonyms
are "to be touched," "off one's
chump," " wrong in the upper
storey," "to have rats in the
upper storey," " a tile loose,"
" half-baked," " dotty." To
" go balmy " signifies to go mad,
" Ah," said Tom Carleton subsequently
to the Talepitcher, "none o' my kids ever
go balmy over flowers or the Academy ;
give 'em ice cream and Buffalo Bill — that's
the business ! "
To have a " dose of balmy"
or a "wink of the balmy" to
sleep.
As it's rather late, I'll try and get a wink
or two of the balmy. — Charles Dickens :
Old Curiosity Shop.
Balo, baler, bawlor (gypsy), a
pig-
" Oh I jassed to the ker
An' I tried to mang the bdlor.
Tried to mang the muUo bdlor
When I jassed to the ker " —
" I went to the house and I tried to beg
the pig, tried to beg the dead pig when I
went to the house."
— English Gypsy Ballads.
Policemen are also called
balor, or " pigs" in gypsy.
Balovas te (an') yoras (gypsy),
bacon and eggs ; yoras, eggs.
" Ballovas an' yoras,
Ballovas an' yoras,
A' the rye an' the rani
A pirryin ap the drom " —
" Oh ! the eggs and bacon.
Oh ! the eggs and bacon.
And the gentleman and lady
A-walking up the way."
Balsam (thieves' slang), money.
" It was no great quids, Jim— only six
flimseys and three beans. But I'm flush of
the balsam now, and I ain't funked to
flash it." — Netv York Slang Dictionary.
— I.e., " There wasn't much money, Jim
— only six notes and three sovereigns. But
I've plenty of money now, and I am not
afraid to show it."
Also impertinence, impudence.
Balwar (Anglo-Indian), a barber.
This is an amusing instance of
native blending of balwala (hair-
person, capiUarius) with the
English word.
It often takes the further form balbar,
another fictitious hybrid shaped by the
Persian buridan, to cut ; guosi, hair-
cutter. — Anglo-Indian Glossary.
Bam (old), facetious humbug ;
"to bam" was to impose on a
person by means of falsehood ;
also to chaff and poke fun at
any one.
Bamboozle, to (common), to
cheat, to delude, to humbug?
Fair ladies attend ! and if you've a friend
At court, don't attempt to bamboozle or
trick her !
Don't meddle with negus, or any mixed
liquor !
Don't dabble in "magic!" my story has
shown.
How wrong 'tis to use any charms but your
own.
—Ingoldsby Legends.
In the language of sailors, to
bamboozle has the meaning of
to decoy the enemy by hoisting
false colours.
This word has been a stumb-
ling-block to all t he etymologists
wlio have attempted to grapple
74
Bamboozle — B. and S.
with it. " It is," says the Dic-
tionary of Phrase and Fable,
"a Chinese and gypsy word,
meaning to dress a man in bam-
boos to teach him swimming."
As the gypsies never had inter-
course with China, and as the
explanation is utterly unintelli-
gible and irrelevant, the etymo-
logy must be reckoned imagi-
native, to say the least of it.
"Hotten, with others, credits
bamboozle to the gypsies ; as
bambhorna is Hindu for to hum-
bug, and as the terminative dsel
is used in Romany, it is possible
that bamboozle is the Hindu word
gypsified." — C. G. Leland: MS.
Gypsy Notes.
Banagher, to bang.
Banco or bunko steerer or roper
(American), a sharper, a con-
fidence-trick man.
The ro/ier or the banco steerer gentle-
man is one and the same animal, and he
will find you out the morning after you
land in Chicago or St. Ix>uis. He will
accost you — very friendly, wonderfully
friendly — when you come out of your hotel,
by your name, and he will remind you —
which is most surprising considering you
never set eyes on his face before — how you
have dined together in Cincinnati, or it
may be Orleans, or perhaps Francisco,
l>ecause he finds out where you came from
1.1st. And he will shake hands with you ;
and he will propose a drink ; and he will
p.iy for that drink. And presently he will
take you somewhere else, among his pals,
and he will strip you so clean that there
won't be left the ]irice of a four-cent paper
to throw .-iround your face and hide your
blushes.— y/d- Golden Huttcrjly.
(Chiirtcrhoiise .School), banco,
evening school.
Bandanna (Anglo-Indian). Hot-
ten says of this word that it
was originally a peculiar kind
of silk handkerchief, but is now
a slang word, denoting all kinds
of "stocks," "wipes," and "fo-
gies," and in fact the generic
term for a kerchief. In the
United States it is specially
applied to a kind of cotton or
muslin handkerchief from Mad-
ras, much worn by women of
colour, especially old-fashioned
or elderly ones, wrapped about
the head. The American ban-
danna is invariably made of
yellow and red in cross stripes.
This term is properly applied to the
rich yellow or red silk handkerchief with
diamond spots left white by pressure ap-
plied to prevent their receiving the dye.
The etymology may be gathered from
Shakspeare's Dictionary, which gives
tdnd/ina, a mode of dyeing in which the
cloth is tied in different places, to prevent
the parts from receiving the dye. " Sir
Horace P'ogle is about to be raised to
the peerage as Baron Bandanna" (I'anity
fair, ii. c. 52.) — Anglo-Indian Glossary.
Banded (popular), hungry ; lite-
rally, bound up. From the
notion that to appease the pangs
of hunger, one must tighten his
belt.
Bandero (American), widow's
weeds. — Nero York Slang Dic-
tionary.
Bandog (old), a bailiff or his
assistant.
B. and S. (common), brandy and
soda.
" And now, wife of mine, I wonder
whether your domestic handiness would
Bands — Bang.
n
go far enough to give me a B. and S. f "
The obedient wife flies to the cellaret, and
for the first time in her life Squire Mor-
combe's daughter opens a soda - water
bottle. — Braddon : Hostages to Fortune.
Bands (Australian convicts), hun-
ger. lutroducedintoAustraliaby
the convicts transported thither.
Cf. the English thieves' expres-
sion handed, meaning hungry.
"To wear the bands" is to be hungry
or short of food for any length of time ; a
phrase chiefly used on board the hulks or
in jail. — Vaux's Memoirs.
In the early days of New
South Wales, before Australia
began to produce meal and
grain for itself, the colony was
dependent for its supplies upon
England and the Cape of Good
Hope, and the colonists were
several times on very short com-
mons, and even on one occasion
were absolutely in danger of
perishing. The phrase is derived
from the custom among the poor,
and soldiers on an expedition, of
wearing a tight belt round the
stomach to prevent the pains of
starvation.
Bandy (Anglo-Indian), a word of
general application to several
kinds of vehicles, such as
carriages, bullock waggons, bug-
gies, and carts. Used in South-
ern and Western India. It is
the Telegu hamli, Tamil vandi. —
A nfjlo-Indimi Glossary.
A mighty solemn old man, seated in an
open bandy, as a gig with a head that has
an opening behind is called at M.idras. —
Memoir of Colonel Mountain, 1826.
In thieves' slang it means a
sixpence, so called from this
coin being sometimes bent.
Bang (pugihstic and low), a blow ;
Icelandic hang, a hammering.
"I'll give you a hang in the
' gills.' " To bang, to beat.
The hemp, with which we used to bang
Our prison pets, yon felon gang.
In Eastern climes produces bhang.
Esteemed a drug divine.
As hashish dressed, its magic powers
Can lap us in Elysian bowers.
But sweeter far our social hours
Over a flask of wine.
— Lord Neaz'es : A nglo-Indian Glossary.
Banged up to the eyes, is drunk.
Hair worn down low on the
forehead almost to the eyes, is
in America called a hang, and
the practice of thus wearing it
is to hang. Called "toffs" in
England.
Bang, as applied to wearing the hair
low, is derived from the provincial English.
In Norfolk the edge of a hat is said to
bangle (Wright) when it drops or bangs
down over the eyes. And corn or young
shoots when beaten by the rain and hang-
ing down, are bangled or banged. So
loose and hanging ears are ' ' bangled ears. "
■ — Notes by C. G. Leland.
He banged his hair to hide his bunged
eye. — Newspaper.
To make the bang, you must begin by
dividing your front hair at half-inch dis-
tances from ear to ear, combing the rest
back. The process is repeated until the
whole front hair has been successfully
banged. — Illustrated London News.
(Stock Exchange), to hang, to
loudly offer stock with the in-
tention of lowering the price.
Oh ! in the days of old,
At least, so I've been told,
We only heard of "pufl"," and " rig," and
bamr.
76
Bang — Bang-up.
But now better things exist,
For we daily swell the list,
And have really quite a choice of market
slang.
— A tkin : House Scraps.
To hang also signifies to excel
or surpass. Banging, great or
thumping.
Banger (Yale), a thick stick, cane,
or bludgeon.
The freshman reluctantly turned the key,
Expecting a Somophore gang to see.
Who, with faces masked and bangers stout,
Had come resolved to smoke him out.
— Yale Literary Magazine, vol. xx.
P- 75-
(Popular), an obvious untruth.
Bangle (Anglo - Indian). This
word, now generally used in
England, is from the Hindu
hangri. The original is applied
to a bracelet of coloured glass,
but it is now extended to all
kinds of such ornaments for the
wrist when in ring-form or of
one piece of metal.
Hear their wrists and ankles jangle,
With many a brass and silver bangle ;
Dresses sprayed with many a spangle,
So for living fish they angle.
— 'I'hc Mild Hindoo.
Miss H. wore her bl.-uing C.ishmere
shawl ; her great brooch . . . ; and her great
bracelets (she used to say, " I am given to
imderstand they are called bangles, my
dear, by the natives ") decorated the sleeves
round her lean old \\a.n<i^.— Thackeray:
The Neu'comcs.
It is curious that the Hindu
word Uingri exists in Eng-
land as the gypsy term for a
waistcoat, i.e., originally a mere
ring, belt, or circlet of cloth,
like a cummerbund.
Bang off (common), to write a
letter hang off, in a hurry.
Bangster, a provincialism for the
victor.
If you are so certain of being the bang-
ster, so very certain, I mean, of sweeping
stakes. — .S"/> Walter Scott : St. Ronan's
Well.
Also, a loose woman, a buUy.
If the Pope's champions are to be bang-
sters in our very change-houses, we shall
soon have the old shavelings back again.
—Scott: The Abbot.
Bang straw (provincial), a barn
thresher, but applied to farm
servants in general.
Bang-tailed (popular), short -
tailed.
"These little bang-tailed sinners any
good?" said Drysdale, throwing some
cock - a - bondies across the table. — T.
Hugfus : Tom Bro^vn at Oxford
Bang-up (common), fine, first-rate.
Synonymous with " slap-up."
To bang-up, to make first-rate,
stylish.
Pat to his neck-cloth gave an air
In style, and a la militaire ;
His pocket, too, a kerchief bore.
With scented water sprinkled o'er ;
Thus bangcd-up, sweeten'd, and clean
shav'd.
The sage the dinner-table braved.
— Combe: Dr. Syntax.
Jem drove me in a gig of the regular
hang-up, stay-for-nothing, rumtumtiddity
order. — Punch.
Nothing more thoroughly ban^-up and
highgeewoa rollicking than the run which
the Evergreen had last Thursday, — Punch.
A bang-up cove is a dashing
fellow who sj)cnds his money
Bang-up — Banter.
77
freely. Bartlett gives hang-up
as American, but it has long
been common in England, where
it originated. " Bangs Banag-
her," beats the world.
Bang up to the mark (popular),
in fine or dashing style.
B a n g 7 (Winchester) brown ;
brown clothes considered as
vulgar ; brown sugar. Pro-
bably from bangy, dull, gloomy,
an adjective used in Essex.
Bangy- wallah (Anglo-Indian), a
carrier of parcels.
The lady's luggage was particularly
scant, and the bangy-ivallahs , as they are
called, who carry the boxes, had an easy
time of it. — Mark Lemon : Falkner Lyle.
Banjee (Anglo-Indian), a band of
music.
Banjo, the name given by the
patients in one at least of the
London hospitals to a bed-pan,
from its somewhat fanciful re-
semblance to the well-known
and now fashionable musical
instrument.
Bank, to (thieves'), to put in a
place of safety. " To hank the
swag," to secure the booty.
Also, to bank is to go shares. —
Ilotten.
Bankers (old), clumsy boots and
shoes.
Bankrupt cart (old), a one-horse
chaise ; so called, it is said,
by Lord Mansfield, from being
so frequently used on Sunday
jaunts by extravagant trades-
Bank sneak (American), "hank
sneak thieves," men of educa-
tion, good address, and fault-
less attire, who in gangs of
three or four engage the atten-
tion of the oSicers of a bank
while one of their number com-
mits a robbery. No thieves
are so dangerous, or so much
dreaded.
Banners (American), newsboys'
slang. The word is explained
in the following extract from
the Chicago Tribune: —
"Oh, I say, Figsy, " cried one, " ain't yer
gittin' stood off a good deal on yer
banner this week ? "
"Yer'd better dry up, Slimmy, or may
be yer wouldn't like me to mention how
yer sponges yer eatin's."
" Eatin's," explained the matron, "are
the meals which they get down-town.
Banners are the fees which they pay for
their meals and lodgings at the home.
That word is in use all over the United
States, and I have never found a newsboy
yet who could tell me where it came
from."
Banter, to (American). The preli-
minary discussion or pour-par-
ler which precedes a bargain
is called a banter or bantering.
It is derived from banter, to
make a jest of or to challenge.
Chatham, N.C, Nov. 15, 1886.— A
white man named Moore was sent to the
chain-gang on S.iturday for having traded
wives with another man. When Judge
Gilmer asked him what he had to say
why sentence should not be passed, he re-
plied that he did not know his .-\ct was a
78
Banting — Bar.
cHme. A man came to his house with a
woman that was better-looking than his
own wife, and bantered him for a trade ;
so he "swapped," and paid $1.50 to boot.
As this was his first "swap " he hoped that
the court would impose a light sentence.
— Chicago Tribune.
Bantingf, the process of getting
rid of superfluous fat by means
of a strictly regulated diet.
The method was introduced by
Mr. Banting — hence the name
— about twenty-five years ago.
A parlour where all the furniture seemed
to have undergone a prolonged course of
banting. — Miss Braddon : Only a Clod.
Banty (popular), saucy, impudent.
Probably from bantam or banty-
chickens, which are proverbial
in America for pertness. — Neio
York Slang Dictionary.
Banyan (Anglo-Indian), an under-
shirt, originally of muslin, and
so called as resembling the body
garment of the Hindus, but now
commonly applied to under body
clothing of elastic cotton, wool-
len, or silk web. — Anglo-Indian
Glossary.
Those were the days when even the
honourable members of the Council met
in banyan shirts, conjee caps, and long
drawers, with a case-bottle of good old
arrack, and a gouglet of water on the table.
— India Gazette, February 24, 1781.
An undershirt, commonly called a ba-
nian. — IVilliamson, V. M. i. 19.
I have lost nothing by it but a banyan
shirt, a corner of my quilt, and my Bible
singed. — Sufferings of a Dutch Sailor.
Banyan days (nautical), those in
wliich no llcsh meat was issued
to the messes. Stock-fish used
to be served out till it was found
to promote scurvy.
Of kitcheny (butter, rice, and dal) the
European sailors feed in these parts, and
are forced at such times to a Pagan ab-
stinence from flesh, which creates in them
an utter detestation to those banian days,
as they call them. — Oz'ing^on, a.d. 1690.
May your honour never know a banyan
day, and a sickly season for you, into the
bargain ! — Marryat I Japhet in Search
of a Father.
According to Admiral Smyth,
" The term is derived from a
religious sect in the East, who,
believing in metempsychosis, eat
of no creature endowed with
life." Hotten says the term is
probably derived from the Ba-
nians or Banyans, a Hindoo caste,
who abstain from animal food.
Quite as probably from the sani-
tary arrangements which have
in hot climates counselled the
gating on certain days of ban-
yans and other fruits in pre-
ference to meat.
The dinner, I own, is shy, unless I come
and dine with my friends, and then I make
up for banian days. — Thackeray : The Ad-
ventures of Philip.
Bar (racing), except. Bar is used
instead of the common com-
pound form debar. When the
bookmaker says " ten to one
bar one," he means that lie will
lay ten to one against any horse
bar {i.e., except) one.
"How do they bet?" inquired the
Jubilee Plunger.
" Evens," replied Gus Jacobs.
'' All right. I'll bet j-ou a monkey."
" No," said (Jus. " I don't want to bet
— but here 1 I'll lay you 700 to 400 bar
one."
Bar — Barge.
79
"All right," said the Plunger. "I'll
have it." — Sporting Titnes.
(American thieves), "Jar that
toss," stop that game.
" Bar that toss, Jim," said Bell, " for
you're as fly at the pictures as the devil
at lying, and 1 would rather be a knight
of Alsatia than a plucked pigeon." — On
the Trail.
(Oxford University), to bar, to
object to. Probably from to bar,
in the sense of to except ; com-
moner in the compound form
debar. A "Bullingdon" man
would probably say that he tar-
red "the Union." An "Exeter"
man would be pretty certain to
say that he barred "Jesus."
Bar (gypsy), a hedge, a garden or
inclosure ; a pound for cattle.
Persian, bdgh. Also a stone ; tacho
bar, a true or real stone, i.e., a
diamond.
Baragan tailor (tailors), a rough
tailor.
Barber, to (university), to do
one's impositions by deputy,
the college barber having often
been employed to perform this
duty — hence the phrase. Those
who by this means get rid of
their impositions are said to
barberise them.
"And as for the impositions, why," as
Mr. Bouncer said, "ain't there coves to
barberise for you, Gig-lamps?" — C. Bede :
Verdant Green.
Barber, that's the (old slang).
Grose in his rare first edition of
the " Classical Dictionary of
the Vulgar Tongue," says this
was " a ridiculous and unmean-
ing phrase in the mouths of the
common people about the year
1760, signifying their approba-
tion of any action, measure, or
thing."
Barber's cat (common). Hotten
gives the definition — a half-
starved, sickly-looking person.
A term used in connection with
a coarse expression.
Barber's clerk (common), a con-
ceited, over-dressed fellow, who
apes the manners of a gentle-
man.
Barbly (pidgin), babble, noise.
Probably the same as bobbery
or bobbely. " Too muchee bar-
bly makee that chilo."
Bared (popular), shaved.
There are boys who think themselves
men, and who go to barbers' shops to be,
as they say, bared. — Diprose : Modem Joe
Miller.
Bare-footed on top of the head
(American), an expression ap-
plied to a bald man.
Barge (printers), an article used
by compositors in correcting
the forms. Either a flat piece
of card, or a small wooden box,
with divisions to hold spaces for
altering the justification of the
line. A case, with some boxes
full and others nearly empty, is
also called a banje, probably re-
ferring to those boxes full up to
the edge. The technical term
would be space papers or space
box.
8o
Barge — Barking.
(Common), barge or bargey, a
term of ridicule applied to a
very corpulent man or woman
of large posterior development ;
a simile derived from the shape
of a coal barge, or any clumsy
boat or ship, compared with a
wherry, or other vessel of more
elegant and slender build.
Baris, bawris, bawri (gypsy), a
snail ; bawris simmun, snail soup.
Bark (popular), an Irish man or
woman. Hotten says that no
etymology can be found for this.
In low Whitechapel Yiddish
the term would at once be
understood to mean a wanderer
or vagabond, based on barkolis,
or bargolis, one who goes about
in misery and poverty, and
barches, " further," as barches
holchen, " to go further." It is,
however, probably derived from
the Celtic barrag, scum, or dirty
scum. Scum, as an abusive
term, " scum of the earth,"
is originally Irish, vide Bark-
shire. (Common), the skin, to
''bark one's shins " is to get the
skin off one's shins.
That'll take the bark from your nozzle,
and distil the Dutch pink for you, won't
it ? — The Further Adventures of Mr. Ver-
dant Green.
(Popular), cough.
So I suppose we must sing " Spring's
Delights " when we ain't on the bark or the
sneeze. — Punch, 1887.
Barker (common), a man em-
ployed at the doors of shows
and shops of an inferior cla.ss
to entice people inside. The
French slang has the exactly
corresponding term aboyeur.
Among touting photographers he
is called a "door sman." At uni-
versities a barker signifies a great
swell, and in America a noisy
coward ; barker has another sig-
nification explained by the fol-
lowing quotation : —
But what was "b.arking "? I thought a
great deal about the matter, and could
arrive at no more feasible conclusion than
that a barker was a boy that attended a
drover, and helped him to drive his sheep
by means of imitating the bark of a dog. —
Charles Greenwood : Outcasts 0/ London.
Also used by thieves for pis-
tol. The term is in contradic-
tion to the saying, that a " dog
that barks seldom bites."
Here a loud holloa was heard close by the
horses' heads. " Good heavens, if that is
a footpad!" said Mr. Spencer, shaking
violently. " Lord, sir, I have my barkers
with me." — Buliver: Night and Morning.
" Barkers for me, Barney," said Toby
Cr.-ickit.
" Here they are," replied Barney, pro-
ducing a pair of pistols. — Charles Dickens :
Oliver Twist.
In nautical parlance, barkers is
an old term for lower-deck guns
and pistols.
Barkey* (nautical), a sailor thus
calls a pet ship to which he
belongs.
For the barkey she did know,
As well as e'er a soul on board,
'Twas time for us to go.
— Old American Slaver's Song.
Barking irons (thieves), pistols;
and in nautical slang large
Barkshire — Barney.
\i
duelling pistols, which French
soldiers call " pieds de cochon."
Barkshire, a word applied by the
low English to Ireland ; from
bark, a contemptuous and deri-
sive name for an Irishman or
Irishwoman. A member for
Barkshire is a noisy, howling,
troublesome fellow, who at-
tempts to cough down his op-
ponents, ie., hark at them.
Bark up the wrong tree, to
(American), is said of a man
who vainly endeavours to ac-
comphsh a thing for which he
is not fitted, or who addresses
himself to the wrong person for
assistance.
" You didn't really go to old Bullion,"
said a politician to an office seeker ; "why,
he has no influence there, I can tell you ;
you barked up the •wrong' tree there, my
friend, and you deserve to fail. — Rich-
mond Enquirer.
Bamaby (common), to dance
Barnaby is to move quickly
and irregularly. See Cotton in
his "Virgil Travestie," where,
speaking of Eolus, he has these
lines —
" ' Bounce,' cries the portholes, out they fly.
And make the world dance Bamaby."
Barnacle (old cant), pickpocket.
The man that stood beside thee is old
Crookfinger, the most notorious setter,
barnacle, and foist in the city. — Mark
Lemon : Leyton Hall.
Barnacles (common), spectacles ;
termed also "gig-laraps" or
" bosses." From barnacle, a kind
of shellfish, or from barnacles.
an instrument consisting of two
branches joined at one end with
a hinge, to put upon a horse's
nose, to confine him for shoe-
ing, bleeding, or dressing.
Your eyes dasell after your washing ;
these spectacles put on ;
Now view this raysour ; tell me, is it
no't a good one ?
They bee gay bamikles, yet I see
never the better.
— Edwards : Damon and Pithias.
Barndoor practice (society), the
fashionable but indefensible
system of battue, by which the
birds are brought all within a
limited range, where they fall
an easy prey to the " sports-
man I "
Barnet fair (thieves), rhyming
slang for hair ; called also
" thatch."
Barney (popular), a mob or a
crowd, disturbance.
'Ard lines, ain't it, Charlie, old hoyster?
A barney s a barney, dear boy,
And you know that a squeege and a sky-
lark is wot I did always enjoy.
A street-rush is somethink splendaclous
to fellers of speerit like me.
But dints and di.ikkylum plaster will
spile the best sport, dontcher see.
— Punch.
This word has several mean-
ings, and apparently two dis-
tinct roots— one Aryan, and the
other Semitic. Barney, a mob
or crowd, may be derived from
the gypsy bdro, great or many,
which sometimes takes the form
of barno or barni, and which
suggests the Hindu bahrna, to
increase, proceed, to gain, &c.,
F
82
Barney — Barnunt.
and bharna, to fill or satisfy.
Barney, a swindle, a sell, or
a cross, is probably from
the Yiddish barniss or bariwss,
which becomes a Jewish proper
name in Barnet, popularly Bar-
ney. (Dickezis gives this name
to a young Jew.) Bai-nits means
a leader of a multitude, or head-
man of any description. Remote
as the connection between a
•' swindle " and a " captain "
may seem to be, it is direct
enough according to the lowest
form of Yiddish or German
thieves' slang, in which a lead-
ing, a clever, a swindling man
are all united in cnchcnicr, " a
wise man," and also "a leader of
thieves." In achprosch we have
again the conceptions of intelli-
gence united to robbery, and to
leadership. Further, baldober, a
director, a leader, is applied to
an arch-thief who gets double
share. Balmasseniaten has also
the double meaning of a shrewd
man of business and a swin-
dler, and the transition from a
swindler to a swindle is natural
enough, and has many parallels.
It is to be observed that Hebrew
terms of this stamp are far
more frequently used by Chris-
tian than by Jewish malefactors,
as is proved by their corrup-
tion. From the harnixs, barnrt,
or barnry of a gang of thieves,
we have harncyiny, robbing, or
swindling, whence barney, a
swindle, is all in order.
(Racing), the person who pre-
vents a liorsc winning a race, is
<le.scribed jus " doing a barney."
The same phrase is applied to
the horse itself.
(Running), humbug, rubbish ;
in racing, when a man does
not try to win.
(Society), trip, excursion, out-
ing.
(Popular), fun, larking ; teas-
ing for amusement. It is
common to hear people of the
lower class say, whenever there
is any object in view to make fun
of, or have a game with, "Let's
have a barney."
Barney, to (Harvard University),
to recite badly.
Barn mouse (popular), to be bitten
by a ham mouse, to be tipsy.
Possibly an allusion to barley.
Barn stormer (familiar), a term
formerly applied to itinerant
actors who acted in barns, like
the troupe of Scarron's Roman
Comiijue, and that of Gautier's
Capitaine Fracassa
Barnum (American.) " To talk
Barnum " is not to indulge
in extravagant " high-falutin,"
— this the great American never
does, — but to utter vast asser-
tions in a quiet manner. The
following is a good specimen
of it.
Rising Phoenix-like from the ashes of
my fifth great fire, which only served to
ilhimin.ate my p.ith of duty as the Ame-
rican people's champion amusement-pro-
vider, I have taken into equal partnership
my energetic and experienced friend .ind
former associate, James A. Bailey. We
liavc cular,t;i:d and vastly improved the
Barnumise — Barrack.
83
greatest show on earth, which we propose
to establish as a permanence, with a
reserved capital of several millions of
dollars. At an early date we intend to
establish in several of the largest Ameri-
can cities permanent museums containing
many thousands of natural, artificial, me-
chanical, and scientific curiosities. . . .
The Barnum and Bailey show will present
to this and future generations a world's
fair and a moral school of object teaching
of unexampled variety and superior excel-
lence, more amusing, instructive, compre-
hensive, and vast than was ever before seen
or dreamed of. — Phineas T. Barnum.
Barnumise, to (American), to act
as Mr. Barnum, a showman, im-
presario, and a public cliaracter,
in so many phases famous, or
notorious, that his name has
passed into the established list
of Americanisms. The word
humbug does not express so
much as that of Barnum.
Barnum had made himself
so extremely conspicuous in so
many ways even thirty years
ago, that a Paris editor sug-
gested that when his engage-
ment as manager for Jenny Lind
should come to an end, she
would make quite as much
money if she would go about
exhibiting Mm. Long ago not
a soul in the United States put
the least faith in Barnum's
curiosities, but this made no
difEerence in the receipts, people
thronged in " just to itt how
he humbugged the greenhorns."
In one advertisement the great
exhibitor admitted with beauti-
ful candour that what lie exhi-
bited might not be genuine, that
hehimself with all hisexperience
might have been taken in by un-
scrupulous deceivers — " all that
we ask," he said, " is that the
public will come and judge for
themselves, and we promise
faithfully to abide by their ver-
dict." The public did come,
paying twenty-five cents (or one
shilling) per head and passed
their verdict, and Mr. Barnum
did abide by it (and the dollars),
and at once got out something
new. At last nobody put any
faith in his curiosities. Then it
became a source of intense de-
light to him to exhibit objects
which were really remarkable,
and to make the public believe
they were frauds. Having once
a real bearded woman, Barnum
ingeniously contrived to have it
reported that she was a man,
and to get himself prosecuted
for imposition, the result being
a medical examination, an ac-
quittal, and of course an in-
creased rush of sight-seers. It
should be added that Mr. Bar-
num has always been noted for
, very great though always judi-
cious generosity, that he is
exceptionally honourable and
honest in his private dealings,
and that he has built up Bridge-
port, Connecticut, from a small
town to a city. Barnum's colos-
sal show was destroyed by fire
a short time since.
Barrack hack (army), a girl who
prowls about barracks for pur-
poses of prostitution, generally
the lowest of the low. French
soldiers call these " paillasse de
corps-dc-garde. " Barrack-hack
84
Barrack — Barvelo.
is also applied to young ladies
of perfectly virtuous character,
but who have been to garrison
or militarj balls for several
years. The term was freely
used at one time in reference
to one of the parties in a noted
criminal case.
Barracking (Australian), banter-
ing. Probably from the slang
term barrikin, jargon, speech,
or discourse, on account of the
"palaver" which traders must
hold before they can strike a
bargain.
Barrakin or barrikin (popular),
jargon, gibberish ; low, unin-
telligible language.
The high words in a tragedy we calls
jaw-breakers, and we say we can't tumble
to that barrikin. — Maytuiv : London La-
bour and the London Poor.
From the French baragouin,
which has the same meaning.
It occurs in Rabelais as bara-
goin. " Cheese your barrikin,"
stop talking, shut up.
Barrel boarder (American), "a
bucket-shop bummer, a low
sot" (New York Slang Diction-
ary), evidently derived from
sitting about on the barrels in
a small shop.
Barrel fever (common), the sick-
ness caused by intoxication,
sometimes called the bottle-
ache, the quart-mania, and the
gallon -distemper, all possible
precursors of ddirium tremens.
Barres (old), gamblers' term, ap-
plied to money lost by them,
but which they do not pay.
Whereby they wyl drawe a mannes
money but pay none, which they call
barres. — Asc/tam : Toxophilus.
Barrick (American), a common
word in Pennsylvania for a hill.
From the German berg.
Bang, bang ! de sharp pistolen shots
Vent pipin by his ear,
Boot he tortled oop de barrick road
Like any mountain deer.
— Breit?Mann in Politics.
Barrovy-bunter (costermongers) ,
female costermonger.
I saw s^d\T\.y barro7v-bunier\n the street,
cleaning her dusty fruit with her own
spittle. — Smollett : Humphrey Clinker.
Barrow-tram (popular), a term
applied jocularly to a raw-boned,
awkward-looking person.
Barter (Winchester), a barter is
a ball more generally called a
" half volley " by cricketers,
from the name of R. S. Barter,
a famous cricketer. It has also
the signification of a hard hit.
To barter is to hit the ball hard
at cricket.
Barts, an abbreviation of St. Bar-
tholomew's Hospital, used by
medical student.'! and others.
Barvelo (gypsy), rich, wealthy.
A 16rdus vias kete welg(^ro
Rya tc ranis shan hanieli.
A tano rye te a kamelo,
Avo ml pirrynl, Svali !
— A Lord Went to the Pair.
Bash — Basket.
85
— Lords and ladies are rich. A young
gentleman and an agreeable (lovely) one.
Yes, my sweetheart, yes. — Janet Tuckey.
(Hindu, bhara, increase, ful-
ness.)
Bash, to (popular), to strike, to
thrash, to crush ; to bash hats is
a favourite amusement of Lon-
don roughs in a large crowd.
From a provincialism to beat
fruit down from the trees with
a pole.
He taps me across the hand with a cane,
and my mother goes in and bossies him
over the head with a poker, and gets him
fined for assaulting me. — Punch.
(Pugilistic), a bash is one of a
variety of blows.
It certainly seemed also that this en-
counter had been full of " go." The
" cockles " of the hearts of Corinthian
Tom and Jerry Hawthorn warmed as they
heard and read of " fibbing " and " counter-
ing," of "red-hot smacks," "left-handers
on the nob," " rib-roasters," " upper-
cuts," " exchanges," " bashes," " knock-
downers," "body-punches," "spankers,"
"welts," "smashers," "whistlers," "rat-
tling ivories," "stingers," "bangs," " hot-
uns," and of the "tapping "of the "claret,"
and the flowing of " the r\iby."— Punch.
(Old provincial English), to
beat. In Bedfordshire to beat
fruit trees with a pole. Allied
to haste, to beat ; Icelandic
beysta, Swedish bC^ta, and basa,
to beat. An English word of
Danish origin.
In prisons to bash signifies to
strike, and especially to flog.
Bashing in, a flogging at the
commencement of a rufllan's
term of imprisonment ; hashing
out, one at the close.
(Popular), a tremendous plunge
or fall, A word expressive of
sudden concussion, breaking up,
or tumbling.
The chaise went crash and I went bash
Amongst the shafts and wheels,
And Mary Ann and her mama,
Went right head over heels 1
— George Homcastle: Mary Ann
and her Mama.
Basher (pugilistic), prize fighter,
synonymous with " bruiser."
Bashing (prison), a flogging.
Basing (gaming). " That's basing "
when clubs are turned up trumps
— the allusion as generally ex-
plained being " that clubs were
trumps when Basing was taken."
This was one of the most me-
morable of the sieges of the
Civil War.
Basket (old cant), used in the
phrase " a kid in the basket,"
said of a woman in the family
way. (Tailors), stale news.
Basket meeting (American). A
half picnic and half religious
meeting.
Basket, to bring to the (old), to
fall into poverty.
God be praised ! I am not brought to
the basket, though I had rather live on
charity than rapine. — Father Darrelll
Gentlemen Instructed.
Basket, to go to the (old), to be
imprisoned.
Arrested ! this is one of those whose base
and abject flattery helped to dig his grave.
86
Basket — Both.
He is not worth your pity, nor my anger ;
go to the basket and repent. — Massinger :
Fatal Do'Mry.
This is from the fact that a
basket was lowered from the
prison window for alms by a
man, who called out, " Pity the
poor prisoners ! "
Bastard brig (naval), a coaster,
termed also a " schoony-orgy "
or " hermaphrodite brig."
Bastile (thieves, paupers, and
tramps), the workhouse or " big
house ; " formerly a prison. The
word is now abbreviated into
"steel."
Bat (American), a frolic, a spree.
An abbreviation of batter, which
means the same.
I'm away from the shop and away from
my work,
And I mean to cut up like a regular
Turk ;
So down with the Lager and up with
your hat.
We are off for the day on a regular bat.
— Concert Hall Songs.
Also a prostitute who only
walks the streets at night.
Termed " hirondelle de nuit"
in French slang.
You lie, you bat — I couple with no
cove but my own. Harry, will you let
yourself be made a two-legged stool of l)y
a flag-about ?— 0« i/ie Trail.
In the English slang, " on his
own bat " has the signification
of on his own account, by his
own exertions, a cricketing
phrase. JIat also moans pace —
to go ofT at a good bat.
Bates' farm (prison), the prison ;
probably applied only to Cold
Bath Fields.
Now every morning when you rise
You get a starving meal,
And if you don't eat all they send
You have to work the wheel.
I'hen so merrily we go
To chapel to have prayers,
And for a little pastime work
The everlasting stairs.
For it was this blooming morning
I left OU Bates's fann.
I feel so glad this blessed day
I've left Old Bates's farm I
So C. B. F., the initials of Cold
Bath Fields stamped on articles
used in the prison, is interpreted
Charley Bates's Farm, and to be
on the treadmill there is feed-
ing the chickens on Charley
Bates's Farm. A warder of that
name is said to have been in
charge there.
Bath (general), "go to Bath" is
so universally used that it has
almost ceased to be slang. In-
valids or insane persons used to
be sent to Bath for the benefit
of its mineral w^aters. So " go
to Bath " literally meant you are
mad, go to Bath to get cured.
You tell a disagreeable neighbour to " go
to Bath " in the sense in which a Roman
would have said " abi in malam rem." —
Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper,
New York.
" Go to Bath I " said the Baron. A de-
fiance so contemptuous roused the ire of
the adverse comn\a.n(leTS.^lngoldsby Le-
gends.
This town does not seem to
have been in favour with the
Earl of Rochester, who thus
(Icsorihi's it : —
Bath — Battels.
87
There is a place, down a gloomy vale,
Where burdeu'd nature lays her nasty
tail;
Ten thousand pilgrims thither do resort
For ease, disease, for lechery and sport.
— Works.
Bath, which has given its
name to various things for which
it was supposed to be famous,
as Bath brick, Bath buns, Bath
chairs, &c., has, besides, pro-
vided the French argot with
the adjective hath or hate, an
equivalent of .4 1 , used in phrases
such as "c'est hien bath" that
is, excellent, first-class, tip-top.
" !^tre de la hate " signifies to be
lucky, fortunate. The origin
of the expression is as follows :
— Towards 1848 some Bath note-
paper of superior quality was
hawked about in the streets of
Paris and sold at a low price.
Thus "papier hath" became sy-
nonymous with excellent paper.
In a short time the qualifying
term alone remained, and re-
ceived a general application. —
A. Barrire : Argot and Slang,
Batha (Anglo-Indian). " Two
different words are thus ex-
pressed in Anglo-Indian col-
loquial, and in a manner
confounded: (i.) Hindu hhatd,
an extra allowance made to
officers, soldiers, or other
public servants when in the
field or on other special occa-
sions, also subsistence-money
to witnesses or j^risoners. (2.)
Hindu hatta, agio or difference
in exchange, or discount on
uncurrent coins." — Anglo-Indian
Glossary.
Bathing machines (nautical),
old lo-gun brigs are so named.
Bat mugger (Winchester), an in-
strument for oiling bats.
Bats (thieves' slang), old shoes or
boots. In Somersetshire, low-
laced boots. From j>at, old
gypsy for foot or shoe.
Battels (university), a student's
account at the college kitchen.
Sometimes also it is used for
the goods supplied.
Buttery and kitchen cooks were adding
up the sum total ; bursars were preparing
for battels. — C. Bede : Verdant Green.
It is an old word, originally
meaning an account. In the
Gentleman's Magazine, August
1872, it is said to be derived
houibezahlen, "to'pa.j." Wright
gives the derivation old English
hat, increase, and Anglo-Saxon
do,'^, deal, portion. Another origin
is that given by Dr. Brewer,
battens, from the verb to batten, to
feed. Batten is used by Shak-
speare in Coriolanus, and also
in Hamlet, where the prince
addresses his mother, and asks
her to compare his father's por-
trait with that of her second
husband, whom she married so
soon after the funeral of the
first as to scandalise all Den-
mark.
Follow your function, go ! and batten
on cold bits.
— Coriolanus : Act IV. scene 5.
Could you on this fair mountain leave to
feed.
And batten on this moor?
— Hamlet : Act III. scene 4.
88
Battels — Bnulk.
(Oxford University), to battel, to
be indebted to the buttery for
provisions and drink, to run an
account for food, &c., with the
college as opposed to boarding
in a private house. In De Quin-
cey's " Life and Memoirs," p.
274, there is an allusion to this
Iiractice — " Many men battel at
the rate of a guinea a week and
wealthier men more expensive,
and more careless men even
battdled much higher ; " also to
reside or keep terms at the
university. It has been sug-
gested that the word is derived
from an old monkish word,
patella or batella, a plate.
Batter (popular), wear and tear.
"Can't stand the batter," i.e.,
not equal to the task ; "on the
batter" on the streets applies
to prostitutes, termed in French
argot " batlre le quart" with
this special meaning ; also, given
up to debauchery. See BArry.
Batters (printers), a recognised
term applied to bad or broken
letters which are flung into the
" hell box," a receptacle to hold
these discarded types, which are
melted down eventually.
If you please, sir, . . . the devil has
Ijeen putting live matter into hell instead
of batters. — American Newspaper.
Batting' his eyes (American), a
gambler's term for men who
look on but do not play.
Battle of the Nile (rhyming slang),
a " tilo," i.e., a hat.
Battlin'-finches (bird fanciers),
explained by the following quo-
tation: —
It's all in the trainin' of 'em. I've had
battliti -fitiches — we calls 'em battliri-
Jinches when they're trained for match-
singing or for pegging — wot 'ud sing in
my hat as I walked along, and without
being in any cage at all. — J. Greenwood :
In Strange Company.
Battlings (public schools), weekly
allowance given out to boys on
Saturdays.
The business of the latter was to call
us of a morning to distribute amongst us
our bait lings or pocket-money. — Dickens :
Household IVords, vol. i. p. 188.
Battner (old), an ox. " The cove
has hushed the battner," the
butcher has killed the ox ; from
batten, to fatten. According to
Skeat, of Scandinavian origin,
from the same root as " better."
Batty (workmen), wages, per-
quisites. Derived from batta,
an extra pay given to soldiers
while serving in India. — Hotteus
Dictionary.
Batty-fang (provincialism), to
thrash; batty-fang or batter-fang,
blow ; batty-fanging, a thrashing.
The Pastor lays on \\xi\.y/angs
Whitehead the Pastor batter-fangs.
— IVard : Englaml s Ke/oriiiation.
Baulk (Winchester), a hoax, a
false report. (Popular), wlien
street boys are playing at pitch
and toss, the cry may be heard
" head a baulk ! " or " woman a
baulk I " should the coin fall on
its edge instead of flat on the
ground.
Baum — B.C.
89
Baum, to (Univ., American), to
fawn, to flatter, to curry favour.
Bavo, bavol (gypsy), air, breath,
breeze, wind. "0 shillo hdvol
puderla 'dr^ ye hevyor " — " The
cold wind is blowing through
the holes." Bdvol is sometimes
used for dust.
Bawbells (old slang), the testicles,
a corruption of hobble, a pro-
vincialism signifying stones and
testicles.
Bawdy banquet (old cant), whor-
ing.
Bawdy baskets (old slang), wo-
men who sold pins, &c., to ser-
vant girls, or exchanged these
articles for eatables, and occa-
sionally stole linen off hedges.
Also applied to the itinerant
vendors of obscene and ribald
literature, and to a prostitute.
Many a faire lasse in London towne,
Many a baivdie basket borne up and
down.
— Puttenhaiii : Art of English Poesie.
Bawhawder (Anglo-Indian), from
the Hindu hahadur, a hero, a
chamjjion. A word applied in
Anglo-Indian to any great swell
or soldier. It is a title of honour
for bravery, which is found in
one form or another all over the
East.
There is nothing of the great bahaivder
about him. — Athena-utii, No. 2670, p. 851:
Anglo-Indian Glossary.
Bayadere. This word, though
generally supposed to be Hindu
for a dancing - girl, is only a
French form of the Portuguese
hailadeira, from bailar, to dance.
" Come, an hour of rapture prove?"
" And what art thou ? " "A bayadere.
And this the joyous home of Love."
— Goethe.
Bayard of ten toes, to ride
(old slang). The old equivalent
of " Shanks' mare " (German
Schusters Jiappen, cobbler's black
horses), i.e., to go on foot. In
the old romances Bayard was a
celebrated horse.
Bay-window (American), preg-
nancy, with a big belly. New
York Slang Dictionary: "She
has a how-window to her toy-
shop." The French argot ex-
presses the same by the phrase,
" EUe a un polichinelle dans la
tiroir," the tiroir being in this
phrase a "toy-shop."
B.C. has become the stereotyped
exponent of a ridiculous charge
of libel. A genteel young
woman complained to Mr. Ing-
ham of having been abused by
a person who called her a B.C.
The magistrate asked what
B.C. meant, when he was told
that C. meant "cat," but B.
was too shocking to be uttered
aloud. She consented, however,
to whisper the naughty word in
his worship's ear. Mr. Ingham
heard the mysterious " libel,"
and though he could not grant
the summons, B.C. has acquired
the signification given above. —
Dr. Brewer: Dictionary of Phrase
and Fable.
90
B.C. — Beam ends.
(Racing), the Beacon Course,
the full length (four miles, one
furlong, one hundred and forty-
three yards) of the racing track
at Newmarket.
Beach cadgers (old), idle vaga-
bonds dressed as sailors, who
prowl about the beach at water-
ing-places and obtain money
on false pretences from persons
frequenting that part.
Beach-comber (nautical), a feUow
who loafs about a port to filch
smaU things. One who prowls
about the sea-shore to plunder
wrecks or pick up waifs and
strays of any kind. In the
Pacific any kind of sailor ad-
venturer. (Nautical), a river
boatman.
Beach-tramper (nautical), coast-
guard.
Beadle (freemasons), an officer
answering to junior warden in
a council of Knights of the
Holy Sepulchre.
Beak, originally thieves' cant
(bock), for policeman, magistrate,
but now it has only the latter
signification.
I suppose you don't know what a beak
is, my flash com-pan-i-on ? . . . My eyes,
how green 1. . . . Why, a beak's a madg-
st'rate ; and when you walk by a beak's
order, it's not straightforerd, but always
agoing up and niver a coming down agin.
— Charles Dickens : Oliver Tavist.
The term is used by better
men than thieves.
There was an old obstinate beak
(Who oftentimes played a queer freak),
Said, " Take her away —
Next time she must pay ! "
And would not let her chief witness
speak.
— Sporting Times.
Some etymologists derive heah
from the Saxon bcag, a gold
collar worn by civic magistrates
as an emblem of authority. It
seems, however, that "beck," a
constable, was from a metaphor
based on the literal meaning of
the word heak or hill, and the
circumstance that a detective
is nowadays termed a "nose"
comes in support of this sup-
position. It may also be de-
rived from " to beckon," to inti-
mate a command, the "move
on" of the modern constable.
To account for the meaning
of magistrate, it may be said
that the transition was easy
from the humble guardian of
the law to the more exalted
one. Thus French malefactors
gave both policeman and magis-
trate the common appellation of
vache. A judge is sometimes
called the " beak of the law."
Beaker hunter or beak hunter
(thieves' slang), a thief who de-
votes his attention to the poultry
yard.
Beak gander, judge of the supe-
rior court.
Beam ends (general), a nautical
metaphor. A person ent irely at
a loss, who is " all abroad," is
Beam ends — Beans.
91
said to be " thrown upon his
beam ends."
He laughed the idea down completely ;
and Tom abandoning it, was thrown upon
his beam-ends again for some other solu-
tion. — Charles Dickens : Martin Chuzzle-
wit.
The French would express a
state of embarrassment by " il
est au bout de son latin," or " il
ne sait sur quel pied danser."
The phrase also means to be
in great need, when the " bal-
last " (money) — to continue the
nautical metaphor — is gone.
When a fellow is on his beam-ends, as I
was then, he must keep his eyes about him
and have impudence enough for anything,
or else he may stop and starve. — May-
kew : London Labour and the London
Poor.
" On one's heam-ends," in a
sitting posture.
You get on stunningly, gig-lamps, and
haven't been on your beam-ends more than
once a minute. — C. Bede : Verdant Green.
Bean. This word occurs in several
colloquial phrases, such as "three
blue heans in a blue bladder,"
and refers to a rattle-head, a
foolish fellow.
They say —
That putting all his words together,
'Tis three blue beans in a blue bladder.
— Prior: Alma Cant.
The phrase is evidently from a
jester's bladder with hfxms or
peas in it. It must be noted,
as a coincidence, that the idea
of a hladder was uppermost in
the minds of those who coined
the French word fol, fool, jes-
ter, from the low Latin fdlis,
bellows or bladder.
"Not worth a bean," or "the
black of a bean," corresponds
to the Latin ne hilum (literally
"not the black of a bean"),
contracted into nihil. There is a
Dutch proverb, " Every 6ean has
its black," i.e., " Every man has
his faults," which gives force to
the English expression.
(American slang), a bean is
specially a five-dollar gold piece,
and " iean-traps " is synony-
mous with stylish sharpers.
Formerly bean meant a guinea.
This is possibly from the French
bien, used in old canting among
other meanings for property or
money.
" Couldn't you let him pike if I come
down with a thimble and ten beans ? "
The detective shook his head. — On tJie
Trail.
Bean feast (tailors), a good feast,
also an annual excursion of
workpeople.
Beano (printers). See 'Goose.
Abbreviation of word "bean-
feast," mostly used by machine -
printers. Compositors generally
employ the term "'goose'*' or
"wayzgoose" for this festive
event.
Beans, he don't know (Ameri-
can). The natives of New Eng-
land, but especially of Boston,
are celebrated for culture or in-
telligence of the highest order,
and also for an extraordinary
fondness for beans baked in a
92
Beans — Bear.
pot with pork — of which Fuller,
the Shakspeare of divines, said
that ' ' it was a good dish which
the Pythagoreans and Jews had
contrived between them to
spoil." The result of all this
has been a saying for any igno-
rant person that Ae don't knoio
beans, i.e., " he is an ignoramus,
or Gentile — he is not a Bos-
tonian, he is not fond of beans,
ergo, an outside barbarian."
Others derive it from the old
joke, " How many black beans
make five white ones ? " to
which the answer is, " Five, if
you peel them." He who knew
how to answer this question
was supposed to kno^o beans. In
the following extract from the
Boston Globe, in which an effort
is made to select from the local
directory names which indicate
articles of food, it is worth ob-
serving that the first name
thought of is, of course. Bean,
although the list is not in alpha-
betical order: —
" The Hub's Happv Family. — Accord-
ing to the city directory, there are plenty of
Beans in Boston, one Egge, eight Pyes, .-i
number of Onions, and one Crumb. Be-
sides these there are three Bones, also Salt
and Jelly. Seven Beers are found, and
Coffee, Milk, and Teas. There is one
Chicken to three Goslings and a Hawk.
Boston also has a pair of Stockings, one
Sock, one Cravatt, a pair of Mittens, and
four Collars. Three Hatts and one Wigg
complete the outfit."
The writer for the Globe forgot
to look out for Bacon to go
with his Beans. It was, we be-
lieve, a Bo.ston Bacon, "fore-
named" Delia, who first denied
to Shakspeare the authorship of
his plays.
(Society), to be "full of beans,"
means to be in good form. The
metaphor is borrowed from a
horse being said to be full of
beans when he is fresh and
frisky. To be beany, is to be in
a good humour, Uke a horse
who has had a good feed.
(Common), to " give beans,"
means to give a good beating.
He's the unbought and undefeated Chel-
sea Chicken, and I reckon that when he
meets the Brazilian Gamecock — Tom Tif-
fin, who holds the championship of the
Western Hemisphere, he'll give him deans.
— Moonshine.
The term beatis is also used for
money ; a " haddock of beans,"
a purse of money.
Bear (Stock Exchange), a fall, or
a speculator for a fall ; a man
who sells stock which he does not
possess in the hope of being paid
not to have it delivered. His
confrere the "bull" speculates
in the same manner for a rise,
while the " stag " operates on
shares of new companies which
he applies for with the inten-
tion of selling at once at a pre-
mium. The commonly accepted
and very old explanation of these
words is that the bears claw
or pull the stock down, wliile
the bulls toss it up. The
" stag " is the representative
of the timid speculator, trust-
ing more to his fieotness of
foot than to the balance at his
banker's when the expected
premium is "nil," and ho is
Bear — Bear-leader.
93
called upon to pay the allot-
ment.
Now as the Bull had run away,
Unable for the shares to pay,
'Twas clear, as he'd no cash to spare,
The Stag then couldn't pay the Bear;
So when the Bear went for his due,
The Stag had gone to Boulogne too.
And, since the Stag had cut and run,
'Twas plain the Bear could pay no one ;
So those to whom he money ow'd,
When they sought out the brute's abode,
Found that the Bear, or him they call so,
Had cut and run to Boulogne also.
— A tkin : House Scraps.
Current expressions in the
"House" are: to operate for
a hear ; to realise a profitable
bear. To hear the market is
using every effort to depress the
price of stock in order to buy it.
And these are the clients who sell and
buy.
Who "bear" when low and "bull" when
high.
And who pay the Como, a source of gain,
Which lightens sorrow and eases pain. . . .
And these are the men who, all forlorn.
Wander about all tattered and torn,
Who have been clients, who sell and buy.
Who "bear" when low and " bull " when
high.
— A tkin : House Scraps.
Dealings are now becoming more active
in these stocks, and a considerable bear
account is developing itself. — Truth, April
26, 1888.
When speculators become de-
faulters—to whatever category
of the animal trinity mentioned
above they may belong — they
are metamorphosed into " lame
ducks," and " waddle out of the
alley."
" To hear a bob " (nautical),
used jocularly by Jack-tars for
"to lend a hand; " (popular),
to join in chorus with persons
singing.
Beard splitter (old slang), a rake ;
one of the "loose fish" sort
who is fond of prostitutes. The
allusion is obvious.
Bearer-up (thieves' slang), a
gambling cheat, more generally
called a "bonnet," a commis-
sion agent, bidder or sweetener
at an auction ; a decoy-duck
at cards who induces strangers
to play with sharpers by per-
suasion or by seeing him win.
From the legal term " bearer "
in old law, one who bears down
and oppresses others by vexa-
tiously assisting a third party
in maintaining a suit against
them.
Bear fight (society), a rough
and tumble in good part. The
smoking or billiard rooms at
night in country houses are
the places where bear figlUs fre-
quently occur,
Be-argered (common), drunk.
Probably from the German be-
argcrt, irritated, vexed, referring
to the ' ' fifth stage of intoxica-
tion, which is one of wrath and
fighting " (Korte, Sprichworter
der Deutsclun).
Bear-leader (common), the travel-
ling companion or tutor of a
young gentleman or nobleman,
employed by the parents or
guardians to watch over him
94
Dear leader — Beastly.
and keep him from evil courses
which he might fall into if
left to himself. " Unlicked
cub " was and still is a slang
term for an undisciplined youth,
and was no doubt the origin
of hear as applied to the same
kind of person. When Dr.
Johnson visited Scotland and
the Hebrides in his old age,
accompanied by James Bos-
well, who has left the world
so amusing an account of the
prejudices of his uncouth and
ungainly hero against every-
thing he saw in Scotland, it
pleased the wits of Edinburgh
to call Boswell his bear-Icadcr.
Henry Erskine, to whom Bos-
well had introduced the great
man, slipped a shilling into
Boswell's hand, saying, "Take
tliat, my good man ; it's for the
sight of j'our bear ! "
Bears ? are you there with your
(old), are you there, or, at it
again ? Joe Miller says the ex-
pression originated in this way.
A man disgusted with a sermon
on Elislia and the bears, went
on the following Sunday to an-
other church, where he heard
the sermon delivered once more
by the same preacher. Irate
at being thus foiled, he cried
out, "Arc you there with your
bears ? " The explanation is more
quaint than convincing. The
phrase seems to have been very
common in the seventeenth cen-
lury.
Another, wlien at the racket court he had
a ball struck into hi> haiard, would ever
and anon cry out, " Estes-vous Ik avec vos
oursV which is ridiculous in any other
language but English. — J. Howell: h'or-
raine Travell.
Oh, quoth they, here is an accident may
save the man ; are you there with your
hears ? We will quit the exercise of the
House's right rather than that should be.—
Roger North : Examcn.
Bear watching, to (American), a
phrase indicating suspicion.
" Jones may be a nice man, but he'll
bear 'Matching — you had better keep your
eye on him."
' ' Now Brer Rabbit knowed he bes' look
about right spry, cayse de creeters all had
dey eyes skint an' dey years open fer him,
cayse he bed setch cu'y'ous leetle ways
wi(i him dat he'd bar watchin." — Urcr
Rabbit.
Beastly (common). This word,
which was once used only in
a very abusive sense, has, by
dint of repetition, come like
awfully, or dreadful, or horrid
in America, to signify " very."
Ere ladies use such beastly names our
follies to condemn,
They should be.ir in mind they always
find we're beastly fond of them.
— Zoological CoDi/'anioiis : A Jiallatl.
They go on if I say " beastly jolly,"
.\nd say that I mustn't talk slang,
And lecture me well on the folly
Of shutting the door with a bang.
— //. Adams : Only a Little
Hit Giddy.
It is also used in society as
an emphatic adjective. Every-
thing that does not meet with
approval now is heasth/ : as,
"We had a beastly didl sermon
this morning." Surely a libel
on animals, -as the original
ineaning is, "pertaining to, or
Beastly — Beat.
95
having the form and nature
of a beast." Thus, the young
French lady used the word
correctly when she said of her
pets, " I like horses, I like dogs,
I like parrots ; in short, I like
everything that is haistly l"
Beasts (American cadets). At
the United States Military Aca-
demy, at West Point, new cadets
are so called. More appro-
priate and suggestive terms —
though not so forcible — are used
at the Royal Military Aca-
demy, Sandhurst — "Snooker,"
"Johnny;" "bejants" (bejaunes)
is applied to freshmen at Aber-
deen University.
Beat, to (American), to cheat, or
"do" one out of money in any
way.
Two of these eating establishments are
large and busy places, wherein two good
dishes can be had for a dime (fivepence).
It is said that the waiters are all athletes
and skilled bouncers, who are more re-
spected by the public than any waiters
ever were before. It is like trifling with
dynamite to try to beat one of these places
out of a dinner, and the bummer who does
so is described as looking and feeling as if
he had been through a rolling-mill when
his waiter has tired of toying with him. —
Chicago Tribune.
To "6eai hollow," to "heat
into fits," to " heat badly," to
surpass or excel. A man who
is wholly exhausted is said to
be " dead-?;e«<. "
" That heats the bugs ! " (Ame-
rican). The phrase is used to
denote anything stupendous,
incredible, incommensurable.
Probably from an old story in
which some bugs showed as-
tounding sagacity and achieved
some wonderful feat in order to
baffle their tormentor and extri-
cate themselves from a perilous
position. Another version is
that a man to prevent the bugs
from getting to his bed, made
a circle of tar round it. Then
they climbed up to the ceiling,
and fell or jumped down on the
bed. Finally, he made another
circle of tar on the ceiling, and
that " heat the bugs."
" Well, if this don't beat the bugs ! " he'd
say. " What a spot o' work this is, sar-
tainly." — Sam Slick.
Mr. Atkin, in his " House
Scraps," has a story of a dog
that certainly " heats the bugs."
"One said his dog was so clever
that it would not go out with
him unless his cartridges fit his
gun. ' Well, old man, I must
admit that youj dog is above
the average, but I'll back mine
against him for a fiver. I was
in our lane the other evening,
when my dog pointed at a man
I had never seen before, and as
nothing would make him move,
I went up to the man and said,
' Sir, would you oblige me with
your name ? ' ' Yes, sir, my
name is Partridge.' "
Beat, a (journalistic). "To have
a heat on one," is to call on one.
On my return home I had what jour-
nalists call a heat on nearly all my
acquaintances, to whom I had much that
was strange and wonderful to tell concern-
ing my travels. — iV. A. I'atou: Down the
Islands.
96
Beat — Beating.
(American), to " get a beat on
one," to have the laugh of one,
to take a " rise" out of.
" Great Csesar ! and we've gone to
press," gasped the editor. " The after-
noon papers will get a beat on us to-
morrow." — San Franciscan.
Beat daddy mammy, to (old
military), to practise the ele-
ments of drum beating.
Beat the Dutch, to (popular).
That heats the Dutch, is said of
any startling statement or in-
credible fact. To beggar de-
scription or stagger belief. Ori-
ginally used to express extreme
stupidity and obstinacy, a Dutch-
man being popularly represented
as a phlegmatic person whom
nothing could move.
Beaten down to bed-rock (Ame-
rican), reduced to the last ex-
tremity.
Some had died, others were dying ; none
were well, and all were, as they tersely
futii, beaten down to bed-rock. — Phillipps-
Wolley : Trottings of a Tenderfoot.
Beater - cases (obsolete), shoes
or boots ; also called formerly
" bowles; " more modern are the
"trotter-cases" (termed "trot-
tinets," or " trottins " in French
slang), "grubbers, carts, beetle-
crushers, crab-shells, and hock-
dockies." Thieves and roughs
in a poetical mood have given
thoin the name of "dai.sy-roots,"
while mashers ruefully talk of
their pointed patents as " ex-
cruciators." A policeman on
his beat is said by the roughs to
exercise his " plates of meat."
The much despised spring side
boots officers term ' ' Jemimas."
Beaters (thieves), feet, an abbre-
viation of dew-beaterg, a slang
term for feet, and, in Norfolk,
coarse oiled shoes that resist the
dew. "To pad one's beaters,"
to walk, to walk away.
Pluck me some panam and caftar. Bill,
for I want to pad my beaters. — A'e^v York
Slang Dictionary.
The earlier word is " batters " or
"bats,"' which represents the ori-
ginal " pats," In gj'psy, tompats
is in common with canting a
word for feet. Hindu, tal-pat,
the sole.
Beating the booby (nautical), the
beating of the hands and arms
across the chest, to warm
oneself in cold weather. An
older synonymous expression is
" beating Jonas."
Beating the quartermaster (Ame-
rican), a phrase current in the
army, which probably originated
in the following story : —
Jonas Smith, of Washington, Indiana,
towards the close of the late war, was body
servant to a Quartermaster, and after the
close, and when the Quarterm.-ister had
been mustered out, as the story is told, he
requested Smith, as a last service before
parting, to take a large lx)x on a dray to
the freight depot and ship it, asking Smith
at the same time "if he could re.nd and
write."
Jonas answered that he could not, started
off with the box, and on the way to the
station removed the shipping-tag, which
bore the n.ime of the Quarterm.istcr and
that of the place the box was to be shipped.
Beating — Beauty-sleep.
97
and substituted his own name and address,
and by that means obtained a box of new
army blankets the Quartermaster intended
to capture or steal from Uncle Sam.
Jonas, who is fairly educated, said in
extenuation of this commercial transaction :
" Mr. Quartermaster ' captured ' the
blankets from the Government, and I
captured them from him. Everything is
fair in war." — Detroit Free Press.
Beating the road (American),
travelling in a railway train
without paying. There are
many ways of doing this known
to the American "dead beat,"
adventurer, and tramp. One is
to pretend to be an olEcial em-
ployed on some other railroad,
another to make a private
arrangement with the conduc-
tor or an employ^ to be allowed
to travel in a freight car, a third
is to simply hide in the freight.
The problem was — twelve or thirteen
hundred miles to be overpassed without
paying one's fare over the rails. This
would have been an easy task to many,
and some months later it would scarcely
have caused me so much anxiety, but I
was then inexperienced, and somewhat
green in the matter of passes, which are
often to be obtained by a plausible man
of good address, and versed in the methods
of beating' the road, or, more literally,
of cheating the company. — Roberts : The
U'esiem Avernus.
English roughs and tliieves
term this kind of cheat-
ing " doing a duck," generally
managed by hiding under the
seat of a carriage.
Beau. This is a word in very
general use in America to signify
a lover or an especially devoted
attendant. From this the verb
to beau, to beau about. In
Queen Anne's time the beau
meant rather an elegant man
than a lover.
The Southern girl is more frivolous-
minded than her Northern sister ; she cares
more for beaux and ribbons, a dance and
a laugh. She loves the sunshine and stroll
in the park with no definite end in view
except perhaps a smile and a bow from
the young men of her acquaintance. —
Boston Record.
Beau -nasty (old), a fop who,
though in exterior finely dressed,
is dirty and slovenly in person
and habits.
Beautifiers (popular). Women
who, like Madame Eachel, pro-
fess to make people " young
and beautiful for ever." Of late
years these persons have become
common, and have many cus-
tomers not only in the demi-
monde, but even among poor
girls.
Take my advice, girls ; good complexions
Only are gained by early strolls.
Heed not the beauiijier's directions.
Use not her dear cosmetic rolls.
— Ballad: Strolling Down the Lanes.
Beau trap (old), a well-dressed
sharper who used to Uc in wait
for country visitors.
Beauty-sleep (common), a nap
before midnight.
Are you going? It is not late. ... A
medical man, who may be called up at any
moment, must make sure of his beauty-
sleep. — Kingsley : Tiuo Years Ago.
And would I please to remember that I
had roused him (the hostler) up at night ;
and the quality always made a point of
paying four times over for a man's loss of
G
98
Beavers — Bed-post.
his btautysUep. I replied that his loss of
beauty-sleep was rather improving to a man
of so high a complexion, &c. — Blackmore :
Loma Doone.
Beavers (Winchester), originally,
leave to go out in the afternoon,
when none but prefects were
allowed to wear hats. After-
wards the appellation denoted
an intermission of half-an-hour
in the course of the afternoon
on whole school days, when
school began at two o'clock.
The term is now obsolete. A
leaver (nautical), is a helmet in
general, but particularly that
part which lets down to aUow
of the wearer's drinking.
Beck, beur (old cant), a con-
stable. In Dutch slang, hekaan
means arrested, imprisoned.
The ruffin cly the nab of the Harman. beck
If we mawnd Pannam, lap or ruff-peck.
— Thomas Dekker.
Bed (thieves' slang), put to hcd
with a shovel, dead and buried.
Played out they lay, it will be said,
A hundred stretches hence ;
With shovels they were put to bed
A hundred stretches since.
— A Hundred Stretches He>:cc : Neiu
York Slang Dictionary.
Bedder (universities), a bedmaker,
a species of charwoman now
nearly extinct in Oxford, but
flourishing at Cambridge.
Bed-fagot (common), a contemp-
tuous term for a woman, but
more specially applied to a
prostitute. A provincialism for
a bedfellow.
Bed filling^ (army), lying down
after dinner to rest and digest.
It is the general rule that the
cots or iron bedsteads in sol-
diers' barrack-rooms shall be
constantly kept neat and tidy,
palliasse rolled up and bedding
evenly folded. But at certain
hours, as after dinner, a little
relaxation of the rule is allowed.
Bed-house, a house of assigna-
tion. One where beds and
rooms are hired by the hour
or half-day, &c. An institution
which has spread with incre-
dible rapidity of late years in
England and America, since the
suppression or gradual disap-
pearance of brothels, so that,
according to trustworthy infor-
mation, where there formerly
existed one of the latter, there
are now from ten even to twenty
of the former. The rejieal of
the Contagious Diseases Act
has given a great impetus to
the establishment of bcd-}u)use».
Bedoozle (American), to confuse,
bewilder, the result being that
a man is "all abroad," or " flab-
bergasted."
Bed-post (common), in the
" twinkling of a bed-post," in a
moment, as quick as lightning,
in a jiffy, or a-s rapidly as a
staff can be twinkled or turned.
A more modern expression ex-
tensively used is, in the " twink-
ling of a pike-staff," which
explains itself. Ikd-post, in
this case, seems to have re-
placed l)ed-staff, a wooden pin
Bed-post — Bee-bee.
99
stuck formerly on the sides of
the bedstead to keep the clothes
from slipping on either side,
and which might be wielded as
a stick or staif when a brute
thought it necessary to chastise
his better half. Nous avons
changi tout cela, and now the
improvised staff has been super-
seded by the poker, varied by
an application of hob-nailed
boots.
Bed-rock (American), to get on
the bed rock, not to be able to go
lower or to abate. Used in this
instance: "What is the price
of that?" " Six dollars." "Is
it bed-rock price ? " i.e., is it
your lowest price. Bed-rock
pieces, the last coins in one's
almost empty purse ; probably
a miner's phrase.
Bee (American), a meeting, gene-
rally a merrymaking, but with
a practical or beneficial object.
Thus there are apple-bees
for paring apples, husking-bees
for husking, raising-bees to
" raise " houses, and spelling-
bees. Probably an abbrevia-
tion of the old word " bidding,"
or the Dutch bied, influenced
by bee as a type of industry.
" Bidding," pronounced fee-
ding, meant an invitation a cen-
tury ago.
Harry cum parry, when will you marry ?
When apples and pears are ripe.
I'll come to your wedding without any
bidding,
And stay with the bride all the night.
— Mother Goose's Nursery Rhyjiies for
Boys and Girls f^Standard Edition).
A " chopping-Jee " is thus de-
scribed in a western magazine :
" Once a clearing was attempted
on a large scale. It was for the
site of a public institution. The
inhabitants within a radius of
ten mUes were invited to a
" chopping- 6ee." Each one
brought his axe and day's pro-
visions. No spirituous liquors
were allowed. The work was
ordered by an elected marshal
of the day. The front rank of
trees, ten rods in width, were
chopped partially through on
either side, then the succeeding
ones in like manner for a space
of perhaps twenty rods. Then
the last rank was felled simul-
taneously by the united force,
when, with a crash increasing to
a thundering volume, it bore
down on the next, till all lay
prostrate. And thus for three
days did this volunteer war
against the forest progress."
Bee-bee (Anglo-Indian), Hindu,
from the Persian bl bi, once ap-
plied to English ladies, who are
now called Mem Sahib. It is
still often used by native ser-
vants in addressing European
maid - servants. — Awjlo • Indian
Glossary.
A Hiuuu concubine.
But the society of the station does inter-
fere in such cases, and though it does not
mind bce-becs or tlieir friends, it rightly
taboos him who entertains their white
rivals. — lyUliam Ho".vard Russell : Hfy
Diary in India in the Year 1S58-59.
(Gypsy), an aunt. Some-
times applied respectfully and
lOO
Bee-bee — Beef.
affectionately to any middle-
aged woman. " The title Bibi is
in Persian the same as among
us senora or dofia." — Texeira ■'
Relacion de Uormuz, A.D. l6ll.
Beef (Australian convicts' slang),
" stop thief 1 " introduced by
the convicts transported thither.
A feature of thieves' cant, and
indeed of slang generally, is its
fondness for punning and rhym-
ing, e.g., " cobbler," applied to
the last sheep that is shorn,
" slang-whang," and " Bolt-in-
turns." Thief was canted into
beef because they rhymed.
Beef—sio'p thief. To beef a person is
to raise a hue and cry after him in order to
get him stopped. — J'aux's Memoirs.
(English thieves' slang), to heef
it, or to give hot beef, is to give
chase, pursue, raise a halloo
and cry.
I guyed, but the reeler he gave me hot
bee/,
And a scuff came about me and hollered ;
I pulled out a chive, but I soon came to
grief,
And with screws and a j.imes I was
collared.
— The Re/cree.
(Nautical), a figurative term
for strength — " more beef ! "
more men on ; (common), " beef
up ! " or " put your beef to it 1 "
An ejaculation meant as a re-
quest to use one's strength, to
use one's muscles to good ac-
count. (Popular), Ihe penis;
to be drosscd like " Christ-
mas hetf," to be in one's best
clothes.
Man's poor heart in ecstasy
Will very often beat,
When the tart is young.
"Tis then he'll go and dress himself
Like unto Christmas beef.
When the tart is young !
— When the Tart is Young.
Beef -headed (popular), stupid,
dull as an ox. Bcef-wVled is a
provincialism with a like signi-
cation. " 5ec/-witted," that is,
dull, thick-headed ; " having no
more wit than an ox" is a
term used by Shakspeare.
Beef it, to (provincialism). To
beef it is to indulge in a meal of
butchers' meat ; it only occurs
amongst the lower and poorer
classes.
Beefment (thieves), on the beef-
mcnt, on the look-out.
Beef stick (army), the bone of
the meat in the day's rations.
A soldier is allowed, at home,
three-quarters of a pound of
meat, including bone, and when
the day's mess dinner is cut up,
little but the stick remains for
those last served.
Beef straight (American). When
a man has nothing but beef for
a meal, and must eat it without
bread, vegetables, &c., it is beef
straight. The same term is ap-
plied to any other kind of food
per se.
Beef to the heels, like a Mullin-
gar heifer. Mr. II. J. ISyroii
.says : " The expression beef to the
Beef — Been.
lOI
heeli is first found, I believe, in
the Irish saying, ' A Waterf ord
heifer, heef to the heds.' "
Dolly was not a fine woman, as they
say, at all ; not ieef to the heels, by any
means ; in a grazier's eye she would
have had no charm whatsoever. — Rhoda
Broughton : Cometh up as a Flo^uer.
Beefy (common), unduly thick,
commonly said of women's
ankles; also rich, juicy, plen-
teous. To take the whole pool
at loo, or to have any particular
run of luck at cards generally,
is said by players to be very
heefy (Hotten). Beefy is also
applied to a bloated, red-faced
person.
Bee-gum (American), a hollow
gum-tree in which bees have
hived. This is more technical
than slang.
Bob tuck him by de skin,
As de bear wus comin' in,
An' he pull, an' he pull till down de hol-
ler tree cum ;
Den nigger Bob come out.
An' run like nigger mout.
While de bear link he got de debbil in
de bee-gum.
— Negro Song.
Bee in the bonnet (common). To
have a bee in one's bonnet, is to
be odd, eccentric, fantastical,
whimsical, or half-crazy. It is
supposed to be a peculiarly Scot-
tish phrase, because Scotsmen
wear " bonnets," and English-
men do not. Its use, however,
is not confined to Scotland, but
was known in England in the
seventeenth century, and is still
common. It occurs in a song
by Herrick, entitled the " Mad
Maiden," of the date of 1648: —
" For pity, sir, find out that bee.
Which bore my love away ;
I'll seek him in your bonnet brave,
I'll seek him in your eyes."
A friend speaking to an Edin-
burgh lady of a late eminent
professor in the University, said
he was an excellent man, but he
had a bee in his bonnet. " Don't
say that," replied the lady, as-
suming a look and tone of re-
proof. " You under-rate him.
A bee in his bonnet i Why, he
has a whole hive of bees in it I "
The French have the corres-
ponding expression "avoir un
hanneton " — a may-bug.
Been in the sun (popular), intoxi-
cated, alluding to the flushed
countenance of one who has
been drinking heavily.
Been measured for a new um-
brella (American), said origi-
nally of a man that nothing
fitted him but his umbrella. An
old joke, reproduced by Artemus
Ward, who took his own gene-
rally wherever he found it.
" Wall, about this time there was a man
in an adjacent town who had a green
cotton umbrella."
"Did it fit him well? Was it custom-
made ? Was he measured for it ? "
" Measured for what ? " said Abe.
"The umbreller?" — Artemus Ward.
Beeno (gypsy), bom. •' Ki sos
tikno becno ? " — ' ' Where was the
babe born ? "
Been to Bung^wn. Been to
Boston (American). It is re-
I02
Been — Beetle-crushers.
ported that instances have been
known in which ladies living
in the country have gone " to
town " for the purpose of meet-
ing with lovers, or making them,
" in loco secreto." So it is said
of one not quite above suspicion,
that she has been there, and should
a foreigner not understanding
the phrase ask where, the answer
may be, to Bungtoton. In Phila-
delphia it is said of a very fast
woman, that she has been to, or
comes from Scranton, a town in
Pennsylvania-
Beer barrel (pugilistic), the body.
That draws the bung from the ieer
barrel, I'm a thinkin'. — C. Bede : Verdant
Green.
Beerslinger (American), a term
for a barman in a lager-beer
"saloon" or tavern. It origi-
nated in Philadelphia in 1848-
49, about which time lager-beer
was first brewed in America.
The word "slingers" had pre-
viously been commonly applied
for at least forty years to other
barmen, who were often spoken
of as " whiskey - slingers " (a
punningterm). " Rum-slingers "
or " gin-slingers," derived in this
instance probably from gin-
sling. In America "sling" is
a very common expression, indi-
cating to be engaged with, or
to tackle, attack, &c. Hence
" hash-slingcr," one who eats at
an ordinary table, or one who
is eating in any way. " Ink-
slinger," a writer. " Don't sling
your i-ass at me," means give
me no more of your impudence.
"Jerk" and "jerker " are in every
way exact synonyms for "sling"
and " slinger," e.g., a beer-
jerker.
Beeswax (common), poor,
soft cheese, sometimes called
"sweaty-toe cheese," the French
equivalent of which is " pied de
facteur." Applied to persons
whom it is difficult to get rid
of. Friends conversing together
seeing one of this kind coming
towards them, frequently say,
" Here's old Beestoax, let's be off."
Bees'vyaxers (Winchester College).
Thick-soled, laced-up boots are
BO called, no doubt from being
used in damp or snowy weather,
after having been besmeared
with beeswax, grease, or dub-
bin, in order to make them
water-tight.
Bee - sweetening ( American ) ,
honey, more jargon than slang.
I was once a guest in a log-cabin, in a
remote part of Indiana, in 1864. There
were on the supper-table three kinds of
sweetening for the coffee, and yet none of
them were made from the cane. " Will
you have," asked my host, '^ bee-svieeten-
in, tree-sweetenin', or sorghum?" Bee-
S7ueeienin' was honey, tree-sweetenin' was
maple sugar and maple molasses, while
sorghum was the coarse molasses made
from a kind of Chinese maize.
Beetle-crushers (common), a per-
son's foot. More frequently
used with the sense of foot of
large proportions, large flat foot.
Also shoe or boot.
Beetle-crushers — Belial.
103
Yes, but what horrible boots ! whoever
could have had the atwocity to fwame such
beetle-crushers. — Rhoda Broughton : Red
as a Rose is She.
The expression was first used
in Punch, in one of Leech's
caricatures. A man with " ex-
trdmitds canailles," as the
French have it, is said to be
blessed with " beetle-crushers
and mutton fists." (Army), an
infantry soldier is derisively
termed beetle-crusher by the
cavalry, varied sometimes to
" mud-crusher," a near equi-
valent of the French "pousse-
caillou."
Who wouldn't Be a millionaire,
A-roUing in his riches?
Though dolor-ous the load they bear —
Who wouldn't be a millionaire?
I own the rich man's shoes to wear
My beetle-crusher itches 1
Who wouldn't be a millionaire,
A-rolling in his riches ?
— Funny Folks.
Before - tim (pidgin), formerly,
once, previously, ere now, of
old.
Old How-qua, he one piecee velly largey
Hong machin (merchant), sartin be/ore-
tim you plenty healee (have heard oO
allo-same Uoff-quSi.—How-gtta and the
Pearls.
Beggarbolts (nautical), a term
formerly applied to any missiles
thrown from a galley-slaves'
boat at an attacking force.
Beggars' velvet (common), par-
ticles of down shaken from a
bed, and left to accumulate
under furniture by the negli-
gence of housemaids. A more
befitting term is " sluts'-wool,"
as reflecting on the lazy habits
of the maid.
Begum, a rich widow,
Beilby's ball (old), an old Bailey
executioner. " You will dance
at Beilby's ball, where the sheriil
pays for the music," frofii the
name of the executioner in the
time of Jonathan Wild.
Be in it, to (common), Uke the
American phrase "to be on it."
But the English expression
seems to denote being in trouble,
" I'm always in it."
And I was in it, fairly in it !
I fell in the box of eggs and there I
quickly stuck.
I mas in it, fairly in it !
I was in it, for it's just my luck.
— Song.
Bejant, new student at Aberdeen
University. A corruption of
the French bSjaune {bee jaune),
unsophisticated young man,
compared to an unfledged black-
bird. The term is applied to
the first or lowest class, the
second being the " semi-bejants,"
the third the "tertians," and
the fourth the " magistrands."
Belay (nautical), stop. " Belay
that yarn," cease talking, we
have had enough of it.
Belch (old), beer.
Belcher (roughs), a blue bird's-
eye handkerchief.
Belial (Oxford), BaUiol College.
104
Bell — Bell-topper.
Bell (tramps), a song.
B e 1 1 e r i n (American), talking
loudly, crying aloud.
'Twas up among de mountains
All in de woods an' canes ;
A nigger came a bellerin
An' rushin' throo de wanes.
— Lucy Neal.
I hed a plaguey good ol' musket that I'd
brung with me from my hum in Jarsey,
an' I'd polished an' iled it till it was slick
as a whistle, an' I kinder thought I'd open
JefTs eyes a leetle ef I got any kind of a
chance to p'int it at one o' them air deer
Jeff 'd I>en a bellerin so much 'bout. — New
York Sun.
Bellows (pugilistic), the lungs ;
"bellows to mend " was formeriy
said of a pugilist when winded,
and generally of a person out of
breath.
Bellows, bellowses (American),
the heaves in a horse.
And when old Tom Jefferson sent for
me to go to Washington, I was still here
with fifteen children and as good a boss as
any man ever sid, only she was blind and
had the bellusses. — Uncle Steve's Stump
speech.
(Nautical), an old hand at the
belloics, a man up to his work,
to his duty. A " fresh hand at
the bellows " is said when a gale
increases.
Bellowsed (thieves) was said of
nnc who had " lumped the
lighter " or had been " lagged,"
i.e., transported. As laoged is a
gy|>sy word, meaning bound or
tied together (Hindu iCigdnul),
it is probable that bellowsed is
the common provincial word
belost, which has precisely the
same signification.
Bellowser (pugilistic), a blow
that knocks the wind out of the
" bellows " or lungs. (Old cant),
a sentence of transportation for
life ; that is, to the convict's
last breath when his lungs or
"bellows" cease to play.
Bellows to mend (pugilistic and
athletes), short in the wind,
pumped out.
To one gentleman he would pleasantly
observe, as he tapped him on the chest,
" Bellcrws for you to mend, my buck ! " —
C. Bede : Verdant Green.
Bell swagger (old), a noisy,
bullying fellow.
Bell-topped or knobbed (vulgar),
a man with a large top to his
generative organ.
Bell-topper, that kind of hat
known in England as a " chira-
ney-pot," a " silk hat," a " high
hat," a " top hat," a ^^bell-top-
per," a bell-shaped top hat. The
term is, we believe, not un-
known to hatters in England,
but in Australia it is universally
used, often even by refined peo-
ple. White ones are very much
commoner than black in Aus-
tralia and America, on account
of the higher temperature.
When the writer was about
to land at Port Melbourne he
was warned " a man is of no
account in Melbourne without
a wliite bell -topper." Soon after
this he went to the Geelong
Bell-topper — Belvidere.
105
races and ordered a dozen
oysters at a stall. The man
gave him thirteen by mistake.
"Stop," he said, "you're giving
me too many." The man who
was next to him — quite a com-
mon man and a little drunk —
turned round and addressed him
sententiously, "A cove with a
white hell-topper should never
be mean."
Belly-chere (old cant), food.
Belly-chete (old cant), an apron.
Bellyful (old), a sound drubbing
or thrashing.
Belly-go-firster (old slang), the
first blow, usually given in the
belly.
Belly hedges (Shrewsbury School),
an obstruction of a moderate
character in steeplechases run
by the boys.
Belly plea, the (old), the old slang
term to describe the practice
of women condemned to death
pleading pregnancy in mitiga-
tion or deferment of sentence.
This custom is alluded to in the
" Beggar's Opera." In most jails
there were men termed "child
getters," who made a practice
of qualifying women to put for-
ward such a plea.
Belly-timber (common), food;
termed also " prog," " grub."
Belly up, a facetious way of allud-
ing to a woman being in the
family way.
" So help my greens, if our
Sal ain't bin and got her belly
up."
Belly-vengeance (common), sour
beer that wiU give the stomach-
ache.
Below the belt (tailors), unfair
or mean, from an expression
used in boxing or fencing.
Belt, belt tinker, bellows (tailors),
a very roughly made garment.
Belting (nautical), a beating, be-
fore the rattan or cat-o'-nine-
tails came into use.
Belting society (legal), a debat-
ing society, formerly held in the
Inns of Court.
Beltinker(popular), to give a man
bcltinher, to thrash him.
Then they begin using bad language.
They swear they'll give me beltinktr if
they ever hear me again. — Ballad.
Some of the synonyms are " to
give one Jessie, a tanning, a hid-
ing, a walloping, a jacketting,
a dusting, to walk into, to
quilt, to set about," the opera-
tion being sometimes pushed
tu " thrashing one within an
inch of his life," or " knocking
into a cocked hat."
Belvidere (popular), a handsome
man, an Apollo. Pronounced
hdvy-dcar.
io6
Bent use — Bender.
The ladies say I am bewitching,
In fact I'm a real belvitUre.
In bar-room, in parlour, in kitchen,
Oh, thb is the language I hear.
— The Beautiful Major : Ballad.
Bemuse, to (common), to fuddle
oneself with drink.
Ben (jonmalistic and theatrical),
short for benefit.
Benefit to Jack Burke.— This well-
known boxer, who has had the misfortune
to break his leg in two places, is to be
accorded a benefit at the Mason's Hall,
Bow Common Lane, on Monday, Decem-
ber 5. A capital programme has been
organised, and we hope that his fellow
pro's will rally round him on the occasion,
and give his ben a good send off. M.C.'s
Jack Fay, and T. Sands. — Sporting Life.
(Common), an abbreviation for
"Benjamin," a waistcoat (see
Benjamin) ; to stand hen, to
treat one to liquor.
Benamee (Anglo-Indian, also old
gypsy), anonymous. Hindu, 6e-
naml.
A term specially applied to documents
of transfer and other contracts in which the
name entered as that of one of the chief
parties is not that of the person interested.
— Anglo-Indian Glossary.
Benat, benar (old cant), better.
Ben cull (thieves), a friend, a
comrade, a "pal" Cull meant
formerly a man, a fool ; hen, an
abbreviation of the cant term
hene, good.
Bend (common), "that's above
my bend," i.e., beyond my
power, too expensive or too
difficult to perform (Hotten).
This has nothing in common
with the " Grecian bend," an
affected Btyle of walking as-
sumed by some ladies as a
flattery to royalty, in keeping
with the " Alexandra limp."
Bender (common), a sixpence, so
called because it is easily bent ;
also " kick," a very old word.
In old cant " half-a-borde," and
now a " tanner," and in thieves'
lingo a " cripple."
" What will you take to be paid out?"
said the butcher. " The regular chum-
mage is two-and-six ; will you take three
bob?" "And a bender," suggested the
clerical gentleman. — Charles Dickens :
Pickwick Papers.
(American), a frolic, relaxation,
spree, or " party." Probably
from the Dutch bende, an assem-
bly, party, or band.
I led her through the festal hall,
Her glance was soft and tender ;
She whispered gently in my ear,
" Say, Mose, ain't this a bender t"
— Putnam's Monthly (Barileit, p. 29).
Hans Breitmann joined de Turners,
November in de Fall,
Und dey gived a boorsten bender
All in de Turner Hall.
— Breitmann and the Turners.
Also a leg.
Young ladies are not allowed to cross
their benders in school. — Longfello^v :
Kavanagh.
(Thieves and roughs), the arm ;
over the bender means over the
arm, over the left, i.e., not really.
In the same way schoolboys
said, "I'll do it — fain," mean-
ing that they will not.
Yanx, in his Memoirs, says :
— "Bender is an ironical word
used in conver.sation by flash
people ; as where one j^arty
afiirms or professes anything
Bender — Bengi,
107
which the other believes to be
false or insincere, the latter
expresses his incredulity by ex-
claiming bender ! or if one asks
another to do an act which the
latter considers unreasonable or
impracticable, he repUes, ' Oh,
yes; I'll do it — bender,' mean-
ing by the addition of the last
word that in fact he wiU do no
such thing."
Bendigo (common), nearly obso-
lete. A fur cap named from a
noted pugilist, who is said to
have got his nickname from
his skill at " ducking." This
" muscular Christian," some
fifteen' years ago, became a
convert and preacher.
Bendover (Winchester) is to place
yourself in such a posture as to
give one so disposed an oppor-
tunity of "spanking" you.
Bene, ben (old cant), good.
A gage oiben Rom-bouse,
In a bousing-ken of Rom-vile,
Is benar than a Caster, Peck, pannam,
lay.
Or popler, which we mill in dense-a-
vile. — Thomas Middleton.
"vStowe your 6ene" is thus ex-
plained —
"What, stowe your bene., cofe, and cut
benar wydds." — Harman : Caveat.
I.e., "What, hold your peace, good fel-
low, and speak better words."
A beae mort, a pretty woman.
Oh 1 where will be the culls of the bing,
A hundred stretches hence ?
The bene maris, who sweetly sing,
A hundred stretches hence ?
— A Hundred Stretches Hence.
Bene darkmans (old cant), good
night.
Bene flakes (old cant), bill-for-
Beneship (old cant), very well.
Ben-flake (thieves), a steak at a
" slap-bang," i.e., a low cooking-
shop or eating-house.
Beng (gypsy), devil, flame ; hen'
galo, bengescro, devilish. Also
bengis or bengus. Bengis his ze
(zee), (May) the devil (be in) his
heart. Paspati, also Pott. Thes,
ii. 407, arguing from mere re-
semblance of sound, derives being
from benk, a frog, or beng, a frog,
or benga, squint-eyed in Hindu,
But as bengel in German and
Dutch means a mischievous, evil
fellow or scamp, there is pro-
bably some Aryan root which
would furnish a more direct
connection with the evil prin-
ciple.
" As if yuv had dikked o' ien£^ te sa," —
" As if he had seen the devil and all."
— English Gypsy Songs.
Perhaps it comes from beg,
Hindu, but of Mongol origin,
meaning lord or master. The
Spanish gypsies call the devil
by a similar term, d buen baron,
the good baron or lord.
Bengi (military), an onion. Ori-
gin obscure, but it may be re-
ferred to the Hindustani bcng
or bhang, from its pungent
taste ; or again, it may be a
io8
Bengi — Beshava.
form of the Hindu bhindi (often
pronounced like bengi), the okra
of America, also called bendy
and bdmia. One variety of it is
about the size of an onion.
Bengy, a waistcoat, is from the
gypsy bangri.
Benighted, the (Anglo-Indian),
a term applied in raillery to the
inhabitants of Madras by their
envious neighbours.
Benjamin or benjie (common), a
waistcoat or coat, formerly a
"Joseph." Possibly an allusion
to Joseph's garment left in Ma-
dame Potiphar's grasp. Dr. C.
Mackay says it was so named
from a once celebrated advertis-
ing tailor in London. (Nauti-
cal), a low crowned straw hat,
with a very broad brim.
Ben joltraem (old), poor and
coarse food, such as agricultural
men, navigators, and men work-
ing on roads, have to put up
with.
Bens (American), tools, styled
" alls " by English workmen.
Benvenue (printers), obsolete.
This was a kind of entrance-fee
paid by the workman to the
" chapel " on entering a new
oflice. Equivalent to " stand-
ing his footing." Derived from
the French apparently, bien-
venue, welcome, footing, used
in the expression " payer la
bicuvenue."
Beong (costermongers),a shilling ;
in old cant a " borde " and now
a "bob;" from the Italian
bianco, white, also a silver coin.
An equivalent for this is to be
found in most slangs. For in-
stance, in Dutch thieves' slang,
toitten; in German, blanker ; Ita-
lian, biancon. Formerly French
silver coins were termed blancs.
Beray (old cant), dung, dirty.
Berk, burk, pi. berkia (gypsy),
breast, breasts.
Bero (gypsy), a ship or boat ;
beromengro, a sailor ; beromcscro,
pertaining to a ship, naval.
"Ghiom adrd a bero" — " I went
in a ship," in common jargon
" mandy-jawed (or jassed), adrd
a bero."
Berthas (Stock Exchange), Lon-
don, Brighton, and South Coast
Railway Company, ordinary
stock.
Dear Bertha, I have not forgotten,
She's really a feature in " rails ; "
And tho' some of my tips have been rotten,
I landed some money in " mails."
— A tkin : House Scraps.
Besh (gypsy) , a year. Continental
gypsy, bersh. Bui besh, two
years.
Beshava (gypsy), I sit, common
form besh ; Besh tu alay, sit
down; bcshclla, he sits. "Who
besh in ye pus, around the yag "
— " Who sit in the straw around
the fire." — 0. Borrow: Lavengro.
Beshermengro — Betty.
109
Beshermengro (gypsy), one who
sits, a magistrate.
Bespeak-night (common), a night
in theatrical performance set
apart for the special benefit of
some actor or actress — a benefit
in modern phraseology.
Best (common), to best a man,
to have the better of one in
any way.
And this great party, the noble army of
consumers, would cry out at any attempt
to raise the price of the commodity for
the benefit of the producers, whom, by a
curious perversion of mind, they consider ~
their natural enemies, to be bested sX every
possible opportunity. — Evening News.
To cheat.
When I went to the fence he bested
me because I was drunk, and only gave
me £i, los. for the lot. — Horsley : Jott-
ings frcmi Jail.
(Thieves), to give in Ic&t, to
affect repentance.
If when in the magisterial presence he
contorts his countenance in affected agony,
it is merely because he perceives from his
worship's tone that he wishes to agonise
him, and is shrewd enough to know that
to "give in best," as he would express it,
is the way to get let off easy. — J. Green-
wood : The Seven Curses 0/ London.
Bester (popular), one who gets
the better. Also a low betting
cheat, a blackleg.
Best girl (American), the preferred
one ; a sweetheart.
"Did you ever hear," asked my best girl,
as we drove along Delaware Avenue, past
the elegant grounds of Jonathan Scoville,
" why Mr. Scoville never built that costly
residence he had planned ?" — Detroit Free
Press.
Besting (running), to get the
better of any one by unfair
means.
Besting the pistol (running),
where a runner gets the best
of the starter, and is away on
his journey when the pistol
goes off.
Bet a seed, to (American), to bet
the smallest chip or counter,
i.e., stake, in the game of poker.
— MS. Collection of Americanisms,
by C. Leland-IJarrison.
Be there, to (common), to be in
one's element, to be knowing at
a thing.
I very soon began to preach and prate.
And with the sisters played some funny
pranks,
I was so good at nobbling with the plate.
They soon made me captain of the ranks ;
And often when our meetings were dis-
persed,
With sister Jane I'd offer up a prayer,
I'd such a jolly spree when she took me
home to tea.
For I know what it is to be there ! — Song.
Better than a dig in the eye with
a blunt stick (common). The
expression is used to denote a
thing of little value.
Betting round (racing), laying
fairly and equally against nearly
all the horses in a race, so that
no great risk can be run. Com-
monly called "getting round."
Betty (thieves), a skeleton key
or picklock, termed also tivvil,
twist, .screw ; all Betty, it is all
up I past recovery.
no
Bet — Bible-clerk.
Bet, you (American), you may be
sure of it, you may safely bet
that it is true.
We reached the settlement of Ubet. The
name had been selected from the slang
phrase so laconically expressive of " You
may be sure I will. "... A night marauder
took advantage of a good moon to place a
ladder against a window, hoping to secure
the property of a gentleman asleep within
the chamber. As he lifted the window and
put his head in the gentleman woke up,
and with great promptness presented his
six-shooter, shouting out, " You get ! "
With equal promptness the detected thief
exclaimed, "■ You bet ! " and slid down the
ladder, — et procul in tenuem ex ocvlis
evanuit auram. — Alex. Stavely Hill:
Front Home to Home.
Bever (obsolete), a slight repast
between meals, an afternoon
lunch, a meal eaten in a hurry.
It was in use at the English and
American universities. At the
former the bevers consisted of
a portion of bread and an allow-
ance of beer laid out in the hall
in the afternoon, a break of a
quarter of an hour in school
time being allowed in summer
for this refreshment. The pecu-
liar nature of the repast was a
relic of the old founders' days.
Old English bever, a drinking ;
from the old French bevre, to
drink.
Bevy or bevali (common), beer ;
abbreviation of beverage. Gypsy
pivi, drink; Slavonian jj/fo, beer.
Other appellations for beer are
" gatter, oil of barley, bug juice,
ponjello " ; and were it the best
of Bass's it is termed by board-
ing-.school boys " swipes."
Bewer (tinkers' slang), a woman.
"Misli to my bewer" — "Write
(i.e., go or send) to my woman,"
Young bew'r, a girl.
B flats (popular), bugs.
Mrs. B. beheld one night a stout negro
of the flat-backed tribe, known amongcomic
writers as the B Jlats, stealing up toward
the head of the people. — Household Words.
Bheesty (Anglo-Indian), a water-
carrier. " The universal word in
the Anglo-Indian households of
Northern India for the domestic
who supplies the family with
water, carrying it in a mussuck
or goat's skin on his back. No
class of men is so diligent, so
faithful, unobtrusive, and so
uncomplaining as the bihistis."
— Anglo-Indian Glossary.
Here comes a seal carrying a porpoise
on its back. No 1 it is only our friend the
bheesty. — In my Indian Garden.
Bible (nautical), a liand axe ; also
a square jjiece of freestone to
grind the deck with sand in
cleaning it ; a small holystone,
so called from seamen using
them kneeling. — Admiral Smyth.
Bible carrier (common), a person
who sells songs without singing
them (Hotten).
Bible-clerk (Winchester), a col-
lege prefect who has to read
the lessons in chapel, to keep
order in school, to open the
doors for masters, to keep up
the fire, and assist at flogging.
He holds his ollice for a week
at a time. Bible-clerks come into
Bible-clerk — Big as.
Ill
course now (since " Cloisted
time" 1872) on Wednesday in-
stead of Saturday. A Bible-
cleric xscob is the first "scob"
(box spelt backwards, phoneti-
cally) on the right hand as you
enter school It bears a brass
plate with the inscription en-
graved on it : " Tw det di'07-
vwarr]" — "To each successive
reader," because £ible-dei-ks
used to read the lessons at
meals.
Bible-pounder (popular), a parson ;
termed also a "white-choker,"
a " devil-dodger," a " cushion-
smiter."
Bibling (Winchester), a flogging
consisting of six cuts on the
small of the back administered
by the head or second master.
The term is obsolete. The
bibling-Tod was an instrument
with which the punishment of
bibling was administered. It
consisted of a handle terminated
by four apple-tree twigs.
Underneath is the place of execution
where delinquents are " bibled." It need
hardly be said that it (the rod) is applied
in the ordinary fashion, six cuts forming
what is technically called a bibling, on
which occasion the Bible-clerk introduces
the victim ; and four being the sum of a
less terrible operation called a "scrubbing."
— Blacl'TduoocIs Edinburgh Magazine.
Biddable (common), docile, obe-
dient to order, tractable.
Biddy (Winchester College), a
bath in college which was filled
every morning for Prefects, &c.,
by the junior man in each
" gallery " or bed-room. The
origin of the word is possibly due
to the French bidet, an article
of bed-room furniture for the
use of ladies, more common on
the Continent than in Eng-
land. (American), an Irish ser-
vant girl.
Bidree or bidry (Anglo-Indian).
Of late years all amateurs of
bric-k-brac in England have be-
come familiar with a kind of
nieUo-work of sUver patterns on
a black metal ground which
comes from the Deccan, and
which takes its name from the
city of Bidar. This is bidree
work. The ground is made of
three parts pewter to one of
copper, which is inlaid with the
silver, and the ground is then
blackened. — Madras Literary
Society Jmii-nal, New Series, i
81-84.
Biff (Americanism), to give a " biff
in the jaw," to strike one in the
face. In England to " fetch
you a wipe in the mug," or
" give you a bang in the chops,"
are choice. Biff is from the
provincial English befet or buffet,
a blow ; old French bufet. Pos-
sibly Anglo-Saxon hifjan, to
•shake.
Biffin (popular), "my biffin" is a
friendly appellation.
"Ain't that up to Dick, my biffin?" " I
never said it warn't." — /. Greenwood:
Under the Blue Blanket.
Big^ as all out o' doors, a hu-
morous Americanism for any-
112
Big-bird — Big fellow.
thing unusually or abnormally
large.
The infamal villain ! Tell me who he is,
and if he was as big as all out-doors I'd
walk into him.
He is looking as big as all out-doors
jist now, and is waitin' for us to come to
him.
— Sam Slick : The Clockmaker.
Big-bird (theatrical), to "get the
big-bird," to be hissed. The bird
is supposed to be, and is very
often, a goose. French actors
call hissing " appeler Azor,"
this being the usual name for
a dog.
Big bugs (American), an expres-
sion for great people, people of
consequence, aristocrats. Bart-
lett thinks that this word sug-
gests some anecdote which
would be " worth finding out."
There is no lack in American
newspapers of anecdotes ex-
plaining the origin of popular
phrases, but unfortunately about
ninety-nine in a himdred of
them are what Germans call
Nachwerk, manufactured after-
wards by some ingenious hu-
mourist to suit the case. The
following, which is of recent
origin, might easily pass for
one of these valuable originals.
Those which have already ap-
peared on Chestnut, sworn to by
as many authorities as those
cited by Autolycus, would fill a
chapter.
It puts me in mind of a story once
heard from an old man. He was speaking
of a rich neighbour who was going for the
first time to New Orleans. " Yes," he
said, " Mr. Jones is a mighty big man
round here, but he won't stand a chance
to shine down there. He'll be like the
bug who lived on a pumpkin, and because
he was twice as big as any other bug round
there, he allowed he was the largest insect
on earth. But one day there came two or
three of' them big gold beetles, and lit on
the pumpkin in all their original splendour,
and Mr. Pumpkin Bug jest turned pale and
crawled down underneath. " Children,"
says he, " I wouldn't hev thought it, but
there's bigger bugs in the world than what
I be ! " — Queer Bits.
While my wife goes out washin', an
cleanin' big bug houses,
I'll have a shop down-town for renovatin'
trousers. — A Bootblacks Soliloquy.
In the Australian lingo big
bugs has also the meaning of
man of importance.
" What's your brother doing ? "
" Oh ! he's an awful big bug now. The
Minister of Railways has got him a billet
in the Civil Service."
" What's the billet ? "
"Railway-porter at Lai Lai." — Vic-
torian Comic Paper.
Big country (sport), the open
countrj'.
In the roomy stalls of the stables you
make the acquaintance of Donative, who
bore his lord and master to victory over
three miles of big country. — The IVorld.
Big dog with a brass collar, the,
the principal or head of a con-
cern, or the biggest " wig" of a
place.
Big fellow (AustraUan Blackf el-
low's lingo), large, a quantity ;
a specimen of the pidgin Eng-
lish stuffed with Blackfellow's
words used by the whites on
stations in their intercourse with
the aborigines.
Biggin — Big mouth.
113
" Too much big fellow water, bait (ply)
fly come up bait pind (find) him," answers
the aboriginal, adding, however, the ques-
tion, ' ' You patter potchum ? " (eat possum).
—A. C. Grant.
Biggfin (Winchester, &c.), a coffee-
pot consisting of two parts — a
strainer, and a coffee-pot.
" It is very odd," said Hatton to his
companion Morley, "you can't get coffee
anywhere." Morley, who had supposed
that coffee was about the commonest article
of consumption in Mowbray, looked a little
surprised ; but at this moment Hatton's
servant entered with a mysterious yet some-
what triumphant air, and ushering in a
travelling biggin of their own, fuming like
one of the springs of Geyser. " Now try
that," said Hatton to Morley, as the ser-
vant poured him out a cup. — Disraeli:
Sybil.
Biggity (American), large, extra-
vagant, grand, presumptuously.
Well, den, w'iles dey wuz all a-settin'
dar, en de 'lasses wuz a bilin' en a blub-
berin', dey got ter runnin' on, talkin'
mighty biggity. — Uncle Remus.
Big guns (common), men of im-
portance, great people.
M. Coquelin has been feted, feasted,
and generally entertained during his stay
in the metropolis. The other evening he
was invited to meet the Prince of Wales,
and had the honour of supping with Albert
the Jolly, and a host of other big guns. —
Modern Society.
Big head (American), a term of
abuse, implying that a man
is conceited, "bumptious;" to
get the hig head, to be in a
state verging on intoxication,
what the French call " etre al-
lumd."
All the Colonel's tact and diplomacy
were necessary to preserve peace now. . . .
The " boys " got the big head, and dis-
played effervescence scarcely less remark-
able than that of the champagne itself.—
F. Francis ; Saddle and Moccasin.
It signifies, further, the feeling
of a swelled head, accompanied
by headache experienced in the
morning after a debauch, when
one has " mal aux cheveux," as
the French express it.
A big head laden with cocktails and gin,
Is all that I have to say.
To remind me of the whisky that has all
gone in
To a hold that is not far away.
As I sit on a keg gazing over the beers.
That the bums are all scooping down,
I pray that the barkeeper may have no
fears.
For in whisky I'll never be drowned.
— Chicago Tribune : Dear Boys, Come
and Have a Drink.
Big house (costermongers), the
workhouse.
As long as they kept out of the big house
she would not complain. . . . The men
hate the thought of going to the big house.
— London Labour a?id the London Poor.
Big Injun (American), a term ap-
plied at first by the red Indians
to indicate some great chief.
" He big Injun — he heap big Injun —
he dam heap big Injun — he mighty dam
big heap dam big Injun — he Jones 1 " —
Three Thousand Miles in a Railway Car.
Philadelphia, 1869.
Big mouth (American), a very
common expression applied to
any man who talks too much,
who is windy, "gassy," and
given to bosh. During his
trial for murder the wretched
Guiteau often interrupted the
judge by crying out " Shut up,
hig mouth."
II
114
Big tints — Bildar.
Henry George is going to leave New
York for a while. He is probably jealous
of Liberty, whose mouth is a yard wide. —
Philadelphia North A tnerican.
Tliey hev wandered with their sorrers unto
the sunny South,
They hev got tremendous swallows, and a
monstrous lot of mouth.
— Ballad of the Green Old Man.
Big nuts to crack (American), a
difficult or large undertaking.
Big pond (American), the Atlantic,
He (old Clay) is all sorts of a boss, and
the best live one that ever cut dirt this side
of the big pond, or t'other side either. —
Sam Slick : The Clockiiiaker.
Big pot (common), a somebody,
a person of consequence.
My name is Peter Smifkins,
I live with ma at Slough ;
I've got a city clerkship,
.So I'm quite a big pot now.
— Music Hall Song.
Big side runs (Rugby), the open
paper chases.
Big sides (schools), a school term
for the practice games at foot-
ball, where all or nearly all the
boys join in. It was originally
used at Rugby.
Big take (American), anything
very much affected or popular.
A grand acquisition, a fashion,
a success.
We hear that certain fragrant and cun-
ningly contrived bouquets for ladies are a
big take in New York. In the centre of
the pretty bunches of flowers half-pint
bottles are neatly concealed. The Ixjttles
are filled with cool refreshing cocktails ;
straws run throuKh the corks, and as the
gentle daughters of Kve take a sniff, they
can enjoy a " snifter."— /^»«.
Big, to look (common), to assume
an inflated air or manner. To
" talk hig," to talk in a boasting
manner, from the propensity
of very small men to assume
"bumptious" or defiant ways.
These expressions have almost
ceased to be slang.
Big wig (common), a pompous,
conceited individual. Also ap-
plied by the lower classes to
those in a high station of life
or office. Thus a judge or
nobleman will be termed a hig
wig. The word is used in a
good-humoured, familiar sense.
The portraits of Holy Bonifacius, Bishop
of Budgeon, and all the defunct big-7uigs
of the college. — Thackeray: Lovell the
lVido7ver.
Talbot Twysden's dinner-table is large,
and the guests most respectable. There
is always a big-iuig or two present. —
Thackeray : Tlu Adventures of Philip.
This morning he went up of his own
accord afore the Lord AL-iyor or some of
them city big-ivigs. — Dickens: Martin
Chuzzle^vit.
(Nautical), a high officer.
Bikin (gypsy), to sell ; h'ikin cngro,
a merchant, or one who sells.
Bildar or beldars (Anglo-Indian),
a term applied to diggers with
the spade or mattock in the pub-
lic works.
Ye lyme is .-xll<5 out — ye masons lounge
aboute !
Ye beldars have alle strucke and are
smoking att their eese,
Ye brickes are alle done ! —
Ye kyne are skynne and bone,
And ye thre.isurour has bolted wyth xii
thousand rupees I
— Anglo-Indian Glossary: Ye Dreame
of an K.recutiTe F.ngineere.
Bile — Bilking.
115
Bile (old slang), an old term used
for the female organ of genera-
tion.
Bilk (common), to defraud, to
cheat, to obtain goods without
paying for them, to cheat the
driver of a hackney carriage
or a girl from whom one has
received the sexual favour; a
bilk, a deception. The term
has long been in use.
And all the vile companions of a street
Keep a perpetual bawling at the door :
Who beat the bawd last night? who
bilkt the whore ?
— Earl 0/ Rochester's Works.
I don't intend to bilk my lodgings. —
Fielding: Tom Jones.
But as upon the scene I cast
My wond'ring gaze, a friend went past.
His nose was red, he reeled along,
And when I asked him what was wrong,
Strong drink, he said, was [liic .') a bilk.
And so he had been drinking — milk !
— Scraps.
To "do a hilk,^' to defraud,
specially used in the case of
prostitutes who are cheated, in
the French slang " poser un la-
pin." Most etymologists derive
the word l\lk from the Gothic
hilaikan, to mock, to deride.
Bilk, as provincial or old Eng-
lish, meaning to cheat or defraud
(Wright), is a form of balk, which
has the same meaning, in the
sense of hindering a man in his
rights. Balk, to hinder, is, ac-
cording to Skeat (Etymol. Diet.)
from balk, a beam or bar ; to
put a balk or bar in a man's
way. Anglo-Saxon balea. But
as English it is probably from a
Danish source, bjalka, Old Norse
bialki (Ettmiiller, Lex. Ang.
Saxonicum), which brings us
directly to bilk.
" Bilking the blues," in prison
slang, is evading the police.
In society a man who, though
never actually found out, is
strongly suspected of cheating
at cards, would be called a
bilk.
Bilker (common), same meaning
as bilk in the sense of cheat,
but specially applied to rascals
who defraud prostitutes or cab-
men.
A third and frequent means of evading
payment of cab fares is for riders late at
night, or in the small hours of the morn-
ing, to stealthily get out of the vehicles
in motion, and then run off unobserved.
Some of these malpractitioners have be-
come so skilful in this action that they
have left the cabs and gently closed the
door afterwards without being seen, when
they were being driven along at six or
seven miles an hour. In a few instances
the more expert of these bilkers have even
jumped out of "hansoms" in dark roads
or lanes unperceived by their drivers when
the "two-wheelers" have been running at
eight or nine miles an hour. — Tit Bits.
(Popular), one who gets a bed
at a lodging-house and does not
pay for it.
Besides, the sjTnpathies of the other
lodgers are always with the bilker, and if
they took any part in a scuffle, should such
a thing arise, it would be in his favour
and agninst the porter. — Thor Fredur :
Sketches from Shady Places.
Bilking (popular), explained by
quotation.
The consequence is that all duties are
discharged in such a place in the most
slovenly manner, and that as many as pos-
ii6
Bill— Billet.
sible are shirked, with consequences in the
way of bilking, or getting beds without
paying for them. — Thor Fredur : Sketches
from Shady Places.
Bill (Eton), in the h\R, on the
punishment list.
Some of the small boys whom this de-
lightful youth tempted to ape his habits,
had often occasion to rue it when they
staggered back to college giddy and sick,
carrying with them a perfume which told
its tale to their tutors, and caused them to
be put in the bill. — Brinsley Richards :
Seven Years at Eton.
Bill, a long or short (common), a
term of imprisonment.
Out of prison, Larry I Lord save me !
yev've had a short bill this time for kick-
ing a woman. — Savage Loudon.
Bill brighters (winter), small
fagots employed in the kitchen
to light the fires.
Billed up (army), confined to bar-
racks, a term peculiar to Her
Majesty's Guards, to whom a
punishment which curtails free-
dom of movement is no doubt
especially irksome.
Billet (Australian, popular), a situa-
tion. A bUlet is as universal a
term for a situation as "screw "
is for a salary in Australia, or
" bobby " for policeman in Eng-
land. The metaphor is of course
taken from billets or quarters
being found for soldiers, who
are then said to be " billeted out "
in military parlance. Thus one
of the commonest slang words
in Australia—
Up country billets oft are loss.
Work for "tucker" — trust the boss.
— Edward Fitzgerald : Printers'
Proi>erbs in the A ustralasian
Printers Keepsal;e.
A gentleman at a boarding-
house in Parramatta, New South
Wales, in 18S3, related with
great gusto a curate's biRet in
Northumberland which had just
come under his notice. The
vicar was away travelling round
the world for his health, and the
curate, a Cambridge graduate,
received the magnificent stipend
of ;i^ 1 20 a year for looking after
the church services, the parish,
the vicar's wife and five children,
and two puj^ils cramming for
matriculation.
Billet is used in England with
a like signification. In prisorus
"getting a billet" is being ap-
pointed to some ofiice which
procures certain advantages for
the convict who is fortunate
enough "to receive the favour.
Some time later on I renewed my ac-
quaintance with P under difficulties
which were not altogether insurmountable,
and as he walked behind me in the exer-
cise ground, he told me the story of his
commercial career. Being a " communion
bloke" and a "good character" man, he
soon got a billet. He was enrolled amongst
the " cleanerSj" and promoted to be the
"chaplain's orderly," which was the only
billet I wished to obtain for myself. He
secured it, and on a Sunday solemnly
marched up the ])ulpit stairs to open the
Rible or Prayer Hook, and fix therein at
the proper places the hymns and anthems
to be sung by the congregation. This was
his Sunday's duty. — Evening Ncivs.
(Old military slang), hiilet, ap-
l)ointed place or aim. " f^vcry
bullet has its hillel.^'
Billiard — Billy- hunting.
117
Billiard slum, the (Australian con-
victs' slang), false pretences.
Probably introduced into Aus-
tralia by the convicts transported
thither. To " give on the billiard
slum," to "mace" or "give
upon the mace," i.e., to obtain
goods on credit which you never
mean to pay for, to run up a
score with the same intention,
or to sponge upon your acquain-
tance by continually begging
or borrowing from them (Vaux's
Memoirs). To parallel the pun
between " mace " and billiard
slum, cf. "bolt-in-tun," "cob-
bler," &c. Slang, and especially
thieves' slang, is very addicted
to these puns.
Billingsgate pheasant (common),
a red herring or bloater, other-
wise known under the appella-
tion of "Yarmouth capon" or
" two-eyed steak."
Bill of sale (old slang), widows'
weeds.
he goes so far as having a bit of
mackintosh sheeting outside the
blanket to keep it dry. He will
be seen "humping" (carrying)
these on the hottest day.
So much for our hero ! A statuesque foot
Would suffer by wearing that heavy nailed
boot —
Its owner is hardly Achilles :
However, he's happy. He cuts a great
"fig"
In a land where a coat is no part of the
rig.
In the country of ''damper" and
billies.
—Dr. Kendall: Tim the Splitter.
Billy boy (nautical), a Yorkshire
vessel, with one mast.
Bill y-b u t to n (thieves' slang),
rhyming slang for mutton ; also
a contemptuous term for a young
journeyman tailor.
Billy buzman (thieves), a pick-
pocket who confines his atten-
tion exclusively to silk handker-
chiefs.
Billy (Scotch), a silk handerchief,
also used by thieves ; (common),
a policeman's stall ; (thieves),
stolen metal ; (New Zealand and
Australia), a saucepan. In the
Bush, everything — tea, soup, or
anything else — is boiled in the
hillij, a tin saucepan with a
wire poop-handle to carry it by.
The sundowner or swagman,
tramping the country in search
of work, invariably carries this
billy and a blanket. In the
latter all his worldly goods are
usually strapped up ; sometimes
Billycock (Australian), a kind of
hat. The billycock is a low,
round, hard-felt hat with a
turned-up brim. Hotten de-
scribes it as a soft felt hat of
the Jim Crow or " wide-awake "
description.
Billy-fencer (popular), a marine-
store dealer,
Billy-hunting (popular), buying
old metal ; one of the occupa-
tions of a " billy-fencer " or
marine-store dealer. (Thieves),
Ii8
Billy-siink — Binge.
going out for the purpose of
stealing pocket-handkerchiefs.
Billy-stink (Anglo-Indian), a name
given by Europeans in India to
the vile liquids of native manu-
facture sold in the bazaars.
Billy-stink is the very appropriate name
given by Europeans to one of those
maddening native compounds. It would
indeed be very hard to say what the com-
ponent properties of this very highly-
flavoured fluid consist of. . . . When
drinking any of the odoriferous mixture it
is a common thing for individuals to press
the apertures pertaining to their nasal ap-
pendage between thumb and forefinger. —
Brunlees Patterson : Life in the Ranks.
Bims, bimshise (West Indian).
Barbadoes and its inhabitants are
so nicknamed throughout the
West Indies. A recent traveller
hazards the following ingenious
explanation — which if not true
ought to be so — of these terms,
which are confessedly obscure
in their derivation. " Barbadoes
is known all the world over as
the little island that pays her
way ; it has never been con-
quered ; its people are enter-
prising and energetic, go-ahead
and driving ; in short, the
business men of these islands
(the Caribbees). Barbadian may
therefore be said to mean a
man with ' go ' and grit, energy
and vim."
^ing (g}Tsy)> the devil ; (old cant)
a liquor shop, as a rum bing ;
to bing, to go, to attack, shoot.
" Could you not have turned him on !iis
back like a turtle, and left him there?"
said Lord Etherington. "And had an
ounce of lead in my body for my pains?
No, no ! we have already had footpad
work enough. 1 promise you the old buck
was armed as if he meant to iing^ folks
on the low toby." — Scott: St. Ronan's
IVell.
Bing avast (old cant derived
from gypny), an angry command
to be off, meaning literally, " go
to the devil." Beng English
gypsy ; Scottish gypsy binff,
meaning the devil, and avast irom
avdva second present indicative
and imperative, avdsa or avissa
"thou goest," or "go thou."
Full form, bin<j avas tu ! or awaste.
It is probable that in Harman's
vocabulary a is by accident sepa-
rated from wad. Bin//, the devil,
is not to be confounded with the
same word in " to bi}ifj out," in
old cant, nor avast with avast,
in its other meaning. It is
probable that those who made
the old cant, having learned
from gypsies that bini/ ai-ast
meant "go to the devil," con-
sidered that binj meant " go "
or "come" a distance, and used
it as such.
Binf^ o\xt, bien morts and toure.
For all your duds are hinged awast.
— Old Song, 1560.
Binge (Oxford), a big drinking
bout. To bimjc is a provincialism
for to soak a vessel in water to
prevent its leaking. It is also a
nautical term meaning to rinse
a cask. This word seems to be
connected with bung, the orilice
in the bilge of a cask, througli
wliicli it is filled.
Bingo — Birdcage.
119
Bingo (old cant), probably of
gypsy origin. Spirits or brandy.
Pass round the bingo, son of a gun,
You musty, dusky, husky son !
— Lord Lytton : Paul Clifford.
Some soda-water, with a dash of bingo,
clears one's head in the morning. — T.
Hughes : Tom Brown at Oxford.
" Bingo boy," a drunkard ;
" bingo mort," female dram-
drinker.
£ing (gypsy), the devU, an evil
spirit, probably suggested the
word. Puns on spirit in its
twofold meaning have always
been common both in English
and gypsy. Bengalopani (gypsy) ,
Bing^ (trade), a term largely used
in the butter trade to denote
bad, ropy butter (Hotten).
Binnacle-word (nautical), any
learned or affected word used
in the navy, which the sailors
jeeringly offer to chalk upon
the binnacle.
Binni (tinker), small ; hinny soolli,
a boy ; lit. , small man.
Birch broom (thieves), rhyming
slang for room.
Birdcage, a slang term in vogue
among the lower orders for a
bustle, or in more modern slang a
' ' dress-improver." This part of
a lady's toilet is a kind of pad or
cushion worn at the back of the
dress for the purpose of ex-
panding the skirts, and, in some
cases, making up for certain
deficiencies in the wearer's form.
Those now in fashion are im-
mensely elongated structures,
little suggestive of the human
form ; some are built on the prin-
ciple of the old crinoline, with
wire or steel ribs, hence the ap-
pellation of birdcage.
She was walking in her hest clothes on
Bank Holiday, when a crossing sweeper
knocked up against her, and being a per-
fect lady she was all over his chevy before
he'd time to turn round, and they took
her by the chignon and the birdcage and
waltzed her into Vine Street quicker than
a wink. — Sporting Times.
Me and Jane was at Greenwich last
week. The hill's very nice, but Jane quite
spiled her birdcage rollin' down. A new
dress, too. — Ally Sloper's Half-Holiday.
Not long ago there was an
action relating to patents in the
High Court of Justice. The
court was strewn with various
specimens of these articles, and
considerable amusement was
caused by the spectacle of a
judge and several leading coun-
sel arguing gravely on the in-
tricacies of the various designs
for dress-improvers. The judge,
after looking at several designs,
said, " I hope you are going to
produce another of these ar-
ticles, Mr. , which I do not
see here. It is called the Jubi-
lee ... it is one which, when
a lady sits down, plays the
' National Anthem.' " An old
lawyer would have his feeble
joke, too, and remarked that he
had attended the sittings of the
court for many years, but that
never had he witnessed so much
" bustle."
I20
Birdcage — Bishop's foot.
(Racing), the saddling pad-
dock adjoining the Grand Stand
at Newmarket. (Popular), a
four - wheeled cab, otherwise
known by the appropriate ap-
pellation of " growler."
Bird-lime (thieves), rhyming slang
for time.
(popular), a handker-
Birdseye
chief.
Were they lurking at this secluded spot
until what they thought was a good time
to sheer off with the " swag " ? Was that
the swag tied up in the blue birdseyef —
J. Greenwood : In Strange Company.
Bird's eye fogle, a (prize-fighters),
the name of a scarf tied round
their waists by prize-fighters in
the ring ; a neckerchief or hand-
kerchief with white spots on a
black, blue, or other ground.
Fogle, from the German vogd, a
bird.
Bird's eye wipe (common), a ker-
chief, either for the pocket or
neck, with blue spots on it.
Birk (back slang), a "crib," i.e.,
house.
Birthday suit (common), the suit
of our first parents before they
had a bite in the apple.
Bish (Anglo-Indian), poison ; San-
skrit, %-ls1ia, poison.
An old English gypsy once asked me
if 1 knew what beesa meant. He said it
was a kind of poison made from beans. I
recognised in it at once an Indian word
for poison, especially aconite.
Bishop (horse-dealers), to bishop a
horse is a swindling contrivance
resorted to in order to deceive
buyers as to its age. An old
horse has no black streaks on
his teeth, and by some process
these are made to appear ; from
a north of England term. See
Bishop's foot.
(Common), the chamber uten-
sil or •' Jordan ; " also, lat-
terly, an " it." The last is de-
rived from the humorous de-
scription of Max O'Rell in
"John Bull's Womankind," p.
».S:—
" Better still, would you believe that in
very good houses I have seen, and very
plainly too, . . . ye^, positively, I have
seen lion the floor under the washstand?"
Bishop's court. In most Austra-
lian sees the bishop's palace is
called bishop's court. Perhaps
palaces are considered unsuit-
able for democratic commu-
nities ; just as it is not correct
to address a colonial bishop as
"my lord." In practice, how-
ever, they arc always addressed
" my lord." Not to do so would
be an incivility.
Bishop's foot, to bishop (Low-
land Scotch and North of Eng-
land), the devil's foot. Milk
burned in the pan is, in the
North of England, said to be
bishoped. In Fifeshire the
expression is applied to food
tliat has been scorched in cook-
ing or otherwise spoiled — " </tc
bishop's foot's in it." The bisliop
means the devil, and the saying
Bisser — Bitch party.
121
is probably a relic of the times
of the Keformation, when in
Scotland everything connected
with prelacy was considered to
be bad,
Bisser (gypsy), to forget.
Bit (American), correctly the old
Spanish " real," equal to twelve
and a half cents, or about six-
pence. In England the now
seldom seen fourpenny- piece
was called a fourpenny-6ii, also
a "joey," from the late Joseph
Hume, M.P., who extolled its
convenience in a speech which
he made in Parhament. In
Pennsylvania the "real" was
called an elevenpenny-iii, — hit
being a translation of the
Spanish "peso," a piece or bit
(as it was popularly understood),
and signified any coin. Since
this Spanish and Mexican
money was withdrawn from
circulation the term lit is
applied to the "dime." The
" medio " or " half-real " was in
Philadelphia called a fippenny-
hit (fivepenny), which was ab-
breviated to " fip," as " eleven-
penny-6i<" became contracted
to "levy." This old Spanish
currency became so worn that
the " levy," which was legally
worth twelve and a half cents,
often weighed less than the ten-
cent silver piece or "dime,"
and it was said that boys were
in the habit of filing down
and smoothing the latter so
as to make them pass for the
former.
A Philadelphian is always stylish and
fashionable when he owns twelve and a
half cents, for then he can always hold a
levy (levee). — Vanity Fair, i86i.
(West Indian), a hit is a four-
penny piece. In Demerara the
negroes make this one of their
units of calculation. Thus a
shilling is three hits, and so
on.
(Popular), fourpence.
Bitch, to (old slang), to give way
through fear. The primary
meaning is to sport. (Common),
"to be" or "to stand hitch,"
from the gypsy bitcher or hitch,
to send away, let go, or yield.
"Don't bitcher it because you're at-
rash" — "Don't let it go because you're
afraid."
To assume a woman's functions
in making tea, presiding at the
table, &c.
Bitchadey-pawdel (gypsy), trans-
ported.
Bitch booby (old military slang),
a country girl.
Bitcher (gypsy), to send. Hence
to order or command. Bitcher-
tng kirs, police or assize-courts.
See To Bitch.
Bitcherin mush (gypsy), a magis-
trate.
Bitcher-pawdel (gypsy), to trans-
port.
Bitch party (university), tea party;
only suitable for women in the
122
Biter — Bite.
minds of the coiners of this
irreverent expression. "Will
you be old hitch ? " means " Will
you make tea 1 "
Biter (old), a woman of inordinate
sexual desires.
Bite the ear, to (prison slang),
to borrow. " I bit his ear for
three and a sprat " — I borrowed
3s. 6d. of him.
Bite the roger, to (thieves), to
steal a portmanteau.
Bite the •wiper, to (thieves), to
steal a pocket-handkerchief.
Bite, to (common), to take in, im-
pose on, cheat, over-reach in any
way. Hotten says this is a
gypsy term, but does not prove
it. " Cross-bite, for a cheat,
constantly occurs in the writers
of the sixteenth century. Bailey
has cross-bite, a disappointment,
probably the primary sense, and
bite is very probably a contrac-
tion of this." It is much more
probably derived from the Dutch
buiten, which in slang means,
according to Teirlinck, to buy,
or trade, and which is more
accurately defined by Ghcrard
van der Scheuren {Teuthonista
oft Duytdender, 1475-77) as
" Buy ten, we.sselen mangeln,
cuyden ; <u,yscAcn-cambire, per-
mutare," &c. These words all
mean to trade, exchange, or
barter ; but tinjschen indicates
cheating, or swindling ; com-
bining the force of the analo-
gous German words tauschen, to
exchange or trade, and tduscJien,
to deceive. Hotten also says
that bite is a north country
word for a hard bargain (used
by Pope), and that Swift tells
us that it originated with a
nobleman in his day. Accord-
ing to Sewel's Dictionary, buit
is booty, spoil, pillage ; buiten,
among other meanings, has "to
go out to pillage," and " zich te
buyten gaan " {i.e., to go out, or
away, or too far) is "to be ex-
orbitant." When we remember
that byten means in Dutch to
bite, and buyten (which has al-
most the same pronunciation)
to bargain ■with all the associa-
tions of deceit and plunder, it
seems much more probable that
bite, a hard bargain, or bite, to
cheat, came from the Low
Countries direct, than from an
English word signifying " dis-
appointment." — C. G. L.
Bite was formerly used as an
interjection equivalent to the
modern expression " sold ! "
There is a story of a man sen-
tenced to the gallows who sold
his body to a surgeon. . . .
It is a superstition with some surgeons
who beg the bodies of condemned male-
factors, to go to the gaol and bargain for
the carcass with the criminal himself. . . .
The fellow who killed the officer of New-
gate, very forwardly, and like a man who
was willing to deal, told him, " Look you,
Mr. Surgeon, that little dry fellow, who
h.is been half-starved all his life, and is
now half-dead with fear, cannot answer
your purpose. . . . Come, for twenty
shillings I am your man." Says the
surgeon, "Done, there's a guinea." 'I'his
witty rogue took the money, and as soon
Bite — Bitter.
123
as he had it in his fist, cries, " Bite, I am
to be hanged in chains." — Spectator, No.
504.
Bite up (tailors), an unpleasant
altercation.
Bit-faker (thieves' slang), a coiner
or forger of false money. To
"fake" is probably the' Latin
facio, which has many meanings
besides its primary meanings of
"make" and "do." It may
also be a form of the gypsy her,
which has the same significa-
tions. A hit-faker would, there-
fore, be a maker of money (bit).
Bit-fakingf (thieves' slang), coin-
ing or forging money.
Bitingf his hips (tailors), regret-
ting what he has done or said.
Biting up (tailors), grieving for
something lost or gone.
Biting your name in (popular),
taking a large draught of some
liquor, drinking deep or greedily.
Bit of blood, a spirited horse that
has some blood.
Bit of cavalry, a saddle horse.
Bit of leaf (prison), a small quan-
tity of tobacco.
The same rigid rule is in force at Port-
land. I suppose it is because the convicts
almost to a man set such a high value on
a bit of leaf, regarding it as the greatest
luxury of their lives, that the authorities
are so severe in their endeavours to keep
it from them. But they get it for all that.
— J. Greenwood: Gaol Birds at Large.
Bit of mutton (common), a nice
woman, generally in a question-
able sense.
Bit on, a (common), slightly in-
toxicated-
The gallant captain was a bit on. He
wanted to make some purchases there and
then. — Sporting Times.
Bit of sticks (sporting), a copse.
The form of the master, his white head,
who bends
With his fine old school air, deferential
and courtly.
As his hand to our Belle's tiny boot-
tip he lends.
" Boots and saddles " the word is : — and
ye who would follow
For a last stirrup-cup loiter not nor
delay !
For from yon bit of sticks will ere long
the view-holloa
Ring the rise of the curtain, the start
of the play.
— Sporting Times.
Bit of stuff (familiar), over-
dressed man ; a man with full
confidence in his appearance
and ability. A young woman
of dissolute life, who is also
called a "bit of muslin."
(Common), a draft or bill of
exchange.
I am sorry that bit of stuff {mtsmng the
bill) wasn't for five thousand francs. —
Lever : Tlie Dodd Family Abroad.
Bits of stiff (popular), bank notes.
Bitter (general), to " do a bitter,"
to have a glass of bitter ale.
Originally an Oxford term.
Into the " Cri." of an evening I slip,
And into the cool sparkling bitter I
dip.
— Music Hall Song.
124
Bitto — Black-and-tan.
Bitto, bitti (gypsy), a bit, a little,
small, little. A hitto mush, a
smaU man ; bitti dlr, fainter,
lower (voice), less, smaller;
hitti mullos or mHUeys, goblins,
fairies.
Bivvy, piwy (provincial), a drink,
beer ; a shant of bivvy, a pot of
beer ; a diminutive of beverage,
or from the gjpsjpiava or biava,
to drink ; pivo, beer in Bohemian
or Czech. In French cant pivois
is wine.
mugs ! — and their black and red flags
let 'em carry ;
But wen they are next on the job they will
'ave to look wide-oh I for 'Arry.
— Putich.
In theatrical language the biz
is the acting, performing a part.
And, when you come to Covent G., it also
may be said,
That Horace Lennard's book b good, and
worthy to be read ;
That Squire and those are funny chaps
that Fanny Leslie's "great,"
And Joseph Cave, in all the biz, is smart
and up to date.
— Punch.
B 1 y e g'h i n (tinker), stealing ;
hiyegh', to steal ; biyegh' th'eenik,
to steal the thing.
Biz (English and American),
business.
" They manage these things better in
France," said Gub, on the Caffarel affair.
" It's all very well to sneer at 'decorated
tailors,' but I think if you can do it, to
pay your tailor with a decoration is dashed
good Hz. I think I shall try it on."
" What'U you decorate him with?"
asked Rootytooty, who takes a lively in-
terest in these matters, and believes muchly
in an editor's ability to benefit his fellow-
men.
"Oh," replied Gub, "I shall try him
with the Order of the Boot." — Sporting
It also means any kind of
occupation.
'i'hat v/asn't my day for being in the
target /liz, and I flopped flat as a pan-
cake. — /Iniericcin N ewspaper.
'Jo bonnet a lot of old blokes and make
petticoats squeal is good liz,
lUit a Crusher's 'ard knuckles a crunching
ycr scrag? .No, I'm blowcd if that is 1
Let 'cm Awarni " in their thousands" — the
B. K. S. (officers), barracks, used
specially among officers in mufti,
who wish to preserve the in-
cognito.
Blab (common), to talk incon-
siderately, to let secrets slip
out, betray ; Dan. blahbrc, to
babble.
" He has not peached so far," said the
Jew. . . . " If he means X.oblai us among
his new friends, we may slap his mouth
yet." — CliarUs Dickens: Oliver Twist.
Among the many modes of tormenting
practised by the ordinary woman of society,
one of the worst is her habit of blid'Hng,
or repeating to one dear friend the things
that have been lately said and done by
another dear friend. — Saturday Review.
Black-and-tan (street), half-and-
half, porter and ale mixed.
(American), applied to black and
brown terriers. A mulatto, a
mi.xture of mulattoes and blacks.
During the Civil War tlie South
was called the black - ai\d - tan
country, from the planters " tan-
ning " or boating tlieir slaves.
Black arse — Black bracelets.
125
Black arse (common), a kettle or
pot.
Black art (old cant), the art of
picking locks.
Blackball (society), means to
vote against a man for election
for a club, &c., by ballot. The
expression was derived from the
once prevalent custom at club
elections of giving each voter
a white and a black ball ; if he
wished to vote for the election
of the candidate he put in the
white ball, if otherwise, the
black ball. This term is so fre-
quently used that it has ceased
to be slang, and the word
" piU " has been substituted.
The French equivalent, a cor-
ruption of the English, is hlack-
houler.
Blackberry swagger (popular), a
person who hawks tapes and
bootlaces (Hotten).
Blackbird, to (colonial), to kidnap,
from the colour of the skin of
those kidnapped, such as negroes,
natives of New Zealand, »S:c. In
the quotation reference is made
to "Kanakas," which see.
But sometimes — we are glad to say in the
past — iniquitoiisly blackhirded or kidnap-
ped, and practically sold into slavery. —
Daily Telegraph.
Blackbird catching (colonial), the
slave trade; recruiting coloured
labourers in the South Sea
Islands.
Black-box (thieves), a lawyer.
My blowen kidded a bloke into a panel
crib and shook him of his thimble to put
up for a black-box, but it wouldn't fadge.
I took two stretches of air and exercise.—
On the Trail.
%,€., " My girl enticed a man
into a bawdy house (where men
are robbed by confederates), and
stole his watch to procure money
for a counsel, but it was of no
use. I got two years at a con-
vict settlement."
Blackboys (up country Austra-
lian), aboriginal servants in
Australia. Blackhoy means a
black who has become a servant.
It is not surprising that "boy"
should be synonymous with
" servant" in countries in whose
infancy free adult whites could
hardly by any wages be induced
to work. The term is not ap-
plied to wild blacks.
In many instances where two or three
teams travelled together, one or more were
driven by blackboys, that is to say, abori-
ginal natives ; the term being invariably
employed by colonists towards blacks, no
matter what age they may be. These
were attired similarly to their white com-
panions in shirt and trousers ; but the
shirts were as a rule of a more gaudy pat-
tern, and a bright-coloured handkerchief
as often as not encircled their waists, or
was bound round their heads. — A. C.
Grant : Bush Life in Queensland.
Black bracelets (old), handcuffs.
When the turnkey next morning stepp'd
into his room.
The sight of the hole in the wall struck
him dumb ;
The sheriff's black bracelets lay strewn on
the ground,
I'ut the lad that had worn 'em could no-
where be found.
Tol-de-rol !
— //. Ainsworih : Jack Shepfard.
126
Black cattle — Blackford.
Black cattle (old), parasites infest-
ing the heads of uncleanly
people.
Black cattle show (clerical), a
gathering of clergy; eg., Epis-
copal visitation, or garden-party.
Black coat (common), a clei^-
man, from the habitual sombre-
ness of his attire. The French
argot has corbeau for a priest,
for the same reason.
Black diamonds (popular), a
common simile for coal. Also,
talented persons of dingy or un-
polished exterior ; rough jewels
(Hotten).
Black disease (medical), the
common name of more than one
disease, as of black jaundice,
and of melaena.
Black eye (common), "we gave
the bottle a black eye," i.e., drank
it almost up. " He cannot say
' black is the white of my eye,' "
i.e., he cannot point out a blot
in my character. (Nautical),
" black's the white of my eye I "
used when Jack avers that no
one can say this or that of him.
It is an indignant assertion of
innocence of a charge. "Le
ciel n'est pas plus pur que le
fond de mon cceur ! "
Blackfellow (Australian), an ab-
original, one of the native in-
habitants of Australia. The
first feature in the natives which
struck the early settlers of Aus-
tralia was their colour. It was
natural for them to write of the
blacJcfdiows. At present the
term is most used by whites
" up the country," and by the
aborigines themselves. Towns-
people generally talk of " ab-
originals."
I was one day at a country cricket match
in Victoria. Two aboriginals were pre-
sent. We were a man short, so we asked
one of them to play for us. Both came
into the pavilion, when the one who had
been asked to play said to the other,
" Blackfellmv, you just clear out of this —
this place for cricketers, not for black-
fellows." — Douglas B. W. Sladen.
Black fly (country), a clergyman.
Black-foot (provincial), one who
attends on a courting expedi-
tion, to bribe the servant, make
friends with the sister, or put
any friend oil his guard. The
French say of a man who favours
love intrigues, that " il tient la
chandelle."
Blackford, Blackford swell (Lon-
don slang), a swell supposed to
be in borrowed or hired plumage.
It is common for roughs to cry
Blackford! to a swell dressed
up for the occasion. So called
from an advertising tradesman
well known as letting on hire
suits of clothes by the day.
Said the teacher : " ' And it came to pass
that David rent his clothes.' Now what
does that mean, boys, 'rent his clothes'?"
Up went Benny's hand. " I tumble,"
says he, " Blackford."— Popular Song.
" He is seen everywhere about town I
declare,
When at home, who the deuce can
he be?
Blackfriars — Blackguard.
127
He says he resides with his ma in
Mayfair
Though his letters are postmarked
E.G.
He looks very well that's beyond all
dispute
For at Black/onfs he's rigged up
and down,
For Blackford lends suits, from the
hat to the boots,
And that just suits the Boy about
Town."
Blackfriars (thieves' slang), used
as a warning; "look out!"
French thieves would say, "ac-
resto I "
Blackgfuard (common), alow, dis-
reputable fellow. Dr. John-
son, GifCord, and others derive
this from an attendant on
the devil, and also from the
mean dependants of a great
house, who were generally
called the Hack guard as early
at least as the beginning of the
sixteenth century.
We have neither school nor hospital for
the distressed children called the black-
guards. — Nelson : Address to Persons of
Quality^
A lousy knave, that within this twenty
years rode with the blackguards in the
duke's carriage, 'mongst spits and dripping-
pans. — Webster: The White Devil.
Thieves and murderers took upon them
the cross to escape the gallows ; adulterers
did penance in their armour. A lament-
able case that the devil's blackguards
should be God's soldiers. — Fuller: The
Holy War.
C. G. Leland says : — " It is
probably the old Dutch thieves'
slang word hlagaart, from blag,
meaning a man (but always in
an inferior sense), and art, the
commonest termination for a
noun. • The greater part of
the nouns in slang which are of
Dutch origin, are formed with
the ending aard {aart, erd, ert),
er, rik, heid, and ing.' — James
Teirltnck, Woordenhoek van Bar-
goensch. To those who would
object that man does not neces-
sarily mean a vulgar or low per-
son, I would suggest that in
thieves' patois it means nothing
else, and that in our British
tinkers' dialect, subil siableach
(Gaelic for a vagabond) is used
simply to denote any man."
Likewise in the French argot,
gonce, originally a fool (occasion-
ally used with that meaning
now), has the signification of
man, individual. Wright has,
however, shown that the entirely
English term blackguard, as ap-
plied to scullions, was in general
use at an early date.
Her Majesty, by some means I know
not, was lodged at his house Ewston, farre
unmeet for her highness, but fitter for the
black garde. — Lodge's Illustrations, ii.
188.
I was alone among acoachful of women,
and those of the elector's duchesse cham-
ber, forsooth, which you would have said
to have been of the blacke guard. — Mori-
son's Itinerarie.
Though some of them are inferior to
those of their own ranke, as the blacke-
guard in a prince's court. — Burton : Ana-
tomy of Melancholy.
Nor must her cousin be forgot, preferr'd
From many years' command in the black
guard.
To be an ensign.
Whose tatter'd colours well do represent
His first estate i' th' ragged regiment.
— Earl of Rochester s Works.
128
Blackguard — BlacRleg.
In the above the allusion is to
the cousin of Nell Gwyn, Charles
II.'s mistress.
These make out a strong case
for the early use of the word
in England. It would seem to
have died out for a time and
been revived, possibly under
Dutch influence, in the time of
the Georges.
It has been suggested that
hlackgnard is from braggart, with
a change of liquid. French of
the sixteenth century braguar,
bragard, or bragghar (gradually
altered to bragueur, then bla-
gueur), dandy, vain fellow,
swaggerer, traceable to the old
braies, breeches, dandies of the
sixteenth century being known
by the approved style of their
breeches. More recently there
are instances of dandies or others
receiving the appellation of the
more conspicuous articles of
thoir dress or the colour of these
— the iaion-rougc, a dandy of the
time of Louis XIV. ; col-casse, the
modern Pari.sian " masher ;" cas-
quette-d-trois-p'ints, a bully ; cids-
rmiges and cherry-bums, hussars ;
ichitc-choker, a clergyman, &c.
It has also been said that the
term was derived from the cir-
cumstance of a number of dirty
ragged boys attending on the
parade to blacken the boots and
shoes of the soldiers and do any
other dirty oflices. From their
constant attendance at the time
of the l{ojal Body Guard mount-
ing, they were ])y some facetious
person nicknamed tlu; llach-
guards.
Blackie (American), a very old
word for a negro, still occa-
sionally used. It is to be found
in a negro song which dates
back to the beginning of this
century.
Our son no more he serve ; no more play
de lackey,
No more our daughter weep, cos wite man
call dem blackie.
— Ching-a-Ring Chaw.
Black jack (American), rum
and molasses, with or without
water. A New England drink.
(Winchester), a large leathern
jug which formerly was used
for beer.
Black job (undertakers'), a fune-
ral. Lord Portsmouth's hobby
was to attend all the black jobs
he could hear of.
"What, a funeral mute?" "Yes, sir,
black job business." — Edmund Yates:
Land at Last.
Black language (Anglo-Indian),
an expression, no longer com-
mon, for Hindustani and other
Indian tongues. It is remark-
able that the English gypsies
sometimes speak of Komany
as the Kalo jib, or black tongue.
The term was doubtless origi-
nally Hindu.
Blackleg (common), a name for-
merly appropriated to swind-
lers in racing transactions, and
to those who betted without
intending to pay their losses.
Also generally applied in Ame-
rica to gambling of any kind.
In its earlier application it
Blackkg-
-Black Maria.
129
meant a swindler or criminal,
and is conjecturally derived
from such fellows' legs being
black and bruised from sitting
in the stocks and wearing fet-
ters ; or from the legs of a
game - cock, which are always
black, gamblers and swindlers
being frequenters of the cock-
pit'. Else from an allusion to
the legs of a "rook," another
name for a swindler. Blackleg is
now a recognised word. In old
provincial English a blacJc-foot
was a man who attended a lover
on a courting expedition to do
the dirty and mean work, such
as bribing servants, and acting
the Leporello.
(Tailors) to blackleg, a set that
reject a man as not fit to move
in their society, or who organise
a method to compel a man \o
leave his situation or the town,
are said to blackleg him.
Blackletter lawyer (legal), an
antiquarian expert in law, where-
as one well versed in " case
law," or the decisions of judges,
is termed a " case lawyer."
Black lion (medical), the name
given to certain rapidly-slough-
ing ulcers which affected our
soldiers when in Portugal.
Blackmail (recognised). To levy
blackmail was a tribute extorted
by jjowerf ul robber chieftains to
protect travellers from the de-
predations of other robbers in-
ferior to themselves in strength
an<l organisation. In the United
States, says Bartlett, it usually
means money extorted from a
person, by threatening to accuse
him of a crime or to expose him
in the newspapers (it is used
with a like meaning in England).
"Thrice is he armed who hath his quarrel
just,"
But sure that force in self defence will
fail.
Whose only armour 'gainst the critic
thrust,
Is found to be l>/ack mail.
— Punch.
What Mr. Caine tells us about Clapham
Common is unfortunately not confined to
the suburbs, but is a very active evil in
the centre of the very best parts of our
town, and the continuous blackmailing of
unfortunates by the police has been a
notorious fact in such thoroughfares as
Piccadilly, Pall Mall, Waterloo Place,
Regent Street, &c., for some years past.
— Saturday Review.
Skeat says : — " Mail is a Scot-
tish term for rent, Blackmail or
black rent is the rent paid in
cattle, as distinct from white
money or silver." It is curious
to note, however, that maille in
old French signified copper coin
(a trace of which still remains
in the modern phrases $ans sou
ni maille, avoir maille d partir,
&c.). This word may have
been adopted by the Scotch, who
still retain French words in
their phraseology. Black-money
is a provincialism still used
(Wright).
Black Maria (English and Ame-
rican), the cell van in which
prisoners are removed from
court to prison. Termed in the
French argot " panier Ji salade."
I
I30
Black Maria — Black town.
Bobbies ba-se and beaks inhuman
Every fieldmale's path perplex ;
Who on earth would be a woman —
Which it is a wretched sex.
No one freer, no one greater,
'Arrj' cycles : is it just
Sarah Anne's perambulator
Should be hobject of disgust ?
What's the reason, tell me why, ah !
Why that gig with children nice
Should be scorned like Black Maria,
Full of villainy and vice?
—Aily Slopers Half Holiday.
When I^rd Carrington and his attend-
ant noblemen arrived in Melbourne on a
visit lately, Black Maria, the prison van,
was drawn up by the station, apparently
in waiting. — Modern Society.
This term is said to liave
originated in Philadelphia in
1838.
Black Monday (popular), execu-
tions used to take place on
Mondays.
Black mummer (old), a person un-
shaved and unwashed.
Black ointment (thieves), pieces
of raw meat.
Black psalm (old), to sing a lilaclc
punlm was to cry.
Black Sal (popular), the tea-kettle.
Black Saturday (workmen's).
When a labourer or meclianic
has anticipated or drawn all
Ills wages and has no money to
lake at the end of the week,
his mates say " he has a black
Siiturd/i}! in his week."
Black-sheep (Winchester).
Wlicii a iiKui in "junior part''
jockeyed a man in "middle
part" he was said to black-
sheep him, whilst the other was
said to be black • fiheeped. This
could only happen in " cloisted
time," that is, during the last
eleven weeks of " long half,"
when "middle" and "junior
parts " went up together. It
refers now to senior and junior
divisions of " middle part."
Blacksmith's daughter (old),
the large keys with which the
doors of sponging-houses were
furnished.
Black spy (popular), the devil.
Black strap (popular), port wine.
(American), New England mm
and molasses. (Nautical), the
dark country wines of the
Mediterranean. Also, bad port,
such as was served for the sick
in former times.
Ask for a Ixjttle of black strap out of
bin No. 4 ; light your cigar, smoke the
room full ; nod to misses, pull up your
shirt collar before the looking-glass. —
Drawing for the Million.
(Old), the name by which a
certain punishment, a labour
task imposed on soldiers at
Gibraltar for small offences,
was called.
Black teapot (poptdar), a black
footman.
Black town (Anglo-Indian), the
jiojiular local English name for
Madras. It is also used at Hoin-
Blach wash — Blank.
131
bay to distinguish the native
quarter.
Many cadets on their arrival are obliged
to take up their residence in dirty punch-
houses in the black town. — Munro's Nar-
rative, 22.
Black wash (medical), a lotion
consisting of calomel and lime-
water.
Black 'V7ork (popular), undertak-
ing.
Bladder of lard (popular), a bald-
headed person. The French
equivalent is " boule de vieux
oing."
Blade (common). It is generally
and plausibly assumed that this
word for a m^n is derived from
hlade as a synonym for sword,
and a soldier. And this seems
to be borne out by the analogy
of a similar French expression,
unc banne lame, which formerly
meant a man of the world, a
dashing man. Blade is still
used in the provinces for a
brisk, mettlesome, sharp young
man. But as it has the same
pronunciation as the Dutch
hloed, meaning " blood," and as
a blood was the common term
for "a fast, and high-mettled
man " during the reigns of the
Georges, it is not impossible it
owes much to the latter. The
word was also a personal noun
in Dutch, as een arme bloed, a
poor fellow. Bloed, a simple-
ton, is from a different root ;
bluode, timid, fearful ; Irish
blate, German blode. Royster-
ers and debauchees were also
termed " roaring boys."
I do not all this while account you in
The list of those are called the blades
that roar
In brothels, and break windows ; fright
the streets
At midnight worse than constables.
— Shirley : The Gamester.
Bladhunk (tinker), prison.
Blame (popular), a mild expletive
used when one is dissatisfied or
disappointed. Oftener heard in
the provinces than in London,
and much more so in America.
The keeper had fired four times at an
Indian, but he said, with an injured air,
that the Indian had skipped around so's to
spile everything — and ammunition blamed
skurse, too. — Mark Twain: Roughing It.
Yes, John Bull is a blamed blockhead.
— Sa^H Slick.
" Man alive ! This ain't the boat; this
is the ferry house ! "
"Yew — don' — say so 1 " slowly ejaculated
the sunburned old fellow. " An' here I've
been a waitin' three hours for the blamed
thing to start for Brooklyn 1 " — Diak^s
U ravellers Magazine.
" Damnation 1 " is sometimes
softened into " blamenation ! "
Blan (gypsy), the wind.
Blank (hunting), to draw a blanTc
in coursing or hunting is to
have a run without meeting
with anything. Quite recently
tlie term blank has been adopted
as a substitute for " damn,"
" bloody," and other forcible
expressions.
132
Blank — Blaze.
Here you've been and gone three hours
on an errand for me, and blank me if you
ain't runnin' off without a word about it. —
Bret Harte : Gabriel Conroy.
Because you're religious, blank you,
do you expect me to starve ? Go and order
supper first ! Stop ! where in blank are you
going ? — Bret Harte : Gabriel Conroy.
" For blank's sake, sir, give me the
orffice, you knows me surely, and that I'm
square. Veil, then, give me the orffice,
so help me blank I'll keep it dark."
Enter a closely-shaven, bullet - headed
fellow in an ecstasy of excitement at having
just seen Cuss, and at the exquisite " fit-
ness" of that worthy. " So help my blank,
blank!" he cries delighjedly, "if he ain't
a blank picter with the weins in his face
down 'ere and 'ere, a showin' out just if a
blank hartist 'ad painted him. Tell yer
he's beautiful, fine as a blank greyhound,
with a blank heavy air with him that looks
blank like winnin. Take yer two quid to
one, guv'nor?" adds the speaker, suddenly
picking out a stout purple-faced farmer in
the group of eager listeners.
— Charles Dickens : Farce for the
Championship in All the Year
Round.
Blanket, a lawful (old cant), a
wife. The allu.sion is obviou.s.
Blanket hornpipe (popular) refers
to the .sexual intercourse.
Blanks (Anglo-Indian), a rare
word used for whites or Euro-
peans by themselves.
Blare (popular), to roar, to bawl.
He blared and he holloaed and swore he
was hurt,
His coat got torn off and he hadn't a shirt,
'I'hen the missus comes down and she said
to the cook.
You aud.-icious hussey, you'd best sling
your hook.
— The Masher and the Parrot :
/{ mails iJe Ballad.
Blarney (common), flattery ; sup-
posed to be derived from a stone
in the tower of Blarney Castle,
near Cork, the kissing of which
is a feat of some difficulty, from
its perilous position in the wall.
It is supposed to confer the gift
of eloquence, of a kind peculiarly
adapted to win the hearts of
women. It is a common saying
in Cork, when a man is trying
his powers of persuasion or
wheedling, " he has been to
Blarney Ca.stle," or "none of
your blarney."
Blast (popular), a familiar name
amongst the lower orders for
erysijielas of the face.
Blater (popular), a calf; to "cry
beef on a blater," to make a fuss
about nothing.
Don't be glim-flashy ; why, you'd cry
beef on a blater. — Lytton : Pelhatn.
Blather (general), idle nonsense.
Also thin mud or puddle.
A prize-fighter who does not fight is
about as valuable a macliine as an alarum
clock which does not go off. He has no
raison d^tre. We do not of course wish to
insinuate that any of the "fistic marvels"
of to-day are guilty of such conduct. And
yet there may be those who watch " Mr."
John L. Sullivan revolving round the pro-
vinces in a cloud oi blather, who think the
cap should fit. — Fair Trade.
Blatherskite (American), a man
whose tongue runs away with
him ; an irrepressible noi.sy
chatterer; " blatliering." Of
Hcutcli origin {vide Blkthkhs).
Blaze (American). "To blaze a
tree," to remove the bark so as
Blaze — Blazers.
133
to leave a white surface exposed,
which serves either for a boun-
dary, a landmark, or as a sign
to direct travellers. The Algon-
kin Indians of the north-east
blaze trees so as to direct Indians
leaving a village ; white men
make such marks on the other
side.
A path which brought us opposite
Ntunduru Island, Hazing^ the trees as a
guide. — Stanley : Through the Dark Con-
tinent.
It is used in this sense by the
up country Australians.
The last six miles of a new road into
Carcoar had just been marked out and
partially made by the inhabitants, ex-
pressly for the governor. It was a well
chosen but rough track designated by
blazed trees on either hand, the unbarked
parts being painted white, in order to be
more manifest in the dusk. — Lieut. -Col.
Munday : Our Antipodes.
It also applies to any kind of
landmark.
I picked up a stone, and blazed my
course by breaking off a projecting corner
occasionally from lava walls and festoons
of sulphur. — Mark Twain : A Strange
Dream.
Blaze is an English provin-
cialism for a white spot on a
horse's forehead ; and blazed is
a term applied to a tree when
marked for sale.
(General), to blaze away, to
fire.
He blazed away and missed you in that
shallow watercourse. — A. L. Gordon : The
Sick Stockrider.
Blaze of triumph (theatrical), a
ridiculous hyperbole, invented
by the poet iJunn, to indicate
a great success and crowded
houses. To the initiated this
usually signifies a dead fail-
ure, and a house crowded with
"dead-heads."
Blazer (university), a coloured
loose flannel jacket, worn as
the uniform of a boating or
other club ; originally red, but
now of the club colours, striped
or coloured accordingly. The
surplice worn by students in
chapel on certain feast or fast
days, is described as the blazjer
of the Church of England. Each
club chose a different colour
or combination of colours, and
these combinations are some-
thing sufficiently startling to
have originated the appellation.
Another fair damsel was resplendent in a
scarlet blazer over cream-coloured flannel.
Some of the .striped blazers were very
becoming. Slate and white, and black
and white, were decidedly the favourites,
though one daring dame had ventured on
magenta. — Modem Society.
The effect produced by the thousands of
floating and moving craft, with their occu-
pants in brilliant blazers and light cos-
tumes, is quite unique of its kind. — The
Standard.
(Prisons), a jacket worn by
convicts.
If the young gentlemen do not like the
convict blazers, they will not be allowed
to take out a boat imless accompanied by
a policeman. — Funny Folks.
Blazers (nautical), a term applied
to mortar or bomb vessels, from
the great emission of flame to
throw a 13-inch shell. — Admiral
Smyth.
134
Blazes — Bleeding.
Blazes (common). " Go to hlnzes,"
i.e., "go to hell," is a common
expression both in Great Britain
and the United States, among
those who are too fastidious to
say the word that they mean,
and are willing to go ninety-nine
per cent, in the expression of
jirofanity, making use of " by
Gad," instead of "by God,"
"great Scott," instead of "great
God," and "darned" instead of
" damned."
I could have told Johnny Skae that I
would not receive his communication at
such a late hour, and to go to blazes with
it. —Mark Twain.
Bleach, to (Harvard University,
Massachusetts), to absent one-
self from morning prayers. To
prefer being present in the spirit
rather than in the body.
Bleached mot (popular), a fair-
complexioned wench.
Bleak (thieves' slang), handsome
(New York Slang Dictionary).
Bleating cheat (old cant), a sheep.
" Cheat," meaning a thing
(gypsy), was added to a word
describing the cry of the ani-
mal, thus cackling cheat, grunt-
ing cheat, &c.
When I spoke to him, he said some-
thing about a bleating sheep losing a bite ;
but I should think this young man is not
much of a talker in general. — Mactnillans
Jilaga^ine.
Bleating cull (old cant), a shcep-
stealer.
Bleating prig, sheep-stealing.
Bleating rig (old cant), sheep-
stealing.
Bleed, to (English and American),
to be obliged to pay money
against one's will, or to oblige
one to pay.
A boy lives in Pennsylvania who suffers
from bleeding at intervals. He usually
bleeds nine days at a time. Candidates
who bleed three months at a time will
envy him. — San Francisco Alia.
This is in reference to the
extravagant demands made
upon political candidates by
" heelers" and " strikers,"
Then this fine old Englishman, to crown
each other deed,
Has lately shown that for our sake he did
not fear to bleed.
A generous gift, that silver cup, in sooth
you'll be agreed.
That a cup which bears nine handsome
»tugs is a handsome one indeed !
— St. Helens Lantern.
(Printers), a book or pamphlet
that is cut down so much as
to touch the printed portion is
said to Uetd.
Bleeder (sporting), a sovereign ;
(university), a " regular bleeder"
signifies a superlative duffer.
Bleeders (old), spurs, from their
causing blood to flow by fre-
quent use.
Bleeding the monkey (nautical).
The vurnkty is a tall pyramidal
rod or bucket which conveys the
grog from the grog-tub to the
men. Stealing from this in tran-
situ is so called. — Admiral Hinyth.
Blethers — Blind.
135
Blethers (Scottish), wind or
windy ; nonsense. Robert Burns
jocosely laments that his busi-
ness was to string up blethers
in rhyme for fools to sing.
Bletherhead is a loquacious fool.
Bletherumskite is a synonymous
word, but expressive of still
greater contempt by the use of
the word "skite" or "skyte,"
which signifies excrement. To
blether or blather is to talk tedi-
ously and foolishly. The word is
akin to " bladder," that is, filled
with wind.
I hae been clean spoilt just wi' listen-
ing to twa blethering old wives. — Sir
Walter Scott : Old Mortality.
Wha can ken . . . whether sic prayers
as the Southron read out of their auld
blethering black mess-book there, may not
be as powerful to invite fiends, &c. — Scott :
Fortunes of Nigel.
Blew or blue (common), to waste,
to spend, to dissipate. " I hlexo
a bob (I wasted a shilling)," said
a costermonger, " when I went
to an exhibition of pictures."
To spend or lose one's money in
gambling or betting.
But knock-down blows the punter knows
Are a part of his racing creed,
And he says this year he has no fear —
" The Baron must succeed ! "
We think so too, and our oof we'll blew.
However rash the act,
For if this one's missed he will swell the
list
Of the winners we might have backed.
— Sporting Times.
We'll polish off the malt and grog, and to
have we are bound,
A jolly jug, and kiss the girls and women
all around ;
We'll take a stroll, and then keep it up
till boxing night,
Blew all the coin — rent as well, and think
we're doing right ;
And if we have to pawn the clock, next
day I shan't repine.
It was my father's custom, and so it shall
be mine.
—Song.
Blewed (common), spent, disposed
of. Lost or been robbed of. Pri-
marily, to pay out, to spend.
German blauen, which suggests
blue, and not to blow, as the
original. Ins Uaue hinein (away
into the blue), vanished, gone ;
the French passe au bleu has
the same signification. Faire
passer au bleu, to suppress, dis-
sipate, spend, squander, appro-
priate. An allusion to a dis-
tant, undefined place in the blue
above.
Bligee, bligey (pidgin), obliged.
Too muchee 'bligee you, Missee Hughsee,
fo' that number-one book. You show me
that pricee, England-side, my look see
that Table, can savey how-fashion makee
offer. Must catchee chancee now. — Chin :
Punch.
Blimey (common), an apparently
meaningless, abusive term.
C. FOR THE Mob. — As this is a court, I
feel it suitable and proper to use the sort
of language always used up our court. I
therefore remark, " Liars, murderers, ras-
cals, gliastly bloodsuckers, devils ; garn
hout, shet up currant-face, bliviey" and
other things which would naturally occur
to a gentleman by Act of Parliament. — An
Ennobling Exhibition.
Blind (popular), " in the blind," in
the night, in darkness.
136
Blind — Blizzard.
Then it's down with the bedstead and let
us away,
Pack up all we can in the blind,
And long ere the morning,
Without any warning,
We'll leave back-rent and landlord be-
hind.
—Song.
(Printers), a term applied to a
paragraph mark IT, owing to the
fact of the eye of the F being
black or filled up.
Blind cheeks (popular), posteriors,
termed sometimes Uind Cupid.
The French argot calls it more
appropriately le horijne. An-
other slang expression for the
same part of the body is "two
fat cheeks and ne'er a nose ; "
in French slang " un visage sans
nez."
Blinder (thieves), to "take a
Hinder," to die.
Some rubber to wit had napped a winder,
And some were scragged and took a
blinder.
—On ike Trail.
Blindo, to (army), to die.
Blind one's trail, to (American), to
act in such a way that it would
be difficult to trace one's doings ;
putting off the scent. Thus a
fox in crossing a river blinds his
trail, water being fatal to the
scent of dogs.
Blink, to (American), to drink. In
Dutch thieves' slang, Uinkert is
a glass. " Minkcrt om uit te
biiizen " — "To booze from a
glas.-."
Blinker (American), a phrase
fully explained by the follow-
ing anecdote from a New York
newspaper : —
" The term growler has become obsolete,
and blinker has succeeded it. A waggon-
load of ' supplies ' was tr.insferred to the
Bedlows (prison) island boat, and among
them were two two-gallon kerosene oil
cans. A boat-h.and remarked, ' They must
be usin' lots of kerosene — them officers
over there — for they gets them cans filled
mighty often ! ' The secret was let out a
few minutes later, when one of the men
coming on deck with the happy smile of
one who has interviewed the ardent, said
to one of his companions : ' I say, Jimmy,
the blinkers have got good stuff this
time !' "
— Vide Blink.
Blinkers (pugilistic), the eyes,
termed also ogles, optics, peep-
ers, winkers. (Common), spec-
tacles. Blinhert, Dutch slang,
glass.
Blinko (thieves), the term is ex-
plained by the quotation.
"What is a blinko, for instance?"
" Well, it's a kind of entertainment, sing-
ing, and that," replied the old fellow,
" to which strangers are not invited — least
of all the police." — /. Greenwood : Dick
Temple.
Blizzard (American), a word of
many meanings. In one of the
early Crockett almanacs about
1836 it appears as distinctly
meaning a shot from a rifle.
" The elder boys when they went to
school carried their rifles to get a blizzard
at anything they might meet on the
road."
It has been conjectured that
in this sense it was derived from
Blizzard — Block.
137
blaze, or from the (Canadiau)
French blesser, to wound or hit.
It was also applied to lightning
at an early date. At present the
tremendous wind - storms like
the typhoon which sweep over
the West are called blizzards.
It possibly owes this later mean-
ing to the German blitz.
With reference to the word blizzard, a
Western correspondent sends the follow-
ing : — The word was first used in Marshall,
Minn., some thirteen years ago. Some
friends were enjoying themselves at a
public-house, when a storm of wind and
snow arose, and one of the number, look-
ing up quickly, uttered a German expres-
sion (our correspondent has forgotten the
words) which sounded very much like bliz-
zard. His friends took it up and have
since called a storm of wind accompanied
by snow a blizzard. Some years ago the
origin of the word was sought and it was
said to be Indian, and that an Indian used
the expression (or one similar in sound)
upon seeing some white men coming out
of a severe snowstorm. — Detroit Free
Press.
The German expression here
referred to is "blitzen I "
Bloat (American), a drunkard, a
drowned corpse.
Bloater (popular), " my bloater" a
term of friendship much in
favour with 'Arry, who likes
his friends as much as his
bloater for breakfast, and that
is not saying a little.
But, bless yer, my bloater, it isn't all
chin-music, vots and "ear ! 'ear ! "
Or they wouldn't catch me on the ready,
or nail me for ninepence. No fear !
— Punch.
Block, the (Australian). " Doing
the block" i.e., promenade, is
one of the favourite amuse-
ments of Melbourne ladies be-
tween twelve and one and five
and six. The block is the fashion-
able promenade in Melbourne.
The block is the block of build-
ings in Collins Street lying be-
tween Swanston Street and
Elizabeth Street.
Block house (old slang), a prison,
house of correction, penitentiary,
and similar establishments. The
expression reminds one of the
French military slang term le
bloc, an abbreviation of blockhaus.
Block of stock (American), an
adaptation of the French term
en bloc, meaning a large number
of shares in anything, a great
undivided mass, held as a single
interest.
It would be comparatively easy, there-
fore, for a syndicate to take the control
from Jay Gould, especially if Russell Sage
or some other holder of a big blocA oy stock
were to join the movement. — Chicago Tri-
bune, October 2, 1887.
Block ornaments (popular), the
better kind of meat scraps sold
at butchers' stalls.
On the shelves set out in front of the
shop, meat scraps are offered at ijd. the
lb. ; better scraps (or block ornaments, as
they are termed) at 4d. — Standard.
For dinner, which on a week day is
hardly ever eaten at the costermonger's
abode, they buy block ornaments, as they
call the small, dark-coloured pieces ofme.it
exposed on the cheap butchers' blocks
or counters. — Henry Maykew : London
Labour and the London Poor.
Also old-fashioned, queer-look-
ing men and women.
138
Bloke — Blood.
Bloke (common), not strictly "a
man," as Hotten defines it, but
a man in a contemptuous sense.
So the word was originally used
in the police newspapers twenty-
five years ago. A bloke was a
victim of sharps, a stupid per-
son, a greenhorn. It is not
from the gypsy loke, a man, as
Hotten asserts, loke not being
an Anglo-Romany word. It is
probably from the Dutch blok,
a block, a log, a fool, which
gives rise to Uok-ker, a plodder,
a dull fellow, and to the English
blockhead.
The girl is stunning, the blokes say, so
we must forgive you. — Ouida : Held in
Bondage.
" Give us a horder, then, old bloke,"
shrieked another gamin. — F. W. Robin-
son : Little Kate Kir by.
It has another signification,
which is explained by the quota-
tion.
It came out in the course of the evidence
that the meaning of the word bloke was
"a man whom a woman might pick up in
the street." — J. Greenwood: Seven Curses
i>/ London.
Blood (fencing). In the old back-
swording contests a blood, i.e.,
a streak of blood on the head or
face at least one inch in length,
was the equivalent of a deci-
sive "broken-head." The word
Unli;/cr is used in the same sense
by tlie (jlormau students on the
Mensur.
In prize-ring parlance the
word is not considered suftici-
ently graphic, and blood is never
mcniioiicd except under syno-
nyms such as " claret " (especi-
ally picturesque in connection
with tapping), "Badminton"
(a peculiar kind of claret cup
invented at the Duke of Beau-
fort's seat), "ruby," "crimson,"
" Chateau Lafitte," kc.
Blood and entrails (nautical).
This is a slang name given to
the British ensign by Yankee
sailors.
Blood and thunder (popular), port
wine and brandy mixed.
Blood and thunder literature
(American), now common in
England. Literature of the
loudest and coarsest sensational
kind, "detective" novels, ro-
mances like "Jack Sheppard"
and the " Outlaw of the Plains,"
" Life of Bufl:alo Bill," &c.
One more instance of the deleterious
influence of blood and t/i under /iction.
Lecomte, the man who made a most deter-
mined attempt to murder a messenger of
the Bank of France the other day l>y
plunging a bradawl into the nape of his
neck, was an inveterate peruser of crimson-
toned literature, his favourite authors
being Ponson du 'I'errail, Gaboriau, and
Liicenaire, the lettered murderer who
emulated the deeds of Hoffman's " Car-
(lillac " by prowling around the streets of
I'aris for victims. — Paris Concspondence :
Daily Telegraph.
Blood boat (naval), a "tally
boat " or bumboat, a boat em-
l)loyed to carry provisions from
the shoi^e.
Blood -curdler (society), a story
of murder likely to make the
reader's blood curdle.
Blood — Bloody.
139
It will contain two pages of interesting
and absorbing turf reminiscences by our-
selves and master; a blood ■ curdler, by
the murderman. — Sporting Times.
The only one who is annoyed is our own
special murder-monger, who has got several
blood-curdlers of English extraction up his
sleeve. — Sporting Times.
Blood for blood (trade), barter
among tradesmen, who ex-
change with each other the
commodities in which they
deal.
Blood-suckers (society), extor-
tioners, people who are con-
stantly getting money. Derived
from vampires, who are blood-
suckers.
If the stay be longer, the porter and the
boots expect something. A fair estimate
is about two francs per diem divided be-
tween all the blood-suckers. Members of
the Stock Exchange generally give treble
this; members of the aristocracy half —
Truth.
(Nautical), lazy fellows, who
by skulking throw their pro-
portion of labour on the shoul-
ders of their shipmates. — Ad-
miral Smyth. In the army such
fellows are styled " scrim-
shankers."
Bloody. Dr. C. Mackay makes the
following remarks : " A word
that is constantly used in the
sense of sanguinary by the rudest
and foulest-mouthed of the vul-
gar. Did these people know
the harmlessness of the odious
epithet, as they now understand
it — if they understand it at all'
— they would perhaps cease to
employ it, as not sufficiently
coarse and disgusting to suit
their ideas of the emphatic.
Dean Swift, who was partially
acquainted with the vernacu-
lar Gaelic of Ireland, wrote from
Dublin to his friend Gay that it
was ' bloody hot ' — an expres-
sion which he would not have
permitted himself to use in its
blackguardly English sense of
sanguinary. ' Bloody hot,' in
the use made of it by Dean
Swift, meant ' rather hot.' "
Mr. Charles G. Leland writes :
" Mr. Hotten thinks that this is
an expletive without reference
to any meaning. Any one who
will take the pains to look over
the sanguinary words in any
European language can at once
perceive a great deal of meaning
in the association of Moody with
evil or revolting. We find, for
instance, ill or evil blood, blood-
thirsty, blood-stained, bloody,
in the sense of cruel or atro-
cious, bloody council, blood-
guilty, and in German or Dutch,
blood-shame or incest, a blood-
revenger, bloody revenge, and
in all three ' a bloody villain '
for murderer, as nothing is more
natural than for an adjective or
adverb used in so many oppro-
brious meanings to take on
others. The transfer of Uoody
from murderous to everything
wicked or bad seems as natural
as Max O'liell's derivation of it
from By'r Lady 1 is absurd. As
11. H. Proctor remarks, in his
Americanisms ( ' Knowledge ' ),
it is ' simple nonsense.' The
Germans have btutwenig, which
140
Bloody — Blot.
has nothing to do with Hut,
' blood ; ' the first component
is a dialectal form of bloss,
'merely.'
The Earl of Suffolk gives
the following definition of
the word: "Bloody, an orna-
mental adjective of infinite
adaptability and significance.
'J'his word is used largely
though not exclusively in turf
circles."
Bloody Jemmy (popular), sheep's
head.
Bloody king's, a red-brick church
in Barnwell (St. Mary's the
Less), resembling King's Col-
lege Chapel in architecture.
Bloody Mary's, the red-brick
church, St. Paul's, resembling
St. Mary's in Cambridge, the
University church.
Bloody shirt, the (American),
agitation of the war question
after the Civil War.
"Chorus of mugwump, democratic, and
rebel yells : Here's Blaine waving the
bloijiiy shirt again. The colour line is
wiped out ; the negro question is settled,
and all Southern negroes interested in poli-
tics are democrats. Down with the sec-
tional question ! "
Bloomer (Australian), prison slang
for a mistake. Abbreviated
from the expression "a bloom-
ing error."
manner, or to express disap-
pointment or ruffled feelings —
' mild swearing, in fact. It is
applied to everything from a
swell to an oyster.
Heard on the course at Ascot after
mounted bobby had rushed amongst horses
in Prince of Wales' Stakes and completely
spoiled Phil's chance of winning. Irate
backer of Phil, with feeling : "Just like
niy blooming luck ; a blooming peeler's
stood in my way all my life." — Bird o'
Freedom.
He had been tried and found guilty of
murder. The day had come for his execu-
tion, and the Talepitcher and Tom Beard
had made a special journey to the gallows
with a Church Service and a German dic-
tionary to liear his last words. As the fatal
moment approached he turned to the hang-
man, in a dazed, half-conscious manner:
" What day o' the week is this ?"
" Monday," replied Berry.
" Monday, is it ? Well, s'whelp my
good garden stuff, this is a bloomin nice
way to commence the week ! " — sporting
Times.
Bloomy (American), fiowers; from
tlie Dutch.
Bloss (American thieves), woman,
girl, mistress ; from blossom, old
English slang.
I only piked into Grassville with a dim-
ber-damber, who couldn't pad the hoof for
a single darkman's without his bloss to
keep him from getting pogy. — On the
Trail.
Blot the scrip (popular), to engage
to do anything by a written
instrument.
Blooming (common), used com-
monly for emphasising a word,
but generally in an ironical
Blot the scrip, and jark it (old
cant), to stand surety or bail
for anv one.
Bloviate — Blow.
141
Bloviate (American), a made up
or "factitious" word, which has
been used since 1850, and is
perhaps older. It is irregularly
used to signify verbosity, wan-
dering from the subject, and
idle or inflated oratory or blow-
ing, by which word it was pro-
bably suggested, being parti-
ally influenced by " deviate."
Blow (university), a drunken
frolic ; an old slang phrase for-
merly much in vogue at both
Oxford and Cambridge, but not
much used now, such words as
"spree," "tight," &c., having
superseded it. Also, "to blow"
and "to go on the Uotc." (Old
cant), " He has hit the blow,"
i.e., he has stolen the goods, or
done the deed. (Common), a
shilling.
For this I went to the Steel (Bastile —
Cold Bath Fields Prison), having a new
suit of clobber on me, and about fifty blow
in my brigh (pocket). When I came out
I went at the same old game. — J. Horsley :
Prison Jottings.
Blow, blow it (American thieves'
slang), to be silent, be quiet !
hold your chatter I This is
quite the opposite of the English
slang "to blow," which means
to inform on, or the common
American " to blow," i.e., to talk
loudly and emptily.
Mac Clarty objected ; giving the young
man a warning look, he said, "Nixey
Toohey, get out flash — blo^u it, man, blo^u
it!" which meant that Mr. Mac Clarty
thought that Mr. Toohey ought not to talk
so much. — Philadelphia Press, Dec. 8,
Blow, blow on, upon (common),
to expose, inform.
And she ain't got nobody but me to keep
a secret for her, and I've been and blotued
on her. — J. Greenwood : Dick Temple.
You wouldn't blow an old chum among
his friends, would you ? — Sam Slick : The
Clockmaker.
Depend upon it that they're on the scent
down here, and that if he moved, he'd
blow upon the thing at once. — Dickens :
Oliver Tzuist.
But I will blow her, he said, I will blow
her ladyship's conduct in the business. —
Sir Walter Scott : St. Ronan's Well.
Derived from the primary mean-
ing to blow, to spread by report
as if with a trumpet, to publish ;
or from to blow upon, to taint,
to blast, to bring into disfavour
or discredit.
Happily for him, he was not put to
the bar till the first burst of popular rage
had spent itself, and till the credit of the
false witnesses had been blown upon. —
Macaulay.
In Dutch an ear-blower, oor-
bleazer, means an instigator,
informer, or sycophant ; the
French siffler dans I'oreUle seems
to be closely allied to it. (Win-
chester), to bloiv signifies to
blush, like a rose in full bloom.
(American), to blow, to brag,
or " gas " unduly. (Old slang),
" to blow the groundsels," using
the floor for the purpose of sexual
intercourse. (Common), "toblow
the gaff," to reveal the secret,
to " peach," to inform. The old
form still in use is "to blow
the gab," i.e., to utter the dis-
course, which has more meaning
in it.
142
Blow — Blower.
Why, he scarcely knows a jimmy from a
round robin, and Jack deserved the tippet
for making a law with him, as all coves
of his kiuney "blow the gaflF." — On the
Trail.
Sometimes " to blow the gag,"
which literally signifies to blow
off the metaphoric impediment
which keeps one's mouth closed
To blow off, to treat to drinks
(Common), hloio out, a good meal
That was a rare good blow out, solilo'
quises Dan, complacently recalling the
taste of the savoury viands. — Savage Lon
don.
Blowed, to be blmved. This expres-
sion is a weak attempt to avoid
the use of the oaths " damn " or
" blast," and occurs in only such
expressions as ' ' I'll be blowed if
I do," and many others that
are continually heard from
the mouths of the populace.
Tom Hood was asked to con-
tribute to a new cheap periodi-
cal for nothing, or for a small
advance as he termed it upon
nothing, and replied to the
request that he would will-
ingly do so in the interest of
cheap literature, if his butcher
and baker would act upon the
same principle towards himself.
He cited a letter on the subject
which he had received from his
butcher : —
Sir, — Respectin' your note ; cheap litera-
ture be blo7ved ! Butchers must live as
well as other people, and if so be as you
and the readin' public wants to have meat
at prime cost, you must buy in our beast-
esses, and kill yourselves. — John Stokes.
It's no shame to lie defeated by Peck-
sniff. />7oK> Pecksniff. — Dickens : Martin
Chuzzte-.rit.
Blowen (thieves), originally a
showy courtesan, a prostitute,
but now used more in the sense
of woman, mistress.
Tramp it, tramp it, my jolly blo^ven.
Or be grabbed by the beaks we may.
And we shall caper a-heel-and-toeing
A Newgate hornpipe some fine day.
— William Maginn.
All the most fashionable prigs, or toby-
men, sought to get him into their set ; and
the most crack bloiven in London would
have given her ears at any time for a' loving
word from Bachelor Bill. — Lytton : Paul
Clifford.
It is used with a like meaning
by American thieves.
Ah, Bell ! you were always the blowen
for a rum bing. — On the Trail.
M. O. Davis gives the definition
of " blowen, a showy woman,
used disparagingly," which
would imply that it is derived
from blown, i.e., inflated. It
seems on the contrary to be
used in a complimentary sense,
a simile from a fiill-blown flower,
and this poetical derivation is
borne out by the closely allied
term, bloivess, a pet, and bloss,
a woman, from blossom in Ame-
rican thieves' lingo.
Blower (American), a noisy, talk-
ative man, a " gas-bag."
A man who earns his living by travelling
about with a lung-tester was in Indiana-
polis the other day. He was approached
by a tall, well-fed personage, wlio handed
him five cents and prepared to blow into
his machine.
"Hold on — hold on a minute!" said
the street faker, excitedly, as he scanned
his customer a moment, and jerked the
tube out of his hand ; " ain't you Dan
V'oorhees ? "
Blower — Blown.
143
" I am D. W. Voorhees," replied the
tall man, in some surprise.
" Then you can't touch this machine. I
wouldn't have it burst for $50. Here is
your nickel. This ain't no elephant lung-
tester. "
And shouldering his macliine the man
walked rapidly away, as if he had had a
narrow escape.
It wonld appear from this
artless anecdote that Mr. Voor-
hees has a natural reputation
as a hlmcer. It is said that the
late Horace Greeley, during a
trip from New York to Phila-
delphia, being engaged in a
political discussion, went on
"narrating" or "orating" for
a long time, while all the other
passengers kept silence in ad-
miration of the great man.
But the conductor, not knowing
who the speaker was, and think-
ing that he was monopolising
an undue share of conversation
—a great offence in the United
States — stepped up to him with
the remark, " Old man, you
talh too much. Shut up 1 We
don't allow no such Mowing on
this train." And then there
was a roar of laughter " fit to
blow the roof off."
(Popular), a tobacco-pipe.
Blow in (American), another
form of "blew," to spend one's
money.
".Sam? Isn't he in the valley?" "Not
much ! Sam got two months' wages ahead,
so he cracked his whip, and went off on a
bend." "To hlmu in'f" Jake laughed
assent. ^.S'aa'(^/« and Moccasin.
" To Umo in one's pile," to spend
one's money, to pay.
I had " blcnvn in my pile "
On the strength of his tip.
The name of the horse
Was on many a lip ;
But I learnt, ere sunset, to my sorrow
Tliat there's slips twixt the cup and the
lip.
— Turf, Field, and Farm.
Blowing (Australian, popular),
boasting, bragging.
The public-houses presented a very busy
sight, and judging by the bars it seemed
that when men were not eating, sleeping,
or working, they were drinking grog and
boasting (or blowing, in colonial parlance)
of some feat which they had performed,
or of the particular merits of some horse,
bullock, dog, or man. — Grant: Bush Life.
The metaphor probably is "hlow-
inf/ one's own trumpet," if indeed
it be not simply an abbreviation,
Australian slang being given to
abbreviations of all kinds. An-
thony Trollope gave a good deal
of offence in Australia by speak-
ing of blowing as a national fail-
ing out there.
(American), " blotoing his ba-
zoo," blowing his own trumpet,
boasting. From the Dutch feaz»,
abbreviation of bazuin, a trum-
pet or trombone, " Jeniand.i lof
bazuynen," to sound one's (own)
praise. (Thieves), " blowing out
a red light," stealing a gold
watch, a white light being a
silver watch. (Nautical), " blow-
ing ^rc&t guns and small arras,"
heavy gales, a hurricane ; " bloir-
iug the grampus," throwing
water over a man on watch who
has fallen asleep.
Blown together (tailors), gar-
ments badly made are said to
have been blown together.
144
Blow out — Blue.
Blow out (common), an entertain-
ment or feast.
" She' sent me a card for a blow out"
said Mowbray, " and so I am resolved to
go." — Sir Walter Scott: St. Ronan's
Well.
Synonyms are " spread,"
up."
flare
Blow up (common), so universally
used as to have almost ceased
to be slang; to vehemently scold,
reprimand.
The other day some poor fellow married
a somewhat faded beauty, and one of his
former acquaintances inquired how the
newly-wedded pair were getting on.
" Very indifferent," was the reply. " She's
always bloiving hit7i up." "I'm not sur-
prised at that," said the first. "Look at
the amount of powder she carries about
her."— /l//^ Sloper's Half Holiday.
To give a hlomng up is synony-
mous.
(Workmen), to hlow up (i.e.,
to sound the whistle), is to call
the men to work ; used by fore-
men and gaugers.
Blowsy (common), wild, dis-
ordered, dishevelled, generally
applied to the hair of a woman
when unkempt, disarranged, and
streaming over her forehead and
face. " Blowsabella " is the
name given to a personage in an
ancient mock heroic poem.
Blub (popular), an abbreviation
of to "blubber," to cry like a
child with noise and slavering.
Don't be a fool and blub, Jim, it's a
darned good thing for you,
You'll find a mate as can carry and I'll
play the music too.
— lieonie K. .Siins: ballads of linbylon.
Blubber (popular), the mouth;
to " sport blubber" is said of a
large coarse woman who exposes
her bosom ; blubber and guts,
obesity ; blubber-heUj, a fat
person ; blubber-head, a stupid
person. (Nautical), blubber boiler,
a whaling vessel. (Common),
blubber cheeks, large flaccid
cheeks hanging like the fat or
blubber of a whale. The terra
has ceased to be slang.
Bluchers (Winchester), college
prefects with only "half"
power, which means they can
only "fag" men in "hall" or
" chambers."
The remaining eight college prefects
(called in Winchester tongue bluchers) have
a more limited authority, confined to
chambers and the quadrangle. — Black-
woods Edinburgh Magazine.
Bludgers (thieves\ fellows who do
not hesitate to use the bludgeon.
Bludget, a low female thief who
decoys her victims into alley-
ways, &c., to rob them (New
York Slang Dictionary). Bludger
(English slang), a man who uses
violence in robbery ; it has pos-
sibly some connection with the
old Dutch slang word bollctje, a
man or master. " Volmaakt,
bolletje, volmaakt 1 "
Blue (common). This word en-
ters into several slang phrases,
not only English but of other
nationalities.
To be in "the blues," to have
a "fit of the blues" (in French
broycrdu noir), to be afliicted wit h
Blue.
145
' " Uue devils," to drink till " all
is blue" " to be partial to blue
ruin," "tolookblue," "tocryblue
murder," are all familiar phrases
of ancient origin and modern
prevalence. * ' Du vin bleu," and
" petit bleu," are used by the
French to signify thin, sour,
unwholesome wine, terms which
owe their origin to a similar
association of ideas.
In some of those with melan-
choly meanings, there is an
evident connection between blue
as a colour, and the idea of
grief, disappointment. Thus the
French have the expression,
"En voir de Ueues," to meet
with great disappointment, an-
noyance, sufferings, a variant
of "En voir de grises." "En
bailler tout bleu," to be gaping
with astonishment at some news
or act which arouses one's in-
dignation, from the livid hue of
the face.
Charles G. Leland makes the
following remarks : —
" Blue, English popular slang,
but somewhat extended in the
United States. When this word
is used to denote extremes, as
' to drink till all is blue,' ' a dyed
in the wool blue Presbyterian,'
' true-blue ' in political opinions
or honesty, it would appear that
its origin is possibly maritime.
Mue water was till a recent
period always described as oil
or out of soundings, so that,
like the sky, it suggests no end.
It is remarkable that in both
German and Dutch the same
idea of extremity is connected
with Uue. An utterly bad, piti-
ful result in the latter is ' Een
blauwe uytvlugt.' In the last ex-
tremity of dead drunkenness,
or in the swoons of a man in
the delirium tremer^s, a blue sky
or atmosphere seems to gather
round the victim, in which a
luminous point appears, which
' seems to come directly at him,'
as the writer has heard it de-
scribed. To look blv£ is pro-
bably derived, like blue-noses,
from cold, or from approaching
death, which latter would suffi-
ciently account for the relation
of blue to despair, despondency,
and misery."
" Now, shendlemens, I sings you a song
of mine own vot I translade from de Sher-
man of Schiller " : —
Dere is an oldt saying, und I peliefe id
is true.
Dot ven a man dies his fingers tooirn
/>/ue,
His fingers toom />iue by de light of de
moon,
Und vy shouldn't efery man enjoy his
own room ?
Gorus. — Room, poys, room, by de light
of de moon,
Und vy shouldn't efery man enjoy his
own room ?
— Yale College Song.
" Blue devils and red monkeys
are said by the experienced to
be the characteristic appari-
tions which haunt drunkards."
(Common), to talk blue, to
talk immodestly, or libidinously.
"A bit of blue," an obscene or
libidinous anecdote. " A brown
conversation" and "a brown
study " is used in the contrary
sense, and means seriously,
gravely, and decently.
K
146
Blue — Blue- blazer.
(Oxford and Cambridge), a
man is said to get his blue (that
is, the right to wear the Uni-
versity colour) when he repre-
sents his University against
the rival university, in the an-
nual boat-race, cricket-match,
athletic sports, or football
matches.
Blue, blew, to (common), to pawn
or pledge, to spend or lose one's
money at gambling, to waste
money generally. Varied to
Uew, from the phrase "blown
in," which refers to money
that has been spent, as in the
phrase, " I ' blewed ' all my
tin." For another derivation
see Blewed.
He'd a rooted aversion to everything
blue,
And so innately modest was he
That he blushed when his optics en-
countered a view
Of the broadly cerulean sea.
He adored modest maidens of charming
eighteen,
But blue-stockings he'd always eschew.
And he carried his tastes to the verge of
the mean —
He had oof, which he never would
blew.
— Sporting Times.
" To blew a job," to make a
mess of a business ; from to
blow in the sense of make worth-
less ; (thieves), to bleio, to steal ;
"Ikwcd of his red 'un," i.e., his
watch stolen from him. " I've
been Uewcd of my skin," I've
been robbed of my purse.
Blue-apron (common), a Wuc-opron
statesman. "Alay politician, a
tradesman who interferes with
the affairs of the nation. The
reference is to the blue apron
once worn by almost all trades-
men, but now restricted to but-
chers, poulterers, fishmongers,
and so on" (Dr. Brewer's Dic-
tionary of Phrase and Fable).
Blue bill (Winchester), every
"man" in " Commoners," that
is, school, in contradistinction
to college, has his tradesman's
bills enclosed in a blue envelope
given to him by the head-master
on the last evening of the half,
after " preces " or prayers, at
8-45 P.M., in "Mugging Hall."
(See this word.)
Blue Billy (popular), the hand-
kerchief (blue ground with
white s^DOts) sometimes worn
and used as a colour at prize-
fights. Also the refuse ammo-
niacal lime from gas factories
(Hotten).
Blue blanket (vagrants), explained
by quotation : —
The vagabond brotherhood have several
slang terms for sleeping out in a field or
meadow. It is called " snoozing in Hedge
Square," " dossing with the daisies," and
* ' Ij'ing under the Hue blanket." — J. Green-
•wood : Under the Blue Blanket.
The French have the equi-
valent " Coucher h, I'hotel de
I'Etoile." (Popular), a large
rough coat, a pilot coat.
Blue-blazer (American), a fancy
drink of sugar, hot water, and
spirits, but made in a peculiar
manner.
Blue-blazes — Blue murders.
147
Blue-blazes (common), helL As
there is probably no man who
has ever heard of hell who has
not been taught to associate it
with burning sulphur or brim-
stone, the expression does not
seem to be so meaningless as
some writers suppose. (Popular),
spirituous liquors.
Blue boar (old cant), the vulgar
term for a venereal disease.
Blue-bottle (general), a policeman,
a constable, termed also a " blue
devil."
The Bobby's big boot, though, is nudging
her now,
And she sleepily stutters, " All right !
Whatsh th'row?"
Then the buzz of the blue bottle's borne on
the breeze —
" Now move yourself, 'Liza 1 Come, pass
along, please 1 "
— Sfiorting Tunes.
It occurs in Shakspeare in
the Second Part of King Henry
IV., where Doll Tearsheet
calls the beadle " a Uue-iotUe
rogue." Most etymologists agree
in ascribing the appellation to
the colour of a policeman's uni-
form. The term was formerly
applied to servants dressed in
blue liveries. The police force
is sometimes spoken of as the
"blues." The old French city
police were termed by thieves
les verts, from their green uni-
forms, and nowadays a French
rogue will talk of les serins
(canaries), i.e., gendarmes, with
yellow facings. The rebel
chouans called the Republican
soldiers ha ileus. The Austrians
and the English were respec-
tively styled les blancs and
liabits rouges by French soldiery.
Again, "blue bellies" was a
term applied by the Confederate
soldiery during the CivU War
to the Federals, on account of
their blue gaberdines, and the
latter dubbed their adversaries
"grey-backs." Many other ex-
amples might be given in sup-
port of the above derivation of
blue-bottles.
Blue boy (popular), a bubo.
Blue butter (popular), mercurial
ointment.
Blue cheek (popular), explained
by quotation.
There were three fashions for whiskers
when I was a child, and they were vari-
ously known as dlue cheek, the whisker
shaved off and leaving the cheek blue ;
" bacca pipe," the whisker curled in tiny
ringlets) ; and " touzle," or whisker worn
bushy. — /. Greenwood : Outcasts of
London.
Blue flag (popular), a blue apron
worn by butchers, greengrocers,
&c. "He has hoisted the blue
fiag."
Blue funk (English and Ameri-
can), extreme fright.
It put me in a regular blue funk. —
Punch.
Blue moon (proverbial), an unde-
fined period, used in the phrase,
" Once in a blue moon."
Blue murders (popular), a great
and unusual noise. To call blue
148
Blue noses — Blue ruin.
murders, to call out loudly. " If
you hit me again I'll call out
blue murders."
Blue noses (Americanism),
natives of Nova Scotia.
" Pray, sir," said one of my fellow-pas-
sengers, "can _you tell me the reason why
the Nova Scotians are called bliu noses ? "
" It is the name of a potato," said I,
" which they produce in the greatest per-
fection, and boast to be the best in the
world. The Americans have in conse-
quence given them the nickname of Hue
noses." — Haliburton : Sam Slick.
Blue peter (nautical), the signal
for sailing when hoisted at the
foretop mast-head. This well-
known flag has a blue ground
with a white square in the
centre (Admiral Smyth).
The blue peter has long been flying at
my foremast, and . . . now I must soon
expect the signal for sailing. — Justin
McCarthy : A History of Our Ozvn
Times.
This expression is also ap-
plied to the call for trumps
in whist.
Blue pigeon (thieves), the lead
on roofs ; to fly or shoot the
hlue pigeon, to steal lead off
the roofs of buildings. (Nauti-
cal), a nickname for the sound-
ing lead.
Blue pill (American), a bullet.
Lead has long been termed bluey
in England, and death by a
bullet blue murder, but the
enormous consumption of hlue
fills or calomel in the United
States renders it possible that
the simile originated there.
. . . That if he did so he would be re-
ceived with a welcome from a horse-pistol.
To which the answer was, " Hev got a
mountain howitzer witch karrys a fore-
pound (4 lb.) ball, and I intend to blow
you and your house to hel before I begin
on your turkers. So come on with your
pistil and blue pil. — Knickerbocker Maga-
zine.
Blue plumbs (thieves), bullets.
No rapture can equal the tobyman's joys.
To blue devils blue plumbs give the
go-by.
— Ainsworih: Rookwood.
Blue ribbon (racing), the term is
only applied to the Derby.
Melton, who won the blue ribbon after
one of the most exciting finishes. — Illus-
trated London News.
Blue ruin (popular), gin of inferior
quality. Termed also "blue
ribband."
His ear caught the sound of the word
viorbleu >
Pronounced by the old woman under her
breath ;
Now, not knowing what she could mean by
blue death.
He conceived she referred to a delicate
brewing.
Which is almost synonymous, namely,
blue ruin-
— In^oldsby Legends.
A tumbler of blue ruin fill, fill for me 1
Red tape those as likes it may drain,
I5ut whatever the lush, it a bumper must
be.
— Lord Lytton : Paul Clifford.
Dr. Brewer gives the explana-
tion: "Blue, from its tint, and
ruin, from Its effects." Compare
as regards similes of colour "red
tape," red wine ; " petit bleu,"
coarse red wine; " une verte"
or " i^rroquet," a glass of ab-
sinthe (which is green); "une
brune," a glass of porter ; " une
Blue ruin — Blujff.
149
blonde," a glass of ale; "une
jaune," a dram of brandy ;
"une dame blanche," a bottle
of white wine; "pi vols sa-
vonn^," white wine; "nd-
gresse," bottle of red wine.
And with respect to pernicious
effects, " breaky leg," strong
drink ; " eau-de-mort, casse-
poitrine, tord-boyaux," rank
brandy. The term blue ruin
must have been coined by
sober people, or by repentant
drunkards, whilst those other-
wise inclined gave it the fond
appellation of "white velvet,"
or "white satin," unconsciously
imitated by French dram-drink-
ers, when, after having tossed
off some horrible stuff in an
assommoir, they fervently ejacu-
late, " C'est un velours, quoi I "
Blues (common), the Royal Horse
Guards ; the Bluecoat school ;
. the crews of the 'Varsity boat
race — the dark blues being the
Oxford men, and the light Uucs
those from Cambridge; the
police force.
Well, what's the row . . ,
Or whether this here mobbing, as some
longish heads foretell it,
Will grow to such a riot that the Oxford
Hues must quell it ?
— Hood Row at the Oxford Amis.
(Society), "a fit of the blues"
means a fit of depression ; it
is abbreviated from the "blue
devils," which are supposed to
appear to a man suffering from
delirium tremens.
She had attracted him for a while, but
his strong good common sense, as well as
his strong healthy body and robust habits,
soon carried him out of the blues he had
for a while fallen into. — Lucy Farmer;
or, Chronicles ofCardew Manor.
Blue skin (West Indian), the
child of a black woman by a
white man. The name of a
mulatto, one of the characters of
Ainsworth's " Jack Sheppard."
Blue squadron, one of the (East
Indian), a person having a cross
of the Indian breed.
Blue the screw, to (popular), to
spend one's salary.
He buys her gloves and dresses new.
And stands her dinners down at Kew ;
In fact on her blues all his screw.
Which some day he will sadly rue.
— The Gaiety Masher: Broadside.
Bluey (thieves), lead. (Austra-
lian), a bushman's bundle, the
outside wrapper of which is
generally a blue blanket
(Murray).
Bluff, to (American, low), to put
down by a bold front, to oppose
by "cheek" or effrontery.
I did not care if it took me a week ; I
was not going to be bluffed by them. —
North of England Advertiser.
German, bluff en. The eleventh
commandment among thieves
in Germany is " Da sollst
Dich nicht verbluffen lassen " —
" Don't let yourself be Uuffed."
Dutch blufferd, a snarling fel-
low ; bloffen, to bark at. Also
Dutch, verbluffen, to put out of
countenance, to face down.
(Patterers' slang), an excuse,
a pretence.
ISO
Bluffer — Boarding school.
There is a strong suspicion among men
whose heads are level that the minstrel
variety performance is a blujff' of the
" messenger " to keep from the public the
real motives of the murders. — Bret Harte:
Gabriel Conroy.
Bluffer (provincial), an innkeeper,
or landlord of a public-house.
(Nautical), a boatswain of a ship.
Bluifingf (American, cards), betting
high on poor cards at poker,
in the hopes of frightening the
other players into going out,
A crafty player wiU often allow
himself to be called for a
small Um§, so as to establish
a reputation for doing it, in
order to lie by and win a good
stake when he has a really
good hand, on which he has
thus induced his antagonists to
suppose that he is bluffing. The
English equivalent for this term
is "bragging."
Blunderbuss (popular), a stupid,
blundering f eUow.
Blunt (thieves), money.
When the slow coach paused, and the
gemmen storm'd,
I bore the brunt —
And the only sound which my grave lips
form'd
Was 3/««/— still blunt I
—Lord Lytton : Paul Clifford.
" Take care of your watches, gentle-
men 1" said the polite policeman, endea-
vouring to divide the mob.
" Take care of your /Hunt, you devils ! "
yelled the gallant Primrose Leaguer, who
had come to see the fun. — Bird o' Free-
dom.
By some the word is derived
from Mr. John Ijlunt, the
chairman of the South Sea
Company, the famous bubble by
which a few fortunes were won,
and many fortunes were lost, in
1720. By others it is thought
that the word originated in the
French Uond. But hlunt (some-
times varied to the hlunt) is
more probably derived, as the
latter appellation implies, from
an allusion to the blunt rim of
coins or to their hardness, as in
the phrase " hard cash," " soft "
being bank notes, and " stiffs "
cheques or bills.
Blunted (popular, and thieves),
possessed of money.
Bly-hunka (tinker), a horse.
B. N. C., Brasenose College, Ox-
ford.
Board, to (military), to borrow.
Board him (nautical), a col-
loquialism for I'll ask, demand,
or accost him (Admiral Smyth).
Shakspeare makes Polonius say
of Hamlet : —
" I'll board him presently."
To "board him in the smoke,"
means to take a person by sur-
prise, from the simile of firing a
broadside and taking advantage
of the smoke to board.
Boardings school (old cant), the
name given by thieves and
similar characters to Newgate
or any other prison. "To go
to boardiny school " was to go
to gaol. French thieves call a
Boat — Bobachee.
151
prison "pal" "un aminche de
Boat (thieves), originally to trans-
port, the term is now applied
to penal servitude. To "get
the hoaf^ or to "be boated" is
to be sentenced to a long term
of imprisonment equivalent to
transportation under the old
system (Hotten). To boat with
one is to be a partner in some
crime, to be an accomplice.
" Does he ioai with you?" " Yes, and
he's an artist. Only last night, down at
the Albany break-up, he buzzed a bloke
and a shakester of a reader." — On the
TraiL
(Military), a good boat is a
soldier who spends his money
freely with his poorer comrades.
Bob (general), a shilling. Origin
unknown. Perhaps from a
simile in allusion to the meaning
of bob, formerly bait for fish, the
coin being looked upon in the
light of a bribe. " Bobstick,"
old slang for a shilling, would
in that case be the fishing-rod.
Compare with "palm-oil," both
money and bribe, and the French
slang huilc de mains, same mean-
ing. Also with (jraisse, money,
from the phrase "graisser
la patte," to bribe. It is
curious to note that hob is a
blow, and "blow" slang for a
shilling.
The jolliest fellow you ever met
Is a dismal man at home ;
The wittiest girl in society's set
Will with headaches her wit atone.
The man whose graces a court would
adorn
Is tied to a desk from night till mom ;
And the man who would lend his last
bob to a friend
Never has the first bob to lend.
— Bird o' Freedom.
(Popular), bob! stopl the re-
sponse to the request "say
when," while spirits are being
poured into one's glass.
" Bob a nob," a shilling a head.
Bob, in old slang, signified a
shoplifter's assistant, to whom
the stolen goods were passed,
and who carried them away.
" All is bob," i.e., all is safe.
From a Cornwall term bob,
pleasant, agreeable. A variant
of "aU gay," and "aU serene."
" To shift one's bob," to go away.
(Public schools), " dry bob,"
a boy who devotes himself to
cricket or football, or any other
games on "dry land," in oppo-
sition to "wet bob," one who
gives himself up to boating.
The friendly rivalry between England
and America led some while ago to a con-
test between the " wet bobs," to use an
Eton phrase, of either country, and it was
only fair that the "dry bobs" should show
what they could do. — T. Ogilvie : Im-
perial Dictionary of the English Lan-
guage.
"Dry 606 " also refers to fruitless
coition.
Resolved to win, like Hercules, the
prize . . .
The cheating jilt, at the twelfth, a dry
bah cries.
— Earl 0/ Rochester s Works,
Bob my pal (rhyming slang), a
"gal," girl.
Bobachee (Anglo-Indian), a cook;
a vulgar or slang form of 6<*-
152
Bobber — Bobbish.
warcki, a high dignitary at the
Mongol court, a taster and
carver to some great man.
Bobbachy canvah, cook-house. —
A n^lo- Indian Olossai-y.
Bobber (popular), a fellow-work-
man, mate. Also a variant of
"bob," as in the phrase "two
bobber," a florin.
So down I gets and finds a two bobber.
My mate gives me the wink, but the slavey's
on the job, so 1 say, " Oh, miss, if I ain't
found a two bobber," — Sporting Times.
Bobbery (Anglo- Indian). This
word comes from the East, but
its origin is doubtful. The
authors of the " Anglo-Indian
Glossary " declare that it is com-
mon for Hindus when in surprise
or grief to exclaim, Bapre !
or Bapre bap ! " Oh, Fathers 1"
This is imitated in Anglo-Indian
by Bobbery Bob / Ladies in the
United States also sometimes
exclaim, "Fathers!" with or
without " merciful," or " good "
as a prefix. Bobbery generally
signifies a row, a disturbance.
It is even more common as
"bobbely" in pidgin English,
but it is very doubtful indeed
whether it originated, as some
think, in the Cantonese pa-pi, a
noise.
I'll bet a wager there'll be a bobbery in
the pigsty before long. — Marryat: Peter
Sivtfle.
It also means in India " pack,"
a pack of hounds or dogs of all
kinds without distinction.
What a C.ibinet has put together —
a regular bobbery^jn:)s..— Anglo-Indian
Glossary.
Bobbin (common), " That's the
end of the bobbin." A phrase
equivalent to saying, "That's the
end of it," when all the thread
is wound ofE a bobbin or spool.
The French say "etre au bout
de son rouleau." (American),
bobbin' around, a slang phrase
meaning going about, here and
there, casually. It rose from
the refrain of a song which was
popular in 18150. In another
lyric the following allusion was
made to a report that the King
of Belgium had proposed mar-
riage to Miss Burdett-Coutts
and been rejected.
So the King of the Belgines went in and
got sold
When he hoped for a fortune in silver and
gold,
Which shows that great mon-i-archs some-
times are found
Runnin' after rich ladies and bobbin
around.
If I ketch him bobbin' round arter our
Nancy here agin, I'll just set the dorgs on
him — though I don't believe a decent dorg
would want to bite such an everlasting
slink as he is. — Sunday Paper.
Bobbing armind is evidently
a variation on " bobbing up and
down," rising and falling, here
and there, like a fisherman's
bob in the water.
Bobbing (public schools), " dry
bobbing " applies to all sports on
terra firma, and " wet bobbing"
to aquatics. ^
Bobbish (common), smart, spruce,
or in good order, fair. From
a Cornwall term bob, pleasant,
agreeable.
Bobbles — Bobtail,
153
"'Ow are yer, pretty iodSisA?" "I'm
much as usual, thankee." — Punch.
Bobbles (popular), the testicles.
From the s^me word signifying
in Cornwall, stones, pebbles.
Bobby (general), a policeman ;
otherwise " peeler, cop, or
copper, blue-bottle, pig, reeler,
crusher, frog, fly-cop," &c.
The cook, she, when
The bobby's on his beat,
Oft Ughtens master's larder
Of the pudding and the meat.
—Sonff.
" If you want a thing done, you should
do it yourself,"
Is an excellent maxim, no doubt in its
way ;
But, when citizens willingly part with their
pelf.
They're entitled to claim some return
for their pay.
Bull does not pay Bobbies to lounge on
their beats,
And leave him at last to look after his
streets.
— Punch.
Some thirty years ago the
man in blue (journalistic) was
stiU sometimes called " hohiy
peeler," a fact which bears out
the generally admitted origin
of hohhy from Sir Robert Peel,
to whom the establishment of
the force was due, in 1829, and
who replaced the old " Charlies "
(so called from Charles I., in
whose reign the system was
reorganised), who then acted
as constables and night- watchers
in the metropolis. According
to Hotten, the ollicial square-
keeper, who is always armed
with a cane to drive away idle
and disorderly urchins, has,
time out of mind, been caUed
by the same urchins, " bobby the
beadle."
Bobby twister (thieves' slang), a
burglar who would hesitate at
nothing, even to shooting any
policeman who might be endea-
vouring to capture him. A
noted bobby twister was the fa-
mous burglar Peace, whose diur-
nal avocations were certainly
in keeping with his name, as he
was considered a highly respect-
able citizen. He was, or pre-
tended to be, a teetotaller, and,
it is said, a member of the
Salvation Army. His respecta-
bihty ended on the gallows.
Bob-cull (thieves), good fellow.
"Where be you going, you imp of the
world?" cried the dame. "Get in with
you, and say no more on the matter ; be a
bob-cull — drop the bullies, and you shall
have the blunt ! " — Lytton : Paul ClifforcU
Bob is a provincial term, sig-
nifying pleasant, agreeable.
Bobs (schools), huge beer jugs.
Only those "juniors" attended whose
office it was to bring away the portions of
bread and cheese and bobs of beer for con-
sumption in the afternoon. — T, A. Trollopt:
What I Remember.
Bobstick (old), a shilling.
Bob.
Fide
Bobtail (old slang), a licentious,
immodest woman of the very
lowest character. One who ex-
posed her person in public. Also
an impotent debaiiclice.
154
Bob White — Bogey.
Bob White (American), a popular
but not a slang name for the
quail, whose notes are supposed
to resemble the words Bob —
White, with a pause between the
two words and a strong accent
on the miite. It is just two-
thirds of the song of the whip-
poor-will.
The American fanner has watched his
birds through the cycle of the year ; has
listened to the "Ah Bob White! ah Bob
IVhite ! " that with the fall of the apple-
blossoms begins to fill the air. — Mac-
millans Magazine.
Bodier (pugilistic), a blow on the
sides of the body, otherwise
known as a " rib-roaster."
Bodkin (common), an old word
still in use, with the sense of
dirk, dagger. (Sporting), a per-
son who takes his turn between
the sheets on a night when the
hotel has twice as many visitors
as it can comfortably lodge
(Hotten's Dictionary). (Com-
mon), to " ride bodkin" any one
sitting between two others in a
carriage, is said to "ride bod-
kin."
Then he called a hansom, and expressing
his willingness to " be ihebodkin " {Anglice,
ride in the middle), ordered the jehu to
drive to Middlesex Street. — Sporting
Times.
Body-slangs (thieves' cant), fet-
ters for the body.
Budy-slangs are of two kinds.
Each consists of a heavy iron
rint^ to go round the waist, to
which are attached in one case
two bars or heavy chains, con-
nected with the fetters round
the ankles, in the other case a
link at each side attached to a
handcuff. Into these the wrists
are locked, and thus held down
to the prisoner's sides. The
latter are now only to be found
in museums. — Vaux.
Body snatcher (old), a bailiff or
runner ; a violator of the grave ;
an undertaker.
Bog (prison), the farm works at
Dartmoor where much land has
been reclaimed. Bog gang, the
party of convicts detailed for
this work. (Common), a privy.
Originally printers' slang, but
now very common. "To bog,"
to ease oneself. (Tinker), see
BOGH.
Bogey, often called bug-aboo, a
word existing in different forms
in many languages. As both
God and Devil may be found in
Deus, Uevas, divine, Diabolua
and the gypsy Duvel or Bevlia
(both meaning God only), so we
have the divinity as Bog in
Eussian, and in the Celtic bug,
a spirit or spectre, while in
English bugge or bug is in two
senses a terror, as the famous
Bugge Bible and Spenser's
" Faerie Queene " bear witness.
The bogey or bug-aboo is an
imaginary horror or monster
with which vulgar, wicked, or
foolish people were, and perhaps
still are, accustomed to frighten
children at night. It is probable
that aboo is the common old
Irish war-cry, which was said
Bogey — Bogus.
155
to be so terrifying that it was
formeriy prohibited by law.
This 0600 was well-known and
much talked of during the time
of Elizabeth. On August 2,
1887, Mr. Courtney in Pariia-
ment invented a new form of
the word.
Mr. Courtney, though a partisan of the
undertaking, urged that a division should
be taken at once to save time. He de-
scribed the speech of Baron H. de Worms
as a combination oibogeyism and fogeyism.
(A laugh.) Mr. W. H. Smith and Mr. J.
Morley joined in the appeal to close the
discussion. — Saint James's Gazette.
(Common), one's landlord,
called by the French "Mon-
sieur Vautour." (Studios), a
painting is said to be hogey when
sombre tints predominate.
Bogh (tinker), to get, hold, make
work. This appears to be a very
general sort of a verb.
Bog oranges (common), potatoes,
from the fact that potatoes form
the chief diet of Irish peasants.
Bog-trotter (now recognised), an
Irish peasant. " Bog-trotting,"
applied to an Emeralder, or to
any one who lives among marshy
moors.
The impudent bog-trotting scamp dare
not threaten me ! — Thackeray : Pendennis.
Bogue, to (American), to apply
one's self very earnestly, to make
every effort. " I don't git much
done without I hogue right in
along with the men" (Bartlett),
Jjoege, a bow, or a course in
Dutch, is used exactly in this
sense, as "het over alia bogen
wenden," to try everything, to
leave no stone unturned. Also
in Dutch bogen, to pride one's
self on employing energy in
action.
Bog^s (American), anything like
a sham, a fraud, a counterfeit,
or a humbug. Bogus money,
bogus banks, &c.
One of the bogus petitions in favour of
the coal and wine dues unearthed by Mr.
Bradlaugh is purported to be signed by
no less than thirteen racehorses I — Funny
Folks.
The story which derives the
name from one Borghese, who
a generation ago flooded the
West with counterfeit money,
is, like most American deriva-
tive stories given in news-
papers, extremely doubtful. As
soon as an expression becomes
popular, ingenious artists in
literary superclieries at once
manufacture for it a history.
Bogus is from a cant term ap-
pUed to counterfeit coin. This
word is widely current in the
United States, whence it has
been recently imported by Eng-
lish newspaper writers. Among
the tinklers or tinkers, a kind
of Scottish gypsies, bogus means
counterfeit coin, from bogh, to
make, and the Romany termi-
nation us. Wilson declares that
there are numbers of these tin-
kers in America. Dr. C. Mackay
is of opinion that it was intro-
duced in America by Irish immi-
grants from boc, pronounced
hoke, deceit, fraud.
156
Bohn — Bolt.
Bohn (Yale College), a transla-
tion, or a pony from Bohn, the
name of well-known London
publishers, who issued a series
of translations of the Classics,
the use of these becoming very
common in the States ; a Bohn
was generally adopted as a
name for a translation.
'Twas plenty of skin with a good deal of
Bohn.
— Songs o/the Jttinlee: Yale College
Magazine.
Boiled shirt (Australian diggers)
a clean shirt or " clean biled
rag," as Mark Twain puts it,
boiling being a primitive way of
washing shirts.
John rode home with a depressed mind.
As he passed the public-house which had
proved the lion in the old man's path, he
saw the publican, a bloated, greasy-faced
man, a villainous low forehead, and a
prize-fighting look, walking up and down
the verandah in a boiled skirt. — A. C.
Grant.
Boiler-plated (American) origi-
nated in iron-clad. Utterly im-
penetrable, irresistible, not to
be affected.
He gave me a look of boiler-plated re-
proach, clapped on his hat, and was off with-
out another word. — Mr. and Mrs. Bowser.
Boilers (Royal Military Academy),
boiled potatoes as opposed to
"greasers," fried potatoes.
Boilings or biling (common), the
" whole boiling," the whole
, party, or entire quantity.
The last mile, he said, tho' the shortest
one of the whole bilin', took the longest to
do it in by a jug full.— .Saw SlicA : The
Clockmakcr.
A phrase probably derived
from the kitchen, and a stew
or broth of many ingredients.
It is a phrase more common
among Irish than among English
or Scotch people, though not
wholly unknown to either. The
Irish pronounciation is " biling "
or " bilin'." The term is exten-
sively used in America, and is
sometimes varied to the " whole
gridiron of them," applied to a
party. The latter is Irish.
Boilum tea (pidgin), to boil tea.
Blongy my dis tim boilum you tea,
mumpa one first chop /itee-Jitee ! (quick !)
Talkee dat sa-van (servant) he is savvy
how boilum tea. — Pidgin Talkee.
Boko (common), a nose.
An expert in nazography declares that a
pale nose usually belongs to the selfish,
cold-hearted man; whilst the highly-
coloured boko is characteristic of the san-
guine temperament usually possessed by
the man who is hopeful that a free drink
is looming in the distance. — Fun.
Originally a large nose, pos-
sibly from beak, old slang for a
nose, or from the old English
boche, bake, a swelling.
Boler, bowler (Winchester), stiff
felt hat or pot hat.
Bolly (Marlborough) is used by
the pupils with the significa-
tion of pudding.
Bolt, to (colloquial), to make a
sudden and rajjid movement, for
haste, alarm, jjcrplcxity, or other
cause of expedition. To bolt one's
food is to swallow without mas-
Bolt — Bonanza.
157
tication ; to holt is to run away,
to decamp, to disappear. The
term, according to Grose, is bor-
rowed from the rabbit-warren,
because the rabbits hoU when a
ferret enters into their burrows.
But the derivation is probably
from holt, the ancient and not yet
obsolete word for an arrow, as in
the current proverb " a fool's
bolt is soon shot," so that to
holt is to move as swiftly as
an arrow. (Prison), "getting
the holt" being sentenced to
penal servitude.
" Long Bill expects bolt " informs the
sympathetic or rejoicing reader that one
William expects to be sentenced to
penal servitude. — Rev. J. W. Horsley :
Jottings from Jail. ._
Bolted (nautical), " I've been
through the mill, ground and
halted." That is, " You can't
gammon me ; I'm too old a bird
to be caught with chaff." Bolted
in this case signifies sifted.
Bolt -in -tun (London thieves),
bolted, run away, got away,
one of the puns that cant and
slang are so fond of. Cf. " Cob-
bler," " Billiard slum," &c.
Vaux in his Memoirs says : —
"A term founded on the cant
word ' bolt,' and merely a fan-
ciful variation very common
among flash persons, there being
in London a famous inn so
called. It is customary when
a man has run away from his
lodgings, broken out of jail, or
made any other sudden move-
ment, to say 'the IMt-in-tan is
concerned,' or ' he's gone to the
Bolt-in-tun' instead of simply
saying, * he has bolted,' " &c.
Bolt the moon, to (common), to
cheat the landlord by taking
away goods or furniture with-
out paying the rent ; literally to
extinguish the moon and take
advantage of the darkness thus
produced. ' ' To shoot the moon ' '
is more common.
Bolus (common), an apothecary.
Bombay duck (Anglo-Indian), a
small fish called the bummelo
or bumbalow, which is caught
on the Indian coasts. When
dried it forms the well-known
Bombay ducks, seen so frequently
among grocers' delicacies in
England.
Bombo (nautical), weak, cold
punch.
Bona (theatrical), good, varied to
" rumbo."
Bonanza (American), a Spanish
word, originally applied to pro-
fit, benefit. A profitable silver
mine or a share in it is a bon-
anza. Now applied generally
to money.
At last the train came, and the guard
on the train handed me a heavily-sealed
envelope, remarking as he did so —
" IjC careful of that, Branthwaite.
There's a bonanza in that package if it
were yours or mine."
" Money?' I asked.
"Yes; twenty thousand dollars." —
American Story.
But a bonanza with millions in it is not
struck every week. — Scribner's Monthly.
158
Bonos — Boned.
Bonas (popular), belles. The
difference between donnas and
lonas is thus stated in a music-
haU ballad :—
Girls are in vulgar called donnas,
Some are called Miss and some Mrs. ;
The best of them all are called bonas,
The whole jolly lot's fond of kisses.
— Broadside : O Fred, don't be so
frivolous.
Bonce (varions), the head, called
also "crust, chump." From
honct, a marble of larger size
than ordinary, used by boys.
The French slang for head,
hiUe, literally a marble, bears
out this derivation.
Bone (American), a fee ; to J«m«,
to pay a fee, or rather bribe,
called hone, at the custom-
house to induce the officials not
to examine passengers' luggage,
or to let it off lightly. From
the slang hone, derived either
from the French hon, or, as
Murray suggests, from the
middle English hoon. This
word is used with the sense
of good by English v^abonds.
<^, their hieroglyphic for the
word, chalked by them on houses
and street corners as a hint to
succeeding beggars.
(Masonic), a corruption of the
Hebrew word for builder,
(Common), to hone, to steal,
to pilfer, to purloin. Probably
derived from hon, good, or, by
extension of meaning, to seize
on a good thing.
The while within the pocket of her gown
Childe Alice deftly placed the purse she'd
boned.
Alas ! its contents were not worth a
" brown ; "
His winnings all were "stumers," and
she groaned.
" The world is too much with us ! " poor
Childe Alice moaned.
— Bird of Freedom.
This word, according to the
Glossary of Cant in Bampfyled
Moore Carew, also signifies to
apprehend, to arrest, to take
into custody, to " nab." Com-
pare with the French cant
phrase " etre le bon," which has
the same meaning.
(American cadets), to study
hard ; possibly a playful allu-
sion to the more universal slang
meaning of the verb "to hone,"
the meaning of course being to
convey the idea of acquiring
knowledge by force — an ap-
propriate reading of the word
for the cadets of West Point —
but more probably from Bohn's
translations. For other deriva-
tion, see BoONDER.
Bone box (old slang), the mouth ;
the teeth are now called the
" ivories."
Bone-crusher (South African), a
heavy bore rifle for killing big
game,
African game require hone<rushers ;
for any ordinary carbine possesses suffi-
cient penetrative quality, yet has not the
disabling quality which a gun must possess
to be useful in the hands of an African
explorer. — H. Stanley : How I found
Liz'ingstone.
Boned (thieves), taken into cus-
tody. To hone is to take what
does not belong to one. There
is therefore a world of dry
Boned — Bone shave.
159
humour in the thief saying that
he has been boned or stolen by
the poKceman when taken into
custody.
Tell us how you was boned, signifies tell
us the story of your apprehension, a com-
mon request among fellow-prisoners in a
jail, which is readily complied with as a
rule ; and the various circumstances therein
related afford present amusement and also
useful hints for regulating their future
operations, so as to avoid the like mis-
fortune. — Vaux.
Bone-grubber (common), a person
who hunts for bones in dust-
holes, or any spot where refuse
is thrown.
The ione-£T>*iier und the mud-lark differ
little in their pursuits. — Mayhew : London
Labour and the London Poor.
The term was also applied to
a resurrectionist. Cobbett was
therefore called a bone-grubber
because he brought the remains
of Tom Paine from America
(Hotten).
Bone-lazy (common), excessively
or hopelessly lazy.
Boneless, a ghost, a shadowy and
impalpable spectre or appari-
tion.
Bone muscle, to (American
cadets), to frequent the gymna-
sium ; frequently to take exer-
cise there.
Bone-picker (common), a foot-
man.
Boner (Winchester), a blow given
with the fist on the lowest
vertebra.
Bones (medical), the bones of the
human skull. " Do you know
your bones ? " i.e., are you fami-
liar with the anatomy of the
human skeleton. (Stock Ex-
change), Wickens, Pease & Co.'s
shares.
So now we shall soon have our " crackers,"
And likely enough our " cheroots,"
While our bones can be sent to the
" knackers,"
And then we have sweet " Sarah's
boots."
— At kin : House Scraps.
(Common), to rattle the hma,
to play at dice.
Bone setter (old), a hard or fast
trotting horse.
Bone shaker (common), a name
given to the old - fashioned
bicycle, which was a clumsy
wood machine, and was super-
seded by the spider steel ma-
chine, which is now being
superseded in its turn by the
smaller "Safety."
Bone shave, the sciatica or rheu-
matic gout in the sciatic nerve.
According to Mr. Thomas Wright
in his Archaic Dictionary, the
peasantry of Exmorehadacharm
for the supposed cure or relief
of this malady, consisting in the
repetition of the following dog-
gerel lines as the patient lay on
his back on the brink of a brook
or river, with a staff by his side
between him and the water.
Bone shave right,
Bone shave straight.
As the water runs by the stone
Good for bone shave.
i6o
Bone standing — Bono.
Bone standing (American cadet),
to hone standing, to study hard
for a class position (0. E.
Wood : United States Army).
Bong (Australian blackfellows'
lingo), dead. This word is a
specimen of the pidgin-English,
stuffed with native words, in
which intercourse is carried on
with the blacks on stations.
" Yohi," said the boy, still sitting on his
horse, "altogether bcmg" (dead), "one
fellow bail bong" (one not dead). "Which
one bail bong ? " demanded John in terror.
" Missis bail bong ony, cawbawn frighten "
(Missis not dead, only dreadfully fright-
ened). — A. C. Grant: Bush Life in
Queensland.
Bonger, banger (gypsy), to bend,
bow, duck, dodge, to twist or
turn ; bongo, bent, turned, un-
willing, sinister, crooked, evil,
distorted, awry. " O bongo
yakk" — "The evil eye." "0
bongo wast " — " The left hand."
"A bongo zi" (or sec) — "A
crooked, evil heart." " bongo
rikk o' the drom" — "The left-
hand side of the road."
Boning (American cadets), boning
the adjutant, a violent or immo-
derate assumption of a military
air or bearing ; a swaggering
military fillibuster ; a Bombastes
Furioso. Boning demerit, said
of a cadet who avoids giving
cause for being reported to the
authorities (O. E. Wood : United
states Army).
Bonnet (thieves), a pretext or
pretence. Vau.x defines it thus :
— " A concealment, a pretext, a
pretence, an ostensible manner
of accounting for what you
really wish to conceal ; as a
man who lives by depredation,
will still outwardly follow some
honest employment, as a clerk,
porter, newsman." One who
metaphorically bonnets or blinds
other people; a bonnet or bon-
neter is also a sham bidder at
auctions ; a confederate in
thimblerig or three cards ; one
who pretends to buy of a crocus
pitcher or street medicine ven-
dor so as to entice purchasers.
In French, bonnetcur is one who
is profuse of compliments and
bows ; hence a swindler who
tries to wheedle people out of
their money ; also a three-card
trick sharper. To bonnet for a
person, is to corroborate any
assertion he has made, or to re-
late facts in the most favourable
light, in order to extricate him
from a dilemma, or to further
any object he has in view.
(Common), to smash a man's
hat over his face, a favourite
amusement of London roughs.
Two young men who . . . varied their
amusements by bonneii'ig the proprietor
of this itinerant coffee-house. — Dickens :
Sketclus.
Bonneter (thieves), a crushing
blow on the hat.
Bonnets so blue (rhyming slang),
Irish stew.
Bono, good. (East), bono Johnny,
an Englishman.
Booby-hutch — Book-form.
i6i
Booby-hutch (thieves), the police-
station.
Booby-trap (Winchester), the door
of a room is left open, and on
the top are placed some big books
and a wet sponge, so that when
it is pushed the whole falls on
the head of whoever opens it.
This time-honoured species of
practical joking is not confined
to Winchester.
Books were closed, hooby-traps scattered,
sofa-pillows restored to their legitimate
places. — Chambers's Journal.
Boodgeree (Australian bush
slang), a blackfellow's word
for "good," incorporated into
the slang of the white. Used
principally in the pidgin-Eng-
lish, in which the whites carry
on their conversation with the
blacks. A very common word.
What was his fate then might be mine
in a few minutes. I determined to keep
still and wait for what might turn up.
Presently I heard bushes rustling some
distance behind, and the voice of a black-
fellow, uttering in that strange tone in
which the wild savage first pronounces
English words — boodgeree (white fellow,
good, good white fellow). — A. C. Grant:
Bush Life in Queensland.
Boodle (American), booty, profit,
perquisites, plunder. Commonly
used with regard to government
transactions, contracts, &c., by
which the public are cheated.
'Twas Yankee doodle once I swore,
But it is Yankee boodle now.
— American Paper.
This word in the United States
is applied among thieves only to
counterfeit or bad money. The
hoodie carrier is the man who
carries the counterfeit or
" queer," while the shover passes
it off. " At the first sign
of trouble the hoodie carrier
vanishes, leaving nothing to
criminate his com-rogue " (New
York Slang Dictionary).
(American political), hoodie
explained by quotation.
In the States the money used for elec-
tioneering purposes is known as boodle,
"sinews of war," and "living issues." —
Cornhill Magazine.
Boodle has also the signification
of property, wealth; unques-
tionably from the Dutch hoedel,
household stuff. Also an estate
left by persons deceased. (Popu-
lar), a stupid noodle (Murray).
Book (literary), the libretto of an
opera.
This piece will be followed by a new
comic opera called "Compere Guillerj-,"
by H. Perry, the book being by Messrs.
Julian Perry and Paul Burani. — Sporting
Times.
(Turf), an arrangement of
bets against certain horses
marked in a pocket-book made
for that purpose. "Making a hoolc
upon it," is a common phrase
that a man is prepared to lay
the odds against the horses in a
race. " That does not suit my
hook," i.e., does not accord with
my other arrangements (Hotten).
Booked (common), disposed of,
caught.
Book-form (turf), the relative
powers of speed or endurance
of race-horses as gauged by the
L
1 62
Bookies — Boomali.
"book," i.e., the published re-
cord in the calendar of races past.
Bookies (turf), the bookmakers.
The bookies came down like wolves on the
fold
To try and secure all the " Jubilee " gold.
Some plumped for St. Mirin, but wrongly
had reckoned,
For Annaraite won, and the " Saint " was
but second. — Turf.
Past Epsom's Spring, again we try
Our luck with bookies and with horses
On yet another field, where lie
The mysteries of the Guineas' courses.
— Bird o' Freedom.
The toughest bookie, as well as the airiest
turfite, will be sorry to hear of the death
of a genial fellow. — The World.
Books (Winchester). There are
prizes given at the end of each
half by Lord Saye and Sele to
the two seniors in each division.
These are called the hooks. To
get hooks is to obtain one of these
prizes. When a part or division
are saying a lesson, the pupils
sit at one end of '"School,"
in three rows ; they are then
said to be "up to hooks'^ The
Don sits in his chair with his
side towards them, and the
" man " who is saying the lesson
stands in front of him.
Books (card players), a pack of
cards.
business or politics. A great
hoom in cotton refers to an
advance in price and greater
activity in the market, while
the first rumour that a certain
man will obtain a nomination
♦ to office may be announced in
a newspaper in large letters at
the head of a column as, "A
hoom, for Smith ! "
A Boom for Hill. — A movement is
on foot in Washington to organise a David
B. Hill boom for the Presidency. — Chicago
Tribune.
In the present case many influences seem
to work in the direction of a boom. — Truth.
Some Prospero waved his magic wand,
the world made discovery that it was posi-
tively languishing for want of more copper
and tin, all visible supplies were eagerly
bought up, and the great mining boom of
1887 was fairly started. — Globe-
(Journalistic), a hoonn refers to
the publication in a newspaper
of some correspondence which
will raise up a polemic, and, by
thus attracting the attention of
the public, increase the sale of
the paper.
The latest Daily Telegraph boom —
"Our Daughters" — is going on merrily,
and the views of the various young ladies
are distinctly interesting to note. — Globe.
(Nautical), to " top one's hoom
off," to be off or start in a cer-
tain direction.
Boom (American), properly the
distant sound as of thunder gra-
dually increasing in intensity.
This word, from being a favour-
ite one in American oratory,
began to be applied in 1880 to
any great advance or rise in
Boomah (Australian), a very large
kind of kangaroo. This word
is probably a mistake of Colonel
Munday's. He heard the kan-
garoo called a boomer because
of its enormous size : the word
was strange to him, and he
Boomah — Boom-passenger.
163
imagined it to be a variety of
kangaroo, and not a slang word
expressive of size.
An oflScer from Van Diem en's Land
told me that he had once killed in that
colony "a kangaroo of such magnitude,
that being a long way from home, he was
unable though on horseback to carry away
any portion except the tail, which alone
weighed thirty pounds. This species is
called the boomah, and stands about seven
feet high." — Lieut. -Col. Munday : Our
Antipodes.
Bo(Mner (American), a very big
specimen, a huge snake or kan-
garoo.
And should you ask how such a one
A nvighty hunter grew,
So many flying does outsped,
So many boomers slew.
But suddenly the vision passed,
And Bill became aware,
That he was in the boomer's arms,
And bounding through the air.
— /. B. Stephens : Marsupial Bill.
A very great lie, a very big
flea ; a very long hit at cricket
would be described as a boomer,
or a regular boomer (used by
" slangy ' ' Australians). A boomer
is probably that which makes a
big boom or noise, and so some-
thing very big. We have the
same metaphor in "a great
gun."
Boomerangs (American), properly
a carved flat weapon used by
the natives in Australia, which,
when thrown, returns to the
thrower. In American journal-
ism the word is frequently used
to indicate some evil measure,
or act, or falsehood, which, like
a curse, has "come home to
roost," or recoiled on the head
of its author. The title, " A
Bourbon Boomerang," in an Ame-
rican newspaper, means that
the Democrats have been in-
jured by some scheme they had
formed against the Republicans.
Boomeranging (Australian), hit-
ting or kUling with a boome-
rang. A slang participle, coined
from the native word boome-
rang.
War shouts and universal Boomerang'-
ing.
—J. P. Stephens : A Picaninny.
Booming (Australian), large, as-
tonishing. For derivation vide
BOOMEE.
Look at that booming guana I He has
been feeding sumptuously on the carrion.
He is watching us with his "glittering
eye," his head up, his vicious tongue darting
out now and then like a serpent's fangs. —
A. C. Grant.
Boom - ja - langf ( American), a
mysterious slang word, which
seems to mean the same as the
Spanish funeion, business, or
what is going on.
'Twas right in the middle of the boom-ja-
lang,
All on a summer day.
Rip Sam ! set her up again ;
Set her up again ! set her up again.
We're all of the Choctaw tribe.
— Song, i860.
Boom - passenger (nautical), a
convict on board ship. Derived
from the circumstance that
prisoners on board convict ships
were chained to, or were made
I04
Boonder — Booze.
to crawl along, or stand on the
booms for exercise or punish-
ment (Hotten).
Boonder, bounder (American), a
scrubbing-brush, (New York),
Dutch, boender, a brush. "A
rubber, a rubbing-brush. Boenen
to rub with a brush," implying
diligence. Hence the American-
ism to hone it, to bone into it, to
apply one's self,' to scrub away
hard.
Boost, to (American), to push up.
Generally used in the sense of
giving one a lift; "give me a
boost," as one boy when climb-
ing a tree says to another.
The bull was actually tearing up the
earth and boosting up the sand like a whirl-
wind. — Mark Twain: Roughing It,
Booth (thieves), a house ; to " heave
a booth," to rob a house.
Booth - burster, bam - stormer
(theatrical), a loud actor, of the
good old-fashioned " horse-dung
and sawdust" type. The late
T. B. Chatterton used to term
it "gut acting,"
Booting (military), punishment
inflicted by the men with a sur-
cingle or strap.
Boot joe (military), musketry
drill.
Boot-leg plan (American), by
evasion or trickery, in reference
to the saying that " the boot is
on the other log," i.e., not as
one would naturally understand
an assertion.
There is as much whisky consumed in
Iowa now as there was before, but less
beer, throughout the State "for medical
purposes only," and on the boot-leg plan,
and saloons run openly in the larger towns
in defiance of the laws. — Omaha Herald.
Boots (common), man or boy who
cleans boots at an hotel. The
term has ceased to be slang.
Well, I must do my best, the post oi boots
My office, which I used to think sublime.
This sort of thing scarcely suits.
— Punch.
A " bootcatcher " was a pro-
vincialism applied to a man at
an inn whose duty it was to pull
off the boots of travellers.
To " buy any one's old boots,"
to marry or keep a cast-off mis-
tress.
Booze (common), drink ; to booze,
to drink heavily. To be " on
the booze," to be out on a drunken
jollification, going from one
public-house to another. The
word is derivable from "bouse,"
to drink deep or carouse. In
Wright's Archaic Dictionary
"boose" is defined as mean-
ing, in some of the rural dis-
tricts, a cattle " trough," where
kine and horses drink. In War-
wickshire and Leicestershire
the trough is called a " booson."
Some etymologists derive this
from the Hindostani 6002a, drink,
and others from the Dutch buy-
zcn, to tipple — with more reason,
as the term was good English in
the fourteenth century.
Booze — Bosh.
165
Thomas Harman, in his " Ca-
yeat, or Warening for Common
Cursetors," 1568, has bouxe for
drink, and to house for to drink.
" I say by the Salomon I will lage it of
with a gage of bene bouse ; then cut to my
nose watch. Why, hast thou any lowre in
thy bonge to bouse ? " — " I say by the mass
I will wipe it off with a quart of good drink,
say what you will to me. Why, hast
thou any money in thy purse to drink?"
To be boozed, to be drunk.
Boozer, or booser (popular), one
fond of potations, a drunkard.
This landlord was a boozer stout,
A snuff-taker and smoker.
— Wolcot : Peter Pindar.
Boozing cheat (thieves), a bottle.
Boozing ken (popular), a public-
house.
Boozing^on (Australian prison
slang), a drunken man. In
England, Lushington' (one who
lushes or drinks) is the equiva-
lent term.
Boozy (popular), partially intoxi-
cated ; what the vulgar collo-
quialism calls the " worse for
liquor," or " disguised in liquor."
Formerly not slang.
Borak (colonial), to "poke boraJc,"
applied in colonial conversation
to the operations of a person
who pours fictitious information
into the ears of a credulous
listener {Notes and Queries, 7th
Series, vol. iii. p. 476).
Bordeaux (pugilistic), blood,
termed also "claret. Badmin-
ton."
Borde (old cant), a shilling. Pro-
bably originated in the term
" bord," formerly a duty paid in
fairs and markets for setting
up tables, boards, and stalls.
Bord you (nautical), a phrase used
to claim the next turn after one
who is drinking. Used also in
Norfolk by harvesters.
Bore, to (pugilistic), to drive an
opponent on to the ropes of the
ring by sheer weight.
MoUineaux tried to bore down his
opponent by main strength ; Cribb deter-
mined to prevent him if possible by repeat-
ing some desperate blows on the head.
— Thomas Cribb : Pugilistica.
(Athletics), to push an oppo-
nent out of his course.
Boring (turf), when a horse in
running hangs upon another so
as to interfere with his chance
of winning, the process, whether
intentional on the part of the
jockey or the result of the
exhaustion or bad temper of
the animal, is called boring. It
usually leads to recrimination,
and occasionally to disqualifica-
tion.
Bom w^eak (nautical), when a
vessel is feebly built, she is said
to have been 60771 weak.
Bosh (colloquial), nonsense.
This gentleman whispered to his comrade
the (I believe of Eastern derivation)
the monosyllable bosh! — Thackeray : The
Adventures of Philif).
i66
Bosh — Boss.
"This well-known word is
alleged," say the authors of the
Anglo-Indian Glossary, "to be
taken from the Turkish hosh,
signifying empty, vain, useless,
&c. (Redhouse's Dictionary); but
we have not been able to trace
its history or first appearance in
English." Bosh in English, and
all other gypsy dialects, means
a noise or sound of any kind,
and is also used in all the senses
of the Turkish word to denote
emptiness, just as we might say
" that is all talk." " Hatch
your bosh," or "bosherin," stop
your noise, is quite the same
as stop your hosh. And as the
English gypsy bosh, in fact,
comes rather nearer to the Eng-
lish slang word than the Turkish,
it seems most likely that the
Romany supplied it. Bosh or
bash in gypsy hds also the
meaning of music, and is ap-
plied to a violin. It was, and
may yet be, a test of a " tra-
veller's" proficiency in gypsy
habits, or in the Romany lan-
guage, to put to him the fol-
lowing verse :
" O can you rokker Romanis ?
O can you kill the bosh t
O can you ja to staruben ?
O can you chin the kosh ?" —
i.e. " O can you talk Romany?
O can you play the fiddle ?
O can you go to prison ?
O can you cut the wood ? "
The last line refers to making
skewers or other articles of wood
— the last resort for a gypsy
when poor.
Bosh faker (itinerants), violinist.
Bosh is gypsy for a violin. A
great many expressions used by
the lowest class of actors are
from the gypsy. Also boshman.
Bosh lines (showmen), literally
violin strings, explained by
quotation.
Both of these men have Marionette
frames, and are Marionette performer* in
addition ; and invariably charge more for
their engagement when working the Ma-
rionettes, or "bosk lines," as they call
them, as well.— 7"/^ Bits.
Bos-ken (tramps), a farm-house.
Bosky (popular), drunk ; from
bosky, swelled, in fact, "tight,"
Reminding Corinthian Tom and Jerry
Hawthorn of the Oxonian and his inclina-
tion to get bosky. — Putuh.
Bosman (tramps), a farmer.
Dutch.
I've seen the swell bosmen buy the pills
to give the people standing about, just to
hear the crocus patter. — Henry Mayhew:
London Labour and the London Poor.
Boss, an American and colonial
term extensively used in Eng-
land by all classes in a variety of
meanings, such as master, head.
Boss horse-shoers now charge fifty cents
extra for shoeing, to meet the demands of
the journeymen. — The Weekly Bulletin,
San Francisco.
You want a boss cook and a beauty,
don Cabeza, eh ! Well I guess I am both.
What'll you give me to come to the mine
and cook ? — F. Francis : Saddle and Mo-
cassin.
The station-^<'M stopped dead still and
glared at me speechless. — Mark Twain:
Koughing It.
Much philological research has
been devoted to establish the
Boss.
167
complete etymology of this word,
it being held that it is connected
with boss, a round, salient protu-
berance which rises, so to speak,
in a superior manner above the
surrounding surface; but most
philologists agree in deriving it
from the Dutch baas, master ;
den baas speden, to play the mas-
ter, to domineer, to lord it,
the pronunciation of baass and
boss being the same. And this
origin is borne out by the
circumstance that the French
argot has beausse for the master
of a house, rich citizen, man of
importance, which was borrowed
from Flemish vagabonds and
thieves. In Norfolk boss is used
in the sense of master, or one
who can beat and overcome an-
other. In the North of England
"bossock" and "bossy" mean
large, fat, with a large belly.
The last word bears a close re-
semblance to the French bossu ;
but of course a "bossy " man and
a bossu differ in respect of the
position of the protuberance.
In America boss is also used as
an adjective with the sense of
principal, large, fine, as a boss
lot of apples.
M.-xny a time have I let the " boss mine,"
or the " boss ranch" slip through my fin-
gers I — F. Francis : Saddle and Mocassin.
Boss is often used as a verb,
with the signification to own,
manage, superintend, conduct.
Our gallant chief, bossing the situation
as usual, insisted upon the National An-
them being played at the conclusion of the
sport, and subsequently called for three
cheers for the Queen.—S/oriing Times.
" Old Blivins, who bossed the local sheet.
And the lawyer who worked for beer
as a fee ; -^
In a maudlin state wandered down the
street.
Having had a dejected kind of spree."
— Keighky Goodchild: Waif.
In short, with no other counteracting
force than an old lady and a youth of
eighteen, it is easy to see that a "free-
booter " like the Captain bossed the show,
just as he had done at the Pantheon. —
Sporting Times.
He was bossing the cooking himself
that evening, and at that moment was en-
gaged in stirring some beans that he was
frying in the Mexican style, bacon-fat
being substituted for lard. — F. Francis :
Saddle and Mocassin.
" Bossed his own shoes," man-
aged his affairs personally.
At any rate, the elder Hegner has
hitherto bossed his own shoes, &c. — Truth.
The Australian employ^ gene-
rally speaks of his master as the
boss, though he seldom would
address him as boss except when
the master is really in the same
station of life as himself. It is
disrespectful to address a man
as boss in Australia. The " Lar-
rikin " is rather fond of prefac-
ing his impertinences to passers
by with, " I say, Boss."
I remember a certain South Australian
aide-de-camp, who was a tremendous
" masher," coming over to Melbourne for
" the Cup." He was wearing one of those
btiff-starched four-inch collars, irreverently
styled "jampots," and was saluted in
Bourke Street on the "Cup night" with
" I say, Boss, how much for the celluloid?"
from an individual who was not to be
crushed by a withering glance through a
deliberately screwed-in eyeglass.
—V. B. IV. Sladen.
1 68
Boss — Boston.
"The Darky Boss: the 'trashy white,'
a ' brudder,'
Man at the prow and woman at the
rudder."
— J. B. Stepluns : Macaulay' s New
Zealander.
Cabmen use the term with
the sense of the " fare," in Paris
le. bourgeois (which has also all
the other meanings of boss).
Who is a gentleman? On returning
from the Lichfield Coursing Meeting the
other evening, one of the runners with the
telegraph messages from the ground to the
Lichfield telegraph office was given a ride
home, and when nearing Lichfield it was
discovered that some one was seated in
front by the side of the coachman. The
ioss wanting to know who it was, asked
the boy what gentleman that was riding
by the side of the driver, and the reply
was as follows, " He's no gentleman, sir,
he's only a policeman." — Bird o' Free-
dom.
' ' Boss of the shanty," master,
manager of the place.
The young man who lives not far from
Burdett Road, who sports a P. and O.
cap, and wore a C. medal at the Poplar
early closing concert, should have strutted
about so. Was he looking for the fair
young lady, or did he fancy himself " toss
of the shanty." — To6y.
Boss of the show, manager of
a theatre, music-hall, circus, or
a man who gives an entertain-
ment.
Miss Leonora Bradley, well known in
America, will open shortly in London, at
a West End theatre, with a new play
called "Jess," written by the authors of
" My Sweetheart." Eugfene C. Stafford
will he fioss of this show, of which report
speaks highly. — Bird o' Freedom.
(Popular), to boss anything,
to make a mess of it, to spoil it.
Bossaroo, used by J. B. Stephens,
the Australian comic poet, as an
abbreviation of "Boss Kanga-
roo.
Ringed by the fathers of the tribe,
Surrounded, yet alone,
The Bossaroo superbly posed
Upon a granite throne,
A very old " old man," who had
Four generations known.
— J. B. Stephens : Marsupial Bill.
Bossers (common), spectacles ;
because (specially in the case
of short-sighted persons) they
make one look "boss-eyed" or
squinting, or from the studs on
horses' blinkers.
Boston (American), an expres-
sion which owes much of its
meaning to the tone and accent
with which it is uttered. Some-
times it is Boxting, the nasal
Yankee form of the word. It
is meant to satirise provincial
vanity, and the peculiar form
of priggishness which is de-
clared by envious New Yorkers
and others to be characteristic
of "the hub of the universe."
The city of Boston unquestion-
ably is, as regards literary cul-
ture, far in advance of any city
in America, a fact of which its
indwellerg are by no means
ignorant.
Boston culchaw (American). It
is declared by the dwellers in
the other (doubtless envious)
cities of America that the in-
habitants of Boston are so proud
of their "culture," that how-
ever excited or unruly they may
Boston — Bottle-holder.
169
become, any person can at once
call them to order by referring
to it. In a letter from the Hub
to the Chicago Tribune there is
a detailed and apparently per-
fectly truthful narrative of two
" ladies," or at least " women of
wealth," who began to quarrel
furiously in a shop over a coun-
ter for a shilling handkerchief.
The bystanders, and finally all
the people in the place, were
soon in a furious row, when a
tall, dignified man, observing
that there was a stranger pre-
sent, restored quiet as by a
miracle. All that he did was
to utter in an absent-minded
way, " Boston cidchaw — ahem ! "
There was a sudden silence —
a marked sensation, as if an
electric current had in a second
struck every heart — and the
ladies, forgetting the handker-
chief, , at once retreated. It is
said that the police experience
no difficulty in stopping dog-
fights, "plug-masses," or rows
in the lowest taverns ; they
have but to cry, " Is this aesthe-
tic ? Is this becoming Boston .? "
Happy the city whose detrac-
tors can find in it no worse
subject of ridicule than its de-
votion to culture.
Botany Bay (Oxford), a name for
Worcester College, Oxford, given
in reference to the situation of
the building, which is at some
distance from the centre of the
town.
(Prison slang), penal servitude
generally, but going out of use,
as transportation, which began
in 1787, ceased in 1867. Botany
Bay (now known as New South
Wales) first received convicts in
1787.
Botch (old), a nickname for a
tailor. From to botch, to patch
up clumsily.
Bottle (sporting), it turned out no
bottle, did not turn out well,
failed. (Popular), bottle-headed,
stupid.
Bottle-arsed (printers), type that
is thickened at the bottom or
feet is thus described. This cir-
cumstance arises from the fact
of it being worn by continual
impression, and sometimes has-
tened by improper "planing"
down or levelling, preparatory
to laying the form on for print-
ing.
Bottle-holder (pugilistic), one of
the seconds attending a prize
fight in the ring, who takes
charge of the water bottle and
holds the combatant on his
knees between the rounds, whilst
the other sponges and other-
wise attends to him.
Lord Palmerston was so nick-
named after a speech he made
when Foreign Secretary.
The noble Lord told the deputation that
the past crisis was one which required on
the part of the British Government much
generalship and judgment, and that a good
deal of judicious bottU-ltolding was obliged
to be brought into play. The phrase
bottle-holdings borrowed from the prize-
I70
Bottle — Bounder.
rinf;, offended a good many persons. —
Justin M'Carthy : A History of Our
07vn Titftes.
Bottle of spruce (rhyming slang),
a deuce, slang for twopence.
Bottling (theatrical), the same as
applies to hobbing.
Bottom (common), spirit placed
in a glass before water is poured
in.
(Up country Australian), the
scrubby, swampy ground in the
bottom of a depression or valley.
Mostly used in compounds such
as ti-tree (tea-tree) bottom.
It led
Into a forest track which oft
Was blocked by tea-tree bottom soft
Or fallen trunk, compelling them
To make detours, and thrice a stem
Some inches through must needs be
topped
On pain of being wholly stopped.
— D. B. W. Sladen : A Summer
Christmas.
5o«oTO-growths is good Eng-
lish for grass growing on low
lands.
(American), " soda and dark
bottom," soda and brown brandy.
Bottom dollar (American), last
dollar.
We'll go our bottom dollar. — Sporting
Times.
Botts (popular), the colic. Pro-
perly small worms in the rec-
tum of a horse.
Botty (popular), conceited. (Nur-
sery), a contraction for an in-
fant's posterior. The French
equivalent is tutu.
Boughs, up in the (old), in a
passion.J
Bounce (common), cherry-brandy.
(Popular and thieves), a bully ^or
swell ; a " rank6o«7wre," a great
swell. To bounce, to swindle,
to cheat by false representa-
tions.
You will get no cheque or anything else
out of us, so you had better travel down
to Dover under the seat ; and if you can't
bounce the "Johnnies "on the boat, you'll
have to swim from Dover to Calais. —
Sportitig Times.
(American), bounced, dis-
missed, turned out ; " given the
G. B.," i.e., grand bounce, to
be turned out with great in-
dignity.
Bouncer (popular), a swindler, a
person who steals whilst bar-
gaining with a tradesman, a
large, stout man or woman.
(Prison), a male companion
of a prostitute, who lives on
her gains, and who, by in-
timidation and threats, extorts
money from men whom she en-
tices.
(Naval), a gun that kicks vio-
lently when fired.
Bouncingcheat (old cant), a bottle,
probably from the noise made
when opening it and drawing
the cork, or a corruption of
boozing -cheat.
Bounder (university), a student
whose manners are despised by
the soi-disant dite, or who is
Bounder — Bow-catcher.
171
beyond the boundary of good
fellowship ; also a dog-cart.
(Society), a swell, a stylish
fellow, but of a very vulgar
type,
I said something one day about my own
attire, and she remarked that if I ordered
the particular hat I desired I should be
taken for a bounder; and when I asked
what that meant, she said, " Oh, a toff,
you know." Feeling that my ignorance
had better be displayed no further, I de-
parted by the next train. — St. James's
Gazette: Culture of the Misses.
A bounder comes above the sunset hill.
Who'll come and make his stay ;
For he's the snipe with writs who is possest.
No human force can chase that dun
away.
He is the boss ! and in possession still.
— Bird o' Freedom.
Also a four-wheeled cab,
otherwise known as a " growler."
Bound to be had (popular), des-
tined to be outwitted or cheated.
Sold again ! What a shame ! it is really
too bad.
The way that I'm treated is certainly sad,
Tis my phiz that they quiz like my mother
and dad.
So wherever I go I am bound to be had.
— F. Caughan: Ballad.
Bounge, bonge, or bung (old
cant), a purse, and also for a
pickpocket. A corruption of
the English bougct, wallet.
Boung nipper (old), a pickpocket,
or, as they were then called,
" cut-purses."
Bounty jumper (American), a
soldier who deserts to enlist
into another regiment for the
sake of the bounty.
Afanager of Caledonian Sports—''^ In
what line are you a contestant ?" Appli-
cant — " I am a jumper." "Ah, you have
made a record?" " I made a pretty fair
one during the war, I jumped the bounty
five or six times. — Philadelphia Call.
Bourbon democrats (American),
according to their Republican
opponents, the Democrats, espe-
cially those of the South, are
like the Bourbons, because they
have "forgotten nothing, and
learned nothing," since the war.
Bouse, or booze out (naval), a
good house out is a good feed, a
"tightener."
Bousing-ken (old cant), tavern,
ale - house, modernised into
"boozing-ken."
"And byng to rome vyle, to nyp a
bonge ; so shall we haue lowre for the
bousing-ken." — Harman : A Caveat.
i.e., "And let us away to London, to cut
a purse ; so we shall have money for the
ale-house."
Forting thinks the term is a
gypsy corruption of the Hindos-
tani booza, drink, and khana,
house. Bousin, or housingot,
in the slang of French sailors,
is a drinking place or "lush-
crib," from the Dutch buyzen,
to tipple.
Bovine heart (medical), not the
heart of an ox, but a human
heart, which, owing to disease
of one set of valves, has become
so much enlarged as to equal in
size that of an ox.
Bow-catcher (popular), a corrup-
tion of beau-catcher, a small
172
Bowery — Bowly.
curl which formerly was worn
twisted on the temples. French
" accroche-coeurs " (rouflaquettes
in the case of prostitutes' bul-
lies), and American "spit-
curls."
Bowery boy (American, specially
New York), for many years the
rough or rowdy of New York
was called the Bowery boy, from
a street, the Bowery (Dutch
Bouwene), which he was sup-
posed to peculiarly affect.
When I first knew it both the old Bowery
Theatre and the old Btnvery boy were in
their glory. It was about that time that
Thackeray, taking some notes in Gotham,
had an encounter with the Bowery boy
that seems to have slipped into history.
The caustic satirist had heard of the
Bowery boy, as the story goes, and went
to see him on his native heath. He found
him leaning on a fire hydrant, and accosted
him with, " My friend, I want to go to
Broadway." Whereupon the ^(««(rry ^(y,
drawing up his shoulders and taking an-
other chew on his cigar, "Well, why
the don't yer go, then ? " — Chicago
Tribune.
In New York other species
of roughs were termed "dead
rabbits," " five pointers," and
" Water - Street rats ; " the
roughs of Baltimore were known
as "blood tubs" and "plug
uglies," in Philadelphia as
"shifflers" and "moyamen-
sings," and in New Orleans as
"tigers" (New York Slang
Dictionary).
Bowled (Winchester), synony-
mous with " croppled," or " crop-
ped," that is, turned in for a
lesson at " standing up," when
at the end of cloister time all
below senior part have to repeat
eight lessons, that is, from 150
to 400 lines.
Bowled out (thieves), convicted ;
a metaphor taken from cricket,
where the batsman's innings is
concluded for good when he is
bowled out.
A man who has followed the profession
of thieving for some time, when he is
ultimately taken, tried, and convicted, is
said to be bowled out at last ; to botul
out a person in a general sense, means
to (detect him in the commission of any
fraud or peculation, which he has hitherto
practised without discovery. — Vauj^s
Memoirs.
Bowles (popular), shoes.
Bowl out, to (general), to put out
of a game, to detect.
Bowl the hoop (rhyming slang),
soup.
Bowly, bowry (Anglo-Indian), a
well. These in India are often
grand and beautiful structures,
the water being reached by
broad flights of stairs, with
resting-places here and there.
To persons not familiar with the East,
such an architectural object as a boiu-lee
may seem a strange perversion of inge-
nuity ; but the grateful coolness of all
subterranean apartments, especially when
accompanied by water, and the quiet gloom
of these recesses, fully compensate in the
eyes of the Hindu for the more attractive
magnificence of \}m gh&ts. Consequently
the descending flights of which we are now
speaking, have often been more elaborate
and expensive pieces of architecture than
any of the buildings above ground found
Bows — Box.
173
in their vicinity. — Fergusson : Indian and
Eastern Architecture, Anglo-Indian Glos-
sary.
Bows (nautical), wide in the hows,
having large hips and posteriors.
To have a large "barge," same
meaning.
Bowse, or bouse up the jib
(nautical), an old phrase, mean-
ing to tipple. "Bowsing his
tib or jib " is said of a man who
has been drinking freely.
Bowsprit (old), the nose. The
analogy is evident between the
most prominent part of the face
and the bowsprit of a vessel.
More modern are the "boko,"
"conk," and "smeller."
Bow-wow (old), a contemptuous
term for a man born in Boston,
Mass. It is possible that this
meaning was in the first place
derived from how-wow, a servile
personal attendant.
Box (common), to be in the wrong
60a:, to be mistaken. The ex-
pression is old, and has passed
into the language.
"Sir," quoth I, " if you will hear how
St. Augustine expounded to that place,
you shall perceive that you are in a wrong
box." — Ridley, 1554.
(Thieves), cell.
In a box of the stone jug I was born.
Of a hempen widow the kid forlorn.
Fake away !
— A insworth : Rookwood.
To box (Australian station
slang), to join, or mix.
It now was time to mark the lambs,
And make young ewes distinct from rams.
While he the overseer would come
With full hands from the station home.
From which they'd start at break of day,
And do the marking in a day ;
And still he cautioned each to heed.
And look out as he did proceed.
" Now, mind yourselves, for if you box,
You'll play the mischief with the flocks."
— Dugald Ferguson, N.Z. : The Lambs,
in " Castle Joy and other Poems."
Boxed in (thieves), explained by
quotation.
When there were three in a job there
would always be one outside to look out,
not only for any person coming along, but
for lights in the windows, showing that
somebody had been disturbed, in which
case it was easy for him to whistle a warn-
ing to his pals to clear out. But the single-
handed man lacked these various advan-
tages. It was neck or nothing with him
when he was once boxed in (when he
entered a house), and a revolver was his
best safeguard. — J. X^reenwood : A Con-
verted Burglar.
Box Harry, to (commercial tra-
vellers), to go without dinner
for want of the money to pro-
cure it, or having dinner and
tea at one meal to save expense.
Formerly, it is said, truants
confined at school, without fire,
fought or boxed a figure nick-
named Harry (probably the
devil), which hung in their
room, to keep themselves warm.
That may be the origin of the
phrase. In Lincolnshire, to box
Harry is to be careful after being
extravagant. To box the devil on
account of one's poverty strongly
reminds one of the French " tirer
le diable par la queue," to be
" hard up."
174
Box — Boys.
Box hat (common), a silk hat,
termed also a " chimney-pot."
Box of dominoes (popular), the
mouth.
Box the Jesuit, to (old), a term
to express a secret vice.
Box - wallah (Anglo-Indian), a
hybrid Hindu word, from balas,
or the English box, and wala, a
pronominal termination, A box-
wallah is a small pedlar, who
sells cheap wares, and who cor-
responds closely to many of his
cousins, the pedling gypsies of
England.
Boy (society), champagne, pro-
bably' derived from the term
" lively boy," which is often ap-
plied to a young man brimming
over with animal spirits.
To be let, cheap, in the Royal Exchange,
a small, well-fitted office, with use of iay.
Suitable for stockbroker or solicitor. — X.,
care of Leathwait & Simmons, advertising
agents, i Pope's Head Alley, E.C. X.
can send us particulars at once. Pommery
74, extra sec., is our favourite kind of iay,
but there aren't many brands that we aren't
equal to tackling at this establishment. —
Sporting Times.
(Popular), a hump on a man's
back. A hunch, or hump back
man is sometimes spoken of as if
he were two persons — "him and
his boy"
(Anglo-Indian and pidgin),
throughout the East personal
servants of any age are called
hoyi. The authors of the Anglo-
Indian Glossary observe that
similar uses of the word are to
be found in the Vulgate, also
in the Arabic, and German lite-
rature, while Shakspeare makes
Fluelen say —
" Kill the pays and the luggage ! 'tis
expressly against the laws of arms 1 "
In pidgin-English a servant
is boy, whilst boy in the ordi-
nary sense is " one small boy."
In Tonkin the word is used by
the French with a like significa-
tion.
Boycott, to (general), a now gene-
rally accepted term, used with
the signification of to send to
Coventry, to stand aloof. The
French equivalent is " mettre
en quarantaine."
" Why, Mabel, dear, I have not seen you
for the last ten days : surely you don't mean
to boycott Regent Street ?"
" I don't want to boycott Regent Street,
but they may want to Endacott me." —
Sporting Times.
From Captain Boycott, an
' Irish landlord, who lay under a
kind of excommunication, all
labourers being forbidden to
work for him under penalty of
some fearful punishment.
Boys (turf), the crowd of " Tam-
pers," " brief snatchers," "wel-
shers," " magsmen," " lum-
berers," and other rogues who
nourish on every racecourse.
I should think that there is hardly a
bookmaker in Tattersall's, or even one of
the ready-money fraternity, who wonld
not willingly subscribe to a fund for the
laudable purpose of cleansing the rings
from those foul abominations, those crimi-
nal scoundrels known as the boys. These
vermin rob the public annually of thousands
Boys — Branded.
175
of pounds, and divert from the pockets of
the bookmakers a perfect river of gold. —
Bird o Freedom.
The hoys is also a designation
occasionally applied to the ring.
" He is not on terms with the
hoys,''' means that the person
alluded to has lost more money
than he can pay, and does not
venture within hail of the book-
makers.
Brace, to (American thieves), to
get credit by swagger. To hrace
it through, to do a thing by
sheer impudence.
Bracelets (police), handcuffs. Its
equivalent is used in French
slang.
" You'd better slip the bracelets on him,
Jim." The fellow on my left produced a
pair of handcuffs. — Miss Braddon : Robert
Ainsleigh.
"Ah, but I do!" exclaimed the detec-
tive, suddenly seizing the trembling wretch.
"Come, let's slip the bracelets on." — G.
Sims : Rogues and Vagabonds.
Brace of shakes, in a (popular),
in a moment.
Brace up, to (thieves), to pawn
stolen goods. Hotten so defines
it, bat Vaux says : "To dispose
of stolen goods by pledging
them for the utmost you can
get at a pawnbroker's is termed
' bracing them up.' "
Bracket-faced (old), of unpleasing
features, hard-visaged or ugly.
Bracket -mug (popular), a very
ugly face, mug being slang for
face.
Brads (thieves), halfpence, money.
Hotten says, irads, money ;
Vaux, "Brads are halfpence,
also money in general." Pro-
perly hrads are a kind of nails
used by cobblers.
" Get anything ? "
" Get anything ? Not a brad, s'welp my
never. The old bloke vhas a sittin' up a
sharpenin' his scissors."
" But you must a' got something ? "
" Vhell, yes — I vhas lucky to get out
without bein' made a sheeny myself." —
Sporting Times.
Brag (thieves), a money-lender at
exorbitant interest, a Jew.
Brain-pan (medical), the skull-
cap, the calvaria, also the skull
itself. (Common), the head,
called also " nob, nut, know-
ledge-box, canister, chump."
Bramble, a Kentish term for a
lawyer.
Bramble - gelder. In Suffolk a
derisive appellation for an agri-
culturist (Hotten).
Bran (popular), bread. French
soldiery call it houie de ton.
He purchased ... a half-quartern loaf,
or, as he himself expressed it, a four-
penny bran. — Charles Dickens: Oliver
Twist.
Branded ticket (nautical), a dis-
charge given to an infamous
man, on which his character
is given, and the reason he
is turned out of [the service
(Admiral Smyth).
176
Brandy — Brassy.
Brandy coatee, brandy (Anglo-
Indian), a cloak, a coat for the
rain.
Barani-kurti seems to be a kind of hy-
brid shaped by the English word " coat,"
though kurti and kurta are true Persian
words for various forms of jacket and
tunic. — Anglo-Indian Glossary.
Brandy-faced (popular), red faced.
Is generally said of one who is
in the habit of drinking spirits
in excess.
Brandy pawnee (Anglo - Indian
and English gypsy), brandy and
water. From pani, Hindu and
Romany, for water. In Eng-
land " parny " is a common
slang word for water.
I'm sorry to see you, gentlemen, drink-
ing brandy paivnee. It plays the deuce
with our young men in India. — Thackeray :
The Newcomes.
Bran-mash (army), bread broken
up and soaked in coffee or tea
at breakfast, or the evening
meal, which consists of dry
bread only, as the regular ration,
men in funds adding red her-
rings, eggs, and other savoury
condiments according to choice.
See Floating Batteries.
Brass (coUoquial), impudence,
"cheek," from the immovable
hard-set countenance of a bold,
impudent person, the front
d'airain of the French expres-
sion abbreviated into avoir le
front de . . ., to have the auda-
city.
She in her defence made him appear
such a rogue upon record, that the Chief
Justice wondered he had the 6nus to
appear in a Court of Justice. — North:
£xamen.
It is said of an impudent per-
son that his face has been
"rubbed with a brass candle-
stick," or that he is as " bold
as brass."
" He died damned hard, and as bold as
brass," an expression commonly used
among the vulgar after returning from an
execution. — George Parker: Dictionary
of Cant.
(Popular), money generally.
But my brass all went to
Old Nick, and the rent too.
For I backed Sorrento —
No Sunday dinner.
— Bird o' Freedom.
" It's no good being proper in this
world," said the lirst housemaid. " Brass
can do better than the gold what has stood
the fire," said the second. — Dickens :
Oliver Twist.
Brass bound and copper fastened
(nautical), a term applied to a
midshipman when in uniform.
Brasser (Blue Coat School), a
bully.
Brass knocker, a phrase used
among professional beggars and
tramps to signify the broken
victuals, which they unwillingly
receive instead of money, and
commonly throw away on the
roadside as soon as they are out
of sight of the donors.
Brassy (popular), impudent.
No, Mister Cattle, Betty was too brassy,
We never keep a servant that is saucy.
— IVolcot : Peter Pindar.
Brazen-faced — Break.
\77
Brazen-faced (common), impu-
dent, shameless. See Beass.
Bread, or hard tack (nautical),
biscuit. Bread being termed
" soft tack."
Bread-and-butter fashion (prosti-
tutes), that is, one (slice) upon
another. It was said of two
persons caught in the act that
"they were lying bread-and-
butter fashion."
Bread-and-butter warehouse (old
cant), Ranelagh Gardens was so
called. See Beead-and-But-
TEE Fashion.
Bread and meat (military), the
commissariat.
Bread bagfs (army), those con-
nected with the victualling
department. Formerly termed
"muckers;" French soldiers
call them riz-pain-sel.
Bread barge (nautical), the tray
in which biscuit is handed
round.
Bread-basket (popular), the
stomach.
. . . The point of a sharp instrument
driven right through, close to my knees,
with the exclamation, " What do you think
of that now in a policeman's bread-
basket V — C. Kingsley : Alton Locke.
When you can't fill the bread-basket,
shut it : go to sleep. — Reade: Never too
late to Mend.
Bread-picker (Winchester), a
nominal ofSce, excusing the
holder from fagging.
Bread-room (nautical), an old
term for stomach.
The waiter returned with a quartern of
brandy, which Crowe . . . started into his
bread-room at one cant. — Smollett : L.
Greaves.
Bread-room jack (nautical), pur-
ser's steward help.
Break (prison), a collection made
in aid of one awaiting trial
or recently discharged. Liter-
ally, pause in street performance
when the hat goes round.
The mob got me up a break (collection),
and I got between five or six foont (sove-
reigns). — Rev. J. Horsley : Jottings from
Jail.
Break or crack one's egg, to
(cricketers), to make one's first
run, thus avoiding the "duck's
egg-"
Breaking the balls (billiards),
commencing the game.
Breaking up of the spell, the
(thieves), explained by quota-
tion. Vide Spell.
The breaking up of the spell is the
nightly termination of the performance
at the Theatre Royal, which is regulaily
attended by pickpockets of the lower order,
who exercise their vocation about the doors
and avenues leading thereto, until the house
is emptied and the crowd dispersed. —
Vaux's Memoirs.
Break o' day drum, a tavern
which is open all night.
Break out all over (American), a
common slang phrase, borrowed
from the medical vocabulary.
Thus if a man were in a great
M
178
Break — Brewer's horse.
rage, it might be said that his
wrath broke out all over him, or
that he smiled from his feet to
his eyes. In the following anec-
dote it is applied to an excessive
development of piety.
" ' Get down the Bible, we're going to
have family prayer.' ' Why 1 are you
going to have family prayer before you
have religion ? ' she asked. Grigger said
he wanted it and the minister said if he'd
do before he got it as he thought he'd do
after he got it he'd have it. Well, Grigger
could not get the idea into his head. But
Grigger stuck to it, and in a few weeks
Grigger was the finest case of religion I
ever saw. It broke out all over him."
Break shins, to (common), to bor-
row money. The French slang
equivalent is " donner un coup
de pied dans les jambes."
Break the molasses jug, to
(American), to make a mistake
and come to grief.
R
7^S-
ht, dar's whar he broke his merlasses
-Uncle Remus.
Break the neck of anything, to
(common), a phrase signifying
that the greater portion of any
task has been accomplished.
Breaky-leg (popular), strong
drink. The French slang says
of a man who has liad too much
drink that he has " une jauibe
de vin." (Thieves), a shilling,
from the expression " to break
shins," which see.
Breast fleet (old slang), Roman
Catholics were once known by
this name. So called from the
practice of making the sign of
the cross on their breasts.
Breeched (common), to be well
off. The French say of a bank-
rupt that he is unbreeched, de-
ctdottd.
(Schoolboys), to be breeched,
to be flogged.
Breeches (colloquial), a wife who
usurps her hu sband's prerogative
is said to "wear the breeches."
French, " porter la culotte."
Breeze (common), a quarrel or
disturbance— generally "to kick
up a breeze."
Breezy (American), cool.
Not since the original enemy of mankind
stood up and rebuked sin have we seen
such an exhibition of what might be called
breezy chic (pronounced in this instance
cheek) as that exhibited by Carter Harri-
son, Mayor of Chicago, in coming to New
York to give us points on municipal govern -
ment. — New York World.
Brekker (Oxford), breakfast.
Footer.
See
Brevet-wife (common), an unmar-
ried woman, who is represented
as married to the man with
whom she cohabits.
Brew, to (Marlborough), to have
some refreshment in tlie after-
noon at about four o'clock.
Brewer's horse, old cant name
for a drunkard. A vulgar stanza
on this subject was popular
about a hundred years ago or
more : —
Brian o Linn — Brickfielder.
179
" I wish I were a hrnver's horse
But six months of the year,
I'd take my fill of honest stuff,
Apd drink up all the beer.
When that was done, what should I do
My thirst to satisfy,
I'd eat up all the corks and bungs,
Give up the ghost and die."
Brian o' Linn (rhyming slang),
gin-
Brick (colloquial), a term of com- '
mendation applied to a parti-
cularly honest, good, jolly,
brave, or spirited person.
Steerforth approved of him highly, and
told us he was a brick. — Dickens : David
Copperfield.
It is used sometimes with an
adjective prefixed, as an "out-
and-out briclc," a "regular
brick."
Another familiar word in the university
slang is a " regular brick," that is, a jolly
good fellow, and how the simile is logically
deduced is amusing enough. A brick is
"deep red," so a " deep read " man is a
brick ; a deep read man is in university
phrase a "good man;" a good man is a
jolly fellow with non-reading men, ergo a
jolly fellow is a brick. — Hallberger's Illus-
trated Magazine.
It is evident that the figurative
sense of the word is in allusion
to the shape of a hrick. In
English and other languages
straightforwardness is always
identified with squareness. "He
answered 30U as square as a
hrick." "He did it on the
square."
Brickfielder or brickduster (Aus-
tralian), a dust storm, a kind
of whirlwind frequent in Aus-
tralia during the summer time.
Identified by Lieut. -Col Munday
with the " southerly burster,"
so called from the brickdusty
feel of the grit with which the
wind charges itself as it rolls
up the storm.
In October 1848, as I find by my diary,
I witnessed a fine instance of a nocturnal
brickfielder. Awakened by the roaring of
the wind I arose and looked out. It was
bright moonlight, or it would have been
bright but for the clouds of dust, which,
impelled by a perfect hurricane, curled up
from the earth and absolutely muffled the
fair face of the planet. Pulverised speci-
mens of every kind and colour of soil within
two miles of Sydney, flew past the house
high over the chimney tops in lurid whirl-
winds, now white, now red. It had all the
appearance of an American prairie fire,
barring the fire. . . .
One of the greatest miseries of the
"southerly burster " is that (welcome to all
animated nature as are its cooling airs) its
first symptoms are the signal for a general
rush of housemaids to shut hermetically
every aperture of the dwelling. The ther-
mometer in the drawing-room and one's
own melting mood announce some 86"
of heat, while the gale driving so refresh-
ingly past your windows is probably 30°
lower ; but if you have any regard for
sight and respiration, for carpets, chintz,
books, and other furniture, you must re-
ligiously shut up shop until the chartered
libertine, having scavengered the streets of
every particle of dust, has moderated its
wrath. Even then, however well fitted
may be the doors and windows, the volatile
atoms will find their way everywhere, to
the utter disturbance of household and
personal comfort. — Lieut.-Col. Munday:
Our Antipodes.
The climate of Queensland is very hot.
In summer the heat is Indian ; and it is a
moist, that is to say, an exhausting heat,
whereas the summer temperature in other
parts of Australia is comparatively dry ;
drier in South Australia and Victoria than
in New South Wales, but when brick-
fielders or dust storms are not blowing,
endurable. — Daily Telegraph.
i8o
Brick — Briefs.
Brick in the hat (common), intoxi-
cated, top-heavy. The deriva-
tion is obvious.
Bricklayer's clerk (nautical), a
contemptuous expression for
lubberly people pretending to
having seen better days, but
who were forced to betake them-
selves to sea life.
Bridge (card-sharpers), a cheating
trick at cards, by which any
particular card is cut by pre-
viously curving it. French card-
sharpers term it " faire le pont."
I've found out the way that Yankee
fellow does the king. It's not the common
bridge that everybody knows. — Charles
Lever: Davenport Dunn.
To bridge a person or throw
him over the bridge, is, in a gene-
ral sense, to deceive him by be-
traying the confidence he has re-
posed in you. In the game the
confederates so play into each
other's hands that the victim
must inevitably be "thrown
over the bridge."
Bridle-cull (old cant), a highway-
man.
A booty of £10 looks as great in the eye
of a bridle-cull, and gives as much real
happiness to his fancy, as that of as many
thousands to the statesman. — Fielding:
Jonathan Wild.
Brief (prison), a note or letter.
"Just look what I've had sent me.
An order to go over the Bank of Eng-
land." . . .
''Cant you alter the brief, to admit
three?"
" Oh lor, no ; wouldn't try it on ; might
queer the pitch before starting." — Bird o'
Freedom.
Brief is a survival of an old
English term of common ecclesi-
astical use in the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries. In
French bref, both from the
Latin brevis. See rubric in the
Prayer-book. Here briefs, cita-
tions, and excommunications
are to be read. Briefs were
circular letters issued by
authority asking for charitable
collections in all churches.
(Thieves), a ticket, pocket-
book, pawnbroker's duplicate.
So I claimed (stole) them, . . . and
guyed (ran) to the rattler (railway), and
took a brief to London Bridge. — Rev. J.
Horsley: Jottings from Jail.
" Take it from me," exclaimed the gen-
tleman with the pink may twined round
his hat, as he gracefully reclined on the
seat of a third-class carriage in the Ascot
" special," and leisurely sucked a piece of
fried fish, " these 'ere six and sixpenny
' rattlers ' may be all right in their way,
but give me a thirty-two-blow weekly
brief! They goes at twice the bloomin'
speed, an' you meets a different class o'
company ! " — Bird o' Freedom .
I have snatched at briefs, the property of
others,
But the punishment was too much to
sustain.
Oh send your boy a pound, thou best of
mothers ;
I'll refund it when the Gee-gees run
again.
— IVhen the Gee-gees Run .Again.
Briefs (cardsharpers), cards con-
structed on a cheating prin-
ciple. Like the German Bricfc,
which Baron Heineckcn says
was the name given to the cards
manufactured at Ulm. Brief
is also the synonym for a card
in German slang, and briefen
means to play at cards.
Brief snatchers — Brismelah.
I8i
Brief snatchers (thieves), pick-
pockets who devote their atten-
tions to pocket-books on race
courses.
Brigh (thieves), pocket. Probably
from breeches, but closer in form
to the Gaelic brigis, whence the
French braies, breeches, and
hrayette or braguette, flap of
breeches, which formed a con-
venient receptacle for small
articles when pockets had not
superseded the pouch.
Bright (freemasons), an adjective
applied to well-instructed ma-
sons.
Bright in the eye (popular), a
mild state of intoxication.
Brim (old cant), a woman ; (com-
mon), a violent and irascible
woman. Brim, a very old Eng-
lish word for angry or enraged,
is supposed to be from the raging
or roar of the sea. Anglo-Saxon
brim, surf, surge on the shore.
She raved, she abused me, and splenetic
was ;
She's a vixen, she's a brim, zounds ! she's
all that is bad.
— lyhim of the Day-, 1799.
Brimstone (old cant), an aban-
doned rogue, or prostitute ;
(common), a violent, irascible
woman.
The brimstone swore I beat her husband,
and so I paid for meddling. ^/c'/jwj/tjw .-
Chrysal.
Confound the woman . . . was there
ever such an aggravating brimstone ! — J.
Greenwood : A linos t Lest.
Bringing down the house (thea-
trical and journalistic), eliciting
thunders of applause.
Bring on your bears I (American),
a common form of challenge.
It is said that a small boy in the
Far West, who lived in a place
where bear-killing was a favour-
ite amusement, was very much
struck at hearing for the first
time the story of Elisha read
from the Bible. The next day,
while in his log-cabin home, he
saw approaching an old man on
whose pate not a hair could be
seen. He hastily took down his
father's rifle and loaded it,
sharpened the family bowie-
knife, and roared at the ancient
passer-by, "Go up, thou Bald-
head ! " Then looking defiantly
up to heaven he cried, " Now,
bring on your bears I " The
Chicago Tribune (September 13,
1886) heads a defiant article to
England with this exclamation.
Briny (popular), the sea. French
slang, "la grande salde."
He delights in collaring a greenhorn,
and after pouring into his willing ears tales
of unutterable woe and adventures under-
gone on the briny. . . — H. Evans: The
Brighton Beach Loafer.
Brisket-beater (popular), a Roman
Catholic (Hotten).
Brismelah (Anglo- Yiddish), the
ceremony of circumcision. Be-
rts, a covenant ; btris hamiloh,
the covenant of circumcision.
The practice, however, of putting round
the hat at brismelahs has fallen off consi-
182
Bristol milk — Broady.
derably. At one place I knows of, where
they haves a annual baby every Purim,
the family Mohel had become such a nui-
sance with his begging that at the last
brismelah they couldn't get enough
Yidden for mezooman, let alone minyan,
and if it hadn't been for the potman calling
from the Cat and Trumpet they'd never
a been able to bring the brismelah off at
all. — Sporting Times.
Bristol milk (old), sherry. Bristol
was the chief port at which ves-
sels from Spain carrying cargoes
of this wine used to arrive —
hence the name.
Broach the claret, to (pugiUstic).
'Twas not till the tenth round his claret
was broach'd.
But a pelt in the smeller, too pretty
to shun,
If the lad even could set it going like
fun.
— Torn Cribb's Memorial to Congress.
Broad and shallow (popular), an
epithet applied to the so-called
" Broad Church," in contradis-
tinction to the " High " and
" Low " Churches (Hotten).
Broad bottom. Explained by
quotation.
A coalition Government in the last
century was known by the apt nickname
of the Broad Bottom. Walpole, writing
Mann in 1741, says : " The Tories declare
ag.iinst any further prosecution — if Tories
there are, for now one hears of nothing
but the Broad Bottom ; it is the reigning
cant word, and me.ins the taking all parties
and people indifferently into the Ministry."
— Comhill Magazine.
Broad brim (common), originally
a Quaker, thus called from
tlie peculiar hat worn by the
" friends." Now used in refer-
ence to rjuict, sedate men.
A veteran correspondent, who inspired
"The Druid " with nianyof his paragraphs,
writes us that Mr. W., the breeder of Fair
Alice, did not stand atone as we imagined,
and that Mr. K., the owner of Priscilla
Tomboy, was also a broad brim. — Sporting
Times.
Broad cooper (brewers), a person
employed by brewers to nego-
tiate with publicans (Hotten).
Broad faking (card-sharpers),
playing at cards, or doing the
three-card trick on race-courses,
&c.
Broads (popular and thieves),
cards.
"Yes, he was a red hot 'un," quoth the
Horticulturist, "and at the broads he was
unrivalled. But he played it too thick at
Brighton that week." — Sporting Times.
He then took another business at Wal-
worth, and got on well while he forswore
the "infernal broads" as he called them.
— /. Greenwood : Tag, Rag, <5^* Co.
Broadsman (thieves), a card-
sharper.
Broady (tailors), among East End
tailors broadcloth is so called.
Also a general term for cloth.
Gentlemen finding their own broady can
be accommodated. — A Slang Advertise-
ment.
" Broady workers are men
who go round selling vile shoddy
stuff under the pretence that it
is excellent material, which has
been got ' on tlie cross,' that is,
'stolen ' " (Hotten).
(Thieves), hroady, anything
worth stealing.
Brock — Broomsticks.
183
Brock, to (Winchester), to bully.
Literally, to badger. From
brock, a badger.
Brockster (Winchester), a bully.
Brogan (American), coarse, strong
shoes. From brogues, coarse
shoes, which, according to Ken-
nett, are shoes made of rough
hide used by the wild Irish.
Irish brog, a shoe.
Broiled crow, to eat (Ameri-
can). A newspaper editor who
is obliged by his party, or other
outside influences, to advocate
principles different from those
which he supported a short
time before, is said to eat broiled
crow, more conmionly "to eat
crow."
Broke (common), hard -up, re-
duced to one's last sou.
There was a young plunger, who smartly
Snapped up the big books about Hartley ;
Then came the^ajc^,
And Ben cried " Carrasco !
I'm bested, broke, busted — or partly ! "
— Bird o Freedom.
Broke her leg (American), said
of an unmarried woman who
has had a child. In French
theatrical slang, a lady who is
enceinte " ar mal au genou," the
result of a, faux-j)as.
Broken. When a corporal at the
R. M. Academy is reduced for
some irregularity or misconduct
he is said to be broken.
Broken knees (popular), a woman
who has made a slip, or been
seduced, is said to have broken
knees. The Germans say she
has " lost a shoe." The analogy
existing in each language be-
tween the phrase and the lan-
guage of the stable is curious.
Brolly (Winchester), a corruption
of umbrella. The term is used
also at the universities,
I saw great Goshen stamping on the pave,
I saw that famous man his brolly wave ;
I heard a naughty word, and I am free
To own that that same word began with D.
— Funny Folks.
Broncho (American), wild or
savage, unruly. A Western term
derived from the broncho or mus-
tang, an unruly brute.
" Oh ! I don't know. He'd been sing-
ing the music to 'em" (imitating them).
" Sam's too broncho." — F. Francis :
Saddle and Mocassin.
Broom it, to (old slang), to run
away.
Broomstick (common), to be mar-
ried " over the broomstick," to
live as man and wife without
being married.
Young ladies had fain single women re-
main,
And unwedded dames to the last crack of
doom stick,
Ere marry by taking a jump o'er a broom-
stick.
— Ingoldsby Legends.
An allusion to a marriage
ceremony performed by both
parties jumping over a broom-
stick.
Broomsticks (thieves), insolvent
bail. Called also " queer-bail,"
" straw bail," "Jew bail," &c.
i84
Brosh — Brown Bess.
" Queer-bail are persons of no
repute, hired to bail a prisoner
in any bailable case. These men
are to be had in London for
a trifling sum, and are called
hroomstickt " (Vaux's Glossary).
Brosh (American), brittle. Dutch,
brds, frail, brittle. A New York
word.
Brother-chip (popular), originally
fellow-carpenter. Almost gene-
ral now as brother tradesman of
any kind.
Brother smut (popular), used in
the phrase "ditto brother smut,"
equivalent to tu quoque. Some-
times " ditto smut " when ad-
dressed to a woman.
Brother starlings (old slang).
"He's a brother starling of
mine," i.e. he cohabits with the
same mistress and shares her
favours.
Brovm (popular), halfpenny.
My father he is on the seas, my mother's
dead and gone,
And I am here, on this here pier, to roam
the world alone ;
I have not had, this live-long day, one
drop to cheer my heart.
Nor l>r<nvn to buy a bit of bread with, let
alone a tart.
— Ing;oldsby Legends.
How much ha' we took to-day, Jim?
Why, not a single brmvn,
Ami our show w.us one o' the best
Once, and we rode from town to town.
— George R. Sims : Ballcuis of
liahylon.
1 took Parr's pills, which brought on
premature old age ; and here I am, as you
see.-., a wicktum to mislortunc. My heart
is btuting for a buster, my mag is for a
mag. So throw down your browns, kind-
hearted Christians, and be done brown
and " no mistake."— i?j/>wf«.- Laugh and
Learn.
(Common), to "do it brovm,"
to do well or completely.
What with "cabbys"and with "wires,"
When anything transpires
To send the market either up or down.
In aerated " Breads,"
Or " Shores," or " Yanks," or " Reds,"
In slang we really do it rather brown.
— At kin: Hoxise Scraps.
(Popular), to brown, to under-
stand.
"I can bro^un almost any poetry," said
George, "but not Browning." — News-
paper Story.
And when they ask me if I brown such
language, I ne'er hear or read as to brown-
ing ; I'm done broivn instead. — T. K.
Symns : The Age of Betting.
Browns and whistlers (thieves),
explained by quotation. ^^ Browns
arid Whistlers are bad halfpence
and farthings (it is a term used
by coiners ") (Vaux's Glossary).
Brown Bess (common), the old
Government regulation musket.
Soldiers of all nations are fond
of giving names of persons to
their weapons. The French
troopers sometimes call their
sword "Jacqueline," and most
of the siege guns during the
siege of Paris in 1870 had been
nicknamed in the same manner
by the sailors who manned the
forts, their favourite being a
very large gun called "Jose-
phine." " To hug brown Bess,"
to serve as a private soldier.
(Rhyming slang), yes.
Brown Bessie — Brum.
185
BroTvn Bessie, an old word for a
woman of easy or uneasy virtue.
Also hlach Bess.
Things proffered and easie to come by
diminish themselves in reputation and
price, for how full of pangs and dotage is a
wayling lover, for it may bee some brown
Bessie. — Dore's Polydoron, 1631.
"Bonny black Bess" was a very
popular scandalous baUad a cen-
tury ago.
Brown bill (old), the old weapon
of the English infantry.
Brown George (nautical), a hard
and coarse biscuit.
Brownie (whalers), the polar bear.
Brown Janet (nautical), a knap-
sack.
Brown Joe (rhyming slang), no.
Brown papermen (popular), ex-
plained by quotation.
But the little nick (a gambling-house) is
what we call only bro-wn papermen, low
gambling, playing for pence, and a shil-
ling being a great go. — Mayhew : London
Labour and the London Poor,
Brown stone (American), beer.
Brown talk (common), conver-
sation of an exceedingly proper
character.
Brown typhus, brown titus, and
in America brown creeturs, an
attempt at the pronunciation of
bronchitis, or the names fre-
quently given by the lower
orders to that common disease.
These misnomers are some-
times most amusing, as, for in-
stance, a poor woman had been
told she had myxadema, and
informed a second medical man
that her first doctor had said
that she had got Nicodemus;
but, she added, he could not
cure it.
Browny (thieves), a penny.
Dols. is brozvm'es, as we call 'em some-
times, that's pence. — Hamilton Aldi :
Morals and Mysteries,
Browse, to, to enjoy oneself, to
idle about, to loll in the sun.
French faire son Uzard. The
expression is much used by
gentlemen cadets of the Royal
Mihtary Academy. In the
United States, to eat here and
there, now and then, an ex-
pression of Abraham Lincoln's.
Bruiser (prison), the bully who
is a hanger-on of prostitutes.
I'he bruiser is the nearest approach
to Dickens' hero. Bill Sykes. — Michael
Davitt : Leaves frotn a Prison Diary.
(Common), a pugilist. (Pugilis-
tic), a prize-fighter. (Popular),
one fond of fighting.
C, who is known in the neighbourhood
as a "great bruiser" pleaded that he
made a mistake, and thought Conway was
molesting the woman, who he also mistook
for his wife. He goes to jail for six weeks.
— Echo.
Brum (Winchester), stingy, mean.
Probably an abbreviation of
Brummagem. (Popular and
thieves), a counterfeit coin.
AI.S0 Birmingham.
We have just touched for a rattling stake
of sugar (large stake of money) at Brutn.
— Cornhill Magazine.
1 86
Brumby — Brush.
Brumby (Australian), a wild horse.
Brummagem (common), Birming-
ham, applied to anything vulgar
or counterfeit.
Those may be Brvmma^em or Man-
chester manners, but they won't go down
here. — Rhoda Broughton : Cometh up as
a Flower.
Never let yourself be deceived by Brum-
viagem and paste. — Miss Thackeray : Old
Kensington.
He whipped out his Brummagem blade so
keen,
And he made three slits in the buffalo's
hide,
And all its contents, through the rents and
the vents,
Come tumbling out, — and away they all
hied I
— Ingoldsby Legends.
Brummagem was originally
spelled Bromidgham, and its
first connection with anything
spurious or sham came from the
so-called Bromidgham groat, a
counterfeit fourpenny piece.
It was subsequently applied to
a person who was neither Whig
nor Tory (Halliwell).
Brummagem buttons (popular),
counterfeit coin.
Want change for a fiver — bad silver,
Brummagem buttons, won't do. — Dickens :
Pickwick Papers.
Brums (Stock Exchange), London
and North Western Railway
stock.
We kneel at the feet of our " Nancys,"
We load them with " cottons " and
"tapes,"
If anything tickles our fancy,
We buy them Brums, " Caleys," or
" Apes."
— Atkin: House Scraps.
(Popular), the inhabitants of
Birmingham. From "Brumma-
gem."
The Brums must really look to the
morals of their town a little more. —
Modem Society.
Joe Capp is the most sensibly dressed
man who goes racing. He wears a long,
cool-looking alpaca surtout ; but it was
rough on Joe, after losing fourteen thick
'uns at Four Oaks, when a Brum, whom
he elbowed out of the way, remarked —
" Don't think you're heverybody be-
cause you make your coat hout o' the pore
bloomink slavey's Sunday skirt." — Sport-
ing Times.
Brung (American), brought. A
^vTJter on Americanisms is
slightly mistaken in saying that
white men use it as a "very
mild joke." It is very often a
stinging insult, and the writer
has seen a man in Boston very
angry because he was asked in
jest, " Where were you brung
up ? " The insult was in the
intimation that the man was
familiar with or in the habit
of using such an expression.
Brush (populfir), a house-painter.
Brush, to have a (old), to have
sexual intercourse, when applied
to women ; also to run away.
Brusher (old slang), a bumper.
"To drink a brusher" was to
drinkfromafullglass. (Schools),
an abbreviation of " bum-
brusJur," a schoolmaster.
Brush up, to (American), to hum-
bug or flatter, to smooth,
conciliate. Brushing up a flat,
Brydport dagger — Buck.
187
"prancing," flattering
York Slang Dictionary).
(New
Brydport dagger (old), explained
by quotation.
Stab'd with a Brydport dagger, that is,
hang'd or executed at the gallowes ; the
best, if not the most, hemp (for the quantity
of ground) growing about Brydport. —
Fuller: Dorset Worthies.
Bub, bubby (American), a term
very commonly applied to a
little boy. It- came from
Pennsylvania, where it was
derived from the German huhe,
which is commonly abbreviated
to huh.
" ' Bui,' he said to a little shaver coming
out of the savings-bank with a book in his
hand, ' are you saving money ? '
" ' Yes, sir.'
" ' How much have you got in the bank?'
" ' Eight cents, sir. I did have thirteen,
but father got in straitened financial cir-
cumstances and I had to draw five.' "
Bub (thieves), strong malt liquor ;
generally drink.
Ay, iui and grubby, I say.
Lots of gatter, quo' she, are flowing.
— IV. Maginn : Vidocq's Slang Song.
Also a brother.
Bubber (American), applied to
any woman (old or young) with
full, well-rounded breasts, or
buhbies, whence the term.
Bubble-buff (old), a bailiff.
Bubbley jock (popular), a turkey ;
a stupid, boasting person.
Bubbling squeak (army), hot soup.
Properly, bubble and squeak is a
dish composed of pieces of cold
boiled meat and greens, after-
wards fried, which have thus
first bubbled in the pot, and
then hissed or squeaked in the
pan.
Bubs, bubbles (common), a
woman's breasts. From bvb,
drink.
Buck. This almost obsolete word,
for what the French called a
petit-mattre, and more recently
daim (literally buck), has been
gradually superseded by "blood,"
"dandy," "maccaroni," "swell,"
"Bond Street lounger," "ex-
quisite," "dude," and "masher."
(American, cards), a device
for securing a good ante at
poker or brag. The player
whose turn it is to ante, instead
of putting up money, puts up a
knife, key, or any small article,
saying, "I ante a buck worth $5,"
or whatever sum he chooses to
name. If he has not won it
back himself when he retires, he
must redeem it from the pos-
sessor at the price named. The
peculiarity of the buck is that
whoever holds it must ante it
when it comes to his turn.
Whenever it is desired to bring
the game to a close, a good
finish is secured by agreeing
to " chase the buck home," i.e.,
whoever wins it has the next
deal, and consequently antes
it. The game stops as soon as
the buck has been won back
by the player who originally
started it.
(Cabdrivers), a sham "fare"
i:
Buck.
in a cab. A biuJe is a man who
rides in a cab ostensibly as a
legitimate fare, to enable the
cabman to proceed to some des-
tination to which he is not
allowed to take an empty cab.
Many of the semi - private
thoroughfares of London are
closed to empty cabs,
Mr. , on behalf of the United Cab
Proprietors' Protection Association, said
it often occurred that the men who were
so conveyed were bucks — men who rode in
a cab ostensibly as legitimate fares. In
reality they acted in collusion with the
driver to evade the police regulations, espe-
cially with regard to theatres. — Standard.
(Popular), a sixpence. The
word is rarely used by itself,
but as in the phrase, " two and
a buck." More frequently " two
and a kick." Possibly from the
gypsy bdk (pronounced buck),
luck, as it is always asked for
for luck.
(Old slang), to " run a buck,"
to poll a bad vote at an election.
This phrase is of Irish origin.
(American), to biick is to butt
against, to oppose.
Yer oughter be ershamed o' yerse'f ter
persecute 'ligion in dis way. Wy how de
work o' de Lawd gwine ter prosper when
de white folks bucks ergin it dis way ? I'se
sorry fur yer, fur old Satan got his eye on
yer, sho. — Arkansaiv Traveller.
To rear up, to jump like a
buck, to jump and " cavort."
Applied to a peculiar leaping of
Western horses. Dutch, boken
vmken, to cut capers ; bok-
stavast, leap-frog.
The term is used also in South
Africa and Australia.
I don't think that we have a beast
About the place that bucks the least.
—Z>. B. tK Sladen : A Hummer
Christmas.
(Banking), "to buck an ac-
count " is to make an account
balance without carrying it out
properly, i.e., to cook the ac-
counts.
(Californian), in the Califor-
nian vernacular this signifies to
play against the bank, as, e.g.,
in faro, that is, to sweep the
tables, or clean out or gut the
croupier.
I don't like your looks at all, I'd buck
against any bank you ran all night. —
Bret Harte : Gabriel Conroy.
(Winchester College), " to
buck down " is to be unhappy,
whilst to "buck up" is to be
glad.
(Anglo-Indian), to talk egotis-
tically, to prate and chatter, to
let one's tongue run loose. From
the Hindu bakna.
And then he bucks, with a quiet stub-
born determination that would fill an
American editor or an Under Secretary of
State with despair. He belongs to the
twelve foot tiger school, so perhaps he
can't help it. — All Baba.
Buck-bail (thieves), bail given by a
sharper for one of his own gang.
Buck fitch (old), an old man of
abandoned haVjits, an old roui.
A " buck face," an injured hus-
band, alluding to the horns.
Buck or fight the tiger, to
(American), to gamble. Derived
from the parti -coloured divisions
or strii)es on a gambling table.
Buckeen — Buck/torse.
189
This little oil town, on the line of the
Olean, Bradford, and Warren Railroad,
and partly in Pennsylvania and partly in
New York, is the greatest poker-playing
place in the entire northern oilfield. It
is a town in which all the residents
"buck the festive tiger." — Chicago Tri-
bune.
Buckeen (Irish), a bully, an in-
ferior sort of squire.
There were several squireens or little
squires, a race of men who have suc-
ceeded to the buckeens described by
Young and Crumpe. — Miss Edge-worth:
Absentee.
Bucket (American), an anonymous
letter. (Common), to " give the
iucket," to dismiss, to dismiss
from one's employ.
He were sore put about because Hester
had gi'en him the bucket. — Mrs. Gaskell:
Sylvia's Lovers.
(University), to bucket is to
scoop the water instead of pull-
ing the oar steadily and fairly
through.
(Popular), to bucket a person,
to deceive, ruin him. To kick
the bucket, to die.
"Fine him a pot," roared one, "for
talking about kicking the bucket. He's a
nice young man to keep a cove's spirits
up, and talk about a ' short life and a
merry one.' " — C. Kingsley : Alton Locke.
Dr. Brewer gives the follow-
ing explanation : "A bucket is
a pulley. . . . When pigs are
killed they are hung by their
hind legs on a bucket . . . and
oxen are hauled up by a
pulley. ... To kick the bucket
is to be hung on the bulk or bucket
by the heels."
Bucket afloat (rhyming slang), a
coat.
Bucket-shop (American), a bucket
has in America several mean-
ings, all indicating underhand
or concealed dealings. The term
is applied to low groggeries, and
also to places which advertise
as below cost flashy goods
which are sold at a large profit.
Low, swindling, gambling places,
or lottery offices, also bear this
name, and in Chicago it appears
from the following extract to be
borne by broker establishments
where " corners " are manipu-
lated.
The latest story out to account for the
recent strength in the wheat market, is to
the effect that it is the result of a combined
effort to "burst the bucket-shops."
(Stock Exchange), the office
of an outside broker of doubtful
character.
A disreputable gambling case which
came before the Divisional Court yesterday
is noteworthy for the remarks made on
" the vice of gambling in stocks and shares "
by two judges. A gambler had sued a firm
of bucket-shop keepers for profits alleged
to have been made on "certain transac-
tions," and the latter coolly pleaded the
statute against wagering and gaming in
defence. — Pall Mall Gazette.
Buckhara (American), a California
name for a cattle driver. It is
the Spanish vaquero.
Buckhorse (pugilistic). ' ' A smart
blow or box on the ear ; derived
from the name of the celebrated
ipo
Buckle — Budger.
'bruiser'" (John Smith, alias
Buckhone, fought on the stage
1732-46), according to Hotten's
Dictionary.
Buckle, to (Scottish), to marry,
a vulgarism used by D'Urfey in
his imitation of a Scotch song,
popular in the time of Charles
II., "Within a mile of Edin-
burgh Toun." The phrase is
still current in England among
the lower classes, among whom
to be "buckled " not only means
to be married, but to be taken
into custody.
Buckle-beggar (old), a man who
officiated as a clergyman to per-
form the marriage ceremony in
the Fleet Prison ; also a hedge-
priest, who performs the cere-
mony of marriage among tramps
and gypsies.
Buckled (thieves), imprisoned.
French slang, boucld.
Why, I was iuciied bccaxxst I got drunk.
It was a pure accident. Had I followed
my usual work I should never have fallen.
— Evening News.
Buckler, a collar (New York Slang
Dictionary).
Buckra yam ("West Indian). As
in negro eyes " the white man,"
or buckra, is the synonym of
something superior and beyond
him in the scale of being, so
the word has come to mean
anything good. Thus buckra
yam, good yam; buckra cloth,
good cloth. A " swanga buckra "
is a specially well-dressed white
man.
Bucks (West Indian), the cogno-
men of the aboriginal inhabi-
tants of British Guiana — the
South American Indians.
Bud (American), a "society" word
for young lady debutantes, or
"come outers," in their first
season.
There's nothing so beautiful to me as a
beautiful girl. 1 doubt if any man can
better understand or be more truly in love
with the dear perfectness of nature than I
am. O girls, da appreciate girls. At my
last ball the kids (youths) were tearing
around . . . but even the shyest and
greenest of it^ds knows that the ad-
miration of the kid isn't worth having,
it is so easy to get and as hard to get
rid of. — Madge : Letter in the Nnu York
liorld.
Budge (thieves), a thief ; especially
one who sneaks into a shop
and is locked in, thus getting a
chance to admit an accomplice.
Formerly a pickpocket. Pro-
bably from bouget, budge, budget,
a sack, pouch, wallet. A
drink.
Budge, the sneaking (old slang),
robbing private houses of light
small articles, such as coats,
hats, &c. ; now called " area
sneak " or "hall sneak." "Budge
clothes," lambs' fur formerly
used for trimming the robes of
Bachelors of Arts (Halliwell).
Standing budge, a thief, scout,
or spy.
Budger (thieves), a drunkard.
Budgerow — Buffer.
191
Budgerow (Anglo-Indian). Hin-
du, hujra. A heavy keelless
barge, formerly much used by
Europeans travelling on the
Gangetic rivers (Anglo-Indian
Glossary).
The bujra broad, the bholia trim.
Or pinnaces that gallant swim
With favouring breeze, or dull or slow,
Against the heady current go.
— H. H. Wihon in Bengal Annual.
Budging-ken (thieves), a public
house, the " cove of the hudg-
ing-ken " being the landlord.
Budmash (Anglo-Indian), a bad,
worthless fellow ; a scoundrel.
Gamblers, cut-throats, budmashes of
every description. — Bosworth Smith :
Life 0/ Lord Lawrence.
Budzat (Anglo-Indian), from the
Persian badzat, evil race. A low
fellow, a "bad lot," a black-
guard.
Why the Shaitan (devil) didn't you
come before, you lazy old budzart ? —
A nglo-Indian Glossary : The Datik Bun-
galow.
Buff (tramps), among the tramping
fraternity a buff-ball is a dancing
party, characterised by the in-
decency of those who attend it,
the costume de rigueur being that
of our fir.st parents.
The most favourite entertainment at
this place is known as "buff-ball," in
which both sexes — innocent of clothing —
madly join, stimulated with raw whisky
and the music of a fiddle and a tin whistle.
—James Greenwood : In Strange Com-
^lany.
(Old slang), to " stand buff"
to bear the brunt, to pay the
piper; also "to boast," given
as a very old word by
"Batman uppon Bartholome,"
1582.
To buff, defined by Hotten as
simply meaning to swear to ;
but the following, from the New
York Slang Dictionary, gives the
spirit of the word very accu-
rately : "Buffing it home is
swearing point-blank to any-
thing, about the same as bluf-
fing it, making a bold stand on
no backing."
Buffer (common), a man, a fel-
low.
But aged, slow, with stiff limbs, totter-
ing much,
And lungs that lacked the bellows-
mender's touch,
Yet sprightly to the scratch both buf-
fers came.
— Torn Cribb's Memorial to Congress.
I'll merely observe as the water grew
rougher,
The more my poor hero continued to
suffer,
Till the sailors themselves cried in
pity, Poor buffer !
—Ingoldsby Legends.
Also a merry companion with a
spice of the rogue in him, the
Falstaff of a century ago. Buffer
or buffard is a provincialism for
a foolish fellow. In Dutch, boef
or boefer, means, according to
the Groot Wordenbock der
Engelsche en Nederduytsche
Jaalen of William Sewell, " a
rogue, knave, or wag," which is
identical both in sound and
meaning with the English word
192
Buffer — Bug.
(Popular), a dog, from the
old cant word hufe, a dog. (Old
cant), a smuggler, a rogue, a
cheat ; also a dog. Buffer-
nabber, a dog-stealer. (Nau-
tical), buffer, a navy term for a
boatswain's mate, one of whose
duties it was to administer the
"cat." From the obsolete
English to huff, to strike. It
has been suggested, however,
that buffer is of Dutch origin.
Teirlinck (Woordenbock van
Bargoensch) gives haf, a blow ;
baffen, to strike with the fist,
adding "Klanknabootsend idiot-
isme van dagelijksch gebrink
in Vlanderen."
Buffle-headed (popular), stupid
and stolid as a buffalo or ass.
Synonymous with "pig-headed,"
stupidly obstinate.
You know nothing, you huffle-headed,
stupid creature. — IVyclurley : Plain
Dealer, 1677.
Buff's (common), the 3rd regiment
of foot in the British army.
From their facings.
Buffy (common), intoxicated.
Flexor was fine and huffy when he came
home last night. — Shirley Brooks: The
Cordian Knot.
Bug (American and English
thieves), a breast-pin ; bugger,
a pickpocket, or one who makes
a specialty of snatching away
breast-pins, studs, &c. ; bug-
hunter, the same.
The chips, the fawneys, chatty-feeders,
The bugs, the boungs, and well-filled
readers.
—On the Trail.
i.e., The money, the rin;;s, spoons,
Breast-pins, purses, and well-filled
pocket-books.
(American and older English),
bug, which in England is now
limited to the Cimex, politely
termed a Norfolk Howard, is
in America still applied to all
varieties of the Coleoptera and
many other insects.
"Oh, Fred, what's that ticking noise?
Do you think it's the death watch mamma
was reading about before she put us to
bed?" " Hessie, don't be a little goose.
It's only a 6ug, anyhow. Maybe it's not
even a iug- — only the bed-ticking." — Phila-
delphia Call.
(Old slang), to bug, an old
phrase in use at one time among
journeymen hatters to signify
the substitution of good material
with inferior stuff. Bailiffs who
accepted money to delay service
of writs were also said " to hug
the writ."
Bug- or bug over, to (thieves), to
deliver, give or hand over. Vaux
instances : " He hug'd me .1
quid," i.e., he gave me a guinea ;
"iwjr over the rag," i.e., hand
over the money.
Bugaroch (American thieves),
pretty (New York Slang Diction-
ary).
Bug blinding (army), white-wash-
ing, a process calculated to
destroy, or at least to remove
the superficial traces of vermin
Bugging — Bulge.
193
that are a perfect pest in
the more antiquated barracks,
especially in warm climates.
Bugging (American), taking
money from a thief by a police-
man. This indicates the ex-
istence of an old word "bug"
for money as well as valu-
ables. In Dutch slang, bucht
is money.
Buggy (old cant), a leather bottle.
It now signifies a gig or light
chaise.
Bug hunter (thieves), a thief who
plunders drunken men.
Bug juice (army), ginger ale.
In America applied to very bad
whiskey.
Bugle it, to (American cadet), to
abstain from attending class and
reciting until the bugle sounds
for attention.
Bug walk (popular), a bed.
Build, to (or it) (American), said
of a man who is slow to move,
or of an affair which requires
great exertion. It is taken from
a boy's trick of putting a coal
under a tortoise to make it walk.
" I have a letter of introduction to Mr.
Samuel Slump," said a stranger in a West-
ern town to a citizen. " Can you tell me
if he is a man of drinking habits?" " Wall,
stranger," replied the citizen, expectorat-
ing copiously, " I wouldn't go so fur as to
say that Sam is a hard drinker, but I reckon
if you ask him to go an' take suthin', you
won't have to buiid a fi>e under him to
git him stalled."
(Nautical), to "build a chapel "
is to turn a ship round through
bad steering.
Building spots for sale (Ameri-
can), used of any imperfect per-
son or thing.
Built that way (common), " not
built that way," not in one's line.
Black Moustache addresses the divinity
as " Popsie," and she calls him " Bob."
During the evening they have impromptu
dancing. Smith cjm't dance ; he isn't
built that way, and Miss Jones says that
Black Moustache waltzes delightfully. All
of which means that the following week is
one of agony for young S., who moodily
meditates leaving England for ever, and
straightway abjures the harmless necessary
shave. — Bird o' Freedom.
Bulgarian atrocity (Stock Ex-
change), Varna and Rustchuk
Railway 3 per cent, obligations.
And we've really quite a crew
Of fancy names to represent a share . . .
But fancy, by the way.
Now, in the present day,
A Varna's a Bulgarian atrocity.
— A tkin : House Scraps.
Bulge (American), properly to
bulge is to swell out, and bulge
is a swelling or belly. In the
United States the words are
extended and amplified in many
ways. Thus there is a story
of a man who, being tried for
shooting his neighbour, pleaded
that be had only aimed at the
bulge of his shirt where it
" bagged out " above his trousers.
"To get the bulge" on a man,
appears to mean to have the
better of him. As bulge conveys
the idea of swelling or infiation
N
194
Bulger— Bull.
or expansion, it is much used to
indicate magnitude or extrava-
gance. Thus to go " bulging
about " conveys the same idea
as "splurging" (which see).
Bulger. This English word, signi-
fying a large object or creature,
is much more extensively used
in the United States than in the
mother- country. " New York
is a bvlijer of a place," said
Colonel Crockett in 1835. At
Princeton College (New Jersey)
the largest and heaviest of the
students is familiarly called hoi-
ger. The negro minstrel word
hulgine, for a locomotive, appears
to be a compound, the first part
of which is derived rather from
lidge than "bull," as implying
bigness.
I got on board de telegraf an' floated
down de ribber,
De 'lectric fluid magnified and killed five
hundred nigger.
De b-uUgine burst, de steam went off, I
really tought I'd die ;
I shut my eyes to hold my breath —
Susanna don't you cry !
— Song 0/0 Susanna.
Bulk and file (old), two thieves
working together. The hulk
jostles the victim against the
jlle, who robs him of his money
or watch.
Bulker (old cant), a street-walk-
ing prostitute; from "bulk,"
that formerly signified the
body.
She must turn bulker (when her cloathes
are worn out), at which trade I hope to see
you suddenly. — KavtHscro/t, 1670.
Bulky (Winchester College), gene-
rous, open-handed, as opposed
to "brum."
Bull, now recognised and applied
to a blunder, formerly meant
any kind of rough, blundering,
or foolish jest or trick, and is of
the same root with huUy in its
sense of a clown or merry-maker.
Old Dutch bollaert (Skeat), "a
jester or a gyber." Swedish
bullra, to make a noise. Butler
in Anglo-Norman means an
equivocator or deceiver, which
unmistakably indicates the ex-
istence of bull in the modern
sense.
The sexte case is of fals bullers,
Baith that tham makes and that tham wers.
—MS. Cottan. Vespasian
{Halli'.uell).
The term hull-ca\i itself
(Shakspeare), and bull-finch, a
stupid fellow (North Country),
all indicate the association with
blundering and stupidity which
is implied by bull. The word
was first .specially identified with
Hibernian mistakes by Miss
Edge worth in her "Essay on
Irish Bulls." (Popular), a roar-
ing horse.
(Popular and thieves), a crown,
an abbreviation of its former
appellation, a bull's eye.
. . . Then giv' me a little money, four
half bulls, wot you may call half-crowns,
and ses, hook it I — Charles Dickens,
(Prison), rations of meat ; an
uncomplimentary reference to
the toughness of the beef sup-
plied. The French slang has
Bull — Bull-doze.
195
bidoche, for meat, from bidet, a
pony.
(Stock Exchange), explained
by first quotation.
Berliner is puzzled by the terms iull
and " bear," that he often sees in the
papers in connection with the Stock Ex-
change. . . . These terms are as old as the
time of the South Sea Bubble, 1710. A
man who contracted to sell stock of which
he was not possessed was called a " bear,"
in allusion to the proverb, " Selling the
skin before you have caught the bear,"
and he who bought, without intending to
receive the stock, was called a iuU, by
way of distinction. To 6uU the market is
now to raise the price of stock when ope-
rating for a sale, while to " bear" it is to
use every effort to depress the price of
stock in order to buy it.
So was the huntsman by the bear op-
pressed,
Whose hide he sold before he caught the
beast.
— Tii Bi/s.
A man was complaining that he had lost
all his money through gambling on the
Stock Exchange. A friend ventured to
ask him if he had been a bull ox a " bear " ?
and was told " Neither, I was an ass." —
A tkin : House Scraps.
(American thieves), a loco-
motive.
. . . Had just touched a bloke's leather
as the bull bellowed for the last time. —
On the Trail.
Bull and cow (rhyming slang), a
row.
Bull-dance (nautical), a dance
without women ; also called a
" stag-dance."
Bull-dog (university), one of the
duties of the university proctors
is to promenade the town in
search of offending undergra-
duates. Certain men, who are
termed bull-dogs, accompany
him. Their duty is to chase
the offender, whose ingenuity
in evading capture gives rise to
many amusing stories. Many a
long race too often ends in
finding their prey is an outsider,
whom they have no interest in
catching.
The proctor's satellites, vulgarly called
bull-dogs. — Macmillan's Magazine.
I don't mean the college bull-dogs, they
don't interfere with us, only with women.
— H. Mayhew : London Labour and the
London Poor.
(Old slang), a pistol, now a
short thick revolver.
" I have always a brace oi bull-dogs about
me." ... So saying, he exhibited a
very handsome, highly-finished, and richly
mounted pair of pistols. — Sir W. Scott:
St. Ronatis Well.
(Nautical), the great gun
which stands "housed" in
the officers' wardroom cabin.
General term for main-deck
guns.
Bull-dog blazer (American), a
short thick revolver.
The manager laid down a large cane he
had in his hand, and picked up instead a
trusty bull-dog blazer, as he said —
"Young man, I don't think you can be
of any service to me, and you'd better slide."
" Assuredly ; but you don't happen to
have a shilling you could lend me?"
" No, I don't," and the manager cocked
the revolver.
"Well, say ; let me into the show, will
j-ou ? " — Green Room.
Bull-doze, to (American), to com-
pel a person to do anything, or
to influence his conduct by
cruelty or brute force. It is
196
Bull-doze — Bullocky.
derived from a Southern word
meaning a whip or cowhide, or
species of " kurbatch," made
from the (jlana penis of a
bull. It is said that negroes
were whipped almost to death
with this, or bull-dozed to make
them vote the Democratic ticket.
It is now extensively used in the
United States, to express com-
pulsion of any kind, especially
in politics.
Bull-dozer (American), a revolver.
Used to mean a persuader, some-
thing to enforce an argument
by personal violence. Vide
Bull-doze.
Bullet (army), discharge upon
the spot, without a moment's
notice.
(Printers), see Dry-UP, and
Qui. According to Savage's
" Dictionary of the Art of
Printing," 1841, a workman was
said to have got the bullet when
he was discharged instanter —
without the customary notice
on either side.
Bullets (cards), in American brag,
are aces ; sometimes called
white aces, in contradistinction
to aces made up by holding
braggers. The highest hand in
the game is three white (or real)
aces, the next highest is " two
bullets and a bragger," which
cannot, of course, occur in the
same round in which three real
aces are held, though another
player may hold two other
bullets and a bragger at the
same time. Hence the expres-
sion " the serene confidence
which a Christian feels in the
three white aces."
Bullfinch (provincial), a corrup-
tion of " bull fence," a stiff
fence able to keep bulls out of
or in a field.
The third fence was a teazer, an ugly
bullfinch with a ditch on the landing side.
— Guy Livin^tone.
Also a stupid fellow,
BuUjine (nautical) a locomotive
is so called by sailors. Termed
" bull " by American thieves.
Bull-money, a vulgar phrase for
money extorted by a chance
witness from the man detected
in the fields, the woods, the sea-
shore, or other lonely place, in
the act of carnal copulation.
Bullock's heart (printers), see
Token. This is a term of con-
tempt that pressmen apply to
a single " token," or order to
print, of two hundred and fifty
copies only, the lowest paying
number in the scale of prices.
This expression is due to the
circumstance that it is not a
"fat" but a "lean" job, hence
the comparison to a bullock's
heart, which, unless suffering
from "fatty degeneration," is
the essence of leanness.
Bullock's horn (rhyming slang),
in pawn.
Bullocky (Australian, upcountry),
a bullock-team driver. In the
Biillocky — Bully.
197
bush all the heavy hauling is
done with bullock-drags. It is
quite a common sight up the
country to see teams of a dozen
and upwards. BuUockirs in
Australia are as proverbial as
bargees or Billingsgate fishwives
in England for the forcibleness
of their language.
" When you make Mokepilly," quoth one
of the sunburnt bullocky men, " keep on bj'
the brush fence, and that will take you
right into the gap. Gee hup, Streaky ;
ya-hoy-ya, Strorb'ry." — T. C. Work: Aus-
tralasian Printer s Keepsake.
Bull party, an assembly, gather-
ing, or dinner party of jnen
only.
Bull puncher (American), a word
defined as follows by one who
was himself of the calling : —
He followed the profession of a hill-
puncher; that is, he went in charge of the
cattle destined for slaughter and "canning "
in the distant North, and made money at
it, being steady and trustworthy, and no
drinker. — Morley Roberts : The Western
Avemus, 1887.
Bull's-eye villas (military), the
small open-air tents used by the
volunteers at their annual rifle
contest held on Wimbledon
Common.
Bull's feathers, horns. To describe
a man as wearing huWs feathers
was to represent him as a
cuckold.
Three crooked horns, smartly top-knotted
with ribands; which being the ladies' wear,
seem to intimate that they may very pro-
bably adorn, as well as bestow, the bulls
feather. — Richardson : Clarissa llarlmve.
The attribute of boms to a
cuckold is of remote antiquity,
and is supposed by symbolists
of the school of Creuzer and
Faber to be derived from the
horns of cattle, also of the new
moon, at which time festivals
were held in Assyria, where all
women were in common, and
men who were among the ini-
tiated bore the symbol and were
corpparedtooxen. Horns as worn
on the head were suggestive of
feathers in a cap, hence fruZZ's
feathers (Ch3,rles G, Leland,
U.S. Notes).
The French have a correspond-
ing expression: "planter des
plumes de boeuf."
On me dit qu'elle est bien gente
Qu'elle est douce comme un agneau.
Par ma foi ! j'ai peur que'mplante
Plumes de boeuf a mon chapeau !
— Song.
Bull the cask, to (nautical), to
pour hot water into an empty rum
puncheon, and let it stand until
it extracts the spirit from the
wood. The mixture is drunk by
sailors in default of something
stronger.
Bull-traps, thieves or swindlers
who personate policemen (Ne\v
York Slang Dictionary).
Bully (American), oftep applied
in a commendable sense by the
vulgar ; as, for instance, a hdbj
fellow, a bully horse.
Hope you had a pleasant nap, bully place
for a nice quiet snooze. — Bret Hartt-:
Poems ami Prose.
198
Bully — Bully-cock.
The captain said she was a bully boat. —
Mark Twain: Roughing it.
" Now," said he, " Slick, my bully, I
think I see a smart chance of doin' a con-
siderable stroke of business to Nova Scotia,
in the smugglin' line. — Sam Slick.
BuUij for you, for me, is a
commendatory phrase.
That's bully, plenty bully for me. Just
you gimme the hundred dollars. — Mark
Twain : Tom .lawyer.
This word has two distinct
meanings : ( i.) A braggart, or a
man who terrifies and threatens.
(2.) The older form, still com-
mon, applied to any person or
thing which is pre-eminently
excellent, e.g., a huUy horse,
" that's hully." The Bully Bot-
tom of Shakspeare implies a
compliment. In Dutch slang
hoL has the same meaning, a
head, a leader ; as one might
say, the bully of the crowd.
Also an intelligent person.
" Boll, 'een man met eenen goe-
den kop. Bol van de kit, man,
of meester van het huis," i.e.,
" A man with a good head, the
master of a house." The word
came into Dutch as it did into
German slang, from the Ger-
man-Hebrew, hal meaning lite-
rally man, but always used to
indicate a master, director, or
superior.
(Common), a htdly, a stone or
lump of lead tied in the end of a
handkerclnef (New York Slang
Dictionary).
(Football), a scrimmage.
" Change ! " was called, and after the
first bully the ball was rushed down the
Kroum! to tlie clialk line of good calx.
where a bully was formed, after which it
was walked into calx and five shies ob-
tained before time was called. — Sporting
Life.
Bully-beef (army), tinned meat ;
supposed to be made of old bulL
The " iron ration," as it is often
called, either from its tough-
ness, or the cases of tin or other
metal in which it is preserved.
(Nautical), boiled beef.
Bully-boss (American), the land-
lord of a sporting crib, tavern,
or brothel. Derived in all pro-
bability from bully and boss, but
also agreeing remarkably, though
b)' chance, with the baal habos,
or "master of the house" of
the Jews, which is commoner
as hal bos; hence the Dutch
thieves' slang, balleboos {bads),
head man of any kind. This is
a very curious instance of words
of similar forms derived from
radically different sources.
Bully-buck (old slang), a man re-
tained by the keepers of brothels,
being paid by them to assist in
enforcing exorbitant demands
on those frequenting such places.
Sometimes it was pretended that
they were the husbands of some
of the inmates, in order by threats
of exposure to extort money
from simpletons supposed to
have been discovered in fayrante
delicto.
Bully - cock (old slang), a man
who, for the purposes of robbery
and theft, fomented a quarrel
between people, to cloak his
nefarious designs.
Bullyrag — Bu m-brusher.
199
Bullyrag (American and English),
to abuse, revile, or scold vehe-
mently. From the Dutch hvl-
der-ar, a blusterer ; bulderaren,
to rage, to bluster, to roar ; bul-
derarig, blustering, and raak,
hitting.
Bully -rook or rocJc, a braggart,
occurs in Shakspeare, where it
is certainly of Dutch origin, e.g.,
huller-hrook, a boisterous fellow.
Bvlbra, Swedish, to make a
noise.
The C. C. Well, he's blowing her up ;
" Look 'ere, Matilda," he sez, " I'm 'anged
if they 'aven't bin and let the Throne-room
lire out again ! " And she sez, " It's no use
bullyraggin me, Billiam ; speak to the
Lord 'Igh Chamberlain about it — it's 'is
business. "—Punch.
Bully-trap, a trap for bullies and
blackguards ; applied to a man
of mild and gentlemanly ap-
pearance and demeanour, who,
if attacked by a bully, shows
unexpected spirit, courage, and
determination, and proves more
than a match for his assailant.
Bum (public schools), a birching ;
termed also a belting. (Army),
" cherry bums," the hussars, the
allusion being obvious. The
French chasseurs go by the
nickname of cuU rouges.
(Obsolete), hum or " bummy,"
a contraction of bum baiUif.
Thus called because he follows
the man he has to serve with
process.
Here lies John Trull, by trade a ium ;
When he died
The Devil cried,
"Come, John, come."
To bum, to arrest a debtor.
The word, according to Black-
stone, is a corruption of "bound ' '
bailiff ; but this has been denied,
as bum bailiffs are no more
" bound" than other officers of
the law to do justice, Todd
quotes passages to prove that it
arose from the pursuer catching
hold of a man by the tail or
hinder part of his garment.
Bumble (common), a beadle, from
Dickens' character in "Oliver
Twist."
Bumble-crew (journalistic), cor-
poration.
Then spake the chairman to the rate-
payers :-
The shindy of to-day exposes all
The apish antias of a bumble crew.
The worst this town containeth.
— Punch.
Bumbo (old), brandy, water, and
sugar ; also a negro term for
the private parts of a woman.
Bum - brasher, an opprobrious
name for a schoolmaster.
Dionysius was forced to turn bum-
hrusher in my own defence, a condition
which best suited with a man that de-
lighted in tyranny and blood. — T. Brcnvfi :
lyorks.
Derived from the too com-
mon practice of pedagogues
who flog boys with or with-
out reason. The historical bum-
hrushers date from the days
of James I. of England and
VI. of Scotland — whose tutor,
Buchanan, had no greater re-
200
Bum-brusher — Bummer.
spect for his royaJ person than
for that of other boys, except
on the infrequent occasions
when he flogged him vicari-
ously — and from Drs. Busby,
Keate, and Arnold in more mo-
dern times. In the Glossary to
the " Life and Adventures of
Bampfylde Moore Carew " it is
said that the word " flaybottom "
is bestowed upon a flogging ped-
agogue. It has been suggested
that the word is a pun, and a
corruption of phlebotomus, let-
ting blood, but the word itself
gives evidence of its more
humble origin.
Bum-charter (thieves), hot bread
and water.
Bum<harter is a name given to bread
steeped in hot water by the first unfortu-
nate inhabitants of the Enghsh Bastile,
where this miserable fare was their daily
breakfast, each man receiving with his
scanty portion of bread a quart of boiled
water from the cook's coppers. — Vaux's
Metnoirs.
Bumchik (provincial), inferior
beer for harvest labourers.'
Bum-curtain (University), short
or ragged academical gown.
Bumf (schoolboys), paper ; an ab-
breviation of "bum-fodder." A
6uTO/-hunt is a paper-chase.
Bum-fidget (old), a restless, un-
easy person who cannot sit
stiii.
Bumkin, or bumpkin, a stupid
lout, or rustic. P'rom Old Dutch
hoomken, a tree 'or log. Since
the English term also signified
a thick piece of wood, it was
readily applied to a blockhead.
In French, bUche, a log, has
also the signification of block-
head.
Bummarees, unrecognised
hangers-on at Billingsgate Fish
Market, who act as middlemen
between the wholesale and re-
tail dealers, and who make a
profit out of both parties. The
word is usually derived from
the French bonne marie, the good
tide or product of the sea.
The bummaree is the jobber or specu-
lator on a fish exchange. — Henry May-
hew: London Labour and the London
Poor.
Bummer (turf), a heavy loss.
(American), a slow, lazy fellow ;
in the French argot, chie-debout,
a loafer.
The auctioneer . . . never got a bid —
at least never any but the eighteen dollar
one he hired a notoriously substanceless
bummer to m3.Vc.—Mark Twain : Rough-
ing It.
San Francisco is the elysium of hum-
men. Nowhere can a worthless fellow,
too lazy to work, too cowardly to steal,
get on so well. — Scribner's Monthly.
(American), one who sponges
upon his acquaintances.
In California, men who profess to be
journalists, and so obtain free drinks, are
called literary bummers. — Hottens Dic-
tionary.
Ihtmnwr is of Pennsylvania
origin, from the German word
bummlcr, meaning the same.
During the war the term was
applied to the camp-fullowers
Bummer — Bumptious.
20 1
or semi-deserters who followed
the Federal army. These ir-
regular heroes, who sometimes
rendered good service by fight-
ing desperately, are commemo-
rated as indomitable marauders
in the " Breitmann Ballads."
Dey spurred on, dey hurried on, gpllopin
shtrait,
Boot for Breitmann help coomed yoost a
liddle too late.
For ash de La wine goes smash mit a bound,
So on to de bummers de repels coom doun.
Heinrich von Schinkenstein's tead in de
road,
Ulrich aus Gailingen's deadt ash a toad,
Und Sepperl — Tyroler — shpoke nefer a
wordt
But yoost " Mutter Gottes 1 " — and died
in de ford.
Bump, making a (boating, uni-
versity), catching the boat in
front and knocking against it,
the boats being arranged two
lengths apart in the race in
their previous order of merit.
The chances of St. Ambrose's making a
bump the first night were weighed. — Mac-
millan's Magazine.
Bumper (theatrical), a very full
house at a popular performance.
The word bumper, for a full
glass of liquor, from which the
theatrical term is derived, was
in the early days supposed to be
derived from toasts drunk to the
health of the Pope, the " bon-
pcre " of all true Catholic Chris-
tians. This explanation is no
longer generally accepted, since
the word is rightly regarded as
a corruption of bombard, a drink-
ing vessel, but originally signi-
fying a cannon.
This derivation is borne out
by the circumstance that the
French call canon a glass of wine
drunk at a wine-shop.
Bum perisher, or shaver, a short-
tailed coat, termed rase-ciU in
French slang.
Bumping races (university). In
the eight-oared races at the
universities the ccnnpeting boats
start one behind the other at a
given distance. When a boat
bumps {i.e., touches any part of)
the boat in front, it takes the
other's place in the next race.
The races are always rowed in
two divisions, about twelve to
fifteen in each, and the head
boat in the lower division is the
last boat in the first division,
and is called the sandwich boat.
The first boat in the first divi-
sion is called the Head of the
River.
Bump supper (university), ex-
plained by quotation.
A bump supper, th,-it is, a supper to com-
memorate the fact of the boat of one col-
lege having, in the annual races, " bumped"
or touched the boat of another college im-
mediately in front. — Cuthbert Bede : Ad-
ventures of Mr. Verdant Green.
Bumptious (common), apt to take
offence, quarrelsome without
adequate provocation. Evident-
ly from "bump," which Skeat
derived from " boom," to make a
hollow sound. Dutch, bommen,
one who roars or resounds at
once, to swell up or bounce.
I heard that Mr. Sh.-irp's wig didn't fit
him, and that he needn't be so "bounce-
202
Bumsquabbled — Buncombe.
able" — somebody else said bumptious —
about it, because his own red hair was
very plainly to be seen behind. — Charles
Dickens : David Copperfield.
Bumsquabbled (American), crest-
fallen.
The judge said ... he had got too
much already, cut him off the other two-
thirds, and made him pay all costs. If he
didn't look bumsquabbled it's a pity. —
Sam Slick : The Clockmaker.
Bumsucker (society), a very vul-
gar expression in common use
among men in society for a
toady. One who is a hanger-on
and flatterer of great men, and
who will do their dirty work
for them. In French, ?ecAe-
cwZ,
Bum-trap (old), bailiff.
The noble bum-trap, blind and deaf to
every circumstance of distress, greatly rises
above all the motives to humanity, and
into the hands of the jailor resolves to
deliver his miserable prey. — Fielding:
Tom Jones.
Bun (American), a fellow who
cannot be shaken off. (Com-
mon), to have the hun, to get
the better of, to surpass.
O Lord ! to think I deemed myself most
fly-
This infamie most surely has the lun !
— The Sporting Times.
Bunce (trade), commission from
tradesmen and others, black-
mail, sums of money, of which
both the employer and employed
are defrauded liy the middle
man, through whose hands the
money passes at some time or
other prior to reaching its desti-
nation. In large theatres there
are frequently four or five
hundred persons employed in
various departments, and the
head of each department holds
his own treasury.
(Turf), profit, interest on
money.
(Popular), money.
For though I am neither a fool nor a
dunce,
Whatever I prig other folks get the
bunce.
— T.Browne: Unlucky Individuals.
The boys will try it on for their bunts.
—L. L. and L. P.
According to Hotten from hon
or bonus, probably the latter.
Buncer (trade), one who buncea or
exacts bunce (which see).
Bunch (common), a blow. (Ame-
rican), to bunch, to gather up,
purse up.
The speaker bunded his thick lips to-
gether like the stem-end of a tomato. —
Mark Twain : The Gilded Age.
Bunch of fives (popular), the fist.
M'.\uliffe does not seem to appreciate
the honour of standing up to Carney
again. He says he won't be ready for
three months. One taste of the P.irming-
ham boy's quality seems to have been
quite sufficient for the American light-
weight champion. It is extremely impro-
bable that M'Auliffe will ever again come
within reach of Carney's bunch of Jives. —
sporting Life.
Bunco. Vide Bunko.
Buncombe or bunkum (Ameri-
can), talking big, affecting en-
Buncombe — Bundling.
203
thnsiasm, bnt always with an
underhand purpose. Sometimes
used, especially in England, to
denote mere magniloquence.
Mr. Hotten has made the dis-
covery that " it arose from a
speech made by a North Caro-
lina senator named Buncombe."
The truth is that these are
two words, of the same sound
but of entirely different ori-
gin, and with different mean-
ings. One originated, it is said,
as follows (vide Bartlett) : A
member of the House of Re-
presentatives, when making a
windy speech about nothing
then before the House, being
asked why he did so, replied
that he was speaking to or for
Buncombe. But long before this
story arose, it was usual in New
England to express great ap-
probation or admiration of any-
thing by calling it bunkuvi, and
this was derived from the Cana-
dian French, "Le buncum sa"
("il est bon comme 5a"), "it is
good as it is." There was a
negro song fifty or sixty years
ago with this refrain: — "Bom-
sell ge mary, lebrunem sa."
This is presumed to be negro
Canuck- French for " Mam'selle
je marie, elle est bonne comme
9a."
'I'he bunkum bestowed at Threadneedle
Street Board.
— Punch.
Another American importation is bun-
kum, a word generally [used to signify
empty, frothy declamation. It is said to be
derived from the action of a speaker who,
persisting in talking to an empty house,
said he was speaking to Buncombe, the
name of the place in North Carolina which
he represented. — Comhill Magazine.
Buncomise, to (journalistic), to
talk twaddle.
Experience has taught me the inutility
of interviewing. You set a man at once at
weighing his words, and he either gam-
mons you intentionally, buncomises, or is
reticent, so as to be of no service. — A
Forbes : My Experiences of the War
between France and Germany.
Bund (Anglo-Indian), an artificial
bank or wharf.
" This term is also naturalised
in the Anglo-Chinese ports. It
is there applied to the embanked
quay above the shore of the set-
tlements " (Anglo-Indian Glos-
sary).
Bunder (Anglo-Indian). Persian
hundar, a seaport landing-place,
harbour, or custom-house.
Bundling (old), a custom of un-
married people of different
sexes, or lovers, sleeping to-
gether, but with clothes on,
or under such conditions that
coition is supposed not to take
place. It has been described
by Wright as Welsh, by Bart-
lett as American, but it is to
be found anywhere , or everj--
where in tlie world among the
commoner sort of people (and
occasionally among the other
class), when opportunity pre-
sents itself. Mr. Bartlett thinks
it is not now practised in the
United States. He evidently
does not know the Pennsyl-
vanian Dutch or New England,
where the custom still prevails.
204
Bundling — Bunged.
Washington Irving acted rather
unfairly when he described
bundling as something which
the Dutch learned froni the
Yankees, since it was in full
bloom in Holland at the time of
which he wrote, and is thus
described by Sewel (1797) :
" Queeston is an odd way of
wooing usual in some sea towns
or Isles of Holland, after this
manner. When the wench is
gone to bed, the fellow enters
the room and lays himself down
in his clothes upon the blankets,
next unto her, with one window
of the room open, and thus he
talks with her, very innocently
— as it is reported."
It is said of a damsel in Con-
necticut, who expected her lover
to come and bundle with her,
that her mother bade her put
both her legs into a pillow-case,
and tie it round her waist.
The next morning she asked her
if she had kept her "limbs" in
the bag, to which Miss Inno-
cence replied, " Ma, dear, I only
took one out."
Bung (common), a brewer or a
landlord of a beerhouse.
A Peerage and a Beerage. — Within the
Ia<;t few years several " bungs " have been
made Peers. There is no particular objec-
tion to this, for brewing is just as likely to
produce an individual who is so thoroughly
impregnated with legislative wisdom that
he will propagate legislators, as shooting
pheasants, or any of the other occupations
to which those who become Peers generally
devote themselves, and a beerage is as
glorious an institution as a Peerage. The
only difficulty seems to me to be this :
The title becomes a sort of (Jovernment
guarantee that the beer of its posses.<»r is
good, and, therefore, any one whose beer
is up to par ought to have a right to claim
a Peerage, for otherwise competition will
not be carried on between the bungs under
fair conditions. — Truth.
A pickpocket, sharper, a purse.
This very old English cant word
is still in use among American
thieves in the phrase "to go
bung,'" which is the same as "to
go bang," derived from the pop-
ping of a cork, or the hung of a
barrel ; lost, gone.
In this case the title of the "Queen's
Fund " has been sufficient to damn what
otherwise, beyond doubt, wquid have been
a widely beneficial charity. It cannot be
thought, however, that the Queen herself
will be consumed with sorrow even if she
does happen to hear that this abortion has
" gone bung." — Australian journal.
(Pugilistic) to give, pass, hand
over; "bung over the rag,"
hand over the note. (Popular),
in a public-house game called
" cod 'em," when one of the op-
posite party suspects the piece
to be in any particular hand,
he places his own over it and
exclaims "bung it here," i.e.,
give it up.
Bunged peeper (common), an eye
closed by a blow.
There is, I think, no natural connection
between the bung of a barrel and an eye
which has been closed by a blow. But
when we reflect on the const.int mingling
of gj-psies with prize-fighters, it is almost
evident that bongo may have been the
origin of it. A bongo yakko (or yak),
means a distorted, crooked, or in fact a
bunged eye. It also means lame, crooked.
or sinister. — The English Gy/>sies and
their Language.
Bung-juice — Bunko.
205
To bung is good English for
to close up.
Bung-juice (thieves), porter or
beer (New York Slang Dic-
tionary).
Bunk (American), a wooden case
or bench "which serves for a
seat by day and a bed by night "
(Bartlett). In America denotes
generally a rough bed or place
for sleeping. Dutch, " slaap
hunk," a settle-bed, or press-
bed. American, " to hunk."
, . . And so pass over the rest of his
voyage by saying that he was confined to
his bunk, and saw no more of it. — H.
Kingsley : Kavenshoe.
Bunker (popular), beer. (Ameri-
can), large, fine, remarkable.
East of England, honker. This
word suggests a possible origin
of Buncombe.
Bunko, bunco (American), from
the Italian hanco, a bench or
bank. A game at cards, like
three-card monte, and is usually
simply a swindle. It is described
by Inspector BjTnes, Chief of
Detectives in New York, sub-
stantially as follows. It is ap-
parently so simple and honest
that the shrewdest men are
readily induced to try it, and
are thus fleeced. There are
forty-three spaces upon a hunko
"lay out," forty-two are num-
bered, and thirteen contain stars
also (no prizes), one is blank,
and the remaining twenty-nine
represent prizes ranging from
two to five thousand dollars.
The game can be played with
dice or cards. The latter are
numbered with a series of small
numbers ranging from one to
six, eight of which are drawn
and counted, and the total re-
presents the number of the
prize drawn. Should the victim
draw a star number he is allowed
the privilege of drawing again
by putting up a small amount
of money. He is generally
allowed to win at first, and later
on the game owes him from
$1000 to $5000 (i.e., from ;^200
to ;i^ioco). This is when he
draws the conditional prize,
No. 27. The conditions are
that he must put up I500 (;f 100),
or as much as the dealer thinks
he will stand. This is explained
to him as necessary to save
what he has already won, and to
entitle him to another drawing.
To inveigle men to play hunko,
the most extraordinary pains
are taken, and the hunko-steeieis
or ' ' touts," who seek for victims,
are selected from the most
gentlemanly-looking, well-edu-
cated persons that can be found.
There are innumerable instances
of lawyers and others, who knew
the world well, and who were
perfectly on their guard as to
hunko, being taken in by it, and
half ruined. Its extraordinary
vogue in the United States jus-
tifies this detailed description
of it as pramionitus, jira^munitus.
The writer is well acquainted
with an English gentleman who,
while travelling in the United
206
Bunkum — But ra-beebee.
States, was "bunkoed" out of
several thousand dollars.
Bunkum. See Buncombe.
Bunny grub (Cheltenham College),
green vegetables, called "grass"
at the Royal Military Academy.
Bunon (Anglo-Indian), applied to
any humbug, " anything ficti-
tious or factitious," a cram, a
shave, a sham (Anglo-Indian
Glossary).
You will see within a week if this is
anything more than a bunon. — Oakfitld,
ii. 58.
Bun-struggle or worry (army),
a tea meeting ; an entertain-
ment to which benevolent souls
occasionally invite the soldiers
in a garrison, but which has
generally smaller attractions for
them than the canteen or public-
house.
Bunt (common), an apron, properly
sail canvas ; to hunt, to jostle.
Bunter (common), a street- walking
thief, a prostitute.
Bunts. See Bunce.
Burick(Australian convicts' slang),
a whore. Introduced into Aus-
tralia by the convicts tran-
sported thither.
Burick is a prostitute, or common
woman. — Vaux's Memoirs.
Burking (army), dyeing the mous-
tache and whiskers. It was at
one time the custom for the
whole of the men in smart
cavalry regiments to dye their
moustaches, &c., black, to burke
or suppress their natural colour.
This was for the sake of uni-
formity. Fashion in hair has
always been a feature in military
life. As in the past each corps
prided itself on its own peculiar
arrangement of pigtail and
-powder, so now there are regi-
ments in which public opinion
demands a hard and fast rule
about hair. Few will tolerate
whiskers ; Piccadilly weepers,
Dundrearies, as they were once
called, are universally despised ;
and where the beard is permitted
to be worn, as in India, its
dimensions and trimming are
often the subject of precise
regulations. Burking meant
formerly to stifle, from Burke,
who was hung in 1829 for
murder by suffocation of persons
whose bodies he sold to surgeons
for dissecting.
Bum (thieves), cheat ; burners,
swindlers with dice and cards ;
burnt, infected with venereal
disease (New York Slang Dic-
tionary).
Burner (old slang), an acute form
of a certain stage of a contagious
disease.
Burr, to (Marlborough College),
to fight.
Burra-beebee (Anglo-Indian), a
great lady, a grande dame, a
lady-swell. (Gypsy), bdro beebec.
Burra — Bushel.
207
This is a kind of slang word applied in
Anglo-Indian society to the lady who
claims precedence at a party. — Anglo-In-
dian Glossary.
The ladies carry their burra bibi-ship
into the steamers when they go to Eng-
land. My friend endeavoured in vain to
persuade them that whatever their social
importance in the City of Palaces, they
would be but small folk in London. —
Viscountess Falkland: C how-Chow.
Burra khana (Anglo-Indian), a
grand feast, a big dinner. In
English gypsy, hdro habben,
from the same Indian roots.
Burra sahib (Anglo-Indian), the
chief, or head, or master. A
great man.
Burst (sporting), lively pace, smart
race, spurt.
During " a good burst " one of the hunt
lost both " sight and sound" of the pack,
and riding along almost disconsolate over'
took a " yokel," and at once asked him if
he had seen the " hare and hounds."
" Ees, zir, I seed a dog chasing a hare."
" Which way were they going?"
" Ah, zir, I can't tell 'ee that ; all I could
see was the dog was having the best of it."
— Sporting Times.
Burying (old cant), "burying a
wife " signifies the feast given
by an apprentice on the comple-
tion of his term of apprentice-
ship, and becoming a free man,
to set up in business for himself.
(Common), " burying araoW," for-
saking a wife or mistress.
Bus (common), abbreviation of
omnibus.
An experiment was recently made of a
female omnibus conductor on the new line
between Piccadilly Circus and King's
Cross. She only lasted a day. Most pro-
bably she met with an offer of marriage
and closed her connection with one bus to
get another as legitimate. — London Court
Journal.
(Theatrical), contraction of
"business." Pronounced hiz.
The dramatic action of a play
is described in aU written parts
as bv^. The dumb show de-
scribed in Hamlet is all hiz.
Biz is also applied to the com-
mercial affairs of the theatre,
as "good hiz" or "bad biz."
(Anglo-Indian), 6«s/ "Enough!"
" Hold hard ! " " Stop there 1 "
"That will do!" "Hold your
horses ! "
(American), " to buss," to
punch, probably from "burst."
" I'U buss your head " is a com-
mon threat.
Bushed (up coimtry Australian),
lost in the bush or uncleared
country primarily, and hence
bewildered.
Desmard was on these occasions always
accompanied by one of the boys, for John
feared that he might get bushed; but he
himself and the other boy went separately.
— A. C. Grant.
(Common), " bushed on,"
much pleased, " I am awfully
bushed on," that takes my
fancy.
(Old slang), applied to a poor
man without money. "He's
completely bushed," i.e., desti-
tute.
Bushel, to (American), to repair
garments. German biiszen, to
mend, hence " busheler," a
208
Bushcl-buhby — Buss.
tailor's assistant, whose busi-
ness it is to repair garments
(Bartlett).
Bushel-bubby (old slang), a large
and f uU-breasted woman.
Bushwhackers (West Indian),
men who squat alive in the
" bush," leading an idle, useless
existence.
(American), during the CivU
War guerillas or irregulars
were called " bushwackers." To
" bushwack" a boat is to draw
it along by seizing the bushes
on the banks.
Bushy park (rhyming slang), a
lark. "A man who is poor is
said to be ' in hu&hy park,' or
' in the park ' "(Vaux's Memoirs).
Business (theatrical), the move-
ments of the actors, their look
and tone.
The success of one of these pieces de-
pends not upon verbal joking, good or
bad, but upon business. — Saturday Re-
vieiv.
Playing well or ill, according to the mood
in which she may happen to be, an actress
of Madame Bernhardt's trempe naturally
varies her business. — Times.
(Singers), singing profession-
ally.
She began her business in a deep sweet
voice. — Thackeray : History o/Pendennis.
(American), "the husincsi-
end,"the end of any object which
is put to practical use. The buii-
»iej(s-end of a mule is his heels.
If, on an occasion of this nature, one
stationed himself behind the door, and, as
a sort of preliminary warnii.g to the others,
greeted the first interloper with the buH-
ness-cnA of a boot-jack, he would be morally
certain of a lively one-sided misunderstand-
ing that might end disastrously to himself.
— J. Stevens; Around the IVorld on a
Bicycle.
Busk, busking (trade), explained
by quotation.
They obtain a livelihood by busking, as
it is termed, or, in other words, by offering
these goods for sale only at the bars or in
the tap-rooms and parlours of taverns. —
H. Mayhew : London Labour and the
London Poor.
From a furniture carter of this descrip-
tion I received some most shocking details
of having to busk it, as this talking about
goods for sale is called by those in the
trade. — H. Mayhew : London Labour and
the London Poor.
(Low actors), getting one's
living on the road, by recita-
tions in tap-rooms, &c. ; pro-
bably from buskin.
Busking' is going into public-houses and
playing and singing and dancing. — //.
Jfay/ieTV : London Labour and the London
J'oor.
(Tramps), singing.
Buskers (popular), men who go
about performing, singing, or
playing in a low way in the
streets or in public-houses.
'I'hen Mary Jones happened to meet
•V tumbler whose real name was simply
John Brown,
While slanging one day in the street.
His form so attractive, his figure so neat.
So unlike common buskers was he,
So pleasing his tricks she enchanted be-
came,
And soon forgot all about me.
— J. Lloyd : The Hying Lady.
Buss. See Bus.
Bust — Bustle.
209
Bust (thieves), a burglary.
" Fatty Bill, from City Road, rem. for a
^K^< ex. 2 years," means that William . . .
has been comf>eIled to leave his congenial
haunts in the City Road as he is remanded
for a burglary, and anticipates two years'
hard labour. — Rev. J. W. Horsley : Jot-
tings from Jail.
(Royal Military Academy), to
go on the bust, to go to town for
amusement.
(American), a burst, a frolic,
a debauch, a spree. The refer-
ence in the following paragraph
is to an American Minister to
Mexico, who was said to have
indulged in a hast of unwonted
magnitude.
An article has appeared recently upon
" Busts of the Vice-Presidents." Some-
thing upon the busts of Foreign Ministers
would possess more of current interest. —
Omaha Herald.
(Thieves), to bust, to inform, to
" split ; " to commit a burglary.
(American), to destroy.
They was by this time jined by a large
crowd of other Southern patrits, who
comenst hollerin, " Hang the bald-headed
aberlitionist, and bust up his immoral ex-
hibition 1 " — Artcmus Ward.
Buster (popular), a small new
loaf, termed also " burster ; " a
"penny-worth of bees-wax and
a penny hustev" i.e., bread and
cheese.
I can't get at it, I can't get at it,
I like the faggots tho' they smell.
But now the penn}''s down the well,
I can't get at it, I can't get at it.
I thought I'd have a buster but it's all
no go 1
— Song.
(American), anything large in
size, a drinking bout, a man of
great strength.
He tackled some of their regular busters
and they throwed him. — Mark Twain :
Dry Diggings.
(Australian), southerly buster,
southerly wind of great vio-
lence.
(Thieves), a burglar.
(Common), anything large,
of extra size ; a spurt.
At frequent intervals during the day,
the cattle, animated by a sudden impulse,
broke back and made a determined charge
through the drivers, with their heads
turned homewards. Whenever this took
place, the overseer, after turning them
round, gave the mob a buster a.t a severe
pace during the next half hour to take the
wind out of them. — Nichols : Wild Life
and Adventure in the Australian Bush.
Wot odds arterall ? We're jest dittos : I'm
not bad at bottom, sez you.
Well, thank ye for nothink, my joker. As
long as I've bullion to blue,
I mean to romp round a rare buster, lark,
lap, take the pick of the fun.
And, bottom or top, good or bad, keep my
heye on one mark — Number One !
— Punch.
Bustle, a dress -improver, the pro-
tuberance behind on a woman's
dress. Before 1855 and 1856
ladies had begun to wear crino-
line and skeleton skirts. Then
came the bustle, an artificial
appendage intended to produce
the impression that the wearer
had a full glxitc x. mnximus or
siant. Of late it has assumed
enormous dimensions, far sur-
passing anything characteristic
of the most fully developed
Hottentot Venus.
" Nothing has outstripped the bustle in
its gigantic strife for prodigious excellence.
It is remarkable that this form of fashion,
O
2IO
Bustle — Butler- English.
which has never been literally to the front,
has still left all other rivals behind. . . .
We can recall when this startlingly repro-
ductive fruit received the distinct impetus
which has borne it through successive
stages to the present extraordinary condi-
tion of development." (The writer here
displays great knowledge in proving that
it was the use of bustles during the Ameri-
can war, as places for concealing valu-
ables, which led to their increase in the
United States.) "At tins crisis the bustle
played a historic part. It became a safe
deposit vault for imperilled jewellery and
plate.
" When the bustle shall have been de-
veloped to its probable limit, the lady who
wears one will certainly escape recogni-
tion, if not observation. Our attention
was lately called to a bustle of -the pneu-
matic species. This is a graft of the bulb
variety, and is filled with atraospheiic
oxygen, and it was propelling a young
lady before it, much as a perambulator is
advanced by a nurse. This bustle was the
admiration that day of the entire city of
Augusta. She wore a terra-cotta chimney-
pot hat, and what with the pneumatic
bustle, the beautiful creature closely resem-
bled a rural summer cottage with a stove-
flue fixed at one end." — History of the
Bustle : Greensboro {Ga.) Home Journal.
(Popular), money.
To bustle, to tie up into
bundles or to make bunches.
Bustled (common), confused,
puzzled.
Busy-sack (popular), a carpet-
bag.
Butcha (Anglo-Indian), the young
of any animal.
Butcher, the (American), a boy
wlio is allowed to pass through
the line of " cars" or carriages
on a railway for the purpose of
selling a great variety of articles.
He is generally considered, to
judge by the tenor of the re-
marks andanecdotesin the news-
papers, as an intolerable annoy-
ance. He leaves with every
passenger, nolens volens, news-
papers, books, sweets, fruit,
toys, &c., all of which must be
carefully guarded, or returned
if not purchased, under the pen-
alty of incurring that unlimited
" sass" in which youths of his
class are generally so proficient.
The following incident, from the
Detroit Free Press, gives a faith-
ful picture of the temptations
offered by the butcher : —
On a Michigan central train the other
day as the butcher came into the car with
a basket of oranges, an old man, whose
wife sat beside him, was very anxious to
buy half-a-dozen, but she waved the boy
on witli, " He can't have 'em. He never
eats one without the juice runs down on
his shirt bosom."
(Common), the king at cards,
called un baufm French slang.
(Prison), the butcher is a nick-
name for the doctor. Other-
wise termed " sawbones,"
" croaker."
Butcher's dog (common), "to lie
like a butchers dog,^' i.e., by
the beef without touching it, is
to lie beside a woman without
sexual intercourse.
Butcher's mourning (popular), a
white hat with a mourning
band.
Butler-English (Anglo-Indian), a
kind of pidgin-English spoken
in the Madras Presidency.
Butteker — Button-buster.
211
Butteker, a shop, from the Italian
bottega. A curious variation of
this word is "butter-ken,"
Gypsyj butteia or boodika.
Butter, to (common), to praise a
person too flagrantly; "to pass
the butter boat," is to indulge
at public dinners in laudatory
toasts of the prominent or dis-
tinguished persons who are pre-
sent. The phrase has its coun-
terpart in the Scottish proverb,
" Claw me and I'll claw you."
From dire, to praise, and signi-
fying " Praise me and I'U praise
you." The English proverb,
" Fine words butter no parsnips, "
took its rise in a kindred idea.
I'll butter him, trust me. Nothing com-
forts a poor beggar like a bit of praise when
he is down. — C. Kings ley : Two Years
Ago.
Butter a bet, to (old slang), to
increase it by twice or thrice its
first amount.
Buttered bun (old slang), a woman
who, directly after cohabitation
with one man, allows another
to embrace her.
Butter fingers (cricketers), an epi-
thet applied to a " fielder " who
does not hold a ball which he
ought to catch.
Butter flap (rhyming slang), a
trap, light cart.
Butterfly (nautical), a sailor's
name for a river barge.
Buttock (common), a street-
walker, a common prostitute.
You jade I I'll ravish you ! You but-
tock ! I'm a justice of the peace, sirrah !
— Soldiers Fortune, 1681.
The bands and the buttocks that lived
there around,
Came flocking hither.
— Poor Robin, 1694.
\Vi' ruefu' face an' signs o' grace,
I paid the buttock hire ;
The night was dark, and through the park
1 couldna but convoy her.
Robert Bums : On the Cuttie Stool.
Buttock and file (old cant), a shop
lifter.
The same capacity which qualifies a
mill-ben, a bridle-cull, or a buttock and file
to arrive at any degree of eminence in his
profession would likewise raise a man in
what the world esteem a more honourable
calling. — Fielding: Jonathan Wild.
Buttock and tongfue (old slang),
a scolding, shrewish wife.
Buttock-ball (old slang), cohabita-
tion.
Buttock-broker (old slang), a pro-
curess, and in society a match-
making woman.
Buttocking-shop (common), a
brothel. The corresponding ex-
pression in the French slang is
magasin de f esses.
Button (old cant), a shilling, now
a bad one. (Streets), a decoy
sham purchaser.
The Cheap Johns have a man or a boy
to look after the horse . . . and sometimes
at a fair to hawk or act as a button (decoy)
to purchase the first lot of goods put up. —
//. Mayhew : London Labour and the
London Poor.
Button-buster (theatrical), a really
humorous low comedian, one
212
Buttoner — Buz.
who excites the risible faculties
so strongly that the auditors
laugh until they burst their
buttons.
Buttoner (card-sharpers), a con-
federate who entices "pigeons "
into playing.
Button on (printers), see Pan
ON and CHOPrEE ON. An
expression frequently used by
printers, equivalent to " making
buttons," " lit of the blues," or
" down in the dumps."
Button pound (provincial), money,
literally money that can be
pocketed.
Buttons (common), a pj^e.
Our present girl is an awful slowcoach ;
but we hope some day to sport buttons. —
E. B. Ramsay: Reminiscences of Scottish
Life niui Cliaracter.
Button up, to (Stock Exchange,
American). When in a falling
market a broker has made an
unprofitable purchase, and keeps
the matter secret, he is said to
button up.
Butty (Cheap Jacks), a partner.
(Provincial), a companion or
partner in a piece of contract
work.
A btitty co\\\er is one who contracts with
the mine owner to raise the coal at so
much per ton, employinc; other men to do
the actual work. The word is from the
gipsy dialect. A " booty pal " is a fellow-
workman, literally a " work brother." In
the mouths of navvies or rough workman
"pal" would soon be diopped, and hutty
would rei)rcscnt the original phrase.—
I'.liezcr Edwards ; Words, Facts, and
} '/; rases.
(Army), comrade, chum. (Po-
pular), a policeman's assistant.
Buy a prop (Stock Exchange), a
recommendation signifying that
the market is flat and there is
nobody to support it.
Buy his time, to (American).
Before the war slaves often
bought themselves free by in-
stalments, paying down so much
money at a stated time. When,
for instance, a slave had thus
paid half the money, half of
his time would be his own. It
happened thus that a man of
colour who was half redeemed
fell into a flood and narrowly
escaped drowning. On being
asked what his thoughts were
on finding himself so near death,
he replied that he couldn't help
thinking what a fool a man was
to risk money " in such unsarten
property as niggers." Many
negroes also hired their own
time, paying so much per day
or week for it, trusting to earn
more.
Buz or buzz, to (common), to
share equally what remains in
a bottle, or to pour out the last
drops from a decanter.
Get some more poit, whilst I hiizz this
bottle here. — Thackeray : I 'aniiy J'air.
(American, according to Bart-
lett, but quite as much English),
to pick pockets while engaging
a victim in convcrsalion, or
while a confederate docs so,
i.e., while " buzzing " to him.
Buz — Buzzer.
213
Scores of other visitors know to their
loss how they were buzzed. The Plunger
had his note-case, containing over ^200
in notes, extracted from his fob. — Bird o
Freedom.
Buz in thieves' slang was ori-
ginally to whisper; it is now
common in the sense of talking
confidentially or earnestly to
anybody.
" I saw you talking to Blank on the
corner over there."
" Yes."
" Buzzing you to vote for him ? "
" Yes."
" But you can't do it."
" No."
" And you told him so ? "
" Well, not right away."
" What were you waiting for ? "
" Why, I didn't tell him so until I had
asked for the loan of $5, and he said he
didn't have it. " — Detroit Free Press.
(Popular), to talk, to make a
speech.
Old bottle-blue buzzed iox a bit.
And a sniffy young Wiscount in barnacles,
landed wot 'e thought a' it.
— Punch.
Buz-bloke (thieves), a pickpocket.
Buz - cove (AustraUan convicts'
slang), most hkely taken out to
Australia by the convicts trans-
ported thither.
Vaux, in his ' ' Memoirs of
Convict Life in Australia," says :
" Buz-covt or ' buz-gloak,' a pick-
pocket ; a person who is clever
at this practice is said to be
a 'good buz.'"
Buz-man (thieves), a thief; an
informer.
Buznapper (old slang), a con-
stable, onewho "knaps" or takes
" buzzers " or pickpocket,
a young pickpocket.
Also
Buznapper's academy, a school
in which young thieves were
trained. Figures were dressed
up and experienced 1 utors stood
in various dillicult attitudes for
the boys to practise upon. When
clever enough they were sent
on the streets. Dickens gives
full particulars of this old style
of business in "Oliver Twist"
(Hotten).
Buznapper's kinchin (old cant),
a watchman.
Buzzard (American), an oppres-
sive, arrogant person, jealous of
rivalry, and vindictive. The
Wiggins alluded to in the fol-
lowing paragraph is a celebrated
though not very successful
American weather-prophet.
Wiggins pronounces Professor Proctor
"a buzzard among scientists, devouring
every young man whom he finds making
any pretensions." If he can succeed in
eliminating the pretentious Wiggins, the
country will rise up as one man and call
him blessed. — Chicago Tribune.
Buzzard dollar (American), so
called from the eagle on it,
which captious critics think
looks like a ivs^ic^ -buzzard.
The waiters all expect something from
}0U. They are very cunning, and always
bring plenty of small change, so that if
one is inclined to give he can find no ex-
cuse. They will take anything you give
them, from a nickel up to a buzzard dollar,
and look happy. — Chicago Tribune.
Buzzer (thieves), a pickpocket,
214
Buzz-gloak — Cabbage.
Buzz-gloak (old), a pickpocket.
He who surreptitiously accumulates
bustle is, in fact, nothing better than a
buzz-gloak. — Lord Lytton : Paul Clif-
ford.
By-chop (old), an illegitimate
child.
By George ! a vulgar ejaculation.
By golly ! a mild oath.
By gum 1 (American), a mild oath.
One night she was gone, by gum .'
But as soon as ever I missed her.
From the king, for a glass of rum,
I bought her younger sister.
— T/u Ballad of yFilliam Duff.
By Jingo I (common), an exclama-
tion denoting surprise, indigna-
tion, defiance. See Jingo.
6y the wind (nautical), hard up,
in pecuniary need.
AB (common), a bro-
thel. The term arises
from the fact that
four - wheeled cabs
are sometimes used
for certain purposes.
The French argot describes
a four-wheeled cab as bordd
ambulant.
(University), explained by
quotation.
Those who can't afford a coach, get a
cab, alias a crib, alias a translation. —
C. Bede : Verdant Green.
(Tinker), a cabbage.
Cabbage ( tailors and dressmakers).
This is given as a cant word for
private theft by dictionaries of
the beginning of the nineteenth
century, but it is used now in a
slangy sense only in reference
to the purloining by tailors of
pieces of cloth.
Did any one ever yet hear of a working
lailor who was proof against misappropria-
tion of his neighbour's goods, or, as he play-
fully designates it, cabbage'i Is it not a
standard joke in the trade this cabbage?
Did one ever hear of a tailor being shunned
by his fellow-workmen, or avoided by his
neighbours, on account of his predilection
for cabbage ? Yet what is it but another
word for " theft " ? — J. Greenwood : Seven
Curses of London.
Formerly carhagc.
Lupez for the outside of his suite has
paide ;
But, for his heart, he cannot have it
made ;
The reason is, his credit cannot get
The inward carbagc for his cloathes as
yet.
— Herrick : Ilesf>erides.
Wright gives the following
definition of cabbage used as a
verb, " to purloin or embezzle,
as pieces of cloth, after cutting
out a garment ; properly and
originally to cut off the heads
of cabbages, and occasionally
also such as are not our own
but belong to others." This de-
rivation is borne out by the old
French caiust r,to deceive, cheat,
Cabbage-head — Cabobbled.
215
from cabus, a white-headed cab-
Cabbagfe-head (common), a soft-
headed person.
Cabbager (common), a tailor.
Formerly cahhage contractor.
Cabbage-tree mob (obsolete Aus-
tralian slang), now called " lar-
rikins," not quite equivalent to
the London street rough or
loafer, because they generally
are or might be in prosperous
circumstances. Thus called on
account of the emblem of their
order being the low-crowned
cabbage-palm hat.
There are to be found round the doors
of the Sydney Theatre, a sort of loafers
known as the cabbage-tree 7>tob, a class
whom, in the spirit of the ancient tyrant,
one might excusably wish had but one nose
in order to make it a bloody one. — Lieut.-
Col. Mttnday : Our Antipodes.
The modern larrikin has ex-
changed the cabba[/e-tree for a
black wideawake felt hat (hence
called the "larrikin hat"), which
he wears with its brim turned
down. The clothes he most
affects are " shiny black," with
a velvet collar, and his boots
have ridiculously high heels.
Cabbagites. See Cabbage-tree
JMOB.
Unaware of the propensities of the cab-
bagitcs, he was by them furiously assailed
for no better reason, apparently, than be-
cause, like " Noble Percy," "he wore his
beaver up." — Lieut. -Coi. Munday : Our
Anti/iodes.
Cab-bilking (common), cheating
a cabman out of his fare.
Some of the methods of cab-bilking are
very artful and curious. One is to order
a Jehu to set down a fare at a restaurant
or tavern having a back entrance in another
street, and to await the return of the latter
for a few minutes. On this being done,
the ridet, after partaking of refreshments,
decamps by that exit, to the loss and indig-
nation of the driver, who often only learns
that the hirer has defrauded him after
waiting for a long time beyond that which
he has been asked to stay. — Globe.
Cabby (general), driver of a cab.
No wonder Lord Ronald Gower is popu-
lar among cabbies. Last night he presided
over the meeting of the Cabdrivers' Asso-
ciation, and in his speech he remarked that
" he always gave cabhy what he called the
inevitable extra sixpence, particularly if
lie found that the driver was kind to his
horse." — Globe.
Cable-hanger (nautical), a person
catching oysters in the river
Medway, not free of the fishery
(Smyth).
Cab-moll (common), a prostitute
in a brothel.
Cabob, kibob, khabaub (Anglo-
Indian), used in Anglo-Indian
households for any kind of roast
meat. Properly it is applicable
to small slices of meat on
skewers, with slices of onion
and green ginger between them,
the whole being seasoned with
pepjier and salt, butter, &c. In
a plainer form it is common in
Venice, and perhaps in all parts
of Italy.
Cabobbled (nautical), confused,
puzzled.
2l6
Caboodle — Cackling-chete.
Caboodle (American), a New Eng-
land expression, originally used
by coasting sailors. It means
the entire party, all the set or
clique. It is probably a slang
modification of the Spanish
word cahildo, which means the
same thing.
Cackle (circus), the dialogue of a
play. Some actors seek to de-
rive this word from cacalogy.
It is, however, far more likely
to have been derived by the
equestrian performers, who in-
troduced and popularised it,
from the more homely "cluck,
cluck " of the humble barn-door
fowl, after the process of laying
an egg.
When manager of Astley's, the
great Ducrow, who shared the
hatred which his craft has
always more or less entertained
towards the actor, was wont to
apostrophise the performers in
his equestrian drama after this
fashion : ' ' Come, I say, you
mummers " (see Mummkes),
" cut your cackle, and come to
the 'osses 1 "
(Houghs), talk.
He was dabs at the cackle.— Punch.
Cackle-chucker (theatrical), the
prompter, whose duty it is to
" chuck out" the words, i.e., to
prompt the actors when they
forget, or don't know the words
— a matter of rare occurrence
amongst the hierarchy of Eng-
lish actors. As a rule, the
prompter is the hardest worked
and the worst paid man in the
theatre. Notwithstanding his
proverbial industry and ability,
under no concatenation of cir-
cumstances has a prompter ever
been known to " give the
word" at the precise moment
when it is wanted. One of our
most famous stage-managers, a
well-known tragedian, is wont
to affirm with grim humour that
he has observed during a pro-
longed experience that the first
qualification for a prompter is
" not to know how to prompt."
Cackle merchant (theatrical), the
author of a play,
Cackler (popular), talker.
The captain was a good-looking fellow,
and a good fellow, too. " He ain't much
of a cackler," thought Susie, when they
had sat together for a little while. — Ally
aioper's Half Holiday.
(Thieves), a fowl; "prig of
cackler," one who steals fowls.
Cackler'sken (thieves), hen roost.
Cackle-tub (common), a pulpit.
Very old slang, but still in use.
"Jack, he goes to church," said Hass,
lifting her eyebrows dubiously, " I don't
rightly know to what shop, and it's too far
off, maybe, and I ain't got a prayer-book ;
but I sorter think if yer'U Iwrrow Lucy's
chair to wheel me, I'll go and sit under the
cackie-titi in Little Uethel next Sunday. —
Savage : London.
Cackling-chete (old cant), a fowl.
She has a cackling-chete, a grunting-
chete, ruff pecke, cassan and poplarr of
yarum. — T. Hannan: Caveat.
i.e., " She has a fowl, a pig, bacon, cheese,
and milk porridge."
Cackling-cove — Cadger.
217
Cackling - cove (popular and
thieves), an actor.
Cackling farts (old), eggs.
Cad (common). The word is
hardly slaug in some of its
senses. It has various meanings,
such as omnibus conductor.
The spirited proprietor, knowing Mr.
Barker's qualifications, appointed him to
the vacant office of cad on the very first
application. — Sketches by Boz {The First
Omnibus Cad).
An ' Arry or street boy ; a mean
or ill-bred feUow ; or one vulgar
in feeling, to be met with, like
the snob, in every class of
society. Among a certain class,
tradesmen, merchants, work-
men.
Thirty years ago, and even later, the
young men of the labouring classes were
the cads, the snobs, the blackguards. —
Kingsley: Alton Locke.
At public schools and uni-
versities the term applies to
townsmen. Possibly derived
from "cadger." or Irish cadas,
fustian, rag. More probably from
cadet, used in a sense of inferi-
ority. " Caddee " is a provincial-
ism for under - servant, and in
France, in the provinces, cadet is
a nickname sometimes given to
a poor, half-witted hanger-on,
to a young farm-servant, or to
an ass. " Un fameux cadet " is
an expression used by the French
in a contemptuous manner,
and applied to a puny fellow
who puts on airs. It has been
suggested that cad comes from
the tscotch cadie, a term for-
merly applied to the carriers of
sedan - chairs. The character
and occupation of these men
were regarded with much con-
tempt.
Caddy-butcher (popular), ex-
plained by quotation.
The calf . . . the veterinary surgeon
had advised him to sell it to some caddy-
butcher, i.e., one who buys horses to sell
for horse meat. — Standard.
Cade, the (society), the Burlington
Arcade. At certain times of the
day this covered walk is the
lounge of fast men of the town
and the better class of the demi-
monde.
Cadge to, properly to beg ; sup-
posed to be derived from cadge,
a basket carried by beggars, in
the same way that to beg is
, from " bag," originally to carry.
Slangily applied to waiters who
hang about for a gratuity.
Mr. has, further, my congratulations
on the excellence of the waiters employed.
They are smart, don't cadge, and are
models of civility. — Sporting Times.
(Scholastic), to try and get
pupils or hints by sneaking
means.
Cadge-cloak (old cant), a beggar.
Cadge-cloak, curtal, or curmudgeon, no
Whip-Jack, palliard, patrico . . . nor any
other will I suflfer. — Bampfylde Moore
Carew.
Cadger, properly a trickster, a
tramp or vagabond who either
begs or sells small articles by
the way as he tramps from place
to place.
2l8
Cadger — Cain.
The full extent of the society's useful-
ness, according to vulgar prejudice, is
represented by the unfortunate cadger
pounced on in the act of receiving alms,
and carried before a magistrate to account
for that enormous iniquity. — ■/. Greenwood:
Seven Curses of London.
Slang meaning explained by
quotation.
I may here remark that amongst people
of my born grade no one is so contemptu-
ously regarded as he who is known as a
cadger. The meaning they set on the
word is not the dictionary meaning. The
cadger with them is the whining beggar —
the cowardly impostor, who, being driven
or finding it convenient to subsist on charity,
goes about his business with an affectation
of profoundest humility, and a conscious-
ness of his own unworthiness ; a sneaking,
abject wretch, aiming to crop a meal out of
the despising and disgust he excites in his
fellow-creatures. — /. Gieeniuood : The
Little Ragamuffins.
Cadging', properly begging.
I've got my living by casting fortins, and
t'^gg'ngi and cadging, and such like. —
//. Kingsley : Geoffrey Hamlyn.
I don't say that they were all beggars —
probably not more than a third of ihem
were — but what one in vain looked for was
the "jolly beggar," the oft-quoted and
steadfastly believed in personage who
scorns work because he can " make" in a
day three times the wages of an honest
mechanic 'by the simple process of caiie;-
ing.—J. Greenwood : In Strange Com-
pany.
Slangily applied to cabmen
when they are off the rank solicit-
ing fares, or to waiters who hang
about and fawn for a gratuity.
Cady (popular), a hat, from an
old .style resembling a barrel.
"Cade," [)rovincial English for a
barrel or small cask.
Caffre's tightener (South African),
bread or food of any kind, as
distinguished from drink.
Cagf, to (schoolboys), to irritate
(Hotten).
Cage (thieves), a prison.
Cagg.to (military), to abstain for a
certain time from liquor. Grose,
in his "Classical Dictionary of
the Vulgar Tongue," says, " This
is a military term used by pri-
vate soldiers, signifying a solemn
vow or resolution not to get
drunk for a certain time, or, as
the term i.s, ' not till their cagg
is out,' which vow is commonly
observed with strictness ; " e.g.,
" I have ca(j;/cd myself for six
months," "Excuse me this time
and I will carjg for a year."
This term is also in use in Scot-
land.
Cagmag (popular), scraps, odds
and ends of butcher meat, un-
palatable food ; properly an old
goose.
Cahoot, in (American), to be in-
timately concerned with any
one in an affair. There can be
little doubt that it came from
either the Dutch Kajiiit or Ger-
man Kajtitc, or perhaps the same
in Old Saxon, meaning a cabin,
implying living or messing to-
gether. French cahutc, a hovel,
renders this more probable.
Cain and Abel (rhyming slang),
a table.
Cake — Calico.
219
Cake (American and provincial
English), a man without much
sense, or one wanting in ideas ;
not so much a fool as a mere
nothing. A weaker form is ex-
pressed by saying, " He's a cake
only half-baked." This expres-
sion is most frequently heard
in Philadelphia.
" To take the cake,'" to sur-
pass, excel, to be first in any-
thing. This coincides oddly,
though entirely accidentally,
with a conjectured meaning of
the origin of Pretzel {q. v.).
He's always up to doing folks,
He's always on the wake ;
He's after profit when he jokes,
On that " he takes the cake."
— Queer Bits.
Cakey (popular), soft, foolish, or
empty-headed ; from the pro-
vincial English "cake," a foolish
fellow.
Cakey - pannum - fencer (street ) ,
a street pastry-cook.
Calaboose (American), from the
Spanish calabozo, the common
name for a watch - house or
prison, especially in New Or-
leans.
I went on board de oder day,
To hear wot de boatmen had to say,
Den I let my passion loose,
An' dey jammed me fast in de calahjose.
— Negro Song.
Calculate, to (American). Al-
though it cannot be denied
that many people in New Eng-
land often use the word calculate
as a synonym for "guess," to
express every form of thought,
such as "to esteem, suppose,
believe, think, expect, intend,"
&c., this is far from being uni-
versally the case. Calculation
sets forth a more deliberate ac-
tion of the mind, and is more
associated with thought. A
Yankee will generally calculate
the chances of anything, when
he would not guess them. Calc'-
late, which is nothing but the
result of rapid conversation,
may be heard in England as in
America.
Calf (common), an idiotic or
stupid person ; calf- headed,
cowardly.
She had a girlish fancy for the good-
looking young ca//' who had so signally
disgraced himself. — Hamilton AieU:
Morals and Mysteries.
Calf-clingers (popular), explained
by quotation.
Knee-breeches were just going out of
fashion when I was a little boy, and calf-
clingers (that is, trousers made to fit the
leg as tight as a worsted stocking) were
"coming in."—/. Greenwood : Tlie Little
RagariiiiJJijis.
Calf's-head (popular), a white-
faced man with a large head.
Calico (common), weak, lean.
In such a place as that your calico body
had need have a good fire to keep it warm.
— Nathanael Bailey : Colloquies 0/ Eras-
mus, Translated.
How a shrewd, down-east Yankee once
questioned a simple Dutchman out of his
well-fed steed, and left him instead a
vile calico-rm.tc in exchange. — Sala : The
Seven Sons 0/ Mammon.
220
Calico-bally — Calp.
Calico-bally (American), a fre-
quenter of calico-balls. About
fifty years ago in Philadelphia
it was usual to speak of balls
frequented by factory girls as
"slewers," and the commoner
kind of grisettes as calico or
dollar balls; hence calico-bally
has come to signify, when ap-
plied to a young gentleman
dissipated or fast, one who goes
anywhere for amusement.
I once was a cobby and hack young man,
And a little bit calico-bally ;
A picture-card-out-of-the-pack young man,
And frequently music-hally.
— Concert Hall Song.
Calico yard (Australian), a kind of
corral. The expression is used
by drovers.
California, Califomians, money.
Term generally applied to gold
only (Hotten).
Call (theatrical), big call, a warm
recall before the curtain.
Charley played with all his old anima-
tion and grace, and got a big call. — George
K. Sims : Ba ! Ha !
To call a piece is to have it
brought on in rehearsal after
a first performance with a view
to alterations.
(American), to have the call,
to be preferred, have the chance,
to be wanted.
Tall girls have the call now. They are the
fashion this season. — Detroit Tribune.
Call-a-go (street patter), to leave
off trying to sell anything and
to remove to another spot, to
dchiiit. Also to give in, yield
at any game or business. Pro-
bably from the go in cribbage
(Hotten),
Calle (American thieves' slang),
a woman's gown. German He-
brew kcdlc, a girl.
Callee (pidgin - English), curry.
" No can chaw-chaw t'at cdUee."
Callithumpian, Calliathumpian
serenade (American), a sere-
nade after the fashion of a cha-
rivari, in which old kettles with
sticks, gridirons, cows' horns
or tin horns, penny trumpets,
or anything that will make a
horrible and discordant sound is
employed. It is possibly from
the Yiddish callc, a bride, and
means bride-thumping or mak-
ing a noine at a bridal, or from
" call " and " thump."
Hartmann got married. . . . Hart-
mann's neighbours thought it would be
a bright thing to give him a calliat/titm-
/>ian serenade . . . occasion. So they
got under his window and blowed and
snorted, and rung their dinner-bells, and
brayed on their bark horns till there was a
pause. Then Hartmann stuck his head
outen the winder and said : " Friends,
Romans, and fellow-citizens ! I thank you
for the honour of this musical treat, which
I suppose to your ears is as good a one as
can be given. But it wants one thing. It
lacks the exhilarating tones of the shot-
gun, an' there it is, d n you !" Saying
this, he fired two barrels of small shot
among 'em, and they scattered. The sere-
nade was over. — Phil. Hartmann and
the Boys.
Call-party (bar), given in hall by
.students called to the bar in the
Middle Temple.
Calp, Kelp (old cant), a hat.
Cambra — Canard.
221
Cambra (tinker), a dog.
Camden-town (rhyming slang),
a " brown " or halfpenny.
Camel's complaint (city), the
hump, i.e., low spirits.
Camesa (thieves), a shirt or
chemise. From the Spanish or
Italian. Written also kemesa, as
appears from the following
quotation.
My thimble of ridge and my driz
ketnesa,
All my togs were so niblike and plash.
— A insworth : Rookwood.
Camister (popular), a clergy-
man, from his wearing a white
gown ; " camisated," i.e., one
who is dressed with a shirt out-
ward.
Camp, to (Australian), to floor, to
put down. The metaphor here
is the same as to "make," to
" take a back seat ; " to cartif, to
make to camp, implying that
your rival cannot stand up to
you. According to Wright camp
is a provincialism meaning to
contend, from the Anglo-Saxon
cempan.
At punching oxen you may guess
There's nothing out can caiii^ him ;
He has, in fact, the slouch and dress
Which bullock -driver stamp him.
— //. Kendall: Billy Vickers.
Camp candlesticks (military),
empty bottles and bayonet.s,
from the fact that in the exi-
gencies of military life these
articles are often used for the
purpose.
Camp-horse (Australian). This
term, peculiar to the East, is
thus explained by Mr. Finch
Hatton : —
Both my brother and Frank were very
sound hands at cutting out, and they were
both riding first-rate "camp-horses," so I
watched them at work wiih the greatest
interest. A camp-)wrse is one used for
cutting out cattle on a camp, and very few
horses are good at it ; but the performance
of a really first-class one is a sight worth
seeing. Each man picks his beast, and
edges him gently to the outside of the
mob, on the side of the camp nearest the
draft-mob. The instant the animal finds
itself cut off from the c.imp, it makes the
most desperate efforts to rejoin the herd,
and the speed at which a bullock can
travel, and the activity with which he
turns, are marvellous. — Fitich Hatton :
Advance Australia.
Can (American), a dollar ; a
" canary " was very old English
slang for a gold coin. A gold-
piece is also called a "canary-
bird " in New York.
Canard, now recognised. French
canard, literally duck, and meta-
phorically false news. The
first canard is said to have
been the famous story illus-
trating the voracity of ducks.
Thirty ducks were taken, one
was chopped up fine, feathers
and all, and the others ate it.
Then a second was minced, and
.so on, till within an hour only one
duck remained. Three similar
stories are told by a French
writer as to the origin of the
term. Hence canarder, to hum-
bug or spin yarns. " Donner
des canards" is given in Hautel's
222
Canard — Canister.
Dictionary ( 1 808) with the mean-
ing of to deceive.
" My dear," said Mrs. Snaggs to her
husband, "what is a canard V "Why,
a canard is something one canardly
believe, of course." "Oh, to be sure!
Why couldn't I think of that?"— A'ar«
Bits.
The announcement that appearefl in
these columns, to the effect that in future
no advertisements from persons offering to
give tips would be accepted by us, has
given rise to the usual canards, and has
brought into play the imaginative faculties
of the "London Correspondent." — SJiort-
ing Titnes.
Canary (old), a sovereign, from the
colour. French argot, jaunet.
Canary-bird (common), a mis-
tress. (Thieves), a prisoner.
Candle keepers (Winchester Col-
lege), the inferiors (all those
who are not prefects) who have
been longest in the .school have
certain privileges, as wearing a
"cow-shooter," or round-top-
ped hat. They used to be called
"jolly keepers."
Candlestick (Winchester College),
a corruption of candidate. Those
who go in for the college entrance
examination are termed candle-
sticks.
Candlesticks (London), the foun-
tains at Trafalgar Square.
There was his pillar (Nelson's) at
Charinc-Cross, just by the candlesticks
(fountains). — Mayhew: London Labour
and tlic London Poor.
Candy-pull (American), a candy-
pull is ;i party of botli sexes at
which molasses orsucraris boiled
and pulled by two persons (whose
hands are buttered) to give it
proper consistency, and then
mixed and pulled again, till it
becomes true candy. The term
is used in slang in many ways.
The good old-fashioned amusement
known as a candy -pull has had more or less
of a revival in society this season. What-
ever the time of its first advent, it was
quite popular about twenty years ago as a
society entertainment, but it seemed to run
its course and died away. At that period
candy-pulls were given in some of the most
aristocratic mansions on Fifth Avenue, and
the rollicking scenes were oftentimes quite
democratic in the fun, however full-dressed
might have been their presentation. —
Brooklyn Eagle.
Cane (common), "to lay Cawe upon
Abel ; " to beat with a cane.
Cane nigger (West Indian), a
happy-go-lucky fellow, one de-
void of care and anxiety. From
the circumstance that in "cane
time " the negroes are fat and
happy. As "fat as a nigger in
cane time" has become pro-
verbial in Antigua.
Caners (fashionable). In the
summer of 1886, at several
watering-places, almost every
young lady carried a cane. It
was originally an American
fancy.
Canister (common), a hat ; also
" canister cap."
Turning round, I saw my unfortunate
bciver, or canister, as it w.-is called by the
gentry who had it in their keeping, tx)und-
ing backwards and forwards. — Atkin:
House Scraps.
(rugilistic), the head.
Cank — Canoodler.
223
Cank (old), dumb, silent.
Cannibals (Cambridge), the train-
ing - boats for the 'Cambridge
freshmen or the rowers them-
selves.
Cannis-cove (American), a dog-
fancier. A word current in New
York. In Dutch thieves' slang
the Latin word canis is used
for a dog, but, as the accent
falls on the last syllable, it is
thought to be derived from the
French caw/c/te. This is the more
probable as the Dutch word is
limited to small dogs.
Cannon (turf), the collision of two
horses during a race ; from bil-
liards. Apparently on the lucus
a non principle, the jockey bear-
ing this name (Thomas Cannon)
is celebrated for his scrupulous
and honourable avoidance of
such a mishap.
(Common), to cannon, to come
into collision. French slang
caramboler, literally to make a
cannon at billiards.
Roaring with pain and terror, the boy
cannoned into the very hand of a police-
man, who seized him. — Shirley Brooks :
Sooner or Later.
Canon (thieves), drunk.
One night I was with the mob, I got
canon (drunk), this being the first time.
After this, wlien I used to go to concert-
rooms, I used to drink beer. — Horsley :
Jottinssfroju Jail.
Canon, literally having used
the " can " freely.
The French slang for a glass
of wine is canon. Canonner
is to drink wine at a wine-shop,
or to be an habitual tippler;
and se canonner is to get drunk.
Cannon is a very common word
in German for a drinking-cup.
Hence he is " canonised," he is
" shot," i.e., he is drunk. " Er
ist geschossen " (Korte Pro-
verbs). The word is naturally
confused with can, German
Kaune, a tankard, and canon-
enstiefel, or "cannon" (i.e., long
boots), which are a common pat-
tern for tankards.
Who will not empty his boots hke a can,
He is indeed no German man.
— Comtiion Saying.
Canoodle, to (English and Ameri-
can), to fondle, pet, dally, bill
and coo.
I meet her in the evening, for she likes to
take- a walk
At the moment when the moon cavorts
above,
And we prattle and canoodle, and of every-
thing we talk.
Except, of course, that naughty topic
love.
— Bird 0' Freedom.
Possibly from "cannie," gentle.
Canoodler (American), explained
by quotation.
" Pray, good sir, what is a canoodler?"
" Tell you, mum, queer business, mum,
but prosperous, money — heaps of it, mum,
for you and me" — and he winked signifi-
cantly, ierked up a chair and squatted in
it, all in a breath. . . . Undeterred, he
rattled on : " I'm an original thinker, mum.
Invent business opportunities. Share'm
with actors, and then we canoodle — divvy
the profits. Me and Sheridan made a big
thing on the Japanese advertising screen
in 'School for Scandal.' Big thing." —
Green Room Jokes.
224
Cant — Cape.
Cant (pugilistic), blow, a " cant on
the chops," a blow on the face,
(Tramps), explained by quota-
tion.
We broke one window because the hou?:e
was good for a carti — that's some food —
bread or meat, and they wouldn't give it
us. — Mayhcw : London Labour and the
London Poor.
Also a gift, as a " cant of togs,"
a gift of clothing. In these
senses, from cant, to divide, as
used by Jusser, p. 278. Hence
cant, a sham.
(Thieves), to cant the cues,
to explain a matter, to tell a
story.
" But cant us the cues. AVhat was the
job?" "A pinch for an emperor's slang.
We touched his leather too, but it was very
lathy."— C« tJu Trail.
Canteen (South African), a road-
side tavern ; natives often call
all kinds of drink canteen.
Canteen medal (army), a good
conduct stripe which is gained
by absence from the defaulters'
book. The illusion implies that
the bearer owes his stripe rather
to a strong head than good re-
solution to keep away from the
canteen.
Canticle (old slang), a parish
clerk.
Can't say National Intelligencer
(American), equivalent to saying
" he is drunk," it l)cing held
that no one who is not sober can
pronounce Ihe name of this very
old and respectable Washing-
ton newspaper. There is a
story in which the phrase ori-
ginated — or which originated
from it, to the effect that a
father in Washington who had
a dissipated son, always obliged
him when he returned home at
night to submit to this test. If
he said Nacial InteUencer, he
was obliged to sleep in the hay-
loft of the stable.
Canuck (American), a Canadian.
The origin of this word appears
to be unknown. The derivation
from Connauglit, an Irishman,
is far-fetched and doubtful.
It may be possibly the first
syllable of Canada, with an In-
dian termination, but this is
mere conjecture. Uc or vq' is
a common Algcnkin ending to
nouns. It is probably an Indian
word modified.
Canvasseens (nautical), sailors'
canvas trousers.
Canvas town (popular), the por-
tion of Wimbledon Common
occupied by the Hags of the
rifiemen when encamped there
— within the flags.
Cap (thieves), a false cover to a
tossing coin. To cap, to assist
as a confederate, especially of
cardsharpers. See CArrER.
(Universities), to cap the quad-
rangle, to cross the area of the
college, cap in hand, in reverence
to the " fellows" who sometimes
walk there.
Cape cod turkey (American), salt
fish. In tlie same way a " Yar-
mouth capon " is a bloater.
Capella — Cap .
225
Capella (theatrical), a coat. From
the Italian.
Capeovi (coster), sick, seedy.
Caper (American), a device, idea,
or invention.
Langtry and Daly worked the Chinese
Boy, but the Arab is a change, and then
this trap caper knocks the newspaper
fiends silly. — New York Morning Jour-
nal.
" The proper cajper," the last
fashionable fancy, the latest
" comme ilfaut device."
Mind-reading is now the proper caper.
" Take hold of my left hand and tell me
what I'm thinking of," said the head of
the family to his confiding spouse. "Oh,
yes," said she, grasping his hand convul-
sively, " you are thinking about taking me
to hear Patti." She had to guess again. —
Boston Herald.
(Streets), device, occupation
for a living.
" Are you goin' a tottin' ? " "No." . . .
"Then what caper are you up to?" —
Greenwood : The Little Ragatnuffins.
Caper-sauce (common), to " cut
caper-sauce" to be hanged.
Capers (thieves), "merchant of
capers,'" a dancer.
And my father, as I've heard say.
Fake away !
Was a merchant of capers gay,
Who cut his last fling with great applause.
Nix my doll pals, fake away !
— A insworth ; Rookwood.
Also caper merchant.
Capper (American thieves), ex-
plained by quotation.
Gamblers are called knights of the green
cloth, and their lieutenants, who are sent
out after greenhorns, are called decoys,
cappers, and steerers. — Xexv York Slang
Dictionary'.
Capper-clawing (popular), a fight
between females.
Captain Copperthome's crew
(old slang), where every one
wishes to rule the roast, or to
take command.
Captain Crank (old cant), head of
a gang of highwaymen.
Captain Hackum (old slang), a
blustering bully, a Bombastes
Furioso.
Captain lieutenant (old slang),
the flesh of an old calf, meat
that was neither veal nor beef.
This phrase was of military
origin, and was a simile drawn
from the officer of that deno-
mination. These men, while
ranking as captains, only drew
the pay of a lieutenant, and
though not full captains were
above the lieutenants.
Captain Queernabs (old slang), a
man who was shabbily dressed
and ill-conditioned.
Captain Sharp (old slang), a
cheat, blackleg, or common
swindler.
Captain Tom (old slang), the
ringleader of a mob. Some-
times also the mob itself was so
called.
Cap your lucky (American
thieves), run away.
Cap your skin, to (thieves), to
stri^j naked.
P
226
Caravan — Carney.
Caravan (old slang), a large
sum of money, also a person
swindled out of a large amount.
(Pugilistic), a railway train, es-
pecially a train expressly char-
tered to convey people to a
prize fight (Hotten).
Caravanserai (pugilistic), a rail-
way station.
Carcoon (Anglo-Indian), a clerk,
from the Mahratta hdrkan, a
clerk (Anglo-Indian Glossary).
My benefactor's chief carcoon allowed
me to sort out and direct despatches to
officers at a distance who belonged to the
command. — Pandurang Hari.
Card (popular), a character. A
man may be a knowing, a downy,
rum, or shifting card, or queer
sort of card, according to cir-
cumstances.
Mr. Thomas Potter, whose great aim it
was to be considered as a knowing card,
a fast goer, and so forth. — Sketches by
Boz.
The last time that he got run in,
Is days about a week,
And, on the charge of drunkenness,
Was brought before the beak ;
He chaffed the magistrate and said,
" You are a rum old card!"
So forty shillings he was fined,
Or else a month with hard.
— G. Iloriicastle : The Frying Pan.
(Common), a device, under-
taking. A strong card, an un-
dertaking likely to succeed. On
the cards, likely, probable.
Cardinal (American), a lobster ;
curdiwxl hash, lobster salad
(New York Slang Dictionary).
(Old), a lady's red cloak. Now
mulled red wine.
Cargo (Winchester), explained by
quotation.
Scholars may supplement their fare with
jam, potted meats ... or, better still,
from the contents oi cargoes, i.e., hampers
from home. — Everyday Life in our Public
Schools.
Carler (New York thieves), a
clerk.
Carlicues, curlicues (American),
lively tricks, capers. The deri-
vation from curly and cue seems
to be due to a mere resemblance
in sound, and an arbitrary com-
bination. Bartlett suggests cara-
cole (French), anagrams being
common in colloquial language.
The old word carle-cat, or carli-
cat, a male cat or kitten, may
have influenced the formation
of carlicues.
Carnes (popular), to heap up ca-
resses, flatteries, compliments,
and blandishments, with the
view of deceiving the persons
on whom they are lavished. The
derivation is from came or cairn,
a heap or pile of stones. A
similar idea led to the use of
the phrase, "pile up the agony."
The word is also " carmes," evi-
dently from the g3'psy Mvis,
often pronounced harms, mean-
ing loves, likes, pets, &c. A
kcim or harm, which is nearer
to the Sanskrit, is a desire, a
love, &c.
Carney, flattery, hypocritical lan-
guage. Supposed to be of Irish
origin. To carncy or come the
Camish — Carrion-hunter.
227
covmey, to flatter, wheedle, in-
sinuate oneself.
Camish (thieves), meat, from the
Italian came; carnish-ken, a
thieves' eating-house. In the
French argot " came " is tough
meat.
Carob (tinker), to cut.
Caroon (costermongers), five shil-
lings. Possibly from the Italian
Carpet (common), to be called
upon the carpet, or to be car-
peted, to be scolded, reprimand-
ed, to have to give an account
of one's self.
Poor Percy was often carpeted, and as
often he promised amendment. — Mark
Letnon : Golden Fetters.
What looked to most people like a mis-
carriage of justice occurred in connection
with the August Handicap, won by-
Rhythm. George Barrett, who rode the
second, was carpeted, on the complaint of
the apprentice Allsopp (inspired by his
master), for foul riding. — Sporting Times.
(Masonic), the painting repre-
senting the emblems of a degree.
Carpet-bagger (popular), a term
introduced from America. A
man who seeks election in a
place with which he has no
connection (T. L. 0. Davies).
Other ca;^«i-ia^^«rj, as political knights-
errant unconnected with the localities are
called, have had unpleasant receptions. —
Guardian Newspaper.
Synonymous with carpet-bag
politician.
Wright gives the definition :
Carpet-bagger, an opprobrious
appellation applied to a resident
of one of the Northern States,
who after the Civil War of
1861-65 removed to the South
for temporary residence, and
the promotion of personal and
selfish ends.
Carpet-bag recruit (army), one of
the better class who joins with
his baggage, with other clothes
in fact than those in which he
stands.
Carpet-swab (popular), carpet-
bag.
A little gallows-looking chap . . . with
a carpet-swab and mucking togs. — In-
goldsby Legends.
Carpet tom-cat (military), an
officer who shows much atten-
tion to, and spends a great deal
of his time in the company of
ladies.
Carrier (old), a tell-tale. (Thieves),
a rogue employed to look out
and watch upon roads, at
taverns, &c., in order to carry
information to his gang.
Carrier-pigeon (thieves), a swin-
dler, one who formerly used to
cheat lottery office-keepers ; now
used among betting-men to de-
scribe one who runs from place
to place with commissions
(Hotten).
Carrion case (popular), a shirt, a
shift.
Carrion-hunter (old cant), an un-
dertaker.
228
Carrots — Casa.
Carrots, carroty-nob (common),
applied to a red-haired person.
" Here, one of you boys — you. Carrots
— run to the 'Compasses' and tell Mr.
Kiddy he's wanted." A sharp, red-haired
lad darted off with the message. — Mark
Lenwn : Loaied at Last.
Carry, to (old cant), to carry the
keg is said of one easily angered.
An allusion to fiery spirits.
Carry com, to (common), to bear
success well and equally. It is
said of a man who breaks down
under a sudden access of wealth
— a successful horse-racing man
and unexpected legatees often
do — or who becomes so affected
and intolerant, that " he doesn't
carry corn well " (Hotten).
Carry me out I (American), an
expression of incredulity or
aflfected disgust. It implies
feeling faint and requiring to be
carried out into the fresh air.
It would be called forth by a bad
pun, or an impossible story, or
"blowing;" often preceded by
"oh, good night," and some-
times intensified by the addition
of " and leave me in the gutter."
Carry on, to (common), to make
love to, to flirt openly.
Also to joke a person to excess,
to have a groat spree, to be
lively or arrogant, or act in any
out of the way manner.
There is a time in the life of every young
lady whtn she feels like carrying^ on. No
matter how modest, and pious, and truly
good a girl may be, a day comes when she
feels like doing something ridiculous, and
creating a great laugh. — A'm/ </ Fn-cJoiu.
Cart (turf), an owner is said to be
" in the cart" or carted, when his
horse is prevented winning by
some fraud on the part of those
in his employment. Instances
are not wanting where the pub-
lic have been put " in the cart "
by an owner who resents their
interference with his field of
speculation.
(City.) When two or three
fellows are playing at dominoes
or cards, the one who has the
lowest score but one, at any
moment of the game, is said to be
" in the cart." The lowest score
is called " on the tail-board."
Also race-course : " traversed
the cart," walked over the
course.
Carted (old), signified taken to
execution or whipped at the
cart's tail.
Carts (popular), a pair of shoes ;
also " crab shells."
Cart-wheel (thieves), five-shilling
piece. French slang has roue de
dcrrUre for a five-franc piece.
Carvel (New York thieves), jea-
lous. Probably meaning also in
love or wooing ; from carve, to
make love f o. Vide Halliwell.
Ca-sa (legal), a writ of capias ad
satisfaciendum.
Casa, caser, carser (costcrmon-
gors and ncL:;ro minstrels), a
house, Italian. (Theatrical), a
house. French slang has case
with (lie .same signification.
Cascade — Cat.
229
C^cade or hang out (theatrical),
scenic effect at conclusion of
scene or performance. (Popu-
lar), to cascade, to vomit.
Case (American), a dollar, good
or bad. In England a bad
crown piece. Hebrew, Icesef,
silver, ^103 ; hence kasch, a head-
piece (i.e., a coin), and the Yid-
dish caser, a crown.
(Tailors), "case of pickles," a
hopeless case; " he is the greatest
case evermore," he is the worst
man known, or, he is a most
remarkable individual.
(Old), a brothel. Also a water-
closet. (Thieves), a house.
Caser (thieves), explained by
quotation. Vicle Case.
So one morning I found I did not
have more than a caser (five shillings). —
Horsley : Jottings from Jail.
Cask (society), a brougham.
Cass, cassan (thieves and roughs),
cheese. From the Italian iaclo.
It is remarkable that this, the
oldest slang for cheese, is still
current among thieves in New
York. It is found in nearly all
the Latin, Teutonic, and Celtic
languages. In old cant, casson.
It is generally supposed to have
been introduced by the gypsies.
Here's ruffpeck and cassons, and all of
the best,
And scraps of the dainties of gentry
cofe's feast.
— Broome : Jo7'ial Crew.
Cassan. See Cass.
C a s s i e (printers), wrinkled,
stained, or outside sheets of
paper. Old provincial, cassen,
cast oflF. From casse, to dis-
charge, cashier. Latin, cassare,
to break.
Cast (popular). Men in small
boats who want to be towed
behind steamers say " give us
a cast" (Hotten).
Castieau's hotel (Australian
thieves' patter), the Melbourne
jail, so called from Mr. J. B.
Castieau, the governor of the
Melbourne jail.
He "caught" a month and had to
"white it out" at " diamond -cracking "
in Castieau's hotel. — The Australian
Printer's Keejsake.
Castle -rag (rhyming slang), a
" flag " or fourpence.
Cast-offs (nautical), landsmen's
clothes.
Castor (common), a bicycle. Pro-
perly a small wheel.
Mr. C , who being driven by a lady
whose carriage was molested by cads on
castors, climbed solemnly down, and . . .
administered a well - deserved collective
hiding to the crowd. — Sporting Times.
Cast up one's account, to. Vide
Account^:.
Casual (common), a tramp or
poor man, who seeks shelter
at night at a workhouse.
I have, at the risk of shocking the reader
of delicate sensibilities, quoted at full the
terms ui which my ruffianly casual chsiuxhtr
fellow delivered himself of his opinion as
to the power of " cheek " illimitable. —
/. Greenwood : Seven Curses 0/ London.
Cat (popular), a drunken, fighting
prostitute. 'iYic jtudendum f. In
French, chat. Generally termed
230
Cat — Catch bet.
by girls " pussy." Also contemp-
tuously applied to a woman,
(Society), "an old cat," an
old lady of malicious disposi-
tion, who has une mauvaise
langue, and is always saying
disagreeable things and telling
ill-natured stories. Cat, or old
cat, is often applied by servants
to their mistress.
Well, look here, Jessie, I am determined
to have some fun while the cat's away. —
Truth.
" A tame cat " is a man in
society who always has the
entr^ of a house and is treated
almost like one of the family,
and who, if a bachelor, is not
looked upon as a likely suitor
for one of the daughters, but
is made general use of when a
man is wanted in a hurry to fill
up a vacancy.
(Thieves), lady's muff. To
"free a cat," to steal a muff.
To go out "cat and kitten " hunt-
ing, is stealing pewter pots from
publicans. (Popular), to " shoot
the cat," to vomit. (Tailors),
to " whip the cat," to work at
private houses. (Infantry), to
"shoot the cat," to sound the
bugle for defaulters' drill.
Cat and kittens (thieves), quart
and pint pots.
Cat and mouse (rhyming slang),
house.
Catawampously (American),
fiercely, eagerly, violently. " Ca-
tawampously chewed up," com-
pletely defeated, utterly demo-
lished.
There is something cowardly in the idea
of disunion. Where are the wealth and
power that showed us fourteen millions?
Take to our heels before three hundred
thousand slaveholders for fear of being
' ' catawampously chewed up. "— Frederick
Douglas : A Negro Orator.
Catch (popular), or "a great catch,"
woman or man worth marrying.
Generally applied to wealthy
men and heiresses, or "warm"
widows.
I am friends with her ma, I stand drinks
to her pa.
They think I'm a catch, that is plain.
—G. Homcastle : I'll See you again in
the Morning (Ballad).
Catch a bob, to (American), a
boy's expression for getting on
behind and taking a ride gratis ;
getting a lift.
"Bob, what does your father do?"
inquired a farmer of a lad who had caught
a bob on his sleigh. — American A'ews-
paper.
Catch a lobster, to (American),
same as the English " to catch
a crab."
She is not the first hand that caught a
lobster by puttin' in her oar afore her turn,
I guess. — Sam Slick : The Clockmaker.
Catch on a snag-, to (American),
to meet one's superior.
In rough Western parlance a man who
falls in with such a player (a man who.
be.-iring a high reputation for all-round
godliness, is a crack "poker" player)
catches on a snag, and it is said that
every one who visits the Nonh-West
comes across sooner or later the snag on
which he is to catch. — Cumberland : The
Queen's Highway.
Catch bet (popular), a bet made
for the purpose of entrapping
Catchee — Cats^ party.
231
the unwary by means of a paltry
subterfuge (Hotten).
Catchee (pidgin-English), to get,
have, own, possess, hold. " My
look-see one piecee man catchee
chow-chow" — "I saw a man
eating." " My catchee waifo " —
"I am — or am to be married."
"My no catchee one flin inside
alio t'at house" — "I have not
one friend in all that family."
Suppose one man no catchee cash, he no
can play at game ;
Supposey pigeon no hab wing, can no
make fly all same.
— Wang-ti.
Catch-'em-alive (common), paper
smeared with a sticky substance
to catch flies.
A picture-room devoted to a few of the
regular shaky old saints, with such coats
of varnish that every holy personage served
for a fly-trap, and became what is now
called in the vulgar tongue a catch-
'em-alive, O. — Charles Dickens: Little
Dorritt.
Also a small-tooth comb,
alluding to the tenants in the
hair of dirty people.
Catch on, to (common), imported
from America ; to accept an
offer, to understand.
Randolph looked rather puzzled at first,
but when he did catch on to the Arch-
bishop's meaning, he had to be thumped
on the back by his pal Chamberlain, to
prevent him from choking.— /"«««y Folks.
" You catch on," is an invitation
to take one's turn, to follow suit.
(Theatrical), a play is said to
be caught on when successful.
Catch on the hop, to (common),
to catch or find one by taking
one's chance when he is travel-
ling or moving about. Also to
catch unawares.
Catch-pole (old slang), a sheriff's
officer.
Catever (popular), poor, bad, of
doubtful quality. According to
Hotten, from the Lingua Franca
and Italian cattivo, bad. ' ' Well,
how's things : bona 1" " No,
catever."
Catfish death (American), suicide
by drowning.
Col. " Pat " Donan doesn't like the play
of "Hamlet." Hear the eloquent adjec-
tive slinger : " I have no patience, much
less sympathy, with a wretched weakling
who goes around jabbering at dilapidated
old ghosts in tin helmets and green gauze
veils, under bogus moonlight ; everlastingly
threatening to do something, and never
doing it ; driving his sweetheart to lunacy
and a catfish death, by his dime-museum
freaks." — Chicago Press.
Cat-heads (old), a woman's
breasts.
Cat-lap (common), weak drink.
Cats' head (Winchester College),
the fag end of a shoulder of
mutton.
Cats' meat (popular), the lungs.
Cats' party (familiar), a party to
which none but those of the
weaker sex are invited, and at
which tea drinking and singing
are indulged in.
She was once introduced to young M .
This was at a cats' party given by Mrs.
to a few \^iii\^%.— Standard.
-0-
Cats^ water — Caulker.
It is likely Mr. Justice thought it
funny and appropriate to hint that a fes-
tivity was called a cats' party on account
of the music. — Town Talk.
Cats' water (popular), gin, cat
being here naeant for woman.
Cat's-skin earl (parliamentarj),
one of the three senior earls in
the House of Lords.
Catting (common), vomiting.
Cattle (popular), a kind. One
talks of men being " rum cattle,"
" queer cattle" just as one talks
of a man being "a queer fish"
or "a downy bird."
But lawyers is cattle I feel to hate,
/\nd this one— I'd like to punch his head.
— Keighley Goodchild : How Waif
went to England.
Cancus (American), lately intro-
duced into England, originally
a meeting of politicians called
together to debate upon the
claims of candidates for politi-
cal or municipal offices, and
agreeing to act together on the
day of election.
\Vhat a cajiciis is, as popularly under-
stood in England, needs no explanation ;
but the curious thing about the word is
the seeming impossibility of ascertaining
with any certainty its origin and deriva-
tion. The explanation generally given is
that it is a corruption of "caulkers" or
" calk-house." One authority says that
I he members of the shipping interest, the
"caulkers" of Boston, were associated,
shortly before the War of Independence,
in activf:ly promoting opposition to Eng-
lind, and that the word arose from their
ineetin;;s in the caulkers' house or " calk-
house." .
Another derivation h.Ts, however, been
proposed. In the "Transactions of the
American Philological Association, 1872,"
Dr. Hammond Trumbull suggests that the
origin of the word is to be found in the
native Indian cau-cau-as-u, meaning one
who advises. — Comhill Magazine.
It may be observed that the
derivation of the word from
"caulkers" is perfectly rational,
and has been accepted for more
than a century. There is a pun
implied in the name (" caulker,"
a tremendous story, an over-
whelming fellow) which pro-
bably aided to make it popu-
lar. .
Caught on the fly (American),
a phrase borrowed from ball
play, but applied to being caught,
interviewed, or otherwise arrest-
ed, while travelling.
Carter Harrison told that New York
reporter that he "must be caught on the
Jly." According to his own umpiring,
then, his New York speech was a foul
bawl. — A merican Newspaper.
An English equivalent is
" caught on the hop."
Caulk, to (nautical^ to lie down
on deck and sleep, with clothes
on.
Caulker (society), a lie, derived
from a "caulker," a stiff dram,
that takes a considerable deal
of swallowing, also supposed to
be derived from "corker," a
regular stopper. (Common),
a stiff dram.
The Mobile officer joins us heartily in a
caulker^ and docs not need to be pressed
to take a liule supper. — Archibald Forbes :
My Experiences 0/ the War between
France and Germany.
Caution — Cayuse.
233
Caution (general), any one w^o is
peculiarly dressed, peculiar in
his habits, or eccentric, some
one who makes himself ridicu-
lous. This word is an abbrevia-
tion of the expression "a, caution
to snakes."
Altogether he was a caution to look at.
— Sam Slick : The Clockmaker.
Also anything out of the
common way.
I'heir win against Middlesex — who led
off with a first innings of 301 — by tight
wickets is an example of one of their sur-
prises, and what is vulgarly called a cau-
tion. — Bailey s Monthly Magazine.
Cavaulting' (old), copulation.
From the Lingua Franca cayoZi«.
Cavaulting school (old slang),
a house of ill fame, a brothel
"•Care-in (American), to fall in. " A
metaphor taken," says Hotten,
" from an abandoned mining
shaft," but it was used in Ame-
rica before 1849. Now generally
applied to a failure, such as a
bankruptcy, a collapse of stock
speculations, or of political
schemes.
That is what Colonel Sanderson and his
colleagues in the representation of Irish
landlordism call it — an absolute all-round
cave-in on the part of the Government. —
Pall Mall Gazette.
It is also applied to any kind
of indentation.
I went down dar wid my hat caved in,
Du-da, du-da !
Came back home wid my pocket full of
tin,
Du-da, du-da-day !
— Negro Minstrel Song.
Cave-in, properly to "calve-
in," a phrase introduced by
Dutch navvies. Flemish ink-
alven, to cave-in. Friesic calven,
to calve as a cow, also to cave-in.
The falhng portion of earth
is compared to a calf dropped
by a cow (Skeat). From early
times glaciers were called by the
Dutch cows, and the icebergs
which fell from them calves.
The falling of the bergs was
called calving.
Cavort, to (American), to kick up
the heels like a horse at: play, or
to act extravagantly.
As long as there h.as been a stage for
pretty women to caz'ort on, there have
been impressionable youths to worship at
the shrines of the pretty women. — Ameri-
can Newspaper
To move about in an aimless
manner.
O Sal ! yer's that demed fool from
Simpson's, cavortin round yer in the dew.
— Bret Harte : Penelope.
Cav?bawn (up-country Austra-
lian), spelt also cobbon, big, a
word borrowed from the blacks,
which has passed into bush-
slang, and is generally used by
bushmen.
"There," said Stone, pointing to the
big house, "nobody has lived in the
' cawiawn humpy ' — that is what the
blacks call it — since Mr. Cosgrove went
away." — A. C. Grant: Bush-Life in
Queensland.
Caxton (theatrical), a wig.
Cayuse (cowboys), a horse.
234
Cas — Chalks.
Caz (thieves), cheese. See Cass.
An easy dupe. As good as caz,
easy to accomplish.
Cedar (prison), a pencil.
He was a "first-class" man, entitled to
write every quarter. He provided cedar
and a sheet of paper on which I wrote what
was necessary. — Evening News.
Century (turf), a hundred pounds.
A little cheque for a century is the
prize we offer this week for the successful
accomplishment of the task of naming the
first three. — Sporting Times.
Cert (turf), used in reference to
a racing event thought to be
about to have a successful issue.
A man who was burdened with debt
Heard a cert and heavily bebt.
But what should have won
So badly did ron
That quickly the man had to "gebt."
— Bird o Freedom.
Certainties (printers). See Un-
CEKTAINTIES. A Vulgarism ap-
plied to infants of the male sex.
Chaff-cutter (old),
tongue, slanderer.
slanderous
Chaffer (popular), the mouth ; a
great talker.
One of these men had a wife who used
to sell for him ; she was considered to be
the best chaffer in the row ; not one of
them could stand against her tongue. —
Mayhew : London Labour and the London
Poor.
To " moisten one's chaffer," to
have a drink.
Chaffy (Blue-coat School), spruce,
amiable.
Chai, chy, tchai (gypsy), girl,
woman ; Romany, chi, a female
gypsy.
Chairus, cheirus, chyrus (gypsy),
time. Bonar gives this word
also for "heaven."
Chal (gypsy), (pronounced tchal,'ch
as in church), a lad, a gypsy.
Hotten says this was the old
Romany term for a man, but it
is as much in use as ever. A
woman is not a chie, but a chy or
chai, to rhyme with ichy.
Chalava (gypsy), I touch.
Chal droch (tinker), a knife.
Chalk (turf), unknown or incom-
petent. The names of most
jockeys are printed on slides,
which are kept ready at every
race-meeting for insertion in the
telegraph-board. Formerly a
certain number of slate or black
slides were used, so that the
name of a new jockey could at
once be written thereon in chalh.
Hence "a chalk-jockej " came
to mean one unknown, or un-
favourably known, to fame. His
name was not considered worth
printing. (Common), unknown,
obscure.
A list of remarkably chali-tilled person-
ages. —/f<?r/</.
(Tailors), chalk ! silence !
Chalk - farm (rhyming slang),
arm.
Chalks (popular), by chalks, by
far, by many degrees.
Chalks — Champagne.
235
In chatting, singing, and dancing,
Don't we pass each night away,
We beat by chalks your finest parties,
I'll a wager lay.
We are all jolly, &c.
Also "long chalJcs," originally
an expression used by tailors
only, alluding to the chalk lines
on garments.
" From your counsel's statement and the
seeming honesty of your countenance,"
said the learned magistrate, " I was quite
convinced that you were innocent ; but the
evidence of the last witness has quite upset
all my previous convictions."
" I wish it would upset all mine," growled
the culprit.
But it didn't by long chalks, and his
address was Millbank for the next six
months. — Sporting Times.
Also the legs. To " walk one's
chalks" to go away.
The prisoner has fabricated his pilgrim's
staff, to speak scientifically, and perambu-
lated his calcareous strata. " What ? "
Cut his stick, and walked his chalks. —
Kingsley : Tiuo Years Ago.
Chalk, to (nautical), to make one
pay his footing or stand treat.
At sea it is the custom the first
, time a new comer goes up a
mast for some old hand to chase
him up and try to get near
enough to him to chalk his
shoes. If he succeeds the new
comer is expected to pay for a
bottle of rum.
Chalk up, to (Australian slang, less
frequent in England), to debit
to a person. Undoubtedly the
expression arose from the custom
of the keeper of an ale-house
making a note of the various
drinks consumed in a drinking
bout, by scribbling them down
with chalk upon the wall.
Whole weeks and jnonths of hard-earned
gold, by ounces and even pounds weight
at a time, disappeared at these haunts, in
a mazy account and reckoning between a
landlord and his customer, chalked up
during successive days of intoxication. —
W. Westgarth: Victoria late Australia
Felix.
(Common), chalk it up, put it
to my account.
Cham (gypsy), cheek, leather, tin.
Chwmmerdino, a slap on the
cheek.
Chamberlain (Winchester Col-
lege), the brewer of the college
and school.
Chamber of Horrors (Parliamen-
tary), the Peeresses' gallery at
the House of Lords, from its
being railed round as if it con-
tained objectionable or repul-
sive inmates.
There could be no doubt as to the in-
convenience, the gallery being generally
known as the Chamber of H orrors. — Daily
News.
Chammy (society), champagne,
termed also " cham," or " boy,"
and sometimes " fizz."
Champagne Charley (popular),
any dissipated man or noted
drinker of " fizz." The name of
a song which appeared in 1868,
which was set to a very pleas-
ing and original air. The origi-
nal Charley is said to have been
a wine-merchant, who was in
the habit of making presents of
236
Champion- — Chapel.
bottles of champagne to all his
friends.
Champion, very commonly used
in America to signify pre-emi-
nent. An exemplary humbug
is described as "a champion
fraud." A noisy candidate for
office was denounced by a Chi-
cago newspaper as '"the cham-
pion gas-bag."
Champ up, to (popular), to tear
up, pull upwards.
Chancer (tailors), one who exag-
gerates, or lies. Also one who
attempts anything and is in-
competent.
Chancery. To get a man's head
into chancery is to get it under
your arm so as to pummel it
at ease. The allusion is ob-
vious.
Chance the ducks (popular), an
ironical phrase signifying "come
what may " (Hotten).
Chance your arm (tailors), try,
let it go, chance it.
Cbaney-eyed (popular), with but
one eye, or eyes like those of
a Chinese, as chancy is some-
times used as a corruption of
China,
It is another priboiier, who replaces the
last individual— a " wall-eyed" or c/m«^^-
eyed prisoner, with an open mouth. — The
Crafhic.
Chant (old cant), an advertise-
ment.
Chant, to (popular), to talk, in-
form, cry up, sing ballads, &c. ;
cJianting-coyes, reporters.
Chanters (popular), explained by
quotation.
As long as one can remember, gangs
of men have perambulated the highways
in the frosty months, but until recently
they were invariably chanters with a
legend of coming all the way from Man-
chester. But song is eschewed in modern
times. — Greenwood : Seven Curses o/ Lon-
don.
Chanty (nautical). "There are
two kinds of sea songs : those
which are sung at concerts and
in drawing-rooms, and some-
times, but not very often, at
sea, and those which are never
heard off shipboard. The latter
have obtained in this age the
name of chanty, a term which I
do not recollect ever having
heard when I was following the
life. It is obviously manufac-
tured out of the French word "
(W. Clark Kussell),
Chapel (printers). As various
references are made to matters
arising out of the chapel, it is
necessary to describe this insti-
tution. Technically, it refers to
the meetings of the workmen to
discuss trade matters, to settle
disputes, and to consider chari-
table appeals, &c., and various
rules are enforced for the guid-
ance of the workmen and main-
tenance of good feeling among.st
themselves. It has been suj)-
posed that the term arose from
the fact that Caxton established
Chapel — Charm.
237
the first printing-press in this
country in Westminster Abbey.
The officers of these chapels
usually consist of a "father"
and " clerk."
Chapel of ease (common), the
water-closet.
Chapper - cot (Anglo - Indian).
Hindu, chappar-khat, a bedstead
with curtains.
Chappie (society), a term of en-
dearment in use among the
" mashers " of society when ad-
dressing their friends and ac-
quaintances, much in vogue
lately. A dandy.
I am going to send this correspondence
to Puttch. Ta ! ta ! dear old chappie. —
Punch.
He was a harmless-looking chappie.
— Sporting Times.
Chapt (old cant), thirsty.
Char (gypsy), grass.
Charl-chorl (gypsy), to pour out,
vomit ; cliorl it mree, pour it
out.
Charge, to (Winchester College),
to run at all speed.
Charing Cross (rhyming slang),
horse.
Chariot-buzzing (thieves), pick-
ing pockets in an omnibus.
Charles, his friend (theatrical),
the walking gentleman, or se-
condary interesting young man
of a play.
Charley (thieves), a gold watch ;
probably from the old word
Charley, the watch or a watch-
man. (Tailors), the nap on a
"faced" cloth, also a round-
shouldered figure.
Charley Bates'
Bates' Faem.
farm.
See
Charley Lancaster (rhyming
slang), handkerchief, pronounced
" handkercher. "
Charley-pitcher (thieves), one who
plays to win watches, or char-
leys. A pitcher is one who
works the streets. In San
Francisco in 1849 there were
open-air monte players who
only took watches for a bet.
A sharper who entices country-
men into playing at some
swindling game, such as
"prick the garter" or "thimble-
Charley Prescot (rhyming slang),
a waistcoat.
Charlie (old), a name for a watch-
man.
It was the duty of the watchman to call
the hours, but no voice of any vigilant
Charlie had as yet saluted the ears of
Lowry. — Turnpike Dick, or tite Star oj
the Road.
Charlies (Winchester College),
thick string gloves, called thus
from the Rev. Charles Griffith.
(Popular), a woman's breasts,
also " bubbles," " dairies."
Charm (thieves), a picklock.
238
Charpoy — Chaunted.
Charpoy (Anglo-Indian), ex-
plained by quotation.
We must send down to the bazaar, and
get tables, chairs, and cAa>^(»)'i(bedsteads).
— ly. H. Russell: My Diary in India in
the Years 1858-59.
Charrshom, chershom (tinker), a
crown.
Charter the bar, charter the
grocery, to (American), to buy
all the liquor in a groggery or
"rum-mill" and give it away
freely to all comers. This is
not an uncommon occurrence
in the South and West.
This fine Arkansas gentleman raises seve-
ral hundred bales ;
Unless through drought, or worm, or some
other contingency, his crop runs short
and fails ;
And when his crop is ginned and baled, he
puis it on board a boat.
And charters the bar, and has a devil of a
good spree while down to New Orleans
he and his cotton float.
—Albert Pike.
Bolus was no nigeard. He would as
soon treat a regiment or charter the
grocery for the day as any other way. —
/. G. Baldwin : David Bolus, Esq.
Chat (thieves), a house ; from
chattels, or chateau.
I had not been at Sutton very long before
1 piped a slavey (servant) come out of a
chat (house), so when she had got a little
way up the double (turning), I pratted
(went) into the house. — Rev. J. W. Hors-
ley : Jottings frotn Jail.
" That's the chat," the proper
words to use ; the state or facts
of a case.
Has the gentleman any right to be in
this room at all, or has he not ? . . . That's
the chat, as I take it. — Anthony Trollope :
Orley J' arm.
Chat-hole (prison), a hole in the
wall, made to carry on a con-
versation.
Chats (theatrical), properties ;
short for chattels. (Popular),
lice. In this sense cliaU is pro-
bably from chatd, meaning
cattle.
(Stock Exchange), London,
Chatham, and Dover Railway
stock.
Chatta (Anglo-Indian), an um-
brella.
Chatterers (common), the teeth.
Chattering (prize ring), a blow on
the mouth.
Chatter broth (old slang), a tea
party.
Chatty (popular), filthy, lousy.
A chatty, a lousy person ; a
" chatty doss," a bed with ver-
min. Vide Chats.
Chatty-feeder (thieves), a spoon.
Vide Chatty.
Chaunt or chant, to, to take worth-
less horses to fairs and sell them
by false representations.
Jack Firebrand and Tom Humbold . . .
was here this morning c/ia«//«^ horses with
'em. — Thackeray: Virginians.
To chaunt the play, to ex-
plain the tricks and devices of
thieves.
Chaunted upon the leer (old cant ),
an advertiser.
Chaunter — Cheapstde.
239
Chaunter (street), a man who sells
baUads, last dying speeches, &c.,
in the streets. Street ballad
singer.
The running patterer ... is accom-
panied generally by a chaunter. I'he
chaunter not only sings, but fiddles. —
Mayhew. London Labour and the Lon-
don Poor.
A dealer who takes worthless
horses to fairs and sells them
by false representations.
Chaunter-cull (street). There are
rhymsters who carry on a trade
in London — though the head-
quarters appear to be in Bir-
mingham — who write ballads to
order on any subject, to be sung
in the streets, on events that may
interest the public : murders,
executions, elopements, breaches
of promise, suicides, or horrible
railway accidents. The hono-
rarium paid to these self-styled
poets is said to vary from half-
a-crown (the minimum) to three
half-crowns (the maximum).
Chauvering donna (theatrical), a
prostitute. Chauvering is cant
for sexual intercourse. Also,
" columbine, knofka."
Chauvering moll (old cant), a
prostitute.
Chaw (university), a trick ; to
chaw, to deceive. (American),
to use up.
Chawbacon (common), a country
clown, a rough, rude, unedu-
cated rustic, a clodhopper ;
sometimes colloquially desig-
nated as "Giles" or "Hodge,"
from the supposed prevalence
of these patronymics among the
rural population.
The chaw-bacons, hundreds of whom
were the Earl's tenants, raised a shout. —
Savage: R. Medlicott.
Chaw-buckt (Anglo -Indian), a
whip. Hindu, chabuJc ; gypsy,
chuchni.
Ye same day Ramgivan was brought
forth and slippered, the next day he was
beat on ye soles of his feet, ye third day
chaw-buckt, and ye 4th drub'd till he could
not speak, and all to force a writing in our
names for Rupees 50,000. — Hedges.
Chaw over, to (popular), to repeat
one's words with a view to ridi-
cule (Hotten).
Chaws or chores (American),
small jobs. The handy man
does chores.
Very early in the morning there is an
unpleasant operation to be performed,
called "doing chaws," in the simple lan-
guage of the farm. This luckily applied
only to Charlie and Mr. C. , who, I believe,
except during the busiest part of the year,
work the 300 acre farm without help.
" Doing chaws," by the way, means feed-
ing the creatures generally. — Phillips-
Wolley : Trot tings 0/ a Tenderfoot.
(Popular), to have a bit of
chaivs refers to copulation.
Chaw up, to (popular), to finish
one up. " Chawed up," done
for.
I felt as if I could cha^v him right up,
I was so mad. — Sain Slick : The dock-
Maker.
Cheapside (old slang), "He came
at it by way of Cheapside," that
240
Cheat — Cheesemongers.
is, little or nothing was given
for it.
Cheat or nubbing-cheat (thieves),
the gallows.
See what your laziness is come to; to the
cheat, for thither will you go now, that's
infallible. — Fielding: Jonathan Wild.
Chee (pidgin), long ; probably an
abbreviation of muchee " much,"
" China-boy no stoppee chee
tim."
Chee-chee, (gipsy), nothing, less,
superfluous, also equivalent to
"be silent."
Cheek (common), assurance, im-
pudence. Probably from the
habit of impudent persons of
putting their tongue in their
clieek.
Although she was neither good-looking
nor young,
And her virtues, if any, unknown and
unsung,
She'd a dangerous eye, and an eloquent
tongue,
And a cheek that was something
sublime.
— Sporting Times.
Also, share or portion.
Cheeks (common), the posterior.
Cheeky (common), impudent.
lioys give me a good deal of annoyance,
they are so very cheeky. — Mayheiv : Lon-
don Labour and the Lotidon Poor.
Cheese (society), " quite the
clierse," varied to tlie " Stilton,"
or "real Stilton," synonymous
with quite the thing, from the
Hindustani or Anglo-Indian chiz,
thing. Sometimes oheete is used
as a derisive nickname for any
man who has pretensions to
being smart. (Schools), an
adept ; one boy will talk of
another being an awful clieese
at bowling, fives, Latin verses,
&c. (R. M. Academy), hard
cheese, equivalent to " hard
lines," no luck ; especially used
at bilhards. (Popular), cheese
it, leave off. A corruption of
cease.
I was just entering upon one of my own
composition, when, sir, I was vulgarly
requested to cheese it. — Sporting Times.
(Thieves), ''cheese your barri- .
kin," hold your noise. (Nine-
pins), the ball.
He sent the damaged cheese skimming
and cannoning among the four gruat pins.
— Greenwood : Tag, Kag, <V Co.
Cheese boxes (American), the
nickname given by irreverent
Confederates to the ironclads of
the Monitor type then (at the
time of the Civil War) just
invented. They, however, spoke
even as disrespectfully of their
own unsuccessful attempts at a
similar class of vessel, calling
them " tinclads."
Cheese-cutter (common), an aqui-
line nose ; also a large, square
peak to a cap. Cheese-cutters,
bandy legs.
Cheese-knife (army), sword.
Cheesemongers, once a popular
name for the First Lifeguards
(Hot ten).
Cheese- toaster — Chew.
241
Cheese-toaster (army), a sword.
I'll drive my cheese-toaster through his
body. — Thackeray: The Virginians.
Cheesy (society), excellent, smart,
varied sometimes to "rare Stil-
ton," which might be said to be
the square power of cheesy.
Che - muck (American), food ;
taken from the Indians of the
North-West, and now current
among the miners,
Cherpin llyower (tinker), book.
" Cherpin appears to be vulgar.
Llyower was on second thought
declared by Owen to be the right
word." Gaelic, leahhar. — The
Gypsies. Fic?e Lyeskin CHEEPS,
telling fortunes.
Cherry (thieves), a young girl.
Cherry-bums (army). Vide Bum.
Cherry-merry (Anglo-Indian), a
present of money.
Cherry-merry-bamboo (Anglo-In-
dian), a beating, a term probably
invented by sufferers with very
thick hides indeed.
Cherry pie (common), this term
was formerly used with the
sense of the more modern
" tart," or girl.
Cherry-pipe (thieves), a woman.
Pipe is rhyming slang for ripe.
Cherry-ripe (rhyming slang), a
pipe.
Chestnuts (American and Eng-
lish), an exclamation used in
reference to stale news.
The thing's got so bloomin' stale, I was
afraid you'd yell chestnuts at me if I said
anythin'. — Sporting Times.
Chete (old cant), this word was
extensively used by the va-
grant classes in reference to
anything. Teeth were called
" cracking " or " crunching
chetes" swine "grunting cketes,"
a knife a " cutting chete," or
the gallows a "hanging" or a
"topping chete." To strike
some chete, to steal something.
This word is used as an affix
in the formation of names
(Turner), and is equivalent,
not to the gypsy engro, which
means an active agent, but to
engree, denoting " a thing."
Thus nab-chete, a hat, literally
a head-thing ; a cackling -chete,
chicken ; hearing - chetes, ears.
Possibly of Gypsy-Indian origin
in common with the Anglo-In-
dian chiz, corrupted to chitz.
Chit and chitter have also the
meaning in gypsy of "a rag, a
bit, a piece." It may, however,
be derived from the root of
chattel; M. E. chatel, property
(also cattle) ; Old French catel.
This would lead to the Low
Latin capitale (Skeat), but there
is possibly a different root in
common with the Westmore-
land chat, a fragment, i.e., a
thing or bit.
Chew (prison), a bit of tobacco.
A piece as large as a horse-bean, called
a chew, is regarded as an equivalent for
Q
242
Chew — Chik.
a twelve-ounce loaf and a meat ration. —
Greenwood : Gaol Birds at Lar^e.
(American), to chew oneself,
expressing vexation.
Say, do you know it's fairly rank to be
back at school. Could chew myself. I
hate it so. — Springfield Republican.
Chewgah bag (Australian black-
fellows), the wild bee's store of
honey.
Chewing the cud (common), the
habit of chewing tobacco. It is
curious to note that amongst
the farmers and stock-keepers
of Surrey the cud is called a
(luid — hence perhaps ' ' a quid of
tobacco."
Chewing the rag or fat (army),
grumbling.
Some of the "knowing blokes," promi-
nent among whom will be the "grousers,"
will, in all probability, be chewing the rag
or fat. — Brunlees Patterson : Life in the
Ranks.
Chew it, to (cowboys), to eat.
Chic (society), elegant, dashing,
perfect. French, cliic. For the
various significations of the
French word, vide Barrere's
" Argot and Slang."
One of the most chic functions of the
present season in Paris was the dinner given
last Wednesday by Princess Mathilde. —
The World.
Chice. Vide Shice.
Chicken (Anglo-Indian), embroi-
dery. Chicken-walla, a pedlar
of embroidery. Persian, chiJcin,
art needlework.
(Common), a term, applied to
anything young, small, or in-
significant ; " chicken stakes,"
small paltry stakes (Hotten).
Chicken - butcher (old slang), a
poulterer.
Chicken fixings (American).
Bartlett defines this as chicken-
fricassee, but it is often used to
denote chickens prepared in any
way. The common expression
" corn-bread and common doins,
or wheat - bread and chicken-
fixins," intimates as much.
Chicken Nabob (old slang). If a
man returned from India with
a larger fortune than ^^50,000
or ;^6o,ooo he was called a
chicken nabob.
Chickerleary cove (coster), an
exceedingly sharp man.
Chi-ike (roughs), a street salute,
a loud word of hearty praise, a
cheer.
Now join in a chi-ike — the
Jolly we all like,
I'm off with a party to the Vic.
— Vance : The Chickaleary Cox'e.
Chi-iked (tailors), chailed un-
mercifully.
Chik, chick (gypsy), dirt, clay,
ashes, sand. Chikkli cowas, ob-
jects of earthenware. Sdr
chikklo, all dirty.
" Beshdom adoi akonya,
Te sar m;5n Asti diUk
Sas kalo muUo wongur
Te pano, mullo chikk" —
" I sat there alone, and all one could see
was black dead coals, and white dead
ashes."
—O. Patteran.
Children's shoes — Chinche.
243
(Anglo-Indian), an abbrevia-
tion of chickeen, or four rupees.
Children's shoes (popular), to
"make children's shoes," to be
made nought of (Hotten).
Chill, to (popular), to warm.
From the expression to "take
the chill off;" "chilled beer"
for warmed beer is a very usual
term.
Chilo (pidgin English), child.
Ping-Wing, he pie-man son,
He velly worst c/tilo alio Canton,
He steal he mother picklum mice,
An' thiowee cat in bilin rice.
Hab chow-chow up, an' " Now," talk he,
" My wonda' where he meeow-cat be !"
— The Song of Ping-Wing.
Chimany, chummeny (gypsy),
something, anything. De mandy
chomany, "Give me something."
Chiming (thieves), praising a
person or thing that is un-
worthy, for the purpose of
getting off a bad bargain.
Chimleyco (popular), Pimlico.
If you're stopping
Down in Wapping,
Rotten Row, or Chimleyco.
— Song : There's a lot ojfun in London,
Chimmel (tinker), a stick.
Chimmes (tinker), wood or stick.
Vide Chimmel.
Chimney chops (old slang), a
name given to a negro.
Chimney-pot (common), a silk
hat.
An excellent life-preserver may be made
in a few seconds in the following manner :
Lay a silk handkerchief on the ground and
spread it open. Then place on it, brim
downwards, a hat of the " chimney-pot
sort," and tie the four comers of it together
over the crown of it. The article so pre-
pared may then be thrown to the drowning
person ; or, better still, it may be taken to
him by some one that can %^\ia.— Ross's
Variety Paper.
Chimney - sweep (common), a
black draught.
Chin (American thieves), a child ;
probably an abbreviation of kin-
chen. (American), to chin, to
chat.
He was a worker, and liked nothing
better than to get into a circle of young
cow-punchers and chin and josh with
them. — Prancis : Saddle and Moccasin.
(Gypsy), to cut or write. This
suggests the Indian cutting, or
graving all letters on palm-leaves,
&c. (Hindu, chinh, a scar.)
Chinamangrl, a letter.
Chinas (Stock Exchange), Eastern
Extension Telegraph Shares.
China Street (thieves). Accord-
ing to Vaux, China Street is
a cant name for Bow Street,
Covent Garden — where the
celebrated police court is
situated.
Chinche, chints, a bug. The
authors of the Anglo-Indian
Glossary say that "this word
is now quite obsolete both in
India and England." But it
has always been familiarly used
as it now is in the United States,
not as an euphemism, but as
244
Chin-chin — Chip.
the correct original Spanish
word. It is remarkable that
"bug" was originally a figura-
tive and perhaps polite term for
ch'mche.
Chin-chin (pidgin-English), a term
derived from the Mandarin
(standard dialect) ts'ing, ts'ing ;
Cantonese, ch'ing, ch'ing, equiva-
lent to " thank you," or a polite
"adieu" or salutation. In
pidgin it is used for worship,
prayer, or to make a request.
Chin-chopper (popular), a blow
under the chin.
Chine, choon, chen, chone
(gypsy), the moon.
Chingarer, chingers (gypsy),
sparks. Hindu, chingi, spark.
Chinger (gypsy), to tear, split,
scold, or quarrel ; through.
Chingerben (gypsy), contrary,
opposite.
Chink (thieves), money.
At knock'emsdown and tiddlywink,
To be a sharp you must not shrink,
But be a brick and sport your chink.
— 1 he I.eary Man.
Chinkers (thieves), money.
Are men like us to be entrapped and sold,
And see no money down, Sir Hurly-Burly?
We're vile crossbow-men, and a knight are
you,
But steel is steel, and flesh is still but flesh,
So let us see your chinkers.
— Taylor: Philip Van Artevelde.
Also handcuffs and shackles
united hv a chain.
Chin-music (English and Ameri-
can), talk, conversation.
"I am not," he said, "going to orate.
You did not come here, I guess, to hear
me pay out chin-music." — The Golden
Butterfly.
(Common English), talking,
speechifying.
But, bless yer, my bloater, it isn't all
chin-music, votes and " 'Ear, 'ear !"
Or they wouldn't catch me on the ready,
or nail me for ninepence. No fear 1
— Punch.
Also cliin play.
Chinqua soldi (low theatrical),
fivepence. From the Italian.
Chinse (Winchester College), a
chance.
Chin-wag (common), officious
impertinence (Hotten).
Chip (American journalism).
Local items in newspapers are
called chips, and sometimes
the term is applied to the re-
porter who collects them. It
was once suggested in a news-
paper office in Philadelphia that
the city reporters should be
called "five-six," and the local
editor, "seven-eight," in accor-
dance with the well - known
rhyme : —
Five, six — pick up chifis ;
Seven, eight — lay them straight.
(American), to chip, to under-
stand.
I knew at once that they had got scared,
and h.id trenched up like a bevy of quails ;
so 1 said to Jim, "Now you lei me do
the talking, when they begin to sing
'Indians' — don't you chipV — Francis:
Sa*lJle and Moccasin.
Chip in — Chit.
245
Chip in (American). Defined by
Bartlett as meaning to contri-
bute. He gives no etymology
for the word. It has also
another meaning, i.e., to take
shares in and contribute, as if
ten men were all to chip in on
any undertaking. Supposed to
be derived from "chips," the
counters which represent money
in gambling. As implying con-
cealment, in a slangy sense, it
probably was something to the
gypsy chipper, to hide ; Hindu,
chipana. Tan chipdnd, to hide
the body, i.e., one's self.
Chipper (American), lively. Pos-
sibly from " chippernigns,"
"chip-muk," or " chip-munk,"
a proverbially lively little squir-
rel. {Sicurus striatus, or striped
squirrel.)
Chippy (common), unwell.
He was chippier than ever after a jam-
boree of abnormal magnitude. — Sporting
Times.
Chips (popular), money.
She admitted for me she might possibly
care.
Chips, eh? I'm no mash for a tinker.
— Bird o Freedon.
Also a nickname for a car-
penter.
Chirido (gypsy), a bird. Romany
chiriclo, "the gypsy bird," i.e.,
the water-wagtail. It is said
that whenever one sees a water-
wagtail he will soon after meet
with gypsies. KCdo chinclo, a
blackbird or crow ; sometimes
pronounced chillico.
Chirki, shirki (gypsy), a star.
Chirki or shirki, a star in Romany,
may possibly have something in
common with the Persian chirkh,
meaning the sky, or chiragh, a
lamp.
Chirp, to (thieves and roughs), to
talk.
1 firmly resolved to chirp, when I was
taken before the magistrate to give evi-
dence, as little as possible. — /. Green-
wood : The Little R agamuffitis.
Also to inform.
Chirper (journalistic), a singer.
The gentle damsel informed the votive
vocalist that she could not .sleep at nights
through thinking about burglars, and con-
templated purchasing a revolver. " Don't
be rash," said the chirper. — Fun.
Chirpy (American), cheerful, like
a lark, in fact.
Chirruper (popular), an additional
glass.
Chisel, to (common), properly to
cut close as in a bargain, &c. ,
to cheat in a small way ; for in-
stance, to try to sell second-hand
or soiled goods for new ones.
(Winchester College), to cheat ;
a chisel, a cheat.
Chit (Anglo-Indian), a letter, note,
certificate, or pass. It is remark-
able that for nearly a century
diiierent writers in India speak
of the habit of writing notes on
all occasions, as if every person
in the country were a Micawber.
These incessant chits are an immense
trouble, but the ladies seem to like them. —
Letters from Madras (vide Anglo-Indian
Glossary).
246
Chit — Choker.
(Pidgin-English), same.
Empelo posha he name topside galantee
chit (the Emperor wrote his name on a
grand letter). — /"A* Woolly Hen.
(Clubs), orders for drinks, &c.,
given at clubs.
Chitterlings (old), the shirt frills
formerly fashionable.
Chitti (gypsy), nothing, trifling.
Chitty (tailors), an assistant cutter
or trimmer.
Chitty - faced (popular), said of
one who has a childish look,
like a chit or infant.
Chiv (gypsy) to put, place, fix,
throw. " Chiv lis adrd " — " Put
it in." " Chiv lis avrl " — " Throw
it away." " Chivella o chiriclo
adr^ lestis tan " — " She puts the
bird into his cage" {i.e., "tent").
To goad, chase, drive about.
In this sense probably from chiv,
a sharp-pointed knife or goad.
Hence, the English slang word,
to " chivy." " Chiv apr^," to
put or throw up.
(Tinker and Romany), a point-
ed knife. In gypsy generally
a churi.
Beruna, gibel a chiv for the gentry cove.
— Disraeli: Venetia.
Chivalry (old), coition. To do an
act of chivalry, to have con-
nection with a woman. More
modern is to "ride," with the
same sense. Old French writers
termed this chevaulcher.
Chive (thieves), a knife ; from the
gypsy to chive, to stab.
We had a fight and he put the chive into
me. — Horsley: Jottings from Jail.
Chive fencer (popular), a street
seller of cheap cutlery.
Chivy (thieves), the face ; to chivy,
to scold.
Chlorhin (tinker), to hear.
Choakee. See Choket.
Chocolate gale (nautical), a brisk
N.W. wind off the West Indies
and Spanish Main (Smyth).
Choke-jade (turf), a dip in the
course at Newmarket a few
hundred yards on the Cambridge
side of the running gap in the
Ditch.
Choke off, to (common), to get
rid of.
" We are so terribly troubled with beg-
gars. . . ." "Don't know how to choke 'em
off, my dear? Why, give 'em pudding
crust, cake, and dumplings of your own
making to be sure." — Fun.
Choker (prison), a cell. Yidt
Choki.
There was not a spare potato but what
he seized as soon as the dinner tins were
put outside the door by the prisoners, and
as a rule he was summarily marched off to
choker for stealing food intended for Her
Majesty's pigs. Choker had no terror for
this Chancery barrister — he rather liked it.
— Evening Xeivs.
Also a garotter.
a cravat.
(Common),
Choker — Choops.
247
He looks when walking — pretty pet !
With gait still stiffer than his choker.
As if he'd swallowed for a bet,
Or by mistake, the kitchen poker.
— Ally Slofier's Half-Holiday.
" White-cAoicr," a white tie.
We have what Mugford calls a white-
choker dinner to-day. — Thackeray : The
Adventures of Philip:
Also a clergyman.
Chokey (popular and thieves),
prison. Yidt Choki.
And didn't a bobby claw 'old on me . . .
and gits me a week in chokey, cos he
said I was a priggin'. — H. Evans: The
Brighton Beach Loafer.
In prisons chokey refers speci-
ally to the punishment cell.
(Anglo-Indian), a chair.
Don't throw yourself back in your burra
chokey and tell me it won't do. — Warren
Hastings to G. Vansittart.
Also a police station, a custom
or toll house. Hence watching
or mounting guard is called
chokey.
Choki, or chokie, the guard-room.
The lock-up or prison for mis-
conducted or drunken soldiers,
which is part and parcel of the
guard - house, and under the
charge of the barrack guard ;
generally a dark, gruesome
place, with no furniture but the
guard bed, the "little soldat"
of the French army, a standing
wooden erection, fixed, and on
a slope, with a raised wooden
pillow at one end. It is the
father of the plank bed, the
only bed for short-term pri-
soners in modern prison disci-
pline. Choki is Anglo-Hindu-
stani, derived from chank, the
market - place near the gate
in which Orientals, like our
medisevals, lodged their cap-
tives.
Chokidar (Anglo-Indian) , a watch-
man ; sometimes a police atten-
dant.
Chokka (gypsy), shoe or boot.
Hindu, charka.
Chokra, chuckoroo (Anglo-In-
dian), a boy, a youngster, especi-
ally one employed about a house-
hold, or a regiment.
Chone (gypsy), the moon. Also
chen.
" Tu shan i chone odre o hev
Miri deari kfimeli rani,
Te waveri fol;i shan o bav
Kun gav'la tut' fon mdn 'y " —
" The moon which passes o'er the sky.
My darling, seems like thee.
And other folk are but the clouds
That hide thy face from me."
Chonkeys (popular), explained by
quotation.
Chonkeys are a kind of mince-meat baked
in crust. — Mayhew : London Labour aiui
the London Poor.
Choomer (gypsy), a kiss. Plural,
chUmya, kisses.
" Si miri chUmya shan kushti to ha
Tu iiasti hatch bockalo, deari aja " —
" If kisses of mine were good to eat.
You shouldn't go hungry long, my
sweet."
Choops (Anglo - Indian), keep
silence ; a corruption of choo-
praho.
248
Chootah — Chores.
Chootah (Anglo-Indian), small,
insignificant.
Chop (pidgin and Anglo-Indian),
properly, a seal, stamp, or im-
pression. Used to indicate
quality, as in " first chop," i.e.
stamped or branded, or marked
as the best. Hindu, ch'hdp. It
is used on the Eastern seas also
for certificate, pass, license, sig-
nature. CAop-house, a custom-
house.
Wang he go to fi'st c/u>p coffin.
To be mand'lin an' chin-chin um !
— IVang the Snob.
Chop, to (turf), to beat. Essex
dialect, chop, to fiog. From chop
or chap, to cut.
Another in John Dawson's stable is likely
to be very handy here, and thai one is
Hawthorn, who created such a sensation
when she chopped the mighty Salisbury
at York the year before last. — Sporting
Times.
(Sport), to outstrip, catch.
A certain meet where, after chopping
their fox, poor Reynard's carcass was
"pinched" by a Brummagem rough. —
Bird o' Freedom.
Chop-chop (pidgin), quick,
quickly, make ha.ste, look sharp.
Cantonese, kap - Ara/5 ; Man-
darin, kip-kip. " In the Nortli-
ern dialects kwai-kivai, quick,
quick, is more usual" (Bishop
Moulo).
That nightcy tim begin chop-chop,
One young man walkec, no can stop,
Ma-skcc snow, niaskee ice,
He cally flag wit' chop so nice —
Top-side galow I
— Excelsior.
Chopper, chopping blow (boxing),
a short, downward blow with the
knuckles, delivered from the
elbow. Oneof the most clumsy,
ineffective, and most easily par-
ried blows that could be re-
sorted to. It was nevertheless
a favourite with SlacK (cham-
pion, 1750-60).
Chopper on (printers). A man
when miserable or "down in
the dumps " is said to have a
chopper on.
Chopping girl (old slang), a very
young female who exhibits
sexual precocity. One who has
la cuissegaie, as the French slang
humorously expresses it.
Choppy (American), applied to a
broken, hillocky county.
Chops (popular), the mouth. A
" wipe in the chops," a blow on
the face ; " down in the chops,''
sad. Chops is a nickname given
by schoolboys to one who has
well-developed maxillaries.
Chor, char (gypsy), grass. Hindu,
chara, fodder.
Chore (gypsy), a thief, to steal.
" Kai did tute cliore adovo?" —
"Where did you steal that?"
Hindu, chor, a thief.
Chores (American), odd jobs. A
" choreman " is a handy man, a
Jack of all trades.
Their carpenter was dead, and I am a
handy man, so I took his place. Then
made a few dollars doing cliores around. —
The Golden Butterjly.
Choring — Chow-chow.
249
Choring (Scottish thieves), steal-
ing. From the gypsy.
While outside the cells he heard . . .
ask "What she was in for?" Maciver
replied, " Choring, me and Maggie
Devaney." He took that to mean steal-
ing. — Scottish Newspaper.
Choro (gypsy), poor ; also churero
and chdridlr, poorer. " Mandy's
a churedo " — " I am a poor man."
This word is confused with
choredo, one not of pure gypsy
blood, and stolen; e.g., churedo
or posh an' posh,*hali. and half,
also a poor person.
" Oh, mandy shorn ckoro te kalo ;
Oh, mandy shorn kek pensa rye " —
" Oh, I am poor and black ;
Oh, I am not like a gentleman."
— Gypsy Wooing.
Chortle (popular), to howl.
Chota-hazry (Anglo-Indian),
" little breakfast ; " refreshment
taken early in the morning,
corresponding to the auroral
mint julep or pre-prandial cock-
tail of Virginia. An ante-break-
fast.
The small meal commonly known in
India as chota-hnziri, and in our English
colonies as Early Tea. — IVaring: Tropi-
cal Resident.
Chouse (schools). It is a regular
ckouse, signifies it is a great
shame.
The boy . . . was told that what he
had done was an awful chouse.— Brinsley
Richards : Seven Years at Eton.
(Common), to chouse, to cheat
out of one's share or portion.
Supposed to be derived from
the Turkish chia<ms, an inter-
preter, on account of a gross
fraud committed by one on
Turkish merchants in London.
Chout (East End, London), an en-
tertainment (Hotten).
Chovey (costermongers), a shop.
Chovihani, chovihan (gypsy), a
witch, a wizard. Hindu, choi-
hani. ' ' Miri diri bibi ma kamara
butidiro tevel chovihani" — " My
dear aunt, I would like to be-
come a witch."
Chowdar (Anglo-Chinese), a fool.
Chow-chow (pidgin-EngUsh), to
eat, or food of any kind. This
is the chief definition, but the
word is also specially applied to
a kind of sweet preserve made
of many things, and has thence
been somewhat incorrectly taken
to mean a medley of trifles of
any kind. Also chow-chow, " to
have a meal. " In the Mandarin
dialect cki-fan, showing that the
radical of the word means to
eat, and not a mixture.
" Littee Jack Horna,
Makee sit inside coma,
Choiv-clunv he Clismas-pie ;
He puttee inside t'um."
We ate chow-chow with chopsticks on
the celestial restaurants. — Mark Twain;
Innocents at Home.
The word chow<how is suggestive
especially to the Indian reader of a mixture
of things good, bad, and indifferent ; of
sweet little oranges and bits of bamboo
stick, slices of sugar-cane and rinds of
unripe fruit, all concocted together . . .
into a very tolerable confection. — Bombay
Quarterly Review, 1858.
250
Chowing — Chucked.
Chowing or chippingf (theatrical),
incessant talking, grumbling.
Christening (thieves), christening
a watch is altering the name of
maker and number.
Christians (Cambridge Univer-
sity), a name given to the
members of Christ's College,
Cambridge.
Chuck (Westminster School), a
schoolboy's treat.
(Military), mealy bread. (Nau-
tical), hard chuck, sea biscuit.
(Popular), explained by quota-
tion.
A labourer will term a fellow he dislikes
"a beggar who eats chuck," chuck being
a low-priced part of the carcase. — Stan-
dard.
Also bread and meat.
(Common), the chuck, turning
out of doors, dismissal.
And I shall get the blooming chuck as
well as fourteen days. — Sporting Times.
Chuck, to (popular), to eat.
Mo and his man were having a great
breakfast one morning. . . . Mo exclaimed
to his man, " Chuck rumbo (cat plenty) my
lad." — Hindlcy: Life and Adventures of
a Cheap Jack.
To turn out of doors, used
specially in reference to drunken
men forcibly ejected f rom-public-
honses.
There's one on 'em a-sitting next to me
. . . let's chuck him. — Sporting Times.
To chuck or chuck up, to give
up the game or attempt, from
the custom of throwing up the
sponge at a prize fight.
The rest of us can chuck up work indefi-
nitely. — Sporting Times.
Chuck a fit, to (popular), to pre-
tend to have a fit.
He suddenly tumbled across Stephens
and Pascal's " Words and Music for Chil-
dren of all Ages," and he neaxly chucked
a fit when he saw that No. 9, described
as a drinking song, was called "Ginger
Beer," and in praise of that fluid ! — Sport-
ing Times.
Chuck and toss (popular), tossing
for halfpence.
They frequently had halfpence given to
them. They played also at chuck and
toss with the journeymen, and of course
were stripped of every farthing. — Afay-
Iiew. London Labour and the London
Poor.
Chuck a stall, to (thieves), ex-
plained by quotation.
I said to my pal, " Chuck me a stall and
111 have that." What did I mean ? Why,
keep close to me, and cover what I'm
doing. — Greenwood : Seven Years' Penal
Servitude.
Chuck churches (old slang), those
who dealt simoniacally in the
sale of livings were so called.
Chucked (prison), acquitted or
released. " 7, or the chuck for
a clock," inscribed on a prison
wall, meant that the writer ex-
pected seven years' penal servi-
tude, if he was not acquitted,
on the charge of stealing a
watch.
Rit from 7 dials ; remanded innocent
on two charges of pokes, only out 2 weeks
for a drag, expects to be fullicd or else
chucked. — Horsley : Jottings from Jail.
Chucked — Chull.
251
(Popular), disappointed, thrown
out, sold, reproved.
Chucked again, chucked again !
Whatever may happen I get all the blame.
Wherever I go, it is always the same —
Jolly well chucked again !
— Yardley: Chucked Again.
Chucked in, into the bargain.
Went to one on 'em yesterday, Charlie ; a
regular old up and down lark.
The Pallis free gratis, mixed up with a old
country fair in a park,
And Rosherville gardens chucked in.
— Punch.
Chucked up (prison), discharged
from jail.
When i was chucked up they took me
to an old Jew's in Dudley Street for my
clothes. — Evening News.
Chucker (cricketers), a bowler
who throws the ball instead
of bowling it. Also one who
volunteers to play, and does not
keep his promise.
(Common), chucker, or chucker
out, a waiter or potman whose
duty it is to turn drunkards out.
'Tis midnight— the chucker his duty has
done ;
In the gutter lies Liza — she's been in the
"sun."
— sporting Times.
Used figuratively.
Lord Grey was about to resume his role
of chucker out to the proposed measure of
his own party. — Punch.
(Anglo-Indian),
quoit.
chucTcer, a
Chuck in (popular), to challenge ;
from the prize-fighting custom
of throwing a cap into the ring.
Nearlv obsolete.
Chucking a curly (military),
going sick without cause. To
"chuck" a fit is a common
slang expression for counter-
feiting one, and the curly may
be traceable to the contortions
and convulsions of the supposed
sufferer, who is all curled up as
he lies writhing on the bed or
floor.
Chucking a jolly (coster-
mongers), ironically praising a
greenhorn, or the goods of a
comrade.
Chucking rocks (American),
throwing stones.
Chuckle-head (popular), a man
with a large head, a dunce.
Chuck-me-dos (bird fanciers), a
variety of singing-bird, in imita-
tion of its notes.
Talk about yer Middlesex rubbish, with
their toU-loU-loll-kiss-me-dears ; they don't
touch yer reg'ler good chuck-me-dos by any
number of chalks.—/. Greenwood: In
Strange Company.
Chuck the dummy, to (thieves),
to feign an epileptic attack or a
fit. In prisons the expression
applies to one who feigns an
epileptic fit in order to be re-
moved to the infirmary.
Chuff it (popular), be off.
Chull (Anglo-Indian), make haste
An abbreviation of the Hindo-
stanee chuLlo, go along.
252
Chummage — Cincinnati.
Cbummag'e, chumming-up (old),
a custom amongst prisoners be-
fore imprisonment for debt was
abolished. When a fresh man
was admitted to their number,
rough music was made with
poker, tongs, sticks, and sauce-
pans. For this ovation the ini-
tiated prisoner had to pay
(Hotten).
Chummy (popular), chimney-
sweep. Also a low-crowned
felt hat.
Chump (popular), for chum.
Fancy, old chump,
Me doing the sawdusty reglar, and foller-
ing swells on the stump.
— Punch.
A hard-headed feUow ; the
head. " Off his cAwnip," insane.
Old gentleman off his chump— r\in<,
Away.—Si'ms : Social Kaleidoscope.
(American), a chump, a fellow,
chap.
We believe that he is the man to put on
the turf with John L. with bare fists, and
stop the big chump's noise. — New York
National Police Gazette.
Chump of wood (rhyming slang),
no good.
Chunk (streets), explained by
quotation.
Here they gambol about like rabbits,
until somebody raises the cry, " Nix ! the
chunk " (the slang term for School Board
officer). — Thor Fredur : Sketches from
Shady Places.
Chunks (American), large quan-
tity.
Look here, pard, we've struck it this
time ; chunks of it \—New York Star.
Church, a term of endearment.
" My church," my dear !
(Thieves), to "church a yack,"
vide Christening.
Churched (common), married.
"If it were not for the women, I fear
few churches would be wanted." " Of
course not, there'd be no one to be
churched." — Sporting Times.
Chu-shimgf (pidgin), Chinese »/(eon-
chu-shang, "you little beast" or
"animal." Often used jestingly
in conversation with flower-boat
girls.
She talkee, " Whomenyou comedisside?
My pay you flog gum, sheon<hu-shang, you
littee beasts — san-ne-ko-tow — my cuttee
off your head ! "—The Little Wife.
Chuzzle, to (popular), cheat, cir-
cumvent.
Cig (American), a cigar.
Dancing the jig,
Every fellow with a cig,
And a cig of confounded bad tobacco.
— Broadside.
Cinch (American), to subdue, get
the better of, extort, impose
upon.
My father is wealthy, and I think I can
cinck him for five hundred dollars. —
Denver Republican.
(Thieves), to put the screw on
any one.
Cincinnati olives (American),
pigs, because a large quantity
of olive oil is manufactured out
of Cincinnati lard.
Cinder — Claret-jug.
253
Cinder (common), a dram of
spirits mixed with seltzer or
soda water. (Sporting), the
cinder, the running path.
At Lords' wickets, or Lilley Bridge
cinder.— Funny Folks.
Cinder grabber (popular), a ser-
vant maid.
Circumbendibus (common), in a
roundabout way. A long yarn.
Circus cuss (thieves), circus
rider.
City college (thieves), Newgate
prison.
Civil rig (beggars), a trick of
beggars to obtain alms by over
civility.
Civvies (army), a suit of civvies,
i.e., civilian's clothes.
Clack (popular), the tongue,
speech ; to clack, to talk idly,
to chatter.
Clack box (common), a garrulous
person.
Clacker (popular), talk, chatter,
also pudding or pie crust.
I hope we've got plenty of clacker for
Christmas if we haven't got anything else.
— Rare Bits.
Clack-loft (popular), a pulpit.
Gladder (old), a male flirt.
ClaggTim (popular), boiled treacle
hardened. From"closr."
Claim (Australian and American),
a miner's allotment.
The hill is systematically honey-combed
with claims old and new. — L. IVork :
Australian Printers' Keepsake.
(Thieves), to claim, to steal
Clam butcher (American), a man
who opens dams.
Clank (thieves and tramps), a
tankard.
Tip me the clank, like a timber-mort as
you are. — Disraeli: Venetia.
Clanker (old cant), silver plate.
Clapper (popular), the tongue;
more especially that of a loqua-
cious person.
Clapper-dudgeon (old cant), a
beggar born.
Claras (Stock Exchange), Cale-
donian Railway stock.
For we have our Sarahs and Claras,
Our Noras and Doras for fays.
— Atkin : House Scraps.
Claret (pugilistic), a term which
has become general for blood.
If you spill
One drop of his claret that's not in your
bill,
I'll hang you. By jingo ! I will.
— Ing;oldsby Lesends.
To tap the claret, to draw
blood.
Claret-jug (pugilistic), now com-
mon for the nose.
What, oh what's the meaning of that
chappie's blackened eyes '/
On his claret-jug, I ask you, what's that
variegated rise ?
— Bird o' Freedom.
254
Classy — Cleymans.
Classy, clashy (Anglo-Indian), a
common sort of person, a tent-
pitcher, a chain-bearer.
In such a country it was perfectly hope-
less to dream of getting any of the clean
skins home to the yards. — Finch Hation :
Advance Australia.
Claw (prison), a lash of the cat-o'-
nine tails.
Oh ! cass that old Kerr, who condemned
me to twenty-five claws with the cat.
— Greenwood: A Night in a Work-
house.
Claw-hammer (common), dress
coat. In French slang, queue
de pie, or siffiet.
The black claw-hammer coat was gene-
rally -worn.— Standard.
Claws for breakfast (prison), a
humorous expression for the
infliction of the cat, which
usually takes place in the
morning.
... A rufSan being uncertain as to the
morning when he is to have, as he himself
would say, clams /or breakfast, is in the
habit of lying night after night in a sweat
of terror. — Greemvood : In Strange Com-
pany.
Clean (thieves), expert, smart. In
French, un soldat propre is a
smart soldier.
Clean out, to (common), to take
or win all one has ; to ruin.
Ah ! ... he has cleaned me out, but I
can go and earn some more when I like. —
Dickens : Oliver Tivist.
Clean skin (Australian), the term
for unbranded and wild-bred
cattle which have escaped to
the scrubs.
Clean straw (Winchester College),
clean sheets. Formerly the
beds had a straw mattress,
hence the expression.
Clean the slate, to (popular), to
pay off all debts.
And everything comes right some day.
Though " thirty-five per cent." is hot,
'Tis cheap when pa pays all the
shot!
Let hatter, tailor, fellahs wait,
A wife with cash will clean the slate.
— Ballad : Tra la la.
Clear (thieves), drunk.
Clear crystal (popular), spirits
generally, but more correctly
probably gin or whisky only.
Cleave (old slang), one that will
cleave is said of wanton and
forward women, such as would
throw themselves at a man with-
out waiting for favour to be
asked of them.
Clerked (old), imposed upon.
Clerk's blood (old), red ink. A
common expression of Charles
Lamb's.
Clever - shins
fellow.
(schools), a sly
Cleymans (old cant), artificial
sores made by beggars to im-
pose upon people.
Click — Clobber.
255
Click (popular), a blow ; to dick,
to snatch.
Clicks in the gob, blows on the
mouth.
. . . What with clouts on the nob.
Home hits in the bread basket, clicks in
the gob.
— Moore : Tom Crib's Memorial.
Clicker (printing), a person in a
printing-office who is at the
head of a certain number of
compositors for a particular
division of work or otherwise.
It is also used in the shoemak-
ing trade. (Trade), a female
touter at a bonnet-shop, or the
servant of a salesman who stands
at the door. (Popular), a knock-
down blow.
Clift, to (thieves), to steal.
Clinch (popular and thieves), to
get the clinch, to be imprisoned.
Clincher (general), a settler.
Clink (military), another term for
guard-house, derived evidently
from the Clink, one of the ancient
London prisons, that of West-
minster. Sir Walter Scott, in
" Peveril of the Peak," makes
Jem Clink one of the warders
in Newgate.
(Thieves), plate.
He wouldn't have been hobbled but the
melting-pot receiver proved his selling flie
clink to him. — G. Parker: Variegated
Characters.
Clinker (common), any thing or
person that is first-rate, equiva-
lent to a " stunner."
The yellow-haired girl at the bar. A
clinker, ain't she ? gave me these (cigars),
and they are 'orrid bad. — Ward or Wife.
(Thieves), a chain.
Clinkerum (old), the gaoL From
the old prison called the "Clink."
Clink-rig (thieves), stealing tan-
kards from public -houses.
Clipper (general), something very
good, very fast, above the aver-
age. Derived from the swift-
sailing ships called opium and
tea clippers.
There must be a new horse bought, not
a knacker's sort of horse, mind yer, but
a regler clipper; a chestnut; goes like
steam, Sam ses it do." — ■/. Greenwood:
The Little Ragamuffins.
Clipping (general), excellent.
A "clipping ball," a ^'dipping
good chap." Vide Clippeb.
Clishpen (tinker), to break by
letting fall.
Clisp (tinker), to fall ; let fall.
Cloak- twitchers (old cant), thieves
who robbed passers-by of their
cloaks. The old French tire-
laine.
Clobber (popular and thieves),
clothes. A corruption of that
word, with a change of syllable.
If you are hard up always tell the dear
things that j-ou are a gentleman's valet.
This will account for your good clobber. —
Sporting Times.
Next morning I got up about seven, and
went home to change my clobber, and put
256
Clobbered up — Clothes-pin.
on the old clobber to work with the kipsy.
— Horsley : Jottings from Jail.
Clobbered up (popular and vul-
gar), dressed up.
" D'you know, if you were clobbered up
I shouldn't mind taking you out?" She
promised to be presentable. In her own
words, she said, " I'll come clobbered up
like a dukess." — Fun.
(Theatrical), patched
shabby-genteel get up.
up;
Clock (English and American), a
watch.
When you have the clock safe in your
hand, break the little ring that holds it to
the chain, using both hands to do it, and
then drop the sucker (victim) into his
chair (seat) again, and say, " Wait here till
I bring you a cab." — Philadelphia Press.
Clock -calm (nautical), perfect
calm.
Clod -crushers (American), an
epithet used by Americans to
describe the large feet which
they believe to be the charac-
teristics of Englishwomen as
compared with those of their
own country, an opinion shared
by other foreign critics as well ;
but in reality the question is
one that rests wholly on the art
of the shoemaker, and it is a
fact that English ladies of
fashion (who generally show
greater regard for the appear-
ance of their nether extremity,
from the garter downward, than
their more humble and plain
sisters usually do) can favour-
ably compare, in that respect at
least, with any of the dainty,
neat-ankled, light-tripping ones
of New York or Paris. At any
rate they take more wholesome
exercise in the fresh air, and if
they fail to satisfy to the same
extent the eye of the artist or
the voluptuary, they are able to
walk greater distances without
groaning at every step, and
decidedly have the advantage
at " crushing clods."
(Common), large feet.
Cloister-roush (Winchester Col-
lege). Formerly in cloister-
time two halves of the school
used to rush from the ends of
the school at each other. To
run "cloisters": when a man
in junior part is put into senior
part without passing through
the middle one he is said to
" run cloisters."
Clothes, coloured (army), plain
clothes as distinguished from
uniform. More particularly in
the infantry, and the expression
" coloured " is probably ironical,
plain clothes, or mufti, being as
a rule less strongly coloured
than the crimson livery of the
Queen. The expression has
oflicial sanction, however, and
is often used at courts-martial,
when a prisoner is charged with
having " absented himself with-
out leave, until apprehended in
' coloured clothes,' " &c. &c. —
out of uniform, that is to say.
Clothes-pin (American), that's
the sort of clothes-pin I am, i.e.,
that's the sort of man I am.
Cloth-market — Cly.
257
Cloth-market (old), a term for a
bed, quaint but not slang.
Miss, your slave ; I hope your early ris-
ing will do you no harm : I find you are
but just come out of the cloth-market. —
Swift: Polite Conversation.
An old French corresponding
term is haUe aux draps.
Cloud-cleaner (nautical), an ima-
ginary sail carried by a Yankee
bottom.
Clout (common), a blow. A
" clout in the chops," a blow on
the face. (Thieves), a pocket-
handkerchief.
Clouting (thieves), stealing hand-
kerchiefs.
Clow (Winchester College), a box
on the ears; to clow, to box
one's ears.
Clower (old cant), possibly allied
to the Gaelic cliah, a basket ;
termed "kipsy" by English
thieves.
Cloyer (old cant), one who at-
tempted to share in the profits
of a robbery or a swindle in
which he bore no part.
Then there's a cloyer or snap, that dogs
any new brother in the trade, and snaps ;
and will have half in any booty. — Roaring
Girl : Sixteenth Century.
Club, to (military), to get a party
of men or troops into a confused
mass through a blunder when
manoeuvring.
Cly (thieves), pocket.
To his dies my hooks I throw in, and
collar his dragons clear away. — W.
Maginn : Vidocq's Slang Song.
Old cant, dye, to take, to seize,
from old English deyes, claws.
Cly is provincial for money. To
take, steal, money, pocket seem
to be interchangeable terms in
various slang languages.
Cly in old cant had also the
signification of sack, basket,
possibly from Gaelic cliah,
basket.
Clye, cly, to (old cant), to take,
to seize.
Gerry gan, the ruffian clye thee. — T.
Hamtan: Caveat.
To cly off, to carry away.
Here safe in our skipper let's cly off our
peck.
And bowse in defiance o' th' Harman-beck.
— Broojne : Jovial Crew.
Also cly, to steal.
Cly-faker (thieves), a pickpocket.
They were gentlemen sharpers, and not
vulgar cracksmen and cly-fakers. — Lytton :
Pelham.
This may be from cly, a pocket,
as suggested, but it is worth
noting that in Dutch thieves'
slang, kleifolher is a thief who
wanders about, derived from
fokker, one who goes about, and
Ueif, silver. Vide Cly.
Cly-faking' (thieves), picking
pockets. Vide Fake.
"What is cly-fakingV . . . "Why, a
prigging of wipes, and sneeze-boxes, and
ridicules, and such." — //. Kingsley: Ra-
vcnshoe.
Cly the jerk, to (old cant), to
stand in the pillory.
R
258
Coach — Cob.
Coach (university and public
school), the private tutor by
whose aid a student is " driven "
through his examination at the
university. It is now no longer
peculiar to the university.
He was a student at Christ Church and
a Fellow of Merton, and in early life was
a very successful coach at Oxford. — The
World.
A tutor not connected with a
college is sometimes termed a
" rural coach."
(General and sport), to coach,
to instruct, to "drive,"to prepare
a man for an examination ; a
word which has now almost at-
tained to a recognised place in
the language.
I coached him before he got his scholar-
ship ; he ought to have taken honours
before Easter, but he was ill. — G, Eliot :
Deronda.
Also to instruct in physical
acquirements, such as boating,
&c.
He had already been down several times
in pair-oar and four-oar boats, with an old
oar to pull stroke, and another to steer and
coach the young idea. — T, Hughes: Torn
Jlrcrwn at Oxford,
Coaching' (common), instructing.
An almost recognised word.
There is no sport which is healthier
. . . than rowing under proper coaching
and supervision. — Staruiard.
(Rugby), a flogging.
Coach-'wrheel (popular and
thieves), a crown piece ; French
slang roue de derriire.
Coal, cole (common), money ;
"post the cole," put down the
money.
Coaling (theatrical), a coaling
part, a part which is popular
with the audience — one which
elicits great applause ; coaling
lines, telling speeches.
It was customary some years
ago, when a young actor
achieved a success in a part of
this character, for some ancient
idiot to put a piece of coal in
the youngster's dressing-place.
One fails to see the fun of this.
Hotten says coaling, profitable,
very good, is derived from coal,
money.
Coals (common), to "pull over
the coals," to scold. (Nautical),
to "take one's coals in," to
catch a venereal disease.
Coal-scuttle (American), a nick-
name for the peculiar bonnet
worn by Quakeresses, which
was exactly the shape of an old-
fashioned coal-scuttle. Some
years ago coal-scuttle bonnets
were worn in England. Vv.le
Leech's sketches.
There was Miss Snevellici . . . glancing
from the depths ofher(r^a/-jc«^</<r bonnet at
Nicholas. — Dickens : Nicholas Nickleby.
Cob (popular), a piece of bread
baked in a round form for
dinner.
(English prisons), a dark pun-
ishment cell.
Cob, to (schoolboys), to catch or
detect. Coh is jjrobably a cor-
ruption of the cant word " cop,"
from the gypsy kap.
(Popular), to deceive, humbug.
Cobble-colter — Cockatoo.
259
Cobble-colter (tramps and gyp-
sies), a turkey.
Come, old mort, tout the cobhle<olter.
. . . And Beruna, flick the panam. —
Disraeli: Venetia.
Cobbled (schoolboys), caught or
detected. Cobbled is a variation
of " cobbed." Vide To CoB.
Cobbler (Australian shearers'
slang), the last sheep. This
term is very widely spread in
Victoria. It is a pun of the
shearers. The cobbler is the man
with the last, and therefore they
call the last sheep the cobbler.
Cochineal dye (pugilistic), blood.
He would kindly inquire of one gentle-
man, "What d'ye ask for a pint of your
cochinealdye ?" — C.Bede: Verdant Green.
Cock (racing), " a cock horse,"
properly a child's rocking-horse,
is a horse kept in the betting
quotations to deceive public
backers, though known to the
private layers against him that
he has no chance of winning,
(Tailors), a good cock, one
who thoroughly understands
how a garment should be made.
A poor cock, the reverse.
(Thieves), an abbreviation of
" cockney."
(Pugilistic), a man knocked
out of time ; used in the phrase
"knocked him a cock.'^ From
the expression "to knock into
a cocked hat."
(Printers), vide Jeff and
Theow. When throwing or
j effing, should one or more of
the nine quadrats not fall flat,
but lodge crosswise on another,
it is termed a cock, and the
thrower is allowed another turn
or chance.
(Popular), to cock, to smoke
(Hotten).
Cock a ball, to (cricketers), to
throw a ball under-handed.
Cock-a-brass (old cant), a con-
federate of card- sharpers who
remains outside the public-
house where they are operating.
When they have left, cock-a-brass
protects their retreat by mis-
leading statements to the victim
on the direction taken by them.
Cock-a-hoop (common), in high
spirits ; alluding to a victorious
cock crowing. This is borne out
by the French, "se dresser sur
ses ergots," to be elated or to
look proud and defiant.
Cock and hen club (common), a
free and easy gathering where
persons of both sexes are ad-
mitted. One composed exclu-
sively of males is a " stag party,"
whereas a gathering of females
who do congregate for the pur-
pose of drinking tea and gossip-
ing is termed a " cat party."
Cock and pinch. The old beaver
hat cocked back and front, and
pinched at the sides.
Cockatoo (Australian up-country).
Also cockatoo farmer or settler,
a small settler. Sometimes
termed cocki/. So called to
compare them with the common
sulphur-crested white cockatoos,
which come down 6n the newly
sown cornfields in myriads.
26o
Cockatoo — Cocks.
The cockatoo settlers or free selectors
fight desperately for the privilege of pick-
ing out any piece of land they may fancy.
— Grant: Busk Life in Queensland.
A cockatoo fence is one on a
cockatoo's farm.
The trees themselves, . . . woven with
their branches into the stout cockatoo
fence. — BlackiuoocFs Magazine : C. T.,
Imjiressions o/ Australia.
Cocked hat (common), "knocked
into a cocked hat," completely
beaten, smashed, out of shape.
Cocked his toes (thieves), dead.
Cocked it (tailors), examined it,
saw it, spoke of it.
Cocker (low), my cocker, my good
fellow.
"I'm on, my cocker," 1 sez. "Giv' us
your ';ind on it, my pippin, and arf a quid
on account." — //. Evans: The Brighton
Beach Loafer.
Cock-eye (popular), one who
squints.
Cockles (popular), more a vulgar-
ism than slang. Literally the
wrinkles.
In Bermondsey not long ago there lived a
little dame ;
She was the cockles of my heart, and Nancy
was her name.
— Nancy Fancied a Soldier.
Cockneyshire (tailors), London.
Cock-quean, a female cuckold, or
a wife whose husband goes with
other women. A beggar or
cheat (Wright).
Queene June, not a little wroth against
her husband's crime,
By whome she was a cock-quean made.
— Warner: Albion's England.
Cockroaches (old slang), to get
cockroaches, a phrase used at
one time to describe the prac-
tice of secret vices.
Cockrobin shop (printers), a small
printing-office where common
work is done, and where labour
is badly paid for, is usually de-
scribed as such. From the fact
that some cheap printers were
noted for the issue of fly-leaves,
on which were printed stories,
such as the "Death of Cock
Robin."
Cocks (common publishing slang).
According to Hotten, " fictitious
narratives in verse or prose of
murders, terrible accidents, &c."
They are the topical legends of
the street. The suggestion that
the term is derived from a
" cooked " statement is very far-
fetched ; that it came from a
" cock and bull story " is at least
ingenious. It is possible, though
not proved, that, as these nar-
ratives were originally chiefly
sung in a dull chant, the pro-
verbially wearisome and mono-
tonous songster, the cuckoo,
gave the original name to these
C'^oi-minstrels and their wares.
The Dutch say of such a voca-
list, " Hy zingt den Koekeoks
zang," he sings the cuckoo's
song — " he harps always upon
the same string."
(Pugilistic), blows.
Cock-sure — Coddom.
261
Cock-sure (popular), certain, con-
fident. Probably an abbrevia-
tion of " cocky-sure," i.e., confi-
dent, as a "cocky" fellow. It
has been suggested that the
origin ought to be sought in the
old practice of cock-throwing.
Shakespeare uses the expression
in the sense of "sure as the
took of a fire-lock."
We steal as in a castle, cock-sure. . . ,
We walk invisible. — Henry IV.
Cock-up (printers), a term for
superior letters or figures, such
as used for abbreviations, i.e.
"Mr- "or "A\" &c.
Cocky (common), saucy.
Cocky. Tide, Cockatoo.
Cocoa-nut (common), the head.
French slang, le coco.
Cocum (common London slang,
also Yiddish). In Hebrew
chochum, chochem, or cochcm,
crafty, learned, wise, or a wise
man. According to Hotten the
English slang term means
shrewdness, ability, luck.
"Jack's got cocum" he's safe
to get on. Among themselves
German thieves call one another
by this name. Mr. Hotten does
not recognise any Hebrew origin
for the word, and suggests that it
is "allied to the Scottish keek and
German gucken, to peep or pry
into." In Yiddish cocJiemer or
cochem, pronounced almost like
cocum, means wisdom ; cochum-
wirth, a thieves' landlord ; each-
mat Schlaumauck, the wisdom
of Solomon.
" Wie grau sejnen deine werk, got, ale
hastu gemacht mit chochmah, die welt is
vul deine akufte, du hast sei beschafen." —
Polish-German Yiddish Translation of
the 104/A Psalm, cited by GrUnbaum.
(Theatrical), wariness, to
"fight cocum" to be cautious.
(Booksellers), a sliding scale
of profit in the book trade in
cases where the books are
not marked, according to your
customer.
Cod (popular), a fool; to cod,
to chaff, hoax. An idiom im-
ported from the sister isle.
She threw a plaice right in my face,
And told me to depart.
I thought that she was codding me.
And told her I should stop.
She lifted up her lovely foot,
And kicked me out of the shop.
— Barrett: Old Jones's Gal.
(Thieves), a purse. Gaelic
cod, a bag.
(Tailors), a drunkard ; on the
cod, drinking and neglecting
work. From coddle, a pro-
vincialism for to indulge.
Codd (Charterhouse), probably
from codger, an old pensioner.
Yonder sit some threescore old gentle-
men, pensioners of the hospital, . . . the
Cistercian lads called these old gentlemen
codds. — Thackeray: The Neiucomes.
Codding (Irish schoolboys), non-
sense, humbug, chaff.
Coddom (popular), explained by
quotation.
The convicts take advantage of that to
the extent sometimes of playing a gam-
262
Coddom — Cold.
bling game called coddom. It is simple
enough. They play three or four a side,
the implement being a button or a peculiar-
shaped small piece of stone, "guess
whose hand it is in " being the principle.
— J. Greenwood: Seven Years' Penal
Servitude.
Hotten gives "coddam, a
public-house game, much affec-
ted by medical students and
cabmen."
Codgfing job (tailors), a garment
to repair.
Cod - lasher (theatrical), a kind
of suspender used by tight-rope
dancers, acrobats, pantomimists,
&c., to protect the crutch.
From cods, which see.
Cods (common), the testicles.
Cod properly is a pad and bag
for the testicles. Gaelic cod,
a bag.
Cofe (old cant), fellow.
What, stowe your bene, co/e. — T. Har-
man : Caveat.
Co£fee-null (common). The mouth
is so termed, but the phrase
is rarely heard now, having
given place to others.
(American), explained by
quotation.
One of the old-pattern Colts, with the
barrels revolving ; the ancient coffee-mill
or "pepper-box." — //. L. WiUiavis :
Buffalo Bill.
French slang has moidin a
cafe for a mitrailleuse.
Coffee-shop (popular), the W.C.
Also a coflin.
Coffin-ships (nautical), any leaky
cranky unseaworthy vessels.
Cog(oldcant),atooth. (Sharpers),
to co^r, to cheat at dice. (Schools),
to cheat at examinations by
using cribs or other sources of
information. A perfectly recog-
nised word in the sense of de-
ceive, cheat generally ; hence
cogs, loaded dice.
Coge, or coag it, to (American),
according to Bartlett, refers to
the habitual and excessive use
of ardent spirits. Cogue, to drink
drams (Wright). From provin-
cial English cogue, a dram.
Coguing the nose (nautical),
making comfortable over hot
negus or grog. From provin-
cial English cogue, a dram.
Coker. Vide Clanker.
Cold blood, a house licensed for
the sale of beer "not to be
drunk on the premises " (Hot-
ten).
Cold coffee (common), misfortune.
(Oxford), a trumpery affair.
Cold comfort (traders), said of
articles sent out on approval
and returned.
Cold cook (popular), an under-
taker (Hotten).
Cold deck (American), a prepared
pack of cards, played on a green
board.
Cold meat (popular), a corpse.
Cold — Collaring.
263
Cold meat box (popular), a coffin.
Cold pig (popular), a dash of cold
water to waken an indolent
servant or lazy person in the
morning.
He never threw cold water over her
when she was in bed. Mr. Justice re-
marked that no doubt many of them knew
what cold pig was. — Daily News.
(Thieves), a person who has
been robbed of his clothing. A
corpse.
(Commercial), returned goods.
Cold shake (American), a cold
period of weather, also used
sometimes in reference to fever
and ague. As a figure of speech
it is applied to cold and reserved
conduct. " It gives me the
ccld shakes just to look at her —
she's so frozen up an' digner-
fied."
Cold tea (common), brandy. In
use also during the last century.
The Spectator, Tatler, and Ouar-
dian often allude to a "keg " of
ccM tea.
Cold thing (American cadet), to
have a cold thing, to have a cer-
tainty, to be entirely confident
of anything.
Cold water army (common), a
facetious name given to the
fraternity of teetotallers.
An old stager was compelled by his
worthy spouse to join the cold "water
army, which he did, promising not to
touch a drop of anything except in sick-
ness. He has never been well since. —
Diprose : Modern Joe Miller,
Cold without (common), spirits
with cold water and without
sugar.
1 laugh at fame. Fame, sir I not worth
a glass of fold -without. — Lytton: My
Novel.
Cole (popular), money. Tide
Coal.
Moreover, the whole of the said cash or
cole
Shall be spent for the good of the old
woman's soule.
— Ingoldsby Legends.
Colfabis, a Latinized Irish
phrase, signifying the closet of
decency, applied as a slang
term to a place of resort in
Trinity College, Dublin.
Colinderies (society), modern
term for the Colonial Exhibition,
used as an abbreviation.
Colla, cuUo (gypsy), a thing,
things. " Chiv yer cuLloi adre
the wardo" — " Pitch your things
into the waggon 1 "
Collar (common), " out of collar,"
out of cash, not in training ;
a phrase borrowed from the
stable. Also out of work.
A decent allowance made to seedy
swells, head robbers, and flunkeys out of
collar. (Slang advertisement.)
To collar, to seize, to steal
(Thieves), " to collar his dra-
gons," to steal his sovereigns.
Collar day (old), hanging day.
Collaring' the big bird (theatri-
cal), getting hissed. An allu-
264
Collar — Colours.
sion to a goose's mode of ex-
pressing angry dissatisfaction.
Collar 'work (common), hard
work ; an uphill journey.
And when Lucca was reached there
were still fourteen miles, nearly all collar
■work, between that and the baths. — Trol-
lope : What I Remember.
Collector (old cant), a street
robber.
Colleger (University and schools),
the square cap worn by univer-
sity men, or by boys at public
and other schools.
Colley (theatrical). Actors and
others connected with the stage
speak of the columbine as
cMey.
Colly- wobbles (popular), rumb-
lings in the intestines ; the
belly-ache. A probable origin
is colic-Jco6Wes, the latter word
from to wobble, i.e., to shake
from side to side. But it should
be noted that colly is a provin-
cialism for anything irregular,
uneven, wrong.
Colo (pidgin), cold.
Hab lib in colo land,
Hab stop where we belong,
What tim much soUy in-i-sy {inside,
in her heart),
She makee dis sing song.
— The Princess in Tartary.
Colonial (Australian and Ameri-
can), unsettled, because in the
early days of the colonies men
dressed and behaved unconven-
tionally, and life and property
were by no means so secure as
they are now. Also rude, rough,
ungainly, awkward, used in this
sense more in England than in
Australia. An Englishman will
say very or thoroughly colonial
in a contemptuous way.
Colours (prize ring), the hand-
kerchiefs, displaying some de-
finite colour or pattern, chosen
by prize-fighters as their dis-
tinguishing badges on the day
of a contest. The third "rule
of the ring," as revised by
the PugUistic Association, lays
down : — "That every man shall
be provided with a handker-
chief of a colour suitable to his
own fancy, and that the seconds
proceed to entwine these hand-
kerchiefs at the upper end of
one of the centre stakes of the
ring ; that these handkerchiefs
shall be called the colours, and
that the winner of the battle at
its conclusion shall be entitled
to their possession as the trophy
of victory."
There was, among the greater
favourites, the "bird-eye" wipe,
the wipe or handkerchief of any
colour with spots, but generally
with white ground and blue
spots; the "blood-red fancy,"
all red ; the "yellow man," all
yellow ; the " yellow fancy,"
yellow with white spots ; the
"cream fancy," with coloured
pattern on a white ground ; the
"blue Billy," with a white
pattern on a blue ground ; and
Colours — Come..
265
many more. Among the colours
specially associated with the
names of pugilists are the
"Belcher" {Jem, the champion),
dark blue ground with a spot
in the middle of darker hue,
and large white spots ; the
"Randal's man," green, with
white spots; "King's man,"
green, with yellow pattern.
(Australian miners), originally
the gold visible after washing,
either good or poor colour, as
the case may be, but the ex-
pression is generally used that
there is just enough to show
the presence of gold.
Colquarron (old cant), a person's
neck. From cole, Anglo-Nor-
man for neck, and quarron,
cant for body. Vide QuAE-
EON.
Colt, a juryman at his d^but ;
properly a person without ex-
perience. (Cricketers), a young
inexperienced player, a pro-
fessional at his first season.
(Thieves), a young thief.
(Popular), to colt, to make one
pay for his footing. Hotten
gives the definition "to make a
person free of a place, which
is done by his standing treat,
and submitting to be struck on
the sole of the foot with a piece
of board." This is a relic of the
old London 'prentice days, when
it was an exaction of money,
usually spent in ale, termed colt
ale, paid by an apprentice at the
commencement and expiration
of his apprenticeship.
Colt-man (American), a man
who keeps horses specially for
burglars.
Columbine (theatrical), a prosti-
tute.
Columbus (theatrical). One would
have thought that this illus-
trious navigator would naturally
be associated with some new
and successful discovery, never-
theless a "regular Columbus"
is synonymous with hopeless
"frost," or utter failure.
Comb-brush (old), a lady's maid.
The maid who at present attended on
Sophia was recommended by Lady Bellas-
ton, with whom she had lived for some
time in the capacity of a cofnb-brush. —
Fielding : Tom Jones.
Comb-cut (common), mortified,
like a cock disgraced by the
deprivation of his comb.
Comb down, to (Australian), to
ill-treat, thrash. Like the
French "donner unepeign^e."
. . . Narrating how he had copped the
old on the hop and co»tbed him down
to rights. — A. C. Grant.
Combing the cat (nautical), the
boatswain, or other operator,
running his fingers through the
cat-o'-nine-tailsto separate them
(Smyth).
Comb the hair, to (common), to
scold ; French " laver la t^te."
The process called combing' his kair for
him is said not to be uncommon in married
circles. — Globe.
Come down to (common), to pay.
266
Come — Common.
Do you keep the gentleman in dis-
course while I speak to the prisoner and
see how he can come d<nvn. — Johnston:
Chrystal.
Come it over, to (popular), to
deceive by wheedling, to rule
by assumption of superiority or
otherwise.
Don't try to come it over me like your
sister comes it over you. — Greenwood:
Almost Lost.
Come it, to (thieves), to inform ;
also to be quiet.
He heard one of the others say in reply,
" Come it," meaning to tell — to be quiet. —
Daily Telegraph.
(Pugilistic), to show fear.
Come on (turf), said of a horse
that has improved, is in good
form.
He was at one time last year a few
pounds in front of , and if he has come
on, that form would give him a consider-
able charm. — Bird o' Freedom.
Come souse, to (pugilistic), to
faU.
As it was. Master Georgy came sense with
the whack.
And there sprawled, like a turtle turned
queer on its back.
— Tom Cribb's Memorial to Congress.
Come this-side (pidgin-English),
arrived here. "Just now hab
got two piecee joss-house man
come this-side."
Come, to (popular), to practise,
to understand.
We ain't two by ourselres as comes that
dodge. — Greenwood : Tag, Rag, df Co.
(Prostitutes), refers to ejacu-
lation.
Comical (popular), a napkin.
Coming it at the broa(Js (card-
sharpers), explained by quota-
tion.
People whose education has been ne-
glected might possibly have failed to
understand that coming it at tlie broculs
or at the box meant in common parlance
playing cards or dice.— /"A* Bat.
Coming it strong (popular), carry-
ing things to an unreasonable
degree; exaggerating.
He here shook his head— right little he
said,
But he thought she was coming it
rather too strong.
— Ingoldsby Legends.
Coming the old soldier (popular),
to trick one by false represen-
tations, such as are made by a
rogue who pretends to be an
oW soldier.
Permit me, if you and your two friends
think of coming what is vulgarly called t/te
old soldier over me, to make you under-
stand that you had better abandon the
intention. — J. Greenwood: Dick Temple.
Commission (old cant), a shirt ;
Italian, camicia. In more mo-
dern slang a " mish."
Clean linen yields a shirt before we rise.
Which is a garment shifting in condition ;
And in the canting tongue is a commission.
— Taylor's Works.
Commister. Tide Camistee.
Common bounce (prison), one who
makes accusations of unnatural
crime, employing lads as decoys.
To do most professional thieves justice,
tliey never speak of these unique wretches
Common — Compradore.
267
except in terms the most contemptible. —
Michael Davitt : Leaves from a Prison
Diary.
Common doingfs (Americanism),
plain, wholesome fare, as distin-
guished from dainties.
Commoner {old cant), a novice ;
greenhorn.
Commoner grub (Winchester Col-
lege), a dinner given by college
to commoners when cricket
matches are over.
Commonise, to (Oxford Univer-
sity). Two or more are said to
comtnonise when they have their
meals together. Commonising
means strictly that each should
bring his "commons."
Common jack (army), low prosti-
tutes are thus termed by the
military in Woolwich, and pro-
bably in other garrison towns.
Common plugs (American), the
common rut of mankind — the
ol iroWol — sometimes the great
unwashed, but more commonly
very ordinary people indeed,
neither the big- wigs nor the
dregs of society.
Many will meet us in the depths of the
forest and go away thinking that we are
just coiumon plugs, of whom the world
wots not ; but there is where they fool
themselves. — New York Mercury.
Commmiicator. Agitate the com-
municator, ring the belL
Commmiion bloke (prison), a
religious hypocrite.
He was a cotnmunion bloke. This was
the pious gentleman. — Evening News.
Comp. (printers). Vide Gallet-
SLAVES. Generally applied to
compositors as an abbreviation,
but originally the short term
for companion used both by
pressmen, who work in pairs,
and by compositors who work
in companionships ; nowadays
accepted as the abridgment of
compositor only.
Comped (printers), set up or com-
posed matter ; abbreviation of
word composed.
Competition wallah (Anglo-In-
dian), members of the Civil
Service who have entered it by
the competitive system.
The competition wallah . . . dins per-
petually in our ears the greatness of
India. — Saturday Revie-w.
Compo. (printers), abbreviation
for the composition of which
printing rollers are made —
principally of treacle and glue.
(Nautical), a sailor's monthly
wages.
Compradore (pidgin), from the
Portuguese compi-ador, a pur-
chaser. Formerly used in
India, where it originated, now
in general use only in Chinese-
English. The comprador of the
present day is a steward or but-
ler, who manages all the house-
hold affairs, supplying by con-
tract, not only furniture and
provisions, but even servants.
268
Compresado — Conscience.
An' Massa Coe feel velly sore,
An' go an' scold he cotnpladore /
An' compladore all hollor shook,
Lun dunny stairs an' bang he cook.
— Mary Coe.
Compresado (gypsies), an in-
former.
Con (Winchester), from kovIvKov,
a knuckle — a blow on the head
given by the knuckles or any
hard substance.
Concaves and convexes (card-
sharpers), cards cut in a parti-
ticular way, and thus contrived
for cheating.
Conchers (up-country Australian),
tame or quiet cattle.
Condog (popular), to agree with.
A variation from concur.
Confab (society), conversation,
generally of a private nature.
Confederate (Texas), "you're
mighty confederate," a phrase
used by a Texan when he wishes
to express the strongest possible
approval of some sentiment or
thing.
Confidence dodge or buck (com-
mon), explained by extract
from Daily Telefjrapk : —
"... Swindled him out of
his watch and chain by means
of that ten thousand times
repeated rogue's device, the
confidence trick. It was the
old game pure and simple
— the threadbare hocus-pocus
of inviting the victim, a per-
fect stranger, to ' come and
have a drink,' and while the
friendly glass is being discussed
in comes another man, who
joins in the conversation, and,
in a casual way, mentions that
he has just inherited several
thousand pounds, and that, as
a thank-offering, he should like
to give away, by deputy, a few
hundreds to the deserving poor,
and is ready to hand over the
largess there and then to any
person who can show to his
satisfaction that he is of an
unsuspicious disposition ; the
same to be proved by his en-
trusting the money and jewellery
he may happen to have about
him to his, the benevolent lega-
tee's, keeping, while the latter
goes away for half-an-hour or
so with the same."
Congee, conjee (Anglo-Indian),
rice water ; from the Tamil
kanshi, "boilings."
Conk (common), nose.
His " dexter ogle " has a " mouse ; "
His conk's devoid of bark.
— A tkin : House Scraps.
" Conky " is a nickname given
by schoolboys to one with a pro-
minent nose. The great Duke
was called " Old Conky."
Conscience (theatrical), a kind of
association in a small company
for the allotment of shares in
the profits, &c. The man who
is lucky enough to have a con-
cern of his own, generally a
very small affair, however badly
Conscience — Conveyer.
269
he may act, must be the leading
man or first low comedian, per-
haps both. He becomes the
manager, of course, and thus
has one share for " fit-up," one
for scenery, one and a half for
management, one for wardrobe,
one and a half as leading man ;
and the same is given to the
wife, who, of course, will not
play anything but the juvenile
lead, but who at any other time
would be glad to play first old
woman. Thus the manager
takes nearly all the proceeds.
Consonant choker (society), one
who cannot pronounce his R's
and his G's.
Consoo (pidgin), consul.
My makee first-chop pidgin long-side
dat consoo man, dat man no lawts (lazy),
he blongy plenty smart inside. — News-
paper.
Constable (common), to outrun
or overrun the constable, to get
into debt.
Harkee, my girl, how far have you
overrun the cotistable ? I told him that
the debt amounted to eleven pounds. —
Smollett: Roderick Random.
Constician (theatrical), an or-
chestral musician.
Consumah, khansama (Anglo-
Indian). Persian, khansaman,
house-steward, or provider, or
butler.
" I have taught my khansama to make
very light iced punch." — Jacquemont :
Letters.
Contango (Stock Exchange), cor-
ruption of continuation, a re-
newal of a bargain, a specula-
tive sale or purchase. The
premium paid by a buyer of
stock to the seller, when upon
selling day he wishes the bar-
gain to remain open.
B stands for broker, for bull and for bear,
C's the contango that's paid by the bull.
— A thin : House Scraps.
Continent (Winchester College),
to be continent, is to be on the
sick-list. Continent work, work
done while on the sick-list.
Continental damn (American),
a term applied at a very early
time in the Republic to any-
thing utterly worthless, and
supposed to have. originated in
some allusion to the Continental
currency or American assignats.
Not to care a continental, not
to care a damn.
Continuations (common), trousers
or breeches.
Convenient (old cant), a mistress.
Convey, to (thieves), to steal.
But as I am crack, I will convey, cross-
bite, and cheat upon Simplicius. — Atar-
si on.
Conveyancer (thieves), a thief, a
pickpocket.
Conveyancing (common), steal-
ing ; picking pockets.
Ihe green youth who attempted to
decamp with 's watch . . . was pro-
perly punislied for his verdancy in the art
of conveyancing. — Modern Society.
Conveyer (old), a thief. The ex-
pression is used by Shakspeare
270
Cooked — Cooper.
in King Richard II. The French
argot has the correspondent
emporteur, with a like significa-
tion.
Cooked (society), done, defeated,
finished up, exhausted.
Cook his goose, to (common),
to kill, ruin a person.
Thus abstinence, which cooks the goose.
At length Sal's life has doflfed.
— A Song: Drunken Sally.
Also to worst one.
Billy's too big in the Westphalia's gig-
lamps, you're the boy to cook Fosbrooke's
goose. — C. Bede: Verdant Green.
Cook, to (artists), to dodge up a
picture. Artists say that a pic-
ture will not cook when it is
excellent and unconventional,
and beyond specious imitation
(Hotten).
(Colloquial), to prepare, tam-
per with, as to cook accounts,
returns.
A fixed percentage on every backer's
pound, and the oflfchance of cooking the
returns. — Sporting Times.
I hate my Lady, because she has locked
my cooked 2kC<:.o\xvA% in the bower saloon. —
I'utich.
Cool (common), used in reference
to a largo sum of money.
Suppose you don't get sixpence costs,
and lose your cool hundred by it. — Miss
E.l^e-djorth : Loi'c and Law.
Coolaman (Australian blackfel-
lows), a word adopted from the
blacks by the whites to describe
a blackfellow's drinking vessel,
and then apjilied gcncndly.
A few broken gourds . . . and a cracked
coolaman were to be seen here and
there.— .^. Grant: Busk Life in Queens-
land.
Cooler (American), prison. So
called on account of its being
a fit place for getting sober or
cooling down ; or from cooler, a
large tub, as in quotation.
They came near soaking him in the
cooler. — F. Francis : Saddle and Moc-
(Popular), a glass of beer after
drinking spirits. Also a woman.
Coon (American), short for racoon,
a man. The term first became
general nearly fifty years ago.
A gone coon (also English), one
who is ruined, lost.
Coon's age (American), a very
popular expression to signify a
long time, the racoon being
regarded as a very long-lived
animal.
I saw Miss Jones inside the stage,
'Tis now an hour or so,
It seems to me an old coon's age
Since I beheld her go.
— Ncivspaper Ballad.
Coop (streets), prison, abbrevia-
tion of hen-coop.
Vou say that you have been in the coop
as many times as I have. — J. Greenwood :
Dick Temple.
Cooper, to (American), to under-
stand.
Why on earth nature made you in the
shape she did is more tli.in I can cooper.
— A vierican Neius/mper.
Cooper — Coppas.
271
Possibly from a metaphor, I
cannot cooper, I cannot grasp,
that is beyond my capacious-
ness, comprehension. Else from
co-operate, with the sense of
concur.
(Thieves), to destroy, spoil,
forge ; to cooper a manniker,
forge a signature. Vide CooP-
EEED.
Coopered (turf 1, a horse that has
been hocussed or otherwise pur-
posely injured so as to prevent
him from running, was formerly
said to be coopered. The ex-
pression is sometimes used now
as in quotation.
Till they served him up a " coopered
job,"
And then of course he came
A most conclusive " smasher."
— Bird o' Freedom.
(Tramps), a coopered place, a
house that has been spoilt by
too many tramps calling there
(Hotten).
Coopered, in the sense of fall-
ing in, ruined, is possibly allied
to the Scotch cowp, to tumble
over.
Coorsy (Anglo-Indian), a chair ;
Arabic kursl.
Cooter. Vide Coutee.
Cop (thieves), a policeman. Vide
To Cop.
Wen that cc/"got his hand on my collar,
he ought to 'ave knowed like a shot,
By the Astrykan only, that I wasn't one
of the Socherlist lot.
— Punch.
The copi, the police.
Then, as them cowards of cops 'ave as
much on their 'ands as they kin do with,
now's the time for a bit of a loot ! — Punch.
(Anglo-Indian), evp ! beware ;
an abbrevation of coprador.
Cop-bung' (thieves), a warning
cry when the police make their
appearance.
Johnny Miller, who was to have his
regulars, called out cop-bung I for, as you
see, a fly-cop was marking. — On the Trail.
Cop busy (thieves), the act of
handing plunder to a confede-
rate, so as to have nothing
about one when arrested.
Cop, to (popular and thieves),
to take, arrest, steal, catch.
I'm right Tory right down to my boots, at
a price, and I bellered, " 'Ear, 'ear ! "
But they don't cop yours truly with chaff
none the more, my dear Charlie, no
fear.
—Punch.
"Here, cop.'' I did not understand
what he meant by the phrase. ... I did
not attempt to cop. Suddenly I saw three
boiled potatoes, a pudding, and a six-
ounce loaf roll on the floor. — Evening
News.
(Sporting), to win, to get
money ; a dead cop, a sure
method of arriving at this result.
To cop is derived by Hotten
from Latin capere ; more pro-
bably it comes from the gypsy
kap or cop, to take ; Scotch, kep ;
Gaelic, ceapan.
Coppas (gypsy), blankets, cover-
ings, tiles.
272
Copper — Corker.
Copper, cop (popular and thieves),
a policeman ; from " to cop,"
which see.
" Then three coppers came." " Cop-
fers, coppers, what are they ? " Witness :
" Policemen, your worship." — Standard.
Copperheads (American), pro-
perly poisonous serpents. The
term was applied by the Fede-
rals to the peace party.
Copperman (Australian prison), a
policeman.
Copper nose, the vulgar term for
acne rosacea, the red, enlarged,
pimply nose of chronic alcohol-
ism.
Coppers (popular), mouth ; espe-
cially a parched one after pota-
tions.
A fellow can't enjoy his breakfast after
that without something to cool his coppers.
— Hughes : Tom Brown at Oxford.
"Hot coppers" is a phrase for
a mouth parched by excessive
drinking, or " as dry as a lime
basket."
Copper, to (gaming), when play-
ing at faro, to cover a stake
with a small check, which
signifies that the card selected
is backed to lose, not win.
Oh, d — n Squito ! It seems like she'd
coppered me. Ever since she — since I
sten that gal, luck's gone dead against
me. — /''. Francis: Saddle and Moccasin.
Copus (Cambridge University).
Talking Latin at table, or similar
improprieties, are followed by
the infliction by the students of
a fine. A copus, or quart of ale,
is a common penalty.
Corduroy - road (American and
Australian), a road made of
branches and logs laid side by
side. The branches stand out
like the ribs of corduroy.
Cork (common), a bankrupt.
"Probably," says Hotten, "in-
tended to refer to his lightness,
as being without ballast."
(Pugilistic), " to draw a cork"
is to " tap the claret," i.e., to
give a bloody nose.
(Army), Captain Cork, applied
at mess when any one is slow
in passing round the bottle.
Corkage (hotels), a sum charged
per bottle to persons providing
their own wine. This term can
hardly be considered as slang,
but as a word unrecognised by
dictionaries.
Corker (theatrical). A regular
corker is a duffer ; an imbecile';
one who corks or bottles up
another actor's effects, or ruins
a play.
(English and American),
sometliiug that closes up or
settles a question ; something
unusually large, remarkable.
The Crown Prince's lunch-bill was rather
a corker ;
No wonder His Highness refused for to
pay. — Fun.
Also first-rate ; at the top of
the tree.
Jake Kilrain is a corker, and ought to
luive the championship of the world. —
Xeiv York National Police Gazette.
Corks — Corpse-reviver.
273
Corks (popular), a butler, alluding
to his functions. Also money ;
though originally a nautical
term, this is very much used
by printers.
Corned (colloquial), intoxicated.
From over-indulgence in drink
strong enough to "corn" one
(Wright), ' ' Possibly from soak-
ing or pickling oneself like
corned beef," says Hotten. It
has been suggested that it is
from the Keltic corn, French
come, a horn used formerly as
a drinking vessel. As we say
that a man is in his " cups," it
is possible that our very remote
ancestors said of him that he
was horned or corned, but it is
almost beyond doubt that the
term is an Americanism from
corn, a very common name for
whisky. (Tailors), pleased.
Comer (common), to get a corner
is to get the entire control of a
stock, and so make it impossible
for others to complete their bar-
gains or to purchase.
He had been mixed up disadvantage-
ously in a recent corner in marbles. —
Punch.
(London), the " Corner," Tatter-
sail's horse repository and bet-
ting-rooms, which was at Hyde
Park Corner. (Thieves), a share
— generally a share in the pro-
ceeds of a robbery.
Cornered (tailors), in an inextri-
cable dilemma ; for instance, a
man makes a garment which is
already paid for, and pawns it,
spends the money, and can't
raise the amount to release it
when wanted.
Cornish duck (city), a pUchard.
" It frys in its own grease."
Cornstalks (Australian), the
settlers, especially the girls,
so called because their average
height is very great, though they
are fragile.
We talk of cornstalks or "slab-sided
Yankees," and have in our minds a tall
but rather thin figure as representative of
Australasia and America. — Globe.
Com - stealers (American), the
hands.
"How is you been, my old Bullock?"
and he squeezed his corn-stealers till the
old gineral began to dance like a bear
on red-hot iron. — Sam Slick: The Clock-
maker.
Corporal Forbes (Anglo-Indian),
a soldier's name for cholera
morbus.
We are all pretty well, but a great quan-
tity are in hospital with Corporal Forbes.
— Shipp's Memoirs.
Corpse provider, a facetious name
for a physician.
" Doctor," cried the happy mother, as
she waltzed into the consulting-room of
the Brixton corpse provider, " I wish to
consult you about my baby's legs." —
— Sportitig Times.
Corpser. Vide To Cobpse.
Corpse-reviver (common), a dram
of spirits.
There was a general rush for wet towels
and corpse-revivers. — Sporting Times.
s
274
Corpse — Counterfeit.
Corpse, to (theatrical), to confuse,
to put out fellow-actors by
sticking fast in the dialogue ;
kill a scene through ignorance,
wilfulness, or stupidity. A con-
tretemps of this kind is called
"a regular corpser."
Corroboree (up country Austra-
lian), to boil ; a word borrowed
from the natives, who thus call
one of their wild dances. Whites
generally use it in the sense of
disturbance, hence it is said
that a kettle corroborees when it
boils.
Corybungus (pugilistic), backside.
Cosh (popular and thieves), a stick
of any kind, but more especially
a policeman's baton. From the
gypsy kdsht, corrupt form kdsh,
meaning wood in any form.
The officer . . . sought to give the finish-
ing coup de grace with his cosh . . .
and it split the baton. — Evening News.
Cossack (popular), a policeman.
Costard (popular), the head; avery
old word, used by Shakspeare
in King Lear.
Coster bloke (popular), a coster-
monger.
I feels the tears come down my cheeks,
when I 'eerd him 'owl and wail,
"And," sez I, " I'm a simple coster bloke,
but my 'art's right as the mail."
— Sporting limes.
Cot, a term of opprobrium for
a woman. Heard in Kentish
watering-places for the most
part.
Cotton lord (common), a Man-
chester manufacturer or dealer
in cotton.
Cottonopolis, Manchester (Hot-
ten).
Cottons (Stock Exchange), Con-
federated Dollar Bonds.
Cotton, to (common), a colloquial-
ism in the sense of to like, agree,
be attached (literally to adhere,
cling to, like cotton to cloth),
but used in a slangy sense as in
quotation.
For when once Madam Fortune deals out
her hard raps,
It's amazing to think how one cottons to
drink !
At such times, of all things in nature,
perhaps
There's not one that is half so seducing as
schnaps.
— Ingoldsby Legetids.
Couch a hogshead, to (old cant),
to lay down to sleep.
I couched a hogshead in a sk>-pper this
darkemans. — T. Harman : Cazcat.
Council of ten (popular), the toes
of a man who turns his feet
inward (Hotten).
Counterfeit crank (old cant), a
rogue who shammed epilepsy.
From the German krank, sick.
Those that do counterfeit the crank be
young knaves and yonge harlots, that
dcpcly dissemble the falling sickness. —
T. llarman : Cazcat.
Counter-jumper — Covent Garden.
275
Counter-jumper (common), a
shopman, a draper's assistant.
"Sir, you should know that my cheek
is not for you." " Why," said he, stifling
his anger, " it seems free enough to every
counter-jumper \n the town." — C. Kings-
ley: Westward Ho.
Counter-skipper (popularl, a vari-
ant of "counter-jumper," a
shopman.
Counter, to (pugilistic), to strike.
His kissing traps countered.
His ribs roasted.
— C. Bede : Verdant Green.
Count noses, to (parliamentary),
to take the number of a divi-
County crop (prison), hair
shortened to about an inch,
which used to be the rule in all
prisons, but is now confined to
convicts. The expression is
therefore now a misnomer, as
county prisons no longer exist
since the Government took all
over in 1877, and prisoners
are not thus cropped, as it
would continue their punish-
ment by marking them out after
their discbarge.
Couple-beggar (old cant), a low
fellow, who officiated as a
clergyman in performing mar-
riages in the Fleet prison.
Couranne (theatrical), from
couronne or corona, live shillings.
Court card (old slang), a beau.
Court martial (schoolboy), the
practice of tossing in a blanket
for a practical joke.
C outer (popular), a sovereign.
From gypsy, cutto, literally a
piece. /
Cove (popular and thieves). In
old cant, " cofe," " cuffin," a
man ; also landlord.
He's a rum dog. Don't he look fierce
at any strange cove- — Dickens : Oliver
Twist.
Besides, I am that sort of cave the swells
so much admire. — Toby.
This word Hotten connects
with " cuif," a North of England
word for a lout or awkward
fellow. This seems to be borne
out by the circumstance that in
most cant languages man and
fool are synonymous, but it has
been suggested to be more pro-
bably from the Romany cova, a
thing, the term being almost
indefinite in its applicability.
"It is," says Pott, "a general
helper on all occasions, is used
as a substantive and an adjec-
tive, and has a far wider scope
than the Latin res. Thus cove
means that man ; cori, that
woman." The derivation from
the German kopf, a head (not ap-
plied directly to individuals ex-
cept as in English), has also been
suggested. (Australian station),
the cove, the master, or over-
Covent Garden (old slang). This
place seems to have acquired at
276
Covent Garden — Cow-boy.
one time a most unenviable
notoriety, for it entered con-
siderably into the vicious slang
of fifty years ago. Thus "the
Covent Garden ague " was a cer-
tain venereal disease ; a " Covent
Garden abbess " was a procuress ;
and prostitutes were nicknamed
" Covent Garden nuns." (Rhym-
ingslang), afarthing pronounced
farden.
Cover (thieves), an accomplice
who "fronts" or covers a pick-
pocket while he is operating.
(American), to cover, to drink.
An Englishman drinks rum fustian, ima-
gining that he is overing a fancy mixed
drink. — American Newspaper.
Cover-down (thieves), a tossing
coin with a false cover. Obso-
lete.
Covess (old cant), explained by
quotation.
. . . Well acquainted with the cove and
the coveis—\)\7& is, the landlord and land-
lady. — J, Parker: Variegated Charac-
ters.
Covey (popular and thieves), a
man or boy. Vide Cove.
Hullo, my covey ! what's the row ? —
Dickens: Oliver Treist.
"Can't you repay me that five bob
now?" "You'd only booze it if I did."
And the covejf will have to wait. — Bird o
Freedom.
Coving, theft of jewellery by
palming it as a conjuror does.
Covo (gypsy) (for actvo), this ;
this person or thing. Covo,
" this man ; " cori, " this wo-
man."
Cowa, cuwa (gypsy), a thing;
often pronounced cover, " up to
all the covvas," up to all the
tricks, games, devices, or
"rigs."
Cowaben (gypsy), an incident.
Cow (nautical), a gay woman.
Vache, in the French slang, has
the same signification. (Turf),
one thousand pounds.
Cowan. In ordinary slang a spy,
a sneak, a prying informer. It
is a term given by the Free-
masons to all uninitiated per-
sons, and is probably the Hebrew
word cohen, JIID, a priest, from
the opposition and oppression
which the Freemasons have en-
dured from the Catholic Church.
Cowan is not an uncommon form
of " Cohen" as a name among
Jews. The derivation of Cowan
from the Greek kuuv, a dog, is
a great injustice to the Free-
masons, who have never re-
garded or treated the unini-
tiated as dogs.
Cow and calf (rhyming slang), to
laugh.
Cow-boy (American), cattle her-
der or drover of Texas and
South -Western States. The
term was applied during the
revolutionary war to so-called
Tory partisans in the State of
New York, but who were no
better than brigands, plunder-
ing both sides.
Cowcamp — Crack.
277
Cowcamp (American), explained
by quotation.
. . . Were a number of ccnvcamps,
where i-ecently settled stockmen kept
watch and ward over herds of long-horned
Texas cattle, which grazed along the
river or on the mesas above. — The Youth's
Companion.
Cow-chilo (pidgin-English), a
girl, i.e., cou)-child. A boy was
termed bidl-chiio. These terms
are becoming obsolete, but are
often used in fun to chaff
Chinese.
In he city of Whampo
Lib Joss-pidgin man name Coe,
Massa Coe he missionaly,
Hab got one cow-chilo Maly.
— The Ballad of Mary Coe.
Cow- COW (pidgin), to be very
angry, to scold (Hotten).
Cow juice (popular), milk ; the
term is also used by school-
boys.
Cowlick (popular), lock of hair
twisted forward from the ear,
rarely seen now.
Cow-oil, or cow-grease (pidgin),
butter. Obsolete, but literally
translated from the Chinese.
Cows and kisses (rhyming slang),
mistress or missus ; the ladies.
Come, ccnvs and kisses, put the battle of
the line on your Barnet fair, and a rogue
and villain in your sky-rocket. — Horsley :
Jottings from Jail.
Cowshooter (Winchester College),
a round-topped hat, worn only
by prefects, "bluchers" (rank-
ing next to prefects), and " jolly-
keepS," or old students.
Crabs (thieves), feet; to move
one's crabs, to run away.
I crossed a crusher at the landyard. . . .
I moved my crabs like a bull. — On the
Trail.
(Dice players), a pair of aces.
Crabshells (popular), shoes.
Crack, a recognised colloquialism,
used as an adjective, meaning
first-rate.
Captain Cadsby, as he loved to call
himself, was the crack shot of Doltshire.
—Truth.
(Sport), a crack, an adept.
Lawn tennis at Cannes . . . the doings
of the cracks, we know, interest many of
our teasers.— Pastime.
(Turf), the crack is the favour-
ite in a race.
The extraordinary fluctuations in the
betting which drove the crack from 6 to 4
to 10 to I the night before the race. —
Sporting Times.
(Old), a crack, an insane person,
a boaster.
(Popular), a crack, a prostitute ;
to crack up, to extol, to puff
(obsolete English, but used in
a slangy sense) ; in a crack, in
an instant ; to crack, to inform.
(Thieves), a crack, a burglary.
Here . . . success to the crack.
— Dickens : Oliver Twist.
To crack a crib, to commit a
burglary.
I mean to crack a crib to-night.
But, pals, don't crack on me.
— Ballad : Bates' Farm.
278
Crack — Cram.
The crib's barred up at night like a jail ;
but there's one part we can crack safe and
softly. — Dickens : Oliver Twist.
(Tinker), crack, a stick. Not
" modern gypsy," as declared
by Hotten.
Crack a bottle, to (common), to
drink a bottle of liquor.
Crack a whid, to (thieves), to
talk.
Cracked nut (common), the head
of an insane person.
An enthusiastic poet begs Mr. to
lift up his "crested head." Cracked nut
would, practically speaking, be more to
the point. — Fun.
Cracked up (common), ruined,
" gone to smash."
Cracker (common), an untruth
consequent on boastful or im-
probable statements. The older
form is " crack," alluding to
high-sounding language, as in
"crack up," to loudly extol, puff
up. It has been suggested that
" crack" is from the Gaelic
crac, to talk. The French unc
craque is a mild untruth, or a
gasconade, and in the latter
sense it is synonymous with
cracker. Le Baron de Crac is
the French Munchausen, the
hero of a volume of travels, who
meets with the most marvellous
adventures, the type of a boast-
ful, gasconading, story-teller.
Crackey (popular), an ejaculation.
A corruption of " crikey," which
see.
Cracking a crust (common), rubb-
ing along in the world ; " crack-
ing a tidy crust," means doing
very well. This is a very com-
mon expression among the lower
orders (Hotten).
Crackling (Cambridge Univer-
sity), the three velvet strips
worn on the sleeve by members
of St. John's CoUege, Cambridge,
called "hogs."
Crack-pot (American), preten-
tious, petty, a small person of
little account.
I'm a crack-pot in the city . . .
All the barmaids at me titter
When I call for mild and bitter.
They say I am their little ,
Bit of crack-pot jam.
—A Catnach Ballad: The
Crack-Pot in tfie City.
Cracksman (thieves), a burglar.
Some mortals disdain the calm
blessings of rest,
"^oViX cracksman, for instance, thinks
night-time the best.
— Insoldsby Legends.
Cram, crammer (common), a lie.
My little friend . . . pulled my nose
for telling what he called a beastly cram. —
Punch.
That was the crammer I told him, and
furthermore ... I piled it up a bit. —
Greenwood : Left in a Cab.
To cram, to lie ; also to acquire
or impart instruction hastily in
view of an approaching exami-
nation. This is an almost re-
cognised term.
A very clever lad can dispense with the
expense of being crammed. — United Ser-
vice Gazette.
Cram — Craze.
279
To cram up one, to ply him
with falsehoods.
(University), a cram, a trans-
lation.
The infatuated Mr. Bouncer madly per-
sisted ... in going into the school clad
in his examination coat, and padded over
with a host of crams. — C. Bede : Verdant
Green.
Crammer (common), a falsehood;
a liar; one expert in "cram-
ming," i.e., preparing hastily
candidates for examination ; the
head of a "cramming" estab-
lishment.
Cramped, crapped (popular and
thieves), killed or hanged.
Cramping cull (old cant), the
executioner.
Cramp in the hand (popular),
stinginess or meanness.
Cramp words (old cant), sentence
of death.
Cranberry eye (American). When
a man's eye is bloodshot, gene-
rally from drinking alcohol, he
is often called a boy with a
cranberry eye. The American
cranberry is very much larger
than the English variety, and
bears a resemblance to an in-
flamed optic.
Crank. Tide Counteefeit
CRANK. (American), insane, ec-
centric, or a monomaniac. (Old),
gin and water.
Crap (old cant), money ; the
gallows.
And what if at length, boys, he come to
the crap ?
Even rack-punch has some bitter in it.
— Ainsworth : Rookwood.
To crap, to hang.
(Printers), applied to "pie,"
or mtxed-up type, that a com-
positor neglects to clear away ;
equivalent to the popular name
for excrement.
(Popular), to crap, to ease
oneself.
Crapping casa (low theatrical),
the W.C.
Crapny (gypsy), a turnip, a button
or nail head. Sometimes hrafny.
Crawl (tailors), one who uses un-
dignified means to curry favour
with an employer or foreman.
Crawler (common), explained by
quotation.
Every hansom-cab, or crawler, is in
itself an express waggon on a small but
sufficient scale. — Bird o Freedom.
Also a cab which goes slowly
to pick up fares. A mean, con-
temptible fellow.
Craw-thumper (popular), a Roman
Catholic (Hotten). In America
a native of Ireland, i.c., Irish
Catholic.
Wanted a servant-maid. No pulings
or crawthumpers need apply. — Phila-
delphia Public Ledger.
Craze (common), used in refer-
ence to anything in great vogue
that is " the rage" for the time
being.
280
Crazy — Cribcracker.
It was a erase on both sides and it
passed. During the craze S. and M. had
their photographs taken together, and the
double picture sold somewhat furiously. —
Bird o Freedom.
Crazy quilt (American), properly
a quilt made of all kinds of
patches. Figuratively a con-
fused and mixed political party.
Cream-jugs (Stock Exchange),
Char kof -Krementschug Railway
Bonds.
Oh ! supposing our Cream-jugs were
broken,
Or " Beetles" were scuring the " Babies."
— A tkin : House Scraps.
Cream stick (popular), the penis.
Creamy (common), excellent.
Creeper (prison), one who curries
favour by hypocrisy and tale-
bearing.
Creepers (popular), lice. (Ameri-
can), the feet.
Creeps (common), explained by
quotation.
Each of those four men was immediately
seized with that cold, peculiar thrill, com-
monly called the creeps. — Bird o' Freedom.
Cri, short for Criterion.
But the youth was hard-hearted, and
soon he departed,
And wandered away to the Cri.
— Sporting Times.
Crib (popular and thieves), a
house, room.
They separated in the garden after
they had cracked the crib, — H. Kingsley :
Geoffrey ilaiitlyn.
The term is used by others in
a disparaging sense for a place,
house, situation, restaurant.
(Schools), a literal translation
of an author. Possibly from
the meaning of to crib, to crowd
together, to confine in a small
space, as "cram," synonym of
crib, or from the slang significa-
tion to cheat, to pilfer. To crih,
to cheat at an examination by
using a crib, more generally to
cheat by plagiary. (Common),
to crih, given by Webster as a
recognised word but used now
in a slangy sense, to pilfer.
It is not stealing, at least it does not
seem like stealing ... it is at most only
cribbing. — Greenwood : Seven Curses of
London.
(Old cant), crih, the stomach.
Cribbage-faced (common), is said
of a person marked with the
small-pox.
Cribber (military), a grumbler ; a
cavalry term evidently from the
expression "crib-biter," given
to a horse which gnaws at its
crib or manger, quarrelling with
his last meal and his difficulty
in digesting it.
Crib-biter (common), an invete-
rate grumbler. Vide Ckibber.
Cribcracker (thieves and popu-
lar) , a burglar.
The little boys . . . delight in gossip
concerning his talents as a cribcracker s^nii
his adventures as a pickpocket. — Sims :
Ho~M the J'oor Live.
Crikey — Crockets.
281
Crikey (popular), an exclamation
denoting astonishment, a cor-
ruption of Christ.
" Well, I'm blowed ! " he added. " This
here's a free country, and a cove ain't to
swear at his own gal, oh, crikey." — Sims :
Rogues and Vagabonds.
Crimum (tinker), sheep.
Crinkum-crankum (old slang), a
woman's private parts.
Cripple (popular), a bent sixpence.
(Common), an awkward or dull
person.
Crisp {common), a banknote.
He . . . cashed a cheque for ;£ioo and
handed over the crisp. — Modem Society.
Croaker (old slang), a fourpenny
piece. (Common), one who
takes a desponding view of
everything. (Popular), a beg-
gar, a corpse.
Well ... it won't perhaps send you
into hysterics to hear that Dave is as
good as a croaker. — J. Greenwood: Al-
most Lost.
(Prison), the doctor.
One man who had put his name for the
" butcher " or croaker, would suddenly
iind that he had three ounces of bread less
to receive and then a scene would ensue.
— Evening News.
Croak, to (thieves), to die, to
kill.
Croakumshire (old slang). This
nickname is said to have been
given to Northumberland be-
cause of the difficulty people in
that county have in pronouncing
the letter r, which imparts a
somewhat rough tone to the
voice.
Crock (common), the original
meaning is that of a slow,
worthless horse, but in society
it is also applied figuratively to
a slow, foolish, good-for-nothing
person, as in the phrase, " that
girl is a regular croclc." In
sporting and university lan-
guage it is also used in reference
to a duffer, a lazy bungler.
The delinquents still rowed their blades
like giants and nowhere in the boat was a
crock to be seen. — Referee.
With reference to the origi-
nal meaning of ilow, worthless
horse, crock is allied to creep,
Anglo-Saxon creopan, and old
High Dutch kriochan. But it is
curious to note that in German
slang krig is a horse, and that
the German ross, a horse, has
given the French rosse, a slow,
good-for-nothing horse ; this
word being used with the same
figurative meaning as crock,
applied to persons.
Crocker (sporting), a spaniel em-
ployed in beating imderwood
for small game.
Crockets (Winchester College),
the word for cricket. To "get
out crockets " is to get out with
a "duck's egg," that is, with-
out having made any runs.
"Small crockets" is the name
given to a game played with an
india-rubber ball and a plain
deal bat about two inches
broad.
282
Crocodile — Cross.
Crocodile (university), a girls'
school walking two and two.
Crocus, crocikus (popular and
thieves), a quack; crocus-
chovey, an apothecary's shop ;
croMts-pitcher, a street seller of
medicines.
(Army), crocu$, an army or
navy surgeon. From "croak,"
to die, which has given the
prison slang "croaker" for a
doctor.
Crone (circus), a clown. From a
provincialism, oronny, merry.
Cronker (tailors), the foreman.
Crook (thieves and popular). On
the crook, by dishonest means ;
the reverse of " square." Got
on the crook, stolen. Hence a
crook is a thief, both in England
and America.
Chicago crook. — "Good news, Jim."
. . . Fellow crook.— " y^)\ax'% up?" —
Tit-Bits.
No crook gets any good out of his
boodles. — Detroit Free Press.
Crookback (old slang), a six-
penny piece, from some of
these coins being much bat-
tered.
Crooked (thieves), stolen. Yidc
Crook.
Croop (popular), stomach; for
crop.
Cropper (common), a heavy fall ;
to tumble "neck and crop."
He was far more shaken by his cropper
than iu any round of his memorable fight
with Bungaree or any other opponent. —
Sporting Times.
To "come a cropper," to have
a heavy fall. Also said of a
man who experiences a decided
failure.
There was a steeplechase for gentlemen
riders, over which all the sharps came a
cropper through backing Sufflct. — Sport-
ing Times.
Croppie (prison), one who has had
his hair cut in prison. The term
was applied to Irish rebels in
1789, and formerly to those who
had their ears cut off by the
executioner. Puritans went by
that name on account of their
short hair.
Croppled (Winchester College),
to be croppled is to be turned
in a lesson.
Cross (thieves). To be " on the
cross," to be a thief; to get a
thing on the cross is to obtain it
surreptitiously, the reverse of
" on the square."
The young woman is Bess, and perhaps
she may be on the cross, and y' don't go
to say that what with flimping and with
cly-faking, and such like, she mayn't be
wanted some day. — //. Kingsley: Kavens-
hoe.
Hence, a cross, a thief; termed
also "cross man," or ^' cross
cove."
It reminds us too of the "plants" and
crosses, and of the lowest of the low who
supported pugilism. — Punch.
(University), to cross, putting
a cross against a man's name for
not paying his bills to the bursar,
or cutting chapel lectures, &c.
Cross — Grumpier .
283
Cross chap (costermongers), a
thief.
Cross cove and mollisher
(thieves), a man and woman
who are in partnership for pur-
poses of robbery.
Cross-crib (thieves and roughs),
a house frequented by thieves.
Cross-cut, and tip and sifter
(American), mining terms from
California expressive of motions
or methods in washing gold.
These terms were at one time
commonly applied in slang in
many ways.
Cross-drum (thieves), a thieves'
tavern.
Cross-famming (thieves), robbing
a person of his scarf-pin ; " from
the position of the arms in the
act," says Hotten. Fide Fam.
Crossing the damp-pot (tailors),
going to America.
Cross-kid, to (thieves), explained
by quotation.
A reeler came to the cell and cross-
kidded (questioned) me. — HorsUy : Jot-
tings from Jail.
Cross-roader (American), a man
whose ways are doubtful or
dishonest.
. . . For the simple purpose of being
introduced to the club, there to "fleece
the suckers," who never suspect they are
playing against a cross-roader. — Chicago
Tribune.
Crow(thieves),a man who watches
while another creeps into houses,
down areas, or into shops. ( Com -
mon), a regular crow, an un-
expected piece of luck, i.e.,
something to crow over. " I
have a crow to pull with you,"
a complaint to make, or mis-
understanding to clear up.
(American), to eat crow, to
recant, to humiliate oneself.
In America, a right-about movement of
this character is described as eating crow.
— St. James' Gazette.
Crowder (tinker), a string.
Crowders (theatrical), large audi-
ences.
Crow-eater (colonial), a lazy fel-
low who will live on anything
rather than work.
Crowsfoot (prison), the Govern-
ment mark of the broad arrow,
which is stamped in black paint
on prison clothing as a means
of detection in case of escape.
Crug (popular), food. (Christ
Hospital), bread.
He had his tea and hot rolls in a morn-
ing, while we were battening upon our
quarter of a penny loaf — our crug. —
Lamb : £ssays.
Crummy (army), dirty ; applied
amongst soldiers to a man's
appearance. (Thieves), with
well-filled pockets. Also lousy.
A " crummy doss."
Crumpet face (popular), a face
with smallpox marks.
Crumpler (common), cravat.
284
Crutch — Cuffy.
If I see a boy make to do about the fit
of his crj4tn/>Ur . . . — Blacktnore : Lortui
Doone.
Crutch (Winchester College), a
name given to the school car-
penter.
Cry of things (popular), a great
number of things; "a cry of
pears."
Cry matches (American), a slang
exclamation of surprise. Its
derivation is improbably given
as "crime hatches." By some
"cry" is considered as equiva-
lent to Christi or Christ, but
the phrase is altogether obscure.
Crusher (popular), a policeman ;
from the slang term " to crush,"
to run.
To bonnet a lot of old blokes,
And make petticoats squeal is good
biz,
But a crusher's 'ard knuckles a
crunching yer scrag ? no,
I'm blowed if that is !
— Putich.
Crush, to (popular), to run. Pos-
sibly from " beetle - crusher "
(which see).
Crust (theatrical), the head.
Crusty beau (old slang), a fop
who makes up with paint and
cosmetiques.
C's, the three (prison), the Cen-
tral Criminal Court.
Cuckoo (society), a fooL
Cud (Winchester College), hand-
some, pretty. Probably from
kudos. (Popular), a piece of
tobacco chewed, a " quid."
Cuddling (prize-fighters), wrest-
ling.
It was said by some cavillers that there
was too much wrestling, or, as they called
it, cuddling. — Punch.
Cue despiser (theatrical), said of
an actor who is careless in tak-
ing up his cue, thereby damag-
ing the performance.
Cue, to (thieves), to obtain goods
on credit which you never
mean to pay for, synonymous
with "going upon the letter
Q," "the mace."
Cuff (tailors), one who feigns re-
ligion, or is religious.
Cuffer (military), a lie ; spinning
a cuffer, telling an exaggerated,
grossly improbable story ; one
that cuffs or beats any story.
(American thieves), a man, rus-
tic. From old English cant
cofe, or the Yiddish kaffcr, a
stupid fellow ; kaffori, Hebrew
for a peasant.
Cuff shooter (theatrical), an im-
pudent and presuming tyro, who
gives himself airs, and thinks
more of his " cuffs " than his
C.T.A., (circus and travelling
showmen), the police.
Cuffy, cuffee (West Indian), a
word generally applied to
Cuffy — Ctinnels.
285
negroes, and which was at
one time a very common name
among them. Literally it
means ' ' Thursday." Among the
Guinea and Dahomey negroes
every man receives a name
from the day of the week on
which he is born. Hence the
frequency of Quashee, Cuffee,
Juba, &c. The latest Cuffee in-
troduced to the British public
was King Coffee Calcolli.
The fine dash of Virginia upper cuffy
ism, it is gone, gone for ever. Sambo has
settled down into a simple bourgeois. —
Putnam's Magazine.
Culing (thieves), an abbreviation
of reticuling; snatching reti-
cules from the seats of carriages
at races.
Culio (pidgin), a curio, a curiosity.
The common term " curio " was
borrowed from this Chinese ab-
breviation :
One time two piecey Flunsee (French-
men) make walkee in Canton,
Look-see one piecee cw/zV-shop — a first
chop numpsi one.
— L'Oiseau.
Evidently an abbreviation of
" cullion," French couillon.
(Theatrical), actors sometimes
address one another as euUy, or
"laddie." '
"Where's your wife, old boy?" inquired
a friend of a well-known comedian on tour.
"Don't know, cully." — Bird o' Freedom.
Kum cull, the manager.
Cully gorger (theatrical), the
manager of a theatre. Ac-
cording to Baumann, a brother
actor.
Cum annexes (West Indian), the
members of one's family.
Cum-sha'w (pidgin), a present of
any kind, a gratuity, a pourboire
or baksheesh. "According to
Giles it is the Amoy pronuncia-
tion (kam-sid) of two characters
signifying ' grateful thanks ' "
(Anglo-Indian Glossary).
Mashee, he no givee dat Chinee man
cumskaw, not one little nip tee cashee (one
very small coin), he too smallo man inside,
he no makee plopa fashion — p'hol — The
Talking Ducks.
Cull, cully (popular and thieves),
a man or boy.
Now the darky shines on 'em, you see
what famous togs the cull has ou. — Ains-
worth : A uriol.
Cully had formerly the signi-
fication of greenhorn, fool, dupe,
milksop, and was a recognised
word ; it is used by Addison
and others.
Your royal cully has command
Only from you at second hand.
— Earl 0/ Rochester : Works.
Cundum (old), appliance for the
prevention of infection in sexual
intercourse. The word is used
by the Germans. Said to be
derived from one Condom, who
lived in the reign of Queen
Amie, and was noted for selling
what is now called " French
letters." French, capotes ang-
laises.
Cunnels, dunnovans (tinker),
potatoes.
286
Cup — Cuss.
Cup and saucer players (theatri-
cal), a term of derision invented
br the pessimists for the pur-
pose of depreciating the artists
associated with the perform-
ance of the late T. W. Robert-
son's comedies. *
Cup-tosser (popular), a person
who professes to tell fortunes
by examining the grounds in
tea or coffee-cups (Hotten).
Cure (common), a curious, eccen-
tric, odd person. Imported
from America ; was used with
that sense twenty - five years
ago. More generally now a
humorous, comical person. De-
rived from an eccentric Ameri-
can popular song called "The
Cure,"
Curious, to do (popular), to do
anything out of the ordinary.
" Look at that man tumbling
about. He's doing curious"
Curl up (popular), be silent.
Currants and plums (rhyming
slang), thrums ; slang for three-
jjence.
Currency (Australian), persons
born in Australia, natives of
England being termed "ster-
ling."
Curro (gypsy), a cup or tankard.
Curse of Scotland (Scotch), the
nine of diamonds. Many de-
rivatives have been suggested,
and Hotten says the most pro-
bable is, that in the game of
Pope Joan the nine of diamonds
is the pope, of whom the Scotch
have an especial horror.
Cursetor (old cant), a tramp,
vagabond.
Curtail (old cant), second in
command in the fraternity of
vagabonds.
Curtain (theatrical), a strong
situation at the end of an act,
which, when the curtain de-
scends, elicits a burst of ap-
plause, and causes the curtain
to be taken up again.
Curtain-raiser (theatrical and
journalistic), a short play per-
formed before a more important
one. Corresponds to the French
" lever de rideau."
" Love and Politics" was produced as a
curtain-raiser at the Opera Comique on
Thursday. — The Referee.
Cuse (Winchester College), a book
in which the marks of each
division are recorded.
Cushion-smiter (popular), a
clergyman or preacher.
Cushmawaunee (Anglo-Indian),
never mind.
Cuss (American), a man.
A durncd nasty old cuss he is, and don't
you forget it. — F. Francis: Saddle and
Moccasin.
It is not always used dis-
paragingly ; a tough cusi is a
bold, indomitable man.
Cussedness — Cut.
287
It is said that the teamster . . . con-
sidered himself to be entitled to be called
a tough cuss. — Stevens: Around the
World on a Bicycle.
Cussedness (American), e\\\-
mindedness, innate depravity.
To do a thing out of pure
cussedness is the same as to do
it for mere mischief, without
reason or excuse. Also auda-
city.
He . . . resolved to be present in his
seat out of what may be characterised as
pure cussedness. — Daily Telegraph.
Cuss out, to (American), to sub-
due or silence an opponent
by overwhelming severity of
tongue. " He cussed him out,"
i.e., used such violent language
(not necessarily profane) as to
verbally annihilate him.
Customer (common), generally
used in such phrases as a " queer,
or rum customer ; " a curious
fellow, or one diiiicult to deal
with; an "ugly customer," a
dangerous person or animal.
(American thieves), a victim.
Cut (old), tipsy. (Society), a step,
a stage, as " she is a cut above
me."
Cut a shine, to (popular), to play
pranks, amuse oneself boister-
ously.
I smoke her havannas and lower her
wine,
At times with her money I cut a rare
shine.
—Song.
Cut and dried (thieves), the phrase
refers to a robbery which has
been duly planned.
Some time after that affair with the
fence, one of the mob said to me, " I have
got a place cut and dried ; will you come
and do it ? "—HorsUy : Jottingsfromjail.
Cut bene, to (old cant), to use
pleasant words.
Cut capers, to (common), to be-
have in a disorderly, improper
manner.
Cut dead, to (common), to break
off all connection with an ac-
quaintance or friend.
But he could not get these books with-
out Dr. Wycherley, and unfortunately he
had cut that worthy dead in his own
asylum. — Reade : Hard Cash.
Cut didoes, to, synonymous with
cut capers (Hotten).
Cut dirt, to (American), to run
away very rapidly.
He jump up fo' sartin — he cut dirt
and run.
While Sambo follow arter wid his
" turn, tum, turn."
— Negro SongofiZzq.
Cut down (American), deprived,
brought low, poor.
Cut in, to (society), take a share
in, to try for.
Most of the students will cut in for a
prize. — School Magazine.
Cut into, to (Winchester College),
to hit one on the back with a
"ground ash" or stick used by
prefects in the exercise of their
functions.
288
Cut — Cutting.
Cut it fat, to (popular), to show
off, exaggerate.
They've mustered in great force, and no
mistake. I'm blest if they ain't cut it /at.
— Funny Folks.
Cut of one's jib (common), one's
appearance.
Cut one's lucky (popular), to go
away, to run off ; to make a
" lucky " escape (Lat. feliciler
evasit).
Cut one's stick, to (common),
to depart ; literally, procure a
stick for a journey. Or a cor-
ruption of up stick / i.e., tent-
pegs, often done in a great hurry.
Far off a man appeared ; and by his guise
I knew him for a keeper ! . . .
... I fled !— fast as I could
I went !— in fact, again, and it was wise,
I cut my stick.
— Fun.
Cuts (tailors), "small cuU" are
small scissors, button - hole
scissors.
Cut saucy, to (tailors), to cut
a garment in the height of
fashion.
Cutsom (pidgin), custom ; a word
extensively applied tolaw, habits,
usage. "Dat blongy olo ciit-
som," is continually heard from
Chinese, when asked the reason
for anything.
So it blongey olo cutsom — which neva'
wailo way,
Alio baba' (all barbers) hab got stickee in
China-side to-day.
— A hong and the Mosquito.
Cutter (old), a cutpurse. Hotten
says this ancient cant word now
survives in the phrase, "to
swear like a cutter." Cutter, ac-
cording to Vaux, was applied to
a man in the habit of drawing a
knife in a quarreb
Cut that (popular), be quiet.
Cut the line (printers), see Lines
ON. When a companionship of
compositors fall short of work
they cut the line, i.e., all the
men leave work till sufficient is
provided for the whole. The
reference is to the fact that
piece hands working in com-
panionships are paid by the
number of lines composed, ac-
cording to size and width.
Cut the line, string, to (thieves),
to cut a story short, to end a
story.
Cutting (Australian and Ameri-
can), separating cattle from a
herd and lassoing them.
I had been furnished with a trained
cutting- pony, reported to be one of the
best in the valley. ... It was only
necessary, after having shown him a cow
or a calf getting away from the herd, to
give him his he.id, and at full speed he
started for it immediately. — F. Francis :
Saddle and Moccasin.
Cutting his eyes (thieves), getting
suspicious.
Cutting his own throat (Stock
Exchange) is said of a man who
buys or sells stocks, and imme-
diately re-sells or re-purchases
them at a loss.
Cutting his painter (nautical) is
said of a man who makes off
Cutting — Cymbal.
289
suddenly or clandestinely, or
dies. French sailors use the
corresponding expression cUra-
linguer with the same sense.
Cutting it fine. Vide Fixe.
Cutting shop (popular), a place
where cheap inferior goods or
material are retailed.
Cutting the wind (military), sword
drill
Cutting-trade (trade), one con-
ducted on competitive principles,
where the profits are very closely
shaved (Hotten).
Cutting up (popular), acting in
an eccentric or daring manner.
To cut up shindies was the first
form. The expression has ex-
tended to the United States.
Cuttle-boung (old cant), a knife
used for cutting purses.
Cutto or cutter (gypsy), a piece,
bit, rag, or drop. Cutters o'
brishno, "drops of rain;" yeck
cutter 0' levinro, " one drop of
ale." Cutterengris, bits, pieces.
Engrl, equivalent to a thing or
one thing, like the " one piece "
of Pidgin, is often quite need-
lessly post-fixed to a noun in
Romany. (Hindu, i-a<ra, a drop.)
Hence cutter, a (gold) piece, a
sovereign.
Cut, to (common), to run away.
Generally to "cwi and run." Ab-
breviated from "cut his stick," or
from an idea of severance, sepa-
ration, as in the phrase " cutting
one's painter," going away.
Excuse me, you fellows, I must cut off
home. — Bird o' Freedom,
Simply shook him . . . bade him to cut
it quick. — Town Talk.
(Trade), to compete in busi-
ness (Hotten).
(Old cant), to speak.
Cutty (common), a short-stemmed
clay pipe.
"Wot's the matter?" cried the sand-
man, who had lighted a cutty, and was
quietly smoking it. — Ainyiuorth : Auriol.
Cutty-eyed (thieves), one who
looks suspicious.
Cutty-sark (Scotch), a short
chemise.
Cut up (common), vexed ; to cut
up, to come up ; generally to
turn out, well or otherwise ;
to become ; to exit up well, vide
Cut up fat. (Thieves), to
cut up, to divide the plunder.
Cut up fat, to (common), to leave
at one's death a good estate.
Cut up rough, to (common), to
give signs of great displeasure, to
become violent, evilly disposed.
Well ! . . . I'm not so sorry, after all,
that they cut up rough, and ploughed me.
— C. Bede : Verdant Green.
Cut up rusty, to (popular), to be-
come unpleasant, angry, rough.
Cut up shines, shindies, to (popu-
lar), to play tricks, pranks
(Hotten).
Cut your own grass, to (prison),
gain your own living.
Cymbal (thieves), a watch.
T
290
D~Dab.
(tramps and beggars),
a detective.
Still I play shoeblack
odd times. I have a few
friends among the D's (detectives), who
give me the job to watch a house occasion-
ally. Then I take up the box and brushes
and place myself in a suitable position.
It pays well while it lasts. Nor is it the
only way in which my friends the D's find
me useful. I have free entry into all sorts
of haunts, and can go and come as I like
without arousing suspicion. — Thor Fre-
dur: Sketches from Shady Places.
D's, the two (army), short pay.
The residue left a soldier, part
of whose pay is stopped by
sentence of court-martial for
" spouting " or pawning his kit.
However large the amount to be
recovered, he must be allowed
to retain twopence, 2d., as daily
pay.
D. H. F. (cycling slang), really
letters signifying a peculiar
form of fork used for bicycles,
and known as the " Double Hol-
low Fork." Applied to a man
means a stupid ass.
Dab. In the slang of " water
rats," i.e., river thieves who
plunder the bodies of drowned
persons, the body of a poor
ragged woman is called a dah ;
from dab, vulgarly used in con-
tempt for a woman, as a dirty
da6, a slut, dahs being rags.
(Theatrical), a bed.
(Common), to be a dah at any-
thing is to be more than usually
expert at it.
Sir Peter Lawrie, on a recent visit to
Billingsgate for the purpose of making
what he calls a piscatory tour, was much
astonished at the vigorous performance of
various of the real " live fish," some of
which, as he sagely remarked, appeared
to be perfect dabs at jumping. — Punch.
Generally supposed to be de-
rived from " adept," but to dah
means to strike gently, and
a dah is therefore one skilful
in dabbing, one with a light
touch, a skilful hand, a "good
hand " at, hence expert in.
In old cant the term "rum
dabe" was applied to one ex-
pert at roguery. Literally, a
"good hand;" possibly from
German tappe, fist, paw, and
this may be the origin of the
modern dab. The French slang
has dab, meaning master, chief,
father.
(Costermongers' back slang),
bad.
I've been doing awful dab with my
tol (lot) or stock, haven't made a yennep
(■p&nny.)—Di/>rose: London Life.
Dab it up, to (thieves), to cohabit
with a woman. From dah, a
contemptuous term for a woman.
Also to agree.
Dab out, to (popular), to wash.
His wife at this moment advantaging
herself of Sabbath leisure to dab out
her solitary cotton gown. — J. Greenwood :
Undercurrents of London Life.
Dabster. Vide Dab.
Dab wash. Among the lower
classes a dab wash is a small
intermediate wash between the
large ones.
Dace — Dago.
291
That great room itself was sure to have
clothes hanging to dry at the fire, what-
ever day of the week it was ; some one of
the large irregular family having had what
was called in the district a dab wash of a
few articles forgotten on the regular day. —
Mrs. Gaskell: Sylvias Lovers.
Dace (American), two cents. From
deuce.
Dacha-saltee (thieves and coster-
mongers), tenpence. From the
Itahan died soldi.
What with my crippledom and thy piety,
a wheeling of thy poor old dad, we'll bleed
the bumpkins of a dacha-saltee. — Reade :
The Cloister and the Hearth.
Dacoit (Anglo-Indian), a robber
belonging to an armed gang
which, according to law, must
consist of at least five persons.
Dad, daddy (popular), father. In
Welsh tad ; Irish daid, ancient.
He gets more like his dad every day.
— Street Song.
Ddd, d£dus, dddo (gypsy), of
Hindu origin, father ; dadeakro,
fatherly, pertaining to a father ;
"ap miro dad(^skro wast 1 " by
my father's hand !
Daddle (popular), hand.
Werry unexpected pleasure ! Tip us
yo-av daddle. — C. Kingsley : Alton Locke.
(Boxing slang), the fist.
With daddies high upraised, and nobs
held back,
In awful prescience of th' impending
thwack,
Both kiddies stood, and with prelusive
spar
And light manoiuvring kindled up the
war.
— Belts Life in London.
Daddy (theatrical), the comic old
man of a company. According
to Hotten, a stage manager.
At sham raffles the daddy is a
confederate who is, by previous
arrangement, to win the prize.
At casual wards the daddy is
the old pauper in charge.
Daffy (popular), gin. Hotten
says : — "A term used by monthly
nurses, who are always extolling
the virtues of Daffy's elixir, and
who occasionally comfort them-
selves with a stronger medicine
under Daffy's name. Of late
years the term has been altered
to ' soothing syrup. ' "
Daftie (tailors), one who says (or
does) anything absurd.
Dagger-cheap (old), dirt cheap.
"The Dagger w*as a low ordinary
in Holborn, referred to by Ben
Jonson and others ; the fare
was probably cheap and nasty "
(T. L. O. Davies, Supplementary
English Glossary).
We set our wares at a very easy price ;
he (the devil) may buy us even dagger-
cheap, as we say. — Andrervs : Sermons.
Dago (American), an Italian, de-
rived by one authority from the
Spanish hidalgo. As the word
has been for a long time in use
among sailors, who apply it to
Spaniards, Portuguese, and Ita-
lians, but principally to the
former, there is little doubt but
that it comes from Diiyo, which
is almost equivalent to Jack in
the Spanish ports.
292
Dags — Daknta.
Dags (popular), a work, a job, a
performance. " I'll do your dags
for you," i.e., I'll do your work
for you. The word is a corrup-
tion of the old English and Low-
land Scotch, and local in many
English counties ; darg, a day's
work, as in the rhyme —
" I'll do my (iarg
Before I arg,"
which is to say, "I'll do my
work before I argue about it."
The " Farmer's Encyclopaedia,"
quoted in Worcester's Diction-
ary, defines "darg " or "dargue "
as " the quantity of peat which
one man can cut and two men
wheel in a day."
Dai, dye (gypsy), a mother. Dya!
oh mother I Dyeskrl dye, ma-
ternal grandmother. Bdbeli dye,
paternal grandmother.
Daily Levy, the, a nickname of
the Daily Telegraph, in allusion
to its proprietor, Mr. Levy
Lawson.
We repeat, Billy allowed the operation
to be carried out without even a verbal
protest, very unlike him, and the robbers
took away the gold box and complimented
him on being a daisy. Border Chester-
fields have not a word p{ heartier com-
mendation in their energetic but limited
vocabulary. — //. L. Williams : In the
Wild West.
Daisy-cutter (common), a horse
that does not lift its feet much
off the ground when trotting or
galloping, or simply a trotting
horse.
The trot is the true pace for a hackney ;
and were we near a town, I should like to
try that daisy-cutter of yours upon a piece
of level road (barring canter) for a quart
of claret at the next inn. — Sir W. Scott :
Rob Roy.
(Cricket), a ball bowled all
along the ground, instead of
with a proper pitch. Though
perfectly fair, they are con-
sidered bad form. Termed also
a "sneak."
Daisy-kicker (ostlers), the name
ostlers at inns sometimes give
each other.
Dairies (popular), a vulgar word
for a woman's breasts. The allu-
sion is obvious.
Daisies (popular and thieves),
boots. Abbreviated from "daisy-
roots," which see.
And there they set as dumb as mice,
and me and Ginger a laying under the
seats. Oh ! it Was a treat — with the 'eels
of the copper's daisies just in front of my
conk. But there was nothin' for it but to
lay quiet. — Sporting Times.
Daisy (popular), jolly fellow.
Daisyroots (rhyming slang), boots.
The Windsor warrior was anxiously
regarding his newly varnished patent
leathers while yearning to cross from the
Guards' Club to the Marlborough in
muddy Pall Mall.
"'Ere you are, sir; jump in," roared
c.ibby. " Sooner t.ike you across for
nothing than see you spile them lovely
daisyroots. ' ' — Sporting 1 imes.
Daisyville (thieves), the country.
Dakma, to (thieves), to silence.
I had to dakma the bloke to clay the
swag. Palsey crowed for me, and that
Dam — Dancer.
293
was all the good it done me. — On the
Trail.
Dam (up-country Australian), a
pond for watering cattle. This
is generally made by throwing
up a bank across a hollow or
little gully. When the floods
come the escape of the flood-
water is prevented.
The rain had heen pouring down for
weeks, as if to make up for the summer's
drought. It had filled the dams and
flooded the creeks, and the diggers were
having a drunken bout. — Keighhy Good-
child: Waif.
Damber (old cant), first damber-
cove, a head-man.
Dame (Eton). At Eton the word
Dame has no reference to the
weaker sex. Any person, other
than a classical master, who
keeps a boys' boarding-house in
College is a Dame. Thus all
mathematical masters' houses
are Dames' houses.
I am thankful to say that I did not
attend the show. But I happened to see
the World conducted back to his Dames,
and the spectacle was gruesome. The
punishment inflicted had been very con-
siderable, and I do not think the World
appeared in public for quite a fortnight. —
Sketchy Memories of Eton.
Damnation Comer (Eton), ex-
plained by quotation.
Meanwhile, " regardless of our doom,
we little victims played," or rather watched
the play ; we little knew what cruel fate
awaited us, or that the present head-mas-
ter of Eton and the Rev. F. W. Cornish
lay in ambush for our outcoming behind
that very sharp turn in the High Street,
which, on account of its acute angle,
and the consequent danger of being nailed
in shirking in old days, was somewhat
flippantly termed Damnation Comer. —
Sketchy Memories of Eton.
Damned soul (old slang). A clerk
in the Customs House, whose
duty was to swear or clear mer-
chandise, used to guard against
perjury by taking a previous
oath never to swear truly; he
was called a damned soid, 1
Damper (school), a suet pudding
in use at schools, introduced
before meat to take off the
edge of the appetite. (Thieves),
a shop till. To "draw a dam-
fer" to rob a till.
(Tailors), a "sweater," i.e.,
one who gets as much work for
as little pay as possible out of
workmen.
Damp-pot (tailors), the sea.
Dance, to (printers). If letters
drop out when the forme is
lifted, the forme is said to dance
(Academy of Armoury, R, Holme,
1 688).
(Old), " <o dance the Padding-
ton frisk," to be hanged ; also
termed "to dance upon nothing."
French " danser une danse oil
i' n'y a pas d' plancher."
Just as the felon condemned to die,
With a very natural loathing,
Leaving the sheriff to dream of ropes.
From his gloomy cell in a vision elopes
To a caper on sunny greens and slopes.
Instead of the dance upon nothing.
— Hood : Miss Kilmansegg.
Dancer or dancing-master
(thieves), a thief who gets on
the roof of houses and effects
294
Dancers — Dang.
an entrance by a window. He
has of course to pick his way
carefully, and to be as neat in
his steps as a dancing-master.
Dancers (thieves), a flight of steps
or stairs.
Come, my Hebe, brack the dancers,
that is, go up the stairs. — Lytton: What
will he do with it.
Dander (low), to get up one's
dander, or to have one's dander
raised, to get suddenly into a
passion ; to burst or flare up.
From the Dutch.
The fire and fury that blamed in her eyes
gave ocular evidence of her dander being
up. — From the N. O. Picayune, cited by
Bartlett.
My dander got considerable riz at this,
so I knocked the chap down as called nie
a confederate. — Scraps.
There is not the slightest
proof that this is derived from
raising the scurf or dander at
the roots of the hair, as Bart-
lett thinks, though American.':,
misled by the resemblance of
sound, talk about " dander being
riz." In Dutch donder is thun-
der, and op donderen, i.e., to get
the donder up, is to burst out
into a sudden rage, or, as Sewel
explains, "like an infernal
spirit ; " to flare up ; to blaze
out in wrath.
Dandy (coiners), a counterfeit
gold sovereign or half sovereign.
The spurious coin is well made,
and its composition includes
some pure gold.
And it is not in paltry pewter "sours, "
with which the young woman has dealings,
but in dandies; which, rendered into in-
telligible English, means imitation gold
coin.—/. Greenwood : Tag, Rag, &' Co.
(American). This word, origi-
nally English, and manifestly
taken from the ordinary word
dandy, a fop, as a type of any-
thing neat or fanciful, has been
greatly extended in America.
The man who marries a woman simply
because she is a dandy arrangement to
have about the house does so from a pure
business standpoint, and, in the end, if
not compelled to support him, she has
done better than many women I know of.
— Nasby.
(Anglo-Indian), a boatman ;
also a kind of hammock-litter,
in which travellers are carried.
In the lower hills, when she did not
walk, she travelled in a.daniiy. — Kinloch :
Large-game Shooting in Thibet.
(Irish), a small glass of whisky.
Dandy-master (coiners), a coiner
who employs others to pass
counterfeit coin.
The spirits obtained being mostly bottled
and labelled, and unopened, find a ready
sale at public-houses known to the dandy-
master, so that no serious loss is expe-
rienced in that direction. — J. Greenwood :
Tag, Rag, A' Co.
Dandy -rig (Wq^t American),
fashionable attire.
In the barber's shop that I entered the
three chairs were all occupied. A slender,
graceful, " interesting young man," of an
Italian type of face, dressed in a blue
shell-jacket bound with yellow, a good
deal of loud jewellery, and a dandy-rig
generally, operated on one customer. —
F. Francis : Saddle and Moccasin.
Dangf it! (common), an evasive
curse, but imlike its prototyi)e,
Danglers — Dark.
295
Damn it I it is never used
angrily.
Danglers (thieves), a bunch of
seals.
And where the swag, so bleakly pinched,
A hundred stretches hence ?
The thimbles, slang, and danglers filched
A hundred stretches hence ?
— On the Trail.
Darbies (prison), handcuffs, irons.
" Stay," cried he, " if he is an old hand
he will twig the officer." " Oh, I'm dark,
sir," was the answer ; "he, won't know me
till I put the darbies on him." — Reade:
Never too Late to Mend.
It is said that handcuffs, used
to bind two prisoners together,
were called a Darby and Joan.
Darble (old cant), the devil.
From the French.
Darby (old cant), ready money.
Dark (common), secret.
It was evident to the Devonshire gentle-
man that the three traitors had agreed
between them to keep quite dark a certain
little episode of tiie afternoon enjoyment. —
J. Greenwood: Dick Teinple.
(Prison), "getting the dark,"
being confined in an absolutely
dark ceU. Probably abolished
now. There was one at Clerken-
well Prison, but it was not used
for at least the last ten years of
that prison's existence.
Dark cully (old slang), a married
man who keeps a mistress, but
for fear of detection only visits
her secretly.
Dark horse (turf), a horse who
has never run, or who having
run is supposed not to have
exhibited his real powers in
public. The sporting journals
are kindly constant in their en-
deavours to throw light on this
particular form of darkness.
The present year is likely to be memor-
able in racing records as the year of sur-
prises. The first favourites have fared
badly. The Derby was won by a dark
horse; Tenebreuse, who carried off the
Grand Prix last Saturday, was hardly in
the betting. — Standard.
(American), a candidate who
keeps his intentions in the back-
ground tiU he finds his oppor-
tunity.
Dark house (old), a lunatic asy-
lum.
Dark it, to (tailors), to keep
secret.
Darktnans (old cant), night.
Bene lightmans to thy quarromes ; in
what lipken hast thou Ij-pped in this
darkemans, whether in a lybbege or in
the strummel ? — T. Hartnan: Caveat,
I.e., " Good-day to thee ; in what house
didst thou sleep last night, in a bed or on
the straw ? "
Darkman's budge (old cant), a
man who slips in unobserved
into a house in the daytime to
give ready entrance to his con-
federates.
Darks (nautical), nights on which
the moon does not shine — much
looked to by smugglers (Ad-
miral Smyth).
Dark 'un (racing), equivalent to
" dark horse," which see.
296
Darky — Davy.
Darky (American), negro.
In these days of schools and school-
masters for the coloured people the num-
ber of those "who cannot tell their right
hand from their left will presumably
rapidly diminish ; but before the darky
of anti-bellum times quite disappears among
the shades of things that are past . . . —
Harper's Magazine.
Also twilight.
Darned, dam it (common), a cor-
ruption of and euphemism for
damn. Of American origin.
"Two dimes," coolly replied Jonathan.
"Two devils," snarled the customer;
"why, I can get just as good cider here
for five cents a glass." " No, you can't,"
drawled the Yankee. " There ain't a pint
of cider, 'cept what I've got in that 'ere
barrel, this side of Orleans. I'm darned
if there is." — Diprose t Book 0/ Anec-
dotes.
Dash (turf), to have a dash on a
race is to exceed largely the
speculator's ordinary limit of
investment.
(Popular), to " cut a dash,"
to make a great parade, dress
showily.
(African Coast patois) a pre-
sent or gratuity. Guinea negro,
dass.
Dasher (common), an extravagant
or " fast " person.
She was astonished to find in high life a
degree of vulgarity of which her country
companions would have been ashamed. . .
These young ladies were dashers. — Miss
Edge-worth : Altneria.
(Turf), one noted for his smart-
ness.
With much regret I heard, during my
visit to Newmarket, that Mr. 's con-
dition still continues to cause his family
and friends the gravest anxiety. Would I
could write better news concerning the
dasher, who is one of the best of good
fellows. — Sporting Times.
Dash my wig, dash my buttons,
senseless evasion of the honester
word damn, used at a time
when profane oaths were more
fashionable than they have since
become.
Dashy, deva-dasi, dasis (Anglo-
Indian), girls devoted to dancing
and prostitution in the idol
temples, especially of Southern
India.
" In Hindu deva-ddsi means slave-girl
of the gods. The like existed at ancient
Corinth under the name of ierodouloi,
which is nearly a translation of the Hindu
term. These appendages of the worship
of Aphrodite were the same thing as the
Phoenician Kedeshoth, repeatedly men-
tioned in the Old Testament. (E.g. Deut.
xxiii. 18.) Such girls are mentioned in the
famous inscription in Citiura in Cyprus . . .
under the name of altna, curiously near
that of the modern Egj-ptian aii/na "
(also aiina or ainieh). Dasis are the danc-
ing girls attached to the pagodas. — Nelson :
Madura.
Daub (low), a vulgar name for a
painter ; properly a coarsely
painted picture, what the French
call crodte,
Davy (popular), a corruption of
aflddavit.
Ay, ay, my young coon, said she, or a
silver spoon either. I'll take my daz/y it's
only pewter. — Sam Stick.
Davy Jones (nautical), a mythi-
cal character supposed to typify
the depths of ocean. Davy
Davy — Daylights.
297
Jones' locker, the bottom of the
ocean.
It has been ingeniously con-
jectured that the sea, which is
so often the sailors' cemetery,
was called Jonah's locker, that
the prophet's name was corrup-
ted into Jones, and Davy pre-
fixed as being a common name
in Wales {Notes and Queries).
For other derivation, vide Dr.
Charles Mackay's " Gaelic Ety-
mology of the English Lan-
guage."
Sailors sometimes call the
devil " Old Davy." This ap-
pears to be a diminutive of
devil.
Even in the appellations given him (the
devil) by familiar or vulgar irreverence,
the same pregnant initial prevails, he is the
Deuce, and Old Davy, and Davy Jones. —
Southey : The Doctors.
Davy putting- on the coppers for
the parsons (nautical), the brew-
ing of a storm.
Davy's sow, or David's sow
(popular). ' ' As drunk as Davys
sow," completely drunk.
Grose says : — " David Lloyd,
a Welshman, had a sow with
six legs ; on one occasion he
brought some friends and asked
them whether they had ever
seen a sow like that, not know-
ing that in his absence his
drunken wife had turned out
the animal, and gone to lie
down in the sty. One of the
party observed that it was the
drunkest sow he had ever be-
held."
The term may have originated
(a mere conjecture) in an allu-
sion to Nell Gywn, one of the
mistresses of Charles II. (nick-
named David — his father was
called Nebuchadnezzar by the
Roundheads), who was credited
with every vice by the Earl
of Rochester, and of whom he
wrote :
. . . Madam Nelly,
Whose first employment was, with open
throat,
To cry fresh herrings, even ten a groat.
— A Satire.
Other synonymous expressions
are, " drunk as a drum, as a
wheelbarrow, sow-drunk, drunk
as a fish, as a lord, as a piper,
as a fiddler, as a rat."
Dav7k {Anglo-Indian), transport,
by means of relays of men and
horses ; the mail. To lay a
dawk is to organise a postal or
transport service.
During the mutiny of 1857-58, when
several young surgeons had arrived in
India, whose services were urgently wanted
at the front, it is said that the Head of the
Department to which they had reported
themselves, directed them to immediately
" lay a dawk." To which one, aghast, re-
plied, " Would you kindly explain, sir — for
you might just as well tell me to lay an
egg." — Anglo-Indian Glossary.
Dawk-bungalow (Anglo-Indian),
a resting-place or house for
travellers.
I am inclined to think that the value
of life to a ddk bungalow fowl must be
very trifling. — In my Indian Garden.
Daylights (common), the space
left in the glass, and between
298
Daylights — Dead.
the liquor and the rim ; not per-
mitted in ultra-conncil gather-
ings when a toast is to be drunk.
The way on such occasions
of the proposer of the toast was
" no daylights and no heel-taps,
but a full bumper."
(Popular), the eyes ; to " dar-
ken one's daylights," to give a
black eye.
Good woman I I do not use to be so
treated. If the lady says such another
word to me, damn me, I will darken her
day Ugh is. — Fielding ; A niclia.
Dead (turf), certainty.
" Dealers in the dead" did well then ;
bet after bet was booked about horses
which had no more chance of winning
than "if they were boiled." — Baileys
Monthly Magazine.
Dead-alive (popular), a stupid,
dull, slow fellow.
Dead-amiss (racing) is said of a
horse that is incapacitated from
winning a race through illness.
Dead as a tent-peg (popular),
from the pegs being buried in
the ground.
First Clubman. — " Hullo, Bob ; heard
the news about Macstinger, of the ' Mos-
quito'?" Second Clubman. — "No;
what's up?" KrRST C. — "Great Scott!
it's a case of down, not up, dear boy.
He's dead as a tent-peg. Poisoned him-
self last night." — Fun.
Varied to " dead as a door-
nail," or "dead as a herring,"
" dead as small beer."
Dead beat (American), an im-
postor ; a man who does not
intend to pay his share; an
unprofitable sponger.
(Common), to be dead beat, to
be utterly exhausted.
Dead broke (common), utterly
ruined, penniless. (American),
to dead break, to ruin at a gam-
bling game.
This other, a man whohad never touched
a card, but learnt the game over-night and
sat out a seven-hours' play with the chief
gamblers, under the fire of their associates,
dead-broke them, so that they quitted the
camp laughed at by their own pals. — H.
L. IVilliams : Buffalo Bill.
Dead cargfo (thieves), plunder
that will not recompense for the
risk entailed.
Deader (army), a military funeral.
Dead finish, the (up - country
Australian), excellent beyond
measure ; in Cockney slang an
" out-and-outer." Death is a
natural metaplior for complete-
ness, for exhaustion or exhaus-
tiveness ; dead is a common
prefix, expressing the same idea
in "dead on," "dead-nuts,"
" dead certain," " dead beat,"
"dead heat."
' ' He's the deadjiiiish—^o right through
a man," rejoins Sam rather. "Blessed if
he didn't near skiver my boss." — A. C.
Grant : Bush Life in Queensland.
Dead-head (American), one who
stands about a bar to drink at
the expense of others.
Sitting on a bench outside the principal
hotel are three or four hopelessly aban-
doned loafers, wearing plainly the stamp
of dead-head on their shameless features,
Dead.
299
waiting to be asked to drink, or listening
eagerly for the not infrequent "shout for
all hands."— y4. C. Grant.
Dead heat (common), exactly
even. Two men who are equal
in anything are said to be a
dead heat; from a racing ex-
pression.
Ay, so ends the tussle. I knew the
tan-muzzle was first, though the ring-men
were yelling "dead heat." A nose I could
sweax by, but Clarke said " the mare, by
a short head." — A, L. Gordon: How we
Beat the Favourite.
Dead-horse (popular), to "draw
the dead-horse" is doing work
paid for in advance. The term
explains itself. Used also by
sailors. Admiral Smyth says
that " when they commence
earning money again there is in
some merchant ships a ceremony
performed of dragging round
the deck an effigy of their fruit-
less labour in the shape of a
horse, running him up to the
yard-arm, and cutting him adrift
to fall into the sea, amidst loud
cheers." French printers call
this manger du said, to eat salt
pork, that is, something that
excites thirst ; from the fact
that workmen in this case, feel-
ing disinclined for work, pay
frequent visits to the wine-shop.
Dead horses (West Indian),
shooting stars. The supersti-
tion of the negro mind imagines
that shooting stars are the
spirits of horses that have been
killed by falling over ravines
and precipices.
Dead lurk (thieves), breaking
into a house when the inmates
are at church .
Deadly lively, to be (common), to
be factitiously or xmnaturally
jolly.
Deadly nevergreen, the (thieves),
the gallows ; said also to bear
fruit aU the year round.
Dead man (provincial), ground
rising higher on one side of
a wall than on the other.
" There is so much dead man
that the house is always damp."
(Popular), a scarecrow; a
man made of rags. Possibly a
corruption of "dudman," from
cant term duds, for clothes, rags.
Also an extra loaf smuggled
into the basket by a baker's
man, and disposed of by him.
Deadman's lurk (thieves), a crafty
scheme laid by swindlers to ex-
tort money from the relatives of
a deceased person.
Dead marine, dead man (popular),
an empty bottle, implying that
its contents have been alcoholic.
The expression doubtless arises
from the jealousy, dashed vdth
a slight flavour of contempt,
with which marines are re-
garded by sailors on board
ship. The phrase survives in
a famous old drinking-song, set
to very spirited music by Jack-
son of Exeter — an admirable
specimen of the ancient popular
300
Dead.
melodies of England, and of
which the well-known choims
And he who will this toast deny
Down among the dead men let him lie.
The word was formerly a
marine, which, being used in a
company at which William IV.,
then Duke of Clarence, was
present, gave offence to an
oflBcer of that gallant corps,
who asked the Prince what he
meant by it. "I mean by
marine," replied the Prince,
with more readiness than was
usual with him, " a good fel-
low who has done his duty, and
is ready to do it again." The
French term an empty bottle
"un corps mort."
Dead meat train (common), a
special train carrying corpses
from Waterloo Station to the
London Necropolis at Woking.
Dead men's shoes (common), pro-
perty which can only be claimed
after the decease of the holder.
Dead nap (provincial), a cheat, a
downright rogue.
Dead nip (provincial), the failure
of any petty plan or scheme.
Dead nuts on (popular Austra-
lian), very fond of. An ampli-
fication of the ordinary English
slang "nuts on."
Dead - oh 1 (naval), is said of a
man in the last stage of intoxi-
cation.
Dead-on (riflemen), straight on.
A rifle-shot talks of the aiming
being dead-on when the day
is so calm that he can aim
straight at the bull's eye instead
of having to allow to the right
or left for wind. He is said to
be dead-on himself when he is
shooting very well.
Dead, on the (common), on the
teetotal tack. Dead is often
used as a strengthening adjec-
tive, " dead proper," " dead
sober."
Dead season (journalistic), the
time when nothing is going on.
For society this is the summer,
or during Lent.
Dead sow's eye (tailors), a badly
worked button-hole.
Dead stick, to (theatrical), to
stop, to break down utterly in
the midst of a performance. The
most eminent actors have been
subject to sudden and treacher-
ous lapses of memory. Macready
has been known to break down
in Virginius — a character he
had acted thousands of times.
Charles Kean has broken down
in Othello and Melnotte. On
the first night of "Henry IV."
at the Queen's Theatre, Phelps
stuck dead or dead stuck in Henry
IV., and the actor who played
the Prince of Wales had to
prompt his royal father.
Dead stock (common), unsaleable
ware.
Dead — Deaner.
301
The youngest, who was a capless, shoe-
less little wretch, certainly not more than
eight years old, had a " cigar-light " box
tucked under his arm ; another, a couple
of years older, perhaps, carried the stump
of a birch broom ; while the third, who was
the oldest and the hungriest, looking the
most decently dressed, held in his hand a
few local newspapers — AismaWy dead stock,
considering the day and the hour. — James
Greenwood: Crackling's Dole.
Dead swag (thieves), plunder that
cannot be got rid of.
Dead to rights (police slang), em-
ployed by detectives when they
have quite convicted a criminal,
and he is positively guilty. "I've
got him dead to rights," It is
often employed in a more gene-
ral sense to indicate certainty of
success. It seems to have ori-
ginated in America.
Dead 'un (thieves), a house un-
occupied temporarily or alto-
gether.
Me and the screwsman went to Graves-
end and found a dead 'un, and we both
went and turned it over. — Horsley : Jot-
tings from Jail.
(Thieves and roughs), a half
quartern loaf. (Turf), a horse
that may be laid against as if
he were dead ; possibly because
he is not going to run, certainly
because he is not intended to
" Racing men," said Mr. Justice Field,
in a memorable case some years ago, " evi-
dently have a morality of their own." And
it is certain that there are bookmakers or
commission agents — call them what you
will — whose honour and rectitude is un-
questioned in their own circle, but who, so
far from shrinking from the idea of getting
money out of a dead 'un, will jump at the
first opportunity. — Bird o' Freedom.
(Theatrical), a super who plays
for nothing. The mistakes that
are made in crowds and full
scenes is often accounted for
by the fact that a super who
has attended all rehearsals is
shunted at a moment's notice
to make room for the dead 'un,
who sometimes pays the super
master for the privilege of get-
ting behind the scenes as welL
(Popular), to make dead 'uns,
explained by quotation.
Man has a desire to peck a bit ; conse-
quently he must in a measure depend upon
rogues in grain, the miller, and the baker ;
and this rule therefore teaches the art and
mystery of making what are called dead
'uns; that is, to charge not only for what
j-ou deliver, but for what you do not. —
Diprose : Laugh and Learn.
Dead-wood earnest (American),
quite earnest.
No ! oh, good licks, are you in real
dead-wood earnest. — Mark Twain: Totn
Sawyer.
Dead w^rong 'un (common), a very
dishonest fellow, a cheat.
" Don't you ever speak to that man,"
said the Immaculate One, "he is a dead
wrong 'un. Plays cards, and has big
pockets and little fingers. Cheats. Once
went into the card room with six coups
ready put up in his pocket." — Sporting
Times.
Deal suit (popular), a deal coffin
supplied by the parish.
Deaner (thieves), shilling.
I know what I will do ; I will go to
London Bridge rattler (railway) and take
302
Deaner — Deen.
a deaner ride and go a wedge-hunting
(stealing plate.) — Rev. J. Horsley : Jot-
tings from Jail.
It has been suggested that
deaner is from denier, but more
probably it is a corruption of
the Yiddish dinoh, a coin.
Deansea Ville (old cant), the
country ; Deansea Ville stampers,
carriers.
Death-hunter (street), a man who
sells dying speeches or con-
fessions of executed criminals.
Also an undertaker.
Death on (Australian), good at.
The metaphor is probably that
of completeness. Vide Dead
Finish. "Death on rabbits,"
would mean a very good rab-
bit shot; "death on peaches,"
greedy of peaches. The phrase
is common in the United
States, where a lady over fond
of finery is said to be death on
dress.
Death-trap (journalistic) , a
theatre or other place of amuse-
ment made to contain large
numbers of people. The ex-
pression became general after
the burning of several such
edifices in 1887.
Our laws, too, would enable us to
punish persons whose negligence and in-
attention have been the causes of disaster ;
but then, as Mr. Punch reminds us, we
never think of trying a railway director for
a railway accident, or a theatrical lessee
and his architect (to say nothing of a
bench of magistrates) for erecting or
licensing a death-trap. — St. Jamet's
Gazette.
Debblish (South Africa), a penny.
Deck (Anglo-Indian), a look, a
peep. Hindu dekh-nd, to look.
•' Dek-ho, you ' bud-mash ! ' "
.In English gypsy, dikk. Dick-
ing, from the gypsy is common
English slang for looking.
(American), a pack of cards.
Formerly used in England.
From the expression "to deck
out."
Decus (old slang), a crown-piece ;
from the motto on the edge,
Decus et Tutamen.
Dee (tramps), a pocket-book ;
termed "reader" by thieves.
Probably an abbreviation of
dummy, which see. (Popular),
a penny.
Kydder. — Hullo, Sneyde, old man,
where are you going ?
Sneyde. — Inside, to see our "uncle,"
and get a bob on this. {S/tcnus his waist-
coat done up in neiuspaper.)
Kvdd'er. — We're both down on our luck
again, then. I've just taken in {looks
roumi)—ahtm ! — the blankets from my
lodgings. I'll wait till you come out.
(VVniis till Sneyde comes out.)
Sneyde. — He's a hard nail, he is. I've
only got nine dee out of him. — The Re-
fcree.
Deen (Anglo - Indian). Arabic
din, religion ; faith.
About the worst curse that you can lay
out on a Mahomet.in is " Zen-ul dinak! "
'•Curse your religion!" A native who
will bear with a placid smile the infor-
mation that his mother was a social evil of
Deerstalker — Demon.
303
the most revolting type, and that he and
all his relations, like all their ancestry
before them, are and were pigs, destined
to devour nameless dirt in Sheol, will nip
out his cheese-knife and go for your vitals
should you cast any reflection on his
faith. Even for him "there are choras,"
not of muslin, but Muslim. — Travels in
Egypt.
Deerstalker (society), a wide-
awake hat.
Del (gypsy), to give, kick ; also to
hit, as one says, " give it to
him," but more precisely deUer,
done, draw ; dellin, hitting or
kicking ; dellin leskro, " a givin'
of him ; " dellemengro, a horse
that kicks.
Delaben (gypsy), a gift.
Delicate (begging impostors), a
sham subscription-book.
Dell (old canting), a youngwench.
Brome (" A Jovial Crew, or the
Merry Beggars," 1652) gives
this word. In Old Dutch slang
dil, del, and dille also mean a
girl, Dielken, fiUe de joie (Der-
enbourg). Thiele, a Jewish girl,
especially a young one. In Ger-
man-Hebrew dilla also means
a maiden. It is possible that
dilly-dally, in the sense of phil-
andering and amorous trilling,
is derived from diU or dell.
Finally the gypsy has del (lit. to
give) in the sense of sexual
union, " Del adre minj."
DeloU (Anglo-Indian), a broker.
In Egypt a pedlar of old clothes,
a street dealer.
Delving it (tailors), hurrying,
keeping the head down, sewing
fast.
Demand the box, to (nautical), to
call for a bottle.
Demaunders for glymmeir (old
cant), explained by quotation.
These demaunders /or giytnmar he for
the most parte wemen, for glymmar in
their language is fyre. These go with
fayned lycences and counterfayted writ-
ings, hauing the hands and seales of such
gentlemen as dwelleth nere to the place
where they fayne themselues to haue bene
burnt, and their goods consumed with
fyre. — Hartttan : Caveat.
Demi-rep (old), a woman of
questionable character — abbre-
vation of " demi-reputation."
. . . arrant rascals, male and female . . .
demi-reps and lorettes, single and unmar-
ried. — Quarterly Revietu.
Dem keb (London), a hansom ; a
"masher" phrase from Gilbert's
"Wedding March." "Let's
take a duem heb. "
Demmy cit (American cadet), a
townsman (cit., citizen) who is
dressed as a gentleman.
Demon chandler (nautical), one
who supplies ship's stores of
a worthless character — often
utterly unfit for use and food.
I snubbed skipper for bad grub, rotten
flour to eat,
Hard tack full of weevils ; how demon
chandlers cheat !
Salt junk like mahogany, scurvying man
and boy.
Says he, "Where's your remedy?"
Board of Trade, ahoy I
— Sailors' Language.
304
Demons — Deux.
Demons (Australian), prison slang
for police. "The demont put
pincher on me," I was appre-
hended.
Dempstered (old cant), hung; from
"dempster," the executioner,
so called because it was his
duty to repeat the sentence to
the prisoner in open court.
This was discontinued in 1773.
Denounce, to (American). In the
West to pre-empt land, to an-
nounce a title to it.
You ain't got no right to come prospect-
ing around now. I've denounced it all —
it's all mine. — F. Francis: Saddle and
Moccasin.
Dep (popular), a deputy. (Christ's
Hospital), a Grecian.
Derby darlingfs, or D.D.'s (Ame-
rican), a term applied to women
who wear Derby hats.
The late decidedly masculine tendency
in fashionable female headgear has brought
out a n«-w type of girl of the period and
coined a new phrase to describe her. The
girls who promenade up and down Chest-
nut Street these fair autumn days, arrayed
in men's stiff hats, are now called Derby
girls, or Derby darlings. I'his is occa-
sionally abbreviated into D.D. in such
forms as " there goes a D.D-," or "she's
a regular D.D." — Philadelphia Times.
Derbyshire neck, a term for
the goitrous neck, owing to its
prevalence in Derbyshire.
Derrey (thieves), an eyeglass ;
hence the expression used by
tailors to "take the derrey," to
quiz, ridicule.
Derrick (old cant). In the days
prior to the appearance in public
life of the better known Jack
Ketch, Derrick signified the
hangman, from the supposed
name of a then existing func-
tionary. The word occurs in
"The Bellman of London," an
old play, published in 16 16, the
year of Shakspeare's death.
" He rides circuit with the devil, and
Derrick must be his host, and Tyburn the
inn at which he will alight."
To derrick, " a cant term for
setting out on a small but not
over-creditable enterprise. The
act is said to be named from a
Tyburn executioner " (Admiral
Smyth).
Derwenter (Australian), a con-
vict. So called from the River
Derwent, in Tasmania, which,
like New South Wales and West
Australia, was originally a con-
vict settlement. Cf. "Vande-
monian" and " Sydney-sider."
Despatchers (gambling cheats),
according to Hotten false dice
with two sets of numbers, and,
of course, no pips. So called
because they bring the matter
to a speedy issue.
Detrimentals (society), a very
common term in society for
those who are not well off, and
therefore detrimental as hus-
bands.
Deuce (popular), twopence. From
the French.
Deux wins (old cant), twopence.
Devil.
305
Devil, a barrister who does work
for another, termed "devilling."
The dexH gets up the case for a
senior in large practice, generally
without any remuneration. It
is almost also an oflficial desig-
nation. The Attorney-General's
devid for the Treasury is a post
of £\yxi a year. The Attor-
ney-General has also devils in
Chancery, as, for instance, the
"charity devil," for the matters
in which he is officially con-
cerned. The Attorney-General's
devil in the Treasury, after a
certain probation, is often pro-
moted to the bench. He is, in
fact, a sort of junior Attorney-
General. On circuit, no one is
allowed to devil for another un-
less he is a member of the same
circuit, and the barrister for
whom he devils is actually en-
gaged in some other court on
that circuit (Huggins).
(Printers), a printer's junior
apprentice or errand boy.
(Literary), explained by quo-
tation.
" Who are you ? " 1 asked in dismay.
" I'm a devil." . . .
" A what ! " I exclaimed with a start.
" A devil. ... I give plots and incidents
to popular authors, sir. Write poetry for
them, drop in situations, jokes, work up
their rough material : in short, sir, I devz'l
for them." — George R. Sims: The A uthor's
Ghost.
Devil a plebe, to (American ca-
dets), to victimise or revile a
new cadet.
Devil and Tom Walker, the
(American), an old saying once
common in New England to the
effect that it "beats the deril and
Tom Walker," or " he fared as
Tom Wcdker did with the devil."
In the Marvellous Repository, a
curious collection of tales, many
of which are old Boston legends,
there is one of Tom Walker, who
sold himself to the devil. The
book was published about 1832.
Devil-dodger (popular), clergy-
man.
These devil-dodgers happened to be so
very powerful (that is, noisy) that they soon
sent John home crying out, he should be
damn'd. — Life of J. Sackington.
Devil drawer (old slang), a poor,
miserable artist.
Devils (common), small wheels
soaked in resin, and used for
lighting fires.
Devil's among the tailors, the
(common), i.e., there's a disturb-
ance going on. " This phrase,"
says Mr. Edwards, " arose in
connection with a riot at the
Haymarket on an occasion when
Dowton announced the perform-
ance for his benefitof a burlesque
entitled 'The Tailors : a Tragedy
for Warm Weather.' At night,
many thousands of journey-
men tailors congregated in and
around the theatre, and by riot-
ous proceedings interrupted the
performances. Thirty-three of
the rioters were brought up at
Bow Street the next day. A
full account of the proceedings
will be found in Biographua
U
3o6
Devil.
Dramatim under the heading
' Tailors.' "
Devil's bedposts (common), the
four of clubs.
Devil's book (common), cards.
Damn your cards, said he, they are the
devil's book. — Swi/i : Polite Conversation.
Devil's claws (prison), explained
by quotation.
A Scotch cap, worsted stockings, and a
pair of shoes, completed the uniform of
a full private in Her Majesty's Convict
Service. This uniform was decorated all
over with the devils claws (the broad
arrow). — Evening News.
Devil's daughter (common), a
scolding, shrewish wife.
Devil's delight, a disturbance or
quarrel of more than usual
vehemence. To "kick up the
(hvil's ddigJit " is to indulge in
drunken and obstreperous jovi-
ahty.
Devil's dust, scraps and remnants
of old woollen garments sent to
the mill to be remanufactured
in the semblance of good cloth,
commonly known among manu-
facturers — who use the word
satirically — as " shoddy."
Devil's golden tooth, the (Ameri-
can). " One would think he'd
found the dcviVs yolden tooth" a
common saying in Ma.ssachu-
setts. Founded on a story to
the effect that Kidd, the pirate,
once obtained from the devil
his eye-tooth, which had the
power of changing all metals
into gold. The losing and find-
ing of this tooth by several
persons forms the subject of a
popular tale.
Devil's g^ts (old slang), a term
given by farmers to the sur-
veyor's chain.
Devil's livery (nautical), black and
yellow. From the colours being
used for mourning or quarantine.
Devil's Own, the Inns of Court
Kifle Volunteers.
Devil-scolder (popular), a clergy-
man.
Devil's sharpshooters(American).
anicknamegivenby "thechurch
militant" to those of the cleri-
cal party who in the Mexican
War belied their clotli and pro-
fession ; also to any person
favouring unjust war.
Devil's teeth (common), dice.
Devil to pay, the (common), an
allusion to the legendary tales
of the Middle Ages, in which,
in exchange for the enjoyment
of unlimiteil wealth, power, or
other earthly advantage, a man
was supposed to have sold his
soul to the devil.
Devil to pay and no 'fitch hot
(nautical). The seam which mar-
gins the water-ways was called
the "devil." Why, only caulkers
can tell, who perhaps found it
sometimes difficult for their
Devotional — Dick.
307
tools. The phrase, however,
means service expected, and no
one ready to perform it. Im-
patience and naught to satisfy
it (Admiral Smyth).
Devotional habits (common) is
applied to a horse inclined to
"say his prayers," that is, apt
to fall on his knees.
De\7-drink (labourers), an early
drink. French, "une goutte
pour tuer le ver," the worm
being thought to be more than
usually thirsty in the morning.
Dewskitch (popular), a severe-
thrashing; perhaps from "catch-
ing one's due."
Dial-plate (common), the face.
" To turn the hands on his dial-
plate," i.e., to disfigure the face.
Dials (prison), members of the
criminal class who live about
the Seven Dials in London.
Diamond - cracking (Australian
thieves' patter), stonebrcaking.
The metaphor is obvious, break-
ing " those precious stones."
He caught a month and had to white
it out at diamond-cracking in " Castieau's
Hotel." — The Australian Printers Keep-
sake.
In England, £^t«?no>ui crackimj
refers to working in a coal-
mine.
Diary, to (American thieves), to
remember.
Dib (common), a portion or share.
Dibs (common), money.
The trots round with a tin plate or
a royal dish-cover, and collects dibs for
the Imperial Institute. He exhibits him-
self at football- matches and Church bazaars
on consideration of nailing the coin for his
pet scheme. — Modem Society.
So called, says Hotten, from
the knuckle bones of sheep,
which have been used from
the earliest times for gambling
purposes when money was not
obtainable — in one particular
game five being thrown up at
a time and caught on the back
of the hand like half-pence.
This resembles the common
children's game of " jackstones."
The French call it " jeu des
osselets." (Thieves), "flash your
dibs," show your money.
Dick (military), the penis.
Dick, dikk, to (gypsy, also com-
mon cant), to see, to look.
Hotten says this is " North
country cant," but it is found
in all gypsy- dialects. (Hindu,
dekhna.) Dikkamengro, a look-
ing-glass, also dikkamengrl, both
referring to anything used in
connection with seeing, such
as spectacles, lorgnons, or tele-
scopes. The latter would be a
daro - dikkamengrl — a far - see-
thing. Tu sCiste dikkavit, you
should have seen it.
Dick at the Garjcrs (gorgias)
The Garjers round mandy,
Trying to lei my meriben
My meriben away.
I.e., " See the gorgios round me trying
to take my life away."
iJick-kdlo, to look black.
3o8
Dicker — Diddler.
frown ; dick-dum, I saw (seldom
heard) ; dick-pdli, look back, re-
call.
Dicker (American), exchange or
barter.
It may be for their interest to make the
dicker. — New York Tribune.
Dick in the green (thieves),
weak, inferior, poor. A pun on
the word "dicky," as bolt-in-
tuu is on " to bolt."
Dicky, or Dick in the green,
very bad or paltry ; anything of
an inferior quality is said to
be a " jDicAy concern " (Vaux's
Memoirs).
Dick's hatband, as queer as
(provincial), anything strange or
peculiar. This phrase, which
Bartlett claimed as an Ameri-
canism, is in reality an English
provincial simile, and correctly
given is, "^s queer as Dick's
hatband made of pea straw that
went nine times round, and
would not meet at last." The
origin of the phrase may be due
to the oddness of using such a
material for the purpose.
Dick, up to (popular), all right,
up to the mark, good and satis-
factory.
Dicky (common), middling, in-
ferior.
And how's the fielding ?
Dickji.'
"lis there you'll have the pull that
wickets sticky
Or cut up, through the influence of
weather,
Can't neutralise.
— J'uncA.
It's all di^iky or dickey with
him, it's all over with him.
"I'is all dickey with poor Father Dick ;
he's no more.
— Ingoldiby Legends.
(London slang), smart, a swell.
(Popular), explained by quo-
tation.
" I saw a laden waggon bearing the
name of one of the cheap advertising firms
you speak of." . . . "Ah, bearing the
name . . . you saw a waggon wearing a
dicky, you mean — a false front plate with
a name on it which slips on and oflf like
them on the wans that the pianoforte-
makers borrow."—/. Greenwood: Low-
Life Deeps.
(Theatrical), " dicky domus,"
literally a bad, poor house, one
with a small audience.
Dicky birds (theatrical), a generic
term which includes vocalists of
every description, from Madame
Patti down to a singer in the
chorus.
Diddeys (common), a woman's
breasts. The word is really a
provincial term for a cow's
teats.
Diddle, to (vulgar), to have sexual
commerce. It signifies properly
to " dredge ; " also to cheat in
an artful way.
O that Tommy Riddle,
What played upon the fiddle,
Has managed for to diddle me
Of my true love.
— Pofiular Song.
Diddler(common),an impecunious
scamp, a swindler. See Jeremy
Diddler (Kenny's farce of " Itais-
Didoes — Diklo.
309
iog the Wind"), or his more
modem prototype, Jingle, in
"Pickwick."
Didoes. Vide To Cut Didoes,
Die-by-the-hedge (provincial), in-
ferior meat of cattle which have
died and not been slaughtered.
Die in one's shoes, to (common),
to be hanged. The metaphor is
not happy, as men may die else-
where than on the gallows with
their boots on.
And there is M'Fuze, and Lieutenant
Tregooze ;
And there is Sir Carnahy Jenks, of the
Blues,
All come to see a man die in his shoes !
— Ingoldsby Legends.
Dientical (American), a frivolous
anagram for " identical," but
often heard.
Die, or dee (thieves), a pocket-
book, but specially the dummy
or pocket-book stuff ed with flash
bank bills used by a " dropper."
Dig (common), a blow with the
fist, or tips of fingers, as " a dig
in the eye," "a dig in the ribs."
Dig a day under the skin, to
(popular), to shave at such a
time as to make it serve for two
days.
Dig, full (popular), the full allow-
ance of pay.
Diggers (popular), the fingor-
nails.
" If you do," returned Bill, " I will fix
my diggers in your diai-plate and turn it
up with red." — On the Trail.
Also spurs, or the spades on
cards.
Diggers' delight (New Zealand),
large brown felt hat worn by
diggers in New Zealand.
Diggings (common), place or
habitation. Of American origin.
I'ma daisy, dear boy, and no 'eeltaps ! I
wish the St. James's young man
Could drop into my diggings permiskus;
he's welcome whenever he can ;
For he isn"t no J., that's a moral; I
don't bear no malice ; no fear !
But I'd open 'is hoptics a mossel con-
cernin' my style and my spere.
— Punch.
Dignity, a (West Indian), the
name given by Europeans to a
negro ball, the designation being
probably derived from the ludi-
crous pomposity of the negro
character. The blacks are very
chary of admitting strangers,
and especially white people, as
eye-witnesses. Oftentimes they
degenerate into a scene of the
wildest debauchery.
Dikk (Anglo - Indian), worry,
botheration.
And Beaufort learned in the law,
And Anderson the sage,
And if his locks are white as snow,
'Tis more from dikk than age.
— Wilfred Heeley.
In English gypsy the word is
duhk, more frequently dush.
Diklo, diclo (gypsy), a handker-
chief, cravat. Men-dido, a neck-
tie.
3IO
Dildoes — Ding- hat.
Dildoes, more commonly known
now as " the broom handle."
An instrument made of various
soft pliable substances, and re-
sembling the male pudendum,
used by women who, possessing
strong amatory passions, and
forced to celibate lives, are
afraid of pregnancy following
natural copulation. In this conr
nection the female pudenda is
called "a broom."
Such a sad tale prepare to hear,
As claims from either sex a tear,
Twelve dildoes meant for the support
Of aged lechers of the court
Were lately burnt by impious hand,
Of trading rascals of the land.
Who, envying their curious frame,
Exposed these Priaps to the flame.
— Butler : Dildoides {occasioned by
burning a hothead of dildoes
at Stocks Market, i6y2).
(Old slang), to dildo, to play
wantonly with a woman.
Dilly (popular), a night-cart.
Dilly-bag (Australian up-countrj'),
a blackfellow's wallet.
Their own dilly-hags have nothing of
value or interest in them. Some locks of
hair rolled up in thin slips of bark, pro-
li.-ibly belonging to a deceased friend ; a
|iiece or two of crystal for magic purposes;
two or three bones, and some fat which the
troopers who, from tlieir own upbringing,
are authorities on such things, pronounce
human ; a primitive-looking Ixjne fish hook
or two, and some siring m.ide of opossum
hair— that is all.— /I. C. Grant.
Dimber (old cant), pretty, neat.
Dimber cove (thievesand gypsies),
:i trontleman.
'Tis a dimber cm>e. Come, old mort,
tout the cobble-colter ; are we to have
darkmans upon us ? — Disraeli : Venetia.
Dimber-damber (old cant), very
pretty ; a very clever rogue ;
head of a gang. (Dekker gives
damhet, a rascal, rogue.)
No dimber-damber, angler, dancer.
Prig of cackler, prig of prancer.
— Life of Bamp/ylde Moore CareTv.
Dimmock (popular), money. The
derivation is evidently from the
small coin " dime," worth ten
cents in United States coinage.
Dimmocking-bag, a bag used for
collecting subscriptions in small
sums for any special object ;
also the special savings bank
of the individual who usually
hoards his sixpence for a parti-
cular object, as at Christmas
time for the Christmas feed.
Dinahs (Stock Exchange), Edin-
burgh and Glasgow Railway
Ordinary Stock.
Dinarly (theatrical), coin, money,
borrowed from the Spanish
dinero ; " nantie dinarly " signi-
fies " no treasury to-day."
Dine out, to (popular), to go
without dinner.
Ding-bat (American), money.
The word din or ding seems to
indicate value in several lan-
guages. £.(/. , in Yiddish, dinoh
mimaunaus, money questions.
Din, judgment. (Yiddish), din
Ding — Dirt-scrapcrs.
311
toe cheschbaum geben, to settle
accounts. In Dutch, dingen, to
plead, to cheapen ; dinghank, a
judge's bench ; dinger, one who
pleads or cheapens.
Ding boy (old cant), a rogue or
rascal.
Ding-dongf (popular), in good ear-
nest. To " set about a thing
ding-dong " is to tackle it with
vigour. An alliterative redupli-
cation of ding, to beat, to strike,
and also perhaps in allusion to
the quick succession of strokes
in ringing of bells.
Dinged (American), exceedingly.
In the Southern States a man
will say that he worked dinged
hard. Vide DiNGGONED.
Dingers, the cups and balls ; or,
in the French phrase, " gobelets
et muscades," used by con-
jurors.
Ding-fury (provincial), huff or
anger. A slang word very com-
mon in the provinces. " She
flounced away in a ding-fury."
Dinggoned (American), a Western
equivalent for " darned." In
the South it takes the form of
"dinged." They are all euphe-
misms for "damned."
Well, sir, that dinggoned show was more
of a mystery to me the more I examined
it, so I took Stack and Wirth out into
the hall and explained my impressions. —
Superior Inter Ocean.
Dip (popular), a pickpocket ; to
dip, to arrest, convict, be put in
any way into trouble.
(Thieves), to dip, to pick a
pocket, from the ordinary sense
of the word. To dip a lob, to
steal the contents of a till. Also
to pawn.
Dipped in the wing (popular),
winged, worsted.
I'm nipped in the bud, I'm dipped in the
•wing,
I'm weeded, I'm sold, I am every-
thing
ITiat is wretched, forlorn, and mad with
despair,
Look at my head — only gaze at my
hair.
— Cecil Merrie : Only wait till
you^re Married.
Dipper, dipping bloke (thieves),
a pickpocket.
Off to Paris I shall go to show a thing or
two
To the dipping blokes wot hangs about
the caKs ;
How to do a cross-fan for a super or a
slang,
And to bustle them gendarmes I'd give
the office.
— Vance : The Chichaleary Co7'c.
Dips (nautical), the purser's boy.
Dirt-scrapers (American), lawyers
who in examining witnesses ask
them all manner of needless
questions relative to their past
lives and inquire closely as to all
their relations with women, &c.,
cither with a view to m.aking
them appear inmioral and dis-
creditable, or, as is often really
the case, to afford to the court
and spectators the exquisite
312
Dirty — Dtspar.
pleasure of seeing a man or
woman tortured and put to
sliame. A criminal case without
any dirt- scraping has become of
late very exceptional, both in
England and in America.
Dirty half hundred (military).
The 50th Regiment was called
so, partly from having black
facings which gave a sombre
look to the uniform. After the
battle of Badajos it was changed
to the "gallant half hundred."
Dirty puzzle (common), a slut.
Discombobberated (American),
discomposed, upset, "Hum-
muxed."
An' when he seen I'd killed a deer as
slick as grease he was so discombobberated
he couldn't speak. — Ne-w York Sun.
Discommon; or discommune( uni-
versity), not to communicate ;
that is, to prohibit students
dc aling with certain tradesmen
who have transgressed the rules
of the University, a species
of excommunication or " boy-
cotting."
Disguised in liquor (common), a
common phrase in the vernacular
for one who is slightly intoxi-
cated. The expression, though
vulgar, is not without merit, as
conveying the truth that a
drunken man is not playing a
real part, but has assumed a
guise that is false and unnatural.
Dish, to, to circumvent, to ruin, to
frustrate an enemy's or an op-
ponent's plans. The word was
used by the late Earl of Derby
on a memorable occasion, when
he affirmed that such and such
a measure would "dish the
Whigs." It has been supposed
that the word was used in the
first instance as a corruption of
"dash," "dash" itself being an
euphemism for " damn," as in
the vulgar oath, "dash my
wig," for " damn my wig," but
to dish most probably is only
one of the many expressions
connected with the kitchen, as
"to cook his goose," to "give
one a roasting," to " do brown,"
&c.
Dishclout (common), a dirty, un-
savoury woman. When, how-
ever, a man marries his cook,
and it is said that he has made
a napkin of a dishclout, no other
meaning is attributable except
that a "mesalliance" has been
made.
Dispar. The following explana-
tion of this term is given by
W. H. David. "The word
' sines,' the scholars* allowance
of bread for breakfast or supper,
and dispar, his portion of meat,
have their origin in a Winches-
ter College custom which pre-
vailed in the last century. There
being neither ' hatch ' nor roll-
call at the College Hall in these
days, the provision for breakfast
was laid out on a table, and the
stronger took the lion's share,
and left the weaker ' sines.' So
again at dinner the double plate
Diss — Diving-bell.
313
of pieat fell to the former as a
matter of might, and the un-
equal moiety, the dispar, be-
came the portion of the weaker
junior."
Diss (printers), abbreviation for
distribution, i.e., printed off
type — to be returned to its re-
spective cases, and re-composed.
Dissecting job (tailors), a heavy
alteration.
Distiller (Australian convicts'
slang), one who is easily vexed
and betrays his chagrin. Vide
Carey the Keg. Probably not
of colonial origin but introduced
by transportees.
Ditch and ditcher (Anglo- Indian),
slang terms applied in a dis-
paraging manner to Calcutta
and the " Calcuttians."
Dite (American), " I don't care
a dite." Dutch, duyt, a doit,
half a farthing. " Hy gelykt
hem oop en duyt," there is not
half a farthing difference be-
tween them.
Dittoes, a suit of clothes made
all of the same cloth, in French
" un complet." The term is
pretty general.
Ditty (popular), bag ; a corrup-
tion of the tailors' phrase, "a
dittobag," from thebag in which
they keep miscellaneous articles
for the repair of their clothes or
shoes — for thread, tapes, but-
tons, needles, pins, nails, &c.
Dive (American), a drinking-
saloon ; a cellar -saloon.
An Ourayite recently passing through
Canon City on Sunday was invited to go
to the penitentiary to church services, and,
accepting the invitation, found 385 con-
victs assembled, and among them, playing
the violin in the choir, the young Italian
who shot his mistress through the window
of her house just back of the dive known
as " 220 " here in Ouray about a year
ago. — The Solid Muldoon, Ouray, Colo-
rado.
Dive into one's sky, to (popular),
to thrust one's hand in one's
pocket,
" Yes, I know, Uncle, it's Mary Ann.
I see you through the keyhole this morn-
ing when she brought up your shaving
water."
Then Uncle Ben dived into his sky
and brought up a nice bright Jubilee half-
dollar, and little Willie went off to the
confectioner's singing. — Sporting Times.
Dive into the woods, to (Ameri-
can), a common figure of speech
for hiding one's self.
A female of the Salvation Army has
invented what is called the "salvation
kiss." Young men who have seen the
female portion of the army will not seek
salvation in this new form. They will dive
still deeper into the ivoods when the army
comes around. — S orristovim Herald.
Diver (thieves), a pickpocket ;
he "dives into the skies" of
other people.
Divide the house with one's wife,
to, a quaint saying which sig-
nifies to turn her out into the
street.
Diving-bell, a cellar tavern.
314
Divous — Dock.
Divous (gypsy), a day. boro
divoHsko divous, the great day
of judgment. Probably a con-
traction of diivelesh-o, divine.
Divvy( American), to divide, share,
or partake.
If Mexican robbers make a rush on an
American ranch in Zapata, Frio, Cameron,
Hidalgo, or Starr Counties, they are ex-
pected to difvy with the American gentle-
men engaged in the same line of business
before being permitted to cross the river
peacefully. — Chicago Tribune.
Do (popular), a do is a fraud, an
imposition.
I thought it was a do to get me out of the
house. — Sketches by Boz.
Do, to (common), to outwit, to pay
out, to cheat. (Thieves), to do a
place or crib, is to break into a
house for the purpose of steal-
ing.
I went in a place and touched for some
wedge, which we done for three pounds
ten. — Horsley : Jottings from Jail.
(Popular and thieves), " to do
for," to kill.
The prisoners had since stated that the
stranger had bidden them to do for M.
— — — , and then to take away everything
which he might have about him. — Daily
Telegraph.
Do a bit, to (popular), to eat some-
thing.
When I asked her what she'd t.ike,
Her answer made me queer ;
She said, " I admit
1 can do a hit
Of everything that's here.
Some mulligatawny soup, a mackerel, and
A hanbury, a bath-bun, and a tuppenny
sausage roll,
A little drop of sherry, a little pint of
cham,
A roley-poley pudding, with a pile of cakes
and jam."
— Matilda Gorger: Francis
and Day.
Do a gfuy, to (thieves), to run
away, to get out of the way.
It's a fact to be deplored, though it cannot
be ignored.
That all of us are not well off for oof ;
Andoccasionally a Johnny, who is "gone"
on some fair " honey,"
Hasn't cash enough to treat her like a
toff.
When he tries to raise the wind, it's just
possible he'll find
It difficult to keep within the law,
.\!as ! he may be " fly," but when it's time
to do a gtjy,
He's sure to meet the bobby at the door.
—Sporting Titnes.
(Workmen), to be away whilst
supposed to be at work.
Dobie (Anglo-Indian), a man who
performs the functions of a
washerwoman ; also a wa.sher-
woman.
Dock (old cant), to deflower (Har-
man); gypsy, diikker, to wrong,
ravish, injure. JJukker or docker
is often used without the ter-
minal " er." Turner derives it
from the Gaelic terraich.
(Printers). This is colloquial
for a man's weekly bill or
"pole," probably from the fact
of its being subject or liable to
be "docked" or curtailed by
the person appointed to check
the bills. (Winchester), to dock,
1o scratch out ; to dock a book,
to fear out pages from a book.
(Popular), hospital.
Docker-^Dodge.
315
Docker (law), a brief for defence
handed by a prisoner in the dock
to any barrister who by the
etiquette of the profession is
bound to take it, at the mmi-
mum fee of 23s. 6d.
Doctor, the (up-country Aus-
tralian), the men's cook on a
station. The title of the man
who concocts one kind of mix-
tures and prescriptions is trans-
ferred to one who practises in
another branch of the profes-
sion, which is thoroughly char-
acteristic of Australian slang.
(Old), a decoction of milk and
water, rum, and a spicing of
nutmeg.
(Gamblers), doctors, false cards
or dice.
" Here," said he, taking some dice out
of his pockets, " here are the little doctors
which cure the distempers of the purse." —
Fielding : Tom Jones.
From to doctor, to poison, to
falsify, to adulterate.
She doctor d the punch, and she doctor d
the negus,
Taking care not to put in sufficient to
flavour it.
— Ingoldsby Legends.
To "put the doctor'' on one,
to cheat him.
Perhaps ways and means may be found
to put the doctor on the old prig. — T.
Broivn : IVorks.
(Popular), to "keep the doc-
tor " is said of a publican who
retails adulterated drinks.
Dodderer (provincial), a shaky,
mumbling old man. The old
English had to " doddle," signi-
fying to tremble, to shake, still
used in the North of England.
He got up on an old mule which had
served nine kings, and so mumbling with
his mouth, nodding and doddling with his
head, would go see a coney ferreted. —
Urquhart : Rabelais.
French dodeliv^r, which has
the root dod, oscillation, in com-
mon with the English equiva-
lent ; Italian, dandolare, to rock,
to shake gently.
Doddy (provincial). This is ap-
plied in Norfolk to any person
of low stature. Sometimes
"Hodman dod," and " hoddy
doddy, all head and no body."
A " dod " is provincial for a rag
of cloth, and to "dod " is to cut
off, to lop.
Dodgasted (common), a milder
form of damned.
" Well, what was it, anyhow?"
" It was one of those dodgasted elec-
trical machines ! Trying my nerves, you
know ! "
And when the boys had recovered, the
funeral -monger had gone, and so had all
the available drinks on the counter. —
Sporting Times.
Dodge (common), a clever contri-
vance ; a cunning, underhanded
trick. A recognised term, but
used in many slangy senses.
Among the numerous dodges re-
sorted to by tricky or dishonest
persons are the "pamphlet
dodge."
The "pamphlet dodge" is an established
variety of the begging-letter man of trade.
Two or three experts will club together
to take advantage of a striking event or
momentous political crisis, find out some
3i6
Dodge — Dog.
poor penny-a-liner in one of the haunts of
such people, and get him to throw to-
gether forty or fifty pages on the parti-
cular subject, paying him miserable wages
for the work. — Tit-Bits.
(Thieves), " delivered dorfjre."
Alfred sends his servant with goods to
a customer, with orders to bring back the
goods or the money. The servant takes
the goods and hands in the bill, and the
customer says, on reading the bill, "All
right, put the goods down there," which
the man does, expecting that the customer
is about to pay the bill. When he has
done so, the customer says he will call
and pay his master ; but on the man tell-
ing him he must take the goods back if
the bill is not paid, the customer replies
that he has delivered the goods, that they
are now in the possession of the purchaser,
and that if he touches them he will give
him in charge of the police. — Tit- Bits.
The " tidy dodge," dressing
up children so that they look
tidy, and slowly walking about
the streets with this genuine
or borrowed family for begging
purposes.
To dodf/e, to track one in a
stealthy manner.
There's not the smallest danger in it
. . . it's only to dodge a woman. ... I
can do that pretty well, I know. ... I
was a regular cutting sneak when I was at
•>c\\oq\.-— Dickens : Oliver Twist.
Dodger (common), a tricky per-
son, a swindler. Dickens has
immortali.sed the word by his
character of the Artful Dodger
in Oliver Twist. (Popular), a
dram. (Provincial), a night-
cap, hence the latter meaning.
(American), tliis terra, meaning
a round roll or pat of maize-
bread, is apparently derived
from the same word as applied
to any object of a similar shape
(e.g., in vulgar slang, the penis).
In Dutch, dag or dagje {en end-
tje dagg) means a short bit of
rope. Dot or dotje is also a ball
of wool, cotton, &c., generally
spoiled, decaying, or in a mass.
Dodo (old), a common expression
for a fussy old man, or de-
crepit man.
Dod-rottedest (American), a eu-
phemistic form of swearing ;
sometimes "dod-fetched,""dod-
gasted."
Well, sir, there was the dod-rottedest
machine you ever saw. A nice-looking
man with black whiskers was turning
away at a big 'balance - wheel made of
champagne bottles. — Superior Inter
Ocean.
Dog (society), a man ; a gay dog,
a jolly dog, a careless dog, &c.
The word dog now has come to
mean in .society a gentleman of
an amorous turn of mind, who
ha,s great success among the
ladies.
(American), dog, dog-goned,
God and God damned, as
it is popularly explained ; it
being believed that dog is the
word God reversed. " I'll be
dogged" is the common form,
and it is really never used
to seriously signify anything so
extreme as eternal condemna-
tion. It is possibly a New York
word, and may therefore be de-
rived from the Dutch daugen,
to summon to judgment, to
arraign. If this be so, there
Dog — Doing.
317
would be a very apparent con-
nection with condemned.
Dog biting dog (theatrical), one
actor ungenerously criticising
another's performance.
Dog-collar (common), a stiff,
stand-up collar, one of the kind
much in favour among dandies.
Dog - dumed (West American),
a mild form of swearing. Pro-
bably an euphemism for God
damned.
Bird declared that he would be dog-
dumed if he was going to run his interior
(he called it by some other name) out a-driv-
ing the stock any further ahead— rf«r»^^
if he would. — F. Francis : Saddle and
Moccasin.
Doggery (American), a partial
anagram of groggery. A low
drinking place, a " rum-bucket-
shop," a "dive," a "gin-mill,"
a " boozing-ken," a " rum-icile,"
a "drunkery."
Not one word can be justly said against
the character or ability of any of the nomi-
nees. They "are in every way immensely
superior to their Democratic opponents,
who number among them as far as the
nominations have gone half-a-dozen dog-
^ery- keepers, a crooked ex-gager, a police-
court shyster, and a railroad lobbyist.
Two or three other doggery ■Ve.e\>^r% and a
lobbyist or two and Van Pelt will be added
before the Democratic nominations close.
The " Reds " and the "side-show " people
will hardly elect any of their men unless
they are indorsed by the Democrats. —
Chicago Tribune.
(Popular), nonsense.
Dogs (Stock Exchange), New-
foundland Land Co. Shares.
Dog's body (nautical), a kind of
pease- pudding.
Dog-shooter (Royal Military Aca-
demy). Cadets thus term a
student who accelerates, that
is, who, being pretty certain of
not being able to obtain a com-
mission in the engineers, or not
caring for it, elects to join a
superior class before the end of
the term. An allusion to a
volunteer, called a dog-shooter.
Dog's nose (common), gin and
beer ; "so called from the mix-
ture being as cold as a dog's
nose," say several etymologists.
It also applied to a man given
to whisky.
Dog's paste, (popular), .sausage,
mince-meat.
Dog's soup (common), rain water.
Dog stealer (common), a faceti-
ous appellation for a dog-dealer,
who is generally considered as
deserving it.
Dog's tail (nautical), a name for
the constellation Ursa Minor,
or Little Bear.
Dog-town (American), a colony
of prairie dogs.
The prairie dogs had colonised in a part
of this, the upper end of the valley, and we
traversed a dog-tcnun some acres in extent,
each underground habitation of which was
marked by a little heap of excavated earth.
F. Francis : Saddle and Moccasin.
Doing a bishop (army), turning
out for parade at short notice.
318
Doing — Doll.
and with small preparation for
cleaning up, &c.
Doing a bunk or doing a shift
(common), attending to nature's
needs.
Doing a nob (circus and show-
men), making a collection of
money from spectators (Frost's
" Circus Life ").
Possibly from the gypsy noh-
het.
Doing a star pitch (theatrical),
sleeping in the open. French,
" coucher k 1' hotel de la Belle
Etoile.
Doing it on the d. h. (common).
I could do it on my d. h., i.e., on
my head, is a vulgar assurance
of being able to do a thing with
the greatest ease.
Doing out (American thieves),
a device by which a thief, if
arrested with a confederate,
pleads guilty but acquits the
other.
Doing poUy (prison), picking
oakum in jail.
Doings (American), any kind of
food, but in most instances
applied to that of an ordinary
sort.
Suppose you drop roun' ter-morrer an'
take dinner wid me. We ain't got no great
doins at our house, but I speak de old
onian . . . kin sorter scramlile roun' 'cm
git uj) sunip'n. — Uncle Kcmus.
Doing time (tliicves) refers to a
term of imprisonment.
Doldrums (nautical and provin-
cial), trouble, low spirits, worri-
ment. " Jack in the Doldrums "
was the title of a tale or novel.
Applied sometimes to a stormy
place, or where the weather or
navigation is bad.
For then I must surely die,
And my soul sail off to Doldrums isle.
Unless some one pities my pain
And carries me down where the waters
boil.
And pitches me in again.
— The Song of the Merman.
The term seems to have be-
come general. Probably from
dull (with the sense of doleful),
and a facetious suffix, as in tan-
trums. For other derivations
vide Dr. Charles Mackay's
"Gaelic Etymology of the
English Language."
Dole (Winchester College), a trick,
stratagem ; from the Latin dolus.
Dollar (city), a five-shilling piece.
Dollop (old slang), a lump, a
share. To share, according to
Hotten, derived from " dole
up," to deal out in small por-
tions. Dutch, deal, a share.
The old gal used to stow a whacking lot
in a big pocket she had in herpetticut, and
I used to put away a dollop in the busum
of my shirt, which it was tied round the
waist-bag hid underneath my trousers for
the purpose, liut, Lor' bless yer, some-
times the blessed trade would go that
aggravatin' that we would both find our-
selves loaded up in no time. — Seven Curses
of London.
Doll's christening (provincial), a
party consisting entirely of
ladies.
Dolly — Domnterar.
19
Dolly (popular), silly, foolish.
" You are a chit and a little idiot," re-
turned Bella, " or you wouldn't make such
a dolly speech." — Dickens: Our Mutual
Friend.
(Society), a dolly, a prostitute,
a street walker, short for dMy-
mop ; also a mistress.
Drink, and dance, and pipe, and play,
Kisse our dollies night and day.
— Herrick: Hesjierides.
More modern is " my tart "
for "my mistress."
(Anglo-Indian), Hindu, dCdi,
a present of fruit, flowers, and
sweetmeats ; also the daily offer-
ing of flowers usually made by
the molly {mall) called "the
molly with his dolly." In some
parts of India the doUy has
grown into an extravagance con-
sisting sometimes of bushels of
fruit, nuts, and confectionery,
with bottles of champagne and
liqueurs.
(Tailors), a bit of cloth used
as a sponge.
Dolly-mop (common), a tawdrily
dressed servant girl, a semi-
prostitute.
Dolly-shop (common), a pawn-
broker's shop of the poorest and
lowest description. From the
Yiddish dcd or dol, poor, which
suggested the hanging up a doll
as a sign for such places.
" That's a dolly-shop," said the green-
grocer; "sort of pawnbroker's without a
license, where they charge threepence in
the shilling per week on what they lend
you. The young 'un went there to raise
a sixpence, I'll be bound." — James Green-
wood : Three Half-Crowns.
Dom (Anglo-Indian), a very low
caste, representing some very
old aboriginal race. It was fir**^
suggested by Charles G. Leland
that the origin of the Rom or
gypsies should be sought in this
caste, and recent researches by
Grierson have gone far to con-
firm the conjecture. Thus D
and R are convertible in the
Hindu-gypsy dialects, e.g., doi,
a spoon, and roi. And while
dom, domni, and domnipana,
mean in India a d(ym, a female,
dom, romni, romnipana, or rornni-
pen have exactly the same
meaning in gypsy as applied to
gypsies and gypsydom.
Do me proud (American), equi-
valent to saying that one is
complimented or made to feel
proud.
" Sez he, 'You're an honour to your
section.' Sir," I answered, "you do »ie
proud. "
Domine Do-little (old slang), the
name of an impotent old man.
Domino (nautical), "a common
ejaculation," says Hotteu, "of
sailors when they receive the
last lash of a flogging." The
allusion may be understood from
the game of dominoes.
Domino thumper (theatrical), a
pianist.
Dominoes (popular), the teeth.
French slang, jie it de dominos.
Dommerar (old cant), a variety of
the mendicant tribe who pre-
tend to be deaf and dumb.
320
Domum — Donkey.
These dommerars are leud and most
subtyll people : the most part of these are
watch men, and wyll neuer speake, vnlesse
they haue extreame punishment. — Har-
man: Caveat.
Domum ball (Winchester College),
a ball given by the superan-
nuated college prefects on the
evening after the "men" go
home for the Midsummer holi-
days.
Don, a contraction of the Latin
dominus. It is a university term
for a man who has taken his
master's degree. It is, how-
ever, generally confined to resi-
dent M.A.'s.
An " Oxford M. A. " writes : — " This
University has, I suppose, been always
notorious for narrow-minded bigotry ; but
ought the general public to be allowed
to suffer because Mr. , as a robust
Radical, is not easily stomached of the
Tory don ? "—Pali Mall Gazette.
(Winchester), a master.
Dona, donah (theatrical), a girl, a
woman ; from the Italian. The
term is also used by tramps,
London roughs, &c.
Of course you've been to to see
the pantomime,
Where fairies sport in clothes so smart,
in manner quite divine.
Of course you've seen the Fairy Queen,
they call her Mademoiselle,
Well, perhaps you won't believe it, but
that donah is my gal.
— Ceo. Anthony : Mary turns
the Mangle.
Denaker (old), a cattle stealer.
Done (common), outwitted,
cheated.
And immediately afterwards follows a
well-known theatrical costumier, who has
been done in the matter of fancy dresses
by a gentleman connected with an amateur
dramatic performance. — The Graphic.
Done also means exhausted,
varied to " done up;" done for
himself, injured or ruined him-
self.
Lord Randolph is much mistaken if he
supposes that it is only an aristocratic
friend here and there who believes that he
has done for h\iase.\i.^Pall Atall Gazette.
Done brOTWH (common), befooled,
that is, completely done.
And they stared at each other, as much as
to say,
" Hollo ! Hollo ! here's a rum go !
Why, captain! — my lord!— here's the
devil to pay !
The fellow's been cut down and taken
away !
What's to be done? We've missed all
the fun !
Why, they'll laugh at and quiz us all over
the town.
We are all of us done so uncommonly
brown."
— Ingoldsby Legends.
Done-over (popular), intoxicated.
Done to death (society), rejieated
ad nauseam.
Wasted a shilling in Bond Street by
going to Harry Furniss' "Artistic Joke."
Why Artistic':' And, emphatically, why
Joke? Caricature of Academy pictures
done to death in comic journals with
utmost regularity or many past years.—
Sporting Times.
Donkey (nautical,) a seaman's box
in which he keeps his clothes.
(Printers.) Compositors are
sometimes called donkrys by
pressmen by way of retaliation
for calling them "pigs."
Donkey — Door.
321
(Streets), " Who stole the
donkey ? " This was and still is
a common street cry in Hounds-
ditch and the other Hebrew
quarters of London when a man
wearing a white hat makes his
appearance. The low Jews had
or have a notion that no one but
a Christian — and certainly no
Jew — ever wears a white hat.
They also have a saying that the
Founder of Christianity stole the
donkey on the back of which He
rode into Jerusalem. Hence the
expression.
(Common), "Three more and
up goes the donkey,^' that is,
three pennies more and the do7i-
key will go up the ladder. This
phrase, used by mountebanks to
denote that the performance
will begin when the sum re-
quired is complete, is often said
mockingly to a braggart lo im-
ply disbelief in accounts of his
own wonderful performances.
Donkey-riding (popular), cheat-
ing in weight and measure.
Donny (prison), a woman. From
the Italian dona.
Don's week (tailors), the week
before a general holiday.
Don't go off before you 'start
(American), a common exhorta-
tion to any one not to be in
"too precious" or too great a
hurry.
Well, hold on noM',' I'm. goin' to tell
you. Don't go off before you start', as ,
de darkey said to de baulky mule.-^
Brudder Bones.
Doodle-dasher (low), one who
practises onanism ; doodle is the
penis.
Dookering (gypsies), fortune-
telling ; from dooriJc, to pro-
phesy.
Dookie (theatrical), a penny show
or unlicensed theatre, usually
fitted up in a large room or a
cellar in a populous neighbour-
hood. The eminent tragedian,
Charles Dillon, emerged from
one of these in his youth, and.
handsome Conway, once the
spoiled child of fashion, ad-
mired and idolised by the belles
of Bath — notably by Madame
Piozzi (Johnson's Mrs. Thrale)
— found a temporary refuge at
one of them when driven from
the patent theatres by the brutal
persecution of "that ferocious
literary ruffian, Theodore Hook "
(Byron). There are three or
four performances a night at
a dookie, and the audience is
usually composed of juvenile
harlots and thieves. Many of
these places of resort , still
flourish at the East End. ,
Dookin-cove, a fortune-teller;
from the gypsy dookering or
dukkcrin, telling fortunes.
Door nail, dead as a. Vide Dead
AS A Tknt Peg.
Door steps (Whitechapel slang),
slices of bread and butter. " I
' say, guvnor, give us a pennorth
of weak and two' c/ot»r dcps."
X
32:
Do over — Dossers.
Do over (popular), said of any
one who is intimate (carnallv)
with a woman. .
Dope, to (American). Doping is
the stupifying men with tobacco
prepared in a peculiar way, as
the gypsies of old were wont to
use Datura stramonium. From
old cant dope, a simpleton, dupe.
Nine out of ten saloons in the slums
employ doping as a mea^iS to increase their
illicit \^MGx\\x^.--— American Newspaper.
Dopey (old cant), a beggar's trull ;
■ the podex ; the buttocks ; Scot-
tied, a doup.
Doras (Stock Exchange), South-
Eastern Railway Deferred Or-
dinary Stock.
Dose (thieves), a sentence to im-
grisonment. To give a man his
done, or punish him, doubtless
Gomes_ from a dose of medicine,
but it is not impossible the Yid-
dish doic, don or dasz (Chaldaic),
m,eaning the law; has influenced
the word in this peculiar ca^e.
(Old cartt), a' burglary.
Doshed, I'm, an exclamation of
surprise, akin to " dashed."
Doss (tramps and popular), a
bed. ■ ' ■
As the sombre shades of evening begin
lo cast their darkening shadows over the
earth, the m.njority of the troops will return
to their respective quarter?, and soon after
nine o'clock the greater number will be
comfortably tUck^d in doss (bed) for the
ni^t. ^^Patterson : Life in the Ranks.
Dr. CJharles Mackay says :-;-
"lIottcnsupi)osesittobederived
from ' doze,' as a place to sleep
in ; or quite as likely," he adds,
" from dor«e, the back. It is, how-
ever, most likely from neither
of these, but from the Gaelic
dos, a hedge or bush under which
tramps very often find their only
available resting-place for the
night — the money failing them
to secure a shelter in a low
lodging-house." According to
Dr. Brewer, " Do»s is a hassock
full of straw, a bed — properly a
straw bed. Dossel is an old word
for a bundle of hay or straw. "
This derivation is the more pro-
bable, and is borne out by the
French slang word picu, bed,
from piau, straw, straw bed,
which has given piausser to
sleep, modernised into pioneer.
It also means sleep.
There is only about one of them in
l/5ndon where a fellow can do a comfort-
able doss, and that is St. Pancras's. — 'J'/ior
Fredur: Sketches in Shady Places.
The author of "Sketches in
Shady Places "remarks: — "Doss,
slang term for .sleep — meaning
to ' lie on the back.' On exa-
mination it will startle one to
find how many of these vulgar-
isms are derived directly from
the learned languages."
Dosser, the, the father of a
family. From provincialism dos,
a " masher."
Dossers (common), explained by
(quotation.
The " 'appy dossers " are the wretched
.people who roam alxjiit the street house-
less, and creep in to sleep on the stairs, in
the pass<iges and untenanted cellars of the
4^-
Doss-house — Dott}\
323
lodging-houses with the doors open night
and day. — George R. Sims : Htna the Poor
Live.
Doss*'house (tramps and thieves),
a lodging-house, especiaDy the .
common lodging-houses where
beds are fourpence a night.
Dossingf-crib (costermongerg), a,;
low lodging-house.
Doss, to (tramps, populat, &c))
to sleep. Vide Do^. "
A newspaper sheet I. will borrow.
And make up my face very white,
There will be a schlemozzle to-morrow,
I shall doss in the Square to-night".
— Sporting Times.
Dossy (popular), elegant ;, very
dossy, in elegant style.
Joe Capp made a resolve a little while
ago when on the eve of a mashing expedi-
tion to do the whole thing very dossy.
" Ere dora it," said Joe, " yew la'ads all
go .about in shiny boots, steerewth an' all,
and ry have a pair, see if I woant." —
Sporting Times.
An extremely elegant cloak
was formerly ternjed a dossal.
Hence perhaps the expression.
Dot (nautical), a ribbon ; a dot •
drag, a watch ribbon. , '
"Do the high, to (Oxford Univer-
sity), to walk up and down the
High Street on Sunday even-
ings.
Do time, to (popular), to serVe
one's time in prison.
Bums is about fifty-seveii years old, and
has a national reputation as an expert
cracksman. He has done time in Joliet,
Sing Sing, and Nashville, Tenn; ' He was
pardoned from the latter institution one
year ago, after serving three-quarters of a
ten years' sentence. — /nter Ocean.
»Do to tie to ^American), trust-
worthy, fit tb asspciat^ with.
The only' safe ^class of citizens, the class
that will do to tie to, are those who believe
in the condign punishinent 6f all crime —
who believe, that a Government is, great,
not in proportion as it forgives criminals,
but in proportion as it punishes them apd
en'fqBces law and order. It will be a dark
^ay for the Republic wheij this class Shall
not outnumber both of the others com-
bined. — In4ianapotis JoutTtal.
'Dots (•American), items of infor-
mation.
" Lieutenant Arnold," he continued,
" retnarked he could give dots on a great
many of them ; that one — a verj' prominent
one — naming him, was in the habit of
visiting a houSb south of the avenue twice
a week. I said that is none of our Ixisi-
hess ; though we might know these things
officially, we do not know them 'in any'
other capacity." — Chicago Tribune.
(Populitr), money.
Dotter (low), a penny-a-liner' a
. reporter.
Dottle (popular), a well-coloured
black stump of a clay pipp. .
Dotty (popular), cracked," silly. .
She's .sent away the chairs, and the carpet
off the stairs,
I'm getting just as lean as any ghbst ;•
The becl<itead and the dra\^ers have been
sacrificed Ijecause
She went dotty through that dreadful
Parcels Post. - Soug.
An appellation used for one's
man by females of the lower
classes or prostitutes.
324
Dou ble — Dowtu
Double (thieves), k turning in ^
road. '•
I had not been at SuttOn very long
before I piped 3 slavey come out of a
chat (house), so, whep she had got a little
way up the, double, I pratted (went) into
the hoMsc.^Horsiey : Jottings frotn Jail.
Double-breasted feet (tailors),
club feet.
Double-double, to put on the, a
process wherein a thief, having
arranged with other thieves to
lose a race, so that they may
safely "lay" against him, de-
ceives them and runs to .win.
Double event (common), properly
a technical term used on the
turf when a man bets on both
sides to meet either contingency
— used in a slangy Sense.
Dear Sir— Unqxiestionably there is such
a thing as luck. The other night I was
under the impression that I should have
two stalls for the Haymarket. I promised
one to an. aged Hebraic tart. As a matter
of fact, I only got one, which, in the in-
terests of your paper, I naturally filled. I
thoroughly disenjoyed my evening, and
the aged one won't speak to me now. Such
a double event is only due to luck. — Yours
sincerely. Sir Walter.
The Pooferies. — Sporting Ti»ies.
Double-finn (low), a ten-pound
note.
Double L'nes (nautical), ships'
casualties. From the mode of
entering in books at Lloyds'.
Doubles (printers). If a composi-
tor repeats a line or sentence in
composing, he is said to have
made a double.
Doublet (thieves), a spurious dia-
' mond*
Dough, pudding at public and
military schools.
Dover (hotel), a r^chauff^ ; a cor-
ruption of "do over," or do
over again.
Dovers (Stock Exchange), South-
Eastern Railway Ordinary Stock.
DoTwd (popular), for dowdy ;
showily dressed.
But a crummy old Liberal doivd.
With bare shoulders by acres, old boy.
—Punch.
Dowlas, according to Hotten, a
linen-draper. Dowlas is a kind
of towelling.
Dowlings (Shrewsbury School).
There are four or five compulsory games
a week (football) known as dowlings
(ioOAo«). — Everyday Life in our Public
Schools.
DoTvn (thieves), suspicion, alarm,
or discovery which obliges one
to desist from the business or
depredation he was engaged in.
(Popular), to be "down in,"
to be at a low ebb, lacking in,
out of. " Dmvn in blunt," lack-
ing money. " Doivn upon one's
luck," unfortunate. Perhaps
originally "doicn in one's luck."
To be "down in the mouth,"
dejected, disconsolate, crest-
fallen.
I!ut what have you got to say for your-
self, why you should leave me here, dou'U
in the mouth, health, blunt, and 'everj'-
thing else? — Charles Dickens: Oliver
J-.vist.
Down — Downy.
325
To be "down on one^" to be
opposed to, to lose no oppor-
tunity for punishing, to main-
tain constant enmity or ill-will.
My pa is a bishop of spotless renown,
On all that is naughty his reverence is
down;
But I should delight in the sights of the
town,
Yet am doomed to the utmost propriety !
— George Anthony : T%e Clergy-
man's Daughter.
Down a pit (theatrical), despe-
rately smitten with a part.
Down-easter (West American), a
person from the east.
A " wooden-mugged down-easter" with
bushy eyebrows, and quick, twinkling
eyes, who sang over and over again, " Oh,
my little darling, I love you ! Oh, my little
darling, yes, I do I " had the second in
charge. — F. Francis: Saddle and Moc-
casin.
Downed (English and American),
conquered, tricked, cheated.
Literally not getting the upper
hand.
" Then this money may ease your dis-
tress —
But I hope I'm not sold, 'tis the truth you
have told ? "
"The truth, sir!" she murmured.
" M'yes ! "
But therein she lied, 'twas a stratagem
"wide,"
She'd a couple of pals in the " plant ; "
And the stranger was downed.
— Sporting Times.
Downer (popular), a sixpence.
According to Barrow from the
gypsy word tawno, or little one.
The word seems, however, to be a
variant of " deaner," which see.
Down on the bed rock (West
American), penniless,
I was mighty hard up at the time— right
down on the bed rock — and it is just pos-
sible that I may have betfn monkeying with
the cards a little.— ^^". Francis: Saddle
and Moccasin. '
Downs, the (thieves), Tothill
Fields' prison.
Down the road (popular), stylish,
in fashionable style.
Down to the ground (English and
American), thoroughly, com-
pletely ; ' ' right up to the handle, ' '
that guits.me doivn to the ground.
It implies probably from top
to bottom.
Downy (common), to do the
downy, to keep in bed in .the
morning.
This'll never do . . . cutting chapel to
do the downy. — C. Bede : Verdant Green.
(Popular and thieves), cun-
ning, skilful.
Upper benjamins built cwi a downy
plan. — Slang Advertisement.
"I, suppose you don't know what a
prig is ? " said the Dodger (nournfully.
" I am, I'd scorn to be anything else
— so's Charley, so's Fagin, so's Sikes,
SOS Nancy, so's Bet. So we ail are, down
to the dog. And he's the do^viiiest one of
tlie lot I " — Dickens: Olr^er Twist.
A " doicny cove,!' a cunning
fellow, one who " knows what's
o'clock." An allusion to his
having the upper hand in his
dealipgs with others.
Downy-\ooVm^ cove, the fair 'lin ; p. mug
like that ou^ht to be worth a fortune to
liim. — /. Greemuood: Dick Temple.
326
Downy — Drag.
Dowrny Bible (tailors), corruption
of Douay Bible j equivalent to
" according to Cocker." ' •
Dowry (common), a very grea*
deal, an excess. Hotten says
this is probably from the gypsy,
but there is nothing like' jt
in Romany. It .is just j)os-
sibly. from the "Yiddish dowor, a
thing (or word) ; cUttcrin bfteU-
im, superflnous thidgs. Dowor '
would, Jike res, refer to pro-
perty.
Dowser (popular); a m^li who.tells
fortunes ; a kind of wizard who
IJretends to be able to find water
or treasures liy means of a divin-
ing-rod. . . •
Doxy (canting), a mistress, a
'; moll," geiierall^ used in a
disreputable sense, but "in the
West ol Engiand women fre-
quently call their little . girls
' doxies ' in a familiar and en- .
dearing sense'' (Hotten). Tins
probablS" . is- the original tnean-'
ing. • .•*. .
Lastly I 'wril creave. to my t/a^^, w.np
stiffly, and'will bring her duck.— ./^■(/J- a/
Baiiifylde Moore Cdrew.
Do you see anything gxfeen in my
eye? (popular), Doyou think that
] am to betakafn.in or gulled.
"^Grccn". « U synonym for'un-
.*()phisticat«dj simple- minded,
the equivalent in French Jieing
c(iriii<*hon, a gherkin, alluding to
the colour. '
Drab ( LTV psy.), poison or medicine ;
"up to '/)v»/y. '"knowing all tlio
myst^ies of poison and reme-
dies, suggesting "up to trap"
in English /slang.
Drafting on the camp (Austra-
Iian),^explained by quotation.
Drafting on the camp, or cutting out, as
it is generally called, is a very pretty per-
formance to watch, if it is well done. First
of all a small mob is cut off from the main
body of the cattle, and driven gently away
for a little distance^ and then allowed to
stand. This is the nucleus of the draft
mob, for no beast will stand still a moment
by itself, and one of the hands is told off
tQ watch them. One or two men then ride
in among the cattle, and draft out the ones
they want, one at a time, while the rest of
the hands ride round the camp and keep
^Jle cattle from breaking away. — Finch-
Hatton: Advance Aitstralia. '
Dr^.g' (low),- a woman's dress
when assumed by men for a
frolic or a fraud. When a
" moUyi" or young man, dresses
like a girl, for immoral pur-
poses, he is said to be "on
the rira^." In England and
AmericSi drag-h&Wa are held, at
which the young men are
, dressed like women, and women
'very often like men. ^ovuedrag-
.balls, without any of the female
element, and attended by sodo-
mites, take place occasionally in
London.
(Thieves), a term of three
months' imprisonment, termed
also "tray moons."
. . . But neither Snuffy (Reeves, thr
identifier) nor Mac (Macintyre) knew me,
so I got a drag, and was sent to the Steel.
—Horsley: Jottingifr»m Jail.
■ Well, sir, as I was-.s.'iying, I only got a
drag for that. last jol). Oh, 1 bej; pardon,
a drag pieans three mo;iths. Three
Drag — Draw.
327
weeks is called a drag;, too — a cadger's
drag;. — James Greenwood: Seven Years'
Penal Servitude.
(Popular), to go upon a drag,
to go about for pleasure.
Also a lure, trick, stratagem.
Dragged (tailors), behind time.
Dragging (thieves), robbing pro-
perty from carts or cabs. (Pro-
vincial;, dragging - time, the
evening of a country fair day,
when the young men begin
kissing the girls and pull them
about.
Dragging the pudding (tailors),
getting the sack just before
Christmas.
Draggletail (common), a dirty,
drunken woman ; a prostitute
of the lowe;jt class.
Dragsman (thieves), a thief who
robs carriages by climbing up
behind.
Drain (common), a drink.
" A drain for the boy," said Toby, half
filling a wine-glas,s ; " down with it, inno-
cence." — Dickens : M liver Twist. . .
When I w.as a young man of about two
and twenty, 1 lodged in Little Argj'll
Street (out of RegenC Street), and having
made great friends with the Tiigiit bobby,
who "had' a drain" occasionally — even
when on duty— in my jrooms, 1 could slip
in or out early in the morninj;, or at night',
ill a disguise which was useful and unique.
— Sporting Times i
Drains (American), a tributary
of a large river. Washington-
Irving iu "Astarea" thus uses
the phrase: "About noon, tlie
travellers reached the drains
and brooks that formed the
head waters of the river."
(Nautical), the cook on board
ship.
Draper (old), ale-draper, a public-
house keeper. The term seems
to have a facetious origin, un-
less it be a corruption of "ale-
dropper." Shakspeare has ale-
draper for a publican.
Drat it (popular), a feminina ab-
jurgation expressive of con-
tempt or anger, erroneoush-
supposed to be a corruption of
the vulgar curse, "God rot it ! "
It is- a form of drcadeth or dread
and drad, fear or dread (Anglo-
Saxon). Drat occurs in Piers
Plowman and Guy of War-
wick.
Draw (sporting and common),
a strife which is without result.
From "a drawn game."
'I'he time seems to be nigh when all
"international" contests will end in a
draw. It is the usual fate of international
cricket matches.— 5'/. James's Gazette.
Said of any play, performance,
■ or exhibition when it is a suc-
cass and attracts people.
Mr. -^ — 's hew religious enterprise in
the southprn suburb commenced very
hopefully. It was something new to the
people of Wimblewood, and it proved a
draiu. The congregations were large and
growing, and very .soon the hall w.is
crowded. — F.venht^ News.
It has also the general mean-
ing of great attraction.
328
Draw.
■ Oh, the shades are -most charmingly
blended,
And the fit without flaw,
And the hat quite, a draw.
— Bird o Freedom.
(Cricket), a draw is a hit made
with the surface of the bat in-
clined.
(American), a Western term
applied to the cattle which a
cowboy employ^ could pick
up, or plainly steal, for his
master.
I could have raised quit? a nice bunch
of cattle in a twelvemonth. Half the
draw was worth something those times I
— F. P'rancis : Saddle and Moccasin.
Sroall glades, glens, Or valleys.
We had left the flats behind, and were
now in a r filing country, intersected by
grassy draws, or miniature valUys, which
afforded the finest kind of shelter for
rattle. — F. Francis: Saddle and Moc-
c isin.
(Common), to draw, to take
in,- cir(!nmvent.
(Military), to draw, an abbre-
viation of " to draro the badger,"
explained by quotation. "'
A young ofllcer on first joining was sub-
j';cted to all sorts of practical joking. . . .
Practfail joking wa^» indeed a reoognised
institution. ... Its usual- manffestations
were irr.nuing a man who had returned
from mess early, and " ntaking hay " of
his furniture and property. ... A parly •
of lialf<i-dozen wild young sulialterns, led
proliably by a festive captain, would, after
a lieavy . guest night, proceed to the
victim's room. . . . Perhaps the inmate
would be made to stand in the middle of
tlie room in his night-^irt, and sing a
.omic son^. Occasionally, he would be
carried downstairs, where he was made to
stand on the mantelpirce of the ante-
room, and order drinks .^ll rouiul . . .
We know of one officer, who, in his night-
shirt, was made on a cold winter's night
to stand outside the window, on the ledge.
— Colburn : United Semice Gazette.
(Boxing and popular), to
"draw or tap the claret," to
"draw the cork," to make the
nose bleed.
This is technically called drawing- the
claret, and is followed up by "practice
in the school-room " by a black eye and
a bloody nose. — Di/irose: Laugh and
Learn.
(University and popular), to
vex, to infuriate. It is un-
doubtedly .a metaphor from
"drawing a badger," i.e., send-
ing in a badger-terrier to worry
him out : which in its turn is
probably a metaphor from the
badgers being occasionally
dragged out by the bull-dog or
badger-hound. So in Australia
one speaks of " drawing a 'pos-
sum."
Draw a bead, to (American), the
Western hunter or trtipper in
taking aim does so with de-
liberate precision. He slowly
raises the " front sight," which
in appearance is like a bead, to
a level with the back sight, and
when the two are in a line he
immediately fires — hence the
expression, and in colloquial use
it has.comtf to signify an attack
upon one.
Dra-w blanks, to (American), to
fail, miss, or be disappointed.
" Have you any invisible ink ? "•
She sighed
In a whisper
■J'o the clerk.
Draw.
329
" We have it, and of the best " —
He replied ;
" Do you know how to make it work ? "
" Oh, it isn't for me, but —
The nice young man
Who writes to me often —
Thanks I
Ma opens my letters, and,
After this,
. I propose that she shall —
Draw blanks."
— C. G. Leland.
Draw boy (trade), a superior
article marked at a low price,
placed in his window by a shop-
keeper to attract customers ;
not intended to be sold, but only
to act as a decoy to cheat those
greedy credulous people who like
to make a good bargain. This
trick does not always succeed,
and may generally be foiled
by any obstinate customer who
will persist, in spite of re-
fusal, to become possessed of
the identical piece of merchan-
dise that has tempted his cupi-
' dity.
Dra^ng (studios), artists call a
water-colour picture a draw-
ing.
Drawing a wipe (thieves), steal-
ing a pocket-handkerchief from
a person's pocket.
Drawing his wool (tailors), vex-
ing, or causing any one to lose
his temper.
Drawing piaster (tailors), seek-
ing to ascertain a man's inten-
tions.
Drawing the flats (popular), im-
posing on simple-minded people.
The principal artists, however, in the
art of drawing; the flats, or national per-
spective, are lawyers, doctors, and trades-
men ; each of whom has a principle of
drawing peculiar to his trade or profes-
sion, which ought to be thoroughly com-
prehended by the amateur. — Diprosc:
Laugh arid Learn.
Drawing the Queen's picture
(thieves), the manufacture of
base money.
Draw it mild (common), calm
yourself, don't exaggerate, the
reverse of " coming it too strong."
It has also the signification ex-
plained by the quotation.
Drawing it mild is used when the
artist wishes to circumvent or bamboozle
his customers, and consists in " flummery "
'or " gammon," which may either be put on
the individual with a camel's hair pencil
or a trowel, according to his humour. —
Diprose: Laugh and Learn.
Draw out, to (common), to elicit
information or secrets from one.
French, " tirer les vers du nez ? "
He was a heavy, simple-looking fellow,
and the older tramp was in conversation
with him, and evidently " drawmg him
out." — J. Crreenwood : Tag, Rag, cr" Co.
Draw teeth, to, to wrench knock-
ers and door-liandles from ' off
street doors, a favourite amuse-
ment of medical students of
bygone days.
Draw the planet, to (gypsies), to
tell one's fortune.
Eliza .Stanley, a " good-looking young
gypsy," tells fortunes; in fact, Mrs. Stan-
ley can "rule your planet." In order,
however, to do this successfully she must
be entrusted with gold — nothing less being
heavy enough tf draw the planet. Mrs.
330
Draiv — Oris.
Stanley has been drawing the planet with
considerable success lately; but she has
at last drawn the planet down upon her-
self, and the Portemoiuh magistrates have
given her thrse months.— T'A* Globe.
Draw wbrsted,to (tailors), to fer-
, ment a quarreL
Dress a. hut, to (shopmeu), to
exchange articles stolen from
' respective employers.
Dressed to kail (American), to be
. over-dressed ; equivalent to " to
be dressed to death," "dressed
to the nfties."
When we see a gentleman tiptoeing
along Broadway, with a lady wiggle-
wdggling by his side and both dressed
to kill, as the vulgar would say, yqu may
be sure that he takes care of Number
One. — Dow s.Sfrmons.
Dress in (Winchester College),
The four or five next best players
• <in a fobtball team stand ready
dressed so as to take thfe place
of any player .who is in- any
way injured. They are said to
" drea in."
Dressing or dressing down
(common), a beating, a tlefeat.
It also me&ns a scolding.
If *vef I meet him again I will give him
such ;i dresting as he has not had this
many a day.— J/;Vi Austen : Sense -and
Sensibility.
Dress-lodger (prostitute), ex-
plained \^s- quotation.
They belong utterly aod entirely to the
devil in human shape who owns the den
that the wretched harlot learns to call her
" home." You would neverdream of the
dcjilurable deptlt of her drslitution if you
met her in her gay attire . . . she is abso-
lutely poorer than the meanest beggar that
ever whined for a crust. These women
are known as dress-lodgers. — J. Green-
wood: The Seven Curses 0/ London.
Drink (American), a river. The
"big Drink" is the common
Western term for the Missis-
sippi.
The old boat was a rouser — the biggest
on tiie Drink. — Nezv i'ork Opinions 0/ the
Times,
Dripping (common), a contemp-
tuous term applied to a cook,
who is not exactly a cm-don
bleu.
IHiver's pint (military), a gallon
ol ate. Drivers of the artillery
are supposed to have large
powers of absorption.
Drive, to (racing), to drive a horse
is to urge him on with whip
and spurs.
Drive turkeys to market, to
(popular), to reel from one side
to the otljer like °a tipsy man.
Probably from the wobbling of
the birds in question.
Driz (lliieves ^nd gypsies), lace.
From ' the gypsy doriez, thread
or lace. "/Jm-fencer," a per-
son who l)uys or sells stolen lace.
A driz kemtsa, a shirt v^'ith a
lape frill.
With my fawnied fancy and my onions
gay, fake away,
With my thimble of ridge and my driz
keiiifsa.
—Ainsni-q^th: R ookivooii,.
Droddutn — Dropped.
331
Droddum (popular), the buttocks,
the breech.
Dromedary (thieves), a bungler.
Drop (American), to get the drop
on a- man, to forestall, get
first advantage. This phrase
alludes to a trick, practised in
large cities upon unsuspecting
strangers, called the drop game,
which consists in pretending to
find a pocket-book or purse full
of notes, which a confederate
has dropped upon the near ap-
proach of a likely victim. By
specious representations the
finder manages to obtain good
money from the victim, who
is said to be dropped on, the
noCes being, of course, counter-
feit.
Also to hg,ve . the drop on
one.
When summoned to hold his hands up,
he refused and attempted to draw his owi»
revolver, with the result of having two
bullets put through him. Finnigan com-
mented on Calamity as a fool for not
knowing when a man had the dro/> on
hiin. — Century Illustrated Magazine.
Drop in the eye (old), to " have a
drop in the eye," tb' be partially-
iutoxicatM.
O faith, Colonel, you must own you h^d
a drofi in your eye, for when 1 left you
you were half seas over.^ — Swift: Polite
Conversation.
Drop it (common), cease, leave
off.
Drop one's leaf, to (common),
io die. Obviously an allusion
to the fall of the leaves in
winter.
Drop the money purse, to (Ameri-
can), to incur a loss, make a
mistake.
Den The Dog he sail inter Brer Coon,
en right dar's whar he drop his money-
puss, kaze Brer Coon wuz cut out fer dat
bizness, an' he far'ly wipe up de face er de
earf wid 'im — Brer Remus.
Drop the scabs in, to (tailors),
to work the button-holes.
Drop, to (thieves and popular),
to leave, turn aside; to "dro/j
the^ain Toby," to turn off the
main road. (Popular), to drop
a man, to knock him down;
to drop on, to arrest suddenly,
to abruptly interfere oi" pre-
vent, to reprove, lay the re-
sponsibility on.
The father died, the son then tried some
poison for to take ;
But this they stopped, and on him drop-
ped, for making this sad mistake.
— Song: Tiddle-a-lVink tlie
Barber.
(American), to lose.
St. Paul sporting men left for Illinois on
= Monday prepared to get even on their
previous losses on the Gilmore-Myersmill,
fcught at Harrison's Landing, near St.
Croix Falls, Wis., October 19th last, when
MeyA sent Gilmore to grass in five founds.
The Minneapolis and St. Paul men gave
big odds on Gilmore, and in round numbers
it is estimated that the Minnesota men
dropped 558000 on the fight. — St. Louis
Globe JJemocrat.
(Common); to drop into, to
thrash.
Dropped on (tailors), disap-
pointed.
332
Dropping — Drunk.
Dropping the anchor (racing),
keeping back a horse in a
race.
On the other hand, on remarking upon
the wild way of riding, the visitor will
probably be met with the retort, that if
the jockeys did not flog their animals un-
mercifully, they would be accused of what
is here termed in racing slang droppinf;
the anchor. — Sporting Times.
Drum (popular and thieves), a
house or lodging.
Call it what you like . . . drum, crib,
owse, or whichever way you likes to put a
name to it ; it makes no matter to thrf place
I mean. — J. Greenwood : Dick Temple.
I went straight back to the old drum in
Spitalfields, and after a drink with old
friends we made up a tossing party, and I
lost every penny of that ten shillings in a
very little time. — J. Green^vood : Se^ien
Years' Penal Servitude.
Drum means also a street, a
road ; in the West of England
a "drong."
• It may have come directly
from the English gypsy di-um
(old form drom), which is,
truly, from the Greek bpoixbs, a
road. The origin of the old
French cant word, trime, which
has the same meaning, is pro-
bably identical.
(Old), rout or ball. From
the noi.se of the entertainment
a ball - room was called ' the
" di-um-Toom."
The bonny hoiusemaid begins to repair
the disordered drum-room. — Fielding:
Tom Jones.
(Pugilistic), the ear.
(Tailors), a small workshop.
Drummer (tailors), trousers'
inakf T.
(Old racing), a horse whose
forelegs move in an irregular,
unusual manner.
(American), a commercial
traveller; probably from the
simile of beating the drum to
attract attention, or from drum,
road.
First Drummer—" Had any fun this
trip ? " Second Drummer — " We tried to
have some in Louisville, but it did not
turn out very well. We painted the nose
of one of the boys a brillijint red. and sent
him into a revival-meeting." " They must
have thought him a fit subject for conver-
sion." "Well, no; they all rushed up to
him, grabbed him by the hand, said they
were glad to see him back from Europe,
and asked for a puff in the Courier Jour-
nal. — Omaha World.
In this paragraph the editor
of the Omaha World satirises
a colleague in a rival news-
paper.
(Thieves), a thief who makes
his victims insensible by giving
them a narcotic, or causing them
to inhale chloroform. Pro-
bably a corruption of "dram-
mer" from "dram."
Drumstick (popular), the leg ;
" drumstick cases," trousers.
Drunk (American), a state of
intoxication.
Observing this, the opium master, who
was still squatted on the bed, hastened to
roll up a couple of cigarettes of common
tobacco, and lit them by takin* a whiff at
e.-»ch, after which he handed them to the
Chinamen, -who rose from the couch yawn-
ing, and, like men only half awake,
staggered towards the fire, and sat re-
R.-irding it in silence. They were not going
yet ; they had come for a drunk, and
would probably indulge in half-a-dozen
Drunken — Dty.
333
more pipes before the evening was over. —
Jii Strange Company.
Drunken chalks (soldiers), good
conduct badges. Derisively
used, and implying that the
badges have been gained not
by sobriety but by the faculty
of carrying liquor well.
Drury Lane vestaJs (old). Drury
Lane, like Covent Garden, had
at one time a reputation for
immorality and debauchery
rivalling the Haymarket and
Regent Street of to-day. The
neighbourhood was notorious
as the resort and dwelling-place
of women of the town, whether
kept mistresses or common
harlots. They were called
Drury Lane vestals, and " the
Drury Lane ague " was a loath-
some venereal disorder.
Dry bob. Vide Bob.
Dry-bobbing (Eton), cricketting.
"Wet-bobbina," the term for
river sports. Vide BOB.
Eventually he won his case ; the Georgic
was excused, and "Hossy" recited the
prologue with much success. It was in
April, when a late and severe flood had
put an end to a little attempted early dry-
bobbing. — Sketchy Memories of Eton.
Dry boots (common),
humorous fellow.
sly,
Dry hash (Australian), a man who
will not "shout," i.e., pay for
drinks. Vide Dkadiikad.
Dry lodging (lodging - house
keepers), .sleeping accommoda-
tion without board.
Dry nurse, to (nautical), is said
of a junior officer on board ship
who advises an ignorant cap-
tain, and instructs him in his
duty.
Dry shave, to (common), to annoy
one by violently rubbing his
chin with the fingers.
Dry up (popular, originally Ame-
rican), hold your tongue ; varied
by " curl up," "put a clapper to
your mug," " stop your jaw,"
and other equally elegant in-
vitations. (Theatrical), a dry
up, a failure, the reverse of a
"draw."
Whoever is responsible for the dry up at
the Opera Comique deserves to be ostra-
cised from theatrical society. — Bird o'
Freedom.
To dry up, to stick, i.e., to
forget the words of a part and
break down.
(Racing), to slacken pace
through exhaustion ; literally
tcbe "pumped out."
At the distance he looked like winning
in a canter, but dried up immediately
after ward s . — Sporting 1 imes.
(Printers), to leave off work
at dinner time or at night.
Sometimes to discharge, or
to leave a situation.
Dry, walking (military), a dry
walk or walking dry, is the un-
, interesting and very distasteful
promenade a soldier is com-
pelled to take when he leaves
barracks after working hours
without a penny in his pocket.
334
D. T. — Duck.
D. T. (common), deliriam tre-
mens, used very generally by
Anglo-Indians.
They get a look, after a touch of D. T.,
which nothing else that I know of can give
them. — Indian Tale.
D. T. also means Daily Tele-
graph.
Dub, to (thieves), to open ; "rfuft
the jigger," open the door. T.
Harman writes this "dup."
Tower ye yander is the kene, dup the
gygger. — Harman : Caveat.
Dub, a key, lock, picklock.
i>M6-lay, robbing houses by pick-
ing the locks. "Dubber," an
expert lock-picker.
To dub a jigger is a variant of
" strike a jigger," to break open
a door, and dub in that sense
is from the meaning to strike.
Anglo-Saxon dubban. Hence
dub.
(Popular), to " dub up," to pay
up. Provincial, dubs, money.
So that " dub up " would be the
exact rendering of the French
^"nancCT*, to pay. (Anglo-Indian),
dub, a small coin.
Dub at a knapping jigger (old
cant), a turnpike-man.
Dubs (Winchester). In the slang
of the boys of that public school
this term has the meaning of
double.
Dubsman (old cant), a jailer.
Oh 1 give me a chisel, ft knife, or a file,
And the dubsman shall find that I'll do
it in style !
Tol-de-rol.
— IV. H. Aumvorih : Jack Shefpard.
Due (printers), short for the ink-
ductor or fountain that regulates
the quantity given out to each
impression on a machine.
Ducat, ducats (theatrical), coin,
cash of any description.
(Thieves), a railway ticket.
Probably a porruption of ticket.
So I took a ducat for Lutton in Surrey,
and went a wedge-hunting. — Horsley :
Jottings from Jail.
Duck (popular), a bundle of scraps
of meat sold to the poor. (Win-
chester), the face.
Duck, or duck's ^%% (cricket),
no runs ; an allusion to the
shape of the nought.
I carried out my bat for nineteen, «nd
Thomas his for fifteen, scored with much
pluck at the pinch of the game ; iii fact,
he won the match, for the remaining man
was good for nothing else but a duck, —
Bird d Freedom.
(Stock Exchange). In the
slang of the " House" a "lame
duck" is a defaulter. The ex-
pression is old.
1 may be " lame," but I shall never be
a duck, nor deal in the garbage of the
alley. — Walpole Letters.
A "lame duck" is said to
"waddle out of the alley," that
is, leave the Stock Exchange as
bankrupt.
The gaming fools are doves, the ku.tves
are rooks, 'Change-alley bankrupts waddle
out "\amt ducks." — Garrick : Prologue to
Foote's Maid of Bath.
Duck, doing a (thieves), getting
under the scat of a railway car-
riage when the ticket-collector
Duck — Dudetie.
335
comes round, so as to avoid
paying the fare. From the
ordinary meaning of to duck, to
drop the head or person sud-
denly.
With a downward glance of intense
scorn at me, the first speaker continued —
" Doin' a duck, macin' the rattler,
rid in' on the cheap, on the odno, under
the bloomin' seat, down wi' the dust, all
among the daisies, where you like, and
what you like, it makes no matter which,
what do you think? Gentlemen in my
walk of life can't always be worried." —
Sporting Times.
Ducks (common), white linen, or
drill trousers.
This young person had stipulated that
Billy should do the thing proper, and be
married in a pair of white ducks. These
garments he had cheapened at a mart of
"reach me down" notoriety, to the satis-
faction of the feminine onlooker of his pro-
ceedings through the window. — Savage:
London.
(Stock Exchange), Aylesbury
Dairy Company shares.
(Anglo-Indian), officials of the
Bombay service.
Dudder, dudsman (old), a pedlar
' who sold articles of clothing to
country people. Vide Duds.
Duddering rake (old), an ex-
tremely debauched man about
town.
Dude (American), a swell or
" masher," an overdressed man.
Probably from the very old
flnglish cant dmle, a garment.
Ain't you one of these dudes as the
Colonel brings down sometimes from Kl
Paso and Silver, that wants kettles o' hot
water to twelve o'clock? — F. Francis:
Saddle and Moccasin. *
The word is also used in
England.
Sometimes, however, a dis-
tinction seems to \>& established
between dvde and dandy, the
former being considered to apply
more' to a brainless "masher."
I'm a dandy I'll have you all to know.
With the ladies I'm never rude :
This style is all my own, with it I carry
tone,
I'm a dandy, but I'm no dude.
—Son^.
The following quotation gives
amusing evidence of the anti-
quity of dude.
A correspondent of the AVw yorik
Evening' Pest shows that dudes are of
very ancient date. In the " Eunuchus "
of Terence, act iv. scene iv., 1. 15, it is '
written : —
" Ita vistus est
Dudutn quia v.-iria veste exornatus fuit,"
Which, literally translated into English,
would read :^" He seemed ^ dude, be-
cause he was (iecked'out in parti^coloured
clothes," or still more literally, " in a vest
of many colours."
Dude hamfatters (American), a
sarcastic allusion to the swell
and " masher " port- raisers. A
large number arte located not a
hundred miles from Chicago.
It seems that the dude hamfatters, after
tr^'ing various games to skip unseen, con-
ceived the idea of making up as a couple
of well-dressed women. — ■Neiu York Xa-
tioiuil Police Gazette. ■
Dudetnan or dudman, a scare-
crow (HalliwoJl).
Dudette, dildinette (American), a
very young girl, a mere chit,
who affects the airs and style of
a belle. .
336
Diidikabin — Duffer.
Dudikabin (gypsy), "to lei dudi-
kabin,'^ lit., to take lightment.
This word was for a long time
kept a great secret by the
gypsies, and one of them was
reprimanded by his friends for
telling the writer. It means the
making a clean sweep of every-
thing valuable in the house,
under pretence of propitiating
the planets, or of finding and
attracting hidden treasure. This
latter is more specially the huk-
ani boro, or " great humbug." It
appears to be connected with
the English slang - equivalent
"lightment," from to lighten,
to relieve of one's property, to
rob.
Dudine (American), a lady "dude."
Long - handled eye-glasses, and the
dudines who buy and use them. — Phila-
delphia Times.
Duds (thieves), clothes. Scottish
dud, a rag.
As I was walking down Cheapeide a
man came up to me and said, " Look
here, mate, the sooner you sling them
dudi away the longer you' will keep out of
quod. I have been following behind two
private clothes detectives, and they spotted
you by your togs, so take my tip to get
rid of them. — Ex'cning Ne^vs.
Also duddies.
Then he took out a little knife,
Let a' his duddies fa'.
And he was the brawest gentleman
That stoo4 among them a'.
— Old Balloji ; We'll gang nae Mair
a Koving. \Attribtttcd to King
James I', p/ Scotland]
T. Hiirman uses the word
with the meaning of linen
clothes.
We wyll fylche some duddes off the
ruffemans, or myll the ken for a lagge of
dudes. — Caveat.
I.e., "We will steal some linen off the
hedges, or rob a parcel of the same from
the house."
(Old), to " sweat dud-t," to
pawn clothes. A " dudman "
is provincial for a scarecrow ;
literally a ragged fellow.
DufT (thieves), spurious. Men at
the duff, passers of false jewel-
lery. To dnff, to sell spurious
goods, often under the pretence
of their having been smuggled,
stolen, or found. In London
attempts at dujfing are often
made by rascals who offer for
sale a worthless meerschaum
pipe or ring, pretending they
have just found it. FtiZeDuFFEK.
Duffer (common). This word has
two opposite meanings. A rank
swindler, a clever cheat — "a
word in frequent use in 1701
to express cheats of all kinds."
In Yiddish every word which
means clever or wise also means
roguery ; and in Yiddish doffer
is a shrewd, clever, very crafty
man (adjective doff, from tov or
toff, good) ; Dutch thieves' slang
doffer, a tramp, a seller of forged
pictures.
. . . Nor did it mark him out as the
prey of ring-droppcrs, pea and thimble-
riggers, duffers, loiiters, or any of those
bloodless sharpers, who are perhaps a little
better known to the police. — Dickens :
Martin Chuzzlnvit.
A worthless person, a stupid
man, an awkward, unskilful fel-
low, a coward.
Duffer — Duke.
337
What an awful duffer he is. I do not
believe he hit a thing to-day ; besides, he is
so dangerous. — Saturday Review.
In this latter sense the word
is connected with daffe, Anglo-
Saxon, a fool ; daffum, a silly
person (Wright) ; daff, a coward ;
daft, of weak intellect. Anglo-
Saxon deaf, " surdus, absurdus,
stolidus," from dufan. Deaf is
in most of its Indo-European
forms synonymous with stupid
or stolid. Gothic daufs, dull or
foolish.
(Popular), spurious money.
I very quietly slipped four duffers among
six good bobs, and accommodated her with
the change she wanted. It came off all
right, so I've four bob left for drinks ; see !
— Bird d Freedom.
(Nautical), a woman who
assists smugglers.
Duffer out, to (Australian), mining
slang. A reef is said to duffer
out when the gold is nearly or
quite exhausted.
He then reported to the shareholders
that the lode had buffered out, and that
it was useless to continue working. — Ad-
vance Australia.
Dug-out (American), a canoe
hollowed out of the trunk of a
tree. The term seems common
throughout the New World, as
the Rev. W. Cartwright in his
" Autobiography " says, " If by
chance we got a dug-out to
cross in ourselves and swira our
horses by, it was quite a treat."
Also a rough kind of structure
built over an excavation.
The new house was at best but a modest
little structure, but Mayne viewed the
placing of each shingle and the driving of
each nail with profound satisfaction. In
the sparsely settled neighbourhood, where
dug-outs and "shacks" predominated, a
"frame" house, even though small and
unpretending, was a structure of no-mean
importance. When it became known that
Jack Mayne intended to plaster the " front
room " it was pretty thoroughly agreed
that reckless extravagance characterised
Mayne's house building. — Sporting Titne:.
Duke Humphrey (common), "tb
dine with Duke Humphrey," to
go without dinner. Dr. Brewer,
in his " Dictioaary of Phrase
and Fable," says : — " Hum-
phrey, Duke of Gloucester, son
of Henry IV., was renowned for
his hospitality. At his death it
was reported that a monument-
would be erected to him in St.
Paul's, but his body was interred
at St. Albans. When the pro-
menaders left for dinner, the
poor stay-behinds who had no
dinner used to say to the gay
sparks who asked if they were
going, that they would stay a
little longer and look for the
monument of the ' good duke.' "
" Dining with the cross- legged
knights " (the stone efligies of
the Round Church) had the same
signification. Hotten has the
following explanation : — " Some
visitors were inspecting the
abbey where the remains of
Humphrey DuTie of Gloucester
lie, and one of them was unfor-
tunately shut in, and remained
there solus while his companions
were feastihg at a neighbouring
hostelry. He was afterwards
said to have dined with I)uke
Hutnphrey, and the saying even-
Y
338
Duke — Dumb-cow.
tually passed into a proverb."
Vide Halliwell, who gives a
better origin, and one supported
by all contemporary writers.
Duke of limbs (common), a
tall, spindle-shanked man ; the
phrase also implies awkward-
ness and uncouthness.
Duke of York (rhyming slang),
walk or talk.
Dukes or dopks (popular and
thieves), the hands ; from the
gypsy duk, dook, which refers
to palmistry ; " it is in his dook,"
meaning " it is in his fate,"
became " it is in his hand."
Then he began to push me about, so I
siiiJ I would not go at all if he put his
dukes (hands) on me. Then he rammed
my nut (head) against the wall and shook
the veiy life out of me. — Horsley: Jot-
tings from Jail.
To grease one's duhe, to bribe,
to pay.
So the next day I went to him, and
asked him if he was not going to grease
my duke. — Horsley : Jottings from Jail.
To put up one's dukcf, to
fight, to box.
No doubt Britain's foes will be thrown into
throes
Of utter dismay and despair, too ;
Finding those near the throne arc to prize-
fighting prone ;•
And are nady to fight "on the square,"
too.
Now tliat royalties spar, all the swells, near
and far,
W ill do ditto— withoiK any warning ;
And without any llukes, will all put up
their dukes.
And try punching the hag every morning.
— J'Ull.
Dukey. Vide Dookie.
Dukk, dook (gypsy), breath.
Mandy nashered my diikk a prasterin
puller the juva. — An Old Gypsy.
I.e., "I lost my breath running after the
girl."
A spirit ; that which inspires
divination or palmistry ; the
demon of Socrates.
I find that the dook is like myself, very
much given to lying. — George Borroiv :
Laven^ro.
Also pain, vexation, annoy-
ance. (According to the primi-
tive Shamanic faith, all pain was
caused by evil spirits.)
Dukker, dnk, dook, dooker
(gypsy), to tell fortunes, to pain,
grieve, chide; diikkirhcn, grief,
trouble, a fault ; dukkcrijien
or dukkcrpcn, fortune - tolling,
augury ; dukkero, sorrowful.
Hindu, dokli, fault.
When I pens adovo I pens a tacho duk-
kerin. —George Bonmu: Lavcngro.
Mfikk mengy dukker ■^■omx k(5k'ro, rj'a ?
So? Mandy cant pen lis-mandy can.
Ma tute siiv 'at diikkerin, pSl.n —
Addvo SOS sar o tem began.
" Shall I tell your fortune too, .sir?
What? I can't ! Oh, yes, I can.
Don't you laugh at fortune-telling,
'Twas with that the world Vjegan."
— Professor E. H . Fainter.
Dull in the eye (popular), intoxi-
cated.
Dull swift (old), said of one long
gone on errands or messages.
Dumb-co'w (Anglo-Indian), also
diunb-anccd (participle), to brow-
beat, to cow, set down.
" This is a capital specimen
Dumb-cow — Dung.
339
of Anglo-Indian dialect. Dam
khdna, ' to eat one's breath,' is
a Hindu idiom for ' to be silent.'
Mr. Hobson-Jobson converts this
into a transitive verb, to dam-
iAas, and both spelling and mean-
ing being affected by English
suggestions of sound, this comes
in Anglo-Indian use to imply
coucing and silencing " (Anglo-
Indian Glossary.
Dumfogged (literary), confused.
Dummock (low), the fundament ;
otherwise known as "blind
cheek."
Dummy (popular), anything
fictitious or sham, an individual
of vacant mind, and one bereft
of speech. (Tailors), a piece of
cloth rolled tight and saturated
with oil ; used for rubbing
clothes of a very hard nature
in places required to be cut,
, also the shears, to make cutting
more easy. (Thieves), a pocket-
book. Originally a book full of
sham notes.
He is caught — he must "stand and de-
liver ; "
Then out with the dummy, and oflf with
the bit.
Oh, the game of High Toby for ever I
— Ainswortli: Roohwood.
A " duwiniy-hunter," a pick-
pocket, whose speciality is to
steal pocket-books.
No dummy-hnnteT had forks so fly,
No knuckler so deftly could fake a cly,
— A insworih : Roohwood.
Dummy daddle dodge (thieves),
picking pockets in an omnibus
under cover of a sham hand.
Asked by the friendly warder what he
thought of the dummy daddle dodge,
Mr. Mobbs said he rather thought that
game was played out. A woman, he pro-
ceeded to explain, can work with a
dummy daddle in an omnibus or a railway
carriage much better than a man, because,
without appearing conspicuous, she can
wear any kind of loose shawl or cloak as
concealment for her real hand. — J. Green-
wood : Daily Telegraph.
Dump fencer (street), a man who
hawks buttons. Dump is an
old word for a leaden medal.
Dumpoke (Anglo-Indian), a duck,
boned, baked, and highly sea-
soned. From the Persian dam-
pukht, " air-cooked," or baked.
In English gypsy, pukht would
be pekkerd, from the same
root.
These eat highly of all flesh duntpokcd,
which is baked with spice in butter. —
Fryer.
Dumps (popular), money. Vide
Dump Fencer.
May I venture to say when a gentleman
jumps
In the river at midnight for want of the
dumps.
He rarely puts on his knee-breeches and
pumps.
— Ingpldshy Legends.
Dung (workmen), one who is com-
pelled to accept lower wages
after being out on strike. The
word is the preterite of tHe
old English verb to "ding," to
beat down, one who is dung or
beaten, as in the old proverb,
still termed Scottish, " It's a
sair duivj bairn that maunna
greet."
340
Dungaree — Dust.
(Tailors), " dunging it " is said
of a traitor to the trade.
Dungaree (Anglo-Indian), com-
mon, coarse, low, vulgar. The
name of a disreputable suburb
of Bombay, and also of a coarse
blue cloth used for sailors'
clothing.
Dunnage (popular), clothes or
baggage.
Dunnakin (American thieves), a
chamber-pot. In England, the
water-closet.
Durham man (old slang), a knock-
kneed man was so called, and
was said to grind mustard be-
tween his knees.
Durrynacker (prison), female
hawker. From the gypsy dori
or doriez, threads or lace.
Dust (common), money. Possibly
for gold dust.
" Put it down to the bill " is the fountain
of ill,
'Tis this has the shopkeepers un-
done.
Bazaars never trust, so down with your
dust,
And help us to diddle all London.
— Grimaldi's Bazaar.
The term is old, it occurs in
the "Life of Ken," 1690. "Down
with the dust," pay the money.
If they did intend to trade with Christ
they must "down with the i/ust " instantly,
for to his knowledge the Papists did offer
a vast sum of money for England's Christ.
— Eiuhards Olicnations, 1O71.
He who giveth to the poor lendeth to
the Lord. If you like the security " down
with the dust." — Hemion attributed to the
Rev. Rowland Hill.
Duster (tailors), a sweetheart.
Dust Hole (common), the Queen's
Theatre, Tottenham Court Road,
so called from the fact that
half a century ago, when under
the management of Mr. Glossop,
the ddbris of the theatre was
swept daily under the pit, and
suffered to accumulate, to the
great inconvenience of the
audience, until the dust hole was
crowded to repletion. The first
French plays acted in London
were given at this theatre,
which, after many vicissitudes
of fortune, became fashionable
as the Prince of Wales', and is
now the property of the Salva-
tion Army.
Dust out of, to (American), to
leave or depart.
Mother — Johnnie, brush the dust off
your boots. Johnnie — Is that the kind of
dust papa was talking to governess about ?
RIotlier — What did he say ? Johnnie — He
said: "Dost thou love me, Agnes?"
Mother — No, it was not, Johnnie ; but
Agnes will dust out of here to-morrow
morning. — Boston Globe.
Dust, to (West American), to
dismount by .'dlowing oneself
to roll off to the soft ground.
Frequently, instead of quitting them
when they were turned loose, the boys
would sit astride of the steers they had
been holding, and "stay with them" as
they went bucking down the corral to-
wards their fellows, until the proximity of
Dustoor — Dying.
341
these latter warned the riders to roll off
and dust. — F. Fraticis: Saddle and Moc-
Dustoor, dustoory (Anglo-
Indian), a commission paid,
generally as a kind of bribe.
Persian and Hindu, dastur, cus-
tom,
" That commission or per-
centage on money passing in
any cash transaction which
sticks to the fingers of the
agent of payment " (Anglo-
Indian Glossary).
Dusty (popular), "not so dusty,"
not so bad.
Three red clocks, two pusses, and a
white slang — I ain't done so dusty! —
Pti/ich.
Dusty, gritty, or stony broke
(popular), without a sou.
" I've been as flash as they make 'em in
my time, and you'll 'ardly believe it " —
this in a hoarse whisper to me — "I've
been that broke — stony, gritty, dusty broke
— you understand, as I'd 'ave nicked the
broads out of a pal's kick, if they was
there, and sold 'em for the price of 'alf a
pint." — Sporting Times.
Dutch (military), to " do a Dutch,"
to run away, to desert. Pro-
bably an allusion to " Dutch
courage."
Dutch (popular), a wife.
Now he'd not a brown, nor a friend in
town.
In fact he was quite undone ;
He made a vow he'd never row
With his old Dutch again.
So part by hook, and part by crook.
He tramped it back to London.
— Mitchell: J ijnmy Johnson's
Holiday.
Dutch auction (cheap Jacks), a
method of selling good-; with-
out incurring the penalties for
selling without a license.
Dutch clock, a bed-pan is so called
by nurses.
Dutch feast (common), a dinner
at which the host gets drunk
before his guests.
Dutchman's breeches (nautical),
two streaks of blue in a cloudy
sky.
Dutch treat (American), a dinner
or drinking where every man
pays for himself.
Dying in a horse's nightcap
(po[)ular), being luing. A horse's
nightcap, i.e., a halter.
342
Ear — Eat
AR (American), to get
up on one's ear, to
rouse oneself to a
great effort.
They called me bully boy, altho' I've seen
nigh threescore years,
And said that I was lightning when I got
up on my ear.
— Words and tJuir Uses.
Earl of Cork (Irish), the ace of
diamonds. According to Carle-
ton, "It is the worst ace and
the poorest card in the pack,
and is called the Earl of Cork
because he is the poorest noble-
man in Ireland."
Early riser (popular), the vulgar
name for an efficient aperient
pill. The application of the
term is obvious.
Ear-mad (medical), the thickened
ear (in its upper portion) found
in some cases of insanity ; hence
the name.
Earth bath (old), a grave ; to
take an earth bath, to be dead
and buried. Also to take a
" ground sweat."
Earthquake (American), hotiUd
earthquake, spirits, intoxicating
liquor of any kind. So called
from the disorderly motions at-
tendant on intoxication, or an
abbreviation of "carf/ii^Ma/tc pro-
tector."
Holfled earthquakes are just as bad as
the other kind. Scratch a bottled earth-
ijitake and you'll find a QocV\.:i\\.— Chicago
Tribune.
Earthquake protector (Ameri-
can), explained by quotation.
It was a delicious hevera.ze, not uncon-
nected with old Jamaica, and sent a deli-
cious glow through every vein. . . .
" But how, pray, does this protect me
from an earthquake ? "
" Well, sir," replied the barkeeper, " if
you'll only drink enough of it, you won't
care a continental whether the earthquake
comes or not." — New York Star.
Eanvig (thieves), a clergyman.
Earwigg'ing (common), a rebuke
in private. Is said of a sneak-
ing, tattling fellow-employe who
carries little trifling errors on
the part of others to the ears of
the governor.
Ease, to (popular and thieves), to
rob. French slang, soul/tgcr.
Eason, to listen (New York Slang
Dictionary). EaMn is an Eng-
lish provincialism for eaves ;
hence eason, from eavesdrop-
ping.
East and south (rhyming slang),
the mouth.
Eastery (cheap Jacks), explained
by quotation.
Sometimes, when in a country where
there were large villages or small towns,
we used to work what was called eastery
or private business.— ///W/iy.- Life and
Adventures of a Cheap Jack.
Easy (thieves), "make the cull
easy," kill the fellow.
Eat a fig (rhyming slang), to
"crack a crib," i.e., to commit
a burglary.
Eat — Elephant.
343
Eat one's terms, to (legal), to pre-
pare for the bar ; to attend the
requisite number of dinners in
hall each term.
Eat, to (American), a Western
expression, meaning not to con-
sume but to provide food.
Captin, do you ate us or do we aie
ourselves ? Eat yourselves, to be sure. —
American Story.
Eats his head off (common), is said
of a horse that remains for a
long time in the stable. Some-
times of servants or others who
have little to do.
Eaves (American thieves), a hen-
roost.
Eavesdropper (American thieves),
a chicken thief, or a low sneak
or thief generally.
Ebenezer (Winchester College),
a ball at racquets that hits the
line and rises high into the air.
Ebony (popular), a bit of ebony,
Ebony optics (pugilistic), black
eyes ; ehony optics albonized,
black eyes painted white.
Edge (tailors), "stitched off the
cdfjc " refers to a glass or pint
not filled to the top ; " side
edije," whiskers. A " short top
edge " is a turn-up nose.
Edgenaro (back slang), orange.
Eggshaw (Anglo-Indian), brandy ;
probably from the name of a
brand.
EgTPtian hall (rhyming slang), a
ball.
Eighter (prison), an eight-OTince
loaf.
" Do you eat all your chuck?"
" No, I have two eighters in my cell
now."
"I shall be orderly to-morrow. Sling
me a toke." — Evening News.
Ekom (back slang), a " moke " or
donkey.
Elbow crooker (thieves), a hard
drinker ; from the phrase to
" crook one's elbow," to drink.
In French, "lever le coude,"
said of a hard drinker.
Elbo'wer (thieves), a furtive; one
that "elbows," i.e., turns the
corner, or gets out of sight.
Elbow grease (popular), hard
work.
Elbow-scraper (nautical), fiddle
player.
Elbow shaker (old), gambler with
dice. From the expression "to
shake one's elbow."
Elbow^, to (thieves), to turn a
corner, to get out of sight.
Electrified (American), excited
with liquor.
Elephant (thieves), a victim pos-
sessed of much money.
(Common), the elephant, origin-
ally an Americanism. We might
compile a volume of the amusing
344
Elephant — Elfen.
explanations and illustrations
of this expression which have
appeared in American news-
papers. To hare seen the
elephant is to have had a full
experience of life or of a certain
subject or object. _ There is a
book by "Doesticks" (Mortimer
Thompson), called "Seeing the
Elephant," devoted to describing
"life" in New York, of which
a reviewer remarked that the
ekphant, according to Mr.
Thompson, appeared to be bad
brandy. When a man had
made an unfortunate specula-
tion he would say that he had
not only seen the elephant but
felt him kick. The phrase
seems to have originated in an
old ballad of a farmer who,
while driving his mare along
the highway, met with a show-
man's elephant, which knocked
him over, and spilt his milk
and destroyed his eggs. The
farmer consoled himself for his
loss by reflecting that he had
at least " seen the elephant."
And he said, " Now in future no one can
declare
That I've not seen tAe elephant — neither
the mare."
In 1849-1850, to have been to
California and returned was to
have seen the elephant.
Those who sold the bonds had vanished,
those who hadn't held the town,
Little knew they of its glory over seas
or great renown,
They had nothing'of the fruitage — though
alas ! they held the plant.
Nothing saw they of the picture save in-
deed the ehphant.
He who had been in the background now
came rushing to the fore.
Terribly he trampled on them — very awful
was his roar.
— The Rise and Fall ofGloryville.
Montaigne strangely enough
seems to suggest that "to see
tlie elephant" waS in his time
connected with experience of
life. He cites the following
from "Arrien. Hist. Ind.," c.
17-
"Aux Indes Orientales la chastet^ y
estant en singuliere recommandation,
I'usage pourtant souffroit qu'une femme
mari^ se peust abandonner k qui luy
presentoit un (Uphant, et cela avec
quelque gloire d'avoir est6 estim^e k si
hault prix."
This then was the Indian way
of " seeing the elephant" and
of paying, as at the present
day, an enormous price for the
sight.
(Common), a girl is said to
"have seen tlie elephant" when
she has lost her chastity.
French, " avoir vu le loup."
Elephant's trunk (rhyming slang),
drunk.
Elevation, explained by quota-
tion.
" They as dinnot tak' spirits down thor,
tak' their pennord o' elevation then —
women-folk especial."
" Vihal's elcvationt" . . .
" Opium, Ixjr' alive, opium." — C. Kings-
liy : A I ton Locke.
" Elevated " is English for in-
toxicated in a slight degree.
Elfen, to walk on tiptoe lightly
(New York Slang Dictionary).
Embroider — Entire.
345
Probably from the old word
alfen, hence aleft, lifted.
Embroider (common), to exag-
gerate, romance. In French,
hroder.
Tom tried to make himself appear to be
a hero too, and succeeded to some extent,
but then he always had a way of e»t-
broidering. — Mississippi Pilot.
Emperor (common), "drunk as
an emperor." The quintessence
of intoxication. Ten times "as
drunk as a lord." The French
say " saoul comme trente mille
hommes." (Thieves), hence a
drunken man.
A pinch for an emperor's slang. He
was in his altitudes, and we pinched his
thimble, slang and onions. — On the Trail.
Empty bottle (Univ. Cantab), a
pensioner. Bristed, in his " Five
Years in an English University,"
says, "They are popularly de-
nominated empty bottles, the first
word of the appellation being
an adjective, though were it
taken as a verb there would be
no untruth in it. "
End (American), " to be all on
end," to be very angry or
irritated. From rising up, or
jumping up in a rage. Also
applied to a state of excite-
ment, especially of anticipa-
tion. "They were all on end
to see the President go by."
Endacott, to (journalistic), to act
like a constable of that name
who arrested a woman whom
he thought to be a prostitute.
Constable Endacott. . . . Though he
might base a claim to a pension on literary
grounds, as having enriched the English
language with a new word {to Endacott,
V.A.), it is not probable that an economical
Government would value this addition to
the dictionary very highly. — Evening
News.
The expression lived " ce que
vivent les roses, I'espace d'un
matin," probably on account of
certain facts proved in the course
of a subsequent investigation,
and which showed that the con-
stable's name ought not to go
down to posterity as that of an
oppressor of womankind.
Ends, at loose (familiar). When
a business is neglected, or its
finances arc in a precarious con-
dition, it is said to be at loose ends.
Enemy (common), used in the
quaint but not slangy phrase,
"How goes the enemy?" i.e.,
what is the time 7
Ensign bearer (military), a man
with a red and blotchy face
arising from tippling.
Enthuse (American), to excite en-
thusiasm, to be enthusiastic. A
favourite word with "gushing"
clergymen. "An object large
enough to enthuse an angel's
soul." Enthused, excited with
liquor.
Entire figfure, the (American), to
the fullest extent. A simile na-
turally derived from expressing
sums of money by numerals
or "figures." Also the "big
figure," the " whole figure."
346
E. P. — Excruciators.
E. P. (clerical), a very common
abbreviation, means the " East-
ward Position," adopted in por-
tions of the Communion Service.
Epsom races (rhyming slang), a
pair of braces.
Equal to the genuine Limburg^er
(American), a standard simile
for anything which is asserted
to attain the maximum of bad
smells. The German Limburger
cheese has, to those who are not
accustomed to it, an intensely
disagreeable odour.
Equipped (thieves), rich, well
dressed.
ErifTs, young thieves (New York
Slang Dictionary).
" It's the gait all them eriff's dances,"
observed the one-eyed man. " I remem-
ber once I was in cahoots with a cove like
that."— 0« the Trail.
Esclop (back slang), police ; pro-
nounced " slops."
Euchred (common), played out ;
from a game at cards.
Europe morning' (Anglo-Indian).
When a man gets up late, that
is, at nine or ten o'clock, he is
said to have a Europe morning.
The expression explains itself.
Evaporate, to (common), to run
away, to vanish.
Everlasting staircase, the
(thieves). The treadwheel,
originally invented by Mr.
Cubitt in 1817, and first used
in Brixton Prison, fell some-
what into desuetude, but has
been revived in some prisons
under the Government rdgime,
as an instrument both of utility
for grinding com, raising water,
&c., and of real hard labour.
The labour varied most un-
equally, e.g., from 7500 feet
ascent in the day in Lewes
prison to 14,200 feet in Boston.
This inequality and consequent
injustice has now been re-
moved.
Everton cofifee (rhyming slang),
coffee.
Everything is lovely, and the
goose hangs high (American),
a phrase which became known
during the war, and which
formed the burden of a popular
song. It signified that all is
going well. The goose is a
synonym for terror or alarm.
Thus, on the stage, "to be
goosed" is to be hissed, and
when the goose hangs high it is
equivalent to saying that there
is no defeat to fear. The phrase
originated in Philadelphia.
Ewe (old), a white ewe, a hand-
some woman ; an old ewe, an
old woman.
Exam, (schools), short for exami-
nation.
Excruciators (London), the new-
fashioned boot or shoe painfully
j)ointed.
Execution — Face-making.
347
Joyfully the lads bore T'Owd Mon off
to Blurton's and got him a real shiny pair
of pointed excniciators (small thirteens,
T'Owd 'Un usually takes calf fourteens).
Sporting Tunes.
Execution day (common), wash-
ing day amongst the lower
classes.
Expecting (society), a common
expression for a woman being
in the family way ; it is an
abbreviation for expecting her
confinement.
Explaterate (American), to en-
large upon, to hold forth, to
explain and illustrate fully.
On this I will explaterate.
And all my views profusely state.
— Joel Boodler's Campaign.
From the obsolete English to
explute, to unfold.
Extrumps (Winchester College),
a corruption of extempore. To
"go up to books extrumps " is
to go up without having pre-
pared one's lesson. " Extrum-
pere," a jocose perversion of
extempore, has been used by
old English authors.
Eye limpet, another name for an
artificial eye.
Eye-openers (American), one of
the many concoctions drunk at
American bars.
In the vestibule of each refreshment-
room there is an American bar, where
visitors may indulge in juleps, cock-
tails, cobblers, rattlesnakes, gum ticklers,
eye-openers, flashes o" lightning, brandy
smashes, stone fences, and a variety of
similar beverages. — E. MacDennott : The
Popular Guide to the International Ex-
hibition 0/1Z62.
Also a general term for any
kind of intoxicating drink.
(Society), is said of'an3rthing
out of the way.
Of course, there were the usual eye-
openers in the way of dress. — Modem
Society.
Eyes (low), "no more eyes nor
arseholes," said of a one-eyed
man.
Eye, to take one's (tailors), to
please one's fancy.
Eye water (popular), gin.
|ACE (popular), credit
at a public-house.
From one's physiog-
nomy being known
there ; or from face,
effrontery, confidence. " To run
one's face," to obtain credit by
effrontery. ' ' He has no face
but his own" (Grose), he has
no coin {faces in French slang)
in his pocket.
Face entry (theatrical), the entr«5e
or freedom of access to a
theatre, from the face being
known.
Face-making (popular), begetting
children.
348
Facer — Fad.
Facer (pugilistic), a blow on the
face.
While showers of facers told so deadly
well
That the cracked jaw-bones cracked 'as
they fell.
— r. Moore.
Blogg, starting upright, tipped the fel-
low s. facer. — Ingotdsby Legends.
(Society), a metaphorical
knock down ; severe blow.
The news of his having hit his leg yes-
terday has proved a facer. — Sporting
Times.
(Popular), a tumbler of whiskj-
punch.
(Irish), a dram, a full glass.
An old word for a bumper of
wine.
(Thieves), a man who places
himself directly in the way of
persons in pursuit of his ac-
complices. Formerly /acer meant
an impudent fellow.
Face the music, to (popular), a
phrase no doubt of theatrical
origin, and alluding to the tre-
pidation sometimes felt upon
facing the audience. The
orchestra is generally placed
in front of the audience, and
consequently nearest the stage.
To face the music is therefore to
meet an emergency. Some-
times it means "to show one's
hand," i.e., to make plain one's
purpose.
(American), to boldly meet a
severe trial ; to nerve oneself
up to go tlirough a disagree-
able emergency. Originally
army slang, applied to men
when drummed out to the tune
of the "Rogue's March."
Facie (tailors), the man working
in front of one. "Facie on the
bias," the man working in
front of one to the right or
left. " Facie on the two thick,"
the individual working imme-
diately behind one's face-mate.
Facings (tailors), "silk facings"
are beer - droppings on the
breast of a coat.
Facings, put one through the
(popular), in military parlance
the regular drill — "Face!"
"Right about face!" &c. In
popular slang, to give one a
scolding or call him to account.
We were scarcely wed a week
When she put me through my facings.
And wolloped me — and worse ;
She said I did not want a wife,
I ought to have had a nurse.
— F. Egerton : If my wife would
let tne.
Facing the knocker (tailors),
begging.
Fad (common), hobby, whim,
fancy, favourite pursuit.
It seemed a harmless bit of fun,
Tho' smoking is a sad
Bad habit girls might better shun
I'han take up as 3. fad.
— Bird o' Freedom.
Given in Wright's Provincial
Dictionary as a provincialism,
and by Hotten as a slang term,
though it can hardly be con-
sidered as such. Obsolete in the
sense of cherish, caress, fondle,
and now a low exi)ression for to
Fad — Fagot.
349
trifle, play the fiddle. It has
been suggested by a writer in
the CornhiU Magazine that it is
derived from "fidfad,"a word
that has been long in use, with
much the same meaning as fad.
In the sense of trifling, worth-
less, it is derived from the
Anglo-Norman fade, meaning
originally sad, faded, tainted,
decoyed. It seems to have
been used at a very early date
to signify fanciful, whimsical.
Fad cattle (old slang), women of
easy virtue.
Faddist (common), enthusiast ;
one addicted to " fads," which
see.
Fadge (popular), a corruption of
farthing.
Fadge r (glaziers), a glazier's
frame.
Fadmonger, a monger of "fads,"
which see.
It has hardly yet found its way into
the dictionary, but " fads " are many, and
"faddists" and fadmongers abound. —
CornhiU Magazine.
Fae-gang, a gang of gypsies.
Faa was a common name for
gypsies— not assumed, but often
accepted by them. "Johnnie
Faa, the Gipsy Laddie," is the
title of an ancient popular bal-
lad, recounting how a hand-
some vagrant of that name ran
off with the Countess of Cassilis,
who was enamoured of him for
his manly, hearty, and winning
manners. Robert Faa is the
present king of the Scottish
gypsies at Yetholm.
Fag, to (thieves), to beat. Ex-
pressive of the trouble in giving
a beating.
(School), a young scholar who
has to wait upon and do all
sorts of little odd jobs for an
elder one.
Fagger (thieves), a small boy put
into a window to rob the house
or to open it for others to rob ;
called also "little snakesman."
Fagot (popular), a bundle of bits
of the "stickings" (hence pro-
bably its name), sold for food to
the London poor (Hotten). But
more probably from "fag-end."
Also a term of contempt applied
to a woman or child with re-
ference originally to the slovenly
garments, the person being com-
pared to a bundle of sticks
loosely put together. The
French fai/ote signifies dressed
in ill-fitting, badly matched
garments.
Fagot briefs, bundles of worth-
less papers tied up with red
tape carried by unemployed
barristers in the back rows of
the courts to simulate briefs
(Hotten).
Fagot vote (politicians), votes
given by electors expressly
qualified for party purposes
(Dr. Brewer).
Evidently from the old term
fagots, "dummy" soldiers or
350
Fagot — Fake.
sailors who were hired to appear
at muster and fill up the com-
panies or crews.
Fag'ot, to, an expression proper
to robbers ; that is, to bind
hand and foot (Bayer's Dic-
tionary, 1748). It is curious to
note the coincidence with the
French cant fagot, a convict ;
from the circumstance that con-
victs were all bound to one
common chain when on their
way to the hulks.
Faints (schoolboys), in vogue
amongst schoolboys to express
a wish temporarily to withdraw
from participation in the par-
ticular sport or game being
played. It is generally under-
stood that this can only take
place while in bounds or out of
danger. It is somewhat similar
to the now almost obsolete term
" wicket " in cricket.
Fair and square (common), hon-
est, honesty.
She beat him /air and square in a two
miles and a quarter gallop. — Bird o Free-
dom.
Also fair, square, and above
ground.
I will have none of this hole and corner
business. ... I wish all the criticisms in
my paper to be /iiir, square, and above
ground. — Anthony Trolhpe.
Fairlick (Harvard University), .1
football terra used when the
liall is fairly caught or kicked
beyond bounds.
" Fairlick I" he cried, and raised his
dreadful foot.
Armed at all points with the ancestral
boot. — Hari'ardiana.
Fair rations (sport), fair play,
fairness.
Their protest was ludicrous in its insig-
nificance, _/a/r rations out of the question.
— Toby. ,
Fair trade (thieves), smuggling.
Faithful, one of the (common), a
tailor giving long credit. As
this trade is in London, at all
events, almost entirely in the
hands of the Jews, they are
sarcastically .said to have joined
the ranks of X\\q faithful ; or this
when they allow long credit to
a customer, a practice which, it
is to be feared, also often makes
the old saying concerning them
literally true—" his faith has
made him unwhole," i.e., bank-
rupt.
Fake, a very ancient cant word,
possibly from faccrc, used in the
honest sense of to do, to make,
originally, but afterwards in the
dishonest one. The word was
popularised by a song introduced
■ in Mr. Ainsworth's novel " Rook-
wood." It is used with various
significations, and in this resi^ect
exactly corresponds to the verb
fairc of the French slang.
(Thieves), to rob.
All who in Blois entertain honest views,
Have long been in bed, and enjoying a
snooze,
Nought is waking save mischief and
/•iking,
And a few who are silting up brewing or
baking.
' — Ifigoidsby Legends.
Fake — Fakement.
351
To do, to make, to cheat,
swifldle, beg, malinger or coun-
terfeit illness or sores, to escape
labour and gain the diet of the
infirmary.
Having set his mind upon shirking all
work, he announces his intention Xa fake
the doctor and "work" the parson. —
Evening News.
To continue, go on.
In box of the stone peg I was born,
Of a hempen widow the kid forlorn ;
Fake away I
— Ains-uiorth: Rookwood.
"Fake away, there's no down,"
go on,- there is no one looking.
To "fake a screeve," to draw
up a false document, a begging
letter; to "fake one's slangs,"
to file through one's irons ; to
"fake a cly," to pick a pocket.
(American thieves), in addi-
tion to the usual meaning, cut-
ting out the wards of a key.
" Faking the sweetener," kis-
sing.
(Sporting), to hocus or poison.
To insert ginger under a horse's
tail.
(American and English), false
report, deception, pretence,
blind.
. . . And that naming the house in the
ridiculous way it was named was merely a
fake to draw attention to it. — J. Green-
wood: Tag, Rag, Gr' Co.
The report sent out . . . does not bear
investigation. It is a. fake, and nothing
else. — Daily Inter Ocean.
"I heard your brother had gone to
New York."
"Oh, that w.is a. fake. He was badly
punished at football, and is lying low to
fetch up." — The Youth's Companion.
Also invention, contrivance.
That was one of the hesX/akes of the
time, and there was lots of money in it
too. — Bird o' Freedom.
(Card-sharpers), a dodge.
Now to learn some new fakes with the
broads. — Sporting Times.
(Stage), /aA;c is another term
for " make up " of a character ;
to fake, to paint one's face.
Or ask what their age is, they'll scorn-
fully say —
" I do not fake (and smiling), I'm twenty
to-day."
— Birdo' Freedom.
In conjuring, any mechanical
contrivance for the performance
of a trick. So also in a show, if, -
for example, an apparently ordi-
nary dinner plate had a small
nick in it to help its being
caught on the point of a knife
after being tossed into the air,
the plate would be/oAed. Again,
bustling through a show of any
kind under difliculties artfully
concealed from the spectators
is faking it.
" Faking the duck," adulter-
ating, dodgery.
Fakeman Charley, the mark of
the owner of a stolen object.
Fakement, a word of general ap-
plication among the lower or-
ders for the doing of anything ;
trade, profession, contrivance,
invention.
The fakement conn'd by knowing rooks
Must be well known to you.
— The Leary Man.
(Thieves and vagrants), a false
begging petition.
352
Fakement — Fall.
Lawyer Bob AraMts /oMemenis up ; he's
tipped a peg for each. — Ducange A nglicus :
The Vulgar Tongve.
Any dishonest practice, swin-
dling dodge, forgery,
I cultivated his acquaintance . . . and
put him up to the neatest XwxXc fakement
in the world ; just showed him to raise
two hundred pounds . . . just by signing
his father's name. — H. Kingsley : Geoffrey
Hamlyn.
Also the depositions of a wit-
ness.
Fakements (theatrical), small
properties or make-up, such as
a hare's foot, an old white
stocking-top, piece of burnt
cork, &c., all you can get in a
"make-up" box, a cigar-box.
Certain pantomimists are ac-
customed to call the proper-
ties used in the harlequinade
fakements. A good story of
Macready, whose loathing for
the very name of slang was
notorious, is told in connection
with this subject. When star-
ring in Hamlet at Newcastle-on-
Tyne, the manager was short-
handed, and an unfortunate
clown was pressed into the
^service for Francisco, who
speaks the first line of the
play. The poor pantomimist
was waiting in great anxiety
for the halberd or partizan he
was to carry while niounting
guard, and the property-man
who ought to have provided it
was conspicuous by his absence.
The great Mac, grim and growl-
ing, and more atrabilarious than
usual, opened fire with —
" Er — er — are we to stay here
all day 7 Begin, sir, begin."
" Can't begin, guv'nor," quoth
the clown.
"Er — why not, sir? er — why
not 7 "
" 'Cos I ain't got my fake-
ments."
" Your what, sir? Good
heavens I your what ? "
" 'Hy fakements. Here, I say,
cully" (catching sight of the
property-man, who had just put
in an appearance), "hand over
the fakements.'"
The great Mac, thoroughly
nonplussed, growled to the pro-
perty-man —
"By all means, Mr. Cully,
hand over the gentleman's fake-
ments, and let us begin the
rehearsal."
Faker (popular and thieves). This
word is applied to a great
variety of men — pedlars, work-
men, thieves. From " to fake."
In Dutch slang /oi'ier is a thief ;
jicker in German cant.
(Circus), a faker, a circus
rider or performer.
(Popular), a prostitute's lover,
bully.
Fakes and slumboes (theatrical),
one of the numerous synonyms
used by pantomimists to de-
scribe properties.
Fall of the leaf (old cant), hang-
ing. Parker says, " The new
mode of hanging. The culprit
is brought upon a stage, and
placed upon a leaf. When the
Fall — Fancy.
353
rope is fixed about his neck the
leaf falls, and the body imme-
diately becomes pendant,"
Why, I suppose you know that he was
knocked down for the crap the last ses-
sions. He went off at the: /all of the leaf
at Tuck'em Fair. — G. Parker: Variegated
Characters.
Fall, to (thieves), to be appre-
hended.
A little time after this I^// again at St.
Mary Cray for being found at the back of
a house. — Horsley : Jottings front Jail.
False hereafters (American),
bustles.
The scheme worked to perfection. In
the large bustles which they wore, the
dudes carried off their wardrobe in large
false hereafters, and passed the lady of
the house on their way out. — New Y'ork
National Police Gazette.
Fam, fem (thieves), the hand.
If they do get their fatns on me I'll be
in for a stretch of air and exercise.— C»
the Trail.
The gypsies claim this as a Ro-
many word and derive it from
/em., five, or the five fingers, al-
though five in Romany is panrje.
Fambles, fumbles (thieves), the
hands. Vide Fam.
Fam grasp (old cant), shaking
hands.
Family disturbance (cowboys),
whisky.
Family man (thieves), one of the
fraternity of thieves. Also a
receiver of stolen goods or
" fence."
Fam lay (thieves), robbing a
store by pretending to examine
goods. But more specially to
rob a jeweller by means of a
sticky substance attached to the
palm or fingers, thus abstracting
the articles shown.
•Fam squeeze (thieves), strang-
ling.
Fam, to (thieves), to handle ; from
the gypsy /aw or vangri.
Fan (thieves), a waistcoat.
Fan, to (thieves), to steal from the
person. (Prov. Cumberland), to
feel, to find.
On the way down the street Pete was
very friendly and entertaining, ar^A fanned
the countryman's pocket where he had
seen him put the roll, but it had been
shifted. — New York World.
Fancy bloke (sporting), a sporting
man ; also the favoured man of
a low class woman, or prosti-
tute.
Fancy house (prostitutes), a
house of ill-repute.
Fancy Joseph (common), a youth
who is a general favourite and
pet among prostitutes. Also
" Cupid," a mere boy, who goes
with fast women or girls. An
M.D., a " milliner's darling."
Fancy man (prostitutes), the lover
of a prostitute.
But my nuttiest blowen, one fine day,
Fake away !
To the beak did \\^x fancy man betray. '
— A insworth : Rookwood.
354
Fancy — Farmer.
Fancy pieces (common), prosti-
tutes.
Fancy, the, the favourite pastimes
of sporting men.
That boxing and ratting, and other forms
<\{ the fancy, still exist as part of the amuse-
ments of the lower orders is perfectly true,
but they can no longer be classed as among
the amusements of those who cannot afford
to pay high prices of admission to illegal
entertainments. — Sims: How tht Poor
Live.
The word very soon became
specialised with reference to the
devotees of the prize ring.
They hurried to be present at the ex-
pected scene with the alacrity of gentlemen
of the/a?icy hastening to a set to. — Scott :
St. Ronan's Well.
Other meaning explained by
quotation.
His father took a great deal to the fancy
... it meant dealing in birds, and dogs,
and rabbits. — J. Greenwood: The Little
Ragajnuffins.
Fancy work, to take in (com-
mon). In general use among
milliners, dressmakers, and shop
girls, who resort to secret pros-
titution to eke out their scanty
earnings at legitimate work. If
a girl known to be receiving
small wages dresses well and
seems to have plenty of money,
it is said of her, " Oh, she takes
in fancy work."
Fanning (thieves), a beating, also
stealing. Crosii-f nnning, steal-
ing from the person with the
arms crossed, the right hand
operating under the left arm-
pit.
Fanny (common), the fem. pud.
Fanny Adams (naval), tinned
mutton.
Fanny Blair (rhyming slang), the
hair.
Fanqui (Anglo-Chinese), a Euro-
pean ; literally foreign devil.
Fanteeg (popular), to be "in a
regular /anice^'," to be perplexed,
embarrassed, to be at one's wits'
end (provincial English).
Far back (tailors), an indifferent
workman or an ignorant per-
son.
Farm (common), a place where il-
legitimate children are boarded,
or rather starved, for a given
sum.
There can be no question that he has .t
better chance . . . though his treacherous
"adopter" deserts him on a door-step,
than if he were so kindly cruel as to tole-
rate his existence at the fann. — Green-
wood: Seven Curses of London.
(Prison), the prison hospital.
He . . . first entered into a critical de-
scription of the dietary system of \k\'ifarvi
infirmary. — Evening News.
To " fetch the farm" to ob-
tain infirmary treatment and
diet.
. . . The dodges which would take place
to " fetch ihefarjn." — Eveniftg Ac^vs.
Farmer (common), one who keeps
a "farm," which see.
These are not the fanners who append
to their advertisements the notification that
children of ill-health are not objected to. —
Greenwood : Sci'cn Curses of London.
Fashno — Fawney.
355
(Thieves), an alderman.
Kent a hare.
In
Fashno, fashni, fashloni (gypsy),
false, counterfeit ; fashni au-
gxistrins, false (gold) rings ; also
fashino fauny. (Fauny is cant-
ing.)
Fast (common), in want of money.
Same as " hard up."
Fat (thieves), money. French
slang, graisse. Fat cull, a rich
man. (Printers), paying work
in contradistinction to bad or
" lean " work. This paying
work consists of blank spaces
in a page which are paid
for at the same rate as pages
fully printed. Short lines of
verse set up in type are also
considered as being fat. (Popu-
lar), vide Cut it fat. Cut up
FAT. (Theatrical), a part with
good lines and telling situation
that gives the player an oppor-
tunity of appearing to advan-
tage is said to be fat, or to have
fat. When an actor has a part
of this kind, his colleagues are
wont to say "he's got all the
fat." (Princeton College), re-
mittances of money to students.
(English and American), fat
thing, something which is very
profitable or "fat."
"Those concerns will some time be
unable to pay their interest," say these
wise men, " and then we will step in and
get a,Jat thing." — American Newspaper.
Fat flab (Winchester), part of a
breast of mutton.
Father (thieves), a receiver of
stolen property. (University),
father of a college, the praslector
who presents his men for de-
grees and represents the parents.
(Printers), a person elected to
preside as chairman to the
"chapel" (which see) when held.
He acts as a medium between
master and men. (Naval), the
dockyard name given to the
builder of a ship of the navy.
Fatness (common), wealth.
That a man who has enjoyed so many
years oi fatness should die in absolute
penury. — Sporting Times.
Fawney (thieves), a ring ; also
"fauney."
We believe that \}n^fauneysow the hands
were not molested, probably being left to
be requisitioned on some future occasion.
— Bird o Freedom.
Hotten gives the derivation,
Irish, faince, a ring.
Fawney bouncing (thieves), sell-
ing rings for a pretended wager.
Fawney dropper (thieves), one
who practises the ring-dropping
trick. Vide FAWNEY KiG.
Shallow fellows gad the hoof and fence
their cant of togs, whWst /a-!vney droppers
gammon the flats and take the yokels in. —
Ducange Anglictis : The Vulgar Tongue.
Faw^ney rig (thieves), the ring-
dropping trick. A rogue drojjs
a valueless ring or other article
of jewellery 'and when he sees
a person jncking it up, claims
half ; or, he pretends to have
356
Fawnted — Fen.
just found the article and offers
it for sale to a passer-by at a
low price. A few years ago
the article offered was generally
a meerschaum pipe.
Fawnied (thieves), with rings,
wearing rings.
Feathers (popular), money. Pro-
bably from the phrase to
" feather one's nest."
Feed (common\ a meaL
When he did give a Jeed he always
limited the invitation to four. — Bird o
h'reedom.
(Football), io feed, to support.
Feeder (thieves), a silver spoon.
(Nautical), a small river falling
into a large one, or into a dock
or float. Feeders in pilots' lan-
guage are the passing spurts
of rain which "feed" a gale
(Smyth).
Feeding gale (nautical^ a storm
which is on the increase, some-
times getting worse at each
succeeding squall. When a gale
freshens after rain it is said to
have fed the gale (Smyth).
Feele (popular and thieves), a
girl ; from the French jille, or
the Italian fylia.
Feet (old), "(o make feet for
children's stockings," to beget
children.
Feet casements, a humorous ex-
pression for shoes or boots.
But he managed without it ; only the
new yiet casetnents were not sea.soned. —
Toby.
Fegaries (American), old English
for "vagaries," fads, caprices,
whimsies, odd fancies, whims.
A common word in New Eng-
land.
Fell and didn't (tailors) is said of
a man who walks lame.
Felling a bit on (tailors), North-
ern fell, sharp, crafty, doing
something underhand.
Fellow - commoner (Cambridge
University), an empty bottle
(Hotten).
Fello^w-comp. (printers), a term
of familiarity used by composi-
tors amongst themselves, espe-
cially for those employed in the
same office.
Fello'w-P. (printers), a designa-
tion applied to each other by
apprentices that have been
bound to the same master or
firm, whether in the past or in
the present. In some large
offices it is customary to have
an annual gathering of these
fellow- P. ^s, and such reunions
are very sociable, and the tra-
ditions of a firm are thus
handed down.
Fen (thieves), a prostitute. Amis-
pronunciation of femme, or from
the Anglo-Saxon fen or fenn,
mud, dirt. Compare with the
French gadoue, meaning both
Paris mud and prostitute.
Fen — Ferg.
357
(American and provincial Eng-
lish), a boy's exclamation to ex-
press warning or prohibition.
*^ Fen puds," or "/en ball," keep
away the ball ; from English
" fence off," or very old English,
fend, ward off. English boys
use the word " feign," I decline;
also "feign it," leave off.
Fence (thieves), a receiver of
stolen property ; also his house
or shop. Probably from "fence
in."
About two moon after this same fence
fell for buying two finns. — Horsley : Jot-
tings Jrotn Jail.
G. Parker, in his " Variegated
Characters," says: "In Field
Lane, where the handkerchiefs
are carried, there are a number
of shops called 'fence shops,'
where you buy any number."
Fence-riding (American), said of
those who wait to see which
side it will pay them to indorse,
and then when victory or suc-
cess seems certain, to throw in
their lot with the winning side.
This question is one of clear right and
wrong, and there can be no fence-ridins;
when the rights of four millions of men are
at stake. — Congressional Globe.
Fence, sitting on the. Although
without doubt American in its
later usage, the idea conveyed
is "as old as the hills." Trench,
in his " English Past and Pre-
sent," page 300, points out how
singular it is that not only is
the same idea embodied in the
phrase as in the Latin prcpvari-
cato, viz., " straddling with dis-
torted legs," but that it should
also carry with it almost exactly
the same figurative meaning as
the classical word. "To sit on
the fence," in political cant par-
lance, is to wait and see how
things go before committing
oneself to definite action or
partisanship.
A kind o' hangin' round an' seitin on
the/ence.
Till Providence pinted how to jump an'
save the most expense.
— Biglow Papers.
Sometimes the phrase is varied
with " sitting on both sides of
the hedge." The expression is
of Western growth, being trace-
able to the care with which the
squatter fences in his lot ; it also
being a point of vantage at the
top of which, at the close of the
day's work, he can smoke his
pipe and survey his possessions
while thinking out las plans for
the future.
Fence, to (thieves), to sell stolen
property, or take it to a re-
ceiver's. The term is old.
It's not the first time that I have fenced
a rum screen with him. — G. Parker:
Variegated Characters.
Also to spend money.
Fencing crib (thieves), a place
where stolen property can be
disposed of.
Fencing cully (old), a receiver of
stolen goods.
Ferg, to (Vermont University),
old English ferke, to hasten, pro-
358
Ferguson — Fetch.
ceed, go. As going out of a
rage. German vergehen. When
a man is cooling down from
intense excitement or passion
he is said to ferg.
Fergfuson (common), generally
heard expressed as, "It's all
very well, Mr. Ferguson; you're
very good-looking, but you can't
come in." Said to be addressed
to men who are not known at-
tempting to obtain admission
to "close" gambling - houses,
or other haunts of dissipation,
where close watch is kept for
fear of the police. There is a
song which has this sentence
for a refrain. It was very com-
mon, and used with many ap-
plications from 1845 to 1850.
Ferret (thieves), a young thief
who gets into a coal barge and
throws coal over the side to his
confederates. (Old), a trades-
man who, having supplied goods
at ruinous prices on credit, con-
tinually duns his customers for
payment.
Ferricadouzer, a knock - down
blow, a good thrashing (Hotten).
Evidently derived from the Ita-
lian fare cadere, to cause to fall,
and dosso, back.
Fess, to (American university), to
fail in reciting the lesson, to-
gether with a mute appeal for
no further questions to be put.
The military cadets at West
I'oint also use the word in a
similar way. Old English fese,
to frighten, make afraiil.
And when you and I and Benny and
General Jackson too,
Are brought before a final board our course
of life to view,
May we never y^w on any point, but then
be told to go
To join the army of the blest, with Benny
Havens, O !
— Song: Benny Havens, O !
Fetch (common), a success ; to
fetch, to please, to arouse lively
interest, excite admiration.
" You come up to the window and touch
your hat, and say, ' Luggage all in, my
Lord;' that will Jeick 'cm." — Bird o
Freedom.
(Theatrical), is said of a play
or entertainment which finds
great favour with the public
and attracts large audiences.
The masher's ballet is one of the features
of the show and ought to fetch north
London. — Ez'ening Neivs.
(Thieves), to fetch the farm.
Y'ldc Farm.
Fetch a lagging, to (thieves), to
be serving out one's sentence at
a convict establishment.
Millbank for thick shins and graft at the
pump,
Broadmoor for all lags as go off their
chump,
Brixton for good toke and cocoa with fat,
Dartmoor for bad grub but plenty of chat,
Portsmouth a blooming bad place for h-ord
work,
Chatham on Sunday gives four ounces of
pork,
Portland is the worst of the lot for to joke
in,
Vox fetching a lagging there is no place
like Woking.
— A Thirf's Production, quoted by
Horslcy : Jottings from Jail.
Fetch up, to (popular), to startle.
(American), to come to light,
Fetch — Fiddler's green.
359
and said, for example, of the
bodies of drowned people.
" Bodies that come over the falls, they
mostly_/^/cA up here."
"Things always fetch ufi sooner or
later, but it's sometimes a week before we
get 'em." — Between Two Oceans.
Also to recruit one's strength,
to recover from some illness.
Fettle (popular), " in good fettle,"
in good order, well equipped.
Also in a good state of mind,
jolly, or very drunk.
Fever-time (Winchester College),
the time when superannuated
college prefects go for a fort-
night into a sick-room in order
to " mug," that is, to give them-
selves up to hard study.
Fez (Harrow), the tasselled cap
worn by members of a football
eleven. A member of that
society.
Fibbery (thieves), lying. From
"lib."
And if you come \.o fibbery
You must mug one or two.
— The Leary Man.
Fibbing gloak (old cant), a pugi-
list.
Fibbing match (thieves), a prize
fight.
Fibbings (boxing), rapid, repeated
blows, delivered at a short
distance.
I say, could I borrow these gentlemen's
muses,
More skilled than my neck, or in fibbingi
and bruises.
— Ingoldsby Legends.
Fib, to (old cant), to strike, beat.
(Boxing), to deliver rapid blows
at a short distance.
Each cull completely in the dark
Resolved his fibbing not to mind.
— Ainsworth: Rookwood.
. . . His whole person put in chancery,
stung, bruised, fibbed, propped, fiddled,
slogged, and otherwise ill-treated. — Cuth-
bert Bede: Adventures of Mr. Verdant
Green.
To tell lies.
Fickle Johnny Crow (West In-
dian), one who does not know
his own mind.
Fiddle (Stock Exchange) a six-
teenth part oi £,\.
Done at s. fiddle ; " Sugar " getting in !
— Atkin : House Scraps.
(Thieves), a whip. (Popular),
a sharper; the Scotch fiddle,
the itch ; a sixpence, possibly
from the expression "fiddler's
money," sixpences. (Tailors),
second fiddle, an unpleasant
task.
Fiddle-face (popular), a wizened
countenance.
Fiddler (pugilistic), a pugilist wlio
depends more on his activity
than upon his strength or stay.
(Popular), a sharper, a cheat, a
careless, dilatory person. Also
a sixpence or farthing.
Fiddler's green (nautical), a sort
of sensual Elysium, where sailors
are represented as enjoying for
a "full due" those amenities
for which Wapping, Castle
36o
Fiddle — Fi-fa.
Kag, and the back of Ports-
mouth Point were once noted
(Smyth).
Fiddle, to (thieves), to gamble and
consequently to cheat. (Popu-
lar), to get one's living by doing
small jobs in the streets. To
play upon, to take in.
She's diddled me, %\ic's_fiddled me, nigh
Sent me oflF my chump.
— Robson : Ballad.
(Common), to take liberties
with a woman. (American), to
intrigue, or intrigue craftily.
Bob is the man who^</if/^(f himself into
Congress. — St. Louis Chronicle.
(Pugilistic), to strike.
Fidlam bens (thieves), thieves
who have no speciality, who
will steal anything.
Fidlam coves (thieves). Vide
FiDLAM Bens.
Field (sport), the runners in any
race. (Turf), the horses in a
race as opposed to the favour-
ite. To "chop the field" is said
of a horse that outstrips the
rest, literally "whips" them.
Vide To Chop.
Bismarck, whose terrific speed enabled
him to chop his_field. — Sporting Times.
To " lay against the field" is
to back one horse against all
comers. (Hunting), the riders.
The cry of the ' 'field a pony,"
means that the layer is willing
to bet even money on the gene-
ral mass of runners against any
one competitor. The backers
would, of course, select the
favourite on these terms.
Fielder (turf), one who backs the
"field" (which see) against one
horse. Also a "layer" or "book-
maker."
Yet the confiAm^ ^elder who took this
security stood him in Paris for about ;iioo.
— Bird d Freedom.
Field-leine duck (popular), a baked
sheep's head. Field-lane was a
low London thoroughfare lead-
ing from the foot of Holborn
Hill to the purlieus of Clerken-
well (Hotten).
Field, to (Winchester College), to
jump into the water before an-
other goes in, so as to assist
him. (Turf), to back the ' ' field, "
which see.
It cannot be denied that there has lately
been an uncommon eagerness to field. —
Sporting Times.
Field, to lead the (city), to set an
example which is followed by
all others. Evidently an adap-
tation of the sporting phrase.
Fiery lot (popular), a word which
does not mean in ordinary slang
hot-tempered so much as "fast "
and rollicking.
Berty isn't bad-tempered, though he's
such 3. fiery lot;
And he's cool, though when he's spree-
ing, he's a boy that goes it hot.
— Brooiiside,: My Berty.
Fi-fa (legal), a writ of ficri-
facias, i.e., a writ lying for him
Fifer — File.
361
who has recovered an action of
debt or damages, to levy the
debt or damages against whom
the recovery was had.
Fifer (tailors), a waistcoat-maker.
Fig (common), "to be in ivXipj"
in full dress ; figuretto, figured
silk, the finest and most expen-
sive dress. Old English from
the Italian (Halliwell). Dr.
Brewer says this term is a cor-
ruption of the Italian in fiocchi,
in gala costume. Hotten thinks
it may be an allusion to the fig-
leaf of our first parents. An-
other but more probable etymo-
logy is that it is taken from
the word full jig. (figure) in
fashion books.
(Horsedealers), to fig a hor.se
is to apply ginger to a horse to
make him appear lively, to make
him carry a fine tail.
Figged out (popular), dressed in
best clothes, in full costume.
Figger (thieves), vide Faggek.
Fighting tight (American), drunk
and quarrelsome. Extremeh'
drunk.
In those unburdened days a quarter of
a dollar would buy enough sour mash to
make an ordinary man fighting tight, but
now it would take the larger part of a
dollar. — Chicago Tribune.
Fight one's weight in wild cats,
to (American), to be full of
courage and "go."
John Halkett, as I learned afterwards,
could.;?^A^ his weight in wild cats. — Th€
Golden Butterfly.
Fig leaf (common), a small orna-
mented apron worn by ladies.
(Fencing), the apron or padding
protecting the lower part of
the abdomen and the right
thigh.
Figure dancer (thieves), one who
alters the numbers or figures on
bank-notes.
Figure-head (nautical), the face.
Figure man (studios), the prin-
cipal figure in a picture. In
French artists' language, It
bonhomme.
Filau (Anglo-Indian), explained
by quotation.
He is ambitious of being Vice-President
of the Municipal Committee, or a Filau
(Anglicc Fellow) of the University, and it
is requisite that his qualifications should be
made more widely known. — St. Jatnes's
Gazette.
Filbert (popular), cracked in the
filbert, slightly insane.
File (thieves), a pickpocket ; ^ie is
a very old English term of con-
tempt for a worthless, dishonest
person. Probably connected
with " vile " or "defile."
'Ihe greatest character among them was
that of a pickpocket, or, in their language,
■jl file. — Fielding : Jonathan IVild.
" The file is generally accom-
panied by the ' Adam tiler '
362
File — Fingersntith.
and the 'bulker' or 'staller.'
It is their business to jostle or
'ramp' the victim, while the
file picks his pocket and then
hands the plunder to the Adam,
who makes off with it" (New
York Slang Dictionary).
(Common), a cunning or art-
ful man. Also silent file ; lime
sourde, or dumb file, in French
slang.
He blewed a monkey, that sWtntJiU,
And tipped me the wink with a slippery
smile.
— £ar! of VVinchehea : Lay of the
Cooperer.
Filing-lay (thieves), picking
pockets,
I am committed for \hc filing-lay, man,
and we shall be both nubbed together. —
Fielding: Jonathan Wild.
Fillibrush, to flatter, praise ironi-
cally (Hotten).
Filly (London), a young girl.
At last I've got a little yJ'/Zy of my own.
— Sporting Times.
(Thieves), a daughter. Pos-
sibly from the Italian figlia, or
the French fille. Also used
generally for a young woman ;
in this sense probably derived
from the name for a young
mare.
You'll find if you put half-a-crown in his
Jin,
It's so much the better for you.
—Song.
French sailors use the corre-
sponding term nageoire.
Find (Harrow School), explained
by quotation.
In a large house there are tisually four
sixth-form _/?«(/i (a Harrow term signify-
ing a mess of three or four upper boys who
take tea and breakfast in one of their own
rooms). — Everyday Life in our Public
Scliools.
To find, to mess together.
Finder (thieves), a thief ; one who
steals meat at a market. (Uni-
versity), term used at Caius for
a waiter in hall.
Find-fag (public schools), a kind
oifag thus described.
Find figs have to procure from the shops
in the town anything that may be required
besides the regulation bread and butter
for tea. — Everyday Life in our Public
Schools.
Fine (shopkeepers), cutting it/>ic,
cheating in various ways, adul-
terating articles of food.
Fine-dra'wing (tailors), accom-
plishing an object without being
Fimble-famble (common), a lame
excuse; from to fimble, to fumble,
and to famble, to stutter ; both
provincialisms.
Fin (common), the hand, origi-
nally a sea-term.
Fingerpost (old), a clergyman.
Fingersmith (thieves), explained
b}' quotation.
Some traces of humour are to be found
in certain euphemisms, such as the delicate
expression fingersmith as descriptive of a
Finjy — Firky.
363
trade which a blunt world might call that
of a pickpocket. — Horsley : Jottings from
Jail.
Also a midwife.
Finjy (Winchester College), said
when an unpleasant or unac-
ceptable task had to be done by
a number of boys. He who
said the word last of all had to
do it.
Finn, finnup, finnuf (thieves), a
five-pound note. German-Jew-
ish, finnuf. It is a pronun-
ciation of funf peculiar to Yid-
dish.
When we got into the rattler they
showed me the pass ; yes, there it was,
fifty quids in double Jinns (ten-pound
notes). — Horsley: Jottings from Jail.
Finnicky (common), from " finni-
kin " ("fine " with a diminutive
termination), idly busy.
We don't want to get into international
trouble, but we must fay that Mexico is
getting a trifle finnicky. — Bird o' Free-
dom.
Finnup ready (sporting), a five-
pound note.
My reason for placing the old 'un there
is on account of his having touched a
finnup ready — this is a good old sporting
term — and I expect the extra five pounds
will just stop him getting home, or rather
getting out. — Bird o' Freedom.
Fipenny (thieves), a clasp knife.
The term is in common use in
Australia, where it was intro-
duced by the convicts.
Fire (thieves), danger.
Fire and light (nautical), nick-
name of the master-at-arms
(Smyth).
Fire a slug, to (old), to drink a
dram of spirits.
Fired (American), arrested, taken
up, turned out.
Tell him he mustn't fall asleep in a public
place or he'll %^X. fired, and ask him if you
can't go to get him a cab. — Confidence
Crooks : Philadelphia Press.
Also rejected, often applied
by artists to rejected pictures.
Fire-eater (printers), a term for
quick compositors. Savage, in
his " Dictionary of the Art of
Printing," 1841, gives this term.
(Tailors), one who does a great
amount of work in a very short
time.
Fire-escape (popular), a clergy-
man.
Fire priggers (thieves), thieves
who take advantage of a fire, or
in the crowd, to plunder or pick
pockets.
Fire spaniels (military), soldiers
who sit round and Close up to
the barrack-room fire. They are
supposed to be guarding it like
faithful dogs or spaniels.
Fire-'works (tailors), a great dis-
turbance, a state of intense ex-
citement.
Firky toodle (popular), to cuddle
or fondle ; to firk, on the con-
364
Firmed — Five.
trary, means to beat, to chas-
tise. In the same way the
French caresser, literally to
caress, means also to beat.
Finned (theatrical), well firmed,
perfect in the "business" and
words.
First-chop (American), excellent,
first-rate. In " Sam Slick in
England," it is thus explained :
"This phrase is used all through
the United States as a synonym
for first-rate." The word chop
is Chinese for quality. He looks
like a first-chop article. Vide
Chop.
" Wall," ses Linkin, " I think that is a
Jirst-chop idea." — Major Jack Dcnvnin^.
First flight (sporting), the first
persons at the finish in any kind
of race, in a fox-hunt.
First nighters (journalistic),
musical or dramatic critics who
naturally attend on first nights.
The production of Anton Rubenstein's
" Demon " in the charming Russian dialect
at the oddly-named Jodrell Theatre, has,
so far, been the only opportunity for first
«;lfA/^rj to distinguish themselves. — Sport-
ing Times.
More generally people who
make a point of attending the
first performance of plays.
First night wreckers (theatrical V
men who attempt to hiss down
a play on first performance.
First snap (American), at the be-
ginning.
Van Cott, you could see at first snap,
was grit all through, and as full of fight
as a game rooster.— 7"A« Golden Butter-
fly.
Fish (common), a person ; used in
such phrases as an odd, a queer,
prime, shy, loose^A, &c. (Nau-
tical), a scaly /sA, a rough, blunt-
spoken seaman. (Tailors), pieces
cut out of garments to make
them fit close.
Fish market (gaming), the lowest
hole at bagatelle. Also known
as " Simon."
Fish, to (common), to endeavour
to obtain favour, to ingratiate
oneself, to curry favour. He
who does it is a " fisher," a
very opprobrious epithet.
Fishy (common), doubtful, sus-
picious, implying dishonesty,
as in a, fishy afi"air or "concern."
Fist (tailors), a "good fist," a
clever workman. (Printers), an
index hand.
Fist up, put your (tailors), ac-
knowledge your error.
Fitter (thieves), a locksmith who
makes burglars' keys.
Fitting up a show (studios),
arranging an art exhibition.
Fit up (theatrical), a concern,
small company.
Five fingers (cards), the five of
trumjis at tlie game of "don."
Fiver — Fizzle.
365
Fiver (common), a five-pound
note.
Many a harmless Jiver has passed from
the unprofessional into the professional
pocket. — Standard.
Fives (popular), the fist. Termed
also "bunch oi fives."
Whereby altho' as yet they have not took
to use their _^ves,
Or, according as the fashion is, to sticking
with their knives,
I'm bound there'll be some milling yet.
— Hood: Row at the Oxford Arms.
(Low), a fight.
You are wanted at the comer for a._fives
. . . they struck Cole . . . and he was
kicked. — Evening; News.
Fixings (popular), house furni-
ture. (American, English, and
Australian), paraphernalia, kit,
the adjuncts to any dish. (Bush-
men), strong liquor.
Fixin to eat (American), a Vir-
ginia negro expression. Getting
ready for meals.
Fix the ballot-box, to (Ame-
rican), to tamper with the re-
turns of an election.
Before they got back I had the \sox fixed,
and my economical friend's name was not
on a single ballot. He made an awful
howl, and swore that he had voted at least
seventeen times himself.— .S"<i« Francisco
Post.
Fix, to (old cant), to put people
in the hands of justice, to appre-
hend.
I daresay if any of us was to come in by
ourselves and should happen to take a
snooze you'd snitch upon us and soon have
the trapsyf-r us. — G. Parker: Variegated
Characters.
(American), applied loosely
and slangily to a great number
of words indicating different
kinds of manual action, such as
to repair, arrange, put in order,
execute in a satisfactory manner,
to cook, write, or do anything
whatever.
Fix up, to (American and Aus-
tralian), to settle, arrange.
Later in the evening Cogan told witness
that there was no need of his going, as the
matter had "been fixed up.— Daily Inter
Ocean.
Fiz (common), champagne.
Will the call for^z be less now the fiscal
duty is z'^ftz.'i&x.— Sporting Times.
(Popular), lemonade, ginger
beer.
After winning a considerable sum of
money at the sports, he could only treat
one of his comrades to ayfz and a bun. —
Toby.
Fizzer (theatrical), a first-rate
part ; " a regular fizzer " is a
part full of life and efferves-
cence.
Fizzing (common), first-rate, al-
luding to the effervescence of
champagne.
Fizzle (American), failure. From
the old English fizzle, a flash, a
hissing noise, as of anything
which has expired in a flash.
Plutarch says that Demosthenes made a
g\oomy fizz/e of his first speech. — Ameri-
can Humourist.
(Yale University), an imper-
fectly said lesson. To "flunk'
366
Fizzle — Flannels.
is to utterly fail, but a man
fizzUs when he manages to get
through somehow.
Fisde, to rise with modest
reluctance, to hesitate often,
to decline finally. Generally
to misunderstand the question
(Yale Literary Magazine).
Fizzling has also been defined
as a somewhat free translation
of an intricate sentence, or
proving a proposition from a
wrong figure.
Flabberdegaz (theatrical), any
words not in the part said by
an actor whose memory fails
him. Also imperfect delivery
or acting.
Flabbergast, to (common), to
astound, confound. From gast,
old English, to frighten, and
jlab, to scare.
The magistrate before whom the case
■was brought seems to have been com-
pletely flabbergasted and paralysed with
astonishment. — Evening Ne^vs.
Flag (popular), an apron.
He stood flabbergasted, but I wasn't
goin' to put the game away, so I says,
" Ginger, 'e can 'ave the jacket and the
flag, and the cards, and bust hisself shout-
ing, he can, and jolly good luck to him."
— Sporting Times.
Persons who wearthcir aprons
when not at work are termed
"/ajr-flashers."
Flag-about, a low strumpet (New
York yiang Dictionary). (Pro-
vincial), "flack" or "flacket,"
to flap about.
Flag flying (tailors) is used in
reference to a bill posted up
when hands are required.
Flagge (old cant), a groat, or
fourpence.
" Why, hast thou any lowre in thy bonge
to bouse ?" " But a. flagge, a wyn, and a
make." — Harman : Caveat.
Flag of defiance is out, the
(nautical), a term in use amongst
sailors to imply that a man is
drunk, the allusion being to his
red, bloated face, and the pug-
nacity due to being well primed
with drink.
Flags (popular), clothes drying in
the open air and flying in the
wind.
Flag up (popular). " The flag's
up " refers to menses, varied to
" I've got my grandmother,"
" my friends."
Flag-wagging (military), flag-
signalling, or signal drill.
Flam (common), obsolete Eng-
lish, but now used in a slangy
sense ; a lie, humbug, flatter-
ing lie.
. . . When with some f^moolh flam
He gravely on the public strives to
sham.
— Earl of Rochester : Works.
I slowly melt — this Isn't flam.
On torrid days like these.
— Funny Folks.
(American University), to
flam, to be partial to the society
of ladies.
Flannels (Harrow), to get one's
flanndi is to obtain promotion
Flannels — Flash.
367
to the school, cricket, or foot-
ball eleven. (Kugby), at Rugby
when the school played football
in white ducks, the probation
"caps" were allowed to wear
flannels. At present, though the
whole school wear flannds, the
name retains its old signification
(Our Public Schools). The term
has now become generaL
Flap (thieves), sheet lead for
roofs.
Flapdoodle (American), nonsense,
an English west country ex-
pression meaning nourishment
for fools, as in quotation.
I shall talk to our regimental doctors
about it, and get put through a course of
fools' diet. . . . Flapdoodle they call it,
what fools are fed on. — T. Hughes : Tovi
Brown at Oxford.
Also "flap sauce."
Flapdoodlers (journalistic), char-
latan namby - pamby political
speakers.
Flapmen (prison), the first and
second class of men in convict
prisons, who are allowed for
good behaviour a pint of tea at
night instead of gruel.
Flapper (popular), hand ; flappcr-
shaking, hand-shaking.
Wondering whether . . . and if the
joining palms in a circus was the cus-
tomary _/?(T//fr-shaking before "toeing
the scratch " for business. — C. Bede : Ver-
dant Green.
Flap the dimmock, to (popular),
to i)aY. Termed also " to touch
the cole, stump the pewter,
tip the brads, down vdth the
dust, show the needful, sport
the rhino, fork, fork out, shell
oiat," &c.
Flap, to (thieves), to rob, to
swindle; "to flap a jay," to
swindle a greenhorn. From/ajo,
to turn over, i.e., manage
adroitly.
Flare (nautical), said of a stylish
craft.
I've heard her stem-post shows a " rake,"
and that she's a decided _/?a»r.
Which may be both advantages, but I'm
no salt and never were.
—Judy.
Flare up (common), a jollification,
an orgie.
Flash, a recognised word for
slang, cant, thieves' lingo. Also
old for showy but unsubstan-
tial and vulgar, gaudy but
tasteless. The term explains
itself as applying to anything
that glitters, that "flashes."
Also spurious, as a flash note,
a forged bank-note. Thieves
have appropriated it and ap-
plied it to themselves or their
avocations, in a sense of com-
mendation, with various signifi-
cations, such as good, knowing,
dashing,. /asA toggery, elegant
dress.
Soon then I mounted in Swell Street High,
And sported lay Jlashiest toggery.
— Ainsivorth: Rooktuood.
Flash man. Vide FLASH -
MAN. A flash mollisher, a thief's
368
Flash — Flat.
favourite mistress. " To patter
flash," to talk in thieves' lingo.
I'm tired of pattering ^ojA and litshing
Jackey. — On the Trail.
(Common), a jlask girl, a
woman about town, a showy
prostitute.
In Australia /os/t is used with
the sense of conceited, vain-
glorious, dandified, foolhardy,
swaggering. Australians would
call a man/asAwho began slog-
ging at good bowling directly
he went in to bat, or took up
a poisonous snake by the tail
to knock its head against the
wall, &c.
Flash cove (popular and thieves),
a thief, sharper.
Flash drum (thieves), a thieves'
tavern ; also a brothel.
Flashery (thieves), elegance,
boasting talk, great showing off.
Flash gentry (thieves), the higher
class of thieves.
Oh, if my hands adhere to cash,
My gloves at least are clean,
And rarely have \!t\^ gentry JJash
In sprucer clothes been seen.
—Lytton : Paul Clifford.
Flash house, ken, panny,
(thieves), a place frequented
by thieves ; thieves' boarding-
house. Also a brothel.
Flash jig (costers), a favourite
dance at a twopenny hop.
Flashly (thieves), elegantly.
Your fogle you must yTojA/y Uc.—The
Leary Man.
Flashman (thieves), a thief. Also
a prostitute's bully, thus de-
scribed by G. Parker in his
" Variegated Characters : " —
" A flashman is a fellow that
lives upon the hackneyed prosti-
tution of an unfortunate woman
of the town ; few of them but
what keeps a flashman, and
some of these despicable fellows,
when their woman has picked
up a country gentleman, or a
drunken person, will bounce
into the room and pretend they
have surprised you with their
wife, and will beat you, or
threaten to bring an action
against you. Thus intimidated
they extort your purse from you,
or rob you of your watch."
Flash of lightning (thieves), a
glass of gin.
" Will you have a Jlash of lightning 1 "
" I am just going to have some slim." —
Parker: Variegated Characters.
Flash, to (popular and thieves),
to .show; ^ flash your dibs," show
your money.
Cocum gonnofsy?<«A by night the coolers
in the boozing kens. — Ducange Angluus :
The Vulgar Tongue.
" To flash one's ivories," to
laugh. (Thieves), " to flash the
hash," to vomit. (Common),
" to flash the dicky," to show
tlie shirt front.
Flashy blade (old cant), a fellow
who dresses smart (G. Parker).
Flat (general), an inexperienced,
easily imposed on person.
Flat — Flats-yad.
369
What 3Lflat,
To seek such an asylum as that.
— Ingoldsby Legends.
(Sharpers),/a<-catching, swin-
dling simple-minded people or
countrymen, generally by means
of the confidence trick, or some
such primitive " dodge."
. . . To mark the many kinds of halt
that are used in ^rt/-catching, as the turf
slang has it. — Greenwood : Seven Curses
0/ London.
(Prostitutes), picking up a
jiM, finding a client.
. . . On the chance that she will in the
course of the evening pick up a flat. —
Greenwood : Seven Curses of London.
Flat-catcher (prison), one who
swindles foolish or confiding
persons by selling painted spar-
rows, pretending to have picked
up a valuable ring, the con-
fidence tirick, &c.
Flatch (back slang), half, or half-
penny. (Coiners), a bad half-
crown.
Flatch-enore (costermongers'
back slang), half-a-crown,
" Why, I've cleared a jlatch-
enore a'ready, but kool esilop
(look at the police), nammus
(be off)."
Flat-feet (popular), a foot-soldier ;
applied generally to the Foot-
guards.
Flat-fish (popular), a dull, stupid
feUow.
Flat-footed (American). There is
a very interesting and accurate
description of fiat-footed, by R.
A. Proctor, in his "American-
isms," published in Knowledge,
June I, 1887.
" The significance of this word in
America is very different from that of the
French word pied-plat, identical though
the words may be in their primary mean-
ing. A French pied-plat is a contemptible
fellow ; but an Ammczn flat -/oot is a man
who stands firmly for his party. . . . When
in America General Grant said he had
' put his foot down,' and meant to advance
in that line if it took him all the summer,
he conveyed . . . the American meaning of
the sx^r^ssion flat-footed."
It may be observed that jfof,
in the senses of downright, reso-
lute, firm, plain, direct, straight-
forward, or simple, is Dutch, and
that platt DeiUsch means " plain
Dutch " (Sewell). Plat afslaan,
or plat afzeggen, is to give a flat
refusal, or to refuse "right up
and down." But the connec-
tion between setting the foot
down firmly or flat, and a deter-
minate resolution, may probably
be found in most languages.
Flat-head (American) a green-
horn.
Flat-move (thieves), the action of
a fool, dupe. Any attempt that
miscarries, or any act of folly or
mismanagement.
Flats and chits (thieves), bugs
and fleas (Baumann).
Flats, mahogany (tailors), bugs ;
playing cards.
Flats-yad (tailors), back slang
used by stock cutters, a day's
enjoyment or jollification.
2 A
370
Flat — Flimming.
Flat taste (tailors), very indiffer-
ent judgment.
Flatten out, to (American), " I
jiattened him out" i.e., I had the
best of him, of the argument.
(Tailors), fiatlened out, without
resources of any kind, beaten.
Flatter trap (thieves), the mouth ;
called by French rogues la men-
teuse.
Flatty (popular), a variant of
"flat," a greenhorn, a fooL
Flatty-ken (thieves), a public-
house the landlord of which
is ignorant of the practices of
the thieves and tramps who fre-
quent it (Hotten).
Flax, to (American), to beat,
punish, to "give it" to any one
severely in any way. " Flax it
into him," let him have it hot.
"Flacks," blows or strokes
(East).
Flay-bottomist (common), a
schoolmaster, so called from
his occasional office of bircher
to unruly or disobedient pupils.
Flea-bag (prize-fighters), a bed.
In French slang, pucier, i.e., a
receptacle for fleas.
Flemish account (nautical), a
complicated and unsatisfactory
account, one in which there is
a deficit.
Flesh and blood, brandy and port
in equal quantities (Hotten).
Flesh-bag (common), a shirt.
Fleshy (Winchester), a thick cut
out of the middle of a shoulder
of mutton.
Fletches (prison), spurious coins.
Flicker (thieves), a glass ; to
flicker, to drink ; from flacket, a
flask, a very old word.
Flick, to (thieves), to beat, to
cut; "flick the panam," cut
the bread. (Popular), old flick,
old fellow.
Flies (trading), perhaps the latest
slang word introduced to signify
a customer.
(Popular), trickery, nonsense ;
no flies, without humbug, seri-
ously. " In this sense," says
Hotten, "flies is a softening of
" lies."
That's poz, dear old pal, and no_/!ies.
— Punch.
(Printers), an ancient name
for the printers' devils, from an
old cant term for spirits atten-
dant on magicians, more par-
ticularly applied to the boys
who lifted the newspapers from
the press.
These boys do in a printing - house
commonly black and bedaub themselves,
whence the workmen do jocosely call
them devils, and sometimes spirits, and
sometimes flies.— Academy of Armory,
R. Hohiie, 1688 ; and Gentleman s Magcu-
zine, October 1732.
Flimming, flim-flamming (Ame-
rican thieves' flash or slang),
in England, " ringing the
Flintmtng — Flip-flap.
371
changes." It is supposed to
be partly derived from "flimsy,"
a bank-bill, and " flam," to
cheat. But *' flim-flam," for a
shiny, deceptive cheat or trifle,
is an old expression.
Flimp, to (thieves), to hustle and
rob. Also refers to highway
robbery, "to put on thejlimp."
Flimping is a kind of theft which I have
never practised, and consequently of which
I know nothing. — H. Kingsley : Ravens-
hoe.
Also to steal by wrenching off.
He told me as Bill had Jlimped a yack,
and pinched a swell of a fawney. — Du-
cange Anglicus: The Vulgar Tongue.
Flimsy (journalistic), paragraphs,
items of news, comments ; from
the name of their prepared
copying-paper, used by news-
paper reporters for producing
several copies at once.
I wonder who supplies thcjlimsy about
naval matters to the Times and other
dailies. Occasionally the mistakes are gro-
tesque in the extreme. — Sunday Times.
(Thieves), bank notes.
In English Exchequer bills full half a
million,
Not kites manufactured to cheat and
inveigle,
But the right sort oi flimsy, all signed
by Monteagle.
— Ingoldsby Legends.
The term is now in common
use.
"Well, I shall have a fiver on White
Wings, and chance it," and the Correspon-
dent put down his flimsy, and everybody
jeered. — Sporting 1 imes.
(Printers), an expression used
for telegraph forms, or anything
written on thin paper.
Fling (common), properly a kind
of dance. " To have his fling,"
to lead a merry life.
In London he has settled down ;
He means to have his fling in town,
A little king without a crown.
Who finds the money?
— Dagonet : The Great Mystery.
In the above the reference is
to General Boulanger.
Flint (workmen), an operative who
works for a " society " master,
i.e., for full wages. In the early
part or middle (1836-7, C.W.S.)
of the present century, a strike
for higher wages took place in
London. The men who "held
out " were known as " flints,"
while those who succumbed re-
ceived the opprobrious name of
"dungs." Both these names
are used in Foote's play, Tht
Tailors.
Flint into, to (American), varied
to pour in, fire away, tumble on
to, pitch into. There may be
possibly fifty such words more
or less in use, meaning to go at
something, to begin to act, to
tackle anything.
Flint it out, to (tailors).
Flint.
Vide
Flip-flap (popular), a peculiar
rollicking dance indulged in by
costermongers when merry or
excited. Also a kind of somer-
sault in which the performer
throws himself on his hands
and feet alternately (Hotten).
(Nautical), the arm.
372
Flipper — Floating.
Flipper (common), hand, origin-
ally a sailor's expression ; "tip
me jowc fiijyper," shake hands.
The other, a sailor, had one wooden pin,
He looked mournful at Ned, then said,
" Tip us yonr flipper."
— SoH£: Pudding-faced Ned.
Flippers, flappers, very young
girls trained to vice, generally
for the amusement of elderly
men ; jloppers is a provincialism
for young birds beginning to
spread their wings.
Flirtina cop-all (popular), a girl
generally, or one too fond of
men. " Cop " has the significa-
tion of catch.
Floater (Whitechapel), a small
suet dumpling put into soup
(Hotten).
Floaters. The CornhiU Magazine
gives the following explana-
tion : — " An interesting, but
one would hope decaying, class
of voters are the floaters, the
electors whose suffrages are to
be obtained for a pecuniary con-
sideration. There is a story
told of a candidate in an Ameri-
can township who asked one of
the local party managers how
many voters there were. ' Four
hundred,' was the reply. ' And
how many floaters ? ' ' Four
hundred I ' Somewhat akin to
the floaters are those who sit
' on the fence ' — men with im-
partial minds, who wait to see,
as another petty phrase has it,
' how the cat will jump,' and
whose convictions at last gene-
rally bring them down on that
side of the fence where are to
be found the biggest battalions
and the longest purses. These
floaters and men ' on the fence '
used in the olden times to be the
devoted adherents of the ' man
in the moon.' When an elec-
tion was near at hand it was
noised abroad throughout the
constituency that the ' man in
the moon ' had arrived, and
from the time of that august
visitor's mysterious arrival many
of the free and independent
electors dated their possession
of those political principles
which they manfully supported
by their votes at the poll. Of
course no candidate bribed —
such a thing was not to be
thought of; but still the money
was circulating, and votes were
bought, and as it was necessary
to fix the responsibility upon
some one, the whole business
was attributed to the action of
the ' man in the moon.' "
Floating academy (old cant), the
hulks ; " Duncan Campbell's
floating academy,'^ the hulks at
Woolwich. •
My man is hobbled upon the leg for
three years on board Duncan Catitpbcirs
floating academy for n.ipping a clink. —
G. Parker: Variegated Characters.
Floating batteries (soldiers), bits
of bread broken up and put in
the evening tea. When soldiers
are under stoppages or other-
wise impecunious and unable
to buy herrings, bacon, saus-
Floating — Flop.
373
ages, and other savoury articles
for the tea meal, they are com-
pelled to do with floating bat-
teries. See Slingers.
Floating hell (old slang). The
hulks were so called by those
who brought themselves within
the clutches of the law.
Flock of sheep (domino players),
the row of dominoes before a
player (Baumann).
Flogger (common), a whip.
Compared with the light and elegant
fiog;gers of the present day, it is a heavy,
common " riding companion," with a
massive silver handle, with a short twisted
lash. — Sporting Times.
Flogging (popular), a man who
is careful and penurious is said
to he flogging, or saving his coin.
Flogging cove (prison), the
official who administers the cat.
Floored (studios), is said of a
picture hung on the lowest row
at the Exhibition of the Royal
Academy.
Floorer (pugilistic), a knock-down
blow. (Common), unexpected
news of an unpleasant nature ;
a decisive argument or retort ;
a question which utterly embar-
rasses one.
The Putney Pet stared. . . . The inquiry
for his college was in the language of his
profession a " veguXar Jloorer." — Ctithbert
Bedc: Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green.
(Schools), a question or paper
too hard to be mastere 
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