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13; 


1JJJ3M&* 


A    DICTIONARY 


OF 


SLANG,    JARGON    &    CANT 


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    BARRERE  , 

Officier  de  V instruction  publique  ;  Professor  R.M.  A.  Woolwich 
Author  of  "Argot  and  Slang,"  <&>c.  &c. 

AND 

CHARLES   G.    LELAND,   M.A.,   Hon.   F.R.S.L. 

Author  of  "  The  Breitmann  Ballads,"  "  The  English  Gypsies 
and  their  Language"  &°c. 


VOL.  II.     L— Z. 


PRINTED  FOR  SUBSCRIBERS  ONLY 

AT 

THE    BALLANTYNE     PRESS 

MDCCCXC 


110595 


31X1 

A   DICTIONARY 


SLANG,  JARGON,  AND  CANT. 


ABELS     (American), 
postage  stamps. 


Lace 

spirits. 


(popular), 


He  got  royally  blind,  showed  a  liking 
for  lace. — Bird  d  Freedom. 

Laced  (old  cant),  sugared,  as  laced 
coffee. 

Laced  mutton,  used  by  Shak- 
speare  (Two  Gentlemen  of  Ver- 
ona).    Vide.  Mutton. 

Lacing  (popular),  a  beating. 

Ladder  (common),  "can't  see  a 
hole  in  a  ladder,"  said  of  one 
who  is  intoxicated. 

Ladies'  grog  (common),  hot, 
strong,  sweet,  and  plenty  of  it 
(Dickens). 

Ladies'  Mile  (society  ),Rotten  Row. 

Ladle,  to  (theatrical),  to  speak 
the  text  in  a  pedantic  and  pre- 
tentious manner,  i.e.,  to  "ladle 
it  out." 

Lad  of  wax  (thieves),  shoemaker. 
VOL.  H. 


Ladroneship  (nautical),  literally 
a  pirate,  but  it  is  the  usual 
epithet  applied  by  the  Chinese 
to  a  man-of-war  (Admiral 
Smyth). 

Lady  (old  cant),  a  misshapen 
woman. 

Lady-bird  (common),  a  specially 
nice  or  dainty  kept  mistress. 
(Popular),  a  wanton  or  lewd 
girl. 

Lady-caller  (American),  explained 
by  quotation. 

A  lady-caller  is  a  cultivated  and  pre- 
sentable woman  nicely  dressed,  who  takes 
a  salary  for  distributing  cards  for  fashion- 
able folk,  and,  as  we  presume  from  the 
accomplishments  demanded  of  her,  even 
occasionally  makes  actual  calls  instead  of 
the  lady  who  employs  her,  and  who,  by  a 
social  fiction,  is  supposed  to  be  calling. — 
St.  James's  Gazette. 

Lady -fender  (popular),  a  lazy 
woman  who  gives  herself  airs. 
Chiefly  used  by  servants  in 
reference  to  a  mistress  who 
likes  to  sit  by  the  fireside  doing 
nothing. 


Lady  Green — Lagniappe. 


Lady  Green  (prison),  the  prison 
chaplain. 

Lag  (thieves),  a  prisoner,  convict. 
Vide  To  Lag. 

Asking  .  .  .  what  improvement  there 
was  in  the  grub  at  Brixton ;  was  there 
going  to  be  a  war  with  Russia?  If  so,  was 
it  likely  they  would  want  the  lags  for 
soldiers. — Evening  News. 

An  old  lag,  one  who  has  been 
through  penal  servitude. 

To  start,  I,  a  confirmed  old  lag  myself, 
think  I  may  say  that  there  isn't  a  prison 
in  London  that  I  haven't  seen  the  inside 
of. — Greenwood:  Dick  Temple. 

(Westminster  School),  a  fag. 

Every  morning  the  lag  junior  prepares 
and  brings  to  hall  the  "  list,"  which  is  the 
rota  of  duties  for  the  day. — Everyday  Life 
in  Our  Public  Schools. 

Lage  (old  cant),  wash  water, 
thin  drink.  Probably  from  the 
Gaelic  and  Irish  lag,  weak, 
feeble. 

I  bowse  no  lage,  but  a  whole  gage 
Of  this  I  bowse  to  you. 

— Bronte :  A  Jovial  Crew. 

This  term  is  still  used  by  the 
low  class  of  actors.  It  is 
curious  to  note  that  laigue,  in 
old  French  argot,  signifies  water, 
from  the  Spanish  agua,  with  the 
article  prefixed.  But  there  is 
no  evidence  that  the  English 
term  is  from  the  French  laigue. 

Lager  (American).  In  German 
lager  means  a  resting-place,  a 
camp ;  from  the  root  legen,  lay 
a  place.  Hence  a  warehouse 
where  goods  lie,  a  stock  or 
deposit.    Lager  bier  in  Germany 


is  stock  beer,  as  one  says  stock 
ale  in  Anglo-Saxondom.  It  was 
in  America  that  the  word  lager 
was  most  incorrectly  applied, 
for  the  first  time  about  1847,  in 
Philadelphia,  to  German  beer, 
to  distinguish  it  from  American 
and  English  malt  drinks.  All 
German  beer  is  not  lager,  any 
more  than  all  English  beer  is 
Indian  pale  ale  or  "  bitter." 

Und  is  mein  sabre  sharp  and  true  ? 

Und  is  mein  war-horse  goot  ? 
To  get  one  quart  of  lager  bier, 

I'd  shpill  a  sea  of  bloot ! 
— Ballads  of  Hans  Breitmann. 

Lage,  to  (old  cant),  to  wash.  Vide 
Lage. 

Lagger  (thieves),  a  sailor.  Pos- 
sibly from  his  way  of  walking. 
Also  one  who  gives  evidence  ; 
an  informer.     Vide  To  Lag. 

Lagging  (thieves),  a  term  of  im- 
prisonment or  hard  labour.  Vide 
To  LAG. 

Now  the  whole  of  the  difference  between 
passing  .a  comfortable  lagging  and  a  hard 
lagging,  is  to  give  no  trouble  to  the  officer. 
I  always  make  it  a  rule — don't  trouble  me 
and  I'll  not  trouble  you. — Ez>ening  News. 

Lagniappe  (Creole  American),  a 
trifling  commission  or  discount. 

All  New  Orleans  grocers  give  to  every 
purchaser  a  lagniappe.  If  child  or  servant 
buys  five  cents'  worth,  lagniappe  is  ex- 
pected and  given  rigidly,  as  though  so 
nominated  in  the  bond.  It  may  be  sugar, 
or  spice,  or  candy.  If  the  purchaser  de- 
mand quartee  (two  and  a  half  cents'  worth) 
rice  and  quartee  beans,  two  lagniappe  are 
given.  There  are  groceries  in  the  French 
quarter  where  the  chief  business  of  the 
supplemental  small  boy  is  the  rolling  of 


-\ 


Lagniappe — Laker. 


brown  paper  sheets  into  cornucopias,  and 
the  filling  of  these  horns  of  plenty  with 
lagniappe. — American  Newspaper. 

This  system  is  getting  general 
now  in  London  for  grocers  to 
give  presents  to  all  purchasers. 
The  higher  the  purchase  the 
greater  the  present,  tfhe  prac- 
tice is  usual  in  France,  and 
probably  in  most  countries. 

Lags  (American),  layers  of  leaves 
of  tobacco.  Dutch  laag,  a  lay, 
a  row  layer. 

Lag,  to  (thieves),  formerly  to 
transport  or  cause  to  be  trans- 
ported; now  to  send  to  penal 
servitude  or  to  prison. 

They'll  ask  no  questions  after  him,  fear 
they  should  be  obliged  to  prosecute,  and 
so  get  him  lagged. — Dickens:  Oliver 
Twist. 

A  day  or  two  after  Bill  returns  alone. 
The  girl  asks  him  where  her  sweetheart  is. 
"He's  lagged,"  says  Bill. — Sims:  H<nv 
the  Poor  Live. 

To  lag,  which,  it  is  conjectured, 
originally  came  from  "lagging," 
or  tying  the  prisoners  together, 
is  curiously  allied  to  lagan,  the 
right  of  the  lord  to  take  goods 
cast  up  on  the  shore  of  his 
manor.  Also  goods  tied  to  a 
buoy  and  then  sunk  in  the  sea. 
In  gypsy  and  Hindu  lagar  or 
lugarna  has  the  same  meaning. 
Compare  the  French  cant  word 
"  fagot,"  for  a  convict,  i.e.,  tied 
up  like  a  bundle  of  sticks. 
Hotten  suggests  the  derivation 
from  the  old  Norse  lagda,  laid, 
laid  by  the  leg.  To  lag,  which 
formerly  had  also  the  meaning 
of  to  steal,  seems  to  be  con- 


nected in  the  sense  with  the 
German  lagern,  to  lay,  to  put 
away. 

(Old  cant),  to  lag,  to  void 
urine.  A  lagging  gage,  a  cham- 
ber-pot. The  expression  is  still 
common  among  showmen  and 
strolling  actors.     Vide  Lage. 

Laid     in     lavender.      Vide 

La  VENDEE. 

Laid  out  (American),  also  Eng- 
lish, but  more  extensively  ap- 
plied in  "  the  States."  Beaten, 
flattened  out. 

Mr.    M is   horizontally  laid  out. 

Nevertheless,  the  war  taxes  must  go. — 
Boston  Herald. 

Laker.  Although  applied  as  a 
term  of  derision  to  Wordsworth, 
Southey,  and  their  famous 
friends,  because  they  lived  in 
the  Lake  country,  the  word  had 
been  in  use  from  time  imme- 
morial in  Yorkshire  and  Lanca- 
shire, in  another  sense,  with 
reference  to  players.  The  dic- 
tionaries give  "  Lake,  to  play, 
to  sport,"  hence  laker,  or  de- 
risively, "lazy  laker."  Lake,  a 
north-country  word  for  play,  is 
from  Danish  lege,  to  play. 

One  of  the  delicate  pleasan- 
tries invented  at  the  expense  of 
the  players  in  the  last  century, 
runs  as  follows.  When  the 
drum  announced  their  advent 
in  the  rural  districts  of  York- 
shire, the  farmers'  dames  were 
wont  to  say — "Get  the  shirts 
off  the  hedge,  wench,  for  here 
comes  the  lakers." 

In  the  year  1750,  Gentleman 


Laker — Lamm. 


Holtnan.  a  famous  actor  and 
author,  and  the  recipient  of 
high  honours  from  his  Alma 
Mater  at  Oxford,  was  fulfilling 
an  engagement  at  Leeds.  He 
had  dressed  at  his  hotel  for 
Beverley,  in  "The  Gamester," 
and  was  attired  in  his  court  suit, 
with  powdered  hair  and  bag, 
chapeau  bras,  diamond  buckles, 
&c.  On  his  way  to  the  theatre, 
in  a  sedan  chair,  the  porters  were 
stopped  on  Leeds  Bridge,  and 
overhauled  by  a  gang  of  roughs 
of  the  period,  who  demanded 
to  know  who  was  inside.  On 
being  informed  that  the  gentle- 
man in  court  dress  was  a  play- 
actor, the  ringleader  said  to  his 
friends  —  "Oh!  it's  nobbut  a 
laker ;  chuck  him  in  t'  river, 
lads."  Before  they  could  carry 
out  this  laudable  intention,  the 
laker  stepped  out,  confronted 
them  with  his  rapier,  which  he 
slipped  into  them,  right  and 
left,  sending  the  ruffians  howl- 
ing in  every  direction. 

La-li-loong  (pidgin-English),  a 
thief,  thieves. 

The  barber  complained   he  had  been 
called   a   la-li-loong,    the    pidgin-English 
for  a  thief.—  Celestial  Empire,  1876. 
Just  t'hen  he  savvy  la-li-loong, 

Same  tief-man  muchee  bad, 
Hab  wantchee  kill  one  foleigna' 
An'  catchee  alio  had. 

—Wang-ti. 

Lall-shraub  (Anglo-Indian). 
English-Hindu,  Idl-shrdb,  red 
wine.  The  name  for  claret  in 
India.  In  English  gypsy,  lal  or 
lulli'Tnoll. 


Lamb  (old),  name  given  formerly  to 
a  dupe,  now  a  "pigeon,"  "mug," 
or  "juggins."  (Popular),  an 
elderly  person  who  dresses  and 
makes  up  like  a  young  one. 
Vide  Lambs. 

Lamb  and  salad  (popular),  to 
give  one  lamb  and  salad,  to  give 
a  sound  thrashing.  Also  lamb- 
pie,  a  flogging.  From  lam,  vide 
Lamm. 

Lambasting'  (popular),  beating, 
thrashing.     Vide  To  Lamb. 

Lamb-down  (Australian  up- 
country),  to  beat.  Vide  To 
Lamm. 

He  saw   the  publican  .  .   .   narrating 
with  coarse  glee  to  a  fellow-poisoner  how 

he  had  copped  the  old on  the  hop  and 

lambed  him  down  to  rights. — A.  C.  Grant. 


Lamb,  lam,  to  (popular). 
To  Lamm. 


Vide 


Lambs  (common),  the  roughs  at 
an  election  employed  to  create 
a  disturbance  and  break  up  the 
meetings  held  by  and  in  favour 
of  an  opposing  candidate.  Also 
roughs  of  any  kind. 

The  bold  Bendy,  who  until  the  past 
year  or  two  was  notorious  as  the  fore- 
most "  bully  boy  "  amongst  the  lambs  of 
Nottingham.—/.  Greenwood:  Low-Life 
Deeps. 

Lame  duck.     Vide  Duck. 

Lammie  Todd  (tailors),  a  phrase 
used  by  tailors,  meaning  "  I 
would  if  I  could." 

Lamm,  to  (popular)  to  beat,  strike. 
From  the  Icelandic  hlemma,  to 


Lamm — Landsharks. 


5 


beat,  bruise ;  Anglo-Saxon  lama, 
Irish  lamh,  old  Norse  lamr.  Hot- 
ten  deriving  it  from  the  old 
Norse  lam,  hand.  Lam  is  ori- 
ginally to  strike  with  the  hand. 
Compare  smack,  to  slap,  and 
Irish  smac,  the  palm  of  the 
hand.  This  word  is  old  Eng- 
lish, and  is  now  used  only  by 
slang-talking  people. 

Dauber,   to    beat,   swindge,    lamme. — 
Cotgrave. 

De  vellers  ash  lam  de  Romans  dill  dey 
roon  mit  noses  plue. 

— Charles  G.  Leland:  Breitmann 
Ballads. 

But  forty-nine  more  were  wanted,  and  I 

was  getting  mad, 
For  I  hadn't  done  what  I  wanted,  which 

was,  I'll  now  expound, 
To  lamm  the  ball  to  a  certain  and  distant 

part  of  the  ground. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Lamm  it  on,  lay  it  on,  hit  hard. 

Lammy  (thieves),  a  blanket.  An 
allusion  to  lamb  and  wool. 

Lamp  country  (military),  walking 
out  at  night  without  money  in 
one's  pockets.  The  soldier's 
hours  of  recreation  are  generally 
after  dark,  when  the  lights  are 
lit,  and  if  he  has  no  funds  to 
defray  entrance  to  places  of 
amusement,  or  pay  for  refresh- 
ments at  other  houses  of  call, 
he  has  to  be  content  with  lamp 
country. 

Lamp-post  (common),  a  nickname 
for  a  tall  lanky  individual,  much 
in  vogue  among  schoolboys.  A 
synonym  is  "  sky -topper." 


Lampresado,  defined  in  the  New 
Canting  Dictionary  as  one  who 
comes  into  company  with  but 
twopence  in  his  pocket.  An 
impostor,  an  informer. 

Lamps  (thieves  and  others),  the 
eyes.  The  synonyms  in  French 
argot  and  Italian  furbesco  are 
quinquets  and  lampante.  Vide 
Gig-Lamps. 

Landed  (popular).  A  man  is  said 
tobe  landed  when  he  has  amassed 
a  fortune  large  enough  to  keep 
him  for  the  rest  of  his  life. 

(Thieves),  to  be  landed,   ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

When  I  fell  this  time  I  had  between 
four  and  five  quid  found  on  me,  but  they 
gave  it  me  back,  so  I  was  landed  (was  all 
right). — Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Land-grabber  (common),  farmer 
who  rents  a  farm  from  which 
another  has  been  evicted. 

Oh,  those  dreadful  Irish !  Fiendish 
affair  reported  in  Banner.  Goose  belong- 
ing to  Nationalist  deliberately  allowed  to 
wander  about  meadow  rented  by  a  land- 
grabber,  and  eat  up  grass.  Land-grabber  s 
horse  consequently  has  to  go  short  of  green 
food,  poor  starved  thing  !  The  Coercion 
Bill  must  be  pressed  on  at  all  hazards. — 
Funny  Folks. 

Landlubber  (nautical),  a  useless 
long-shorer  ;  a  vagrant  stroller. 
Applied  by  sailors  to  the  mass 
of  landsmen,  especially  those 
without  employment  (Admiral 
Smyth). 

Landsharks  (nautical),  crimps, 
pettifogging  attorneys,  shop- 
monprers    and   the  canaille  in- 


Land — Lap. 


festing  the  slums  of  seaport 
towns  (Admiral  Smyth).  Also 
lawyers. 

Land,  to  (common),  to  hit,  to 
place  a  blow,  to  fall. 

And  he  landed  the  P.  P.  to  rights,  and  he 

dodged  his  redoubtable  digits, 
And  Grimthorpe  cried,  Go  for  him,  G.  G.  ! 
— Punch. 

To  Mitchellise  him  till  he  couldn't  hit 
half  an  ounce,  or  land  within  half  a  mile 
of  a  haystack. — Punch. 

(Common),  to  land  a  kick,  to 
bring  one's  foot  in  violent  con- 
tact with  a  person's  breech. 
Also  "  to  hoof,  hoof  one's  bum, 
to  root,"  &c.  (Popular),  land- 
ing it  hot,  hitting  hard;  land, 
to  strike. 

Her  fingers  so  lovely  and  taper,  ah,  yes, 
No  hand  e'er  had  fingers  like  those ; 
But  the  way  she  has  got  of  just  clenching 

the  lot, 
And  landing  me  hoi  on  the  nose  ! 

— Song:  Poor  Mr.  Coppit. 

Lane,  Harriet  (military),  pre- 
served or  tinned  meat.  A  mo- 
dern epithet  on  a  ration  now 
much  used  in  campaigns,  and 
obviously  derived  from  the 
unfortunate  girl  Harriet  Lane, 
who  was  murdered  by  Wain- 
wright,  and  put  by  in  a  box 
with  chloride  of  lime,  which 
preserved  instead  of  destroying 
the  body. 

Lane,  red  (popular),  the  throat. 

Lane,  the  (legal).  Chancery  Lane 
is  always  spoken  of  by  lawyers 
as  The  Lane.  (Theatrical),  a  col- 
loquial abbreviation  among  the 


employe's  of  Drury  Lane  for  the 
theatre.  (Popular  and  thieves), 
Petticoat  Lane.  (Thieves),  the 
Lane,  represented,  in  the  slang 
of  the  criminal  classes,  Horse- 
monger  Lane  Gaol. 

Lanthorn,  dark  (old  cant),  a  ser- 
vant or  agent  in  a  court  who 
receives  a  bribe. 

Lan-tun  (pidgin),  London.  "  Hab 
muchee  man  in  Lan-tun  town, 
but  flom  dat  tim  I  know." 

Lap  (old  cant),  tea.  (Popular), 
liquor,  drink.  Lap  is  a  term 
invariably  used  in  the  ballet - 
girls'  dressing  -  room  for  gin 
(Hotten). 

Lap  ears  (American  University), 
students  of  a  religious  turn  of 
mind  are  so  called ;  also  don- 
keys. 

Lapland  (popular),  the  society  of 
women,  an  expression  derived 
from  the  female  sex  being  called 
"  cats." 

Lapper  (popular),  a  rare  lapper, 
a  hard  drinker.  (Thieves), 
drink. 

Laprogh  (tinker),  a  goose  or 
duck ;  a  bird  of  any  kind. 

Lap,  to  (common),  to  drink. 
(American),  this  word  still  re- 
tains many  old  meanings  among 
American  thieves  and  gamblers, 
or  has  taken  new  ones,  such  as 
to  pick  up,  to  take,  steal,  wipe 
out,  put  out  of  sight,  drink,  and 


Lap — Lam-pidgin. 


buttermilk,  which,  like  lap,  is 
also  a  term  for  gin.  A  "lap- 
tea.  "  is  where  there  are  so  many 
guests  that  girls  sit  in  one 
another's  laps,  or  in  those  of 
the  men,  or  where  it  is  done 
for  pleasure.  A  "lap -ride," 
where  the  same  thing  is  done 
in  a  vehicle.  "  To  lap  a  girl." 
"  Do  you  let  George  lap  you  ? " 
"  No,  we  only  sit  sideways  as 
yet."  To  lap  the  gutter,  vide 
Gutter. 

Lardy-da,  lah-de-dah  (common), 
a  word  borrowed  from  the  re- 
frain of  a  song  which  was  popu- 
lar some  twenty  years  ago. 
Applied  to  a  fop  or  dandy. 

At  the  bar,  forming  the  central  figure  of 
a  group  otherwise  composed  of  lah-de-dah 
youths  (now  known  as  imitation  dudes), 
stood  a  short,  stocky-built  man  of  about 
thirty-five  years  of  age. — American  News- 
paper. 


Lardy  -  dardy     toffs 

effeminate  swells. 


(popular), 


Large  blue  kind,  the  (American). 
This  very  eccentric  expression, 
signifying  magnitude  and  inten- 
sity, seems  to  have  been  sug- 
gested by  blue  bottle  flies,  which 
are  larger  and  more  disliked 
than  any  others.  A  particularly 
bad  humbug  or  lie  is  sometimes 
described  as  being  one  of  the 
large  blue  kind. 

Large  order.     Vide  Order. 

Largo,  largey,  largo  (0  soft 
like  j)  (pidgin),  much,  great, 
magnanimous,  loud.    Expresses 


magnitude    or    extent    of    all 
kinds. 

"  My  largo  man,  my  have  catchee  peace, 
my  have  catchee  war." — Points  and  Pick- 
ings of  Information  about  China  (Lon- 
don, 1844). 

Larkin  (tinkers),  a  girl.  This  is 
curious  as  indicating  an  affinity 
between  the  Hindustani  Idrki, 
a  girl,  and  the  gypsy  rakli. 
(Anglo-Indian),  a  very  strong 
spiced  punch. 

Lark  rig.     Vide  Rig. 

Larks  (American  thieves),  boys 
who  steal  newspapers  from 
doorsteps. 

"Boy,  why  don't  your  father  take  a 
newspaper,"  said  a  man  to  a  small  lark, 
whom  he  had  just  found  larking  his 
morning  Tribune. 

"  He  generally  does,"  was  the  reply, 
"  but  this  mornin'  he  sent  me  to  take  one 
wherever  I  could  snap  it." — Tribune. 

Larky  subaltern's  coach,  the 
(military),  a  carriage  which  used 
to  be  attached  nightly  to  a 
goods  train,  starting  from  the 
Nine  Elms  Station  at  2.30  a.m. 
for  Aldershot,  put  on  for  the 
convenience  of  military  officers 
who  had  from  various  causes 
got  benighted  in  London,  and 
missed  the  ordinary  train.  Larky, 
as  used  here,  is  probably  from 
the  phrase,  "  up  with  the  lark." 

Larn-pidgin  (pidgin),  learn  - 
pigeon ;  an  apprentice,  a  boy 
admitted  by  favour  of  the  upper 
servants  to  a  house  that  he 
may  learn  English  and  domestic 
duties. 


Larrikin — Lavender-cove. 


Larrikin  (common),  a  rough,  a 
wild  fellow. 

And  yonder  yelling  fools  contrive 
To  lend  some  truth  to  Mammon's  text. 

The  laziest  larrikin  alive, 

With  babbling  tongue  and  brow  per- 
plex'd, 

Can  help  do  that  — Punch. 

Imported  from  Australia, 
where  it  is  sometimes  abbre- 
viated to  lary. 

In  your  article  on  "  Our  Larrikins  "  of 
June  2nd,  you  invite  an  explanation  of 
the  origin  of  this  Colonial  synonym  for 
"rough."  If  the  common  account  be 
correct,  it  arose  out  of  a  misunderstanding. 
An  Irishman,  on  being  brought  up  for 
unruly  behaviour  before  an  Australian 
magistrate,  excused  himself  by  saying  that 
he  was  only  "larkin'."  Any  one  familiar 
■with  the  peculiarities  of  the  Irish  brogue 
will  easily  realise  how  the  two-syliabled 
pirticiple  was  mistaken  for  a  three-syl- 
labled noun. — Celt  in  the  Spectator. 

Lascar  (Anglo-Indian),  originally 
meaning  a  soldier,  "lashkari." 
It  has  now  become  a  generally 
used  term  for  a  Malay  sailor. 
In  the  French  army  the  term  is 
applied  to  a  bold,  devil-may-care 
fellow. 

Lashins  (Irish),  large  quantities. 

Lashool  (tinker),  nice.  Irish, 
"lachool." 

Lass,  to  (American,  Western),  to 
catch  with  the  lasso,  lariat,  or 
reata. 

It  don't  pay  to  have  fellows  blazing  off 
their  revolvers,  and  stampeding  the  cattle, 
and  spurring  their  horses  on  the  shoulders, 
and  always  going  on  a  lape,  and  driving 
cattle  at  a  lape  too,  and  tossing  steers  by 
the  fore  feet  on  the  trail,  and  throwing 


'em  head  over  heels,  just  for  the  satisfaction 
of  hearing  the  thud  they  make  when  they 
fall. — F.  Francis :  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Last  of  the  Barons  (legal),  a 
nickname  given  to  the  "  Baron 
of  Exchequer"  last  appointed, 
since  afterwards  the  Court  of 
Exchequer  was  done  away  with, 
and  merged  in  that  of  Queen's 
Bench,  and  no  more  barons 
would  therefore  be  appointed. 

Last  run  of  shad,  the  (American). 
To  say  that  a  man  looks  as  if 
he  had  come  in  the  last  run  of 
shad,  is  equivalent  to  declaring 
that  he  has  a  very  thin,  wretched, 
forlorn,  or  "played-out"  ap- 
pearance. To  be  "in  the  last 
of  pea-time,"  signifies  a  hard-up 
and  poverty-stricken  condition. 

Latchpan  (popular),  the  lower  lip. 

Late-play  (Westminster  School), 
a  half-holiday,  or  holiday  be- 
ginning at  noon. 

Lather,  to  (popular),  to  beat, 
thrash. 

My  father  is  a  barber, 

And  is  unkind  to  me, 
So  I'd  rather  lather  father, 

Than  father  lather  me. 

— Popular  Song. 


Latty  (theatrical),  a  bed. 
Letty. 


Vide 


Launch,  to  (Winchester  College), 
to  pull  a  bed  over  a  "  man." 

Lavender-cove  (popular),  a  pawn- 
broker. So  called  because  pro- 
perty is  there  laid  up  "  in  laven- 
der." 


La  vender — Lay. 


Lavender,  in  (turf),  is  said  of  a 
man  or  horse  to  denote  that  he 
is  ill,  unfit,  out  of  the  way. 

Most  people  are  tired  of  waiting  for  the 
Beaver,  who  was  put  down  as  certain  to 
win  one  of  the  early  spring  handicaps, 
but  so  far  has  been  in  lavender. — Bird  o' 
Freedom. 

(Common),  laid  in  lavender, 
put  away,  pawned,  or  left  in 
lodging  for  debt.  From  the 
practice  of  placing  lavender  in 
drawers  in  which  clothes  are 
kept. 

(Thieves),  hidden  from  the 
police. 

Lawful  time  (Winchester  College), 
at  the  end  of  "log-time,"  or 
preparation  on  a  "remedy"  or 
holiday,  the  prefect  on  duty 
calls  out  lawful  time,  as  an  an- 
nouncement that  all  may  leave 
study. 

Lawn,  the  (sporting),  Ascot  Lawn. 

Lay  (thieves  and  roughs),  par- 
ticular business,  line  of  work, 
pursuit,  enterprise. 

Kept  a  leaving  shop — a  sort  of  unlicensed 
pawnbroker's,  you  know  .  .  .  that  wos 
his  lay  for  years. — /.  Greenwood:  Dick 
Temple. 

A  dodge,  swindle. 

To  a  constable  he  told  the  misadventure  of 

the  day, 
But  the  man  in  blue  responded,  "  It's  a 

very  common  lay, 
Did  she  talk  about  a  child,  sir?"    Said 

the  innocent,  "She  did." 
"  I  thought  so,"  said  the  officer — "  but, 

bless  you,  that's  her  kid  1 " 

— Sporting  Times. 

Alas,  that  writer  kept  it,  too, 
Reminded  me  of  debts  long  due, 


Then  lodged  me  safe  in  Holloway 
The  victim  of  a  heartless  lay. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

On  the  lay,  at  work. 

Dodger  !  Charley !  It's  time  you  were 
on  the  lay. — Dickens :  Oliver  Twist. 

In  America  (north-east  coast), 
a  lay  is  a  share  in  a  venture. 

(Tailors),  a  good  lay,  an 
economical  method  of  cutting, 
or  when  a  man  is  doing  any- 
thing that  will  be  beneficial  to 
himself  or  others. 

Lay  down  the  knife  and  fork,  to 
(common),  to  die. 

Layer.     Vide  To  Lay. 

Lay  for,  to  (American),  to  lie  in 
wait  for,  to  ambush.  Also  "  to 
lay  by  for." 

There's  a  cat  in  the  garden 

A  layinfor  a  rat, 
And  a  boy  with  a  catapult 

A  layinfor  the  cat ; 
The  cat's  name  is  Susan. 

The  boy's  name  is  Jim'; 
And  his  father  round  the  corner 

Is  a  lay  in  by  for  him. 

— American  Ballad. 

Lay  it  on,  to  (common),  to  ex- 
aggerate. 

The  member  who  moved  an  amendment 
throwing  responsibility  upon  the  employe 
as  well  as  the  employer  was  told  he  was 
"  laying  it  on  too  thick,"  and  the  amend- 
ment was  defeated. — Funny  Folks. 

Lay  one  out,  to  (roughs  and 
thieves),  to  kill  one. 

Several  of  the  prisoners  were  with  him. 
Galletly  was  saying,  "  I've  laid  one  out  " 
to  the  other  prisoners.  .  .  .  Witness  also 
saw  the  knife,  and  there  was  blood  on  it 
half  way  up  the  steel. — Evening  News. 


10 


Lay — Leanaway. 


Lay  out  (American),  a  turn. 
"  It's  my  lay  out,"  i.e.,  it's  my 
turn. 

"  Boys,  yer  got  me  this  time.  They've 
called  her  '  Utella ! '  as  near  my  name  as 
they  could  get,  and  it's  my  lay  out. 
What'llyehev?" 

The  glasses  clinked  merrily,  and  Mr. 
Bill  beamed  with  happiness. — New  York 
Star. 

Lay  over,  to  (American),  to  de- 
feat, excel,  surpass.  Probably 
derived  from  wrestling. 

"  Can  you  write?" 

"  Well,  I've  seed  people  could  lay  me 
over,  thar." — Mark  Twain:  A  Tramp 
Abroad. 

"  In  scolding  a  blue  jay  can  lay  over 
anything  human  or  divine."  —  Mark 
Twain:  A  Tramp  Abroad. 

Lay  them  down,  to  (thieves),  to 
play  cards. 

Lay,  to  (turf),  to  bet  for  or 
against. 

He  overheard  one  noble  penciller  tell 
another  ominously  that  "  he  could  lay  the 
favourite." — Bird o'  Freedom. 

To  lay  the  field,  vide  Field. 
(Common),  to  lay  one's  shirt  on 
a  horse,  to  lay  all  one's  money 
on  a  horse. 

Lead  (theatrical),  the  most  im- 
portant part  in  a  play. 

Miss  ,  who  returned  from  abroad 

yesterday,  has,  we  learn,  refused  to  enter- 
tain an  offer  to  play  "the  lead"  in  the  old 
English  comedies  at  the  Strand  Theatre. 
Daily  News. 

(Thieves),  lead,  or  friendly 
lead,  a  collection  made  for  one 
"  in  trouble." 


I  was  landed  without  them  getting  me 
a  lead  (collection).  —  Horsley  :  Jottings 
from  Jail. 

Lead  or  leader  (Australian  min- 
ing slang),  a  vein  of  gold. 

The  leader  is  the  vein  or  deposit  of 
gold  in  an  Australian  gold  mine !  said 
always  to  run  north  and  south,  which  if 
it  be  true  is  a  phenomenon  of  magnetism. 
In  size,  form,  and  value,  the  precious 
metal  within  a  certain  area  will  present 
great  diversities.  Sometimes  the  leader 
from  which  the  gold  is  presumably  dis- 
charged could  be  identified  if  it  were  not 
that  specimens  of  an  entirely  opposite 
character  embedded  in  greenstone,  some- 
times combined  both  with  greenstone  and 
quartz,  sometimes  with  quartz  alone. 
Often  it  is  as  fine  as  flour,  again  it  will 
range  from  ' '  colours  "  to  nuggets  of  several 
ounces.  It  may  be  worth  only  £2,  18s. 
per  ounce  :  it  may  and  does  assay  £3, 18s. 
and  £4. — Queenslander. 

Leading     juvenile     (theatrical), 
the  expression  explains  itself. 
Corresponds  to  the  jeune  pre- 
mier of  the  French. 
Hamlet  is  the  "  lead,"  Laertes  the  lead- 
ing juvenile,  and  Horatio,  though  an  ex- 
cellent   pal,    is    known    as    the    walking 
gentleman. — Globe. 

Leafless  tree  (old  cant),  the  gal- 
lows. 

Oh  !  there  never  was  life  like  the  robber's 

— so 
Jolly,  and  bold,  and  free  ; 
And  its  end — why,  a  cheer  from  the  crowd 

below, 
And  a  leap  from  a  leafless  tree  ! 

— Lord  Lytton :  Paul  Clifford. 

Lean  (printers),  this  is  a  metaphor 
used  to  indicate  solid  or  bad 
paying  work  in  contradistinc- 
tion to  "  fat "  or  good  work. 

Leanaway  (slangy  Australian), 
one  who  is  tipsy.    The  meta- 


Leap — Left-handed. 


II 


phor    is    of    course   from    the 
drunkard's  reeling. 

Leap  the  book  (common),  a  false 
marriage,  or  one  which  is  illegal. 

Leary  (popular    and    thieves), 
wide  -  awake,    knowing,    wary. 
Zeary-bloke,  a  knowing  or  art- 
ful man. 
But  mummery  and  slummery 

You  must  keep  in  your  mind, 
For  every  day,  mind  what  I  say, 
Fresh  fakements  you  will  find. 
But  stick  to  this  while  you  can  crawl, 
To  stand  till  you're  obliged  to  fall ; 
And  when  you're  wide-awake  to  all, 
You'll  be  a  leary  man. 

—  The  Leary  Man. 

Leary  is  from  lear,  to  learn, 
obsolete  or  provincial  English. 
On  that  sad  book  his  shame  and  loss  he 
leared.  — Spenser. 

Leary  cum  Fitz  (theatrical),  a 
vulgar,  impudent  minor  theatre 
actor,  is  usually  described  as 
a  regular  Leary  cum  Fitz. 

Leather  (American  thieves),  a 
pocket-book. 

He  burst  out  into  a  grin,  when  the 
magistrate,  who  was  up  to  his  little  game, 
suddenly  asked  him  if  he  remembered  how 
a  certain  elderly  gentleman  had  been  rob- 
bed of  his  pocket-book  while  going  on 
board  a  steam  ferry-boat.  "  Don't  I  just 
remember,"  he  cried,  "how  we  'lifted' 
the  old  bloke's  'leather.'" — American 
Newpsaper. 

(Football),  .  the    leather,    the 
football. 

Leather-head  (Canadian),  a  swin- 
dler. 

Now  the  Senator  is  only  a  leather-head, 
who  made  his  pile  by  such  and  such  a 
swindle,  and  the  parson  is  a  gospel-shark, 
or  devil-dodger.—  Phillipps-  Wolley  I  Trot- 
tings  of  a  Tenderfoot. 


Leather-hunting  (cricket),  this 
term  is  sometimes  used  to  mean 
fielding.  A  leather-hunting  game 
is  one  in  which  there  is  much 
fielding  to  be  done. 

Leather-necks  (naval),  a  term 
for  soldiers  ;  from  their  leather 
stock,  which  to  a  sailor,  with 
his  neck  free  of  any  hindrance, 
must  appear  such  an  uncom- 
fortable appliance. 

Leathers  (popular),  the  ears, 
otherwise  "lugs." 

Leather,  to  (popular),  to  beat. 

Leaving  shop  (thieves  and 
others),  an  unlicensed  pawn- 
broker's establishment. 

Led  captain,  a  fashionable  sponger 
or  "  swell,"  who  by  artifice 
ingratiates  himself  into  the 
favours  of  the  master  of  the 
house,  and  lives  at  his  table 
(Hotten). 

Leer  (old  cant),  a  print,  a  news- 
paper ;  old  English  lere,  to  learn. 

Leet  jury  (popular),  explained  by 
quotation. 

The  meddlesome  fellows  who  had  caused 
the  disagreeable  exposure  were  called  a 
leet  jury,  whose  business  it  was  to  pounce 
on  evil-doers  whenever  they  thought  fit, 
once  in  the  course  of  every  month.—/. 
Greenwood:  Seven  Curses  of  London. 

Left  forepart  (tailors),  the  wife. 

Left-handed  wife  (common),  a 
mistress.  Left,  or  sinister,  is  in 
all  languages  applied  to  that 


12 


Left— Let. 


which  is  doubtful  or  bad.  In 
gypsy  bongo  means  left-handed, 
crooked,  or  evil.  Compare  the 
French  "  mariage  de  la  main 
gauche." 

Left,  over  the.  Vide  Over  the 
Left. 

Leg  (turf),  abbreviation  for  black- 
leg, a  bookmaker  or  ring-man. 

Leg-bail,  to  give  (common),  to 
run  away,  or  decamp  from  lia- 
bility. 

Leggings  (popular),  a  name  for 
stockings. 

Leg  it,  to  (popular),  to  run. 

Legs  (American  cadet),  a  nick- 
name given  to  a  tall  lanky 
man,  one  who  is  sparely  and 
angularly  built. 

Legs  and  arms  (tailors),  beer 
without  any  "  body  "  in  it. 

Lei  (gypsy),  to  take,  to  arrest. 
Not  uncommon  among  the  lower 
orders  in  London.  The  writer 
has  heard  "  Look  out,  or  you'll 
get  lelled,"  said  by  one  young 
girl  to  another  within  a  few 
steps  of  Kegent  Street.  It  is 
from  the  third  person  indica- 
tive present,  lela ;  first  person, 
lava,  I  take.  This  use  of  the 
third  person  for  all  the  others 
is  usual  in  posh  an'  posh  (half 
and  half),  or  corrupted  Romany, 
and  it  occurs  in  Hindustani. 

Length  (theatrical),  an  arbitrary 
division  of  a  part  into  so  many 


components,  after  this  fashion. 
Hamlet  is  thirty-seven  lengths, 
and  seventeen  lines.  Each 
length  is  forty -two  lines. 

Actors  do  not  learn  their  parts,  they 
"  study  "  them,  and  they  measure  each 
part  by  lengths. — Globe. 

(Thieves),  six  months'  impri- 
sonment. 

Let  her  flicker  (American),  said 
of  any  doubtful  issue,  the  simile 
being  that  of  a  flame  flickering 
in  a  draught  of  air,  when  it 
is  doubtful  whether  it  will  be 
blown  out  or  not.  It  may  be  re- 
marked that  in  American  slang 
there  is  more  metaphor  than  in 
that  of  any  other  country. 

"  Well,  Uncle,  how  do  you  stand  on  the 
question  of  prohibition?"  he  called  to  an 
old  darkey  on  the  market  yesterday. 

"  Say,  boss,"  slowly  answered  the  old 
man,  "  does  dat  probishun  hev  anythin'  to 
do  wid  watermillyons  ?  " 

"Oh,  no." 

"  Doan'  take  any  off  or  put  any  on  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Den  I'll  stay  home  on  'leckshun  day 
an'  let  'er flicker." 

Let  her  up !  Let  'er  up !  (Ame- 
rican), stop  there,  be  quiet  for 
an  instant,  hear  what  I  have 
to  say.  This  agrees  exactly 
with  the  Dutch  Let  'er  op  I  Let 
'er  op  wat  i!c  se  zeg  I  "  Mark 
what  I  say  to  ye." 

Let  his  marbles  go  with  the 
monkey,  to  (American),  an  ec- 
centric phrase  derived  from  a 
story  of  a  boy  whose  marbles 
were  carried  off  by  a  monkey. 

But  my  sanguinary  hearers — let  'em  try 
it.     Dey'll  find  dat  Yankee  Doodle  ain't 


Let. 


13 


de  boy  to  luff  his  marbles  go  wid  de 
monkey — not  by  a  free  (three)  pint-jug  full 
— for  he's  bound  to  go  ahead  and  let  'er 
rip. — Brudder  Bones' s  Complete  Enter' 
tainment. 

Let  in,  to  (society),  to  cause  to 
lose  money  by  not  very  upright 
means ;  it  is  a  common  expres- 
sion in  society.  To  let  in  a  friend 
is  a  low  trick,  and  means  to 
deceive,  defraud,  trick  them. 
It  is   their  friends   and   acquaintances 

who    are    let    in   by    them.  —  Saturday 

Review. 

(American),  to  attack,  beat, 

abuse. 

"I  let  in  to  the  coot  about  east,  I  can 
tell  yer,"  remarked  Jake.  "  I  gave  him 
my  opinion  of  himself,  and  threw  in  a 
character,  gratis,  of  all  his  relations,  all 
the  way  down  to  his  aunt's  sisters." — 
Fireplug  Moses. 

Let  it  slide  (American,  of  English 
origin),  leave  it  to  chance,  leave 
it  alone,  do  without  it.  The 
metaphor  is  of  course  that  of 
watching  a  thing  slip  without 
attempting  to  save  it. 

Let  on,  to  (English  and  American), 
to  appear  to  know  or  to  show 
any  acquaintance  with  a  subject 
with  which  one  may  be  quite 
familiar. 

Now,  if  I  wanted  to  be  one  of  those 
ponderous  scientific  people,  and  let  on  to 
prove  what  had  occurred  in  the  remote 
past,  by  what  had  occurred  in  a  given  time 
in  the  recent  past,  or  what  will  occur  in 
the  far  future  by  what  has  occurred  in 
late  years,  what  an  opportunity  is  here  1 
Geology  never  had  such  a  chance,  nor 
such  exact  data  to  argue  from. — Mark 
Twain. 

Also  to  admit,  as,  he  never  let 
on  he  knew  me. 


Letter  perfect  (theatrical),  know- 
ing one's  part  perfectly. 

Let  the  band  play  (American), 
equivalent  to  calling  out  for 
anything  to  begin,  to  start 
anything  up,  commence.  A 
common  cry  to  an  orator  to 
begin,  or  an  exhortation  to  a 
speaker,  actor,  or  any  other 
person  to  let  himself  out,  or 
make  an  effort  (C.  Leland 
Harrison's  MS.  Collection  of 
Americanisms). 

In  England  it  is  common 
to  say,  when  anything  reaches 
a  climax,  "  Then  the  band 
played." 

Tableaux,  and  the  band  played. — Bird 
o'  Freedom. 

Letting  down,  or  out,  tucks 
(American),  a  phrase  referring 
to  making  preparations,  for  ex- 
ample, in  a  building,  with  a 
view  to  future  alterations.  It 
is  borrowed  from  the  custom  of 
making  the  trousers  of  rapidly 
growing  boys  or  the  dresses  of 
girls  with  tucks,  so  that  they 
may  be  let  out  or  lengthened. 

In  England,  let  down  easily, 
means  not  taking  advantage, 
or  being  lenient  with  one  in 
difficulty. 

Letty  (thieves),  a  bed ;  from  the 
Italian  letto.  Used  in  the  form 
"latty"  by  strolling  actors, 
with  whom  the  term  originated. 

Let  up  (Stock  Exchange),  a  term 
to  express  the  sudden  disap- 
pearance of  artificial  causes  of« 


14 


Let — Level-headed. 


depression  in  the  money-market, 
thus  causing  money  to  become 
"  tighter  "  and  loans  more  diffi- 
cult to  obtain. 

Let  up  on,  to  (American),  to 
cease,  to  pause,  rest,  give  over 
for  a  time. 

You  can't  be  mum — you  cannot  sing, 
V'ou  cannot  always  smile, 
You  must  let  up  on  everything 
From  time  to  time  awhile. 

—A  Poem  :  Susan  of  Poughkeepsie. 

Levanter  (common),  a  card- 
sharper,  or  defaulting  gambler, 
who  makes  himself  scarce. 
Vide  To  Levant. 

No  prelusive  murmurs  had  run  before 
this  wild  levanter  of  change.— DeQuincey. 

Levant,  to  (common),  to  go  to 
the  Levant,  that  is,  to  run  away 
from  one's  creditors,  to  abscond ; 
to  throw  or  run  a  levant,  to  play 
or  stake  and  leave  without  pay- 
ing in  case  of  loss. 

Never  mind  that,  man  (having  no  money 
to  stake),  run  a  levant  .  .  .  but  be  cir- 
cumspect about  the  man. — Fielditig:  Tom 
Jones. 

To  levant,  run  a  levant,  origi- 
nated in  a  pun  on  the  words 
leave  (provincial  leve),  and  Levant. 
Compare  with  the  French  "  faire 
voile  en  Levant,"  to  purloin 
or  steal,  and  the  Italian  "an- 
dare  in  Levante,  venire  di  Le- 
vante,"  to  carry  away,  steal, 
which  are  respectively  from  a 
play  on  lever  and  levare,  to  raise, 
lift.  These  phrases  belong  to 
the  numerous  class  of  jocular 
expressions  coined  in  the  same 
way    with    allusions    to    some 


locality,  as  to  be  off  to  Bedford- 
shire or  Land  of  Nod,  to  feel 
sleepy;  to  go  to  Peckham,  feel 
hungry,  formerly  Hungarian ; 
those  in  bad  circumstances  are 
made  to  live  in  Queer  Street, 
&c.  In  French  we  meet  with 
<•  punning  phrases  of  the  same 
class,  "  aller  a  Niort  (nier),"  to 
deny,  the  name  of  this  town 
being  suggested  to  the  pedlars 
(who  so  much  contributed  to 
•argot  language)  by  the  fre- 
quency of  their  visits  to  Niort, 
formerly  famous  for  its  fairs. 
"Aller  a  Versailles  (verser),"  to 
be  upset ;  "aller  k  Cachan  (se  ca- 
cher),"  to  conceal  oneself;  "aller 
a  Rouen  (mine),"  to  be  ruined,  a 
bankrupt ;  "  voyager  en  Cor- 
nouaille  (etre  cornard),"  to  be 
made  a  cuckold  (same  meta- 
phor in  Italian);  "  envoyer  a 
Mortagne  (mort),"  to  kill;  "aller 
a  Patras  (ad  patres),"  to  die,  &c. 
In  Italian,  "andar  in  Picardia, 
a  Longone,  a  Puligno,"  to  be 
hanged,  &c. 

Level  best  (American),  when  a 
man  does  the  best  he  can, 
plainly,  squarely,  and  fairly,  not 
extravagantly,  but  by  bis  aver- 
age ability. 

Let  this  be  put  upon  his  grave, 
He  done  his  level  best. 

— Newspaper  Poems. 

Saying  this  he  drew  a  wallet  from  the 

inner  of  his  vest, 
And  gave  the  tramp  a  dollar  which  it 

was  his  level  best. 

— The  Ballad  of  Charity. 

Level-headed  (American),  a  man 
of    plain,    practical    common- 


Levite — Lickspittle. 


15 


sense  is  said  to  be  level-headed. 
The  phrase  has  become  uni- 
versal within  a  few  years. 

Levite  (clerical),  a  term  some- 
times used  by  beneficed  divines 
of  humble  brethren  whom  they 
hire.  The  origin  is  to  be  found 
in  the  story  of  Micah  and  the 
young  man  of  Bethlehem- Judah 
in  Judges  xvii.  7-13. 

Levy  (Liverpool),  a  shilling.  A 
term  taken  in  all  probability 
from  the  American  levy,  i.e. ,  an 
abbreviation  of  elevenpenny  bit, 
also  commonly  called  a  shilling. 
Hotten  suggests  that  it  is  de- 
rived from  levy,  a  term  used 
among  labourers  for  a  sum  of 
money  advanced  to  a  workman 
before  he  has  earned  it.  There 
is  a  very  great  number  of 
American  terms  current  in 
Liverpool  owing  to  its  intimate 
commercial  relations  with  New 
York. 

Libb,  libbege  (old  cant),  a  bed. 
"Mill  the  cull  to  his  long  libb," 
kill  the  man.  From  the  Irish 
Uaba. 

Liberties  (Eton),  an  immunity 
from  all  fagging  for  the  first 
ten  days. 

Liberty  (Eton  School),  the  first 
six  Oppidans,  and  the  first  six 
Oppidans  in  Fifth  Form,  who 
work  with  Sixth  Form  under 
the  Head  Master.  (Nautical), 
liberty -man,  a  man  on  leave; 
liberty-ticket,  a  pass. 


Library-cads  (Winchester  Col- 
lege), two  juniors  who  have  to 
keep  the  library  in  order,  that 
they  may  set  off  other  fagging. 

Lib,  to  (thieves),  to  sleep. 

Lick  and  a  promise  (popular),  a 
wash  of  an  imperfect  nature. 
"  I'll  just  give  my  face  a  lick  and 
a  promise,'"  i.e.,  will  do  it  more 
thoroughly  later  on.  Also  in 
general  use  to  signify  a  cheap 
temporary  remedy  and  repair 
for  anything.  Miss  Baker  in  her 
"  Glossary  of  Northamptonshire 
Words "  erroneously  claimed 
this  as  a  provincialism. 

Licker  (popular),  "  that's  a  licker 
to  me,"  that  "licks"  me,  is 
above  my  reach,  beyond  my 
conception. 

Lickety  split  (American).  This 
means  headlong,  or  at  full 
speed.  It  also  implies  some- 
times go  fast  by  exertion.  There 
is  an  old  English  expression 
"to  put  in  big  licks,"  to  do 
one's  best,  also  to  lick,  to  beat, 
which  probably  gives  the  origin 
of  this  expression. 

Lickety  split  is  synonymous  with  the 
equally  elegant  phrase  "full  chisel."  He 
went  lickety  split  down  hill.  Lickety  cut 
and  lickety  liner  are  also  used. — Bart- 
lett:  Dictionary  0/ Americanisms. 

Lick  into  fits,  to  (common),  to 
give  a  good  thrashing. 

Lickspittle  (common),  a  parasite, 
a  cringing  fellow.  The  French 
leche-bottes. 


i6 


Lie — Light. 


Lie  low,  to  (American),  to  keep 
to  one's  bed. 

Lie  off,  to  (turf),  to  make  a  wait- 
ing race  by  keeping  some  dis- 
stance  in  rear  of  the  other 
horses.  A  jockey  is  said  to  "  lie 
out  of  his  ground"  when  he 
pushes  the  lying  off  tactics  to 
excess,  and  gets  so  far  behind 
that  he  has  little  or  no  chance 
of  making  up  the  lost  ground. 

Lifer  (thieves),  a  man  sentenced 
to  penal  servitude  for  life. 

They  know  what  a  clever  lad  he  is ; 
he'll  be  a  lifer.  They'll  make  the  Art- 
ful nothing  less  than  a  lifer.  —  Charles 
Dickens:  Oliver  Twist. 

Miss  would  make  it  up  with  the 

comic  villain  if  she  could,  but  his  comic- 
ality is  too  much  for  her,  so  he  probably 
gets  "  a  lifer." — Referee. 

Till  recently  there  was  a  distinc- 
tion between  being  sentenced  to 
penal  servitude  for  life  and  for 
natural  life.  Good  conduct 
might  cause  the  release  after 
some  twenty-four  years  of  a 
person  sentenced  for  life,  e.g., 
Constance  Kent.  The  writer 
has  had  under  him  in  prison  a 
man  who  had  endured  a  life 
sentence,  got  out,  and  got  in 
again. 

Lift  (football  players),  a  kick  at 
football. 

Lifter  (old  cant),  a  thief.  Used 
by  Shakspeare  in  "  Troilus  and 
Cressida."  The  word  survives  in 
shop-lifter,  one  who  steals  from 
a  shop,  but  does  not  apply  to 
one  who  steals  in  a  shop  by  false 


weight  and  measure,  and  adul- 
terated goods.    Also  a  crutch. 

Lift,  to  (thieves),  to  steal. 

At  one  time  I  had  a  very  pleasant  com- 
panion whose  speciality  was  stealing  cattle. 
He  was  a  Newcastle  man,  and  had  done 
three  "laggings"  for  lifting  cattle. — 
Evening  News. 

This  should  be  naturally  un- 
derstood in  the  sense  of  taking 
off,  removing,  just  as  in  French 
slang  soulever,  to  raise,  to  lift, 
means  to  steal ;  but  the  Rev.  A. 
Smythe  Palmer's  "  Folk  Etymo- 
logy "  says,  "  It  has  nothing  to  do 
with  lift,  raise,  but  is  (like  graf-t 
for  graff),  an  incorrect  form  of 
Hff,  cognate  with  Gothic  hliffan, 
Latin  clepere,  Greek  hUptein,  to 
steal.  Klepto-mania  is  a  mania 
for  lifting" 

And  so  whan  a  man  wold  bryng  them  to 

thryft, 
They  wyll  hym  rob,  and  fro  his  good  hym 
luft. , 

—  The  Hye  Way  to  the  Spyttel 
Hous. 

A  lift  or  lifter  is  an  old  word 
for  a  thief  or  shop-lifter ;  it  now 
means  a  theft. 

Is  he  so  young  a  man  and  so  old  a 
lifter? — Shakspeare :  Troilus  and  Cres- 
sida. 

Women  are  more  subtile  .  .  .  than  the 
cunningest  foyst,  nip,  lift.  —  Greene : 
Theeves  falling  out. 

(Sport),  to  lift  in  a  walking 
race  is  to  lift  your  knees  unduly 
into  a  run  or  shamble,  to  break 
into  an  unfair  walk  or  trot. 

Light  (popular),  though  a  popu- 
lar slang  term  to  a  certain  ex- 


Light — Lights. 


17 


tent,  it  is  specially  used  by 
printers,  being  usually  applied 
to  credit  at  a  public-bouse. 
Wbile  a  man  can  obtain  this 
he  is  safe  from  having  his  light 
put  out. 

Light  bob  (military),  light  in- 
fantry soldier. 

Light  feeder  (thieves),  a  silver 
spoon. 

Light  frigate  (old  cant),  a  woman 
of  loose  morals. 

Lightmans  (old  cant),  night. 

Or  else  he  sweares  by  the  lightmans 
To  put  our  stamps  in  the  Harmans. 

—  T.  Dekker:  Lanthome  and 
Candle-Light. 

Light -master  (printers).  This 
term  is  applied  to  the  man  who 
acts  as  a  "  go-between  "  between 
the  landlord  of  the  house  of  call 
and  the  workmen  that  avail 
themselves  of  it.  He  is  gene- 
rally one  of  the  workmen  of  a 
large  establishment,  and  intro- 
duces new  clients,  and  arranges 
matters,  and  gives  the  landlord 
the  "tip"  in  case  the  indebted 
one  should  be  leaving  his  situa- 
tion, and  thus  probably  avoid- 
ing payment. 

Lightning  (common),  a  name  for 
gin. 

The  man  holds  out  a  tin  mug  in  his 
dirt  -  begrimed  hand.  According  to  his 
views,  this  is  the  first  step  of  hospitality. 
She  sniffs  cautiously. 

"  Don't  like  its  smell." 

"  It's  lightning." 

VOL.  II. 


The  child  takes  a  gulp  of  the  raw  spirit, 
chokes,  coughs,  and  bursts  into  angry 
sobs. — Savage  London. 

A  flash  of  lightning,  a  glass 
of  gin. 

Lightning  changers,  shifters 
(American),  women  thieves  who 
can  in  a  minute,  by  adroit  and 
ingenious  manipulation,  change 
their  dress  in  a  most  extraor- 
dinary manner.  The  process 
is  fully  described  in  the  follow- 
ing extract  from  the  Chicago 
Tribune: — 

She  was  arrayed  in  the  garments  of  a 
lightning  change  artist,  and  could,  without 
the  removal  of  an  article,  change  her  dress 
into  four  distinct  styles.  When  arrested 
she  wore  a  black  cashmere  dress,  a  tight- 
fitting  bodice  of  the  same  colour  and  mate- 
rial, and  a  hat  with  a  wide  brim.  A  swift 
displacement  of  hooks,  eyes,  and  buttons, 
a  deft  adjustment  of  unseen  fastenings 
here  and  there,  a  crushing  squeeze  of  the 
hat,  and  the  woman  stood  with  a  brown 
woollen  dress  with  corded  front  bodice, 
and  a  neat  little  turban  upon  her  head. 
Another  set  of  manipulations  and  the  dress 
was  transformed  into  a  gown,  the  turban 
gave  place  to  a  coif,  a  chaplet  fell  from  the 
girdle,  and  the  woman  stood  arrayed  as  a 
brown  nun.  Once  more  a  tug  of  the  skirt, 
a  yank  at  the  coif  and  waist,  a  flash  of  the 
hands,  everywhere  at  once,  and  the  nun 
was  transformed  into  a  young  lady  of 
aspiring  fashion,  in  bright-coloured  alpaca 
and  the  original  wide-brimmed  hat. 

There  is  also  a  dress  worn  by 
women  of  this  class  in  Paris, 
consisting  of  all  the  garments 
in  one,  so  made  that  in  a  few 
seconds  the  whole  may  be  slip- 
ped off,  and  the  wearer  be  left 
in  cuerpo. 

Lights    or   top-lights  (popular), 
the  eyes. 

B 


i8 


Like — Line. 


Like  bricks  (popular),  quickly, 
with  energy. 

Charley  Dix,  cut  his  sticks,  like  bricks. 
— Punch. 

This  morning  did  my  laundress  hring 

My  shirt  back  in  a  stew, 
Says  she,  "  If  I  wash  this  again, 

I  shall  wash  it  into  two." 
"  Into  two ! "  I  cried.  "  you  don't  mean  that? 

Go,  wash  away  like  bricks, 
For  you'll  be  doing  me  a  service 

If  you'll  wash  it  into  six." 

— Popular  Song. 

Like  one  o'clock  (popular), 
rapidly.  "  She  tipped  off  her 
twopen'orth  like  one  o'clock." 

Lil  (gypsy  and  common  canting), 
a  book,  a  paper  or  document  or 
letter,  a  five-pound  note.  In 
American  gypsy  a  lil  is  a  dollar, 
also  a  bad  bank-bill.  In  canting, 
a  pocket-book.  Gypsies  call  a 
purse  a  kissi  or  gunno. 

Lily  Benjamin  (popular),  a  long 
white  coat,  such  as  worn  by 
umpires  at  cricket. 

L  i  m  (university),  from  Dr. 
Limeon  of  King's;  an  evan- 
gelically-minded student,  a 
' '  piman. "  (American),  a  funny 
fellow  or  clown. 

Limb,  an  angry  epithet  applied  to 
an  ill-tempered  child  or  woman. 
An  abbreviation  of  limb  of  the 
devil. 

"  Now  listen,  you  young  limb,"  whis- 
pered Sikes,  drawing  a  dark  lantern  from 
his  pocket,  and  throwing  the  glare  full  on 
Oliver's  face,  "I'm  a  going  to  push  you 
through  there."— Dickens:  Oliver  Twist. 


A  young  or  obscure  lawyer  is 
vulgarly  called  a  limb  of  the 
law,  or  a  limb  of  Satan.  The 
word,  according  to  Halliwell's 
"  Archaic  Dictionary,"  generally 
seems  to  imply  deterioration ; 
a  limb  was  even  held  to  signify 
a  determined  sensualist.  A  man 
overmuch  addicted  to  a  thing 
was  anciently  said  to  be  a  limb 
for  it. 

Limburger,  the  real  (American), 
used  grotesquely  in  many  ways, 
especially  to  anything  actually 
or  genuinely  German.  The 
Limburg  cheese  has  a  strong 
smell,  which  is  intolerable  to 
those  who  are  not  accustomed 
to  it,  for  which  reason  it  is 
sometimes  called  "  knock  me 
down  at  forty  rods." 

Lime  basket  (popular),  as  dry  as 
a  lime  basket,  very  thirsty. 

Mr.  Chitling  wound  up  his  observations 
by  stating  that  he  had  not  touched  a  drop 
of  anything  for  forty-two  mortal  long 
hard-working  days  ;  and  that  "  he  wished 
he  might  be  busted  if  he  warn't  as  dry  as 
a  lime  basket." — Charles  Dickens. 

Lime  juicer  (nautical),  a  nick- 
name given  by  Americans  to 
English  vessels  and  seamen  on 
account  of  the  compulsory  prac- 
tice of  serving  out  lime  juice  as 
an  anti-scorbutic. 

Line  (tailors),  a  job  line  is  an 
occasional  clearance ;  a  bargain. 
(Common),  on  the  line,  a  picture 
is  said  to  be  hung  on  the  line 
at  the  Royal  Academy  when  it 
is  in  the  best  position,  that  is, 


Lineage — Lip. 


19 


at  the  height  of  the  spectator's 
eye. 

Lineage  (journalistic),  contribu- 
tion to  a  newspaper  paid  at  so 
much  a  line. 

He  was  a  struggling  young  writer, 
already  engaged  on  two  weeklies,  at  a 
rate  of  remuneration  yclept  lineage,  suf- 
ficient to  provide  him  with  whisky  and 
cigarettes. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Linen,  the  curtain  in  a  theatre. 
In  Ireland  they  say,  "Up  with 
the  linen  and  make  a  beginnin'." 

Linen  arbours  (American  cadet), 
the  dormitories. 

Liner  (studios),  a  picture  hung 
up  high  at  the  exhibition. 
(Journalistic),  a  casual  reporter. 
Diminutive  of  penny  -  a  -  liner 
(Hotten). 

Lines  (theatrical),  an  actor's  own 
part  which  he  has  to  learn. 
It  may  happen  that  an  actor 
will  know  nothing  whatever  of 
the  play  in  which  he  is  taking 
part  beyond  his  own  lines  and 
the  cues  which  guide  him. 

(West  America),  explained  by 
quotation. 

Without  stopping  the  coach-horses  or 
his  own,  Billy  scrambled  upon  the  vehicle 
with  his  post-bags,  and  relieved  the  driver 
of  the  lines.— H.  L.  Williams:  In  the 
Wild  West. 

Lines,  on  (printers),  an  expres- 
sion used  by  compositors  to 
intimate  that  the  companion- 
ship is  in  full  swing.  Mostly 
used  to  indicate  the  resumption 
of  business  after  "  cutting  the 


line."  A  reference  to  the  fact 
that  their  earnings  depend  on 
the  number  of  lines  composed. 

Line,  to  get  in  a  (popular),  to 
hoax. 

Lingo  (popular),  language, 
speech,  slang.    Latin,  lingua. 

Lint-scraper  (medical),  a  young 
and  inexperienced  medical  man. 
Applied  by  Mr.  Batchelor  to  Mr. 
Drencher,  M.K.C.S.I.,  together 
with  other  expletives,  as  pestle- 
grinder,  &c,  in  Thackeray's 
"  Lovel  the  Widower." 

Lintys  (theatrical),  a  name 
associated  with  sprites.  Pos- 
sibly from  the  French  lutins. 

Lionesses  (Oxford),  ladies  visiting 
an  Oxford  man. 

Lip  (popular),  talk,  impudence. 

Lipey  (popular),  a  common  mode 
of  address  among  the  lowest 
class.  "  What  cher,  lipey,  if  you 
see  my  Rachel,  slap  her  chops, 
and  send  her  'ome."  Possibly 
from  the  German  liebe. 

Lip-lap,  a  vulgar  and  disparaging 
nickname  given  in  the  Dutch 
East  Indies  to  Eurasians,  and 
corresponding  to  the  Anglo- 
Indian  chce-chee  (Anglo-Indian 
Glossary). 

Lip,  to  give  (nautical),  to  chatter, 
to  prattle. 


20 


Liquorous — Little. 


Liquorous,  lustful,  inordinately 
amorous,  a  corruption  of  lecher- 
ous. 

While    thus    Nastagio    sought    his    own 

decay 
By  liquorous  lust. 

— Turberville. 

Liquor  up  (common),  a  drink,  to 
liquor  up.    Of  American  origin. 

I  had  a  thirsty  neighbour  next  door, 
and  so  I  accepted  the  offer  of  a  liquor  up. 
— Evening  News. 

The  report  of  his  mission  included  that 
he  had  passed  the  portals  of  the  "  Three 
Stoats"  and  "had  liquored  up"  with  the 
worthy  landlord.—/.  Greenwood:  Dick 
Temple. 

Lispers  (old  cant),  the  lips. 

Lissum  (popular),  pliant,  supple. 

List,  on  the  (popular),  in  dis- 
favour. An  abbreviation  of  the 
well-known  "  on  the  black  list." 
It  was  introduced  in  a  popu- 
lar opera,  "The  Mikado,"  and 
since  that  time  has  been  very 
general. 

Listening  backwards  (common), 
or  as  in  Ireland,  "  walking  back- 
wards." Those  who  do  these 
things  are  regarded  as  having 
the  "  evil  eye,"  and  also  the 
misuse  of  any  faculty  or  talent. 

Listening-  and  walking  backwards  is 
considered  unlucky  in  Ireland,  and  chil- 
dren are  cautioned  carefully  to  avoid  both, 
on  the  ground  that  God  has  given  them 
faculties  to  be  rightly  used,  and  not  con- 
trary to  the  manner  for  which  these  were 
designed.  I  have  often  seen  the  children  of 
the  peasantry  severely  reprimanded,  and 
not  unfrequently  punished,  for  breaches 
of  the  direct  natural  law  of  the  sense  of 


hearing  and  the  order  of  motion. — Notes 
and  Queries. 

Little  ben  (thieves),  a  waist- 
coat. 

Little  church  round  the  corner 
(American),  a  slang  term  for  a 
drinking-place. 

Little  end  of  the  horn  (American), 
an  expression  first  made  popu- 
lar in  the  Jack  Downing  Let- 
ters. Bartlett  defines  "  coming 
out  at  the  little  end  of  the  horn  " 
as  being  said  when  a  ridicu- 
lously small  effect  has  been 
produced  after  great  effort  and 
much  boasting.  It  would  be 
more  correct  to  define  it  as  fail- 
ing or  coming  to  loss,  grief,  or 
poverty  in  any  way.  Probably 
derived  from  old  drinking  cus- 
toms. He  who  missed  at  guess- 
ing riddles  was  obliged  to  drink 
from  the  little  end  or  tip  of 
the  horn  while  the  victor 
drank  from  the  brim.  The  ho>~n 
seems  in  popular  parlance  to  be 
connected  with  evil,  contrary 
to  old  folk-lore,  which  made 
it  a  symbol  of  abundance  and 
a  protection  against  evil.  "  In 
a  horn  "  is  a  refusal,  or  a  quali- 
fication of  falsehood.  Horns 
denote  a  cuckold,  and  horn- 
swoggle  means  mere  nonsense 
or  humbug. 

Little  England  (West  Indian), 
Barbados.  The  inhabitants  of 
this  island  rightly  or  wrongly 
are  credited  with  egregious  self- 
complacency  and  esteem.  The 
following  is  the  incident  which 


Little. 


21 


led  to  this  sobriquet  being 
given  to  the  miniature  island 
in  the  Caribbean  Sea,  which  to 
tell  the  truth  is  intensely  British 
in  everything  compared  to  the 
other  islands.  Charles  II.  was 
in  exile ;  he  had  lost  his  throne, 
and  there  seemed  little  chance 
of  his  ever  recovering  it.  The 
plucky  Brins,  who  were  royalist 
to  the  backbone,  then  sent  a 
humble  address  to  the  exiled 
king,  "bidding  him  be  of  good 
cheer  and  stout  of  heart,  re- 
minding him  in  his  exile  that 
all  was  not  lost,  for,  although 
all  the  world  might  be  against 
him,  Barbados  was  ever  at  his 
back."  In  consequence  of  this 
grandiloquent  assurance  the 
island  has  ever  since  been 
satirically  called  Little  England. 

Little  go  (Cambridge  University), 
a  public  examination  held  early 
in  the  course,  "  which,"  says 
Lyell,  "  from  it  being  less  strict 
or  less  important  in  its  conse- 
quences than  the  final  one,  has 
received  this  appellation." 

.  .  .  whether  a  regular  attendance  on 
the  lecture  of  the  college  would  secure  me 
a  qualification  against  my  first  public 
examination ;  which  is  here  called  the 
little  go. —  The  Etonian. 

Also calledat Oxford  "smalls." 

You  must  be  prepared  with  your  list 
of  books,  your  Testament  for  responsions 
(by  undergraduates  called  little  go  or 
"smalls"),  and  also  your  certificate  of 
matriculation. — Collegians  Guide. 

Little  Hell,  explained  by  quota- 
tion. 


There  are  few  worse  places  in  London 
than  certain  parts  of  Cow  Cross,  especially 
that  part  of  it  anciently  known  as  Jack 
Ketch's  Warren,  or  Little  Hell,  as  the  in- 
habitants more  commonly  designate  it,  on 
account  of  the  number  of  subjects  it  pro- 
duced for  the  operations  of  the  common 
hangman. — Greenwood :  Seven  Curses  of 
London. 

Little  man  (Eton),  a  footman. 

He  called  the  footman  (or  little  man, 
as  was  the  generic  term  for  this  class  of 
domestic  at  my  tutor's),  and  bade  him 
reach  down  the  obnoxious  placard.  To 
hear  in  this  case  was,  unfortunately,  not 
to  obey.  Little  man  visited  the  roof,  re- 
connoitred the  position,  felt  his  own  weak- 
ness, and,  coming  down,  confessed  to  the 
tutor  that  he  "  dursna  do  it ! " — Sketchy 
Memoirs  of  Eton. 

Little  off,  a  (American,  also 
English),  slightly  incorrect  or 
erroneous,  insane,  poor,  re- 
served. From  a  term  used  by 
dealers  in  diamonds,  "off  colour." 

Your  reply  to  "  three  Tribune  sub- 
scribers "  in  this  morning's  Tribune  in  re- 
gard to  private  secretaries  of  United  States 
Senators  is  a  little  off.  —  Chicago  Tri- 
bune. 

After  that  he  was  always  a  little  off,  as 
he  had  no  money  left,  or  friends  to  help 
him.  He  was  a  queer  fellow,  that  old 
man,  and  he  had  a  gait  in  walking  I  shall 
never  forget. — Chicago  Tribune. 

(Common),    little    off  colour, 
unwell,  slightly  intoxicated. 

Little  side  (Rugby),  a  term  ap- 
plied to  all  games  at  Rugby 
organised  from  a  "  house  "  stan- 
dard, e.g.,  little  side  football. 

Little  snakesman  (thieves),  a 
young  thief  who  is  passed 
through  an  aperture  to  let  in 
the  others. 


22 


Live — Load. 


Live  (American),  not  only  alive, 
but  also  intelligent,  vigorous, 
and  progressive.  "A  live  Yan- 
kee." In  the  Western  news- 
papers "a  live  man"  seems  to 
generally  signify  one  who  is 
vigorous  and  intelligent  but  un- 
educated, in  accordance  with 
a  popular  belief  that  an  indi- 
vidual who  has  never  been  to 
school,  or  at  least  who  has  had 
only  the  simplest  education, 
must  naturally  be  far  better 
qualified  for  positions  requiring 
culture  and  knowledge  than 
any  other.  The  writer  has  be- 
fore him  a  number  of  one 
of  the  most  widely  circulated 
journals  in  America,  in  which 
it  is  editorially  asserted  that 
to  fill  diplomatic  appointments 
in  Europe,  what  is  required  is 
not  a  man  who ' '  knows  French," 
or  who  has  been  to  college,  or 
moved  in  society,  but  a  "live 
practical  man,"  plainly  indicat- 
ing that  in  the  mind  of  the 
editor  in  question  there  is 
a  direct  antagonism  between 
education  and  capacity  to  fill 
responsible  offices.  Of  late  live, 
extended  from  America  to  Eng- 
land, has  begun  to  signify  excel- 
lence, even  in  inanimate  objects. 

So  Maria  and  me  goes  to  a  big  'ouse  in 
a  fried  fish  and  whelk-stall  sort  o'  neigh- 
bourhood. We  goes  up  ever  so  many 
stairs  till  we  gets  into  a  enormous  attic  at 
the  top,  when  you  'as  to  pass  mysterious 
like  through  a  big  curting.  The  attic  had 
all  its  walls  covered  with  noosepapers  in 
foreign  languages,  and  proclamations  was 
stuck  up  with  big  borders,  as  reminded 
me  of  the  big  posters  of  "a  wholesale 
grocery  store  will  open  on  Saturday  night. 


A  real  live  glass  milk-jug  and  a  splendid 
pair  of  plated  tongs  given  to  every  lady 
that  buys  one  pound  of  our  two-shilling 
Bohea."— Fun:  Murdle  Visiting. 

Livener  (military),  an  early  morn- 
ing drink. 

Liverpool  tailor  (tailors),  one  who 
sits  with  his  hat  and  coat  on, 
ready  for  the  road. 

Live  to  the  door,  to  (popular), 
to  live  up  to  one's  means.  A 
variant  is,  to  live  up  to  the 
knocker  (which  see). 

Living  gale  (nautical),  a  fearful 
storm. 

Liza  (popular),  generally  used  in 
the  injunction,  "Outside,  Lizat" 
that  is,  be  off,  addressed  to  any 
person. 

Loaded  for  bears  (American). 
This  expression  signifies  that  a 
man  is  slightly  intoxicated, 
enough  to  feel  ready  to  con- 
front danger.  Equivalents  for 
it  are,  a  little  shot,  soothed,  a 
little  set  up. 

Loaded  to  the  gunwales  (Ameri- 
can), intoxicated,  full 

Sis  said  she  was  afraid  you'd  come 
home  and  make  it  lively  for  'em,  but  Sis' 
beau  said  he  guessed  you  wouldn't  come 
home  and  make  any  trouble,  as  he  saw 
you  at  a  sample-room  loaded  to  the  gun- 
wales. What  did  he  mean?— St.  Paul 
Globe. 

Load  on  (American).  A  man 
who  walks  unsteadily,  owing 
to  intoxication,  is  said  to  have 
a  load  on,  "to  be  loaded,"  "to 


\ 


Load — Loafer. 


23 


have  a  turkey  on  his  back,"  i.e., 
to  have  more  than  he  can  carry. 
Also  "  He  walks  like  he  was 
carrying  a  pig,  and  a  darned 
discontented  one  at  that."  Also 
English. 

Load  up,  to  (American),  a  term 
peculiar  to  the  Stock  Ezchange, 
meaning  to  obtain  or  accumu- 
late. 

The  few  men  who  make  money  in  Wall 
Street  speculation  sell  when  the  crowd 
is  clamouring  to  buy,  as  they  have  been 
the  last  week,  and  the  many  who  lose 
always  rush  in  on  such  occasions  to  load 
•up  to  the  extent  of  their  ability. — Stock 
Report. 

Loafer  (military),  a  soldier  em- 
ployed on  the  staff,  or  in  any 
capacity  that  takes  him  from 
his  regular  "sentry-go"  duty. 
Vide  Outfitter. 

(American),  originally  a  pil- 
fering vagabond ;  now  applied 
to  idlers  and  hangers-about  of 
every  description.  The  term 
is  now  recognised  and  in  com- 
mon use  in  England.  There 
have  been  many  suggestions  as 
to  the  origin  of  this  now  familiar 
word.  Bartlett  declares,  rather 
boldly,  that  it  came  into  the 
United  States  "probably  from 
Mexico  or  Texas,  and  derives 
it  from  the  Spanish  gaJlofero,  or 
gallofo,  a  vagabond."  But  this 
would  imply  the  first  Mexican 
war,  at  least,  as  the  date  of  its 
advent.  The  word  loafer,  how- 
ever, was  common  in  New  Eng- 
land and  Philadelphia  in  1834, 
1835,  but  it  was  generally  ap- 
plied by  boys  to  "pilfering." 


They  would  say  in  jest,  "  Where 
did  you  loaf  that  ? "  Loafer, 
merely  as  a  drunken,  thievish 
bummer,  succeeded  this. 

At  this  time  all  the  sketches 
of  the  genus  loafer  represented 
him  as  a  petty  pilferer,  one  who 
carried  a  gimlet  and  tube  with 
him  to  steal  whisky  from  the 
barrels,  and  who  was  popularly 
regarded  as  a  lazy  sponger  of 
food  and  garments.  In  the  first 
year  of  the  New  York  Herald, 
and  in  the  sketches  of  J.  C.  Neal 
as  well  as  in  other  "life  pictures  " 
of  the  time,  the  loafer  is  always  a 
pilfering  bummer  of  the  lowest 
class.  It  was  several  years  be- 
fore the  word  was  extended  to 
mean  a  fldneur  of  any  kind 
whatever.  Bartlett  says  that 
"  the  origin  of  this  word  is  alto- 
gether uncertain.  Two  etymo- 
logies have  been  suggested  for 
it ;  namely,  the  German  laufer, 
a  runner  (compare  the  Dutch 
leeglooper  and  landlooper,  a  va- 
grant), and  the  Spanish  gallofero, 
abbreviated  gallofo,  whence  the 
Italian  gaglqffo  ( ?),  a  wandering 
mendicant,  a  vagabond.  The 
Spanish  gallofa  means  what  was 
given  to  the  galloferos,  alms, 
vegetables,  &c."  It  may  here  be 
observed  that  laufer  in  German 
thieves'  slang  is  the  abbreviate 
of  landlanfer,  which  means  ex- 
actly and  precisely  a  tramp  or 
loafer  in  its  later  American  sense. 
As  regards  the  Dutch,  there  is 
in  its  low  slang  the  word  loever, 
from  loeven,  to  go  {gaari),  to 
stroll  about  ;  but  with  the 
sense  of  going  astray  or  out 


24 


Loafer — Lock. 


of  the  course.  Compare  (says 
Teirlinck)  with  loeven,  op  zee  van 
den  kocrs  ofwijken,  op  side  sturen 
(to  go  aside  out  of  the  course — 
to  luff).  Loever  is  pronounced 
almost  like  loafer,  and  meaning 
the  same,  that  is,  one  who  idly 
strolls  here  and  there,  allows 
but  little  room  for  doubt  as  to 
its  New  York  derivation.  In 
old  English  cant  loaver  was  the 
same  with  loure,  to  steal,  as 
well  as  money.  It  would  seem 
as  if  it  had  kept  an  unnoticed 
place  in  English  slang,  and  then 
in  America  been  influenced  by 
or  combined  with  the  Dutch 
loever^  or  loefer,  f  being  synony- 
mous with  v. 

Loaf,  to,  an  Americanism  which 
has  become  a  recognised  word, 
to  idle  about. 

Shoeblacks  are  compelled  to  a  great  deal 
of  unavoidable  loafing;  but  certainly  this 
one  loafed  rather  energetically,  for  he  was 
hot  and  frantic  in  his  play. — H.  Kingsley : 
Ravenslwe. 

(American  University),  to  bor- 
row anything,  generally  without 
any  intention  of  returning  it. 

Loaver  (popular),  money.  From 
the  gypsy  louver,  specie,  or 
coin. 

Lob  (thieves),  a  till ;  properly 
something  heavy.  io6-sneak- 
ing,  stealing  the  contents  of 
tills.  To  pinch  a  lob  has  the 
same  signification.  ZoS-crawler, 
a  thief  who  crawls  into  a  shop, 
and  behind  the  counter,  to  rifle 
the  till. 


Poor  old  Tim,  the  /^-crawler,  fell  from 
Racker  and  got  pinched. — Horsley:  Jot- 
tings from  Jail. 

Also  a  box,  snuff-box.  (Pugi- 
listic), the  head.  Properly  a 
large  lump. 

Lobber  or  looper  (American), 
run,  curdled,  coagulated,  run 
together.  A  New  York  term, 
from  the  Dutch  loopen,  to  run ; 
hy  heft  de  loop,  he  has  a  loose- 
ness ;  een  loopend  water,  run- 
ning water.  Bartlett  says  very 
correctly  that  the  proper  term 
is  loppered. 

Loblolly  boy,  a  derisive  term  for 
a  surgeon's  mate  in  the  navy. 
Loblolly  is  water-gruel,  or  spoon 
meat. 

Lobster(popular).  Sailors  dressed 
in  blue  were  vulgarly  called  raw 
lobsters  in  the  first  five  decades 
of  the  present  century,  and  sol- 
diers were  called  boiled  lobsters 
from  the  colour  of  their  coats. 
Soldiers  were  sometimes  and 
are  still  called  crabs.  The  name 
of  lobster  has  been  in  later  times 
transferred  to  the  policeman. 

Lobster-box  (popular),  a  barrack. 

Lobster,  to  (Winchester  College), 
to  weep,  which  makes  the  eyes 
and  face  red. 

Lock  (jailors),  "on  the  loch," 
attending  to  prisoners.  (Old 
cant),  a  receiver  of  stolen  goods. 

That  woman  they  spoke  to  is  a  lock, 
alias  receiver  and  buyer  of  stolen  goods. 
— Hitchin :  A  True  Discovery,  &*c. 


Lock — Loco-foco. 


25 


Abbreviated  from  "  lock  all 
fast,"  which  had  the  same 
meaning.  The  lock,  the  maga- 
zine or  warehouse  whither  the 
thieves  carry  stolen  goods. 
Lock,  also  chance,  means  of 
livelihood.  "  He  stood  a  queer 
lock,"  he  stood  an  indifferent 
chance.  "What  lock  do  you 
cut?"  how  do  you  get  your 
livelihood  ?  In  this  sense  it 
seems  to  be  the  same  word  as 
lurk,  which  has  the  same  mean- 
ing. It  must  be  remembered 
that  in  many  canting  diction- 
aries distortions  of  words  con- 
stantly occur. 

Lockees  (Westminster  School), 
lock-house. 

Locker  (old  cant),  explained  by 
quotation. 

I  am  a  locker,  I  leave  goods  at  a  house 
and  borrow  money  on  them,  pretending 
that  they  are  made  in  London. — Hitchin : 
A  True  Discovery,  &c. 

Vide  Lock. 

Lock,  stock,  and  barrel  (Ameri- 
can). Bartlett  says  of  this 
phrase  that  it  means  the  whole, 
a  figurative  expression  borrowed 
from  sportsmen  and  having  re- 
ference to  a  gun.  Sometimes 
we  hear  horse,  foot,  and  artil- 
lery used  in  the  same  phrase. 
It  is  also  very  commonly  used 
to  say  that  anything  has  been 
so  renewed  that  nothing  of  the 
original  is  left,  from  the  story 
of  a  fine  gun  which  had  be- 
longed to  General  Washington 
or  some  other  great  man,  and 


of  which  certain  portions  were 
new,  such  as  the  lock,  stock, 
barrel,  and  ramrod.  Also  used 
in  reference  to  a  knife  which 
had  a  new  blade,  and  then  a 
new  handle,  and  again  a  new 
blade,  and  so  on  for  many 
restorations,  but  which  "was 
still  the  same  old  knife." 

Lock-ups  (Harrow  School),  de- 
tention in  study. 

Loco-foco  (American).  Bartlett 
defines  this,  as  "  1.  A  self-ignit- 
ing match  (or  cigar);  2.  the 
name  by  which  the  Democratic 
party  was  (till  within  a  few 
years)  extensively  distinguished 
throughout  the  United  States." 
He  also  gives  the  history  of  the 
match,  and  how  its  name  came 
to  be  applied  to  the  Democrats, 
all  of  which  the  writer  can  con- 
firm from  memory.  It  is  very 
doubtful,  however,  whether  the 
matches  took  their  name  from 
"locomotive."  The  wild  flash 
which  the  first  matches  made 
when  "snapped  off"  was  greatly 
admired.  They  were  sold  in 
combs  of  about  twenty  matches 
in  the  piece,  144  matches  cost- 
ing I2ik  cents  (6d.).  This  was 
in  1834,  1835.  Boys  regarded 
them  as  a  kind  of  fireworks. 
The  writer  was  the  first  to  in- 
troduce them  to  his  school,  and 
to  a  large  rural  neighbourhood, 
where  they  excited  as  much 
astonishment  as  they  now  do 
among  savages.  He  has  always 
been  under  the  impression  since 
early  boyhood  that  the  name  is 


26 


Loco-foco — Loller. 


derived  from  a  barbarous  com- 
bination of  loco,  the  Spanish 
for  "mad,"  and  foco  {i.e.  fue- 
go),  "fire,"  literally  wild-fire. 
Marck,  the  inventor  or  patentee, 
had  in  all  probability  the  Ger- 
man word  irrlicht,  as  well  as 
the  English  "  wild-fire,"  to  guide 
him  in  the  name. 

Locomotive  (American),  a  drink 
made  of  half  of  the  yolk  of  an 
egg,  a  tablespoonful  of  honey, 
a  dash  of  curacoa,  a  flavouring 
of  cloves,  all  whisked  thoroughly 
together  in  a  quarter  of  a  pint 
of  hot  Burgundy.  A  winter 
drink. 

Locomotive  tailor  (tailors),  one 
who  travels  by  train. 

Loddomy.  luddemy  ker  (gypsy),  a 
lodging-house ;  lodder,  to  lodge ; 
baro  loddomy  ker,  a  hotel,  i.e.,  a 
great  lodging-house ;  loddomen- 
gro,  a  lodger ;  loddomengro  rye, 
a  landlord. 

Loge  (old  cant),  a  watch;  from 
the  French  horloge. 

Logie  (theatrical),  an  ornament 
made  from  zinc.  So  called  from 
one  David  Logie,  who  invented 
it.  At  one  period  these  orna- 
ments were  made  as  large  as 
saucers,  and  were  in  great  vogue 
in  transformation  scenes,  and 
halls  of  enchantment,  in  which 
they  dazzled  and  delighted  the 
eyes  of  the  rising  generation. 

Log-rolling  (American),  explained 
as  follows  by  the  Cornhill  Maga- 


zine :  ' '  Log-rolling  is  a  somewhat 
rare  term  in  England,  but  is 
well  understood  at  Washington. 
When  a  backwoodsman  cuts 
down  trees,  his  neighbours  help 
him  to  roll  them  away,  and  in 
return  he  helps  them  with  their 
trees ;  so  in  Congress,  when 
members  support  a  bill,  not 
because  they  are  interested 
therein,  but  simply  to  gain  the 
help  of  its  promoters  for  some 
scheme  of  their  own,  their 
action  is  called  log-rolling."  A- 
log-rolling  in  America,  where 
neighbours  meet  to  bring  logs 
together  to  build  a  house,  is 
generally  made  the  occasion  of 
a  frolic. 

Logy  (American),  dull,  slow, 
awkward;  "  he's  a  regular  logy." 
Also  loggy,  i.e.,  like  a  log.  It 
would  seem  also  to  be  derived 
from  the  Dutch  log,  heavy,  slow, 
unwieldy.  Een  log  verstand,  a 
dull  wit  (Jewel). 

John  Clossen  was  a  real  logy, 
Heavy,  bungling,  dull  old  fogy, 
Yet  he  had  his  startlin'  flashes, 
Now  and  then  like  flames  from  ashes, 
And  it  made  the  people  stare 
To  think  that  embers  still  were  there. 
— Sunday  Courier. 

Loll  (American),  a  favourite  child, 
the  mother's  darling. 

Loller  (American),  usually  ap- 
plied to  a  lively,  sportive  damsel, 
or  "  bit  of  muslin." 

Oh,  if  she  is  a  loller, 
I  would  like  to  be  her  loll ! 
And  if  she  is  a  scholar, 
Let  me  turn  into  a  schol 


Lolly — Long-knife. 


V 


Or  whate'er  she  scholarises 
Or  whate'er  she  tries  to  do, 
Or  what  kind  of  game  arises, 
So  she'd  only  put  me  through  ! 

— A  Song:  Poor  Jones. 

Lolly  (pugilistic),  the  head. 

Lone  ducks,  lone  doves,  quiet 
mice.  Women  who  hire  their 
apartments,  where  they  receive 
gentlemen  visitors,  or  who  go 
with  them  to  houses  of  assigna- 
tion, A  woman  without  a  sou- 
teneur, one  who  tries  as  much 
as  possible  to  evade  observation, 
and  to  keep  up  a  respectable  ap- 
pearance. This  class  of  women 
has  increased  incredibly  within 
a  very  few  years  in  London,  as 
in  all  the  larger  American  cities. 

Long  (University),  explained  by 
quotation. 

"  Last  Long?"    "  Hem  !  last  protracted 
vacation." — Charles  Reade :  Hard  Cash. 

Long  bow.    Vide  Draw. 

Long  ear  (American  University), 
a  sober,  religiously  -  minded 
student.  The  reverse  is  called 
a  short  ear. 

Long-faced  one  (army),  a  horse.' 

Long  feathers  (army),  straw. 
In  French  argot  plume  de 
Beauce.  La  Beauce,  formerly 
a  province,  is  renowned  for  its 
wheat,  and  consequently  straw. 

Long  firm  (common),  an  associa- 
tion of  swindlers  who  pretend 
to  be  a  solvent  firm  of  traders. 
It  is  called  bande  noire  by  the 
French. 


The  Austrian  Consul-General  in  London 
having  informed  the  Vienna  Chamber  of 
Commerce  that  Austrian  merchants  have 
repeatedly  incurred  heavy  loss  by  giving 
credit  to  long  firms  in  England,  the 
Chamber  has  issued  a  notice  warning 
traders  of  the  risk  of  opening  accounts 
with  foreign  customers,  without  first  ob- 
taining satisfactory  information  respecting 
their  position. — Standard. 

The  police  reports  give  us  occasional 
glimpses  of  what  are  called  long  firms, 
but  glimpses  which  are  for  the  most  part 
deceptive.  They  show  us  small  bands  of 
disreputable  people  taking  premises  in 
busy  quarters,  starting  sham  businesses, 
and  obtaining  goods  from  manufacturers 
for  which  they  never  intend  to  pay,  and 
which  they  dispose  of  as  quickly  as  pos- 
sible at  any  price  they  will  fetch.  The 
reports  go  on  to  show  us  how  this  kind  of 
thing  lasts  until  one  or  other  of  the  vic- 
timised manufacturers  sets  the  police  upon 
the  track  of  the  swindlers,  who  are  invari- 
ably hunted  up  and  arrested,  when  the 
business  collapses. — Tlwr  Fredur :  Shady 
Places. 

Long-ghost  (common),  a  tall, 
thin  person. 

Long-haired  chum  (tailors),  a 
young  woman,  a  young  lady 
friend. 

Long-knife  (American),  a  white 
.  man,  so  called  from  the  swords 
which  the  first  settlers  wore. 
The  term  came  from  the  Algon- 
kin  Indians.  In  Chippeway  to 
this  day  the  term  for  a  white 
man  is  chee-mdkomon,  i.e.,  great 
or  long-knife.  The  writer  once 
knew  a  very  refined  and  beauti- 
ful young  lady,  a  Miss  Foster, 
of  Philadelphia,  and  also  an  old 
Indian  whose  name  meant  "  He 
who  changes  his  position  while 
sitting,"  but  who  was  termed 


28 


Long-  knife — Loocher. 


Martin  "  for  short."  Martin 
usually  smoked  a  very  handsome 
poaugun,  or  pipe  mounted  with 
silver,  but  one  day  he  appeared 
with  a  miserable  affair,  made  of 
freestone,  not  worth  a  sixpence. 
On  the  writer's  asking  him  what 
he  had  done  with  the  fine 
calumet,  he  replied,  "I. sold  it 
yesterday  to  the  chee-m6komon 
ikweh," — to  the  long-knife  woman. 
The  "  long-knife  woman "  re- 
ferred to  was  Miss  Foster. 

Long-oats  (army),  fork  or  handle 
of  a  broom  used  to  belabour  a 
horse  with. 

Long  paper  (Winchester  College), 
paper  for  writing  tasks  on. 

Longs  (Fenian),  rifles. 

Longs  and  "  shorts  "  for  rifles  and  re- 
volvers were  familiar  enough  names  to 
those  who  followed  the  Fenian  trials  a 
score  of  years  ago. — St.  fames' s  Gazette. 

Longs  and  shorts  (gambling 
cheats),  cards  contrived  for 
cheating. 

Long-shore  butcher  (nautical), 
a  coastguardsman. 

Long  shots  (turf),  to  take  the 
long  shots  is  to  back  a  horse 
which  is  not  in  popular  favour 
at  the  moment,  and  against 
which  the  bookmakers  there- 
fore give  a  larger  rate  of  odds. 
It  is  in  fact  a  form  of  speculat- 
ing for  the  rise. 

Button  Park  and  Bonnie  Lassie,  at  33 
to  1  each,  seem  fairly  well  backed ;  but 
the  outsiders  that  smack  of  business 
amongst  the  long-shot  division  are  Ten 
Broeck  and  Althorp.— Bird  o'  Freedom. 


How  oft  at  morn  we've  laughed  to  scorn 

A  long  shot's  chance  to  win  ; 
How  oft  at  eve  we've  had  to  grieve 

O'er  our  departed  tin. 
We've  had  the  tip,  and  let  it  slip, 

What's  done  we  can't  retract, 
And  we  have  to  pay  on  the  settling  day, 

O'er  the  winner  we  might  have  backed. 
— Sporting  Times. 

Long-tailed  one  (thieves),  a  bank 
note  for  a  large  amount. 

Long  tails  (sporting),  pheasants, 
greyhounds. 

Long  ton  (miners),  twenty- 
one  hundredweight.  In  the 
coal  trade  they  usually  reckon 
twenty-one  tons  as  twenty. 

Long  trot  (popular),  explained  by 
quotation. 

We  was  'bliged  to  shoot  the  load  afore 
we  could  begin  ag'in.  Sometimes  we  had 
to  do  the  long  trot  (go  home)  with  it,  and 
so  sp'iled  a  whole  arternoon.  —Greenwood  : 
Seven  Curses  of  London. 

Lonsdale's  nine-pins  (political), 
the  nine  boroughs  for  which 
Lord  Lonsdale  used  to  send  up 
members  to  St.  Stephen's.  A 
repartee  connected  with  them 
is  attributed  to  Burke. 

Loo  (common),  for  the  good  of 
the  loo,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
company  or  the  community. 

Loocher  (Anglo-Indian),  a  low 
and  especially  a  lascivious  black- 
guard. Hind,  luchcha,  a  lecher  ; 
the  being  one,  luchchi  pana.  In 
English  gypsy  luchipen  or  lut- 
chipen,  lustfulness. 


Lodd — Looter. 


29 


Loo'd,  looed  (English  and  Ameri- 
can), beaten  or  defeated.  "A 
term  borrowed  from  the  game 
called  '  loo ' "  (Bartlett).  In  a  list 
of  imaginary  last  words  attri- 
buted to  notorious  Southern 
characters,  Bella  Boyd,  a  cele- 
brated fast  woman  and  female 
spy,  was  represented  as  say- 
ing, "I'm  looed."  In  provin- 
cial English,  looed  means  sup- 
planted. 

Looking-glass,  ancient  slang  for 
a  chamber  utensil,  derived  from 
the  usual  examination  made  by 
medical  men,  for  diagnosing  the 
probable  ailments  of  their 
patients.  In  Ireland  the  neces- 
sary article  is  often,  if  not  com- 
monly, called  a  "Twiss,"  be- 
cause the  portrait  of  that  once 
noted  politician  appeared  as  an 
ornament  at  the  bottom,  pro- 
duced for  ready  sale  by  a 
satirical  and  patriotic  earthen- 
ware manufacturer  in  Cole- 
raine  to  perpetuate  the  name 
and  fame  of  Mr.  Twiss,  for 
having  slandered  the  women  of 
Ireland  by  a  baseless  accusation 
of  unchastity.  The  accusation 
was  denied,  but  the  penalty 
remained,  by  the  operation  of 
the  principle  sarcastically  re- 
commended by  Douglas  Jerrold 
in  all  cases  of  doubt :  if  you  do 
not  know  the  rights  of  a  thing, 
believe  the  worst. 

Looking  on  (turf),  one  of  the 
many  terms  which  imply  that 
a  horse  is  not  intended  to  do 
his  best  in  a  race. 


Look  nine  ways  for  Sundays,  to 

(nautical),  to  squint. 

Look-see  pidgin  (pidgin),  mere 
sham,  hypocrisy.  "  This  is  all 
look-see  pidgin  "  (Anglo-Chinese 
newspaper),  religious  humbug. 

My  tink  he  cat  he  makee  chin-chin  Fo, 
My  tinkee  puss-cat  be  Joss-pidgin-man 
Who  no  can  chow-chow  meat — hai-yah  I 

ph'hoy  I 
Dat  cat  hab  cheatee,  cheatee,  cheatee 

my; 
My  tink  he  'hood — he  all  too  bad — mas- 
ked 
He  Joss-pidgin  be  all  look-see  pidgin, 
My  wish  dat  cat  be  dam — wit'  evely-ting ! 
For  alio  worl'  be  bad,  an'  all  be  bad, 
An'  evely  side  hab  pizen — cats  an'  tlaps, 
My  no  can  do  make  tlust  one  man  no 
more. 

— The  Cat. 

Loon  -  flat  (old  cant),  thirteen- 
pence  halfpenny. 

Loose-box,  a  term  sometimes 
applied  to  a  brougham. 

Loose  ends  (common).  When  a 
business  is  neglected,  or  its 
finances  are  in  a  precarious 
condition,  it  is  said  to  be  at 


Loose,    on    the    (common),   out 
carousing. 

At  the  same  fair,  Jem  Moor  was  about 
three-quarters  and  an  eighth  towards  being 
tight  through  having  been  out  on  the 
loose  all  the  morning  with  the  governor. — 
Hindley :  Adventures  of  a  Cheap  Jack. 

Also  getting  a  living  by  pros- 
titution. 

Looter    (gypsy),  to    steal  from. 
Anglo  -  Indian     loot,     plunder, 


3Q 


Lop — Lose. 


booty.  Hind,  lut,  from  Sans- 
krit lotra,  root ;  lup,  rob,  plun- 
der. Later  and  lour  are  Ijnglish 
gypsy  terms  for  the  same  word, 
and  are  also  used  as  verbs. 

Lop,  horse  (army),  puddings  of 
suet  without  plums. 

Loppers,  lobbes,  loppus  (Ameri- 
can). The  writer  has  never  seen 
this  word  in  print,  but  he  has 
often  heard  it  in  Pennsylvania. 
An  awkward,  shambling  fellow, 
a  hobble-de-hoy.  Dutch  lobbes, 
a  clownish  fellow,  also  a  shaggy 
dog.  This  is  nearly  allied  to  the 
English  lob,  a  lubber  or  clown. 

Lord  (popular),  a  hump-backed 
man. 

That  a  deformed  person  is  a  lord .  .  . 
after  a  painful  investigation  of  the  rolls 
and  records  under  the  reign  of  Richard 
the  Third,  or  "Richard  Crouchback,"  as 
he  is  more  usually  designated  in  the 
chronicles  ...  we  do  not  find  that  that 
monarch  conferred  any  such  lordships  as 
here  pretended,  upon  any  subject  or  sub- 
jects, on  a  simple  plea  of  conformity  in 
that  respect  to  the  "  royal  nature." — C. 
Lamb:  Essays  of  Elia. 

She  invariably  wound  up  at  night  with 
a  mad  fighting  fit,  during  which  my  lord, 
vulgar  slang  for  hunchback,  was  always 
thrashed  unmercifully. — Standard. 

Probably  thus  called  in  ridi- 
cule from  the  self-importance 
and  air  of  complacency  sup- 
posed to  be  generally  assumed 
by  hunchbacks.  Wright  sug- 
gests the  Greek  lorddg,  bent  for- 
wards, and  Smythe  A.  Palmer 
the  old  English  loord,  lordain, 
lurden,  or  lour  den,  heavy,  clumsy, 
sluggard.      French     lourdaud, 


old  French  lorde,   Low   Latin 
lurdus. 

Lord  Mayor  (burglars),  a  large 
crowbar  or  jemmy,  used  for 
breaking  open  safes. 

Numerous  are  the  names  given  to  crow- 
bars. There  is  "  the  Lord  Mayor"  "  the 
Alderman,"  "the  Common  Councilman," 
and  so  on.  These  are  principally  used  for 
breaking  into  safes. — Tit  Bits. 

Lords  (Winchester  College),  the 
first  eleven  are  thus  called. 

Lose  the  combination,  to  (Ame- 
rican), to  miss  the  meaning  or 
point  of  anything.  One  often 
hears  such  an  expression  in 
conversation  as  "  Hold  on  there. 
I've  missed  the  combination." 

"  Did  you  see  the  butchers'  parade  ? " 
asked  the  snake-editor  of  a  casual  caller 
yesterday  afternoon. 

"Yes." 

"  See  that  man  throwing  sausages  at  the 
crowd  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  Well,  I  never  sausage  a  thing  before." 

"Ha!  ha!  Pretty  good.  I'll  surprise 
my  wife  with  that  when  I  get  home." 

When  the  casual  caller  arrived  at  home 
he  said  to  his  wife  : 

"My  dear,  in  the  butchers'  parade  to- 
day there  was  a  man  throwing  sausages  to 
the  spectators." 

"Was  there?" 

"  Yes ;  and  I  never  saw  anything  like 
that  done  before." 

"  Neither  did  I." 

He  waited  five  minutes  for  his  wife  to 
laugh,  and  then  went  out  to  wonder 
how  he  lost  the  combination. — Pittsburg 
Chronicle. 

The  "  snake-editor "  men- 
tioned in  this  anecdote  is  sup- 
posed to  be  the  writer  specially 
employed  on  a  newspaper,  to 


Lose — Love. 


3* 


invent  or  discover  wonderful 
"yarns"  of  snakes,  mosquitoes, 
enormous  pumpkins,  extraor- 
dinary instances  of  instinct  in 
animals,  and  similar  marvels. 
He  is  "  the  big  gooseberry  man  " 
of  the  English  provincial  press. 

Lost  and  gone  poetry  (Ameri- 
can). The  wailing,  feeble-minded 
rhyming  over  "lost  Edens  and 
buried  Lenores,"  'imaginary 
griefs  and  sham  sorrows,  so 
characteristic  of  all  beginners 
in  poetry,  has  not  escaped  the 
notice  of  American  newspaper 
wits,  who  often  turn  it  into 
ridicule. 

Lotion  (popular),  a  drink. 
"What's  your  lotion?"  what 
are  you  drinking  ? 

Loud  (common),  flashy,  "  pro- 
nounced," extravagant,  whether 
in  manners  or  colours,  dress  or 
demeanour.  Originally  English, 
it  has  been  very  much  extended 
in  America. 

A  much  more  loquacious,  ostentatious, 
much  louder  style.  —  Carlyle :  Life  of 
Sterling. 

Husband—"  Now,  Mrs.  B.'s  dress,  I 
suppose,  is  what  you  would  call  a  sym- 
phony?" 

Wife — "  Yes,  a  Wagnerian  symphony." 
Husband — "  Why  Wagnerian  ?" 
Wife — "  Because  it's  so  loud." — Detroit 
Free  Press. 

Lounce  (sailor's),  a  drink.  Gene- 
rally a  pint  of  beer,  probably  a 
corruption  of  allowance. 

Lounge  (university  and  public 
schools),    a    term    of    Etonian 


origin.  It  means  a  treat.  In 
the  West  of  England  a  lounge 
is  a  large  lump  of  bread. 

Lour,  loure  (old  cant),  money. 
From  the  gypsy. 

To  strowling  ken  the  mort  bings  then 
To  fetch  loure  for  her  cheats. 

— The  English  Rogue. 

Louver,  Iowa,  lovo,  lowy,  lover 

(gypsy),  money,  i.e.,  specie,  or 
coin.     Vide  Loue. 

Lovage  (popular),  tap  droppings. 
Properly  a  plant  which  possesses 
diuretic  properties. 

Love  (common),  in  scoring  of  any 
game  equals  nought,  or  nothing. 

I  have  seen  those  lose  the  game  that 
have  had  so  many  for  love. — Bailey's 
Erasmus. 

I  sometimes  play  a  game  at  piquet  for 
love. — C.  Lamb :  Essays  on  Elia. 

Love  is  here  the  antithesis  of 
money.  "  To  play  for  love  (of 
the  game)  and  not  for  money." 
French,  "  pour  l'amour  de  l'art," 
"gratis  pro  Deo." 

Love  apples,  explained  by  quota- 
tion. 

Love  apples,  the  latest  name  which  the 
dynamiters  have  given  to  their  bombs, 
affords  another  illustration  of  the  love  of 
conspirators  for  euphemistic  terms. — St. 
James'  Gazette. 

Tomatoes  were  generally  called 
love  apples  in  Australia  about 
sixty  years  ago.  In  France 
pommcs  (Tamour.  It  may  be  re- 
marked, en  passant,  that  the 
terms  love  apples    and  powm.es 


32 


Low-down — Lumberer. 


d'amour  are  mistranslations  of 
Italian  pomi  del  mori  or  Moors' 
apples,  mala  JEthiopica. 

Low-down  (common),  out  of 
sorts,  out  of  money,  and  out 
of  luck ;  also  mean,  underhand. 

That's  just  the  way ;  a  person  does  a 
low-down  thing,  and  then  he  don't  want 
to  take  no  consequences  of  it. — The  Ad- 
ventures of  Huckleberry  Finn. 

Lowie  (Scotch  thieves),  money ; 
a  form  of  lour,  or  the  common 
gypsy  lowy. 

A  good  deal  of  talk  afterwards  took 
place  about  the  lowie,  which  he  believed 
signified  money. — Scottish  Newspaper. 

Low  in  the  lay  (thieves),  in  want 
of  money,  "  hard  up." 

Fighting  Attie,  my  hero,  I  saw  you  to-day 
A  purse  full  of  yellow  boys  seize  ; 

And  as,  just  at  present,  I'm  low  in  the  lay, 
I'll  borrow  a  "quid,"  if  you  please. 

—Lytton:  Paul  Clifford. 

Low-pad  (old  cant),  a  footpad. 

Low- water-mark,  at  (common), 
without  funds. 

I'm  at  low-water-mark,  myself,  only 
one  bob  and  a  magpie. — Dickens :  Oliver 
Twist. 

Lucky  (popular),  to  make  or  cut 
one's  lucky,  to  escape,  run  away. 

That  was  all  out  of  consideration  for 
Fagin,  'cause  the  traps  know  that  we  work 
together,  and  he  might  have  got  into 
trouble  if  we  hadn't  made  our  lucky. — 
Dickens :  Oliver  Twist. 

Lug  chovey  (popular),  a  pawn- 
broker's shop. 

Lug,  in  (popular),  in  pawn. 
Scotch  layd,  laid  by,  put  away. 


Lullaby  cheat  (old  cant),  a  child. 

LQller  (gypsy),  to  vanish,  dis- 
appear. 

Lully  (thieves),  linen,  a  shirt ;  lully 
prigger,  a  thief  who  steals  linen 
off  hedges  or  lines. 

Lumber  (old  cant),  a  room 

Lumberer  (turf),  a  swindling 
tipster,  who  works  his  business 
vivd  voce  instead  of  by  advertise- 
ment. His  happy  hunting- 
grounds  are  the  bars  of  fashion- 
able restaurants,  though  he  may 
be  also  encountered  on  race- 
courses. His  method  is  either 
to  be  introduced  by  a  con- 
federate, or  to  force  acquaint- 
ance with  raw  youths  (vide 
Juggins),  and  by  pretending 
to  intimacy  with  jockeys  and 
familiarity  with  owners  of 
horses  to  persuade  his  victim 
that  he  is  willing,  from  sheer 
good-fellowship,  to  part  with 
valuable  information  ;  and,  pro- 
vided a  commission  is  entrusted 
to  him,  to  insure  success  on 
some  impending  race.  The 
name  of  the  horse  is  given  or 
withheld  as  may  suit  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case,  but 
once  he  has  secured  the  money 
or  credit  of  the  "juggins"  the 
result  is  the  same.  Should  the 
horse  win  (a  most  unlikely  con- 
tingency), there  are  twenty  ex- 
cellent reasons  why  the  stake 
has  not  been  invested ;  if  beaten, 
as  he  usually  is,  the  lumberer 
urges  some  impossible  combi- 


Lumberer — Lunkhead. 


33 


nation  of  rascality  on  the  part 
of  owner  or  jockey  as  an  excuse 
for  present  defeat  and  in  proof 
of  future  infallibility.  (Com- 
mon), a  man  who  goes  about 
public-houses  sponging  on  ac- 
quaintances. From  to  lumber, 
to  loiter,  stroll  lazily. 

So  I  pulled  out  my  flask,  and  my  two 
lumberers  drained  it,  and,  with  a  "  Lord 
luv  us,  Bill,  I  feels  er  nu'un,"  and  with 
the  other  saying,  "  Them's  my  senti- 
ments," began  chaffing  me — "  Are  yer 
agoing  to  have  another  game  er  nap  ?"— 
Bird  o  Freedom. 

Lummox  (American),  a  fat,  un- 
wieldy, stupid  person.  From 
provincial  English  lummoeh,  a 
lump. 

Lummy  (popular),  first -rate, 
clever,  jolly. 

To  think  of  Jack  Dawkins — Lummy 
Jack — the  Dodger — the  Artful  Dodger 
going  abroad  for  a  common  twopenny 
halfpenny  sneeze-box. — Dickens:  Oliver 
Twist. 

Lump  (popular),  a  party,  associa- 
tion ;  to  go  in  the  lump,  means 
to  go  to  the  parish  workhouse. 

Lump  hotel  (popular),  the  work- 
house.    Termed  also  the  "  pan. ' ' 

Lump  on  the  thick  mi's,  to  (turf), 
to  make  a  heavy  bet  in  sove- 
reigns. 

Lump,  to  (popular),  used  in  the 
phrase  "  if  you  don't  like  it  you 
may  lump  it,"  i.e.,  get  rid  of  it  by 
swallowing  it.  "  M.  Oliphant 
regards  the  word  as  a  corrup- 
tion of  old  English  lomp,  Anglo- 
VOL.  II. 


Saxon  gelamp,  it  happened ; 
and  so  to  lump  would  be  ■  to 
take  what  may  chance ' "  (A. 
Smythe  Palmer).  (Thieves),  to 
lump  the  lighter,  to  be  trans- 
ported. In  this  case  to  lump 
signifies  to  load.  (Turf),  to  put 
weight  on. 

Not  content  with  lumping  him  in  the 
handicap. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Lumpy  (booksellers),  costly ; 
lumpy  books,  costly  books. 
(Popular) ,  intoxicated,  pregnant . 
(Cricket),  applied  to  rough 
ground. 

The  wicket  was  unsatisfactory,  and  the 
batsmen  complained  that  it  was  lumpy. — 
Evening  News. 

Lunan.  Hotten  declares  that 
this  is  gypsy  for  a  girl.  It  is 
common  in  canting,  but  the 
writer  has  never  been  able  to 
determine  that  it  is  Romany. 
Probably  from  the  Swedish  or 
Danish  luns,  a  slatternly  girl. 

Lung-box  (popular),  mouth. 

My  tar,  if  you  don't  close  your  lung-box 
I  shall  run  you  in.  —  Brighton  Beach 
Loafer. 

Lunka  (Anglo-Indian),  a  strong 
cheroot  from  the  Bengal  Presi- 
dency, so  called  from  being 
made  from  tobacco  grown  in 
the  islands,  the  local  term  for 
which  is  lanka  of  the  Godavery 
Delta  (Anglo-Indian  Glossary). 
They  are  becoming  known  in 
London. 

Lunkhead  (American),  a  horse  of 
inferior  breed  and  appearance. 

G 


34 


Lunkhead — Lurk. 


Our  new  Minister  to  France  is  studying 
the  art  of  politeness  and  elegance  of  diction 
prior  to  his  advent  into  Parisian  society. 
He  calls  our  worthy  Secretary  of  State 
(Mr.  Fish)  a  "  fossilised  lunkhead."  The 
term  lunkhead  is  usually  applied  by  sport- 
ing men  to  a  very  sorry  style  of  horse,  but 
never,  we  believe,  to  a  horse  mackerel. — 
New  York  Herald. 

From  the  Swedish  lunh,  a  very 
slow,  heavy  horse. 

Lunk-headed  (American),  idiotic, 
senseless.  .  • 

We  shall  go  armed,  and  the  lunk- 
headed,  overgrown  calf  had  better  keep 
out  of  our  sight  if  he  values  his  miserable, 
worthless  life. — Estelline  (Dakota)  Bell. 

Lurry  (popular),  a  lunatic.  "  Go 
along,  you  luny,"  is  a  common 
phrase. 

Combining  business  with  pleasure,  he 
chartered  a  horse  and  trap,  and  drove  the 
luny  to  the  asylum,  intending  to  wind  up 
with  a  pleasant  drive  on  his  own  account. 
On  the  road,  however,  the  luny  saw  in  the 
master's  pocket  the  order  for  admission  to 
the  asylum,  and  he  quietly  abstracted  it. 
When  they  arrived  he  got  down  from  the 
trap,  and  told  the  officials  that  he  had 
brought  them  an  inmate,  a  very  quiet 
man,  whose  only  madness  was  an  idea 
that  he  was  the  master  of  a  suburban 
workhouse. 

The  master  vehemently  protested  that 
the  other  man  was  the  lunatic,  and  that  he 
himself  was  really  the  master  of  the  work- 
house. "I  told  you  so,"  said  the  lunatic 
pityingly ;  "  but  this  will  settle  the  mat- 
ter; here  is  the  order  for  his  admission." 
The  unlucky  master  was  violently  re- 
moved, and  the  lunatic  got  up  in  the  trap, 
and  drove  away. — Ross :  Variety  Paper. 

Lur,  loure  (gypsy),  to  rob  ;  booty, 
plunder.  This  word  passed  into 
canting  at  a  very  early  period. 

Your'e  out  ben  morts  and  toure  ! 
Look  out  ben  morts  and  toure  ! 


For  all  the  Rome  coves  are  budged  a  beake, 
And  the  quire  (queer)  coves  tippe  the  loure. 
— 5".  Rowlands,  1610. 

That  "  Rome  coves  "  means 
gypsies  here,  as  well  as  "good 
men,"  is  apparent  enough. 
Stealing  linen  from  hedges, 
&c.,  has  always  been  regarded 
as  a  speciality  of  the  Romany. 

Loure  is  still  commonly  used 
among  gypsies.  "  Do  you  pen 
mandy'd  loure  tute?" — "Do  you 
think  I'd  rob  you  ?  " 

Lurk  (tramps  and  others),  a 
swindle  ;  specially  applied  to 
obtaining  money  by  a  false  beg- 
ging petition.    An  occupation. 

Then  says  Pudding-faced  Ned,  with  a  grin 
on  his  phiz, 
"  It's  no  one  but  horses  and  asses  that 
work ; 
Now  Larry's  got  his  fancy,  Jerry's  got  his, 
And  so  I've  got  mine,  and  it's  cadging's 
my  lurk." 

— ■/.  Greenwood :  A  Night  in  a 
Workhouse, 

Formerly  lurch. 

The  tapster  having  many  of  these  lurches 
fell  to  decay. — Peels  Jests. 

(Tinker),  eye.  This  word,  in 
the  sense  of  looking  about,  ob- 
serving where  work  may  be  got, 
or  anything  stolen,  &c,  possibly 
suggested  the  old  canting  word 
lurk,  which  was  used  for  every 
kind  of  "  lay,"  trick,  swindle, 
or  "game."  To  keenly  observe 
forms  the  first  part  of  the  edu- 
cation of  a  young  thief,  and  to 
this  his  eyesight  was  regularly 
trained  by  observing  mingled 
objects  thrown  up  together,  &c. 
— an  exercise  which  might  bo 


Lurker — Lyesken. 


35 


with  great  advantage  applied 
in  all  schools  to  develop  quick- 
ness of  perception. 

Lurker  (tramps  and  others),  an 
impostor  who  goes  about  with 
a  false  begging  petition. 

Lurries  (thieves),  money  or  jewel- 
lery. From  the  gypsy  loure, 
plunder. 

Lurry  (old  cant),  valuables. 
Vide  Lub. 

The  fifth  was  a  glazier,  who,  when   he 

creeps  in, 
To  pinch  all  the  lurry  he  thinks  it  no  sin. 
— From  A  Pedlar's  Pack  of  Ballads  and 
Songs,  collected  by  W.  H.  Logan. 

Lush  (Eton),  dainty.  Shakespeare 
uses  lush  with  the  meaning  of 
luxury.  It  is  a  provincial  term 
for  rich,  succulent.  (Common), 
drink  ;  more  especially  drink  to 
excess.  Applied  equally  to  beer, 
wine,  or  spirits. 

I  boast  not  such  lush,  but  whoever  his 
glass 
Does  not  like,  I'll  be  hanged  if  I  press 
him. 

—Lytton:  Paul  Clifford. 

Though  it  once  was  our  game  when  the 
chucking  time  came, 
'Tis  a  fact  that  I  freely  allow, 
When  in  search  of  a  lush  to  the  "Spoofs  " 
we  would  rush, 
But  the  sharps  do  the  "rushing"  just 
now. 

— Sporting  Times. 

Suggested  to  be  from  lush, 
full  of  juice,  traced  by  Wright 
to  luscious,  lushious,  luxurious. 
Drink  seems,  in  most  languages, 
to  be  synonymous  with  "juice." 
Thus  in  Scotland  whisky  is  called 


the  "  barley  bree,"  or  juice  of 
the  barley.  The  French  have 
"  jus  de  la  teille  "  for  wine,  and 
the  slang  term  "  jus  d'^chalas." 
French  sailors  call  rum  of  the 
best  quality  "jus  de  botte  pre- 
mier brin."  But  more  probably 
from  the  gypsy  lush  or  losher, 
to  drink ;  or  German  loschen. 

Lush-crib  (popular  and  thieves), 
a  public-house  or  tavern. 

Lushington  (popular),  a1  low, 
drunken  fellow,  a  sot.  Up  to 
recent  date,  there  was,  or  may 
be  now,  a  tap-room  in  a  certain 
hostelry,  in  the  immediate 
vicinity  of  Drury  Lane  Theatre, 
famous  for  being  a  favourite 
haunt  of  Edmund  Kean.  Here 
that  ill-starred  genius  and  his 
parasites  were  wont  to  turn 
night  into  day,  in  making  their 
followers  free  of  "the  City  of 
Jjushington."  Other  times,  other 
manners. 

Lush,  to  (common),  to  drink,  or 
drink  to  excess.     Vide  LUSH. 

.  .  .  piece  of  double  Glo'ster;  and  to 
wind  up  all,  some  of  the  richest  sort  you 
ever  lushed. — Dickens:  Oliver  Twist. j 

Lushy  or  lushey  (popular),  in- 
toxicated. 

It  was  half-past  four  when  I  got  to 
Somerstown,  and  then  I  was  so  uncommon 
lushey  that  I  couldn't  find  the  place  where 
the  latch-key  went  in. — Dickens ;  Pick- 
wick Papers.  • 

Lyesken  chirps  (tinker),  telling  a 
fortune. 


36 


Lying — Mace. 


Lying  in  (Royal  Military 
Academy),  is  said  of  a  cadet 
who  stops  at  the  Royal  Military 
Academy,  in  his  room,  on  a 
Sunday  when  he  is  supposed  to 
have  left  on  leave. 

L  y  1  o  (Anglo  -  Chinese),  come 
hither  (Hotten). 


Lypken,  a  word  used  by  tramps 
in  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth 
centuries,  and  probably  at  an 
earlier  period,  for  a  house 
where  vagrants  and  thieves 
could  procure  a  night's  lodg- 
ing. From  the  Gaelic  leaba, 
a  bed  ;  and  cean  (ken),  a 
house. 


j|AB  (American),  a  har- 
lot. Possibly  from 
the  canting  Mab, 
"a  hackney  coach," 
which  is  common  to 
all  who  will  pay  for  a  passage 
in  it.  So  the  French  call  a 
fflle  cU  joie  an  omnibus.  In  the 
north  of  England  a  mab  is  a 
loose,  slatternly  girl. 

Mabbed  up  (old  cant),  dressed 
carelessly,  as  a  slattern. 

Macaroni  (thieves),  pony  (Du- 
cange  Anglicus).  Formerly  a 
swell,  fop.  "  The  Italians  are 
extremely  fond  of  a  dish  they 
call  macaroni,  .  .  .  and  as  they 
consider  this  as  the  summum 
bonum  of  all  good  eating,  so  they 
figuratively  call  everything  they 
think  elegant  and  uncommon 
macaroni.  Our  young  travel- 
lers, who  generally  catch  the 
follies  of  the  countries  they 
visit,  judged  that  the  title  of 
macaroni  was  very  applicable  to 
a  clever  fellow;  and  accord- 
ingly to  distinguish  themselves 
as  such,  they  instituted  a  club 


under  this  denomination,  the 
members  of  which  were  sup- 
posed to  be  the  standard  of 
taste.  The  infection  at  St. 
James's  was  soon  caught  in  the 
city,  and  we  have  now  macar- 
onies of  every  denomination  " 
(Pocket-book,  1773). 

Mace  (thieves),  to  give  it  on  the 
mace,  or  strike  the  mace,  to  ob- 
tain goods  on  credit  without 
any  intention  of  paying  for 
them ;  to  sponge  an  acquaint- 
ance, beg  or  borrow  money. 
Formerly  mace  grieffs  were  men 
who  wittingly  bought  and  sold 
stolen  fish.  Several  Yiddish 
words  may  have  contributed  to 
this  term,  such  as  masser  or 
meser,  a  betrayer,  hence  "  masse- 
stapler,"  which  see ;  me's-chomet, 
a  blackguard.  Also  moser  or 
mdser,  a  cheat ;  mos,  money, 
hence  to  make  money.  Man  at 
the  mace,  explained  by  quota- 
tion. 

The  following  people  used  to  go  in 
there :  toy-getters  (watch-stealers),  mags- 
men  (confidence-trick  men),  men  at  the 
mace  (sham  loan  offices),  &c. — Horsley  : 
Jottings  front  Jail. 


Maceman — Mag. 


37 


To  mace,  to  cheat,  swindle  in 
any  way. 

Maceman,  macer  (thieves),  a 
man  who  conducts  a  sham  loan 
office,  a  welsher,  swindler.  Vide 
Mace. 

Machin  (pidgin),  a  merchant. 
"Alio  dot  go  doun  blongy  one 
numpa-one  machin,  he  catchee 
too  much  dolla'." 

Mating-  the  rattler  (thieves),  tra- 
velling in  a  railway  train  with- 
out paying  one's  fare.  Vide 
Mace. 

A  rough  shock  head  was  obtruded  from 
under  the  seat,  and  a  gruff  voice  cried  : 

"  J'yeri  guv'nor,  does  your  dog  bite  ?  " 

"  Great  heaven  ! "  gasped  the  little  man, 
"what  in  the  name  of  all  that's  holy  are 
you  doing  under  there?" 

"  Same  as  your  dog.     Macing  the 

rattler." — Sporting  Times. 

Mackarel,  mackawl  (old  cant),  a 
bawd.  French  maquereau,  ma- 
querelle. 

Madam  (thieves),  a  pocket-hand- 
kerchief. 

One  day  I  went  to  Lewisham  and 
touched  for  a  lot  of  wedge.  I  tore  up 
my  madam  (handkerchief),  and  tied  the 
wedge  in  small  packets  and  put  them 
into  my  pockets.— Horsley.  Jottings  from 
Jail. 

(Old    cant),    Madam  Van,  a 
prostitute. 

Made  (Winchester).  A  prefect  is 
said  to  be  made  when  he  has 
received  full  power  from  the 
head-master. 


Made  beer  (Winchester),  a  be- 
verage compounded  of  college 
small-beer,  raisins,  sugar,  nut- 
meg, and  rice,  so  as  to  give  it 
some  sort  of  a  "  head." 

Made  his  Jack  (American),  got 
what  he  aimed  at,  attained  his 
point,  got  into  office,  or  became 
somebody  of  consequence.  Old 
English,  "Jock  with  the  bush." 
"This  phrase,"  says  Wright, 
"  occurs  in  Barclay's  '  Eclo- 
gues,' 1570,  and  seems  to  mean 
a  Jack-in-office."  Dutch,  een 
groot  Hans,  a  great  Jack  or  per- 
son, "  a  swashing  blade  ; "  Ger- 
man, praUhans,  a  "  swell." 

Madza  (thieves  and  coster- 
mongers),  half;  from  the  Ita- 
lian mezza,  used  as  in  madza 
saltee,  a  halfpenny  ;  madza 
poona,  half  a  sovereign,  &c. 
Also  medza,  in  low  theatrical 
slang  ;  medza  beargered,  half 
drunk. 

Mafoo  (pidgin),  horse-boy,  groom. 
"Talkee  mafoo  to  come  chop- 
chop."  (Mandarin),  mah,  a 
horse ;  mah-tung,  a  stirrup. 

Mag  (thieves  and  popular),  a 
halfpenny;  in  ancient  cant  a 
"make." 

You  has  not  a  heart  for  the  general  dis- 
tress^— 
You  cares  not  a  mag  if  our  party  should 
fall, 
And  if  Scarlet  Jem  were  not  good  at  a 
press, 
By  Goles,  it  would  soon  be  all  up  with 
us  all! 

—Lytton  l  Paul  Clifford. 


1  i  0  5  9  5 


38 


Mag — Magsman. 


If  he  don't  keep  such  a  business  as  the 
present  as  close  as  possible,  it  can't  be 
worth  a  mag  to  him.— Dickens:  Bleak 
House. 

In  society  "not  a  mag"    is 
equivalent  to  "  not  a  sou." 

And  the  staff,  going  and  downing  it  on 
Indian  Ocean  and  Atlantic,  are  still  broke 
to  a  man  and  a  mag. — Sporting  Times. 

(Literary    and    printers),    a 
magazine. 

And  now  of  Hawkesbury  they  talked, 
Who  wrote  in  mags  for  hire. 

—Wolcot  {P.  Pindar). 

Maggots  (popular),  whims, 
fancies.  Hence  "  maggotty," 
fanciful,  fidgety.  It  was  once 
a  popular  belief  that  small 
maggots  were  generated  in  the 
human  brain,  so  that  the  fret- 
ting of  these  insects  produced 
odd  fancies  and  foolish  notions. 
Hence  probably  the  origin  which 
may  perhaps  also  be  traced  to 
the  fact  that  crazy  sheep  have 
a  worm  in  the  brain. 

Magistrands.     Vide  Bejant. 

Magistrate  (Scotch  slang),  a 
herring. 

Magpie  (popular  and  thieves), 
sixpence. 

I'm  at  low-water-mark  myself — only  one 
bob  and  a  magpie.  —  Dickens :  Oliver 
Twist. 

Also    the    black    and  white 
circles  in  a  target. 

Magsman  (common  slang),  the 
magsman  is  at  the  very  head  of 
the  profession  of  roguery.     He 


is  the  great  man,  the  Magnus 
Apollo  among  thieves  and 
swindlers,  or  what  the  French 
call  de  la  haute  plgre.  He  is  a 
first-class  confidence  man  who 
selects  his  victims  in  the  street, 
in  the  smoking-rooms  of  hotels, 
in  stylish  bars. 

"  Magsmen  are  wonderful 
actors.  Their  work  is  done  in 
broad  daylight  without  any 
stage-accessories,  and  often  a 
look,  a  wink,  a  slip  of  the 
tongue,  would  betray  their  con- 
federacy. They  are  very  often 
men  of  superior  education. 
Those  who  work  the  tidal  trains 
and  boats  are  often  faultlessly 
dressed  and  highly  accomp- 
lished" (Hotten). 

He  has  not  the  slightest  sympathy  with 
evil-doers,  and  fifty  guineas  would  not 
tempt  him  to  permit  on  his  premises  the 
hilarious  celebration  of  bold  Toby  Crac- 
kitt's  release  over  a  bowl  of  punch,  by 
a  select  circle  of  admiring  magsmen. — 
Greenwood:  In  Strange  Company. 

Probably  from  the  Yiddish 
machas  or  magas  (to  which  mann 
maybe  arbitrarily  added),  mean- 
ing a  great  swell,  a  great  man 
or  highly  honoured  lord ;  or 
from  to  mag,  to  talk  persua- 
sively. It  is  curious  to  note 
that  meg,  in  French  cant,  which 
Victor  Hugo  derives  from  mag- 
nus,  means  master,  head  of  a 
gang  (more  probably  from  Ita- 
lian cant,  maggio,  lord).  It  may 
be  these  words  have  a  common 
origin,  or  this  is  mere  coinci- 
dence. Compare  old  cant  ddbe, 
head  of  a  gang,  and  French 
dab,  same  meaning;  the  latter 


Mag — Make. 


39 


probably  from  dam,  low  Latin 
for  lord. 

Mag,  to  (thieves),  to  talk,  to 
talk  persuasively  ;  a  provincial- 
ism meaning  to  chatter.  In  the 
quotation  mag  signifies  talk. 
Probably  from  "  magpie." 

Oh  !  if  you  have  any  mag  in  you  we'll 
draw  it  out. — Madame  D'A  rblay :  Diary. 

Mahmy  (up-country  Australian), 
the  white  commander  of  a  troop 
of  native  police. 

The  troopers  were,  of  course,  delighted 
at  the  prospect  of  a  collision  with  their 
countrymen,  and  an  unusual  degree  of 
activity  prevailed  in  the  camp,  so  much  so 
that  next  morning  before  sunrise,  while 
Stone  and  his  guest  were  getting  through 
their  hasty  breakfast,  the  corporal  of  the 
troop  made  his  appearance  at  the  door, 
and  stiffening  himself  into  an  erect  military 
attitude  saluted  gravely,  reporting  at  the 
same  time,  "  Every  sing  all  righ,  mahmy." 
—A.  C.  Grant. 

Mahogany  (society),  table ;  to 
have  one's  feet  under  another 
man's  mahogany,  to  sit  at  his 
table,  be  supported  on  other 
than  one's  own  resources  (Hot- 
ten).     Vide  Amputate   your 

TIMBER. 

In  a  casual  way  he  mentioned  the  days 
when  his  father,  the  J. P.,  sat  for  some- 
where or  other,  and  of  the  dainties  that 
nightly  graced  his  hospitable  mahogany. 
— Sporting  Times. 

(Popular),    mahogany    flat,  a 
bug. 

Maiden  (turf),  a  horse  which  has 
never  won  a  race  open  to  the 
public.  Therefore  the  winning 
of  one  or  more  matches  does 


not  disqualify  a  horse  from 
being  entered  as  a  maiden  for 
subsequent  events. 

Maidstone  jailer  (rhymingjslang), 
a  tailor. 

Mails  (Stock  Exchange),  Mexican 
Railway  ordinary  stock. 

Mailyas,  maillhas  (tinker),  fin- 
gers. Gaelic,  meirlach,  stealers, 
as  "pickers  and  stealers,"  hands. 
Possibly  the  real  origin  of 
"maulies,"influencedby"maul." 

Mai-pan  (pidgin,'Cantonese),  com- 
pradore,  steward. 

Maistry,  mixtry,  sometimes  mys- 
tery (Anglo-Indian),  properly 
a  foreman,  a  master- workman, 
but  used  for  any  artisan,  as 
rajmistri,  a  mason  or  bricklayer, 
lohar-mistri,  a  blacksmith.  From 
the  Portuguese  mestre,  a  skilled 
or  master- workman. 

Make  (old  cant),  a  penny  or  half- 
penny. (General),  to  be  "on 
the  make,"  to  be  always  intent 
on  the  main  chance,  seeking 
to  make  money.  It  generally 
implies  unscrupulousness  and 
cleverness. 

The  English  '  doctors  can  earn  their 
living  in  their  own  country.  They  haven't 
gone  to  Germany  on  the  make. — Referee. 

While  the  word  is  unques- 
tionably derived  from  the  Eng- 
lish make,  as  "to  make  money," 
it  is  worth  pointing  out  its 
resemblance  to  the  Yiddish 
makir,  one  who  knows,  who  is 
intelligent,  in  anything.      No- 


40 


Make. 


thing  is  more  remarkable  in 
slang  than  the  manner  in  which 
words  mutually  form  and  help 
one  another  into  currency.  It 
is  said  also  of  one  who  asks 
too  high  a  price  for  his  goods. 
"  On  the  make  "  is  of  American 
origin ;  a  make  is  a  successful 
swindle. 

Make  a  bolt  of  it,  to  (common), 
to  run  away. 

And  he  has  been  suspected,  detected, 
has  made  a  bolt  of  it,  and  has  been  dis- 
covered and  brought  to  justice.  —  The 
Graphic. 

Make  a  kick,  to  (common),  to 
raise  an  objection.  French  re- 
gimber,  said  of  a  horse  that  backs 
and  kicks,  and  figuratively  of  an 
unwilling  person. 

Make  a  small  war,  to  (American), 
to  amass  a  small  fortune.  In 
reference  to  a  man  who  had 
amassed  a  fortune  during  the 
civil  war,  and  of  whom  it  was 
said  that  he  would  like  to  make 
a  small  -war  of  his  own  simply 
to  "finance"  it. 

Many  scores  of  these  philanthropists  who 
have  spent  their  lives  in  looking  for  men 
to  enrich  whilst  anxious  only  to  make  a 
small  war  for  themselves,  have  I  en- 
countered.—^". Francis :  Saddle  and  Moc- 


Makee  (pidgin),  to  make,  do, 
cause,  effect.  "Supposy  you 
makee  buy-lo !  "  It  is  in  pidgin 
generally  prefixed  to  verbs  to 
make  them  active,  e.g.,  "  I  makee 
stlike  dat  too-muchee  bad  boy." 


Make  hay  (vide  Hay),  to  put  in 
disorder,  to  mix  in  utter  con- 
fusion. The  expression  explains 
itself. 

Some  of  the  warders,  full  of  the  irrepres- 
sible spirits  of  Old  Erin  (we  do  not  mean 
whisky)  had  made  hay  with  the  drugs  in 
the  infirmary,  with  the  result  that  lini- 
ments were  taken  as  medicines,  blisters 
applied  in  lieu  of  linseed  plasters,  and  in 
one  instance  laudanum  administered  in- 
stead of  black  draught. — Funny  Folks. 

Hay-bag  is  an  old  word  for  a 
noise,  riot,  mess. 

Make  no  bones,  to  (popular),  to 
make  no  bones  about  doing  any- 
thing, is  to  do  it  without  demur 
or  difficulty.  Of  very  ancient 
origin,  Erasmus  in  his  Para- 
phrase (1548)  using  it — "He 
made  no  manier  bones  ne 
stickyng  but  went  in  hande  to 
offre  vp  his  onely  sone  Isaac  in 
sacrifice  "  (Luke,  f.  15).  Its  de- 
rivation is  obscure  unless  it  be 
an  allusion  to  the  habit  of  some 
people,  in  eating  fish  and  small 
birds,  to  eat  bones  and  all. 

Make,  to  (popular  and  thieves), 
to  appropriate  to  one's  personal 
use  ;  to  make  clocks,  to  steal 
watches. 

Making- clocks  was  too  risky,  and  guying 
warn't  no  catch  after  I  fell  in  the  river 
at  'Ampton,  with  a  countryman  as  could 
swim  like  a  bloomin'  duck  a  throttlin'  me. 
— Sporting-  Times. 

(Freemasons),  to  initiate. 

Make  tracks,  to  (American),  to 
decamp,  to  run  away  ;  in  allu- 
sion to  one  who  leaves  traces 


Make — Malley. 


41 


behind  him,  without  intending 
to  do  so. 

He  was  one  of  those  unpleasant  people 
who  keep  firearms  on  the  premises,  and 
handy  for  use.  We  made  tracks,  as 
you  may  suppose,  and  quickly  too.  The 
other  two  got  clear  off.  As  for  myself,  a 
snap-shot  caught  me  in  the  calf  of  the  leg 
as  I  tumbled  anyhow  over  the  garden  wall, 
and  thus  put  an  end  to  my  "crib-cracking  " 
for  one  while. — Thor  Fredur:  Sketches 
in  Shady  Places. 

Make-up  (theatrical),  materials 
used  for  making  up  the  face, 
hands,  &c.  Soap  and  water,  cold 
cream,  pomatum,  or  vaseline, 
pearl  powder,  Indian  ink,  rouge, 
vermilion,  blanc  de  perle,  rose 
water,  cr6pe"  hair,  spirit  gum, 
wigs,  and  grease  paint  of  every 
description.  The  latter,  though 
a  recent  discovery  in  Europe, 
has  been  known  and  used  in 
China  for  ages.  The  use  of  it 
was  first  introduced  here  by  the 
distinguished  actor,  Hermann 
Vezin,  who,  before  it  became 
an  article  of  commerce,  manu- 
factured it  for  his  own  use. 

A  little  girl  at  the  back  of  the  dress 
circle  cried  : 

"  See,  ma,  he's  been  kissing  the  maid, 
and  her  make-up's  come  off  on  his  face  I " 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

This  term  also  refers  to  the 
personal  appearance  assumed  by 
an  actor  impersonating  a  char- 
acter. 

Mr.  took  the  part  of  the  aged 

diplomatist,  Sir  Henry  Craven.  His 
make-up  was  admirable,  and  his  acting 
worthy  of  all  praise. — Sporting  Times. 

It  has  the  general  sense  of 
appearance  produced  by  dress, 
habits,  &c. 


Perhaps  he  owed  this  freedom  from  the 
sort  of  professional  make-up  which  pene- 
trates skin,  tones,  and  gestures.  —  G. 
Eliot:  Daniel Deronda. 

Making'  a  pitch  (street  performers, 
cheap  Jacks,  circus,  &c),  select- 
ing a  locality  for  a  performance 
of  any  kind,  stopping  at  any 
place  to  perform. 

Five  times  did  we  make  a  pitch  in  the 
wind  and  the  deadly-cold  sleet,  playing 
over  three  times. — Greenwood:  In  Strange 
Company. 

Making;  a  song  (thieves),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

Only  a  purse,  with  four  shillings  and  a 
railway  ticket  in  it.  What  makes  me 
remember  the  ticket?  Why,  when  I  got 
home — I  was  still  staying  at  the  lodging- 
house  in  George  Street — a  pal  told  me  of 
a  lark  he  had  seen  at  the  market ;  some 
poor  chap  had  lost  all  his  money  and  his 
return  railway  ticket,  and  was  making  a 
song  (telling  everybody)  about  it.  — /. 
Greenwood:  Gaol  Birds  at  Large. 

Making  up  the  log  (tailors), 
putting  down  the  wages.  In 
the  stock  trade  it  is  taking  the 
number  of  garments  cut,  and 
in  some  cases  where  they  pay 
"day  work,"  if  the  quantity 
does  not  come  up  to  the 
specified  number  of  garments, 
the  deficiency  is  deducted  per 
ratio  from  the  men's  wages. 

Malleko  (gypsy),  a  sneaking  spy, 
an  informer,  a  mischief-maker. 
This  is  old  gypsy,  and  it  re- 
calls the  "  miching  Mallecho" 
of  Shakspeare. 

Malley  (Anglo-Indian),  a  gar- 
dener. 


42 


Malt — Man-trap. 


Malt  (popular),  beer. 

When  the  purchase-money  was  paid 
over,  the  farmer  invited  the  dealer,  as  is 
the  custom,  to  have  a  glass  of  malt  before 
parting,  and  they  entered  a  neighbouring 
public-house. —  Tit-Bits. 

Malt,  to  (popular),  to  drink  beer. 


Malum  (Anglo-Indian),  a  sailing- 
master. 

"In  a  ship  with  English 
officers  and  a  native  crew,  the 
mate  is  called  malum  sahib. 
The  word  is,  in  Arabic,  mu'allim, 
literally  'the  instructor,'  and  is 
properly  applied  to  the  pilot  or 
sailing-master "  (Anglo-Indian 
Glossary). 

Mammy  (West  Indian),  an  elderly 
negress  ;  generally  an  old  nurse. 
Sometimes  corrupted  into  Mau- 
mer. 

Manablins  (popular),  broken  vic- 
tuals (Hotten). 

Man  a-hanging  (common),  a  man 
in  difficulties  (Hotten). 

Man  at  the  duff.    Vide  Duff. 

Manchester  silk  (tailors),  thread. 

Manders  (thieves),  "remands." 

One  promising  little  lad  of  about  twelve, 
and  who  really  had  some  claim  to  being 
regarded  as  an  "old  offender,"  overdid  it 
by  endeavouring,  in  the  enumeration  of 
his  numerous  convictions,  to  palm  off  a 
couple  of  manders  ...  as  genuine  ma- 
gisterial sentences  to  imprisonment. — /. 
Greenwood:  Dick  Temple. 


Man-handle,  to  (thieves),  to  use 
a  person  roughly,  as  to  take 
him  prisoner,  to  turn  him  out 
of  a  room,  or  give  him  a 
beating  (Hotten).  Properly, 
to  man  -  handle  is  a  nautical 
term,  meaning  to  move  by 
force  of  men,  without  levers  or 
tackles. 

M  a  n  -  m  a  n  (pidgin  -  English), 
slowly,  gradually,  little  by 
little.     Italian  mano  mano. 

Man-man  one  peach-tlee  flow  ery  become 

one  piecy  peach, 
Man-man  one  littee  chilo  get  wise  an'  all 

men  teach, 
You  catchee  one  piece  can-do ;  some  day 

it  make  you  gleat, 
Ahong  hab  lam   this  lesson — to  fightee, 

shave  an*  wait. 

— The  Ballad  of  Ahong  and  the 
Mosquito. 

Man  of  the  world  (thieves),  pro- 
fessional thief. 

Man  of  the  world.  .  .  .  He  so  loves  to 
style  himself,  not  from  any  resemblance 
to  the  similarly  designated  personage  of 
polite  society,  but  from  the  fact  of  his 
accomplishments  being  such  that  he  can 
follow  his  profession  anywhere. — Michael 
Davitt :  Leaves  from  «  Prison  Diary. 

M  a  n-t  rap  (common),  patches 
of  cow  dung  in  the  fields. 
Also  a  widow.  This  old  term, 
still  used  habitually  among 
American  thieves,  recalls  the 
bright  boy  in  the  New  York 
school  who,  on  being  asked  the 
meaning  and  derivation  of  the 
word  "virgin,"  replied,  "vir,  a 
man;  gin,  a  trap;  virgin,  a  man- 
trap." 


Manual — Mark. 


43 


Manual  subscription  (American), 
a  blow  -with  tbe  fist.  In  Eng- 
land "  a  sign  manual." 

Want  me  to  subscribe  to  a  Life  of  Grant, 
do  ye  ?  I'll  grant  ye  yer  life  ef  ye  clar 
out  from  hyar  'n  less  'n  a  minit,  ye  scum  ! 
General  Grant's  soldiers  stole  all  my  hens, 
an'  shot  my  second  cousin's  brother's  arm 
off,  and  now  ye  want  me  to  subscribe  for 
his  life  !  I'll  give  ye  a  manual  subscrip- 
tion in  the  face  with  my  knuckles,  ye  hel- 
lion of  a  Yankee  book-pedlar ! — Trials  of 
a  Book  Agent. 

Man  with  no  frills  (American),  a 
plain  person,  a  man  without  cul- 
ture or  refinement.  An  amiable 
term  to  express  a  vulgar  fellow. 
The  Nevada  Transcript  describes 
a  blackguard  who,  because  he 
was  worth  a  million,  insisted 
on  being  allowed  to  sit  at  a 
table  d'hote  in  his  shirt-sleeves, 
as  a  miner  millionaire  with  no 
frills. 

Map  (printers),  a  dirty  proof, 
heavily  marked  all  over  by  the 
reader  in  consequence  of  blun- 
ders and  errors  in  composing — 
likened  to  a  geographical  draw- 
ing with  many  references. 

Marble  (American),  also  marvel. 
To  bound,  bounce,  or  run  along. 
From  a  boy's  marble  thrown 
along  a  sidewalk,  which,  if  pro- 
perly propelled,  will  proceed  to 
an  incredible  distance.  Marbles 
are  also  vulgarly  called  marvels 
in  Philadelphia,  as  in  Suffolk- 
shire. 

Marbles  (common),  furniture, 
movables. 


I  can't  git  the  'ang  of  his  lingo ;  his  pat- 
ter's all  picter  somehow, 

And  wot  he  quite  means  by  Calf,  mate,  I 
dunno  no  more  than  a  cow. 

But  the  Scapegoat,  that's  him,  I  suppose, 
and  he  looks  it ;  it's  rough,  as  he  says ; 

No  marbles,  no  lodging,  no  grub,  and  that 
sort  o'  thing  for  days ! 

— Punch. 

Margery  prater  (thieves  and 
gypsies),  a  hen,  from  its  con- 
stant clucking.  So  called  by 
association  with  margery-howlet, 
an  old  word  for  an  owl,  and 
margery  daw,  jack-daw ;  margot, 
in  French,  is  a  nickname  for  a 
magpie. 

Maria,  for  Black  Maria,  which 
see. 

Although  I  had  no  motive  for  evading  her, 
'Twas  but  lately  that  I  came  across  her 
track, 
And   two  stern-faced   men  were  forcibly 
persuading  her 
To  enter  a  conveyance,  painted  black. 
Aghast  at  conduct    seemingly   so   cruel, 
base, 
And  wicked,  I  its  meaning  did  inquire — 
Quoth  a  gamin,  "She's  been  lifting  some 
cove's  jewel  case, 
And  she's  going  for  a  ride  in  the  Maria. " 
— Sporting  Times. 
\ 

Marinated  (old  cant),  transported. 

Marine  (nautical),  an  empty 
bottle. 

Mark  (pugilistic),  the  pit  of  the 
stomach. 

Gretting  (1724-34)  had  the  nearest  way 
of  going  to  the  stomach  (which  is  what 
they  call  the  mark)  of  any  man  I  knew. — 
Captain  Godfray:  Useful  Art  of  Self 
Defence. 


44 


Mark — Marrow. 


(Swindlers),  one  marked  by 
thieves  or  swindlers  as  easy  to 
dupe  or  rob. 

"Buy  a  watch-ticket,   John?"  cry  one 

did— 
"  Will  you  bid  ? — take  a  quid ; " 
"  In  for  eight  guineas  ! "     "  Oh,  nay,  you 
don't  kid 
This  young  man,"   said   I,  "from  the 
North ! " 
Whispered  to  me  a  mock-auction  shark — 
Thought  me  a  mark — "keep  it  dark." 

— /.  A.  Hardwick:  Up  from  tlu 
Country. 

(Popular),  "to  come  to  the, 
or  be  up  to  the  mark"  to 
be  satisfactory.  When  one  is 
dissatisfied  and  says  that  a 
thing  is  not  up  to  the  mark,  does 
not  come  up  to  the  mark,  one  is 
still  using  the  metaphor  of  a 
measure  not  filled  up  to  the 
rim  or  proper  mark. 

Marked  up  (tailors),  to  have  one 
marked  up,  is  to  know  all  about 
him. 

Marketeer  (turf),  a  betting-man 
who  devotes  himself,  by  means 
of  special  information,  to  the 
study  of  favourites,  and  the 
diseases  incident  to  that  con- 
dition of  equine  life  (Hotten). 

Market -horse  (turf),  a  horse 
simply  kept  in  the  betting-lists 
for  the  purpose  of  being  betted 
against  (Hotten).  The  "market" 
is  the  Turf  Exchange,  which  is 
held  at  Tattersall's,  in  the  bet- 
ting clubs  on  the  racecourse,  or 
at  any  great  centre  where  ring- 
men  congregate. 


Marking  (thieves),  watching  or 
picking  out  a  victim. 

Marmalade,  true  (common),  ex 
cellent.    Also  "  real  jam." 

Marm  puss  (tailors),  the  master's 
wife,  or  the  wife  of  any  other 
man. 

Marooning  (nautical),  explained 
by  quotation. 

In  the  good  old  times  when  punishments 
were  heroic,  when  floggings  were  every- 
day occurrences  and  keelhaulings  frequent, 
maroo?ting  was  a  well-known  term.  It 
consisted  of  putting  a  refractory  seaman 
ashore  on  a  desert  island  and  leaving  him 
there  to  wait  for  the  next  ship,  which  very 
often  never  arrived. — Globe. 

Admiral  Smyth  says  maroon- 
ing was  a  custom  among  former 
pirates,  of  putting  an  offender 
on  shore  on  some  desolate  cape 
or  island,  with  a  gun,  a  few 
shot,  a  flask  of  powder,  and  a 
bottle  of  water.  The  French 
marron  (English  "maroon") 
was  an  epithet  applied  to  run- 
away negroes,  or  to  an  animal 
which  has  become  wild,  as 
"  un  cochon  marron,"  from  the 
Spanish  cimarron,  wild. 

Married  on  the  carpet  and  the 
banns  up  the  chimney  (popular), 
living  as  man  and  wife,  though 
not  married. 

Marrow,  local  in  the  North  of 
England  for  a  mate  or  fellow- 
workman.  The  word,  though 
almost  obsolete,  survives  in  a 
variety  of  applications  in  the 
sense  of  one  thing  being  like 


Marrow — Mash. 


45 


another ;  as  in  the  Scottish 
phrase,  "thae  shoon  are  nae 
marrows,"  these  shoes  are  not 
pairs  ;  "  his  een  are  no  mar- 
rows," eyes  are  not  alike — i.e., 
he  squints ;  "  my  winsome  mar- 
row," my  dear  "  mate,"  my 
love,  my  sweetheart,  my  wife. 
The  word  is  used  by  Shak- 
speare  in  a  phrase  hitherto  un- 
explained by  his  numerous 
critics  and  commentators.  Mark 
Antony,  speaking  of  the  as- 
sassination of  Caesar,  says  that 
he  was  "marr'd  "with  traitors 
— i.e.,  likened  with  traitors — as 
if  he  himself  had  been  a  traitor. 

Marrow -bones  (popular),  the 
knees ;  to  go  by  marrow-bone 
stage,  to  walk. 

Marrowskying,  vide  Medical 
Gbeek. 

Mary  (printers),  an  expression 
used  to  indicate  "  nix"  or 
"  nought,"  in  throwing  with 
the  nine  quadrats,  should  it 
happen  that  not  a  single  one  is 
turned  up  with  the  nick  upper- 
most. 

Mary  Ann  (popular),  an  effemi- 
nate youth  or  young  man,  known 
in  America  as  a  Molly.  Latin 
cmcedus.  Also  a  designation 
among  the  secret  societies  who 
govern  and  make  rules  for 
Trades  Unions  and  associations 
of  workmen  in  Great  Britain, 
France,  Germany,  and  the 
United  States,  of  which  the  ob- 
jects are  to  shorten  the  hours 
of    labour,    maintaining    and 


increasing  the  rate  of  wages, 
&c.  "  La  Marianne,"  in  1848, 
was  the  name  of  a  secret  Re- 
publican Society  in  France. 
The  Republic  has  been  thus 
nicknamed. 

Marygold  (turf),  one  million  ster- 
ling. 

Marylebone  stage  (popular),  the 
legs.  "  To  go  by  the  Marylebone 
stage,"  i.e.,  to  walk. 

Mash  (common),  elegance,  woo- 
ing. 

They  hint  that  such  a  niggard  mask 

They  wouldn't  very  much  like  ; 
They'd  look  for  'kerchief,  scent,  or  sash, 

Gloves,  jewellery,  or  such  like. 
"  Tis  thus  the  green-eyed  one  appears," 

Says  Mary  Ann,  with  laughter ; 
"  You  see  I  have  the  mash,  my  dears, 
The  presents  may  come  after." 

— Fun. 

To  be  on  the  mash,  to  be 
making  love  to ;  to  go  on  the 
mash,  to  go  about  in  search  of 
amourettes ;  to  mush,  to  make 
love  to. 

A  Johnny  .  .  .  mashing  a  young  lady 
behind  the  counter  of  a  large  Boulogne 
Chemisier,  received  an  abrupt  check. 

"Awy  voo,  siwoo  play,  un  necktie — 
un  scarf — of  the  colours  of  petite  chere 
mam'selle's  eyes — bleu  I " 

"  Ve  have  not,  m'sieur — vare  sorree — 
but  ve  have  ze  scarf  of  ze  same  colaire  as 
m'sieu's  nose — rouge  I  " — Sporting  Times. 

To  make  an  irresistible  im- 
pression on  girls,  to  make  a 
girl  in  love  with  one. 

My  name  it  is  Bertie,  the  little  pet  page, 
At  court  I'm  considered  the  go. 

My  carriage  and  grace,  my  angelic  face, 
Quite  mashes  the  ladies,  you  know. 
—Bertie  the  Masher. 


46 


Mash — Maskee. 


About  the  year  i860  mash 
was  a  word  found  only  in 
theatrical  parlance  in  the  United 
States.  When  an  actress  or  any 
girl  on  the  stage  smiled  at  or 
ogled  a  friend  in  the  audience, 
she  was  said  to  mash  him,  and 
"mashing"  was  always  punish- 
able by  a  fine  deducted  from  the 
wages  of  the  offender.  It  oc- 
curred to  the  writer  that  it  must 
have  been  derived  from  the  gypsy 
mash  (masher-ava),  to  allure,  to 
entice.  This  was  suggested  to 
Mr.  Palmer,  a  well-known  im- 
presario, who  said  that  the  con- 
jecture was  not  only  correct, 
but  that  he  could  confirm  it, 
for  the  term  had  originated  with 

the  C family,  who  were  all 

comic  actors  and  actresses,  of 
Romany  stock,  who  spoke  gypsy 
familiarly  among  themselves. 

Mashed  (common),  in  love. 

He  was  mashed,  so  was  she,  they  were 

married — though  sure 
They  were  each  minus  oof  of  their  own. 
— Sporting  Times. 

Also  mashed  on. 

He  also  took  charge  of  the  saddle-bags, 
which  contained  a  cake  of  tobacco  and  a 
love-letter,  or,  as  he  styled  them,  ' '  a  chunk 
of  baccer  and  some  durned  gush  from  a 
gal  who's  got  mashed  on  the  owner." — 
F.  Francis :  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Masheen  (tinker),  a  cat. 

Masher  (common),  an  exquisite, 
a  swell,  a  dandy.  Imported 
from  America.  For  origin  vide 
Mash. 

"Out  of  the  way,  fellow!"  cried  a 
masher  the  other  evening,  "  or  I  will  give 


you  a  dressing  ! "  "I  shouldn't  try  it  on," 
answered  the  fellow,  as  he  exhibited  a 
shoulder-of-mutton  fist,  "or  you'll  still  be 
the  better  dressed  of  the  two." — Ally 
Super's  Half-Holiday. 

Formerly  termed  "flasher, 
blood,  Jack-pudding,  macaroni, 
buck,  top-sawyer,"  &c.  Girls 
call  their  lover  their  masher  or 
"mash." 

So,  friends,  take  my  dear-bought  advice, 

On  girls  don't  waste  your  cash, 
If  you  instead  of  dark  are  fair — 

You'll  never  be  their  mash. 
The  darling  creature  you  adore — 

Don't  fancy  you're  her  "mark," 
Or  think  you  e'er  her  love  will  gain, 

Unless  you're  "  tall  and  dark  1 " 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Mashery  (common),  explained  by 
quotation.     Vide  Masher. 

A  mass  of  conceit  from  the  head  to  the 
feet, 
A  blending  of  "  cheek  "  and  a  bashery, 
A  hat  awry  set,  and  a  mild  cigarette, 
Appear  as  the  symptoms  of  mashery  ? 
— Moonshine. 

Mashing,  vide  Mash.  In  the 
quotation  this  has  the  meaning 
of  elegant  and  overwhelming. 

The  Government's  prisoner  apparently 
thought  that  the  time  had  arrived  when  a 
little  fresh  air  would  be  desirable,  and  hey 
presto !  a  new  suit  of  clothes  by  some 
extraordinary  means  or  another  was  con- 
veyed into  the  prison,  and  when  the 
Governor  went  to  see  Mr.  O'Brien  that 
gentleman  was  seated  by  his  bedside 
arrayed  in  quite  the  "latest"  and  most 
mashing  suit  of  tweeds. — Ally  Sloper's 
Half-Holiday. 

Maskee  (pidgin -English),  the 
commonest  interjection  in  pid- 
gin, meaning  all  right.  In  the 
Chinese  "  Vocabulary  of  Words 


Maskee — Mauley. 


47 


in  Use  among  the  Red-Haired 
People"  (i.e.,  Europeans),  it  is 
spelt  ma-sze-ki,  and  defined  to 
mean  "  all  good."  The  authors 
of  the  Anglo-Indian  Glossary- 
say  it  is  a  term  meaning  "  Never 
mind,"  n'importe,  which  is  in- 
deed the  way  in  which  it  is 
generally  used.  It  is  also  used 
for  "anyway,"  or  "anyhow," 
and  very  often  in  an  indeter- 
minate manner. 

They  talk  all  same  they  savvy  you — they 

all  can  do,  maskee, 
Such  facey  man  in  allo-tim  my  nevva  hab 

look-see. 
My    tinkee    muchee    culio  —  he    alio   be 

China-man, 
But  alio  hab  he  head  cut  off,  and  holdee 

in  he  han'. 
— The  Ballad  of  Captain  Brown. 

That  mightey-time  being  chop-chop, 
One  young  man  walkey,  no  can  stop, 
Maskee  snow,  maskee  ice, 
He  cally  flag  wit'  chop  so  nice, 
Top-side  galow  ! 

— "Excelsior"  in  Pidgin. 

Maskin  (old  cant),  coal. 

Mason's  maund  (old  cant),  sham 
sore,  counterfeiting  a  broken 
arm  by  a  fall  from  scaffolding. 

Masoner  (old  cant),  explained  by 
quotation. 

Masoners  are  a  set  of  people  that  give 
paper  for  goods.  There  are  generally 
three  or  four  of  them  that  go  to  a  fair  or 
market  together,  where  one  appears  like  a 
farmer  or  grazier,  and  the  other  two  as 
vouchers.— The  Discoveries  of  J.  Poulter 
alias  Baxter. 

Masse-stapler  (old  cant),  a  rogue 
disguised  as  a  woman. 


Ma-ta  (pidgin),  mother. 

"  Ma-ta  hab  got  one-piecee  chilo.  Joss- 
pidgin-man  hab  makee  dat  chilo  Clistun 
(Christian)." 

Matches  (Stock  Exchange),  Bry- 
ant &  May  Shares.  (American 
cadet),  a  stripling  of  a  youth. 
A  tall  lanky  cadet  will  often 
be  accosted  with  "  Hulloa, 
Matches ! " 

Matching1  for  keeps  (American), 
matching  coins  or  marbles,  odd 
or  even,  &c,  with  the  condition 
that  the  money  won  is  to  be 
kept. 

Ever  since  that  time  he  has  been  work- 
ing industriously,  accumulating  wealth  and 
fame,  and  gliding  swiftly  for  office,  office 
of  all  kinds,  and  abstaining  scornfully  from 
juggling  with  such  youthful  pranks  as 
■matching  for  keeps.  All  his  leisure  time 
was  spent  in  the  exhilarating  sprint  for 
fame. — Daily  Inter-Ocean. 

Matriarchs  (American),  old  dow- 
agers. The  analogy  between 
this  word  and  patriarchs  is  ob- 
vious. 

Matspeak  (church),  sixpence  from 
every  one  for  the  seats  in  the 
cathedraL 

Mauks  (popular),  a  term  of  oppro- 
brium for  a  woman  among  the 
lower  classes,  a  prostitute. 
Provincial,  mawks,  a  slattern. 

Mauld  (popular),  very  drunk.  Old 
provincial,  mauled  up,  tired  and 
dirty. 


Mauley   (pugilists),    fist, 
"mawlers,"  "mawleys." 


Also 


48 


Mauleys — Mean. 


Professor  Sloggins,  the  eminent  artist 
with  the  mauleys,  will  deliver  a  series  of 
instructive  experiences. — Sporting  Times. 

Also  a  signature. 

Mauleys,  handy  with  his  (pugi- 
listic), clever  at  boxing. 

"  Now,"  said  the  Corinthian,  "  we  shall 
see  whether  this  supposed  '  slogger '  is  as 
handy  with  his  mauleys  as  my  old  friend 
Mr.  Jackson." — Punch. 

Maunder  (old  cant),  a  beggar,  a 
tramp. 

Nor  will  any  go  to  law, 
With  a  maunder  for  a  straw, 
All  which  happiness,  he  brags, 
Is  only  owing  to  his  rags. 
— History  of  Bampfylde-Moore 
Carew. 

From  maund,  a  basket,  as 
beg  from  bag.  Eeference  to  a 
basket  occurs  in  several  cant 
terms  used  by  the  mendicant 
tribe,  as  bawdy  basket,  ballad 
basket.  Webster  gives  maunder, 
to  beg,  from  the  French  mendier; 
in  German  cant  mumsen. 

Maundring  broth  (old  cant),  a 
scolding. 

Mavorick  (West  American),  an 
unbranded  motherless  calf. 

Nowadays  you  don't  dare  to  clap  a 
brand  on  a  mavorick  even ;  and  if  they 
catch  you  altering  a  brand — hell !  that's  a 
penitentiary  job. — F.  Francis:  Saddle 
and  Moccasin. 

Maw  (popular),  mouth. 

Mawworm  (common),  a  hypo- 
crite. From  Bickerstaff  s  play 
of  the  "Hypocrite"  (Hotten). 


Max  (popular  and  thieves),  gin  ; 
said  to  be  an  abbreviation  of 
"maxime,"  meaning  properly 
the  best  gin. 

I  bes'  the  cove — the  merry  old  cove. 

Of  whose  max  all  the  rufflers  sing  ; 
And  a  lushing  cove,  I  think,  by  Jove, 
Is  as  great  as  a  sober  king  1 

—Lytton :  Paul  Clifford. 
But  ere  they  could  perform  this  pious  duty. 
The  dying  man  cried,  "Hold!    I've  got 
my  gruel  ! 
Oh  !  for  a  glass  of  max  !  " 

— Byron:  Don  Juan. 

Max  it,  to  (American  cadet),  to 
say  one's  recitation  with  readi- 
ness and  style.  From  maxime. 
Sometimes    "to    make  a  cold 


Mazarine  (popular),  a  common 
councilman,  from  his  wearing  a 
mazarine  blue  cloak. 

I  had  procured  a  ticket  through  the 

interest  of  Mr. ,  who  was  one  of  the 

committee  for  managing  the  entertainment, 
and  a  mazarine. — Annual  Register. 

M.B.  waistcoat,  a  name  said 
to  have  been  invented  by  an 
Oxford  tailor  for  the  cassock- 
waistcoat  which  the  clergy 
began  to  wear  in  the  earlier 
days  of  the  Tractarian  move- 
ment. It  meant  Mark-of-the- 
Beast  waistcoat. 

Mealer,  in  temperance  lingo,  is 
a  partial  abstainer  who  pledges 
himself  to  drink  intoxicating 
liquor  only  at  his  meals. 

Mean  (American).  The  word  is 
most  peculiar  in  its  application 
to  bad  quality. 


Mean — Mem-sahib. 


49 


The  night  was  dark  and  stormy,  about 
as  mean  a  night  as  was  ever  experienced 
in  Washington. — Philadelphia  Post. 

(West    American),     inferior, 
savage. 

There  ain't  a  drop  of  mean  blood  in 
him.— F.  Francis :  Saddle  and  Moccasin.        Medico  (common),  physician. 


Medicine- Joss  (pidgin),  the  god 
of  medicine,  Joh-TJong. 

No  hab  got  Joh-Uong-ChO-Su,  he  Me- 
dicine-Joss outside  China-side. — Captain 
Jones  and  his  Medicine  Chest. 


Meant  (turf),  short  for  meant  to 
win. 

Mean  -white,  formerly  a  term  of 
contempt  among  negroes  for 
white  men  without  landed  pro- 
perty (Hotten). 

Measly  (popular),  mean,  miser- 
able-looking. 

Measured  for  a  funeral  sermon, 
to  be  (American),  to  be  near 
death's  door.  The  allusion  is 
obvious. 

He  had  been  measured  for  a  funeral 
sermon  three  times,  he  said,  and  had 
never  used  either  one  of  them.  He  knew 
a  clergyman  named  Braley  who  went  up 
into  that  region  with  Bright's  justly  cele- 
brated disease. — New  York  Mercury. 

Meat  and  drink  (West  Indian),  a 
swizzle  or  cocktail,  in  which  an 
egg — both  white  and  yolk — is 
beaten  up. 

Med.  (medical  students), an  abbre- 
viation of  medical  student. 

Common  cads,  who,  it  is  well  known, 
describe  themselves  as  Meds.  when  in 
a  scrape.— Sporting  Times. 

Medes  and  Persians  (Winchester 
College),  jumping  on  another 
"  man  "  when  he  is  in  bed. 

Medical  Greek,  the  slang  used 
by    medical    students    at    the 
hospitals. 
VOL  II. 


"  Give  him,"  said  the  worthy  medico, 
"plenty  of  champagne  and  oysters."  A 
week  or  so  passed  by  and  the  doctor  looked 
in  agajn,  finding  his  patient  considerably 
better.  He  said  to  the  wife,  "  I  sup- 
pose you've  been  following  my  advice?" 
"  Well,"  she  replied,  "  we're  not  very  well 
off.  Can't  afford  much  in  the  way  of 
champagne  and  oysters,  but  I've  done  the 
best  I  could  for  him  with  gin  and  cockles." 
— Bird  <?'  Freedom. 

Megs  (Stock  Exchange),  Mexican 
Railway  ist  Preference  Stock. 
(Old  cant),  guineas. 

Mei-le-kween-kwok  (pidgin,  Can- 
ton), American,  'Melican. 

Melt,  to  (old  cant),  to  spend 
money. 

Melthog  (tinker),  under  or  inner 
shirt. 

Melton  (tailors),  dry  bread.  A 
reference  to  Melton  cloth. 

Member-mug  (old  cant),  a  cham- 
ber-pot. 

Mem-sahib  (Anglo -Indian),  the 
(English)  lady  head  of  a  family. 
Ma'am,  madam. 

"This  singular  example  of  a 
hybrid  term  is  the  usual  re- 
spectful designation  of  an  Euro- 
pean married  lady  in  the  Ben- 
gal Presidency"  (Anglo-Indian 
Glossary). 

D 


5o 


Menagerie — Mew-  mew. 


\ 


Menagerie,  the  (theatrical),  the 
orchestra.  So  called  from  the 
infernal  discord  occasioned  by 
the  tuning  of  instruments. 

Menavelings,  odd  money  remain- 
ing after  the  daily  accounts  are 
made  up  at  railway  booking- 
offices.  Menavelings  is  properly 
applied  to  very  small  sums, 
as  pence  or  sixpences.  From 
menave,  an  old  provincial  word 
for  a  minnow,  as  if  the  money 
were  small  fry,  and  perhaps 
because  all  is  fish  that  comes 
to  certain  nets. 

Mend  fences,  to  (American),  to 
mend  or  repair  fences  for  a  man 
is  to  attend  to  his  interests.  A 
story  of  a  political  agent  for  a 
man  who  was  candidate  for  the 
governorship  of  Rhode  Island, 
and  who  succeeded  in  dexter- 
ously obtaining  the  vote  of  a 
community  by  paying  for  the 
restoration  of  their  place  of 
worship,  is  described  in  a 
Western  newspaper  as  "A  ju- 
dicious emissary — how  he  re- 
paired fences  both  of  the  church 
and  his  candidate." 


Men  on  the  fence. 

EES. 


Vide  Float - 


Mephisto  (tailors),  the  foreman. 

Merkin,  hair  on  the  pud.  mulieb., 
the  p.  m.  itself.  In  American 
thieves'  slang,  also  hair  dye. 
Hotten  says  that  merkin  origin- 
ally meant  false  hair  for  a 
woman's  privities.      The  word 


occurs  in  the  poetical  works  of 
the  Earl  of  Rochester. 

Mess  (army  and  navy),  to  lose 
the  number  of  one's  mess,  to  die. 

Mess,  to  (popular),  to  play  with 
a  woman  lewdly,  to  interfere 
unduly.  Costermongers,  says 
Hotten,  refer  to  police  super- 
vision as  "  messing." 

Mesty,  mustee,  mestez  (Anglo- 
Indian),  a  half-caste. 

Metallician  (turf),  a  racing  book- 
maker. Bookmakers  use  metal- 
lic books  and  pencils  (Hotten). 
Little  used  now. 

Metal  rule  ( )  (printers).    This 

is  a  polite  way  of  expressing  a 
vulgar  word  or  oath.    Meted  rule 

in  speech,  and  " "  in  print 

would  be  used.  Thus  a  man  in 
irritation  would  say,  "You  be 
metal-ruled." 

M  e  t  s  (American).  In  sporting 
circles  the  members  of  the 
Metropolitan  or  New  York  base- 
ball club  are  called  Mets.  The 
term  is  extending,  so  that  pro- 
bably ere  long  a  New  Yorker 
will  be  generally  known  as  a 
Met.  (Stock  Exchange),  Metro- 
politan Railway  Ordinary  Stock 

Met,  the,  common  abbreviation 
among  East-enders  for  the  Met- 
ropolitan Music  Hall. 

Mew-mew  (tailors),  a  derisive 
ejaculation  meaning  tell  it  to 
some  one  else,  "tell  that  to  the 
marines." 


I 

Mia-mia — Miesli. 


51 


Mia-mia  (up-country  Australian), 
a  bed,  pronounced  my-my,  rest. 
Mia-mia  or  gunyah  is  the  hut 
the  Australian  blackfellow  con- 
structs for  himself  by  making  a 
sloping  screen  of  leafy  branches. 
It  has  passed  into  white  men's 
slang.  Australians  say,  "  I'm 
going  to  my  mia-mia,"  meaning 
"I'm  going  to  bed"  or  "going 
to  rest." 

Within  our  leafy  mia-mia  then  we  crept, 
And  ere  a  man  could  fifty  count  we  slept. 
— Keighley  Goodchild :  On  the 
Tramp. 

Mickey  (American),  a  common 
word  for  an  Irishman,  the  same 
as  Paddy. 

Micky  (up-country  Australian),  a 
term  for  a  wild  bull,  said  to 
have  originated  in  Gippsland, 
Victoria.  Probably  from  the 
association  of  bulls  with  Mickey  s 
or  Irishmen.  Micky,  by  the 
way,  has  nothing  in  common 
with  Michael,  as  generally  sup- 
posed, but  is  derived  from  mike, 
which  see. 

The  rope  after  passing  through  two  or 
three  pulleys  is  fastened  round  the  barrel 
of  a  windlass  outside.  It  tightens  the 
micky,  feels  the  strain,  and  gives  a  great 
leap. — A.  C.  Grant. 

Middies  (Stock  Exchange),  Mid- 
land Railway  Ordinary  Stock. 
Middy  is  a  common  term  for  a 
midshipman. 

Middle,  an  old  cant  term  for 
finger.  Vide  Breton's  "  Court 
and  Country, "  1 6 1 8.  ( Popular) , 
the  pud.  fern.,  whence  the  say- 
ings,  "virtus    non    semper    in 


medio,"  "in  medio  feminae  et 
pisces  sunt  meliores."  "  Virtus 
in  medio,  as  the  devil  said  when 
he  coupled  with  a  harlot." 

Middleman  (thieves),  explained 
by  quotation. 

And  what  is  worse,  there  doesn't  seem 
to  be  any  middleman  in  these  degenerate 
days,  who  can  get  stolen  property  back  for 
you,  as  in  days  of  yore. — Birdjf  Freedom. 

(Tailors),  the  immediate  em- 
ployer of  workmen,  who  con- 
tracts for  others. 

.  .  .  The  hot  haste  with  which  they 
were  stitching  away,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
earn  at  the  rate  of  a  shilling  a  day  of  the 
middleman,  who  paid  them  the  magni- 
ficent sum  of  sevenpence  for  making  a  pair 
of  gentleman's  trousers. — ■/.  Greenwood: 
Shadows  on  the  Blind. 

Middle  pie  (popular),  the  stomach. 

Middling'  (tailors),  I  don't  think 
so,  I  don't  believe  what  you  say. 

Midgic  (tinker),  a  shilling. 

Miesli,  misli  (tinker),  to  go,  to 
come,  to  send.  The  origin  of 
"  mizzle,"  begone.  It  is  not 
generally,  or  in  fact  at  all, 
known  how  extensively  Shelta 
is  understood  among  vagrants 
even  in  London.  It  has  probably 
been  the  medium  by  which 
many  Celtic  words  have  passed 
into  English.  Midi  means  in 
Shelta  not  only  to  go,  but  to 
transfer  by  going  or  transit, 
hence  to  send,  and  also  to  send 
a  message  or  write.  E.g.,  "  Midi 
to  my  bewer,"  write  to  my 
woman,  or  wife;  "My  deal  is 


52 


Mike— Mill. 


mislin  to  krady  in  the  kiena," 
I  am  going  to  stay  in  the 
house.    Also  to  rain. 

Mike  (tailors),  to  do  a  mike,  to 
pretend  to  be  working  or  hang 
about.  The  term  is  also  used 
as  a  verb.  A  corruption  of  old 
English  mich  (still  used  by 
printers),  to  skulk  or  shirk 
work. 

Mild  (common),  inferior,  applied 
to  a  feeble  attempt.  Vide 
Deaw  it  Mild. 

Mild  bloater  (popular),  weak 
young  man  who  has  pretensions 
to  being  horsey. 

Miles'  boy  (tailors),  a  very  know- 
ing lad  in  receipt  of  much  in- 
formation. 

Miles'  boy  is  spotted  (common), 
a  saying  addressed  to  any  one 
in  a  printing-office  who  begins 
to  spin  a  yarn.  "Miles' boy" 
was  a  young  gentleman  at- 
tached to  the  last  coach  which 
started  from  Hampstead,  and 
was  celebrated  for  his  faculty 
of  diverting  the  passengers  with 
anecdotes  and  tales.  Miles'  boy 
is  spotted,  we  know  all  about 
Miles'  boy. 

Milestonemonger  (common),  one 
who  likes  roaming,  a  tramp. 

Of  all  men  I  should  be  the  last  to  utter 
a  harsh  word  against  the  most  inveterate 
milestonemonger  that  ever  fled  from  his 
family  to  enjoy  the  sweets  of  freedom. — /. 
Greenwood :  Tag,  Rag  <Sr>  Co. 


Mile,  to  (society),  to  ride  on  the 
Ladies'  Mile  in  Hyde  Park. 

At  six  o'clock  within  the  Park, 
Midst  beauty,  rank,  and  style, 
I  canter  on  my  bonny  bay, 
Adown  the  Ladies'  Mile. 
I  mile — I  mile — 
When  riding  down  the  Mile. 
—Ballad:  The  Ladies  Milt. 

Milk  hole  (Winchester),  the  hole 
formed  by  the  rush  of  water 
through  lock1  gates. 

Milk  horse  (racing),  a  horse  en- 
tered at  a  race  to  make  money 
on,  and  always  scratched  before 
the  affair  comes  off.  Vide  To 
Milk. 

Milk  shake  (American),  explained 
by  quotation. 

The  latest  craze  in  New  York  is  the  use 
of  milk  in  numerous  ways,  and  the  dairy 
trade  is  enjoying  a  boom  in  consequence. 
The  greatest  calls  for  the  lacteal  fluid  are 
from  physicians  and  their  patients,  and 
from  saloons  and  drug  stores,  where  the 
milk  shake  has  become  a  favourite  beve- 
rage.— Snorting  Times. 

Milk,  to  (popular),  to  bleed, 
to  obtain  money  from  by  coax- 
ing, &c.  (Turf),  to  lay  against 
a  horse  fraudulently,  i.e.,  when 
the  bettor  has  full  knowledge 
that  the  horse  is  not  meant  to 
win,  or  has  the  power  and  in- 
tention of  preventing  him  from 
so  doing. 

Milky  ones  (popular),  white  linen 
rags. 

Mill  (popular  and  thieves),  the 
treadmill. 


Mill — Miller. 


53 


Was  you  never  on  the  mill  ? — Dickens  : 
Oliver  Twist. 

(Common),  a  fight. 

Quite  cautiously  the  mill  began, 
For  neither  knew  the  other's  plan. 
— Aittsworth:  Rookwood. 

The  Mill  was  the  old  Insolvent 
Debtors'  Court. 

Mill,  to  (popular),  to  fight;  to 
pound  with  the  fists,  as  beat- 
ing corn  with  a  stone. 

My  Lord  related  all  his  feats  in  London 
.  .  .  how  he  had  milled  a  policeman. — 
Thackeray :  Shabby-Genteel  Story. 

From  mall,  to  hammer,  stamp 
or  beat  ;  tnalle,  a  hammer  ; 
Latin  malleus  ;  Aryan  root  mar. 
(Thieves  and  vagabonds),  to  kill, 
as  "  to  mill  a  bleating  cheate," 
to  kill  a  sheep. 

Mill  a  ken,  to  (thieves),  to  com- 
mit burglary. 

To  mill  each  ken  let  Cove  bing  then, 

Through  Ruffmans,  Jague,  or  Laund. 

—  The  English  Rogue  described  in  the 

Life  of  Meriton  Latroon. 

Also  to  steal.  Probably  the  old 
gypsy  mill  or  miller,  to  convey 
away,  to  take.  "Old  Ruffler  mill 
the  quire-cuffin,"  i.e.,  the  devil 
take  the  Justice  of  the  Peace. 

Mill-clapper  (old  cant),  a  woman's 
tongue. 

Milled  (thieves),  a  reference  to 
the  treadmill. 

1  shouldn't  have  been  milled,  if  it  hadn't 
been  for  her  advice  .  .  .  and  what's  six 
weeks  of  it  ? — Dickens :  Oliver  Twist. 

Miller  (old  cant),  a  murderer, 
housebreaker.       (Common),  to 


drown  the  miller,  is,  according 
to  Bartlett,  to  put  too  much 
water  in  the  flour  in  making 
bread,  which  he  says  is  "  doubt- 
less an  English  expression."  At 
all  events,  he  adds,  that  "putting 
the  miller's  eye  out  "  is  a  phrase 
used  when  too  much  liquid  is 
put  to  a  dry  or  powdery  sub- 
stance. As  water-mills  are  far 
more  common  in  the  United 
States  than  wind-mills,  Mr. 
Bartlett  might  easily  have  found 
an  apter  illustration  for  the 
saying  than  that  which  he  has 
adopted,  and  left  both  England 
and  the  baker  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. Thewaterissaidto"drown 
the  miller"  when  the  mill-wheels 
are  rendered  useless  for  work 
in  flood  time  by  superabundance 
of  the  fluid.  The  saying  was 
exemplified  by  the  American 
miller,  whose  wife  in  his  opinion 
was  a  great  poetess — who,  see- 
ing that  the  useful  mill-stream 
had  become  a  raging,  useless 
torrent,  looked  up  to  it,  her  eye 
in  a  fine  frenzy  rolling,  and  ex- 
claimed— 

"  This  here  water 
Comes  down  much  faster  than  it  ought 
ter  1 " 

A  gentleman  had  mixed  his  toddy,  when 
a  teetotaller  sitting  beside  him  said,  in  a 
deep  voice : 

"  There's  death  in  that  glass  1 " 

"  What  did  you  say  ?"  replied  the  other. 

"  There's  death  in  that  glass ! "  repeated 
the  cold-water  man,  in  a  still  more  sepul- 
chral tone. 

The  gentleman  looked  at  his  toddy 
inquiringly,  ladled  some  out,  sipped  it 
slowly  to  taste  it  better,  and  at  length 
said : 

"  You're  right— you're  right.     I  believe 


54 


Miller— Mill. 


I  have  drowned  the  miller"  and  at  once 
proceeded  to  strengthen  his  liquor. — 
Scraps. 

To   give   one  the   miller,  to 
engage  a  person  in  conversation 
till  a  sufficient  number  of  per- 
sons have  gathered  together  to 
set  upon  the  victim  with  stones, 
dirt,  garbage,  &c.  Vide  To  Mill. 
Generally  to  hoot  at,  to  handle 
roughly,  to  ill-treat. 
The  special  correspondent  of  the  Even- 
ing News  appears  to  have  been  brutally 
maltreated  at  Exeter.    Future  generations 
of  correspondents  will  do  well  to  reflect 
upon  his   "two  lovely  black  eyes,"  and 
to  pause  ere  working  up  ultra-sensational 
matter  about  this  city,  whose  inhabitants 
are  of  the  rough  and  ready  order.     Upon 
one   occasion    they   did   not    spare   their 
bishop— the  present  Bishop  of  London — 
who  fairly  "  got  the  miller"  whilst  address- 
ing a  meeting  at  the  Victoria  Hall. — Bird 
d  Freedom. 

Miller,  to  (old  cant),  to  rob  or 
steal.  (Gypsy),  to  convey  away, 
remove,  involving  stealing. 
Miller  in  gypsy  means  also  to 
mix,  mingle,  add  up,  count, 
colour,  adjust.  "Hindu,  milana. 
Vide  To  Mill  a  Ken. 

Milling  (popular),  fighting. 
With  Tommy  Sayers,  too,  I've  felt 
To  box  I  would  be  willing ; 
I  should  have  won  his  cups  and  belt — 
I  stand  A  i  at  milling. 

— Bill  Sykes:  The  Coiner's  Song. 

(West  America),  explained  by 
quotation. 

He  plunges  into  the  fray  with  as  much 
mastery  of  himself  as  possible,  singling  out 
the  finest-conditioned  head,  wasting  no 
balls,  and,  instead  of  keeping  the  frightened 
game  on  the  run,  executing  the  cowboy's 
device  to  check  a  stampede  of  cattle, 
namely,  milling. — H.  L.  Williams:  In 
the  Wild  Wert. 


Milling    cove    (popular),    prize- 
fighter. 

Two  milling  coves,  each  vide  avake, 
Vere  backed  to  fight  for  heavy  stake. 
— A  insworth :  Rookwood. 

Mill,    in    the    (army),    to    be    a 
prisoner  in  the  guardroom. 

Mill-ken  (old  cant),  housebreaker. 

Mr.  Wild,  with  much  solemnity,  rejoined 
"that  the  same  capacity  which  qualifies  a 
mill-ken,  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  esteems  a  more  honour- 
able calling." — Fielding:  Jonathan  Wild. 


Mill-lay  (thieves),  burglary. 
To  Mill  a  Ken. 


Vide 


Mil-mil  (Australian  bush  slang), 
see.  Mil-mil  is  a  blackfellow's 
word  that  the  whites  have  in- 
corporated into  their  slang, 
principally  in  the  pidgin-Eng- 
lish in  which  the  whites  carry 
on  their  conversation  with  the 
blacks. 

"  Here,  Mahmy,"  said  one  to  his  chief 
"  here  that  been  cut  him  head  off.  You 
mil-mil  blood." 

I  shuddered.  There,  now  that  it  was 
pointed  out  to  me,  on  the  very  stone  I  had 
sat  down  on  when  stripping  to  search  for  the 
body,  the  blood-stains  were  plain.  They 
spattered  the  dead  leaves  and  stained  the 
grass  stalks. — A .  C.  Grant :  Bush  Life  in 
Queensland. 

Mill  the  glaze,  to  (thieves),  break 
the  window.  Vide  To  Mill  a 
Ken. 

Mill  the  quod,  to  (thieves),  to 
break  away  from  jail. 


Milltog — Mingo. 


55 


Milltog  (theatrical),  a  shirt. 
From  the  tinker  mdthog. 

Millwash  (tailors),  vest  canvas. 

Mimming  mugger  (theatrical). 
From  obsolete  to  mime,  to 
mimic,  play  the  buffoon.  "  A 
buffoon,  who  attempts  to  excite 
laughter  or  derision,  by  act- 
ing or  speaking  in  the  man- 
ner of  another,  a  mean  and 
servile  imitator"  (Ogilvie).  Of 
this  class  are  the  ape-like  ani- 
mals who,  in  burlesquing  the 
strongly  marked  peculiarities 
of  eminent  artists,  hold  them 
up  to  derision  and  contempt. 
"  In  the  country  of  the  blind, 
the  one-eyed  man  is  king,"  and 
amongst  mimics,  the  monkey  is 
legitimate  monarch. 

Mind  your  eye  (popular),  take 
care. 

Mind  your  p's  and  q's  (popular), 
observe  the  details  of  etiquette. 
Of  mind  your  p's  and  q's  Mr. 
Edward  Fitzgerald,  in  the  Aus- 
tralian Printers'  Keepsake, 
writes,  "  This  advice  has  a  most 
distinct  smack  of  its  origin  and 
extraction,  and  is  now  in  gene- 
ral use  in  society  which  is  pro- 
bably unaware  of  the  source  of 
its  obligation.  Most  unmistak- 
ably it  originated  in  the  pardon- 
able confusion  with  which  a 
beginner  is  likely  to  treat 
1  characters '  so  much  alike  as 
p  and  q,  when  first  making  their 
acquaintance  in  a  reversed  form. 
It  is  a  near  relation  of  '  to  speak 


by  the  card,'  to  which  it  has  a 
preferential  claim  on  those  who 
endeavour  to  fulfil  the  cere- 
monial law  of  politeness — 
etiquette." 

Mingo  (Harvard  University),  a 
chamber-pot.  An  amusing  story 
in  this  connection  is  told  of 
Harvard.  "Many  years  ago, 
some  students  wishing  to  make 
a  present  to  their  tutor,  Mr. 
Flynt,  called  on  him,  informed 
him  of  their  intention,  and  re- 
quested him  to  select  a  gift 
which  would  be  acceptable  to 
him.  He  replied  that  he  was 
a  single  man,  that  he  already 
had  a  well-filled  library,  and  in 
reality  wanted  nothing.  The 
students,  not  at  all  satisfied  with 
this  answer,  determined  to  pre- 
sent him  with  a  silver  cham- 
ber-pot. One  was  accordingly 
made  of  the  appropriate  dimen- 
sions and  inscribed  with  these 
words : — 

"  Mingere  cum  bombis 
Res  est  saluberrima  lumbis." 

On  the  morning  of  Com- 
mencement Day  this  was  borne 
in  procession,  in  a  morocco  case, 
and  presented  to  the  tutor. 
Tradition  does  not  say  with 
what  feelings  he  received  it, 
but  it  remained  for  many  years 
at  a  room  in  Quincy,  where  he 
was  accustomed  to  spend  his 
Saturdays  and  Sundays,  and 
finally  disappeared  about  the 
beginning  of  the  Revolutionary 
War.  It  is  supposed  to  have 
been  carried  to  England. 


56 


Minor — Miss. 


Minor  (Harvard  University),  a 
water-closet.  This  term  is 
peculiar  to  Harvard  and  is  of 
classical  derivation,  from  minor, 
smaller,  "house"  being  under- 
stood. 

Minor-clergy  (popular),  young 
chimney-sweeps. 

Mint  (old  cant),  gold.  Also  a 
sanctuary  in  Southwark  for 
those  who  fled  from  their  cre- 
ditors. Hence  "  minters,"  the 
inhabitants  there. 

Misapplication.  If  the  essence 
of  slang  be  the  misuse  of 
words,  some  of  the  terms 
in  circulation  amongst  many 
journalists,  chiefly  American, 
are  slang  of  the  most  bril- 
liant type.  The  following  amus- 
ing "  Proscription,"  which  ap- 
peared in  the  Chicago  Post, 
instances  a  few  of  the  more 
glaring  examples : — 

"  Hereafter  every  reporter  in  this  office 
shall  be  personally  decapitated,  and  shall 
lose  his  situation  who  shall  be  guilty  of  the 
use  of  any  of  the  following  barbarisms  of 
language  : — Postmortemed,  for  dissected  ; 
suicided,  infanticided,  accidentated  ;  in- 
dignated,  for  got  mad ;  disremembered, 
disrecollect,  disforgot,  &c. ;  abluted,  for 
washed  himself,  herself,  or  itself,  as  the 
case  may  be;  sporn,  for  spared ;  spon- 
dulix,  for  ducats ;  catastrophed,  scrump- 
tious, recepted,  planted,  or  funerated,  for 
buried.  And  any  editor,  reporter,  corre- 
spondent, scribe,  or  dead-beat  shall,  as  an 
additional  penalty,  be  put  on  half  pay  who 
shall  write  '  on  last  evening,'  '  on  this 
morning,'  '  on  yesterday,"  or  '  on  ten 
o'clock  this  forenoon.' " 

Miserere  seats,  in  many  churches 
and  chapels  seats  so  constructed 


that  if  the  occupier  went  to 
sleep  when  sitting  on  one  of 
them  he  tumbled  off. 

Misfit  (tailors),  said  of  an  awk- 
ward man,  badly  built. 

Mish  (thieves),  a  shirt.  From 
"commission,"  which  see. 

Mish  it  them  (tinker),  hit  it  hard  ! 

Mishtopper  (thieves),  a  coat.  Vide 
Mish. 

Mislain  (tinker),  rain,  to  rain. 
Mislain  (or  miesli,  misli),  in 
the  Shelta  or  tinkers'  dialect, 
also  means  to  go.  Vide  To 
Mizzle. 

Miss  (printers).  In  printers'  par- 
lance a  miss  is  an  omission  to 
lay  on  a  sheet  in  feeding  a 
printing  machine. 

Miss  Baxter  (American),  a  person 
occasionally  referred  to  in  New 
England  in  reference  to  those 
who  are  "  too  previous,"  or  too 
prompt  in  love-making,  &c. 

There  was  a  nice  young  lady  named  Miss 

Baxter, 
Refused  a  fine  young  man  before  he  axed 

her. 

Miss  one's  figure,  to  (common), 
to  miss  a  chance,  to  make  a 
mistake. 

Miss  the  tip,  to  (circus),  to  fall 
short  of  an  order,  suggestion, 
intention,  or  object.  This  is 
used  generally  in  slang,  but  in 
exhibitions  it  has  a  special  ap- 
plication to  the  performer  not 


Missy — Mizzle. 


57 


understanding  or  catching  the 
tip  or  word  which  indicates  that 
he  must  act. 

Missy  baba  (Anglo-Indian),  a 
young  lady ;  a  term  borrowed 
from  the  natives,  baba  being 
meant  for  baby.  "Is  Miss 
Smith  at  home  ?  "  was  asked  of 
a  native  servant  by  a  visitor. 
"No,  Missy  baba  in  tub  eating 
mango,"  was  the  answer. 

Mistura  God  help  'em  (medical), 
the  title  of  an  omnium  gatherum 
of  medicines,  generally  the  col- 
lected dregs  of  several  bottles, 
said  to  have  been  given  as  a 
last  resource  on  the  off-chance 
of  some  one  of  the  many  drugs 
having  a  beneficial  (!)  effect. 
From  a  story  that  a  certain 
man  who  had  a  valuable  mare 
apparently  dying,  gave  her  all 
the  old  odds  and  ends  of  medi- 
cine in  his  garret,  labelled  "Fiat 
mistura,  God  help  and  cure 
her!"  The  mare  recovered,  but, 
"  singular  to  relate,"  every  dis- 
ease for  which  the  medicines 
were  intended  came  out  on  her 
one  after  the  other ! 
* 

Mitten  (American),  to  give  the 
mitten,  to  dismiss  as  a  lover. 
Hotten  confines  the  word  to 
Canada.  In  Germany  a  dis- 
carded suitor  is  said  to  get  a 
basket. 

Had  I  only  got  her  glove — 

Without  a  g I'd  have  her  love. 

But  the  lilting  jilting  kitten, 
Has  bestowed  on  me  a  mitten. 

—The  Sorrows  of  Sam. 


Possibly  from  the  old  custom 
of  throwing  the  glove  down  as 
a  sign  of  defiance,  or  derisively 
bestowing  a  mitten  instead  of 
a  glove  as  a  keepsake.  M.  E. 
Cobham  Brewer,  in  Notes  and 
Queries,  suggests  the  Latin  mit- 
tere,  to  send  about  your  busi- 
ness. There  is  an  obsolete  ad- 
jective mittent,  sending  forth. 
Webster  gives  the  phrase  as 
colloquial  English. 


Mittens    (pugilistic), 
gloves. 


boxinsr- 


Mivies  (popular),  landladies. 

A  lot  of  old  mivies  gone  queer  with  the 
greens. 

— Punch. 

Mizzler  or  rum  mizzler  (popu- 
lar), one  clever  at  effecting  an 
escape,  or  getting  out  of  a  diffi- 
culty.    Vide  To  Mizzle. 

Mizzle,  to  (common),  to  go  away, 
decamp,  vanish. 

"Come,  come,"  the  Saint  answer'd,  "you 

very  well  know, 
The  young  man's  no  more  his  than  your 

own  to  bestow — 
Touch  one  button  of  his  if  you  dare,  Nick — 

no !  no  1 
Cut  your  stick,  sir, — come,  mizzle!  be  off 

with  you  !  go  1 " 
The  Devil  grew  hot — "  If  I  do  I'll  be  shot ! 
An'  you  come  to  that,  Cuthbert,  I'll  tell 

you  what's  what, 
He  has  asked  us  to  dine  here,  and  go  we 

will  not  1 " 

— Jngoldsby  Legends. 

From  the  Shelta  or  tinkers' 
dialect  (Celtic),  micsli,  mislain, 
to  go.  In  the  same  tongue  needy 
mizzler,  a  tramp. 


58 


Mizzle — Moke. 


"  To  mizde — synonymous  with 
drizzle — thick,  fine,  persistent 
downfall  of  moisture  from  a 
foggy  sky.  About  George  IV., 
and  afterwards  William  IV., 
the  vulgar  punsters  of  the  time 
indulged  themselves  in  the  pun- 
ning witticisms  that  pleased  the 
unfastidious  public  of  the  time  : 
'First  they  reigned,  and  then 
they  mizzled.'  The  point  of  the 
joke  consisted  in  the  double 
meaning  of  the  word  mizzle, 
which  signifies  tOj  disappear 
silently,  to  vanishj  Thomas 
Hood  used  the  word^n  the  same 
sense." 

And  then  one  mizzling  Michael  night, 
The  lout  he  mizzled  too. 

— Laughter  from  Year  to 
Year. 

Mob  (thieves),  gang. 

Being  with  the  nice  mob  (gang)  you 
may  be  sure  what  I  learned.  I  went  out 
at  the  game  three  or  four  times  a  week, 
and  used  to  touch  almost  every  time. — 
Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

(Up-country  Australian),  a 
herd,  a  flock. 

Occasionally  they  passed  through  a  mob 
standing  on  the  roadside,  and  John  was 
greatly  amused  at  seeing  some  of  the  young 
calves  and  steers  advancing  boldly  to  them 
with  many  airs  of  assumed  anger. — A.  C. 
Grant :  Bush  Life  in  Queensland. 

(Popular),  a  young  woman,  a 
corruption  of  mab. 

Mobs  (thieves),  companions. 

Mobsman   (thieves),  pickpocket. 
Getting  obsolete. 


My  cousin's  a  fence,  with  a  crib  in  the 

Mint; 
My  sister  goes  out  with  a  mobsman  so 
smart. 

— J.  Greenwood :  A  Night  in  a 
Workhouse. 

Mockered  (common),  dirtied,  de- 
filed. Hotten  defines  this  as 
"holey,  marked  unpleasantly." 
It  is  the  gypsy  mukkado,  often 
pronounced  mockerdo,  or  mock- 
ered, meaning  smeared,  defiled, 
dirtied,  spotted,  and  sometimes 
"painted." 

Mods,  short  for  Moderations,  the 
intermediate  examination  at 
Oxford. 

Mofussil  (Anglo-Indian),  the  pro- 
vinces, or  the  country  stations 
and  districts  as  distinguished 
from  the  Presidency,  or  the 
rural  localities  of  a  district  as 
contradistinguished  from  the 
Sudder  or  chief  station.  The 
word  (Hind,  from  Arab.)  mu- 
fassal,  means  properly  "  sepa- 
rate," and  hence  provincial 
(Anglo-Indian  Glossary). 

Moging  (tailors),  telling  an  un- 
truth. 

Moisten.     Vide  Chaffer. 

Moke,  the  costermonger's  name 
for  a  donkey,  first  given  in  anger 
or  contempt,  or  as  an  objurga- 
tion to  urge  the  animal  to  go 
on  ;  but  now  more  commonly 
used  in  affection  for  the  useful 
beast.  "It  originally  signified 
a  pig,  from  the  Gaelic  muich, 
but  has  long  ceased  to  have  the 


Moke — Moll. 


59 


objectionable  meaning  among 
the  class  who  use  it."  Another 
derivation  is  from  Swedish  moka, 
quarrelsome,  obstinate,  sullen. 
Also  mocha,  dung ;  both  terms 
of  abuse. 

What  the  horse  is  to  the  predatory  Arab, 
the  donkey  is  to  the  costermonger — his 
all-in-all.  The  "  coster  "  would  sooner  sell 
his  wife  in  Smithfield,  if  the  law  would 
permit,  than  "  swap "  his  moke  at  the 
cattle  market. — Diprose :  London  Life. 

Moko,  a  name  given  by  sportsmen 
to  pheasants  killed  by  mistake 
during  September,  before  the 
pheasant-shooting  season  comes 
in.  They  pull  out  their  tails, 
and  roundly  assert  that  they 
are  no  pheasants  at  all;  but 
moTcot  (Hotten).  Moko  is  pro- 
bably from  "  mock,"  or  a 
humorous  corruption  of  macaw. 

Moles  (up-country  Australian), 
moleskin  breeches. 

Though  our  pants  are  moles,  and  appa- 
rently made 
With  the  aid  of  a  tomahawk ; 
Though   we   are    not    in   fashion's    garb 
arrayed, 
We  can  revel  in  tea  and  talk. 

—Keighley  Goodchild:  While  the 
Billy  Boils. 

Moll  (thieves),  a  girl,  woman. 

At  the  head  of  the  letter  the  following 
was  written  across  the  page  :  "  Poison 
the  moll." — Greenwood :  Seven  Curses  of 
London. 

A  female  companion,  wife,  or 
mistress. 

The  party  congratulated  him  that  his 
moll  would  be  in  good  hands. — Evening 

News. 


This  word,  from  its  resem- 
blance to  the  nickname  for 
Mary,  is  assumed  to  be  the 
same.  Compare  with  "  poll," 
"polled  up."  It  has  been  sug- 
gested that  it  owes  its  form  to 
the  gypsy  Hindu   mal,   which 

means  a  female  friend  or  ally. 

< 

Moll-sack,  a  reticule. 

Moiled  (popular),  in  company 
with  a  woman. 

Moll -hook  (thieves),  a  female 
pickpocket. 

Moll-rowing'.  Hotten  says  that 
this  means  "out  on  the  spree 
in  company  with  so-called  '  gay 
women,'  in  allusion  to  the  ama- 
tory serenadings  of  the  London 
cats."  It  may  be  derived,  and 
probably  was,  from  Moll,  and 
row,  a  noise.  There  appears  to 
have  been  also,  nearly  a  century 
ago,  a  very  noted  woman  named 
Moll  Roe,  who  is  often  alluded 
to  in  the  "fast"  literature  of  the 
time,  and  who  formed  the  sub- 
ject of  a  song;  but  whether  this 
was  not  a  pseudonym  borrowed 
from  the  term,  we  are  not  in- 
formed. 

Or  whistle  Moll  Roe  to  a  pig. 

— Iris h  Song. 

Moll-slavey  (old  cant),  maid- 
servant. 

Moll,  to,  moiling;  (common),  to 
go  with  women,  to  act  effemi- 
nately. To  coddle  up  or  cuddle. 
Dutch,  mallen,  to  play  the  fool, 
to  behave  one's  self  wantonly. 
Malloot,  a  foolish  girl  or  wench. 


6o 


Molly — Monk. 


Molly  (printers),  "  Mary."  Prac- 
tically a  blank  in  j  effing  with  the 
nine  quadrats,  when  no  nicks 
appear  uppermost  in  the  quad- 
rats thrown ;  hence  no  count. 
(London  slang),  a  young  sodom- 
ite. 

Molly  Cotton-tail  (American),  a 
she-rabbit. 

"  Which  of  the  girls  did  the  Rabbit 
marry  ?  "  asked  the  little  boy  dubiously. 

"  I  did  year  tell  un  'er  name,"  replied  the 
old  man,  with  a  great  affectation  of  interest, 
"  but  look  like  I  done  gone  en  fergit  it  off 'n 
my  mine.  Ef  I  don't  disremember,"  he 
continued,  "hit  wuz  Miss  Molly  Cotton- 
tail, en  I  speck  we  better  let  it  go  at  dat." 
—  Uncle  Remits. 

Molocher  (popular),  a  cheap  hat. 

Molo-man  (pidgin),  i.e.,  moro,  a 
Moor,  a  negro. 

Molto  cattivo  (circus,  theatre, 
Punch  and  Judy,  &c),  very  bad, 
doing  badly. 

Molungeon  (American).  Mr. 
Henry  A.  Wise  once  said,  in  the 
Legislature  of  Virginia,  that  a 
mulatto  was  the  offspring  of 
the  young  gentleman  heir-appa- 
rent of  an  estate  with  one  of 
the  family  or  house  servants, 
but  that  the  child  of  a  female 
field-labourer  by  a  Yankee  pedlar 
was  a  molungeon. 

Monarch  (popular  and  thieves), 
a  man's  signature  or  name. 
Literally  the  king,  number  one. 
Evidently  a  term  suggested  by 
exalted  ideas  of  one's  self-im- 
portance.    This  explanation  is 


supported  by  the  Italian  cant 
term  monarco,  signifying  I,  my- 
self, which  has  given  the  French 
monarque,  same  meaning.  Also 
montagna,  mia  madre. 

Mondayish  (popular),  disinclined 
for  work,  Monday  being  a  day 
for  amusement  among  workmen. 
(Clerical),  used  up,  tired.  A 
phrase  that  has  its  origin  in 
the  clergyman's  supposed  state 
of  fatigue  on  Monday,  after  the 
work  of  Sunday. 

Moniker,  monacher  (popular, 
thieves,  and  tinker),  a  man's 
signature  or  name.  A  corrup- 
tion of  "  monarch,"  which  see. 

When  the  "  box-man  "  reached  out  the 
tools,  the  new  comer  seized  a  pick-axe, 
which  was  immediately  claimed  by  another 
man.  The  new  arrival  quietly  said, 
"There's  my  moniker  upon  it." — Evening 
Ne%vs. 

Monk  (printers).  Mr.  Edward 
Fitzgerald,  in  "  The  Australian 
Printers'  Keepsake,"  writes: — 
1 '  Sometimes  a  monk  is  the  object 
of  solicitude,  an  unsightly  black- 
ness caused  by '  furniture  'show- 
ing, or  undistributed  ink.  It  is 
a  saying  manifestly  originating 
with  the  venerable  Caxton  him- 
self, and  evidently  alluding  to 
the  unwelcome  intrusion  of  the 
gentlemen  of  the  Scriptorium, 
near  which  portion  of  West- 
minster Abbey  Caxton  com- 
menced his  English  labours." 
Monk  is  also  applied  to  a  proof 
which  is  too  black,  and  "  friar  " 
when  it  is  too  light  or  grey. 


Monkery — Monkey. 


6! 


From  the  respective  colours  of 
their  garments.     Vide  Feiae. 

(American),  abbreviation  of 
monkeying,  trifling  with.  Vide 
To  Monkey. 

Monkery  (tinker),  the  country. 
Adopted  into  common  canting, 
and  used  especially  by  Punch 
and  Judy  men,  itinerants,  &c. 

Monkey  (turf),  five  hundred 
pounds.  The  cry  not  unfre- 
quently  heard  in  the  ring  of 
"The  field  a  monkey"  means 
that  the  layer  is  willing  to  bet 
500  even  against  any  one  horse 
in  the  race. 

Later  on  400  to  500  was  accepted,  and 
finally  seven  monkeys. — Sporting  Times. 

(Common),  to  get  one's  mon- 
key up,  to  rouse  his  anger. 
Hotten  says  "  a  man  is  said 
to  have  the  monkey  up,  or  the 
monkey  on  his  back,  when  he 
is  out  of  temper."  Probably  in 
allusion  originally  to  the  evil 
spirit  which  was  supposed  to 
be  always  present  with  a  man. 
A  variant  in  some  parts  is  "to 
stroke  the  black  dog  down." 
.fl/o«Jfcey-board,  the  step  behind 
an  omnibus  on  which  the  con- 
ductor stands.  (Legal),  monkey 
with  a  long  tail,  a  mortgage. 
(Popular),  a  short  jacket,  a  hod 
for  mortar  or  bricks. 

'Pon  roe  sow],  I  was  sick,  sore,  and 
tired  of  goin'  up  and  down  the  latther 
wid  that  ould  monkey  on  me  shoulder. — 
T.  Browne :  Gilligan's  on  the  Spree. 

(Nautical),  the  vessel  in  which 
a  mess  receives  its  allowance  of 


grog.     Sucking  the  monkey,  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

"  Do  you  know  what  sucking  the  mon- 
key means?"  "No,  sir."  "Well,  then, 
I'll  tell  you ;  it's  a  term  used  among  sea- 
men for  drinking  rum  out  of  cocoa-nuts, 
the  milk  having  been  poured  out,  and  the 
liquor  substituted."  —  Marryat  :  Peter 
Simple. 

Also  drinking  generally,  or 
abstracting  liquor  from  a  cask 
by  sucking  with  a  straw. 

Her  late  lamented  was  only  a  low  cus- 
toms' officer,  who  had  been  bowled  out 
sucking  the  monkey. — Sporting  Times. 

Monkey  catcher  (West  Indian). 
Amongst  the  Jamaican  negroes 
this  signifies  a  cute,  shrewd, 
and  level-headed  individual — 
one  not  too  scrupulous  in  his 
methods,  and  who  adds  a  spice 
of  cunning  to  his  cleverness. 
If  a  piece  of  work,  or  any 
matter  requires  special  care 
and  attention  in  its  execution, 
they  say,  "  Softly  catch  monkey," 
meaning,  take  care,  exercise 
tact,  don't  go  blundering,  that 
matter  requires  finesse  and 
judgment  to  carry  it  through. 
Looked  at  in  any  light,  the 
phrase  is  a  curious  one.  In 
the  first  place,  it  is  a  good 
illustration  of  a  certain  rough 
and  elementary  shrewdness  in 
the  negro  character ;  and  fur- 
ther, is  an  example  of  the  hold 
which  the  memory  of  African 
life  still  retains  upon  them,  in- 
asmuch as  there  are  no  mon- 
keys indigenous  to  Jamaica, 
and  the  phrase  is  most  likely 
of  African  origin. 


62 


Monkey — Mooch . 


Monkey  on  one's  back,  to  get  a 

(popular),  to  get  out  of  temper. 

Monkeys  (printers),  another  ex- 
pression used  by  pressmen  to 
denote  a  compositor  by  way 
of  retaliation  for  calling  tbem 
"  pigs." 

Monkey  shines  (popular),  eccen- 
tricities, queer  actions. 
How  can  human  beings  be  guilty  of  such 

monkey  shines. — Detroit  Free  Press. 

Monkey,  to  (American),  to  play 
tricks,  to  trifle,  to  fool  with,  to 
tamper  with,  obviously  from  the 
mischievousness  and  trickiness 
of  these  animals. 

It  had  on  it,  "  Please  don't  monkey  with 
this  Indian-rubber  trunk.  It  has  loaded 
guns  and  pistols,  and  it  won't  stand  any 
monk." — New  York  Mercury. 

Also  to  make,  effect,  execute 
in  any  way.  Used  jestingly  or 
sarcastically. 

Andrew  Jones  he  wuz  er  artis' 

On  he  high  an  lofty  scale, 
Fo'  he  monkeyed  wid  de  ceilin' 
An'  de  white-wash  brush  an'  pail. 
—S.  Keller. 
"  Wall,  old  hoss,"  I  says  to  Meissonier, 
"  how  much  do  you  git  a  squar'  yard  fer 
monkeyin'  such  a  pictur  as  thet  ar'?" — 
The  Hoosier  in  Europe. 

Monopolises  the  macaroon 

(masher),  a  new  way  of  saying 
it  takes  the  cake. 

"  Devilish  fine  gal,  deah  boy." 
"  Yaas,  quite  takes  the  cake,  Cholly." 
"  Bah  Jove,  yass,  monopolises  the  maca- 
roon,  don't  cher  know."  —  Conversation 
Overheard  in  a  Theatre. 

Mon.  os.  (Westminster  School), 
abbreviation    of    monitor    ostii, 


the  Queen's  scholar  of  the 
second  election,  who  announces 
the  hour  in  Latin  at  the  close 
of  school. 

M  o  n  s  (Winchester  College). 
From  the  Latin  mons,  a  moun- 
tain, a  heap  or  crowd,  a  pile  of 
anything. 

Month  (city),  "a  bad  attack  of 
the  end  of  the  month,"  in  the 
city,  is  to  have  run  through 
one's  funds  about  the  20th, 
and  to  have  to  borrow  for  the 
remaining  ten  days. 

Mooch  (common),  the  robbers' 
mooch  is  that  peculiar  well- 
known  step  or  striding  walk 
of  the  brigand  or  bravo  in  a 
melodrama.  On  the  mooch,  vide 
To  Mooch. 

Mooch,  mouch,  to  (general),  to 
sponge,  to  slink  away  and  allow 
others  to  pay  for  your  entertain- 
ment, to  look  out  for  any  articles 
or  circumstances  which  may  be 
turned  to  a  profitable  account ; 
also  for  scraps  of  food,  old 
clothes,  watching  in  the  streets 
for  odd  jobs,  horses  to  hold. 
Loafing  about  in  quest  of  any- 
thing that  may  turn  up  in  the 
shape  of  amusement,  strolling 
about  to  look  at  the  girls. 
Also  begging,  explained  by  quo- 
tations. 

He  may  while  away  the  tedium  of  the 
tramp  by  mooching'.  Mooching"  is  the  art 
of  getting  what  things  you  want  to  eat  at 
different  houses.  A  successful  moocher 
must  be  a  man  of  some  imagination  who 
can  not  only  lie,  but  lie  in  a  logical  and 


Mooch — Moonshee. 


63 


plausible  manner ;  that  is  not  to  be  caught 
by  the  most  rigid  cross-examination. — 
Detroit  Free  Press. 

Here  I  assume  the  proper  mouching 
pose — stoop  my  head,  bend  my  shoulders, 
...  to  look  at,  I  am  the  incarnation  of  all 
that  is  forlorn  ;  and  I  tell  you  I  cannot  get 
to  the  end  of  Bishopsgate  Street  without 
being  stopped  by  a  dozen  people,  all  of 
whom  thrust  something  into  my  hand. — 
Thar  Fredur :  Sketches  from  Shady 
Places. 

To  mooch  is  from  old  English 
mooch,  mich,  to  creep  softly 
about,  to  skulk,  stroll,  idle 
about,  pick  while  strolling. 

Moocher,  moucher  (popular),  a 
street  thief,  a  beggar. 

My  friend,  the  tramp,  admitted  with 
some  excusable  pride  that  he  was  con- 
sidered in  the  profession  a  successful 
moocher. — Detroit  Free  Press. 

Also  one  who  "sponges"  on 
acquaintances ;  one  who  slinks 
away  and  allows  others  to  pay 
for  his  drink. 

Moochy  (Anglo-Indian),  a  man 
who  works  in  leather  in  any 
way.  The  name  of  a  low  caste. 
Hindu,  mochi.  In  English 
gypsy,  leather  is  called  morchea 
or  mortchy. 

Moolvee  (Anglo-Indian),  a  judge 
or  doctor  of  the  law.  Arabic 
tnaulavi,  from  the  same  root  as 
muUa  (Anglo-Indian  Glossary). 

A  pundit  in  Bengal  or  tnolavee 
May  daily  see  a  carcase  burn  ; 

But  you  can't  furnish,  for  the  soul  of  ye, 
A  dirge  sans  ashes  and  an  urn  ? 

— A''.  B.  Halhed:  Anglo-Indian  Glossary. 

Moon  (thieves),  a  month  or 
month's  imprisonment. 


They  ask  the  reeler  if  I  was  known,  and 
he  said  no,  so  I  was  sent  to  Maidstone 
Street  (prison)  for  two  moon. — Horsley : 
Jottings  from  Jail. 

Moonack  (West  Indian),  pro- 
bably of  African  origin.  A 
mythical  animal  known  to  neg- 
roes only.  To  meet  it,  is  to  be 
doomed  to  madness  or  sorce 
lingering  disease. 

Moon-curser  (old  cant),  a  link- 
boy  or  one  that  under  colour 
of  lighting  people  robs  them. 
Also  termed  a  "  glim- jack." 

Mooney  (nautical),  not  quite  in- 
toxicated, but  sufficiently  so  to 
be  unfit  for  duty. 

Moonlight  (American  University) , 
to  make  a  rush  for  moonlight 
is  to  attempt  to  get  the  prize 
for  elocution. 

Moonlight  flitting  (common), 
leaving  a  house  by  night  to 
avoid  paying  the  rent.  Vide 
Flt-by-Night. 

Moonlighters  (common),  men  in 
Ireland  who  carry  out  sentences 
of  secret  societies  against  in- 
dividuals and  perform  their 
work  of  violence  by  night. 

The  road  on  either  side  is  bounded  with 
a  low  wall  composed  of  ragged  little  slabs 
of  stone,  loosely  laid  and  loopholed  to  an 
extent  that  would  delight  the  heart  of  an 
Irish  moonlighter.— J.  Greenwood:  Tag, 
Rag,  &  Co. 

Mo  on -rakers  (nautical),  sails 
above  the  sky-sails. 

Moonshee  (Anglo-Indian),  a  secre- 
tary, a  reader,  an  interpreter,  a 


64 


Moonshce — Moppy. 


writer.  It  is  commonly  applied 
by  Europeans  specifically  to  a 
native  teacher  of  languages, 
i.e.,  Arabic,  Persian,  and  Urdu. 

Its  authenticity  was  fully  proved  by  a 
Persian  moonshee,  who  translated. — Mill: 
History. 

Moonshine  (common),  decep- 
tion, nonsense,  humbug.  (Old), 
gilded  moonshine,  sham  bills  of 
exchange. 

Moonshiner  (American),  a  smug- 
gler, illicit  distiller. 

As  both  brothers  had  now  escaped  to  the 
mountains,  which  are  filled  with  moon- 
shiners, it  was  thought  that  the  Burrows 
had  made  good  their  escape. — Chicago 
Inter  Ocean. 

Moonshiny  (common),  deceptive. 

The  National  publishes  an  extraor- 
dinary, and,  of  course,  a  very  moonshiny 
summary  of  General  Boulanger's  pro- 
gramme as  confided  by  the  deputy  for  the 
Nord  to  a  friend  on  Sunday  night. — 
Sporting  Times. 

Moose-face  (American  thieves),  a 
rich,  ugly-faced  man. 

Mop  (common),  an  habitual  drun- 
kard. From  an  obvious  meta- 
phor. On  the  mop,  continu- 
ally drinking.  It  may  be  inte- 
resting to  remark  that  mop  in 
its  proper  sense  is  from  old 
French  mappe,  Latin  mappa,  a 
napkin.  "  Some  suppose  mop 
to  be  of  Celtic  origin,  as  we 
have  Welsh  mopa  and  mop,  Irish 
moipal  i  but  it  is  probable  that 
these  are  from  the  English " 
(Skeat).  It  may  be  added  that 
there  are  a  great  many  Celtic 
words  which  have  Aryan  roots, 


and,  of  course,  a  resemblance  to 
Saxon  or  English. 

Moper  (popular),  a  deserter. 
From  mope,  a  spiritless  person. 

Mopped  the  floor  (American),  a 
common  slang  phrase,  signifying 
that  one  man  has  thrashed  an- 
other so  completely  as  to  have 
taken  him  like  a  broom  or  a 
mop,  and  swept  or  cleaned  the 
floor  with  him.  In  speaking  of 
Charles  A.  Dana,  of  the  New 
York  Sun,  who  is  noted  for  the 
severity  and  savageness  of  his 
attacks,  an  admiring  Western 
editor  wrote,  "  Uncle  Dana  pro- 
ceeded to  mop  the  floor  with 
his  opponent." 

When  Smith 
Came  on  to  fight,  he  took  him  by  the  heels, 
And  mopped  the  stage  with  him  until  'twas 

clean.  — Brand  New  Ballads. 

At  last  the  crisis  came,  when  one  fine  day, 
For  some  imagined  fault,  the  boarder  said 
Unto  the  waiter,  that  unless  he  stirred 
A  little  quicker,  he  would  bung  his  eye, 
And  take  him  by  the  legs,  instanterly, 
And  wipe  the  floor  with  him. 

— Est  Modus  in  Rebus. 

Moppy  (common),  tipsy.  From 
"to  mop"  or  "mop  up,"  which 
see.  Some  of  the  numerous 
synonyms  are,  "  slewed,  queer, 
tosticated,  so  so,  been  in  the  sun, 
muggy,  murky,  muzzy,  fresh, 
glorious,  bright  in  the  eye,  dull 
in  the  eye,  overtaken,  overshot, 
overdone,  done  over,  lushy,  tight, 
foggy,  hazy,  swipey,  lumpy, 
obfuscated,  groggy,  ploughed, 
bosky,  buffy,  in  liquor,  far  gone, 
sewed  up,  mooney,  half  seas 
over,  disguised;    drunk  as  an 


Moppy — Mori. 


65 


emperor,  as  a  wheel-barrow, 
as  David's  sow,  as  a  fish,  as 
a  lord,  as  a  piper,  as  a  fiddler," 
and  the  old  expression  "has  a 
drop  in  his  eye."  "Boozy"  and 
"hoodman"  are  now  much  in 
vogue  among  "  mashers."  The 
writer  has  seen  a  collection 
of  nearly  300  synonyms  for 
drunkenness,  mostly  American. 

Mops  (provincial).  Statute  fairs 
or  "statties  "  are  held,  where  ser- 
vants seek  to  be  hired.  After 
the  statute  fair,  a  second  is  held 
for  the  benefit  of  those  not  en- 
gaged. This  is  called  a  mop,  as 
it  mops  or  wipes  up  the  refuse  of 
the  statute  fair,  carrying  away 
the  dregs  of  the  servants  left. 

There  is  hardly  a  clergyman  or  a  school- 
master in  the  Northern  and  Midland 
Counties  who  is  not  able  to  make  out  the 
strongest  of  cases  against  mops,  "  roasts," 
and  "statties" — fairs  or quasi-fairs,  which 
were  formerly  very  useful  for  the  oppor- 
tunities they  afforded  to  farmers  and 
housewives  for  annually  hiring  labourers 
and  domestic  servants. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Mop  up,  to  (nautical),  a  metaphor, 
to  drink  or  empty  a  glass.   Also 

/  to  whisk  up,  as  wiping  up  with 
a  mop. 

The  fourth  I  hooked  but  lost,  and  by 
that  time  the  rest  of  the  capricious  tribe 
simultaneously  ceased  rising,  and  refused 
to  be  tempted.  Had  I  been  there  earlier, 
I  might  possibly  have  mopped  up  the 
entire  row. — Sir  Henry  Pottinger:  Trout 
Fishing. 

Mopusses  (popular),  cash,  coin, 
money. 

He  that  has  the  mopusses 
May  buy  diamonds  and  topazes. 

— Punch. 

vol.  n. 


Possibly  a  corruption  of 
"  mops,"  grimaces,  faces.  Com- 
pare with  French  slang  faces, 
for  coin.  This  is,  of  course, 
mere  conjecture. 

Mora  (Anglo-Indian),  a  stool.  In 
common  use  among  the  English 
in  India. 

Moral  (popular).  "That's  a 
moral,"  equivalent  to  "that's  a 
certainty."  Short  for  a  moral 
certainty. 

They  must  come  a  cropper  soon, 
They  muttered — that's  a  moral. 
{—Punch. 

Morfydite  (American),  a  maritime 
pronunciation  for  hermaphro- 
dite, generally  applied  to  the 
so-called  hermaphrodite  brig,  a 
vessel  between  a  brig  and  a 
schooner. 

Morris,  to  (old  cant),  to  hang 
dangling  in  the  air,  to  be 
hanged.  (Theatrical),  to  make 
oneself  scarce.  Alluding  in  both 
senses  to  the  quick  motions  of 
the  legs  in  the  morris  (or  Moor- 
ish) dance.  Also  used  by  tailors 
with  a  like  signification. 

Mort  (canting),  a  woman.  The 
same  in  old  gypsy.  Hindu, 
mahar,  a  wife,  woman.  It  is 
not  improbable  that  the  French 
word  motte  {pud.  mid.),  which 
has  long  been  common  in 
England  for  a  woman,  and 
that  which  the  French  word 
expresses,  has  caused  the  gyp- 
sies to  adcLthe  t.  The  gypsies 
E 


66 


Mori — Moshkeneer. 


very  commonly  use  minj  for  a 
woman.  Tissot,  in  his  work  on 
Hungary,  innocently  mentions 
that  f/ali  miny  (English-gypsy 
Tcalo  minj)  means  a  dark  girl  I 
This  derivation  is  more  pro- 
bable than  that  from  the  Welsh 
modryb,  a  matron  ;  and  moryun, 
a  virgin,  given  vby  C.  J.  Ribton 
Turner  in  his  "  History  of 
Vagrants  and  Vagrancy  "  (1887). 

Mortar-board  (University),  the 
square  cap  forming  part  of  the 
academical  dress  of  all  mem- 
bers of  the  university.  Said  to 
be  a  corruption  of  the  French 
mortier  cap  worn  by  Presidents 
of  Courts, 

"  And  as  your  skill,"  resumed  Mr.  Tozer, 
"  has  been  exercised  in  defence  of  my  per- 
son ...  I  will  overlook  your  offence  in 
assuming  that  portion  of  the  academical 
attire,  to  which  you  gave  the  offensive 
epithet  oi7noria.r-b0a.rd," — C.  Bede :  Ver- 
dant Green. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  an  educated 
gentleman  prefers  to  wander  in  the  streets 
of  Oxford  in  the  evening,  clad  in  horsey 
"checks"  or  bookmaker's  stripes,  in  pre- 
ference to  the  tattered  gown  and  battered 
mortar-board,  constituting  the  costume  of 
an  undergraduate. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Also  mortar. 

Some  of  them  wore  a  mortar  on  their 
heads. — Fuller:  Pisgah. 

'Mos  (printers),  an  abridgment 
of  the  word  "  animosity,"  very 
often  used  by  printers.  "  To 
show  no  'mos,"  is  to  express  no 
grudge  against  a  companion. 

Moses,  a  man  that  for  a  con- 
sideration declares  himself  to 


be  the  father  of  another  man's 
child.  Grose  says,  "  A  man  is 
said  to  stand  Moses  when  he 
has  another  man's  bastard  child 
fathered  upon  him,  and  he 
is  obliged  by  the  parish  to 
maintain  it."  This  may  be  con- 
nected with  a  phrase  given  by 
Cotgrave,  "Holie  Moses,  whose 
ordinarie  counterfeit  having  on 
either  side  of  the  head  an  emi- 
nence or  luster,  arising  some- 
what in  the  forme  of  a  home, 
hath  imboldened  a  prophane 
author  to  stile  cuckolds  parents 
de  Moyse"  (Hall).  The  Moses 
of  Michael  Angelo  has  decided 
horns,  probably  based  on  the 
head  of  Jupiter  Ammon. 

Mosh,  to  (thieves),  dining  at 
an  eating-house,  and  leaving 
without  paying.  Also  doing 
the  raosh  on  the  quiet.  A  cor- 
ruption   of    "  mooch,"    which 


Moshkeneer,  to  (common),  to 
pawn  an  article  for  more  than  jt 
is  worth.  There  are  watches 
and  articles  of  jewellery  made 
for  the  special  purpose  of  swind- 
ling, and  which  appear  to  be  of 
solid  gold  or  silver,  but  which 
are  only  covered  with  thin  rol- 
led metal.  Probably  from  the 
Yiddish  or  German-Hebrew  mos, 
money,  and  Jcenner,  one  who 
knows,  one  who  is  "  fly,"  as  in 
the  word  kenner-fetzer,  a  thieves' 
butcher.  The  word  moss,  it 
may  be  observed,  has  in  slang 
taken  a  wide  range,  and  is  quite 
applicable  not  only  to  money  or 


Mosque — Mother. 


67 


gold  coin,  but  also  to  any  kind 
of  valuables. 

Mosque  (old  cant),  a  church. 

Moss-backs  (American),  old 
fogies,  "fossils,"  men  behind 
the  times.  People  who  are 
"  groovy,"  and  slow  to  learn 
or  advance. 

The  Dodo  didn't  exsight  as  much  curi- 
osity as  might  have  been  expected  ;  but 
when  I  cum  to  look  into  the  matter,  I 
found  a  dozen  or  more  county  offishels 
with  moss  on  their  backs  an  inch  an'  a  half 
long,  and  they  had  sorter  promted  the 
populace  (out  of  jealousy)  to  look  koldly 
upon  my  great  livin'  kuriosity. — Detroit 
Free  Press:  Letter  by  Professor  Brown 
Whyte. 

Mot  (general),  a  harlot.  Turner 
("  History  of  Vagrants  and  Va- 
grancy") says,  "Mot  huys  is  a 
brothel  in  Dutch,  but  mot  is 
not  a  word  of  Dutch  origin." 
It  is,  however,  an  old  Dutch 
slang  word,  whatever  its  origin 
may  be.  In  the  "Wordenboek 
van  Bargoensch,"  mot  is  given 
as  hoer.  "  Te  mot  gaen."  Mot- 
kasse  is  the  true  Dutch  slang  for 
a  brothel. 


"  Whereas  it  has  come  to  our 
knowledge  that  Joseph  Green- 
horn is  an  aspirant  to  Thespian 
honours,  it  is  our  good  will  and 
pleasure  that  the  said  Green- 
horn shall  provide  on  Saturday 
next,  at  the  hour  of  nine,  for 
the  delectation  of  his  brethren, 
my  children,  in  their  respective 
dressing-rooms  at  the  Theatre 
Royal,  Slumstone  in  the  Mud, 
one  bottle  of  brandy,  one  of 
whisky,  one  of  gin,  two  dozens 
of  soda,  and  a  gallon  of  beer. 
Whereupon  the  boys  shall  drink 
said  Greenhorn's  jolly  good 
health,  and  wish  him  luck  in 
all  his  undertakings,  present, 
and  to  come.  The  said  Green- 
horn is  warned,  that  disobedi- 
ence to  our  commands  will  be 
attended  with  pains  and  penal- 
ties of  the  most  stringent  char- 
acter. Given  under  our  hand 
and  seal  at  our  Palace  of  Slum- 
stone. 

(Signed) 

Robin  Goodfellow, 
Hon.  Secretary. 

Shawney  x  Mother, 
Her  Mark." 


Mot-cart  (popular),  a  mattress. 
Vide  Mot. 

Mother  Shawney  (theatrical),  a 
rude  offshoot  of  the  Mary  Anne. 
An  institution  to  compel  a  new 
member  of  a  company  to  pay 
his  footing.  It  was  the  custom 
for  the  novice  to  be  served  with 
a  formal  notice,  usually  written 
in  a  feigned  hand,  and  running 
after  this  fashion : 


If  the  neophyte  failed  to 
obey  this  mysterious  mandate, 
the  following  week  he  received 
a  more  peremptory  one,  the 
week  after  one  more  imperative 
still.  If  he  still  remained  ob- 
durate, he  would  find  his  dress- 
ing-case rifled  and  upset,  his 
properties  destroyed,  his  ward- 
robe ransacked,  the  sleeves  of 
his  dress  coat  cut  and  tied  in 
knots,    his    hat    smashed,    his 


68 


Mother — Mount. 


boots  filled  with  filth,  &c.  Of 
course,  he  met  with  an  abun- 
dance of  affected  sympathy  ; 
and,  of  course,  no  one  ever 
knew  who  perpetrated  these 
playful  practical  jokes.  Puck,  or 
Robin  Goodfellow,  was  ubiqui- 
tous. There  was  nothing  for 
it  but  to  grin  and  bear,  and 
pay. 

This  institution  flourished  for 
a  considerable  period,  until  a 
quarter  of  a  century  ago,  when, 
one  night  at  Liverpool,  a  young 
actor,  who  afterwards  attained 
considerable  celebrity,  refused 
to  obey  Mother  Shawney's  be- 
hests, and  catching  Robin  Good- 
fellow  in  flagrante  delicto  (i.e., 
tampering  with  his  dressing-case 
and  wardrobe),  gave  the  tricksy 
sprite  a  sound  licking,  and  in- 
timated that  the  dose  would  be 
repeated,  if  necessary.  It  never 
was  necessary.  From  that  time 
this  charming  institution  frizz- 
led away  until  it  died  out  alto- 
gether, and  Mother  Shawney  rests 
in  peace  in  the  lumber-closet  of 
antiquity. 

Mouchey  (popular),  a  Jew. 

Mouch,  on  the  (common),  strol- 
ling about  in  quest  of  amuse- 
ment;    at     Oxford,     strolling 
about  to  watch  the  girls.     For 
•  other  meaning  vide  To  Mooch. 

But  when  once  or  twice  she  remained  out 

so  late, 
That  her  people  all  night  her  return  had 

to  wait ; 
And  when  on  the  mouch  in  the  park  she 

was  met 


While  supposed  to  be  "churching,"  they 
thought  it,  you  bet, 

Somewhat  strange ! 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Moulder  (pugilistic),  a  lumbering 
boxer  who  fights  as  if  he  were 
moulding  clay. 

Mouldy  (naval),  purser's  steward, 
or  assistant. 

Mouldy  grubs  (popular),  travel- 
ling showmen,  mountebanks 
who  perform  in  the  open  air. 

Mouldy  pates  (street),  servants 
in  livery  with  hair  powder. 

Mouldy  'un,  a  contemptuous  term 
for  a  penny. 

The  chief  verger  informed  him  that  the 
fee  was  eighteen  mouldy  'uns  for  maimed 
ladies. — Sporting-  Times. 

Mount  (thieves).  Applied  not 
only  as  in  England  to  men 
who  will  swear  falsely,  but 
also  to  those  who  hire  clothes 
out  for  disguise ;  also  to  those 
who  wear  second-hand  clothes 
even  honestly.  (Old  cant),  a 
bridge;  "stall  on  the  mount," 
stop  on  the  bridge. 

Mountain  -  pecker  (popular),  a 
sheep's  head. 

Mounter  (thieves),  a  false  swearer. 
Vide  Mount. 

Mount,  to  (theatrical),  to  "  get 
up"  a  piece,  i.e.,  to  provide 
scenery,  costumes,  &c. 


Mourning — Move. 


69 


Mourning'  (common),  a  full  suit 
of  mourning,  two  black  eyes  ; 
half  -mourning,  one  black  eye. 

Mourning  shirts  (common),  flan- 
nel shirts,  that  do  not  require 
washing  so  often  as  others. 

We  say  mourning  skirts,  it  being  cus- 
tomary for  men  in  sadness  to  spare  the 
pains  of  their  laundresses. — Thos.  Fuller: 
Fisgah. 

Mouse  (pugilistic)  a  black  eye, 
now  a  common  expression. 

Poor  Chinnery,  our  favourite  "  pug," 

I  fear  came  off  but  ill ; 
He  has  a  blister  on  his  foot, 

'Twould  take  a  pint  to  fill. 
His  "  dexter  ogle  "  has  a  mouse, 

His  "  conk's  devoid  of  bark," 
The  off-side  of  his  "  kissing-trap  " 

Displays  an  ugly  mark. 

— Atkin :  House  Scraps. 

Mouse  digger  (Winchester  Col- 
lege), a  small  pick-axe  used  for 
digging  up  fossils,  &c,  in  chalk 
pits. 

Mousetrap  (turf),  a  sovereign. 
From  the  resemblance  of  the 
crown  and  shield  to  a  set  trap. 

"  No  hunter  in  England  can  clear  that 
water,"  replies  the  earl.  "It's  even  bet- 
ting—it's five  to  two  on  him — it's  a  monkey 
to  a  mousetrap  I"  rejoins  the  excited  girl. 
"  Don't  be  so  slangy,  Julia,"  remonstrates 
her  father.  "  Papa,  the  mousetrap' s 
mine." — Daily  Paper. 

(Old  cant),  marriage. 

Mouth  (old  cant),  an  ignorant 
person,  a  dupe,  one  that  gapes 
with  mouth  wide  open  ready  to 
swallow  anything.  In  French 
gobe-moucha. 


One  shall  lead  a  horse  about,  and  an- 
other shall  look  for  a  mouth  that  has  a 
horse  to  sell  or  change. — The  Discoveries 
of  John  Poulter. 

Mouth-almighty  (popular),  a  very 
talkative,  noisy  person. 

Mouth-bet  (American),  when  a 
man  in  gambling  gives  only  a 
verbal  promise  to  pay  it  is 
called  a  mouth-bet. 

"Then,  governor,  I  see  you  ten  dollars 
and  raise  you  the  whole  State  of  Vermont." 

The  game  ceased.  Mouth-betting  was 
not  a  success.  — Detroit  Free  Press. 

Mouthpiece  (thieves),  a  counsel. 

"  You  come  from  '  Brum'  (Birmingham), 
don't  yer  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  I  have  got  seven  '  stretch  '  for  a 
'burst.'" 

"  Had  you  a  mouthpiece  ?  " 

"No,  I  pleaded  guilty.  I  expected  to 
get  off  with  a  '  sixer.'  " 

"  What  did  you  get  ?  " 

"Seven  stretch  and  supervision." — 
Evening  News. 

Mouth,  to  have  a  (popular),  to 
feel  the  effects  of  drinking 
alcohol ;  an  abbreviation  for 
having  a  dry  mouth.  One  of 
the  most  general  effects  in  the 
morning  of  taking  too  much 
alcohol  overnight ;  another  ex- 
pression for  this  is,  having 
"hot  coppers"  or  "the  coppers." 
This  produces  a  burning  thirst, 
for  which  a  "  brandy  and  soda  " 
or  a  "Hock  and  soda-water," 
are  the  most  approved  remedies. 

Move  (common),  a  cunning  trick 
or  device  ;  up  to  a  move  or  two, 
cunning,  experienced. 


/O 


Mow-beater — Mud. 


Mow-beater  (old  cant),  a  drover. 
Mower  (old  cant),  an  ox,  cow. 

Mozzy  (Punch  and  Judy),  Judy. 
Punch  being  known  as  "  Swat- 
chell." 


making  "confusion  worse  confounded"  of 
his  college  examination. — C.  Bede :  Notes 
and  Queries. 

From  muck,  dirt.  It  has  been 
suggested  that  it  comes  from 
"  run  amuck." 


M's  and  w's  (printers).  A  man 
in  a  drunken  state  walking 
through  the  streets  would  be 
said  to  be  making  m's  and  w's, 
owing  to  his  uncertain  and  zig- 
zag gait,  likened  to  the  shape 
of  these  particular  letters. 

M.  T.  (railway),  an  empty  car- 
riage. 

Muchee  (pidgin-English),  much, 
very;  intensified  as  muchee- 
muchee. 

My  catch  one  spirit  tell  my  all,  but  he  can 

no  be  heard, 
Some  notha  spilit  hab  got  heah — he  no  can 

talkee  word, 
They  makee  muchee  bobbely— too  muchee 

clowd  aloun', 
They  wantchee  muchee  bad  one  time  to 

chin-chin  Captin  Bloun. 
—  The  Ballad  of  Captain  Brown, 

"  Massa  he  muchee-goody,  Mississee  she 
ioo-muchee  goody — yunki  Missee  (young 
Miss)  she  too-muchee-?nuchee  goody  galaw 
— she  givee  my  one  dolla'  cumshaw  fo' 
time." 

Muck  (old  cant),  money. 

Mucker  (army),  a  term  for  com- 
missariat officer,  nearly  obsolete. 
(Common),  to  go  a  mucker,  to 
fail,  to  come  to  grief. 

To  go  a  fearful  mucker  .  .  .  bad  dash  at 
anything  and  fails,  whether  he  is  thrown 
from   his  horse   when  taking  a  leap,  or 


Muck  forks  (common),  a  low  term 
for  the  hands  or  fingers.  "  Keep 
your  muck  forks  off  me." 

Mucking-togs  (popular),  clothes 
worn  when  mucking  about  in 
rain  and  mud.  Possibly  a  play 
on  macintosh. 

Muck-out,  to  (gambling),  to  clean 
out.  Mucked-out,  ruined.  The 
more  modern  synonym  is  "  stony 
broke."     Vide  MUCKEE. 

Mucks,  mux,  to  (American),  to 
disarrange,  discompose,  to  make 
amuddle  or  afailure  of  anything. 
"  He  made  a  regular  mux  of  the 
whole  business."  "  Don't  mux 
my  collar  1 "  Provincial  English 
mucksen,  to  dirty. 

Muck-snipe  (gamblers),  one  who 
has  been  cleaned  out. 

Muck,  to  (popular),  to  beat,  to 
exceL 

Muck  train  (army),  an  obsolete 
term  for  commissariat. 

Mud  crusher  (military),  name 
given  to  infantry  men.  In 
French  pousse-cailiou. 


Mudding-face — Mud-student 


n 


Mudding-face  (popular),  equi- 
valent to  muffin-face,  or  stupid. 
A  muff. 

She  oped  the  lattice,  and  I  saw  that  form 

of  queenly  grace, 
And  heard  her  very  softly  say,  "Good- 
night, old  mudding-face  I " 

— Ballad:  She  was  True  to  Some- 
body Else. 

Muddler  (turf),  a  clumsy  horse, 
one  who  gets  in  a  "  muddle." 

Mr.   ,   who   had   the   offer  of  the 

mount,  declined  it,  thinking  the  horse  was 
too  much  of  a  muddler  to  have  any  chance. 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Mud-hook  (nautical),  an  anchor. 

Mud-lark,  a  phrase  applied  to 
those  who  wade  or  paddle  in  the 
slush  left  on  the  shores  of  tidal 
rivers  that  run  through  great 
towns,  in  search  of  articles  of 
little  but  still  of  some  mercan- 
tile value,  brought  down  by 
the  drains  and  common  sewers. 
The  word  is  metaphorical,  de- 
rived from  the  flocks  of  birds 
that  sometimes  come  down  to 
the  shore  on  a  similar  errand  in 
pearch  of  nutriment,  and  the 
fragments  of  waste  food  that 
sometimes  reward  them.  A 
conveyer;  other  meaning  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

He  .  .  .  became  what  is  called  a  mud- 
lark ;  that  is,  a  plunderer  of  the  ships'  car- 
goes that  unload  in  the  Thames. — Mrs. 
Edge-worth:  Lame Jervas. 

Mud-major  (army),  an  infantry 
major,  one  not  mounted,  who 
commands  a  company  on  foot, 
on  parade.  The  term  dates 
from  the  recent  addition  made 


to  the  number  of  majors  in  an 
infantry  battalion,  which  was 
increased  from  two  to  four. 

Mud-pickers  (garrison  towns), 
garrison  military  police. 

Mud  pipes  (popular),  any  kind  of 
boots  or  shoes,  but  more  spe- 
cially applied  to  riding-boots  or 
gaiters. 

Mud  player  (cricketers),  one  who 
plays  best  when  the  ground  is 
soft. 

Mud  plunger  (streets),  explained 
by  quotations. 

That  rascal  and  his  wife  are  street- 
singers  and  cadgers  of  the  sort  known  as 
mud-plungers.  Fine  weather  don't  suit 
them ;  they  can't  come  out  strong  enough. 
Give  'em  a  soaking  wet  day,  with  the  mud 
over  their  naked  toes. — /.  Greenwood: 
Low  Life  Deeps. 

Except  for  professional  mud-plungers — 
beggars  whose  harvest-time  is  when  they 
can  wade  in  the  middle  of  the  road,  and  in 
the  pouring  rain,  with  an  agonising  dis- 
play of  saturated  rags,  and  mire-soddened 
naked  feet — wet  weather  is  unfavourable. 
— •/.  Greenwood:  In  Strange  Company. 

Mud-salad  market  (common), 
(?ovent  Garden  Market,  so  called 
from  its  filthy  condition  when 
vegetable  refuse  and  slush  pre- 
vail. 

Hud-salad  Market  again.  Not  content 
with  drawing  a  princely  income  from  his 
toll  on  London's  food  supply,  the  Duke  of 
Bedford  actually  refuses  to  pay  for  the 
sweeping-up  of  the  thoroughfares,  ren- 
dered necessary  by  their  use  as  a  part  of 
"  his  "  market. — The  Star. 

Mud-student,  a  farming  pupil. 
The  name  given  to  the  students 


72 


Muffin — Mug. 


at    the    Agricultural    College, 
Cirencester. 

Muffin  (Canadian),  explained  by 
quotation.  In  reference  to  muf- 
fins lying  warm  and  close. 

If  any  young  lady,  not  previously  en- 
gaged, of  course,  found  favour  in  your 
sight,  you  were  at  liberty  then  and  there 
to  constitute  her  your  muffin,  which,  being 
interpreted,  signified  that  by  entering  into 
such  an  arrangement,  you  might  walk, 
ride,  or  drive  tlte-a-tete  with  her ;  that 
you  had  the  cnMe  of  her  parents'  house, 
those  parents  at  the  same  time  keeping 
obligingly  in  the  background  ;  that  at  balls, 
no  ill-natured  remarks  were  made  by  even 
the  most  virulent  old  maids  when  you 
danced  every  dance  together,  .  .  .  the 
usual  English  winding  up  of  such  an  exten- 
sive flirtation  was  by  no  means  a  neces- 
sity.— Once  a  Week. 

Muffin-cap  (popular),  a  flat  cap 
similar  to  those  of  charity-boys. 

Muffin  face.  Fide  Mudding  Face 

Muffin-worry,  an  old  lady's  tea- 
party  (Hotten). 

Mufflers  (pugilistic),  the  old  ver- 
nacular for  boxing-gloves,  the 
' '  mittens. "  They  are  supposed 
to  have  been  invented  by  Jack 
Broughton.  The  Daily  Adver- 
tiser, in  February  1747,  an- 
nounced that  "Mr.  Broughton 
proposed,  with  proper  assist- 
ance, to  open  an  academy  at 
his  house  in  the  Haymarket 
.  .  .  and,  in  order  that  persons 
of  quality  and  distinction  might 
not  be  debarred  from  entering 
into  a  course  of  those  lectures, 
they  will  be  given  with  the  ut- 
most tenderness  and  regard  to 


the  delicacy  of  the  frame  and 
constitution  of  the  pupil ;  for 
which  reason  mufflers  are  pro- 
vided that  will  effectually  secure 
them  from  the  inconvenience  of 
black  eyes,  broken  jaws,  and 
bloody  noses." 

Muffling  cheat  (old  cant),  a  towel. 

Muff,  to  (society).  To  muff  a 
thing  is  to  spoil  it,  make  a  mess 
of  it,  i.e.,  to  do  it  like  a  "muff." 

You  were  muffing  your  birds  awfully. — 
Saturday  Review. 

Mufti,  in  (common),  in  civilian's 
clothes.  Originally  Anglo-In- 
dian, from  a  word  signifying  a 
priest.  This  is  now  a  recognised 
term. 

Blessings  flow 
From  your  bold  eyes  and  brown  mous- 
tache so  tufty ; 
But  why,  sweet  Benedictine,  choose 
to  go 

So  much  in  mufti? 

—Punch. 

Mug  (general),  mouth,  face. 

His  mug  wore  a  confident  smile,  which 
some  might  esteem  a  bit  bounceable  : 

These  big  'uns  are  apt  to  be  cocky,  but 
even  a  Titan  is  trounceable. 

— Punch. 

It  has  been  suggested  that 
mug  is  from  the  old  form  munkk 
or  mugh  of  the  gypsy  mux  or 
mooe  (mouth  and  face),  but  it 
probably  originated  in  an  ordi- 
nary slang  simile.  Another  sug- 
gested derivation  is  from  the 
Scottish  murg,  French  morgue, 
a  solemn,  sour  face  ;  Languedoc 
murga,  a  snout.  Formerly  mugs 
or  jugs  were  made  which  exhi- 


Mug — Mugs. 


73 


bited  distortions  of  the  human 
face,  but  there  is  no  evidence 
to  show  that  the  term  mug  arose 
from  this  circumstance,  or  vice 
versd.  Mug,  a  simpleton,  a  per- 
son easily  imposed  upon.  Also 
a  "jug>"  formerly  a  "mouth." 
In  French,  cruche,  bSte  comme 
un  pot. 

Any  man  who  is  mug  enough  to  take  a 
100-guinea  watch  to  the  Derby,  does  so  at 
his  own  risk. — The  Globe. 

It  might  have  been  the  jug — I  know  I  was 
the  mug, 
That's  why  I  seldom  talk  about  it  now. 
— Sporting  Times. 

That  man  must  be  a  maudlin  dunce, 
What  wise  men  term  a  mug. 

— Punch. 

In  turf  parlance  there  is  but 
little  difference  between  the 
mug  and  the  "juggins,"  except 
that  the  former  is  rather  the 
more  hopeless  case  of  the  two, 
the  "  juggins  "  being  almost  in- 
variably a  neophyte  who  may  in 
time  develop  into  a  sharp,  or, 
at  any  rate,  into  a  being  rea- 
sonably able  to  take  care  of 
himself  on  the  turf;  while 
the  true  mug  seldom,  if  ever, 
emerges  from  mughood.  Also 
a  stupid  financier  who  finds 
money  for  rotten  speculations, 
and  is  not  infrequently  swin- 
dled by  the  knave  who  has  led 
him  into  a  fool's  paradise. 

Mugging  (Winchester  and  other 
schools),  staying  and  studying 
indoors.     Vide  To  Mug. 

Mugging  hall  (Winchester  Col- 
lege),   the    hall    where    boys 


"  mug,"  that  is,  prepare  their 
lessons  and  exercises.  Vide  To 
Mua. 

Muggins  (popular),  one  easily 
taken  in,  a  simpleton.  Variant 
of  "mug,"  as  "juggins"  of 
"jug." 

Must  ha'  thought  me  a  muggins,  old  man, 
To  ask  such  a  question  of  'Arry — as  though 
grubbing  short  was  his  plan. 

— Punch. 

Muggy  (popular),  half  -  intoxi- 
cated. Vide  To  Mug,  to  get 
tipsy. 

Mug-hunter  (thieves),  one  of 
a  wretched  horde  (chiefly  of 
women)  who  infest  the  streets 
at  night  to  pick  up  and  rob 
those  who  are  made  foolish 
(mugs)  by  their  drunkenness. 

Mug,  mugged  (Winchester  Col- 
lege). A  thing  is  said  to  be  mug 
or  mugged  when  it  has  a  plea- 
sant appearance  to  the  eye, 
like  a  bat  which  has  been  well 
mugged,  that  is,  well  oiled  and 
polished,  entailing  much  labour. 
Vide  To  Mug. 

Mugs  (American),  roughs  and 
thieves. 

"See  'em,"  said  the  man  at  my  side; 
"  there's  mugs  for  you — look  at  'em." 
"  Mugs  f  "  said  I.  "  What  are  mugs  ?  " 
"Hard  characters,"  said  he.  "Those 
are  thieves  from  the  First  Ward,  the  fel- 
lows that  rob  immigrants,  steal  cotton  from 
the  bales,  go  through  the  trunks  that  stray 
down  by  the  riverside,  and  empty  pockets 
on  the  ferries  and  excursion  boats." — 
Philadelphia  Press. 


74 


Mugster — Mull. 


Mugster  (Winchester  College), 
one  who  works  hard.  Vide  To 
Mug. 

Mug,  to  (Winchester  College),  to 
work  hard.  From  early  Eng- 
lish mog,  to  sit  over  in  a  dis- 
contented way,  as  of  a  boy 
sitting  over  his  books.  Also  to 
rub  oil  well  into  a  bat. 

In  one  corner  of  school  some  one  may  be 
discovered  mugging,  i.e.,  oiling  his  own 
or  prefect's  bat. — Everyday  Life  in  our 
Public  Schools. 

(Popular  and  thieves),  to 
strike  in  the  face,  to  thrash,  to 
swindle,  that  is,  make  a  fool  of 
one.  Vide  Mug.  To  mug  one- 
self, to  get  tipsy.  In  this  sense 
it  is  derivable  from  mug,  a 
drinking  vessel,  in  the  same 
way  as  the  French  gobeloter, 
to  indulge  in  drink,  from  gobe- 
let.  An  ale-house  was  formerly 
termed  a  mug- house.  Again, 
it  may  be  due  to  a  metaphor, 
as  of  one  in  a  mug,  provincial 
for  mist.  Compare  with  its 
synonyms,  "  in  a  haze,"  and 
"foggy,"  "muzzy,"  for  intoxi- 
cated. 

(Common),  to  criticise  keenly, 
to  examine  in  a  minute  and 
teasing  manner.  Possibly  from 
slang  mug  for  face,  in  which 
case  to  mug  would  nearly  corre- 
spond in  one  of  its  applications 
with  the  French  devisager. 

Mug  up,  to  (theatrical),  to  paint 
one's  face,  or  dress  specially 
to  impersonation.  From  the 
slang  mug,  for  face.  (Army), 
to    work    hard     or     "  cram " 


for  an  examination. 
Mug. 


Vide  To 


Mugwump  (American),  explained 
by  quotation.  ' '  Mugwump  is  an 
Indian  word,  and  means  a  cap- 
tain, or  leader,  or  notable  person. 
From  this  genuine  original 
meaning  it  was  an  easy  transi- 
tion to  the  signifying  a  man 
who  thought  himself  of  con- 
sequence ;  and  during  the  last 
contest  for  the  Presidentship 
the  name  had  a  political  mean- 
ing attached  to  it,  by  its  ap- 
plication, in  derision,  to  those 
members  of  the  Republican 
party  who,  rejecting  Mr.  Blaine, 
declared  that  they  would  vote 
for  his  Democratic  opponent, 
Mr.  Cleveland,  the  late  Pre- 
sident. Such  is  the  explana- 
tion, doubtless  correct,  given 
by  Mr.  Brander  Matthews  of 
New  York.  The  name  is  now 
generally  applied  to  those  who 
profess  to  study  the  interests 
of  their  country  before  those 
of  their  party  "  (Cornhill  Maga- 
zine). 

Mull  (common),  failure.  (Obsolete 
English),  rubbish;  to  make  a 
mull  of  it,  to  spoil  it,  to  bungle, 
fail  through  awkwardness.  Vide 
Mullock. 

In  seats,  p'r'aps,  her  crew  have  the  pull 
o'er  their  rivals ; 
But  what  if  the  pullers  make  mulls  ? 
— Funny  Folks. 
The  public,  how  he  bores  or  gulls, 

This  buzzing  busy  B., 
Starts  maudlin'  "  Leagues,"  that  end  in 
mulls, 
And  pure  fiddle-de-dee  ! — Punch. 


Mulligrubs — Mummer. 


75 


Mulligrubs  (popular),  colic.  From 
provincial  English  mull,  to  rub, 
squeeze,  rub  about ;  and  grub. 

Peakyish  you  feel,  don't  you,  now,  with 
a  touch  of  the  mulligrubs  in  the  colly- 
wobbles.— C.  Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

Also  low  spirits. 

Mullock  (mining  slang),  rubbish. 
From  obsolete  English  mull, 
dirt,  rubbish.  Mullock  is  liter- 
ally the  moraine,  the  heaps  of 
earth  and  other  rubbish  accu- 
mulated by  glaciers ;  from  this 
it  is  applied  to  the  refuse  of 
mines,  the  heaps  of  earthy  rub- 
bish which  remain  after  crush- 
ing, washing,  and  the  other  pro- 
cesses have  been  gone  through. 
It  also  means  type  in  bad  con- 
dition, in  Australian  printers' 
slang.  The  metaphor  here  is 
from  the  mining  refuse. 

The  Boss  had  got  a  set  on  him  to  set 
The  mullock  of  the  whole  establishment. 
—  The  Australian  Printers'  Keepsake  : 
The  Legend  of  Lottely  Gully. 

(Anglo-Indian),  a  nickname 
applied  to  members  of  the 
Madras  Presidency  service,  as 
Bengal  people  are  called  "  Qui- 
his,"  and  Bombayans,  "  Ducks." 

It  is  ane  darke  Londe,  and  ther 
dwellen  y«  Cimmerians  whereof  speketh 
Homerus  Poeta  in  his  Odesseia,  and  to 
this  Daye  thei  clepen  Tenebrosi  or  y«  Be- 
nighted ffolkc.  Bot  thei  clepen  themselves 
mullys  {mulls),  from  Mulligatawnee  whch 
Li  ane  of  theyr  goddys  from  whch  thei 
ben  ysprong. — Anglo-Indian  Glossary: 
Lately  Discovered  MS.  of  Sir  fohn 
MaundeviU. 

Multee  kerteever  (coster- 
mongers),  corruption  of  molto 
cattivo,  which  see. 


Mumble  mumper  (theatrical),  an 
old,  sulky,  inarticulate,  unin- 
telligible actor. 

Mum-glass  (common).  "A  cant 
word  for  the  monument  in  Fish 
Street,  near  London  Bridge,  in 
commemoration  of  the  dreadful 
fire  in  1666,*  which  consumed 
the  greatest  part  of  the  city" 
(Dyche  and  Pardon's  English 
Dictionary). 

Mummer  (theatrical).  This  term, 
which  properly  signified  a  mime, 
buffoon,  is  now  used  in  the  slangy 
and  deprecatory  sense  of  strol- 
ling or  inferior  actor. 

Stage  slang  is  a  thing  of  art,  just  as 
turf  slang  is.  Every  one  knows  what  "  the 
ghost  walking"  means,  and  there  are  a 
dozen  and  more  phrases  peculiar  to  "  the  " 
profession  in  England.  Over  here  the 
same  thing  exists  among  the  "cabotins," 
which  word  corresponds  exactly  with  the 
English  mummers. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

According  to  the  best  authori- 
ties, mummery  is  described  as 
"low  buffoonery"  (Nuttall),  or, 
"  a  lo w  contemptible  amusement, 
buffoonery, farcical  show;  hypo- 
critical disguise,  and  parade,  to 
delude  vulgar  minds"  (Ogilvie 
and  Webster). 

The  mummery  of  foreign  strollers. — 
Fenton. 

The  same  authorities  describe 
a  mummer  as  one  who  masks  him- 
self, and  makes  diversion  in 
disguise,  literally  a  "guiser," 
one  of  those  village  bumpkins 
who  from  time  immemorial 
have  gone  from  house  to  house, 
at  Christmas  and  other  festi- 


76 


Mummer — Mum. 


vals,  spouting  scraps  of  the  old 
mysteries  handed  down  by  oral 
tradition.  A  guiser  is  described 
by  Mitchell  as  "a  person  in 
disguise,  a  mummer ;"  and  by 
Ogilvie  as  "a  person  in  dis- 
guise, a  mummer  who  goes  about 
at  Christmas." 

The  term  mummer  is  also  fre- 
quently applied  derisively  to  a 
certain  class  of  players.  The 
application  of  the  word  in  this 
relation  is  directly  to  be  attri- 
buted to  the  feud  between  the 
equestrians  and  the  actors. 

About  half  a  century  ago 
certain  players  from  the  minor 
theatres  were  engaged  by 
Ducrow  to  act  at  Astley's  in 
the  "Battle  of  Waterloo," 
"Mazeppa,"  and  pieces  of  a 
similar  character.  These  gentle- 
men gave  themselves  great  airs 
when  the  equestrians  came 
"  'twixt  the  wind  and  their  no- 
bility," and  were  regarded  by 
the  horse-riders  as  highly  ob- 
jectionable interlopers.  As  a 
natural  consequence,  when  the 
equestrians  were  compelled  to 
officiate  as  supers  for  the 
glorification  of  the  vainglorious 
players,  considerable  friction 
occurred,  and  much  ill-blood 
ensued.  The  players  affected 
to  look  down  upon  the  eques- 
trians with  contempt,  and  had 
the  good  taste  to  dub  them 
"mountebanks,  horse  dung, 
and  sawdust  gentry."  The 
equestrians,  nothing  loth,  re- 
sponded to  the  compliment  by 
christening  the  actors  "  cack- 
ling coves  and mummers." 


Recently,  certain  journalists, 
irritated,  doubtless,  at  the  social 
distinction  accorded  to  eminent 
actors  and  actresses,  have 
sought  to  degrade  them  in  pub- 
lic estimation  by  stigmatising 
the  entire  fraternity,  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest,  as  mum- 
mers. It  is  indisputable,  that 
from  the  time  of  the  master  up- 
wards there  have  been  so-called 
actors,  and  popular  ones  too, 
who  are,  and  have  been,  neither 
more  nor  less  than  buffoons. 

Mumming  (old  cant),  explained 
by  quotation. 

At  Abingdon  fair  there  was  a  person 
named  Smith  who  was  the  proprietor  of 
a  mumming,  i.e.,  a  theatrical  booth.— 
Parker:  Variegated  Characters. 

Mummock,  mummick  (Ameri- 
can), to  handle  any  object.  To 
handle  or  feel  the  person. 
"Don't  mummick  me  that-a-way, 
Billy,  or  I'll  tell  my  ma ! "  From 
the  Dutch  mam,  the  breast. 

Mumper  (popular),  a  beggar. 
Vide  To  Mump. 

Mumpish,  to  feel  (common),  to 
feel  dull,  miserable,  like  one 
who  has  the  mumps. 

Mums  (old),  lips. 

Why,  you  jade,  you  look  so  rosy  this 
morning  I  must  have  a  smack  at  your 
mums. — Foote :  The  Minor. 

Mum,  to  (theatrical),  to  act ; 
specially  applied  to  strolling 
actors.  In  the  quotation  the 
word  is  used  figuratively. 


Munches — Mutton. 


77 


A  nice  stake  for  Mr.  J.  A.  Craven,  for 
whom  the  colt  mummed  successfully 
again  in  the  Double  Trial  Plate  yesterday. 
— Sporting  Times. 

Munches  (tinker),  tobacco. 

Munds,  muns  (thieves),  the  mouth. 
German,  mund.  • 

The  guests  now  being  met 
The  first  thing  that  was  done,  sir, 
Was  handing  round  the  kid 
That  all  might  smack  his  muns,  sir. 
— Parker:  Variegated  Characters. 

Mundungus  (popular),  trashy, 
coarse  tobacco.  Spanish  mon- 
dongo,  black  pudding  (Hotten), 
seldom  heard. 

Mungarly  (hawkers,  strolling 
actors,  &c),  explained  by  quo- 
tation. 

Now,  a  lot  of  us  chaps  propose  to 
assist  you  to-night,  as  it's  the  last  one,  in 
getting  you  up  a  rare  full  house,  to  help 
you  and  your  school  to  some  dinarly  and 
mungarly,  i.e.,  money  and  food. — Hind- 
Ity :  Life  and  Adventures  of  a  Cheap  Jack. 

Mungarly  casa,  a  baker's  shop 
or  eating-house.  Mungarly  is 
derived  from  the  Italian  man- 
giare,  to  eat. 

Mung  news  (American),  news 
which  has  been  heard  before. 
Now  obsolete.  In  its  time  it 
was  equivalent  to  the  more 
modern  term ' '  chestnut. "  From 
obsolete  English  mung,  past  of 
tning,  to  speak  of,  mention. 

Munlee  (pidgin),  money. 

Muogh  (tinker),  pig.    Irish,  muck. 

Murerk  (tinker  and  tramps),  the 
mistress  of    a  house,  a   lady. 


Perhaps  it  has  a  common  origin 
with  Spanish  cant  marca,  a 
woman ;  Italian  furbeschi  mar- 
cona  ;  French  argot  marque. 

Mush  (common  slang),  an  um- 
brella. An  abbreviation  of 
mushroom,  which  an  umbrella 
is  supposed  to  resemble. 

He'll  shelter  "  Floss"  beneath  his  cape  if 
she  hasn't  got  a  musk, 

When  the  tart  is  young. 
— Song:  When  the  Tart  is  Young. 

(American),  stuff,  nonsense,  in- 
different, uninteresting  matter. 
From  provincial  English  mush, 
dusty  refuse. 

Great  Jee-rusalem !  a  sweet  time  he'll 
have.  Just  fancy  her  making  him  slick 
up  to  the  music  of  slow  church  bells 
Sunday  mornings  and  marching  him  off, 
'stead  of  having  a  good  time  at  the  gar- 
dens, to  a  straight-backed  pew  to  listen  to 
Gospel  mush ! — Cleveland  Leader. 

Mush-head  (American),  a  stupid, 
witless  fellow.  Soft  like  mush, 
i.e.,  rye,  or  Indian  (maize)  meal, 
boiled  to  a  pap  with  water. 

Mushroom  -  faker,  mush  -  faker 
(tinker  and  popular),  umbrella- 
maker  or  mender. 

Music.    Vide  Face  the  Music! 

Mutiny  (nautical),  explained  by 
quotation. 

Some,  of  course,  were  planning  how  they 
could  get  a  bust-up  of  mutiny  (grog)  for 
the  occasion. — 'Tit-Bits. 

Mutton  (common),  used  in  the 
phrase  "a  bit  of  mutton,"  a 
woman.  The  term  is  used  also 
in  America.     Also  a  woman  of 


78 


Mattoner — My-deal. 


bad  character,  otherwise  laced 
mutton.    In  French  veau. 

Muttoner  (Winchester  College),  a 
hard  knock  on  the  thumb  from 
a  cricket-ball. 

Mutton -fist  (common),  a  large 
hand.  The  French  call  it 
tpaule  de  mouton.  (Printers), 
an  index  hand  (®")  is  generally 
called  thus,  probably  from  the 
fact  of  its  being  somewhat  fat 
and  shapeless. 

Muttongosht  (Anglo-Indian),  the 
common  English-Hinduformut- 
ton,  i.e.,  "  mutton-flesh." 

Muttons  (Stock  Exchange),  Turks 
i873: 

Mutton-walk,  the  saloon  at  Drury 
Lane  Theatre  (Hotten). 

Muzz,  to  (Westminster  School), 
to  read. 

Muzzier  (pugilistic),  a  blow  on 
the  mouth. 

Muzzle,  to  (popular),  to  get,  to 
take. 

Muzzy  (popular),  drunk,  properly 
bewildered. 

Lord  Frederick    Foretop   and    I   were 
carelessly   sliding   the    Ranelagh    Round 
picking  our  teeth,  after  a  damned  muzzy 
dinner  at  Boodle's. — Foote :  Lame  Lover. 
Excuse  me,  you've  made  a  mistake,  sir  ! 
Not  the  first  one  you've  made,  I  sup- 
pose. 
I'm  a  lady,  that's  straight,  and  I'm  only 
out  late 
'Cause  it's  late  when  the  May  Meet- 
ings close. 


None  the  less,  I'm  a  bit  wideawake,  sir — 

Taking  care  of  one's  self's  only  right — 

And  you  can't  make  too  free  with  a  lady 

like  me, 

Though  you  are  a  bit  muzzy  to-night ! 

— Sporting  Times. 

My  (pidgin),  I,  me,  mine.  Some- 
times we  or  ours. 

Myall  (up-country  Australian), 
one  of  the  wild  blacks  in  the 
North  of  Australia.  The  name 
Myall  is  generally  applied  to 
those  Northern  tribes  who  in 
physique  and  ferocity  are  far 
more  formidable  to  the  white 
man  than  the  feeble  natives  of 
the  southern  colonies.  Many  of 
them  probably  have  a  consider- 
able mixture  of  the  Papuan 
blood,  a  much  more  powerful 
and  warlike  strain. 

The  blackfellow  now  put  his  feet  to- 
gether and  jumped  about,  imitating  the 
action  of  a  hobbled  horse,  upon  which 
light  at  once  dawned  on  the  Englishman, 
who  provided  the  delighted  Myall  with 
the  articles  in  question. — A.  C.  Grant. 

Mycetal  duffer  (theatrical),  a 
"howling"  or  great  duffer,  so 
called  after  "  a  genus  of  the 
largest-sized  monkeys  of  Ame- 
rica, commonly  called  the  howl- 
ers, from  the  loud  sounds  of 
their  voices  "  (Nuttall). 

My-deal,  correctly  mo-dUle,  my- 
self, I,  us.  In  gypsy,  my-kokero, 
myself,  is  often  used  for  I,  and 
in  old  canting  men  said  "my 
watch,"  for  me.  "Thatisbene- 
ship  to  our  watch,"  that  is  very 
good  for  us.  "  The  same  sys- 
tem," says  Turner,  "prevails 
in  the  North  Country  cant  at 
the   present    day,    'my   nabs,' 


My-deal — Nag. 


79 


myself;  'his  nabs,'  himself." 
This  word,  probably  derived 
from  nab  (old  cant),  or  nob, 
meaning  head,  is  in  theatrical 
slang  "  nibs."  Mo-diele  occurs 
in  the  following  verse  (Shelta 
or  tinker) : — 

1  Cosson  kailyah  corrum  me  morro  sari, 
Me  gul  ogaly  ach  mir, 
Rahet  manent  trasha  moroch 
Me  tu  soste  mo-diele." — 

:  Coming  from  Galway  tired  and  weary 
I  met  a  woman, 

I'll  go  bail  that  by  this  time  to-morrow 
You'll  have  had  enough  of  me." 

Me  tu  soste  is  gypsy. 


Mysteries  (popular),  sausages ;  so 
called  because  no  one  is  sup- 
posed to  know  what  they  are 
made  of. 

The  peelers  I  scorn  and  defy, 

While  strings  of  these  mysteries  I  wave 

round  my  head, 
And  then  to  the  people  I  cry, 
"Sassidges,  oh,  sassidges!    Oh,  beef  and 

pork  and  German ! 
Little  gee-gee,  little  donkey,  newly  made 

to-day ! 
Sassidges,  oh,  sassidges !  oh,  beef  and  pork 

and  German  ! 
Pussy,   mi-aow  !   doggy,   bow-wow !   and 

beautiful  sassidges,  oh  ! " 

— G.  Homcastle:  Sassidges,  oh! 


AB  (old  cant),  the  head, 
in  modern  slang 
"  nob."  Explained 
by  quotation. 

There  were  particularly 
two  parties,  viz.,  those  who  wore  hats 
fiercely  cocked  and  those  who  preferred  the 
nab  or  trencher  hat,  with  the  brim  flap- 
ping over  the  eyes. — Fielding:  Jonathan 
Wild. 

I  crown  thy  nab  with  a  gag  of  benbouse, 
And  stall  thee  by  the  salmon  into  clowes. 
— /•  Fletcher :  The  Beggar's  Bush. 

Scandinavian  nabb,  beak  or 
bill,  once  a  synonym  for  face 
and  head. 

Nabcheat  (old  cant).  Vide 
Chetb. 

Nab-girder  (old  cant),  a  bridle. 

Nab,  to  (old  English),  now  used 
in  a  slangy  sense,  properly  to 
take,  seize.     In  thieves'  lingo, 


to  receive  or  take  in  stolen 
goods.  It  is  possible  that  as 
the  "fences"  or  receivers  were 
once  generally  Jews,  the  word 
in  this  sense  is  derived  from 
the  Yiddish  nrpp.  (French 
thieves  use  the  word  nep  for 
a  rascally  Jew,  a  receiver,  or 
dealer  in  sham  jewellery.) 
Nepp-handel  is  cheating  by  hav- 
ing false  or  inferior  wares,  a 
trade  or  place  in  which  the 
goods  are  all  "dickey."  Vide 
Rust. 

Nag  drag  (thieves),  explained  by 
quotation. 

Detective-Sergeant  Garner,  I  Division, 
stated  that  when  the  prisoners  were  re- 
moved to  the  cells,  he  went  into  the 
passage  and  heard  them  calling  to  one 
another.  Hill  said,  "This  will  be  a  nag 
drag."  Mr.  Chance:  "What  is  that?" 
Witness  explained  that  it  was  a  slang 
term  for  three  months'  imprisonment.— 
Daily  Telegraph. 


8o 


Nag — Nail. 


Nag,  to  (popular),  to  scold  or 
reprove,  or  " keep  at"  any  one 
continuously.  Nagging  implies 
annoying  or  vexing  one  all  the 
time,  a  "  following-up "  more 
than  anything  else.  Probably 
from  the  Swedish  nagg,  to  prick, 
i.e.,  to  spur  or  goad,  as  in  the 
gypsy  chiv,  chivvy. 

She's  always,  nag;,  nag,  nagging, 
And  keeping  up  the  game, 
No  matter  where  we  go  to, 
She  always  is  the  same. 

— Ballad  by  G.  Horncastle :  Are 
You  Coming. 

My  mother-in-law  has  come  to  stay 

For  ever. 
It's  ten  to  one  she  goes  away 

For  ever. 
She's  always  on  the  N.A.G. 
And  makes  a  perfect  show  of  me, 
I'll  chuck  her  out,  I  will,  you  see ! 

For  ever ! 
— Ballad  by  C.  Williams :  For  Ever. 

Naggy  is  provincial  English 
for  irritable. 

Na-hop  (pidgin),  i.e.,  "no-hab" 
or  "  no  have."  This  is  given  as 
meaning  "without,"  i.e.,  "de- 
prived of,"  or  "  wanting,"  in 
the  Chinese-English  or  Pidgin 
Vocabulary,  according  to  the 
idea  that  not  to  have  is  (to  be) 
without.  "  One  piecee  man  no- 
hop  dolla'  dat  man  so  bad  inisy 
as  no-hop  lifey  " — "  He  who  is 
without  money  is  as  miserable 
as  if  he  were  dead." 

Nail-box  (printers),  the  place 
where  printers  would  assemble 
to  "  nail "  (which  see)  or  "  back- 
bite "  any  one.  Very  often  re- 
fers to  a  neighbouring  "pub." 
or  other  rendezvous. 


Nailer,  nailing  (common),  terms 
expressing  excellence  in  any 
way ;  a  nailer  at  football,  riding, 
&c,  a  nailing  shot.  It  is  said 
of  a  handsome,  clever,  or  fashion  - 
able  lady  that  she  is  a  nailer. 
At  school  a  nailer  is  a  clever, 
good  student.  (Turf),  a  horse 
which  cannot  be  shaken  off, 
that  keeps  pace  with  his  an- 
tagonists. 

Still,  she  had  some  difficulty  in  getting 
rid  of  the  attentions  of  Theodore,  who  is 
evidently  a  nailer  when  the  going  is  a  bit 
soft. — Sporting  Times. 

Nailing  good  thing  (popular),  a 
thing  which  is  good  and  dur- 
able. 

The  Commander  -  in  -  chief  inspected 
Ducker's  portable  hospital  hut.  ...  It 
is  a  nailing  good  thing,  with  ne'er  a  nail 
in  it,  nor  even  a  loose  screw." — The  Sun- 
day Times. 

Nail,  to  (common),  to  take,  seize, 
detect.  (Thieves),  to  arrest, 
catch  in  the  act,  steaL 

"  I  see,"  said  Mouldy,  sagaciously 
nodding  his  head.  "What  was  it  that 
you  nailed?" 

"Nailed?" 

"Ay,  prigged,  don't  you  know?  Did 
they  ketch  it  on  you,  or  did  you  get  clean 
off  with  it." — The  Little  Ragamuffins. 

(Winchester  College),  to  de- 
tect, perceive,  catch,  secure. 
"To  nail  a  man"  is  to  go  and 
tell  him  to  "  sweat"  or  fag  for 
some  prefect ;  also  to  "  watch 
out "  or  field  at  cricket,  and  to 
keep  in  balls  at  football,  that 
is,  to  throw  the  ball  back  when  it 
goes  beyond  a  certain  line.  The 
nail  is  a  nail  planted  in  the 


Nail — Napkin. 


middle  of  the  wainscoting  un- 
der "aut  disce"  in  "school," 
under  which  any  one  nailed  or 
detected  telling  a  falsehood 
was  placed  for  punishment. 
(Printers),  to  nail  or  "brass 
nail "  any  one  is  to  "  backbite." 
"  No  nail "  would  be  an  expres- 
sion of  apology,  or  "  I  am  sorry, 
but  it  is  true." 

Namo  (costermongers),  girl ;  back 
slang  for  woman. 

Nammus  (thieves  and  coster- 
mongers), look  out,  beware. 
"  If  a  stranger  should  advance, 
the  cry  is  given,  nammus,"  and 
all  signs  of  gambling  are  out  of 
sight  instanter.  Also  be  off,  let 
us  be  off.  Said  to  be  a  corrup- 
tion of  Spanish  vamos,  let  us 
be  off,  which  has  given  vamose, 
which  see. 

"  Done  !"  said  Aaron,  and  each  held  up 
their  hands  in  fighting  attitude,  when, 
after  sparring  a  bit  for  an  opening,  and 
not  fancying  the  fellow,  Aaron  suddenly 
exclaimed  nammus,  thereby  meaning, 
cut,  run,  take  care  of  yourselves. — Hindley. 

Nancy  (military),  the  behind. 

Nancy  Dawson  (popular),  a 
name  for  a  molly,  an  effeminate 
youth,  apathetic,  &c.  A  recent 
sketch  of  the  characteristics 
of  the  mashers  of  the  pre- 
sent day,  which  appeared  in 
a  leading  magazine,  represents 
two  of  the  fraternity,  who  are 
very  intimate,  as  always  call- 
ing one  another  by  girls' 
names. 
VOL.  II. 


I'll  tell  you  of  a  fellow  who's  a  very  heavy 

swell, 
Who  fancies  he's  the  idol  of  each  fashion- 
able belle, 
And  they  call  him  Nancy  Dawson, 
And  isn't  he  a  caution  ! 
Oh,  Mr.  Nancy  Dawson,  what  a  tricky 

man  you  are ! 
Oh,   Nancy  Dawson,   can't  you  do  the 
la-di-dar  ? 

— Ballad  i  Nancy  Dawson. 

The  original  Nancy  Dawson 
was  a  noted  prostitute,  on 
whom  there  is  a  song  still  cur- 
rent among  sailors.  Proverbi- 
ally a  finicky,  effeminate  man  is 
called  a  Miss  Nancy. 

Nanny  (common),  a  prostitute. 
Probably  from  nun,  meaning 
the  same.     Vide  Abbess. 

Nanny  shop  (common),  a  brothel. 

Nantee,  nanty  (showmen,  itine- 
rant actors,  &c),  no,  not  any. 
Also  be  quiet,  hold  your  tongue ; 
from  Italian  niente,  nothing. 
Nanty  dinarly,  no  money,  poor 
receipts,  doing  badly. 

Nanty  parharly  (low),  used  in 
Clerkenwell,  King's  Cross,  and 
Leicester  Square,  and  where 
there  are  a  number  of  English- 
men and  foreigners.  If  two 
men  are  talking  confidentially 
and  a  third  joins  them  who  is 
not  desired  to  overhear  their 
conversation,  one  will  say  to  the 
other  nanty  parnarly,  meaning 
be  careful.  This  is  a  corruption 
of  the  Italian  niente  parlare. 

Napkin  (common),  a  nap.     "To 
be  buried  in  a  napkin"  to  be 
F 


82 


Nap — Narro  w. 


half  asleep,  not  to  have  one's 
wits  fully  about  one. 

Nap  nix  (theatrical),  one  who 
plays  for  nothing.  Nap,  to 
take,  receive ;  and  nix,  nothing. 

Nap,  nob,  or  nopper,  the  head. 
"  One  for  his  nob  or  nopper," 
pugilistic  slang  for  a  blow  on 
the  head.  Nappy  was  a  once 
favourite  epithet  for  strong  ale, 
equivalent  to  the  French  capi- 
teux,  heady,  affecting  the  head 
from  below.  Derived  apparently 
from  the  old  English  knob,  a  pro- 
tuberance ;  German  knorpe,  a 
button,  a  swelling,  a  bud  be- 
fore its  expansion  into  a  flower. 
A  picturesque  mountain  in  the 
vale  of  Grasmere  in  Westmore- 
land is  named  Nab  Scaur  (nab, 
rising  ground),  and  is  more 
than  once  mentioned  in  Words- 
worth's poems.  Burns  uses  the 
word  in  his  admirable  poem  of 
"Tam  o'  Shanter." 

"  Sit  bouzing  at  the  nappy, 
An'  gettin'  fu'  an'  unco  happy." 

Nap  one's  bib,  to  (popular),  to 
cry,  i.e.,  to  catch  up  one's  bib. 

Nap  the  regulars,  to  (thieves),  to 
share  the  booty.     Vide  To  Nap. 

And  ve  vent  and  fenced  the  swag  that 
wery  night,  and  afterwards  napped  the 
regulars. — Lytton :  Paul  Clifford. 


Nap  the  slap. 
Slap. 


Vide  Knap  the 


Nap  the  teaze,  to  (prison),  to  be 
whipped.  From  tees  or  T's, 
the    iron    holdfasts    to    which 


criminals  are  tied  when  whip- 
ped in  prison.  From  the  shape 
of  a  T.    Vide  To  Nap. 

Nap,  to  (popular),  to  catch,  re- 
ceive. Napp,  Danish,  Swedish, 
to  catch,  snap,  bite,  &c. 

While  to  another  he  would  mention  as 
a  fact  not  to.be  disputed,  "You  napp'd  it 
heavily  on  your  whisker-bed,  didn't  you  ?  " 
— C.  Bede ;  Verdant  Green. 

Also  to  steal.  To  go  nap,  to 
take,  sweep  the  whole.  Pro- 
bably from  the  game  of  nap. 

Men  raise  bubble  companies  others  to  trap, 
And  when  they're  bowled  out  in  it,  don't 

care  a  rap. 
But  what  is  the  reason?  well,  you  can  go 

nap. 
It  pays  them  much  better  than  work  ! 

—Music  Hall  Song. 

Nark,  or  copper's  nark  (thieves), 
a  man  or  woman  who  is  a  police 
spy  upon  his  comrades  or  class. 

He  had  a  nark  with  him,  so  I  went  and 
looked  for  my  two  pals,  and  told  them  to 
look  out  for  S.  and  his  nark. — Horsley  : 
Jottings  from  Jail. 

This  seems  to  have  some  con- 
nection with  the  Dutch  nar- 
ruken,  to  follow  about,  spy,  and 
narrecht,  information.  German, 
nachrichten. 

Nark,  to  (thieves),  to  watch,  ob- 
serve, look  after  or  into  closely. 
Vide  Naek. 

Narrow  squeak  (common),  just 
escaping  or  avoiding  anything 
by  the  merest  chance. 

"  Not  exactly  in  danger,"  murmured 
Gommy,   "but  once,  if  I  had  not  been 


Nash — Neck-verse. 


83 


possessed  of  great  presence  of  mind,  I 
might  have  had  a  narrow  squeak  for  it." 
— Sforting  Times. 

Nash,  to  (old  cant),  to  run  away, 
default.  Gypsy,  nasher,  to  run 
away,  to  lose,  hang,  forget,  spoil, 
injure,  in  all  their  variations  ; 
nashered,  nashcrdo,  hanged  on 
the  gallows,  executed,  utterly 
ruined ;  mandy  nashered  lis  avrl 
my  sherro,  I  forgot  it  (lost  it  out 
of  my  head) ;  tiro  wongurs  sdr 
nasherd  avrl,  your  money  is  all 
spent.  Hence  nass !  away ! 
Nashermengro,  policeman.  Hin- 
du, ndsdna,  to  destroy ;  nash, 
destruction. 

Nask  (old  cant),  a  prison. 

Nasty  (common),  spiteful,  ill- 
tempered. 

"  But  couldn't  you  get  rid  of  them?" 
"  Not  without  being  nasty." — Pall  Mall 
Gazette. 

Nazie  (old  cant),  drunken;  nazie 
cove,  a  drunken  man  ;  nazie  mort, 
a  drunken  woman.  From  the 
German  nass,  wet.  The  English 
lower  classes  use  "wet"  in  the 
sense  of  drink,  as  in  the  well- 
known  phrase  "  heavy  wet  "  for 
porter  or  beer.  "  Wet  the  other 
eye,"  take  another  drink.  "  Wet 
the  whistle,"  drink,  or  moisten 
the  throat.  "  Wet  Quaker,"  one 
who  drinks  on  the  sly.  To  make 
nase  nabes,  literally  to  make  the 
head  drunk. 

Now  I  lowr  that  ben  bouse  makes  nase 
nodes. — Harman:  Caveat. 

Ndaba  (South  African),  explained 
by  quotation. 


Ndaba,  a  pure  Zulu  word,  meaning  affair 
or  business,  is  in  frequent  use  even  among 
the  whites.  With  the  natives,  it  has  a 
most  elastic  signification,  and  ndaba  may 
mean  a  wedding,  a  beer-drinking  bout,  a 
quarrel,  a  trial  at  law,  or  a  hanging. — G. 
A.  Sala:  Illustrated  London  News. 

Neap,  nip  (Suffolk),  a  turnip,  is 
commonly  used  to  denote  a  big 
watch.    In  French  slang  oignon. 

Neat,  spirits  without  water,  &c. 
Liquor  or  spirit  unmixed  is 
"plain,  straight,  bald-face,  re- 
verend, pure,  out  of  the  barrel, 
bare-footed,  naked,  stark-naked, 
primitive,  raw,  in  the  state  of 
nature,  in  puris  naturalibus, 
unsophisticated,  without  a  shirt, 
ah,  don't  mingle,  aboriginal, 
unalloyed,  untempered,  cold- 
without,  neat  as  imported,  or 
neat,  simplex  e  munditiis,  uncor- 
rupted,  unmarried,  virgin,  and 
clean  from  the  still."  Stone- 
fence  is  a  drink  of  whisky 
plain,  a  raw  recruit  is  a  glass 
of  spirits  without  water. 

Neckcloth  (common),  the  halter. 

For  the  neckcloth  I  don't  care  a  button, 
And  by  this  time  to-morrow  you'll  see 

Your  Larry  will  be  as  dead  as  mutton. 
— Burrowes :  The  Death  of  Socrates. 

Neck,  to  (popular),  to  swallow; 
nec&-oil,  drink.  Not  to  be  able 
to  neck  it,  not  to  have  the  moral 
courage  to  do  or  ask. 

Neck-verse,  chap.  li.  ver.  7  of 
the  Psalms  in  the  Vulgate,  com- 
mencing miserere  mei  domine. 
The  test  of  clerkship  in  those 
claiming  benefit  of  clergy.    The 


84 


Neck-verse — Never. 


record  was  indorsed  in  such 
cases :  "  Po.  se.  cul.  pet.  lib. 
leg.  u.  cler.  u.  i.  m.  delib.  or." — 
"  Posset  se  (super  patriam)  cul- 
pabilis  petit  librum  legit  ut 
clericus  ustus  in  manu  delibera- 
tus  ordinario."  Puts  himself 
on  the  country,  asks  for  the 
book,  reads  like  a  clerk,  is 
branded  on  the  hand,  and  de- 
livered over  to  the  bishop ;  in 
later  times,  deliberatur  secundum 
statutum.  Such  were  branded 
with  a  hot  iron  on  the  brawn  of 
the  left  hand.  Ben  Jonson 
escaped  in  this  way.  Sometimes 
it  ran  cog.  indict.,  &c,  pleads 
guilty,  &c. 

The  record  of  Ben  Jonson's 
conviction  for  killing  Gabriel 
Spencer  in  a  duel  in  Toggeston 
Fields,  has  been  found  by  Mr. 
Cordy  Jeff  reason,  whence  it  ap- 
pears he  saved  his  neck  by  these 
means : — 

Letter  or  line  I  know  never  a  one 
Wer't  my  neck-verse  at  Harribee. 
— Scott:  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel. 

The  judge  will  read  thy  neck-verse  for 
thee  here. — Clobery  Div.  Glimpses,  1659. 

Neddy  (thieves  and  popular),  a 
life-preserver  or  loaded  cane 
whereby  life  may  be  taken.  A 
donkey. 

Needful,  the  (common),  money. 

Was  ordered  to  pay  a  fine  and  costs. 
.  .  .  Not  having  tlie  needful,  Pat  went 
into  retirement  at  the  expense  of  the 
country. — Scraps. 

Needle,  the  (general),  vexation, 
stinging  annoyance. 


And  it  gives  a  man  the  needle  when  he 

hasn't  got  a  bob, 
To  see  his  pals  come  round  and  wish  him 

joy. 

— Song  :  you  should  never  Marry. 

(Turf),  "  to  get  the  needle"  or 
"  cope  the  needle,"  is  to  be  so 
goaded  by  "  the  slings  and 
arrows  of  outrageous  fortune" 
that  the  bettor  loses  his  self- 
control  and  "plunges"  wildly  to 
recover  his  money.  (Athletics), 
to  get  the  needle  is  to  feel  very 
nervous  and  funky. 

Needle,  to  (common),  to  annoy. 

Needy-mizzler  (tinker),  a  tramp. 

Negotiate,  a  modern  slang  ex- 
pression often  employed  by 
sportsmen  and  the  writers  who 
chronicle  their  achievements  to 
signify  any  attempt  to  surmount 
the  difficulties  they  may  meet 
with  in  the  hunting-field. 

They    aspire    to    negotiate    awkward 
fences. — Bird  d  Freedom. 

Neither  buff  nor  bum  (popular), 
neither  one  thing  nor  the  other. 

Nerve  (Eton),  impudence. 

Nestor  (Winchester  College),  a  boy 
small  for  his  age. 

Netgen  (coster),  half  a  sovereign ; 
from  back  slang  for  ten,  and 
gen,  a  shilling. 

Never  hit  the  use  (pidgin  English- 
Chinese).  'M.  Chung-yung  not 
hit  the  use,  i.e.,  was  idle,  useless, 
or  all  in  vain. 


Never — Nib. 


85 


One  night  Wang-ti  go  walkee — he  feel  like 

lonely  goose, 
How  all  he  study  'M.   Chung-yung— he 

neva  hit  the  use. 
How  some  man  pass  an'  catch  deglee  while 

he  stick  fass'  behind, 
Like  one  big  piecee  lock  while  waves  fly 

pass'  him  on  the  wind. 

— Wang-ti. 

Never,  never  country,  the  (Aus- 
tralian), the  Ultima  Thule  of 
civilisation.  "  The  never,  never 
country  means  in  Queensland  the 
occupied  pastoral  country  which 
is  furthest  removed  from  the 
more  settled  districts"  (J.  S. 
O'Halloran,  Secretary  Koyal 
Colonial  Institute). 

There  is  no  such  thing  as  an  "Austra- 
lian cow-boy."  There  is  as  much  differ- 
ence between  the  real  never,  never  stock- 
man and  the  Earl's  Court  article  as  there 
is  between  the  real  shell-back  of  the  fore- 
castle or  the  British  tar  in  "  Ruddigore." 
— Globe. 

Never  too  late  to  mend  shop 
(tailors).  Vide  HAND  ME  DOWN 
Place. 

New-bug  (Marlborough  College), 
a  contemptuous  term  to  signify 
a  new  boy. 

New  chum  (Australian),  a  new 
comer,  a  fresh  arrival  in  the 
country. 

More  than  'once  on  the  road,  meeting 
these  fellows  tramping  along,  my  driver  or 
companion  has  recognised  them  as  new 
chums  by  the  cut  of  their  pack. — C.  T.  : 
Blackwood*  Magazine. 

This  expression  is  simply  the 
English  "chum"  with  a  "new" 
prefixed  to  it.  It  is  often  used 
rather  contemptuously. 


Newgate  fringe  (thieves),  collar 
of  beard  worn  under  the  chin. 

Newgate  hornpipe  (common), 
hanging. 

And  we  shall  caper  a-heel-and -toeing 
A  Newgate  hornpipe  some  fine  day. 
— W.  Maginn :  Vidocq's  Slang  Song. 

Newgate  knocker  (coster- 
mongers),  the  mode  of  wear- 
ing the  hair  curled  in  the  shape 
of  the  figure  6  over  the  ears. 
In  vogue  about  1840  to  1850. 

Newgate-ring  (popular),  mous- 
tache and  lower  beard  worn  as 
one,  the  side  whiskers  being 
shaved  off. 

Newy  (Winchester  College),  a 
"cad,"  that  is,  a  fellow  who 
was  paid  to  take  care  of  the 
canvas  tent  in  "  commoner"  or 
school  field. 

N.  F.  (printers).  This  term  is 
very  largely  used  by  printers  in 
abbreviation  of  the  words  "  no 
fly,"  to  indicate  an  artful  com- 
panion— one  who  is  only  cogni- 
sant of  what  suits  him,  and 
feigns  ignorance  of  matters  that 
apply  to  him. 

Nib  (American  thieves),  the 
mouth.  Nib  or  neb  is  old  English 
for  mouth,  snout,  beak.  Anglo- 
Saxon  nebb,  head,  face.  Icelan- 
dic nebbi,  beak  of  a  bird,  nose. 
Swedish  snabel,  beak.  Probably 
the  origin  of  "his  nibs,"  self, 
face,  and  mouth,  being  synony- 
mous. In  French  cant  man 
fjniasse,  son  gniasse,  &c,  mean 


86 


Nib — Ning-nang. 


myself,  &c,  and  seem  to  be  ab- 
breviated from  ma  tignasse,  my 
hair,  that  is,  head.  (Printers), 
an  expression  generally  applied 
to  indicate  a  silly  person,  other- 
wise a  "  mouth,"  which  see. 

Nibbler  (popular),  a  petty  thief. 

Nibble,  to  (popular),  to  take  or 
steal. 

Nibble,  to  have  a  (tailors),  to 
have  the  best  of  the  bargain,  or 
an  easy,  well-paid  job. 

Nib-like  (thieves  and  coster- 
mongers),  gentlemanly.  Vide 
Nobby. 

Nibs.     Vide  His  Nibs. 

Nickers,  wild  young  fellows  or 
mohawks  who,  in  the  eighteenth 
century,  when  the  watch  of  Lon- 
don was  composed  of  old  and 
feeble  men,  amused  themselves 
by  traversing  the  streets  howl- 
ing and  shouting. 

Nick,  to  (thieves),  to  steal.  "  He 
that  nicks  and  runs  away  will 
live  to  nick  another  day,"  in- 
scribed in  a  prison  celh 

That  there  cove  wot  you're  a-speaking 
of  .  .  .  what  had  he  been  nicking? — •/. 
Greenwood:  Dick  Temple. 

Originated  from  nick,  to  cut, 
%.€.,  cutting  away  pockets.  Also 
to  apprehend,  arrest. 

"Well,  'Jones,'  I  see  you  are  Robinson 
this  time.     What  have  you  got  ?  " 
"  Ten  stretch  and  my  ticket." 
"What  did  you  get    nicked   for    this 
time  ?  " 


"  Me  and  my  pal  were  buckled  by  the 

coppers  as  were  going  to  the  

fence   with    the    swag."  —  Evening 

News. 

Nigger  spit  (popular),  the  lumps 
in  Demerara  sugar. 

Nightshade  (popular),  or  deadly 
nightshade,  a  shameless  prosti- 
tute of  the  very  lowest  class. 

Nimmer  (thieves),  thief. 

Nimshod  (popular),  a  cat.  The 
allusion  is  obvious. 

Nim,  to  (thieves),  to  steal;  old 
English  slang  nim,  to  take ; 
same  root  as  the  German  neh- 
men.    Anglo-Saxon  niman. 

Ninepence,  right  as  (popular), 
means  perfectly  correct,  appa- 
rently a  corruption  from  "  right 
as  ninepins,"  which  are  care- 
fully set  up  in  proper  rhomboidal 
disposition  (A.  Smythe  Palmer). 

Nine  shillings  (colloquialism), 
cool  audacity.  Said  to  be  from 
French  nonchalance,  but  it  must 
be  noted  that  nine,  one  of  the 
mystical  numbers  (three,  trinity, 
represents  a  perfect  unity,  twice 
three  is  the  perfect  dual,  and 
thrice  three  is  the  perfect  plural), 
occurs  in  many  phrases  as  in- 
dicating an  exhaustive  plural, 
perfection  or  completion,  as  a 
nine  days'  wonder,  nine  tailors 
make  a  man,  dressed  up  to  the 
nines,  &c. 

Ning  -  nang  (horse  -  coupers),  a 
worthless  thoroughbred. 


Nip — Nob. 


87 


Nip  (old  cant),  a  pickpocket. 

One  of  them  is  a  nip.  I  took  him  in 
the  twopenny  gallery  at  the  Fortune. — 
Roaring  Girl. 

Nip  and  tuck  (Cornwall),  a  close 
contest.  An  old  term  in  wres- 
tling. Nip,  to  seize,  and  tuck,  to 
chuck  or  throw. 

Speaking  of  bust-ups,  it  appears  to  be 
nip  and  tuck  between  Ed.  Wolcott,  Scott 
Lee,  and  the  Cincinnati  banks.  As  the 
score  stands  now  it  is  a  dead  tie. — The 
Solid  Muldoon,  Otway,  Colorado. 

Also  "  nip  and  go  tuck." 

I've  had  a  terribul  fit  of  the  ager  since  I 
writ  yer  last,  and  one  time  I  thought  it 
was  about  nip  and  go  tuck  wether  the  ager 
or  natur  wud  whip. — Major  Jack  Downing. 

Nip-cheese  (nautical),  purser's 
steward.    Also  a  miser. 

Nipper  (popular),  a  baby,  a 
child.  Also  a  small  draught. 
One  who  goes  in  for  sharp 
practice.  The  metaphor  is  in 
nipping,  grasping  or  squeezing 
a  man  more  than  the  bargain 
purports. 

"  Like  enough,"  returned  Stone.  "That 
accounts  why  he  has  the  credit  of  being 
such  a  nipper." — A.  C.  Grant:  Busk 
Life  in  Queensland. 

Also  a  pickpocket;  formerly 
a  cut-purse.  (Marlborough  Col- 
lege), a  little  cad.  (Coster- 
monger),  the  youngest  of  lads 
employed  by  costermongers. 
(Popular  and  thieves),  explained 
by  quotation. 

"  Dowse  the  glim !  here  come  the 
nippers. " 

That  a  nipper  was  a  policeman,  I  well 
knew. — The  Little  Ragamuffins. 


Nip,  to  (old  cant),  to  take,  seize, 
steal,  apprehend. 

Meanwhile  the  cut-purse  in  the  throng, 
Hath  a  fair  means  to  nyp  a  bung. 

— Poor  Robin,  1740. 

If  we  niggle  or  mill  a  bousing  ken, 
Or  nip  a  bung  that  has  but  a  win, 
Or  dup  the  giger  of  a  gentry  cofe's  ken, 
To  the  quier  cuffing  we  bing. 
— T.  Dekker:  Lanthorne  and  Candle- 
light. 

Nix  or  nicks  (thieves),  nothing. 
The  German  nichts. 

In  a  bright  check  suit  with  staring  squares, 

And  a  "topper"  of  striking  grey, 
The  magsman  fly  to  the  course  repairs 

In  quest  of  "mugs  "  as  prey. 
In  his  "exes  "  being  nil  our  friend  confides, 
His  "brief"  he  snatches  and  for  nix  he 
rides. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

It  won't  do,  I  say,  to  stand  here  for 
nicks.  — Pa  rker :  Variegated  Characters. 

Used  by  French  thieves. 
Spanish  cant  nexo ;  Italian 
niba,  niberta. 

Nix  my  dolly  (thieves),  never 
mind. 

Nix  my  dolly,  pals,  fake  away  ! 

— Ainsxvorth:  Rookivood. 

Niz  priz  (legal),  a  writ  of  nisi 
prius. 

Nizzie  (old  cant),  a  fooL 

Nob  (common),  the  head,  origin- 
ally pugilistic.  From  knob  or 
nub,  the  nape  of  the  neck. 

The  coachman  he  not  likin'  the  job 
Set  off  at  a  full  gal-lop, 
But  Dick  put  a  couple  of  balls  in  his  nob 
And  prevailed  on  him  to  stop. 

— Romance  from  Pickwick  Papers. 


88 


Nob — Nobbier. 


I  went  jest  for  a  lark,  nothink  else,  and 
wos  quietly  slinging  my  'ook, 

Wen  a  bit  of  a  rush  came  around  me,  a 
truncheon  dropped  smack  on  my  nob, 

And  'ere  I  ham,  tucked  up  in  bed,  with  a 
jug  of  'ot  spruce  on  the  'ob. 

— Punch. 

To  scuttle  your  nob,  to  break 
your  head. 

Soon  I'll  give  you  to  know,  you  d d 

thief, 
That  you're  cracking  your  jokes  out  of 

season, 
And  scuttle  your  nob  with  my  fist. 

— Burrowes :  The  Death  of  Socrates. 

A  great  swell,  a  man  of 
high  position.  Abbreviated  from 
great  nob  (nob,  head).  In  Parisian 
popular  slang  grosse  tite. 

I  came  to  London — p'rhaps  I'd  better  say 

how  I  begun, 
For  no  nabob  was  half  such  a  nob, 
As  the  Shallaba'lah  Ma'rajah. 

— Punch. 

Vide  One  foe  his  nob. 

No  battle  (printers),  no  good; 
not  worth  while. 

Nobba  saltee  (costermongers), 
ninepence.    From  nove  soldi. 

Nobber,  nobbier  (pugilistic),  a 
blow  on  the  "  nob  "  or  head. 

Nobbet,  nobbing1,  to  collect,  or 
collecting  money.  "  A  term 
much  used  by  buskers,"  says 
Hotten. 

Naubat,  in  the  language  of 
the  Hindu  Nats,  or  musical 
gypsies,  signifies,  time,  tune, 
and  instruments  of  music  sound- 
ing at  the  gate  of  a  great  man 


at  certain  intervals.  Nobbet, 
which  is  a  gypsy  word,  well 
known  to  all  itinerant  negro 
minstrels  or  tavern  singers, 
means  to  go  about  with  music, 
to  get  money,  or  to  take  it  in 
turn.  It  is  manifestly  enough 
of  Indian  origin.  "To  nobbet 
round,"  means  to  go  about  by 
turns  to  collect. 

Nobbing  slum  (showmen),  the  bag 
for  collecting  money.  This  is 
specially  used  by  Punch  and 
Judy  men. 

Nobbier,  thus  described  by  Hind- 
ley: — "In  my  young  days  there 
used  to  travel  about  in  gangs, 
like  men  of  business,  a  lot  of 
people  called  nobblers,  who  used 
to  work  the  thimble  and  pea  rig, 
and  go  '  buzzing,'  that  is,  pick- 
ing pockets,  assisted  by  some 
small  boys.  These  men  travel- 
led to  markets,  fairs,  and  races, 
and  dressed  for  the  most  part 
like  country  farmers,  in  brown 
top-boots,  &c.  The  race  of  nob- 
blers is  now  nearly  extinct,  as 
the  old  ones  have  died  out, 
and  the  younger  hands  have 
either  turned  betting -men  or 
burglars."  (Australian),  a  glass 
of  spirits,  literally  that  nobbles, 
i.e.,  throttles,  kills  you. 

The  other  proceeded  in  the  most  correct 
bush  style.  Every  now  and  then  uttering 
a  wild  cry,  and  dashing  his  spurs  into  his 
nag's  sides,  he  would  fly  along  at  his  top- 
most speed,  only  to  pull  up  again  at  the 
nearest  public-house,  to  the  verandah  of 
which  his  horse's  bridle  was  hung  until  he 
had  imbibed  a  nobbier  or  two. — A.  C. 
Grant :  Bush  Life  in  Queensland. 


Nobbier — No. 


89 


(Rodfishers),  the  nobbier,  the 
gaff,  i.e.,  that  which  gives  the 
finishing  blow,  that  kills. 

Then  after  one  alarming  flurry  on  the 
top  of  the  water,  my  left  hand  slips  the 
landing-net  under  him,  and  his  final  strug- 
gles ate  shortly  ended  with  a  single  tap 
of  the  nobbier. — Sir  Harry  Pottinger: 
Trout  Fishing. 

Nobble,  to  (turf),  to  incapacitate 
a  horse  from  starting  or  from 
winning  a  race  by  previously 
drugging,  laming,  or  otherwise 
injuring  him. 

It  is  no  use  blinking  the  matter.  The 
horse  was  nobbled — by  whom  it  does  not 
concern  us  to  conjecture. — Bird  o'  Free- 
dom. 

From  old  word  nobble,  to  beat 
or  rub  ;  also  nubble,  to  strike, 
bruise  with  fist,  or  to  nub  (which 
see),  to  hang,  throttle. 

(Popular  and  thieves),  tocheat, 
outwit,  overreach,  i.e.,  to  beat. 

Don't  you  fancy  the  hunemployed  bun- 
kum has  nobbled  me :  not  such  a  mug  ! 
— Punch. 

Also  to  throttle,  kill. 

There's  a  fiver  in  the  puss,  and  nine 
good  quid.  Have  it.  Nobble  him,  lads, 
and  share  it  betwixt  you.—/.  Greenwood: 
Dick  Temple. 

Nobby,  nobbish  (popular  and 
thieves),  fine,  stylish;  deriv- 
able from  nob,  great  nob,  which 
see. 

Yah,  pitch  us  over  yer  red  slang  1  Take 
orf  that  ere  nobby  coat  1— Punch. 

"  Look  here,  mate,"  said  another, 
"  they've  reformed  all  that  now.  The  old 
Jew  in  Dudley  Street  has  got  the  sack. 
You  know  it  ain't  a  year  since  I  '  chucked 
up '  and  I  got  my  duds  at  the  society  in 


Charing  Cross,  and  a  real  nobby  suit  they 
were  until  a  shower  of  rain  came  on  and 
then  you  should  have  seen  what  a  scare- 
crow I  looked." — Evening  Neius. 

Nob  thatch  (popular),  the  hair. 

Nob  thatcher  (popular),  a  peruke- 
maker. 

Noddle  (popular),  the  head. 
Probably  from  nod.  Used  by 
Shakspeare.  Vide  "  Taming  of 
the  Shrew,"  act  i.  scene  1. 

Doubt  not,  her  care  should  be 
To  combe  your  noddle  with  a  three-legg'd 
stool. 

Noffgurs  (London),  prostitutes. 

Wrong  'uns  at  the  "  Wateries," 
Noffgurs  at  the  Troc, 
Schiksas  at  the  Umperies, 
Pastry  in  a  frock. 
Parties  fines  at  Purfleet, 
Petites  in  the  "  Square," 
Coryphees  by  Kettner, 
Tartlets  anywhere. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

No  flies.     Vide  Flies. 

No  kid.     Vide  Kid. 

Nommus  or  namous  (coster- 
mongers),  be  off. 

No  moss  (tailors),  no  ill-feeling 
or  animosity. 

No  name,  no  pull  (tailors),  signi- 
fies if  names  are  not  mentioned 
there  can  be  no  libel,  or  if  I  do 
not  mention  his  name  he  can- 
not take  offence,  unless  he  likes 
to  apply  the  remarks  to  him- 
self. 


90 


Nonsense — Not. 


Nonsense  (Eton  School). 

The  present  Provost  of  King's,  then 
Lower  Master  at  Eton,  on  reading  over 
the  names  of  boys  who  had  gained  their 
remove,  I  remember,  quite  impressed  us 
with  his  regal  position  when  he  announced 
that  King-Harman  was  monarch  of  Non- 
sense. All  old  Etonians  will  remember 
that  Nonsense  was  a  small  division  of  the 
third  form. — Standard.     • 

Noodle  (common),  simpleton. 

The  chuckling  grin  of  noodles. — Sydney 
Smith. 

In  society  a  foolish  man  is 
called  noodles.  Noodle  is  pro- 
bablyfrom" nod," like  "noddle" 
and  "noddy,"  because  a  person 
who  constantly  nods  to  assent 
is  looked  upon  as  being  foolish. 

Noras  (Stock  Exchange),  Great 
Northern  Kailway  Def.  Qrd. 
Stock. 

No  repairs  (common),  said  of  a 
set-to  or  struggle,  where  the 
parties  rush  heedlessly  into  the 
fray  ;  neck  or  nought. 

Norping  (theatrical),  quoting  pa- 
thetic, thrilling  phrases  that 
will "  fetch  "  the  gallery;  termed 
also  "piling  it  up." 

North  (common),  too  far  north  for 
me,  too  clever,  knows  too  much. 
In  reference  to  Yorkshiremen 
and  Scotchmen.  The  French 
say  of  a  person  who  is  con- 
fused, perplexed,  "il  a  perdu 
le  nord." 

Nose  (thieves),  a  spy  or  detective, 
i.e.,  one  with  his  nose  on  the 
scent  like  a  bloodhound. 


How  would  they  know  that  there  wasn't 
a  nose — that  is,  a  detective  p'leceman — 
there  in  disguise. — /.  Greenwood:  Dick 
Temple. 

Nose-bag  (waiters),  a  visitor  at  a 
house  of  refreshment  who  car- 
ries his  own  victuals. 

Nosender  (popular),  a  blow  on  the 
nose.     Originally  pugilistic. 

"You  see,  sir,"  said  the  Pet,  "I  ain't 
used  to  t^ie  feel  of  it,  and  I  couldn't  go 
to  business  properly,  or  give  a  straight 
nosender,  nohow." — C.  Bede:  Verdant 
Green. 

Noser  (popular),  a  blow  on  the 
nose. 

It  was  a  noser,  and  no  mistake  about  it, 
and  the  ruby  spurted  in  all  directions. — 
Hindley :  Life  and  Adventures  of  a 
Cheap  Jack. 

Nose,  to  (thieves),  to  give  infor- 
mation to  the  police,  to  turn 
approver,  to  watch. 

Nose  warmer  (common),  a  very 
short  black  pipe.  In  French 
orMe-guevle. 

Noter  (Harrow  School),  a  note- 
book. 

Not  for  Joe,  or  Joseph,  used  to 
intimate  that  one  does  not  in- 
tend or  care  to  do,  or  have 
anything  requested. 

Not  half  bad,  an  expression  of 
approval. 

Joking  apart,  "\'A.\n€"  Is  net  half  a  bad 
piece. — Punch. 

The  French  say  similarly  of 
a  man,  "il  n'est  pas  la  moitie* 
d'un  sot,"  meaning  he  is  no  fool. 


Notions — Nurse. 


91 


Notions  (Winchester  College), 
words,  phrases  peculiar  to  the 
"  men  "  of  Winchester  College. 

Not  much  of  a  shower  (Ameri- 
can), a  popular  phrase,  used 
whenever  a  political  opponent 
or  "any  other  man"  makes  light 
of  a  great  defeat. 

Not  much  of  a  shower. — With  all  their 
efforts,  and  with  many  political  circum- 
stances in  their  favour,  the  Republicans 
have  been  unable  to  create  a  reaction  of 
any  consequence  whatever.  —  Richmond 
Whig. 

It  is  said  that  while  Noah  was 
building  his  ark  a  certain  man 
used  to  visit  him  daily  and  laugh 
at  his  "fad"  of  constructing  such 
a  boat.  But  when  the  rain  be- 
gan, and  the  flood  rose  till  the 
scoffer's  chin  was  just  above 
water-level,  his  tone  changed, 
and  he  humbly  entreated  to 
be  taken  on  board.  To  this 
Noah  would  in  nowise  assent, 
when  the  man,  turning  his  back 
indignantly,  walked  off  ex- 
claiming, "Go  to  thunder  with 
your  old  ark.  I  don't  believe 
there's  going  to  be  much  of  a 
shower  I " 

Nowhere  (common),  to  be  no- 
where, to  be  in  a  state  of  utter 
(comparatively  speaking)  in- 
feriority or  insignificancy  for 
the  time  being.  From  a  racing 
phrase ;  horses  not  placed  in  a 
race,  that  is,  which  are  neither 
first,  second,  nor  third,  are  said 
to  be  nowhere. 

The  brave  panther  when  he  has  once 
crossed  the   threshold  of   that   splendid 


damsel  (who,  by  the  way,  is  a  thief, 
and  addicted  to  drinking  brandy  by  the 
"  bumper  ")  is,  vulgarly  speaking,  no- 
where.— ■/.  Greenwood :  Seven  Curses  of 
London. 

Nozzle  the  bottoms,  to  (tailors), 
to  shrink  the  front  of  trousers. 
Also  to  pawn  them. 

Nubbing  chit  (old),  the  gallows. 

When  he  came  to  the  nubbing  chit, 
He  was  tucked  up  so  neat  and  so  pretty. 
— R.  Burrowes :  The  Death  of 
Socrates. 

Nub,  to  (thieves),  to  hang ;  from 
nub,  the  nape  of  the  neck. 

All  the  comfort  I  shall  have  when  you 
are  nubbed  is  that  I  gave  you  good  advice. 
— Fielding:  Jonathan  Wild. 

Nuff  (soldiers),  to  have  one's 
nuff,  means  to  have  had  more 
drink  than  is  good  for  one,  i.e., 
enough. 

Nursery  (turf),  a  race  for  two- 
year-olds  only,  and  almost  al- 
ways a  handicap.  (Billiards), 
when  all  three  balls  are  close 
together,  and  the  player,  by 
cannoning,  scores  several  times 
without  materially  altering  the 
position  of  the  balls,  these  scores 
are  termed  a  "nursery  of  can- 
nons." 

In  this  latter  run  the  balls  touched  when 
he  had  made  42,  but  he  soon  got  them  to- 
gether after  they  had  been  spotted,  and 
made  a  run  of  23  nursery  cannons. — Even- 
ing News. 

Nurse,  to  (billiards).  Vide  Nur- 
sery. (Omnibus  people),  to 
nurse  an  omnibus,  to  try  and 


92 


Nurse — Oat. 


run  it  off  the  road.  This  is 
done  by  sending  a  rival  omnibus 
close  behind,  or  two  omnibuses 
are  placed,  one  before,  the  other 
behind  an  opposition  omnibus 
to  prevent  it  picking  up  any 
passengers. 

Nut  (general),  head.  Noisette 
(nut),  for  head,  occurs  in  the 
French  slang  phrase  "avoir  un 
asticot  dans  la  noisette,"  to 
be  off  one's  nut,  i.e.,  crazy. 
Chaucer  has  not-hed,  a  head 
like  a  nut. 

A  not-hed  hadde  he,  with  a  broune  visage. 
— Canterbury  Tales. 

Nut-cracker  (popular),  sharp  blow 
over  the  head. 

Nuts  on  (popular),  partial  to,  very 
fond  of. 


Nutted  (popular),  deceived  by  a 
person  who  professed  to  be 
"  nuts  on  you." 

I  ain't  nuts  on  sweaters  myself, 
And  I  do  'ate  a  blood-sucking  screw, 

Who  sponges  and  never  stands  Sam, 
And  whose  motto's  "  all  cop,  and  no 
blue."  — Punch. 

From  the  phrase  "that's  nuts 
to  one,"  i.e.,  a  great  treat,  a 
thing  one  is  partial  to.  Nut 
has  here  the  sense  of  a  dainty 
morsel,  from  nut,  a  sweetbread, 
or  the  lump  of  fat  called  the 
Pope's  eye ;  the  nut  of  a  leg  of 
mutton  (noix  in  French,  same 
meaning,  hence  la  noix,  the  best 
part,  dainty  morsel). 

Nutty  (old),  nice. 

Who  on  a  lark  with  black-eyed  Sal  (his 

blowing), 
So  prime,  so  swell,  so  nutty,  and   so 

knowing. 

— Byron  :  Don  Juan. 


(printers),  abbrevia- 
tion for  word  "  over- 
seer." Generally  used 
as  a  note  of  warning 
on  his  approach. 


Oak  (University).  An  undergra- 
duate's rooms  at  college  are  en- 
closed by  double  doors.  The 
outer  one  is  called  his  oak, 
being  made  of  extra  strength 
to  meet  the  rough  usage  usually 
in  store  for  it.  A  man  is  said 
to  "sport  his  oak"  when  he 
locks  his  outer  door.  The  ex- 
pression has  become  common 


for  to  be 
visitors. 


not  at   home"   to 


Oar  (nautical),  "to  shove  in  an 
oar,"  to  intermeddle,  or  give  an 
opinion  unasked. 

Oat  (popular),  used  in  the  phrase 
"  I  never  got  an  oat  of  it,"  I 
never  got  an  atom  of  it.  From 
the  small  size  of  an  oat.  Com- 
pare with  the  French  "  n'y  voir 
goutte;"  "point,"  not  at  all, 
from  punctum;  the  old  mie, 
same  meaning,  from  mica,  a 
crumb ;  and  the  Latin  ne-hUum, 


Oats — Off. 


93 


which  became  nihil,  nothing, 
from  hilum,  a  black  dot  in  a 
bean. 

Oats  (American),  "  to  feel  his 
oats,"  to  be  lively  and  full  of 
spirits.  An  expression  taken 
from  the  stables.  When  a 
horse  is  well  fed  and  in  good 
condition,  he  feels  his  oats. 

Oat  stealer  (popular),  an  ostler. 

Ob  (Winchester  College),  for  obit. 

Obfuscated  (common),  drunk. 

She  is  scarcely  for  a  moment  off  the 
stage,  and  she  appears  in  half  a  dozen 
different  disguises ;  she  climbs  up  a  lad- 
der ;  she  gets  obfuscated  by  drinking  a 
bottle  of  liqueur. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Observationist  (thieves),  one  who 
looks  out  tempting  objects  for 
the  skilful  thief  to  steal,  &c. 
Generally  pedlars,  hawkers,  &c. 

Ochives  (old  cant),  bone-handled 
knives.  0  chiv,  the  knife,  in 
gypsy. 

Ochre  (roughs),  money.  From 
the  colour  of  gold. 

Sport  your  ochre  like  a  man, 

I'm  the  cove  that  keeps  the  tater  can. 

—Old  Song. 

O'clock  (popular  and  thieves),  to 
"know  what's  o'clock"  to  be 
wide  awake.  Synonymous  with 
"  up  to  the  time  of  day." 

Our  governor's  wide  awake,  he  is.  I'll 
never  say  nothin'  agin  him,  nor  no  man  ; 
but  he  knows  what's  o'clock,  he  does,  un- 
common.—Charles  Dickens :  Sketches. 


October  (pugilistic),  jocular  for 
blood,  being  short  for  October 
ale,  the  body  being  the  beer- 
barrel. 

While  to  another  he  would  mention  as 
an  interesting  item  of  news,  "  Now  we'll 
tap  your  best  October."— C.  Bede:  Verdant 
Green. 

Oddment  (printing),  said  of  a 
book  that  ends  on  an  odd 
leaf.  (Linen  -  drapers),  short 
pieces  left  from  rolls  of  stuff, 
linen,  cloth,  &c. 

Odds  (turf),  an  imaginary  scale 
of  arithmetical  chance,  arbi- 
trarily fixed  by  the  bookmakers 
in  respect  of  the  prospects  of 
any  horse  winning  any  future 
event  on  which  their  customers 
may  wish  to  bet.  (Common), 
"what's  the  odds,"  what  is  the 
consequence ;  "it's  no  odds,"  it's 
of  no  consequence. 

Odno  (roughs  and  thieves),  back 
slang  for  no  do.  Riding  on  the 
odno,  travelling  in  a  railway 
train  without  paying  the  fare. 
Vide  Duck. 

Off  colour  (society),  out  of  health, 
out  of  form,  not  oneself,  un- 
able to  do  things  as  well  as 
usual.  Alluding  to  a  pale  face, 
or  a  phrase  borrowed  from  the 
lapidary,  who  speaks  of  dia- 
monds as  being  of  colour. 

When  a  man  has  not  slept  a  wink  for 
over  a  week  it  is  not  remarkable  that  he 
should  look  a  little  off  colour,  but  when 
a  constant  and  not-to-be-escaped  brain 
jangle  is  added  to  insomnia,  as  was  the 
case  with  the  famous  Q.C.,  great  ravages 
are  worked  at  the  double.— The  World. 


94 


Off— Office. 


The  arbitrator  listened  to  both  sides 
separately,  and  soon  found  that  each  was 
a  bit  off  colour.  Said  Billy  to  the  German 
Sheenie,  "  You  know  you  cannot  show  a 
clean  bill  of  health." — Snorting  Times. 

Mr. struck  me  as  a  bit  off  colour  in 

his  acting  on  that  particular  evening.  It 
was,  however,  an  anxious  time,  no  doubt. 
— Fun. 

(Printers),  a  term  frequently 
used  by  pressmen  when  they 
feel  like  "  St.  Monday,"  and  de- 
sire a  "miche."  Derived  pro- 
bably from  the  fact  that  a  man 
thus  shirking  work  would  be 
off  from  inking,  &c,  the  type 
for  printing.  It  is  now  used  in 
the  United  States  to  indicate 
any  kind  of  inferiority  or  defect 
in  men  or  objects. 

Off  his  base  (American),  out  of 
his  mind,  insane,  queer. 

A  Brooklyn  professor  has  been  investi- 
gating cats  and  dogs,  and  he  finds  just  as 
many  cranks  and  fools  among  them  as 
among  human  beings.  He  says  that  every 
fourth  cat  is  off  her  base,  while  every  ninth 
dog  is  a  sort  of  fanatic. — Detroit  Free 
Press. 

Off  his  cocoa-nut  (popular),  crazy, 
mad. 

Off  his  dot  (popular),  crazy,  mad. 

Off  his  kadoova  (Australian  popu- 
lar), off  his  head,  insane.  Off 
his  kadoova,  "  off  his  head,"  "  off 
his  chump,"  or  simply  "off,"  all 
convey  the  same  idea — as  a  train 
being  off  the  rails,  or  a  man 
off  his  play. 

And  at  the  very  chapel-door  began  a 
free  fight,  because  a  man  had  tried  to 
prove  a  man  wrong  who  said  he  was  off 
his  kadoova. — New  South  Wales  Paper. 


Off  his  nut  (common),  weak  in  the 
head,  crazy,  mad.  (American), 
illogical,  cracked.  Also  applied 
to  any  one  who  behaves  eccen- 
trically or  obstinately,  or  who 
presses  his  opinions  on  others 
in  an  asinine  manner. 

Off  his  onion  (costermongers), 
imbecile,  cracked. 

I've  a  chap  on  the  book  now  for  a 
hundred  and  twenty  who's  gone  clean  off 
his  onion  betting. — Sporting  Times. 

Off  his  own  bat  (common),  by 
his  own  exertions ;  same  as  on 
his  own  hook. 

Off  his  saucer  (Australian), 
tired,  not  in  the  humour,  out 
of  sorts. 

Office  (general),  giving  or  tipping 
the  office,  warning ;  giving  a  hint 
dishonestly  to  a  confederate. 

And  then,  in  a  word  or  two  that  none  of 
the  outsiders  can  understand,  the  con- 
ductor gives  the  office  to  his  driver,  who 
sets  the  picter  of  good  behaviour,  you 
may  depend,  till  the  point  of  danger  is 
passed. — J.  Greenwood:  Low- Life  Deeps. 

Information. 

Good  old  Baron,  I  will  still  stick  to  thee. 
Eurasian  has  gone  up,  and  has  gone  down, 
the  office  having  been  given  that  John 
Hammond  was  going  for  Quicksand. — 
Evening  News. 

They  gives  the  public  the  office,  and  the 
public  believes  'em,  bust  'em  '.—/.  Green- 
wood: Seven  Curses  of  London. 

Office,  is  a  provincial  corrup- 
tion of  efese  (Anglo-Saxon),  the 
eaveg  of  a  house ;  old  English, 
ovese.  Hence,  perhaps,  the 
phrase,  "to  give  the  office,"  as 


Office — Oh. 


95 


of  a  person  who  gives  informa- 
tion, the  result  of  eaves-drop- 
ping. 

Office  sneak  (common),  one  who 
sneaks  into  offices  to  steal  coats 
and  umbrellas. 

Offish  (common),  distant,  not 
familiar  (Hotten). 

Off  its  feet  (printers),  a  reference 
made  by  printers  when  type 
does  not  stand  square  through 
bad  workmanship  or  "locking 
up." 

Off  one's  chump  (common),  crazy. 
Vide,  Chump. 

"Young  man,"  said  the  litterateur,  as 
alight  dawned  in  upon  him,  "you're  off 
your  chump.  I  don't  want  a  razor  to 
shave  with,  I  want  a  raiser  that  will  take 
me  upstairs  to  bed  without  having  to 
walk." — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Then  I  got  ill,  an'  know'd  nothing  for 
weeks.  They  said  I  was  or/  my  chump. 
— Fergus  W.  Hume :  The  Mystery  of  a 
Hansom  Cab. 

Off  one's  feed  (common),  unable 
to  eat,  having  no  appetite.  Ori- 
ginally stable  slang. 

Off  one's  rocker  (popular),  crazy, 
mad. 

Off  the  reel  (nautical),  at  once, 
without  stopping.  In  allusion 
to  the  way  in  which  the  log- 
line  flies  off  the  reel  when  a  ship 
is  sailing  fast. 

Off  the  spot  (popular),  out  of 
form,  silly,  imbecile.  The  meta- 
phor is  from  billiards  off  or  on 


the  spot — off  or  on  the  spot 
stroke,  the  most  paying  stroke 
at  billiards.  To  be  off  the  spot, 
therefore,  is  strictly  to  be  "  out 
of  form,"  whence  it  gets  an 
implied  meaning  of  silly,  im- 
becile. To  be  "off  one's  dot," 
which  has  this  latter  meaning, 
is  perhaps  only  a  variation  of 
off  the  spot. 

Ogle  (thieves  and  pugilistic),  eye. 

And  we  shall  caper  a-heel-and-toeing, 
With  the  mots  their  ogles  throwing, 
And  old  Cotton  humming  his  pray. 

— Burrowes. 
That'll  raise  a  tidy  mouse  on  your  ogle, 
my  lad. — C.  Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

Oh,  after  you  (tailors),  that  will 
do,  cease  talking. 

Oh,  dummy!  (popular),  humbug, 
nonsense. 

Yes,  last  night  I  had  been  making  a 
speech  outside  the  old  spot,  when  a  little 
fellow  came  up  to  me  and  said,  "  Oh, 
dummy  I  governor,  I've  just  heard  that 
speech  of  yours,  and  I'll  lay  you  had  some- 
thing when  you're  at  home." — Broadside 
Ballad :  The  Second  Fiddler  of  the  Band. 

Oh,  Moses!  (popular),  a  vulgar 
expletive  expression  of  surprise 
or  incredulity,  like  "Oh,  Hea- 
vens !  "  "  Oh,  Jupiter !  "  "  Oh, 
Jehoshaphat !  "  and  the  like. 

Thy  face  "  the  human  face  divine  1 " 

Oh,  Moses  ! 
Whatever  trait  divine  thy  face  discloses, 
Some  vile  Olympian  cross-play  pre-sup- 
poses. 
— J.  B.  Stephens:  To  a  Black  Gin. 

Oh  my!  (common).  Application 
gathered  from  quotation. 

The  upper  crust  of  Nassau  has,  as  a 
rule,  very  little  sense  of  humour,  therefore 


96 


Oh— Old. 


jokes  have  been  voted  ill-bred.  Venture 
on  one  before  a  Conch  lady  and  she  will 
make  a  painstaking  and  conscientious 
mental  effort  to  discover  whether  she 
ought  to  laugh  or  not.  If  her  inner  con- 
sciousness answers  this  question  in  the 
affirmative,  she  will  venture  on  a  smile  ; 
if  she  is  in  doubt  she  will  probably  com- 
promise the  matter  by  exclaiming,  Oh  my! 
This  is  a  favourite  expression  with  them 
on  all  occasions.  If  they  hear  a  friend  has 
bought  a  new  dress,  or  is  going  to  be 
married,  they  exclaim,  Oh  my!  or  if  the 
friend  has  died,  or  had  his  house  burnt 
down,  they  exclaim,  Oh  my  !  all  the  same. 
— St.  James's  Gazette. 

Oh  swallow  yourself!  (popular), 
hold  your  tongue  1  don't  bother ! 

Oil  of  palms  (popular),  a  money 
bribe,  a  tip.  To  oil  the  palm, 
to  bribe,  give  a  gratuity;  "to 
oil  the  knocker,"  to  fee  the  por- 
ter. The  French  have  "  graisser 
le  marteau." 

Ointment  (medical  student ), 
butter. 

O.K.  (American  telegraph),  all 
correct,  used  to  denote  the 
line  is  clear,  also  to  express 
anything  very  nice.  An  ex- 
pression first  attributed  to  Pre- 
sident Jackson,  who  was  said 
to  have  written  O.K.  for  "all 
correct." 

Old  boots  !  like  (popular),  a  silly 
simile,  like  anything,  "as  cheeky 
as  old  boots,"  "as  quick  as  old 
boots." 

Old  clo' !  (popular),  anything  ex- 
hausted, played  out,  behind  the 
time. 


Ole  eld !  Ole.  eld !  any  old  hats  I'll  buy 

'em, 
They  say  the  Tories  are  no  good,  well,  let 

the  nation  try  'em, 
Gladstone  was  a  statesman,  some  thirty 

years  ago, 
But  now  his  line  of  business  ought  to  be 

Ole  eld! 

— Catnach  Press  Broadside. 

Old  crow  (American),  a  drink. 

I  don't  tip  very  often,  but  when  I'm  feel- 
ing low, 

Life  seems  a  bit  to  soften  when  I  try  a 
good  old  crow. 

— Broadside. 

Wherever  I  go  they  say  hullo, 
Hip,  hurrah  for  a  jolly  old  crow  i 
— Francis  Bros. :  Jolly  Old  Crow. 

In  the  United  States  Old  Grow 
is  the  name  of  a  choice  brand 
of  Bourbon  or  corn  whisky. 

Old  d  o  g  (prison),  meaning 
gathered  from  quotation. 

One  of  the  greatest  delicacies  were  large 
white  or  black  slugs  which  crawled  out  in 
numbers  after  a  shower  of  rain.  I  must 
confess  to  being  shocked  upon  my  march 
out  to  labour  to  find  that  the  men  were 
looking  eagerly  for  those  slugs,  and  as 
soon  as  one  was  seen  it  was  pounced  upon 
by  a  prisoner  and  swallowed  in  an  instant 
while  the  officer  was  darting  about  to  see 
if  it  was  an  old  dog,  as  the  bowls  of 
the  tobacco  pipes  were  called. — Evening 
News. 

Old  doss  (New  York  thieves), 
the  Tombs,  the  city  prison,  a 
sombre  building  in  the  gloomiest 
style  of  Egyptian  architecture. 

Old  ebony  (journalistic),  a  slang 
title  formerly  given  to  Black- 
wood's Magazine — in  allusion  to 
the  publisher's  name, 


Old. 


97 


Old  gentleman  (cardsharpers), 
a  card  longer  than  the  rest  in 
the  deck  used  by  sharpers. 

Old  gown,  smuggled  tea  (Hotten). 

Old  Harvey  (nautical),  the  large 
boat  (the  launch)  of  a  line-of- 
battle  ship. 

Old  horse  (American),  a  slang 
term  applied  by  sailors  to  salt 
beef,  especially  when  it  does 
not  please  them.  On  such 
occasions  they  sometimes  re- 
peat the  following  "  grace  :  "     . 

"Old  horse!   old  horse!  what   brought 
you  here? 
From  Sacarap  to  Portland  Pier 
I  carted  stone  for  many  a  year 
Till  slain  by  blows  and  sore  abuse 
They  salted  me  down  for  sailors'  use. 
The  sailors  they  do  me  despise, 
Turn  me  over  and  damn  my  eyes, 
Eat  my  meat  and  pick  my  bones, 
And  pitch  the  rest  to  Davy  Jones." 

Also  "salt  horse." 

Old  hoss  (American),  a  term  of 
endearment,  equivalent  to  "  old 
cock."    Used  also  in  England. 

Old  iron  (nautical),  clothes  worn 
when  on  shore.  A  sailor  will 
sometimes  say,  "  I  am  going 
to  work  up  my  old  iron,"  i.e., 
he  means  to  say,  "  I'm  going 
ashore." 

Old  man  (common),  the  ridge 
found  between  two  sleepers  in 
a  feather  bed;  also  the  southern- 
wood tree.  In  misses'  phraseo- 
logy a  blanket  used  to  wrap  a 
young  child  in.  An  old  name 
for  a  species  of  bird  somewhat 
VOL.  II. 


like  a  cuckoo,  and  called  other- 
wise a  rain-fowl.  (Up-country 
Australian),  an  old  male  or  buck 
kangaroo. 

In  bush  parlance  the  old  male  kangaroo 
is  called  an  old  man;  the  young  female 
"a  flying  doe,"  and  the  young  one  till 
eight  or  ten  months  old  a  "joey."  Some 
of  the  old  men  reach  to  an  immense  size, 
and  I  have  often  killed  them  over  2  cwts. 
— Bush  Wanderings  of  a  Naturalist. 

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. 

(English  and  American  sail- 
ors), the  old  man,  the  captain 
or  master. 

Now  this  is  pretty  bad, 

Yet  it's  nothing  to  what's  a-coming, 

But  I  hear  the  old  man  a-bawling  like 

mad, 
So  I  guess  I  will  stop  my  humming. 
— The  Ballad  of  William  Duff. 

Old  pelt  (printers).  This  is 
applied  to  old  and  worn-out 
pressmen — referring  to  the  old 
ink  pelts  used  in  olden  times 
by  these  individuals  for  distri- 
buting the  ink. 

Old  pie  (American),  an  expres- 
sion equivalent  to  a  note  of 
admiration  or  of  approval. 

"  Sir,"  sed  he,  turnin'  as  red  as  a  biled 
beet,  "  don't  you  know  that  the  rules  of 
our  Church  is,  that  I  the  Profit  may  hev 
as  many  wives  as  I  wants?" 

"Jes'  so,"  I  said.  "You  air  old  pit, 
ain  t  you  ?" — Artemus  Ward. 

Old  pod  (American),  an  old  man. 
Probably  associated  with  limp- 
G 


98 


Old. 


ing  along  or  walking  slowly. 
"  Pod,  to  put  down  awkwardly, 
to  go  afoot"  (Wright).  Poda- 
ger,  gout  in  the  feet.  Latin 
podagra. 

Old  pot  and  pan  (popular),  a 
familiar  form  of  addressing  any 
one. 

To  be  called  an  old  man,  or  old  pot  and 
pan, 
Is  quite  the  thing,  as  you  know, 
By  your  servant-maid,  a  saucy  young  jade, 
When  your  wife's  in  the  kitchen  below. 
— C.  Sheard:  Betsy. 

Old  rats  (American),  equivalent  to 
"  one  of  the  boys,"  a  thorough- 
going one,  a  buck,  a  hearty  old 
fellow. 

She  then  lade  her  hed  over  onto  my 
sho wider  and  sed  I  was  old  rats.  I  was 
astonished  to  heer  this  obsarvashun,  which 
I  knowd  was  never  used  in  refined  society, 
and  I  perlitely  but  emfattercally  shoved 
her  hed  away. — Artemus  Ward. 

Old  Scratch  (common),  the  devil. 

A  proper  degree  of  this  organ  furnishes 
the  possessor  with  a  reasonable  foresight 
of  consequences,  and  a  tendency  to  avoid 
their  evils.  Witness  an  example,  on  the 
part  of  ladies,  who  choose  female  servants 
as  ugly  as  Old  Scratch — bless  the  matrons' 
wisdom  —  I  don't  blame  them  for  their 
prudence,  as  a  charming  domestic  is  apt 
to  be  mistaken  for  the  mistress,  and  the 
error  not  found  out  until  the  fat's  in  the 
fire. — Stump  Orations. 

Old  shoe  (cant),  good  luck.  Pro- 
bably alluding  to  shoes  and  slip- 
pers thrown  at  a  newly-married 
couple. 

Old  six  (common),  old  ale  at  six- 
pence a  quart. 


Spoken — Look  what  I've  got  to  do  to- 
night!  There's  fourteen  "pubs"  on  my 
beat,  and  I've  got  to  see  that  every  one  on 
'em  is  closed  at  half-past  twelve.  That 
means  that  I've  got  fourteen  pints  of  old 
six  to  get  down  me.  Course  you're  not 
obliged  to  drink  it,  but  you  don't  like  to 
see  good  stuff  wasted.  I  often  thinks  of 
the  'ardships  of  our  perfession.—  Popu- 
lar Song:  As  I  Walks  by  my  Beat. 

Old  son  (Australian  popular),  my 
fine  fellow.  An  expression  of 
patronage  or  contempt.  One 
often  hears,  "I  had  you  there, 
old  son,"  "Steady,  old  son,"  and 

,  such  expressions. 

Ha !  they've  fired  the  stable.  Don't 
stir  !  Have  patience.  I  have  you  covered, 
you  see,  old  son.  —  New  South  Wales 
Paper. 

Old  stager  (common),  one  well 
initiated  in  anything. 

Old,  the,  death.  Sometimes  "  the 
old  man  "  or  master  is  spoken 
of  as  the  old. 

Old  time,  high  (American),  to 
have  a  high  old  time  of  it  is 
to  amuse  oneself  prodigiously, 
to  be  at  liberty  to  act  as  one 
pleases,  to  have  it  "all  to  one- 
self." 

"  The  boys  "  had  a  high  old  time  of  it 
at  the  Epsom  Drag  Hunt  Meeting  last 
Wednesday.  Enraged  at  the  oofless  state 
of  the  visitors,  these  merry  men  proceeded 
to  cut  through  the  refreshment  tent. — Bird 
o'  Freedom. 

Old  timer  (American),  a  man  who 
has  been  in  California,  or  in 
the  mining  regions  of  the  ad- 
jacent States,  since  they  were 
first  settled. 


Old — Omee. 


99 


Coming  from  the  barren  deserts  of  Ne- 
vada and  Western  Utah— from  the  land 
where  the  irreverent  and  irrepressible  old 
timer  fills  the  air  with  a  sulphurous  odour 
from  his  profanity,  and  where  nature  is 
seen  in  its  sternest  aspect,  and  then  sud- 
denly finding  oneself  literally  surrounded 
by  flowers,  and  conversing  with  beauty 
about  religion,  is  enough  to  charm  the 
fceart  of  a  marble  statue. — T.  Stevens: 
Around  the  World  on  a  Bicycle. 

Old  Toast,  Old  Poger  (American 
thieves),  the  devil. 

Old  Tom  (common),  gin. 

Old  Tom,  he  is  the  best  of  gin  ; 
Drink  him  once,  and  you'll  drink  him 
again ! 
— Lytton :  Ernest  Maltravers. 

Dr.  Brewer  says,  "  Thomas 
Norris,  one  of  the  men  employed 
in  Messrs.  Hodges'  distillery, 
opened  a  gin  palace  in  Great 
Russell  Street,  and  called  the  gin 
concocted  by  Thomas  Chamber- 
lain, one  of  the  firm  of  Hodges, 
Old  Tom,  in  compliment  to  his 
former  master."  But,  accord- 
ing to  Bee's  Slang  Dictionary, 
1823,  the  term  is  properly  ap- 
plicable to  the  cask  containing 
the  liquor. 

There  are  two  side-aisles  of  great  casks, 

.  .  .  bearing  such   inscriptions  as   Old 

Tom,   549 ;  Young  Tom,   360 ;  Samson, 

1421,   the   figures  agreeing,   we  presume, 

with  gallons  understood. — Sketches  by  Boz. 

Old  'uns  (turf),  horses  that  are 
more  than  three  years  old. 

Of  seven  horses  that  were  in  front  at 
the  finish  six  were  old  'uns. — Sforting 
Times. 

Old  'un,    the,    or   fool's   father 
(theatrical),  the  pantaloon. 


Old  whale  (nautical),  a  term  for 
a  sailor.  Also  "sea-boy,  shell- 
back, old  shell." 

Old  women  (prison),  for  those 
prisoners  who,  being  unfit  for 
physically  hard  work,  are  em- 
ployed in  knitting  stockings. 

Ole  Virginia  never  tire  (Ameri- 
can), a  time-honoured  expres- 
sion applied  to  the  Old  Do- 
minion State,  or  the  Mother 
of  Presidents.  It  is  generally 
heard,  however,  as  a  negro  ex- 
pression. 

In  ole  Kentuck  in  de  arternoon 

We  sweep  de  floor  wid  a  bran-new  broom, 

An'  arter  dat  we  form  a  ring, 

And  dis  de  song  dat  we  do  sing : 

Klar  de  kitchen,  ole  fo'ks,  young  fo'ks, 

Ole  Virginny  nebba'  tire. 

Oliver  (thieves),  the  moon.  From 
its  colour.  It  may  be  conjec- 
tured, however,  that  it  is  pos- 
sibly from  the  Danish  tdfor  ulfa, 
a  wolf.  The  moon  (or  night) 
was  one  of  Odin's  wolves. 

Now  Oliver  puts  his  black  nightcap  on, 

And  every  star  its  glim  is  hiding ; 
And  forth  to  the  heath  is  the  Sampsman 
gone, 
His  matchless    cherry-black    prancer 
riding. 

— Ainsworth:  Rookwood. 

Omee  (roughs  and  thieves),  a  man. 
From  the  Italian  uomo. 

Oh,  donnys  and  omees,  what  gives  me  the 
spur 
Is,  I'm  told  by  a  mug  (he  tells  whoppers) 
That  I  ought  to  have  greased  to  have  kept 
out  of  stir 
The  dukes  of  the  narks  and  the  coppers. 
—  The  Referee. 


IOO 


Omee — One-horse. 


(Theatrical),  "omee  of  the 
carsa,"  master  of  the  house. 
Itinerant  actors  are  accustomed 
to  inquire  at  a  new  theatre  for 
the  manager,  or  at  their  lodgings 
for  the  landlord,  thus,  "Who's 
the  omee  of  the  carsa  1 " 

On  (popular),  tipsy. 

Henceforth  when  door-exploring  Jones, 

Who  reaches  home  a  little  on, 
Observes„in  somewhat  husky  tones, 

"  Hulloa,  I  shay,  the  keyhole'agone  ! " 
We  must  not  hasten  to  cry  "  Shape  1 " 
For  it's  the  climate  that's  to  blame. 

— Funny  fylks. 

(Sporting),  to  get  on  a\man 
or  horse,  to  make  bets  on  him 
or  it.  (Common),  to  try  it  on, 
to  make  an  attempt  generally 
with  a  view  of  deceiving.  (Win- 
chester College),  a  call  by  any 
prefect  to  announce  that  the 
"  men  "  may  enter  chapel. 

On  a  string  (American).  "To 
send  a  person  to  look  for  some- 
thing that  you  are  sure  is  some- 
where else  is  putting  him  on  a^ 
string.  Humbugging,  deceiving 
in  any  way.  When  a  girl  flirts 
with  a  sucker  she  has  him  on  a 
string"  (New  York  Slang  Dic- 
tionary). Derived  from  billiards, 
as  when  a  man  gets  a  "run," 
or  from  anything  with  a  view 
to  one's  advantage^,  as,  for  in- 
stance, two  ducks  in  a  line. 

On  doog  (costermongers'  back- 
slang),  no  good. 

One  (popular),  a  fib  or  lie.  "  Don't 
tell  me  one  "  is  constantly  in  the 
popular  mouth.    Also  a  blow. 


One,  &c.  (legal),  an  attorney, 
being  an  abbreviation  of  One 
of  the  Attorneys  of  Her  Majesty. 

Onee  soldi  or  •win  (low  theatrical), 
one  penny.  Vide  SOLDI.  Win, 
old  cant,  is  from  a  different 
source. 

One-eyed  town  (theatrical), 
a  disparaging  term  for  some 
small  town  or  theatre  which 
somebody  has  visited  to  his 
sorrow. 

One  five  (common),  hand. 

When  a  "  Bobby  "  apprehends  any  one, 
he  asks  to  look  at  his  hands,  and  judges 
from  the  ' '  palm  "  of  one  five  as  to  the 
honesty  of  his  prisoner. — Topical  Times. 

One  for  his  nob  (popular),  a  blow 
on  the  head. 

A  snatch  was  made  at  the  tray,  whereon 
the  man  with  the  broken  nose  dealt  the 
snatcher  one  for  his  nob  with  his  knuckly 
fist,  coolly  remarking,  as  he  did  so,  "  That's 
wot  I'm  here  for !  "  — Daily  Telegraph. 

(Cards),  when  the  knave  of 
trump  is  held  at  the  game  of 
cribbage,  the  holder  cries  one 
for  his  nob  ! 

One-horse  (American),  anything 
small  or  comparatively  unim- 
portant. A  one-horse  bank,  a 
one-horse  town,  a  one-horse  in- 
surance company,  a  one-horse 
candidate,  are  depreciatory 
epithets  that  are  thoroughly 
understood.  When  it  was  said 
by  an  opponent  that  General 
Grant  was  a  one-horse  candidate 
for  the  Presidency  of  the  United 


One-horse — Onion. 


IOI 


States,  the  New  York  Herald 
declared,  on  the  contrary,  "  that 
he  was  a  '  whole  team '  and  a 
big  dog  under  the  waggon." 

He  returned  rather  out  of  breath,  just 
as  the  captain  was  giving  the  signal  for 
departure.  "A  one-horse  little  place,  I 
guess,"  said  a  companion.  "Well,  no," 
said  the  explorer  frankly;  "I  guess  not. 
I  stole  a  pair  of  socks  in  the  market.  I 
was  tried,  convicted,  and  publicly  whipped 
in  twenty  minutes.  I  call  it  an  uncom- 
monly smart  little  place." — Daily  News. 

One  nitch  (printers),  a  vulgarism 
applied  to  infants  of  the  male 
sex. 

One  of  the  Lord's  own  (Ameri- 
can society),  a  dandy ;  one  who  is 
eminent  as  regards  form,  style, 
and  chic.  Also  a  "  daisy,  a 
stunner,  or  first-classer "  (MS. 
Americanisms  by  C.  Leland 
Harrison). 

One  out  of  it  (tailors).  This  phrase 
signifies,  "  I  don't  care  to  be 
mixed  up  in  it,"  "  I  will  have  no- 
thing to  do  with  the  business. " 

Oner  (pronounced  wunner),  an 
emphatic  rendering  of  the 
word  "one" — as  of  a  person 
supereminent,  or  greatly  dis- 
tinguished for  strength,  agility, 
or  prowess  of  any  kind.  A 
heavy  blow  is  also  called  a 
oner;  "one  for  his  nob,"  or  a 
"oner  for  his  nob,"  are  pugilistic 
elegancies  of  speech  that  have 
survived  pugilism  itself,  in 
popular  usage. 

I  gave  him  a  oner  on  the  nose. — Punch. 

The  watcher  is  generally  hanging  about, 

and  he'll  "  down  "  you  with  a  oner  in  the 


back  or  side  (he  won't  hit  you  in  the 
face,  for  fear  of  spoiling  it). — Greenwood: 
Seven  Curses  of  London. 

Also  a  blow,  a  shilling.  Hence 
perhaps  the  slang  term  "  blow  " 
for  shilling. 

One  side  to  his  mouth  (sporting), 
is  said  of  a  horse  that  only 
feels  the  bit  on  one  side  of  his 
mouth.  The  horse  has  then  a 
right  -  handed  ■  or  left  -  handed 
mouth. 

One  under  your  arm  (tailors), 
getting  in  an  extra  job. 

One  who  makes  the  eagle  squeal 

(American),  said  of  any  grasp- 
ing, avaricious,  or  mean  man, 
that  when  he  gets  hold  of  a 
coin  squeezes  it  so  closely  that 
the  eagle  impressed  on  it  utters 
a  scream  or  squeal.  The  ex- 
pression has  been  in  use  for  at 
least  forty  years.  To  make  the 
eagle  squeal  is  also  used  in  a 
very  different  meaning  when 
applied  to  anything  which  pro- 
vokes national  indignation  (MS. 
Americanisms  by  C.  Leland  Har- 
rison). 

On  his  lines  (printers),  an  alter- 
native expression  for  "  on  the 
piece,"  or  work  paid  for  accord- 
ing to  scale,  and  not  by  weekly 
wages  or  "  'stab." 

On  his  uppers  (tailors),  in  very 
reduced  circumstances. 


Onion  (popular),  the  head. 
Off  his  Onion. 


Vide 


102 


Onions — On. 


Onions  (thieves),  watch  seals. 

When  his  ticker  I  set  a-going. 
With  his  onions,  chain,  and  key. 
— W.  Maginn :  Vidocq's  Slang 
Song. 

On  it  (American).  This  eccentric 
expression  meant  originally  that 
a  man  was  decidedly  engaged  in 
anything.  It  implied  determi- 
nation. "  I'm  on  it,"  I  under- 
stand it.  It  came  into  very 
general  use  about  1 860. 

On  the  batter  (popular),  a  bout 
of  low  debauchery,  riotous  liv- 
ing, principally  said  of  a  street 
walker.  "It  is  of  Anglo-Irish 
origin,  and  signifies  on  the 
street,  on  the  road;  from  the 
Irish  word  bdthar,  a  road  (ori- 
ginally a  road  for  cattle,  from 
bo,  a  cow),  in  some  parts  of  Ire- 
land pronounced  latter,  as  in 
the  place  names  Batterstown, 
Greenbatter,  Stonybatter,  Boo- 
terstown  "  (A.  Smythe  Palmer). 

As  for  the  word  bater,  that  in  English 
purporteth  a  lane  bearing  to  an  highwaie, 
I  take  it  for  a  mere  Irish  word  that  crept 
unawares  into  the  English. — Stanihurst : 
Description  of  Ireland. 

On  the  booze.     Vide  Booze. 

On  the  burst,  bust.     Vide  Bust. 

On  the  cross.    Vide  Cross. 

On  the  dead  (American),  gratis, 
free.  Probably  derived  from 
"dead  head"  (which  see). 

So  we  followed  him  into  the  chamber  as 
soon  as  these  words  were  said, 

To  get  those  beautiful  presents  all  gratis 
and  on  the  dead. 

— Song. 


On  the  dead  quiet  (common),  in 
secret.  A  variant  is  "  on  the 
strictest  Q.  T." 

"  Why  did  you  sacrifice  your  beard  ? " 
asked  a  young  man  yesterday  of  a  friend 
whose  honeymoon  was  barely  over. 

"On  the  dead  quiet  I'll  tell  you,"  re- 
plied the  Benedict. — Sporting  Times. 

On  the  fly  (popular  and  thieves), 
getting  one's  living  by  thieving 
or  other  dishonest  practices. 
Also  out  drinking. 

On  the  forty-ninth  ballot  (Ameri- 
can). When  an  election  is  re- 
peated many  times  before  a 
candidate  can  be  elected,  it 
may  be  prolonged  until  it  equals 
that  of  a  Pennsylvania  senator 
which  required  forty-nine  bal- 
lottings.  Hence  the  expression 
as  applied  to  a  very  long  contest 
of  any  kind. 

Miss  Jennie,  mindful  of  her  Texas  nati- 
vity, "  went  for  "  a  hickory  club  and  the 
"  sarpent "  at  the  same  time,  tucking  her 
skirts  in  genuine  Amazonian  style  and 
attacking  by  echelon.  In  spite  of  his  re- 
peated efforts  to  fasten  his  fangs  in  the 
brave  girl  she  got  away  with  him  on  the 
forty-ninth  ballot  and  left  the  field  with 
the  slimy  varmint  dragging  behind  her 
triumphant  car.  His  snakeship  was  the 
proprietor  of  sixteen  rattles,  which  makes 
him  nineteen  years  of  age — a  regular  octo- 
genarian in  the  reptile  kingdom. — Dallas 
News. 

On  the  ground-floor  (American). 
Those  who  are  the  very  first  in 
any  scheme  to  make  money,  or 
the  original  "promoters"  of  a 
speculation,  are  said  to  be  on  the 
ground-floor.  It  is  a  common 
trick  to  take  investors  in  by 
assuring   them   that   they   are 


On. 


103 


among  the  first  and  will  have 
the  best  chance. 

So  in  Amsterdam  Herr  Ganef  paddled 

out  his  Glory  bonds  ; 
And  to  all  he  slyly  whispered,  "  I  will 

let  you  in  de  first. 
On  de  ground-floor — sell  out  quickly — 

for  you  know  de  ding  may  burst." 
— Rise  and  Fall  of  Gloryville. 

On  the  half-shell  (American), 
a  very  peculiar  phrase,  derived 
from  an  oyster  thus  served.  It 
is  applied  to  anything  prepared 
and  ready  for  use.  When 
Page's  picture  of  Venus,  naked 
and  standing  in  a  shell,  was 
exhibited  in  New  York,  the 
"boys"  described  it  as  a  girl 
on  the  half-shell.  Also  a  part  of, 
or  by  retail,  by  half-dozens. 

t  don't  intend  this  essay  for  laffing  in 
the  lump,  but  for  laffing  on  the  half-shell. 
— Josh  Billings  on  Laughing. 

On  the  job.     Vide  Job,  on  the. 

On  the  lay  (thieves).  Vide  Lay. 
On  the  lay  conveys  the  same 
metaphor  as  lying  in  ambush, 
or  lying  in  wait. 

On  the  ledge  (popular),  in  a 
predicament,  or  in  danger  or 
trouble. 

And  now  my  mother's  made  a  vow, 
If  he  don't  take  the  pledge, 
The  next  time  that  he  gets  run  in, 
She'll  leave  him  on  the  ledge. 
— Geo.  Horncastle :  The  Frying-Pan. 

On  the  loose  (popular),  free,  at 
liberty,  out  of  prison. 

I'd  rather  have  'arf  a  bellyfull  on  the 
loose,  than  roast  meat  and  baked  taters  all 
day  long  in  the  steel  (prison). — Green- 
wood: In  Strange  Company. 


Also  applied  to  any  one  en- 
gaged in  a  course  of  immoral 
indulgence,  in  drink  or  dissipa- 
tion of  any  kind. 

On  the  make.     Vide  Make. 

On  the  nod  (common),  speaking 
to  everybody,  and  claiming  or 
making  acquaintances  by  mere 
impudence. 

I've  found  out  a  secret  to  live  without 
work, 
Which  has  proved  a  good  fortune  to  me, 
I  am  now  on  the  nod,  and  I  find  that  it 
pays, 
For  I  tap  every  one  that  I  see. 

—  T.  W.  Barrett:  The  Strand- 
rushing  Masher. 

(Theatrical),  getting  trust — 
particularly  at  public  -  houses. 
Also  applies  to  passing  in  at 
theatres. 

(Turf),  to  bet  on  the  nod  is  to 
bet  on  credit,  each  party  to  the 
wager  merely  registering  it  in 
their  books,  and  settling  on  the 
following  Monday.  So  called 
in  contradistinction  to  ready- 
money  betting,  where  the  backer 
hands  over  his  cash  to  the  book- 
maker at  the  time  of  making  the 
bet,  and  if  a  winner,  receives 
payment  immediately  after  the 
race. 

Since  the  suppression  of  the  piquets 
there  has  been  a  good  deal  of  betting  on 
the  nod,  and  there  is  hardly  a  penciller 
who  has  not  a  few  thousands  of  dead 
money  on  his  head. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Also  silent  bidding  at  auctions. 

On  the  nose  (thieves),  watching. 
Vide  Nose. 


104 


On. 


On  the  pounce  (common).  If,  as 
is  thought,  a  word  or  phrase 
becomes  legitimatised  when  it 
has  once  been  used  in  Parlia- 
ment, then  on  the  pounce,  mean- 
ing to  be  on  the  look-out  for 
attacking,  is  no  longer  slang,  as 
appears  by  the  following  extract 
from  the  report  of  the  proceed- 
ings in  the  House  on  September 
13-14,  1887. 

"  I  shall  not  resume  my  seat,"  he  shouted 
in  tones  of  passion,  waving  his  arms  the 
while.  "  You,  Mr.  Speaker,  have  been  on 
the  pounce  for  me  ever  since  I  rose,  and  I 
claim  my  right  to  speak.  I  have  not  trans- 
gressed your  ruling.  You  have  been  on 
the  pounce  waiting  for  me  all  the  evening, 
and  I  again  claim  my  right  to  speak." — 
Standard. 

On  the  prigging  lay  (thieves),  out 
on  a  thieving  expedition,  pick- 
ing pockets,  &c. 

As  from  ken  to  ken  I  was  going, 

Doing  a  bit  on  the  prigging  lay, 
Who  should  I  meet  but  a  jolly  blowen. 
— W.  Maginn :  Vidocq's  Slang  Song. 

On  the  road  (theatrical),  explained 
by  quotation. 

Companies  in  the  provinces  are  on  the 
road,  another  relic  of  the  past. — Globe. 

On  the  scent  (showmen  and 
circus),  on  the  road,  travelling 
about. 

On  the  shallow  (beggars),  going 
about  half-naked  to  excite  com- 
passion. Apparently  from  shale, 
a  husk,  as  of  anything  husked 
or  stripped.  Provincial  Eng- 
lish, shalligo,  scanty,  applied  to 
dress. 


On  the  sharp  (American  thieves). 
A  man  who  is  f  anlttiar  with  all 
the  mysteries  of  gambling  and 
not  to  be  taken  in  is  said  to  be 
on  the  sharp. 

On  the  shelf  (old),  transported. 

On  the  slate  (printers),  waiting 
for  something  to  turn  up. 

On  the  square  (popular),  of 
masonic  origin,  and  borrowed 
from  the  symbolism  of  operative 
masonry.  To  "act  on  the 
square,"  is  to  act  honourably ; 
the  square  is  one  of  the  most 
important  working  tools,  per- 
fection of  detail  and  accuracy 
being  impossible  without  it. 
Hence  the  metaphor  which  has 
now  passed  into  universal  ac- 
ceptance as  synonymous  with 
probity,  truth,  and  honour,  or 
more  probably  used  in  contra- 
distinction to  "  on  the  cross," 
or  "crook,"  the  reverse  of 
straightforward. 

On  the  stairs  (tailors),  the  usual 
answer  when  a  job  is  called  for. 

On  the  strict  Q.T.  (common), 
on  the  quiet ;  a  phrase  much 
in  favour  with  the  flirting  ser- 
vant girls  when  they  meet  their 
soldiers  round  the  corner,  or  the 
cook  treats  Eobert  to  the  tradi- 
tional cold  mutton. 

On  the  swing  (American),  going, 
acting,  or  being  employed  well 
enough  but  only  temporarily. 
Thus  a  "swing-station"  is  one 
where  a  man  only  rests,  or  has* 


On— Oof. 


105 


a  short  swing  of  rest — not  "  a 
full  swing,"  till  the  horses  are 
changed.  Probably  through 
New  York,  from  a  Dutch  phrase. 
Jemand  op  den  schopzetten  means 
to  put  any  one  on  the  swing,  that 
is,  to  employ  him  temporarily, 
with  the  understanding  that  he 
may  be  summarily  dismissed  at 
any  time.  Vide  To  Scoop.  It 
may  here  be  observed  that  to 
scup  for  "  to  swing  "  is  common 
in  New  York  (Bartlett). 

On  the  tiles  (common),  out  all 
night  carousing.  Alluding  to 
cats. 

On  the  win  (American),  winning 
or  making  money.  This  form 
of  expression  is  now  applied 
to  an  endless  number  of  .verbal 
nouns,  e.g.,  "  on  the  walk,"  "  on 
the  borrow,"  "  on  the  preach," 
"  on  the  steal,"  &c. 

The  coffee  ring  were  on  the  win.  They 
confidently  expected  to  see  coffee  selling 
at  sixty  cents. — Detroit  Free  Press. 

On  toast  (American),  anything 
nicely  served.  Hence  a  man 
who  is  served  out,  or  at  one's 
mercy.  Probably  the  meta- 
phor is  from  the  way  small 
birds,  such  as  snipe,  quail,  larks, 
&c,  are  eaten  on  toast,  trussed 
and  spitted.  To  have  an  adver- 
sary on  toast,  therefore,  means 
to  have  him,  as  it  were,  trussed 
and  spitted  at  one's  mercy. 

Oodles  (American),  plenty. 
"Plenty  of  money"  (Bartlett). 
Possibly  from  "out  deal;"  Ger- 
man austheilen,  to  deal  out. 


Oof  (common),  the  most  recent 
slang  term  for  money.  A  word 
brought  into  vogue  by  the 
Sporting  Times,  and  now  very 
common. 

They  quickly  sought  a  neighbouring  bar — 

They  had  not  far  to  search — 
And  there  she  told  him  that  her  pa 

Was  pastor  of  a  church. 
He  knew  not  that  the  game  was  spoof, 

Or  he  had  held  aloof. 
"  I  love  but  thee — dost  need  a  proof?" 

And  echo  answered  "  Oof!" 

— Sporting  Times. 

O  Goschen,  mighty  king  of  oof. 

— Funny  Folks. 

Said  to  be  of  Yiddish  or 
Hebrew  origin,  but  a  punning 
joke  on  the  French  ceuf,  with 
reference  to  the  goose  with  the 
golden  eggs,  may  have  contri- 
buted to  the  term,  the  more  so 
as  mention  of  the  "oof  bird" 
(which  see)  is  often  made.  The 
word  ceuf  seems  always  to  have 
tickled  the  fancy  of  English- 
men. 

Said  one  young  'Arry  to  the  other  young 
Arry,  "  Wot  blooming  fools  these  French- 
men are  1  Why,  they  atcheley  call  eggs 
money."  "'Ow's  that?"  says  the  other. 
"Why,"  says  the  first,  "  they  call  a  hegg 
•  day's  oof.' " — Scraps. 

Oof  bird  (common),  funds,  source 
from  which  comes  the  money. 
Vide  OOP.  It  is  sometimes  said 
of  a  man  who  marries  a  wealthy 
lady  that  he  has  found  the  oof 
bird,  or  the  oof  bird  has  come 
to  him. 

"  Good  evening,  mein  herr,"  said  the  lady 

in  white, 
To  the   Johnny    who    seemingly  looked 

rather  tight, 


io6 


Oof- — Orders. 


For  the  oof  bird  was  somewhat  remote  on 

that  night, 
And  his  fingers  with  diamonds  were  gaily 

bedight. 
And  the  Johnny  divined  as  he  looked  at 
that  sight, 

She  was  German. 

— Sporting  Times. 

The  "oof  bird  on  the  job" 
means  that  money  is  plentiful. 
(Cashiers  and  clerks),  "  to  make 
the  oof  bird  walk,"  to  make  the 
money  circulate. 

Oofless  (common),  poor,  without 
money.     Vide  Oof. 

He  was  loyal,  did  his  painting  in  a  hue 
that  shouldn't  fade, 
At  the  Jubilee  she  must  of  course  rejoice ; 
Still  the  peelers  couldn't  sanction  every 
playful  escapade, 
And  he  found  himself  compelled  to  make 
a  choice 
'Twixt  a  month's  incarceration  and  pecu- 
niary amends. 
Being  oofless  'twas  a  case  of  lock  and  key. 
He  found  it  most  convenient  on  returning 
to  his  friends, 
To  say  he  paid  a  visit  to  the  sea. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Ooftisch  (common),  a  variation  of 

"  oof,"  money  (which  see). 
If  my  ooftisch  disappears  before  my  screw 
has  fallen  due, 
He's  the  boy  who  lets  me  have  a  bit ; 
Of  the  Johnnies  I'm  acquainted  with  he's 
numbered  'mongst  the  few 
Who'll  help  me  in  the  matter  of  a  writ. 
To  whom  it  is  I'm  wont  to  trust  my  golden 
watch  and  chain, 
My  diamond   ring,   and  wifey's  silver 
plate  ; 
My  demands,  however  frequent,  our  rela- 
tions do  not  strain, 
For  he  charges  me,  for  love,  a  heavy  rate — 
Does  my  uncle. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Open  the  occurrence,  to  (police), 
to  make  an  entry  in  the  books 


at  a  police-station  of  a  new 
case. 

Opening  his  mouth  too  wide 
(Stock  Exchange),  is  said  of  one 
who  gets  excited,  and  in  conse- 
quence bids  for  large  amounts 
of  stock  which  is  adjudged  to 
him. 

Opera  buffer  (theatrical),  one  who 
performs  in  "  opera  bouffe." 

Opposite  tacks  (nautical),  cross 
purposes. 

Optic  (pugilistic),  eye. 

Casting  my  optics  on  the  bruisers  an' 
gluttons  of  the  past. — Punch. 

You  will  see  to  what  I  refe»  if  you  will 
cast  your  "  hoptic  over  the  enclosed  cut- 
ting."— Sporting  Times. 

Orchid  (Stock  Exchange),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

A  young  sprig  of  nobility,  who  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  House  as  the  unauthorised 
clerk  of  a  dealer  in  the  American  market, 
was  once  heard  to  tell  a  friend  that  when 
he  was  in  the  House  he  felt  like  an  "  orchid 
in  a  turnip-field."  It  is  almost  needless  to 
say  that  he  very  shortly  had  cause  to  regret 
his  speech,  as  ever  afterwards  he  and  his 
friends  were  known  as  orchids.  .  .  .  By  de- 
grees an  orchid  has  become  the  nickname 
for  any  member  who  has  a  "handle"  to 
his  name. — Atkin :  House  Scraps. 

Order  (common),  a  large,  big 
order,  a  great,  difficult,  or  ardu- 
ous undertaking. 

For  a  three-year-old  to  beat  Oberon  at 
even  weights  at  first  seems  a ' '  large  order. " 
— Sporting  Times. 

Orders  (theatrical),  free  admis- 
sions.    Although  the  system  of 


Orders — Order. 


107 


indiscriminately  giving  orders 
has beenat  various  times  theruin 
of  half  the  theatres  in  London 
and  the  country,  yet  many  good 
plays  which  at  first  were  failures 
have  been  nursed  into  great  suc- 
cesses by  judiciously  "papering 
the  house."  Managers,  how- 
ever, frequently  throw  good 
money  after  bad,  and  bolster 
up  bad  pieces  night  after  night 
by  filling  the  house  with  "  dead 
heads."  It  is  astonishing  with 
what  shameless  effrontery  people 
of  all  classes,  from  the  peerage 
downwards,  levy  blackmail  upon 
managers  by  demanding  free 
admissions. 

During  the  Italian  Opera,  and 
the  performances  of  certain  Ita- 
lian tragedians  ten  years  ago,  it 
was  the  custom  on  the  "  off  " 
nights  to  send  out  orders  to 
impecunious  members  of  the 
aristocracy,  and  others,  to  ad- 
mit three  persons  free,  with  the 
object  of  inducing  a  fourth  per- 
son to  pay  for  admission.  It 
was  rarely,  however,  that  the 
fourth  person  did  pay.  A  cer- 
tain manager  who  was  perpetu- 
ally pestered  by  cadgers  of  this 
description,  upon  receiving  a 
letter  from  a  soda-water  mer- 
chant requesting  an  order,  sent 
an  answer  to  this  effect :  ' '  Sir, — 
In  reply  to  your  solicitation  for 
an  order,  I  beg  to  order  a  dozen 
of  soda-water,  and  one  of  selt- 
zer, for  which  my  servant  will 
pay  you  on  delivery,  less  five  per 
cent,  for  cash."  Upon  receiving 
a  modest  request  from  the  head 
of  an  "  alarming  sacrifice"  firm 


for  fifty  or  a  hundred  orders  for 
the  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  his 
establishment,  the  same  man- 
ager replied  by  enclosing  an 
order  for  two  to  the  gallery, 
with  the  addenda  that  on  this 
occasion  evening  dress  was  in- 
dispensable, and  that  the  ticket 
was  inadmissible  after  half -past 
seven. 

Once  upon  a  time  one  or  two 
disreputable  theatres  managed 
to  keep  their  doors  open  by 
flooding  the  house  with  paper  on 
what  is  called  the  overflow  and 
plunder  system.  E.g.,  the  un- 
suspecting auditor  has  an  order 
for  the  pit ;  he  goes  there,  and 
finds  the  pit  crammed  to  suffo- 
cation by  people  who  have  not 
paid.  Upon  payment  of  six- 
pence he  goes  to  the  upper 
boxes,  they  are  also  crowded ; 
sixpence  more  takes  him  to  the 
dress  circle.  Before  he  can 
obtain  a  seat  he  is  bled  of 
another  sixpence  for  his  great- 
coat, another  for  his  umbrella, 
and  another  for  a  programme. 
The  performances  in  these 
places  were  as  disreputable  as 
the  management,  and,  as  a 
rule,  would  disgrace  a  show  at 
a  country  fair. 

(Eton),  explained  by  quota- 
tion. 

While  we  were  in  early  school  our  beds 
had  to  be  made  and  our  rooms  tidied  ; 
after  that  the  orders,  i.e.,  rolls,  butter, 
and  milk  had  to  be  served  round. — Brins- 
ley  Richards :  Seven  Years  at  Eton. 

Order  your  name  fo  (Winchester 
College),  an  unpleasant  intima- 


io8 


Order — Outfit. 


tion.  When  a  master  wishes  a 
"  man  "  to  taste  the  sweets  of  a 
flogging  he  tells  him  to  order  his 
name  to.  The  culprit  then  goes 
to  the  "Bible  clerk"  (which 
see),  and  asks  him  to  take  his 
name  down,  giving  the  reason. 

Organ,  carrying  the  (military), 
carrying  pack  or  valise  at  de- 
faulter's or  marching  order 
drill.  The  dead  weight  is  c6m- 
pared  to  that  carried  by  an 
Italian  organ-grinder.  (Prin- 
ters), a  man  that  lends  out 
money  to  his  fellow- workmen 
at  an  exorbitant  weekly  interest. 
Any  one  applying  to  him  for  a 
loan  would  be  said  to  be  "play- 
ing on  the  organ." 

Organ-pipes  (trade),  explained 
by  quotation. 

...  to  find  that  the  dress-improver  is 
really  banished  at  .last.  A  little  artificial 
fulness  is  still  introduced  into  the  back  of 
dress-skirts  by  means  of  folds  of  starched 
muslin,  "their  mission  being  to  gloss  over 
the  reactionary  moment,  and  avert  a  dis- 
tressing sense  of  suddenness."  We  are 
much  mistaken  if  there  is  not  the  making 
of  a  great  diplomatist  of  the  old  school  in 
the  author  of  this  happy  periphrasis  for 
the  arrangement  known  in  the  trade  as 
organ-pipes. — Globe., 

Or  out  goes  the  gas  (popular),  a 
threat  to  put  an  end  to  what- 
ever is  going  on. 

More  drink  and  less  talk,  or  out  goes  the 

gas. 
Be  stopping  your  blethering  ways. 

— Broadside. 

O.  T.  (printers).  These  initials 
are  used  largely  by  printers  and 
stand  for  "  overtime,"  i.e.,  work 


beyond  the  ordinary  amount  of 
hours  calculated  as  a  day's 
work. 

Otta,  otter  (Anglo-Indian),  flour. 

Otter  (costermongers),  eight- 
pence.     Italian  otto. 

Out  (popular),  a  dram-glass. 

Out-and-out  (popular),  excellent, 
beyond  measure,  true,  surpas- 
sing, thorough ;  in  the  quotation 
it  means  quite  a  man,  just  like  a 
man. 

"Won't  he  growl  at  all,  when  he  hears 
a  fiddle  playing  !  And  don't  he  hate  other 
dogs  as  ain't  of  his  breed!"  "Oh,  no! 
He's  an  out-and-out  Christian. " — Dickens : 
Oliver  Twist. 

Out-and-outer  (society),  first- 
class. 

Pretty  Polly  Pouter 

Is  a  reg'lar  out-and-outer. 

— Punch. 

(Popular),  used  as  a  substan- 
tive and  an  adjective,  one  that 
excels,  surpasses,  genuine. 

"They  were  burglars,  then?"  "Out- 
and-outers,  sir." — Greenwood:  Odd  People 
in  Odd  Places. 

Out-cry  (Anglo-Indian),  an 
auction. 

Outfit  (American),  "  the  whole  out- 
Jit,"  or  "  the  blooming  outfit," 
the  whole  party.  Termed  also 
"  all  the  boiling  outfit."  Kefers 
also  to  company,  household, 
caravan,  trading  expedition. 

The  waggon  master  had  the  presence 
of  mind  to  gallop  his  team  out  into  the 


Outfitter —  Over. 


109 


prairie,  whilst  the  entire  outfit  made  for 
the  best  cover  it  could  find. — O'Reilly  : 
Fifty  Years  on  the  Trail. 

Outfitter  (military),  a  term  used 
by  officers  of  the  Koyal  Artillery 
for  one  who  is  not  fond  of 
change  from  home  to  foreign 
service  or  from  regimental  to 
staff  employment,  and  who  is 
always  getting  an  "outfit"  for 
the  purpose. 

Out  for  an  airing  (turf),  said  of 
a  horse  that  is  backward  or  of 
a  horse  not  meant  to  win. 

Out  here  (Australian).  An  Aus- 
tralian, no  matter  if  he  and  his 
parents  and  grandparents  have 
been  born  in  Australia,  and 
have  never  left  Australia,  and 
own  not  a  sixpence  outside  of 
Australia,  always  speaks  of  the 
British  Isles  as  "  home,"  and  of 
Australia  as  out  here.  Making 
the  voyage  to  England  is  "  com- 
ing or  going  home,"  and  the 
voyage  to  Australia  coming  or 
going  "  out." 

That  is  my  Nellie — she's  out  here  and 

Mrs.  Cupid  Foote : 
We  came  to  Melbourne  late  last  year, 

I  could  not  bear  the  thought 
Of  snow,  and  sleet,  and  slush,  and  rain, 

and  yellow  London  fogs, 
An  English  winter  I  maintain  is  only  fit 

for  frogs. 

— D.  B.  W.  Sladen;  The  Squire's 
Brother. 

Out  of  collar.     Vide  Collar 

Out  of  kilter.     Vide  Kiltkb. 

Out  of  register  (printers).  An 
inebriated   person    that    could 


not  walk  straight,  but ' '  wobbly," 
is  thus  termed,  from  the  fact 
that  pages  out  of  register  in 
printing  a  sheet  would  be  "  out 
of  the  square,"  "  out  of  truth." 

Out  of  sorts  (printers),  a  term 
used  when  any  letter  runs 
"short"  or  is  deficient,  and 
hence  the  common  figurative 
expression  meaning  melancholy, 
annoyed,  or  slightly  indisposed. 

Outs  (printers),  an  omission  of  a 
part  of  the  copy  composed  is 
said  to  be  an  "  out."  The  mean- 
ing is  obvious. 

Outside  old-river  (pidgin),  the 
Yang  -  tse  -  kiang.  Cantonese, 
Ngoi-kong-lo. 

Outsider  (turf),  a  horse  which  does 
not  stand  high  in  the  public  esti- 
mation, and  is  therefore  noted 
in  the  betting  "outside"  the 
circle  of  "  favourites."  There  is 
also  a  human  species  of  outsider, 
viz.,  any  person  whose  liabilities 
to  the  bookmakers  cause  the  in- 
side of  the  ring  to  be  too  hot  for 
him,  and  who  if  he  goes  racing 
at  all  is  obliged  to  remain  "  out- 
side" the  sanctuaries  of  the 
solvent. 

Out,  two  or  three  (popular), 
when  a  quartern  of  gin  or  spirit 
is  divided  into  two  or  three 
glasses. 

Over  at  the  knees  (stable),  said 
of  a  horse  weak  in  the  knees. 

Two  of  the  warrant  officers  of  the  court, 
who  have  had  experience  of  horses,  exa- 


no 


Overdraw — Overplush. 


mined  the  animal,  and  reported  that  it  was 
in  very  poor  condition,  and  over  at  the 
knees. — Globe. 

Overdraw  the  badger.  Vide 
Badges. 

Over  goes  the  show  (popular),  a 
sudden  change  of  resolution,  an 
upset  of  any  kind  physical  or 
moral,  a  catastrophe.  Simile 
from  the4  upsetting  a  Punch  and 
Judy  schwassel-box,  or  blowing 
over  an  exhibition-tent. 

It's  all  very  well  to  say  you  won't 

Go  wrong  again — but  oh  ! 
When  a  pretty  little  widow  winks  at  you, 

Why — overgoes  the  show  ! 
I  formed  a  resolution  once 

I'd  never  swear  in  vain, 
If  I  felt  a  good  swear  coming  on, 

I  bolted  it  again. 
I  was  so  good  I  kept  it  up 

For  quite  a  week  or  so ; 
Then  I  sat  down  on  a  piece  of  glass, 

And — over  went  the  show  ! 

—Ballad. 

Overland-man  (colonial),  a  man 
driving  a  flock  of  sheep,  or  mob 
of  horses  or  cattle,  overland. 
The  term  has  another  signifi- 
cation, which  is  the  really  slang 
one,  a  man  looking  for  work 
in  the  bush,  and  who  manages 
to  arrive  at  a  station  (sheep) 
about  sundown,  or  after  work- 
ing hours,  where  he  obtains  a 
night's  lodgings  and  rations, 
and  goes  on  in  the  morning, 
doing  the  same  again  at  sun- 
down. This  man  is  also  called 
a  "  sun-downer." 

Overland  trout  (American  cow- 
boys), bacon. 


Over  one  (common),  to  come 
over  one,  to  try  to  intimidate  or 
compel. 

Overplush,  thus  explained  by  the 
Olobe: — "  Is  it  right  to  give  the 
overplush,  or  is  it  not  ?  Probably 
most  people  would  answer  that 
question  by  asking  another,  and 
inquiring,  in  the  first  place, 
what  is  overplush  ?  Well,  ac- 
cording to  the  testimony  of  a 
Midland  Boniface,  it  is  the 
'long  pull' — not  the  long  pull 
so  largely  and  honourably  asso- 
ciated with  after-dinner  ora- 
tory ;  not  the  long  pull  which  is 
indissolubly  connected  with  the 
strong  pull  and  the  pull  all  to- 
gether ;  but  a  wholly  different 
pull,  namely,  the  publican's.  It 
is  not  given  to  everybody  to 
know  everything,  or  even  very 
much,  about  the  business  of  the 
beer-seller;  but  those  who  do 
know  something  about  it  will 
tell  you  that,  in  the  drawing  of 
beer,  there  is  both  a  long  pull 
and  a  short  pull,  nearly  allied 
to  those  characteristic  pulls  on 
which  the  precise  proportion  of 
froth  to  liquor  so  much  depends, 
and  which  Mr.  Arthur  Koberts 
is  in  the  habit  of  illustrating 
nightly  in  his  role  of  innkeeper 
of  the  time  of  Napoleon.  Now, 
about  the  short  pull  there  can 
be  no  question.  Beer-drinkers, 
and,  indeed,  other  stern  moral- 
ists, will  tell  you  that  it  is 
quite  indefensible.  You  have 
no  business  to  give  short  mea- 
sure— unless  you  are  a  teetotal- 
ler in  disguise ;  and  even  then 


Overplush — Padding. 


in 


it  is  not  strictly  equitable.  For 
his  twopence  or  threehalfpence 
a  man  should  have  his  twopence- 
worth  or  his  threehalfpence- 
worth.  But  can  the  long  pull 
be  supported  ?  Ought  a  publi- 
can to  give  the  overplush  i  The 
legal  representative  of  an  official 
receiver  says  it  seems  strange 
that  an  innkeeper  should  sell 
beer  at  a  loss — supplying  more 
of  it  than  he  is  paid  for.  But 
the  particular  innkeeper  under 
discussion  replied  that  he  had 
adopted  this  policy  by  way  of 
attracting  custom.  He  proposed 
to  win  the  public  by  giving 
over-measure,  and  then,  the 
public  gained,  to  give  only  full 
measure.  And  surely  it  is  per- 
missible to  grant  overplush,  if 
thereby  one  can  generate  an 
overplush  in  the  exchequer." 

Overrate  it  (theatrical),  to  over- 
do one's  part. 

Overs  (bank),  the  odd  money 
remaining  after  the  accounts 
are  made  up. 

Overshot  (popular),  intoxicated. 


Overtaken  (popular),  intoxicated. 

He  was  temperate  also  in  his  drinking, 
.  .  .  but  I  never  spake  with  the  man  that 
saw  him  overtaken. — Hacket:  Life  of 
Williams. 

Over  the  left  (common),  explained 
by  quotation. 

At  this  inquiry  Mr.  Martin  looked  with 
a  countenance  of  excessive  surprise  at  his 
two  friends,  and  then  each  gentleman 
pointed  with  his  right  thumb  over  his  left 
shoulder.  This  action,  imperfectly  de- 
scribed in  words  by  the  very  feeble  term 
of  over  the  left ...  its  expression  is  one 
of  light  and  playful  sarcasm. — Dickens: 
Pickwick  Papers. 

Overtoys  box  (Winchester),  ft 
box  like  a  cupboard  to  hold 
books,  &c. 

Owl  (American),  "drunk  as  ft 
biled  owl,"  very  favourite  simile 
for  intoxication. 

Wanted,  a  man  who  can  go  to  Mexico 
on  Government  business  without  getting 
drunker'n  a  biled  owl.  Address  State 
Department,  Washington,  D.  C.  —  St. 
Louis  Globe-Democrat. 

Oxford  clink.  A  play  upon 
words  is  called  an  Oxford  clink 
by  Leicester  in  Strafford's  Let. 
i.  224.  (Theatrical),  free  tickett. 
of  admission. 


's  and  q's.    Vide  Mind 

YOUE  P'S  AND  Q'S. 

Pace,  to  go  the 

(common),    to     live 
extravagantly. 

He  is  the  son  of  a  famous  racing  man 
who  went  the  pace,  and  cut  his  throat  in 
Newmarket.— The  Tattler. 


Pack  (old  cant),  a  gang. 

No  hooker  of  another  pack. — Oalh  of 
the  Canting  Crew. 

Padding  (literary),  the  light 
articles  in  the  monthly  maga- 
zines. Also  extraneous  matter 
inserted  in  any  literary  work 
for  the  sake  of  quantity. 


112 


Padding — Pair. 


Padding  ken  (tramps),  a  low 
lodging-house.  One  on  the  pad 
or  road. 

Paddle,  to  (American),  to  go  or 
run  away. 

Paddy,  to  come  Paddy  over  one 

(American),  to  bamboozle,  hum- 
bug. 

*  "  Oh,  you  infernal,  lying,  blackguardly 
rascal,"  said  the  devil,  who  had  been  im- 
proving his  language  of  late  by  reading 
the  New  York  Sunday  papers,  "do  you 
think  to  come  Paddy  over  me  in  that 
style?" — American  Story. 

Paddy  s  hurricane  (nautical), 
up  and  down  the  mast,  i.e.,  no 
wind  at  all. 

Pad  the  hoof,  to  (thieves  and 
tramps),  to  walk,  to  tramp. 
It  would  be  more  correct  to  say, 
"to  hoof  the  pad,"  i.e.,  to  tramp 
on  the  pad  or  road.  French, 
fendre  V ergot.  Literally  to  split 
the  spur  (of  birds). 

In  bus  or  brougham,  city  merchants  roll  to 

-viHas  snug, 
While  city  arabs  pad  the  hoof,  to  where  a 

"shoddy"  rug, 
In  some  cold  gloomy  casual  ward,  will 

cover  them  to-night, 
Well !  such  is  life  in   London  now,  but 

say — is  it  quite  right  ? 
— •/.  A.  Hardwick :  London  Bridge. 

Pad,  to  stand  (street),  to  beg 
with  a  piece  of  paper  on  the 
breast  bearing  the  words  "  I  am 
starving."  Literally  to  stand 
on  the  pad,  obsolete  English 
for  footpath,  road. 

Paint  a  town  red,  to  (American), 
explained  by  quotation. 


To  paint  a  town  red  is,  I  ought  to 
explain,  a  Western  expression,  and  signi- 
fies the  height  of  reckless  debauch ;  and 
when  a  cowboy,  having  drunk  his  fill  of 
whisky,  has  let  daylight  with  revolver 
shots  through  the  hats  of  those  who  have 
ventured  to  differ  from  him,  and  has 
smashed  all  the  glasses  in  the  drinking 
saloon  with  his  stock  whip,  and  gallopped 
with  a  wild  whoop  down  the  principal 
street  to  the  danger  and  consternation  of 
the  inhabitants,  he  may  fairly  be  said  to 
have  done  his  part  towards  painting  the 
town  red.  —  Cumberland :  The  Queens 
Highway. 

Also  to  paint  the  town. 

One  of  these  chaps  from  Texas  came  in 
there  to  paint  the  town,  and  got  his  tank 
full. — F.  Francis :  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Paint,  to  (popular),  to  drink, 
alluding  to  a  rednose  caused 
by  over-indulgence. 

The  muse  is  dry, 
And  Pegasus  does  thirst  for  Hippocrene, 
And  fain  would  paint — imbibe  the  vulgar 

call— 
Or  hot,  or  cold,  or  long,  or  short. 

— Kingsley :  Two  Years  Ago. 

Pair  off,  to  (American).  In  order 
to  avoid  the  trouble  of  voting 
a  man  will  agree  with  some  one 
of  the  opposite  that  neither 
shall  vote.  Then  both  will  pair 
off  with  as  many  others  as  they 
can  induce  to  do  the  same.  It 
is  said  that  in  a  Western  town 
this  was  carried  to  such  an 
extent  that  at  an  election  not 
a  single  vote  was  "  deposited." 

The  vast  majority  of  strong-minded 
women  wouldn't  care  so  much  about  vot- 
ing if  they  could  only  get  a  chance  to  pair 
off. — New  Haven  News. 

Pair,  to  (parliamentary),  formerly 
to  pair  off,  to  go  in  couples ;  my 
pair,  my  companion. 


Pal — Palmer. 


113 


Pal  (gypsy),  brother,  friend.  Till 
within  fifty  years  this  word 
existed  among  English  gypsies 
as  prala,  which  is  the  common 
Romany  form  all  over  the  Con- 
tinent, derived  directly  from  the 
Hindu  and  Sanskrit  brat.  The 
accent  of  a  word  is  called  pal 
of  a  lav,  i.e..  its  brother;  pala  t 
oh,  brother  1 

"  Mat,  hav  akai !  ma  pur  aja  ; 
Sar  'shan  tu,  kushto,  puro  pul :  " — 
"  Mat,    come   here  !   don't   turn  away  ! 
How  are  you,  good  old  friend  ?  " — E.  H. 
Palmer. 

Paleskro,  brotherly.  ' '  The 
geero  kaired  mandy  sar  paleskro, 
as  tacho  as  you'd  kam  " — "  The 
man  treated  me  brotherly,  as 
well  as  you'd  wish." 

The  term  has  become  general. 
In  society  it  means  a  great 
friend  of  either  sex.  When  used 
with  regard  to  a  man  as  being 
a  great  pal  of  a  lady,  it  means 
more  than  mere  friendship.  The 
lower  classes  and  thieves  use  it 
with  the  sense  of  companion, 
friend,  comrade,  accomplice. 

Ned  was  a  wide-awake  villain.  It  was 
not  the  first  time  he  had  been  "  in  trouble," 
and  he  was  properly  alive  to  the  advantage 
of  having  a  trustworthy  pal  at  liberty. — 
The  Little  Ragamuffins. 

A  prisoner  inscribed  in  one  of 
his  library  books,  "Good-bye, 
Lucy  dear,  I'm  parted  from 
you  for  seven  year — Alf.  Jones. " 
Beneath  this  a  sour  sceptic  who 
subsequently  used  the  book 
added — 

"  If  Lucy  dear  is  like  most  gals 
She'll  give  few  sighs  or  moans, 
VOL.  II. 


But  soon  will  find  among  your  pals 
Another  Alfred  Jones." 
— Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Palaver,  conversation  ;  from 
Spanish  palabra. 

His  Highness  last  year  met  the  Crown 
Prince  on  the  Riviera.  They  had  several 
conversations  together ;  they  dined  at 
Pegli,  they  breakfasted  at  Savona,  and 
their  palaver  meant  peace  and  nothing 
but  peace. — Evening  News. 

Palaver,  to  (general),  to  talk. 
Vide  Palaver,  The  expression 
is  common  among  tramps, 
itinerant  vendors,  strolling  ac- 
tors, &c.  Nantee palaver,  cease 
talking. 

Pall,  to  (popular),  originally 
nautical,  to  stop.  From  pall,  a 
small  instrument  which  is  used 
to  stop  the  windlass  or  capstan 
in  a  ship.  I  am  palled,  I  cannot 
or  dare  not  say  any  more ;  I  am 
nonplussed,  confounded. 

Pallyard  (old  cant),  a  beggar  with 
manufactured  sores.  From  the 
French  paillard,  a  dissolute  fel- 
low ;  properly  and  originally  a 
poor  person  who  sleeps  on  the 
straw,  such  as  mendicants, 
tramps.  Du  Cange  says,  "  pal- 
hardus,  homo  nihili  et  infima3 
conditionis." 

Palm  grease  (common),  a  bribe. 
In  French  slang  graisse.  Also 
palm  oil.     French  huile. 

In  England  a  bribe  is  commonly  known 
as  palm  oil. — Standard. 

Palmer   (thieves),    a   thief   who 
steals  articles  in  a  shop,  jewel- 
H 


114 


Palmer — Panny. 


lery,  for  instance,   by  making 
them  adhere  to  his  palm. 

Palmer's  twisters  (medical),  the 
name  given  to  strychnine  pills, 
which  were  the  medicine  em- 
ployed by  Palmer  of  Rugeley  in 
getting  rid  of  Cooke. 

Palming  (thieves),  exchanging 
spurious  articles,  e.g.,  watches, 
rings,  diamonds,  coins,  for  real 
ones.  From  the  term  in  leger- 
demain. 

Pal  on,  to  (popular),  to  associate. 

And  we  pals  on  with  Dukes,  Lords,  and 
Markisses, 
Which  our  manners  is  strictly  O.  K  , 
And  they  don't  make  no  nasty  remarkeses 
Respectu-ing  Botany  Bay. 

— Blueskin :  A  Lay  of  Lag. 

Panel-crib  (American).  The  New 
York  Slang  Dictionary  gives  the 
following  explanation : — "Panel- 
crib,  a  place  especially  fitted  up 
for  the  robbery  of  gentlemen, 
who  are  enticed  thereto  by 
women  who  make  it  their  busi- 
ness to  pick  up  strangers.  Panel- 
cribs  are  sometimes  called  bad- 
ger-cribs, shake-downs,  touch- 
cribs,  and  are  variously  fitted 
for  the  admission  of  those  who 
are  in  the  secret,  but  which 
defy  the  scrutiny  of  the  un- 
initiated. Sometimes  the  casing 
of  the  door  is  made  to  swing  on 
well-oiled  hinges  which  are  not 
discoverable  in  the  room,  while 
the  door  itself  appears  to  be 
hung  in  the  usual  manner,  and 
well  secured  by  bolts  and  lock. 
At  other  times  the  entrance  is 


effected  by  means  of  what  ap- 
pears to  be  an  ordinary  ward- 
robe, the  back  of  which  revolves 
like  a  turnstile  on  pivots.  When 
the  victim  is  ready  the  thief  en- 
ters, and  pickingthe  pocket-book 
out  of  the  pocket,  abstracts  the 
money,  and  supplying  its  place 
with  a  small  roll  of  paper,  re- 
turns the  book  to  its  place.  He 
then  withdraws,  and  coming  to 
the  door  raps  and  demands  ad- 
mission, calling  the  woman  by 
the  name  of  wife.  The  fright- 
ened victim  dresses  himself  in 
a  hurry,  feels  his  pocket-book 
in  its  proper  place,  and  escapes 
through  another  door,  congra- 
tulating himself  on  his  happy 
deliverance.  A  panel-crib  was 
formerly  termed  a  panel-house. 
Hence  the  word  panel  for  a 
prostitute,  an  inmate  of  such 
an  establishment ;  abbreviated 
from  panel-girl.  Compare  with 
panel-thief,  which  see. 

Panel- thief,  one  who  extorts 
money  by  threats  of  violence 
in  a  panel-house  or  panel-crib, 
which  see. 

P annum  (costermongers  and 
thieves),  bread,  food.  From  the 
Italian  pane. 

Panny  (thieves),  a  house ;  flash- 
panny,  a  public-house  or  lodg- 
ing-house frequented  by  thieves. 
Doing  a  panny,  committing  a 
burglary. 

Ranting  Rob,  poor  fellow,  was  lagged 
for  doing  a  panny! — Lytton:  Paul  Clif- 
ford. 


Panny-man — Parliamentary. 


115 


Panny  is  probably  a  corrup- 
tion of  the  oldpaneZ-house  (same 
as -panel-crib,  which  see),  with 
extended  meaning. 

Panny-man  (thieves),  a  burglar. 
Also  "buster,"  "cracksman." 

Pan  on  (printers).  A  person  with 
a  fit  of  the  "blues,"  or  "down 
in  the  dumps,"  is  said  to  have 
a  pan  on. 

Pan  out,  to  (American),  to  pay 
well,  to  prove  profitable. 

I  am  afraid  that,  to  use  a  miner's  ex- 
pression, we  did  not  pan  out  as  well  as 
was  anticipated.— F.  Francis:  Saddle  and 
Moccasin. 

From  "  panning,"  the  process 
which  gold-diggers  employ  to 
separate  the  precious  metal  from 
the  earth  and-  other  substances 
with  which  it  is  usually  found 
associated. 

Pantile  (nautical),  biscuit.  (Popu- 
lar), a  hat.  Properly  the  mould 
into  which  sugar  is  poured. 
More  common  as  "tile." 

Pap  (thieves),  paper;  especially 
in  the  form  of  bank-notes. 

Come  on,  we  have  had  a  lucky  touch 
for  half  a  century  in  pap  (.£50  in  paper, 
i.e.,  notes). — Horsley:  Jottings  from  Jail. 


Paper-maker 
gatherer. 


(popular),    a    rag 


Paper-mill,  the  office  in  the  old 
Court  of  Queen's  Bench  where 
the  Crown  Records  were  de- 
posited. 


Paper,  to  (theatrical),  to  paper 
a  house,  i.e.,  a  theatre,  is  to  fill 
it  with  orders.  A  paper-house 
is  a  theatre  so  filled.  "  There's 
a  good  deal  of  paper  in  the 
house,"  is  a  common  expression. 

Paper- worker  (popular),  a  vendor 
of  street  literature. 

Papoose  (American),  a  baby, 
derived  from  the  aboriginal 
language  of  the  Virginian  In- 
dians. 

Paralytic  fit  (tailors),  a  very 
badly  fitting  garment. 

Pard  (American),  a  corruption 
of  partner.  Gold -miners,  &c, 
usually  work  and  live  in  couples, 
whence  the  term. 

Say,  old  pard,  do  you  want  to  stake  me 
with  fifty  dollars? — it's  real  good  invest- 
ment.— F.  Francis  :  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Parentheses  (printers),  a  pair  of 
parentheses  applies  to  bandy 
legs. 

Parishes  (Rugby),  explained  by 
quotation. 

The  victims  stand  on  one  of  the  old 
wooden  bedsteads,  flanked  by  two  small 
boys,  each  holding  one  of  those  tin  sconces 
called  at  Rugby  parishes. — Everyday  Life 
in  our  Public  Schools. 

Park  railings  (popular),  the  teeth. 
A  neck  of  mutton. 

Parliamentary  press  (tailors),  an 
old  custom  of  claiming  any  iron, 
which  happens  to  be  in  use, 
for  the  purpose  of  opening  the 
collar  seam. 


n6 


Parlour-jumping — Paste-horn. 


Parlour -jumping  (thieves),  rob- 
bing rooms,  usually  by  getting 
in  through  the  window  of  rooms 
seen  to  be  unguarded. 

This  time  I  palled  in  with  some  older 
hands  at  the  game,  who  used  to  take  me 
a  parlour-jumping.  —  Horsley  :  Jottings 
from  Jail. 

Parter  (sport),  a  liberal  man. 

Particular,  a  special  mistress,  one 
belonging  particularly  to  one 
man.  A  term  much  in  vogue 
in  the  time  of  George  IV.,  but 
which  is  seldom  heard  now. 
Also  "  peculiar."  In  French 
particuliere  has  the  meaning  of 
wife  or  mistress. 

Part,  to  (sport),  to  pay  willingly, 
i.e.,  part  with  one's  money. 

Party-rolls  (Winchester  College). 
On  the  last  Friday  but  one  of 
the  Half  after  dinner  when  the 
tutors  had  gone  out,  men  used 
to  call  out  "  once,  twice,  thrice, 
party-rolls,"  three  times.  The 
custom  arose  from  the  coaching 
days  when  the  students  left  the 
school  in  different  parties. 

Passed  mark  of  mouth  (society), 
expresses  that  a  lady  or  gentle- 
man is  getting  on  into  middle 
age,  borrowed  from  horse-deal- 
ing. After  seven  years  old  you 
cannot  tell  for  certain  the  age 
of  a  horse  by  the  marks  on  his 
teeth,  and  he  is  called  past  mark 
of  mouth.  The  French  have  the 
vulgar  phrase,  applicable  to  a 
woman  past  her  prime,  "elle 
ne  marque  plus." 


Pass  in  one's  chips,  to  (West 
American),  to  die. 

It  was  not  until  the  following  morning 
that  I  overtook  Lone  Wolf,  when  I  found 
that  thirty-two  of  his  band  had  passed  in 
their  chips,  and  over  forty  -  five  were 
wounded.  —O'Reilly :  Fifty  Years  on  the 
Trail. 

Chips  are  counters  in  games 
of  faro.  (American  newspaper), 
items  of  news. 

Pass  the  compliment,  to  (popu- 
lar), to  give  a  douceur  or  tip 
to  a  servant. 

Paste  (printers),  a  synonym  for 
brains,  referring  to  the  "  paste 
and  scissors  "  class  of  editorial 
gentlemen. 

Paste  and  scissors  (printers). 
Matter  borrowed  from  other 
sources  is  from  an  editorial 
point  of  view  termed  thus — 
especially  that  which  is  appro- 
priated without  acknowledg- 
ment. 

Pasteboard  (society),  a  visiting 
card.  To  "shoot  a  p.  b.,"  to 
leave  a  card. 

Pasteboard  customer  (trading), 
one  who  takes  long  credit. 

Pasteboard,  to  (society),  to  paste- 
board a  person  is  to  drop  a  card 
at  an  absent  person's  house. 

Paste-horn  (popular),  the  nose ; 
originally  shoemaking  expres- 
sion. From  the  receptacle  used 
by  them  for  paste. 


Pastry — Patter. 


117 


Pastry.  In  the  language  of 
young  men  about  town,  pantry 
is  the  demi-monde,  composed 
of  "tarts"  and  "tartlets." 

Oh,  beaks  so  stern  and  peelers  proud, 
You  know  the  whole  of  the  pastry  crowd. 
Their  tricks  are  trite,  their  graces  old, 
And  they  never  will  go  home  when  they're 

told. 
When  we  get  in  the  Brighton  or  Margate 

train 
We're  all  right — but  the  tarts  remain, 
They  are  left  to  skulk  at  their  end  of  town. 
— Sporting  Times. 

Pasty  (popular),  a  bookbinder. 

Patchey  (theatrical),  harlequin ; 
so-called  from  the  triangular- 
spangled  patches  on  his  dress. 

Patch  upon,  not  a  (common), 
not  to  be  compared  to.  A  patch 
ought  to  match  the  stuff  upon 
which  it  is  placed — therefore 
not  a  patch  upon  signifies  liter- 
ally "  not  to  be  matched  with," 
"not  fit  to  hold  a  candle  to." 

She's  not  a  patch  upon  the  duchess. — 
Punclu 

Whatever  at  the  time  had  been 
Her  satisfaction  at  fourteen 
When  Ted  had  petted  her,  she  now 
Felt  to  herself  inclined  to  vow 
That  it  was  not  a  patch  upon 
That  which  she  just  had  undergone. 
— D.  B.  W.  Sladcn  1  A  Summer 
Christmas. 

Patent  Frenchman  (tailors),  an 
Irishman. 

Patrico  or  pater  cove  (old  cant), 
a  vagabond,  a  degraded  friar, 
monk,  or  priest,  afterwards  in 
Protestant  times  called  a  hedge- 
parson,    who    associated    with 


tramps  or  thieves,  and  gave  his 
services  to  them  for  a  fee  in 
mock  marriages.  It  was  custo- 
mary, according  to  Grose,  on 
these  occasions  for  the  man  to 
stand  on  one  side  of  the  carcase 
of  a  dead  beast  and  the  woman 
on  the  other,  and  on  shaking 
hands  they  were  bidden  by  the 
priest  to  live  together  till  death 
did  them  part,  meaning  appa- 
rently that  they  were  parted  by 
death  as  soon  as  the  ceremony 
was  ended.  This  was  an  old 
gypsy-Hindu  custom. 

But  alas !   'tis  my  fear  that   the  false 

patricoe 
Is  reaping  those  transports  are  ofcly  due 

to  me. 

— Retoure,  my  dear  Delle. 

Patrico  is  termed  patriarkeo 
in  the  "  Fraternity  of  Vaga- 
bondes,"  1575. 

Patter  (popular  and  thieves),  talk, 
conjuror's  talk  to  his  audience, 
puffing  speech.  French  boni- 
ment. 

Mavor's  Spellin'  and  Copybook  motters  is 

all  they  can  run  to.     But  slang  ? 
Wy,  it's  simply  smart  patter,  of  wich  ony 

me  and  my  sort  'as  the  'ang. 
Snappy  snideness  put  pithy,  my  pippin,  the 

pick  of  the  chick  and  the  hodd, 
And  it  fettles  up  talk,  my  dear  Charlie, 

like  'ot  hoyster  sauce  with  biled  cod. 
— Punch. 
You've  got  the  patter  all  right,  Billy, 
but  you've  on'y  got  it  in  the  rough.  .  .  . 
You'll  have  to  put  it  in  perliter  langwage, 
Billy.—/.  Greenwood:  Under  the  Blue 
Blanket. 

To  patter  flash,  i.e.,  to  talk 
cant,  is  old  canting. 

I  pattered  in  flash  like  a  covey  knowing. 
— W.  Maginn. 


u8 


Patter. 


Ithas  been  derived  from  pater- 
noster. It  is  the  old  gypsy^crt, 
or  patterava;  Hindu  bat,  which 
means  slang  or  secret  language. 
It  is  possibly  allied  in  Romany 
to  pat-serava,  corrupt  patter,  to 
trust  or  confide  in,  hence  to 
speak  secretly. 

The  true  origin  of  the  word 
patter  occurred  to  the  writer  in  a 
strange  way.  "  It  was  in  Brigh- 
ton, when  at  a  corner  I  saw 
a  tramp  with  a  few  ferns  in  a 
basket. 

"  '  Shelkin  galopas  ? '  I  casually 
said  in  the  curious  Celtic  dialect 
known  as  Shelta.  Shelkin  galo- 
pas means  'selling  ferns.' 

" '  That  one  word,'  replied  the 
tramp  gravely,  '  indicates  that 
you,  sir,  are  a  gentleman  who 
knows  the  world.  Indeed,  your 
knowledge  of  it  is  more  than 
unusual — it  is  unique.' 

"  I  at  once  saw  that  the  tramp 
had  been  educated.  I  asked 
him  if  there  were  any  gypsies 
in  town. 

'"I  have  just  seen  old  Lee, 
the  tinker,'  he  replied.  '  And 
if  you  will  come  with  me  you 
may  see  him.' 

"We  went  along  to  a  small 
public,  and  entering  found  old 
Lee.  He  had  known  me  of  yore. 
Once,  three  years  before,  I  had 
promised  to  give  him  a  treat. 
It  took  the  form  of  rum-hot 
sweet  with  a  bit  o'  lemon,  if 
you  please.  Then  contrary  to 
our  express  compact  that  the 
treat  was  not  to  exceed  drinks, 
the  needy  knife-grinder  asked 
for  sixpence.    And  I  replied — 


'  I  give  thee  sixpence !    I  will 
see  thee  damned  first.' 

"  On  seeing  me  again  he  burst 
out  into  Romany — he  treated ; 
the  tramp  spoke  to  me  in  Shelta. 
The  landlord  glanced  at  me 
unfavourably.  I  asked  for  a 
private  room.  Drinks  and 
cigars  were  provided.  Mr.  Lee 
had  three  hot  rums,  the  tramp 
three  whiskies.  The  tramp  was 
a  pale  man  and  seemed  to  grow 
sober  as  Lee  got  drunk. 

" '  I  don't  think,'  he  remarked, 
1  that  the  gypsies  are  of  Hindoo 
origin.  I  rather  think  that 
they  come  from  the  Jdngdla, 
the  hill  tribes.' 

("Heydayl"  I  thought.  "  He 
doesn't  call  them  jungle  men, 
but  uses  the  vernacular.") 

"  '  For  I  always  observed,'  he 
resumed,  'that  while  the  Hin- 
doos only  talk  Hindustani,  the 
Jangalas  use  that  and  have  the 
Bat  among  themselves.' 

" '  Great  Dictionary ! '  I  cried, 
1  why,  that's  Hindoo  slang  for 
slang  itself.  Bat  or  pat,  and 
patter,  are  Romany  for  the  jib.' 

" '  That's  true ! '  exclaimed  Lee. 
'But patter  is  cantin'  now.' 

"  '  Lee,'  I  answered,  '  your 
great  -  great  -  great  -  grandfather 
used  patter  for  talk.  It  was 
old  Romany.  Then  your  people 
dropped  it  when  it  got  blown. 
Patter's  the  lav.'  And  turning 
to  the  tramp,  I  added — 'With 
your  permission  I  will  incor- 
porate that  observation  of  yours 
into  the  next  paper  which 
I  propose  to  read  before  the 
Oriental    Society.     Don't    you 


Patter — Pay. 


119 


think  that  the  gypsies  came 
from  the  Dom  ? ' 

"  '  I  used  to  see  a  great  many 
of  the  Domes  when  I  was  a 
soldier  in  India.  I  always 
thought  they  were  real  gypsies.' 

"People  sometimes  ask  me, 
'  How  did  you  learn  gypsy  1 ' 
Well,  for  every  word  learned, 
'  bang  went  a  saxpence '  for  rum 
or  beer." 

Patter  is,  however,  very  old 
English  for  to  mutter. 

Ever  he  patred  on  theyr  names  fast. 
— How  the  Ploughman  Learned  his 
Paternoster. 

The  old  English  to  patter,  to 
mutter  (a  paternoster),  probably 
combined  with  the  Romany 
meaning  merely  slang. 

Patteran,  a  gypsy  trail,  made  by 
throwing  down  a  handful  of 
grass  occasionally  (Hotten). 

Patter -crib  (thieves),  a  public- 
house  or  lodging-house  fre- 
quented by  thieves. 

Patterer  (streets),  one  who  cried 
last  dying  speeches  in  the 
streets,  &c. 

Paul's  pigeons  (school),  the 
scholars  of  St.  Paul's  School 
have  been  so  called  from  time 
immemorial. 

Pav.  (London),  the  Pavilion  Music 
Hall. 

The  Dalston  Colosseum  has  an  animated 

Cirque ; 
The  Moore  and  Burgess  Minstrels  are,  as 

usual,  at  work  ; 


And  if  you're  fond  of  music  halls,   the 

Empire  and  the  Pav. 
Will  give  you  just  about  the  utmost  you 

could  wish  to  have. 

— Fun. 

Pawnee,  Pani  (Anglo-Indian  and 
gypsy).  In  the  latter  also  parny, 
water.  "  The  word  is  used 
extensively  in  Anglo-Indian 
compound  names,  such  as  bil3- 
gati-pani,  soda-water ;  brandy- 
pawnee,  brandy  and  water ;  kush- 
bo-pani,  European  perfumes  (in 
gypsy  kushtq-pani,  or  kushto- 
sumeni-pdni,  &c."  (Anglo-Indian 
Glossary).  In  both  Hindustani 
and  English  gypsy  the  ocean  is 
known  as  the  kola,  or  kalo-pani, 
"  the  black  water,"  a  term  of 
terror  in  reference  to  transpor- 
tation to  penal  settlements.  In 
German  cant  water  is  termed 
bani. 

Pax  (Winchester),  cease  talking, 
be  quiet.    Also  a  chum. 

Pay-away  (common),  go  on  with 
your  discourse.  Originally  nau- 
tical ;  from  the  phrase  to  pay- 
away,  i.e.,  to  allow  a  rope  to  run 
out. 

Pay  dirt  (American).  When  the 
soil  of  a  place  afforded  indica- 
tion of  gold  in  sufficient  quanti- 
ties to  render  mining  profitable, 
it  is  called  pay  dirt.  The  term 
probably  came  from  the  Chinese 
diggers.  The  first  story  in  which 
it  occurs  is  one  of  a  Chinaman 
who,  having  been  employed  to 
dig  a  grave,  and  finding  pay 
dirt  or  gold  while  so  employed, 


120 


Pay — Peck. 


"  pre-empted  "  the  ground,  and 
was  shot  for  so  doing.  The 
prefix  pay  is  to  be  found  in 
several  pidgin-English  words. 

As  their  eyes  remarked  the  symptoms,  thus 
their  tongues  responsive  spoke  : 

"  In  this  undiscovered  section  there  is  pay 
dirt,  sure  as  smoke." 
— The  Rise  and  Fall  of  GloryvilU. 

Pay  for  one's  whistle,  to  (com- 
mon), to  pay  extravagantly  for 
any  fancy. 

Some,  though  round  them  life's  expenses 

bristle, 
Are    not    opposed    to  faying  for   their 

whistle  ! 

—Funny  Folks. 

Pay,  to  (popular),  to  punish,  beat. 

Her  father  once  said  he  would  kill  her 
mother,  and  once  or  twice  he  paid  her. — 
Standard. 

Pay  with  a  hook,  to  (Australian 
thieves'  patter),  to  steal.  An 
expression  probably  imported 
into  New  South  Wales  in  the 
old  convict  days.  To  pay  with 
a  hook  signifies  to  obtain  the 
article,  not  by  payment,  but  by 
hooking  it,  or  running  away. 

You  bought  them  ?   Ah,  I  fear  me,  John, 
Vou  paid  them  with  a  hook. 

—J.  Brunton  Stephens :  My  Chinee 
Cook. 

P.  D.  (trade),  a  substance  which 
is  sold  to  grocers  for  mixing 
with,  and  thus  adulterating, 
pepper.  It  is  known  in  the 
trade  by  this  rather  enigmatical 
appellation. 

Peach  (English  and  American),  a 
very  complimentary  epithet  for 
a  young  lady.    Also  "  plum." 


(Drivers),  an  informer  against 
omnibus  conductors  and  drivers. 
From  to  peach,  to  reveal  a  secret, 
inform  against ;  corrupted  from 
impeach. 

Peacock  engine  (railway),  a  loco- 
motive which  carries  coals  and 
water  in  a  separate  tender,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  a  tank  engine, 
which  carries  engine,  fuel,  and 
water  all  on  one  frame. 

Peacock  horse,  amongst  under- 
takers, one  with  a  showy  tail 
and  mane. 

Pearlies  (costermongers),  pearl 
buttons  sewn  down  the  sides 
of  the  costermongers'  trousers 
in  the  East  End. 

Pear,  to  (thieves),  to  take  money 
from  the  police  for  information, 
and  then  from  thieves  for  tell- 
ing them  how  to  escape.  Pear- 
making,  the  act  of  drawing 
supplies  from  both  sides.  Evi- 
dently from  "pair,"  and  to 
"pair  off." 

Pebble -beached  (London),  i.e., 
high  and  dry,  or  very  poor. 
Explained  by  quotation. 

He  had  arrived  at  a  crisis  of  impecuni- 
osity  compared  to  which  the  small  circum- 
stance of  being  pebble-beaclied  and  stony- 
broke  might  be  described  as  comparative 
affluence. — Sporting  Times. 

Pec  (Eton),  money;  from  the  Latin 
pecunia. 

Peck  (popular),  food.  Peck  and 
booze,  food  and  drink;  peckish, 


Peck — Pee!. 


121 


hungry;  a  good  pecker,  a  good 
appetite.  Peck-alley,  the  gullet. 
A  holiday  at  Peckham,  having 
nothing  to  eat.  Peck  is  probably 
derived  from  the  action  of  a 
hungry  bird  pecking  at  seed,  and 
from  its  beak,  which  it  has  to 
open  for  the  purpose.  (Old  cant), 
pek,  meat  (Harman).  Ruff-ptk, 
bacon.  Pek  or  pekker  means  in 
gypsy  to  roast  or  bake,  and  is 
commonly  applied  to  roast  meat. 
It  is  found  in  all  gypsy  dialects. 
Mr.  Turner  derives  pek  from 
pecus,  cattle  ("  Vagrants  and 
Vagrancy,"  p.  474). 

Peck-alley  (common),  the  throat. 

Pecker  (Oxford),  appetite.  (Com- 
mon), a  rare  pecker,  a  hearty 
eater.  From  to  peck,  to  eat 
voraciously.  Keep  your  pecker 
up,  take  heart,  do  not  be 
discouraged,  never  say  die ; 
literally  keep  your  beak  or 
head  up,  do  not  be  down  in  the 
mouth. 

Keep  your  pecker  up,  old  fellow  !  and 
put  your  trust  in  old  beans. — C.  Bede : 
Verdant  Green. 

Peckish  (common),  hungry. 

Peck,  to  (common),  to  eat  vora- 
ciously.   Also  "to  wolf." 

Ped  (sporting),  a  pedestrian — 
usually  a  professional  one. 

These  well-known  Birmingham  peds 
have  joined  in  a  sweepstakes  of  £$  each 
to  run  iso  yards  level. — Referee. 

Pedlar's  French  and  St  Giles' 
Greek.    The  English  common- 


alty, not  understanding  the 
secret  jargon  of  tramps  and 
beggars,  different  from  what 
was  called  "flash,"  or  ordinary 
vulgar  slang,  were  accustomed 
to  call  it  either  "  French " 
or  "  Greek,"  which  two  lan- 
guages were  equally  unintelli- 
gible to  them.  The  "  cant " 
words  of  tramps,  pedlars,  and 
beggars  were  thus  designated 
as  "  French,"  and  the  Gaelic 
words  spoken  to  a  large  extent 
by  the  Irish,  who  in  the  seven- 
teenth and  eighteenth  centuries, 
and  up  to  the  third  decade  of  the 
nineteenth,  inhabited  the  rooke- 
ries of  St.  Giles',  London,  through 
which  New  Oxford  Street  has 
been  driven,  was  designated  as 
"  Greek."  Shakspeare  speaks 
of  the  phrase  duc-da-me,  used  in 
the  sport,  called  Tom  Tiddler's 
ground,  as  a  Greek  invocation 
to  catch  fools  into  a  circle. 
There  was  a  district  in  the 
slums  of  Westminster,  inhabited 
chiefly  by  the  disreputable 
classes,  who  spoke  in  a  cant 
unknown  to  the  other  and  less 
vulgar  inhabitants  of  the  metro- 
polis, known  as  "Petty  France." 

Pedlar's  news  (Scotch  popular), 
stale  news. 

Pedlar's  pony  (American),  a 
walking-stick. 

Peel  eggs  with,  to  (common),  to 
stand  on  ceremony.  "  He's  not 
one  you  would  stand  to  peel  eggs 
uith,"  i.e.,  stand  on  ceremony 
with. 


122 


Peeler — Peg. 


Peeler  (general),  a  policeman ; 
derived  from  Sir  Robert  Peel, 
who  first  started  the  metro- 
politan police  in  the  place  of 
the  Bow  Street  runners. 

Bobby  too  open  to  the  furtive  "  tip  "  ? 
How  can  the  world  malign  in  such  a 
manner? 
Although  self-offered  to  the  Peeler's  grip, 
'Tis  plain  a  "Copper"  will  not  take  a 
"Tanner." 

— Punch. 

Some  years  ago  policemen 
were  still  called ' '  Bobby  Peelers." 
Vide  Bobby. 

Peel,  to  (common),  to  strip,  take 
off,  expose,  or  show. 

Peepers  (common),  the  eyes. 

The  next  question  was  how  long  they 
should  wait  to  let  the  inmates  close  their 
peepers.  —  Reade  :  Never  too  Late  to 
Mend. 

...  Or  would  amiably  recommend  an- 
other that,  as  his  peepers  were  a-goin'  fast, 
he'd  best  put  up  the  shutters,  because  the 
early-closing  movement  ought  to  be  fol- 
lered  out. — C.  Bede:  Verdant  Green. 

Peepers  in  mourning,  bruised, 
black  eyes. 

His  peepers  are  just  going  out  of 
mourning. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Peeping  Tom  (old  cant),  still  in 


A  man  who  is  mighty  particular  in 
peering,  peaking,  and;  prying  about,  es- 
pecially to  perceive  maids  undressing 
or  undrest,  when  they,  poor  innocents, 
deem  themselves  unseen. — The  Comical 
Critick. 

The    term    is    derived    from 
Peeping  Tom  of  Coventry,  who 


was  struck  blind  for  thus  offend- 
ing. 

So  Peeping  Thomas  lost  his  sight. 
The  world  cries  out,   "  It  served  him 
right, 
For  looking  at  my  Lady  G." 
But  oh,  if  every  soul  of  us, 
Who've  done  the  same  were  punished 
thus, 
How  many  blind  men  there'would  be  ! 
— Ballad  of  Peeping  Tom. 

Peepsies  (Punch  and  Judy),  the 
pan  pipes. 

Peg  (general),  a  drink,  generally 
brandy  and  soda.  Hard  drink- 
ers in  India,  every  time  they 
have  a  drink,  are  said  to  add  a 
peg  to  their  coffin.  The  latter 
is  synonymous  with  "to  add  a 
nail  to  one's  coffin."  (Thieves), 
a  shilling. 

Peg,  on  the  (military),  to  be 
under  arrest,  as  a  non-commis- 
sioned officer.  The  expression 
is  also  used  when  a  soldier  is 
put  under  stoppages.  A  very 
common  synonym  in  the  army 
is  to  be  "roosted." 

Peg  out  a  claim,  to  (Australian), 
properly  to  mark  out  for  one's 
possession.  The  miner  who 
wishes  to  claim  a  certain  piece 
of  ground  had  to  mark  it  out 
with  pegs;  so  has  the  free  se- 
lector (q.v.)  when  taking  up 
land.  Therefore  to  peg  out  one's 
claim  means  to  mark  out  for 
one's  possession,  and  is  used 
figuratively  in  ordinary  con- 
versation, as  well  as  techni- 
cally. 


Peg — Penny. 


123 


She  is  haunted  by  viscounts  and  barons, 

With  aristocratical  names, 
Fitzgerald,  Fitzjames,  and  Fitzclarence, 

All  anxious  to  peg  out  their  claims 
On  her  heart,  and  her  hand,  and  her 
portion 
Their  broken  estates  to  renew, 
Long  emaciate  with  the  extortion 
Of  lawyer,  and  broker,  and  Jew. 
—Douglas  B.  W.  S laden ;  A  Bush 
Flower. 

Peg  out,  to  (common),  to  die. 
Like  a  man  who  strikes  his  tent 
to  take  his  departure. 

There  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  the 
unfortunate  woman  pegged  out  because  a 
remarkably  enlarged  liver  interfered  with 
the  natural  play  of  other  internal  appa- 
ratus.— Fun. 

Peg,  putting  in  the  (military), 
taking  a  pull  at  one's  self  ; 
being  on  the  sober  or  quiet 
tack,  voluntarily,  or  by  superior 
orders. 

Pegs  (popular),  legs. 

Peg,  to  (common),  to  drink  fre- 
quently.    Vide  Peg. 

Pelter  (nautical),  the  small  ten- 
gun  ship  of  old.  (Popular), 
out  for  a  pelter,  means  in  a  very 
bad  temper. 

Pelt,  to  (tailors),  to  sew  thickly. 

Pempe  (Winchester  College). 
When  a  new  "  man  "  comes,  he 
is  asked  whether  he  has  his 
pempe  (which  in  reality  is  an 
imaginary  object,  but  is  repre- 
sented as  being  a  book).  Of 
course,  the  answer  is  in  the 
negative,  whereupon  he  is  as- 
sured that  it  is  quite  indispen- 


sable, and  is  sent  from  one  man 
to  another,  each  telling  him 
that  some  one  else  has  it  in  his 
possession.  The  joke  ends  by 
his  being  sent  to  some  master, 
who  gets  him  out  of  his  diffi- 
culties. The  derivation  is  irefi- 
irefiupov  irporepov,  that  is,  "send 
the  fool  further."  A  kindred 
joke,  perpetrated  on  a  raw  re- 
cruit in  the  French  army,  is 
to  send  him  on  a  fool's  errand 
after  the  "clef  du  champ  de 
manoeuvres,"  or  "le  parapluie 
de  l'escouade." 

Pen  (colonial),  a  threepenny  piece. 

Penang  lawyer  (Anglo-Indian), 
the  name  of  a  handsome  walk- 
ing-stick from  Penang  and 
Salampore.  "  The  name  is  popu- 
larly thought  to  have  originated 
in  a  jocular  supposition  that 
lawsuits  in  Penang  were  decided 
by  the  lex  bocalinum  (club-law). 
But  pinang  liyar  (wild  areca), 
may  almost  certainly  be  assumed 
to  be  the  real  name  "  (Anglo- 
Indian  Glossary). 

Pencil-fever  (turf),  this  imaginary 
disease  sets  in  when,  despite  the 
efforts  of  the  "marketeers,"  a 
horse  can  no  longer  be  kept  at  a 
short  price  in  the  lists  (Hotten). 

Penciller  (sporting),  a  bookmaker's 
clerk. 

Penny  gaff.    Vide  Gaff. 

Penny  starrer  (popular),  a  penny 
roll. 


124 


Pepper-box — Pete. 


Pepper-box.    Vide  Coffee-mill. 

Peppered  (turf),  used  in  reference 
to  a  man  who  has  laid  large 
stakes  on  a  horse. 

He  was  peppered  in  one  dangerous 
quarter  alone  to  the  extent  of  three  or  four 
thousand  pounds,  simultaneously  with  a 
large  outlay  on  Jerry. — Sporting  Times. 

Perchera  (Winchester  College),  a 
mark  put  against  a  "  man's " 
name  who  has  been  "late"  for 
chapel. 

Perfectly  demmy  (American 
cadet).  A  man  who  is  dressed  in 
perfectly  good  taste — stylishly 
so — is  said  to  be  perfectly  demmy. 
Probably  from  association  with 
Mr.  Mantalini  of  "  Nicholas 
Nickleby." 

Periodicals  (American),  men 
who  go  at  regular  intervals  on 
sprees,  or  who  get  drunk  only 
at  certain  times,  are  said  to 
have  their  periodicals,  i.e.,  perio- 
dical dissipations. 

"  Mr.  Featherly,"  inquired  Bobby  from 
across  the  table,  "are  you  in  the  book 
business?"  "I?  No;  I'm  in  the  dry- 
goods  business.  You  know  that  very  well, 
Bobby."  "  Yes ;  but  ma  and  pa  were 
talking  last  night  about  your  having  your 
little  periodicals,  and  I  thought  perhaps 
that  you  had  made  a  change." — New  York 
Times. 

Perks  (common),  perquisites. 

To  first-class  passengers  I  speak 

In  accents  soft  and  bland, 
To  second-class,  though  quite  polite, 

No  nonsense  will  I  stand  ; 
But  the  third-class  I'm  down  upon, 

I  treat  them  just  like  Turks, 
The  reason  is,  you  understand, 

From  them  I  get  no  perks. 
— T.  Russell:  The  Railway  Guard. 


Pernicated  dude  (Canadian),  a 
dandy  who  assumes  a  highly 
swaggering  manner. 

Pernicketty  (American),  fastidi- 
ous, mean,  and  over-particular. 

The  Comptroller  of  St.  Louis  must  be 
very  pernicketty.  He  objects,  it  seems, 
to  paying  out  of  the  City  Treasury  for 
carriages  to  take  aldermen  home  at  night. 
— Detroit  Free  Press. 

Perpendicular  (London),  a  lunch 
taken  standing  at  a  bar. 

Persuaders  (common),  pistols. 

"The  persuaders?"  "I've  got  'em," 
replied  Sikes. — Charles  Dickens:  Oliver 
Twist. 

Also  spurs. 

I  have  known  a  coster  get  a  month  for 
inflicting  upon  his  donkey  half  the  pain 
which  the  poor  mare  suffered  from  the 
jockey's  persuaders. — Daily  Paper. 

Persuading  plate  (thieves),  an 
implement  used  by  burglars.  It 
is  an  iron  disk,  revolving  on  a 
pivot  with  a  cutting  point. 

Detective  -  sergeant  now  produced  a 
quantity  of  property  found  on  the  prisoners, 
including  a  persuading  plate  used  for  the 
purpose  of  forcing  safes. — Daily  News. 

Pesky  (American),  an  adjective 
used  in  detraction,  as  "  the 
pesky  horse  !  "  "  This  is  a  pesky 
sight  too  bad."  Probably  from 
the  Dutch  pestje  !  Pest  on  it ! 
was  a  well-known  English  oath 
a  century  ago,  but  was  still 
commoner  in  Dutch  andGerman. 
Ein  poitchen  (dialect,  Pestche'). 

Pete  Jenkins  (circus),  a  character 
introduced  in  the  ring  as  one 


Pete — Peter. 


125 


who  has  friends  in  the  audience. 
Sometimes  it  is  an  imaginary 
old  aunt  from  the  country,  who 
is  delighted  at  recognising  her 
long  lost  nephew,  yet  horrified 
at  seeing  him  risking  his  life  by 
his  daring  feats  on  horseback. 
Peter  assures  her  that  there  is 
no  danger,  and  finally  persuades 
her  to  take  a  ride.  She,  of 
course,  tumbles  off,  and  "  makes 
business,"  to  the  delight  of  all 
lookers-on.  Anon  some  appa- 
rent rustic  greets  him,  inquires 
if  the  circus-business  pays,  and 
is  also  persuaded  into  the  ring. 
The  original  Pete  Jenkins,  a 
small  man  with  a  large  nose, 
was  in  Dan  Rice's  troop,  or 
"Great  Show,"  in  America  about 
1855.  Pete  Jenkins  now  means 
a  variation  on  the  clown. 

Peter  (thieves),  a  parcel. 

So  while  I  was  looking  about  I  piped  a 
little  peter  (parcel). — Horsley:  Jottings 
from  Jail. 

A  cash-box. 

After  we  left  the  course,  we  found  a 
dead  'un,  and  got  a  peter  with  very  near  a 
century  of  quids  in  it. — Horsley :  Jottings 
from  Jail. 

Also  a  very  old  word  for  port- 
manteau. This  was  the  origi- 
nal word.  (Australian  prison), 
punishment  cell.  (Poachers),  a 
partridge. 

Peter-claimer  (thieves),  one  who 
steals  boxes,  portmanteaus, 
bundles. 

Peter  Collins  (theatrical),  a 
gentleman  never  to  be  found. 


In  towns  there  are  generally 
young  aspirants  who  want  to 
act,  who  apply  at  the  theatre, 
and  are  told  to  call  in  the  after- 
noon. If  he  does  he  is  sent  in 
search  of  Peter  Collins,  "that's 
the  man  to  give  him  a  job,"  by 
one  of  the  stage  men,  or  any 
one  who  knows  the  game,  and 
"will you  take  this  up  to  him," 
a  sack  with  something  heavy  in 
it,  counterweights,  and  an  old 
pantomime  mask  generally.  So 
the  youth  is  sent  from  the  roof 
to  the  cellar,  and,  finally,  is 
generally  let  down  a  trap  and 
left  to  get  out  as  best  he  can. 

The  same  trick  is  practised 
at  circuses,  but  the  password 
is  the  "  green  -  handled  rake," 
which  the  youth  is  requested  to 
ask  for.  He  is  generally  settled 
with  a  pill  of  horse-dung  when 
they  have  had  enough  of  him. 

Peter  out,  to  (American),  a  Cali- 
fornia mining  expression  mean- 
ing to  give  out,  be  exhausted, 
or  come  to  an  end.  (English 
provincial),  "to  go  through  St. 
Peter's  needle,"  to  be  beaten, 
or  incur  loss.  Hence  perhaps 
the  expression. 

Peter  Funk  (American).  In  New 
York  city  for  nearly  a  century 
all  kinds  of  petty  humbug, 
deceit,  and  sham,  especially  in 
business,  has  been  characterised 
by  a  mythical  character  named 
Peter  Funk.  Bartlett  ingeniously 
conjectures  that  this  was  a 
fictitious  name  given  in  at  the 
mock  -  auction     shops,     where 


126 


Peter — Phiz. 


Peter  is  employed  as  a  by- 
bidder  to  run  up  prices  and 
swindle  the  ignorant.  But  there 
is  much  in  the  term  "to  funk 
out,"  or  to  disappear  mysteri- 
ously, and  in  the  associations 
with  funk,  a  stench,  or  a  smoke, 
which  suggest  humbug  and  foul 
dealing.  Peter  Funk  is  very 
fully  described  in  an  amusing 
old  American  novel  called  "  The 
Perils  of  Pearl  Street." 

Peter  Rugg  (American).  "  He'll 
get  home  as  soon  as  Peter  Rugg." 
"  He's  like  Peter  Rugg,  the  miss- 
ing man."  "  He  brings  weather 
like  Peter  Rugg."  The  writer 
has  often  heard  these  and 
similar  sayings  in  his  youth, 
in  Massachusetts.  They  are 
founded  on  the  following  legend. 
About  the  end  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  one  Peter  Rugg 
and  his  daughter  left  Roxbury 
in  a  chaise  to  get  to  their  home 
in  Boston.  A  friend  remarked 
that  a  storm  was  coming  up 
which  would  prevent  his  getting 
home.  To  which  Peter  Rugg 
replied  with  a  dire  oath,  "  I 
will  get  home  to  night  or  may 
I  never  get  home."  For  a 
hundred  years  whenever  a  storm 
was  coming  it  was  always  pre- 
ceded by  Peter  Rugg  in  his  old 
chaise,  asking  the  way  to  his 
house.  He  was  always  in  great 
distress,  seeming  to  be  be- 
wildered. At  last  one  day  when 
his  house  had  just  been  sold  by 
auction  and  passed  into  the 
hands  of  a  stranger  and  was  no 
longer  legally  his  home,  Peter 


Rugg  drove  up,  and  then  dis- 
appeared. His  penance  was  at 
an  end. 

Petticoat  pensioner  (common),  a 
man  who  lives  on  a  prostitute's, 
earnings.  Also  "Sunday-man, 
ponce,  prosser,  Kaffir." 

Pew-opener's  muscle  (medical), 
a  muscle  of  the  palm  of  the 
hand  so  called  by  the  late  Sir 
Benjamin  Brodie  because  it 
helps  to  contract  and  hollow 
the  palm  for  the  reception  of 
a  gratuity. 

Pewter  (common),  money. 

Philadelphia  Catechism  (nauti- 
cal), the  name  by  which  the 
following  couplet  is  known. 

"  Six  days  shalt  thou  labour,  and  do  all 
thou  art  able, 
And  on  the  seventh — holystone  the  decks 
and  scrape  the  cable." 

Philip  (thieves),  a  policeman.  Ob- 
solete.   Also  a  warning  cry. 

Philiper  (thieves),  a  thief's  ac- 
complice who  keeps  watch  and 
calls  out  Philip  1  as  a  warning 
cry. 

Phiz  (common),  face,  countenance. 

Proves  as  'Arry  is  well  to  the  front  wen  sech 

higperlite  pens  pop  on  him. 
Does  me  proud  and  no  herror,  dear  pal  ; 

shows  we're  both  in  the  same  bloomin' 

swim. 
Still,  they  don't  cop  my  phiz  quite  ker-rect ; 

they  know  Gladstone  right  down  to  the 

ground ; 
But  I  ain't  quite  so  easy  'it  off,  don'tcher 

see,  if  you  take  me  all  round. 

— Punch. 


Piccadilly — Piece. 


127 


Piccadilly  crawl,  a  languid  walk 
much  affected  about  ten  years 
ago. 

Pickers  (popular),  a  very  old  term 
for  hands. 

Picker-up  (Stock  Exchange),  a 
man  who  tries  to  get  members 
to  make  a  wrong  price,  and 
then  deals  with  them. 

Pick  flies  off  it,  to  (tailors),  to 
find  fault  with  it. 

Picking  out  robins'  eyes  (tailors), 
to  side  stitch  a  black  cloth  or 
fine  material. 

Picking-up  (popular),  explained 
by  quotation. 

There,  it  seems,  the  girls  of  the  working 
class  go  out  picking-up,  just  as  the  boys 
go  out  "mashing."  They  go  by  twos  or 
threes,  each  little  party  of  the  same  sex  ; 
the  girls  looking  in  the  shop  windows  and 
giggling,  the  boys  sauntering  along,  cigar- 
ette in  mouth  and  hands  in  pocket. 
Presently  the  latter  jostle  up  against  the 
former.  They  apologise.  No  apology, 
they  are  told,  is  needed.  "  Going  to 
market?"  asks  the  lad.  "Yes,"  is  the 
reply.  "  May  we  come  along  ?  "  "Very 
well."  Thus  is  the  ice  speedily  and  satis- 
factorily broken  ! — Globe. 

Pickle  jar  (popular),  a  coachman 
in  yellow  livery. 

Pick-me-up  (popular),  a  stimulat- 
ing draught  before  dinner,  or 
after  a  debauch. 

Pick  off,  to  (Winchester  College), 
to  hit  somebody  with  a  stone. 

Picture,  not  in  the  (turf),  not 
placed. 


In  the  Hardwicke  Stakes  he  was  fully 
fifty  yards  behind  Bendigo,  who,  in  turn, 
was  not  in  the  picture. — Sporting-Times. 

Pie  (printers).  Almost  technical. 
Different  kinds  of  type  mixed 
up  together,  either  through  ac- 
cident, as  when  a  forme  not 
tightened  enough  falls  to  pieces 
when  being  carried  away,  or 
through  negligence.  German 
and  French  printers  use  respec- 
tively the  expressions,  zwiebel- 
fisch,  literally  fish  with  onions ; 
and  p&t€,  or  pie,  "  faire  du 
p&U"  to  distribute  such  mixed 
up  type. 

Bacon  was  a  highly  educated  man,  and 
an  expert  linguist ;  yet  the  foreign  in  the 
folio  may  be  summarised  as  a  mass  of  pie. 
Thus  "Dictisima;"  "vemchie,  vencha, 
que  non  te  vnde,  que  non  te  perreche." 
These  are  copied  from  the  quartos.  Then 
we  have  the  French  :  "  il  fait  for  chando, 
Ie  man  voi  a  le  Court  la  grand  affaires." — 
Standard. 

"  We've  had  an  accident,  sir,"  said  Old 
Pleasure,  the  foreman,  "the  whole  of 
'  Bits  of  Turf'  has  fallen  into  pie." 

"Pick  it  up,"  said  the  great  man,  "and 
head  it '  Musings  at  the  Cheshire  Cheese.' " 
— Bird  0'  Freedom. 

(Booksellers),  the  miscellane- 
ous collection  of  books  which 
have  been  pulled  out  of  the 
alphabet  during  the  day,  and 
have  to  be  replaced  at  night. 
It  is  always  the  last  job  of  the 
day  to  put  the  pie  away. 

Piece  (common).  Hotten  says  that 
this  is  "  a  contemptuous  term 
for  a  woman — a  strumpet."  It 
occurs  in  Elizabethan  writers  in 
this  sense.  It  is  now  generally 
heard  in  such  phrases  as  "she 
is  a  nice  piece,"  "  a  good  piece." 


128 


Piece — Pig. 


Piece  brokers  (thieves),  explained 
by  quotation. 

As  he  comes  along,  bringing  your  new 
suit  home,  he  would  think  it  no  sin  to  call 
at  that  repository  for  stolen  goods,  the 
piece  'brokers,  and  sell  there  a  strip  of 
your  unused  cloth  for  a  shilling. — Green' 
wood :  Seven  Curses  of  London. 

Piece  of  calico  (American),  a  girl 
or  woman.  "  The  calico,"  or 
"  the  muslin,"  women  in  general. 

Piece  of  pudding  (popular),  a 
piece  of  luck,  or  a  welcome 
change. 

Piece  of  thick  (popular  slang),  a 
piece  of  Cavendish,  or  pressed 
cake  tobacco. 

Never  again  ! 
Will  I  attempt  a  pipe  to  smoke, 

Never  again  ! 
I've  tried  it  once  but  'twas  no  joke, 
I  got  a  clay  and  piece  of  thick, 
Thought  I'd  do  a  clever  trick, 
But  crikey,  didn't  I  feel  sick, 
Never  again  ! 
— Ballad  (Francis  <5r»  Day). 

Pieces  (thieves),  money. 

Reve  d'Or  should  be  the  mare  to  go, 
Unless  you  boldly  strike  for  Freedom, 

Concerning  pieces  thus  to  show 
The  heartless  bookies  that  you  need  'em. 
,'       — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

The  flash  terms  for  pieces  are  : 
"brown,  copper,  blow,"  a  penny ; 
"bit,"  threepence ;  "  lord  of  the 
manor,  pig,  sprat,  downer,  snid, 
tanner," sixpence;  "bob.breaky- 
leg,  deaner,"  shilling ;  "  alder- 
man," half -a -crown  ;  "bull, 
cartwheel,"  crown  ;  "  half  a 
quid,"  half  a  sovereign ;  "  sov., 
quid,  couter,  yellow-boy,  canary, 
foont,"    sovereign  ;    '"  finnup, 


fiver,"  five-pound  note;  "double 
finnup,  tenner,"  ten-pound  note ; 
"pony,"  twenty  pounds;  "mon- 
key," fifty  pounds ;  "century," 
hundred  pounds  ;  "  plum," 
;£ioo,ooo ;  "  marygold,"  one 
million. 

Pieman  (streets),  he  who  is  toss- 
ing at  pitch  and  toss. 

Pie,  to  put  into  the  (auction).  At 
book  sales,  to  put  into  a  large 
lot,  to  be  sold  at  the  end. 

Pig;  (thieves  and  popular),  a 
policeman  or  detective.  (Trade), 
sometimes  cold  pig,  but  more, 
often  the  former.  A  term  by 
which  goods  returned  from  any 
cause  are  known. 

Pigeon  (common),  a  dupe  whose 
fate  it  is  to  be  "plucked"  by 
blacklegs  and  others.  The 
French  use  pigeon  in  the  same 
sense.  In  Spanish  cant  palomo, 
pigeon,  is  a  gullible  person. 

Pigeon,  blue.  Vide  Blue  Pigeon. 

Pigeon  holes  (Winchester  Col- 
lege), small  studies.  (Printers), 
matter  widely  and  badly  spaced. 
This  is  a  recognised  expres- 
sion amongst  compositors  and 
readers,  owing  to  the  amount 
of  white  between  the  words, 
likened  to  a  nest  of  pigeon  holes. 

Pig,  pork  (tailors),  garments 
spoiled,  cut  wrong,  not  the 
right  material,  or  any  error 
which  precludes  the  possibility 
of  alteration. 


Pigs — Pikcy. 


129 


Pigs  (Cambridge  University), 
members  of  St.  John's  College 
are  called  pigs. 

The  Johnians  are  always  known  by  the 
name  of  pigs ;  they  put  up  a  new  organ 
the  other  day,  which  was  immediately 
christened  "  Baconi  Novum  Organum." — 
Westminster  Review. 

(Printers),  a  term  of  contempt 
applied  by  compositors  to  press- 
men. When  pressmen  entered 
the  composing-room  they  would 
be  received  with  grunts.  A 
compositor  would  not  dare  to 
do  this  out  of  his  own  particular 
department.  So  "  Savage's  Dic- 
tionary," 1841,  says. 

Pig's  ear,  pig's  lug  (tailors),  a 
name  given  to  a  lappel  collar  or 
flap  too  heavy  for  the  size  of 
garment. 

Pig's  foot  (American  thieves),  a 
jimmy,  or  thieves'  short  crow- 
bar, cloven  at  one  end  like  a 
pig's  foot. 

Pig-sticker  (army),  sabre. 

Pig-sty  (printers),  a  press-room 
is  thus  somewhat  inelegantly 
described. 

Pig's  whistle  (American),  accord- 
ing to  Bartlett,  who  gives  it 
as  a  synonym  for  an  instant, 
"  In  less  than  a  pig's  whistle." 
As  there  exists  an  old  English 
equivalent  for  this  in  "  less 
than  a  pig's  whisper,"  and  as 
there  is  a  well-known  old  tav- 
ern sign  called  the  "Pig  and 
Whistle,"  it  is  easy  to  see  how 
VOL.  II. 


one  term  might  be  derived  from 
another.  It  seems  to  be  a  fact 
and  not  a  mere  philological 
guess,  that  "pig  and  whistle" 
was  originally  pigen  wceshcel ! 
Hail  to  the  Virgin  I  an  amusing 
instance  of  bathos. 

Pigtails  (Stock  Exchange) , 
Chartered  Bank  of  India,  Aus- 
tralia, and  China. 

Pike  (American),  a  name  applied 
in  California  to  the  migratory 
poor  whites,  said  to  have  origi- 
nated, according  to  Bartlett, 
from  the  supposition  that  they 
came  from  Pike  County,  Mis- 
souri. "  The  true  pike,"  says 
Mr.  Fraahoff,  "  is  the  wandering 
gypsy-like  Southern  poor  white 
who  lives  in  a  waggon."  As  the 
term  pike  and  pikey  have  been 
used  for  at  least  a  century  in 
England,  and  probably  much 
longer,  for  a  gypsy  or  a  tramp, 
the  term  is  evidently  enough 
not  derived  from  "Pike  County, 
Missouri."  (Thieves),  turn- 
pike. 

Pikers  (Australian),  wild  cattle 
which  cannot  be  got  out  of  the 
bush.  From  English  slang  to 
pike,  to  run  away. 

Pike  it,  to  (popular  and  thieves), 
to  run  away.  From  taking  to 
the  pike  or  turnpike  road,  as 
applied  to  a  discontented  per- 
son, "if  you  don't  like  it  you 
caxipike  it." 

Pikey  (popular),  a  tramp  or  gypsy. 

I 


130 


Pile. 


Pile  (American),  now  used  in  Eng- 
land. 

In  the  course  of  conversation  it  was  very 
remarkable  to  notice  the  variety  of  occupa- 
tions which  a  rich  American  has  filled  be- 
fore he  has  "  made  his  pile."  He  may 
have  been  a  bootblack,  a  messenger  boy, 
the  editor  of  a  newspaper,  the  captain  of 
a  ferry-boat,  a  lawyer,  or  a  murderer,  but 
somehow  he  has  "done  the  trick." — Pall 
Mall  Gazette. 

To  have  made  his  pile,  is 
generally  supposed  to  be  a  term 
of  California  origin  referring  to 
a  pile  of  gold  dust,  or  to  have 
come  from  the  gambling  tables, 
meaning  a  quantity  of  heaped- 
up  gold.  Bartlett  has,  however, 
indicated  that  the  term  seems 
to  be  the  revival  of  an  old  one 
used  by  Dr.  Franklin  in  his 
"  Poor  Richard's  Almanac"  for 
April  1 74 1,  where  he  says — 

Rash  mortal,  ere  you  take  a  wife, 
Contrive  y owe  pile  to  last  for  life. 

Piler  is  obsolete  English  for 
one  who  accumulates  money,  and 
this  supports  the  above  deriva- 
tion (also  the  French  amasser, 
to  hoard). 

"In  Dutch  peyl,  a  certain 
mark,  as  a  water-mark ;  boven 
de  peyl,  above  the  set  mark  ; 
peyler,  one  that  sounds  the 
deep,  hence  peyllood,  a  sound- 
ing lead,  and  peyloot,  a  pilot. 
Hence  a  man  who  had  made 
his  pile  would  be  one  who  had 
attained  his  determined  mark 
or  limit,  certainly  a  much  more 
definite  expression  than  that  of 
a  mere  heap.  It  is  true  that 
about  twenty-five  years  ago  an 
Indian  tribe  in  the  West,  when 
the  Government  offered  them 


an  indemnity  for  certain  losses, 
in  their  ignorance  of  the  art  of 
counting,  could  only  keep  re- 
peating, 'Want  heap  money — 
heap  big.'  At  last  one  of  the 
chiefs  set  an  arrow  in  the 
ground  and  stipulated  that  there 
should  be  as  much  specie  given 
as  would  quite  cover  it.  It  is 
curious  that  the  word  pro- 
nounced pile  in  Dutch  should — 
apropos  of  this  story — mean 
both  a  set  mark  and  an  arrow, 
and  also  in  English,  a  heap" 
(Chas.  G.  Leland :  Notes). 

Pile  in,  to  (American),  a  common 
form  of  invitation  to  take  part 
in  anything,  as  a  meal,  or  to 
come  into  a  house,  make  one  of 
a  party  in  a  vehicle  or  a  dance, 
fee. 

They  gave  us  a  friendly  hail,  and 
whether  they  fancied  we  looked  hungry  or 
not,  kindly  asked  us  to  sit  down  with 
them  and  pile  in,  which  being  interpreted 
signifies  "  Pitch  in  and  eat."— AT.  Roberts  : 
The  Western  Avernus. 

To  pile  out  means  to  come 
forth. 

Pile  of  mags  (conjuring),  a  pile 
of  "faked"  coins,  or  of  coins 
so  distributed  as  to  move  freely 
one  above  the  other.  This  is  a 
very  old  term,  which  must  have 
been  long  in  the  profession,  as 
the  mags  are  generally  gold, 
real  or  apparent  ;  and  in  the 
so-called  Gypsy  Vocabulary  of 
Bampfylde  Moore ^Carew  (but 
which  has  hardly^  gypsy  word 
in  it),  meg  is  a  guinea.  The  an- 
cient cant  f  orm'of  the  word^was 
make.    Also  make,  a  halfpenny ; 


Pile — Pinch-board. 


131 


"  Brummagen  macks,"  coun- 
terfeit halfpence,  according  to 
Dekker. 

Pile  on  the  agony,  to.  Vide 
Agony. 

Pile  on,  to  (American),  applied  to 
excess  or  intensity  in  any  form. 

"  In  acting  you  should  go  and  see 
Our  friend///?  on  the  agony." 

Pile  on  the  lather,  Mr.  Jones— do  !  Tell 
me  that  I  am  a  twenty-five  horse-power 
angel,  iled  with  ottar  of  roses.  It  won't 
tire  me  much,  and  it  may  relieve  you. — 
— How  Jones  told  his  Story. 

Pill  (common),  a  doctor ;  pill- 
driver,  an  itinerant  apothecary. 

Pill-box  (popular),  a  soldier's  cap. 

Pilled  (common),  synonymous  with 
"black-balled." 

Mr.  Jubilee  Plunger  Benzon  was  filled 
for  the  Southdown  Club. — Bird  o'  Free- 
dom. 

Pill,  to  (University),  to  talk  twad- 
dle, or  in  platitudes. 

Pillow-sham  (American),  a  cover 
for  a  pillow.  "  Outwardly  I  was 
as  decorous  as  a  clean  pillow- 
tham,"  a  quaint  and  slightly 
sarcastic  phrase  to  express  an 
appearance  of  decorous  gravity 
assumed  for  the  occasion. 

Pimple  (popular),  the  head. 

Pimp,  to  (University),  to  do  little, 
mean,  petty  actions,  to  curry 
favour. 

Pinchbeck  villas  (journalistic), 
small  cheap  houses,  mostly  in 


the  suburbs  of  cities,  bearing 
pretentious  names,  such  as 
"The  Oaks,"  " The  Gables,"  &c. 

Our  correspondent  in  Paris  informs  us 
that  "there  is  a  growing  tendency  to  dub 
even  the  pinchbeck  villas  which  are  spring- 
ing up  all  round  the  metropolis  with  the 
pretentious  title  of  chateau." — Daily  Tele- 
graph. 

Pinch-board  (American  thieves  or 
gambling),  a  swindling  roulette- 
table. 

There's  the  pinch-board.  That's  dead 
crooked.  A  sucker  sees  the  wheel  and 
the  numbers  all  straight  enough,  and  the 
little  arrow  in  the  middle.  The  owner 
tells  him  his  chances  are  two  to  one  if 
he  bets  on  the  odd  or  even  numbers,  and 
twelve  to  one  if  he  puts  his  money  on  any 
one  of  the  twelve.  That's  all  muck.  The 
owner  has  a  brass  tube  running  from  the 
arrow  to  the  edge  of  the  board.  There's 
a  rod  run  through  that,  and  a  button  on 
to  the  end  of  it.  His  capper  stands  next 
to  the  button,  and  by  pressing  his  leg 
against  it  he  can  make  the  arrow  stop  (or 
point  to)  where  he  wants  it.  Sometimes 
the  crowd  think  that  the  man  that's  work- 
ing the  wheel  is  playing  them,  and  they 
tell  him  to  stand  away  from  the  table.  He 
says,  "  Certainly,  gentlemen  ;  anything  to 
oblige  ! "  and  steps  back  a  foot  or  two ; 
but  the  capper  he's  there  just  the  same, 
and  nobody  suspects  him,  'cause  he  keeps 
losin'  his  money  just  like  the  rest  of  'em. — 
Confidence  Crooks :  Philadelphia  Press. 

It  may  be  remarked  that 
the  roulette-tables,  spin-boards, 
dice,  teetotums,  in  short,  all  the 
games  seen  at  fairs  and  races, 
are  swindles.  The  rifles  for 
firing  at  a  mark  for  prizes  cheat 
by  having  false  sights  or  curves 
in  the  barrels.  The  writer  at 
one  of  these  places  once  suc- 
ceeded in  hitting  the  mark  many 
times  by  aiming  six  inches  be- 
low it. 


132 


Pinch — Pints. 


Pinch,  to  (thieves),  to  arrest,  to 
steal. 

Pink  (common),  the  height  of 
perfection.  Used  by  Shakspeare 
in  this  sense.  (American  cadet), 
being  reported  for  some  infrac- 
tion of  the  regulations.  "  He's 
got  a  hefty  skin  of  a  pink  for 
that  jollification,"  i.e.,  "  He's 
got  a  severe  report  against 
him." 

Pinked  (tailors),  beautifully  and 
carefully  made. 

Pinked  between  the  lacings, 
a  very  old  term,  from  pinked, 
stabbed,  still  current  among 
criminals  and  detectives  in  New 
York.  It  signifies  convicted  by 
reason  of  perjury.  Also  when 
an  honest  man  is  convicted  of  a 
false  charge  by  treacherous  ad- 
vantage being  taken  of  some 
weak  point.  To  question  a  wit- 
ness (as  is  very  commonly  done 
by  unscrupulous  counsel)  as  to 
all  the  sins  of  all  his  past  life, 
which  have  no  reference  to  the 
case  whatever,  is  to  pink  him 
between  the  lacings. 

Pinked  or  skinned,  to  get  (Ameri- 
can cadet),  to  get  reported. 

Pinker  (pugilistic),  a  blow  that 
draws  the  claret  or  blood. 

Pinky  (American),  an  old  New 
York  term  for  the  little  finger, 
from  the  provincial  English 
pinky,  very  small.  A  common 
term  in  New  York,  especially 


among  small  children,  who, 
when  making  a  bargain  with 
each  other,  are  accustomed  to 
confirm  it  by  interlocking  the 
little  finger  of  each  other's 
right  hands,  and  repeating  the 
following : 

Pinky,  pinky,  bow-bell, 
Whoever  tells  a  lie, 
Will  sink  down  to  the  bad  place, 
And  never  rise  up  again. 

(Bartlett.) 

Pinnel  (thieves),  corruption  of 
penal  servitude. 

Pinners-up  (tramps),  the  sellers 
of  wall -songs,  that  is,  songs 
printed  on  small  sheets  and 
pinned  on  a  canvas  stretched 
on  a  wall  for  display. 

Pins  (common),  legs. 

Pint  (tailors),  "my pint  for  him," 
I  commend  him. 

Pinto  (American  cowboys),  a  pie- 
bald horse.  From  the  Spanish 
pinto,  painted  or  coloured  (MS. 
Americanisms  by  C.  Leland  Har- 
rison). 

Pints  round  (tailors),  an  expres- 
sion used  in  places  where  there 
are  a  number  of  cutters  em- 
ployed and  one  drops  his  shears 
on  the  floor.  Then  the  cry 
comes  as  from  one  man,  pints 
round,  and  means  that  the  un- 
fortunate individual  will  have 
to  pay  for  a  pint  of  ale  for 
every  man  in  the  shop.  It  is 
said  that  it  was  customary  to 
enforce  this  rule,  but  it  is  not 
so  now. 


Pipeclaying — Pitch. 


133 


Pipeclaying  it  over  (tailors),  hid- 
ing the  faults. 

Pipe-laying  (American),  making 
arrangements  to  procure  frau- 
dulent votes.  It  is  said  to  have 
been  first  used  about  1835,  in 
connection  with  a  plot  to  import 
voters  to  New  York  from  Phila- 
delphia. Extensive  works  in 
connection  with  laying  croton 
water-pipes  were  then  in  pro- 
gress, and  thence  the  phrase 
acquired  its  accepted  signifi- 
cance. The  Whig  leaders  were 
actually  indicted  for  the  alleged 
attempt  at  fraud,  but  were  ac- 
quitted by  the  jury  by  whom 
they  were  tried.  (Police),  tak- 
ing measures  for  the  detection 
of  a  suspected  criminal. 

Pipe  one's  eye,  to  (popular),  to 
weep. 

Why,  what's  that  to  you,  if  my  eyes  I'm  a 
piping; 
A  tear  is  a  comfort,  d'ye  see,  in  its  way. 
— Charles  Dibdin. 

Piper  (London),  a  spy  on  omnibus 
conductors.  (American  police), 
a  spy.     Vide  To  Pipe. 

Pipers  (pugilistic),  the  lungs. 

Piper's  news  (Scotch  popular), 
stale  news. 

Pipe,  to  (old  cant),  to  cry. 
(Thieves),  to  see.  In  this  sense 
a  corruption  of  "peep,"  the  eyes 
being  termed  "  peepers." 

If  I  pipe  a  good  chat,  why,  I  touch  for  the 
wedge,  , 

But  I'm  not  a  "  particular  "  robber  ; 


I  smug  any  snowy  I  see  on  the  hedge, 
And  I  ain't  above  daisies  and  clobber. 
— The  Referee. 

Also  to  follow  and  spy.   (Popu- 
lar), to  talk. 

"  You  see,"  said  the  barber,  "  we  help 
one  another  here,  and  I  have  fetched  you 
out  this  last  two  nights  so  as  to  get  you 
alongside  this  y'ere  chum,  who  has  got 
fourteen  stretch  and  his  ticket.  Now  then, 
pipe  away,  red  'un." — Et'ening  News. 

Pip,  to  (card-players),  to  take  the 
trick  from  your  opponent. 

Pirates  (London  street),  omni- 
buses in  which  extravagant 
prices  are  charged  for  fare. 

Did  Mr.  Shillibeer,  when  he  started  the 
London  omnibus  on  its  prosperous  career 
of  useful  activity,  ever  foresee  a  time  when 
a  bold  bad  'bus,  called  a  pirate,  would 
invade  the  streets  ? — Daily  Telegraph. 

Pit  (thieves),  explained  by  quota- 
tion. 

I  had  developed  a  special  aptitude  for 
"buzzing"  (pocket-picking)  from  the  pit 
or  inside  breast  coat  pocket. —  Tit-Bits. 

Pitch  (circus,  strolling  players, 
itinerants,  &c),  a  place  suitable 
for  a  performance  of  any  kind, 
sale  of  goods,  &c.  In  certain 
towns,  some  sixteen  years  ago, 
actors  could  not  work  without 
getting  permission  from  the 
mayor  or  justice  of  the  peace, 
else  they  were  liable  to  impri- 
sonment as  rogues  and  vaga- 
bonds. 

Showmen  are  agreed  that  there  is  no 
better  pitch  in  the  world  than  London. — 
Daily  Telegraph. 


134 


Pitch — Pit-pat 


A  performance. 

His  "fakements"  or  "properties"  were 
costly  and  tasteful,  and,  in  short,  the  en- 
tire pitch  was  a  complete  triumph. — Daily 
Telegraph. 

Doing  a  pitch,  doing  business. 

Being  at  Plymouth  fair,  and  doing  a 
good  business,  there  stood  among  the 
crowd  a  youth  who  bought  a  great  many 
lots  of  me,  so  that  when  I  had  done  my 
pitch,  and  got  down  from  the  stage  .  .  . — 
Hindley :  Life  and  Adventures  of  a  Cheap 
Jack. 

To  "  queer  the  pitch,"  to  spoil 
the  pitch,  or  performance,  a 
theatrical  and  circus  phrase, 
meaning  to  stop,  spoil  a  per- 
formance in  any  way. 

He  was  never  "loose  in  ponging,"  nor 
did  he  ever  "miss  his  tip."  His  eques- 
trianism was  emphatically  "bono,"  and 
there  was  nothing  to  "queer  his  pitch." — 
Daily  Telegraph. 

Used  also  figuratively,  to  mar, 
spoil  one's  plans,  business. 

When  my  pitch   you  endeavoured   to 
queer, 
Wasn't  friendly  at  all,  so  I  look  for  a  share 
In  her  merry  ten  thousand  a  year. 

— Sporting  Times. 

(Popular),  a  short  interval  for 
sleep. 

Pitched  (tailors),  acquaintance 
cut.  No  intercourse  of  any 
kind. 

Pitcher  (coiners),  one  who  utters 
base  coin. 

Pitching  it  strong  (common), 
exaggerating,  overdoing  it. 

"Well,  I  am  thinking  the  'Tiser  is 
pitching  it  rather  strong." 

"  My  love,  what  an  expression." — Reade: 
Hard  Cash. 


Pitch  in,  pull  out,  to  (tailors),  to 
work  with  a  will. 

Pitch  into  a  person,  to  (common), 
to  castigate  him,  to  revile  him 
severely. 

Pitch  the  fork,  to  (popular),  to 
tell  a  pitiful  tale. 

Pitch  the  hunters,  to  (fairs),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

When  Elias  was  at  a  pleasure  fair,  he 
would  pitch  the  hunters,  that  is,  put  up 
the  three  sticks  a  penny  business. — Hind- 
ley  :  Life  and  Adventures  of  a  Cheap 
Jack. 


Pitch  the  nob. 
Gaetek. 


Vide  Peick  the 


Pitch,  to  (coiners),  to  utter  base 
coin.  (Popular),  to  have  a  short 
sleep. 

Pitch  up  (Winchester  College),  a 
clique  or  party,  a  set  of  chums. 
A  Winchester  boy's  pitch  up  are 
his  friends  at  home. 

Pitch  up  with,  to  (Winchester 
College),  to  associate  with. 
Vide  Pitch  up. 

Pit  circlers  (theatrical).  The  ex- 
pression explains  itself. 

It  is,  however,  so  magnificently  put  on 
and  so  splendidly  acted  that  it  is  no  wonder 
the  stallites,  not  to  mention  the/zV  circlers, 
crowd  nightly  to  see  it. — Birdo'  Freedom. 

Pit-pat's  the  way  (popular),  trot 
along,  go  on,  don't  stop  I 

Wire  in  and  go  ahead,  like  fashionable 

Fred, 
Pit-pat's  the  way  and  sharp's  about  the 

word. 

— Ballad:  Fashionable  Fred. 


Pit — Plant. 


135 


Pit  riser  (theatrical),  a  burst  of 
powerful  acting  which  evokes 
an  enthusiastic  acclamation 
from  the  pit.  Derived  from  the 
well-known  anecdote  of  Ed- 
mund Eean. 

On  returning  home,  after  his 
first  appearance  at  Drury  Lane, 
while  describing  his  triumph  to 
his  wife,  Mrs.  Kean  interrupted 
him  by  inquiring  what  Lord 
Essex  thought  of  the  little  man's 
Shylock  ? 

"  Damn  Lord  Essex  I  The 
pit  rose  at  me ! "  replied  Kean. 

Pittsburg1  grip  (American),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

The  Pittsburg  grip,  a  throat  disorder 
that  troubled  singers  in  the  smoky  city  for 
years,  has  disappeared  with  the  introduc- 
tion of  natural  gas. — American  Humorist. 

From  the  French  grippe,  in- 
fluenza. 

Place  (tailors),  "a  breast-pocket 
kind  of  place"  or  "  a  one-eyed 
kind  of  place,"  is  a  small  shop. 

Placebo  (medical), "  I  will  please," 
a  dose  of  coloured  water,  or 
something  equally  harmless, 
given  to  a  patient  with  an  imagi- 
nary malady. 

Plain  as  a  yard  of  pumpwater 
(tailors),  a  quaint  phrase,  mean- 
ing very  plain. 

Plain-headed  (society),  a  term  to 
express  that  a  lady  is  not  good- 
looking;  it  is  borrowed  from 
house  language. 

Plain  statement  (tailors),  an 
indifferent   meal,   or   an   easy, 


simple,  and  straightforward  gar- 
ment to  make. 

Plank,  to  (American  and  old  Eng- 
lish), to  pay  down  money.  "To 
plank  the  pewter."  In  old  cant, 
both  shillings  and  Spanish  dol- 
lars were  called  boards. 

Now  then,  ye  noble  sportsmen,  if  you 
can  find  anything  to  beat  him  for  a  shop, 
plank  down  your  spondulicks. — Snorting 
Times. 

To  plank  it  down,  to  lay  money 
on  a  horse. 

This  is  a  better  bloomin'  game,  I  give 
you  my  vord,  than  plankin'  it  down  to 
Kempton  ! — Sporting  Tunes. 

Plant  (thieves  and  various),  a 
preconcerted  swindle,  robbery, 
or  burglary,  in  which  sense  the 
term  explains  itself  as  being  a 
metaphor  taken  from  planting 
cuttings  or  seeds  in  a  garden. 

' '  What  have  you  got  to  say  for  yourself, 
you  withered  old  fence,  eh  ?  "  "I  was  away 
on  a. plant." — Dickens  :  Oliver  Twist. 

Hence  any  dishonest  trick, 
dodge,  device. 

"  He  should  have  tried  mustachios,  and 
a  pair  of  military  trousers."  "  So  he  did, 
and  they  warn't  of  no  more  use  than  the 
other  plant." — Dickens:  Oliver  Twist. 

"  Have  they  got  the  requisite  coin — you 
know  what  I  mean — the  money?"  inquired 
Mr.   Laggers.      "It   isn't  a  plant?" — J. 
Greenwood :  Dick  Temple. 
You  have  really  no  idea 
What  an  artful  bird  it  is, 
Fly  to  trap  and  up  to  biz, 
Twigs  a  plant  in  half  a  minute. 

— Punch. 

A  plant,  a  decoy,  one  who 
keeps  watch  for  burglars  to 
warn  them.     In  this  sense  it 


136 


Plant — Plasterer. 


literally  means  one  planted  there, 
like  the  French  planton,  orderly 
in  waiting.  Also  hidden  money 
or  valuables ;  to  spring  a  plant, 
to  unearth  such  a  hidden  hoard. 

Plant,  to  (thieves  and  various),  to 
mark  a  person  out  for  robbery 
or  a  swindle.  It  is  curious  to 
note  that  the  French  have  jar- 
dinier  for  a  confederate  in  a 
confidence  trick  swindle,  whose 
duty  is  to  prepare  the  victim, 
foster  and  nurse  him  as  a  gar- 
dener would  a  plant.  Also  to 
conceal,  hide.  In  this  sense 
common  in  Australia. 

Why,  they  stuck  up  Wilson's  station 
there,  and  murdered  the  man  and  woman 
in  the  kitchen ;  they  then  planted  inside 
the  house,  and  waited  until  Wilson  came 
home  at  night  with  his  stockman  ;  then 
they  rushed  out  and  knocked  old  Wilson 
on  the  head,  and  drove  a  spear  through 
the  man's  side. — A.  C.  Grant :  Bush  Life 
in  Queensland. 

Not  being  able  to  send  my  gold  down  to 
the  escort  office  for  security,  I  was  forced 
to  content  myself  with  planting  it,  which 
I  did  just  inside  my  tent. — Australian 
Story. 

To  plant  the  job,  to  arrange 
and  prepare,  generally  in  refer- 
ence to  a  robbery. 

It  was  not  found  necessary  to  plant  the 
job  by  squaring  the  servants  beforehand, 
nor  to  invent  any  elaborate  ruse,  for  it  was 
considered  that  the  more  natural  the  mode 
of  attack  the  better  would  be  the  chances 
of  success. — Daily  Telegraph. 

(Coiners),  to  plant,  to  pass 
spurious  coin,  intrusted  to  them 
by  the  "  dandy  master,"  or  manu- 
facturer of  base  sovereigns  and 
half  sovereigns.  A  bottle  of 
spirits  is  the  ordinary  purchase, 


and  the  smasher  receives  it  and 
seven  and  sixpence  as  a  com- 
mission. 

It  is  a  two-handed  job,  and  two  women, 
generally  an  old  and  a  young  one,  manage 
it.  The  former  carries  the  base  coin,  and 
the  latter  plants  it.—-/.  Greenwood:  Rag, 
Tag,  &>  Co. 

Also  plant  the  sour. 

Although  the  tradesman  on  whom  "her 
poor  old  man "  had  tried  to  "plant  the 
sour"  had  sent  for  a  constable,  Mr. 
Maloney  in  the  interim  had  contrived  to 
put  down  his  throat  such  evidence  of  his 
being  a  "  regular  hand "  as  he  happened 
to  have  about  him. — J.  Greenwood :  Rag, 
Tag,  &  Co. 

(Conjurors),  to  place  an  object 
to  be  afterwards  magically  dis- 
covered by  the  conjuror  in  the 
hands  or  pockets  of  a  conscious 
or  unconscious  confederate 
among  the  spectators. 

(Cardsharpers),  to  plant  the 
books,  to  place  the  cards  in  the 
pack  unfairly,  for  the  purpose 
of  cheating  at  play,  or  deceiving 
by  legerdemain. 

(Football),  when  a  football  is 
kicked  against  a  person  he  is 
said  to  be  planted.  Is  used  more 
specially  with  reference  to  a 
hit  in  the  face.  The  blow  itself 
is  called  a  planter. 

Plasterer  (sporting),  explained  in 
the  following  extract. 

Worse,  if  it  be  possible,  than  this 
desolater  of  hares  is  the  "masher"  or 
"  chappie  "  of  modern  England  who  prides 
himself  on  quick  shooting,  and  cuts  down 
his  birds  before  they  are  well  on  the  wing. 
Mr.    Bromley-Davenport    calls    him    the 

plastere) one    who    thinks    nothing   of 

the  lives  and  eyes  of  the  men  who  sur- 


Plaster — Play. 


137 


round  him  on  all  sides,  and  blows  his 
pheasant  to  a  pulp  before  the  bird  is  seven 
feet  in  the  air. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Plaster,  to  (popular),  to  flatter. 

He'd  go  out  and  get  as  drunk  as  a 
fiddler,  and  then  he'd  come  rowlin'  home 
and  begin  plaslerin  myself  over,  calling 
me  his  colleen  jhas  and  lovin'  me  the  same 
as  if  we'd  been  married  only  fifteen 
minutes.  —  T.  Browne :  My  Husband's 
Toddy. 

Plate  it,  to  (London),  to  walk. 
Vide  Plates  op  Meat. 

An  adipose  gentleman  plates  it  on  to 
the  stage,  and  chirrups  the  soul-stirring 
anthem,  "  You  shan't  wipe  your  nose  on 
the  flag." — Sporting  Times. 

Plates  of  meat  (popular),  the 
feet. 

As  I  walk  along  my  beat, 

You  can  hear  my  plates  of  meat. 

— Music  Hall  Song. 
They  recognise  their  favourite  comedian, 
and  anticipate  his  lines  by  numerous  gags, 
and  inquiries  having  reference  to  "  what 
cheer"  he  is  enjoying,  and  how  his  plates 
o  meat  are. — Sporting  Times. 

Platform  (common).  "  The  word 
platform,  when  used  for  the 
programme  of  a  political  party, 
is  often  classed  as  an  Ameri- 
canism, but  it  is  really  a  revival 
of  a  use  of  the  word  that  was 
very  common  in  English  litera- 
ture in  the  sixteenth  and  seven- 
teenth centuries,  though  less 
common,  perhaps,  as  a  noun 
than  as  a  verb,  meaning  to  lay 
down  principles.  For  instance, 
Milton,  in  his  'Reason  of  Church 
Government,'  says  that  some 
'  do  not  think  it  for  the  ease 
of  their  inconsequent  opinions 


to  grant  that  church  discipline 
is  platformed  in  the  Bible,  but 
that  it  is  left  to  the  discretion 
of  men  ' "  (CornhUl  Magazine). 
It  is  used  as  a  noun  in  Crom- 
well's letters. 

A  standpoint  in  an  argument, 
a  statement  of  opinion. 

Mrs.  Anthony  presented  'the  following 
platform,  which  was  unanimously  adopted, 
"  That  the  present  claim  for  manhood 
suffrage  sugar  -  coated  with  the  words 
equal,  impartial,  universal,  &c,  is  a  fraud 
so  long  as  woman  is  not  permitted  to  share 
in  the  said  suffrage."  —  Report  of  the 
Great  Woman's  Demonstration,  New 
York,  1867. 

Pastor  Chignel  has  set  aside  Dr.  Bar- 
ham's  Liturgy  and  has  taken  the  most 
advanced  platform  known  to  modern 
Unitarianism." — Nonconformist. 

Platter  (common),  broken 
crockery. 

Play  board  (Punch  and  Judy), 
the  stage. 

Play  booty,  to  (theatrical),  to  play 
badly,  and  with  malice  prepense, 
for  the  purpose  of  flooring  a 
play,  or  a  player. 

Play  dark,  to  (popular),  to  con- 
ceal one's  true  character. 

"  Look  here,"  said  Smithers,  wiping 
the  mess  from  his  mouth,  "you've  been 
playing  dark,  and  I'm  out  of  training, 
and ." — Moonshine. 

Play  for,  to  (American),  to  deal 
with  generally,  with  an  idea  of 
deceiving.     Vide  Jay. 

Play  Hell  and  Tommy,  to.  This 
expression  is  thought  to  be  a 
corruption  of  "Hal  and  Tommy," 


138 


Play — Plough. 


the  allusion  being  to  Henry  VIII. 
and  his  unscrupulous  minister, 
Thomas  Cromwell,  who  seized 
and  rifled  the  religious  houses, 
and  turned  out  their  occupants 
to  starve.  This  is,  however,  a 
very  doubtful  derivation.  In 
'some  parts  of  England  it  is 
very  common  for  an  angry  man 
to  threaten  another  that  he  will 
play  Hell  and  Tommy  with  him. 

Playing'  it  low  down  (American), 
an  expression  signifying  that  a 
man  has  been  too  unprincipled, 
mean,  or  rapacious  in  an  act. 

I  ain't  over  particular,  but  this  I  do 
say,  that  interducin'  a  feller  to  your  sister, 
and  availin'  himself  of  the  opportunity 
while  you're  a  kissin'  her  to  stock  the  cards, 
is  a  play  in  it  mighty  low  down. — News- 
paper Story. 

Playing  the  sovereign  (American). 
Office-seekers  who,  shortly  be- 
fore an  election,  put  on  shabby 
clothes,  drink  whisky,  and  shake 
hands  with  everybody,  and  make 
themselves  generally  agreeable 
to  all  of  inferior  social  position 
whom  it  is  to  their  interest  to 
conciliate,  are  said  to  be  play- 
ing the  sovereign,  the  object  being 
to  secure  their  good  graces  and 
obtain  their  votes.  Probably 
derived  from  the  common  phrase 
the  "sovereign  people." 

Play  old  gooseberry,  to  (popu- 
lar), to  do  a  person  a  mischief, 
to  "  kick  up  a  row,"  to  behave 
in  a  violently  inimical  manner. 
Vide  Gooseberry. 

Please  the  pigs  I  (common),  if 
you  are  willing,  if  all  goes  well 


— a  form  of  assent  providing 
no  obstacle  crops  up.  Edwards 
says  the  phrase,  ludicrous  as  it 
is  in  its  present  shape,  had  its 
origin  in  a  deep  religious  feel- 
ing. It  was  formerly  "please 
the  pyx."  The  pyx  was  the 
box  which  contained  the  con- 
secrated wafer,  and  was  held 
in  the  greatest  veneration  as 
the  symbol  of  the  Almighty. 
The  phrase  therefore,  "If  it 
please  the  pyx,"  was  equivalent 
to  "If  it  shall  please  God," 
or,  in  modern  form,  "  D.V.," 
i.e.,  Deo  Volente,  or,  God  being 
willing.  This  derivation  is,  how- 
ever, much  more  ingenious  than 
probable. 

Plebe  (American  cadet),  a  new 
cadet ;  a  military  synonym  for 
the  freshman  of  the  univer- 
sities. 

Plebs  (Westminster  school),  a 
tradesman's  son.  From  the 
Latin  plebs,  populace. 

Pledge  (Winchester  College),  to 
give  away.  "Pledge  me  "  means 
after  you. 

Ploughed  (common),  drunk. 

Plough,  to  (university).  A  man 
is  ploughed  when  he  fails  in 
an  examination.  Probably  this 
word  was  suggested  by  the  har- 
rowed feelings  of  the  candidate. 

Well,  the  "gooseberry  pie"  is  really  too 
deep  for  me  ;  but  ploughed  is  the  new  Ox- 
fordish  for  "plucked." — C.  Reade:  Hard 
Cash. 


Pluck — Plum. 


139 


Pluck,  to  (common),  an  Oxford 
term  now  in  general  use,  to 
reject  a  candidate  for  examina- 
tion. "When  the  degrees  are 
conferred,"  says  Cuthbert  Bede, 
"the  name  of  each  person  is  read 
out  before  he  is  presented  to 
the  Vice-Chancellor.  The  proc- 
tor then  walks  once  up  and 
down  the  room,  so  that  any 
person  who  objects  to  the  de- 
gree being  granted  may  signify 
the  same  by  pulling  or  plucking 
the  proctor's  robes." 

Plug  (university),  explained    by 

quotation. 

Getting  up  his  subjects  by  the  aid  of 
those  royal  roads  to  knowledge,  variously 
known  as  cribs,  crams,  plugs,  abstracts, 
analyses,  or  epitomes. — C.  Bede :  Verdant 
Green. 

(American),  a  high  hat. 

Plug  a  man,  to  (Koyal  Military 
Academy),  to  kick  one  behind. 

Plugged  money  (American). 
Silver  money  is  often  treated  by 
rogues  who  bore  pieces  out  and 
fill  the  holes  with  lead  or 
amalgam.  The  term  is  applied 
also  to  men  with  moral  defects, 
e.g.,  "He  is  clever  but  there  is 
a  plug  in  him."  "You  are  not 
up  to  his  plugs." 

"  Young  man  ! "  shouted  the  retail  to- 
bacconist, "  didn't  I  caution  you  to  keep 
your  eyes  peeled  for  plugged  silver  coins  ?  " 
— Detroit  Free  Press. 

Plugs  (American),  people  who 
assemble  on  the  side- walks  and 
stand  there  chatting,  to  the 
great  inconvenience  of  the 
passers-by,  or  who,  as  any  one 


may  see  for  himself  in  Bond 
Street,  London,  love  to  stand 
with  their  backs  to  shop  win- 
dows to  exhibit  themselves. 

Oh,  stand  on  the  side-walk — do  I 
That  the  world  may  look  at  you  ! 
You  think  you're  so  complete 
And  are  dressed  so  very  neat, 
Oh,  plug  on  the  side-walk,  do. 

Oh,  stand  in  the  doorway,  do  1 

To  hinder  passing  through, 
'Tis  so  very  distingue 
To  be  standing  in  the  way ; 

Oh,  plug  up  the  doorway — do  ! 

— Newspaper  Ballad. 

Plug-teaching  (American),  teach- 
ing trades  and  arts  in  casual  or 
evening  lessons. 

A  good  deal  of  boy  (and  girl)  labour  in 
America  is  brought  into  existence  by  what 
is  called  plug-teaching.  "  Two  young 
men  will  be  taught  engraving  in  the  even- 
ings on  easy  terms."  Telegraphy,  type- 
setting, dress-cutting,  and  designing  are 
among  the  businesses  thus  "  taught ; "  and 
as  a  rule  the  teaching  is  the  merest 
swindle. — St.  James's  Gazette. 

Plug-ugly  (American),  the  name 
given  in  Baltimore  to  roughs 
and  rowdies,  now  common. 

One  that  shall  devote  as  much  space  to 
literature  as  to  "  sport "  (of  the  dog-fight- 
ing, rat-baiting  kind) ;  one  that  shall  give 
a  dead  plug-ugly  a  line  (if  it  is  in  the 
way  of  news),  and  a  dead  man  who  has 
done  something  in  the  world,  for  the 
world,  many  lines.—  New  York  World. 

Plum  (common),  ,£100,000. 

The  next  day  they  disposed  of  their  swag 

for  a  plum, 
And  invested  the  proceeds  in  Spaniards 

and  Turks.  — Punch. 

Plums,  money. 

Daddy's  plums  in  the  bank,  or  daddy's 
dear,  delightful  daughter,  which? — Toby. 


140 


Plum. 


It  is  curious  to  note  that  in 
Spanish  pluma,  and  in  Italian 
pennes,  meaning  properly  feather, 
have  the  slang  signification  of 
money. 

"It  is  possible  to  trace  the 
slang  term  plum  for  ,£100,000  to 
pluma,  a  feather,  the  idea  being 
that  a  man  who  had  accumu- 
lated this  sum  had  feathered 
his  nest "  (Standard). 

Plum  or  plumb  (common),  direct, 
exactly,  quite.  "The  original 
signification  of  this  word  is 
'  as  the  plummet  hangs,  perpen- 
dicularly,' hence  its  secondary 
meaning  of  straightforward, " 
directly  "  (Bartlett). 

Tom  said  she  was  going  to  get  one  of 
us,  sure,  before  we  got  through.  We  got 
her  half  way ;  and  then  we  was  plumb 
played  out,  and  most  drownded  with 
sweat. — The  Adventures  of  Huckleberry 
Finn. 

Plum  duff  (sailor),  plum  pudding. 

Plummy  (popular),    satisfactory, 
profitable.  Tide  Plum  or  Plumb. 

They  do  manage  their  things  so  plum- 
my.— Mayhew  :  London  Labour  and  the 
London  Poor. 

Plummy  and  slam  (thieves),  all 
right.     Vide  Plum  or  Plumb. 

Plumper  (racing),  all  one's  money 
laid  on  one  horse. 

The  Fitzwilliam  Plate  was  won  by  Lord 
Randolph  Churchill's  colt  by  Retreat  out 
of  White  Lily,  for  which  I  gave  a  plumper, 
and  he  started  at  7  to  1. — Truth. 

(Election),  vide  To  Plump. 
(American),  explained  by  quo- 
tations. 


A  device  for  puffing  out  to  smoothness 
the  wrinkles  of  the  cheeks,  called  plum- 
pers, has  been  introduced. — New  York 
Paper. 

Milo  Morgan  was  yesterday  charged 
with  feloniously  taking  one  "palpitating 
bosom,"  the  property  of  Emile  Horner, 
who  keeps  a  fancy  store,  and  Milo  Morgan 
stole  from  it  a  plumper,  an  article  used 
for  artificially  rounding  out  the  female 
bust,  palpitating  with  it. — Hartford  {Con- 
necticut) Times. 

Plump,  to  (election),  to  give  all 
one's  votes  to  one  single  can- 
didate. 

"  Another  election  term, 
which  will  not  be  so  common 
in  the  future  as  it  has  been 
in  the  past,  is  the  expression 
to  plump,  and  its  opposite  to 
'split.'  With  the  increase  of 
single-membered  constituencies 
these  phrases  must  fall  into 
disuse,  and  a  'floater'  will  no 
longer  be  able  to  say  with  Mr. 
Chubb,  in  'Felix  Holt'— 'I'll 
plump  or  I'll  split  for  them  as 
treat  me  the  handsomest  and 
are  the  most  of  what  I  call 
gentlemen  ;  that's  my  idea '  " 
(CornhiU  Magazine). 

(Racing),  to  lay  one's  money 
on  one  single  horse. 

But  I  shall  plump  for  Lord  R.  Ch.'s 
L'Abbesse  de  Jouarre,  who  has  been  well 
tried. — Truth. 

Plum,  to  (popular),  to  deceive ; 
plum  him  up,  plum  the  public, 
&c.  Cheating  costers  fix  three 
large  plums  at  the  bottom  of  a 
measure.  They  are  so  tightly 
wedged  as  to  be  immovable,  and 
though  they  are  in  the  measure 
they  are  not  passed  on  to  the 
purchaser. 


Plunder — Poggle. 


141 


Plunder  (American),  the  personal 
luggage  of  travellers. 

"  Help  yourself,  stranger,"  said  the 
landlord,  "  while  I  take  the  plunder  into 
the  other  room." — Hoffman:  Winter  in 
the  West. 

They'd  put  in  so  much  plunder,  two 
trunks,  bandboxes,  &c. — Bartlett:  Major 
Jones's  Courtship. 

In  Lower  Canada  packmen 
call  luggage  "  butin,"  that  is, 
plunder,  booty.  French  soldiers 
also  use  the  word  "butin"  for 
equipment,  belongings. 

(Common),  profit.  (Ameri- 
can), luggage. 

Plunge  (society),  a  heavy  and 
reckless  bet. 

We  did  not  altogether  like  Mr. 's 

plunge  on  Martley,  and  are  not  surprised 
to  hear  that  the  horse  is  struck  out. — 
Snorting  Times. 
Now  my  soul  the  question  worries, 

Which  to  plunge  on — which  to  back, 
Friday — though  the  market  flurries, 
Shall  the  colt  a  backer  lack  ? 

— Bells  Life. 

Plunger  (society),  a  wealthy  man 
who  bets  in  a  reckless  manner, 
who  takes  large  bets  at  any 
odds. 

The  current  week  has  served  to  introduce 
us  to  a  new  plunger,  who  up  to  the  present 
has  given  strong  evidence  of  possession  of 
more  money  than  brains.  He  is  said  to 
have  attained  his  majority  only  a  few  days 
since,  and  having  come  into  upwards  of 
half  a  million  "ready,"  has  been  showing 
"who's  which"  in  rare  style.  —Sporting 
Times. 

Also  a  heavy  dragoon.  A 
Baptist. 

Plush  (nautical),  from  plus.  The 
overplus  of  the  gravy,  arising 


from  being  distributed  in  a 
smaller  measure  than  the  true 
one,  and  assigned  to  the  cook  of 
each  mess,  becomes  a  cause  of 
irregularity  (Smyth). 

Poach,  to  (sporting),  to  get  the 
best  of  a  start. 

Poacher  (Stock  Exchange),  a 
jobber  who  deals  out  of  his 
own  market.  The  term  is  also 
applied  to  a  broker  who  is  con- 
tinually changing  his  market. 

Pocket  mining.    Vide  Fossick. 

Pockettes  (conjurors),  pockets 
worn  by  some  conjurors  in  ad- 
dition to  the  profondes.  From 
poke,  or  French  pochettes. 

Pod,  in  (popular),  in  the  family 
way,  i.e.,  run  to  seed.  Pod  is 
provincial  for  belly.  (Ameri- 
can), pod,  intimate,  old-fash- 
ioned ways  ;  an  old  pod,  an 
old-fashioned  man.  Also  old 
pod,  a  man  with  a  prominent 
stomach. 

Poet's  walk  (Eton),  when  cricke- 
ters get  leave  of  absence  from 
roll-call,  and  have  tea  under 
the  trees,  they  are  said  to  go  to 
poet's  walk. 

Poge (thieves), purse;  acorruption 
of  "pouch,"  or  "poke." 

I  went  out  the  next  day  to  Maidenhead, 
and  touched  for  some  wedge  and  a  poge 
(purse),  with  over  five  quid  in  it. — Horsley : 
Jottings  from  Jail. 

Poggle,  puggly,  porgly,  &c. 
(Anglo-Indian),  a  madman,  an 


142 


Poggle — Pokerish. 


idiot,  a  dolt.  Hindu  pogal. 
Often  used  colloquially  by  Anglo- 
Indians.  A  friend  belonging  to 
that  body  used  to  adduce  a 
macaronic  adage  which  we  fear 
the  non-Indian  will  fail  to  ap- 
preciate: "  Pogal  etpecuniaj  aide 
separantur,"  i.e.,  a  fool  and  his 
money  are  soon  parted  (Anglo- 
Indian  Glossary). 

Point  (Stock  Exchange).  Points 
are  the  bases  of  speculative 
operations.  When  a  man  has 
a  point,  it  generally  means  that 
he  has  secret  information  con- 
cerning a  particular  stock,  which 
enables  him  to  deal  with  it  to 
considerable  advantage. 

Pointer  (American),  a  hint;  the 
same  as  "  straight  tip"  in  Eng- 
lish. 

She  fell  into  a  cogitation  on  the  Irish 
banshees  who  came  to  give  one  pointers 
on  approaching  death. — Chicago  Tribune. 

Point  rise  (American),  the  rise  of 
one  dollar,  e.g.,  as  an  unit  in 
the  value  of  a  stock. 

Poke  (thieves),  purse.  Properly 
a  pocket. 

Kit,  from  Seven  Dials,  remanded  inno- 
cent on  two  charges  of  pokes,  only  out 
two  weeks  for  a  drag,  expects  to  get  fulled 
or  else  chucked. — Horsley :  Jottings  from 
Jail. 

"  The  thieves  of  London," 
said  Dr.  Lathom,  "are  the  con- 
servators of  Saxonisms."  So 
poke  is  from  the  Saxon  pocca,  a 
bag,  which  otherwise  survives 
in  its  diminutive  "pocket,"  i.e., 
a  little  bag,  in  "buying  a  pig 


in  a  poke,"  in  the  noun  and  verb 
"  pouch,"  &c. 

Poke  bogey,  to  (popular),  to  play 
nonsense,  to  humbug.  "  Now, 
don't  you  poke  none  of  your 
bogey  at  me."  From  bogey,  a 
hobgoblin  bugbear,  and  pro- 
bably connected  with  puck  and 
puckle,  old  provincial  English 
for  spirit  or  ghost.  Icelandic 
puka ;  Welsh  pucca,  a  bugbear ; 
Celtic  bucan,  a  ghost. 

Poke  fun,  to  (common),  to  make 
jokes,  to  laugh  at  one. 

Little  he  deems  that  Stephen  de  Hoagues, 
Who  ' '  his  fun, "  as  the  Yankees  say,  every- 
where "pokes," 
And  is  always  too  fond  of  his  jokes, 
Has  written  a  circular  note  to  De  Nokes, 
And  De  Stiles,  and  De  Roe,  and  the  rest 
of  the  folks, 

One  and  all,  great  and  small, 
Who  were  asked  to  the  Hall. 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

Poke  him  fly  (tailors),  show  him 
how.     Vide  Fly. 

Poker  (university),  an  esquire 
bedell  who  carries  a  large  mace 
before  the  Vice-Chancellor  when 
engaged  in  his  official  capacity. 
(Fencing),  a  disorderly,  un- 
courteous,  rough  fencer.  "  Un 
ferrailleur,  tirailleur." 

He  was  no  better  than  a  "  tirailleur,  jeu 
de  soldat" — Anglicised  a. poker. — Angelo's 
Reminiscences,  in  his  account  of  the  bouts 
with  Dr.  Keys. 

Pokerish  (American),  doubtful,  or 
of  dubious  safety,  an  expres- 
sion implying  something  dan- 
gerous or  alarming,  but  not  used 


Poking — Poll. 


143 


very  seriously.   From  to  poke,  to 
feel  in  the  dark. 

I  knew  by  the  pokerish  hole  in  the  ground 
Which  yawned  at  my  feet  that  a  mud- 
hole  was  near, 
And  I  said  to  myself,  "  If  there's  dirt  to 
be  found, 
The  man  who  is  humble  may  roll  in  it 
here ! " 

— Newspaper  Parody. 

Poking  drill  (military),  aiming 
drill  in  the  course  of  musketry 
instruction,  so  called  because 
the  rifle  is  being  constantly 
poked  or  pushed  to  the  front  so 
as  to  accustom  the  soldier  to 
the  weight,  and  to  get  his  eye 
quickly  along  the  sights. 

Pole  (printers).  This  term  is  ap- 
plied to  a  man's  weekly  bill, 
probably  from  the  fact  that 
the  more  he  earns  the  taller  or 
higher  the  pole. 

Pole,  to  (American  university), 
to  study  hard.  Probably  allud- 
ing to  the  exertion  in  climbing 
a  greasy  pole  ;  poler,  one  who 
studies  hard ;  poling,  close  ap- 
plication to  study. 

Pole,  up  the  (military),  thought 
well  of  by  your  superiors.  Also 
applied  to  strict,  strait-laced 
people,  who  are  or  like  to  be 
considered  "  goody-goody." 

Poley  (Australian  up-coantry), 
with  the  horns  off.  Though 
spelt  differently,  probably  con- 
nected with  "to  poll."  "Polled" 
or  "pollard"  trees,  willows, 
limes,  &c,  are  those  which  have 
their  tops  or  polls  cut  off,  and 


are  trimmed  down.  "  Polled  " 
animals  are  often  mentioned  in 
the  Bible. 

When  he  is  jogging  along,  and  not  in 
exciting  chase,  he  sits  loosely  in  his  sad- 
dle, his  feet  hanging  anyhow  from  sheer 
laziness ;  but  his  keen  eye  darts  this  way 
and  that  in, search  of  some  stray  beast — 
that  poley-covi  that  got  out  of  the  yard,  or 
Bleny,  the  strawberry  bullock  that  bolted 
down  by  Sandy  Creek. — T/te  Globe. 

Policeman  (popular),  a  fly,  espe- 
cially the  "  blue  -  bottle  "  fly, 
which  has  given  its  name  to  a 
policeman.  Also  a  sneak,  a  mean 
fellow.  (Tailors),  a  man  deputed 
to  remind  a  new-comer  that  it 
is  customary  for  new  hands  to 
contribute  a  certain  sum  of 
money  to  enable  the  men  to 
drink  his  health ;  in  other  words, 
to  pay  his  "  footing."  The  cus- 
tom is  dying  out.  It  also  means 
"  spy  "  or  tale-bearer. 

Poll  (university),  a  contraction  of 
polloi  (7roX\oi),  a  term  applied 
to  the  ordinary  examination  for 
the  B.A.  degree,  as  distinguished 
from  the  honour  examinations 
at  Cambridge.  (Society),  a  pros- 
titute, one  of  the  demi-monde. 
It  is  derived  from  sailors,  who 
always  christen  women  Polly. 

Polled  up  (popular),  living  with 
a  mistress. 

Poll,  to  (printers),  to  vanquish  in 
competition.  (Sporting),  to  dis- 
tance, beat  in  a  race.  (Thieves), 
is  said  of  a  thief  (poll  thief)  who 
robs  another  of  his  share  of  the 
booty.    From  to  poll,  to  plunder, 


144 


Polly — Ponto. 


pillage,  strip.    Used  by  Spenser 
and  Bacon. 

Polty  (cricketers),  easy  ;  polty,  or 
dolly  catch,  an  easy  catch. 

Pompadours,  the  56th  Regiment 

of  Foot  (Hotten). 

I 

Ponce  (popular  and  thieves),  a 
brcthel  bully,  or  one  who  lives 
on  prostitutes. 

After  he  and  his  wife  had  entered,  the 
constable  came  in  and  said  to  him,  "  You 

come  here  along  with  me,  you ponce." 

— Standard. 

Ponce  shicer  (theatrical),  an 
odious  epithet,  invented  by  the 
actors  to  stigmatise  the  most 
infamous  of  adventurers,  crea- 
tures who  lay  themselves  out 
to  captivate  actresses,  and  to 
live  upon  their  earnings.  Crapu- 
lous scoundrels  who  live  by 
chantage. 

Poncess  (thieves),  a  woman  who 
supports  a  man  by  prostituting 
herself.  The  feminine  of  ponce, 
which  see. 

Pond  (common),  abbreviated  from 
herring  pond,  the  ocean. 

We  trust  Colonel  Cody  and  Mr.  Sals- 
bury 's  plucky  venture — for  it  requires  pluck 
to  cross  the  fond  with  such  a  show — will 
meet  with  a  well  -  deserved  reward.  — 
Bailey's  Monthly  Magazine. 

Poney  (racing),  £25.  An  arbi- 
trary denomination  like  "  mon- 
key "  and  others. 

So  there  was  much  plunging  on  Blanch 
of  Lancaster — ponies,  tenners,  fivers,  even 
quids  were  being  dumped  down  enthusi- 
astically.— Sporting  Times. 


(American),  a  petit  verre  of 
brandy.  Hence  poney  brandy, 
the  best.  Also  a  very  little 
woman. 

Poney  up  (American),  pay  up ; 
said  to  be  from  the  German 
poniren,  to  pay.  In  Dutch  slang 
poen  is  money. 

Pongelow,  pongellorum  (general), 
beer ;  also  used  in  the  army. 

Pongelow,  to  (London),  to  have 
some  beer. 

Pong,  ponge,  to  (theatrical),  to 
vamp  through  a  part  in  a  play  in 
ignorance  of  the  text,  substi- 
tuting the  actor's  own  words  for 
those  of  the  author.  (Circus), 
to  perform. 

Pongo  (circus  and  showmen),  a 
monkey. 

Pon  my  sivey,  a  corruption  of 
"asseveration,"  upon  my  word. 

Pon  tny  sivey,  if  you  were  to  see  her 
picking  you'd  think  she  was  laying  on 
pounds'  weight  in  a  day  instead  of  losing 
it.—/.  Greenwood :  Tag,  Hag,  &°  Co. 

Ponte  (showmen),  a  sovereign ; 
mezzo-ponte,  half  a  sovereign. 

Ponto  (college),  explained  by  quo- 
tation. 

During  a  chorister's  life  in  college  he 
had  to  put  up  with  such  a  thing  as  a 
wooden  trencher,  or  a.  ponto  (a  much  softer 
missile)  thrown  at  his  head  [Note. — A 
ponto  was  the  crumb  of  a  new  roll  kneaded 
into  a  ball]  and  sundry  cuffs. — Sporting 
Life. 


\ 


Poodle — Poppy-cock. 


145 


Poodle  (popular),  facetiously  ap- 
plied to  any  kind  of  dog. 

Pool  (American),  a  combination, 
clique,  gang,  association,  or 
syndicate  formed  by  all  the 
dealers  in  a  certain  article,  to 
force  up  the  price  of  it. 

A  window-glass  fool  follows  swiftly 
after  the  hard  and  soft  coal  fools,  as  these 
had  been  preceded  or  accompanied  by 
monopolies  for  the  control  of  other  essen- 
tial articles. — New  York  World. 

Pool,  to  (common),  to  form  an 
association,  to  club  together. 

So  we  fooled  our  wealth  together,  and 
bought  spring  traps,  and  started  off  to  try 
our  luck  with  the  beavers. — O'Reilly  l 
Fifty  Years  on  the  Trail. 

Poona  (costermongers),  a  pound ; 
a  corruption  of  this  word. 

Poop  downhaul  (nautical).  Kus- 
sell  gives  this  as  "an imaginary 
rope" — a  seaman's  jest,  like 
"  clapping  the  reel  athwart 
6hips,"  and  other  such  sayings. 

Pootly-nautch  (Anglo-Indian),  a 
puppet-show.  Hindu,  hath-putli- 
nach,  a  wooden-puppet  dance. 

Pop  (society),  champagne ;  ginger 
pop  is  ginger  beer.  The  deriva- 
tion is  obvious.  (Eton  School), 
the  aristocratic  club  at  Eton, 
originally  a  debating  society, 
now  a  fashionable  and  exclusive 
lounge.     (American),  papa. 

It  seems  that  American  children  know 
not  "  dad,"  and  are  in  the  habit  of  calling 
their  fathers  /<?/.  On  this  side  of  the 
Atlantic  we  only  associate  the  word  with 
our  "  uncles." — Funny  Folks. 
VOL.  II. 


(London),    Monday    popular 
concerts. 

Passing  over  the  Pof.  on  Monday,  as 
containing  nothing  remarkable,  I  come  to 
the  performance  of  the  "  Rose  of  Sharon  " 
on  Tuesday. — Referee. 

Pop  off  the  hooks,  to  (popular), 
to  die. 

He  stirr'd  not, — he  spoke  not, — he  none  of 

them  knew, 
And  Achille  cried  "Odzooks!  I  fear  by 

his  looks, 
Our  friend,  Francois  Xavier,  has  foff'd  off 

the  hooks  I " 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

Pop  off,  to  (common),  to  die. 

But  should  I  be  f  of  fed  off,  you,  my  mates 
left  behind  me, 
Regard  my  last  words,  see  'em  kindly 
obeyed. 

—Davey:  Will  Watch. 

Popped  (tailors),  annoyed,  in  a 
temper. 

Popped  as  a  hatter  (tailors),  very 
much  annoyed. 

Popping  (American  University), 
getting  an  advantage. 

Poppy -cock  (American),  bosh, 
nonsense,  idle  talk.  It  has  no 
such  meaning  as  "  sound  or 
fury,"  as  the  English  edition  of 
Artemus  Ward  declares,  but 
refers  rather  to  the  display 
which  appeals  to  and  humbugs, 
or  dazzles. 

I  venture  to  say  that  if  you  sarch  all 
the  earth  over  with  a  ten-hoss  power  mikri- 
scope  you  wtRT't  be  able  to  find  such 
another  pack  of  foffy-cock  gabblers  as  the 
present  Congress  of  the  United  States  of 
America.  — A  rtcmus  Ward. 


146 


Pops — Possu  m  -guts. 


From  "pop-peacock,"  as  in 
poppin-jay,  influenced  by  pea- 
cock. 

Pops  (thieves),  pistols. 

"Are  you  armed?"  asked  Ginger. 

"  I  have  a  brace  of  pistols  in  my  pocket," 
replied  Thorneycroft. 

"All  right,  then — ve've  all  %ot  pops  and 
cutlashes,"  said  Ginger.  —  A insworth  : 
Auriol. 


Porterhouse  steak  (American),  a 
large  steak  with  a  small  bone. 

Porter's  knot  (common),  the  large 
bob  of  hair  at  the  back  of  the 
head  worn  by  women  in  1866. 
Also  known  as  a  "waterfall," 
"  cataract,"  &c. 

Portrait  (common),  a  sovereign. 


P  o  p  -  s  h  o  p  (common),  pawn- 
broker's. 

As  to  the  other  cloak  and  shawl,  don't 
be  afraid  ;  they  shan't  go  to  the  pop-shop. 
—Lord  Lytton :  Ernest  Maltravers. 

Pop,  to  (common),  to  pawn. 

And  that  he  meant  to  pop 
It  round  at  "  Uncle's  "  shop, 
I  never  had  the  shadow  of  a  doubt. 
— Song :  Many  Capers  I  have  Seen. 

(Society),  to  pop  the  question, 
to  propose  marriage.  Also  to 
pop. 

Pop  your  corn  (American),  "now, 
then,  pop  your  corn,"  say  what 
you  have  to  say,  speak  out. 
Pop-corn  is  a  variety  of  maize, 
of  a  small  grain,  sometimes  of 
a  dark  colour.  When  roasted  it 
pops  or  expands  suddenly.  It 
is  often  eaten  with  milk. 

"  Juliana ! "  he  said  to  me  in  a  tremorous 
voice.  "I've  some  corn  that  I  want  to 
pop — will  you  acknowledge  that  corn." 

And  I  said  I  would.  That  was  the  way 
he  popped. — Newspaper. 

P.  P.  (racing),  play  or  pay. 

Porridge  disturber  (pugilistic),  a 
blow  in  the  pit  of  the  stomach. 


Posers  (Winchester  College),  two. 
men  who  come  down  from 
New  College  at  election.  They 
examine  for  the  Winchester 
and  New  College  scholarships 
and  exhibitions.  From  poser,  an 
awkward  question. 

Posh  (society),  modern  term  for 
money,  originally  used  for  a 
halfpenny  or  small  coin.  From 
the  gypsy  pash  or  posh,  a  half. 
In  Romany  poshero,  the  affix  ero 
being  corrupted  from  haw, 
copper,  i.e.,  a  copper  or  a  penny. 
Posh  an  posh,  half  and  half, 
applied  to  those  who  are  of 
mixed  blood,  or  half  gypsy. 
Also  a  dandy. 

Possum-guts  (Australian  bush), 
a  term  of  contempt. 

Two  bushmen  walked  into  the  bar  of  an 
hotel  which  an  enterprising  Frenchman 
had  just  set  up  in  the  principal  Riverina 
township  :  not  finding  any  one  to  serve 
them,  they  pursued  their  rambles  into  the 
house  until  they  were  confronted  by  a  glass 
door  with  Salle-a-manger  painted  on  it. 
Sandy  was  "  stuck."  "  What's  that  ?  "  he 
said,  with  a  storm  of  expletive  words  to  his 
mate,  an  Irishman.  "  You  possum-guts  ! 
Why,  it  says  if  you  want  anything,  sound 
for  the  manager."—/?.  B.  W.  Sladen. 


Possum — Postmasters. 


H7 


"  I'll  teach  you  to  whistle  when  a  gentle- 
man comes  into  the  hut,  you  possum- 
guts  !  " — H.  Kingsley :  Geoffrey  Hatnlyn. 

Possum,  to  (American),  to  feign, 
to  dissemble,  to  sham  dead — a 
slang  phrase  almost  equivalent 
to  the  old  English  "sham  Abra- 
ham" (q.v.).  "The  expression," 
says  Bartlett,  "  alludes  to  the 
habit  of  the  opossum,  which 
throws  itself  on  its  back,  and 
feigns  death  on  the  approach 
of  an  enemy. " 

As  one  who  counterfeits  sickness,  or 
dissembles  strongly  for  a  particular  pur- 
pose, is  said  to  be  possuming. — Flint: 
Geography  of  the  Mississippi  Valley. 

Also  to  play  possum. 

You  see,  the  first  grizzly  I  caught  in  a 
trap  played  'possum  with  me.  After  the 
first  or  second  shot  I  went  up  to  him,  sup- 
posing him  to  be  dead.  But  I  will  never 
allow  another  grizzly  to  play  that  racket. 
— Cincinnati  Enquirer. 

Post-and-rails  (Australian), 
wooden  matches  as  distin- 
guished from  wax  vestas.  The 
ordinary  Australian  has  a  great 
contempt  for  wooden  matches, 
very  likely  because  safety-mat- 
ches, such  a  necessary  precau- 
tion in  the  bush,  are  generally 
made  of  wood. 

"  Alf,"  said  a  great  friend  of  mine  to  a 
companion  who  was  engaged  with  us  on  a 
shooting  expedition  down  in  Bulu-Bulu, 
one  of  the  eastern  provinces  of  Victoria, 
"  Have  you  got  a  match  ?  " 

"  Only  a.  post-and-rails,"  was  the  depre- 
cating reply,  responded  to  with  a  patronis- 
ing "  Never  mind." — V.  B.  W.  Sladen. 

Post-and-rails  tea,  coarse  tea 
with  stalks  and  leaves  floating 
in  it.  The  metaphor  is  obvious. 
The  tea  supplied  to  the  station- 


hands  is  proverbially  bad.  It 
gets  its  name  from  the  stalks, 
leaves,  &c,  floating  about  when 
it  is  decocted. 

He  brought  us  some  black  damper  and  a 
dry  chip  of  cheese  (for  we  were  famished), 
together  with  a  hot  beverage  in  a  tin  pot, 
which  richly  deserved  the  colonial  epithet 
of  post-and-rails  tea,  for  it  might  well 
have  been  a  decoction  of  "  split  stuff,"  or 
"  iron  bark  shingles  "  for  any  resemblance 
it  bore  to  the  Chinese  plant.—  D.  B.  W. 
Sladen. 

Posted  (American),  informed  as 
to  anything,  posted  up.  This 
term  was  first  used  in  this 
sense  and  made  popular  by  Mr. 
David  Stearns  Godfrey  of  Mil- 
ford,  Massachusetts.  (Cambridge 
University),  to  be  posted  is  to  be 
rejected  in  an  examination. 

Fifty  marks  will  prevent  one  from  being 
posted,  but  there  are  always  two  or  three 
too  stupid  as  well  as  idle  to  save  their  post. 
These  drones  are  posted  separately,  as 
"  not  worthy  to  be  classed,"  and  privately 
slanged  afterwards  by  the  master  and 
seniors.  Should  a  man  be  posted  twice  in 
succession,  he  is  generally  recommended  to 
try  the  air  of  some  small  college,  or  devote 
his  energies  to  some  other  walk  of  life. — 
Hall ;  College  Words  and  Customs. 

Post-horn  (popular),  the  nose. 
From  the  noise  when  blowing 
one's  nose."  In  French  slang 
trompctte  means  face. 

Postman  (legal),  one  of  the  bar- 
risters in  a  common  law  court 
is  so  called  from  the  privileges 
he  enjoys.  The  expression  is 
well  understood. 

Postmasters  (Oxford  University), 
scholars  on  the  foundation  at 
Merton  College. 


148 


Post-mortem — Pot. 


The  postmasters  anciently  performed 
the  duties  of  choristers,  and  their  pay- 
ment for  this  duty  was  six  shillings  and 
fourpence  per  annum. — Oxford  Guide. 

Post-mortem  (Cambridge  Univer- 
sity), the  second  examination 
after  failure. 

Post  the  coin,  to  (sporting),  to 
make  a  deposit  for  a  match. 
Generally  to  pay. 

Post,  to  (university),  to  put  up  a 
man's  name  as  not  having  paid 
for  food  supplied  by  the  college, 
which  precludes  him  from  hav- 
ing any  more  till  he  does  pay. 
(Common),  post  the  cole,  vide 
Coal. 

Pot  (common),  short  for  pot  hat. 
Nice  lads,  very  nice  ;  always  like  Eton 
boys  when  they  haven't  got  pots  on. — 
Punch. 

(Sporting  and  American),  the 
amount  of  stakes  on  a  horse. 

On  receiving  the  list  of  winning  num- 
bers the  ticket  was  at  once  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  First  National  bank  and 
yesterday  the  full  amount  of  the  prize,  less 
a  small  sum  for  collection,  was  paid  over 
by  the  bank  to  Mr.  Poppendick  and  the 
pot  duly  divided  with  his  pard. — Omaha 
(Neb.)  Bee. 

Also  an  adept,  a  swell,  the 
favourite  in  the  betting  for  a 
race. 

The  prospects  of  respective  cricket  pots. 
— Punch. 

To  put  on  a  pot,  to  lay  a  large 
sum  of  money  on  a  horse. 

(Winchester  College),  the  pot, 
the  canal ;  pot-cad,  a  workman 
at  the  sawmills  ;  pot-gates,  lock- 
gates  ;  pot-houser,  a  jump  into 


the  canal  from  the  roof  of  a 
house  called  pot-house. 

Potate  (American),  signifying  to 
drink ;  an  abbreviation  from 
potation,  as  the  kindred  but 
more  permissible  vulgarism 
orate,  from  oration.  The  last 
word  has  already  been  natural- 
ised in  English,  but  potate  re- 
mains an  alien. 

Potato-trap  (common),  the 
mouth. 

That'll  damage  your  potato-trap! — C. 
Bede  :  Verdant  Green. 

Pot-boiler  (studios),  an  appella- 
tion given  by  artists  to  a  picture 
painted  only  for  the  sake  of  the 
pecuniary  advantages  it  brings. 
French  artists  term  "faire  du 
metier"  painting  such  pictures 
for  the  trade.  (Journalistic),  any 
production  written  for  money 
not  glory. 

It  is  a  strange  coincidence  that  the 
writer  of  these  lines  was  actively  engaged 
with  Archie  M'Neil  in  collaborating  on  a 
pot-boiler. — Topical  Times. 

Pot-fair  (university),  the  name 
given  to  the  midsummer  fair 
held  at  Cambridge. 

The  fair  on  Midsummer  Green,  known 
by  the  name  of  Pot-fair,  was  in  all  its 
glory.  There  were  booths  at  which  raffles 
for  pictures,  china,  and  millinery  took 
place  every  evening,  which  were  not  over 
till  a  late  hour. — Gunning:  Reminiscences. 

Pot,  go  to  (common),  be  off,  you 
be  hanged.  Explained  by  quo- 
tation. 


Pot. 


149 


Isn't  saying  of  a  man  who's  come  to 
grief  through  beer,  that  he's  "gone  to 
pot,"  a  pewter-ful  sort  of  ale-legory?  — 
Funny  Folks. 

To  go  to  pot,  to  die.  This  ex- 
pression refers  to  broken  metal 
placed  in  the  melting-pot. 

Pothouse,  i.e.,  Peterhouse,  or 
St.  Peter's  College,  Cambridge. 

Pot-hunter  (sporting),  a  man  who 
goes  round  to  small  athletic 
meetings  with  a  view  of  getting 
as  many  prizes  as  he  can.  Vide 
Pots.  (Fisher),  one  who  fishes 
only  for  the  sake  of  the  catch, 
not  for  the  sport. 

But  ordinary  mortals  have  a  natural  dis- 
like to  returning  with  empty  baskets,  and 
some  people  not  necessarily  pot-hunters 
like  to  eat  trout.  —  Sir  H.  Pottinger: 
Trout- Fishing. 

Pot -hunting  (sporting),  a  sport 
greatly  favoured  by  amateurs 
since  the  abolition  of  the  gen- 
tleman-amateur qualification — 
e.g.,  the  crack  expert  arranges 
on  Whit-Monday  with  his  more 
formidable  rivals  not  on  any  ac- 
count to  clash  with  them,  but 
to  farm  a  meeting  a-piece.  In 
the  old  days  gentlemen  would 
go  any  distance  to  meet  a 
rival  and  have  it  out  with  him, 
but  nothing  is  further  from  the 
thoughts  of  the  present  "crack." 

Potlash  (Canadian),  explained  by 
quotation. 

Roughly  speaking,  it  seems  a  potlash  in 
an  entertainment  lasting  any  time  from  a 
week  to  three  months,  provided  by  one 
tribe  for  another,   and  entailing  on   the 


tribe  so  entertained  the  duties  of  receiving 
their  hosts  in  like  manner  on  some  future 
occasion,  generally  at  the  same  date  in  the 
succeeding  year. — Phillipps-  Wolley:  Trot- 
tings  of  a  Tenderfoot. 

Pot  on,  to  put  the  (trade),  to 
overcharge.  (Common),  to  ex- 
aggerate. 

Pots  (sporting),  prizes  for  athletic 
sports,  generally  given  in  the 
shape  of  mugs.  (Stock  Ex- 
change), North  Staffordshire 
Kail  way  ordinary  stock.  (Nau- 
tical), name  for  the  steward  on 
board  passenger-boats.  From 
the  pots  or  basins  he  provides 
for  sick  persons. 

Pot-shot  (common),  a  shot  from 
a  hole  or  ambush. 

But  when  you  turn  in  your  hounds  and 
wait  till  the  deer  come  like  dumb  driven 
cattle  to  the  water,  beside  which  you  have 
sat  till  you  have  got  cold  and  cramped, 
there  is  none  of  the  credit  due  to  the  quiet 
pot-shot  which  a  quick  snap-shot  at  a  buck 
on  the  jump  might  earn. — Phillipps-  Wol- 
ley :  Trottings  of  a  Tenderfoot. 

Potted  fug  (Rugby),  boys  thus 
term  potted  meat. 

Potted,  to  be  (common),  to  be 
snubbed  or  suppressed. 

Pot,  to  (common),  to  shoot. 

Poisoners  of  hounds,  and  enemies  of  all 
sport  save  the  potting  a  fellow-creature 
from  behind  a  fence,  can  and  should  be 
dealt  with  in  no  other  way. — Bird  o' 
Freedom. 

(Racing),  to  lay  a  large  sum 
on  a  horse. 


150 


Pot — Pound. 


Two  of  these  accomplished  gentry,  who 
had  severally  gone  for  the  crack  and  the 
field,  that  is,  had  systematically  and  regu- 
larly backed  the  one  and  potted  the  other. 
— Sporting  Times. 

(Billiards),  to  pot  a  ball,  send 
it  in  the  pocket. 

Pot,  to  put  on  the  big  (sporting), 
to  bully,  arrogantly  patronise. 
A  big  pot  is  a  great  swell,  an 
adept,  a  favourite  in  racing. 

Pot-walloper  (elections),  thus 
explained  in  the  CornhUZ  Maga- 
zine : — 

"  One  can  well  imagine  what 
influence  the  '  man  in  the  moon ' 
had  in  days  gone  by  with  voters 
of  the  class  known  as  pot-wal- 
lopers. The  bearers  of  this 
melodious  name  were  electors 
whose  sole  title  to  the  possession 
of  the  franchise  was  the  fact  of 
their  having  been  settled  in  the 
parish  for  six  months,  the  set- 
tlement being  considered  suffi- 
ciently proved  if  the  claimant 
had  boiled  his  own  pot  within 
its  boundaries  for  the  required 
period — wall  meaning  to  boiL 
The  pot-wallopers,  with  many 
other  electoral  anomalies,  were 
abolished  by  the  passing  of  the 
great  Reform  Bill ;  but  a  cog- 
nate abuse,  that  of  '  faggot- 
voting,'  survives  in  some  con- 
stituencies." 

(Common),  a  low  parasite. 
(Theatrical),  a  tap-room  talker. 

Pouch  through,  to  (American),  a 
post-office  term,  meaning  to 
convey  mail  matter  in  a  pouch. 


Till  Special- Agent  Death  came  by  one  day, 
And  pouched  the  old  man  through  the 

graveyard  town. 
He  lay  quite  still,  when  suddenly  he  cried, 
"  Mail  closed  ! "  and  drew  his  salary,  and 

died. 

—Robert  J.  Burdette. 

Pouf  (theatrical),  an  epithet  ap- 
plied by  the  actors  to  a  silly 
fellow,  who  imagines  himself  to 
be  an  actor. 

Poulderlings  (old),  students  of 
the  second  year  at  St.  John's, 
Oxford. 

The  whole  companye,  or  most  parte  of 
the  students  of  the  same  house  mette 
toogeher  to  beginne  their  Christmas,  of 
wch  some  came  to  see  sports,  to  witte  the 
seniors  as  well  graduates  as  vnder-gra- 
duates.  Others  to  make  sports,  viz., 
studentes  of  the  seconde  yeare,  whom 
they  call  Poulderlings.  —  Christmas 
Prinee. 

Poulterer  (thieves),  one  who  gets 
letters  from  post -boxes,  opens 
them,  steals  the  money  which 
they  contain,  seals  them,  and 
drops  them  again  into  the  box. 
The  receiver  naturally  supposes 
that  the  sender  omitted  to  en- 
close the  money. 

Poultice  wallah  (military),  a  man 
of  the  staff  corps  ;  one  whose 
business  it  is  to  attend  on  the 
surgeon,  carry  out  treatment, 
give  medicines,  apply  poultices, 
and  so  forth.  Hence  the  expres- 
sion. 

Pound,  to  go  one's  (military), 
applied  to  a  man  with  a  good 
appetite,  is  evidently  derived 
from  the  weight  of  the  soldier's 


Powerful — Prime. 


151 


ration ;  the  pound  of  bread  and 
of  meat  which  the  hungry  man 
can  easily  devour. 

Powerful  nerve  (tailors),  a  great 
amount  of  impudence. 

Powwow  (American),  a  confer- 
ence. Properly  the  sorcery  and 
ceremony  of  the  Red  Indian 
conjurors.  From  the  Algonkin 
bo  din,  a  magician. 

And  everybody  was  whooping  at  once, 
and  there  was  a  rattling  powwow. —  The 
Adz/entures  of  Huckleberry  Finn. 

Poz  (popular),  certain,  positive. 

That's  poz,  dear  old  pal,  and  no  flies. — 
Punch. 

Practitioner  (popular),  a  thief. 

It  is  only  fair  to  state,  however,  that  his 
lordsbip  was  not  personally  responsible  for 
his  startling  statements.  He  had  them 
from  a  practitioner,  from  a  thief,  that 
is  to  say. — Greemuood:  Seven  Curses  of 
London. 

Prad  (common),  a  horse. 

Just  send  somebody  out  to  relieve  my 
mate  .  .  .  he's  in  the  gig,  a-minding  the 
prad. — Dickens:  Oliver  Twist. 

Prairie-schooner  (American),  an 
emigrant  waggon. 

I  am  not  long  out  before  meeting  with 
that  characteristic  feature  of  a  scene  on 
the  Western  plains,  a  prairie -schooner,  and 
meeting  prairie-schooners  will  now  be  a 
daily  incident  of  my  Eastward  journey. — 
Stevens :  Around  the  World  on  a  Bicycle. 

Prat  (popular),  the  buttock,  be- 
hind. 


Prat,  to  (thieves),  to  go,  to  enter. 


I  pratted  into  the  house. 
Jottings  from  Jail. 


■  Horsley  : 


Prater  (old  cant),  a  hen. 
margery  prater. 


Also 


Press  (American  sporting).  When 
a  man  wins  a  bet,  and  instead 
of  taking  away  his  winnings  he 
adds  to  the  original  stake  and 
the  winnings  also,  it  is  called 
a  press. 

Pretty  horse-breaker,  a  fashion- 
able and  good-looking  young 
woman  of  immoral  life  and  bad 
reputation,  sometimes  called  an 
"anonyma." 

Prex  (American  student),  the  pre- 
sident of  a  college,  equivalent  to 
the  pro-rector  of  a  German  uni- 
versity. 

I  used  to  think  our  prex 
Was  great  as  any  rex, 
In  my  green  freshman -nual  days. 

— Student  Song. 

Prick  the  garter  (thimble  riggers), 
a  swindling  game.  The  bet  is 
made  that  you  can't,  with  a  pin, 
prick  the  point  at  which  a  garter 
is  double. 

Prig  (thieves  and  popular),  a  thief. 

Prim  (American  sporting),  a  hand- 
some woman.  Possibly  from 
prima,  i.e.,  prima  donna. 

Primed  (common),  on  the  verge 
of  intoxication.  (Students), 
crammed  for  an  examination. 

Prime  flat  (thieves),  an  easy  dupe. 
Vaux,  in  his  "  Memoirs,"  says : 
"Any  person  who  is  found  an 


152 


Printer's  devil — Proper. 


easy  dupe  to  the  designs  of  the 
family  is  said  to  be  a  prime  fiat." 

Printer's  devil  (printers),  a 
printer's  boy.  Moxon,  1683, 
attributes  this  term  to  the  fact 
that  the  boys  used  to  "black 
and  bedaub  themselves,"  whence 
the  workmen  jocosely  called 
them  "  Devils."  The  real  origin, 
it  is  believed,  was  that  Aldus 
Manutius,  the  Venetian  printer, 
had  a  negro  boy,  and  in  those 
days  printing  was  ignorantly 
supposed  to  be  a  "black  art," 
hence  the  term. 

Passing  for  the  nonce  the  itinerant 
"paper  boy,"  the  "errand  boy,"  and  the 
■printer's  devil,  which  last  genus  garcon 
machinery  is  fast  driving  from  his  stool, 
come  we  to  the  Arabs  of  the  town. — /. 
Diprose:  London  Life. 

Private  stitch,  to  (tailors),  to 
stitch  without  showing  the 
mark. 

Pro  (popular),  one  of  the  profes- 
sion, an  actor.  (Theatrical),  an 
actor. 

Actors  are  astonishingly  fond  of  abbre- 
viations, and  herein  lies  most  of  their 
slang.  They  love  to  call  themselves  pros. 
— Globe. 

Procession  (circus),  the  parade  or 
public  show  is  always  called  the 
procession. 

Profondes  (conjurors),  the  pockets 
in  the  tails  of  a  conjuror's  dress 
coat.    French  slang. 

Prog  (common),  food  of  any  kind. 

What  other  fellows  call  beastly  prog 
Is  the  very  stuff  for  me. 

— Punch. 


Prog,  according  to  Skeat,  is 
from  prog,  to  go  about  begging 
victuals.  Middle  English  prok- 
ken,  to  beg  or  demand  ;  Swedish 
pracka. 

Proggins  (university),  proctor. 
The  proctors  and  their  subordi- 
nates, the  pro-proctors,  are  the 
magistrates  of  the  university. 

Prog,  to  (printers),  an  abbrevia- 
tion much  used  by  printers  for 
the  word  "prognosticate."  "To 
prog  the  winner  of  the  Derby," 
&c. 

Promossing  (Australian  popular), 
talking  rubbish,  playing  the  fool, 
mooning  about. 

Prompter  (school),  a  member  of 
the  second  form  at  Merchant 
Taylors'  School. 

Proms  (London  and  American), 
promenade  concerts. 

They  go  to  the  Proms,  to  a  tartlet  they'll 

speak, 
Stand  o«e  drink,  the  reason  is  not  far  to 

seek, 
For  all  this  is  done  on  a  sovereign  a  week ! 
'Tis  the  way  of  the  world,  of  the  age. 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 
They  have  for  several   years  tried   to 
abolish  the  proms,  because  it  adds  heavily 
to  many  students'  expenses. — Chicago  Tri- 
bune. 

Prop  (thieves),  a  breast-pin.  Pro- 
bably from  proper  (Cornwall), 
pretty,  ornamental.  (Pugilistic), 
a  blow.  (Punch  and  Judy),  the 
prop,  the  gallows. 

Proper  crowd  (Australian  up- 
country),  particular  friends,  a 


Proper — Pross. 


153 


circle,  a  clique,  dependants. 
An  Australian  would  describe 
Harcourt,  Childers,  Labouchere, 
Conybeare  &  Co.,  as  Gladstone's 
own  proper  crowd;  Lord  Car- 
rington,  the  Duke  of  Suther- 
land, Mr.  Christopher  Sykes, 
&c,  as  being  the  Prince  of 
Wales's  proper  crowd;  and  would 
talk  of  Lord  Wolseley's  proper 
crowd  as  Englishmen  talk  of  his 
"  gang,"  or  apply  the  term  to 
the  Browning  Society,  &c. 

Insolent  and  overbearing,  his  own  proper 
crowd  detested  him. — A .  C.  Grant. 

Proper  first  class  (popular)  de- 
notes excellence. 

Prop-nailer  (thieves),  a  thief  who 
devotes  his  attention  to  scarf- 
pins  in  a  crowd. 

Props  (theatrical),  properties.  All 
the  inanimate  objects  or  articles 
used  in  a  play,  viz.,  stage  carpet, 
baize,  sea  cloth,  furniture,  any- 
thing to  eat  or  drink,  books,  pic- 
tures, vases,  statuettes,  lamps, 
fire-irons,  fireplace,  kettle,  pens, 
ink,  paper,  swords,  foils,  guns, 
pistols,  powder,  blue  fire,  thun- 
der, lightning,  purse,  money, 
table-cloth,  dinner  or  breakfast 
service,  &c.  Certain  animate 
objects,  such  as  horses,  pigs, 
dogs,  and  babies. 

Props  include  everything  kept   in  the 
theatre  for  use  on  the  stage. — Globe. 

Propster  (theatrical),  the  property 
master.  The  man  whose  busi- 
ness it  is,  not  only  to  provide 
orninary     properties     for    the 


stage,  but  to  prepare  new  ones, 
to  make  and  ornament  banners, 
to  model  masks,  &c. 

Prop,  to  (pugilistic),  to  strike. 

His  whole  person  put  in  Chancery, 
slung,  bruised,  fibbed,  propped,  fiddled, 
slogged,  and  otherwise  ill-treated. —  C. 
Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

Pross,  to  (theatrical),  to  sponge. 
Doubtless  derived  from  the  Ro- 
many prass.  The  actors,  how- 
ever, affect  to  derive  this  detest- 
able word  from  a  line  in  Otway's 
play  of  "Venice  Preserved,"  in 
which  that  "dashing,  gay,  bold- 
faced villain"  Pierre  says,  "The 
clock  has  struck,  and  I  may  lose 
my  proselyte."  The  wealthy 
proselyte  of  dogma  is  always 
under  the  thumb  of  the  prose- 
lytiser,  who  invariably  makes 
his  pupil  "shell  out"  for  the 
good  of  the  cause.  Similarly, 
the  lowest  class  of  players  have, 
from  time  immemorial,  been 
accustomed  to  sponge  upon 
their  proselytes,  to  bleed  them 
in  money  or  malt.  The  hand- 
some but  infamous  "  Scum  " 
Goodman,  the  actor,  the  amant 
de  cceur  of  the  notorious  Bar- 
bara Castlemaine,  bled  that 
lubricous  lady  almost  as  freely 
as  the  illustrious  Jack  Churchill, 
or  as  she  herself  bled  that 
anointed  scoundrel,  old  Rowley, 
who  in  his  turn  bled  the  nation. 
There  is  a  restaurant,  not  a 
hundred  miles  from  a  certain 
fashionable  theatre  in  the 
Strand,  known  to  the  initiated 
as  "  Prossers'  Avenue."  At  cer- 
tain times  of  the  day  this  place 


154 


Pross — Puckah. 


is  infested  by  impecunious 
loafers,  consisting  of  the  out- 
casts of  all  professions — actors, 
journalists,  disbanded  soldiers, 
unfrocked  parsons,  and  broken- 
down  adventurers  of  every  de- 
scription, all  of  whom  make  it 
their  business  to  pross  for  any- 
thing, from  a  fiver  down  to  a 
glass  of  gin  or  beer.  The  at- 
tentions of  these  enterprising 
gentry  are  not  restricted  to 
their  own  immediate  circle ; 
they  are  superior  to  vulgar  pre- 
judice, and  will  pross  anything 
from  anybody,  more  especially 
from  "the  stranger  at  their 
gates." 

This  term  is  common  among 
workmen  and  others.  Are  you 
one  for  a  pross  ?  Will  you  stand 
a  drink? 

But  now  I've  grown  to  man's  estate,  for 

work  I've  never  cared, 
I've  grossed  my  meals  from  off  my  pals, 

ofttimes  I've  badly  fared. 

— Music  Hall  Song. 

Prosser  (popular  and  thieves), 
a  degraded  creature,  one  who 
sponges,  a  male  prostitute.  Said 
to  be  from  prostitute. 

Prov.  (printers).  "  On  the  prov." 
signifies  that  a  man  is  out  of 
work  and  reaping  the  benefit  of 
the  Provident  Fund  of  his  Trade 
Society — a  fund  established  to 
compensate  the  unemployed. 

Provost  (military),  garrison  or 
other  cells,  where  the  penalty 
of  imprisonment  for  a  week  and 
under  is  inflicted,  without  rele- 
gation to  a  military  prison. 


Prowl,  to  (theatrical),  waiting  for 
one's  pay. 

Pruff  (Winchester  College),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

But  deprive  a  Wykehamist  of  words  in 
constant  use,  such  as  "quill,"  meaning  to 
curry  favour  with ;  pruff,  signifying  sturdy, 
or  proof  against  pain  ;  "  spree,"  upstart, 
impudent ;  "  cud,"  pretty,  and  many  more, 
and  his  vocabulary  becomes  limited. — 
Everyday  Life  in  our  Public  Schools. 

Psalm-smiler  (popular),  one  who 
sings  at  a  conventicle. 

Pub  (common),  public-house. 

Public  patterers  (popular),  swell 
mobsmen,  who  pretend  to  be 
Dissenting  preachers,  and  har- 
angue in  the  open  air  to  attract 
a  crowd  for  their  confederates 
to  rob  (Hotten). 

Puckah  (Anglo  -  Indian).  .The 
word  is  applied  in  various  ways  ; 
puckah  in  Hindostani  means 
properly  red  brick.  So  a  pucka 
house  is  a  red  brick  house,  and 
in  opposition  to  a  "kutcha" 
house,  one  built  of  earth,  it  is  a 
good,  comfortable  house.  Hence 
the  meaning  of  good,  best,  at- 
tached to  the  word.  A  pucka 
spin  is  a  young  lady  who  is  not 
engaged,  a  pucka  officer  is  a 
senior  officer  ;  should  an  officer 
in  command  go  on  leave,  his 
deputy  is  not  puckah. 

But  I  believe  that  marrying 
An  "  acting  "  man  is  a  fudge  ; 
And  do  not  fancy  anything 
Below  2.  pucka  judge. 

— Aleph  Cheem :  Lays  of  I  mi. 


Packer — Pull. 


155 


Pucker  (military),  the  best  of 
anything,  as  the  pucker  colonel 
the  senior.    Vide  Ptjckah. 

Pucker  up,  to  (popular),  to  get  in 
a  bad  temper. 

Pudding  (thieves),  liver  prepared 
with  a  narcotic  drug  and  used 
by  burglars  to  silence  house- 
dogs. 

When  I  opened  a  door  there  was  a  great 
tyke  lying  in  front  of  the  door,  so  I  pulled 
out  a  piece  of  pudding  and  threw  it  to 
him,  but  he  did  not  move.  So  I  threw 
a  piece  more,  and  it  did  not  take  any 
notice ;  so  I  got  close  up  to  it,  and  I  found 
it  was  a  dead  dog  stuffed,  so  I  done  the 
place  for  some  wedge  and  clobber. — Hor- 
sley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Pudding  club  (popular),  a  woman 
in  the  family  way  is  said  to  be 
in  the  pudding  club. 

Pudding-snammer  (popular),  one 
who  robs  a  cookshop. 

Pud,  to  (popular),  to  greet  affec- 
tionately, familiarly.  Pud,  the 
hand. 

Puff  (common),  a  favourable 
notice  or  praise  of  any  kind 
in  a  newspaper,  usually  in- 
corporated in  general  reading 
matter.  (Tailors),  never  in  your 
puff,  never  in  your  life. 

Puffer  (boating),  a  small  river 
steamboat,  a  steam  launch. 

These  are  the  lolling  idlers  in  those 
comfortable  floating  hotels,  which  are 
called  steam-launches  by  the  literate,  and 
puffers  by  the  river  folk. — Daily  Tele- 
graph. 


(Popular),  a  steam-engine. 

And  under  we  went,  one  on  each  side, 
intending  to  get  out  again,  as  usual,  as 
soon  as  the  puffer  began  a- taking  us  along 
again. — Sporting  Times. 

(Cheap  Jacks,  &c),  the  special 
slang  meaning  is  explained  by 
quotation. 

We  bid  or  praised  up  his  goods  ;  in 
fact,  often  acted  as  puffers  or  bonnets  to 
give  him  a  leg  up.—  Hindley:  Life  and 
Adventures  of  a  Cheap  Jack. 

Pug  (common),  a  prize-fighter. 
Abbreviated  from  "  pugilist." 

He    insisted,    with    a    smile    serene  and 

smug, 
That  he'd  gain  distinction  later  as  a  fistic 
gladiator, 
Or,  in  plainer  phraseology,  a.  pug. 

— Sporting  Times. 

A  portion  of  Highgate  Ce- 
metery, where  Tom  Sayers, 
Knacker  -  Atcherly,  and  other 
pugilists  lay  buried,  is  called 
"  Pugs'  Acre." 

Puke,  to  (schools),  to  vomit.  A 
variant  of  "  spew." 

Puker  (Shrewsbury),  a  good-for- 
nothing  fellow. 

Pull  (society),  to  take  a. pull  means 
to  stop,  check,  put  an  end  to, 
and  is  very  commonly  in  use. 
It  is  borrowed  from  racing  par- 
lance, to  take  a  pull  at  a  horse. 

But  it  is  like  the  wil^-o'-the-wisp,  which 
is  pretty  sure  to  lead  them  to  their  destruc- 
tion if  they  have  not  the  moral  courage  to 
"take  a  pull"  when  they  are  getting  out 
of  their  depth. — Saturday  Review. 

(Cricketers),  to  make  a.  pull  is 
to  hit  a  straight  ball  crookedly. 
This  is  generally  done  inten- 


156 


Pull. 


tionally.  (Popular),  the  pull, 
the  advantage.  To  have  the 
upper -hand  in  pulling  a  rope 
gives  an  extra  grip,  whence  the 
expression. 

Sharpers  try  to  pick  him  up, 
Thinking  they've  a  flat  in  tow, 
But  at  pool  he  cleans  them  out, 
All  the  putts  with  Oxford  Joe. 
— Music  Hall  Ballad:  Oxford  Joe. 

Pull  a  horse's  head  off  (racing), 
to  check  a  horse's  progress  so 
as  to  prevent  him  from  winning. 
Pulling  is  done  by  a  man  leaning 
back  and  pulling  at  the  horse's 
head. 

The  witness,  pressed  to  explain  what  the 
meaning  of  pulling a  horse's  head  off  -was, 
said  that  pulling  must  be  intentional  on 
the  part  of  a  jockey. — St.  James's  Gazette. 

Pull  down  your  vest  (American). 
A  few  years  ago,  when  trousers 
were  not  made  quite  so  high  as 
at  present,  and  waistcoats  were 
shorter,  it  often  happened  that 
a  portion  of  the  shirt  became 
visible  from  the  latter  garment 
"rising."  Hence  the  frequent 
admonition  of  pull  down  your 
vest  from  careful  mothers  to 
their  sons,  or  of  wives  to  care- 
less husbands.  The  phrase  soon 
became  general,  and  took  the 
obvious  application  of  "  make 
yourself  look  decenter,"  "  attend 
to  your  personal  appearance," 
and  "mind  your  own  affairs  I  " 

Pulled  trade  (tailors),  secured 
work. 

Pulled  up,  to  be  (popular  and 
thieves),  to  be  taken  before  a 
magistrate. 


Pulley  (old  cant),  a  girl.  A  varia- 
tion of  pullet,  a  girL  Pullet- 
squeezer,  a  man  who  is  always 
fondling  young  girls.  A  "Baby- 
lonian." 

Pulling  a  kite  (popular),  making 
a  face. 

Pulling-  in  the  pieces  (popular), 
to  make  money.  A  man  earn- 
ing good  wages,  or  getting  a 
high  salary,  or  who  is  success- 
ful in  speculation,  is  said  to 
be  pulling  in  the  pieces — pieces 
meaning  money,  and  being  so 
used  in  other  connections. 

Pull  off,  to  (popular),  to  achieve, 
make. 

The  burglar  is  flush  of  money,  and  each 
of  his  comrades  knows  that  a  big  job  has 
been  pulled  off. — Evening  News. 

Pull  one's  self  together,  to  (com- 
mon), used  as  a  metaphorical 
expression  for  collecting  one's 
thoughts,  or  cooling  one's  self 
down  from  a  previous  state  of 
excitement.  To  "pull  up,"  to 
cease,  to  refrain.  These  phrases 
are  constantly  used  by  lady 
novelists,  though  not  by  any 
writer  of  high  or  deserved  re- 
pute. 

That  Lord  Hartington's  speech  outdid 
the  utmost  expectations  of  his  friends,  in 
regard  to  its  matter  and  its  fearless  out- 
spokenness, is  everywhere  acknowledged. 
Here  and  there  it  was  delivered  admir- 
ably, and  with  something  of  the  large 
manner  demanded  by  his  great  position. 
But,  truth  to  say,  this  was  not  by  any 
means  maintained  uniformly,  and  he  fre- 
quently seemed  only  by  an  effort  to  pull 
himself  together. — The  World. 


Pull — Pursers  name. 


157 


Pull  out,  to  (sporting),  in  athle- 
tics, is  being  thoroughly  "  ex- 
tended " — usually  by  a  friendly 
pacemaker.  (American),  to  leave, 
depart. 

For  a  minute  or  two  they  stood  looking 
at  one  another,  and  then  Doc  pulled  out. 
— F.  Francis:  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Pull  the  leg,  to  (society),  to  im- 
pose upon,  to  cram  one. 

Pull  the  long  bow,  to  (common), 
to  tell  falsehoods,  cram. 

"  Don't  it  strike  you,  Billiam,  that  chaps 
about  to  be  hanged  generally  do  pull  the 
long  bow  a  bit  ?  " 

"  It  does,  Alexandry,"  replied  the  Red- 
Handed  One.  "  If  they  had  kept  Percy 
Lefroy  bottled  up  much  longer,  he'd  have 
sworn  he  murdered  Maria  Martin,  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  Harriet  Lane,  and  the  Mys- 
tery at  Rainham." — Ally  Slopers  Half- 
Holiday. 

Pull  the  string,  to  (tailors),  to 
make  use  of  all  your  influence 
to  obtain  the  desired  result. 
(Popular),  to  do  well. 

Pull,  to  (common),  to  drink. 
(Turf),  to  prevent  a  horse  from 
winning  by  pulling  at  the  reins. 

Pumped  (common),  exhausted. 

Pump  ship,  to  (common),  to  make 
water,  to  urinate.  The  Germans 
have  a  similar  expression. 

Pump  sucker  (popular),  a  tee- 
totaller. 

Puncher  (American),  a  cowboy, 
one  who  punches  and  brands 
cattle. 


Perhaps  you  find  it  impossible  to  bring 
yourself  to  eat  with  "aw — cow-servants, 
you  know,"  as  certain  young  Englishmen, 
but  newly  come  from  college  to  New 
Mexico,  and  unpurged  as  yet  of  old  world 
prejudices,  found  it  not  long  ago.  The 
title  "  cow-servants "  so  delighted  the 
gentle  puncher  that  it  has  become  a 
standing  quotation  in  New  Mexico. — F. 
Francis :  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Pun-paper  (Harrow),  specially 
ruled  paper  for  puns  or  imposi- 
tions. 

Punting-shop  (common),  a  gam- 
bling house. 

Pupe  (Harrow),  pupil-room. 

Pure  cussedness.     Vide  Cussed- 

NESS. 

Pure-pickers  (street),  pickers  up 
of  dogs'  dung,  which  is  sold  to 


Purge  (popular),  beer,  from  its 
peculiar  effects. 

Comrades,  listen  while  I  urge, 
Drink  yourselves  and  pass  the  purge. 
— Barrack  Room  Poet. 

Purko  (military),  beer;  possibly 
from  Barclay  &  Perkins,  the 
great  brewers. 

Purl,  purler  (schools),  a  jump 
into  the  water  head  foremost. 
(Sporting),  a  heavy  fall  from  a 
horse. 

Purser's  grins  (nautical),  hypo- 
critical and  satirical  sneers. 

Purser's  name  (nautical),  an 
assumed  one.     During  the  war, 


i58 


Pursers  name — Put. 


when  pressed  men  caught  at 
every  opportunity  to  desert, 
they  adopted  aliases  to  avoid 
discovery  if  retaken,  which  alias 
was  handed  to  the  purser  for 
entry  upon  the  ship's  books 
(Smyth). 

Push  (prison),  a  gang  associated 
in  penal  servitude  labour. 

Most  of  these  pseudo-aristocratic  impos- 
tors had  succeeded  in  obtaining  admission 
to  the  stocking-knitting  party,  which,  in 
consequence,  became  known  among  the 
rest  of  the  prisoners  as  the  "  upper  ten 
push." — Michael  Davitt :  Leaves  from  a 
Prison  Diary. 

(Thieves),  a  crowd ;  an  asso- 
ciation for  a  robbery  or  swindle. 
"I  am  in  this  push,"  I  intend 
to  participate.  (Shopmen),  to 
get  the  push,  to  be  discharged. 
(Popular),  to  get  the  push,  to  be 
set  aside,  rejected,  discharged. 

The  girl  that  stole  my  heart  has  given  me 

the  push. 
— Ballad :  I'll  Say  no  More  to  Mary  Ann. 

Pusher  (popular),  a  high-low  or 
blucher  boot.  Also  a  female. 
A  square  pusher  is  a  girl  of  good 
reputation.  (American),  a  bit  of 
bread  held  by  children  in  the 
left  hand  to  be  used  as  a  fork. 

Push  your  barrow  (popular),  go 
away. 

Puss,  an  appellation  given  by 
Woolwich  cads  to  gentlemen 
cadets  of  the  Royal  Military 
Academy,  on  account,  it  is  said, 
of  their  glossy  uniforms.  But 
more  probably  an  allusion  to 
the    busby,   which    they  wore 


before  it  was  superseded  by  the 
helmet. 

Put  a  down   upon  a  man,  to 

(Australian  convicts),  is  to  in- 
form against  him.  Probably 
introduced  into  Australia  by  the 
transportees. 

"To put  a  down  upon  a  man  is 
to  give  information  of  any  rob- 
bery or  fraud  he  is  about  to  per- 
petrate, so  as  to  cause  his  failure 
or  detection"  (Vaux's  Memoirs). 

Put  a  head  on,  to  (American),  to 
beat  a  man  on  the  head.  To 
make  one's  head  swell. 

Und  he  gets  madt  und  says  he  put  some 
heads  on  me  if  I  doan'  gif  oop  dot  twenty. 
Vhell,  I  vhas  a  greenhorn  und  a  fool,  you 
know. — Detroit  Free  Press. 

Put-away,  to  (prison),  has  the 
same  sense  as  the  foregoing  ;  it 
means  to  split  or  peach,  or  so 
act  that  a  man  is  discovered 
through  the  information  given. 

Put  in  a  hole,  to  (thieves),  to 
defraud  an  accomplice  of  his 
share  of  the  booty.  Also  "  to 
put  in  the  garden,"  possibly  an 
allusion  to  "  plant,"  meaning 
swindle.  (Common),  to  defraud 
any  one  for  whom  you  are  acting 
confidentially,  to  victimise. 

There  was  a  class  of  people  who  if  they 
were  advised  to  put  £10  on  a  horse  which 
won  thought  the  man  a  good  fellow  who 
told  them,  but  if  they  lost  thought  they 
had  been  robbed  or  put  in  a  hole. — St. 
James's  Gazette. 

Put  in  the  well,  to  (thieves),  to 
defraud  an  accomplice  of  his 
share  of  the  booty,  or  to  de- 


Put. 


159 


fraud  any  one  for  whom  one  is 
acting  confidentially. 

Put  it  up,  to  (American),  to  spend 
money,  to  gamble. 

"  Bully  for  you,  Squito  ! "  cried  Joe. 
"  When  it  comes  to  gambling  he's  a 
thoroughbred ;  he  puts  it  up  as  if  it  was 
bad." — F.  Francis  :  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Put  me  in  my  little  bed  (Ameri- 
can), one  of  many  current  slang 
expressions  signifying  that  the 
one  addressed  is  beaten  or  dis- 
tanced, or  has  no  more  to  say. 
Also  the  name  of  a  "  fancy " 
drink. 

Putney,  oh,  go  to  (popular), 
equivalent  to  go  to  Jericho, 
Ballyhock,  or  any  other  of  the 
numerous  milder  modifications 
of  the  place  of  eternal  punish- 
ment; Sometimes  improved  by 
adding  "on  a  pig." 

Sarah's  gone  and  left  me, 
Her  love  for  me  was  sham, 

She  can  go  to  Putney  on  a  pig, 
Along  with  her  cat's-meat  man  ! 
— The  Cats-Meat  Man. 

Put  one's  back  into  it,  to  (com- 
mon), to  act  with  energy. 

It  seems  to  me  that  if  I  only  hit  hard 
enough  I  must  do  something.  I  put  my 
back  into  it  —  that's  his  expression,  not 
mine — and  two  balls  disappear  into  two 
pockets. — Ally  Sloped s  Half-Holiday. 

Put  one's  back  up,  to.  Vide 
Back. 

Put  on,  to  (common),  to  initiate. 

Once  on  the  course  he  will  undertake 

To  put  you  on  should  you  be 
Green  at  the  game,  but  the  quids  you  stake 

Never  again  you'll  see. 


Or  perhaps  near  a  bookie  like  a  clerk  he'll 

stand, 
And  gonoph  any  tickets  that  may  reach 

his  hand.  — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Putter  up  (thieves),  a  spy  in  the 
interest  of  burglars,  whose  busi- 
ness it  is  to  collect  and  impart 
information  to  the  gang  with 
which  he  is  connected  as  to 
the  general  condition  and  domes- 
tic arrangements  of  houses  that 
may  be  most  easily  robbed,  and 
that  offer  the  greatest  chances 
of  plunder.  The  putters  up  are 
commonly  men  of  glib  tongues 
and  agreeable  manners,  who 
endeavour  to  ingratiate  them- 
selves with  the  female  servants. 
They  seldom  endanger  their  own 
necks  by  active  participation  in 
the  burglaries  they  recommend, 
but  are  content  to  receive  a 
portion  of  the  booty,  trusting 
to  the  validity  of  the  well- 
known  axiom  of  "  honour  among 
thieves  "  for  the  reward  which 
they  have  earned.  They  are 
worse,  but  not  very  much  worse, 
than  the  professional  detectives 
who  do  similarly  dirty  work  for 
people  who  are  not  burglars  or 
criminals,  but  who  do  not  scruple 
to  employ  such  disreputable 
agents. 

Put  the  kibosh  on,  to  (popular), 
to  put  a  stop  to.     Vide  Kibosh. 

Put  the  pot  on,  to  (popular),  to 
punish,  to  extinguish. 

And  Damon  Tubbs,  who  loved  in  vain 

1'he  self-same  damsel,  lots 
Of  times  declared  with  racking  brain 

He'd  put  the  pot  on  Potts. 

— Fun. 


i6o 


Putting — Put  up. 


(Turf),   to  lay  heavily  on  a 
horse. 

Putting   a  nail   in  your  coffin 

(tailors),  talking  ill  of  you. 

Put  two-handed  (popular),  forni- 
cation. Put  is  an  old  term  for 
a  person. 

Putty  and  plaster  on  the  Solomon 
Knob,  the  (masons,  &c),  an 
intimation  that  the  master  is 
coming,  be  silent ! 

Putty  walla  (Anglo-Indian),  "the 
one  with  a  belt,"  a  term  in 
Bombay  for  a  messenger  or 
orderly  attached  to  an  office. 
Called  in  Bengal  a  Chuprassy, 
and  in  Madras  a  Peon  (Anglo- 
Indian  Glossary). 

Put  up,  betrayal  Hotten  limits 
this  simply  to  inspecting  or 
planning  a  robbery,  or  obtaining 
information  in  regard  to  pro- 
jected theft.  But  this  is  very 
far  from  the  true  meaning  of 
the  word  as  used  in  both  Eng- 
land and  America.  It  is  thus 
explained  in  the  "  New  York 
Slang  Dictionary :  " — 

"Put  up.  This  refers  to  in- 
formation given  to  thieves  by 
persons  in  the  employment  of 
parties  to  be  robbed,  such  as 
servants,  clerks,  porters,  &c, 
whereby  the  thief  is  facilitated 
in  his  operations.  A  job  is  said 
to  be  put  up  if  the  porter  of  a 
store  should  allow  a  '  fitter ' 
to  take  an  impression  of  the 
keys  of  the  door  of  a  safe ;  or 
when  a  clerk  sent  to  the  bank 


to  make  a  deposit,  or  to  draw 
money,  allows  himself  to  be 
thrown  down  and  robbed,  in 
order  to  have  his  pocket  picked." 
It  may  be  observed  that  it  is 
quite  in  this  sense  that  Dickens 
uses  the  word  in  "  Oliver  Twist," 
and  not  at  all  in  that  of  obtain- 
ing information. 

Put-up  jobs  (burglars),  explained 
by  quotation. 

We  often  hear  that  these  burglaries  are 
what  are  called  put-up  jobs;  that  is  to 
say,  they  are  the  result  of  long  and  careful 
study  on  the  part  of  the  criminals,  com- 
bined with  information  supplied  to  them 
by  persons  familiar  with  the  inmates  and 
contents  of  the  house  marked  down  for 
plunder. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Put  upon,  to  (American  and  Eng- 
lish), to  impose  upon,  to  ill- 
treat. 

The  Pike's  Peak  gold  fever  was  raging 
(1859,  &c.)-  He  went  to  the  mines  and 
took  a  claim,  but  was  much  put  upon  by 
bullies  because  he  was  the  youngest  man 
in  camp. — H.  L.  Williams :  In  the  Wild 
West. 

(Common),  to  sham. 

Put  up  your  forks,  or,  bones  up 

(popular),  a  challenge  to  fight. 

Put  up  your  hands,  to  (thieves), 
to  submit  to  being  handcuffed. 
One  of  the  family  who  has  been 
in  prison  before,  and  knows  the 
penalties  of  resistance,  will  say 
when  a  policeman  comes  for 
him,  "All  right,  I'll  put  up  my 
hands,"  meaning  that  he  will 
hold  out  his  hands  to  be  hand- 
cuffed without  a  struggle. 


Put — Quarron. 


161 


Put  your  forks  down,  to  (thieves), 
to  pick  a  pocket.     Vide  Forks. 

Put  your  name  into  it  (tailors), 
get  it  well  forward. 

Pyah  (nautical),  weak,  paltry. 

Pyke  (military),  a  civilian  friend 
by  whom   the   soldier  on  the 


prowl  and  impecunious  is 
treated  and  entertained;  some 
good-natured  creature  who  likes 
to  hear  military  yarns,  and  is 
proud  of  the  privilege  of  pay- 
ing for  a  gallant  man's  drink. 
A  suggested  derivation  is  the 
synonymous  French  word  pikin, 
or  civilian,  as  contradistin- 
guished to  the  military  man. 


C.  (common),  a  Queen's 
Counsel. 

I  am  a  barrister  elect, 

I  try  my  best  to  please  ; 
Attorneys  pay  me  great  re- 
spect— 
I  wish  they'd  pay  my  fees. 
Of  business  I  get  my  share, 
As  much  as  some  Q.C.'s ; 
But,  oh  !  what  drives  me  to  despair — 
I  cannot  get  my  fees. 

—Sill  Sykes :  The  Barristers 
Song. 

Q.  H.  B.  (naval),  Queen's  hard 
bargain,  i.e.,  a  lazy  sailor,  a 
"lubber." 

Q.  T.  (popular),  quiet.  Vide  On 
the  Strict  Q.  T. 

The  essence  of   'Arry,   he    sez,   is    high 

sperrits.     That  ain't  so  fur  out. 
I'm  "  Fiz,"  not  four  'arf,  my  dear  feller. 

Flare-up  is  my  motter,  no  doubt. 
Carn't  set  in  a  corner  canoodling,  and  do 

the  Q.  T.  day  and  night. 
My  mug,  mate,  was  made  for  a  larf,  and 

you  don't  ketch  it  pulling  a  kite. 

—Punch. 

Quack  (common),  a  duck. 

"  Dear  madam,  your  daughter 
Being  very  much  better, 
VOL.  II. 


Instead  of  a  call  I  write  you  a  letter, 
Saying  as  a  regular  doctor 

No  longer  she  lacks, 
I  send  her  herewith  a  couple  of  quacks." 
A  splendid  couple  of  ducks  accompanied 

this  cheerful  letter. — Bird  d  Freedom. 

Quad  (printers)  is  the  abbreviated 
form  of  the  word  "quadrat," 
a  piece  of  metal  used  by  printers 
to  fill  up  short  lines,  &c.  From 
Latin  quadratus,  square. 

Quadding  (Rugby),  the  triumphal 
promenade  of  the  chief  football 
players  round  the  cloisters  at 
calling  over  time  before  a  match. 

Quail  (thieves),  an  old  maid. 
Quails  are  supposed  to  be  very 
amorous.  Le  Roux  gives  quail- 
ler,  evidently  from  caUle  (quail), 
for  to  have  carnal  connection. 

Quaker  (popular),  a  lump  of  excre- 
ment (Hotten). 

Quarron  (old  cant),  the  body ; 
allied  to  carrion.  Old  French, 
carongne. 

L 


1 62 


Quarter-deckish — Queer. 


Quarter-deckish  (naval),  severe, 
punctilious. 

Quarterejsn  (shows,  strolling 
actors),  a  farthing.  The  slang 
expressions  for  money,  used  spe- 
cially by  Punch  and  Judy  show- 
men, and  probably  by  others,  are 
"  mezzo,"  halfpenny  ;  "  solde," 
penny;  "dui,  tri,  quarto  or  qua - 
tri,  chickwa,  sei,  sette,  oddo, 
novo,  deger,  long  deger  soldi, 
beone,"  a  shilling ;  "  ponte,"  a 
sovereign.    From  the  Italian. 

Quart-pot  tea  (Australian).  The 
following  passage  is  fully  ex- 
planatory of  this  Irish  phrase 
for  tea. 

Quart-pot  tea,  as  tea  made  in  the  bush 
is  always  called,  is  really  the  proper  way 
to  make  it.  A  tin  quart  of  water  is  set 
down  by  the  fire,  and  when  it  is  boiling 
hard  a  handful  of  tea  is  thrown  in,  and  the 
pot  instantly  removed  from  the  fire.  Thus 
the  tea  is  really  made  with  boiling  water, 
which  brings  out  its  full  flavour,  and  it  is 
drunk  before  it  has  time  to  draw  too  much. 
— Finch-Hatton:  Advance  Australia. 

Quay  (American  thieves),  unsafe, 
1    not     to    be    trusted.      Dutch 
kwaed,  bad,  &c. 

Queen's  bus  (thieves),  the  prison 
van.  A  crazy  inmate  of  Clerken- 
well  was  about  to  be  sent  away. 
To  quiet  him  the  warder  said 
the  Queen  had  sent  one  of  her 
own  carriages  for  him.  "  One  of 
them  with  We  K.  on  the  side? " 
"  Yes,  one  of  her  carriages." 
"Wot's  We  K.  stand  for?" 
"  Why,  Victoria  Eegina,  of 
course."  "  No,  it  don't  ;  it 
stands     for     Wagabones     Re- 


moved," said  the  prisoner.  The 
V.R.  on  the  van  is  also  inter- 
preted by  its  habitual  occu- 
pants as  standing  for  Virtue 
Rewarded. 

Queer  bail,  fraudulent  bail ;  in- 
solvent persons  who  made  it  a 
trade  to  bail  out  persons  when 
arrested.  Also  called  "Jew 
bail."  Sometimes  also  "moun- 
ters," as  the  mounted  borrowed 
clothes  for  the  occasion  so  as 
to  look  respectable. 

Queer  bit  (thieves),  spurious  coin. 
Queer,  in  old  cant,  means  any- 
thing wrong,  counterfeit,  or 
illegal.  Possibly  allied  to  the 
German  quer,  across,  athwart, 
contrary  to. 

Queer  cuffin  (old  cant),  magistrate. 

The  gentry  cove  will  be  romboyled  by 
his  dam,  .  .  .  queer  cuffin  will  be  the 
word  yet,  if  we  don't  tout. — Beaconsfield : 
Venetia. 

Cuffin    is    synonymous    with 
eofe,  cove. 

Queer  money  (thieves),  spurious 
coin. 

That  town  had  been  worked  with  a 
rush  by  a  gang  and  $20,000  in  the  queer 
money  had  been  left  there  inside  of  two 
days. — Detroit  Free  Press. 

Queer  rooster  (American  thieves), 
a  man  that  lodges  among  thieves 
to  pick  up  information  for  the 
police. 

Queer  soft  (thieves),  bad  notes. 

Queer  street,  in  (common),  in  a 
difficulty. 


Queer — Quid. 


163 


Queer  the  stifler,  to  (thieves), 
avoid  the  gallows. 

I  think  Handie  Dandie  and  I  may  queer 
the  stijler  for  all  that  is  come  and  gone. — 
Scott:  Heart  of  Mid-Lothian. 

Queer,  to  (popular),  to  ridicule, 
sneer  at. 

A  shoulder-knotted  puppy,  with  a  grin, 
Queering  the    thread-bare   curate,    let 
him  in. 

—Colman :  Poetical  Vagaries. 

To  spoil,  mar. 

But  over  theldoorstep  she  happened  to 
trip, 
And  queered  the  ingenious  crime. 
—Sporting  Times. 

To  upset  arrangements. 

The  Briton  threw  a  five-franc  piece  into 
the  machine,  stopping  the  ball,  and  utterly 
queering  the  calculations  of  the  numerous 
systematicians. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

To  queer  a  flat,  fool,  impose 
upon  a  simpleton. 

Who  in  a  row  like  Tom  could  lead  the  van, 
Booze  in  the  ken,  or  at  the  spelken  hustle  ? 
Who  queer  a  flat  ? 

— Lord  Byron:  Don  Juan. 

To  outwit. 

He  came  back  in  great  glee  at  having 
queered  the  bobbies  on  this  side  the  Chan- 
nel, and  "  bothered  the  gendarmes  "  on 
the  other.— Punch. 

To  queer  the  pitch,  vide  Pitch. 

Quencher.  Vide  Modest 
Quencher. 

Qui  (printers),  an  abbreviation  of 
the  Latin  term  quietus,  an  old 
expression  equivalent  to  the 
"billet"  or  "sack,"  to  denote 
a  man  has  notice  to  leave  his 
situation. 


Quiblets  (American),  a  kind  of 
witticism  much  in  vogue  in 
negro  minstrelsy.  A  man  makes 
a  remark  which  calls  forth  a 
question,  and  the  reply  involves 
a  jesting  equivoque. 

Quick  (society),  explained  by 
quotation. 

Young  Prince  Albert  Vic,  it  would  seem, 
is  most  quick 
(That's  the  new  word  for  dapper  and 
clever).  — Pun. 

Quick,  slick,  to  cut  (popular),  to 
start  off  hurriedly. 

Quick  upon  the  trigger  (Ameri- 
can), very  acute  to  observe, 
quick  to  perceive  and  act,  wide- 
awake, prompt,  "fly."  A  sig- 
nificant expression  derived  from 
seeing  game  the  instant  it  ap- 
pears, and  being  quick  to  shoot 
it.  It  occurs  in  the  Crockett 
Almanacs,  1838,  1840,  but  is 
much  older. 

He's  as  big  and  may  be  bigger, 

That's  all  the  same  to  me  ; 
But  I'm  quicker  on  the  trigger, 
And  hit  twice  as  hard  as  he. 
For  I've  lived  among  the  Crows  and  the 

Kaws, 
And  the   Soos  and   the   Kroos    and  the 

Daws, 
And  can  make  a  bully  Injun  take  a  tree  I 
— Circus  Song. 

Quid  (general),  a  sovereign. 
Quids,  money  in  general ;  this 
corresponds  to  the  French  de 
quoi  and  quibus. 

Oh,  well,  I  thought  I  wouldn't  star,  but 

wait  a  year  or  two  ; 
I  know  your  party's  solid,  so  I'll  try  and 

go  with  you. 


1 64 


Quid — Quite. 


A  modest  forty  quid  a  week,  you  pay  all 

train  fares,  eh? 
Your  offer  is  an  insult  and  I'll  leave  you, 
sir.     Good  day. 

— Bird  o  Freedom. 
"Tis  the  last  quid  of  many 

Left  sadly  alone. 
All  its  golden  companions 

Are  changed,  and  are  gone  ; 
No  coin  of  its  kindred, 
No  "fiver"  is  here, 
To  burn  in  tobacco, 
Or  melt  into  beer. 

— Fun. 

Quiff  (military),  the  small  curl  on 
a  soldier's  temple  just  showing 
under  his  glengarry  or  forage 
cap.  Close  cropped  hair  is  one 
of  the  indispensable  conditions 
of  military  smartness,  but  the 
curl  used  to  be  allowed,  or  in 
lieu  of  it  a  false  curl  which  was 
gummed  inside  the  forage  cap 
so  as  to  lie  on  the  forehead. 
This  postiche  was  especially  in 
favour  with  men  just  released 
from  military  prison. 

(Tailors),  a  word  used  in  ex- 
pressing an  idea  that  a  satis- 
factory result  may  be  obtained 
by  other  than  strictly  recognised 
rules  or  principles. 

Quiffing  in  the  press  (tailors), 
changing  a  breast-pocket  to  the 
other  side. 

Quiffing  the  bladder  (tailors), 
drawing  the  long  hair  over  to 
hide  a  bald  pate. 

Quill-driver  (common),  a  writer. 
(Turf),  a  bookmaker. 

The  annual  cricket  match  between  the 
Press  and  the  Jockeys  will  be  played  to- 
day on  the  Queen's  Club  Ground,  West 


Kensington,  and  my  information  is  to 
the  effect  that  the  quill-drivers  are  likely 
to  have  the  best  of  the  willow-wielding 
and  leather-flapping  engagement  with  the 
knights  of  the  pigskin. — Sporting  Times. 

Quiller  (common),  a  parasite ;  a 
person  who  sucks  neatly  through 
a  quill,  says  Hotten. 

Quill,  to  (Winchester  College),  to 
curry  favour  with,  to  flatter. 

Quilster  (Winchester  College),  a 
flatterer.     Vide  To  Quill. 

Quilt,  to  (popular),  to  thrash. 
Much  used  by  tailors.  Probably 
originally  a  tailor's  phrase. 

Quint  (American  cowboy),  a 
whip  (Spanish). 

Quisby  (popular).  Hotten  defines 
this  as  bankrupt.  According 
to  a  song  "  sung  with  terrific 
success  by  Miss  Kate  Con- 
stance "  it  appears  to  have  a 
slightly  different  meaning  : — 

When  tars  have  been  away  on  a  voyage 

o'er  the  sea, 
They're  glad  to  get  home  again  to  have 

a  jolly  spree, 
But  when  they  kiss  and  cuddle  you  and 

won't  let  you  be, 
Don't    it    make   you   feel  quisby  in   the 

morning  1 

Quite  too  nice  (society),  expression 
much  used  by  the  aesthetic 
female  portion  of  society,  mean- 
ing much  the  same  as  "awfully 
jolly,"  aesthetic  conversation 
being  largely  composed  of  many 
adverbs  and  adjectives  strung 
together.  "  He  is  really  quite 
too  nice,"  applied  to  some  die- 
away  gentleman  with  long  hair 


Quius — Rack. 


165 


and  black  velvet  coat,  who 
dabbles  in  art,  and  who  wor- 
ships a  sunflower,  regarding  it 
in  the  light  of  the  most  artistic 
production  of  nature. 

Quius  kius  (low  theatrical),  hush  ! 
cease  I    A  warning. 

Quiz  (legal),  among  American 
law-students  a  weekly  examina- 
tion in  reading  is  so  called.  It 
is  equivalent  to  coaching. 

Quod  (thieves),  prison.  Probably 
from  the  Hindu  gypsy  quaid, 


prison.    Alsp  said  to  be  from 
"quadrangle,"  within  fourwalls. 

Here  I  have  been  in  and  out  of  quod 
for  the  last  five-and-twenty  stretch,  and  I 
have  a  right  to  get  a  good  billet  if  any- 
body has  one. — Evening'  News. 

Quodded  (thieves),  imprisoned. 

Quodger  (legal),  a  corruption  of 
quo  jure. 

Quot  (old  slang),  a  man  who 
interferes  in  household  affairs, 
especially  in  the  kitchen. 


ABB  IT  (American), 
a  very  rough,  rag- 
ing rowdy.  Generally 
heard  as  "dead  rab- 
bit." From  a  gang 
of  roughs  who  paraded  New 
York  in  1848,  carrying  a  dead 
rabbit  as  a  standard,  the  dead 
rabbit  meaning  a  conquered 
enemy.  Also  "dead  duck."  "A 
very  athletic  rowdy  fellow  ;  an 
extinct  political  party."  Rabbit- 
tuckers,  young  spendthrifts,  fast, 
licentious  young  men. 

Rabbit- pie  (popular),  a  low  word 
for  a  woman  in  a  sensual  or 
carnal  sense ;  a  prostitute. 

Rabbit-pie  shifter  (roughs),  a 
policeman.  Probably  an  allusion 
to  his  impeding  prostitutes' 
trade.     Vide  Rabbit- pie. 

Never  to  take  notice  of  vulgar  nick- 
names, such  as  "slop,"  "copper,"  rabbit- 
pie  shifter,  "peeler." — Music  Hall  Song. 


Rabbit-skin  (University),  by 
synecdoche,  is  the  academical 
hood  adorned  both  at  Oxford 
and  Cambridge  by  the  rabbit's 
white  fur.  To  "  get  one's  rabbit- 
skin,"  is  to  take  the  B.A.  degree. 

Rabid  beast  (American  cadet),  a 
term  applied  to  a  new  cadet  who 
is  impertinent,  i.e.,  according 
to  the  views  of  those  who  have 
been  longer  in  residence. 

Rabitter  (Winchester  College),  a 
blow  on  the  head  with  the  wide 
of  the  hand,  so  called  from  the 
way  of  killing  a  rabbit. 

Rack  (Canadian),  on  the  rack, 
constantly  moving  about,  travel- 
ling; "always  on  the  rack"  is 
synonymous  with  "always  on 
the  move."  Hack  is  an  abbrevia- 
tion of  "racket,"  a  Canadian 
snow-shoe. 


i66 


Racket — Rag. 


Racket.  Originally  meaning  in 
England  a  dodge,  manoeuvre,  or 
desire,  it  has  within  a  few  years 
been  greatly  extended  in  the 
United  States,  so  that  one  can 
rarely  lookthroughcertainnews- 
papers  without  finding  it. 

You  know  all  the  safe-workers  arrested 
here  last  season  were  lodging-house  hums, 
and  they  were  up  to  that  racket. — Chicago 
Tribune. 

The  place  was  pretty  full  of  all  the 
blackguards  in  creation  then  on  the  same 
racket. — O'Reilly:  Fifty  Years  on  the 
Trail. 

Raclan,  racklaw  (tramps),  from 
the  gypsy  rakli,  a  girl. 

Rads  (common),  for  radicals. 
"  The  Rads  have  a  name  of  more 
modern  political  application, 
for  the  term  'Kadical,'  as  a 
party  name,  was  first  applied  to 
Major  Cartwright,  Henry  Hunt, 
and  their  associates  in  1818. 
The  Americans  have  many  more 
or  less  strange  nicknames,  and 
one  of  the  last  invented  has 
reached  this  country,  only  to  be 
in  various  ways  misapplied  and 
misunderstood,  we  mean  the 
euphonious  word  mugwump " 
(Comhill  Magazine). 

He  turned  him  round  and  right-about 

All  on  the  Irish  shore, 
Said  he,  "  We'll  give  P-rn-11  a  shake, 
And  make  the  Rao's  to  roar, 

My  boy ! 
And  make  the  Rao's  to  roar ! " 

— Punch. 

Rafe,  ralph  (popular),  a  pawn- 
broker's duplicate  (Hotten). 

Raft  (American),  a  great  number 
or  quantity  of  anything  or  of 


any  kind  of  objects.  It  is  de- 
rived from  the  rafts  or  vast  ac- 
cumulations of  floating  timber, 
driftwood,  &c. ,  which  some- 
times form  in  Western  Ameri- 
can rivers. 

Rag  (popular),  the  green  curtain. 
Hence  the  gods  shout  "  Up  with 
the  rag."  (Common),  a  con- 
temptuous term  for  a  newspaper 
of  the  inferior  sort.  The  French 
call  this  "  f  euille  de  chou." 

A  writer  in  a  penny  rag,  who  has  him- 
self failed  far  more  lamentably  than  Mrs. 

,  and  in  the  same  attempt,  viz.,  to 

entertain  the  public. — Sporting  Times. 

(Thieves),  a  bank-note. 

Rag-fair  (military),  kit  inspection, 
at  which  all  the  necessaries, 
shirts,  socks,  underclothing,  the 
"rags,"  in  short,  are  displayed. 

Ragged  brigade,  one  of  the  Irish 
regiments  of  foot. 

In  his  youth  he  did  good  service  abroad 
with  the  Carabineers,  the  ragged  brigade, 
and  the  Springers. — The  World. 

Rag  off  (Americanism),  explained 
by  quotation. 

Well,  if  that  don't  "cap  all  I "  That  beats 
the  bugs  ;  it  does  fairly  take  the  rag  off. — 
Sam  Slick :  The  Clockmaker. 

Abbreviated  from  "it  takes 
the  rag  off  the  bush." 

Rag  out,  to  (American),  to  dress 
up  well. 

Wall,  don't  make  fun  of  our  clothes 
in  the  papers.  We  are  goin'  right  straight 
through  in  these  here  clothes — we  air. 
We  ain't  agoin'  to  rag  out  till  we  get  to 
Nevady. — Artemus  Ward. 


Rag — Raise. 


167 


Rag   proper, 

dress  well. 


to    (cowboys),   to 


Rags  (American),  bank-bills. 
Before  the  war,  when  there  was 
no  uniform  currency,  the  bills 
of  the  innumerable  banks  of 
the  "wild  cat,"  "blue  pup,"  and 
"ees'  dog"  description  often 
circulated  at  a  discount  of  50 
or  60  per  cent.,  and  in  a  very 
dirty  and  tattered  condition. 
These  were  familiarly  called 
rags,  a  word  still  used  now  and 
then  as  a  synonym  for  paper- 
money. 

Oh,  times  are  hard  !  folks  say, 

And  very  well  too  we  know  it ; 
And  therefore  the  best  way 

Is  while  you're  young  to  go  it. 
The  banks  are  all  clean  broke, 

Their  rags  are  good  for  naught, 
The  specie's  all  bespoke, 

So  certainly  we  ought 
To  go  it  while  we're  young. 

— Song  0/"  1 840. 

(Common),    to    go    rags,    to 
share. 

Rags  and  sticks  (travelling  show- 
men), explained  by  quotation. 

When  old  Sawny  Williams,  the  pro- 
prietor, came  later  in  the  morning,  he  was 
horrified  at  finding  his  rags  and  sticks, 
as  a  theatrical  booth  is  always  termed, 
just  as  he  had  left  them  the  overnight. — 
II  indie y :  Life  and  Adventures  of  a  Cheap 
Jack. 


Rag-shop   (thieves),    a 
Vide  Rao. 


bank. 


Rag-splawger  (thieves),  a  wealthy 
man.     Vide  RAO. 

Rag  stabber  (common),  a  tailor. 


Rag  tacker  (popular),  a  dress- 
maker. 

Rag,  the  (London),  explained  by 
quotation. 

There  is  not  a  single  music-hall,  from 
the  vast ."  Alhambra"  in  Leicester  Square, 
to  the  unaristocratic  establishment  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  Leather  Lane,  ori- 
ginally christened  the  "  Rag-\s.n,"  but 
more  popularly  known  as  the  "Rag,"  that 
I  have  not  visited.  And  I  am  bound  to 
confess  that  the  same  damning  elements 
are  discoverable  in  one  and  all. — Green- 
wood: Seven  Curses  of  London. 

Rag,  to  (American  University). 
Hall  quotes  a  correspondent  of 
Union  College  as  follows : — 

"To  rag  and  'ragging'  you 
will  find  of  very  extensive  appli- 
cation, they  being  employed  pri- 
marily as  expressive  of  what  is 
called  by  the  vulgar  thieving 
and  stealing,  but  in  a  more  ex- 
tended sense  as  meaning  supe- 
riority. Thus  if  one  declaims 
or  composes  much  better  than 
his  classmates,  he  is  said  to  rag 
all  his  competitors." 

(English  provincial),  to  abuse, 
slander.  At  English  universi- 
ties to  annoy,  hustle.  For  other 
signification  vide  BALLYEAO,  its 
synonym. 

Rag  trade,  the  (tailors),  the 
tailoring  business.  Also  the 
mantle-making  trade. 

Rain  napper  (popular),  an  um- 
brella. To  nap,  to  take,  seize, 
receive. 

Raise  a  bead,  to  (American),  to 
aim  at,  to  make  sure  of.    The 


i68 


Raise — Ralph. 


sight  of  a  rifle  is  called  a  bead, 
hence  the  term.  "  To  raise  a 
bead  on  him,"  to  take  aim  at 
him.  Bartlett  defines  the  same 
phrase  as  to  bring  to  a  head, 
to  succeed,  and  adds  that  the 
figure  is  taken  from  brandy, 
rum,  or  other  liquors  which 
will  not  raise  a  bead  unless  of 
the  proper  strength. 

Raised  bill  (American),  a  bank- 
bill  which  has  had  the  value 
raised  or  increased  by  pasting 
over  it  slips  cut  from  other  and 
worthless  bills. 

A  couple  of  young  men  entered  M. 
Levin  &  Co.'s  saloon,  Jefferson  and  Bar- 
dell  Streets,  called  for  drinks,  and  tender- 
ing what  appeared  to  be  a  $20  bill  in  pay- 
ment received  the  change  and  left.  After 
they  had  gone  the  bill  was  found  to  be  a 
clumsily-raised  $10.  The  numbers  of  a 
Confederate  $20  bill  had  been  pasted  over 
the  figures  in  the  corners,  while  a  strip  of 
paper  stuck  across  the  "X"  on  the  back 
gave  the  bill  the  appearance  of  having 
been  pasted  together  and  partially  con- 
cealed the  fact  that  there  was  only  a 
single  "X." — Chicago  Tribune. 

Raise  the  wind,  to  (common),  an 
almost  recognised  phrase.  To 
procure  money  by  borrowing, 
pawning,  or  otherwise. 

In  lieu  of  a  calf !    It  was  too  bad  by  half ! 
At  a  "nigger"  so  pitiful  who  would  not 

laugh 
And  turn  up  their  noses  at  one  who  could 

find 
No  decenter  method  of  raising  the  wind'! 
— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

Raising  an  organ  (tailors),  club- 
bing clips  together  to  raise  a 
shilling's  worth. 

Rake  (popular),  a  comb. 


Rake  an  X,  to  (American  Univer- 
sity), to  recite  perfectly. 

Rake  in,  to  (American),  to  acquire, 
win,  conquer,  make  one's  own. 
From  the  very  obvious  simile  of 
using  a  rake  of  any  kind  to  draw 
objects  together. 

"  Yes,"  said  Tim,  with  a  mournful 
shake  of  the  head,  "  Pug's  converted. 
I  suppose  you've  been  to  the  revival 
meetings  of  Goodman  and  Worship. 
No  1  Well,  you've  met  Mike  Ratagan 
on  Groghan  Street?  Don't  know  Mike! 
Well,  they've  raked  him  in  too." — Luke 
Sharp. 

Raker  (turf),  a  heavy  bet. 

It  is  said  the  "new  plunger"  is  standing 
the  favourite  for  a  raker. — Bird  d  Free- 
dom. 

To  go  a  raker,  to  make  a  heavy 
bet. 

Rake  the  pot,  to  (American),  to 
take  the  stakes  at  gambling. 

The  artist  sat  and  drew  : 
No  view  of  frozen  Arctic  shores, 
Where  icy  billow  sweeps  and  roars ; 
Nor  Southern  desert,  Western  plain, 
Nor  colours  of  the  Spanish  main — 
Nor  vision  of  celestial  spot — 
He  drew  an  ace,  and  raked  the  pot ! 
—St.  Louis  Whip. 

Rally  (common),  a  row,  a  fight, 
a  spill.  (Theatrical),  the  rally, 
the  movement  by  clown,  panta- 
loon, harlequin,  and  columbine 
after  transformation  scene. 

Ralph  (printers),  the  mischief- 
monger  or  "  spirit "  that  is  said 
to  haunt  men  when  they  will 
not  conform  to  chapel  rules. 
(See  Dr.  Franklin's  "Waps," 
1819,  p.  56.)    A  man  is  "sent 


Ram — Ramp. 


169 


to  Coventry "  if  he  dares  to 
defy  the  decision  of  the  chapel, 
and  many  tricks  are  played  on 
him  by  his  companions  in  con- 
sequence.    Vide  Rafe. 

Ram  (American  University),  a 
practical  joke,  a  hoax. 

Rama  Sammy  (Anglo-Indian), 
used  as  a  generic  name  for  all 
Hindoos,  like  Tommy  Atkins  for 
a  British  soldier.  A  twisted 
roving  of  cotton  in  a  tube  used 
to  furnish  light  for  a  cigar. 
The  name  Eamo  Samee  was 
popularised  in  1820  in  England 
by  a  Hindoo  juggler,  who  first 
exhibited  swallowing  a  sword. 

Ramcat  or  rancat  cove  (thieves), 
a  man  dressed  in  furs. 

Ramjam  (American),  the  last 
morsel  eaten  after  which  one 
is  filled  to  repletion. 

Ramp  (common).  This  word, 
when  applied  to  swindling  and 
cheating,  e.g.,  "rampage,"  thiev- 
ing and  taking  in,  is  evidently 
of  a  different  origin  from  ramp, 
to  rage,  rear  up,  and  act  with 
violence.  It  is  possibly  in  the 
former  sense  allied  to  the  Yid- 
dish rame,  a  deceiver  or  cheat ; 
Chaldaic  ramons,  deceit.  Ramp, 
to  rage,  occurs  in  several  old 
English  writers,  e.g.,  Jonson. 

These,  it  is  only  fair  to  say,  were  mostly 
ramps,  or  swindles,  got  up  to  obtain  the 
gate-money,  and  generally  interrupted  by 
circumstances  arranged  beforehand  by 
those  who  were  going  to  "cut  up"  the 
plunder. — George  R.  Sims :  How  the  Poor 
Live. 


(Thieves),  the  hall  mark  on 
plate.  From  the  rampant  lion 
which  is  one  of  the  marks. 

They  told  me  all  about  the  wedge,  how 
I  should  know  it  by  the  ramp. — Horsley : 
Jottings  from  Jail. 

Vide  On  the  Rampage. 

Ramper  (common),  a  low  fellow, 
a  swindler  or  ruffian  who  fre- 
quents racecourses  generally  on 
welshing  expeditions. 

Hardly  a  day  passes  without  some  mis- 
creant being  charged  at  police  courts, 
and  being  recognised  by  constables  as  a 
"  welsher,"  ramper,  or  "  ticket  snatcher." 
These  are  criminal  trades,  belonging  essen- 
tially to  the  racecourse. — Sporting  Times. 

Ramping  (thieves),  explained  by 
quotation. 

George  Stamper  was  charged,  on  re- 
mand, with  felony,  technically  known  as 
ramping,  i.e.,  calling  at  the  houses  where 
parcels  had  just  been  delivered  from  trades- 
men to  customers,  and  obtaining  posses- 
sion of  them  under  various  pretences. — 
Standard. 


(Sports),   a   swindle,   a 
spiracy. 


con- 


The  ramping  of  the  Jubilee  Plunger  at 
pigeon  shooting  at  Brighton  is  still  the 
principal  topic  of  conversation.     Whether 

Mr. will  pay  up  and  look  pleasant, 

or  repudiate,  or  prosecute  the  different 
parties  for  conspiracy  is  more  than  I  can 
say. — Sporting  Times. 

Also  vide  To  RAMP. 

Ramp,  to  (thieves),  to  steal  forci- 
bly from  the  person.  (Sport- 
ing), to  swindle,  but  more 
especially  to  bet  against  one's 
own  horse.  Also  to  levy  black- 
mail in  a  brutal  manner.  From 
to  ramp,  to  spring  with  violence. 


170 


Ramping — Raspberry. 


Ramping  mad  (old),  uproariously 
drunk. 

Rampoman  (thieves),  one  who 
plunders  by  force.  In  Mayhew's 
"Criminal  Prisons  of  London," 
but  obsolete  now. 

Rams,  the  (American),  the  deli- 
rium tremens.  "  To  have  the 
rams,"  to  be  extremely  eccen- 
tric. 

Ram,  to  (American),  to  ram  one's 
face  in,  or  on ;  to  intrude,  to 
force  oneself  into  any  company. 

Ranee  sniffle  (Texas),  mean  and 
dastardly  malignity.  Peculiar 
to  Georgia. 

Randlesman  (thieves),  silk  pocket 
handkerchief,  green  ground  with 
white  spots. 

Randy  (common),  salacious.  So 
generally  used  as  to  be  hardly 
considered  as  slang.  Properly 
violent,  warm.  Of  Norse  origin. 

Ranker  (military),  an  officer  who 
has  risen  from  the  ranks. 

Rank  outsider  (common),  a  vulgar 
fellow,  a  cad.  From  a  racing 
term  applied  to  a  horse  outside 
the  rank. 

A  rank  outsider  might  possibly  drop 
from  the  cloud*— just  at  the  bell — but  it  is 
hardly  possible  that  Grandison,  or  Love- 
gold,  or  Lourdes,  or  Florentine,  or  Stetch- 
worth,  or  any  other  "ranker"  can  be  the 
horse. — Sporting  Times. 

Ranks  (printers).  A  compositor 
that  has  been  promoted  to  the 


position  of  overseer  or  reader 
is  said  to  return  to  the  ranks 
again  should  he  be  reduced. 
Attributed  by  Savage,  1841,  to 
the  fact  that  compositors'  frames 
are  placed  in  ranks  or  rows. 
More  probably  from  a  military 
term. 

Ran- tan  (popular),  to  be  on  the  ran- 
tan  (originally  American)  is  to 
"  be  on  the  big  drunk,"  to  be  in  a 
fit  of  drunkenness  extending  over 
several  days,  or  it  may  be  weeks, 
after  a  period  of  enforced  absti- 
nence. Possibly  from  provincial 
ranter,  a  large  beer  jug.  The 
word  appears  in  the  works  of 
Taylor,  the  Water-poet,  in  1630. 
Also  "ran-ran,"  frolic,  drunken- 
ness. 

My  second  son's  been  made  a  Buff,  and 
goes  on  the  ran-ran. — Broadside  Ballad. 

On  the  ran-tan  also  means 
drunk. 

Rapparee  (old  slang),  a  Tory. 

Rap,  to  (thieves),  to  talk,  to  say. 
From  "rap  out." 

So  I  said,  "All  right ;"  but  he  rapped, 
"It  is  not  all  right." — Horsley:  Jottings 
front  Jail. 

To  swear. 

D me  !     I  scorn  to  rap  against  any 

lady. — Fielding:  Amelia. 

Raspberry  (coachmen),  explained 
by  quotation. 

One  gentleman  I  came  across  had  a  way 
of  finding  out  the  cussedness  of  this  or 
that  animal  by  a  method  that  I  found  to 
be  not  entirely  his  own.  The  tongue  is 
inserted    in   the    left    cheek    and    forced 


Raspberry — Rats. 


171 


through  the  lips,  producing  a  peculiarly 
squashy  noise  that  is  extremely  irritating. 
It  is  termed,  I  believe,  a  raspberry,  and 
when  not  employed  for  the  purpose  of 
testing  horseflesh,  is  regarded  rather  as  an 
expression  of  contempt  than  of  admiration. 
— Snorting  Times. 

The  allusion  is  to  a  grating 
noise  like  that  produced  by 
rasping. 

Raspberry  tart  (American),  a  nice 
dainty  girL 

Raspberry  tart,  with  a  little  poke  bonnet, 
And  a  great  big  bunch  of  thingamies  upon 

it, 
With  a  pinafore  dress  that  was  just  the 

thing, 
And  a  little  pug  dog  at  the  end  of  a  string. 
— Broadside  Ballad. 

Rasper  (Stock  Exchange),  a  big 
"  turn,"  i.e.,  a  large  profit  on  a 
bargain. 

Raspin  (old  cant),  the  bridewell. 
So  called  from  the  task  there  of 
raspiDg  wood. 

Rasping  shorter  (cricketers),  a 
ball  which  swiftly  slides  along 
the  ground  when  knocked  off  by 
the  bat,  instead  of  rebounding. 

Rat  (old  cant),  a  clergyman. 
"Ratichon"  is  a  very  common 
slang  name  for  a  priest  in 
France.  (Common),  a  sneak, 
informer,  turncoat.  Also  an  ab- 
breviation of  water-ra£.  (Nau- 
tical), an  infernal  machine  for 
blowing  up  insured  ships  for  the 
purpose  of  defrauding  ship  in- 
surance companies. 

There  are  two  species  of  rats.  One 
species  is  intended  to  operate  upon  iron 
ships,  the  other  upon  wooden  ones. — 
Times. 


(Printers),  a  workman  that 
accepts  work  or  wages  at  un- 
fair rates — not  paid  according 
to  the  existing  scale  of  prices 
recognised  in  the  locality. 

Rat  house,  rat  shop  (printers),  an 
office  where  unfair  wages  are 
paid — the  employe's  being  called 
"rats,"  or  "furry  tails." 

Rats  (popular),  to  "  give  a  person 
green  rats  "  is  to  backbite  him. 
"  To  be  in  the  rats,"  to  be  suf- 
fering from  drink;  to  have  or 
see  rats,  the  incipient  stage 
of  delirium  tremens  (see  Zola's 
VAssommoir).  (Common),  "to 
have  rats  in  one's  garret,"  to  be 
soft-brained,  silly,  or  idiotic. 

"Say,  mimmaw,"  Miss  Arethusa  re- 
marked, "  what's  gettin'  into  you  lately. 
You've  got  rats  in  your  garret,  haven't 
you  ?  " 

"  No,  I  haven't  anny  rats  in  me  garret, 
ur  in  me  brain,  aither,  me  foine  lady,"  said 
the  widow  indignantly. — New  York  Mer- 
cury. 

(American),  "  to  have  rats,"  to 
have  wild  or  eccentric  fancies  ; 
a  synonym  for  "  rams,"  or  other 
animals  seen  by  men  with  deli- 
rium, tremens. 

The  word  rat  stands  as  an  opprobrious 
epithet  applied  to  persons  suddenly  chang- 
ing their  opinions.  Hence  the  term  "  rat- 
ted," which  has  become  so  common  in  late 
years.  Sir  Robert  Peel  seems  to  have  been 
the  first  noted  person  to  whom  the  term  rat  • 
was  applied,  and  he  brought  the  epithet 
upon  himself  by  changing  his  opinions 
on  Catholic  Emancipation.  Some  of  our 
Western  editors  use  the  word  rats  in  a  way 
unknown  to  M.  Barrere.  For  example,  if 
one  editor  takes  a  flippant  view  of  what 
another  regards  as  a  grave  question,  the 
latter  at  once  declares  that  "ourcontem- 


172 


Ratted — Rawn  ie. 


porary  has  rats;"  and  sometimes  it  will 
be  added  that  "he  has  got  them  bad." 
Dennis  Kearney,  of  Sand  Lots  fame,  wrote, 
some  years  ago,  of  a  certain  California 
capitalist  whom  he  described  as  a  "  slab- 
sided,  bung-eyed  hyena,"  and  he  said  also 
that  the  capitalist  had  rats. — C.  Lelaiid 
Harrison:  MS.  Collection  of  American- 
isms. 

Ratted  (common),  applied  to  a 
"rat,"  i.e.,  a  turncoat. 

Rattled,  to  get  (American),  to 
become  nervous,  shaky,  to  lose 
presence  of  mind. 

Anarchist  August  Vincent  Theodor  Spies 
was  the  next  witness.  Spies  was  a 
failure.  He  got  rattled.  He  was  ner- 
vous and  fidgety  while  trying  to  be 
smart,  and  both  in  his  manner  and  in  his 
damaging  admissions  he  was  the  worst 
witness  the  defence  has  yet  called. — Chi- 
cago Tribune. 

She  lifted  up  another  shovelful,  but  the 
exertion  caused  her  to  slip,  and  she  got 
rattled. — Detroit  Free  Press. 

Rattler  (old  cant),  a  coach. 
(Thieves),  a  railway  train. 

As  soon  as  he  got  round  a  double,  I 
guyed  away  to  Maiden,  and  touched  for 
two  wedge  teapots,  and  took  the  rattler 
to  Waterloo.  —  Horsley :  Jottings  front 
Jail. 

(American),  a  neck-tie.  It  is 
a  very  curious  coincidence  that 
so  far  back  as  1831  a  comic 
writer  spoke  of  a  very  great 
swell  as  one  who 

"  Is  on  fashion  leading-tattler, 
And  his  tie's  a  real  rattler" 

and  that  recently  in  America 
cravats  are  made  of  rattlesnakes' 
skins. 

Rattle,  to  give  the  (American 
thieves),  to  talk  to  a  man  so  as 


to  divert  his  attention,  as,  for 
instance,  while  robbing  him. 
To  confuse  by  talking. 

"  Give  him  the  rattle  with  your  mouth 
all  the  time  you're  working  him,"  said  Mr. 
Sutton.  "  Tell  him  he  mustn't  fall  asleep 
in  a  public  place. " — Confidence  Crooks  : 
Philadelphia  Press. 

Rattling  (general),  jolly,  excel- 
lent, smart,  as  rattling  bait, 
first-class  food,  excellent  eating. 

That's  my  plan.  Give  'em  bumping 
weight  (with  the  little  finger  in)  and  shout, 
"There  you  are,  all  that  lot  for  tuppence, 
it's  rattling  bait ! "  and  they  swallers  it  like 
jam. — 5".  May:  Hurrah  for  a  Coster's 
Life! 

Rattling  gloke  (old  cant),  a  coach- 
man. 

Rat-trap  (popular),  a  woman's 
bustle. 

Rawg  (tinker),  a  waggon.  , 

Raw  lobsters  (common),  a  nick- 
name at  one  time  applied  to 
policemen.  It  was  originated 
about  fifty  years  ago  by  the 
Weekly  Despatch,  and  was  de- 
rived from  the  blue  coats  of  the 
then  new  force.  Soldiers  had 
previously  been  called,  and  were 
then  known,  as  lobsters,  from 
their  red  coats,  and  as  when 
caught  and  previous  to  boiling 
a  lobster  is  of  a  dark  bluish 
hue,  the  policemen  were  called 
raw  lobsters  to  distinguish  them 
from  soldiers. 

Rawnie.  This  word,  according 
to  Hotten,  is  the  gypsy  for  a 
young  woman.    It  has,  however, 


Rawnie — Ready-gilt. 


173 


no  such  meaning  in  Romany, 
where  it  is  invariably  applied  to 
a  lady.  From  the  Hindustani 
ranee,  a  queen. 

"  Dui  Romany  dials  were  bitchadey  pardel, 
Bitchadey  parlo  boro  panl. 
Platos  for  kaurin, 
Lasho  for  chorin, 
The  putsl  avri  a  boro  rawnee  " — 
"  Two  gypsies  were  transported,  trans- 
ported across  the  great  water,  Plato  for 
pilfering,    Lewis  for  stealing  the  pocket 
from  a  great  lady." 

Rawniel,  runniel  (tinker),  beer. 
Tripo-rauniel,  a  pot  of  beer. 

Razor  (American  University),  a 
pun. 

Many  of  the  members  of  this  time- 
honoured  institution,  from  whom  we  ought 
to  expect  better  things,  not  only  do  their 
own  shaving  but  actually  make  their  own 
razors.  But  I  must  explain  for  the  bene- 
fit of  the  uninitiated.  A  pun  in  the 
elegant  college  dialect  is  called  a  razor, 
while  an  attempt  at  a  pun  is  styled  a  sick 
razor.  The  sick  ones  are  by  far  the  most 
numerous ;  however,  once  in  a  while  you 
meet  with  one  in  quite  respectable  health. 
—  Vale  Literary  Magazine. 

Reacher  (pugilistic),  a  blow. 

And  our  pugilistic  hero  felt  his  courage  go 
to  zero 
When    the    stranger    started    making 
matters  snug, 
By  landing  sundry  reackers  on  our  hero's 
classic  features — 
Or,  in  plainer  phraseology,  his  "mug." 
— Sporting  Times. 

Reach-me-downs,  hand- 
me-downs  (common),  clothes 
bought  at  second-hand  shops. 
In  French  "  de'drochez-moi  9a." 
The  phrase  has  now  the  more 
extended    meaning    of    ready- 


made    articles    as    opposed  to 
those  made  to  order. 

Read  and  write  (thieves'  rhyming 
slang),  flight.     Also  to  fight. 

Reader  (thieves  and  tinker),  a 
letter,  book,  newspaper. 

He  rubbed  his  hands  so  strongly  on  a 
man's  body  that  anything  in  the  shape  of 
a  piece  of  thread,  a  pencil,  or  a  bit  of 
reader  (newspaper)  could  be  discovered, 
but  he  never  looked  at  the  handkerchief 
which  was  dangled  loosely  between  the 
thumb  and  forefinger. — Evening  News. 

Also  a  pocket-book. 

"Agreed,"  replied  the  tinker;  "but 
first  let's  see  wot  he  has  got  in  hispockets." 

"  Vith  all  my  'art,"  replied  the  sandman, 
searching  the  clothes  of  the  victim.  "  A 
reader  I — I  hope  it's  well  lined." — A  ins. 
worth:  Auriol. 

(Tinkers),  "  you're  readered 
sooblee,"  you  are  put  in  the  Police 
Gazette,  my  man ;  there  is  a  de- 
scription of  you  published. 

Read,  to  (Stock  Exchange),  to 
try  to  ascertain  by  the  expres- 
sion of  a  man's  features  what 
his  intentions  are. 

Ready  (common),  money.  Also 
ready  stuff. 

While    limiting    expenses    in    this    true 

Arcadian  way, 
He  borrowed  all  the  ready  which  at  her 

disposal  lay, 
Promising  the  loan  he   would   infallibly 
repay — 

Smother  time. 

—Bird  0'  Freedom. 

Ready-gilt  (thieves  and  popular), 
money.     Vide  Gilt. 


174 


Readying — Red. 


Readying  (turf),  explained  by 
quotation. 

Do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  don't 
know  what  was  meant  by  readying  Suc- 
cess?— Of  course  I  know  what  it  means. 
It  means  pulling. — Standard.  * 

Ready-reckoners,  the  Highland 
regiments  of  the  British  army 
(Hotten). 

Ready  thick  'un  (thieves  and 
others),  a  sovereign. 

To  his  appetite  still  royal,  he  soon  stormed 

the  Cafe  Royal, 
Where  he  blewed  a  ready  thick  'un  on 

some  dinner. 

— Sporting  Times. 

Real  jam.     Vide  Jam. 

"  She's  real  jam,  she  is,  by  Jove!" — so 
said  the  Johnny,  as  he  strove 
To  make  the  very  most  of  his  position  ; 
For  though  he  in  the  front  row  sat,  his 
opera-glass  was  levelled  at 
The  tasty  choregraphic  exhibition. 
— Sporting  Times. 

Ream  (theatrical),  good.  From 
ream,  cream,  a  synonym  for 
anything  unusually  good. 

Swetter  than  ani  milkes  rem.  —  Leg. 
Catholic,  13th  century. 

"  Beaming,"  getting  on  well. 

Reckoning  up  (common),  talking 
of,  usually  in  a  slanderous 
manner. 

It  was  in  the  dressing-room,  and  they 
were  reckoning  up  an  absent  friend  in  a 
manner  peculiar  to  the  profession. 

"  How  anybody  can  consider  her  an 
actress,"  sneered  Tottie,  "  I'm  sure  I  can't 
imagine.  And  yet  she  has  the  temerity  to 
call  herself  an  artist ! " 

"And  why  not,  dear?"  said  Lottie. 
"I'm  sure  she  paints  very  nicely  1" — 
Sporting  Times. 


Red  (thieves),  gold ;  a  red  kettle, 
red  clock,  red  'un,  a  watch  (red 
'un,  also  a  sovereign).  Med 
tackle,  gold  chain.  The  word 
red,  signifying  gold,  is  also 
stage  slang.  Same  in  Icelandic. 
(American),  a  cent. 

Red  eel  (West  American),  an 
abusive  term. 


"Stranger,"    said    I,     "you're 
eel!  " — Crockett's  Almanac. 


red 


Red  flannel  (popular),  the  tongue. 

Red  fustian  (popular),  port  wine. 

Redge,  ridge  (thieves),  gold. 
Probably  from  red,  which  see. 

Red  herring  (popular),  a  soldier. 
"  The  terms,"  says  Hotten,  "  are 
exchangeable,  the  fish  being 
often  called  a  soldier." 

Red  kettle.     Vide  Kettle. 

"  What  did  you  earn  on  an  average  by 
your  trade  as  a  thief?" 

"  Generally  from  two  to  three  pounds  a 
week  clear.  You  see,  I  laid  myself  out  for 
picking  pockets,  and  I  generally  got  two 
or  three  'red  kettles'  a  week." 

"What  is  a  red  kettle?"  I  inquired, 
feeling  ashamed  of  my  ignorance. 

"A  redkettleis  a  gold  watch. " — Evening 
News. 

Red  lane  (common),  the  throat. 

Red  liner  (beggars),  an  officer  of 
the  Mendicity  Society. 

Red  rag  (popular),  the  tongue,  also 
"red  flannel."  In  French  slang 
"  le  chiffon  rouge." 

Bah,  Peter !  your  red  rag  will  never  be 
still. — Beaconsjield:  Venetia. 


Redraw^Remedy. 


175 


Redraw  (prison),  back-slang  for 
warder. 

Oh,  I  know  now!  It  was  for  shying  a 
lump  of  wet  oakum  at  the  redraw. — ■/. 
Greenwood :  Low  Life  Deeps. 

Red  ribbon  (thieves),  brandy. 
Red  'un  (thieves),  a  sovereign. 

She    observed,   "You'll    give    me    some- 
thing— won't  you,  kid  ?  " 
So  the  youth,  her  wish  obeying,  placed 
a  coin  down — gently  saying — 
"There's  a  red'un — or  in  other  words  'a 
quid ! ' " 

— Sporting  Times. 

Also  a  watch. 

Red,  white,  and  blue  (popular), 
a  stew  made  up  of  various  in- 
gredients. 

Reefing  (thieves),  drawing  with 
the  fingers.  "Reefing  up  into 
work,"  is  drawing  up  the  pocket 
until  the  portemonnaie  or  purse 
is  within  reach  of  the  fingers. 

Reeler  (thieves),  a  policeman. 
From  his  rolling  gait  when 
sauntering  about. 

One  of  my  pals  said,  "  There  is  a  reeler 
over  there  who  knows  me,  we  had  better 
split  out." — Horsley:  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Reesbin  (tinker),  prison. 

Refresher,  a  fee  paid  to  a 
barrister  daily  in  addition  to 
his  retaining  fee,  to  remind  him 
of  the  case  intrusted  to  his 
care  (Dr.  Brewer). 

Regimental  fire  (military),  mean- 
ing gathered  from  quotation. 


The  usual  loyal  toasts  were  drunk  with 
much  enthusiasm  and  honoured  with 
regimental  fire. — Standard. 

Regulars  (thieves),  a  thief's  share 
of  the  spoil. 

They  were  quarrelling  about  the  regu- 
lars.— Times. 

Reign,  to  (Australian  prison),  to 
be  at  liberty.  "A  wire  never 
,reigns  long,"  a  pickpocket  is 
not  long  without  being  appre- 
hended. 

Reliever,  a  coat  worn  in  turn  by 
any  party  of  poor  devils  whose 
wardrobes  are  in  pawn  (Hotten). 

Relieving  officer  (University),  a 
father. 

Religious  (Texas),  quiet,  good.  It 
is  amusing  to  hear  a  Texan  ask 
when  about  to  purchase  a  horse, 
"  Is  he  religious  ?  "  Generally  a 
mustang  is  anything  but  that.  It 
means,  Is  he  free  from  vice  ?  and 
as  Texan  horses  are  notorious 
for  sulking  and  kicking,  the  in- 
quiry seems  a  trifle  superfluous. 

Remedy  (Winchester  School), 
(quasi  dies  remissionis),  on  Tues- 
day or  Thursday.  If  there  was 
any  reasonable  excuse,  prefect 
of  hall  used  to  go  up  to  the 
doctor  after  chapel  and  asked 
if  they  might  have  a  remedy. 
If  this  was  granted  the  doctor 
gave  him  a  ring  (remedy  ring), 
and  there  was  a  half-holiday, 
except  that  all  who  had  not 
studied  had  to  sit  in  hall  from 
9  to  11  A.M.    There  is  still  a 


176 


Remedy — Rhino. 


remedy  every  Thursday  in  cloister 
time.  There  used  formerly  to 
be  a  remedy  every  Tuesday  and 
Thursday,  now  there  is  only  a 
half  rem. 

A  holiday  at  Winchester  is  termed  a 
remedy  ..."  remiday,"  i.e.,  remission 
day. — Pascoe :  Our  Public  Schools. 

Remi  (Westminster  School),  re- 
mission from  tasks. 

Renovator  (tailors),  one  who  does 
repairs. 

Rent  (old  cant),  to  collect  the 
rent,  to  rob  travellers  on  the 
highway.  A  rent  collector,  a 
robber  of  money  only. 

Reptile  (American  cadet),  a  new 
cadet. 

Re-raw,  to  be  on  the  (popular), 
to  be  on  a  prolonged  drunken 
spree. 

Respun  (tinker),  to  steal. 

Resurrection  (tailors),  the  warm- 
ing up  of  some  previous  leaving. 

Resurrection  pie  (common),  a  pie 
supposed  to  be  made  of  scraps 
and  leavings. 

Ret  (printers),  a  pressman  or  ma 
chine-minder  terms  the  second 
side  of  a  sheet  or  "  reiteration  " 
thus. 

Retree  (printers),  a  term  derived 
from  the  French  retrU,  picked 
again,  and  used  by  printers 
and  stationers  to  denote  out- 
side or  bad  sheets  in  a  ream. 


An  equivalent  perhaps  to  the 
old  term  "Cassie"  paper,  quoted 
by  Moxon,  1683.  The  term  is 
indicated  by  stationers  by  two 
crosses  (  x  x  ). 

Returned  empty  (clerical),  Un- 
charitable name  for  retired 
colonial  bishops  of  the  class 
that  the  late  Bishop  Blomfield 
described  as  forming  the  "Home 
and  Colonial "  Episcopate. 

Revelation  (American),  to  have 
a  revelation,  to  take  a  drink.  A 
phrase  invented  by  C.  F.  Browne. 

Smith  did  a  more  flourishing  business 
in  the  prophet  line  than  Brigham  Young 
does.  Smith  used  to  have  his  little  reve- 
lation almost  every  day — sometimes  two 
before  dinner.  Brigham  Young  only  takes 
one  once  in  a  while. — Artemus  Ward: 
Brigham  Young. 

Will  you  have  a  revelation,  Mr.  Jones, 
an  outpouring  of  the  spirit — Monongahela 
or  brandy — I've  got 'em  both? — S.  Courier: 
Hard  and  Fast. 

Reviver  (common),  a  drink,  a 
"  pick-me-up  "  or  stimulant. 

It  was  but  twelve  o'clock,  and  therefore 
early  for  revivers  of  any  sort. — The  Golden 
Butterfly. 

Reward  (kennel),  dogs'  or  hounds' 
supper.  Also  the  blood  and  en- 
trails of  the  objects  of  chase. 

R'ghoglin,  gogh'leen  (tinker),  to 
laugh. 

Rhino  (common),  money, 

Why  gold  and  silver 

Should  be  christened  rhino. 

As  I'm  a  sinner, 
Blow  me  tight  if  I  know. 

— Punch. 


Rhino — Rib-roaster. 


177 


If  my  rhino  had  lasted  longer  I  might 
have  got  into  worse  company  still. — Green- 
wood:  Odd  People  in  Odd  Places. 

The  word  rhino  can  be  traced 
back  to  the  restoration  of 
Charles  II.  The  Seaman's  Adieu, 
an  old  ballad  dated  1670,  has  the 
following : — 

Some  as  I  know 
Have  parted  with  their  ready  rino. 

Dr.  Brewer  suggests  that  it 
came  from  the  German  rinos,  a 
nose,  alluding  to  the  Swedish 
nose-tax.  Other  suggested  de- 
rivations are  the  Scottish  rino 
and  the  Spanish  rintn,  meaning 
kidney;  "  tener  cubierto  el 
ri&dn"  signifies  to  be  wealthy. 
Again  it  may  have  been  coined 
from  the  phrase,  "  to  pay 
through  the  nose,"  i.e.,  to  pay  a 
high  price. 

"  Probably  as  a  Yorkshire  and 
Northern  word  from  the  Scan- 
dinavian or  Danish  ren  or  reno, 
fine,  brilliant,  shining;  a  com- 
mon synonym  in  every  language 
for  money,  as  the  'shiners.' 
In  the  Icelandic  Skaldespraket, 
or  poets'  language  (a  part  of  the 
Edda),  the  word  Rhine  (Rhen- 
floden)  is,  however,  given  as  one 
of  the  twenty  terms  for  gold, 
because  the  great  treasure  of 
the  Nibelungen  lies  in  it "  (C.  G. 
Leland:  Notes). 

Rhinoceral,  rich.    Vide  Rhino. 

Thou  shah  be  rhinoceral,  my  lad,  thou 
shalt. — Shadwell:  Squire  of  Alsatia. 

Rhyme -slinger,  a  vulgar  term  for 
a  poet. 
VOL.  II. 


"  Poetic  license,"  said  Doss  Chiderdoss> 
"  is  all  very  well,  but  you  have  to  pay  for 
it  now  and  again." 

"  Exactly,"  observed  Miss  Park  Palings. 
"  I  suppose  you  have  to  take  out  a  license 
the  same  as  you  do  for  dogs." 

But  the  highly  indignant  rhyme-slinger 
had  rushed  off  to  Yaughan's  to  get  a  stoup 
of  liquor. — Sporting  Times. 

Rib  (popular),  a  wife ;  of  Biblical 
origin. 

Rib  bender  (pugilistic),  a  violent 
blow  in  the  ribs. 

If  it  had  killed  the  man,  he  deserved  it, 
the  rough  fellow.  I  afterwards  heard  that 
it  was  some  time  before  he  recovered  the 
rib-benderhe  got  from  the  fat  show-woman. 
— Hindley :  Life  and  Adventures  of  a 
Cheap  Jack. 

Ribbers  (pugilistic),  blows  in  the 
ribs. 

Yet,  sprightly  to  the  scratch  both  buffers 

came, 
While  ribbers  rung  from  each  resounding 

frame. 

—  Thomas  Moore:  Works. 

Ribbon  (popular),  gin  or  other 
spirits.     Vide  Red  Ribbon. 

Ribbons  (common),  the  reins ;  to 
handle  the  ribbons,  to  drive. 

Rib-roaster,  colloquially  a  rap 
across  the  body  at  singlestick. 
Much  resorted  to  in  the  old 
cudgelling  or  "  backswording  " 
play  for  the  purpose  of  trying 
to  bring  the  opponent's  guard 
down,  and  thus  obtain  an  open- 
ing at  his  head.    An  old  term. 

And  he  departs,  not  meanly  boasting 
Of  his  magnificent  rib-roasting: 

— Hudibras. 
M 


i;8 


Rice-bags — Rig. 


(Pugilistic),  a  smart  blow  in 
the  ribs. 

There's  a  regular  rib-roaster  for  you  ! 
— C.  Bcde ;  Verdant  Green. 

Rice-bags  (popular),  trousers. 

Richard  (schools),  a  dictionary. 
From  the  abbreviation  die  (Dick) 
of  dictionary. 

Ricochet  (American  cadet),  gay, 
splendid. 

Ridgecully  (old  cant),  a  goldsmith. 
From  ridge,  gold,  and  cully,  man. 

Riding  on  the  cheap.  Vide  Dtjck, 
Doing  a. 

Riding  the  donkey  (thieves), 
cheating  in  weight. 

Rig  (booksellers).  H.  J.  ■  Byron 
says  a  rig  is  a  term  which 
signifies  in  the  book  trade  a 
sale  by  auction,  where  the  lots 
are  "  missed  "  by  the  proprietor 
or  proprietors.  And  a  leading 
bookseller  says  that  these  rigs 
have  now  (1868)  become  a  re- 
cognised feature  in  the  business. 
Rig  is  good  English  for  sportive 
trick,  lively  frolic,  bit  of  mis- 
chief. The  rig  in  auction  sales 
is  a  trick  by  which  the  dealers 
agree  not  to  bid  against  one 
another,  buy  low,  and  resell  by 
a  mock  auction  called  "knock 
out."  A  man  is  said  to  have  the 
rig  run  upon  him  when  he  has 
to  undergo  a  number  of  false 
imputations. 

Right  as  rain  (popular),  quite 
right,  safe,  comfortable. 


There  was  six  of  us  took  the  rattler  at 
King's  Cross  by  the  first  train  in  the 
morning,  and  we'd  got  three  briefs  and  a 
old  'un  with  the  date  sucked  off— right  as 
rain  we  was  !  We  got  a  kerridge  all  to 
ourselves,  nice  and  comfortable. — Sporting 
Times. 

Right  man  (tailors),  the  workman 
who  makes  the  right  forepart, 
and  finishes  the  coat. 

Right  smart  (American),  a  "  right 
smart  of  work,"  a  large  amount 
of  work ;  the  phrase  is  further 
explained  by  the  following  quo- 
tation. 

Mayor  Hewitt  has  laid  out  what  they 
call  in  the  far  West  "  a  right  smart  of 
work,"  and  it  will  be  interesting  to  see 
what  the  less  energetic  aldermen  are  going 
to  do  about  it. — New  York  Times. 

Right    smart    chance,   many, 
much,  a  good  occasion. 

Rights,  to  (thieves),  to  have  one 
to  rights,  to  be  even  with  him. 
"You  are  to  rights  this  time," 
there  is  a  clear  case  against  you. 

Right  up  to  the  handle  (Ameri- 
can), thoroughly ;  "  he  is  a  good 
fellow  up  to  the  handle." 

Rigs  (popular),  clothes.  From 
the  expression  "to  rig  out,"  "to 
rig  up,"  which  see. 

I  fancy  that  the  style  is  neat, 
Look  at  my  tile,  and  twig  my  feet, 
With  rigs  like  mine  you  seldom  meet, 
Eh!  Rather! 
— //.  Jtoss :  Tho  Husband's  Boat. 

Rig,  to  (Stock  Exchange),  to  un- 
duly inflate  a  security  by  fair 
means  or  foul.  (Mercantile), 
to  rig  the  market,  to  play  tricks 


Rig — Ring. 


179 


so  as  to  defraud  purchasers. 
(Popular),  "to  rig  out,"  "to 
rig  up,"  to  dress.  From  a  sea 
phrase.  Given  as  good  English 
by  some  dictionaries,  but  chiefly 
used  by  slang-talking  people. 

Tom  and  I  sent  out  all  our  own  clothes 
to  pawn,  so  as  to  rig  up  a  seedy  toff 
(handle  to  his  name  and  all)  and  send  him 
in  to  bet,  while  we  ourselves  spent  the  day 
in  bed  without  a  pair  of  breeches  between 
us. — Sporting  Times. 

Rikker,  rik  (gypsy),  to  carry, 
keep,  retain.  Rikker  adr6  0 
sherro,  to  remember. 

"Rikker  lis  adr^  tiro  kdkeros  zi  te  ke- 
kno'll  jin  lis" — "  Keep  it  in  your  own  soul 
and  nobody  will  know  it." 

"Rikker  yer  noki  trushnees" — "Carry 
your  own  baskets."— Gypsy  Proverbs. 

Rinder  (University),  an  outsider. 
Used  at  Queen's.        ^ 

Ring  (American),  a  combination 
of  financiers,  manufacturers,  or 
politicians,  formed  to  advance 
their  own  interests,  and  very 
often  to  rob  the  public.  Thus 
the  object  of  the  great  whisky 
ring,  a  coalition  of  distillers,  was 
to  evade  the  revenue  laws. 

Take  the  case  of  New  York  City,  with 
its  enormous  revenues,  by  way  of  illustra- 
tion. The  political  rings  and  gangs  year 
after  year  despoil  that  revenue  so  that 
there  is  little  or  nothing  to  show  for  it. 
■The  helpless  taxpayers  are  systematically 
robbed,  and  the  financial  administration 
of  the  city  and  county  is  rotten  with  cor. 
ruption. — American  Newspaper. 

This  term  is  now  common 
in  England.  Formerly  to  go 
through  the  ring,  to  take  ad- 


vantage of  the  Insolvency  Act, 
or  to  be  "  whitewashed." 

Ring-dropper.  Vide  Ring-deop- 
ping. 

Tom's  evil  genius  did  not  .  .  .  mark 
him  out  as  the  prey  of  ring-droppers,  pea 
and  thimble-riggers,  duffers,  louters,  or 
any  of  those  bloodless  sharpers. — Dickens  : 
Martin  Ckuzzlewit. 

Ring-dropping  (thieves),  offering 
for  sale  to  a  passer-by  a  brass 
ring,  or  other  spurious  article, 
alleged  to  have  been  found  just 
in  front  of  the  intended  victim, 
or  scraping  acquaintance  with  a 
stranger  by  asking  him  if  he  is 
the  owner  of  a  ring  which  the 
sharper  pretends  to  have  picked 
up. 

Ringing  the  horse-shoes  (tailors), 
a  welcome  to  a  man  who  has 
been  out  boozing  or  drinking. 

Ring  in,  to  (American),  to  ring 
in,  to  force  or  insinuate  oneself 
into  company  where  one  is  not 
wanted,  or  to  which  one  does 
not  belong.  It  is  applied  to 
getting  the  better  of  in  almost 

•  every  sense.  Probably  from  the 
English  "ringing  the  changes." 
Also  to  ring  into.  The  term  was 
about  1845  generally  associated 
with  Beau  Hickman,  a  notorious 
low  adventurer  who  made  it 
popular.  (Cardsharpers),  to  ring 
in,  to  add  surreptitiously  or 
substitute  cards  in  a  pack. 

The  gang  disappeared  with."  the  spoil," 
and  when  the  cards  were  counted  sixty 
over  the  usual  number  were  found  to  have 
been  rung  in. — Sporting  Times. 


i8o 


Ring — Rinse. 


To  ring  in  a  cold  deck,  to 
substitute  a  fresh  pack,  in  which 
the  cards  are  prearranged. 

One  day  he  got  half-a-dozen  tinhorn 
gamblers  together,  and  between  them  they 
rung  in  a  cold  deck  in  a  faro-box. — F. 
Francis :  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Ringster  (American),  a  member 
of  a  noisy  clique,  political  or 
otherwise,  whose  object  is  to 
profit  its  members  at  public 
expense. 

The  Coast  Survey  Bureau  .  .  .  has  been 
a  nest  for  ringsters  for  the  last  four  or  five 
years. — A  merican  Newspaper. 

Ring-tail  (military),  a  recruit. 

Ring-tailed  roarer  (American). 
At  first  a  "coon"  was  a  great 
compliment  to  a  pretentious, 
or  brave,  or  indomitable  man, 
then  ring-tail,  from  the  rings  of 
light  grey  and  grey  black  which 
are  so  prominent  on  the  tail  of 
the  racoon. 

You're  the  ring-tailed  squealer — less 
Than  a  hundred  silver  dollars 
Won't  be  offered  you,  I  guess." 

— Ben  Gualtier. 

Ring,  to  (thieves),  to  steal,  by 
changing  such  articles  as  coats, 
saddles  at  fairs  and  markets,  &c. 
"  Ringing  the  changes,"  chang- 
ing bad  money  for  good,  or  de- 
frauding by  means  of  a  trick. 
Explained  by  quotation. 

The  prisoner  went  into  Simpson's  and 
called  for  a  glass  of  sherry,  in  payment  for 
which  he  gave  Miss  R a  half-sove- 
reign. She  handed  him  9s.  6d.,  where- 
upon he  said  that  he  had  some  silver,  and 
adding  a  sixpence  to  the  change  asked 
her  to  give  him  a  sovereign  for  that  and 
the  ten-shilling  piece,  which  she  did.    Late 


in  the  evening  he  came  again,  and  calling 
for  a  glass  of  whisky,  tried  on  the  same 
trick,  but  the  lady  gave  him  into  custody. 
— Daily  Telegraph. 

(Conjurors),  to  substitute  one 
object  for  another.  From  the 
slang  phrase  "ringing  the 
changes."  (Up-country  Aus- 
tralian), to  patrol  round  and 
round  cattle. 
You'll   have   to  ring  them.     Pass   the 

word  for  all  hands  to  follow  one  another 

in  a  circle. — A.  C.  Grant. 

(American),  to  make  a  noise, 
to  burst  out  with  turbulent 
conduct. 

Next  time  you  ring  I  am  coming  for 
you. — F.  Francis:  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Ring  up,  to  (up-country  Aus- 
tralian), to  patrol  round,  to 
keep  riding  round  and  round 
a  herd,  which  has  to  be  done 
when  they  are  unsteady,  and 
inclined  to  make  a  bolt  or 
stampede.  It  cows  the  cattle, 
who  imagine  that  they  are  sur- 
rounded, and  enables  the  stock- 
men to  see  where  mischief  is 
brewing. 

Gradually  they  drop  into  a  steadier  pace, 
and  at  last  with  panting  chests,  lolling-out 
tongues,  and  glaring  eyes,  are  driven  into 
a  mob  of  quiet  cattle,  which  are  found  feed- 
ing handy.  Ring  them  up.  Mix  them 
well  with  the  quiet  ones,  and  let  them 
stand  a  little. — A.  Grant:  Bush  Life  in 
Queensland. 

Rinkeno  rinkni,  rankini  (gypsy), 
pretty,  beautiful.  (Hindu,  rdn- 
gini,  gaily  coloured), 

Rinse  (society),  drink. 

I  suggested  that  something  ambrosial  we'd 
quaff, 
(The  rinse  t    Do  you  cotton  to  phiz  ?) 


Rip — Rise. 


181 


'Twas  Arcadia  for  nearly  a  day   and  a 
half. 
(Goodwood  winnings  squared  the  biz.). 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Rip  (old  cant),  "a  poor  devil." 
Dutch  slang,  gone,  lost.  J. 
Teirlinck  remarks  that  "  hij  is 
rip" — "he  is  rip,"  or  "gone," 
comes  naturally  from  the  R.  I.  P. 
of  the  tombstones.  (Common), 
a  rake.  Corruption  of  repro- 
bate, according  to  Hotten. 

Ripe  (old),  drunk. 

Rip,  let  it  (society),  let  matters 
follow  their  course,  go  to  the 
deuce.  From  an  American 
phrase  in  reference  to  a  steam- 
ship, "Let  her  rip,  I'm  insured," 
i.e.,  let  her  burst,  &c. 

Rip  out,  to  (American),  impati- 
ently giving  vent  or  expression 
to  one's  feelings  or  opinions,  to 
"  rap  out." 

When  brought  face  to  face  with  his 
opponent,  his  smarting  sense  of  injustice 
caused  him  to  rip  out  what  he  thought  of 
the  whole  matter. 

Ripper  (common).  A  ripper  may 
be  a  really  good  fellow,  a  very 
fast  horse,  a  good  play  or  part, 
in  short,  it  is  applied  to  any 
one  or  anything  superlatively 
good.  From  an  Americanism 
"  to  rip,"  to  go  at  a  great  pace, 
the  metaphor  being  in  an  asso- 
ciation of  ideas  between  speed 
and  excellence. 

Ripping  (common),  a  popular 
superlative  of  the  present  day. 


An  emphasising  term  to  express 
excellent,  pleasant,  amusing, 
charming,  elegant,  &c.  Vide 
Ripper. 

Why,  I've  been  a  thinkin'  on  yer  as 
bein'  dead  lots  and  lots  of  times,  old  Smiff, 
since  the  last  time  we  seed  you,  and  here 
you  are  dressed  rippin'.  —  The  Little 
Ragamuffins. 

"  Did  you  enjoy  the  Easter  festivals 
much?"  asked  the  poetess  of  the  widower. 

"Kipping,"  responded  the  bereaved. — 
Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Ripping  and  staving  along.  Vide 
Full  Drive. 

Rip,  to  (American),  to  tear  along 
headlong.  "  Ripping  and  tear- 
ing along  like  all  possessed." 
Commonly  heard  as  "Let  her 
rip !  "  As  it  implies  going  reck- 
lessly on  to  destruction,  it  has 
been  ingeniously  derived,  from 
the  letters  R.  I.  P.  (requiescat  in 
pace),  often  seen  on  gravestones. 
Also  to  swear,  curse. 

While  I  was  cooking  supper  the  old 
man  took  a  swing  or  two,  and  got  sort  of 
warmed  up,  and  went  to  ripping  again. — 
Adventures  of  Huckleberry  Finn. 

Rise  (common),  to  take  a  rise  out 
of  a  person  is  to  outwit,  quiz, 
or  make  him  the  subject  of  a 
jest.  A  metaphor  from  fly-fish- 
ing. 

Gig-lamps,  I  vote  we  take  a  rise  out  of 
the  youth.— C.  Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

According  to  the  author  of 
"  Sam  Slick,"  to  get  or  take  a 
rise  out  of  any  one  is  specially 
American ;  but  it  is  very  sel- 
dom heard  in  the  United  States, 
while  it  is  common  in  England. 


182 


Rise — Roast. 


It  means  simply  the  vulgar  and 
almost  obsolete  practice  of  quiz- 
zing, or  rendering  a  man  ridi- 
culous, sometimes  by  directly 
mortifying  him,  at  others  by 
drawing  him  out.  It  is  not 
to  be  found  in  Bartlett's  Dic- 
tionary of  Americanisms ;  but 
it  is  given  in  Hotten  as  Eng- 
lish, specially  as  Oxford  Uni- 
versity slang. 

Rise  a  barney,  to  (patterers, 
Punch  and  Judy),  to  collect  a 
crowd. 

River  rats,  men  who  plunder  the 
bodies  of  drowned  persons. 

"  It  pays  better,  if  a  man  has  got  the 
heart  to  do  it,  to  rob  a  body  and  let  it 
drift." 

"  Or  rob  it  first,  and  take  it  ashore 
afterwards  and  claim  the  reward,"  I  sug- 
gested. 

"  But  you'll  never  find  the  regular  rat 
doing  that,  unless  it  was  a  body  there  was 
a  reward  offered  for.  ...  If  it's  only  half- 
a-crown  they  find  in  the  pockets,  it's  best 
for  them  to  be  satisfied  with  that,  and  have 
no  more  to  do  with  it." — •/.  Greenwood: 
Rag,  Tag,  &  Co. 

Rivets  (popular),  money. 

Road  agents  (American),  high- 
waymen. 

They  went  up  into  Virginia,  and  formed 
a  band  of  sixty  or  seventy  road  agents,  or 
highwaymen. — O  Reilly :  Fifty  Years  on 
the  Trail. 

Roaf  (back-slang),  four ;  as  roaf 
gen,  four  shillings ;  roaf  yan- 
neps,  fourpence. 

Roam  on  the  rush,  to  (racing), 
is  said  of  a  jockey  who  does 


not  ride  well,  who  swerves  from 
the  straight  line  at  the  finish 
when  the  rush  takes  place. 

Roaring-boys,  an  old  term  still 
used  to  signify  a  boisterous, 
rowdy  gang. 

A  group  ot  roaring-toys  comes  staggering 
up  to  the  door. — Tkor  Fredur:  Sketches 
from  Shady  Places. 

Roaring  forties  (nautical),  a  term 
applied  by  sailors  to  the  degrees 
of  latitude  between  400  and  500 
N. — the  zone  of  storms  as  far  as 
the  Atlantic  is  concerned.  Also 
sometimes  applied  to  the  same 
latitudes  in  the  Southern  Sea. 

Roast  brown,  to  (thieves),  said  of 
a  detective  who  watches  a  man. 

I  was  taking  a  ducat  to  get  back  to  town 

(I  had  come  by  the  rattler  to  Dover), 
When  I  see  as  a  reeler  was  roasting-  me 
brown, 
And  he  rapped,  "  I  shall  just  turn  you 
over." 

— The  Referee. 

Roasting,  to  give  a  (thieves), 
to  watch  as  one  watches  meat 
which  is  being  roasted.  This 
seems  to  be  connected  with  the 
phrase  "to  give  hot  beef,"  to 
pursue. 

I  see  a  reeler  giving  me  a  roasting;  so 
I  began  to  count  my  pieces  for  a  jolly. — 
Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Roast,  to  (common),  to  expose  a 
person  to  a  running  fire  of  jokes 
for  the  amusement  and  with  the 
assistance  of  a  whole  company. 
(Hotten),  to  severely  take  to 
task. 


Roast — Rogue. 


183 


Another  letter  received  from  one  W.  T. 
Nelson,  of  Cleveland,  severely  roasts  both. 
— Daily  Inter-Ocean. 

(Thieves),  said  of  a  detective 
on  the  watch.  (Pugilistic),  to 
roast  the  ribs  is  to  strike  on  the 
sides. 

Robert  (common),  a  policeman. 
Also  Roberto. 

When  coroners  sit  upon  corpses  galore 
Of  people  who  killed  on  the  sly  are, 
The  guilt  of  one  person  is  well  to  the  fore, 

For  our  Roberts  so  terribly  fly  are. 
The  verdict  is  always  conclusive  enough, 

And  the  facts  in  a  nutshell  all  shown  are ; 
The  peelers  can  prove  in  ways  ready,  if 
rough, 
These  the  deeds  of  "  ajierson  unknown  " 
are. 

— George  R.  Sinis:  An  Awful 
Character. 

Robin  Red-breasts,  explained  by 

quotation. 

Officers  attached  to  the  Bow  Street 
police-office,  and  who  were  otherwise 
known  as  Bow  Street  "  runners,"  and 
sometimes,  from  their  scarlet  vests,  as 
Robin  Redbreasts. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Roby  Douglas  (nautical),  the 
posterior. 

Rock  bottom  (American),  pro- 
perly basis  or  foundation.  Also 
*'  hard  pan."  Metaphorically 
ruin. 

Other  freight  wars,  covering  much  less  ter- 
ritory than  the  present,  have  gone  to  rock 
bottom  before  any  attempt  has  been  made 
to  restore  rates. — American  Newspaper. 

Rock  bottom  dollar,  last  dollar. 

Rocked,  half  (popular),  half- 
witted; also,  "had  a  rock  too 
much." 

Rocker,  off  one's  (popular),  mad. 


Rocker,  to  (gypsy),  to  understand. 

Can  you  rocker  Romany, 
Can  you  patter  flash  ? 
— Hindley  :  Life  and  Adventures 
of  a  Cheap  Jack. 

Correctly  rdcker. 

Rock  of  eye  and  rule  of  thumb 
(tailors),  refers  to  doing  any- 
thing which  requires  scientific 
treatment  by  guesswork. 

Rocks  (American),  small  stones 
or  pebbles  are  called  rocks  in 
the  Southern  States. 

One  rash  philologist  essayed  to  prove 
that  "nugget"  was  simply  an  American 
corruption  of  the  word  "ingot;"  but  a 
Californian  digger  at  once  sternly  negatived 
this  idea  by  informing  Europeans  that  he 
had  handled  a  few  "  lumps"  of  gold,  and 
had  seen  some  sacks  full  of  rocks,  but  that 
"nuggets  "  had  never  been  heard  of  in  the 
auriferous  West  until  the  word  was  im- 
ported from  Australia. — Globe. 

The  term  is  used  in    some 
parts  of  England. 

Rock,  the  (army),  Gibraltar. 

Rocky  (popular),  bad,  queer, 
shaky.     Much  used  by  printers. 

"Just  my  usual  rocky  luck,"  groaned 
the  Conkster. — Smarting  Times. 

(Common),  tipsy. 

Roglan  (tinker),  a  four-wheeled 
vehicle. 

Rogue  and  pully  (thieves),  a  man 
and  woman  going  out  to  rob 
gentlemen. 

Rogue  and  villain  (thieves' 
rhyming  slang),  a  shilling. 


1 84 


Rogue's  yarn — Rom. 


Rogue's  yarn,  a  thread  of  red  or 
blue  worsted,  worked  into  the 
ropes  manufactured  in  the 
Government  dockyards,  to  iden- 
tify them  if  stolen  (Hotten). 

Roker  (schools),  a  ruler,  generally 
a  flat  one.  Scandinavian  rak, 
straight,  even.  On  the  east 
coast  a  skate  is  called  a  roker. 

Roller  (Oxford),  or  roll  call,  a 
substitute  for  compulsory  at- 
tendance at  chapel. 

Rollers  (Stock  Exchange),  United 
Rolling  Stock. 

Rolleys  (popular),  vehicles. 

Yet  you,  with  rolleys  and  the  like, 
No  sympathy  can  feel,  sir, 

But  dare  a  crushing  blow  to  strike 
Against  the  common-wheel,  sir  ! 
— Funny  Folks. 

Rolling  Joe  (old  cant),  a  smartly 
dressed  fellow.  Also  "flashy 
blade." 

Roll  of  snow  (thieves),  a 
piece  of  Irish  linen  (Ducange 
Anglicus). 

Roll  on  (Shrewsbury  School),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

Anything  approaching  swagger  is 
severely  rebuked ;  there  is  no  more  ob- 
jectionable quality  than  that  understood 
by  the  expression  "  He's  got  such  a  horrid 
roll  on." — Pascoe:  Everyday  Life  in  our 
Public  Schools. 

Roll  your  hoop  (tailors),  go  ahead, 
you  are  all  right. 

Rom  (gypsy),  a  gypsy,  one  of  the 
Romany  race.     The  etymology 


of  the  word  is  uncertain.  It 
would  appear  to  have  some 
affinity  to  the  Hindu  ram-na,  of 
Sanskrit  origin,  "to  roam." 
These  wanderers  are  now  gene- 
rally admitted  to  have  come 
from  Northern  India,  and  pro- 
bably a  mixture  of  the  Jat, 
Dom,  and  other  wanderers  who, 
being  driven  out  of  India,  about 
the  tenth  century  coalesced 
and  went  to  the  West. 

The  writer  believes  that  the 
ancestors  of  the  gypsies  must 
be  sought,  so  far  as  name  at 
least  is  concerned,  among  the 
Dom,  a  very  low  caste  in  India. 
But  in  the  north  of  India,  in 
the  hill  country,  there  are  the 
Domar  or  Dom  allied  to  them 
who  are  not  by  any  means  so 
degraded.  D  and  R  are  con- 
vertible in  Indian  tongues,  and 
doi,  a  wooden  spoon  in  Hindu, 
is  roy  in  gypsy.  The  writer  has 
met  with  a  Hindoo  who  de- 
clared that  he  once  belonged 
to  a  tribe  of  Indian  gypsies 
who  called  themselves  Rom. 
He  said  that  in  their  peculiar 
language  maro  or  man.ro  was 
bread.  This  is  the  word  for 
bread  in  all  gypsy  dialects,  but 
it  is  not  found  in  any  Indian 
tongue.  Mr.  Grierson,  however, 
following  the  indication  as  to 
the  Dom,  discovered  in  India 
that  among  the  Bihar  Doms, 
maro  means  wheat. 

1  As  mandy  was  pirryin'  pre  the  drom, 
I  dicked  the  patteran  of  a  Rom, 
Of  a  Romany  chal  as  I  did  know 
And  the  nav  o'  the  mush  'os  Petfilen- 
gro  "— 


Roman — Rook. 


185 


"  As  I  was  going  along  the  way 
I  saw  the  sign  where  a  gypsy  lay, 
Of  a  gypsy  man  whom  I  did  know, 
And  the  name  of  that  man  was  Petulen- 
gro." 

Roman  fall  (common),  another  of 
the  absurdities  of  posture  in 
walking  which  seem  to  run 
periodically  like  an  epidemic 
through  the  ranks  of  the  shal- 
low-witted  and  idle  members  of 
the  community.  It  consisted  in 
throwing  the  head  well  forward 
and  the  small  of  the  back  well 
in  while  walking, 

Romany  (gypsy  and  thieves),  a 
gypsy. 

And  here  I  am,  pals,  merry  and  free, 
A  regular  rollicking  romany. 

— A  insworth :  Rookwood. 

A  romany  rye,  a  gentleman 
who  talks  Romany,  who  asso- 
ciates with  gypsies,  and  is 
familiar  with  their  ways. 

Rome-vile,  Rum-ville  (old  cant), 
London. 

A  gage  of  ben  Rom -bouse 
In  a  bousing  ken  of  Rom-vile. 

—  The  Roaring  Girle. 

From  rum,  great  (which  see), 
and  French  ville;  or  old  Eng- 
lish vill,  a  village. 

Rook  (common),  a  cheat, 
cardsharper.  In  opposition  to 
"  pigeon,"  a  dupe.  John  Bee, 
in  his  dictionary  of  the  turf, 
ring,  &c,  gives  the  following 
definition  of  rooks  of  the  period 
— "  Fellows  about  gambling- 
houses  who  are  employed  in 
plucking  well- fledged  pigeons,  of 


every  quality,  from  the  thorough- 
paced gent  down  to  the  marker. 
They  may  be  engaged  either  in 
actual  play,  in  acting  the  con- 
federate, in  procuring  loans,  in 
forcible  robbery,  in  breaking 
the  pigeon's  neck  downstairs, 
or,  finally,  fighting  him  with 
pistols  by  way  of  finish. " 

Daincourt  would  fain  be  thought  both  wit 

and  bully, 
But  punk -rid   Radcliffe's  not  a  greater 

cully, 
Nor  tawdry  Isham,  intimately  known 
To  all  pox'd  whores,  and  famous  rooks  in 

town. 

— Earl  of  Rochester :  Works. 
The  papers  give  an  account  of  the 
"  International  pigeon  shooting  at  Monte 
Carlo."  This  is  very  curious.  We  should 
have  thought  that  there  were  no  "  pigeons" 
to  shoot  at,  considering  the  number  of  rooks 
there. — Funny  Folks. 

Also  a  clergyman.  In  French 
corbeau.  (Tailors),  a  very  badly- 
dressed  or  dirty  person. 

Rookery  (common,  formerly 
thieves'  cant),  thickly-populated 
courts  and  alleys  inhabited  by 
very  poor  people,  as  in  the  East 
End. 

He  owns  the  rookery  whence,  by  roguish 

sleight, 
From  bodily  ill  and  spiritual  blight 
Greed  sucks  a  rich  subsistence. 

— Punch. 

Rookey  (army),  a  recruit ;  from 
the  black  coat  some  of  them 
wear.     (Common),  rascally. 

Rook,  to  (common),  to  ease  a 
player  of  his  money;  without 
any  particularly  offensive  mean- 
ing.   Also  to  cheat. 


1 86 


Roorback — Rorty. 


Roorback  (American),  a  canard, 
a  humbug.  Chiefly  used  in 
politics.  Said  to  be  derived 
from  one  Rohrbach,  a  famous 
impostor. 

"  If  dey  say  a  candydate  am  all  right 
dat's  a  roorback;  if  dey  say  he  am  all 
wrong  dat's  anoder  ?  " 

"  Exactly."— Detroit  Free  Press. 

Roost  (common),  a  dwelling. 
Rooster  (American),  a  cock. 

Go  ahead !  cock-a-doodle-doo !  and  he 
crowed  like  a  real  live  rooster. — Sam 
Slick. 

(Old  cant),  queer  rooster,  a  per- 
son who  shams  sleep. 

Roosting  ken  (thieves),  lodging- 
house,  inn. 

Roost  over  one,  to  (American), 
to  get  the  better  of. 

Roost,  to  (common),  to  cheat. 
(Military),  explained  by  quota- 
tion. 

To  be  roosted  is  to  be  placed  under  ar- 
rest.— A.  Barrire:  Argot  and  Slang. 

Rooter  (popular),  anything  good 
or  of  first  quality. 

Rooti  (Indian  army),  soldiers  thus 
term  their  ration  bread.  Hindu 
roti,  bread. 

Root,  to  (schools  and  London),  to 
give  one  a  kick  behind. 

Ropes  (schools),  one  who  plays 
"half-back"  at  football.  (Nauti- 
cal), on  th'e  high  ropes,  angry. 
(Common),  to  know  the  ropes, 


to  be  conversant  with  the 
minutiae  of  metropolitan  dodges, 
as  regards  both  the  streets  and 
the  sporting  world  (Hotten). 

Rope,  to  (turf),  to  rope  one's 
horse,  to  hold  him  in  in  a  race 
in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  be 
perceptible  to  lookers-on.  This 
is  done  when  a  man  is  betting 
against  his  own  horse. 
Though  we  are  as  deaf  as  posts,  and  as 

dumb  as  the  jockey  with  orders  to  rope  his 

mount. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Ropper  (popular  and  thieves),  a 
comforter. 

Hulking,  heavy-jawed  gentlemen,  with 
a  great  deal  of  the  lower  part  of  the  face 
hidden  in  the  thick  folds  of  a  ropper,  and 
with  close-fitting  caps  and  seafaring- 
looking  jackets,  into  the  side  pockets  of 
which  the  hands  are  thrust  deep  as  the 
wrists,  as  though  in  guard  of  the  neat 
and  elegantly  finished  tools  of  his  trade 
— the  "jemmy,"  the  skeleton  keys,  the 
life-preserver. — Greenwood:  In  Strange 
Company. 

Rorty  (costermongers),  a  compli- 
mentary adjective  indicating 
rarity.  It  is  more  likely  to  have 
come  from  the  German  Jews, 
who  continually  speak  of  any- 
thing choice  as  a  roritat,  than 
from  the  English  rare. 

Still,  this  'ere  blooming  Hanarchy,  Char- 
ley, won't  do  at  no  figger,  dear  boy, 

A  bit  of  a  rorty  romp  round  in  the  open 
a  chap  can  enjoy, 

Butbrickbatsand  hoyster-knives?  Walker ! 
Not  on  in  that  scene,  mate,  not  me  ! 

And  a  bash  on  the  nob  with  a  baton  is  not 
my  idea  of  a  spree. 

— Punch. 

A  rorty  toff,  an  out-and-out 
swell    costermonger ;    a    rorty 


Rorty — Rot. 


187 


dasher,    a    fine    fellow,    great 
swell. 

Yah !  marriage  is  orful  queer  paper ;  it's 

fatal,  dear  boy,  as  you  say, 
It   damps   down  the   rortiest  dasher,   it 

spiles  yer  for  every  prime  lay. 
No;  gals  is  good  fun,  wives  wet  blankets, 

that's  wot  my  egsperience  tells, 
And  the  swells  foller  me  on  that  track, 

though  you  say  as  I  Toilers  the  swells. . 
— Punch. 

Rose  (Punch  and  Judy),  a  bitch. 

Rose  in  judgment  (tailors),  turned 
up. 

Roses  (Stock  Exchange),  Buenos 
Ayres  and  Rosario  Railway  Ordi- 
nary Stock. 

Rosh,  roush,  to  (Royal  Military 
Academy),  to  push  about,  to  in- 
dulge in  horseplay.  Probably 
from  rush.  Stop  roshing  also 
means  hold  your  noise,  hold 
your  jaw. 

Rosin  (popular),  beer  or  other 
drink  given  to  musicians.  This 
is  perhaps  derived  from  "rosin 
up,"  or  refresh  the  bow,  but  it 
may  be  observed  that  in  Dutch 
slang  ros  means  beer.  To  give 
rosin,  to  give  a  beating. 

Rosser,  rozzer  (thieves),  a  new 
term  for  a  detective.  From  the 
slang  term  to  "  roast,"  to  watch, 
or  more  probably  from  the 
French  rousse,  roussin,  a  detec- 
tive, police. 

It  was  stated  that  the  prisoner,  being  in 
Holborn,  and  seeing  a  detective  watching 
him,  called  out  to  a  companion,  "  There's  a 
rosser!"  The  term  is,  as  the  magistrate 
opined,  a  new  one.— The  Globe. 


"  Another  wrong  un,"  says  the  carman. 
"Hi,  Mr.  Grabham  1 " — and  up  walks  a 
rozzer  and  buckles  me  tight. — Sporting 
Times. 

Rosy  (common),  wine. 

In  the  attempt  to  be  picturesque,  the 
device  of  poetry  is  adopted,  and  an  object 
is  represented  not  by  the  ordinary  word 
representing  it,  but  by  some  epithet  or 
periphrasis.  Thus  wine  has  been  called 
the  rosy. — St.  James's  Gazette. 

Rotan  (old),  a  carriage  of  any 
kind,  originally  a  cart ;  Anglo- 
Saxon  ruotan.  "  Hence  Rotten 
Row,"  says  John  Bee. 

Rot  gut  (army),  the  cheapest, 
commonest,  and,  as  shown  by 
the  word  itself,  the  most  un- 
wholesome kind  of  drink. 
Termed  also  "  rotto."  In  Ame- 
rica rough  whisky. 

These  thieves  fuddling  about  in  the 
public-houses,  and  drinking  bad  spirits, 
and  punch,  and  such  rot-gut  stuff. — 
Hughes :  Tom  Brown's  School  Days. 

Rotten  (printers).  This  term  is 
used  to  denote  a  weak  or  uneven 
impression  in  the  printing  of  a 
sheet. 

Rotten  Row  (naval).  Men  in  the 
navy  say  of  an  unserviceable 
ship,  "  she  belongs  to  Rotten 
Row." 

Rot,  to  (common),  explained  by 
quotation.  From  rot,  rubbish, 
nonsense. 

She  kindly  introduced  me  to  the  expres- 
sions "chic,"  "too-too"  (which,  however, 
she  said,  were  now  obsolete) ;  the  verb  to 
rot,  which  she  explained  meant  to  humbug 
or  ballyrag. — St.  James's  Gazette. 


i88 


Rough — Round. 


Rot  was  originally  circus  and 
acrobats'  expression  for  any- 
thing bad. 

Rough  luck  (Royal  Military  Aca- 
demy), an  ejaculation  of  disap- 
pointment, meaning  "  no  luck. " 

Roughrider's  wash  tub  (army), 
the  barrack  water-cart,  so  called 
because  it  is  used  to  lay  the 
dust  in  riding-schools. 

Rouncher,  roncher  (American), 
a  word  expressing  something 
extreme,  powerful,  superlative, 
as,  for  instance,  a  violent  wrench 
or  blow.  Also  anything  large, 
fine,  or  remarkable.  Probably  a 
modification  of  the  old  English 
rounceval,  strong,  large,  to  which 
is  allied  the.  Northumberland 
roundge,  a  violent  push  or  blow, 
also  a  great  noise. 

Roundabout  (thieves),  a  female 
thief's  pocket,  which  encircles 
her  body  and  reaches  down  to 
theknees,  with  two  apertures.  It 
will  stand  an  ordinary  search — 
spoons,  a  watch,  or  money  sliding 
round  from  side  to  side  ;  and 
if  the  wearer  be  bulky,  much 
larger  articles  pass  undiscovered. 
Also  the  treadmill,  invented 
about  1823. 

Roundabout,  round  robin  (Ame- 
rican thieves),  an  instrument 
used  by  burglars  to  cut  a  large 
round  hole  into  an  iron  chest 
or  door.  It  is  said  to  have  been 
invented  by  a  noted  American 
burglar,  known  as  "  the  Doctor." 


Whenever  he  cut  a  disk  of  iron 
from  a  "safe,"  he  always  kept 
it,  and  when  he  was  finally 
arrested,  forty  or  fifty  of  these 
trophies  were  found  in  his  house. 

Round  betting  (turf),  those  who 
bet  upon  or  against  several 
horses  in  a  race  are  said  .to  bet 
round. 

Rounder  (American  thieves),  a 
man  who  hangs  around  faro- 
banks,  but  who  does  not  play. 
A  loafer  who  travels  on  his 
"  shape "  (i.e.,  trusts  to  dress 
and  personal  appearance),  and 
is  supported  by  a  woman,  but 
who  does  not  get  enough  money 
to  enable  him  to  play  faro. 
Gamblers  call  such  men  round- 
ers, outsiders,  loafers. 

Round  on,  to  (thieves  and  popu- 
lar), to  inform  on,  give  evidence 
against  a  comrade  oraccomplice, 
although  it  is  used  also  of  prison 
officials. 

Mary  Anne  rounded  on  her  royal  lover, 
and  made  the  most  damaging  statements 
against  him. — Ross's  Variety  Paper. 

Yesterday  the  news  was  announced  that 
one  of  the  men  arrested  had  rounded  on 
his  accomplices. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Perhaps  from  an  idea  of 
turning  round  upon  one  treach- 
erously, or  from  the  old  English 
to  round,  to  whisper,  a  corrupt 
form  of  roun  or  roune.  Anglo- 
Saxon  r&nian  (German  raunen), 
akin  to  Icelandic  r&n,  a  secret, 
a  whispering  (Rev.  A.  Smythe 
Palmer :  Folk  Etymology). 


Round — Rovers. 


189 


Round  *un  (popular),  an  unblush- 
ingly  given  and  well-propor- 
tioned lie  (Hotten). 

Round  up,  to  (West  American), 
gathering  sheep,  cattle,  or  pigs 
into  a  compact  flock  or  herd. 
The  metaphor  of  rounding  in 
the  sense  of  massing  is  very 
ancient.  The  Romans  used 
"  globus  "  in  the  sense  of  a  mass. 

As  soon  as  the  round  up  was  completed, 
the  herd  was  taken  down  to  the  hacienda, 
where  the  branding  was  to  take  place. — F. 
Francis :  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Used  also  in  Australia. 

Now  they  are  well  away  from  the  scrub, 
round  them  up,  if  possible,  and  let  them 
stand  a  few  minutes  to  breathe. — A.  Grant ; 
Bush  Life  in  Queensland. 

Roupy  (American),  hoarse. 

She  plays  upon  the  pian-o, 

And  twirls  the  light  fantastic  toe, 

And  sings  just  like  a  roupy  crow. 

— Negro  Minstrel  Song. 

Rouseabout  (Australian  up-coun- 
try), a  drudge.  A  rouseabout  on 
a  station,  like  a  "  super  "  at  a 
theatre,  is  a  man  who  has  to 
make  himself  generally  useful — 
to  do  any  job  that  may  turn  up, 
such  as  chopping  wood,  cleaning 
out,  kc. 

It  may  be  that  the  rouseabout  swiper  who 
rode  for  the  doctor  that  night, 

Is  in  Heaven  with  the  hosts  of  the  Blest, 
robed  and  sceptred,  and  splendid  with 
light. 

— New  South  Wales  Paper. 

Rouster,  roustabout  (American), 
originally  any  very  powerful  fel- 
low, now  applied  to  a  rough  who 
hangs  about  anywhere  for  work, 


and  specially  to  a  deck  hand, 
stoker,  rough  fellow.  Swedish 
rustar,  a  powerful  rowdy,  a 
roisterer. 

A  fight  occurred  on  the  steamer  between 
a  negro  rouster  and  the  second  mate. — 
American  Newspaper. 

Rovers,  fish-hawks  (American^, 
women,  often  young  and  good- 
looking,  who  go  about  every 
and  anywhere,  into  brokers' 
shops,  law-offices,  stores,  uni- 
versities, or  wherever  men  may 
be  met,  soliciting  subscriptions 
or  contributions  for  charitable 
purposes.  Many  of  them  are 
really  employed  by  churches, 
hospitals,  &c,  others  are  cheats, 
who  have  many  ingenious  de- 
vices to  obtain  money.     One  of 

these  is  to  inquire  if  Mrs. 

is  at  home  (having  previously 
ascertained  the  name  of  the 
occupant  of  the  house),  and  send 
up  a  card.  While  in  the  draw- 
ing-room, as  soon  as  the  servant 
is  gone,  the  rover  steals  a  few 
cards  from  the  receiver.  Having 
interviewed  the  hostess,  she 
goes  to  the  ladies  whose  names 
and  perhaps  addresses  are  on 
the  cards,  and  states  that  she 
was  sent  to  them  by  the  one 
from  whom  they  were  taken, 
and  that  she  takes  a  special 
interest  in  the  charity  for  which 
money  is  solicited.  There  are 
many  men  engaged  also  in 
this  infamous  business.  Women 
also  largely  employ  the  "  collec- 
tion dodge "  for  purposes  of 
intrigue,  and  to  make  the 
acquaintance    of   men.      Even 


190 


Rovers — Ruck. 


when  undertaken  in  good  faith, 
"roving"  has  a  demoralising 
effect  on  young  ladies,  as  the 
soliciting  money  from  "all  sorts 
and  conditions  of  men  "  always 
must.  "  When  I  first  went  about 
collecting  for  our  charity,"  said 
a  young  lady,  "  I  was  ready  to 
faint  whenever  anybody  looked 
at  me,  but  now  I  shouldn't  be 
afraid  to  ask  the  Old  Boy  him- 
self for  a  dollar,  and  not  let  him 
go  till  he  paid  it." 

Rowdy  (popular),  cash,  money. 
Probably  a  corruption  of  ruddy, 
a  gold  piece.     Vide  Ruddy. 

What  gives  fools  wit  ? 
What  beautifies  the  dowdy  ? 
Hear  it  and  blush, 
Ye  servile  !  'tis  the  rowdy. 

— Punch. 

Rowdy-dow  (common),  low, 
vulgar. 

Rowing  man  (University),  (pro- 
nounce row  as  in  bough),  one 
who  lives  a  fast  life,  a  spreer. 

Rowl,  to  (American  University), 
to  recite  lessons  well.  Pro- 
vincial English  rowl,  to  rush. 

Royal  scamp  (old  cant),  a  gentle- 
man highwayman,  in  opposition 
to  "  foot  scamp." 

Rubbed  about  (tailors),  being 
rubbed  about  is  being  made  a 
convenience  of. 

Rubbed  out  (common),  dead. 

Rubbs  (old  cant),  hard  shifts. 


Rub  down,  to  (prison),  explained 
by  quotation. 

Such  searching  causes  trouble,  and  it 
soon  degenerates  into  a  mere  form  even  by 
the  strictest  officers.  The  modus  operandi 
is  as  follows :  the  prisoner  stands  at  atten- 
tion with  his  vest  unbuttoned — he  raises 
his  arms,  holding  his  pocket-handkerchief 
in  one  hand.  The  officer  passes  his  hand 
over  his  body,  and  then  proceeds  to  the 
next  man.  This  is  called  rubbing  down. 
— Evening  News. 

(Popular),  to  rate  a  person 
soundly,  or  take  him  to  task. 

Rub  in,  to  (American),  persevere 
in  teasing  or  annoying,  aggra- 
vation without  cessation,  or 
what  in  French  is  called  monter 
une  sue. 

Rub  of  the  paper,  a  (army),  when 
any  soldier  wants  to  borrow  the 
newspaper  in  the  reading-room 
he  asks  for  a  rub  of  it. 

Rub  out  a  pattern,  to  (tailors),  to 
cut  a  pattern. 

Ruby,  the  (pugilistic),  blood. 

They  had  heard  of  the  "tapping  of  the 
claret "  and  the  flow  of  the  ruby. — Punch. 

Ruck  (common),  common,  un- 
distinguished crowd.  German 
rucJcen,  to  crowd  together  ;  Ice- 
landic hrauhir,  probably  the 
true  origin. 

But  I'm  quite  another  guess  sort ;  penny 
plain,  tuppence  coloured,  yer  see, 

May  do  all  very  well  for  the  ruck;  but 
they'll  find  it  won't  arnser  for  me  ! 
— Punch. 

(Turf),  to  come  in  with  the 
ruck,  to  arrive  at  the  winning- 
post  among  the  unplaced  horses. 


Ruck — Ruggins. 


191 


I  once  knew  a  chappie  not  famed  for  his 
luck 
Who  to  punting  was  muchly  addicted  ; 
But  the  horses  he  backed  to  a  place  "in 
the  ruck  " 
Were  with  scarce  an  exception  restricted. 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Ruck  along,  to  (Oxford),  to  go 
or  make  one  go  along  at  a  great 
pace. 

Ruck  on,  to  (popular),  to  tell  of, 
to  inform.  "  She's  such  a  sneak, 
she  is,  always  ticking  on  me." 

Ruction  (popular),  commotion, 
disturbance.  Swedish  ryek,  at- 
tack, row,  convulsive  excite- 
ment. 

Sure  never  obstruction 
Raised  half  such  a  ruction. 

— Punch. 

Hotten  gives  the  definition 
"  an  Irish  row,  faction  fight." 

Ruddy  (thieves),  a  gold  piece. 
Icelandic  roda,  red  and  gold. 

Ruffian,  ruffin  (old  cant),  the  devil, 
alluding  to  the  rough  hair 
covering  his  body  (as  its  syno- 
nym "  old  Harry)."  Vide  Harry. 

The  bube  and  ruffian  cly  the  Harman 
beck  and  harmans.  —  T.  Dekktr:  Lan- 
thornc  and  Candle  Light. 

Ruffian  once  denoted,  not  so 
much  roughness  of  behaviour, 
as  roughness  of  appearance, 
especially  in  the  matter  of  hair. 
The  English  ruffian,  in  its  usual 
sense,  is  from  the  Italian  ruffiano, 
a  pimp ;  but  ruffian  and  ruffin  are 
confused  in  old  cant. 


Ruffler  (old  cant),  a  mendicant 
who  shammed  the  wounded  sol- 
dier or  maimed  sailor,  but  who 
robbed  on  the  highway  when 
opportunity  offered.  Harman 
has  the  definition  "outcast  of 
serving-men  who  robs  inferior 
beggars." 

Now  in  the  crib,  where  a  ruffler  may  lie, 
Without  fear  that  the  traps  should  distress 
him. 

—Lytton:  Paul  Clifford. 

This  seems  to  be  derived,  like 
the  old  French  cant  term  rouMer, 
soldier,  from  the  Italian  ruffare, 
to  seize,  lay  hands  upon. 

Ruffles  (old  cant),  handcuffs. 

Ruffle,  the,  the  production  of 
the  crackling  sound  of  a  pack 
of  cards,  used  as  a  flourish  to  a 
trick  ("  Modern  Magic  ").* 

Ruffmans  (old  cant),  woods  or 
bushes. 

Now  bynge  we  a  waste  to  the  hygh  pad, 
the  ruffmans  is  by. — Harman  :  Caveat. 

From  rough,  and  the  frequent 
affix  mans,  as  in  "darkmans" 
night,  "lightmans"  day,  &c. 

Ruffpeck  (old  cant),  bacon. 

Red-shanks  then  I  could  lack, 
Ruffpeck  still  hung  on  my  back, 
Crennam  ever  filled  my  sack. 

— The  Scoundrel 's  Dictionary. 

Rugger  (schools),  the  Rugby  game 
at  football. 

Ruggins  (old  cant),  to  go  to 
Jiuggins,  to  go  to  sleep.  From 
rug. 


192 


Ruggy — Rum. 


Ruggy  (popular),  fusty,  frowsy 
(Hotten). 

Rug,  it's  all  (old  cant),  it  is  all 
right. 

Ruin  (popular  and  thieves),  gin ; 
called  also  "  blue  ruin." 

Rum,  rom  (old  cant).  This  word, 
which  signified  great,  excellent, 
superior,  clever,  best,  &c,  came 
from  rum,  rom,  a  gypsy.  As  in 
rom-booze,  good  drink. 

Piot,  a  common  cant  word  used  by 
French  clowns  and  other  tippling  com- 
panions ;  it  signifies  rum-booze,  as  our 
gypsies  call  good  guzzle.  —  Urquhart  : 
Rabelais. 

Rum  clan,  a  silver  or  gold 
mug;  rum  cod,  a  well-filled 
purse,  a  purse  full  of  gold  ;  rum 
cole,  a  new  coin  ;  rum  cull,  rich 
man,  lover,  best  man. 

I,  Frisky  Moll,  with  my  rum  cull, 
Would  suck  in  a  boozing  ken. 
— Frisky  Moll's  Song,  from  Harle- 
quin's Shefpard,  a  Play. 

Rum  doxy,  best  girl,  mistress, 
wife ;  ro?rae-mort,  lady,  queen ; 
rum  pad,  the  highroad;  rum 
quick,  large  booty ;  ifom-vile, 
the  great  town,  London. 

A  gage  of  ben  Rom-house 
In  a  bousing  ken  of  Rom-vile. 

— The  Roaring  Girl. 

This  signification  survives  in 
rum  beak,  justice  of  the  peace  ; 
rumbo,  good,  and  rum  cull, 
manager  of  a  theatre,  used  by 
actors  and  showmen,  whose 
slang  phraseology  is  mainly 
from   the    gypsy  and   Italian ; 


also  in  rum-mizzler,  one  clever 
at  effecting  his  escape. 

The  modern  rum  is  a  word  of 
many  meanings,  generally  im- 
plying something  strange,  queer, 
difficult,  or  out  of  the  way. 

"  What  a  rum  chap  you  are,  Tom  !  " 
said  Master  Bales,  highly  amused. — Dic- 
kens: Oliver  Twist. 

He  came  not  to  luncheon,  all  said  "it 
was  rum  of  him  ! " 

— Ingoldjpy  Legends. 
A  rider  unequalled — a  sportsman  complete, 
A  rum  one  to  follow,  a  bad  one  to  beat. 

— Whyte-Melville  :  Songs  and  Verses. 

It  has  been  said  that  this 
word,  with  its  present  significa- 
tion, was  first  applied  to  Roman 
Catholic  priests,  and  subse- 
quently to  other  clergymen. 
Thus  Swift  spoke  of  a  "rabble 
of  tenants  and  rusty  old  rums  " 
(country  parsons).  Swift  sim- 
ply uses  the  old  gypsy  cant  term 
here,  which  meant  "  queer," 
hence  odd. 

Rum  or  rom,  as  a  gypsy  word, 
was  applied  not  only  to  what- 
ever concerned  sport,  the  ring, 
and  turf,  but  to  what  is  "queer," 
and  is  still  used  commonly  as 
such,  e.g.,  a  "regular  Roman" 
(Borrow),  or  rum  'un,  i.e.,  a 
Romany.  There  are  other  old 
instances  proving  that  the  word, 
as  applied  to  rum,  a  liquor,  was 
regarded  as  a  gypsy  word. 

Rum  beak  (old  cant),  a  synonym 
of  "queer  cuffin,"  a  justice  of 
the  peace. 

Rum  bing  (thieves),  a  full  purse. 
From  the  old  canting  rum,  which 
see,  and  bong,  a  purse. 


Rum — Rummer. 


193 


Rum  bit  (old  cant),  a  rogue. 

Rumbler  (thieves),  coach  ;  now 
more  generally  a  four-wheeled 
cab. 

I  first  held  horses  in  the  street, 
But  being  found  defaulter, 
Turned  rumbler  s  flunky  for  my  meat, 
So  was  brought  up  to  the  halter. 

— Charles  Hindley:  The  Life  and 
Times  of  James  Catnach. 

Also  a  cart. 

The  rumbler  jugged  off  from  his  feet 

And  he  died  with  his  face  to  the  city. 

— Burrowes:  Death  of  Socrates. 

A  running  rumbler,  was  a  con- 
federate of  thieves,  who  rolled 
a  grinding  stone,  to  give  an 
opportunity  to  his  accomplices. 


Rumbo  (theatrical),  good. 
Rum. 


Vide 


Rumbo  ken  (theatrical),  a  pawn- 
broker's shop. 

Rum  boozing  wells  (old  cant), 
bunches  of  grapes. 

Rum  bowling  (nautical),  anything 
inferior  or  adulterated. 

Rumboyl  (old  cant),  the  watch. 

Rumbumptious,  rumbustious 
(popular),  haughty,  pompous, 
boisterous,  making  great  fuss 
and  careless  of  the  comfort  of 
others. 

Rum  cull  (theatrical),  the  mana- 
ger of  a  theatre.     Vide  Rum. 
The  rum  cull  of  the  casa,  pro- 
prietor, landlord  of  lodgings. 
VOL.  II. 


Rum-dropper  (old  cant),  a  vintner. 

Rum  duke  (old),  a  half-witted, 
awkward  boor. 

Rum-gagger  (nautical),  a  cheat 
who  tells  wonderful  stories  of 
his  sufferings  at  sea  to  obtain 
money. 

Rum  glimmer  (old  cant),  king  of 
the  link-boys,  rogues  who,  under 
colour  of  lighting  people,  robbed 
them. 

Rum-gutlets  (old  cant),  a  canary 

Rum  homee  of  the  case  (itiner- 
ants), the  master  of  the  show, 
the  mistress  being  the  "rum 
dona  of  the  case." 

Rum-hooper  (old  cant),  a  drawer. 

Rum-Johnny  (Anglo-Indian),  a 
low  class  of  natives  who  ob- 
tained employment  on  the 
wharves  of  Calcutta.  Among 
soldiers  and  sailors,  a  prostitute. 
From  the  Hindu  ramjdni,  a 
dancing-girl(Anglo-Indian  Glos- 
sary). 

Rumley  (old  cant),  well.  Vide 
Rum.    Whid  rumley,  speak  well. 

Rdmmer,  romer,  rumado,  or  ro- 
mado  (gypsy),  to  marry,  married. 
From  rom,  a  husband,  or  a  gypsy- 
man.  In  Coptic  romi  has  the 
same  meaning. 

"  Te  vel  tu  si  rummado  mishto, 
Te  vel  tu  rumessa  slgan, 
N 


194 


Rum — Run-doivn. 


Latchesa  ke  mandy  shorn  kushto 
Te  sar  mOri  Romany  shan" — 
"  So  if  you  will  marry  me  early, 
So  if  I'm  soon  wedded  to  thee, 
You'll  find  that  I  really  am  good 
As  any  real  gypsy  can  be." 
t  — Janet  Tuckey. 

Rum  mill  (American),  a  grog- 
gery. 

Rummy    (popular),   queer.     Vide 
Rum. 

True,  out  in  foreign  parts  parties  practise 
rummy  starts. 

— Punch. 

Rum  ned  (old  cant),  a  fool,  mad- 
man. 

Rump,  to  (popular),  to  turn  the 
back  upon  one. 

Rumpty  or  tooth  (Stock  Ex- 
change), a  thirty-second  part  of 

£i. 

Rumpus  (popular),  a  noise,  dis- 
turbance.    From  romp. 

It  is  very  fortunate  too,  sir,  .  .  .  since 
when  the  finale  comes,  there  will  probably 
be  a  bit  of  a  rumpus  that  we  are  not  very 
full  of  company  just  now. — •/.  Greenwood: 
Dick  Temple. 

Rum,  to  come  it  (popular),  to  do 
foolish  things. 

Rum  Tom  Pat  (old  cant),  a  real 
clergyman. 

"What,  are  Moll  and  you  adamed?" 
"Yes,  we  are,  and  by  a  rum  Tom  Pat 
too." — Parker:  Variegated  Characters. 

Rum  'un  (pugilistic),  a  blow  that 
fairly  settles  a  man. 


Rumy  (gypsy),  a  wife ;  feminine 
of  rom. 

Run  (common),  the  success  of  a 
play,  according  to  the  number 
of  performances. 

The  penny  "gaff"  is  usually  a  small 
place,  and  when  a  specially  atrocious 
piece  produces  a  corresponding  run,  the 
"house"  is  incapable  of  containing  the 
vast  number  of  boys  and  girls  who  nightly 
flock  to  see  it.  Scores  would  be  turned 
away  from  the  doors,  and  their  halfpence 
wasted,  were  it  not  for  the  worthy  pro- 
prietor's ingenuity. — Greenwood:  Seven 
Curses  of  London. 

To  get  the  run  upon  one,  to 
have  the  upper  hand,  the  advan- 
tage over  him. 

Run  a  bluff,  to  (West  American), 
to  outwit ;  in  English  slang,  to 
"  bounce." 

"You  got  the  stock,  though?"  "Oh, 
yes ;  I  run  a  bluff  on  'em.  They  said  they 
wasn't  driving  'em  anyhow,  but  they  got 
started  in  the  trail  ahead  of  'em,  and  it 
wasn't  their  business  to  turn  'em." — F. 
Francis :  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Run  against  a  pill,  to  (American), 
to  encounter  a  bullet,  to  be 
shot. 

He  had  always  told  him  he'd  run  plumb 
agin  a  pill  some  day  if  he  wan't  blanked 
careful  like.  —  Drake's  Magazine :  He 
Died  Game. 

Run  big,  to  (turf),  a  horse  that 
runs  when  too  fat,  not  in  train- 
ing. 

It  is  agreed  that  tne  colt  ran  big,  but 
the  short  lapse  of  time  will  hardly  be 
sufficient  to  get  the  lumber  off  him. — 
Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Run-down  (French  praticable  and 
pont).      The    sloping    carpeted 


Rung — Run  net: 


195 


bridge  running  from  a  conjuror's 
stage  into  the  auditorium  (Ro- 
bert Houdin  and  Hoffmann). 

Rung  (up-country  Australian). 
The  process  of  being  rung  or 
"ring-barked"  consists  in  the 
bark  being  cut  right  through 
all  round  the  tree  a  few  feet 
above  the  ground,  which  is 
done  to  kill  the  large  gum-trees 
which  encumber  and  draw  so 
much  moisture  from  the  pastur- 
age. It  is  much  practised  in 
Australia. 

Their  road  at  first  lay  between  pad- 
docks interspersed  with  a  few  trees  rung 
and  mostly  dead. — D.  B.  W.  Sladen: 
A  Summer  Christmas. 

Run  in,  to  (popular),  to  appre- 
hend and  take  to  the  police 
station. 

Occasionally  some  unfortunate  is  pounced 
upon,  rudely  handled,  and  run  in. — Satur- 
day Review. 
It's  bad  enough  to  get  run  in  even  of  one's 

own  free  will ; 
But  to  get  run  in  for  some  one  else  it 

makes  me  sick  and  ill. 
And  my  boss'll  get  to  know  it,  since  the 

oof  I  cannot  rai-e, 
And  I  shall  get  the  blooming  chuck  as 

well  as  fourteen  days. 

— Sporting  Times. 

This  phrase  is  not  recent,  but 
it  was  seldom  heard  out  *»of 
policemen's  circles  until  the 
chorus  of  gendarmes  in  Offen- 
bach's "  Genevieve  de  Brabant  " 
made  it  familiar  to  the  public. 
It  may  have  been  derived  from 
the  old  Bow  Street  runners,  the 
predecessors  of  modern  con- 
stables.     The    process    varies 


according  to  the  offender. 
Some  need  the  "  policeman's 
grip,"  whereby  the  left  hand  of 
the  prisoner,  palm  upwards,  is 
grasped  by  the  left  of  the  con- 
stable, whose  right  passes  under 
the  upper  part  of  the  prisoner's 
arm,  grasps  his  waistcoat,  and 
being  straightened,  forms  a  lever 
which  makes  him  helpless,  and 
would  even  dislocate  his  shoul- 
der or  break  his  arm  if  he 
resisted.  Then  there  is  the 
"frogs'  march"  (which  see). 
"  French  policemen  sometimes 
use  a  process  by  which  even 
the  strongest  man  is  rendered 
quite  helpless.  The  officer's 
left  hand  is  fixed  at  arm's 
length  from  behind  on  the 
prisoner's  coat-collar,  while  his 
right  lifts  him  slightly  by  the 
seat  of  his  trousers.  The  man, 
being  thus  placed  out  of  the 
perpendicular,  and  almost  on 
tip-toe,  can  then  be  forced  on 
at  a  swift  pace. 

Run  it,  to  (American  cadet),  to 
go  beyond  bounds  without 
having  previously  obtained  per- 
mission to  do  so. 

Runner  (popular),  a  wave. 

All  of  a  sudden  I  get  on  a  runner 
mountains  high,  and  bang  on  the  beach 
goes  her  bow. — Brighton  Beach  Loafer. 

(Stock  Exchange),  a  man  in 
the  employ  of  a  broker,  who 
having  a  private  connection, 
spends  his  time  running  from 
client  to  client  in  quest  of 
orders. 


196 


Running — Run. 


Running  glazier  (old  cant),  a  thief 
who  pretended  to  be  a  glazier. 

Running  rumble,  the  (old  cant), 
going  about  with  a  grinding- 
stone  as  a  pretence  to  give 
accomplices  an  opportunity  for 
picking  pockets. 

I  shall  go  upon  the  running  rumble 
if  you  will  go  with  me,  Cock-a-brass. — 
Parker:  Variegated  Characters. 

Running  snavel  (old  cant),  a  thief 
who  watched  children  going  to 
school  to  rob  them.  Swedish 
snaf  (snave),  close,  mean. 

Run  of  your  teeth  (Canadian), 
board ;  as  in  the  phrase,  "  I 
pay  so  much  for  the  run  of  my 
teeth,"  i.e.,  my  boarding  expenses 
are  so  much  The  run  gene- 
rally refers  to  keeping,  manag- 
ing, carrying  on. 

Run  one's  face,  to  (common),  to 
get  credit.     Vide  Face. 

Since  all  my  money  now  is  gone, 
And  I  have  naught  to  live  upon  ; 
Grant  me,  O  Lord,  the  special  grace 
For  meat  and  bread  to  run  my  face. 
— Harper's  Magazine. 

Run  one's  week,  to  (American 
university),  to  trust  to  chance 
for  success. 

Run  rigs,  to  (old  cant),  to  play 
pranks. 

Run  straight,  to  (society).  This 
is  one  of  the  commonest  expres- 
sions in  society  as  applied  to 
ladies,  and  it  means  that  a  lady 
is  virtuous  and  faithful  to  her 


husband.  It  is  borrowed  from 
racing  parlance,  where  a  horse 
is  talked  of  as  running  straight. 

These  foolish  ones  are  content  to  do 
what  is  considered  the  smart  thing,  know- 
ing as  they  do  that  many  in  our  gossiping 
and  scandal-mongering  society  will  attri- 
bute to  them  the  worst  of  motives,  and 
class  them  with  those  who  do  not  run 
straight. — Saturday  Review. 

Run  the  rule  over  (prison),  to 
search  a  person  for  stolen  pro- 
perty or  contraband  articles. 

I  was  going  through  Shoreditch,  when 
a  reeler  from  Hackney,  who  knew  me 
well,  came  up  and  said,  "  I  am  going  to 
run  the  rule  over  you." — Horsley:  Jot- 
tings from  Jail. 

Run  through,  to  (American 
thieves),  when  gamblers  play 
with  a  "  sucker  "  [i.e.,  a  novice), 
and  do  not  give  him  a  chance 
to  win  a  single  bet,  and  clean 
him  out  without  loss  of  time. 

Run,  to.  This  verb  is  applied  in 
England  to  several  meanings 
besides  the  legitimate  one,  but 
in  the  United  States  it  has  taken 
a  much  wider  range.  Thus  a 
man  runs  a  grocery,  a  shop,  a 
bank,  or  a  church  ;  and  if  he  be 
a  mayor,  or  a  very  influential 
person  in  a  community,  he  is 
said  to  run  the  town.  "I  am 
running  Latin  just  now,"  said  a 
schoolboy,  meaning  that  he  was 
studying  it. 

Last  week  a  horse  in  Duluth  found  a 
keg  of  lager  with  the  head  knocked  in,  and 
being  thirsty,  he  drank  it  almost  dry.  In 
ten  minutes  he  was  waltzing  about  on  his 
hind-legs,  and  remarking  to  every  one 
whom  he  met,  that  if  he  didn't  run  that 
turn,  he  would  like  to  know  who  the 
d 1  did. — Minnesota  Newspaper. 


Run — Russer. 


197 


Some  beople  runs  de  beautiful, 

Some  works  philosophic ; 
Der  Breitmann  solve  de  infinide 

Ash  von  eternal  spree ! 

— Breitmann  in  Kansas. 

The  term  is  being  used  in 
England. 

To  have  a  big  boom  was  the  general  rage, 
And  every  man's  dream  was  to  run  or  to 
"boss"  all. 

— Punch. 

(American),  the  term  is  often 
applied  to  keeping  of  a  house- 
hold. "  How  much  does  running 
your  house  cost  you  ?  " 

(Common),  to  run  the  show, 
to  be  the  manager  of  any  place 
of  entertainment,  theatre,  circus, 
&c. 

These  two  boys  that  run  the  shows  in 
Argyle  Street  and  elsewhere. — Bird  o' 
Freedom. 

Run  up,  to,  explained  by  quota- 
tion. 

Anyhow  there  they  were,  and  it  re- 
quired no  uncommon  degree  of  penetra- 
tion to  discover  that  their  chief  aim  was 
to  take  note  of  every  bid  that  was  made 
by  an  unfortunate  whose  goods  had  been 
seized  and  run  him  up  most  villainously. 
I  feel  quite  convinced  that  many  persons 
who  had  come  to  repurchase  their  furniture 
might  have  got  it,  taking  it  at  its  market 
value,  at  half  the  sum  they  had  to  pay. — 
Greenwood :  In  Strange  Company. 

R3p  (gypsy),  silver;  rupeno,  of 
silver.  From  the  Hindu  rup, 
silver.  Hence  the  French  slang 
term  rupin,  rich,  handsome, 
splendid.  In  Danish  slang  rup 
signifies  gold. 

Rush  (Australian),  the  opening  of 
a  new  gold-field,  from  the  rush 


which  is  made  to  new  diggings. 
(Up-country  Australian), a  stam- 
pede of  cattle. 

A  confused  whirl  of  dark  forms  swept 
before  him,  and  the  camp  so  full  of  life  a 
minute  ago  is  desolate.  It  was  a  rush,  a 
stampede. — A.  C.  Grant. 

(Common),  on  the  rush,  i.e., 
in  a  hurry. 

The  lumberer's  lurch,  as  he  roams  on 
the  rush. 

— Sporting  Times. 

Rushed  (up-country  Australian), 
charged  by  an  animal.  (Ameri- 
can), very  busy,  hurried. 

Some  day  when  Uncle  Sam  isn't  rushed, 
we  hope  he  will  melt  over  his  old  mail 
boxes  and  cast  some  new  ones  big  enough 
to  sticik  a  paper  into. — Detroit  Tribune. 

Rushers  (football),  the  members 
of  a  football  team  who  run  with 
the  ball. 

American  football  teams  are  made  up  as 
follows — one  full-back,  two  half-backs,  one 
quarter- back,  and  seven  rushers. — Sport- 
ing Lift. 

Rush,  to  (common),  to  rush  a 
person,  to  hurry  him. 

Do,  but  try  and  make  it  Japanese  if 
you  can ;  it's  just  possible  he  might  twig 
if  we  rushed  him,  don't  you  know,  and 
then  I  should  suffer. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

(American),  to  rush  a  bill,  to 
hurry  through  a  bill. 

To  rush  a  bill  is  an  expression  well 
known  in  the  American  Senate,  and  occa- 
sionally also  used  htre.—Cornhili  Maga- 


Russer,  rusher  (American),  a  heavy 
player,  a  "plunger,"  a  dashing, 
sensation-causing  man ;  applied 
to  politicians,  clergymen,  &c. 


198 


Rust — Ryder. 


Rust  (popular),  to  nab  the  rust, 
to  take  offence,  get  angry,  tur- 
bulent. For  derivation  vide 
Rusty. 

Rustler  (American),  explained  by 
quotation. 

I  just  tell  you,  he's  a  rustier.  Now  a 
rustler  is  a  great  Western  word,  and  ex- 
presses much.  It  means  a  worker,  an 
energetic  man,  and  no  slouch  can  be  a 
rustler. — Morley  Roberts:  The  Western 
Avernus. 

A  rowdy,  rough. 

The  habit  of  removing  the  hat  at  restau- 
rant tables,  which  came  some  years  ago, 
has  been  followed  by  other  reforms  no 
less  notable,  and  what  may  be  called  the 
atmosphere  of  the  street  has  clearly  less 
of  the  rustler  about  it. — Letter  from 
Chicago. 

A  desperado,  cattle  lifter. 

Then,  the  rustlers  had  congregated  there 
in  force,  the  locality  affording  exceptional 
advantages  for  their  .  chief  occupation, 
namely,  running  off  cattle  and  horses  from 
either  side  of  the  frontier.  Many  a  spot 
is  pointed  out  as  the  scene  of  a  sanguinary 
skirmish  between  these  modern  moss- 
troopers and  the  owners  and  their  fol- 
lowers.— F.  Francis:  Saddle  and  Moc- 
casin. 

These  men,  however,  must  not  be  con- 
founded with  another  class  of  desperadoes, 
i.e. ,  those  who  would  not  work,  and  were 
what  is  termed  rustlers  or  house  thieves. 
— O'Reilly :  Fifty  Years  on  the  Trail. 

Rustle,  to  (American),  to  go  about 
seeking  work.  "I  set  to  work, 
rustling  for  a  job."  To  rustle  up 
or  along,  is  to  hurry,  hasten,  as 
in  this  phrase,  "  rustle  the  dinner 
along." 

Rust  ringing  (American  uni- 
versity). "At  Hamilton  Col- 
lege, the  Freshmen,"  writes  a 


correspondent,  "  are  supposed 
to  lose  some  of  their  verdancy 
at  the  end  of  the  last  term  of 
that  year,  and  the  ringing  off 
their  rust  consists  in  ringing 
the  chapel  bell — commencing  at 
midnight — until  the  rope  wears 
out.  During  the  ringing,  the 
upper  classes  are  diverted  by 
the  display  of  numerous  fire- 
works, and  enlivened  by  most 
beautifully  discordant  sounds, 
called  'music,'  made  to  issue 
from  tin  kettle-drums,  horse- 
fiddles,  trumpets,  horns,  &c." 

Rusty  (thieves),  to  turn  a  rusty, 
to  betray. 

Blow  me  tight,  but  that  cove  is  a  queer 
one ;  and  if  he  does  not  come  to  be 
scragged,  it  will  only  be  because  he'll 
turn  a  rusty,  and  scrag  one  of  his  pals. — 
Lytton :  Paul  Clifford. 

From  the  colloquial  phrase, 
' '  to  turn  rusty,"  used  of  a  person 
who  becomes  stubborn,  surly, 
disobliging.  Rusty  is  an  old 
Saxon  and  Icelandic  word, 
meaning  stubborn  or  rebellious, 
restive.  To  cut  up  rusty,  vide 
Cut  up  Rusty. 

Ry  (Stock  Exchange),  any  sharp 
or  dishonest  practice.  "It  origi- 
nated," says  Dr.  Brewer,  "in  an 
old  stock-jobber,  who  had  prac- 
tised upon  a  young  man,  and 
being  compelled  to  refund,  wrote 
on  the  cheque,  '  Please  to  pay  to 
R.  Y.,'&c.,in  order  to  avoid  direct 
evidence  of  the  transaction." 

Ryder,  a  cloak;  gypsy  ruder,  to 
clothe. 


Rye — Saddle, 


199 


Rye  (gJPsy)i  a  gentleman ; 
(Hindu),  rae  or  rai  (rye),  a  petty 
nobleman.  Ryiskro,  gentle- 
manly. Romany  rye,  a  gypsy 
gentleman,  but  generally  mean- 
ing a  gentleman  who  has  learned 
or  who  speaks  Romany.  Gudlo 
rye,  a  nice  (sweet)  gentleman. 

Hotten  says  this  is  gypsy  for 
a  young  man.  It  is  nothing  of 
the  kind,  rye  meaning  invariably 
a  gentleman  or  superior  person, 
and   nothing   else.     E.g.,    "the 


Romany  rye,"  the  gypsy  gentle- 
man. 

"  And  the  rye  and  the  rawnie 
A-pirryin  ap  o  drom  " — 

"The  gentleman  and  lady 
A-walking  up  the  road. " 

Young  man  in  gypsy  is  tano 
mush  (i.e.  manush),  or  juvo,  or 
raklo. 

Ryebuck    (American),   all   right, 
it  will  do,  I  am  satisfied. 


A  C  K  (common),  to 
give  the  sack,  to  dis- 
miss, discharge  from 
one '  s  employment. 
To  get  the  tack,  to 
be  dismissed,  discharged. 

I  wonder  what  old  Fogg  'ud  say,  if  he 
knew  it ;  I  should  get  the  sack,  I  s'pose. 
— Dickens :  Pickwick  Papers. 

He  is  no  longer  an  officer  of  this  gaol ; 
he  has  got  the  sack. — Reade:  Never  too 
Late  to  Mend. 

Said  to  be  from  the  practice 
of  putting  into  a  sack  and 
throwing  into  the  Bosphorus 
certain  members  of  the  Sultan's 
harem  ;  also  generally  supposed 
to  be  from  the  Spanish  sacar, 
meaning  to  dismiss,  and  also  to 
"  bag,"  just  as  in  English ;  but 
it  originated  in  the  old  practice 
of  giving  a  man  a  sack  when 
sending  him  forth.  Hence  (St. 
Luke  x.  4)  Christ  specifies  that 
His  disciples,  by  not  taking  a 
sack  or  scrip,  should  not  con- 
sider themselves  as  dismissed, 


i.e.,  not  make  provision  for 
themselves.  The  French  have 
the  corresponding  expressions, 
"donner  son  sac  a  ,quelqu'un," 
"  avoir  son  sac  ;  "  formerly, 
"  donner  son  sac  et  ses  quilles." 
French  workmen  will  say,  "  il  a 
eu  son  sac  avec  une  forte  paire 
debretelles."  The  Germans  have 
the  phrase,  "to  give  the  basket." 
The  synonyms  are,  "to  get  the 
bag,"  the  "empty,"  or  the  "bul- 
let." "To  give  the  sack"  is  so 
widely  used  as  to  be  almost  a 
recognised  phrase. 

Sack,  to.     Vide  Sack. 

We  had  fixed  one  day  to  sack  him,  and 

agreed  to  moot  the  point, 
When  my  lad  should  bring  our  usual  re- 
gale of  condered  joint. 

—  T.  B.  Stephens:  My  other 
Chinee  Cook. 

Saddle  (theatrical),  an  additional 
charge  made  by  the  manager 
to  a  performer  on  his  benefit 
night. 


200 


Saddlebacks — Salting. 


Saddlebacks  (popular),  lice.  Also 
Yorkshire  greys. 

Safe  'un  (turf),  a  horse  which  will 
not  run,  or  will  not  try  in  a 
race.  Synonyms,  "dead  'un," 
"  stiff  'un,"  "  stumer." 

Sagaciate  (American),  a  slang 
word  which  seems  to  be  mys- 
teriously employed  more  for 
sound  than  sense,  as  in  "  How 
does  your  corporosity  sagaci- 
ate?"— "  How  are  you?"  In  the 
following  extract  from  one  of 
the  "  Bre'r  Rabbit "  stories,  it 
seems  as  "  segashiashun"  to 
mean  suggestion. 
"  Dem  ez  wuz  tuk  by  Bre'r  Buzzard's 

segashiashun,  wuz  ter  drop  en  er  chicky- 

pin  "  (chinkapin). 

Sailors'  waites  (nautical),  the 
second  mates  of  small  vessels. 

Salamon,  Salomon  (old  cant),  the 
mass.  "  I  swear  by  the  Salo- 
mon." 

And  as  I  keep  to  the  fore-gone, 
So  may  help  me  Salamon. 

— Oath  of  English  Gypsies. 

Salmon,  a  corpse,  in  the  slang  of 
watei^rats,  that  is,  low  rascals 
who  ply  the  river  for  drowned 
bodies  to  rifle.  They  have  dif- 
ferent names  for  them,  one 
with  poor  ragged  clothes  being 
a  "flounder"  if  a  man,  and  a 
"dab"  if  a  woman.  French 
undertakers  call  the  body  of  a 
well-to-do  deceased  person  "  un 
saumon." 

I  knowed  a  rat  .  .  .  who  was  bit  over  a 
job  of  the  kind  in  a  way  he  isn't  likely  to 


forget  in  a  hurry.  Just  as  them  two  chaps 
in  the  sailing  boat  we  saw  a  while  ago 
might  be  doing,  him  and  his  mate  were 
tacking  about  on  the  chance,  when  they 
hauled  a  salmon,  as  they  say. — /.  Green- 
wood: Rag,  Tag,  <5r»  Co. 

Salt  (Eton),  money. 

Salt-box  (thieves),  the  condemned 
cell  in  Newgate.  (Naval),  a  case 
for  keeping  a  temporary  supply 
of  cartridges  for  the  immediate 
use  of  the  great  guns. 

Salt  cat  (bird  fanciers),  explained 
by  quotation. 

Busily  concocting  a  horrid  mess,  which 
he  called  a  salt  cat,  and  of  which  old  mor- 
tar, cumin  seed,  and  urine  were  the  chief 
ingredients.  When  he  had  mixed  it  all  up 
like  cement,  he  proceeded  to  fill  sundry  old 
pots  and  kettles,  and  to  place  them  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  loft,  for  the  birds  to  peck  at 
at  their  pleasure. — J.  Greenwood :  Under- 
currents of  London  Life. 

Saltee,  solde  (costermongers,  iti- 
nerants, &c),  a  penny.  A  cor- 
ruption of  the  Italian  soldo, 
plural  soldi. 

It  has  rained  kicks  all  day  in  lieu  of 
saltees,  and  that  is  pennies. — Reade  : 
Cloister  and  Hearth. 

This  term  was  originally  used 
by  strolling  actors,  showmen, 
and  became  common  among 
other  classes  of  people. 

Salting  the  Freshman  (American 
university).  In  reference  to 
this  custom,  which  belongs  to 
Dartmouth  College,  a  corre- 
spondent writes — ' '  There  is  an 
annual  trick  of  salting  the  Fresh- 
men, which  is  putting  salt  and 


Salting — Sand. 


201 


water  on  their  seats,  so  that 
their  clothes  are  injured  when 
they  sit  down.  The  idea  of 
preservation,  cleanliness,  and 
health  is  no  doubt  intended 
to  be  conveyed  by  the  use  of 
the  wholesome  articles  salt  and 
water." 

Salt,  to  (commercial),  making 
fictitious  entries  in  the  books 
to  simulate  that  the  receipts 
are  greater  than  they  really  are, 
when  about  to  sell  a  business 
connection,  is  called  salting 
the  books.  (Mining),  sprinkling 
some  gold-dust  in  an  unpro- 
ductive mine  or  hole,  or  a  few 
diamonds,  to  deceive  intending 
purchasers  or  investors. 

Stymer,  long  experienced  in  the  mines, 
set  them  down  for  a  pair  of  sharps,  and 
understood  their  game.  He  divined  that 
Mose  had  salted  the  claim. — Birdo  Free- 
dom. 

In  French,  saler  is  to  over- 
charge, to  make  one  pay  roundly. 
A  similar  expression  is  used  in 
Swedish. 

(StockExchange),  to  salt  down 
stock,  to  buy  stock  and  keep  it 
for  a  considerable  period. 

Same  old  crowd  (society),  same 
set  of  people,  as  applied  to 
society  gatherings. 

Same  there  (tailors).  The  phrase 
means,  "What  you  say  applies 
equally  to  yourself." 

Sammy  -  house,  swamy  -  house 
(Anglo-Indian),  an  idol  temple 
or  pagoda. 


Sampsman  (old  cant),  a  highway- 
man. 

Now  Oliver  puts  his  black  nightcap  on, 

And  every  star  its  glim  is  hiding, 
And  forth  to  the  heath  is  the  sampsman 
gone, 
His  matchless  cherry-black  prancer  rid- 
ing. 

— Ainsworth:  Rookwood. 

Literally  a  collector,  from  a 
very  old  English  word  sam, 
to  collect  things  together  (Halli- 
well).  German  sommdn  ;  Swed- 
ish samla,  implying  money  in 
one  sense,  also  union  or  being 
together.  Hence  to  stand  sam, 
to  treat  all  the  party.  Sam,  the 
lot.  "  Sammed,  assembled  to- 
gether "  (Halliwell). 

Sam,  stand  (popular),  to  be  surety 
for  a  person,  to  treat  to  drink, 
pay  the  reckoning.  Fide  SAMPS- 
MAN. 

But  not  to  be  baulked  of  the  night's 
entertainment,  he  had  perforce  to  stand 
Sam  for  the  lot. — Hindley :  Life  and  Ad- 
ventures of  a  Cheap  fack. 

But  the  scapegoats  must  not  kick  up  shin- 
dies, and  stop  up  our  streets  and  our 
squares, 

That's  a  moral.  Perhaps  there  is  grab- 
bers as  wants  to  swag  more  than  their 
shares. 

I  ain't  nuts  on  sweaters  myself,  and  I  do 
'ate  a  blood-sucking  screw, 

Who  sponges  and  never  stands  Sam,  and 
whose  motto's  "  all  cop,  and  no  blue." 
— Punch. 

Sand  (West  American),  courage. 
An  equivalent  for  "grit." 

"  Doc  would  get  away  withjhim,"  said 
Joe. 

"  Would  he  ! "  ejaculated  Squito  hotly. 

"  Yes,  he's  got  all  Sam's  sand,  and  is 
cooler." — F.  Francis:  Saddle  and  Moc- 


202 


Sand-rat — Saratoga. 


Sand-rat  (engineers),  a  moulder 
in  a  foundry. 

Sand,  to  have  (American),  to  be 
brave. 

She  had  the  Sand. — Mrs.  Lizzie  Cook, 
of  No.  18  Clark  Street,  demonstrated  her 
personal  courage  and  thorough  muscular 
development  in  rather  an  odd  manner  last 
evening.  Without  weapon  of  any  kind, 
she  seized  and  held  a  strong  man,  whom 
she  asserts  is  a  horse-thief,  until  a  servant 
had  been  despatched  to  the  Central  Police 
Station. — Daily  Inter-Ocean. 

Sandwich  boat  (university).  In 
bumping  races,  rowed  in  two 
divisions,  it  is  the  boat  head  of 
one  division  and  last  in  the 
other.  It  has  to  row  two  races 
each  day. 

Sandwich-men  (general),  called 
also  board-men.  Poor  fellows 
who  for  a  scanty  reward  walk 
the  pavement  in  single  file,  with 
advertisement  boards  on  chest 
and  back. 

He  stopped  the  unstamped  advertise- 
ment— an  animated  sandwich,  composed 
of  a  boy  between  two  boards. — Sketches 
by  Boz. 

"Declined  with  thanks;  with  thanks  de- 
clined," 

This  is  the  burden  of  my  song  : 
These  words  are  ever  in  my  mind, 

I  see  and  hear  them  all  day  long. 
I  envy  every  man  I  see — 

Sweeps,  sandwich-men,  and  clerks  in 
banks ; 
Their  services,  whate'er  they  be, 

Are  not  always ' '  Declined  with  thanks ! " 
— Sporting  Times. 

Sank-house  (tailors),  an  army 
clothier's  establishment.  From 
sank,  a  great  quantity,  whole- 
sale. 


Sap  (Eton),  one  who  works  hard. 
Vide  To  Sap. 

He  remembered  in  English  schools  and 
colleges  the  many  epithets  applied  to  those 
who,  not  content  with  doing  their  work, 
committed  the  heinous  offence  of  being 
absorbed  in  it.  For  this  purpose  schools 
and  colleges  had  invented  phrases,  semi- 
classical  or  wholly  vernacular,  such  as  sap, 
"smug,"  "swot,"  "bloke,"  and  "  mug- 
ster." — Daily  News. 

If  a  boy  did  anything  more  than  the 
regular  school-work  for  his  own  improve- 
ment, he  was  called  a  sap. — C.  T.  Buck- 
land:  Eton  Fifty  Years  Ago. 

Sap  the  tlas  (common),  back- 
slang  for  pass  the  salt,  used 
when  the  drink  does  not  go 
round  freely. 

Sap,  to  (public  schools),  to  work 
hard.  It  is  in  common  use  at 
Eton.  Said  to  be  of  circumlo- 
cutory derivation  from  the  Latin 
sapere,  but  more  probably  to  sap, 
taken  figuratively,  i.e.,  to  dig. 
The  French  piocher  is  used  in 
both  senses. 

These  incentives  to  industry  prevent  the 
early  years  of  a  boy  in  college  being 
entirely  wasted;  but  those  who,  toward 
the  end  of  their  school  time,  at  length 
begin  to  value  and  to  practise  studious 
habits,  often  think  regretfully  upon  the 
advantages  secured  by  those  who  sapped 
from  the  beginning. — Pascoe  :  Every-uay 
Life  in  our  Public  Schools. 

Sarahs  (Stock  Exchange),  Man- 
chester, Sheffield,  and  Lincoln- 
shire Eailway  Def.  Stock. 

Sarah's  boots  (Stock  Exchange), 
Sierra  Buttes  Gold-Mine  Shares. 

Saratoga  walk  (American),  a 
fashionable    "fad,"    fully    ex- 


Saratoga — Sausage. 


203 


plained  in  the  following  elegant 
extract  from  an  American  news- 
paper : — 

"  The  Saratoga  walk  is  said  to 
be  the  latest  fashionable  gait 
for  women.  One  who  describes 
it  says  that  '  the  first  requisite 
is  to  throw  your  shoulders  back, 
the  chest  forward,  chin  up,  and 
stomach  in,  and  then  walk, 
wriggling  head,  limbs,  body, 
and  especially  bustle.  The  aim 
is  to  secure  a  series  of  revolu- 
tions which  shall  be  simul- 
taneous but  opposite.  In  simple 
brevity,  if  your  head  moves 
right  your  body  must  move  to 
the  left,  and  before  your  foot 
reaches  ground  you  must  de- 
scribe a  circle  with  the  entire 
limb.  The  gait  is  practised 
in  a  night  dress  before  the 
mirror.  The  part  of  the  busi- 
ness most  difficult  to  master 
is  the  proper  position  of  the 
stomach.' " 

Sardine  (American),  a  man 
who  has  nothing  distinctive  or 
characteristic  in  him  ;  a  mere 
average  person ;  a  provincial 
who  has  always  been  shut  up 
in  some  small  place  among  men 
like  himself.  Obviously  derived 
from  the  sardine,  which  being 
all  of  the  same  size,  and  packed 
in  tin  boxes,  suggested  to  some 
poetic  orator  the  simile. 

Sardines  (Stock  Exchange),  Royal 
Sardinian  Railway  Stock. 

Sa  soldi  (strolling  actors,  &c), 
sixpence. 


Sass  (African  coast).  When  a 
chief  or  other  person  becomes 
too  bold,  or  powerful,  or  wicked, 
he  is  said  in  English  negro  slang 
to  "get  too  much  sass."  The 
remedy  for  this  is  to  make  him 
drink  "sass  water." 

According  to  news  from  the  West  Coast 
of  Africa,  there  have  been  some  human 
sacrifices  in  consequence  of  the  death  of 
a  son  of  the  King  of  Grand  Jack.  Selected 
victims  were  obliged  to  drink  "  sass  water," 
a  poisonous  liquor,  and  were  then  pitched 
into  the  surf  on  the  seashore.  When  the 
rollers  dashed  them  ashore,  men,  women, 
and  children  cut  at  them  with  knives  until 
they  were  dead.  The  chief  of  the  tribe 
flies  the  British  flag,  and  the  captain  of  a 
trading  vessel  remonstrated  with  him  in 
vain. — St.  James's  Gazette. 

Sat.  (printers).  This  is  an  ab- 
breviation of  the  word  "satis- 
faction," and  is  very  often  used 
to  express  a  revengeful  feeling, 
i.e.,  to  have  sat.  or  to  be 
"  even  "  with  any  one. 

Satin  (popular),  gin  ;  a  yard  of 
satin,  a  glass  of  gin. 

Some  of  them  love  satin,  as  a  softening 
for  the  throat, 
While  others  with  dry  Heidseck  you 
must  woo. 

— Bird  d  Freedom. 

Sauney,  sawney  (popular 
and  thieves),  bacon,  pork.  The 
gypsies,  who  never  confound  or 
mix  their  own  language  with 
canting,  say  that  sani  for  pork 
is  old  Romany.  Sawney  hunter, 
one  who  steals  bacon.  A  sawney 
(provincial),  a  fool. 

Sausage  game  (billiards),  a  Ger- 
man game. 


204 


Sawbones — Scad. 


Sawbones  (common),  a  surgeon. 

Sawder,  soft  (popular),  properly 
solder,  cajolery,  plausible  words ; 
flattery  easily  laid  on,  and  re- 
ceived witb  pleasure,  like  "  but- 
ter" and  "soft  soap." 

You've  got  soft  sawderenough,  as  Frank 
calls    it    in    his    new  -  fashioned  slang. — 
Lytton :  My  Novel. 
And   I  also  maintain,   without  any  soft 

sawder, 
That  Orde  is  an  oar  of  the  very  first  order ; 
And  whichever  crew  wins,  we  may  safely 

foretell 
That  the  crew  of  Light  Blues  will  this 

year  "  bear  the  Bell." 

— Globe. 

Sawdust  (American),  counterfeit 
gold-dust  or  money. 

A  man,  charged  with  a  violation  of  the 
postal  laws,  committed  in  the  pursuit  of 
the  sawdust  or  counterfeit  money  swindle. 
— New  York  Mercury. 

(Popular),  not  genuine,  cajol- 
ing. 

The  palaver  was  sawdust  and  treacle. 
—Punch. 

Sawdust  bloke  (circus),  a  circus 
rider. 

At  the  recent  performance  at  Passy,  M. 
Molier  was  the  most  conspicuous  among 
the  amateurs.  To  adopt  the  technology 
of  the  ring,  M.  Molier,  by  all  accounts, 
approved  himself  a  most  accomplished 
sawdust  bloke. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Sawdusty  (popular),  cajoling, 
using  flattering  and  soft  words ; 
probably  same  as  "  sawder." 

Me  doing  the  sawdusty  reg'lar,  and 
following  swells  on  the  stump. — Punch. 

Saw  your  timber  (common),  be 
off ;  equivalent  to  "  cut  your 
stick." 


Say  it  again  (tailors),  I  heartily 
endorse  your  sentiments. 

Scab  (American),  an  opprobrious 
epithet  applied  to  a  mechanic 
or  workman  who  does  not  belong 
to  the  trades'  union  of  his  call- 
ing. Shakspeare  uses  the  term 
with  the  meaning  of  paltry, 
mean  fellow. 

It  was  a  very  novel  and  effective  warfare 
that  the  wives  of  the  coal  strikers  used 
against  the  imported  scab  labour  on  Tues- 
day. If  the  bread  was  as  hard  as  some  that 
is  baked  in  the  Pennsylvania  bakeries,  the 
loaves  must  have  hurt  as  well  as  humili- 
ated the  unwelcome  intruders. — New  York 
Sun. 

Scabby  (printers).  In  printing, 
uneven  colour,  through  bad  dis- 
tribution of  ink,  is  thus  called 
scabby. 

Scab  raiser  (army),  obsolete.  A 
drummer,  as  formerly  one  of 
the  duties  of  his  office  was  to 
apply  the  cat. 

Scabs  (tailors),  button-holes. 

Scad  (American),  abundance,  large 
quantities,  plenty.  Hence  scad 
used  for  money  or  means.  Pos- 
sibly from  Icelandic  and  S  wedish 
skat,  tribute  money,  tax.  Hence 
"  to  pay  one's  scot ; "  the  word 
scot  is,  however,  generally  de- 
rived from  French  icot. 

His  mother  wishes  to  impress  him  with 
life's  sober  realities. 

"Johnny,  yesterday  is  gone,  never  to 
return." 

"  Oh,  that  don't  matter,  mamma ;  there 
are  scads  of  to-morrows  just  like  it." — 
American  Newspaper. 


Scadger — Scandal. 


205 


Scadger  (public  school),  a  mean 
fellow,  a  corruption  of  "  cadger." 

Scaldings  (popular),  a  cry  mean- 
ing "look  out,"  "get  out  of 
the  way,"  "  by  your  leave." 
A  warning  that  some  one  is 
coming  along  with  a  bucket  of 
hot  fluid,  soup,  tea,  or  water, 
which  may  scald  all  who  impede 
progress.  (Winchester  College), 
used  with  same  meaning. 

Scaldrum  dodge,  a  dodge  among 
begging  impostors  of  burning 
the  body  with  a  mixture  of 
acids  and  gunpowder,  so  as  to 
suit  the  hues  and  complexions 
of  any  accident  to  be  deplored 
by  a  confiding  public  (Hotten). 

Scalla-wag  (American),  a  scamp, 
a  scapegrace. 

I  hev  travelled  o'er  this  cont'nent  from 

Quebec  to  Bogotaw, 
Bnt  setch  a  set  of  scallawags  as  these  I 

never  saw. 

— The  Ballads  of  Charity. 

SkaU  occurs  in  all  the  northern 
tongues  as  an  opprobrious  term, 
and  scaUa-wag,  in  the  sense  of 
wight,  a  person,  is  good  old 
English,  from  tcall  (Anglo- 
Saxon),  a  scale  or  scab. 

Scalp,  to  (American),  to  Sell 
under  price. 

Scaly  (popular),  shabby,  mean, 
disreputable,  of  dubious  char- 
acter ;  a  variation  of  "fishy." 

Sister  of  L.  E.  L.,  of  Mrs.  Stowe,  too ; 
Of  E.  B.  Browning,  Harriet  Martineau, 

too  ; 
Do  theologians  know  where  fibbers  go 

to? 


Of  dear  George  Eliot,  whom  I  worship 

daily; 
Of  Charlotte  Bronte,  and  Joanna  Baillie. 
Methinks  that  theory  is  rather  scaly. 

—J.  B.  Stephens :  To  a  Black  Gin. 

Scammered  (popular),  in- 
toxicated. From  scammered, 
disgraced.  Anglo-Saxon  scamn, 
shame ;  Swedish  skdmma,  to 
put  to  shame. 

Scamp.     Vide  Koyal  Scamp. 

Scamp,  to  (popular),  to  give 
short  measure  or  quantity.  Also 
to  hurry  through  a  task  and  do 
it  badly.  (Old  cant),  to  scamp 
on  the  panny,  to  be  a  highway- 


Scan,  (printers),  an  abbreviation 
used  to  describe  a  Scandinavian 
printing  machine  invented  by  a 
native  of  Stockholm. 

Scandal  water,  slang  word  for 
tea,  dating  from  the  hard-drink- 
ing days  of  a  bygone  generation, 
when  it  was  fashionable  to  get 
drunk,  when  "  drunk  as  a  lord  " 
was  a  proverbial  expression, 
when  a  man  was  accounted  the 
best  in  a  convivial  company 
who  first  fell  senseless  from  his 
chair  by  excess  of  liquor,  and 
"a  three-bottle  man"  was  con- 
sidered a  king  of  good  fellows. 

Who  first  shall  rise  to  gang  awa, 
A  coward  cuckold  loon  is  he ; 

Who  first  beside  his  chair  shall  fa', 
He  shall  be  king  among  us  three. 

— Robert  Burns. 

Tea  was  considered  so  effemi- 
nate a  drink  that  the  vulgar 


206 


Scandal — Schooner. 


bacchanals  exerted  all  the  in- 
genuity they  possessed  to  invent 
feebly  contemptuous  names  for 
it — among  others  "cat-lap," 
"scandal  broth,"  "water  be- 
witched," "  tattle  water," 
"  kettle-brandy." 

Scapali  (theatrical),  to  go  away. 
Also  " scaper,"  "bunk."  From 
the  Italian  scappare,  to  escape, 
run  away. 

Scarecrow  (thieves),  explained 
by  quotation. 

"Never  take  up  with  a  fresh  hand  till 
you've  shopped  your  scarecrow"  The 
scarecrow  is  the  boy  who  has  served  him 
until  he  is  well  known  to  the  police,  and 
is  so  closely  watched  that  he  may  as 
well  stay  at  home  as  go  out.  Now, 
perhaps,  you  understand.  —  The  Little 
Ragamuffins. 

Scare  up  (American),  to  obtain, 
get.  "  See  if  you  can't  scare  up 
five  dollars." 

Scarlet  fever  (common),  the 
passion  for  military  society.  In 
allusion  to  the  colour  of  English 
regimentals.  Ladies  who  run 
after  military  society  are  said 
to  have  scarlet  fever.  So  in 
Australia  people  who  flock  to 
every  new-rush  (gold-field),  in 
the  hopes  of  finding  an  El 
Dorado,  are  said  to  suffer  from 
"yellow  fever." 

Scarper,  to  (thieves  and  Seven 
Dials),  to  run  away.  From  the 
Spanish  escapar,  or  Italian 
scappare. 

Scat  (tailors),  signifies  "go  away 
and    tell    it    some    one    else." 


Sometimes  it  is  used  to  express 
utmost  disgust  or  contempt. 
Scat  is  in  imitation  of  trying  to 
frighten  away  a  cat. 

Scene  rats  (theatrical),  extras 
engaged  in  ballets  or  panto- 
mimes. 

Schism-shop,  cant  Anglican  for 
dissenting  chapel. 

School  (popular),  a  set  of  regular 
passengers  by  a  particular  train, 
travelling  as  a  rule  in  the  same 
carriage,  to  and  from  town. 
From  school  of  fishes  (for  shoal). 
Any  small  gathering  of  people 
generally  bent  on  pleasure,  as  a 
school  of  drinkers  in  a  public- 
house  or  canteen.  Much  used  by 
soldiers.  (Thieves  and  streets), 
a  gang  of  thieves,  a  body  of 
idlers  or  street  gamblers,  also  a 
number  of  "  patterers  "  working 
together. 

Schooling  (thieves),  a  term  of 
detention  in  an  industrial  school 
or  reformatory. 

She  is  young — just  come  home  from  a 
schooling. — Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Schoolman  (thieves),  a  companion, 
one  of  a  gang  termed  "school," 
which  see. 

The  knucks  in  quod  my  schoolmen  did 
play. 

Fake  away ! 

— Ainsworth :  Rookwood. 

Schools  (Oxford),  any  university 
examination  at  Oxford. 

Schooner  (American),  a  large  glass 
of  lager-beer,  supposed  to  hold 


Schooner — Scoop. 


207 


double  the  quantity  of  a  five- 
cent  glass,  but  generally  a  delu- 
sion in  this  respect.  A  three- 
masted  schooner,  a  beer  schooner 
of  extra  size.  Originally  skew 
(provincial  English),  a  cup, 
changed  to  skew-ner,  which  is 
a  common  Yankee  pronuncia- 
tion of  schooner. 

Every  time  he  wiped  out  an  Indian  or 
strung  up  a  greaser  a  dude  would  order  a 
round  of  beer,  and  this  fellow  invariably 
called  for  a  three-masted  schooner. — Ame- 
rican Newspaper. 

Schoony-orgy  (naval),  aschooner ; 
termed  also  hermaphrodite  brig, 
bastard  brig,  &c. 

Schroff  (Anglo-Indian),  a  banker, 
treasurer,  or  confidential  clerk. 

Scob  (Winchester  College),  box 
spelt  backwards  (phonetically). 
A  large  box  for  college  men  to 
sit  at  and  keep  their  books  in. 

When  all  is  ready,  the  prefect  of  hall 
enters  school,  and  takes  his  seat  facing  the 
stove,  followed  by  the  members  of  the 
three  "  sixes,"  and  then  by  all  the  scholars, 
who  sit  on  their  scobs. — Pascoe :  Everyday 
Lift  in  our  Public  Schools. 

Scoff  (South  African),  food.  The 
term  is  used  by  natives  in  the 
service  of  Europeans  in  South 
Africa  Skofoor(skoffer),  Swedish, 
is  applied  to  common  food,  i.  e. , 
scrapings. 

Scoff  away,  scuff  away  (Ame- 
rican), to  blow  away,  to  drive 
away,  impel.  Probably  from 
Swedish  tkuffa. 

Scoff,  scorf,  to  (South  African), 
to  devour,  eat  voraciously. 


A  prospector,  with  ten  donkeys  and  a 
waggon,  had  "  outspanned  "  for  the  night, 
during  the  course  of  which  a  hungry  lion 
scoffed  (Anglice,  'ate)  one  of  the  Jeru- 
salems,  and,  being  filled  to  repletion,  was 
disinclined  to  wander  from  the  scene.  In 
the  early  morning,  it  being  rather  dark 
and  the  prospector  and  his  niggers  half 
asleep,  Mr.  Leo  was  "  inspanned "  as 
wheeler  in  mistake  for  the  missing  moke. 
The  eight  in  front  beat  their  record  in  the 
travelling  line,  and  were  glad  to  have  the 
error  rectified  at  dawn. — Sporting  1'imes. 

Sconce  (public  schools),  a  tin 
candlestick. 

Sconce,  to  (Oxford  University), 
to  fine  for  any  breach  of  eti- 
quette at  hall  dinner,  such  as 
wearing  a  coloured  coat,  swear- 
ing, or  making  Latin  or  G^reek 
quotations.  The  sconce,  or  fine, 
is  generally  levied  in  beer.  The 
customs  vary  at  different  col- 
leges. Hotten  says  that  if  the 
offender  could,  however,  floor 
the  tankard  of  beer  which  he 
was  sconced,  he  could  retort  on 
his  sconcer  to  the  extent  of  twice 
the  amount  he  was  sconced  in. 

.  .  .  was  sconced  in  a  quart  of  ale  for 
quoting  Latin,  a  passage  from  Juvenal ; 
murmured,  and  the  fine  was  doubled. — 
The  Etonian. 

The  term  is  used  by  Milton 
with  the  meaning  of  to  mulct, 
fine. 

Scoop,  on  the  (popular),  on  the 
drink.  A  metaphor  derived  from 
scoop,  a  ladle  for  liquors. 

"  You  seem  to  forget,  George,  that  when 
I  married  you  I  could  have  had  young 
Plutus!" 

"  A  nice  sort  of  husband  he'd  have  made. 
The  blackguard  goes  home  drunk  in  a  cab 
every  night." 


208 


Scoop — Scout. 


"  Well,  if  he  does,  that's  better  than 
returning  on  the  top  of  a  penny  'bus,  as 
you  do." 

He  went  on  the  scoop  that  night. — Topi- 
cal Times. 

Scoop,  to  (American).  It  has 
become  common  of  late  to  speak 
of  any  one  who  has  been  turned 
out  of  office,  or  been  rejected, 
as  scooped.  This  agrees  exactly 
with  the  Dutch  phrase,"  Jemand 
den  schop  geven,"  to  give  a  man 
the  scoop,  or  a  kick,  "  to  cashier 
one,"  as  Sewell  says.  Also  "Je- 
mand op  den  schop  zetten"  {schop 
here  means  "  swing,"  as  well  as 
scoop),  to  take  to  one's  self  the 
liberty  to  cashier  a  servant  or 
workman  at  any  time,  without 
being  bound  to  employ  him  any 
longer.  And  also  "  Een  schop  in 
't  gat  geven,"  to  give  one  a  kick, 
or  scoop,  in  the  breech.  All  of 
which  agree  marvellously  well 
with  the  cases  of  countless 
"  cashiered "  Eepublicans  re- 
corded by  the  Chicago  Tribune. 

Scoot,  to  (American), to  move  fast, 
to  run.  A  corruption  of  scud  ; 
from  the  Dutch  schut  and  schot, 
a  shot.  "  Dat  schip  makt  schot, ' ' 
that  ship  goes  a  great  pace,  or 
sails  fast. 

The  fellow  sat  down  on  a  hornet's  nest, 
and  if  he  didn't  run  and  holler  and  scoot 
through  the  briar-bushes,  and  tore  his  trou- 
sers.— Bartlett:  Hilts  Yankee  Stories. 

Used  also  in  English  sporting 
circles. 

I  saw  that  he  wanted  to  serve  me  out  toko, 
But  I  swiftly  and  carefully  thwarted  his 
plans, 

For  I  scooted.  His  blow  fell  on  some- 
body's boko.       — Bird  o'  Freedom. 


Scorcher  (society),  a  fast  or  very 
lively  person.  Derived  from 
to  scorch,  burn  up,  consume. 
(Cyclists),  one  who  always  goes 
at  racing  speed.  (Tailors),  pro- 
perly an  iron  at  burning  heat ; 
figuratively,  an  individual  of 
peculiar,  eccentric,  or  hasty 
temperament. 

Score  off,  to  (common),  to  get  the 
best  of  one,  especially  in  wordy 
warfare.  From  scoring  up  the 
points  at  billiards. 

I  say,  old  man,  that  was  a  stuck-up  set 
of  prigs  at  old  Brown's  the  other  night ! 
By  Jove,  though,  I  did  manage  to  score  off 
them  a  bit,  eh  ? — Punch. 

Scot  (popular),  a  lot,  share.  An- 
glo-Saxon sceat,  or  French  6cot. 
Also  temper  or  passion ;  from  the 
irascible  temperament  of  the 
Scotch,  says  Hotten.  To  be  in 
a  scot,  to  be  in  a  passion. 

Scotch  chocolate  (common),  milk 
with  brimstone. 

Scotchman  (South  African),  a 
florin. 

Scotch  peg  (roughs'  rhyming 
slang),  a  leg. 

Scout  (old  cant),  a  watchman. 
(Oxford),  a  college  servant. 
(Thieves),  a  watch.  From  the 
old  provincial  scout,  a  spy,  a 
play  on  watching  and  spying. 

Connor  then  asked  what  the  article  was, 
to  which  the  answer  returned  was,  "  A 
scout."  This  he  understood  to  mean  a 
watch. — Scottish  Newspaper. 


Scout — Scraper. 


209 


Scout,  to  (sporting),  to  scout  for 
pigeons,  to  shoot  pigeons  out- 
side the  inclosure  of  a  gun-club. 
Compare  scouting  for  tennis- 
balls  and  cricket-balls  that  have 
been  hit  away. 

Scrag  (popular  and  thieves),  the 
neck.  Derived  from  scrag,  a 
raw-boned  piece,  especially  a 
neck-piece  of  meat.  The  scrag, 
the  gallows.  He  is  down  for  his 
scrag,  he  is  going  to  be  hanged. 
(Shrewsbury  School),  explained 
by  quotation. 

The  highest  mark  is  twenty  with  a  cross 
.  .  .  and  so  down  to  a  huge  duck's  egg 
and  a  rent  across  the  paper  entitled  a 
scrag: — Pascoc :  Everyday  Life  in  our 
Public  Schools. 

Scrag- end,  explained  by  quota- 
tion. 

There  is  a  long  and  sinuous  thorough- 
fare situate  in  the  heart  of  London-in-the- 
East,  the  real  name  of  which  will  not  be 
here  given,  but  which,  probably  because 
of  the  chronic  impecuniosity  of  those  who 
patronise  it  as  a  market-place,  is  popularly 
known  as  Scrag-end.  It  flourishes  all  the 
week  through,  but  the  time  to  see  it  at  its 
busiest  is  Saturday  night,  when  the  glaring 
jets  of  gas  have  just  been  lit  to  illuminate 
the  butchers'  shops,  and  the  countless  cos- 
termongers  have  set  their  naphtha  lamps 
blazing.—/.  Greenwood. 

Scragging  (popular),  an  execu- 
tion.    Vide  Sceag. 

Scraggy,  from  the  old  Norse 
skrukka,  to  shrink,  shrivel; 
hence  applied  to  a  lean  neck. 

Scrag,  to  (popular  and  thieves), 
to  choke,  throttle.  Vide  Sceag. 
VOL.  II. 


Pooh  ! "  says  his  pal,  "  you  great  dunce  ! 
You've  pouched  the  good  gentleman's 
money, 
So  out  with  your  whinger  at  once, 
And   scrag  Jane,   while  I  spiflicate 
Johnny  1 " 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

To  be  scragged,  to  be  hanged. 


"  Do  you  vant   to  have  us  sera 
fool  ? "  cried  the  Sandman,  springing  into 
the  vault. — Ainsworth :  Auriol. 

For  synonyms  in  English, 
French,  Italian,  &c,  slang,  vide 
Barrere's  "  Argot  and  Slang." 

Scran  (popular),  food ;  much 
used  in  the  army.  A  scran-bag 
is  a  food  wallet ;  a  scran,  a 
meal. 

But   ere  for  the  scran  he  had  left   the 
Cole, 
The  Harman  he  came  in. 

— Harlequin  Sheppard. 
His  club,  Charlie,  'ad  a  reception, 
Which  means  a  big  crowd  and  cold  scran. 
— Punch. 

(Beggars),  food  or  pieces  of 
meat,  broken  victuals.  Scran- 
ning,  or  out  on  the  scran,  begging 
for  broken  victuals.  The  term 
scran  was  originally  used  in  a 
deprecatory  sense,  from  scrans, 
provincial  English  for  refuse,  or 
more  probably  from  to  scranch, 
to  grind  crackling  food  between 
the  teeth.     Vide  Sceuncheb. 

Scranning  (beggars  and  tramps), 
begging  for  food. 

Scrape  (common),  a  shave. 

Scraper  (common),  a  razor. 
0 


2IO 


Scrapper — Scratch-race. 


Scrapper  (popular),  a  pugilist ; 
given  in  John  Bee's  dictionary 
of  the  turf,  1823.  Also  used  in 
America.  Probably  from  the 
movements  of  a  pugilist  who 
appears  to  scrape  with  his  feet. 

People  who  have  of  late  been  playing  at 
pugilism  have  their  own  organs,  which  are 
not  only  organs,  but  partisans  also.  Thus 
they,  the  players,  don't  want  me  to  break 
a  lance  in  their  behalf;  and  yet  I  note 
that  those  who  have  taken  upon  themselves 
the  r61e  of  advisers  and  directors  of  the 
toy  pugilism  which  has  so  aroused  Mr. 
Howell's  wrath,  have  said  never  a  word 
in  defence  of  the  queer  thing  about  which 
they  have  for  months  been  making  so  much 
vapour.  Has  the  spirit  of  Bombastes 
affected  the  directors  and  controllers  as 
well  as  the  Lowther  Arcade  scrappers. — 
The  Referee. 

Scrap,  scrapping  (popular),  a 
fight,  boxing,  a  rough  and 
tumble  row.  Also  used  in  Ame- 
rica. Suggested  to  be  from 
Swedish  skrap,  a  difficulty, 
which  has  given  the  English 
"  scrape."     Vide  SCRAPPER. 

Tom  O'Connell  and  Bob  Banner  had  a 
scrap  on  last  Tuesday  afternoon  at  Chipeta 
Park.  Six  rounds  were  fought,  and  from 
the  appearance  of  the  gloves,  which  were 
covered  with  blood,  some  hard  hitting 
was  done. — The  Solid  Muldoon,  Oiway, 
Colorado. 

Scrap,  to  (popular),  to  fight  or 
bos.    Also  used  in  America. 

Scrap  up  (popular),  having  a  scrap 
up  is  having  a  quarrel,  a  row. 

Scratch  (common),  a  scratch  crew, 
team,  or  eleven,  consists  of  men 
who  have  not  practised  together 
and  are  collected  on  the  spur  of 
the  moment.     To  come  up  to 


the  scratch  is  a  colloquialism, 
meaning  to  meet  the  point. of 
issue,  to  enter  the  contest. 

Sir  Bingo  .  .  .  eyed  his  friend  with  a 
dogged  look  of  obstinacy,  expressive,  to 
use  his  own  phrase,  of  a  determined  resolu- 
tion to  come  up  to  the  scratch. — Scott: 
St.  Ronaris  Well. 

In  debate,  to  be  brought  up  to 
the  scratch,  to  be  compelled  to 
come  to  the  point.  Technically 
the  scratch  is  a  line  at  the  start- 
ing-point of  a  race,  or  the  mark 
which  is  scratched  or  chalked  on 
the  ground  in  the  middle  of  the 
"ring,"  hence  the  expression 
coming  up  to  the  scratch.  Also 
toeing  the  scratch,  being  ready 
at  the  post  in  time.  The  rules 
of  the  prize-ring  require  each 
man  to  have  his  toe  on  the 
scratch  within  eight  seconds  of 
"time"  called  on  pain  of  losing 
the  battle.  He  must  walk  to 
the  scratch  unaided.  This  rule 
was  adopted  after  the  fatal 
fight  between  Owen  Swift  and 
Phelps  in  1838,  when  the  latter 
died  of  exhaustion,  having  been 
brought  up  to  the  scratch  by  his 
second  under  the  older  rule. 

Scratching  rake  (popular),  a 
comb. 

Scratch,  no  great  (popular),  of 
little  worth.  The  allusion  is  to 
a  fowl  scratching  for  food. 

Scratch-race  (turf),  a  technical 
expression,  meaning  a  race 
without  any  restrictions.  To 
scratch  is  a  technical  turf  term, 
meaning    to    strike    a    horse's 


Scratch-race— Screw. 


211 


name  out  of  the  list  of  runners 
in  a  particular  race.  Generally 
to  eliminate  the  name  of  any 
candidate  from  a  list  in  any  kind 
of  competition. 

A  series  of  scratching*,  most  unpopular, 
will  leave  unpleasant  memories  clinging 
round  each  of  the  big  handicaps  named 
above. — Sporting  Times. 

Scratch  your  wool  (tailors),  try 
to  recollect. 

Screamer  (American),  an  extra- 
ordinary person,  a  great  swell ; 
from  a  metaphor  similar  to  that 
from  which  arose  the  expression 
screaming,  which  see. 

Screaming  (common),  first-rate, 
splendid.  A  screaming  farce, 
one  that  makes  the  audience 
scream  with  laughter. 

Scream,  to  (thieves).  When  a 
thief  is  robbed  by  another  and 
he  applies  to  the  police,  he  is 
said  to  scream.  More  commonly 
in  America  to  squeal. 

Screen  (thieves),  a  note.  Screen 
is  apparently  an  old  term  for 
money.  Provincial  screen,  a 
small  vein  of  ore.  Scandinavian 
and  Teutonic  slcrin,  a  little  box 
for  money.  Swedish  skrin-lagga, 
to  lay  up  money. 

Readily  the  queer  screens  I  then  could 
smash, 

Fake  away  I 
— Ainsworth:  Rookwood. 

Screeve  (thieves  and  beggars), 
a  begging  petition.  Vide  To 
Screeve. 


Screever  (street),  a  street  artist 
and  beggar  who  ornaments 
the  pavements  with  drawings 
in  coloured  chalks.     Vide  To 

SCKEEVE. 

Screeve,  to  (thieves  and  beggars), 
to  write  ;  to  screeve  a  fakement, 
to  write  a  begging-letter.  From 
provincial  scrive,  obsolete  Eng- 
lish, to  scribe,  to  write.  To 
screeve  also  means  to  draw  on 
the  pavement  with  coloured 
chalks. 

Screw  (general),  salary,  wages. 
The  metaphor  implies  efforts 
on  the  part  of  the  employer 
to  diminish  the  rate,  or  the 
efforts  of  the  employe*  to  en- 
force unwilling  payment  of,  the 
salary,  which  has  to  be  screwed 
out. 

If  I  got  any  practice  he  would  have  an 
excuse  for  knocking  ,£100  or  so  off  my 
screw. — Truth. 

'Twas  Monday  morn, 

And  he  had  wasted  all  his  weekly  screw, 

And  was  in  debt  some  sixpences  besides. 
— A  ustralian  Printers'  Keepsake. 

Drat  those  clerks,  they  always  want 
holidays.  I'll  stop  it  out  of  their  screw 
though. — Ally  Sloper's  Half-Holiday. 

(Popular),  a  screw  of  tobacco, 
the  smallest  quantity  of  tobacco 
done  up  for  sale  in  a  packet. 
(Thieves),  a  key,  skeleton  key. 

It  was  a  good  job  I  did,  or  else  I  should 
have  got  lagged,  and  my  pal  too,  because 
I  had  the  James  and  screws. — Horsleyi 
Jottings  from  Jail. 

A  jailer,  turnkey,  prison  war- 
der. 

My  next  neighbour,  who  had  been  a 
bank  manager,  asked,  "  What  implement 


212 


Screw — Scrimshanker. 


in  a  carpenter's  shop  does  the  chief  warder 
look  like?"  The  response  was,  "A  screw- 
driver."  The  officers  were  always  desig- 
nated screws,  so  the  description  was  not 
improper. — Evening  News. 

(American  University),  a 
searching  or  strict  examination 
of  a  student  by  an  examiner  or 
instructor. 

Screwed  (general),  intoxicated,  a 
synonym  of  "tight,"  the  meta- 
phor being  the  same. 

By  Jove,  you  must  have  been  screwed. 
Then,  I  dare  say,  you  don't  remember 
wanting  to  have  a  polka  with  him. — C. 
Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

An  unsexed  woman  shouting  a  song  at 
the  top  of  a  brazen  voice,  with  an  imitation 
"  how  her  old  man  got  screwed." — Even- 
ing News. 

Screwing  up  (Oxford  University), 
explained  by  quotation. 

At  present  friction  occurs  between  un- 
popular "Dons"  and  rowdy  students. 
The  Don  finds  himself  screwed  up,  or,  in 
other  words,  imprisoned  to  his  room  by 
a  gimlet  thrust  into  the  door  in  such  a  way 
that  it  requires  the  aid  of  a  carpenter  to 
unfasten  it. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Screw  loose  (common),  used  in 
the  phrases  "  a  screw  loose  some- 
where," something  wrong.  "  He 
has  a  screw  loose,"  he  is  slightly 
deranged. 

Screw  on,  put  the  (thieves),  to 
extort  money  by  threats.  In 
allusion  to  the  old  torture  of 
the  finger- screw. 

Is  it  true  you  was  pinched  for  putting 
the  screw  on  an  omnibus.,  conductor? — 
Sporting  Times. 

In  common  parlance,  to  apply 
pressure  by  threats  or  other- 


wise so  as  to  enforce  acqui- 
escence. 

Screwsman  (thieves),  a  burglar ; 
a  screw  being  a  skeleton  key. 
Burglars  who  work  with 
"  screws,"  especially  if  they 
are  clever  enough  to  make  them 
themselves,  look  down  upon 
their  less  artistic  brethren  who 
rudely  break  into  a  house  by 
crowbars  or  other  implements. 

One  day  after  this  I  asked  a  screwsman 
if  he  would  lend  me  some  screws,  because 
I  had  a  place  cut  and  dried. — Horsley : 
J  at  tings  from  Jail. 

Screw,  to  (common),  to  extort, 
to  have  carnal  connection. 
(Thieves),  to  enter  a  house  by 
means  of  skeleton  keys. 

So  we  went  and  screwed  his  place,  and 
got  thirty-two  quid,  and  a  toy  and  tackle 
which  he  had  bought  on  the  crook. — Hors- 
ley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

(American    University),   vide 
Screw. 

Scrimshandy  (nautical),  an  Ame- 
ricanism, signifying  the  objects 
in  ivory  and  bone  carved  by 
whalemen  during  their  long 
voyages.  Synonymous  with 
"  scrimshaw,"  which  see. 

Scrimshanker  (army),  one, 
whether  officer  or  soldier,  who 
is  not  over  keen  for  danger, 
whether  on  active  service  or  at 
home.  One  who  has  avoided 
his  turn  of  foreign  service,  who 
malingers  or  feigns  illness  to 
escape  duty.  Scrimshanker,  or 
idle  shuffler,  is  also  used  at  some 


Scrimshanker — Scrubbers. 


213 


public  schools  to  signify  a  lazy, 
good-for-nothing  fellow.  Pro- 
bably from  scrimp,  to  shorten, 
to  stint  or  contract,  and  swanker, 
labour ;  Danish  skrumpe,  German 
schrumpen,  Dutch  krimpen. 

'A  could  na  bear  to  see  thee  wi'  thy  cloak 
scrimpit  .  .  .  an'  should  be  a'most  as 
much  hurt  i'  my  mind  to  see  thee  i'  a 
pinched  cloak  as  if  old  Moll's  tail  here 
were  docked  too  short. — Mrs.  Gaskell: 
Sylvia's  Lovers. 

Scrimshank,  to  (military),  to 
shirk  one's  duty.  Vide  SCRIM- 
SHANKER. 

Scrimshaw-work  (nautical),  any- 
thing made  by  sailors  for 
themselves  in  their  leisure 
hours. 

Scroby  or  claws  for  breakfast 
(prison),  whipping  while  in 
prison. 

Scroof,  to  (thieves),  to  sponge,  to 
live  with  a  friend  at  his  expense. 
Thieves  are  in  the  habit  of 
tcroqfing  with  an  old  pal  when 
they  first  come  out  of  prison, 
till  they  can  steal  something  for 
themselves.  This  seems  to  be  a 
form  of  scoff,  scorf,  which  see. 

Scroofer  (thieves),  a  sponge,  a 
parasite. 

Scrouge  (American  University), 
an  exaction,  a  specially  hard 
task. 

Scrouge,  to  (American  Uni- 
versity), a  term  applied  to  an 
exacting  tailor  or  master  who 


extorts  a  maximum  quantity  of 
work  from  his  pupils.  (Popu- 
lar), to  crush,  crowd,  or  squeeze. 
"  This  term  was  made  familiar 
in  the  language  of  literature 
by  Dickens'  Ebenezer  Scrooge. 
It  is  the  old  English  scruze,  to 
squeeze  or  crush,  and  seems  to 
have  no  native  origin.  It  is 
perhaps  from  Spanish  estrujar, 
to  press,  strain  or  thrust,  which 
is  derived  from  Latin  extorculare, 
to  press  out  (as  wine  from 
grapes) ;  torculum,  a  press,  from 
torqueo,  to  twist"  (Smythe  A. 
Palmer). 

Then  atweene  her  lilly  handes  twaine 
Into  his  wound  the  juice  thereof  did  scruze. 
— Spenser:  Faerie, Queene. 

Scrub  (American),  synonymous 
with  the  English  "screw"  for 
a  horse  of  little  value. 

When  the  regiment  was  ordered  to 
charge,  they  raised  the  rebel  yell  and 
rushed  forward  ;  but  the  colonel's  horse — 
an  old  scrub  he  had  borrowed — "bucked' 
and  refused  to  move. — Harper's  Magazine. 

The  English  scrub  is  expres- 
sive of  meanness.  Also  a  worn- 
out  brush.  (American  Univer- 
sity), a  servant.  (Australian), 
explained  by  quotation. 

I  have  used  and  shall  use  this  word  so 
often  that  some  explanation  is  due  to  the 
English  reader.  I  can  give  no  better 
definition  of  it  than  by  saying  that  it 
means  shrubbery. — H.  Kingsley :  Geoffry 
Hamlyn. 

Scrubbers  (Australian),  explained 
by  quotation. 

The  captain  was  getting  in  the  scrubbers, 
cattle  which  had  been  left  to  run  wild 
through  the  mountains.  —  H.  Kingsley  : 
Geoffry  Hamlyn. 


214 


Scrubbing — Scurf. 


Scrubbing  (Winchester  College), 
a  flogging  in  which  four  cuts 
were  administered. 

Scruff,  to  (Australian),  to  seize  as 
if  seizing  by  the  scruff  or  back 
part  of  the  neck. 

In  crossing  the  Fitzroy  River  I  once  had 
a  narrow  escape  of  being  scruffed  by 
an  alligator. — Finch  •  Hatton :  Advance 
A  ustralia. 

Sending  (Westminster  College), 
the  inquiry  made  on  the  first 
day  of  election  week  by  the 
warden  and  posers  of  the  F. 
seniors  and  F.  juniors  in  college 
as  to  whether  they  have  any 
complaint  to  make  as  to  the 
state  of  things  in  college. 

Scrumptious  (popular),  nice, 
select. 

'Ow  are  yer,  my  ribstone?  Seems  scrump- 
tious to  write  the  old  name, 

I  'ave  quite  lost  the  run  of  you  lately.    Bin 
playing  some  dark  little  game  ? 

— Punch. 

Scrumptious  or  skrumshus  is  a 
Suffolk  word  for  stingy,  close,  or 
very  particular,  from  the  same 
root  as  scrimp,  and  it  does  not 
mean  so  much  pleasant  or  agree- 
able as  select  or  choice,  some- 
thing which  is  scrimped. 

Scruncher  (American  and  Eng- 
lish), one  who  eats  greedily. 
Scrunch,  to  crunch  (Wright). 
Dutch  schransen,  a  greedy  feeder ; 
schransen,  to  eat  greedily.  These 
Dutch  words  indicate  that  there 
is  a  Teutonic  as  well  as  a  Celtic 
original  for  scran,  food,  if  the 
act  of  eating  may  be  assumed 


as  of  the  same  origin  with  that 
which  is  eaten. 

Scuds  (American),  money ;  Eng- 
lish skids,  sovereigns.  Possibly 
in  the  sense  of  shiners ;  from 
the  Dutch  schit,  i.e.,  skit,  schitter, 
to  shine,  glitter,  or  sparkle ;  or 
from  the  Italian  scudi,  crowns. 

Scuff  (thieves),  a  crowd.  A  pick- 
pocket may  have  a  companion 
whose  sole  function  it  is  to 
"get  up  a  scuff,"  to  provide 
opportunity  and  to  conceal  the 
operations  of  his  friend.  This 
is  done  by  feigning  a  fit,  by  a 
sham  quarrel,  &c.  Also  "push. " 
The  derivation  is  evidently  from 
scuffle,  a  tumultuous  broil  ; 
Saxon  scufian,  to  push. 

While  we  was  there  we  saw  a  scuff':  it 
was  a  flat  that  had  been  welshed. — Horsley  : 
Jottings  from  Jail. 

Scug  (Eton  and  Harrow),  a  boy 
who  is  not  distinguished  in  per- 
son, in  games,  or  social  quali- 
ties. One  of  untidy,  dirty,  or 
ill-mannered  habits  ;  one  whose 
sense  of  propriety  is  not  fully 
developed.  Provincial  scug,  one 
who  hides  or  sneaks  away. 

Bathing  was  always  in  great  favour  with 
the  Eton  boys.  A  boy  who  did  not  bathe 
was  called  a  scug: — C.  T.  Buckland :  Eton 
Fifty  Years  Ago. 

Scumble,  to  (studios),  to  glaze 
pictures  with  an  opaque  colour. 

Scurf  (costermongers),  a  term  ap- 
plied to  mean,  close-fisted  cos- 
termongers by  their  fellows. 


Scuttle — See. 


215 


Scuttle,  to  (roughs  and  thieves), 
to  stab,  rip  a  man  open.  From 
the  ordinary  meaning  of  the 
word,  or  gypsy  Seattle,  to  kill. 

Three  persons  were  charged  with  being 
accessory  to  the  murder  of  John  Brady 
in  a  scuttling  affray. — Scotsman. 

Sea  cunny  (Anglo-Indian),  a  steers- 
man or  quartermaster.  Persian 
sukkdni,  from  the  Arabic  sukkdn, 
a  helm. 

Sea-grocer  (nautical),  the  purser. 

Seal,  a  religious  slang  term  for  a 
convert  (Hot ten).  In  the  phra- 
seology of  Mormons,  a  wife. 

Sealed  (American),  originally  used 
by  the  Mormons  to  intimate 
that  wives  are  appointed  or 
united  by  eternal  destiny  to  a 
man.  A  source  of  many  slang 
phrases,  and  not  a  few  unseemly 
puns  and  jokes. 

A  young  Mormon  wife,  in  a  fit  of  absent- 
mindedness  at  the  post-office,  dropped 
herself  into  the  box,  and  let  the  letter 
walk  home,  nor  did  she  find  out  her  mis- 
take till  the  clerk  asked  her  if  she  were 
double  or  single  ?  "  Voung  man,"  she 
replied,  "  don't  you  know  that  l'msealedf " 
—Newspaper jokes. 

"  My  wives,  Mr.  Ward,"  sed  Yung. 

"Your  sarvant,  Marms,"  sed  I,  as  I  sot 
down  in  a  cheer  which  a  gal  brawt  me. 

"  Besides  these  wives  you  see  here, 
Mister  Ward,"  sed  Yung,  "I  hev  eighty 
more  in  varis  parts  of  this  consecrated 
land  which  air  seated  to  me." 

"Which?"  sez  I,  gittin'  up  and  starin' 
at  him. 

"  Sealed,  sir  !  sealed/  " 

"  Wharebouts  ?  "  sez  I. 

"  I  sed,  sir,  that  they  was  sealed."  He 
spoke  in  a  traggerdy  \oict.—Artemus 
Ward. 


Seas  over,  half.  Vide  Half-Seas 
Oveh,  to  which  may  be  added 
the  following  explanation : — 

Dr.  S.  G.  Green,  in  his  life  of  William 
Wilberforce,  the  philanthropist,  states  that 
he  (Wilberforce)  would  say,  "  I  have  often 
heard  that  sailors  on  a  voyage  will  drink 
'  friends  astern '  till  they  are  half-way  over, 
then  '  friends  ahead.'  Could  this  custom 
be  the  origin  of  the  phrase  ?  .  .  .  Though 
the  phrase  is  never  used,  I  believe,  to 
denote  a  person  completely  drunk,  it  ori- 
ginally implied  semi-intoxication." — Notes 
and  Queries. 

Sea,  to  be  at  (common),  to  be 
lost,  to  know  nothing  about  a 
matter ;  to  be  uninformed,  un- 
certain. , 

Second-hand  daylight  (popular), 
the  light  of  another  world. 
Apparently  a  vulgar  version  of 
the  light  that  never  shines  on 
sea  or  land.  "  I'll  let  daylight 
into  you." 

The  other  night  she  came  with  a 
candle  in  one  hand  and  a  sixpenny  dagger 
in  the  other,  and  started  on  me  in  this 
style — ' '  Where  is  the  old  kangaroo  ?  Let 
me  get  at  him,  and  I'll  treat  him  to  two- 
pennyworth  of  second-hand  daylight  f  " — 
Music  Hall  Song:  Why  don't  you  be 
steady,  Maria? 

Second  timer  (prison),  a  man 
convicted  and  sentenced  for 
the  second  time. 

I  have  known  hundreds  of  men  who 
were  second  timers,  who  in  a  ten  years' 
sentence  had  got  twenty-seven  months' 
remission,  who  were  compelled  to  do  the 
whole  of  this  time  in  addition  to  what  they 
got  in  the  second  sentence. — Evening 
Nevis. 

See,  a  (American),  a  sight.  "  She 
determined    that    the    world 


2l6 


See — Sell. 


should  have  an  opportunity  of 
seeing  her  three  babes,  or  trins, 
or  triplets,  at  twenty-five  cents 
o  see,"  says  an  Illinois  news- 
paper. 

See  a  man,  to  (American),  to  go 
and  have  a  drink  at  the  bar. 

Seedy  (common),  unwell.  The 
metaphor  refers  to  a  plant 
run  to  seed,  and  consequently 
withering. 

Would  it  not  be  better  for  you  to  receive 
part  (perhaps  all)  of  your  money  by  a  wise 
concealment  ?  for  however  seedy  Mr.  Bag- 
shot  may  be  now,  if  he  hath  really  played 
the  frolic  with  you,  you  may  believe  he 
will  play  it  with  others. — Fielding: 
Jonathan  Wild. 

Little  Flanigan  here  is  a  little  seedy,  as 
we  say  among  us  that  practise  the  law. — 
Goldsmith. 

Sei.     Tide  Soldi. 

Selection  (Australian),  a  kind  of 
farm.  The  principle  of  free- 
selection  is  established  in  all 
the  self-governing  Australian 
colonies.  The  Government 
throws  open  such  and  such  an 
area  of  the  crown  lands  for 
free-selection  and  then  any  one 
is  allowed  to  select  or  take  up  so 

,  much  land,  usually  320  or  640 
acres,  paying  at  the  rate  of  a 
pound  an  acre,  the  payment 
being  spread  over  a  number  of 
years,  residence  on  the  area 
selected  for  so  many  years,  and 
certain  improvements  within  a 
prescribed  time  being  condi- 
tions attached.  As  these  selec- 
tions are  generally  taken  up  for 
farms,  a  selection  has  come  to 


mean  pretty  much  the  same  as 
a  farm,  though  it  has  this 
technical  meaning. 

Here  they  can  breed  a  sturdy  family 
To  help  them  farm  more  highly,  as  more 

mouths 
Demand    subsistence    from    the    same 

selection, 
And  when  they  grow  too  many  for  its 

means 
And  have  acquired  a  rife  experience, 
Send  sons  forth  one  by  one  to  found 

fresh  hives. 
— Douglas  B.  W.  Sladen :  Home 
in  Australia. 

Selector,  free  (Australian),  a 
farmer. 

I  venture  to  differ  from  my  correspon- 
dent when,  in  telling  me  that  "  cocky  "  is 
Australian  argot  for  a  small  farmer,  he 
adds,"By-the-bye,  you  never  hear  the  word 
'  farmer '  over  there ;  it  is  always  selector 
or  'squatter.'"  But  I  beg  to  state  that 
many  scores  of  times  at  the  Antipodes  I 
have  heard  agriculturists  whose  holdings 
were  small,  spoken  of,  not  as  "cockies" 
but  as  "  cockatoo  farmers ;  "  while  to  the 
term  selector  was  generally  prefixed  the 
adjective  "free."  —  Illustrated  London 
News. 

Sell  (common),  disappointment, 
deception,  practical  joke. 

Mr.  Verdant  Green  having  swallowed 
this,  his  friend  was  thereby  enabled  not 
only  to  use  up  old  sells,  but  also  to  draw 
largely  on  his  invention  for  new  ones. — 
C.  Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

Sell  a  pup,  to  (common),  to  make 
a  fool  of  one. 

Sell,  to  (common),  to  deceive, 
swindle,  play  a  practical  joke 
upon  a  person.  Said  to  be 
from  a  cheap  Jack's  phrase, 
"sold  again,"  after  selling  his 
goods. 


Send — Sergeant-major. 


217 


Send  a  man  up  Green  River,  to 

(American),  i.e.,  to  kill  him. 
The  phrase,  on  De  Vere's  autho- 
rity, had  its  origin  in  a  once 
famous  factory  on  Green  River, 
where  a  superior  kind  of  large 
knife  was  made,  very  popular 
among  hunters  and  trappers. 
On  the  blade  the  words  "  Green 
River  Works"  were  engraved, 
and  hence  the  mountaineers, 
using  the  knife  to  despatch 
an  adversary,  literally  sent  his 
blood  up  Green  Eiver. 

Send-off  notice  (common),  an 
obituary  notice. 

After  the  funeral  Huggins  behaved  hand- 
some ;  he  put  the  Scalper  into  deep  mourn- 
ing, and  wrote  a  beautiful  send-off  notice 
saying  what  a  loss  the  community  had 
suffered  in  Scrimmy's  untimely  end. — T^e 
Golden  Butterfly. 

Sensation  (popular),  a  quartern 
of  gin. 

Sent  down  (University),  rusti- 
cated, sent  away  for  a  certain 
lapse  of  time. 

When  "  Billy "  Wykeham  gave  to  his 
colleges  at  Winchester  and  Oxford  the 
motto  "  Manners  makyth  man,"  we 
wonder  if  he  considered  the  publication 
of  skits  upon  "  dons  "  to  be  a  breach  of 
scholarly  manners.  The  trustees  of  Uni- 
versity traditions  at  Oxford  have,  however, 
no  doubts  upon  the  subject,  and  yesterday 
an  undergraduate  of  New  was  sent  down 
for  irreverent  jibes,  published  in  an  under- 
graduate paper  for  which  he  was  held  re- 
sponsible.— Globe. 

Sentry  go,  (army),  properly  the 
cry  made  by  the  sentry  nearest 
the  guard-house  when  it  is  time 
for  him  to   be   relieved,   and 


which  reminds  the  sergeant  or 
corporal  to  turn  out  the  next 
relief.  Sentry  go  has  come  to 
be  accepted  as  the  term  for  any 
kind  of  active  military  duty.  A 
sentry  go  soldier  is  one  who  is 
always  at  duty,  and  in  the 
lesser  sense  always  at  the  most 
ordinary  form  of  duty. 

Sep  (American  cadet),  a  cadet 
who  joins  the  academy  in  Sep- 
tember. 

Separates  (prison),  the  first  nine 
months  of  a  sentence  of  penal 
servitude,  which  are  passed  in 
separate  and  solitary  confine- 
ment in  Pentonville  or  Millbank 
prisons  before  going  to  a  con- 
vict prison. 

Serang  (Anglo-Indian),  a  native 
boatswain  or  chief  of  a  Lascar 
crew,  the  skipper  of  a  small 
native  vessel.  Persian  sarhang, 
a  commander  or  overseer. 

Serene,  all  (popular),  all  right. 

So  fur  all  serene  ;  but  this  joker,  I  tell  yer, 

runs  slap  orf  the  track 
Wen  he  says  that  my  togs  and  my  talk  are 

"  the  fashion  of  sev'ral  years  back." 
— Punch. 

She  saw  he  needed  friendly  aid, 
To  grant  it  she  was  not  afraid, 

Thought  she  "  It's  all  serene  !" 
— Sporting  Times. 

Sergeant  -  major  (butchers),  an 
expression  used  by  butchers  in 
garrison  towns  to  denote  a  large 
piece  of  mutton  in  the  rib  part. 
So  called  obviously  from  the 
white  stripes  like  Bergeants' 
stripes. 


218 


Sergeant-major — Sewn. 


Sergeant  -  major's  brandy  and 
soda  (army),  a  stable  jacket 
gold  laced. 

Sergeant  -  major's  wash  cat 
(army),  a  new  kit.  The  troop 
store  man ;  a  term  in  the  cav- 
alry where  the  troop  sergeant- 
major  has  an  orderly  man  or 
assistant  who  looks  after  the 
stores. 

Servante,  the  concealed  shelf  at 
the  back  of  a  conjuror's  table. 

Serve,  to  (thieves),  to  undergo 
penal  servitude. 

He  laid  claim  to  have  served  both  in 
Maidstone  gaol  and  the  prison  of  Wands- 
worth. —  Greenwood :  In  Strange  Com- 
pany. 

Serving  out  slops  (nautical), 
punishment  on  the  gangway. 


Se,  sey  (theatrical),  yes. 
the  Italian  si. 


From 


Sessions  (popular),  an  exclama- 
tion of  surprise. 

Set  about,  to  (popular),  to  chas- 
tise, beat,  thrash. 

This  got  to  my  father's  ears.  When  I 
went  home  he  set  about  me  with  a  strap. 
— Horsley :  J 'ot  tings  front  Jail. 

Set  'em  up,  to  (American),  to  treat 
with  drinks. 

They  threaten  to  make  him  set  'em  up 
every  time  he  tumbles  in  hereafter. —  T. 
Stez'ens :  Around  the  World  on  a  Bicycle. 

Set  her  up  again !  also,  set  'em 
up  again!  (American),  try  again, 
begin  once  more.    An  encourag- 


ing exhortation  to  any  one. 
Taken  from  the  game  of  ten- 
pins, where  it  is  a  cry  to  the  boy 
when  all  the  "  men"  are  down. 

Rip  Sam  !  set  her  up  again  ! 
Set  her  up  again,  set  her  up  again! 
Rip  Sam  1  set  her  up  again  ! 
We're  all  of  the  Choctaw  tribe  ! 
— Old  Song. 

Setter  (old  cant),  a  spy.  (Thieves), 
a  policeman  in  disguise  or  a 
man  in  the  employ  of  the  police 
(the  French  "  indicateur  ")  who 
points  out  the  thief  for  others 
to  arrest.  (Costermongers  and 
others),  sevenpence;  from  Ita- 
lian sette. 

Set  up  (American),  conceited. 
"You  needn't  be  so  set  up  about 
it,"  is  a  very  common  expres- 
sion. 

Seven  pennyworth  (thieves), 
seven  years'  penal  servitude. 

Sewed  up  (popular),  vide  Sewn 
Up. 

Sewer  (London),  the  Under- 
ground Kailway. 

The  sewer,  as  it  was  called  by  the  old 
school,  would  be  sure  to  monopolise  all 
traffic. — Graphic. 

Sewn  up  (common),  exhausted, 
or  simply  sewn.  Sewn  up  is  pro- 
bably only  one  of  slang's  inge- 
nious variations  of  "finished," 
"done,"  &c,  also  intoxicated. 

He  .  .  .  has  twice  had  Sir  Rumble 
Tumble  ...  up  to  his  place,  and  took 
care  to  tell  you  that  some  of  the  party 
were  pretty  considerably  sewn  up  too. — 
Thackeray :  Shabby-Genteel  Story. 


Shabash — Shadow. 


219 


(Popular),  having  no  work  to 
do,  drunk. 

Shabash!  (Anglo-Indian),  well 
done  I  bravo!  From  the  Persian 
shah-bash,  rex  fias,  thou  shalt 
become  a  king !  The  authors 
of  the  Anglo-Indian  Glossary- 
very  happily  and  ingeniously 
illustrate  this  interjection  with 
the  following  quotation. 

"  At  pueri  ludentes,  rex  eris,  aiunt, 
Si  recte  facies." 

— Horace,  Epist.  I.,  i. 

So  boys  in  play  cry  out,  "  Thou  shalt  be 

king, 
If  thou  dost  rightly ! " 

Used  also  in  America. 
Shack  (West  American),  a  hut. 

It  happened  one  Sunday  afternoon  that 
I,  Scott,  Davidson,  Hank,  and  Mitchell 
were  in  one  of  the  shacks  or  huts,  and 
they  were  idly  listening  to  me. — R. 
Morley:  The  Western  Avernus. 

In  Canadian  society  the  word 
is  used  for  a  house  dwelling. 
In  America  a  vagabond,  pro- 
vincial English.  In  Norfolk  a 
mendicant  is  termed  a  shack- 
bag  ;  to  shack,  or  go  at  shack,  to 
wander  about. 

Shad -belly  (American),  a  Phila- 
delphia term  for  a  Quaker,  in 
special  reference  to  the  dress 
worn  by  the  Friends.  The 
Quaker  coat  in  its  outline  from 
the  neck  to  the  end  of  the 
skirt  is  cut  in  a  curve  exactly 
corresponding  to  that  of  the 
ventral  line  of  a  shad,  whence 
the  term. 


Shadder,  for  shadow,  a  woman 
who  watches  prostitutes  termed 
dress-women. 

She's  a  dress-woman,  that's  what  she  is 
.  .  .  one  of  them  that  they  tog  out  that 
they  may  show  off  at  their  best  and  make 
the  most  of  their  faces  .  .  .  they  can't  trust 
'em  .  .  .  you  might  tell  that  by  the  shad- 
der. — /.  Greenwood :  Seven  Curses  oj 
London. 

Shade,  to  (thieves),  to  conceal, 
keep  secret. 

I  felt  'alf  inclined  to  dance,  till  I  re- 
membered as  I  must  shade  it  from  Jem, 
and  the  boys,  or  they'd  be  wanting  their 
corner,  and  I  didn't  bloomin'  well  feel  in- 
clined toj  cut  up  my  luck. — Sporting 
Times. 

Shadkin  (American),  a  marriage 
broker.  From  the  Yiddish  shad- 
chen,  also  called  a  "  chasserem- 
schlupfer."  "  A  chasserem- 
schlupfer  is  ahner  der  a  Hoch- 
zich  zamine  brengt  un  Chusen 
und  Kalle  mocht "  (D.  H.  L.). 

The  shadkin  business  has  received  a  bad 
set-back  in  Brooklyn.  A  shadkin  is  a 
marriage  broker.  He  is  a  very  useful 
man.  He  finds  out  spinsters  who  have 
money  and  then  he  makes  a  bargain  with 
some  fellow  who  wants  a  wife  with  money 
and  gets  the  couple  introduced.  Ten  per 
cent,  of  the  dowry  goes  to  the  shadkin 
when  the  others  become  kin. — American 
Paper. 

Shadow  (thieves),  a  first-class 
detective,  one  who  possesses  to 
a  high  degree  the  power  of 
remembering  tbe  peculiar  fea- 
tures and  characteristics  of 
persons,  added  to  indomitable 
perseverance  in  following  those 
whom  he  has  spotted. 


220 


Shadow —  Shake. 


Shadow,  to  (popular),  to  dog  a 
person. 

The  immediate  cause  of  the  present  case 
was  that  for  some  months  past  the  male 
defendant  had  shadowed  him  wherever  he 
went. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Shady  (common),  dishonest, 
questionable,  of  doubtful  pro- 
priety. 

Although  it  may  be  shady  when  you  wish 
to  mash  a  lady, 
To  wink  at  her  and  simply  whisper, 
"  Tottie  1 " 

—Bird  o'  Freedom. 

A  shady  trick  is  a  mean  one 
or  a  contemptible  one,  from  the 
want  of  ability  displayed. 

Shag,  to  (common),  futuere. 
From  provincial  shake,  same 
meaning.  "  Lascivus,  Anglice  a 
schakere,"  nominale  MS. 

Shag  back,  to,  to  hesitate  and 
hang  back  in  the  field  before 
the  enemy,  or  in  a  lesser  de- 
gree, when  hunting  or  riding  a 
steeplechase,  to  crane  at  and 
refuse  a  fence.  From  a  pro- 
vincial term  (Gloucestershire), 
to  shag,  to  slink  away. 

Shah  (popular),  a  great  swelL 

"Guessed  it  in  once,  old  Ogsland!" 
went  on  Posh.  "  Perish  me  pink  if  it 
wasn't  a  bloomin'  copper,  all  as  blue  as 
mould  !  And  wasn't  he  a  shah,  neither  1  " 
— Sporting  Times. 

Shake  (popular),  a  prostitute. 
Abbreviation  of  shakester  (which 
see),  or  more  probably  from 
the  provincial  shake,  futuere. 
In  the  north  shakes  means   a 


bad  character.  (Printers),  an 
expression  used  to  describe  a 
"slur"  or  "maekle  "  in  a  printed 
sheet,  caused  by  uneven  im- 
pression or  "drag." 

Shake  a  stick  at,  to  (American), 
a  very  common  expression, 
meaning  "  more  than  can  be 
counted."  Thus,  "there  are 
more  people  there  than  you  can 
shake  a  stick  at."  Another 
meaning  is  "worthless,"  as  for 
instance,  "there  was  nothing 
there  to  eat,  worth  shaking  a 
stick  at."  As  regards  the  for- 
mer, it  has  always  seemed  to 
the  writer  that  it  must  have 
been  of  New  York  Dutch  origin, 
and  perhaps  in  its  first  form 
was  "more  than  you  can  shake  " 
or  "hit  with  a  stick."  In  Dutch 
schok  (like  stoot)  is,  according 
to  Sewel,  not  only  to  shake 
but  to  hit.  And  it  would  be  a 
very  likely  thing  for  a  Dutch- 
man endeavouring  to  say  that 
there  was  more  fruit  or  nuts 
on  a  tree  than  you  could  strike 
with  a  stick,  to  say,  "more 
than  you  could  strike  at  with 
a  stick  "  and  translate  the  word 
with  "shake."  Such  an  ex- 
pression is  too  natural  not  to 
have  occurred,  and  too  quaint 
not  to  catch  the  American 
fancy  for  odd  sayings.  Thus 
"tie  the  dog  loose,"  from  some 
German's  version  of  losbinden, 
"  tar  him  mit  fedders,"  for 
"tar  and  feather  him,"  and 
"trow  him  mit  ecks,"  pelt  him 
with  eggs,  have  all  become 
"household  words  in  the  street." 


Shake-lurk — Shakes. 


221 


Shake-lurk  (old  cant),  a  letter 
prepared  for  a  vagabond  stating 
that  he  has  incurred  a  great 
loss,  such  as  sickness  or  ship- 
wreck. As  it  is  a  lying  letter, 
it  is  probable  that  the  term 
owes  its  origin  to  the  Yiddish 
shakar,  a  falsehood.  Also  schei- 
ker.  But  it  is  quite  as  possible 
that  shake  is  the  provincial 
"  shack,"  a  vagabond. 

Shaker  (popular),  an  omnibus,  a 
shirt. 

Shake,  shakes  (American),  a  fair 
shake,  a  good  opportunity,  offer, 
bargain  or  chance.  Provincial 
English  shakes,  a  bargain. 

Shakes  (common),  no  great  shakes, 
not  much,  of  a  poor  description, 
not  up  to  much. 

Will  Douglas,  no  great  shakes  at  metre, 
did  write  these  lines.—  T.  Carlyle:  Crom- 
■wells  Letters. 

And  though  the  acting  was  no  great 
shakes,  yet  the  singing  was,  and  her  last 
note  took  us  and  everybody  else  by  sur- 
prise.— Punch. 

"  Well,  he's  no  great  shakes,"  returned 
the  coal-whipper's  wife,  in  relenting  tones ; 
"  he's  had  a  homin',  as  he  calls  it,  and 
that  always  upsets  him."—/.  Greenwood : 
Tag,  Rag,  cV  Co. 

"It  is  probable  that  shakes 
here  is  identical  with  the  pro- 
vincial word  shake,  to  brag, 
which  must  be  of  ancient  usage, 
as  we  find  '  schakare,  or  cracker, 
or  booste  maker,  Iactator,  philo- 
compus,'  in  the  Promptorium 
Parvulorum,  about  1440.  These 
words  are  near  akin  to  Danish 
skogger,  noisy,  roaring  (in  skog- 


ger-latter,  roar  of  laughter,  &c), 
Icelandic  skak,  skakr,  a  noise. 
For  the  change  of  meaning 
from  '  making  a  noise,'  to 
'  boasting,'  compare  crack,  old 
English  crake,  any  loud  noise, 
a  boast,  a  brag  (cf.  'a  crack 
regiment,'  one  to  boast  of) ; 
brag,  to  make  a  loud  noise 
(akin  to  Iray,  Latin  fragor), 
to  boast.  Thus  no  great  shakes 
would  mean  nothing  to  make 
a  noise  or  brag  about.  Other- 
wise we  may  look  for  it  in  the 
provincial  shakes,  a  bargain, 
comparing  Danish  skakkre,  to 
peddle,  or  huxter ;  Icelandic 
skakka,  to  balance.  These  latter 
words  seem  to  be  cognate  with 
Anglo-Saxon  scacan ;  Icelandic 
skaka,  to  shake  or  wave  (of  the 
balance),  just  as  weigh  and  wag 
are  related."  (A.  Smythe Palmer). 
It  has  also  been  suggested  that 
no  great  shakes  may  possibly  be 
attributed  to  the  expression  to 
shake  the  elbow,  i.e.,  to  play  at 
dice,  thus,  no  great  shakes,  a 
bad  throw. 

Shakes,  in  a  brace  of  (popular), 
in  an  instant.  Also  "  in  a  couple 
of  shakes."  Supposed  to  be 
from  a  shake  in  music,  but  really 
from  provincial  English  shake, 
a  quick  motion.  Compare  with 
the  French  "en  deux  temps," 
in  an  instant ;  literally  in  two 
motions,  from  a  fencing  term. 

Now  Dragon  could  kill  a  wolf  in  a  brace 
0/ shakes. — Reade :  Cloister  and  Hearth. 
I'll  be  buck- in  a  couple  of  shakes, 
So  don't,  dears,  be  quivering  and  trembling. 
— Ingoldsby  Legends  :  Babes 
in  the  Wood. 


222 


Shakester — Shallow. 


Shakester,  shickster  (popular), 
a  female.  "Amongst  coster- 
mongers  this  term  is  invariably 
applied  to  ladies  or  the  wives 
of  tradesmen,  and  females 
generally,  of  the  classes  im- 
mediately above  them"  (Hot- 
ten).  In  America  a  shakester  is 
a  lady,  and  shickster  a  woman. 
Derived  from  the  German- 
Hebrew  shigsel,  shixen,  shichsle, 
a  girl.  In  Yiddish  vocabulary 
it  is  defined  as  a  Christian  girl. 

Shakes,  the  (theatrical),  a 
synonym  for  stage  fright.  No 
actor  or  actress,  worthy  of  the 
name,  ever  goes  on  the  stage 
for  a  new  part,  without  suffer- 
ing from  this  most  terrible  of 
all  complaints.  Most  actors  feel 
it  more  or  less  every  night  for 
a  few  moments  previous  to 
making  their  appearance  before 
the  public.  The  emotional 
temperament,  and  the  tendency 
to  hysteria,  which  are  the  dis- 
tinguishing characteristics  of 
all  great  artists  render  them 
peculiarly  susceptible  to  the 
shakes. 

Shake  the  ghost  into  one,  to 
(popular),  to  frighten  one. 

Shake  the  red  rag,  to  (tailors), 
to  threaten  or  discharge.  The 
red  rag  here  probably  means 
the  tongue. 

Shake,  to  (Australian  popular), 
to  steal.  Originally  imported 
by  convicts  into  New  South 
Wales,  this  word   has   passed 


into  universal  use  among  school- 
boys, bushmen,  shepherds,  &c. 
When  "taking"  is  stealing,  it 
is  called  shaking.  When  "tak- 
ing" is  only  a  breach  of  eti- 
quette, it  is  called  "  jumping ;  " 
you  would  shake  a  person's 
watch,  but  you  would  only 
"jump"  the  seat  which  he  had 
engaged  in  a  railway  carriage. 

Shake  up  (American),  to  obtain, 
get,  procure.  As  if  one  had  got 
game  by  shaking  up  or  beating 
the  bushes  or  coverts. 

I  never  saw  such  magnificent  weather 
for  drying  clothes.  They  don't  shake  up 
any  such  climate  as  this  in  Italy. — Max 
Adder. 

Shaking  a  cloth  in  the  wind 

(nautical),  slightly  intoxicated, 
a  drunken  man  being  unsteady, 
like  a  sail  that  trembles  in  the 
wind. 

Shallow  (popular),  a  barrow  used 
by  costermongers. 

And  here  they  are  after  it — in  vehicles 
for  the  greater  part ;  in  carts  and  "  half- 
carts,"  and  shallows  and  harrows. — /. 
Greenwood:  Low-Life  Deeps. 

(Beggars),  the  shallow  dodge, 
explained  by  quotation. 

It  may  be  here  mentioned  that  the 
"shaller,"  or  more  properly  shallow  dodge, 
is  for  a  beggar  to  make  capital  of  his  rags, 
and  a  disgusting  condition  of  semi-nudity ; 
to  expose  his  shoulders,  and  his  knees,  and 
shirtless  chest,  pinched  and  blue  with  cold. 
A  pouncing  of  the  exposed  parts  with 
common  powder  blue  is  found  to  heighten 
the  frost-bitten  effect,  and  to  excite  the 
compassion  of  the  charitable. — J.  Green- 
wood: Seven  Curses  of  London. 


Shallow — Shank. 


223 


Shallow  cove,  shivering'  Jemmy 
(popular),  a  beggar  of  the  male 
kind,  very  scantily  clothed  ; 
"shallow  mot"  is  the  female. 
Also  shallow  bloke. 

"  What  do  you  call  a  shallow  bloke  ?  " 
"  He  is  a  cove  that  acts  the  turnpike 
sailor ;  pretends  he  has  been  shipwrecked 
and  so  on." — Temple  Bar. 

A  beggar  of  this  description 
is  said  to  go  on  the  shallows. 
This  word  is  possibly  connected 
with  to  shale,  to  shell,  take  the 
shell  or  coat  off. 

Shandy-gaff  (common),  a  drink 
composed  half  of  beer,  half  of 
ginger  beer.  Sometimes  stout 
or  other  liquors  are  used  instead 
of  beer. 

This  functionary  has  a  staff  of  natives 
under  him  for  the  purpose  of  serving  out 
the  beer,  rum,  soda  water,  and  lemonade, 
the  latter  cooling  drinks,  which  are  always 
kept  in  ice,  being  very  much  used  by  some 
of  the  thirsty  souls  for  the  purpose  of 
making  shandy-gaff'. — Brunlees  Patter- 
son :  Life  in  the  Ranks. 

Shaney,  shanny  (popular),  a  fool. 
Probably  from  the  expression 
shanny -pated,  giddy-pated,  i.e., 
with  no  more  brains  than  a 
shanny,  a  small  fish  that  lurks 
under  stones  and  weeds. 

And  out  ran  every  soul  beside, 
A  shanny-pated  crew. 

—Bloomfield :  The  H or  key. 

Or  perhaps  from  the  Yiddish 
scheina,  meaning  the  same.  Vide 
Sheeny. 

Shanghai-ing  (nautical),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

I  fail  to  find  the  term  Shanghai-ing  in 
either  slang  or  other  dictionary,  although, 


amongst  sailors,  it  is  a  common  word,  de- 
noting a  common  occurrence.  Anglicised,  it 
means,  "  Catching  an  unsuspecting  lands- 
man near  a  ship  wanting  hands  ;  drugging 
and  robbing  him ;  shipping  him  as  an  A.B., 
and  securing  his  first  month's  wages  in  ad- 
vance. "  The  authors  of  this  villainy  rely  for 
security  principally  on  the  chance  of  death 
at  sea,  and  then,  should  the  improvised 
sailor  succeed  in  reaching  land  safely,  on 
his  silence  regarding  the  affair,  owing  to 
its  apparent  improbability  and  a  desire  to 
escape  exposure. — Evening  News. 

(Australian),  a  shanghai  is  a 
boy's  catapult.  Small  birds  are 
not  favourite  quarry  of  the 
small  Australian  catapulter ; 
like  his  rival,  the  larrikin,  his 
special  prey  is  the  Chinaman. 
In  the  writer's  memory,  even 
the  sons  of  high  police  officials 
found  themselves  in  the  dock 
charged  withsJianghai-ing  China- 
men. Perhaps  the  instrument 
is  so  called  in  delicate  allusion 
to  those  whom  it  is  used  to 
execute.    (American),  a  dandy. 

Shanks'  mare,  Shanks'  pony,  a 
popular  saying  meaning  on  foot. 

This  David  Dunn  was  son  of  so  poor  a 
settler  that  there  was  no  horse  at  home  at 
his  disposal ;  out  West  there  is  almost  the 
same  scorn  for  a  person  who  goes  even  a 
little  distance  on  foot  as  in  Spain  or  Mexico 
or  the  Southern  States  before  the  great 
Civil  War  reduced  the  descendants  of  the 
cavaliers  to  the  universal  and  proverbial 
Shanks'  mare. — H.  L.  Williams :  Buffalo 
Bill. 

Shank,  the  (American),  the  bal- 
ance, what  remains ;  as,  for 
example,  one  friend  might  say 
to  another,  "  Suppose  you  come 
in  and  spend  the  shank  of  the 
evening  with  me  ? "  i.e.,  the 
lesser  or  later  part. 


224 


Shan't — Shark. 


The  old  Kentuckian  who  in  the  shanks 
of  the  evening  was  wont  to  maintain  there 
was  no  such  thing  as  bad  Kentucky 
whisky,  admitted  with  extreme  reluctance, 
even  in  the  early  sermons  and  soda-water 
period  of  the  day  after,  that  it  might 
be  possible  some  Kentucky  whisky  was 
better  than  others. — W.  A.  Paton :  Down 
the  Islands. 


Shan't  play,  I  (Australian  popu- 
lar), I  am  annoyed,  I  don't 
like  it.  A  metaphor  taken  from 
children  peevish  over  a  game 
saying,  I  shan't  play.  If  a  per- 
son is  being  chaffed,  or  if  he 
finds  a  thing  difficult,  such  as 
climbing  up  the  soft  ashes  near 
the  top  of  Vesuvius,  he  would 
say,  /  shan't  play. 

Shanty  (circus  and  showman),  a 
public-house  is  always  called  by 
this  name.  Properly  shanty  is 
a  mean  dwelling-hut,  temporary 
building  or  erection,  said  to  be 
from  Irish  sean,  old ;  and  tig, 
a  house  (Webster).  The  word 
is,  however,  claimed  to  be  of 
American  origin,  from  Canadian 
French  chantier,  meaning  the 
same.    (Nautical),  a  song. 

It  was  a  tough  pull,  as  the  shark  was 
over  fifteen  feet  in  length,  until  the  mate 
suggested  a  shanty,  or  sea-song,  a  cor- 
ruption of  the  French  word  chanter,  which 
a  fo'cs'le  Mario  commenced,  and  the  rest 
joined  in  vigorous  chorus.  So  Carcharias 
vulgaris,  as  naturalists  call  the  white 
shark,  left  his  native  element  to  the  rous- 
ing strains  of — 

"  Were  you  ever  in  Quebec, 
Ho,  la !  ho,  la  1 
Hoisting  timber  on  the  deck  ! 
Ho,  la!  ho,  la! 
With  a  will  now — Heave,  oh  ! " 
—Detroit  Free  Press. 


A  contributor  to  a  London 
journal  declares  that  this  is  not 
a  true  sailor's  word,  but  of 
literary  origin,  and  only  of  late 
years. 

Shape  (American),  "to  travel  on 
one's  shape  "  is  to  get  on,  or  pay 
debts,  or  live  or  succeed  by  the 
virtue  of  prepossessing  looks. 

He  has  no  more  sense  than  a  shad,  you 
know, 
Nor  half  the  wit  of  an  ape ; 
But  he'll  get  on  while  here  below, 
By  travelling  on  his  shape. 

—Ballad:  Beautiful  Billy. 

Shaps  (American),  leather  leg- 
gings. Probably  from  shap  (pro- 
vincial English)  tight-laced, 
shapely,  fit,  comely.  Shapes, 
a  tight-laced,  jaunty  girl. 

A  pair  of  shaps  or  leather  overalls,  with 
tags  and  fringes  down  the  seams. — Alex. 
Stavely  Hill :  From  Home  to  Home. 

Shark  (army),  a  recruit.  (Yale 
University),  reckless  absence 
from  college,  or  shirking  of  its 
duties.  Applied  both  to  the 
thing  itself  and  to  the  person. 
(Common),  a  sharper,  rogue,  or 
cheat.  "  Commonly  supposed 
to  be  a  figurative  use  of  the 
word  shark.  It  is  really  a 
slightly  disguised  form  of  Ger- 
man schurke,  a  cheat  or  knave  ; 
Dutch  schurk,  a  shark,  rascal" 
(Sewel).  The  French  "requin 
de  terre,"  for  an  attorney,  seems, 
however,  to  support  the  figura- 
tive use  of  shark,  the  fish. 

Shark,  to  (nautical),  to  purloin. 

In  the  mess  I  was  in,  we  took  up  our 
full  whack  of  provisions,  comprising  three 


Sharp — Shebang. 


225 


tins  of  preserved  Fanny  Adams,  a  certain 
amount  of  flour,  fat,  and  figs,  which  we 
had  saved,  and  of  course,  salt  horse,  and 
salt  pork ;  well  that,  and  what  we  sharked. 
We  were  determined  to  have  a  grand 
flare-up,  as  regards  our  bread-baskets. — 
Tit-Bits. 

Sharp.  "A  similar  expression  to 
'  two  pun'  ten,'  used  by  assist- 
ants in  shops  to  signify  that  a 
customer  of  suspected  honesty 
is  amongst  them.  The  shop- 
man in  this  case  would  ask 
one  of  the  assistants,  in  a  voice 
loud  enough  to  be  generally 
heard,  '  Has  Mr.  Sharp  come  in 
yet"'  (Hotten). 

Shave  (common),  a  narrow  escape. 
Hotten  has  "  a  false  alarm,  a 
hoax,  a  sell.  This  term  was 
much  in  vogue  in  the  Crimea 
during  the  Russian  campaign — 
that  is,  though  much  used  by 
the  military  before  then,  the 
term  did  not,  until  that  period, 
become  known  to  the  general 
public."  Almost  invariably 
heard  as  a  close  shave. 

Shaver  (popular),  a  very  short 
jacket.  A  cunning  fellow,  one 
keen  in  making  bargains,  close- 
thaving  being  sharp  dealing.  A 
little,  insignificant  man. 

And  yet,  wi'  funny,  queer  Sir  John, 
He  was  an  unco'  shaver, 
For  monie  a  day. 

— Burns:  A  Dream. 
Among  all  the  characters  which  he  bears 
in  the  world,  no  one  has  ever  given  him 
credit  for  being  a  cunning  shaver  (be  it 
here  observed  in  a  parenthesis  that  I  sup- 
pose the  word  shaver  in  this  so  common 
expression  to  have  been  corrupted  from 
shaveling,  the  old  contemptuous  word  for 
a  priest).— Southey  :  The  Doctor. 
VOL.  II. 


Much  did  Aunt   Fan   disapprove  of  the 

plan ; 
She  turned  up  her  dear  little  snub  at  "  the 

man." 
She    "could    not    believe    it"  —  "could 

scarcely  conceive  it 
Was  possible."    What !  such  a  place  !  and 

then  leave  it ! — 
And  all  for  a  "  shrimp  "  not  as  high  as  my 

hat!— 
A  little  contemptible  shaver  like  that ! 
With  a    broad    pancake   face,   and  eyes 

buried  in  fat  1 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

In  the  latter  meaning  the 
word  is  possibly  from  the  gypsy 
shavie,  chavy,  or  chavo,  a  child 
or  son.  In  old  provincial  Eng- 
lish, however,  a  shaving  is  any- 
thing small,  and  shaver  a  small 
child. 

Shave,  to  (drapery  trade),  to 
charge  a  customer  for  an  article 
more  than  the  marked  price. 
When  the  master  sees  an  op- 
portunity of  doing  this  he 
strokes  his  chin  as  a  signal  to 
his  assistant  (Hotten).  Ladies 
are  the  chief  customers  at 
drapers',  and  this  process  is 
facetiously  described  as  ''shav- 
ing the  ladies." 

Shaving  through  (common),  just 
escaping  failure  at  an  examina- 
tion, or  in  anything. 

Shebang  (American),  a  shanty,  or 
small  house  of  boards.  No  one 
has  ever  explained  the  origin  of 
this  term,  but  it  may  be  noted 
that  there  are  exactly  seven 
board-surfaces  in  a  shanty,  the 
four  upright  sides,  the  two 
sides  of  the  roof,  and  the  floor, 


226 


Shebang — Shekels. 


and  that  the  word  shebang,  in 
Hebrew,  means  seven. 

For  last  night  we  had  a  tempest — while 

the  mighty  thunder  rang, 
Up  there  came  a  real  guster,  which  blew 

down  the  whole  shebang. 
Shebang  is  a  word  from  Hebrew,  meaning 

seven  sayeth  Krupp, 
And  applied  to  any  shanty  where  they  play 

at  seven-up. 

— The  Story  of  Mr.  Scroper, 
Architect. 

Shed  a  tear,  to  (common),  taking 
a  glass  of  spirits.  In  the  early- 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
in  the  days  of  Allan  Ramsay, 
the  Scottish  poet,  the  phrase 
for  a  dram  was  a  "bender,"  from 
the  action  of  bending  the  elbow 
to  raise  the  glass  to  the  lips. 
The  modern  phrase  applied  to 
a  drunkard,  "  he  crooks  his 
elbow,"  is  synonymous.  French 
"lever  le  coude."  The  Ameri- 
cans call  a  dram  of  alcohol  a 
smile;  and  the  question,  "  Will 
you  smile  ? "  signifies  "  Will  you 
drink  ? " 

S  h  e  e  (Charterhouse),  a  plum- 
pudding  or  cake. 

Sheen  (Scotch),  bad  money. 
Probably  alluding  to  the  "  glit- 
ter," or  possibly  from  German 
schein,  a  bank-bill. 

Sheeny  (Yiddish  and  popular),  a 
common  and  not  very  respect- 
ful word  for  a  Jew,  used  prin- 
cipally in  the  slang  of  the 
Goyim  or  Gentiles,  but  also  to 
be  heard  in  jest  among  Jews. 
It  is  probably  taken  from  schelna 
— "  schelna  jaudea  lischkol " — a 
stupid   fellow    who    does    not 


know  enough  to  ask  or  inquire. 
Schien,  a  policeman,  and  schi- 
ener,  a  house-thief,  may  have 
contributed  to  form  this  rather 
obscure  word. 

Benny  is  a  smart  boy.  The  lesson  was 
bein'  read  to  him  about  Joseph  bein'  sold 
by  his  brothers  into  bondage.  Vhen  it  vas 
concluded  the  master  asks,  "  Vat  moral  do 
ve  draw  from  this?"  Benny  didn't  need 
to  think  for  a  minute.  "  Steer  clear  of 
sheenies,"  says  he,  "  if  you  don't  vant  to 
get  sold."  By  my  blessed  gezundt,  the 
boy's  right. — Sporting  Times. 

Also  used  by  thieves. 

Took  the  daisies  to  a  sheney,  and  done 
them  for  thirty  blow. — Horsley :  Jottings 
from  Jail. 

In  America  a  pawnbroker  is 
sometimes  called  a  sheeney. 

Sheepskin  fiddle  (theatrical),  the 
big  drum.  Also  used  by  soldiers. 

Sheepskin  fiddlers  (army),  drum- 


Sheep  wash,  to  (Winchester  Col- 
lege), to  throw  a  man  into  the 
water. 

Sheffield  handicaps,  well-known 
sprint  races  in  which  there  is 
no  scratch  man,  the  real  scratch 
man  receiving  an  enormous  start 
from  an  imaginary  flyer.  It  is 
possible  that  originally  the  idea 
was  that  when  each  man  was 
told  his  start,  he  would  not 
know  the  exact  distance  he  had 
to  run,  but  the  whole  affair  is 
shrouded  in  mystery. 

Shekels  (London),  money,  coin. 
Properly  an  ancient  Jewish 
coin,  in  value  about  2  s.  6d. 


Shelf- — Shepherd. 


227 


When  you've  been  racing,  and  raked  in 
the  shekels,  and  you  come  back  to  Romano's 
and  order  a  "  Noisette  de  Brabant,"  you 
get  a  mutton-chop  with  the  bone  taken 
out. — Sporting  Times. 

Shelf,  on  the  (popular),  in  pawn. 
(Army),  under  arrest.  French 
thieves  use  the  expression,  "sur 
la  planche  au  pain,"  arrested 
and  committed  for  trial. 

Shell-back  (nautical),  a  sailor ; 
also  "old  shell." 

Shell  out,  to  (common),  to  pay, 
disburse ;  a  metaphor,  or  out 
with  one's  shells  or  money,  pos- 
sibly alluding  to  the  cowries  of 
shells  used  in  Southern  Asia,  on 
the  coast  of  Guinea,  and  in  the 
Philippine  Islands. 

Will  you  be  kind  enough,  sir,  to  shell 
cut  for  the  price  of  a  daacent  horse? — Miss 
Edgeworth :  Love  and  Law. 

Come,  fork  out,  old  Flint  1  .  .  shell  out, 
old  fellow! — Waters:  Recollections  0/  a 
Detective. 

Also  used  in  America. 

It  may  be  imagined  I  had  to  shell  out 
pretty  freely.  In  all  I  reckon  it  cost  me 
more  than  25  dollars. — O'Reilly :  Fifty 
Years  on  the  Trail. 

Shells,  brown  (popular),  onions. 

In  these  ways  may  the  enormous  demand 
for  brown  shells  and  "big'uns"  be  to 
some  extent  accounted  for ;  but  as  one 
contemplates  men,  women,  and  children 
busy  among  the  heaps  as  ants  on  an  ant- 
hill, and  bearing  off,  with  satisfaction 
beaming  in  their  faces,  onions  enough  to 
garnish  steak  or  tripe  through  all  the  days 
in  the  year. — ■/.  Greenwood :  In  Strange 
Company. 

Shelving  (printers),  a  man  in 
writing  his  weekly  bill  is  said  to 


have  shelved  it  if  he  does  not 
fully  charge  up  the  work  done 
by  him — in  contradistinction  to 
11  horsing,"  or  charging  in  ad- 
vance of  work  done. 

Shenanigan  (American),  humbug, 
deceit. 

Jim  took  his  bill,  two  days'  board,  $2.62, 
and  eyeing  the  puzzled  landlord  as  though 
he  suspected  some  shenanigan,  he  broke 
out :  "  I  want  to  see  them  ar  books  1 " — 
New  York  Mercury. 

Bartlett  says,  "  Foolery  or 
nonsense  when  advanced  to 
cover  some  scheme."  This 
indicates,  accurately,  the  begin- 
ning or  commencing  of  some- 
thing disgraceful.  In  Dutch 
this  would  be  expressed  by 
schen-aangaan,to  begin  anything 
disreputable.  Schen  is  the  root 
of  both.  Schenden  and  schende, 
violence  and  shame.  This  is 
only  offered  as  a  merely  possible 
derivation  of  the  word. 

Shepherd,  to  (English  and  Aus- 
tralian popular),  to  watch,  to 
play  the  spy  on,  to  guard,  to 
pay  court  to.  The  metaphor  is 
obviously  taken  from  shepherd- 
ing sheep.  Adversaries  opposite 
each  other  at  football  are  said 
to  sliepherd  or  watch  each  other. 
A  man  may  shepherd  a  rich 
uncle  or  rich  heiress,  a  detective 
shepherds  a  criminal  whom  he 
suspects  of  planning  a  felony. 
A  man  shepherds  one  of  his  own 
side  at  football  by  keeping  off 
adversaries  while  he  is  running 
or  kicking. 


228 


Sherbet — Shindy. 


Sherbet  (popular),  a  glass  of  any 
warm  alcoholic  liquor,  as  grog, 
&c.    A  misapplication. 

Sherry-fug,  to  (Universities),  to 
spend  the  afternoon  indoors 
drinking  sherry. 

Shice,  shicey,  shicer  (popular 
and  theatrical),  nothing,  no 
good.  Vide  SHICEE.  (Thieves), 
counterfeit,  specially  counter- 
feit coin. 

Shicer,  shyster,  the  lowest  and 
vilest  kind  of  a  man.  The  term 
is  supposed  to  have  been  first 
used  in  England  among  the 
lowest  order  of  Jews.  It  is  said 
to  be  derived  from  the  German 
scheisser(La,t.  cacator),  but  maybe 
influenced  by  the  Yiddish  sheiker, 
a  lie,  falsehood,  or  liar  (Heb. 
shakar).  "  Sheiker  we  kisun," 
lies  and  falsehood.  In  New  York 
the  word  shyster  is  specially 
applied  to  the  lowest  type  of 
criminal  lawyer  —  "a  Tombs 
lawyer."  (Diggings),  a  hole 
that  yields  nothing. 

Shicksas  (London),  a  certain  class 
of  the  demi-monde.  From  the 
Jewish  slang  shicksel,  a  girl. 

Shickster.  Vide  Shakestee. 
Shikster  crabs,  ladies'  shoes  or 
boots. 

Shig  (Winchester),  a  shilling. 

Shiggers  (Winchester),  white 
football  trousers  costing  ios. 

Shikar  (Anglo-Indian),  shooting 
and  hunting  game.     Sport  and 


game.  Shikaree,  a  native  or 
European  sportsman,  or  profes- 
sional killer  of  game. 

Shikerry  (popular),  shabby,  bad, 
shaky,  doubtful.  Used  in  Aus- 
tralia. From  provincial  English 
shickle,  fickle,  doubtful. 

Shillagalee  (American),  a  low, 
tricky,  sinister  fellow.  New 
York  Dutch,  scheeloog,  one  that 
is  squint-eyed,  associated  with 
scheelen,  to  want,  ail.  Possibly 
Irish. 

Shilling  shocker  (common),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

The  shilling  shocker  is  too  much  given 
to  a  beggarly  setting  forth  of  its  title  in 
plain,  fat,  black  letters,  on  simple  white 
paper.  Even  when  it  aspires  to  a  picture 
cover,  the  illustration  is  generally  done  in 
black  and  white,  which  unwisely  ignores 
the  noble  and  still  unslaked  thirst  for  blood 
which  consumes  the  consumers  of  those 
Belshazzar's  feasts  of  the  imagination. — 
Globe. 

Shimmary  Hall,  St.  Mary's  Hall, 
Oxford. 

Shindy.  Most  probably  from  the 
gypsy  chindi,  literally  a  cut,  or 
cutting  up,  which  is  again  con- 
fused with  chinger,  which  has 
the  same  meaning  and  also 
signifies  a  quarrel.  Shines,  as 
applied  to  noisy  deeds,  mis- 
chief, rioting,  &c,  may  be  from 
the  same  root,  a  conjecture 
which  is  supported  by  the  fact 
that  it  is  always  associated  with 
cut,  e.g.,  "He  is  cutting  up 
shines." 


Shindy — Shin-plaster. 


229 


Shine-nag'  (costers),  a  token  of 
bankruptcy,  or  being  "  cracked 
np."  "You'll  ruin  the  shine- 
nag  if  you  go  on  like  that." 

Shiner  (popular),  a  sovereign ; 
shiners,  gold  coins,  money. 

'Twas  Isobar — this  goodly  tip — 

And  Epsomwards  I  hurried, 
Expecting  to  recoup  my  trip 

When  safely  home  he'd  scurried, 
But  when,  at  length,  'twas  plain  to  see 

That  I  had  lost  each  shiner, 
My  jubilation  struck  a  key 

Comparatively  minor. 

— Sporting  Times. 
To  let  a  lord  of  land  want  shiners,  'tis 
a  shame. — Foote :  The  Minor. 

(Tailors),  a  shiner,  a  boastful 
fellow. 

Shines.    Vide  Cut  up  Shines. 

Shine,  to  (tailors),  to  boast. 
(Popular),  to  take  a  shine,  to  be 
partial  to  a  person  or  thing,  to 
take  a  fancy. 

Shiney  (popular),  gold. 

We'll  soon  fill  both  pockets  with  the 
shiney  in  California. — Rcadc:  Never  too 
Late  to  Mend. 

Shingle  (American),  hanging  out 
a  shingle,  i.e.,  to  put  up  one's 
sign  or  name  over  a  shop 
or  office.  Of  Western  origin, 
shingles  having  been  used  there 
for  the  purpose  named. 

Shingle  short,  having  a  (Aus- 
tralian), equivalent  to  "  having 
a  tile  loose,"  i.e.,  being  slightly 
crazy  or  idiotic. 

Shingle  tramper  (nautical),  a 
coastguard. 


Shinning  around  (American),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

"  Fossicking  about "  is  now  used  as  a 
general  term  for  what  the  Americans  call 
shinning  around,  or  what  we  should 
qualify  as  "  ferreting  about." — Illustrated 
London  News. 

To  shin  means  also  to  walk. 

Shinny  on  your  own  side  1  (pro- 
vincial and  American).  Shinney 
is  the  game  termed  hockey  in 
England,  and  the  exclamation 
is  a  suggestion  to  a  person  to 
attend  to  his  own  personal  in- 
terest in  anything.  Shinney  is 
provincial  English  for  hockey. 

Shin  out,  to  (popular),  to  pay 
up  money.  Probably  from  the 
phrase,  "to  break  one's  shins," 
to  borrow  money  from  him. 

Shin-plaster  (American),  a  term 
applied  ever  since  the  revolu- 
tionary war  (1776)  to  depreci- 
ated currency. 

The  House  Committee  on  Banking  and 
Currency  will  to-morrow  make  a  favourable 
report  to  the  House  upon  the  bill  providing 
for  the  issue  of  $25,000,000  in  fractional 
currency.  The  demand  for  these  small 
notes  for  transmission  through  the  mails 
has  increased  within  the  past  year,  and 
numerous  petitions  asking  for  a  return  to 
the  convenient  shin-plaster  have  been 
received  during  the  present  Congress. — 
New  York  World. 

Also  used  in  England  for  a 
cheque  or  bank-note. 

Mr. gave a  cheque  for  a  monkey 

...  he  was  flourishing  the  shin-plaster  in 
question  at  Sandown.—  Sporting  Times. 


230 


Shin-plaster — Shirking. 


Bartlett  tells  the  familiar  tale 
as  to  the  origin  of  the  word, 
that  after  the  old  continental 
currency  had  become  almost 
worthless,  an  old  soldier  used 
a  quantity  of  it  to  make  plasters 
for  a  wooden  leg.  It  is,  how- 
ever, worth  noting  that  the 
German  and  Dutch  words  schein 
or  schyn,  approach  very  nearly 
to  scheen,  shin,  in  the  latter, 
and  that  they  mean  paper 
currency.  A  German  proverb 
speaks  of  money  as  a  plaster  for 
every  ill,  and  the  peasants  call 
a  great  price  "  a  hot  'plaster." 
There  is  reason  to  believe  that 
the  phrase  a  shin-plaster  will  be 
found  to  be  a  translation  from 
the  German.  The  term  is  some- 
times applied  to  "fractional 
currency,"  or  notes  of  small 
value.  Again  it  may  be  derived 
from  the  slang  phrase  "  to  break 
shins,"  to  borrow  money.  The 
term  shin-plaster  is  used  in 
England.  Sheen  (which  see), 
Scotch  for  bad  money,  is  much 
older  than  the  American  Re- 
volutionary War. 

Shins  (common),  to  break  one's 
shins,  to  borrow  money  from  one. 
A  corresponding  French  phrase 
is,  "Donner  un  coup  de  pied  dans 
les  jambes." 

Shin-scraper  (prison),  explained 
by  quotation. 

The  treadmill  shin-scraper  (arising,  it 
may  be  assumed,  on  account  of  the  ope- 
rator's liability,  if  he  is  not  careful,  to  get 
his  shins  scraped  by  the  ever-revolving 
wheel). — ■/.  Greenwood :  Seven  Curses  of 
London. 


Shin  up  a  tree,  to  (common),  to 
climb  up  a  tree. 

'Ship  (printers),  abbreviation  for 
"  companionship  " — a  body  of 
compositors  that  work  together 
and  share  alike  all  round,  as 
regards  the  rate  of  pay  per 
hour,  a  clicker  being  appointed 
to  take  charge  and  write  the 
general  bill. 

Shipped  (American  University), 
expelled. 

Ship,  to  (Shrewsbury  school),  to 
be  unsuccessful  in  repeating 
lessons. 

Shirking  (Eton),  explained  by 
quotation. 

Shirking  was  a  marvellous  invention. 
Fellows  were  allowed  to  boat  on  the  river, 
but  all  the  approaches  to  it  were  out  of 
bounds ;  we  might  walk  on  the  terrace  of 
Windsor  Castle,  but  it  was  unlawful  to  be 
caught  in  the  streets  of  Windsor  which  led 
to  the  terrace.  ...  If,  happening  to  be 
out  of  bounds,  you  saw  a  master  approach- 
ing, you  had  to  shirk,  which  was  done  by 
merely  stepping  into  a  shop.  The  master 
might  see  you,  but  he  was  supposed  not 
to  see  you  ;  the  shirking  was  accepted  as 
tantamount  to  a  recognition  that  you  knew 
you  were  breaking  rules,  and  this  was 
enough  to  disarm  magisterial  resentment. 
The  absurdity  of  this  system  was,  that  to 
buy  anything  in  the  shops  in  High  Street, 
where  all  the  school  tradesmen  dwelt,  we 
were  obliged  to  go  out  of  bounds. — Brins- 
ley  Richards  :  Stven  Years  at  Eton. 

Skeat  derives  the  English 
word  shirk  from  shark  ;  but 
shirk,  a  slunking  rascal,  has  a 
direct  affinity  with  the  Ger- 
man schiirkc  both  in  sound  and 
meaning. 


Shirt — Shoe. 


231 


Shirt  (turf),  "  to  put  one's  shirt  on 
a  horse,"  to  lose  all  one's  money 
on  a  horse.  The  French  say  of 
a  man  in  extremes,  "  il  a  vendu 
jusqu'a  sa  chemise." 

"  Now  the  word  shirt,"  said  the  peda- 
gogue, "  is  a  common  noun,  and  means  an 
undergarment  for  men." 

"  And  for  horses,  sir,"  put  in  a  sharp 
youngster. 

"  For  horses  ?    What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Father  says  he  is  going  to  put  his  on 
Friar's  Balsam  for  the  Derby,  sir  ! " 

There  was  trouble  in  that  class. — Bird 
o'  Freedom. 

(Common),  to  lose  one's  shirt, 
to  lose  one's  temper.  Also  "  to 
lose  one's  hair." 

Shirt  out,  to  have  one's  (used  in 
England,  but  more  in  Australia), 
to  be  angry.  Probably  this 
expression  has  arisen  from  the 
shirt  working  out  between  the 
breeches  and  waistcoat  during 
a  struggle.  To  have  one's  shirt 
out,  therefore,  denotes  excite- 
ment and  thus  anger.  Another 
possible  derivation  is  from  the 
provincial  shurty,  to  bustle 
about. 

Shirty  (common),  angry.  Used 
more  in  Australia  and  America. 

Shivereen,  a  (Canadian),  ex- 
plained by  quotation ;  a  word 
imitated  from  the  French  chari- 


The  second  night  of  my  stay  in  Chehailis 
we  had  a  wedding  celebrated  according  to 
local  custom  by  a  shivareen,  which  is  a 
performance  of  the  following  description  : 
When  the  fond  bridegroom  and  his  blush- 
ing bride  have  supped  and  gone  to  roost, 
their  friends  and  well-wishers,  mostly 
males,    arrive     from    the    neighbouring 


ranches,  bringing  with  them  guns,  rifles, 
drums,  horse-fiddles,  and  other  musical 
instruments.  With  these  they  commence 
a  lively  serenade,  firing  volleys,  and  work- 
ing the  horse-fiddle,  a  big  wooden  box, 
with  a  very  active  stick  inside,  until  the 
unhappy  pair  turn  out  and  drink  the 
healths  of  their  untimely  visitors.  Should 
the  husband  turn  rusty,  his  callers  may 
possibly  pull  his  roof  off",  pour  water  down 
his  chimneys,  or  forcibly  extract  him  in 
statu  quo  from  his  nuptial  couch. — Phil- 
lipps-Wolley:  Trot  tings  of  a  Tenderfoot. 

Shoe-goose  (Anglo-Indian),  a 
term  which  shows  how  many 
Anglo-Indian  words  are  manu- 
factured. It  is  applied  to  the 
lynx,  and  is  a  corruption  of 
the  Persian  siyah-gosh,  literally 
"flock  ear." 

Shoe-leather  (thieves),  a  thief's 
warning  cry  when  be  hears  any 
one  coming.  French  thieves,  in 
a  like  circumstance,  will  say, 
"chou  1  chou !  "  or  "  acresto." 

Shoe-string  (American).  When 
a  man  bets  a  small  sum  and 
runs  it  up  to  a  large  amount,  it 
is  called  a  shoe-string. 

Shoes,  another  pair  of  (popular), 
quite  different. 

We'll  show  'em  another  pair  of  shoes 
than  that,  Pip,  won't  us?— Dickens:  Great 
Expectations. 

Said  to  be  a  corruption  of  the 
French  chose;  but  that  is  im- 
probable, as  the  French  have 
a  corresponding  and  kindred 
phrase,  "c'est  une  autre  paire 
de  manches." 

Shoe,  to  (popular),  a  variation  of 
making  one  "pay  his  footing." 


232 


Shoful — Shooting-irons. 


S  h  o  f  u  1  (costermongers  and 
thieves),  counterfeit,  base  coin, 
sham  jewellery.  A  shoful,  an 
impostor.  "  This  cant  term  ori- 
ginated among  the  Jews,  and  is 
the  Hebrew  shdfdl  (or  shdphdl), 
low,  base,  vile,  the  word  which 
David  applied  to  himself  when 
he  danced  before  the  ark  (2 
Sam.  vi.  22).  Mayhew  quotes 
skowfuls,  bad  money,  as  a  piece 
of  costermongers'  slang.  It  is 
curious  to  find  the  word  once 
used  by  the  King  of  Israel  still 
living  in  the  vocabulary  of  a 
London  costermonger.  Com- 
pare showf  ul,  showy  "  (Smythe- 
Palmer).  (Popular),  a  hansom 
ofeb,  i.e.,  in  the  shape  of  a  shovel, 
the  original  appellation.  It  is 
said,  however,  that  they  were 
at  first  despitefully  called  sho- 
fids,  i.e.,  bad  ones.  Schoful  ap- 
pears in  Dutch  slang  as  sjofel, 
bad.  The  word  is  common  all 
over  Germany,  Belgium,  and 
Holland 

Shoful-pitcher  (thieves),  a  passer 
of  base  coin.     Vide  Shoftjl. 


Shoful -pitching. 
Pitcheb. 


Vide  Shopul- 


Shoful  -  pullet    (popular),  a 
girl.     Vide  SHOFUL. 


gay 


Shoke  ^Anglo-Indian),  a  hobby, 
a  whim,  a  favourite  pursuit. 
Arabic  shank. 

Shoon  (thieves),  a  fool,  a  lout. 
Probably  from  the  Hebrew. 
Vide  Sheenex. 


Shoot  (American),  a  slang  phrase 
equivalent  to  "bother  that  I  " 
"  stop  it  1  "  "  keep  that  out !  " 

Once  in  a  while  a  man  may  take 
A  little  holiday ; 

Don't  talk  to  me  about  the  shop  ! 
Oh  shoot  the  shop,  I  say  1 

— Song: 

Miss  Mabel  Brown  has  jilted  me,  and  that 

is  nothing  new  of  her ; 
Oh  shoot  Miss  Mabel  Brown,  I  say !  Miss 

Wilkins  is  worth  two  of  her. 

— Western  News. 

Shoot  is  a  Lancashire  term,  to 
get  rid  of,  reject,  eliminate. 

I'll  gie  ya  fifteen  shillin  apiece  for  those 
hundred  cows,  and  ya'll  let  me  shoot  ten 
on  'em. — Peacock :  Lonsdale  Glossary. 

The  parallel  phrase,  to  get 
shut  of,  is  still  used  in  Ireland 
and  provincial  English.  In  the 
Cleveland  dialect,  to  get  shot 
of.  (Popular),  a  lot  collected 
for  sale. 

Mr. had  a  big  show  of  useful  har- 
ness and  hack  horses,  and  as  they  were 
all  sound  and  good-looking  in  appearance, 
it  is  needless  to  state  that  the  Midland 
dealer  got  rid  of  nearly  the  whole  shoot, 
at  prices  ranging  from  a  "score"  to  fifty 
guineas.— Sporting  Life. 

Shooter  (old),  the  guard  of  a 
mail  coach,  from  his  being 
armed  with  a  blunderbuss. 

He  had  a  word  for  the  hostler  about  that 
grey  mare,  a  nod  for  the  shooter  or  guard. — 
Thackeray :  Shabby-Genteel  Story. 

(Printers),  short  for  shooting- 
stick,  an  implement  used  for 
tightening  up  the  quoins  of  a 
forme. 

Shooting-irons  (American),  fire- 


Shooting — Shoot. 


233 


The  jurors — good,  grandfatherly  men — 
took  a  different  view  of  the  matter,  and  did 
not  seem  to  think  that  it  was  any  harm 
for  an  injured  female  to  go  about  the  streets 
with  shooting-irons,  ready  to  deal,  pro- 
bably, promiscuous  destruction  around  her. 
— Daily  Telegraph. 

Shooting1  on  the  post  (sport),  to 
catch  your  opponents  and  win 
just  before  the  tape. 

Shoot  off  your  mouth  (American), 
to  talk  much,  or  talk  in  a  boast- 
ing manner. 

If  he  could  kill  Indians  shooting  of  his 
mouth  at  them  he'd  soon  clean  them  out 
all  there  is. — F.  Francis:  Saddle  and 
Moccasin. 

Shoot  one's  linen,  to  (common), 
to  jerk  one's  sleeves  in  order  to 
show  the  shirt  wristbands. 

And  as  for  the  garment  I  wear  next  my 

skin, 
To    be    "  shirty "  with  that    after  years 

would  be  sin, 
I  could  once  shoot  my  linen  so  spotlessly 

white, 
But  now  I  am  thinking  'twere  best  out  of 

sight. 

— Song:  Gone  to  Smash. 

Shoot  one's  star,  to  (popular), 
to  die. 

Shoot,  the  (London  Railway). 
Walworth  Road  Station,  on  the 
London,  Chatham,  and  Dover 
Railway,  is  called,  -par  excellence, 
the  Slioot,  because  of  the  large 
number  of  passengers  who 
alight  there,  thus  relieving  the 
enormously  congested  traffic 
from  the  city  stations.  This  is 
especially  noticeable  at  certain 
times  of  the  evening  when  those 
engaged  in  the  city  are  return- 
ing from  business. 


Shoot  the  cat,  to  (common),  to 
vomit.  (Army),  the  bugle-call 
(in  infantry)  for  defaulters'  drill, 
so  called  from  the  onomatopoeic 
sound  of  the  call  which  it  is 
fancied  follows  the  words  "shoot 
the  cat — shoot  the  cat. "  Nearly 
all  bugle-calls  have  their  synony- 
mous words,  as  the  dinner  call, 
which  runs  "  officers'  wives  have 
puddings  and  pies.  Soldiers' 
wives  have  skill — ee !  "  and  the 
second  watch  setting,  or  tattoo 
roll-call,  which  begins  "  Wiggins, 
Wiggins,  Private  Wiggins,  come 
home  to  barracks,"  and  so  on  to 
the  end  of  a  long  tune. 

Shoot  the  crow  (American),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

An  ancient  sinner  was  recently  charged 
with  shooting  the  crow,  i.e.,  obtaining 
alcoholic  stimulant  at  public-houses,  and 
making  an  artful  retreat  without  paying 
for  the  cool,  refreshing  moisture.  His 
method  was  charmingly  simple.  After 
strolling  into  a  coffee-room,  he  would  order 
a  six  of  whisky.  On  the  liquor  being 
brought,  he  usually  remarked,  "The  water 
in  the  bottles  looks  rather  cloudy,  waiter. 
Just  fetch  some  fresh,  if  you  please."  Then, 
while  the  gentle  garcon  retired,  the  A.  S. 
invariably  drank  the  spirit  with  rapidity, 
and  made  tracks  as  speedily  as  possible. 
Fifteen  days'  "hard." — Fun. 

From   an   allusion    to    crow- 
whisky,  or  the  best  kind. 

Shoot  the  moon,  to  (common),  to 
leave  a  house  or  lodgings  by 
night,  and  generally  removing 
the  furniture  without  paying 
the  landlord. 

My  uncle's  got  the  broker's  man, 
My  cousin's  got  a  month  ; 

My  brother's  joined  a  regiment, 
The  hard- up  ninety-oneth. 


234 


Shoot — Shopper. 


My  aunt  she's  gone  to  Colney  Hatch, 

To  spend  the  afternoon, 
And  all  our  blessed  family 

To-night  will  shoot  the  moon. 
—  W e  are  a  Merry  Family  {Francis 
and  Day). 

Synonyms  "  mo  ve  in  the  blind, " 
"go  between  the  moon  and  the 
milkman,"  &c.  In  French, 
"  demenager  a  la  cloche  de  bois." 
Vide  Moon. 

Shoot,  to  (Stock  Exchange). 
"  To  make  a  man  a  close  price 
in  a  stock  without  knowing  if 
there  would  be  a  profit  or  loss 
'  on  the  bargain"  (Atkin,  "  House 
Scraps  "). 

Shop  (general),  a  house,  place, 
establishment,  and  club.  The 
French  use  the  word  boutique  as 
a  disparaging  term  for  any  ill- 
managed  house  or  establishment. 
"All  over  the  shop"  implies  a 
general  disturbance,  confusion, 
or  commotion  of  any  kind ;  to 
talk  shop,  explained  by  quotation. 

There  was  another  symptom  of  a  parallel 
feeling  in  the  widespread  censure  involved 
in  the  common  reproach  that  a  man  talks 
shop.  What  was  talking  shop?  It  meant 
talking  of  the  interests  of  the  work  which 
they  did,  or  the  profession  to  which  they 
belonged.  But  injustice  lay  in  the  word, 
and  a  snare  in  the  thought.  Too  often  it 
meant  the  exclusion  from  lively  conversa- 
tion and  pleasant  discussion  of  that  which 
formed  the  dearest  intellectual  interest  of  a 
man's  life. — Daily  News. 

A  lay  guest  at  a  clerical  dinner, 
hoping  to  ingratiate  himself  with 
his  neighbour,  a  well-known 
London  parson,  and  beginning 
some  rather  unctuous  talk,  was 
met  with  the  rebuke,  "  Sir,  when 
I  dine  with  Jack  Ketch,  I  don't 


talk  about  hanging."  (Army), 
the  guard-room.  The  Eoyal 
Military  Academy  is  termed  the 
shop.  (Turf),  to  get  a  shop,  to 
secure  first,  second,  or  third 
place  in  a  race. 

"My  boy,"  said  an  eminent  bishop  to 
his  eldest  son,  "  truth  will  always  triumph 
in  the  long  run ;  for  this  reason  let  your 
guiding  principle  in  life  be  Veracity."  "  I 
don't  think  your  tip  will  quite  win,  pa," 
said  the  boy;  "but  I  shall  certainly  back 
it  for  a  shop. " — Referee. 

(Theatrical),     explained     by 
quotation. 

Sometimes  one  may  meet  in  the  Strand 
an  actor  who  has  been  out  of  a  shop — all 
engagements  being  called  shops,  as  well  as 
the  play-houses — a  long  time,  who  having 
run  through,  or  run  in  to  Attenborough,  his 
ordinary  wardrobe,  will  be  wearing  his 
"props"  to  keep  up  an  appearance. — 
Globe. 

Shop-bouncer  (popular),  generally 
a  well-attired  thief,  who  appro- 
priates articles  while  being 
served  with  other  articles  of 
less  value. 

Shopkeeper  (trading),  an  article 
which  remains  long  in  hand  in 
a  shop  is  always  known  as  an 
old  shopkeeper. 

Shop-lift  (old),  a  thief  who  robs  at 
shops. 

The  tenth  is  a  shop-lift,  that  carries  a  bob 
When  he  ranges  the  city,  the  shops  for  to 
rob. 
— Pedlars  Pack  of  Ballads  and  Songs, 
collected  by  W.  H.  Logan. 

Shopper  (trade),  one  much  ad- 
dicted to  "  shopping." 

The  plan  is  to  distinguish  between  the 
twoclasses  of  shoppers. — Daily  Telegraph. 


Shoppy — Short-hairs. 


235 


Shoppy  (common),  to  be  shoppy, 
to  talk  of  nothing  but  about 
one's  calling  or  profession,  or  on 
sporting  subjects. 

When  golfers  get  together  their  talk  is 
more  unutterably  shoppy  than  even  that 
of  hunters,  cricketers,  or  racing  men. — 
Daily  Telegraph. 

Shop,  to  (army),  to  put  under 
arrest  in  the  guard-room. 

If  we  enter  the  army,  joining  the  light 
infantry,  we  will  become  a  "  light  bob," 
and  our  first  contravention  of  military  law 
will  ensure  our  being  shopped. — Morning 
Advertiser. 

(Royal  Military  Academy),  to 
put  under  arrest.  (Pugilistic), 
to  punish  a  man  severely,  knock 
him  "all  over  the  shop."  (Trade), 
to  discharge  a  shopman). 
(Thieves),  to  send  to  prison. ' 

She  looks  up  in  his  face.  "  Jim,"  says  she 
timidly,  and  cowering  close  to  him  the 
while,  "  if  you  was  took  and  shopped,  like 
him  in  the  long  boots,  I'd  go  to  quod 
with  you,  if  they'd  give  me  leave — I'd  go 
to  death  with  you." — Whyte-Melville : 
MorN. 

Shop- walker  (trade),  a  kind  of 
foreman  who  walks  about  the 
shop. 

Short  (common),  without  money. 

Barber — "Pretty  short,  sir?"  Cus- 
tomer— "  Well,  yes,  I  am.  Just  put  it 
down  on  the  slate,  will  you  ?  Much  obliged 
to  you  for  speaking  of  it." — Lowell  Citizen. 

(Costermongers),  neat  gin. 
Originally  unsweetened  or 
shortened  gin,  then  sliort  gin, 
then  any  neat  spirit.  "  Let's 
have  something  short." 

Old  men  will  swathe  their  gouty  limbs, 
And  talk  of  sound  old  port ; 


Converted  thieves  will  sing  loud  hymns, 
Then  take  their  drops  of  short. 

— Fun  Almanac. 

(Banks),  upon  presenting  a 
cheque,  the  clerk  asks,  "  How 
will  you  take  it  ?  "  i.e.,  in  gold 
or  notes.  If  in  notes,  "  long  or 
short  V  Should  it  be  desired 
to  receive  it  in  notes  for  the 
largest  possible  amount  the 
answer  is,  short  (Hotten). 

(Tailors),  he  bit  him  off  short, 
he  abruptly  closed  the  inter- 
view or  instantly  dismissed  his 
appeal. 

Shortage  (American),  a  deficit  in 
accounts. 

"Let's  see,"  he  mused.  "You  are  in 
some  bank  down  town,  aren't  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"And  don't  all  these  robberies,  em- 
bezzlements, and  shortages,  make  the 
directors  a  little  nervous." 

"Well,  perhaps." 

"  Any  talk  of  giving  the  cashier  a  vaca- 
tion so  as  to  slyly  examine  his  books  ?  " 

"  Not  that  I  have  heard  of." 

"  Then  you  must  have  confidence  in 
him  ?  " 

"  I — I  think  so.  That  is,  I  presume 
so.  That  is — I'm  the  cashier  myself." — 
W, all  Street  News. 

Short  ear  (American  University), 
a  rowdy. 

Shorter  (thieves),  a  rogue  who 
clips  and  files  coin.  From  a 
crown-piece  a  shorter  could  gain 
5d.  Chemical  means  are  also 
resorted  to. 

Short-hairs,  silk  stockings 
(American),  the  names  of  two 
branches  of  the  Democratic 
party  in  the  Western  States. 
They  appear  to  have  been  first 


236 


Short-hairs — Shout. 


used,  or  at  least  to  hare  first 
come  before  the  public,  at  the 
Democratic  State  Convention, 
held  in  Springfield,  Illinois, 
August  26,  1886. 

They  did  not  resign,  as  had  been  hoped 
by  the  short-hairs,  but  desired  to  retain 
control  of  the  fall  campaign,  and  until 
December,  when  their  terms  expire.  This 
was  a  disappointment,  but  their  opponents 
got  satisfaction  by  preventing  the  re- 
election of  any  of  them.  The  silk  stock- 
ings, as  they  are  freely  called,  made  an 
attempt  in  the  committee  meeting  when 
the  election  of  members  at  large  took 
place  to  crowd  out  the  Cook  County 
short-hairs  altogether  by  a  motion  that 
only  four  members  at  large  be  elected. — 
Chicago  Tribune. 

The  short-hairs  appear  to  be 
discontented  with  the  adminis- 
tration, while  the  silk  stockings 
approve  of  it. 

Short  of  a  sheet,  to  be  (Aus- 
tralian), the  Australian  equi- 
valent of  a  tile  loose. 

Shorts,  the  (Stock  Exchange), 
said  of  brokers  who  are  minus 
stocks  which  they  have  con- 
tracted to  deliver. 

Shot  (popular),  reckoning.  From 
Danish  skat,  Anglo-Saxon  sceat. 
Hence  scot-free.  Old  French 
(escot),  dcot. 

There's  three  more  of  'em,  waiter — three 
more  jolly  blue  boys,  give  it  a  name,  my 
Britons ;  I'll  pay  the  shot. — ■/.  Greenwood ': 
Dick  Temple. 

(Old  cant),  explained  by  quo- 
tation. 

The  "  Charley  "  winked  at  the  robberies 
committed  by  nocturnal  footpads  on 
drunken  wayfarers,  he  black-mailed  the 
unfortunate  female  night-prowlers,  and 
especially  did  he  lend  aid  and  countenance 


to  the  resurrection-men  or  body-snatchers, 
who  often  found  the  watchman's  box  con- 
venient as  a  temporary  receptacle  for  the 
shot,  or  corpse,  which  they  had  just  disin- 
terred.— Daily  Telegraph. 

(Turf),  to  be  shot  is  to  make 
a  disadvantageous  bet  which  is 
instantly  accepted. 

Then  a  plucky  fielder,  who  does  not 
perform  in  London  every  day,  offered 
"nine  monkeys,"  and  was  instantly  shot 
by  the  very  dealer  who  had  backed. — 
Bird  o'  Freedom. 

(Popular),  to  be  shot,  to  be 
photographed. 

Shot  in  the  locker  (nautical),  a 
metaphor  signifying  money  in 
the  pocket. 

Shot,  shot  in  the  neck  (American), 
drunk.  German,  "  Er  ist  ges- 
chossen,"  he  is  shot,  i.e.,  drunk. 

Shot,  to  (horse-dealers),  to  shot  a 
horse,  is  to  give  him  a  quantity 
of  small  shot,  the  result  being 
that  for  a  short  time  he  appears 
sound  in  wind. 

Shoulder  shams  (old  cant),  con- 
federates of  a  pickpocket  who 
press  round  the  victim. 

Shoulder,  to  (popular),  when  a  ser- 
vant steals  his  employer's  money 
he  is  said  to  shoulder  him. 

Shouting1.     Vide  To  Shout. 

It  is  the  custom  in  the  colonies,  or,  at 
all  events,  in  the  parts  I  have  visited,  to 
"stand"  drinks  most  profusely  at  the 
village  or  township  bars.  They  call  it 
shouting. — Blackwood's  Magazine. 

Shout,  to  (Australian),  to  treat,  to 
frank  ;  shouter,  one  who  treats. 


Shout — Show. 


237 


Give  me  the  wealth  I  have  squandered  in 
shouting, 
Scattered    in    sixpences,    paid    by   the 
pound, 
Ladled  out  glibly,  no  grudging  or  doubt- 
ing, 
Never  a  thought  of  the  use  to  be  found. 
—D.  B.  W.  Sladen :  The  Sigh  of  the 
Shouter. 
He  had  felt  bound,  according  to  custom, 
to  shout  for  them  all.     I  said,  "  But  why 
do  you  give  in  to  the  practice  ?  "     He  re- 
plied,  "  It  is  not  for  the  drink  that  we 
care,  but  for  the  expression  of  friendly  feel- 
ing."— C.  T. :  Impressions  of  Australia 
{Blackwood's  Magazine). 

To  shout,  perhaps,  gets  this 
meaning  as  being  equivalent 
to  giving  the  order.  I  shout, 
therefore,  I  call  out  the  order. 
The  custom  of  shouting  is  uni- 
versal in  Australia.  No  one 
ever  voluntarily  drinks  alone. 
He  shouts  his  friend  and  his 
friend  shouts  him  back,  or  each 
one  of  a  company  in  turn  shouts. 
If  there  is  no  one  else  to  shout 
to,  the  customer  generally  in- 
vites the  barman  to  take  a  drink. 
This  custom  is  one  of  the  curses 
of  Australia.  A  publican  knows 
that,  however  many  there  are  in 
a  party  which  enters  his  house, 
there  will  be  the  same  number 
of  "  shouts  all  round." 

Shove  (thieves),  to  pass  bad 
money;  "shoving  the  queer," 
passing  counterfeit  coin.  In 
all  probability  a  combination  of 
the  gypsy  chiv,  with  the  Eng- 
lish shove,  as  chiv  comes  much 
nearer  to  putting,  or  placing,  or 
disposing  of,  than  shove,  i.e.,  to 
merely  push.  "  Chiwing  wafro 
lowo  "  (Lavengro),  passing  bad 
money. 


Shovel  (nautical),  an  opprobrious 
term  applied  to  a  marine  en- 
gineer who  knows  little  or 
nothing  about  his  work. 

Show  (theatrical  and  common), 
any  performance  or  entertain- 
ment. In  the  quotation  refer- 
ence is  made  to  a  cricket  match. 

And  have  I  "  been  bored  or  been  weary  "  ? 

Oh,  gracious  me,  no  ! 

There  is  plenty  of  go 
About  these  broad-chested  and  cheery 

Young  fellows  come  up  for  the  show. 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

"  Many  words  of  stage  slang 
can  be  traced  to  Shakspeare's 
days  and  Shakspeare's  plays. 
The  word  show,  to  begin  with, 
meaning  the  performance  and 
the  play  indifferently,  is  to  be 
found  in  the  tragedy  of  young 
Pyramus  and  his  love  Thisbe 
in  the  comedy  of  the  '  Mid- 
summer Night's  Dream ' : — 

'  The  actors  are  at  hand,  and  by  their 
show 
You  shall  know  all  that  you  are  like 
to  know.'" 

— Globe. 

Used  in  such  phrases  as  boss 
the  show,  run  the  show,  to  direct, 
manage. 

We  determined  to  run  the  show  our- 
selves, or,  in  theatrical  parlance,  by  "  com- 
monwealth."— Tit-Bits. 

Over  goes  the  show,  explained 
by  quotation. 

It's  all  very  well  to  say  you  won't 
Take  another  of  'em  on,  but  oh  1 

When  a  pretty  little  widow  winks  at  you, 
Why,  over  goes  the  show. 

—Music  Hall  Song. 


238 


Show — Shroffing. 


(American),  a  chance,  an  op- 
portunity, a  turn. 

Flanigan  hesitated  for  a  second  ;  then 
he  saw  he  had  no  show,  and  with  an  oath 
he  let  his  rifle  drop. — Century  Illustrated 
Magazine. 

It  is  often  heard  in  the  form, 
"give  a  fellow  a  show."  "My 
friends,"  said  a  Baptist  preacher, 
"if  ever  the  devil  has  anything 
to  say  for  himself,  you  ought  to 
give  him  a  show."  It  has  be- 
come one  of  the  commonest  of 
slang  words  in  Australia.  The 
expression  probably  comes  from 
giving  a  person  a  chance  of 
showing  his  cards,  which,  for 
example,  he  cannot  do  at  dearie" 
if  his  opponent  shows  the  king, 
and  only  requires  one  point. 
Australians  talk  of  giving  a  man 
a  show,  not  having  a  blessed 
show,  a  mortal  show.  He  hadn't 
a  show,  he  was  altogether  out- 
matched. 

Sho  w-b  o  x  (theatrical),  the 
theatre. 

Showing  a  front  (army),  a  term 
used  when  short  notice  of  a 
parade  is  given,  and  a  soldier 
has  to  turn  out  without  proper 
time  to  prepare  himself  by 
cleaning  up  his  accoutrements 
and  kit. 

Show  Sunday,  the  Sunday  in 
Commemoration  week  at  Ox- 
ford. On  this  day  most  of  the 
University  and  their  friends 
used  to  be  seen  in  the  Broad 
Walk  of  Christ  Church,  but  of 
late  years,  owing  to  the  influx 


of  town's  people,  very  few  of 
the  University  are  seen  there. 
(Studios),  the  Sunday  before 
pictures  are  sent  in  for  the  Aca- 
demy Exhibition,  when  studios 
are  visited  by  the  artists'  friends. 

Shrieking    sisterhood,    the 

(journalistic),  an  opprobrious 
term  applied  to  women  who 
take  the  lead  in  matters  of  re- 
form connected  with  their  sex. 
This  phrase  is  of  American  origin. 

Shroff  (Anglo-Oriental),  a  money- 
changer, a  money-broker  or 
agent,  a  banker.  Arabic  sar- 
raf.  Shroffage,  a  money-broker's 
commission.  To  shroff  is  to 
assort  money,  pick  out  uncur- 
rent  coins  and  determine  the 
agio  or  discount  on  them. 
Hence  it  has  come  in  Oriental- 
English  to  mean  sifting,  choos- 
ing, or  valuing  men,  horses,  or 
anything  whatever. 

"Shroffing  schools  are  com- 
mon in  Canton,  where  teachers 
of  the  art  keep  bad  dollars  for 
the  purpose  of  exercising  their 
pupils,  and  several  works  on 
the  subject  have  been  published 
there  with  numerous  illustra- 
tions of  dollars  and  other  foreign 
coins,  the  methods  of  scooping 
out  silver  and  filling  up  with 
copper  or  lead,  comparisons 
between  genuine  and  counter- 
feit money,  &c."  (Giles'  Glos- 
sary of  References,  Anglo- 
Indian  Glossary. ) 

Shroffing  dollars  (Anglo-Indian), 
sorting  dollars,  selecting  them. 


Sh  ucks — Shyster. 


239 


P«C^ 


Among  settlers  in  China,  shrof- 
fing means  seducing. 

Shucks  (American),  "  don't 
amount  to  shucks,"  it  is  less 
than  nothing.  Shucks!  an  ex- 
clamation signifying  nonsense ! 
or  expressive  of  refusal.  In 
America  shucks  are  the  husks  or 
shells  of  nuts  and  Indian  corn. 
It  is  an  old  provincial  word  for 
shell  or  husk.  The  pods  of  peas 
are  still  called  ^ea-shucks,  and 
being  worthless  have  given  rise 
to  the  slang  phrase.  The  Con- 
federate "  blue-backs  "  or  bank 
notes  were  also  called  shucks, 
probably  for  a  twofold  reason, 
because  they  soon  became 
worthless  through  the  failure 
of  the  Southern  cause  and  from 
the  circumstance  of  money 
being  sometimes  designated  as 
dust,  pelf,  filthy  lucre,  &c. 

Shulwaurs  (Anglo-Indian), 
trousers  or  drawers,  the  same 
as  pyjamas,  long  drawers  or 
Mogul  -  breeches.  From  the 
Arabic  ttfwal,  which  has  spread 
widely,  though  greatly  changed, 
through  many  languages. 
I 

Shunter  (Stock  Exchange),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

One  who  buys  or  sells  stocks  on  the 
chance  of  undoing  his  business,  on  one 
of  the  provincial  Stock  Exchanges,  at  a 
profit. — Atkin:  House  Scraps. 

Shunt,  to  (popular)  to  move,  turn 
aside.  From  the  railway  term. 
To  shunt  any  one,  to  get  rid  of 
him. 


He  started  in  life  as  a  welsher.  Not  a 
respectable  welsher,  one  who  snatches  your 
brief  when  you  present  it  for  payment,  or 
punches  you  in  the  jaw  and  tells  you  to 
shunt. — Sporting  Times. 

Shut  up !  a  vulgar  but  very  com- 
mon phrase  used  as  a  forcible 
request  to  another  to  keep 
silent  or  quiet.  French  slang 
has  the  expression  "  ferme  ta 
boite."  The  Greeks  said,  "  Keep 
an  ox  on  your  tongue."  Shut 
up,  also  exhausted,  done  for ; 
"  that  shut  him  up,"  that  en- 
tirely stopped  his  speech  or 
action. 

Shut  up  your  face  (American),  be 
silent.  Also,  "cork  up  your 
whisky -bottle." 

Shy  of  the  blues  (thieves),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

I  happened  to  know  that  in  criminal 
circles  to  describe  a  person  as  being  sky  of 
the  blues,  is  equivalent  to  saying  that  he 
has  particular  reasons  for  keeping  out  of 
the  way  of  the  police.—/.  Greenwood: 
Tag,  Rag,  &*  Co. 

Shyster  (American),  a  louting, 
swindling  attorney,  or  a  low 
fellow  who  pretends  to  be  an 
attorney — though  possibly  he 
had  here  no  connection  with 
the  law  except  to  sweep  out 
an  attorney's  office,  or  run  an 
errand,  or  who  hangs  about 
police  offices,  or  courts  of  justice, 
to  cheat  prisoners  or  suitors  on 
pretence  of  sending  them  legal 
assistance.  Derivation  uncer- 
tain, but  probably  from  the 
German  scheisscr  (cacator),  allied 


240 


Shyster — Side-show. 


to  scheuen,  to  avoid,  to  be  in  fear 
of,  and  scheusslich,  abominable. 

When  a  man  is  thrown  into  prison  a 
shyster  leech  gets  access  to  him,  and  ex- 
torts from  him  his  last  cent  under  the 
pretence  of  obtaining  his  liberation. — New 
York  Tribune. 

Shysters  are  a  set  of  turkey-buzzards 
whose  touch  is  pollution  and  whose  breath 
is  pestilence. — New  York  in  Slices. 

There  is  more  deep-hued  and  earnest 
ingenuity  in  three  hairs  of  the  Counsellor's 
Londonderry  beard  than  in  the  Pompadour 
mop-heads  of  all  the  dude  shysters  of  the 
day.  The  Counsellor  knows  a  dollar  when 
he  sees  it,  and  no  dollar  ever  coined  had 
intelligence  enough  to  get  out  of  the  way 
of  that  astute  practitioner. — San  Francisco 
News-Letter. 

Sick  (Australian  popular),  without 
trumps.  In  playing  a  nap,  if 
the  player's  trumps  are  ex- 
hausted, he  will  say  sick,  and  if 
he  have  a  hand  full  of  trumps, 
and  challenges  the  board,  to  see 
if  any  one  has  any  left,  he  will 
ask  "All  sick?" 

Sick  market  (Stock  Exchange),  a 
sick  market  is  one  in  which  sales 
of  stock  are  difficult  to  place. 
As  a  rule  this  is  usually  the 
result  of  hazardous  and  reckless 
speculation. 

Side  (common),  a  man  is  said  to 
put  side  on  when  he  gives  him- 
self airs,  swaggers,  or  assumes 
unusual  dignity.  This  expres- 
sion is  now  much  in  vogue  in 
England  and  America.  It  seems 
at  first  sight  to  be  a  metaphor 
either  taken  from  the  habit  of 
dogs  when  they  are  given  things 
to  carry,  when  they  invariably 
put  their  side  out  in  a  curve, 


like  a  horse  when  buckjumping, 
or  from  a  billiard  term  meaning 
making  a  ball  revolve  on  a  per- 
pendicular axis  by  striking  it  on 
the  side,  or  again  from  a  ship 
that  shows  its  side  when  sailing 
fast  with  a  side  wind ;  but  in 
reality  side  is  old  provincial 
English.  Bailey  gives  it  as  a 
north -country  term,  meaning 
long,  steep,  proud. 

The  young  men  of  the  present  day,  who 
think  it  is  the  right  thing  to  put  on  a  lot  of 
side. — Saturday  Review. 

(Cambridge  University).  At 
the  larger  colleges  there  are 
several  college  -  tutors  amongst 
whom  the  students  are  appor- 
tioned. Those  attached  to  each 
are  called  his  side. 

A  longer  discourse  he  will  perhaps  have 
to  listen  to  with  the  rest  of  his  side. — 
Westminster  Review. 

Side  degrees  are  test  degrees 
by  lecturers.  (Thieves),  used  in 
the  cant  language  of  the  North- 
ern towns  as  an  affirmative. 
Probably  abbreviated  from  the 
phrase,  "  I  side  with  you." 

Side-board,  stick-up  (common),  a 
collar. 

Side-pocket  (American  thieves), 
a  drinking  saloon  in  an  out-of- 
the-way  place.  A  quiet  resort 
for  out-of-the-way  people,  fancy- 
women,  private  gamblers. 

Side-show  (American).  Where 
there  is  a  large  exhibition, 
as,  for  instance,  a  "  mammoth 
circus,"   or  Barnum's    "  Great 


Side-sh  ow — Stiver. 


241 


Menagerie,"  there  are  generally- 
established  about  and  near  it  a 
number  of  trumpery  little  cheap 
exhibitions  of  fat  men,  tattooed 
young  women,  the  human  fish 
or  dancing  dogs,  generally 
charging  a  dime  or  fivepence 
admission.  These  are  called 
side-shows,  but  the  term  is  ex- 
tended in  popular  slang  to  sig- 
nify anything  not  in  the  ex- 
pected order  of  things. 

The  supper  at  the  party  was  good,  but 
on  temperance  principles,  and  I  was  be- 
ginning to  feel  doleful  after  my  fried 
oysters,  and  terrapin,  and  chicken-salad, 
and  soft-shell  crabs,  when  Enos  came  up 
and  whispered  softly,  "Now  you've  seen 
the  Great  Moral  Circus,  suppose  you  step 
into  the  side-show."  The  side-show  was 
in  the  back  dining-room,  where  he  had  a 
bottle  of  fine  old  brandy. — Philadelphia 
Newspaper. 

Side  -  wheeler     (American),     a 
paddle  steamer. 

Sight,  to  take  a  (American),  to 
take  aim. 

Another  Indian  had  turned  and  was 
getting  a  bee  line  on  us  when  Frank  took 
a  sight  at  him  in  return.  —  O'Reilly: 
Fifty  Years  on  the  Trail. 

Sil  (thieves),  a  spurious  bank- 
note, especially  one  drawn  on 
the  Bank  of  Elegance  or  Bank 
of  Engraving,  to  avoid  the  con- 
sequences of  a  more  accurate 
imitation  of  the  genuine  note. 
Much  used  by  welshers  and 
confidence  -  trick  men.  In  all 
probability  til  was  originally 
a  forged  document  used  by  a 
' '  silver  beggar  "  (which  see),  and 
abbreviated  from  silver. 
VOL.  II. 


Silk,  to  take  (law),  to  be  made  a 
Queen's  Counsel. 

Sillikin  (popular),  a  silly  person. 

I  don't  know  where  I  came  from, 
And  I  don't  know  where  I'm  going, 
They  think  I  am  a  sillikin 
But  I  am  rather  knowing. 

— H.  Wilson:  The  Blessed 
Orphan. 

This  term  is  used  by  Aus- 
tralian thieves. 

Silly-billy  (popular),  a  foolish 
fellow,  a  dupe. 

I  tell  every  girl  I  meet  that  "my  heart 
is  thine  alone."  And  they  all  believe  it ! 
What  a  lot  of  little  sillies?  But  I'm  no 
silly-billy. — Broadside:  I  Say,  Cabby. 

Silly  season  (journalistic),  the 
period  when  there  are  no  parlia- 
mentary debates  to  'report,  or 
any  interesting  events.  News- 
papers to  fill  up  their  columns 
are  then  compelled  to  insert 
"silly"  matter. 

Silver  beggar  (beggars),  a  beggar 
who  travels  through  the  country 
with  letters  containing  false 
statements  of  losses  by  fire, 
shipwrecks,  accidents.  Forged 
documents  are  exhibited  with 
signatures  of  magistrates  and 
clergymen.  Accompanying  these 
are  sham  subscription-books. 
The  former  in  beggar  parlance 
is  termed  a  "sham,"  whilst  the 
latter  is  denominated  a  "deli- 
cate" (Hotten).  Formerly  a 
pickpocket  was  termed  a  silly 
cheat,  corrupted  from  silver 
(siller)  cheat. 


242 


Silvers — Sinkers. 


Silvers  (Stock  Exchange),  India- 
rubber,  Gutta-Percha,  and  Tele- 
graph Works  Company  Shares. 

Sim,  in  clerical  talk,  a  follower  of 
the  late  Rev.  Charles  Simeon,  a 
well-known  Cambridge  evange- 
lical clergyman,  died  1836. 

Simkin  (Anglo-Indian).  For- 
merly, when  Anglo-Indian  slang 
was  more  prevalent  than  now- 
a-days,  champagne  was  called 
simkin,  probably  in  imitation 
of  the  native  way  of  pronounc- 
ing the  word. 

The  dinner  was  good,  and  the  iced  sim- 
kin, sir,  delicious. — Oakfield. 

(Theatrical),  the  fool  in  comic 
ballets. 

Simon  (circus),  a  trick  horse,  or 
one  trained  to  perform  tricks. 
(Popular),  a  sixpenny  piece. 

Simon-Pure  cussedness,  an  Ame- 
rican combination  of  Simon 
Pure,  the  character  in  Mrs. 
Centlivre's  comedy  of  "A  Bold 
Stroke  for  a  Wife,"  now  a  pro- 
verbial expression,  and  "pure 
cussedness." 

They  (the  mules)  very  quickly  developed 
a  capacity  for  Simon-Pure  cussedness  that 
caused  the  officers  of  the  ship  no  little 
anxiety  from  day  to  day. — T.  Stevens  in 
the  "Boston  Herald." 

Simply  throwing  up  buckets 
(Australian  popular),  very  vexed 
or  disappointed.  When  a  per- 
son means  to  say  that  he  is  as 
disappointed  as  ever  he  can  be, 
he  sometimes  says,  "  Ohl  I  am 


simply  throwing  up  buckets,"  this 
being  of  course  a  play  upon  the 
Australian  use  of  sick  (q.  v.). 
This  expression  is  of  course 
considered  very  vulgar  —  used 
by  schoolboys,  and  the  like. 

Simpson,  water,  as  applied  to  its 
mixture  with  milk  for  adultera- 
tion. 

These  authorities  know  best  the  average 
quantity  of  Simpson — the  technical  term 
in  dairydom  for  water — used  by  unscru- 
pulous cow-keepers  to  debase  their  milk. 
— Daily  Telegraph. 

Hence  the  parish  pump  has 
been  called  Mrs.  Simpson. 

Sinbad  (nautical),  an  old  "salt" 
or  sailor ;  the  allusion  is  ob- 
vious. 

Sinch  (American),  a  saddle-girth. 
Spanish  sincha. 

You  can  show  him  the  way  they  corral  a 
train 
In  an  Indian  raid  on  a  pinch ; 
You  can  show  him  the  bravest  son  of  the 
plain, 
That  knotted  a  broncho's  sinch. 

—  William-  Devere :  The  Great 
Wild  West. 

Sines  (Winchester  College), 
bread,  which  commoners  gene- 
rally went  without  (sineu  with- 
out). 

Sing  it,  don't  (popular),  don't 
exaggerate.  Another  variation 
of  this  is,  "  Don't  chant  the 
poker." 

Sinkers  (popular),  bad  money. 


Sink — Size. 


243 


Sink,  to  (tailors),  to  fall  down 
the  sink,  to  take  to  drinking 
and  forsake  work. 

Sipper  (popular),  gravy. 

Sir  -  ree  I  (American),  generally 
heard  as  "Yes — sir-ree  /"  A  low 
expression  which  is  said  to  have 
originated  in  this  anecdote.  A 
grim,  taciturn  individual  came 
to  a  tavern,  and  was  asked  if 
he  wanted  something  to  eat? 
He  replied,  "  No,  sir !  "  "  Will 
you  have  anything  to  drink  1 " 
"  No  —  sir-rce .'"  "  Perhaps," 
suggested  the  complaisant  land- 
lord, "the  gentleman  would  like 
a  lady  companion  ?  "  To  which 
the  reply,  with  a  glad  smile, 
was,  "  Yes — sir-ree — bob  I  " 

Sit.  (printers),  an  abbreviation  of 
the  word  "  situation."  For  in- 
stance, "out  of  sit."  or  "collar." 

Sit  under.  In  Evangelical  and 
Nonconformist  circles,  to  sit 
under  a  preacher  is  to  attend 
his  ministry. 

Sit-upons  (common),  trousers. 

But  I  should  advise  you,  old  fellow, 
to  get  your  sit-upons  seated  with  wash- 
leather.— C.  Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

Sit  up,  to  (familiar),  to  make  any 
one  sit  up  is  to  punish  him 
severely  at  a  game.  At  bil- 
liards, for  instance,  when  one 
is  making  a  break,  he  is  said 
to  make  his  antagonist  sit  up. 

Sivey,  siwy,  'pon  my  (popular), 
upon  my  honour.  Corruption 
of  "asseveration." 


'Pon  my  sivey,  if  you  was  to  see  her 
pecking  you'd  think  she  was  laying  on 
pounds'  weight  in  a  day  instead  of  losing. 
— ■/.  Greenwood:  Tag,  Rag,  <&*  Co. 

Sixer  (thieves),  explained  by  quo- 
tation. 

"  Neddie,  from  City  Road,  smugged  for 
attempt  up  the  Grove,  expected  a  sixer" 
means  that  a  misguided  Edward  has  been 
apprehended  while  promenading  outside 
Whiteley's,  and  investigating  the  contents 
of  ladies'  pockets,  and  is  reconciling  him- 
self to  an  absence  from  his  oriental  home 
for  half  a  year. — Horsley :  Jottings  from 
Jail. 

Also  a  six-ounce  loaf  of  bread 
given  to  prisoners. 

Six   quarter   or   swop,   to   get 

(city),    to    be   dismissed  from 
one's  employment. 

Six-shooter  horse  (West  Ameri- 
can), a  swift  horse.  A  six- 
shooter  is  a  revolver  or  repeat- 
ing rifle. 

I'd  get  on  one  of  the  six-shooter  horses 
— a  six-shooter  horse  is  a  heap  better  than 
a  six -shooting  gun  in  these  cases. — F. 
Francis:  Saddle  and  Moccasin., 

Six-water  grog  (nautical),  very 
weak  grog. 

Size,  to  (American),  to  size  a  man 
up  means  to  understand  him, 
to  perceive  or  understand  what 
he  is,  or  to  mentally  take  his 
size,  which  is  a  common  Ameri- 
can equivalent  for  his  whole 
bodily  and  mental  condition. 

I'm  a  clerk  at  the  Palmer  House  and 
sized  you  up  the  minute  you  spoke  to  me. 
If  you  show  your  face  again  in  the  house 


244 


Size — Skew. 


I'll  see  that  you  are  kicked  out  of  the  door 
n  the  highest  style  of  the  art.  Ta-ta  ! — 
A  Bunko-SUerer  Taken  In. 

Also  a  West  Indian  expression. 

We  landed  at  a  quay  of  well-formed 
masonry,  in  the  presence  of  a  crowd  of 
blacks  who  evidently  took  stock  of  us, 
sizing  us,  no  doubt,  with  the  design  of 
engaging  us  in  pecuniary  transactions 
more  or  less  connected  with  fruit. — W.  A. 
Paton :  Down  the  Islands. 

(Cambridge  University),  to 
send  for  extra  victuals  in  Hall ; 
e.g.,  an  undergraduate  will  size 
for  a  tankard  of  Buttery  ale, 
instead  of  the  small  beer  or 
"  swipes  "  that  is  placed  on  the 
table. 

Skedaddle  (common),  of  Ameri- 
can origin,  to  run  away,  to  be 
scattered  in  rout. 

He  raises  such  a  rumpus, 

"  He's  a  rum  puss  out  and  out," 

That  the  other  cats  skedaddle, 
Quite  dismayed  they're  put  to  rout. 
— Detroit  Free  Press. 

"  The  Scotch  apply  the  word 
to  milk  spilt  over  the  pail  in 
carrying  it.  During  the  late 
American  war  the  New  York 
papers  said  the  Southern  forces 
were  skedaddled  by  the  Federals. 
Saxon  scedan,  to  pour  out" 
(Dr.  Brewer).  In  addition  to 
this  it  may  be  suggested  that 
sketdaddle  in  English  provincial 
dialects  means  to  go  quickly 
but  unsteadily.  Sket,  quickly, 
and  daddle,  to  walk  irregularly 
or  unsteadily  (Wright).  Though 
this  may  not  be  the  true  origin 
of  the  word  it  corresponds  to 
the    definition    of    retreating 


rapidly  yet  in  a  confused  irregu- 
lar manner.  Sket  corresponds 
with  skeet  (which  see),  to  go 
quickly  or  run.  Dutch  schieten  ; 
Anglo-Saxon  scadtan.  School- 
boys generally  derive  the  word 
from  Greek  cKedawv/xi,  to  put 
to  flight,  or  the  substantive 
ffKedaff/xos. 

Skeet  (American,  New  York  and 
Philadelphia),  to  dart,  run  along 
rapidly.  "Now  then,  skeet!" 
From  the  Dutch  schiet,  schieter\, 
to  dart,  cast,  shoot,  throw. 
Hence  probably  a  skit,  a  flippant 
sarcasm,  i.e.,  a  shot.  The  word 
is  sometimes  confused  in  Phila- 
delphia with  skeet,  the  local 
vulgar  pronunciation  of  skate. 

Skeezicks,  skeesicks  (American). 
Bartlett  defines  this  as  a  mean, 
contemptible  fellow.  The  writer 
has  always  understood  it  to 
rather  mean  a  fidgety,  fussy 
little  fellow.  Both  may  be 
right.  In  Cornwall,  skeese  means 
to  frisk  about.  Skicer  is  "a 
lamb  which  kills  itself  by  ex- 
cess of  activity  "  (Wright). 

Sket  (thieves),  a  skeleton  key  or 
pick-lock.  From  provincial  sket, 
a  latch,  bolt,  &c. 

Skew  (Harrow),  a  dunce  or 
ignoramus.  Probably  from  pro- 
vincial skew,  one-sided  (for  askew), 
awry,  irregular,  as  s£e«;-brained, 
odd,  fanciful,  idiotic ;  to  skew  is 
to  fail  in  construing  a  lesson. 
(Old  cant),  a  cup,  porringer. 
Probably  old  French  escuelle, 


Skid — Skin. 


245 


Skid,  skiv  (popular),  a  sovereign. 

Skids  (American),  volunteers, 
militiamen.  Swedish  skyda,  a 
guard,  protector. 

Oh  brighten  up  your  uniforms ! 
Put  sweet  ile  on  your  har  ! 
Go  tell  yore  culled  neighbours, 
Go  tell  it  everywhar ; 
Dis  great  organisation 
De  cream  la  cream,  dey  say, 
March  on  for  decoration, 
De  skids  are  out  to-day  ! 
When  !  when  !  dandies  ! 
Now  ain't  we  hat-que-hay 

Sweet  goodness'  sake  ! 

We  take  de  cake  ! 
De  skids  are  out  to-day ! 

— Negro  Minstrel  Song. 

Skied  (artists),  said  of  a  picture 
which  is  hung  on  the  upper  line 
at  the  Exhibition  of  the  Koyal 
Academy. 

:  Had  a  similar  course  of  conduct  been 
pursued  with  respect  to  the  disposition  of 
pictures  in  the  actual  Salon,  many  loath- 
some daubs  that  disgrace  the  "  line  "  there 
would  have  been  sternly  skied,  or,  still 
better,  peremptorily  rejected.  —  Daily 
Telegraph. 

"The  Three  Graces,"  now  well  placed, 
had  been  previously  skied.  But  didn't 
this  show  that  Sir  Joshua's  work  ranked 
uncommonly  high  in  the  opinion  of  the 
former  hangers.— Punch. 

Skill  (football),  when  the  ball  is 
kicked  between  posts  and  thus 
procures  agoal ,  it  is  termed  a  skill. 

Skilly  (common),  water-gruel,  in 
the  workhouse  and  prisons. 

So  much  the  better  for  you,  I  say, 
So  much  the  better  for  you. 
If  you  never  act  silly,  you'll  keep  off  the 
skilly. 
That's  so  much  the  better  for  you. 
—Music  Hall  Song. 


A  Lincolnshire  term,  skilly, 
oatmeal  -  gruel,  from  obsolete 
English  skelly,  thin  and  light, 
applied  to  thin,  poor  food  ;  also 
sailor's  soup  of  many  ingre- 
dients. 

Skilly  and  toke  (popular),  applied 
to  anything  mild,  insipid. 

The  mugs  and  the  jugs  never  joke,  never 
gag,  never  work  in  a  wheeze ;  no,  their 
talk  is  all  skilly  and  toke. — Punch. 

Skilts  (American).  "A  sort  of 
brown  tan  trousers,  formerly 
worn  in  New  England,  very 
large  and  reaching  below  the 
knee  "  (Bartlett).  Probably  from 
hilt,  Tcdt,  undyed  cloth  made 
from  black  and  white  wool. 

Skimmer  (public  schools),  a  dive 
into  the  water  in  a  slanting 
direction  without  going  down 
deep. 

Skimmery  (Oxford),  St.  Mary's 
Hall. 

So  I  swopped  the  beggar  to  a  skimmery- 
man  for  a  regular  slap  up  set  of  pets  of 
the  ballet.— C.  Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

Skin  (American  cadet),  a  report ; 
hefty  skin,  a  rigorous  report. 
(Popular  and  thieves),  a  purse. 
The  term  is  much  used  by 
strolling  actors,  showmen,  &c. 

Skin  a  razor,  to  (common),  to 
drive  a  hard  and  close  bargain. 

You  be  blowed,  you  young  Jew  sharper  I 
You'd  skin  a  razor,  that  you  would.  I'll 
back  you  for  drivin'  bargens  agen  Joe  his- 
self.  Now,  Mo,  boy,  fair  dealin'  with  an 
old  customer. — Savage  London. 


246 


Skin. 


Skin  disease  (popular),  four  ale, 
i.e.,  ale  at  4d.  a  quart. 

Skin  game  (American),  a  swindle. 

Skinned  (American  and  Austra- 
lian), to  keep  one's  eye  skinned, 
to  be  on  the  look-out,  to  have 
an  eye  to  the  main  chance. 
Skinned,  open.  Cf.  also,  "to 
have  one's  weather  eye  open." 

Kept  his  eye  skinned,  an  eye  that  never 
missed  a  chance  of  gain.  —  New  South 
Wales  Paper. 

Skinner  (turf).  Vide  Skin  the 
Lamb. 

Skinners,  a  variety  of  a  class 
of  persons  in  confederacy  who 
make  a  living  by  attending  at 
sales.     Vide  Knock-Out. 

So  they  themselves  modestly  describe 
their  avocation,  should  a  stranger  venture 
to  make  inquiry ;  but  amongst  themselves 
they  are  skinners,  "  knock  -  outs,"  and 
"  odd-trick  men,"  and  they  work  together 
in  what  the  elegant  language  of  their  pro- 
fession calls  a  "swim." — Greenwood:  In 
Strange  Company. 

Skin  of  the  teeth,  by  the  (com- 
mon), just  or  barely  escaped. 
Of  Biblical  origin. 

Just  by  the  skin  of  its  teeth  the  Man- 
chester New  Year's  Meeting  was  brought 
to  a  satisfactory  finish,  but  it  was  a  des- 
perately near  thing. — Sporting  Times. 

% 

Skin  the  lamb  (turf),  when  a  non- 
favourite  wins  a  race,  book- 
makers are  said  to  skin  the  lamb, 
under  the  supposition  that  they 
win  all  their  debts,  no  person 
having  backed  the  winner.  This 
has  been  corrupted  into  "skin- 
ner "  (Hotten). 


"  Skinned  the  lamb  through  you,  old 
chap,"  yelled  the  Coke,  grasping  the  lucky 
jockey's  hand. — Sporting  Times. 

It  was  at  the  "  colonel "  that  Mr.  B , 

in  sporting  parlance,  skinned  the  lamb  to 
the  extent  of  some  .£1200. — Saturday 
Review. 

Also  a  game  at  cards ;  a  cor- 
ruption of  lansquenet. 

Skin,  to  (Yale  University),  to 
obtain  a  knowledge  of  a  lesson 
by  hearing  it  read  by  another. 
Also  to  borrow  another's  ideas 
and  present  them  as  one's  own, 
to  plagiarise,  to  become  pos- 
sessed of  information  in  an 
examination  or  recitation  by 
unfair  or  secret  means.  "  In 
our  examinations,"  says  a  cor- 
respondent, "  many  of  the  fel- 
lows cover  the  palms  of  their 
hands  with  dates,  and  when 
called  upon  for  a  given  date, 
they  read  it  off  directly  from 
their  hands."  Such  persons  skin. 
To  skin  a  head,  to  read  a  lesson 
over  just  before  going  into  class. 
(Common),  to  pull  off  a  jersey, 
to  pull  off  one's  bed-clothes. 
More  used  at  colleges  and  uni- 
versities. 

Skin  your  own  skunks  (Ameri- 
can). This  highly  expressive 
phrase  is  applied  to  any  man 
when  he  is  exhorted  to  do  his 
own  dirty  or  difficult  work  with- 
out involving  another  in  it. 

As  a  last  proof  of  the  absence  of  char- 
acteristic individuality  in  Mr.  L.'s  style, 
we  take  a  sentence  from  a  story  of  two 
Indians  who  were  by  the  ears.  "  To  which 
Marten  replied  that  Moose  might  skin  his 
own  skunks,  and  fish  for  his  own  minnows, 


Skip — Skittles. 


247 


and  also  paddle  his  own  canoe  to  the  devil 
if  it  so  pleased  him" — all  of  these  being 
approved  Indian  sayings  of  high  and 
racy  antiquity. — Review  of the  Algonquin 
Legends  of  New  England,  1884. 

Skip  a  cog  (American),  to  make  a 
mistake  in  planning  machinery, 
metaphorically  to  commit  any 
error  by  want  of  foresight. 

A  Virginia  preacher  who  believes  in 
prayer  met  a  bear  in  the  woods  the  other 
day,  and  instead  of  putting  his  remedy 
into  effect  he  jumped  from  a  bluff  into 
Cheat  River  and  swam  half  a  mile.  He 
had  never  tried  prayers  for  bear,  and  was 
a  little  afraid  they'd  skip  a  cog  some- 
where.— American  Newspaper. 

Skip  out,  to  (American).  This 
means,  like  "  light  out,"  to 
escape.  It  is  probably  only  a 
variation  of  that  word.  To 
jump,  to  evade,  to  dodge.  Both 
skip  and  jump  occur  in  the  f  ol- 
ing  extract. 

A  woman  who  keeps  a  boarding-house 
on  Larned  Street  called  at  police  head- 
quarters yesterday  to  complain  that  a  gen- 
tleman boarder  had  skipped  her  house, 
leaving  a  bill  unpaid.  ...  A  man  who'll 
jump  a  board  bill  and  a  marriage  engage- 
ment, too,  is  an  outlaw  who  should  be 
locked  up. — Detroit  Free  Press. 

It  is  sometimes  said  when  a 
man  dies  that  he  has  skipped 
out. 

Skipper  (old  cant),  a  barn. 

Now  let  each  tripper 

Make  a  retreat  into  the  skipper. 

— Broome :  Jovial  Crew. 

Hotten  derives  this  from  Welsh 
ysgubor,  pronounced  scybor  or 
scibor,  a  barn.  (Strolling  per- 
formers, &c),  to  skipper  it,  to 
sleep  in  the  open  air,  or  in  a 


rough  way.  Skipper,  properly 
master  of  a  small  vessel,  is 
often  used  to  designate  a  chief 
or  manager,  or  captain  of  a 
ship. 

Skipper-birds,  keyhole-whistlers 

(beggars),  beggars  who  have 
their  night's  lodging  in  a  barn 
or  outhouse.     Vide  Skippeb. 

Skip  the  gutter,  common  phrase. 
In  old  cant,  a  skip-kennel  was  a 
lackey  or  servant.  Skip  the  gut- 
ter seems  to  be  only  an  expres- 
sion equivalent  to  "  Houp  la  1 " 
or  "  Over  she  goes ! " 

Skip  the  gutter,  tra  la  la !  Tottie,  do  you 

love  me  ? 
Ting-ting,  au  revoir,  girls  there's  none 

above  me. 
If  you  like  me,  tell  me  so— do  not  let  me 

linger ; 
Tottie,  if  you  love  me,  oh !  squeeze  my 

little  finger ! 

— Music  Hall  Song. 

Skip,  to  (University),  to  shirk ; 
not  to  attend  a  lecture,  for 
instance. 

Skirk  out,  to  (Winchester  Col- 
lege), to  go  up  town  without 
leave. 

Skirk,  to  (Winchester  College), 
to  go  into  the  water  without 
jumping  in. 

Skitting  dealers  (old  cant),  in 
George  II.'s  time  beggars  who 
professed  to  be  tongueless. 

Skittles !  (popular),  nonsense ! 

"  Stop,  sir  I "  shouted  th/  jeweller ;  "  i'ts 
four  shillings  altogether." 

"Skittles I"  observed  the  customer. — 
Bird  o'  Freedom. 


248 


Skulduggery — Sky-scraper. 


Skulduggery  (American), 
rascality,  treachery.  A  Western 
word.  From  Low  Dutch  slang 
(thieves),  schoddogerey,  schocl, 
a  villain. 

Skull  (American),  the  head  man 
anywhere.  The  allusion  to  skull 
as  the  brain-case.  The  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States,  or  a 
governor. 

Skungle  (American),  a  word 
which  "  had  a  run  "  at  the  end 
of  the  civil  war.  It  meant 
many  things,  but  chiefly  to  dis- 
appear, or  to  make  disappear. 
Thus  a  deserter  skungled,  and 
sometimes  he  skungled  a  coat  or 
watch. 

Dey  shtripped  off  his  coat,  and  skungled 
his  boots. 

— The  Breitmann  Ballads. 

Skunk,  used  by  all  English-speak- 
ing people  but  originally  Ameri- 
can. Properly  an  animal  nearly 
allied  to  the  weasel  on  the  one 
hand  and  to  the  otter  on  the 
other,  which  secretes  an  ex- 
tremely fetid  liquor  as  a  means 
of  defence.  Figuratively  a  pal- 
try, mean  wretch, a  contemptible 
creature. 

Mr. ([jumping  to  his  feet  and  speak- 
ing very  excitedly),  "  I'd  knock  your  two 
eyes  into  one.     You're  a  big  fellow,  and 

just  come  over  here."     Mr.   ,    "Go 

along."     Mr.  (loudly),  "Come  over 

here,  you  common  blackguard ;  you  low 

skunk."     Mr.   ,    "Go   along   out    of 

that."    Mr.  (very  excitedly),   "You 

dirty  low  mean  skut.     I'd  ram   my  fist 

through   you."     (Laughter).      Mr.   , 

"  Go  to  the  coal  pits,  where  you  were  in 
England." — Evening  News. 


He  was  one  of  those  down-lookin'  skunks 
I  was  a-speaking  of,  and  a  more  endless 
villain,  p'r'aps,  there  ain't  between  the 
blessed  poles  than  he  was. — Sam  Slick. 

Sky  (thieves  and  popular),  a 
pocket.  Abbreviation  of  "  sky- 
rocket," which  see. 

How  little  of  fun  do  they  have  in  the 
main  • 

At  the  same  old  haunts  again  and  again  ; 

When  the  Oof  Bird's  scarce  and  the  land- 
lady's fly, 

And  there  isn't  a  mash  with  a  mag  in  his 
sky. 

— Sporting  Times. 

(Westminster  School),  a  black- 
guard. Said  to  be  from  the  old 
gown  and  town  rows  in  which 
the  Westminsters  styled  them- 
selves Romans,  and  their  anta- 
gonists vdsci — hence  sky. 

Sky-blue,  formerly  gin,  or  Lon- 
don milk. 

Oh  !  for  that  small,  small  beer  anew, 
And  (heaven's  own  type)  that  mild  sky- 
blue 
That  wash'd  my  sweet  meals  down. 
— Hood:  Retrospective  Review. 

Sky  farmers  (old  cant),  rogues 
who  go  about  the  country  with 
a  false  pass  extorting  money. 

Sky-larker  (old  cant),  a  journey- 
man bricklayer  that  belongs  to 
a  gang  of  housebreakers. 

Sky-rocket  (thieves),  rhyming 
slang  for  pocket. 

A  slavey  piped  the  spoons  sticking  out 
of  my  sky-rocket,  so  I  got  smugged. — 
Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Sky-scraper  (common),  a  tall  man. 
In  nautical  language,  a  triangu- 
lar sail  set  above  the  sky-sail. 


Skyser — Slaney. 


249 


Skyser,  skycer  (thieves),  a  low, 
mean,  sponging  fellow.  Vide 
Shicee  and  ShAteb. 

Skyte  (Shrewsbury  School),  ex- 
plained by"  quotation. 

At  one  time  there  used  to  be  a  strong 
feeling  against  the  day  boys,  who  live  or 
lodge  in  the  town  ;  and  the  designation  of 
skytes  was  formerly  applied  to  them. — 
Pascoe :  Everyday  Life  in  our  Public 
Schools. 

Also  used  by  Scottish  school- 
boys with  the  meaning  of  fool. 

They  vituperated  the  dominies  as  "auld 
shoon,"  "coofs,"  "blasties,"  "blethering 
bellums,"  "blunties,"  "chuffies,"  "gowks,  ' 
"grunzies,"  "maggot's  meat," skytes,  and 
"staumris." — Daily  Telegraph. 

Possibly  from  2kv6i?)s,  a  Scy- 
thian, but  more  probably  from 
provincial  English  skite  (literally 
cacator),  shite,  and  skitter,  merdis 
aspergere(Halliwell).  (Popular), 
a  fool.    Also  "kite." 

Sky,  to  (popular),  or  sky  a  brown, 
to  toss  up  with  pence.  (Cricket, 
lawn-tennis,  &c),  to  sky  a  ball, 
to  hit  a  ball  up  in  the  air. 

Sugg,  with  his  score  at  twelve,  skied  a 
delivery  from  the  Oxonian. — Sportsman. 

Vide  Skied. 

Slab-sided  (American),  straight, 
without  contour  or  curve. 
Generally  applied  to  persons  of 
a  prim,  stiff,  "up  and  down" 
figure. 

Jack  Downing  says  that  Maine  is  the 
middle  and  kernel  of  real  Yankeeism, 
Rhode  Island  and  Connecticut  point  to 
each  other  as  the  focus  of  the  article  ; 
while  the  Massachusetts  man  will  tell  you 
that  the  real  slab-sided  whittler  is  indi- 


genous to  Varmount  and  New  Hampshire. 
— New  Sloper  Sketches,  by  C.  G.  Leland 
(Knickerbocker  Magazine,  March  1856). 

Slack  (nautical),  to  hold  on  the 
slack,  to  skulk,  as  if  holding  a 
slack  rope. 

Slacks  (popular),  fatigue  trousers 
drawn  over  others  to  keep  them 
clean. 

Sailors  of  all  nationalities,  and  almost 
every  shade  of  colour  between  white  and 
black,  some  smart  and  attired  in  their  best 
clothes,  others  as  though  but  just  released 
from  ship  duty,  unwashed  and  in  their 
working  slacks  and  guernseys. — James 
Greenwood;  Odd  People  in  Odd  Places. 

Slack  'un  (pugilistic),  a  smashing 
hit,\on  the  lucus  a  non  lucendo 
principle,  i.e.,  a  blow  a  la  Slack. 
Jack  Slack  (champion  from 
1750  to  1760)  was  renowned 
for  the  force  of  his  hits. 

Slam,  to  (popular),  to  talk 
fluently — "he  is  the  bloke  to 
slam."  From  a  term  in  use 
among  low  singers  at  the  East 
End,  by  which  they  denote  a 
certain  style  of  note  in  chaf- 
finches (Hotten).  (Army),  to 
simulate  drunkenness.  The 
swaggering  soldier  whose  funds 
are  at  a  low  ebb,  and  who  can- 
not buy  drink,  often  returns 
with  the  symptoms  of  intoxica- 
tion, assumed,  and  a  maudlin 
story  of  the  friends  he  found 
who  liberally  stood  treat  till  he 
was  made  thus  glorious. 

Slaney  (thieves),  a  theatre.  Pro- 
bably a  variation  from  "slang," 
which  see.  • 


250 


Slang. 


Slang  (showmen,  circus,  &c),  a 
performance,  a  travelling  show 
of  any  kind.  The  slangs,  how- 
ever, is  the  more  usual  expres- 
sion, meaning  any  collection  of 
such  shows,  or  generally  the 
showman's  profession.  Also  a 
gymnast's  performance;  a  per- 
formance at  penny  "gaffs,"  i.e., 
low  theatres  or  music  halls.  A 
first  slang,  second  slang,  are 
respectively  first  and  second 
performances  given  the  same 
evening.  (Thieves),  this  or  that 
particular  kind  of  thieving.  The 
word  is  old. 

"  How  do  you  work  now  ?  "  ",Oh,  upon 
the  old  slang,  and  sometimes  a  little  bully- 
prigging." — Parker;  Variegated  Char- 
acters. 

A  watch  chain. 

Fullied  for  a  clock  andslang. — Horsley : 
Jottings  from  Jail. 

(Prison),  the  slang.  Leg-irons 
worn  by  convicts  as  a  special 
punishment  inflicted  by  the 
superior  authority  of  one  of  the 
Board  of  Directors,  and  for  one 
of  two  offences,  an  assault  upon 
a  prison  officer  or  an  attempt 
to  escape.  The  irons  consist 
of  a  chain  weighing  from  7 
to  8  lbs.,  attached  to  ankle 
basils,  which  are  rivetted  on  to 
the  leg ;  the  chain  is  some  three 
feet  in  length,  and  is  carried 
between  the  legs,  being  sus- 
pended from  a  leather  waist- 
belt.  The  noise  the  chain  makes 
in  walking  is  evidently  the 
origin  of  the  expression  slangs. 
These  irons  may  be  carried, 
according    to    sentence,    from 


three  to  six  months.  They  are 
worn  with  a  parti-coloured 
dress,  alternate  stripes  of  yel- 
low and  drab  for  an  escape, 
of  yellow  and  black  for  an 
assault,  and  the  dress  is  con- 
tinued for  a  longer  period  after 
the  chain  is  removed.  These 
chains  are  never  taken  off  day 
or  night,  when  once  rivetted. 
(Costermongers),  counterfeit 
weights  and  measures.  A  slang 
quart  is  a  pint  and  a  half. 

There  are  not  half  so  many  slangs  as 
there  was  eighteen  months  ago. — May 
hew :  London  Labour  and  London  Poor. 

Out  on  the  slang,  going  about 
with  a  hawker's  license.  Of 
gypsy  origin. 

Matty's  got  his  slangs  .  .  .  now  a  slang 
means,  among  divers  things,  a  hawker's 
license. — Charles  G.  Leland:  The  English 
Gypsies. 

The  term  slang,  as  connected 
with  any  kind  of  theatrical  per- 
formance or  show,  is  of  gypsy 
origin.  The  gypsies  modified 
the  Hindu  sicangia  (w  easily 
passes  to  I,  e.g.,  very,  London 
swells,  vewy;  children,  velly)  into 
the  English  slang.  One  thing 
is  certain,  it  has  always  been 
regarded  as  a  gypsy  word  and 
used  as  one  of  them.  It  may 
be  remarked  that  while  many 
of  the  words  such  as  ' '  multee 
kerteever,"  "fake,"  &c,  are  to 
be  found  in  common  slang,  they 
are  used  "on  the  slangs,"  or 
among  showmen,  with  special 
application,  and  a  large  propor- 
tion of  them  actually  originated 
in  shows  whence  they  passed  to 


Slang. 


251 


common  slang.  The  word,  in 
the  sense  of  language  or  lingo, 
has  been  hitherto  used  to  mean 
"argot,"  "vulgar  language," 
"  abuse."  It  is  clear  that  in  the 
sense  of  argot  it  is  gypsy,  the 
slang  language  originally  mean- 
ing the  language  of  the  slangs, 
or  shows,  just  as  "langage 
de  l'argot "  meant  the  language 
of  the  brotherhood  termed 
"argot,"  being  afterwards  short- 
ened into  argot  and  general- 
ised. But  slang,  as  "  abuse  "  or 
"vulgar  language,"  is  of  an 
Anglo-Saxon  and  Scandinavian 
source,  and  while  there  appears 
to  be  every  reason  to  believe 
that  the  word  slang,  as  tradi- 
tion asserts,  is  of  gypsy  origin, 
there  is  also  ground  to  believe 
that  it  has  drawn  something 
from  another  source.  "Slang 
or  vulgar  language,"  according 
to  Skeat  (Etymological  Dic- 
tionary), "  is  from  the  Nor- 
wegian sleng,  a  slinging,  a  de- 
vice, a  burden  of  a  song. 
Slengja,  to  sling  ;  slengja  kieften, 
to  slang,  abuse  (literally  to  sling 
the  jaw) ;  sleng -jenanm,  a  slang 
(i.e.,  an  abusive  name) ;  sleng- 
jeord,  an  insulting  word ;  all 
from  slengja,  to  sling."  This 
is  all,  however,  based  on  the 
assumption  that  slang  means 
nothing  but  abuse,  or  "the 
slings  and  arrows  "  of  vitupera- 
tion, while  it  has  never  at  any 
time  meant  that,  or  even  "  vul- 
gar language,"  so  much  as  what 
in  Hindu  is  called  bhdt,  a 
tongue  used  for  purposes  of 
concealment.    A  man  may  be 


abused  to  the  utmost,  and  in 
vulgar  language  at  that,  with- 
out a  word  of  slang  being  em- 
ployed ;  while  on  the  other 
hand,  one  might  translate  the 
New  Testament  into  Romany, 
which  is  the  very  slang  of 
slangs,  or  Shelta,  or  even  cant- 
ing itself,  with  the  utmost 
propriety.  Yet  it  is  very  pro- 
bable that  while  slang,  in  the 
sense  of  bhdt,  or  jargon,  is  of 
gypsy  origin,  it  owes  something 
in  the  meaning  of  "abuse"  to  a 
northern  source.  It  may,  how- 
ever, be  fairly  admitted  that 
the  Anglo-Saxon  slanga  (circum- 
actio),  and  toislanga  (dubietas) 
(not  noticed  by  Skeat),  some- 
what favours  the  association  of 
slang  with  "double  meaning" 
(Glos.  Alf.).  To  conclude,  it 
should  be  noticed  that  the 
common  English  word  sling  is 
allied  to  slang  as  abuse,  or 
depreciatory  language.  Sling- 
ing off  is  much  used  among  the 
lower  orders  with  the  signifi- 
cation of  casting  insinuations, 
making  innuendoes. 

In  Notes  and  Queries  we 
find  the  following :— "Henry  T. 
Riley  supposes  this  term  to 
descend  from  the  time  when 
the  vituperative  Dutch  General 
Slongenberg  ruled  over  part  of 
the  English  •forces.  In  cor- 
roboration of  the  conjecture  I 
may  add  that  the  sailors  of  our 
Royal  Navy  still  use  to  designate 
a  soldier  under  the  name  slang, 
'  het  is  een  slang,'  meaning  it  is 
a  red- coat,  whilst  the  substantive 
itself  may  very  well  have  been 


252 


Slang — Slant. 


employed  as  a  nom  de  guerre  for 
the  Dutch  general  I  have  just 
mentioned,  and  afterwards  ap- 
plied to  all  soldiers  indiscrimi- 
nately" (J.  H.  Van  Lennep). 
This,  needless  to  say,  is  very  far 
fetched. 

Slangander  (American),  to  slander 
in  a  silly  manner.  Slangoosing, 
women's  tittle-tattle,  backbit- 
ing, or  gossip. 

There  are  points  on  which  we  disagree, 

And  I  will  state  the  facts, 
I  don't  go  round  slangandering 

My  friends  behind  their  backs. 

— The  Breitmann  Ballads. 

Slang  and  pitcher  shop,  a  (popu- 
lar), a  shop  where  they  sell  the 
commonest  and  cheapest  toys, 
&c,  for  Cheap  Jacks — knock- 
'em-downs,  prizes  to  give  away, 
&c.  From  slang,  a  show,  per- 
formance, and  pitch,  street  per- 
formance, or  place  selected  by 
itinerants  of  all  kinds,  Cheap 
Jacks,  &c. 

Slang  boys  (old  cant).  "  Boys  of 
the  slang,  fellows  who  speak  the 
slang  language,  which  is  the 
same  as  flash  and  cant"  (Parker, 
"Variegated  Characters'"). 

Slang  cull  (cant),  master  of  a 
show. 

Slanging  (cant),  explained  by 
quotation. 

To  exhibit  anything  in  a  fair  or  market, 
such  as  a  tall  man,  or  a  cow  with  two 
heads,  that's  called  slanging,  and  the  ex- 
hibitor is  called  the  "slang  cull." — Parker: 
Variegated  Characters. 


The  term  has  now  a  more  ex- 
tended meaning.      Vide  Slang. 

Slang -tree,  the,  the  stage, 
the  trapeze.  Vide  Slang.  To 
climb  up  the  slang-tree,  meta- 
phorically, to  make  an  exhibi- 
tion of  oneself  in  public. 

When  I  was  a  girl,  and  a  nice  girl  I  was, 

At  least  so  the  young  men  asserted, 
Society  then  was  far  better  than  now, 

If  now  it's  correctly  reported. 
The  ladies  of  fashion  felt  no  sudden  passion 

To  flash  their  good  looks  on  the  stage, 
No  Lily  or  Langtry  would  climb  up  the 
slang-tree, 

In  hope  to  become  all  the  rage. 

— Catnach  Broadside. 

Slang  us  your  mauley  (thieves  and 
roughs),  shake  hands.  A  varia- 
tion of  "  sling  your  daddle." 

Slang-whanger  (common),  a 
scurrilous  or  abusive  person. 

The  personal  disputes  of  the  miserable 
slang-whangers. — Irving :  Salmagundi. 

Americanism  for  one  who 
makes  too  constant  a  use  of 
slang  expressions,  more  espe- 
cially applied  to  members  of 
Congress,  and  of  other  legislar- 
tive  assemblies,  who  are  ad- 
dicted to  vulgarity  of  speech, 
or  are  incapable  of  expressing 
themselves  in  refined  or  decor- 
ous language. 

Parson  Brownlow  is  a  local  preacher  and 
editor  in  Tennessee,  and  one  of  the  slang- 
whangers  of  the  south-west.  —  Harper's 
Magazine. 

Slant  (Australian  popular),  a 
chance.  An  Australian  M.P., 
who  had  the  very  unenviable 


Slant — Slap. 


253 


nickname  of  Rogue,  was  ad- 
dressing the  electors  of  Ballarat 
East,  a  constituency  which  in- 
cluded the  rough  mining  popu- 
lation of  Bungaree.  The  miners 
were  there  in  great  force,  and 
would  not  allow  him  to  get  a 
hearing,  until  one  of  their  num- 
ber persuaded  the  rest  "  to  give 
the  old  brute  a  slant,"  when  the 
speaker  had  the  courage  to  ad- 
dress them  as  "Gentlemen  of 
Ballarat  East,  and  savages  of 
Bungaree." 

Slant,  to  (thieves),  to  run  away. 

We  have  collared  the  swag — let  us  slant ! 
— Sporting  Times. 

(Nautical),  to  slant  across,  to 
sail.  "We  had  a  good  slant 
across  the  bay,"  i.e.,  a  good 
passage. 

Slap,  paint  for  the  face,  rouge  or 
vermilion  to  colour  the  face.  In 
allusion  to  "  slapping,"  a  rough, 
cheap  way  of  colouring  walls  in 
a  house.  Hence  to  apply  rouge 
in  a  hurry. 

As  a  suitable  commencement  to  the  venge- 
ful machinations 
Directed     against     Maudie     and    her 
"chap," 
She  nullified  the  virtues  of  her  toilet  pre- 
parations ; 
Or,  in  other  words,  she  doctored  Mau- 
die's  slap. 

— Sporting  Times. 

It  is  said  that  when  Bath  Mon- 
tague, a  famous  light  comedian, 
who  had  had  the  misfortune  to 
lose  his  hair  when  a  youth,  pre- 
sented himself  to  the  elder  Mac- 
ready,  manager  of  the  Bristol 


Theatre,  the  latter  was  very 
much  disappointed  at  the  ap- 
pearance of  his  new  recruit. 
Montague,  although  a  gentle- 
man, had  been  a  brother 
"  faker  "  with  Edmund  Kean  in 
Richardson's  show,  and  amongst 
other  bad  habits  had  accus- 
tomed himself  to  the  show- 
man's slang.  "  When  I  get  my 
slap  on,"  said  he,  "  you'll  see 
that  I  shall  be  all  there  I  " 

"  Good  heavens  !  what  does 
the  man  mean  by  slap?"  in- 
quired Macready,  who  was  as 
great  an  autocrat  as  his  famous 
son. 

"Wait  till  night,  Guv'nor, 
and  you'll  see !  " 

When  at  night  an  elegant, 
rosy -cheeked  youth,  with  the 
limbs  of  Antinous  and  the  head 
and  front  of  Apollo,  bounded 
on  the  stage  for  Mercutio,  the 
manager  was  amazed. 

"  Good  God  I  "  he  exclaimed, 
"  can  this  be  Montague  ?  " 

"No,  Guv'nor,"  replied  the 
airy  youth,  "  I'm  Mercutio.  It's 
the  fakements — the  wig  and  the 
slap,  that  does  it." 

Slap-bang  (popular),  a  low  eat- 
ing-house where  you  have  to 
pay  down  money  with  a  slap- 
bang. 

They  lived  in  the  same  street,  walked 
into  town  every  morning  at  the  same  hour, 
dined  at  the  same  slap-bang  every  day.— 
Sketches  by  Bos. 

Slap  up  (common),  first-rate,  ex- 
cellent, fine,  spruce,  fashionable. 

Might  not  he  quarter  a  countess's  coat 
on  his  brougham  along  with  the  Jones 


254 


Slap — Slaughterer. 


arms ;  or,  more  slap  up  still,  have  the  two 
shields  painted  on  the  panels  with  the 
coronets  over.  —  Thackeray  :  The  New- 
comes. 

"  Do  you  think  he's  one  of  our  perfu- 
sion ?  "  inquired  the  Sandman. 

"Bless  youl  no  —  that  he  ain't,"  re- 
turned the  Tinker.  "  He's  a  reg'lar  slap- 
up  svell."  — Ainsviorth:  Auriol. 

A  poodle  they  will  play  with,  just  to  ag- 
gravate their  mash ; 
Their  fan  is  more  a  weapon  than  a  toy. 
They'll  sport  a  slap-up  carriage  if  he's  not 
hard  up  for  cash, 
And  they  glory  in  a  much-bebuttoned 
"  boy." 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Slash  (thieves),  an  outside  pocket. 
Properly  a  cut  in  cloth. 

Slate  (common),  abuse,  quarrel. 

Really  these  things  are  ordered  much 
better  in  England.  After  a  mutual  slate, 
a  meeting  generally  takes  place  in  Pros- 
pers' Avenue,  or  some  equally  lively  loca- 
tion, and  the  results  are  somewhat  deadly ; 
but  not  until  the  next  day  after  the  en- 
counter.— Fun. 

(American  political),  the  list 
of  people  recommended  to  office 
by  a  political  party.  (Old  cant- 
ing), a  sheet.  In  Dutch  slang 
slaatje,  Jclein  linnengood,  small 
linen. 

Slate  off  (common),  to  have  a 
slate  off,  to  be  slightly  deranged. 
A  synonym  for  "  to  have  a  tile 
loose." 

Slater  (common),  a  criticiser. 
Frequently  an  airy  and  unedu- 
cated youth,  who  endeavours  to 
be  facetious  at  the  expense  of 
the  play  and  the  players. 


Slate  -  smasher  (American  poli- 
tical), a  President  or  leading 
statesman  who  will  not  attend 
to  the  nominations  or  recom- 
mendations of  a  party. 

If  there  be  anything  I  like,  it  is  to  see  a 
slate  smashed,  or  a  caucus  broken  up. — 
Cincinnati  Weekly  Inquirer. 

Slate,  to  (common),  to  pelt  with 
abuse,  to  criticise,  to  "  cut  up  " 
in  a  review.  From  provincial 
slate,  to  ridicule,  to  be  angry. 

Wy,  it's  worth  a  fair  six  d.  a  week  jest  to 
see  'em  a  slating  Old  Chips. 

— Punch. 
"Don't  think  much  of  that,"  says  the 
pit ;  "  I  expect  it'll  be  slated  all  round." 

The  pit  was  right.  The  piece  was  slated, 
i.e.,  written  down  by  the  Press. — G.  Sims  : 
Social  Kaleidoscope. 

Also  to  knock  a  man's  hat 
over  his  eyes,  or  to  knock  him. 
(Sporting),  to  lay  heavily  against 
a  man  or  horse  in  a  race. 

Slathers  (American),  abundance, 
superfluity,  "no  end  of." 

Come  along,  old  fellow,  you're  looking 
seedy;  I'll  tog  you  out — I'll  stand  a  new 
rig  for  you,  from  a  red  feather  in  a  new 
hat  all  the  way  down  to  high-heeled  boots. 
I've  got  slathers  of  money,  and  I'm  goin' 
to  git  more.  It's  high  old  times  with  me 
now — slatherin  old  times,  I  tell  you. — 
Newspaper. 

In  the  Midland  counties  flatter 
means  to  waste  or  spill,  but  the 
principal  meaning  of  the  word 
is  rather  slovenliness  or  careless- 
ness. 

Slaughterer  (booksellers),  a  man 
connected  with  the  book  trade, 
who  buys  up  large  cheap  lots  at 


Slaughter-house — Slick. 


255 


sales  and  reduces  the  material 
back  to  pulp. 

Slaughter-house  (popular),  gene- 
rally a  place  of  business  or  firm 
which  pays  starvation  wages, 
the  head  of  which  is  termed 
a  "sweater."  In  particular,  a 
place  where  journeymen  cabi- 
netmakers, working  on  their 
own  account,  are  sure  to  sell 
the  articles  (as  a  last  resource) 
which  they  have  been  offering 
from  place  to  place  without 
success. 

Slavey  (general),  maid-servant. 

Or  even  if  I  was  a  slavey, 
I'd  rather  be  that  than  a  man, 

I'd  get  the  first  dip  in  the  gravy, 
I'd  get  the  first  sop  in  the  pan. 

— Song. 

Applied  sometimes  to  a  male. 

Then  the  boy  Thomas,  otherwise  called 
slavey,  may  say,  there  he  goes  again. 
.  .  .  The  slavey  has  Mr.  Frederick's  hot 
water. — Thackeray :  The  Newcomes. 

Slaving  gloke  (old  cant),  a  ser- 
vant. 

Sleeper  (American),  money  which 
lies  unclaimed  on  a  gambling 
table. 

Sleeve-board  (tailors),  a  hard 
word  to  pronounce,  a  jaw- 
breaker. 

Slewed  (common),  intoxicated. 
A  maritime  phrase  employed  by 
sailors  to  denote  the  uneven 
course  of  a  ship  in  the  act  of 
changing  her  tack  or  angle  of 
progress,  and  thence  supposed 


to  describe  the  attempts  made 
by  a  drunken  man  to  walk 
straight.  The  word  was  very 
generally  used  in  America  when 
it  was  much  less  known  in 
England.  It  is,  however,  of  old 
Yorkshire  origin. 

I  feel  my  head  begin  to  swim, 

I  see  a  knock-kneed  Seraphim, 

I  hear  old  Nick — I  know  it's  him — 

I'm  drunk ! 
I  cannot  feel  my  feet  at  all, 
I  cannot  see  the  nearest  wall, 
I  cannot  hear  the  missus  call — 

I'm  boozed  1 
I  feel  that  I  have  lost  my  purse, 
I  see  my  wife — that's  much  worse — 
I  hear  the  echo  of  my  curse — 

I'm  slewed! 

I  cannot  feel  my  way  upstairs, 
I  cannot  see  to  say  my  prayers, 
I  cannot  hear  my  own  choice  swears — 
I'm  screwed  1 

I  feel  a  thump  upon  my  head, 
I  see  a  bedroom  full  of  bed, 
I  hear  the  naughty  word  she  said — 
She's  drunk  I 

— Sporting  Times. 

Also  slued. 

He  came  into  our  place  one  night  to 
take  her  home  ;  rather  slued,  but  not  too 
much. — Dickens :  Martin  Chuzzlewit. 

Slewer  (American),  a  servant- 
girl  ;  a  vulgar  word,  only  heard 
among  fast  young  men.  Sloor, 
dure,  Dutch  slang,  a  poor,  com- 
mon woman. 

Slick  (studios)  is  synonymous  of 
rapid,  bold,  dashing.  A  picture 
which  is  dashed  off  is  some- 
times said  to  be  too  slick. 
(Popular),  fast,  an  Americanism. 

Never  trust  me  if  I  ever  seed  a  dinner 
go  so  slick!    Yer  don't  need  to  carry  a 


256 


Slick-a-die — Sling. 


nosebag  when  yer  goes  out  of  a  night,  for 
yer  can  stow  away  enough  for  a  week  at 
wonst. — Savage  London. 

SHck-a-die  (thieves),  a  pocket- 
book.     Vide  Dee. 

Slicker  (American  cowboys),  a 
coat,  greatcoat.  From  slick, 
old  form  of  sleek.  Slick  is  in 
universal  use  in  New  England 
with  the  meaning  of  smooth, 
shining,  hence  applied  to  any- 
thing nice,  neat,  apt,  or  ap- 
propriate. 

Now,  I'll  wear  this  slicker  and  have  a 
red  handkerchief  around  my  neck,  and 
also  wear  this  white  hat,  and  for  God's 
sake  don't  you  shoot  me. — St.  Lout's  Globe 
Democrat. 

Slick,  to  (American),  to  swallow ; 
slick  it  doicn,  swallow  it.  Dutch 
slikken,  to  swallow  down.  Also, 
"  slick  it  up."  Dutch  slik-op, 
"  one  that  will  lick  up,  or  swal- 
low down,  almost  everything 
that's  edible"  (Sewel,  1757). 
Swedish  slika,  to  lick. 

Slide  (American),  "  oh,  let  it 
slide,"  or  "let  it  rip,"  never  mind. 
Though  claimed  as  an  Ameri- 
canism it  is  a  very  old  Eng- 
lish phrase.  Shakspeare  in  the 
"Taming  of  the  Shrew"  has, 
"  Let  the  world  slide;  "  Chaucer 
in  the  "  Clerke's  Tale "  uses, 
"Well-nigh  let  all  other  cures 
slick."  To  "let  her  rip"  is  of 
Western  river  origin.  Steam- 
boats when  racing  were  liable 
to  come  to  grief  on  sunken 
trees  and  quays,  but  in  the  mad 
excitement  of  a  race  no  account 
was  taken  of  these  dangers — 


it  was  all  happy-go-lucky — "  let 
her  rip,"  if  it  so  chances,  so 
long  as  we  out-run  the  rival 
boat. 

Slim  (old  cant),  punch.  "  A  bob- 
stick  of  rum  slim,  a  shilling's 
worth  of  rum  "  (Parker,  "Varie- 
gated Characters  "). 

Sling  a  nasty  pen,  to  (American), 
is  said  of  a  scurrilous  writer. 
Slings  a  nasty  foot,  is  a  good 
dancer. 

"  I  have  rather  a  notion  of  Jenny.  She 
slings  a  nasty  foot,"  meaning  that  she 
danced  very  well. — Sketches  Attributed 
to  Davy  Crockett,  1834. 

Slingers  (popular),  bits  of  bread 
floating  in  tea. 

Slinging  off  (popular),  casting  in- 
sinuations, making  innuendoes. 

Sling  one's  Daniels,  to  (popular), 
to  move  on,  to  run  away. 

He  flung  up  his  window  with  a  furious 
bang  .  .  .  swore  in  horrible  terms  that  if 
we  did  not  that  instant  sling  our  Daniels — 
which  the  Trombone  informed  me  was  an 
equivalent  for  moving  off" — he  would  shy 
at  us  every  heavenly  article  of  crockery 
his  apartment  contained. — Greenwood  :  In 
Strange  Company. 

Sling  one's  hook  (common),  to 
begone. 

I  used  to  go  horse-racing  once, 

At  last  I  made  a  book. 
Though  lots  of  men  took  people's  coin, 

And  then  would  sling  their  hook  ; 
I  paid  my  losses  like  a  man, 

Till  I'd  lost  about  a  "thou," 
But  I  haven't  (sym  :)  haven't  (sym  :) 

I  haven't  for  a  long  time  now  ! 

— Broadside  Ballad. 


Sling — Slogger. 


257 


Probably  originally  a  sailor's 
expression,  as  "sling your  bunk," 
and  the  phrase  would  explain 
itself  as  the  intimation  to  let  go 
one's  hold  of  a  boat  by  means 
of  a  boat-hook. 

Sling,  to  (thieves),  to  throw  away 
so  as  to  get  rid  of  and  escape 
detection.  Thus  a  stolen  hand- 
kerchief or  any  ill-gotten  gains 
are  "slung"  or  thrown  away 
when  pursuit  is  close.  Also  to 
pass  to  a  confederate. 

Watching  the  "screw,"  getting  his 
dyspeptical  neighbours  to  sling  him  sur- 
plus "eighters"  with  "puddings"  on  a 
Thursday. — Evening  News. 

(Popular),  sling  your  daddle, 
give  me  your  hand,  shake  hands. 
To  sling,  to  blow  the  nose  with 
the  naked  fingers  ;  generally  to 
talk,  to  fling,  as  to  sling  patter, 
sling  abuse. 

But  Jack  could  always  sling  touching 
patter,  you  never  heard  such  a  crying 
tongue. — New  South  Wales  Paper. 

(Theatrical),  to  jerk  or  sling  a 
part  is  to  fill  a  part ;  to  sling  a 
nasty  part  is  to  play  it  so  well 
that  another  performer  has  a 
difficulty  in  rivalling  it.  (Ame- 
rican), to  sling  oneself  round 
on  the  loose,  to  go  about  in  a 
hurried,  reckless  manner.  "Sling 
yourself,"  "let  her  sling,"  used 
in  the  same  slangy  way  by 
the  Dutch  slingcren,  to  hurry 
about. 

Sling  your  bunk  (American),  go 
away.    Literally  ' '  sling  up  your 
hammock."     Hence   to    bunk, 
to  go. 
VOL.  II. 


Slippery  (thieves),  soap.  Termed 
by  French  thieves  glissant,  that 
is,  slippery. 

Slip,  to  (popular),  to  slip  any  one, 
to  give  him  the  slip. 

He  told  the  other  policeman  that  I  had 
been  with  another  girl,  who  slipped  him. 
— Standard. 

To  slip  into  any  one,  to  attack 
him. 

Slither,  to  (Australian  popular), 
to  hurry  away.  Old  provincial. 
Also"sliter."  Slither  is  probably 
only  another  form  of  "  slide," 
and  so  may  be  taken  to  mean 
slide  off,  slip  off. 

Slither,  you  and  your  brother,  or  they'll 
nab  you  both. — New  South  Wales  Paper. 

Slobber  (printers),  badly  distri- 
buted ink  is  expressed  thus. 
The  effect  is  to  show  a  "rot- 
ten "  or  "  scabby  "  appearance. 

Slog  (popular),  a  blow,  a  fight 
with  the  fists.  (Public  schools), 
a  large  slice  of  anything. 

Slogger  (cricketers),  one  in  the 
habit  of  slogging ;  that  is,  play- 
ing in  an  unscientific  manner, 
striking  the  ball  recklessly ;  for 
instance,  hitting  to  leg  or  long 
off  a  ball  which  ought  to  be 
cut  at  point.  (Popular),  a  quick 
worker.  (Common),  a  prize- 
fighter. 

The  great  slogger  had  offered,  per  ad- 
vertisement, 1000  dollars  to  any  enter- 
prising boxer  who  would  stand  up  "fore- 
ninst "  him  for  four  rounds. — Evening 
News. 

R 


258 


Slogger — Sloper's  Island. 


Also  slugger. 

Muse,  sing  of  the  merriest  mill,  between 

two  pugilistic  rivals, 
That  yet  has  been  seen  in  the  ring,  in  this 

season  of  fistic  revivals, 
Don't  warble  of  Smith  and  Kilrain,  or  of 

Sullivan,  known  as  the  Slugger. 

— Punch. 

Sloggers  (Cambridge  University), 
i.e.,  "  slow-goers,"  the  second 
division  of  race-boats  at  Cam- 
bridge. Called  "torpids"  at 
Oxford. 

Slogging  (popular),  a  beating, 
thrashing,  and  fight.  Vide  To 
Slog. 

Slog  on  (printers).  A  compositor 
is  said  to  have  a  slog  on  when 
he  is  making  a  spurt  either  for 
the  purposes  of  making  a  good 
bill,  or  because  the  work  he  is 
engaged  on  is  urgent. 

Slog,  to  (popular),  to  strike  hard, 
thrash.  From  the  German 
scUagen,  or  Gaelic  slogan.  Vide 
SLOGGEB. 

This  would  produce  the  immediate  entry 
of  the  night-officer,  while  the  gentleman 
who  occupied  the  apartment  overhead 
would  shower  down  sanguinary  adverbs, 
and  threaten  to  slog  the  jealous  watch- 
maker the  following  day. — Evening  News. 

Slop  (popular  and  thieves),  a 
policeman,  from  back-slang, 
esclop,  police. 

I  wish  I'd  been  there  to  have  a  shy  at 
the  esclops. — Mayhew :  London  Labour 
and  the  London  Poor. 

They  found  out  as  you're  the  parson  as 

'tices  the  gals  away, 
They  say  it's  through  you  they  peaches, 

and  goes  on  the  "  Christian  lay." 


I  dragged  you  in  here  and  saved  you,  and 

sent  out  a  gal  for  the  slops, 
Ha,  they're  a-comin',  sir  I 
— George  R.  Sims :  Ballads  of  Babylon. 

Then  the  magistrate   rose   in   a  roaring 
rage, 
And  said  he,  "  You  may  think  it  fun 
The  feelings  of  slops  to  thus  outrage  ; 
Just  see  what  you've  been  and  done." 
— Topical  Times. 

Slope  (alleged  American).  Of  this 
word  Hotten  says,  "  It  means 
to  decamp,  to  run,  or  rather  to 
slip  away.  Some  persons  think 
it  came  originally  from  lope,  to 
make  off,  and  that  the  s  pro- 
bably became  affixed  as  a  por- 
tion of  the  preceding  word,  as 
let  'slope,  let  us  run.  It  is  purely 
an  Americanism,  and  is  possibly 
but  an  emendation  of  our  own 
word  elope.  Lope,  leap,  and 
elope  are  kindred."  It  is  a 
pity  to  spoil  so  much  ingenious 
guess-work,  but  slope  is  only 
American  in  being  old  New 
York,  or  Hollands  Dutch.  "  Hy 
sloop  weg,"  he  sneaked  away,  is 
given  by  Sewell  (1754)  as  the 
perfect  tense  of  sluypen,  to 
sneak  or  slink  away,  and  weg- 
sluyping,  an  evasion  or  sneak- 
ing off.  Lope,  leap,  and  elope 
may  be  near  kindred,  but  they 
are  only  fourth  cousins  to  slope. 

The  defendant  came  up  to  him  and  told 
him  to  pack  up  and  slope.  He  obeyed  the 
constable's  order. — Standard. 

Sloper's  Island  (London),  the 
artisan's  village  near  Loug- 
borough  Junction  was  and  is 
still  so  called  from  the  frequency 
with  which  tenants  "  sloped  " 
without  paying  their  rent.    This 


S toper's  Island — Sluicing. 


259 


was  more  especially  the  case  at 
first,  when  the  houses  were  let 
out  as  weekly  tenements.  The 
"village"  was  at  one  time  sur- 
rounded by  fields,  hence  its 
being  called  an  "  island ; "  now 
it  is  in  the  midst  of  a  densely- 
populated  neighbourhood. 

Slop  over,  to  (common).  "  To 
slop  over  one's  talk"  is  to  ex- 
hibit exaggerated  effusiveness 
of  manner  and  words — to  draw 
the  long-bow  with  caddish 
servility  or  effrontery.  A  very 
subtle  expression,  and  used  in 
a  variety  of  meanings,  all  of 
them,  however,  with  something 
or  all  of  the  foregoing  in  them. 

Yes,  to  judge  from  the  opening  chapters, 
"When  we  were  Boys"  is  an  admirable 
essay  in  the  art  of  slopping  over.  .  .  .  The 
sentimental  parent  and  the  schoolboys  who 
allude  to  their  fathers  as  "pa"  are  bad 
enough,  but  the  picture  of  the  "unspoiled 
London  ing/nue,"  with  her  warbling  voice, 
"luminous  figure,"  and  insufferable  arch 
conversation,  is  calculated  to  make  the 
angels  weep.— Globe- 

The  expression  is  attributed 
to  Artemus  Ward. 

Slops  (thieves),  chests  or  pack- 
ages of  tea.  "  He  shook  a  slum 
of  slops,"  stole  a  chest  of  tea. 
(Popular),  garments.  Anglo- 
Saxon  slop,  a  covering;  Dutch 
shove.  Shakspeare  uses  this 
word  with  the  meaning  of 
breeches.  Old  English  slop, 
gown  or  cassock. 

Slosher  (Cheltenham  College)  is 
synonymous  with  "  driver,"  an 
assistant  in  one  of  the  board- 


ing-houses whose  functions  con- 
sist in  superintending  evening 
work,  dormitories,  &c. 

Slosh,  to  (American),  to  fre- 
quent grog-shops  in  a  half -tipsy 
state. 

Tim  isn't  good  for  much  now ;  all  the 
good  he  ever  had  in  him  is  fast  oozing 
out ;  since  he's  taken  to  sloshing  about  he 
hasn't  done  a  lick,  and  isn't  worth  a.red 
cent. — Flush  Times  of  Alabama. 

Slouch  (American),'  no  slouch  on 
the  shoot,  an  excellent  marks- 
man. From  English  slouch, 
Danish    sloff,     stupid,     clumsy 


Slour,  to  (thieves),  to  lock  up, 
fasten  up.  A  sloured  hoxter,  a 
buttoned-up  inside  pocket. 

No  sloured  hoxter  my  snipes  could  stay, 
Fake  away  I 

— Ainsworth:  Rook-wood. 

From  provincial  slore,  to  grasp, 
or  hold  fast. 

Slug  (American),  ingot  of  gold 
or  silver;  twenty-dollar  piece. 
(Common),  glass  of  spirits. 

He  ordered  the  waiter  to  .  .  .  bring 
alongside  a  short  allowance  of  brandy  or 
grog,  that  he  might  cant  a  slug  into  his 
bread-room. — Smollett:  Sir L.  Greaves. 

Sluice-house  (pugilistic), 
mouth. 

Sam's  sluice-house  was  again  severely 
damaged. — Pierce  Egan:  Book  of  Sports. 

Sluicery  (popular),  a  public- 
house. 

Sluicing  one's  bolt  (popular), 
drinking. 


2<5o 


Slum — Slung. 


Slum  (New  England),  explained 
by  quotation. 

That  noted  dish  to  which  our  predeces- 
sors of  I  know  not  what  date  gave  the 
name  of  slum,  which  was  our  ordinary 
breakfast,  consisting  of  the  remains  of 
yesterday's  boiled  salt  beef  and  potatoes, 
hashed  up  and  indurated  [in  a  frying-pan. 
— Scenes  and  Characters  at  College. 

Also  known  as  apple  slum,  a 
broken-up  dish  of  meat,  from 
its  resemblance  to  slum  or 
slump,  broken,  boggy  earth, 
mud,  dirt,  which  used  meta- 
phorically in  a  deprecatory  sense 
seems  to  have  given  birth  to 
some  of  the  cant  significations 
of  slum,  as  slum  fake,  which 
see ;  slum,  formerly  a  cant 
word  for  a  muddy,  dark  alley ; 
slummy,  a  servant-girl,  &c. ;  to 
slum,  to  hide  ;  slum,  bad  money, 
i.e.,  dirt,  &c.  (Thieves),  a  chest 
or  package,  a  package  of  bank- 
bills,  a  trick ;  to  fake  the  slum, 
to  do  the  trick;  up  to  slum, 
knowing.     Also  nonsense. 

And  this  without  more  slum  began. 
— Jack  Randall's  Diary. 

(Prison),  a  room,  a  letter. 
(Punch  and  Judy),  the  call. 

Slum  fake  (Punch  and  Judy),  a 
coffin. 

Slumgullion  (American),  a  servant, 
one  who  represents  another. 

Should  in  the  Legislature  as  your  slum- 
gullion stand, 

I'd  have  a  law  forbidding  Dutch  through 
all  this  'varsal  land. 

—  The  Breitmann  Ballads. 


Slumguzzling     (American), 
ceiving,  humbugging. 


de- 


But  when  Breitmann  heard  de  story 

How  de  fillage  hot  peen  dricked, 
He  schwore  by  Leib  und  Leben 

He  hot  rader  hafe  been  licked 
Dan  pe  helpt  mit  soosh  slumgoozlin  ; 

Und  'twas  petter  to  be  a  schwein 
Dan  a  schwindlin  honeyfooglin  snake, 

Like  dat  lyin'  Yankee  Twine. 

— The  Breitmann  Ballads. 

Slummy  (popular),  a  servant-girl. 

Slump,  to  (American),  to  recite 
badly,  fail,  bungle.  Properly 
to  sink  in  mire,  hobble,  and  go 
about  in  an  awkward  manner. 

Slum  the  gorger,  to  (thieves),  to 
cheat  on  the  sly. 

Slum,  to  (common),  to  go  about 
low  places,  in  slums. 

It  is  stated  that  for  some  reason  or 
another  this  person  was  in  the  habit  of 
slumming;  he  would  visit  the  lowest 
parts  of  London,  and  scour  the  slums  of 
the  East  End.— Globe. 

People  who  have  slummed  Paris  are 
acquainted  with  the  dirty  little  wine-shop 
in  the  Rue  des  Anglais. — Birdo'  Freedom. 

(Common  and  gypsy),  to  fol- 
low. Also  to  fill,  crowd,  over- 
do. A  gypsy's  remark  to  C. 
G.  Leland,  "  This  here  gav  is 
slummed  up  " — i.e.,  this  town  is 
over  full  (of  gypsies).  (Uni- 
versity), to  keep  to  back 
streets  to  avoid  observation. 
(Theatrical),  to  act  in  slums,  or 
low  pieces,  or  very  small  towns. 
(Thieves),  to  hide  as  if  in  a 
slum  or  dark  alley,  pass  counter- 
feit coin,  pass  to  a  confederate. 

Slung  (tailors),  slung  out  on  his 
hands  and  knees,  instantly  dis- 
missed. 


Slush — Smash. 


261 


Slush  (American),  editorial  slang 
for  any  kind  of  indifferent  mat- 
ter, poetry,  &c,  to' fill  up  with. 

Slushy  (nautical),  the  cook; 
termed  also  "  drainings,"  and 
"  doctor."  From  slush,  grease 
obtained  from  boiling  salt  pork 
— generally  the  cook's  perqui- 
site. Slush  or  sludge  is  also  a 
term  used  in  Australia. 

Sludge-lamps  are  largely  used  in  back- 
block  stations. — Keighley  Goodchild. 

Smack  (tailors),  to  have  a  great 
smack  for  one,  to  have  a  great 
liking  for  him. 

Smack  calf's  skin,  to,  to  kiss  the 
Book,  on  taking  an  oath  in  a 
court  of  justice.  "It  is  held 
by  St.  Giles's  converts,"  says 
Bampfylde  Moore  Carew,  "  that 
to  kiss  the  thumb  instead  of  the 
calf -skin,  or  book,  is  to  escape 
the  guilt  of  perjury." 

Small  cap  O  (printers).  This  is 
an  epithet  used  to  define  an 
under  or  sub -overseer  —  from 
the  fact  that  small  caps  are 
subordinate  to  the  CAP,  but 
superior  to  the  smaller  or  lower 
case  letters,  i.e.,  the  rank  and 
file. 

Small  cheque  (popular),  to  take 
a  small  cheque  is  to  take  a  dram 
of  liquor.  Very  common  among 
sailors. 

Small  potatoes  (American),  an 
expression  of  contempt,  small 
potatoes  being  of  little  value, 


as  Bartlett  remarks,  except  for 
feeding  hogs  and  cattle.  The 
full  phrase  is,  "Very  small  pota- 
toes— few  in  a  hill,  rotten  in  the 
middle,  pithy  at  both  ends — 
mighty  stringy  at  that — the 
hills  a  great  way  apart — a  great 
way  to  go  and  dig  them — and 
nobody  to  do  it  1 "  The  man 
who  fulfills  all  these  condi- 
tions may  be  set  down  as  of 
the  minimum  quality  of  small 
potatoes. 

Smalls  (Oxford  University),  the 
,  first  examination  at  Oxford,  one 
of  little  difficulty. 

Mr.  Bouncer  pointed  to  Mr.  Four-in- 
hand  Fosbrooke  .  .  .  on  his  way  from  the 
schools,  where  he  was  making  a  very  laud- 
able (but,  as  it  proved,  futile)  endeavour 
to  get  through  his  smalls,  or,  in  other 
words,  to  pass  his  little-go  examination. — 
C.  Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

Cramming  for  smalls.  .  .  .  Julia  re- 
minded her  that  smalls  was  the  new  word 
for  little  go. — Reade :  Hard  Cash. 

(Theatrical),  explained  by  quo- 
tation. 

Minor  companies  with  "  fit  ups,"  that 
is,  companies  carrying  their  own  theatre, 
comprising  scenes,  props,  curtains,  wings, 
&c,  who  visit  small  towns  and  villages 
for  one  night  performances,  are  said  to  be 
"  doing  the  smalls." — Globe. 

Smash  (prison),  tobacco.  Pro- 
bably so  called  from  being 
passed  in  surreptitiously.  Vide 
To  SMASH.  To  sling  the  smash 
to  bring  in  and  give  tobacco. 
Smash,  also  loose  coin  or  change. 
(General),  a  smash  means  a  break- 
up, and  is  generally  applied  to 
monetary  affairs ;  sometimes  it 
means  to  come  to  grief  gene- 


262 


Smashed — Smelling. 


rally.     (American),  vide  quota- 
tion of  Smile. 

Smashed  (army),  cashiered,  re- 
duced to  the  ranks.  In  general 
parlance  bankrupt,  ruined. 

Smasher  (thieves),  one  who  passes 
counterfeit  money  or  forged 
notes.     Vide  To  Smash. 

And  then  he  proceeded  to  inform  me 
that  the  individual  mentioned  on  the  paper 
was  a  smasher,  or  in  other  words,  a  dealer 
in  counterfeit  coin  or  "  sours." — •/.  Green- 
wood: Tag,  Rag,  &*  Co. 

A  cadee  smasher,  formerly  a 
rogue  who  professed  to  be  a 
tout  to  innkeepers,  but  who 
occasionally  acted  as  a  smasher. 
There  is  a  well-known  pro- 
verb, "  Once  a  smasher  always  a 
smasher,"  showing  how  difficult 
is  the  reclaiming  of  this  class  of 
criminal. 

Smash  feeder  (thieves),  a  Britan- 
nia metal  spoon,  from  which 
the  best  imitation  shillings  are 
made. 

Smash,  to  (thieves),  explained  by 
quotation. 

Take  the  base  coin,  for  example — he  is 
always  in  want  of  recruits.  Old  hands, 
however  skilled  in  smashing — i.e.,  pass- 
ing bad  money — will  not  do  for  him,  they 
are  known  to  the  police. — ThorFredurl 
Sketches  from  Shady  Places. 

To  smash,  literally  to  break 
coin  by  changing  it.  (Hence 
smash,  change.)  In  French  slang 
"casser  une  piece,"  to  change 
a  coin.  (Lawn-tennis),  striking 
the  ball  hard. 


Lobbing,  too,  has  been  greatly  improved, 
and  altogether  the  back-court  player,  if  he 
possesses  the  power  to  smash  a  short  return, 
can  more  than  hold  his  own  against  the 
volleyer.  — Pastime. 

Smear  gelt  (old  cant),  bribe 
money,  synonymous  with  "  palm 
oil." 

Smeller  (popular  and  thieves), 
the  nose. 

Come  on,  half-a-dozen  of  ye,  and  let  me 
have  a  rap  at  your  smellers. — C.  Bede : 
Verdant  Green. 
To  her  ken  at  once  I  go  in, 
Where  in  a  corner  out  of  the  way, 
With  his  smeller  a  trumpet  blowing 

Tol  lol,  &c, 
A  regular  swell  cove  lushy  lay. 

— Maginn :  Vidocqs  Slang  Song. 

Also  a  blow  on  the  nose.  Ger- 
man cant  has  schmecker  (lit. 
"smeller"),  for  nose.  Italian 
cant,  odoroso,  lit.  "full  of  smell," 
or  soffiante  (blowing). 

Smelling  cheat  (old  cant),  nose, 
garden,  nosegay. 

Smelling  committee  (American). 
"Persons  appointed  to  conduct 
an  unpopular  investigation.  The 
phrase  originated  in  the  exami- 
nation of  a  convent  in  Massa- 
chusetts by  legislative  order" 
(Bartlett).  To  which  may  be 
added,  that  those  who  went 
"smelling  about"  the  convent 
did  not  find  the  slightest  trace 
of  the  alleged  immoralities 
which  they  sought,  while  it 
came  immediately  to  light  that 
one  of  them  was  accompanied 
on  this  excursion  by  a  kept 
mistress. 


Smelt — Smouting. 


263 


Smelt  (thieves),  half -a- guinea. 
(American),  half -eagle,  five  dol- 
lars.  In  Dutch  slang  smelt  is  tin. 

Snug  gins  (thieves),  formerly 
the  soup  given  on  board  the 
hulks. 

Smile  (American),  a  drink  of  any 
alcoholic  liquor. 

Your  confirmed  cock-tail  drinker  is  not 
to  be  confounded  with  the  common  sot. 
He  is  an  artist.  .  .  .  With  what  exquisite 
feeling  will  he  graduate  his  cap,  from  the 
gentle  smile  of  early  morning  to  the  potent 
"smash"  of  night. — F.  Francis:  Saddle 
and  Moccasin. 

Smile,  to  (American),  to  take  a 
drink  of  wine,  beer,  or  spirits. 
Because  men  generally  smile 
while  so  doing. 

"  Say,  stranger  !  won't  you  smile  ?  "  (I 
had  been  smiling  unremittingly,  I  could 
not  help  it.  But  in  America  smiling, 
"seeing  a  man,"  and  "liquoring  up,"  are 
all  one.) — Richard  A.  Proctor:  Notes  on 
A  mericanisms. 

Smish  (old  cant),  a  shirt  or 
chemise. 

Smiter  (old  cant),  the  arm. 

Smock-face  (popular),  a  white 
face,  a  face  without  any  hair. 

Smoke  (popular),  an  appellation 
given  to  London  for  obvious 
reasons. 

I  say,  chum,  do  you  know  red-headed 
Jim,  in  your  party  ?  He  is  from  the 
smoke.— Evening  News. 

Smoker  or  smoke -shell  (Royal 
Military  Academy),  a  chamber- 
pot. 


Smouch  (popular),  one  who  ob- 
tains anything  by  unfair  means, 
a  cheat,  a  Jew. 

Vhile  I,  like  de  resht  of  ma  tribe,  shrug 

and  crouch, 
You  find  fault  mit  ma  pargains  and  say 

I'm  a  smouch. 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

From  Dutch  smous,  smousje,  a 
German  Jew.  "  So  called  be- 
cause many  of  them  being  named 
Moses,  they  pronounce  this 
name  Mousyee,  or  according  to 
Dutch  spelling  Mousje"  (Sewell). 
Smouch  seems  to  be  allied  to  the 
Boer's  term  smous  or  smouse  for 
a  trader. 

Smouch,  to  (old  cant),  still  used 
in  America.  Vide  SMOUCH.  To 
obtain  by  cunning,  to  steal ; 
also  to  take  unfair  advantage 
of  one. 

"  Why,   Aunty,   I  don't   think   there's 
ten."     "You  numbskull,  didn't  you  see 

me    count   'em?"     "I   know,    but" 

"  Well,  I'll  count  'em  again."  So  I 
smouched  one,  and  they  come  out  nine, 
same  as  the  other  time.  Well,  she  was  in  a 
tearing  way — just  a  trembling  all  over,  she 
was  so  mad. — The  Adventures  of  Huckle- 
berry Finn. 

Smouge,  to  (Hamilton  Univer- 
sity), to  absent  oneself  without 
leave. 

Smous  (thieves),  a  Jew.  The 
Boers  thus  call  a  trader. 

Smouting  (printing),  casual  work 
away  from  office — now  called 
"  grassing."  "Workmen,  when 
they  are  out  of  constant  work, 
sometimes  accept  of  a  day  or 
two's  work  or  a  week's  work  at 


264 


Stnouze — Snake. 


another  printing-house ;  this  by- 
work  they  call  smouting"  (R. 
Holme,  1688).  The  fine  for 
smouting  was  half  a  benvenue. 

Smouze,  to  (American),  "to 
demolish  as  with  a  blow  "  (Bart- 
lett).  To  smash,  German  schmeis- 


Smug  (schools),  an  untidy  (pro- 
perly smug  means  tidy)  fellow 
who  does  nothing  but  work.  At 
the  university  an  ill-mannered, 
ill-dressed,  probably  poor  and 
generally  unpopular  student. 

Smuggings,  snatchings,  or  pur- 
loinings ;  shouted  out  by  boys 
when  snatching  the  tops,  or 
small  play  property,  of  other 
lads,  and  then  running  off  at 
full  speed  (Hotten). 

Smuggled  (schools),  pencil 
sharpened  at  both  ends. 

Smug,  to  (schools),  to  keep  in- 
doors, hard  at  work.  (Thieves), 
to  steal,  to  apprehend.  From 
the  meaning  of  smugged,  com- 
fortably hidden. 

Then  two  or  three  more  coppers  came 
up  and  we  got  smugged  and  got  a  sixer 
each. — Horsley  :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Smut  (popular),  a  copper  boiler. 

Snabble,  to  (old  cant),  to  steal, 
plunder,  sometimes  to  kilL 
Snabble,  as  if  snapping  up  with 
the  bill  of  a  bird.  Snabel, 
Swedish  and  Norse  ;  hence 
Yorkshire,  a  bird's  bill. 


From    prigs    that    snabble   the    prancers 
strong 
To  you  of  the  peter  lay, 
I  pray  now  listen  awhile  to  my  song 
How  my  bowman  he  kick'd  away. 

— Harlequin  Skeppard,  acted  at 
Drury  Lane,  1724. 

Also  to  apprehend,  imprison. 

But  filing  of  a  rumbo-ken, 
My  bowman  is  snabbled  again. 
— Frisky  Moll's  Song,  from  "  Harle- 
quin Skeppard,"  acted  at  Drury 
Lane,  1724. 

Snack  (Winchester  College),  a 
racket  ball. 

Snaffled  (popular  and  thieves)  ar- 
rested, as  if  by  the  application 
of  the  snaffle-bit. 

Snafner  (old  cant),  a  highwayman. 
From  old  provincial  snaffle,  to 
steal,  rob. 

Snaffling-lay  (old  cant),  highway 
robbery. 

I  thought  by  your  look  you  had  been  a 
clever  fellow,  and  upon  the  snaffling-lay 
at  least,  but  I  find  you  are  some  sneaking- 
budge  rascal. — Fielding:  Amelia. 

Snag-catcher  (common),  a  den- 
tist. 

Snaggling  (thieves),  angling  for 
poultry. 

Snag  on,  to  (American),  to  attach 
oneself  to  anybody. 

Two  ladies  had  just  snagged  on  to  me. 
— Howells :  April  Hopes. 

Snake  (tailors),  a  skein  of  silk. 
(Popular),  to  give  one  a  snake, 
to  vex  him. 


Snake — Snap. 


265 


Snake  in  his  boot,  a  (American). 
One  of  the  horrible  symptoms 
of  delirium  tremens  is  the  fancy 
that  the  sufferer  is  surrounded 
by  snakes  and  reptiles,  among 
other  horrors. 

For  instance,  alcohol,  which  produces 
the  phenomena  humorously  designated  by 
our  American  friends  as  snakes  in  one's 
boots,  on  the  other  hand,  if  used  medicin- 
ally, is  death  on  snakes,  or  rather  on  snake 
poison. — Globe. 

Snakes  (society),  "  a  caution  to 
snakes,"  something  very  singu- 
lar. 

Snakes  in  Virginny,  as  sure  as 
there's  (American),  equivalent  to 
declaring  the  absolute  certainty 
of  anything.  "  As  sure  as  death 
or  taxes,"  "As  sure  as  I'm  a 
sinner,"  "As  sure  as  green  corn 
in  July,"  are  synonymous. 

Snakesman,  little  (thieves).  "A 
boy  thief,  lithe  and  thin,  and 
daring,  such  a  one  as  house- 
breakers hire  for  the  purpose 
of  entering  a  small  window  at 
the  rear  of  a  dwelling-house " 
(Greenwood).  Most  probably  a 
corruption  of  sneaksman,  which 
see. 

Snake,  to  (London  slang),  to 
steal  in  a  wary  manner.  A 
metaphor  on  supposed  wariness 
of  snakes.  More  probably  a 
corruption  of  sneak,  which  see. 
(Billiards),  to  snake  the  show,  to 
win  the  pool  at  billiards. 

Snam,  to  (thieves),  to  snatch,  rob 
from  the  person.    Also  stealing 


anything   that    may  be  lying 
about  and  making  off  rapidly. 

Snap  (American),  in  England  snaps 
is  a  share  or  a  chance  in  a  job ; 
in  the  United  States  the  word 
is  applied  to  a  scheme,  plan, 
project,  or  device. 

Free  rides  to  brides  is  the  latest  "  adver- 
tising snap  "  of  Canada  railways.  Brides 
encumbered  with  "  children  over  four 
years  of  age,"  however,  have  to  weigh  out 
the  full  fare. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

To  give  the  snap  away  means 
to  betray  a  plot,  so  as  to  lose 
the  profits. 

When  Dowling  heard  of  Joe's  stubborn- 
ness he  knew  there  would  be  a  raid.  He 
removed  his  furniture,  and  when  the 
"cops"  came  around  they  found  nothing. 
Harrison  blamed  Dumphy  for  giving  the 
snap  away  to  Dowling,  and  determined 
to  get  even  with  the  latter. — Chicago  Tri- 
bune. 

A  soft  snap,  a  profitable  affair, 
an  easy  position,  a  good  thing, 
anything  worth  having. 

Frank,  old  pard  !  I  just  want  fifty  dollars 
for  an  hour  or  two — give  it  to  you  again 
to-night.  I've  got  a  soft  snap  on,  can't 
miss  it. — F.  Francis:  Saddle  and  Moc- 
casin. 

From  provincial  English  snap, 
catch,  piece,  share.  (Popular), 
on  the  snap,  or  looking  out  for 
snaps,  watching  for  windfalls  or 
odd  jobs.  In  the  quotation  it 
refers  to  eating  and  drinking. 

I  sorntered  about  on  the  snap. — Punch. 

(American),  snap  company,  a 
small,  indifferent  theatrical 
troupe.  One  gathered  for  an 
occasion,  as  if  at  a  snap.  An 
itinerant  troupe. 


266 


Snap — Sneaks. 


One  night,  during  the  engagement  of 
a  snap  company  at  the  Chestnut  Street 
Theatre,  a  little  boy  came  down  the  stairs 
from  the  gallery  during  the  first  act,  and 
inquired  for  the  manager.  The  manager 
was  not  in  at  the  time,  and  the  doorkeeper 
inquired  why  he  wished  to  see  him. 
"Because,"  returned  the  lad,  "I  want 
my  money  back."  "Aren't  you  satisfied 
with  the  play?"  was  asked.  "  Oh,  yes," 
he  replied.  "  The  play's  good  enough, 
but  the  fact  is  I'm  afraid  to  stay  up  there 
all  by  myself." — Chicago  Tribune. 

(Parliamentary),  snap  division, 
a  division  taken  by  surprise  in 
a  thin  or  unprepared  House. 

Snapped  (American),  drunk ;  pro- 
bably from  schnapps,  often  pro- 
nounced snaps. 

Snapper  (American),  an  impudent 
tattler.  Snaps  voeren,  to  be  full 
of  impertinent  talk ;  snappen,  to 
chatter  impudently.  Snippish, 
snappish,  and  snobbish  have 
much  in  common,  and  the  Dutch 
snappery,  idle,  foolish  gossip,  is 
very  suggestive  of  snobbery  in 
a  colloquial  sense.  Feeble  as 
this  etymology  may  be,  it  is 
worth  as  much  as  that  which 
would  derive  snob  from  sine 
obolo  and  sine  nobilitate,  which 
as  feats  of  philology  may  be 
ranked  with  Home  Tooke's  ex- 
traction of  Fo-hi  from  Noah. 
Also  "  the  snapping  turtle." 

Snapper  soup,  pepperpot,  tripe  and 
oysters,  chicken  salad.  Be  pleased  to 
have  you  call. — Philadelphia  Press. 

Snapperhead  (American),  an  im- 
pertinent fellow,  one  who  snaps 
or  answers  too  quickly  or  im- 
pudently. 


"Don't  you  'woman'  me,  you  young 
snapperhead,"  said  Mrs.  Wayback,  eyeing 
him  with  disfavour.  "  I'malady,  an'  don't 
you  forget  it,"  and  she  flounced  out. 

Snapps  (East  End),  spirits;  Ger- 
man schnapps. 

Snarler  (popular),  a  dog. 

Snatcher  (thieves),  a  thief  of  the 
younger  and  less  experienced 
type. 

Snatcher,  body  (journalistic),  a 
reporter  or  special  correspondent 
of  a  newspaper  who  fastens  on 
any  eminent  man  whose  actions 
are  prominent,  &c. 

The  Body  Snatcher  of  the  D.  T.  (Daily 
Telegraph)  has,  we  hear,  been  closeted 
with  his  "  Peerage"  and  "  Lempriere"  ever 
since. —  The  London  Figaro. 

Snavel.    Vide  Running  Snavel. 

Sneak  (cricket),  a  sneak,  "  daisy 
trimmer,"  "grub,"  "  daisy  cut- 
ter" or  "  undergrounder,"  is  a 
ball  bowled  all  along  the  ground 
instead  of  with  a  fair  pitch. 
Though  perfectly  allowable, 
they  are  considered  bad  form. 
Vide  AEEA-Sneak. 

Sneaking-budge  (thieves), 
thieving,  pilfering. 

Wild  .  .  .'looked  upon  borrowing  to  be 
as  good  a  way  of  taking  as  any,  and,  as 
he  called  it,  the  genteelest  kind  of  sneak- 
ing-budge.— Fielding:  Jonathan  Wild. 

Sneaks  (thieves),  explained  by 
quotation. 

That  way,  and  in  less  time  than  it  takes 
a  healthy  pulse  to  beat  thirty,  we  are  in 


Sneaksman — Snide. 


267 


the  regions  of  gloom,  and  our  footsteps 
(or  rather  mine  are — my  guide  wore  a  pair 
of  what,  in  criminal  phraseology,  are 
known  as  sneaks,  and  are  shoes  with 
canvas  tops  and  indiarubber  soles)  are 
trespassing  on  a  stillness  instantly  sug- 
gestive of  death  in  the  midst  of  life. — 
Greenwood:  In  Strange  Company. 

Sneaksman  or  sneak-thief 
(thieves),  a  petty  thief,  a  shop- 
lifter. 

Until  at  last  there  was  none  so  knowing, 
No  such  sneaksman  or  buzgloak  going, 
Fake  away ! 

— Ainsworth:  Rookwood. 

Sneak,  to  (general),  to  steal; 
usually  applied  to  pilfering, 
stealing  in  areas,  linen  from 
lines,  in  shops,  &c. 

He  was  always  hungry,  and  every  time 
he  acted  as  orderly  managed  to  sneak  from 
the  tray  the  particles  of  food  returned  by 
prisoners  whose  appetites  were  not  of  the 
usual  ravenous  nature  of  the  ordinary  con- 
vict on  "public  works." — Evening  News. 

"  You're  the  bloke  as  sneaked  the  kick- 
sies,"  says  he. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Sneeze-lurker  (thieves),  a  thief 
who  throws  snuff  in  a  person's 
eyes  in  order  to  rob  him.  Hence 
probably  the  expression  "to 
give  snuff,"  beat,  ill-treat. 

Sneezer  (thieves),  snuff-box,  but 
become  obsolete  with  the  com- 
mon use  of  the  article.  A  pocket- 
handkerchief. 

Fogies  and  fawnies  soon  went  their  way 
To  the  spout  with  the  sneezers  in  grand 
array. 

— Ainsworth:  Rookwood. 

(Pugilistic),  the  nose,  a  blow 
on  the  nose.  (Tailors),  anything 
that  puzzles.      (Army),  a  very 


strict  officer  or  martinet.  (Ame- 
rican), a  dashmg,  thorough- 
going fellow.  Alluding  to  a 
horse's  snorting.  Compare  with 
Snoeter. 

Snell-fencer  (streets),  a  street- 
salesman     of     needles.       Vide 

Snells. 

Snells  (popular),  needles ;  from 
the  English  snctt,  brisk,  pierc- 
ing. 

Snick-fadge  (thieves),  petty  thief. 
From  to  snick,  to  cut,  hence  to 
steal,  and  fadge,  a  farthing. 

Snicktog  (thieves),  to  go  shares. 
To  snick,  to  cut,  and  tog,  clothes, 
coat. 

Snid  (thieves),  a  sixpence. 

Sniddy,  snidey  (popular  and 
thieves),  bad,  unfavourable.  A 
form  of  "  snide." 

Since  Bill  George  was  nabbed  for  liftin' 
them  sax  things  is  been  very  sniddy,  so 
you'll  be  glad  to  learn  as  I  have  got  on  a 
new  hook. — Evening  News. 

(Army),  dirty. 

Snide  (common),  bad,  base,  spuri- 
ous, false,  mean ;  as  snide  coin, 
snide  fellow.  Also,"he'sajntde." 

Sometimes  the  police  will  help  the 
thieves  by  getting  snide  witnesses  .  .  . 
who  will  swear  anything  according  to 
instructions. — Rev.  A.  Mursell :  Shady 
Pastorals. 

But  no  matter  how  often  they  sold  him, 
He  failed  to  perceive  that  their  motives 
were  snide, 
For  he  always  believed  what  they  told 
him. 

— Sporting  Times. 


268 


Snide — Snipe. 


"  Say !  you,  look  here,  now !  "  he  would 
explain  to  a  native,  "  these  'ere  men  don't 
want  none  of  your  snide  outfits,  but  just 
good  bronchos,  and  a  waggon,  and  strong 
harness." — F.  Francis:  Saddle  and  Moc- 


In  Dutch,  snyden  means  to 
swindle,  "as  some  inn-keepers 
do,"  meaning  that  they  cut, 
or,  as  Americans  would  say, 
"chisel"  or  "gouge"  strarjgers. 
"  Men  snydt  de  luyden  lustig  in 
die  herberg,"  that  tavern  is  a 
swindling  shop.  Snood,  in  Dutch, 
means  base,  sordid,  villainous ; 
German  schnode. 

Snide-pitcher  (thieves),  one  who 
gets  a  living  by  passing  base 
coin.  Such  are  looked  down 
upon  by  thieves  as  of  the  lowest 
rank  of  the  criminal  fraternity. 

Snide-pitching  (thieves),  passing 
base  coin.     Vide  Snide. 

Up  comes  old  Andy,  too,  and  says, 
"  This  'ere  young  man's  bin  a  snide-pitch- 
ing with  me,  too,"  and  he  fishes  out  the 
duffer  as  I'd  give  'im  unbeknown. — Sport- 
ing Times. 

Snifter  (American),  to  take  a 
snifter,  to  take  a  drink ;  from 
sniff,  to  smell  something,  to 
take  a  sniff  at  some  perfume. 
We  find  in  English  snift,  to 
snuff. 

I  would  sooner  snift  thy  farthing  candle 
mad. — D'A  rblay :  Camilla. 

Snip  (general),  a  tailor.  From  to 
snip,  to  cut  with  scissors. 

"Alton,  you  fool,  why  did  you  let  out  that 
you  were  a  snip?"  "  I  am  not  ashamed  of 
my  trade." — C.  Kingsley:  Alton  Locke. 


(Turf),  information  as  to  the 
certainty  of  a  horse  winning  a 
race. 

D.  is  in  glorious  form  with  his  wires, 
and  is  certain  to  keep  it  up  next  week  at 
the  above  meetings,  for  which  he  knows  of 
several  snips. — Sporting  Life. 

(American),  a  small  boy  or 
girl,  a  small  person.  Generally 
in  a  contemptuous  sense,  as  if 
the  snip  were  conceited  and 
ignorant.  The  writer  supposed 
at  first  that  this  was  derived 
from  snip,  a  tailor's  cutting ;  but 
he  finds  that  in  Bargoensch, 
or  Dutch  thieves'  slang,  the  word 
means  not  only  a  young  person, 
but  also  a  heedless  or  foolish 
one.  Shakspeare  uses  the  word 
snipe  with  the  meaning  of  fool, 
blockhead.  In  French  becasse 
(snipe)  is  a  stupid  girl. 

Snipe  (common),  a  long  bill,  or 
account.  Evidently  a  play  on 
a  snipe's  long  bill.  Also  an  at- 
torney, possibly  because  of  their 
"comptes  d'apothicaire,"  or  very 
long  bills. 

(London\  gutter-snipe,  a  street 
arab. 

Snipes  (thieves),  scissors  for  cut- 
ting off  pockets.  From  to  snip, 
to  cut  off  with  scissors. 

Snipe,  to  (American),  to  pilfer. 

Yes,  it  is  bad  indeed  in  some  respects. 
I  have  to  buy  my  own  tobacco  now ; 
Or  beg  it  when  I  can  from  other  boys, 
In  place  of  sniping  it  from  the  old  man's 
box. 

— Rome :  New  York  Sentinel. 


Snippetty — Snob. 


269 


Snippeny,  snippy,  sniptious, 
snippish  (American),  used  in 
several  ways ;  vain,  conceited. 

Snippeny  folks  are  not  popular,  and  E. 
P.  Roe  says  that  almost  anything  will  be 
forgiven  sooner  than  thinking  one's  self 
better  than  other  people. — Detroit  Free 
Press. 

Also  given  to  petty  criticism, 
mincing  and  pert  observation. 

Snip,  to  go  (common),  to  go 
shares.  Literally  to  divide,  as 
with  scissors. 

Snitch  (old  cant),  nose. 

Snitched  (horsedealers),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

A  horsedealer .  .  .  was  showing  a  farmer 
a  horse  that  was  snitched,  that  is,  glan- 
dered.  It  was  a  fine-looking  animal  and 
made  up  for  sale.  It  was  jigged,  digged, 
and  figged. — Hindley :  Life  and  Adven- 
tures of  a  Cheap  Jack. 

Allied  to  provincial  English 
to  mite,  to  blow  the  nose,  or 
the  cant  term  snitch  for  nose, 
the  allusion  being  to  the  run- 
ning from  the  nose.  (Thieves), 
caught,  arrested,  i.e.,  tied  up. 
To  tnitch  is  provincial  English. 

Snitcher,  snitch  (thieves),  an  in- 
former, one  who  turns  Queen's 
evidence,  one  who  causes  one 
to  be  "snitched,"  i.e.,  arrested, 
more  probably  from  cant  snitch, 
nose,  a  "nose"  being  a  spy, 
informer. 

Then    your    blowing   will    wax    gallows 
haughty, 
When  she  hears  of  your  scaly  mistake, 
She'll  surely  turn  snitch  for  the  forty 
That  her  Jack  may  be  regular  weight. 
—Lord  Byron :  Don  Juan. 


"  In  Scotland,"  says  Hotten, 
"  snitcher s  signifies  handcuffs." 

Snitch,  to  (thieves),  to  give  in- 
formation to  the  police,  to  turn 
approver.     Hence  to  arrest. 

Snivel,  done  a  (tailors),  wept,  or 
told  a  pitiful  tale. 

Snob  (University),  a  townsman  as 
opposed  to  a  gownsman.  (Com- 
mon), a  shoemaker. 

A  shoemaker  charged  with  removing  a 
front  tooth  belonging  to  a  brother  snob, 
against  his  will  and  consent,  was  ordered 
by  a  bench  of  magistrates  to  pay  the  com- 
plainant 10s.  as  compensation  for  the  loss 
of  the  ivory. — Jack  and  Jill. 

(Marlborough  College),  game 
of  snob,  a  kind  of  rough  game 
of  cricket,  such  as  playing  two 
together  or  at  tip  and  run. 

Snobbery,  hiding  the  (tailors), 
covering  up  the  bad  trade. 
Snob  is  a  journeyman  shoe- 
maker, also  one  who  works  for 
lower  wages  in  a  strike ;  hence 
bad  work  expressed  by  the 
term  snobbery. 

Snob's-boot  (tailors),  sixpence. 

Snob's-duck  (popular),  stuffed 
leg  of  mutton. 

Snob-stick  (popular),  a  workman 
who  refuses  to  join  in  strike; 
variation  of  "  knob-stick."  Also 
termed  a  "snob." 

Snob,  to  (tailors),  to  do  work 
badly,  or  in  a  slovenly  manner. 
Snob  is  a  shoemaker  or  cobbler, 


270 


Snock — Snort. 


the  phrase  therefore  exactly 
corresponds  to  the  French 
saveter,  which  means  to  do  work 
badly. 

Snock  him  on  the  gob,  to  (Ameri- 
can), to  hit  him  on  the  mouth. 
Gob  is  common  English  slang 
for  mouth.  Snock,  provincial 
English  for  a  blow. 

Snoddy  (popular),  a  soldier. 

Snooker  (Koyal  Military  Aca- 
demy), a  newly  joined  cadet, 
student  of  the  fourth  class. 
Possibly  from  to  snook,  to  lean 
the  head  forward  in  walking, 
in  allusion  to  awkwardness  in 
drill. 

Snooks  (common),  the  name  of 
an  imaginary  person  given  as  a 
derisive  reply  to  ah  idle  ques- 
tion, or  when  the  name  of  the 
perpetrator  of  some  action  is 
refused. 

Snooping,  to  snoop  (American), 
to  pry  into,  to  go  about  picking 
up  bits  of  food.  "  I  think  it  may 
be  granted  by  everybody  that 
of  all  petty  presumers  there  are 
none  like  those  who  are  habitu- 
ally given  to  what  New  York 
Americans  call  snooping,  a  word 
derived  from  the  Dutch  snoepen, 
and  meaning  the  going  about 
and  sticking  one's  nose  into  all 
kinds  of  places  where  it  has  no 
business  to  be." 

Snooze  (thieves),  a  bed. 

Snoozing-ken  (old  cant),  a 
brotheL 


Snopsy,  snops  (American), 
schnapps,  i.e.,  gin. 

Fo'  I  can  play  de  banjo,   yes,   indeed   I 

can, 
I  can  play  a  tune  too  upon  de  frying-pan, 
I  can  holler  like  a  steamboat  befo'  she's 

gwine  to  stop, 
I  can  sweep  a  chimney  an'  sing  upon  de 

top ; 
Oh,  I  can  jump,  an'  I  can  hop,  an'  take  a 

little  snopsy, 
Oh,  I  can  sleep  just  like  a  top,  bekase  my 

name  am  Topsy. 

— Topsy  s  Sons. 

Snork  (Shrewsbury  School),  to 
do  the  whole  of  a  paper  in  an 
examination.  To  beat  another 
in  argument  or  repartee. 

Snorter  (society),  a  man  who 
excels  in  anything.  From  the 
snorting  of  a  high  -  mettled 
horse.  (Cricket),  a  snorter, 
"corker,"  "stringer,"  or  "clin- 
ker," a  very  hard  ball  to  play ; 
one  that  puzzles  the  batsman. 
(Popular),  the  nose,  a  blow  on 
the  nose ;  a  regular  snorter, 
great  hurry. 

Snort,  to  (Australian),  to  be 
enraged  at  a  thing,  to  refuse 
to  do  a  thing.  This  is  a  meta- 
phor taken  from  observing  the 
horse.  If  a  horse  is  afraid  to 
do  a  thing — such  as  to  swim  a 
river,  to  go  too  near  the  edge  of 
a  precipice,  to  carry  "game," 
or  the  like,  he  starts  back  and 
snorts,  hence  the  expression. 
The  French  rendcler  (to  snort) 
is  used  metaphorically  in  like 
manner,  and  supports  the  ex- 
planation. 


Snot — Snow-dropping. 


271 


Snot  (thieves),  a  gentleman. 
(Popular),  a  term  of  opprobrium. 
Much  used  by  schoolboys. 

Snot-rag  (popular),  pocket-hand- 
kerchief. 

Snotted  (popular),  being  repri- 
manded, hauled  over  the  coals. 
This  corresponds  to  the  French 
moucht,  used  in  the  same  meta- 
phorical sense. 

Snotter  (thieves),  a  pickpocket 
whose  specialty  is  stealing  silk 
handkerchiefs.  -SraoWer-hauling, 
stealing  pocket-handkerchiefs. 

You  could  make  a  fa:r  thing  by  snotter- 
hauling  even  if  you  cannot  get  on  at  fly- 
buzzing. — Temple  Bar:  Six  Years  in  the 
Prisons  of  England. 

Snottie  (naval),  a  midshipman. 

Snottinger  (popular),  a  pocket- 
handkerchief. 

Snout  (prison),  tobacco ;  a 
playful  allusion  to  "  pig-tail," 
roll  of  twisted  tobacco.  Pri- 
soners will  brave  all  risks  to 
get  it.  The  most  elaborate  and 
Machiavellian  plots  are  always 
in  progress  in  a  convict  prison 
to  suborn  officers,  and  to  tempt 
them  to  become  the  interme- 
diary between  the  caged  bird 
and  his  friends  outside.  The 
officer  who  yields  becomes  "Mr. 
Wright"  (which  see),  and  the 
bearer  of  a  clandestine  letter  or 
"stiff"  (which  see),  his  creden- 
tials ;  and  armed  with  this  he 
calls  when  off  duty  on  the  pri- 


soner's friends,  who,  if  they  are 
well-to-do,  pay  cash  down  as  a 
bribe.  The  traitor  warder  buys 
tobacco  at  the  market  rate, 
charging  the  prisoner  about  ^5 
per  pound,  over  and  above  the 
personal  douceur  he  receives. 
The  tobacco  is  smuggled  into 
the  prison  in  small  quantities, 
and  passed  by  means  of  "traf- 
ficking" (which  see)  from  the 
wholesale  possessor  to  pur- 
chasers in  exchange  for  food. 
Tobacco  has  also  a  price  cur- 
rent in  prison  in  food,  generally 
bread,  but  meat,  cheese,  pota- 
toes are  also  passed.  It  is 
always  used  in  chewing.  The 
term  is  also  used  by  itinerants 
with  the  meaning  cigar. 

Snow  (thieves  and  tramps),  linen 
hung  out  to  dry  on  hedges  or 
lines.    The  allusion  is  obvious. 

Snowball  (popular),  a  negro.  In 
French,  "boule  de  neige." 

Snow-dropper  or  gatherer 

(thieves  and  tramps),  a  thief 
who  steals  linen  hung  out  to 
dry. 

Snow-dropping  (thieves),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  snow-drop- 
pingV  "Oh,"  said  he,  "that's  a  poor 
game.  It  means  lifting  clothes  off  the 
bleaching  line  or  hedges.  Needy-mizzlers, 
mumpers,  shallow  blokes  and  flats  may 
carry  it  on,  but  it's  too  low  and  paltry  for 
you." — Temple  Bar:  Six  Years  in  the 
Prisons  of  England. 

Also  "  going  snowing." 


2J2 


Snowy — Soaker. 


Snowy  (thieves),  linen. 

My  pals  used  to  send  stiffs  to  the  school- 
master, saying  that  I  was  wanted  at  home  ; 
but  instead  of  that  we  used  to  go  and 
smug  snowy  that  was  hung  out  to  dry. — 
Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Snuff-box  (popular),  the  nose. 

There's  a  crack  on  your  snuff-box. — C. 
Bede:  Verdant  Green. 

Snuff  it,  to  (popular),  to  die,  like 
a  candle  snuffed  out.  In  French 
slang  "moucher  sa  chandelle" 
means  the  same. 

And  I  mean  to  live  a  good  bit  longer 
yet.  Josh  Heckett  isn't  going  to  snuff  it 
just  for  a  crack  on  the  head. — G.  R.  Sims  : 
Rogues  and  Vagabonds. 

Snuffler  (common),  a  religious 
canter. 

You  know  I  never  was  a  snuffler :  but 
this  sort  of  life  makes  one  serious,  if  one 
has  at  all  any  reverence  at  all  in  one. — 
T.  Hughes :  Tom  Brown  at  Oxford. 

Snuff,  to  give  (popular),  to  beat, 
thrash.  Alluding  to  the  pain 
caused  by  snuff  thrown  into  the 
eyes  of  a  person.  French  slang 
has  the  corresponding  phrase, 
"foutre  (donner)  or  coller  du 
tabac,"  and  the  police  expres- 
sion, "passer  au  tabac,"  that  is, 
ill-treat  a  prisoner  so  as  to  make 
him  confess.  Shakspeare  uses 
the  expression  to  take  in  snuff, 
to  be  angry,  vexed,  like  a  man 
snorting  with  anger. 

Snuff,  up  to  (general),  knowing, 
expert,  experienced  in  the  ins 
and  outs  of  life.  Literally  "  up 
to  scent,"  like  a  dog  who  can 


distinguish  between  the  sexes 
of  his  own  species  by  scent. 

He  knew  well  enough 
The  game  we're  after  :  zooks,  he's  up  to 
snuffl 

— John  Poole :  Hamlet  Travestie. 
Queer  start  that  'ere,  but  he  was  one  too 
many  for  you,  warn't  he?    Up  to  snuff 
and  a  pinch  or  two  over. — Dickens :  Pick- 
wick Papers. 

I  am  pretty  well  up  to  newspaper  snuff, 
as  it  is,  sir. — Sporting  Times. 

To  put  up  to  snuff  is  to  initiate 
into  mysteries  of  any  kind,  and 
generally  to  instruct  in,  make 
expert. 

He  was  some  ten  or  eleven  years  my 
senior  .  .  .  but  having  travelled  all  my 
lifetime,  was  better  up  to  snuff  than  an 
ordinary  man  would  be  at  fifty. — Hittdley  : 
Life  and  Adventures  of  a  Cheap  Jack. 

The  thieves  knew  where  to  draw  the 
line,  and  chucked  the  lot  away  in  the  gar- 
den, among  the  other  weeds.  They  were 
up  to  snuff,  but  not  to  tobacco  in  this 
form. — Punch. 

Snuffy  (popular),  tipsy. 

Snuggeries  (London),  explained 
by  quotation. 

Generally  at  one  end  of  the  hall  is  a 
long  strip  of  metal  counter,  behind  which 
superbly  -  attired  barmaids  vend  strong 
liquors.  Besides  these  there  are  snug- 
geries, or  small  private  apartments,  to 
which  bashful  gentlemen  desirous  of  shar- 
ing a  bottle  of  wine  with  a  recent  acquaint- 
ance may  retire.  —  Greenwood:  Seven 
Curses  of  London. 

Soaker  (popular),  a  pelting  down- 
pour of  rain. 

That  countryman  was  right  when  he 
prognosticated  a  soaker.  The  only  in- 
dividual I  met  on  the  road  going  my  way 
was  a  timid-looking  old  gentleman  in  a 
phaeton,  who  was  well  protected  from  the 


Soaker — Soapers. 


273 


rain  with  a  mackintosh,  knee-wrap,  and  a 
gig  umbrella.—/.  Greenwood:  Tag,  Rag, 
&>Co. 

Also  a  confirmed  tippler. 

An  old  soaker  who  was  a  pretty  frequent 
attendant  at  the  Bell,  at  Bromley. — Sport- 
ing Times. 

Soak,  to  (American),  turn,  change 
gradually.     This  is  old  English. 

Said  Turpin,  "  It  is  time  to  go, 
I've  a  very  fine  plant,  boys,  I  know  ; 
While  Oliver  soaks  pale, 
We  will  rob  the  royal  mail, 
Before  the  cock  begins  for  to  crow." 
— Broadside :  Dick  Turpin. 

Hence   to  exchange,  barter, 
pawn. 

The  two  youths  'made  a  call  and  the 
watch  was  soaked  with  a  pawnbroker,  and 
% 20  obtained  on  it. — Daily  Inter-Ocean. 

Soap    (common),    explained    by 
quotation. 

Flattery  is  the  confectionery  of  the 
world.  In  polite  society  it  goes  by  the 
name  of  soap,  and  in  general  is  designated 
"soft  sawder."  —  Diprose :  Laugh  and 
Learn. 

(American),    money.     (Royal 
Military  Academy),  cheese. 

Soap-and-bullion  (nautical).  A 
sailor's  food  is  oftentimes  of 
the  poorest,  not  to  say  revolting 
description,  and  Jack  has  not 
been  slow  to  signify  his  disgust 
thereat.  The  following  are 
6ome  of  his  choicest  terms  for 
such  dainties:  —  "  Lobscouse, 
dandy  funk,  dogsbody,  sea-pie, 
choke-dog,  twice  laid,  hishee- 
hashee,  soap-and-bullion,  dough 
Jehovahs,  tommy,  soft  tack." 
VOL.  IL 


A  thin  watery  soup  served  out 
on  some  vessels. 

I  have  known  many  a  strong  stomach, 
made  food-proof  by  years  of  pork  eaten 
with  molasses,  and  biscuit  alive  with  worms, 
to  be  utterly  capsized  by  the  mere  smell  of 
soup-and-bouilli.  Jack  calls  it  soap-and- 
bullion,  one  onion  to  a  gallon  of  water, 
and  this  fairly  expresses  the  character  of 
the  nauseous  compound. — Clark  Russell: 
Sailor's  Language. 

Soap-crawler  (popular),  a  syco- 
phant. 

Stale,  too,  orful  stale,  my  young  josser 

It's  wot  all  soap-crawlers  say, 
If  a  party  'as  "go  "  and  "  high  sperrits" — 

percise  wot  you  praise  me  for,  hay  ? — 
If  he  "  can  laugh  aloud,"  as  you  say  I  can, 

better  than  much  finer  folk, 
Will  you  ticket  'im  "vulgar,"  for  doin'  it? 

Oh,  you  go  'ome  and  eat  coke  ! 

— Punch. 

Soapers  (American  thieves),  men 
who  practise  the  soap  trick. 
"  It  is  a  simple  conjuror's  trick, 
and  it  is  not  difficult  to  under- 
stand. A  number  of  cakes  of 
soap  are  wrapped  each  in  a 
piece  of  paper,  and  mixed  up 
together  in  a  travelling-bag, 
suspended  by  a  strap  round  the 
neck  of  the  operator.  A  five- 
dollar  bill  is  wrapped  around 
one  of  the  cakes,  and  enveloped 
in  the  paper,  like  the  others. 
It  is  then  thrown  into  the  bag, 
after  having  been  marked  by 
the  thumb-nail,  and  the  crowd 
are  invited  to  pick  it  out  of  the 
lot  at  the  cost  of  one  dollar. 
Of  course,  the  cake  containing 
the  money  is  not  thrown  into 
the  bag  at  all,  but  is  palmed 
(substituted  by  sleight  of  hand) 
by  the  head  of  the  firm,  who 
S 


274 


Soap — Sockdolager. 


gives  another  cake,  similarly 
marked.  When  the  capper  (con- 
federate) buys  a  cake,  he  draws 
a  prize "  (Confidence  Crooks, 
Philadelphia  Press). 

Soap,  to  (common),  to  flatter. 

And  the  tailor  and  robemaker,  between 
washings  with  the  invisible  soap,  so  visibly 
soared  our  hero  in  whatjis  understood  to 
be  the  shop  sense  of  the  word. — C.  Bede  : 
Verdant  Green. 

(American),  to  bribe. 

If  a  knock  down  were  needed  in  a  case, 
Griffin  would  perform  it  promptly  and 
expertly.  The  bloods  paid  the  fine, 
and  soaped  Griffin  besides. — New  York 
Herald. 

Sober-water  (common),  a  jocular 
appellation  for  soda-water. 

Soc  (printers),  this  is  an  abbrevia- 
tion of  the  word  "  Society."  To 
be  a  member  of  the  Soc.  (com- 
positors'), hence  not  a  "rat." 

Society  man  (tailors),  a  member 
of  the  trade  union. 

Sock  (Eton),  edibles  of  various 
kinds  privately  imported. 

The  consumption  of  sod,  too,  in  school 
was  considerable,  and  on  occasion  very 
conspicuous. — Pascoe :  Everyday  Life  in 
our  Public  Schools. 

Hotten  says  the  word  is  still 
used  by  the  boys  of  Heriot's 
Hospital  School  at  Edinburgh, 
and  signifies  a  sweetmeat,  being 
derived  from  the  same  source  as 
"  sugar,"  "  suck."  Swedish  tock, 
sugar.  (Popular),  credit.  (Com- 
mon), to  give  one  sock  or  socks, 


to  thrash  him.    From  provincial 
English  to  sock,  to  strike. 

Sockdolager  (American),  a  word 
inadequately  explained  by  its 
imperfect  resemblance  to  doxo- 
logy.  A  socdolager,  says  Bart- 
lett,  is  a  conclusive  argument, 
a  "  settler,"  and  as  that  ends 
everything,  and  as  the  doxology 
is  sung  at  the  end  of  the  reli- 
gious service,  ergo,  they  are  the 
same.  As  it  is  very  commonly 
applied  to  a  settling  blow — two 
out  of  three  of  Bartlett's  illus- 
trations of  it  refer  to  such — it 
probably  owes  its  beginning  to 
sock,  to  strike.  In  Dutch  a  zaak- 
dadelyk  (or  dadelyke-zaak)  means 
"  a  plain  case,"  admitting  no 
further  argument ;  but  it  is  very 
doubtful  whether  this  has  any- 
thing to  do  with  it.  A  zak- 
dualertje,  a  bag  of  dollars, 
would  come  much  nearer  than 
"  doxology " — and  as  it  is  an 
effective  settler  to  most  disputes, 
a  great  deal  might  be  said  in  its 
favour,  but  similarity  of  sound 
and  even  of  meaning  is  not 
always  conclusive.  The  most 
probable  derivation  is  sock,  a 
hard  blow,  and  dole,  to  give. 
It  is,  however,  possible  that  the 
origin  of  the  much  discussed 
word  is  the  Iceland  saukdolgr, 
which  Jonseo  in  the  glossary 
appended  to  the  Latin  version 
of  Nialls  Saga,  defines  as  mean- 
ing among  other  things  dwellum, 
a  sudden  attack,  also  a  bad 
affair,  evil,  and  another  autho- 
rity gives  it  as  impetus.  Sauk- 
dolgr   is    pronounced    almost 


Sockdolager — Sock. 


275 


exactly  like  sockdolager.  It  pro- 
bably came  from  tbe  Swedes  of 
Philadelphia,  as  it  is  an  old 
word  in  America. 

Sam  caught  him  a  tremendous  blow, 
clean  bang  in  the  left  eye,  one  that  nearly 
knocked  him  off  his  pins.  Every  man 
in  the  room  heard  that  sockdolager  as 
plainly  as  he  saw  it. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Socker  (public  schools),  football 
played  according  to  the  Associa- 
tion Boles. 

Socketer  (popular),  one  who 
obtains  money,  "socket-money," 
by  threats  of  exposure.  In 
French  chanteur. 

Socket-money  (old),  prostitute's 
fee.  Query  any  reference  to 
putting  the  money  in  the  socket 
of  a  candlestick  ?  In  France  the 
fee  is  placed  under  the  candle- 
stick. Also  money  extorted  by 
threats  of  exposure.  Probably 
from  soke,  a  payment  made  to  the 
lord  by  his  tenant  for  the  privi- 
lege of  being  a  sockman  or  free- 
holder. Anglo-Saxon  soke,  a  toll. 

Sock,  sock  down,  to  (American), 
to  pay  money  down,  to  slap 
down  money.  A  common  ex- 
pression in  Philadelphia.  To 
sock  it  into  a  man,  to  press  hard 
on  him,  to  beat  or  strike,  thrash 
or  "  larrup."  Also  applied  me- 
taphorically on  the  Stock  Ex- 
change. 

If  any  feller  dares  to  sport  with  my 
Eliza  Jane,  I'll  let  him  have  it  hot  and 
short  till  death  shall  end  his  pain  ;  and  if 
I  find  in  any  way  that  she  is  in  the  swim, 
111  take  a  fence  rail  ten  feet  long,  and 
sock  it  into  him.— American  Jokes. 


To  sock  into,  for  to  beat, 
thrash,  is  a  common  expression 
in  England. 

Sock,   to   (Eton),  to   eat.     Vide 
Sock. 

We  Eton  fellows,  great  and  small, 
"socked"  prodigiously.  By  the  way,  I 
do  not  know  whence  that  term  sock,  as 
applied  to  what  boys  at  some  schools  call 
"grub,"  and  others  "tick,"  is  derived? 
for  I  question  the  theory  which  makes  it 
spring  from  "  suck.''  I  am  rather  disposed 
to  accept  the  story  that  at  the  beginning 
of  this  century,  one  of  the  men,  who  sold 
fruit  and  tarts  at  the  wall,  got  nicknamed 
"Socks,"  in  consequence  of  his  having 
discarded  knee-breeches  and  stockings  in 
favour  of  pants  and  short  hose.  The  man's 
nickname  might  then  have  spread  to  his 
business  and  to  his  wares  by  a  process 
familiar  to  etymologists,  till  "socking" 
came  to  mean  the  purchase  of  good  things 
not  from  "Socks"  only,  but  from  any 
other  vendor. — Brinsley  Richards :  Seven 
Years  at  Eton. 

To  sock  a  fellow,  was  to  give 
him  something  to  eat  or  drink, 
outside  his  regular  meals.  Some- 
times a  boy  might  say,  '  My 
governor  has  socked  me  a  book.' 
...  A  boy  has  also  been  heard 
to  ask  another  to  sock  him  a  con- 
strue of  his  lesson"  (C.  T.  Buck- 
land,  "  Eton,  Fifty  Years  Ago  "). 

(Winchester),  to  hit  hard, 
especially  at  cricket.  It  also 
means  to  beat,  or  defeat  in  a 
game.  Sock  is  a  provincialism 
meaning  to  hit  hard,  but 
much  used  by  slang  -  talking 
people. 

And  then  he  proceeded,  in  manner  most 
spry, 
In  his  muscular  arms  to  enfold  him, 
And   said,   "Dub  up,  or  else  you'll  get 
socked  in  the  eye  !  " 

—Sporting  Times. 


276 


Sodom — Solace. 


Sodom  (Oxford),  Wadham  Col- 
lege. From  a  similarity  of 
sound. 

Soft  (thieves),  paper  money. 
(General),  foolish ;  a  soft,  a  fool. 

It'll  do  you  no  good  to  sit  in  a  spring- 
cart,  if  you've  got  a  soft  to  drive  you. — G. 
Eliot :  Adam  Bede. 

Soft  ball  (Royal  Military  Aca- 
demy), tennis. 

Soft  down  on  (common),  in  love 
with. 

Soft  horse  (turf),  a  horse  with 
little  stamina. 

Soft-sawder  (common),  flattery. 

Soft-sawder  by  itself  requires  a  know- 
ledge  of  paintin'  of  light  and  shade,  and 
drawin'  too.  You  must  know  character. — 
Sam  Slick. 

Soft  soap  (common),  flattery. 

He  and  I  are  great  chums,  and  a  little 
soft  soap  will  go  a  long  way  with  him. — 
Hughes :  Tom  Brown  at  Oxford. 

Soft  soap  over,  to  (popular),  to 
flatter,  to  wheedle. 

Soft  tack  (nautical),  bread.  Vide 
Tack. 

Spotless  calico  bags  containing  quarts 
and  pints,  and  which  were  as  eagerly  pur- 
chased almost  as  the  soft  tack  and  the 
green  vegetables  the  bumboat  folk  bring 
alongside  ships  that  have  been  long  absent 
on  sea  service.—/.  Greenwood:  OddPeople 
in  Odd  Places. 

Soft  tommy  (common),  bread. 
Originally  a  sea-phrase.  Tommy, 


food,    provisions    (various   dia- 
lects), Halliwell. 

I've  treacle  and  toffee,  and  excellent  coffee, 

Soft  tommy  and  succulent  chops ; 
I've  chickens  and  conies,  and  pretty  polo- 
nies, 
And  excellent  peppermint  drops. 
— W.  S.  Gilbert:  H.M.S.  Pinafore. 

"  Gringue,"  known  to  the  polite  as  bread, 
has  its  duplicates  in  soft  tommy  or  prog. 
— Morning  Advertiser. 

Softy  (popular),  silly  person,  half- 
witted. 

She  were  but  a  softy  after  all.  — Mrs. 
Gaskell:  Sylvia's  Lovers. 

S  o  g  (American),  dulness,  a 
swoon,  lethargy.  East  Anglian 
sor/,  to  decline  in  health  ;  sog,  to 
hang  down  as  oppressed  with 
weight.  To  sogg  on,  to  walk 
heavily ;  soggy,  wet,  swampy ; 
hence  the  association  of  drop- 
sical, heavy,  stupid. 

So  help  me  tater  (popular),  oath 
or  adjuration  in  common  use, 
and  of  no  definite  signification. 
Synonyms,  "  So  help  me  bob," 
"  S'  help  me,  Bill  Arline,"  "So 
help  me  greens." 

Soiled  doves,  prostitutes. 

Soiled  doves  from  the  shades  of  the 
Evangelist,  alias  strumpets  from  St.  John's 
Wood. — Saturday  Review. 

Solace  (printers),  a  penalty  or 
fine  inflicted  by  the  "chapel," 
according  to  Moxon,  1683  —  a 
term  rarely  .met  with  now.  If 
the  offender  would  not  pay  he 
was  solaced  by  his  companions, 
i.e.,  whacked  on  that  part  (accord- 


Soldier — Son. 


277 


ing  to  Shakspeare) 
we  sit  down." 


1  on  which 


Soldier  (popular),  a  red  herring. 
Vide  Coming  the  Old  Sol- 

DIEB. 

Soldiering  (army),  cleaning 
accoutrements,  doing  the  rou- 
tine and  irksome  part  of  a 
soldier's  duty. 

Soldier's  •wind  (nautical),  one 
that  blows  both  ways — east  and 
west. 

Sold  up  (common),  poor  or  dis- 
tressed. 

Sole-slogger  (popular),  a  shoe- 
maker. 

Solid  dig  (printers).  A  compositor 
is  said  to  have  a  solid  dig  when 
the  copy  in  hand  is  very  close, 
i.e.,  few  short  lines  or  whites 
and  usually  without  leads. 

Sollamon  (old  cant),  the  Mass. 

Oh,  I  would  lib  all  the  darkmans, 
By  the  sollamon,  under  the  Ruffemans. 
— The  Roaring  Girl. 

Also  salamon,  Salomon.  Pro- 
bably gypsy  sal  or  sol,  oath, 
influenced  by  solemn  (oath). 

Some  pumpkins  or  some  pun- 
kins  (American),  description  of 
an  important  person;  the  con- 
trary to  small  potatoes,  applied 
to  persons  of  little  or  no  account. 

Franklin  was  a  poor  printer  boy,  and 
Washington  only  a  land  •  surveyor,  yet 
they  growed  to  be  some  pumpkins. — Sam 
Slid :  Nature  and  Human  Nature. 

I  took  to  attendin'  Baptist  meetin's  be- 
cause the  Presbyterian  minister  was  such 


small  potatoes  that  it  wasn't  edifyin'  to 
sit  under  his  preachin'. — Widow  Bedott's 
Papers. 

Something  short  (popular),  spirits 
neat,  short  of  water. 

When  he  thought  of  his  friends  who  d 
grown  portly  on  port, 
Who  never  on  ale  appeared  ailing ; 
If  only  he  might  dare  to  take  something 
short, 
Would  the  teetotal  ghosts  all  start  wail- 
ing? 
A  pub !    Yes,  he  will  I     He's  hopped  in 
like  a  bird — 
But  the  curtain  shall  fall  on  our  brother ; 
We'll  only  record  that  the  last  words  we 
heard, 
Were,  "  Now,  dear,  let'sh  'ave  jus'  an- 
other ! " 

—Judy. 

Generally  "  summat  short. " 

And  as  to  the  benjamin  ...  he  would 
keep  it  long  enough,  unless  the  owner  stood 
a  drop  of  summat  short.  — /.  Wight  : 
Mornings  at  Bow  Street. 

Sonk,  sonkey  (popular),  a  stupid 
fellow.  From  sunhet,  a  foolish 
fellow.    Norfolk  dialect. 

Son  of  a  gun  (popular).  *'  An 
epithet  conveying  contempt  in 
a  slight  degree,  and  originally 
applied  to  boys  born  afloat, 
when  women  were  permitted 
to  accompany  their  husbands 
to  sea  ;  one  admiral  declared  he 
literally  was  thus  cradled,  under 
the  breast  of  a  gun-carriage" 
(Admiral  Smyth). 

You  may  fancy  his  rage,  and  his  deep  de- 
spair, 
When  he  saw  himself  thus  befooled  by 
one 
Whom,  in  anger  wild,  he  profanely  styled, 
"A  stupid,  old,  snuff-coloured  son  of  a 
gun  I" 

—Ingoldsby  Legends. 


278 


Son — Sour. 


Son  of  wax  (American)  a  cobbler 
or  shoemaker.  Professor  S.  S. 
Haldeman  is  said  once  to  have 
addressed  a  party  of  these  men 
with,  "  How  are  you,  my  sons 
of  waxes  f"  The  term  is  not  re- 
garded as  uncomplimentary. 

Soogun  (Irish  tinkers),  a  hay 
rope. 

Soor  (Anglo-Indian),  an  abusive 
term.    Hindostanee,  a  pig. 

Soot-bag  (thieves),  an  obsolete 
term  for  a  reticule. 

Sop  (popular),  a  foolish,  soft  man. 
Provincial  sope,  a  simpleton. 

Soph,  abbreviation  of  sophistes ; 
second  year  men  are  termed 
"  junior  sophs"  third  year  men 
"senior  sophs." 

Sore  leg  (army),  German  sausage ; 
an  unsavoury  allusion  to  its 
appearance.  (Popular),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

"These  puddings,  I  believe,  have  nick- 
names ?  " 

"  Yessir.  The  spotted  is  called  sore  leg, 
and  the  plain  'sudden  death.'" — Bird  o 
Freedom. 

Sort  (popular),  that's  my  sort, 
that  is  my  nature,  character, 
that  is  my  way  of  proceeding ; 
that's  your  sort,  this  is  the 
course  for  you  to  adopt.  A  good 
sort,  or  a  good  old  sort,  a  good- 
natured  person. 

Sorts.     Vide  Out  of  Soets. 


Soundings  (printers).  Pressmen 
are  said  to  be  in  soundings  when 
they  get  near  the  bottom  of 
their  heap.  In  taking  the  last 
few  sheets  off  the  "  horse  "  their 
knuckles  would  touch  or  rap 
against  the  wood,  hence  the 
term. 

Soup  (legal),  the  prosecutions 
which,  are  given  out  to  the 
junior  bar  in  court  by  the  clerk 
of  the  peace  or  arraign  as  the 
case  may  be.  The  custom  is 
to  give  them  out  whether  the 
prisoner  pleads  guilty  or  not, 
but  in  some  places  only  pleas 
of  "not  guilty"  are  given  out. 
They  frequently  form  the  first 
"  brief"  which  a  young  barrister 
gets.  (Printers),  bad  and  sloppy 
ink  is  thus  termed.  (Burglars), 
melted  plate  ;  it  is  sometimes 
called  white  soup. 

Souper  (popular),  one  who 
pretends  conversion  to  obtain 
soup-tickets.  (Thieves),  souper 
or  super,  a  watch. 

Soup-shop  (burglars),  a  place 
where  melting-pots  are  always 
kept  ready,  the  price  not  being 
paid  to  burglars  and  thieves 
who  have  come  to  dispose  of 
plate  till  the  recognition  of  the 
plunder  is  no  longer  possible. 

Sour  on,  to  (American),  to  treat 
unkindly,  to  act  unamiably. 

"  How's  your  girl,  Charley  1 "  "Oh,  it's 
all  up  with  us  1 "  "How's  that?"  "The 
hot  weather  was  too  much."  "What  had 
that  to  do  with  you  ?  "  "  Well,  she  soured 
on  me." — Neiu  York  Sun. 


Sour — Spangle-shaker. 


279 


Arthur — "My  best  girl  soured  on  me 
yesterday."  George — "I  don't  wonder. 
I  always  said  she  was  a  little  pickle." — 
Almanac. 

Sour   planters   (coiners),   rogues 
who  pass  off  counterfeit  coin. 

Publicans,  we  were  given  to  understand, 
are  usually  the  unfortunate  tradesmen 
fixed  on  as  a  mark,  barmaids  being  easily 
thrown  off  their  guard  by  the  customer's 
innocent  appearance  and  manner.  But  a 
safer  plan,  and  one  more  admired  by  the 
sour  planter  herself,  is  to  perambulate 
streets  of  tradesmen's  shops  with  her  com- 
panion, with  a  sharp  look-out  for  spoony 
shopmen  and  hobble  -  de  •  hoys  entrusted 
with  the  till. — /.  Greenwood :  Rag,  Tag, 
&>Co. 

Sours  (coiners),  counterfeit  coin. 
Roman  coins  and  such  old  money  , 
are  called  onion  -  pennies,  or 
onions  (provincial),  onions  are 
also  sours,  and  the  connection 
between  bad  money  and  sours 
appears  evident.  The  phrase 
"to  plant  the  sours,"  i.e.,  to 
pass  bad  coin,  strongly  sup- 
ports this  explanation,  further 
strengthened  by  the  Italian  cant 
term  argume,  literally  onions,  and 
French  slang  oignon,  both  mean- 
ing money,  coin.  Again,  the 
term  may  owe  its  origin  to  the 
acids  used  in  electro-plating. 
But  that  is  mere  conjecture. 
"  Sometimes  when  coiners  are 
hard  pressed,  if  there  is  no 
other  way  of  getting  rid  of 
the  tours,  they  secretly  swallow 
them.  The  shilling  sour,  in  the 
opinion  of  '  smashers,'  is  the 
handiest,  and  pays  better  than 
the  florin  or  half-crown,  be- 
cause when  it  comes  to  that 
value  people  examine  it  more 


closely.  Shilling  sours  of  a 
superior  kind  generally  cost  four 
shillings  a  dozen  first  hand." 

And  then  he  proceeded  to  inform  me 
that  the  individual  mentioned  on  the  paper 
was  a  "smasher,"  or,  in  other  words,  a 
dealer  in  counterfeit  coin  or  sours. — J. 
Greenwood :  Tag,  Rag,  <&*  Co. 

To  plant  the  sours,  to  pass 
base  coin. 

Southerly  buster  (Australian),  a 
piercingly  cold  southerly  wind. 

The  climate  of  Sydney,  always  a  de- 
testable one,  is  never  the  same  for  more 
than  a  few  hours.  I  have  often  seen  a 
day  there  open  with  a  hot  scorching  wind, 
which  lasts  perhaps  until  one  o'clock. 
Suddenly  a  fierce,  cold  wind,  a  southerly 
buster  as  it  is  called,  sweeps  up  from  the 
ice-fields  of  the  Southern  Sea,  and  blows 
perhaps  for  two  days,  perhaps  only  for  a 
few  hours. — Finch  Hatton :  Advance  A  us- 
tralia. 

Souths  (Stock  Exchange),  Lon- 
don and  South-Western  Railway 
Ordinary  Stock. 

Sov  (general),  a  sovereign. 

Sow-belly  (American  rancheros), 
bacon. 

Sow's  baby  (popular),  a  sixpence, 
hog  being  a  shilling. 

Spange  (Royal  Military  Aca- 
demy), new,  as  a  spange  war  hat, 
war  helmet.  Elegant  swell, 
"you  look  spange."  From  span- 
gle, provincial  spanged,  varie- 
gated, shiny. 

Spangle-shaker  (theatrical),  har- 
lequin.   Also  "spangle-guts." 


28o 


Spanish — Sparkle. 


Spanish,  or  Spanish  blunt.  Hot- 
ten  defines  this  as  money,  and 
suggests  that  it  is  a  relic  of 
buccaneering  days.  In  America 
it  is  correctly  limited  to  silver 
coin.  It  is  a  relic  of  the  old 
word  Spanish-boards,  or  dollars. 

Indeed  there's  not  one  in  the  language 

that  I  know 
Save  its  synonyms,  Spanish  blunt,  stumpy, 

and  rhino. 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

Spare  a  rub  (tailors),  oblige  me 
with  some,  or  after  you  with 
it ;  possibly  alluding  to  ironing. 

Spark  (American),  a  lover,  a 
"  beau."  Flame  is  an  old  Eng- 
lish word  for  a  sweetheart;  in 
America  it  is  more  peculiarly 
applied  to  a  lady-love.  ' '  Where 
there  is  flame,  there  will  be 
sparks"  originated  the  applica- 
tion of  the  latter  word  to  men. 
From  this  is  derived  "to  spark 
it,"  and  "  to  go  a  sparking." 

When  the  dew  is  just  a  sprinkling, 
And  the  stars  hegin  their  twinkling, 
And  the  day  dies  into  darking, 
That  is  just  the  time  for  sparking. 

— Broadside  Ballad. 

I  was  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  when, 
for  the  first  time,  I  took  it  into  my  head  to 
go  a  sparking.  One  of  my  neighbours  a 
few  miles  off  had  a  pretty  daughter  that, 
I  thought,  would  just  suit  me. — Youth's 
Companion. 

A  spark  in  England  was  for- 
merly applied,  like  beau,  rather 
to  a  gay  and  stylish  fellow  than 
a  lover. 

Our  attention  has  been  called  to  them 
and  their  doings  by  an  indignant  "  Stall- 
holder," whose  plaint  we  publish  in  another 
column.      "Stall-holder"   is  exercised  in 


spirit,  and  with  reason,  by  the  behaviour  of 
certain  sparks,  or  "bucks,"  or  "bloods," 
or  "Corinthians,"  or  "  Macaronis"  (their 
name  changes  with  the  centuries,  but  their 
nature  is  eternally  the  same),  who  make 
too  much  noise  in  stage-boxes  and  stalls, 
together  with  their  "female  companions." 
— Globe. 

The  Rev.  A.  Smythe  Palmer, 
in  his  "Folk* Etymology,"  re- 
marks: "Spark,  as  a  name  for 
a  self-sufficient  fop  or  conceited 
coxcomb,  has  probably  no  direct 
connection  with  the  glittering 
particle  of  fire  which  we  call  a 
spark,  any  more  than  flunkey 
has  to  do  with  German  funke,  a 
spark.  Mr.  Wedgwood  connects 
the  word  with  provincial  Eng- 
lish sprag,  sprack,  quick,  brisk, 
as  of  a  lively  young  man  (com- 
pare spraic,  vigour,  sprightli- 
ness),  and  clearly  further  points 
out  a  connection  with  Icelandic 
sparkr,  sprakki,  lively,  sprightly, 
also  a  dandy.  See  also  Pro- 
fessor Skeat's  notes  to  '  Piers 
Plowman,'  p.  398." 

Oft  has  it  been  my  lot  to  mark 
A  proud,  conceited,  talking  spark. 
—J.  Merrick :  The  Chameleon. 
No  "  double  entendres,"  which  you  sparks 

allow, 
To  make  the  ladies  look— they  know  not 
how. 

—Dryden:  Love  Triumphant. 

According  to  Skeat,  from  same 
root  with  spark,  a  small  particle 
of  fire.  Originally  noisy.  Ice- 
landic spraka,  to  crackle. 

Sparkle  (thieves),  a  diamond.    In 
French  (not  slang),  brillant. 

I  got  her  purse  and  found  the  ring.    I  saw 
it  was  a  big  sparkle.   I  noticed  the  size,  and 


Sparkle — Sped. 


281 


at  once  went  in  front  of  a  jeweller's  win- 
dow to  compare  those  in  the  window  with 
my  prize. — Evening  News. 
\ 
Also  spark. 

Jack's  conversation  is  essentially  dia- 
mondy,  and  he  speaks  casually  of  having 
seen,  whilst  over  yonder,  a  trifle  of  a 
quarter  of  a  million's  worth  of  sparks  in  a 
bucket. — Sporting  Times. 

Spark  prop,  diamond  breast- 
pin. 

My  pal  said,  "  Pipe  his  spark  prop."  So 
my  pal  said,  "  Front  me,  and  I  will  do  him 
for  it." — Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Sparkle  up,  to  (popular),  to  hasten, 
be  quick. 

Sparring  bloke  (popular  and 
thieves),  a  pugilist. 

It  was  while  using  one  of  those  places 
I  first  met  a  sparring  bloke,  who  showed 
me  how  to  spar. — Horsley :  Jottings  from 
Jail. 

Sparrow  catching  (popular),  going 
out  sparrow  catching  is  for  a  girl 
to  go  out  for  the  purpose  of  find- 
ing a  lover. 

Spec  (common),  a  venture. 

Oft"  I  posted  to  the  fam'ly  lawyer  fit  to 

break  my  neck, 
And  he  philanthropically  took  the  matter 

up  on  spec. 

— Funny  Folks. 

(Popular),  an  occupation  gene- 
rally with  an  idea  of  uncertain 
profits. 

They  were  "  little  doll "  men  ;  poor  de- 
luded wretches,  three  of  thrice  as  many 
hundred  who,  quite  new  to  the  Epsom 
game,  had  heard  that  little  dolls  were  the 
best  spec  out. — Greenwood:  In  Strange 
Company. 


Other  meaning  explained  by 
quotation. 

Throughout  lower  London,  and  the 
shady  portions  of  its  suburbs,  the  window 
of  almost  every  public-house  and  beer-shop 
was  spotted  with  some  notice  of  these 
specs.  There  were  dozens  of  them.  There 
were  the  "  Deptford  Spec,"  and  the  ' '  Lam- 
beth Spec,"  and  the  "Great  Northern 
Spec,"  and  the  "Derby  Spec,"  but  they 
all  meant  one  and  the  same  thing — a  lot- 
tery, conducted  on  principles  more  or  less 
honest,  the  prize  to  be  awarded  according 
to  the  performances  of  certain  race-horses. 
— Greenwood:  Seven  Curses  of  London. 

Specklebellies  (provincial),  Dis- 
senters. 

Specks  (costermongers),  damaged 
oranges. 

Specs  (common),  spectacles. 

No  matter  for  that.    He  had  called  for  his 

hat, 
With  the  brim  that  I've  said  was  so  broad 

and  so  flat, 
And  his  specs  with  the  tortoiseshell  rim 

and  his  cane. 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

Speech  (turf),  private  information 
on  a  horse.  In  JTrench  turf 
slang  tuyau,  i.e.,  private  in- 
formation whispered,  "dans  le 
tuyau  de  l'oreille."  Speech  ia 
used  in  such  phrases  as  "get 
the  speech,"  "  give  the  speech." 

Speeler  (American),  a  gambler. 
German  spieler. 

Speel,  to  (thieves),  to  run  away, 
to  decamp.  Probably  an  abbre- 
viation of  "  sped  the  drum," 
to  make  off  to  the  highway,  take 
to  the  highway.  Speel  is  from 
German  spielen,  to  play,  and 
"drum"  is  cant  for  highroad, 


282 


Speel — Spin  digo. 


) 


so  that  the  phrase  is  a  play  on 
these  two  words,  and  corres- 
ponds to  the  French  cant  "  jouer 
des  trimoires,"  trinie,  road,  being 
from  the  same  root  as  "drum," 
which  see.  It  has  been  sug- 
gested that  this  term  is  from 
provincial  English  speel,to  climb. 

Spell  for  (popular),  to  long  for. 

Spellken,  spielken,  or  spell 

(cant),  a  theatre.  Probably  from 
the  German  spielen,  to  play,  and 
ken,  a  place. 

Who  in  a  row  like  Tom  could  lead  the  van, 
Booze  in  the  ken,  or  at  the  spellken  hustle. 
— Byron:  Don  Juan. 

Spell  oats,  to  (American).  "He 
can't  spell  oats,"  said  of  an  ig- 
norant fellow.  This  originated 
in  a  practical  joke  about  1848. 
One  man  would  leave  a  grain  of 
oats  with  another,  who  was  in 
the  joke,  and  then  meeting  an- 
other friend,  would  say,  "  Have 
you  seen  Jones?  He  has  an 
oat  for  you."  The  victim,  not 
understanding  the  sell,  would 
go  to  Jones  and  ask  for  a  note, 
the  result  being,  of  course,  a 
treat. 

When  men  couldn't  spell  oats,  they  were 
not  given  votes, 
Their  place  was  to  work,  not  to  worry, 
And  Brummagem  Rads  didn't  pander  to 
cads, 
For  office  there  wasn't  such  hurry. 
The  friends  of  rebellion  were  one  in  a 
million, 
They  injured  no  woman  or  child, 
E'en  traitors  were  Trojans,  dreamt  not  of 
explosions, 
And  Parliament  was  not  defiled. 
— Song:  In  the  Good  Old  Times  Long 
Ago  {published  by  Francis  Bros. 
.<&*  Day). 


Sphere  (football),  the  ball. 

Spice,  to  (old  cant),  to  steal, 
rob,  from  an  obvious  metaphor 
like  "salt,"  referring  to  over- 
charge; "pepper,"  to  ill-treat, 
&c.  "  To  spice  the  swell,"  to 
rob  a  gentleman ;  the  spice, 
highway  robbery ;  spicer,  a  foot- 
pad ;  spicer-high,  i.e.,  high-spicer, 
a  highwayman. 

On  the  high-toby  spice  flash  the  muzzle, 
In  spite  of  each  gallows'  old  scout. 

— Byron :  Don  Juan. 

Spiff,  spiffy  (common),  tip-top, 
first-class,  fashionable,  spruce. 
From  provincial  English  spiff, 
dandified. 

But,  my  gracious  !  if  I  ain't  got  the 
spliffiest  lot  o'  items  for  you  about  the 
French  church  outfit,  'n  as  usual  I  haven't 
left  myself  enough  room  to  do  'em  full 
justice,  so  must  put  it  off  till  next  week, 
when  look  out  for  a  screamer. — San  Fran- 
cisco News  Letter. 

A  spiff,  a  swell.  (Trade),  a 
small  commission  on  sales  in 
retail  shops. 

Spiffed  (Scotch  slang),  slightly 
intoxicated. 

Spiffer.     Vide  Spiff. 

Spike  team.     Vide  Unicoen. 

Spin  (Anglo-Indian),  abbreviation 
for  spinster.     Vide  Pucka.  't 

Spindigo  (American),  said  of  one 
who  has  come  out  badly,  as 
from  an  examination  at  college 
or  a  speculation  on  the  Stock 
Exchange.     Probably  from  the 


Spindigo — Split. 


283 


English  army  slang  spin,  to 
reject  from  an  examination ; 
spindle,  the  third  swarm  of  bees 
from  a  hive ;  spinny,  thin,  slen- 
der. To  this  some  facetious 
person  has  probably  added  in- 
digo, to  give  it  a  sufficiently 
blue  tone. 

Spink  (Royal  Military  Academy), 
milk,  specially  condensed  milk. 

Spinning-house  (University),  the 
ordinary  prison  of  the  Vice- 
Chancellor's  court  at  the  uni- 
versities of  Oxford  and  Cam- 
bridge. 

Spin,  to.     Vide  Spun.  , 

Spit  (popular),  a  facsimile.   ' '  He's 
the  very  spit  of  his  father  or 
mother."    "  Er  ist  seiner  Mutter 
wie  aus  dem  gesichte  gesch- 
nitten  "  (Londonism en).    French 
"  c'est  son  pere  tout  crache*." 
Emma  has  a  baby  boy, 
To  own  it  I  decline ; 
But  people  cry  and  wish  me  joy 
Because  they  think  it's  mine. 
Oh,  James,  whoa  James  1 
Whoa  James,  for  shame  on  you  ! 
Oh,  James  I  whoa  James ! 
James,  it's  the  spit  of  you  ! 

— Song. 

Spit  curls  (American).  Vide  Bow- 
Catcheb. 

Spithead  nightingales  (naval), 
boatswains,  and  boatswains' 
mates,  on  account  of  their  calls. 

Spit  sixpences,  to  (common),  to 
have  one's  mouth  parched  up, 
be  thirsty.  French  "cracher 
des  pieces  de  dix  sous." 


He  had  thought  it  rather  a  dry  dis- 
course ;  and  beginning  to  spit  sixpences, 
he  gave  hints  to  Mr.  Wildgoose  to  stop 
at  the  first  public-house  they  should  come 
to. — Graves :  Spiritual  Quixote. 

Splash  (common),  complexion 
powder,  as  rice  powder,  &c. 
To  splash,  to  paint  the  face. 
Provincial  English  splatch. 
Splatchy,  painted ;  said  of  a 
woman's  face. 

Splashing  (popular),  talking  with- 
out sense  or  talking  too  much. 

Splash  up,  to  do  it  (popular),  to 
do  it  in  fine  style. 

Splathers,  hold  your  (tailors), 
hold  your  tongue. 

Splathever  (tailors),  one  who 
talks  much  of  himself  or  any- 
thing. 

Splice  the  main  brace,  to  (nauti- 
cal), to  serve  out  an  extra  allow- 
ance of  grog  in  bad  weather,  or 
after  severe  exertion ;  drinking. 

Splice,  to  (Winchester  College), 
to  throw  or  fling.  (Common), 
to  marry. 

The  moral  obligation  of  matrimony  was 
fulfilled,  and  they  were  indissolubly 
spliced. — Savage  London. 

Imagine  his  feelings,  if  you  are  human 
(and  spliced),  pity  him. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Split  (thieves),  a  detective ;  from 
to  split,  to  inform. 

Two  splits  (detectives)  got  into  the  train, 
and  I  got  ready  to  have  a  go  for  it  if  they 
put  their  hands  upon  me,  but  I  got  out  all 
right. — Daily  Telegraph. 


284 


Split — Spondulicks. 


(Common),  abbreviated  from 
two  brandies  or  wbiskies,  and  a 
soda  split,  i.e.,  shared. 

So  he  sought  him  a  bar  where  the  thorough- 
bred tart 
Regaleth  itself  on  the  longest  of  splits. 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Split  fair  (popular),  tell  the  truth  ; 
a  variation  of  to  split,  to  divulge, 
inform. 

Split-fig  (popular),  a  grocer. 

Split  out,  to  (thieves),  to  separate. 

There  is  a  reeler  over  there  who  knows 
me,  we  had  better  split  out. — Horsley : 
Jottings  front  Jail. 

Split,  to  (common),  to  let  out  a 
secret,  to  inform  against  one's 
accomplices. 

If  I  tell  you  all  about  it,  will  you  pro- 
mise that  you  won't  split? — Greenwood; 
The  Little  Ragamuffins. 

On  the  hold  business.  Just  to  have  a 
chat.  When  are  you  going  to  split  on 
your  old  pal  ? — G.  Sims :  Rogues  and 
Vagabonds. 

"  You  needn't  think  I'm  going  to  split," 
she  said  indignantly. — Fergus  W.  Hume  I 
The  Mystery  of  a  Hansom  Cab. 

To  go  at  full  split,  or  to  go  as 
hard  as  one  can  split,  means  to 
go  as  hard  as  ever  one  can  at 
full  pace.  Used  by  slangy  Aus- 
tralians as  well  as  in  England. 
Old  English  split,  force ;  "to 
make  all  split,"  an  old  phrase 
implying  great  violence  of  ac- 
tion. 

We  had  run  him  for  seven  miles  and  more, 
As  hard  as  our  nags  could  split. 

— A.  L.  Gordon:  Wolf  and  Hound. 

Splodger  (popular),  a  lout,  awk- 
ward countryman. 


Splodgy  (common),  coarse,  re- 
ferring to  complexion,  with 
pimples. 

Splurge  (American),  a  dashing, 
brilliant  display.  At  Princeton 
University  a  student  who  re- 
cited a  lesson  badly  was  said  to 
"fizzle,"  when  he  did  it  credit- 
ably he  "rowled,"  but  to  show 
a  perfect  mastery  of  the  subject 
was  to  splurge. 

A  new  wrinkle  at  seaside  resorts  is  the 
splurging  of  fair  women  on  borrowed 
dresses.  They  only  differ  in  degree  from 
many  other  fair  women  who  own  their 
dresses,  but  whose  fathers  and  husbands 
sometimes  have  to  borrow  the  money  to 
pay  for  them. — St.  Paul  Globe. 

To  cut  a  splurge  is  synonymous 
with  "  cut  a  dash." 

Spoffskins  (society),  a  lady  of  an 
accommodating  disposition,  who 
makes  morganatic  arrangements 
of  a  temporary  character. 

Spoffy  (common),  applied  to  a 
bustling  busybody,  a  fussy 
"  finick."  From  provincial  Eng- 
lish spoffle,  to  busy  oneself  over- 
much about  a  matter  of  little 
consequence. 

Spondulicks  (American),  a  term 
for  specie  or  money.  It  would 
appear  to  have  some  connection 
with  Dutch  spaunde,  "chips," 
also  slang  for  money,  and  there 
is  also  a  word  oolik,  bad, 
wretched.  The  term  probably 
originated  in  New  York,  in  some 
confusion  or  perversion  of  these 
words.  This  word  has  become 
common  among  turfites. 


Sponge — Spoof. 


285 


Sponge,  throwing  up  the  (com- 
mon), to  give  up,  submit,  ac- 
knowledge one's  defeat ;  from 
the  custom  in  the  prize-ring. 
The  principal  second  keeps  a 
sponge  during  the  fight,  where- 
with to  cleanse  and  refresh  his 
principal's  face  between  the 
rounds ;  thus  his  throwing  up 
the  sponge,  as  it  were,  because  it 
has  become  useless,  is  taken  to 
be  indicative  of  his  side  giving 
up  the  struggle.  This  is  an 
almost  recognised  phrase. 

The  party  .  .  .  told  him  that  he  must 
either  return  to  France  or  throw  up  the 
sponge.  General  Boulanger  refused  to  do 
either. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Spoof  (turf),  deception,  swindle, 
sell.  Properly  a  childish  kind 
of  game  like  "  tiddlywinks." 

Next  day  I  put  all  my  oof 
On  to  Gold  (sixteen  to  one), 

And  now  I  hear  the  cry  of  spoof, 
The  race  is  o'er,  and  he's  not  won. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Spoof  has  been  defined  by  Sir 
P.  Colquhoun  as  "an  unintelli- 
gible shibboleth,  invented  to 
indicate  an  idiotic  game — a 
sell.  Exactly  as  'the  loud  laugh 
proclaims  the  empty  mind,'  so, 
to  be  an  adept  in  the  spoof  cult, 
indicates,  as  the  first  qualifica- 
tion for  that  dubious  distinc- 
tion, softening  of  the  brain." 
This  term  owes  its  origin  to 
the  game  of  spoof,  played  on  a 
draught-board  with  counters, 
which  have  to  be  whisked  on 
the  top  of  the  adversary's  own 
counters  by  means  of  a  small 
stick.     It  has  been  suggested, 


however,  that  "  spoof  is  from 
provincial  English  spoffle,  to  busy 
oneself  overmuch  about  a  matter 
of  small  consequence,  to  rage 
over  a  trifle,  as  a  '  great  cry  and 
little  wool,'  i.e.,  a  cheat  or  sell. 
Hence  disappointment,  deceit." 

Love  he  used  to  think,  I've  said  before,  a 
riddle ; 
To-day  he  says  the  mot  cTinigme  is  oof, 
And  that  lovers  play  a  very  second  fiddle 
To  markers  at  the  noble  game  of  spoof. 
— Sporting  Times. 
'Tis  oh !  to  be  the  people's  "  pug," 

Who  is  paid  at  halls  to  spar, 
Who 's  a  lovely,  unscratched,  scarless  mug, 

Who  lives  like  a  La-di-da ! 
Big  battles  he  fights  which  are  always 
drawn, 
But  draw  much  golden  oof, 
He  boasts  of  his  biceps  and  "  Boston " 
brawn — 
'Tis  oh  !  for  the  game  of  spoof. 

— Bird  0'  Freedom. 

Also     the     confidence-trick 
swindle. 
Also  to  play  spoof. 

The  alligator  and  crocodile  are  just  in 
the  prime  of  life  at  100.  There  are  par- 
rots in  the  gardens  whojare  seventy-five 
years  old,  and  still  cheerful,  and  the  swan 
begins  to  think  about  putting  away  youth- 
ful follies  at  200.  I  hope  the  keeper  who 
told  me  all  this  knows  that  it  is  wicked 
to  play  spoof  on  Sunday.  I  believed  all 
he  told  me,  and  kept  saying  "  Really"  in 
such  a  sweetly  innocent  way,  that  he  may 
have  been  tempted  to  put  the  pot  on. — 
Referee. 

Spoof,  to  (turf).    Vide  Spoof. 

"  T,"  said  the  Wicked  Nobleman,  hav- 
ing previously  arranged  to  spoof  the  crowd 
with  the  word  "  taint." — Sporting  Times. 
His  railway  carriage  he  will  choose  and 
pick, 

Till  he  spots  a  likely  lot, 
To  royally  spoof  at  the  three-card  trick, 

And  to  lift  of  a  cosy  "  pot." 


286 


Spoon. 


\ 


And  he  patters  the  while  of  mysterious  tips 
And  dollars  he  cops  for  "  stable  "  snips. 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Spoon  (common),  courtship ; 
spoons  together,  much  in  love 
with  one  another.  Fide  Spooney. 

She  and  I,  dontcherknow,  are  great  spoons. 
— Punch. 

(American),  "to  do  business 
with  a  big  spoon  "  is  the  same 
as  "to  cut  a  big  swath  "  (Bart- 
lett) ;  that  is  to  say,  on  a  large 
scale.  Also  to  help  oneself 
fully,  which  is  the  origin  of  the 
German  phrase,  "Er  isst  mit 
grossen  Loffel " — "  He  eats  with 
a  large  spoon." 

Spooney.  There  appear  to  be 
two  separate  or  distinct  words 
of  this  spelling,  probably  with 
different  roots.  A  case  of 
spoons,  or  of  two  persons  who 
spoon  on  one  another,  is  a  term 
existing  out  of  English,  in 
Welsh,  Arabic,  and  German 
{loffeln,  to  play  the  gallant,  also 
eat  with  a  spoon ;  loffel,  gal- 
lantry, and  spoon),  without  any 
reference  to  weak-mindedness 
or  folly.  It  is  usual  in  Wales, 
Norway,  and  Sweden,  as  in 
Algeria,  to  make  a  newly-mar- 
ried couple  a  present  of  two 
spoons  both  carved  out  of  one 
piece  of  wood  joined,  or  a  kind 
of  double,  and  the  writer  has 
in  his  possession  specimens  of 
several  kinds.  The  idea  in  this 
seems  to  be  that  as  spoons  in 
a  set  match  and  fit  together 
exactly,  so  should  nian  and 
wife.     A   spooney,  meaning    a 


silly  person,  had  originally  no 
connection  with  love,  though  it 
became  natural  enough  to  as- 
sociate silly  fondness  with  affec- 
tion.    Vide  To  Spoon. 

You  don't  mean  to  say  you  have  been 
doing  the  spooney — what  you  call  making 
love  —  have  you  ?  —  C.  Bede :  Verdant 
Green. 

The  original  meaning  of  spooney, 
foolish,  possibly  owes  its  origin 
to  the  phrase  "  not  past  the 
spoon,"  i.e.,  childish,  that  is, 
spoon-fed. 

"Can't  you  see  it  ain't  open  yet, 
spooney ! "  demanded  the  irascible  land- 
lady.—/. Greenwood:  Dick  Temple. 

Spoons  (American),  equivalent  to 
money,  means,  or  a  fortune. 
"  She  has  the  spoons,''  indicates 
an  heiress. 

Spoon,  to  (common),  to  court, 
make  love,  to  woo.  Sometimes 
with  an  idea  of  foolish  fondness, 
which  was  the  original  meaning. 

"  You're  not  a  bad-looking  fellow.  Spoon 
some  woman,  you'll  soon  be  all  right." 
Some  short  time  passed  on,  when  the  two 
met  again,  the  broker  in  fine  feather. 
"  Took  your  advice,  old  man.  Spooned  a 
deuced  ugly  woman.  Doing  well.  Look 
at  my  coat." — Bird d  Freedom. 

"To  spoon,  borrowed  probably 
from  some  of  the  provincial 
dialects,  seems  to  be  akin  to 
Anglo-Saxon  sponere  (spanere), 
an  allurer  or  persuader ;  sponung 
(spanung),  persuasion,  seduc- 
tion ;  spanan  (past  participle 
sponen),  to  entice,  or  solicit ; 
the  primitive  form  of  which 
was  probably  spunan,   implied 


Spoon — Spotted. 


287 


by  Teutonic  un-spunalih,  in- 
exorable. Thus  the  original 
meaning  of  spoon  would  be  '  to 
be  seductive  or  alluring '  in  one's 
looks  and  manner,  to  woo ' " 
(A.  Smythe  Palmer). 

(Cricket),  to  strike  the  ball  in 
such  a  way  with  a  slack  and 
almost  horizontal  bat  that  it 
rises  up  in  the  air. 

They  "  pulled,"  they  spooned,  they,  in 
short,  committed  every  fault  of  which  the 
cricketer  can  be  guilty. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Spoops,  or  spoopsy  (American), 
a  soft -brained  fellow,  or  one 
whose  manners  are  objection- 
able. 

Seniors  always  try  to  be  dignified.  The 
term  spoopsey,  in  its  widest  signification, 
applies  admirably  to  them. — Yale  Toma- 
hawk. 

Spoopsy  is  from  English  pro- 
vincial poop,  a  puppy.  The 
ending  sy  is  very  often  irregu- 
larly applied  in  America,  as 
Jimsy  for  Jim. 

Sport  (popular),  a  man  who  gives 
himself  up  to  sport,  a  betting 
man,  turfite.  Originally  Ameri- 
can. 

Leastways  I  don't  mean  that  exackly ;  I 

like  you  too  well ;  you're  my  sort ; 
But  you  ain't  took  my  measure  kerrect, 

I'm  a  Tory,  a  patriot,  a  sport. 
So  wy  should  you  round  on  me  tbusly  ?    I 

call  it  a  little  mite  mean. 
If  I  took  and  turned  Radical  now ;  but 

oh  1  no,  'Arry  isn't  so  green. 

—Punch. 

Sporting  door  (University),  outer 
door  of  chamber.  Also  "  oak." 
Vide  To  Spobt. 


Sport,  to  (common),  to  exhibit, 
wear,  as  "sport  a  new  tile." 
"To  sport  one's  oak,"  to  shut 
the  door  against  visitors.  Vide 
Oak. 

Mr.  Verdant  Green  had  for  the  first 
time  sported  his  oak.  Under  any  circum- 
stances it  would  have  been  a  mere  form, 
since  his  bashful  politeness  would  have 
induced  him  to  open  it  to  any  comer. — 
C.  Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

Spot  (common),  to  have  a  vacant 
spot,  to  be  crazy  ;  to  be  on  the 
spot,  or  to  be  "  all  there,"  to 
be  thoroughly  au  fait  of  some 
business,  occupation,  or  game. 
To  be  in  form,  or  lucky,  to  be 
smart.  An  officer  is  said  to  be 
on  the  spot  when  he  is  thoroughly 
acquainted  with  his  duties.  "  Off 
the  spot"  is  the  reverse.  The 
metaphor  is  from  a  billiards 
phrase,  on  or  off  the  spot 
stroke,  the  most  paying  stroke 
at  billiards.  To  be  on  the  spot, 
therefore,  is  to  be  doing  the 
spot  stroke  skilfully  or  luckily. 

Spotted  (army),  spotted  mysteries. 
Potted  preserved  beef,  which 
may  contain  unknown  ingre- 
dients, or  be  made  of  bad  meat. 

But  what  do  I  care  ?  Not  a  pennorth  of 
spotted;  and  when  customers  come  in  and 
ask  for  a  fourpenny  plate  with  plenty  of 
gravy,  I  take  the  money — always  look 
after  the  coin,  you  know. — Broadside 
Ballad. 

(Army),  spotted  dog,  sometimes 
applied  to  a  currant  pudding, 
but  by  soldiers  used  for  a  sau- 
sage or  saveloy. 

(Popular),  spotted  donkey, 
coarse  plum-pudding,  sold  at 
cook-shops. 


288 


Spotter — Spout. 


Spotter  (American),  spy  in  the 
employment  of  the  police. 
French  indicateur. 

It  is  shrewdly  suspected  that  there  are 
regularly  paid  spotters  who  watch  in  the 
Paso  del  Norte  establishments  and  note 
the  customers  who  go  with  their  pur- 
chases into  the  street  cars,  and  point  them 
out  to  the  United  States  inspectors  when 
they  reach  American  territory.— Globe  De- 
mocrat. 

Spot,  to  (common),  to  see,  notice, 
make  a  note  *of  anything,  pick 
out,  identify. 

But  I  preferred  pecking  and  prowling, 
and  spotting  the  mugs  making  love. — 
Punch. 

The  next  tipster  avows  he  will  forfeit  a 
large  sum  of  money  unless  he  spots  the 
identical  winners,  "first  and  second."  Of 
course,  nothing  can  be  more  transparent' 
than  bombast  of  this  sort ;  but  here  it  is 
in  black  and  white. — Greenwood;  Seven 
Curses  of  London. 

There  are  certain  movements  of  indivi- 
duals, as  the  extension  of  a  hand,  the 
methods  of  carrying  a  cane  or  a  parasol, 
that  mark  the  persons,  so  that,  disguise 
themselves  as  they  may,  a  trained  detec- 
tive would  spot  them  anywhere,  or  under 
any  circumstances.  They  are  involuntary, 
and  all  the  training  in  the  world  would  not 
change  them  an  iota. — Illustrated  Bits. 

Also  to  lay  money  down  for 
gambling,  setting  it  on  the 
spots. 

Spouter  (popular),  orator  or 
preacher.  Also  a  whaling  term 
for  a  South  Sea  whale. 

Spout,  to  (common),  to  pawn. 
Vide  Pop. 

He  went  out  one  Monday  morning  and 
spouted  his  watch  to  raise  funds.  —  /. 
Wight :  Mornings  at  Bow  Street. 


The  dons  are  going  to  spout  the  college 
plate. — T.  Hughes:  Tom  Brown  at  Ox- 
ford. 

I  hold  it  truth  with  him  who  says 
That  sometimes  'tis  as  well  to  spout 
One's  watch,  and  not  to  get  it  out 
Till  after  lapse  of  many  days. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

To  shout  as  a  street  vendor. 

I  was  out  with  the  missis  and  the  moke 
a  spoutin'  my  wares. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

To  spout  also  refers  to  noisy 
talking  or  oratory. 

At  its  case,  of  an  "  uncle  "  of  his,  who'd  a 

spout, 
That  horrid  word  spout  no  sooner  came 

out 
Than  Winifred  Pryce  would  turn  her  about, 
And  with  scorn  on  her  lip,  and  a  hand  on 

each  hip, 
Spout  herself  till  her  nose  grew  red  at  the 

tip. 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

In  the  following  quotation  a 
play  is  made  on  the  word. 

A  very  interesting  article  on  sponges  has 
been  written  by  one  of  our  Consuls  on  the 
Syrian  coast.  It  appears  that  these  inte- 
resting, but  lowly  organised  creatures, 
exist  only  by  spouting,  in  fact  they  are  the 
Grand  Old  Man  of  the  sea. — Moonshine. 

Spout,  up  the  (common),  in  pawn. 

And  his  pockets,  no  doubt,  being  turned 

inside  out, 
That  his  mouchoir  and  gloves  may  be  put 

up  the  spout. 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

In  America  there  is  a  poetical 
paraphrase  of  this  term  in  very 
common  use.  It  is  "  where  the 
woodbine  twineth,"  because  in 
country  houses  there  is  generally 
a  woodbine  growing  on  the 
water-spout.  It  was  invented 
by  the  notorious  Fiske  in  refer- 
ence to  bonds  hypothecated. 


Spout — Spread-eagle-ism. 


289 


Up  the  spout  is  in  allusion  to 
the  spout  up  which  pawnbrokers 
send  the  articles  ticketed.  When 
redeemed,  they  return  down  the 
spout,  i.e.,  from  the  store-room 
to  the  shop. 

As  for  spoons,  forks,  and  jewellery,  they 
are  not  taken  so  readily  to  the  smelting- 
pot,  but  to  well-known  places  where  there 
is  a  pipe  (spout)  which  your  lordships 
may  have  seen  in  a  pawnbroker's  shop. 
— Shaftesbury,  The  Times. 

There  were  three  of  these  floors,  and  the 
spout  from  the  shop  penetrated  to  the 
topmost.  On  every  floorway  a  sharp  and 
active  youth,  whose  business  it  was  to 
discover  and  send  "  down  the  spout " 
the  ransomed  bundles. — Greenwood:  In 
Strange  Company. 

Sprat  (popular),  my  sprat,  i.e., 
my  young  man,  my  sweetheart. 
Swedish  spratt,  beau,  coxcomb, 
dandy.  (Popular  and  thieves), 
a  sixpence. 

I  got  more  pieces  for  the  wedge.  I 
got  three  and  a  sprat  (3s.  6d.)  an  ounce. — 
Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Sprats  (popular),  effects,  furniture, 
i.e.,  "  sticks,"  from  provincial 
English  sprats,  small  wood. 

Spread  (popular),  butter.  (Gene- 
ral), a  meal,  banquet. 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  exercises  on 
class  days  all  adjourned  to  the  spreads  (as 
the  cold  collations  are  called)  in  the  vari- 
ous rooms  and  halls. — Life  at  Harvard 
(U.S.)  College. 

Next  day  I  was  present  at  a  spread  at 
the  Mission  Hall  of  a  much  more  gratify- 
ing description.  Next  day  was  Wednes- 
day, and  for  a  very  long  time  past,  on 
this  day,  the  good  missionary  among  the 
savage  tribes  of  St.  Luke's  has  somehow 
contrived  to  raise  from  the  charitable 
money  enough  to  give  the  children — 
VOL.  II. 


poor,  neglected,  literally  half-starved  little 
fledglings  of  the  surrounding  rookeries — a 
hot  dinner,  a  smoking-hot  dinner,  and  as 
much  as  they  can  eat  of  it. — Greenwood : 
In  Strange  Company. 

(American),  a  bed  covering. 

Spread  eagle  (nautical),  a  person 
seized  in  the  rigging ;  generally 
a  passenger  thus  made  to  pay 
his  entrance  forfeit.  (Cam- 
bridge), pulled  and  grilled  fowl, 
a  fowl  opened  down  the  back, 
and  served  up  with  mushrooms, 
&c.  (American),  as  an  adjec- 
tive it  applies  to  oratory. 

The  king  was  satisfied ;  so  the  duke 
got  out  his  book  and  read  the  parts  over 
in  the  most  splendid  spread-eagle  way, 
prancing  around  and  acting  at  the  same 
time,  to  show  how  it  had  got  to  be  done ; 
then  he  gave  the  book  to  the  king,  and 
told  him  to  get  his  part  by  heart. — The 
Adventures  of  Huckleberry  Finn. 

Spread  eagle,  the  operations  of 
one  who  buys  an  amount  of 
stock  on  time,  and  then  bar- 
gains to  sell  the  same  stock 
within  the  same  time  at  a 
higher  rate,  expecting  to  re- 
ceive a  profit  from  the  differ- 
ence, without  expenditure  of 
capital,  but  who,  as  by  his  bar- 
gain the  option  neither  of  re- 
ception nor  delivery  is  in  his 
hands,  is  at  the  risk  of  being 
obliged  both  to  buy  and  sell  at 
a  disadvantage  in  order  to  fulfil 
his  bargain. 

Spread-eagle-ism,  an  American 
phrase,  first  applied  to  exagger- 
ated, extravagant,  and  vulgar 
patriotic  speeches  in  laudation 
of  the  American  Union,  its  pre- 
sent greatness  and  its  future 
T 


290 


/     Spread-eagle-ism — Sprinter. 


probabilities  ;  first  suggested  by 
the  eagle  as  the  personification 
of  the  country,  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  lion  is  the 
heraldic  emblem  of  England, 
the  unicorn  of  Scotland,  the 
cock  of  France,  the  double- 
headed  eagle  of  Austria,  and  the 
black  eagle  of  Prussia.  Accord- 
ing to  the  definition  in  the 
North  A  merican  Review,  as  quoted 
by  Bartlett,  "  A  compound  of 
exaggeration,  effrontery,  bom- 
bast, mixed  metaphors,  plati- 
tudes, defiant  threats  thrown  at 
the  world,  and  irreverent  ap- 
peals to  the  Supreme  Being." 

Spread  oneself,  to  (West  Ameri- 
can), to  boast. 

Now  he  was  another  man,  and  for  the 
benefit  of  the  "  tenderfoot "  he  spread  him- 
self.— F.  Francis  :  Saddle  and  Mocassin. 

Spread,  straddle  (Stock  Ex- 
change), Americanisms  for  "  op- 
tions." 

Spree  (Winchester),  said  of  one 
giving  himself  airs.  "  He's 
spree  "  means  he  is  a  conceited 
person.  Applied  to  dress  or 
other  articles  it  means  smart, 
stylish,  in  good  form.  (Gene- 
ral), on  the  spree,  on  a  frolic, 
bent  on  amusement  generally 
involving  feasting.  This  word, 
both  as  a  substantive  and  adjec- 
tive, is  provincial  English,  used 
slangily. 

She  shouted  out  "  Hansom  " — I  thought 
she  meant  me, 
For  I'd  never  rode  in  one  before — ■ 
She  said  to  the  cabman — "We're  out  on 
the  spree." 
—J.  Anthony:  The  Girl  at  the  Park. 


In  Dutch,  spreifest  is  a 
betrothal  or  marriage  feast, 
which  was  of  old  in  Holland 
the  great  spree  of  all  others  in 
a  man's  life.  Spreifeest,  trouw- 
feest,  sprcien,  trouwen,  huwen ; 
ooh  vrijen  (Wordenboek  van 
Bargoensch  and  J.  Teirlinck). 
Spreiing,  the  act  of  betrothing 
or  wedding  (trouving,  daad  van 
trouwen;  vrijage),  is  both  in 
sound  and  in  fact  very  nearly 
an  equivalent  to  "  spreeing." 

Spreeman  (Winchester  College), 
a  junior  who  is  permitted  to 
work  hard,  generally  one  who 
has  been  there  some  time. 

Spreeners  (Winchester  College), 
onceit. 

Springers,  the.  In  America  the 
62nd  got  this  name  from  their 
rapid  pursuit  of  the  enemy  after 
the  battle  of  Trois  Bivieres. 

Springer  up  (tailors),  a  tailor  who 
sells  cheap  ready-made  cloth- 
ing. The  clothes  are  said  to 
be  "sprung  up"  or  "blown 
together." 

Sprint  (sporting),  a  short  dis- 
tance race.  Provincial  English, 
sprint,  lively,  such  a  race  being 
run  at  full  speed.  Also  sprint 
race.  A  sprint  is  a  professional 
walker. 

Sprinter  (American),  one  who  is 
making  great  exertion  in  run- 
ning. 

The  young  desperado  ran  like  a  sprinter, 
but  the  young  lady  kept  well  up  with  him. 


Sprint — Squabash. 


291 


Finally,  after  a  chase  of  about  eight  blocks, 
a  gentleman  jumped  from  his  buggy  and 
stopped  the  thief. — Kansas  City  Times. 

Sprint,  to  (sporting),  to  walk  in 
matches,  and  to  run  in  short 
distance  races.    Vide  Sprint. 

"Now  that  your  son  has  returned  from 
college,  do  you  feel  repaid  for  your  out- 
lay for  his  education.  Did  he  take  any 
prizes?"  "Oh,  yes,  mum,  yes,  indeed. 
He  got  a  medal  for  what  he  calls  sprint- 
ing, and  he  must  be  high  up  in  mathe- 
matics, for  he  says  he's  learned  four  new 
curves." — Scranton  Truth. 

Sprout  (Yale  University),  any  de- 
partment of  knowledge  is  so 
called,  e.g. ,  botany,  mathematics, 
classics,  are  each  and  all  of  them 
sprouts.  (American),  a  bunch  of 
sprouts,  the  five  fingers  of  the 
closed  fist.  Also  the  chambers 
of  a  revolver. 

Sprug  (Scottish),  a  sparrow. 

Sprung  (naval),  a  man  in  liquor 
is  "sprung,  slewed,  or  half -seas 
over"  or  "dead-oh!"  accord- 
ing to  the  stage  of  intoxication. 
Sprung,  like  a  boat  full  of  water, 
which  springs  a  leak. 

As  she  went  along,  the  boys  bid  her  be 
of  good  cheer,  for  she  was  only  a  little 
sprung.  — Dickens. 

Spry  (American),  active,  nimble. 
From  provincial  English  spry, 
nimble  ;  Swedish  sprygg,  very 
active  (Skeat). 

He  rejoiced,  for  he  said,  "  My  black- 
guards will  be  spry  and  busy,  and  full  of 
work." — Sporting  Times. 

Spud  (American  thieves),  base 
coin,  bad  money.  From  spud, 
a  bad  or  raw  potato. 


Spud  (popular),  a  dwarfish,  round, 
potato-shaped  person.  Also  a 
baby's  hand,  so  called  because 
round  and  plump. 

Spudding  (costers),  a  street  seller 
of  potatoes. 

Spudgel  (American),  to  move  or 
run  away  speedily.  Same  as 
West  of  England  spuddle. 
Spudgy,  quick,  speedy.  Dutch 
spoedig,  speedy;  spoediglylc,  ra- 
pidly. 

Spuds  (popular),  potatoes.  Query 
from  the  implement,  the  spud, 
with  which  they  are  dug  up. 
Spud  is  used  by  Swift  with  the 
meaning  of  "  short  knife." 

Spun  (medical  students),  having 
failed  at  examination. 

Spunk-fencer  (popular),  a  lucifer- 
match  seller.     Vide  Spunks. 

Spunks  (popular),  lucifer  matches. 
Spunk  is  an  excrescence  on  the 
bark  of  trees,  used  sometimes 
for  tinder. 

Spur,  to  (thieves),  to  annoy. 

The  only  thing  that  spurred  me  was 
being  such  a  flat  to  bring  them  home. — 
Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Squabash,  to  (popular),  to  kill. 
From  squab  and  bash,  both  mean- 
ing to  beat,  ill-treat. 

Harry  the  Sixth,  who,  instead 

Of  being  squabash' d,  as  in   Shakspeare 

we've  read, 
Caught  a  bad  influenza,  and  died  in  his 

bed. 

•—Ingoidsby  Legends. 


292 


Squabble — Square. 


Squabble  (printers).  This  is  a 
term  for  the  more  technical  one 
"broken."  Type  when  disar- 
ranged and  mixed,  as  if  quar- 
relling, is  said  to  be  squabbled, 
i.e.,  in  "pie,"  or  "squashed." 

Squad,  denned  in  quotation. 

Squad,  applied  generally  to  little  parties, 
of  little  sense — as  an  awkward  squad,  a 
blackguard  squad,  a  squandering  squad, 
&.C.—J.  Wight:  Mornings  at  Bow  Street. 

(Public  schools,  &c),  the  pi- 
squad,  i.e.,  pious  squad,  a  set 
who  profess  to  be  very  pious 
and  good. 

Squaddie  (American),  to  depart 
rapidly,  begone,  cut  and  run, 
or  skedaddle. 

And  at  once  released  the  prisoner, 
Sternly  bidding  him  to  squaddie, 
Just  as  fast  as  he  could  make  it, 
Ere  the  starry  night  came  on. 

— In  Nevada. 

Squantum  (American),  a  common 
expression  in  New  England  is, 
"  She  looks  as  if  she  came  from 
squantum,"  i.e.,  from  some  rus- 
tic, out-of-the-way  place.  Bart- 
lett  suggests  that  the  term  is 
probably  derived  from  some 
Indian  place-name,  and  states 
that  squantum  was  a  Massachu- 
setts Indian  name  for  the  devil. 
Also  a  picnic. 

Square  (thieves  and  popular), 
honest,  straightforward'. 

They  considered  themselves  much  better 
than  many  square  (honest)  people  who 
practise  commercial  frauds. — Greenwood: 
Seven  Curses  of  London. 

"  Take  my  tip  and  turn  square,  from 
a  hook  who's  going  to  be  lagged,"  would 


be  in  common  parlance,  "  Take  my  advice 
and  get  your  living  honestly,  says  a  pick- 
pocket who  is  expecting  penal  servitude." 
— Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

This  word  has  recently  ac- 
quired extensive  currency  among 
the  criminal  classes,  and  the 
functionaries  whose  business  it 
is  to  cope  with  them  ;  to  square 
is  to  adjust,  to  settle,  to  make 
straight,  to  discharge  a  liability. 
"  On  the  square,"  fairly  and 
satisfactorily,  honestly.  The  de- 
rivation has  long  been  known 
as  coming  from  the  freemasons, 

When  I  was  an  apprentice,  I  lived  upon 

the  square, 
My  boss  gave   me  no  money,   which   I 

thought  was  hardly  fair 

(The  Cross  Boy's  Song); 

and  the  phrase,  in  its  metaphori- 
cal sense,  would  not  be  justly 
liable  to  the  reproach  of  being 
slang,  were  it  not  for  its  use  by 
the  dangerous  and  disreputable 
classes  to  describe  the  kind  of 
honour  that  is  supposed  to  exist 
among  thieves  and  law-breakers 
in  their  intercourse  with  each 
other.  (Society),  square,  to  run 
on  the,  to  be  straight,  honest, 
reliable. 

Square  backdown  (sporting), 
a  shuffle  of  more  than  usual 
palpableness. 

The  fight  to  a  finish  between  Killen 
and  Conley,  which  was  to  have  taken 
place  on  March  i,  is  off.  Killen  made  the 
plea  that,  owing  to  the  bad  condition  of  his 
hands,  he  could  not  fight  until  a  later  day. 
An  agreement  was  reached  January  4  to 
withdraw  the  forfeits  and  declare  the  fight 
off.  Killen's  action  is  regarded  by  all 
sporting  men  as  a  square  backdown. — 
New  York  Police  Gazette. 


Square — Squeaker, 


293 


Square,  to  (general),  to  bribe, 
conciliate.  "Squaring  his  nibs," 
silencing  anybody  by  a  bribe. 

There  was  in  the  Manchester  detective 
service  one  man  who  could  not  be  squared, 
and  had  an  inconvenient  habit  of  keeping 
information  to  himself,  and  Smith  was 
frequently  employed  by  other  detectives 
to  get  up  bogus  cases  in  order  to  throw 
discredit  upon  this  official.  —  Evening 
News. 

Squarehead  (thieves),  explained 
by  quotation. 

"Honesty  among  thieves"  is  un- 
doubtedly the  production  of  a  squarehead 
or  sham  thief;  a  good  thief  will  rob  any- 
body.— Confessions  of  Joe  Bragg. 

Also  Australian  prison  slang. 

Square  meal  (common),  solid, 
complete  meal.  Originally  Ame- 
rican. 

I  hear  that  when  the  members  of  the 
the  Metropolitan  Asylums  Board  visited 
Leavesden  a  few  days  ago,  they  were 
regaled  with  a  square  meal  of  the  most 
sumptuous  description. — Truth. 

Square  rigged  (nautical),  well 
dressed. 

Square  round,  to  (Winchester  Col- 
lege), to  make  room  at  the  fire 
for  some  one. 

Square  up,  to  (general),  to  put 
oneself  in  a  fighting  attitude,  to 
pay  a  debt. 

Square  with,  to  be  (common),  to 
be  even  with  him,  or  to  be  re- 
venged. 

Squarson  (clerical),  a  combina- 
tion of  "  squire  "  and  "  parson  " 
— a  squire  in  holy  orders  who 


works  his  parish,  or  rural  parson 
of  means  and  position  not  over- 
shadowed by  resident  squires. 

Squattle  away,  to  (American),  to 
depart.  Probably  suggested  by 
ducks  squattling  or  "  splashing  " 
as  they  hurry  off. 

Squatty,  squaddy  (American), 
short,  stout,  small,  and  fat. 
Squat,  a  short,  stout  person  in 
several  English  dialects. 

Tombdlin's  wife  being  a  very  small  squat, 
Out  of  the  water  soon  she  got. 

— Old  Ballad  of  Tombdlin. 

Squawk  (American,  but  of  Eng- 
lish origin),  to  squeak  or  squall 
in  a  loud,  harsh  tone.  Generally 
associated  with  the  sounds 
uttered  by  poultry  in  rage,  pain, 
or  fear.  A  wretched  failure,  an 
abject  "  fizzle." 

Jokes  may  be  divided  into  the  first-rate 
good,  the  first-rate  bad,  and  squawks.  A 
squawk  awakens  in  you  a  sense  of  horror, 
or  of  shame  for  the  man  making  it,  and 
causes  you  to  be  thankful  that  you  are  not 
in  his  moccasins. — Henry  P.  Leland. 

Squeak,  a  narrow  (common),  a 
narrow  escape.  Metaphor  from 
a  pig  escaping  through  a  small 
opening. 

It  was  a  narrow  squeak  for  me,  as  the 
bullet  cut  off  a  lock  of  my  hair,  and  passed 
clean  through  my  hat. — O'Reilly:  Fifty 
Years  on  the  Trail, 

Squeaker  (bird  fanciers),  a  young 
pigeon. 

Squeakers  —  young  pigeons  —  and  you 
take  'em  to  the  public -house,  and  you 
enters  'em  for  the  race.—/.  Greenwood : 
Dick  Temple. 

(Popular),  a  pig. 


294 


Squeak — Squib. 


Squeak,  to  (thieves),  to  confess, 
inform. 

I  never  will  whiddle,  I  never  will  squeak, 
Nor  to  save  my  colquarron  endanger  thy 
neck. 

— Ke inure,  my  dear  Delle. 

This  verb  is  obsolete,  for  to 
break  silence,  for  fear  or  pain, 
to  speak. 

If  he  be  obstinate  put  a  civil  question  to 
him  upon  the  rack,  and  he  squeaks,  I 
warrant  him. — Dry  den. 

Squealer  (Wellington  College),  a 
small  boy.  (Thieves),  an  in- 
former, one  who  gives  informa- 
tion that  may  lead  to  detection. 

"  Somebody  saw  him  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  And  that  somebody  has  been  arrested 
and  confessed  ?" 

"  No;  oh,  no  I  " 

"  No  squealer  yet  ?  " 

"  No  ;  that's  straight.  I  see  you  doubt 
it,  but  it's  true." — Chicago  Daily  Inter- 
Ocean. 

Squeal,  to  (thieves),  to  lodge  in- 
formation with  the  police.  A 
"  State's  evidence "  man  is  a 
"  squealer^  The  term  is,  how- 
ever, becoming  quite  common 
as  expressing  the  imparting  of 
knowledge  of  any  kind.  Vari- 
ants are — to  blow  on,  to  give 
away,  to  let  out  on,  to  go  back 
on. 

A  pal  squeals  on  his  chum,  and  detec- 
tives will  capture  him  in  short  order. — 
Sub-head  in  Abilene  {Kansas)  Gazette. 

Squee  -  gee  (American  ;  English, 
wee-jee),  aristocratic,  refined,  ex- 
tremely elegant  and  fashionable. 

No  minister  in  the  city,  not  even  the  one 
who  officiated  at  the  church  where  the 


family  attended,  was  squee-gee  (squee-gee 
is  a  Gothic  word  meaning  high-toned) 
enough  to  conduct  the  services. — Ameri- 
can Newspaper. 

Squeeze  (thieves),  the  neck,  a 
crowd,  silk. 

After  the  place  got  well  where  I  was 
chived,  me  and  another  screwed  a  place 
at  Stoke  Newington,  and  we  got  some 
squeeze  (silk)  dresses,  and  two  sealskin 
jackets,  and  some  other  things. — Horsley  : 
Jottings  from  Jail. 

The  latter  asked  Fife  if  he  had  been  to 
see  the  squeeze  (silk)  that  morning.  Fife 
answered  "Yes." — Daily  Telegraph. 

Squeeze-clout,  neck-cloth. 
Squeezer  (thieves),  gallows. 

For  Larry  was  always  the  lad, 
When  a  friend  was  condemned  to  the 
squeezer; 
But  he'd  pawn  all  the  togs  that  he  had, 
Just  to  help  the  poor  boy  to  a  sneezer. 
—  The  Death  of  Socrates. 

Squelcher  (pugilistic),  a  settling 
blow.  Old  provincial.  We  find 
squelch  for  a  heavy  fall  in 
Hudibras. 

There's  a  squelcher  in  the  bread-basket 
that'll  stop  your  dancing,  my  kivey  ! — C. 
Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

Figuratively  a  settler  in  argu- 
ment or  vituperation. 

This  last  retort  would  have  been  a 
squelcher. — Ez>ening  News. 

He  was  keeled  back,  I  remember,  in  a 
strong  chair,  with  his  feet  on  the  front  of 
the  table,  and  a  clip  full  of  paper  on  his 
knee,  and  in  that  position  he  used  to  write 
his  leading  articles.  Squelchers,  some  of 
them. —  The  Golden  Buttery. 

Squib  (costermongers),  a  head  of 
asparagus.  (Painters),  a  paint- 
brush. 


Squibob — Stab. 


295 


Squibob  (American),  a  term  ap- 
plied usually  in  contempt,  but 
sometimes  in  indifference  to 
anybody.  From  provincial  Eng- 
lish squybobble,  a  fuss,  a  needless 
ceremony.  Hence  a  man  who 
is  finicky  and  fussy. 

Squiffed  (common),  slightly  in- 
toxicated. 

He  never  tells  his  wifelet  what  the  nature 

of  the  "biz"  is  ; 
And  when  he  rolls  home  rather  squiffed, 

just  as  the  day  is  dawning, 
Do  you  think  he  ever  tells  her  what  has 

kept  him  out  till  morning  ! 

— Sporting  Times. 

Also  squiffy. 

It  was  melted  so  soon,  I  am  rather  afraid 

That  our  hero  was  squiffy,  or  worse  : 
And  some  might  have  fancied  that  most  of 
it  laid. 

— Sporting  Times. 

Squinny  (American),  to  cause  a 
laugh,  to  laugh,  wink,  and  smile. 
Squinny,  provincial  English,  to 
squint ;  tquin,  a  wink. 

Squinny-eyed  (common),  a  mo- 
dern street  phrase  of  general 
application  in  an  offensive  sense, 
but  rather  out  of  vogue. 

Squinting  (tailors),  being  without 
food  or  anything  requisite.  The 
French  say  of  anything  longed 
for,  "cela  le  fait  loucher." 

Squirm  or  squirt  (public  schools), 
small  obnoxious  boy.  (Ameri- 
can), to  get  a  squirm  on,  to  begin 
moving,  to  bestir  oneself.  Pro- 
perly to  wriggle. 

Turn  out  your  bundle  quick,  get  a  squirm 
on  you  1 — Detroit  Free  Press. 


Squirt  (Harvard  University),  a 
showy  recitation.  Hall  says  : 
"  From  the  ease  and  quickness 
with  which  the  words  flow  from 
the  mouth,  being  analogous  to 
the  ease  and  quickness  which 
attend  the  sudden  ejection  of  a 
stream  of  water  from  a  pipe. 
Such  a  recitation  being  generally 
perfect,  the  word  squirt  is  very 
often  used  to  convey  that  idea. 
Perhaps  there  is  not,  in  the 
whole  vocabulary  of  college 
cant  terms,  one  more  expressive 
than  this,  or  that  so  easily  con- 
veys its  meaning  merely  by  its 
sound.  It  is  mostly  used  col- 
loquially."   Also  a  fop. 

If  they  won't  keep  company  with  squirts 
and  dandies,  who's  going  to  make  a  monkey 
of  himself?  —  Magazine:  Jones's  Court- 
ship. 

(Stock  Exchange),  a  man  who 
hangs  about  the  market  with  a 
paltry  order,  and  who  will  not 
deal  fairly.  ( Common),  a  doctor 
or  apothecary  (nearly  obsolete). 

Squirt  your  dye  (American).  This 
means,  "  Now,  do  your  best, 
your  turn  for  action  has  come  I  " 
A  phrase  borrowed  from  the 
dyer's  workshop.  It  is  generally 
heard  as  "  Now  then,  squirt  your 
dye/" 

Squish  (University  and  public 
schools),  marmalade.  The  term 
is  used  at  the  Royal  Military 
Academy. 

Stab  (billiards),  to  make  a  stab 
shot  is  to  cause  your  own  ball 
to  stop  dead  on  the  spot  occu- 


296 


'Stab — Staggers. 


pied  by  the  object  ball,  or  only 
to  run  through  it  a  very  little 
way. 

'Stab,  on  the  (printers).  A  man 
employed  on  regular  work,  and 
at  a  fixed  weekly  wage,  is  said 
to  be  on  the  "  establishment," 
and  this  word  is  very  commonly 
shortened  to  'stab. 

Stab  rag  (popular),  a  tailor. 

Stab,  to  (theatrical).  "Stab  your- 
self, and  pass  the  dagger."  A 
jovial  synonym  for  "  Help  your- 
self, and  pass  the  bottle." 

Stag  (Stock  Exchange),  a  man 
who  applies  for  shares  or  stock 
in  a  new  company  with  the 
intention  of  selling  as  soon  as 
possible  at  a  premium. 

A  stag  there  was — as  I've  heard  tell, 
Who  in  an  attic  used  to  dwell, 
Or  rather — to  use  a  fitter  phrase — 
Who  in  an  attic  used  to  gaze  ; 
And  being  blest,  like  many  I  know, 
With  little  conscience,  and  less  rhino, 
Took  to  that  frailest  of  all  frail  ways. 
— Atkin:  House  Scraps. 

(Thieves),  one  who  has  turned 
State's  evidence,  an  informer. 
To  turn  stag,  to  peach,  betray, 
turn  informer,  from  the  mean- 
ing of  to  stag,  to  watch,  hence 
to  spy  and  inform.  Also,  a 
shilling. 

Stag  dance  (American),  a  peculiar 
buffoon  dance  performed  by 
men  alone.    Vide  Stag  Pabty. 

After  supper  a  universal  stag  dance  of 
not  less  than  fifty  couples  came  off.  This 
is  a  peculiar  kind  of  affair,  in  which  the 
dancers  arrange  themselves  in  two  long 


lines,  facing  each  other,  inside  of  a  lane 
of  candles,  half  buried  in  the  ground,  and 
above  these  three  muskets  forming  a  tri- 
pod, and  each  bayonet  having  a  candle 
spluttering  on  its  point.  Drums,  fifes,  and 
violins  formed  the  orchestra.  The  cadets 
started  with  a  simultaneous  bound,  involv- 
ing themselves  inextricably,  and  at  last  it 
became  a  mere  competition  who  should 
work  his  legs  and  feet  most  excruciatingly. 
— The  West  Point  Scrap-Book. 

Stage-dooring  (theatrical),  hang- 
ing about  the  scenes  or  doors 
reserved  for  actors. 

Mr. refused  to  put  the  chorus  ladies 

into  tights,  and  the  public  was  gently  but 
firmly  made  to  understand  that  stage- 
dooring  was  not  allowed,  that  supper  par- 
ties were  forbidden. — Evening  News. 

Stage  wait  (theatrical),  keeping 
the  stage  waiting  so  as  to  sus- 
pend the  progress  of  the  play. 

One  night,  some  years  ago,  there  was 
what  we  call  a  stage  wait — the  next  per- 
former had  not  arrived. — Sporting-  Times. 

Stagger  (popular  and  thieves), 
one  who  looks,  watches. 

Staggerer  (common),  applied  to 
anything  wonderful,  astounding, 
that  staggers  one. 

Jobson  showed  me  what  he  rightly  called 
a  staggerer.  Highland  scene,  cattle  life- 
size  ..."  Had  to  get  a  Pickford's  van  to 
take  it  to  the  Academy." — Moonshine. 

Considering  the  slowness  of  the  wicket 
yesterday,  this  in  itself  was  a  notable  fea- 
ture of  the  innings,  but  the  greatest  stag- 
gerer was  that  one  man  made  more  than 
half  of  the  total. — Star. 

Staggers,  hungry,  explained  by 
quotation. 

Shall  I  let  the  chances  of  stealing  a  tur- 
nip off  a  stall,  or  a  loaf  out  of  a  baker's 
barrow,  go  past  me,  while  I  keep  straight 


Stag — Stale. 


297 


on,  looking  out  for  an  honest  way  ? — 
straight  on,  and  straight  on,  till  I  get 
the  hungry  staggers  (you  never  had  the 
hungry  staggers,  Mr.  Magistrate),  and 
tumble  down  on  the  road  ?  I'm  not  such 
a  fool,  thank'e.  I  don't  see  the  pull  of  it. 
— Seven  Curses  of  London. 

Stag  mag  (theatrical),  stage 
manager. 

Stag  party  (common),  a  party  of 
men.  A  simile  obviously  bor- 
rowed from  the  groups  of 
younger  stags  who  are  driven 
away  to  associate  by  them- 
selves, when  the  stronger  and 
older  males  monopolise  the 
females. 

"  I  have  observed,"  remarked  Cyn,  "  that 
among  animals  it  is  the  strongest,  bravest, 
and  best  who'  monopolise  the  favours  of 
the  females.  A  stag  party  of  deer  con- 
sists of  the  feebler  bachelors,  the  fools,  so 
to  speak,  of  the  herd.  But  in  humanity  the 
rule  is  reversed.  Nineteen  out  of  twenty 
of  the  ladies'  darlings,  the  regular  mashers, 
the  dear  Berties,  are  the  very  refuse  of 
our  sex,  so  far  as  brains  are  concerned. 
You  may  find  stag  parties  of  the  most 
manly  and  intelligent  men,  in  which  there 
are  some  who  never  had  a  bonne  fortune, 
and  those  who  have  enjoyed  them  had  to 
work  hard  enough  for  their  happiness ;  while 
a  drivelling  fool  of  an  opera-singer,  or  a 
small  actor  half  idiotic  with  vanity  and 
ignorance,  will  be  overwhelmed  with  love- 
letters  from  all  sorts  and  conditions  of 
belles."— The  Stag  Club. 

I  lose  myself  in  a  little  party  of  old 
bricks,  who,  under  pretence  of  looking  at 
the  pictures,  are  keeping  up  a  small  stag 
party  at  the  end  of  the  room.  —  Mace 
Sloper  (C.  G.  L.)  in  the  Knickerbocker 
Magazine. 

Stag,  to  (popular  and  thieves),  to 
look,  watch.  Alluding  to  the 
fixed,  intent  staring  of  a  stag. 
Suggested  to  be  from  Swedish 


staga,  to   stop,   as   staying   to 
listen. 

Lest  the  transaction  may  have  been 
stagged  by  some  impertinent  bystander 
or  a  trap,  he  mounts  his  box  and  drives 
away. — Jon  Bee:  A  Living  Picture  of 
London  for  1828. 

So  you've  been  stagging  this  gentle- 
man and  me,  and  listening,  have  you  ? — 
H.  Kingsley :  Geoffry  Hatnlyn. 

Stairs  without  a  landing  (thieves), 
the  treadmill. 

Well,  I'll  tell  you.  Our  last  lodger— 
about  two  years  older  than  you  he  was, 
and  as  clever  a  little  fellow  as  ever  turned 
his  hand  to  diving — he  lasted  as  a  lodger 
of  mine  only  nine  weeks.  He's  lodging 
now  at  Coldbaths  Fields — getting  up  the 
stairs  without  a  landing.  Three  months 
of  it,  and  twice  privately  whipped.  Bad 
for  him,  isn't  it  ? —  The  Little  Ragamuffins. 

Stakes  (thieves),  stolen  handker- 
chiefs. 

Stake,  to  (American),  to  provide 
for.  A  phrase  derived  from 
the  picketing  or  staking  out 
of  horses  and  mules  in  frontier 
life. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  he  had  plenty  of 
money  and  plenty  of  clothing  when  he  left, 
for  his  family  staked  him.  It  is  known 
that  he  had  $55  on  the  night  preceding  the 
murder. — Chicago  Herald. 

Stale  bear  (Stock  Exchange),  a 
man  who  has  sold  stock  which 
he  does  not  possess,  and  has 
not  bought  it  back.  A  bear 
who  has  been  short  of  stock  for 
a  considerable  period  (Atkin, 
"  House  Scraps  "). 

Stale  bull  (Stock  Exchange),  a 
man  who  has  held  stock  for  a 
long  period  without  profit. 


298 


Stale — Stamp-backs. 


Stale  drunk  (common),  is  said  of 
a  man  who  has  been  drunk  at 
night,  and  has  taken  too  much 
stimulants  in  the  form  of  spirits 
the  following  morning. 

Stale  whimer  (old  cant),  a  bastard. 

Stalk,  the  (Punch  and  Judy  men), 
the  gallows. 

Stall  (popular),  trick,  excuse,  de- 
fence, humbug,  pretence.  Early 
English,  a  snare,  or  decoy. 
Also  stale. 

For  two  pins,  wretches,  I'd  smash  you  all. 
It's  nice,  on  my  word,  such  things  I  ne'er 

heard, 
You've  been  hiding  my  bird  for  a  stall. 

— Broadside  Ballad :  The  Masher 
and  the  Parrot. 

(Thieves),  explained  by  quo- 
tation. 

"  Little  Burks  (as  he  was  called),  the 
police  detective,  who  was  discharged  for 
acquainting  the  thieves  with  all  that  was 
transacted  in  the  detective  department, 
wouldn't  mind  acting  as  a  stall  in  a 
robbery." 

"What's  that?" 

"Why,  cover  a  robbery.  If  he  saw  a 
mob  of  thieves  at  work  he  would  get  his 
brother  policeman  away  on  some  pretence 
till  the  job  was  over,  and  then  claim  his 
share  in  the  swag." — Evidence  given  by 
an  old  Police  Officer. 

Stalling  ken  (old  cant),  a  broker's 
or  receiver's  place. 

Stallion  (circus),  a  piebald  horse 
(doubtful  or  varied  in  its  appli- 
cation). (Common),  a  lascivious 
man. 

Stallsman  (thieves),  an  accom- 
plice who  takes  charge  of  the 


plunder;  from  to  "stall  off," 
take  away. 

Stall,  to  (theatrical),  to  act  a  part. 
(Popular),  to  lodge  or  put  up  at 
a  public-house.  (Thieves),  to 
screen  a  robbery  while  it  is 
being  perpetrated,  to  surround 
an  intended  victim  in  a  crowd 
while  a  confederate  operates. 
(Old  cant),  to  make,  arrange ; 
"  stalling  to  the  rogue,"  admitting 
a  new  member.  Also  to  conceal, 
to  carry  off,  put  by  as  booty. 

I  met  a  dell,  I  viewed  her  well, 
She  was  benship  to  my  watch  ; 

So  she  and  I  did  stall  and  cloy 
Whatever  we  could  catch. 

— The  English  Rogue. 

Stall  your  mug  (popular),  go 
away,  make  yourself  scarce. 
Thieves  use  this  expression  gene- 
rally with  the  meaning  of  go 
home,  take  shelter. 

Stamp  (printers),  separate  types 
are  commonly  called — especially 
by  outsiders — stamps.  (Ameri- 
can), a  peculiar  way  of  throwing 
dice  out  of  a  box.  "  I  have  seen 
three  sixes  thrown  thrice  in 
succession  by  stamping." 

Stamp-backs  (gambling  cheats), 
explained  by  quotation. 

It  is  absolutely  and  utterly  impossible 
to  distinguish  the  microscopic  dots  and 
lines  of  the  ordinary  marked  card  while  it 
is  being  dealt  off  the  pack,  and  no  man 
ever  lived  who  could  use  them  to  advan- 
tage. The  first  of  the  kind  produced  were 
the  old-fashioned  stamp-backs,  but  players 
soon  found  out  that  no  system  of  marks 
were  eligible  while  the  cards  were  in  mo- 
tion, and  they  dropped  them. — Star. 


Stampers — Stand. 


299 


Stampers  (thieves),  feet,  shoes. 

Strike  up,  piper,  a  merry  merry  dance, 
That  we  on  our  stampers  may  foot  it  and 
prance. 

— Broome :  Jovial  Crew. 

Stamps  (old  cant),  legs.  "  Stamps 
in  the  Harmans,"  legs  in  the 
stocks. 


Stander-up  (American  thieves),  a 
man  who  robs  intoxicated  per- 
sons under  pretence  of  aiding 
them  to  go  home. 

They  gave  Chandler  the  name  of  being 
a  stander-up  of  drunken  men.  The  proper 
mode  of  standing-tip  a  tipsy  man,  accord- 
ing to  the  rules,  is  to  place  your  right  arm 
under  the  left  arm  of  the  sleeper  close  to 
the  shoulder,  placing  the  hand  on  his  waist- 
coat, just  above  his  left  vest  pocket.  As 
you  raise  him  with  the  right  hand,  press 
your  hand  hard  against  his  body  so  that 
he  will  not  feel  the  watch  slipping  from 
his  pocket  into  your  left  hand.  —  Phila- 
delphia Press. 

Standing  dish  (society),  a  com- 
mon expression  for  any  one  who 
is  constantly  lunching,  dining, 

or  calling  at  a  house.    "  Mr. 

is  always  lunching  here,  he  is 
quite  a  standing  dish."  Gene- 
rally speaking  applied  to  any 
one  or  anything  which  often 
makes  its  appearance  before  the 
public. 

Lottery  started  with  the  call  of  Cigar 
and  Peter  Simple  (the  grey),  whose  oppo- 
nents also  included  those  standing  dishes, 
Charity  and  Seventy-four.  —  Sporting 
Times. 

Stand  in,  to  (general),  to  have  a 
share  in  a  bet  or  any  specula- 
tion. 


Here,  hand  me  the  flimsies,  and  stand 

in  with  me, 
I'll  do  a  good  turn  to  a  friend  of  old 
Flo's. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Mr. ,  I  believe,  was  asked  to  stand 

in  with  him,  but  the  Jove  of  the  Lyceum 
declared  that  the  prices  were  ruinous.  The 
result,  however,  was  an  enormous  success. 
— Star. 

Take  a  side  in  a  dispute. 
(Thieves),  have  a  share  of  the 
proceeds  of  a  robbery. 

If  I  lend  you  these  I  shall  want  to  stand 
in  ;  but  I  said  I  can't  stand  you  at  that ; 
I  will  grease  your  dukes  if  you  like. — 
Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Stand-offish  (society),  a  noli  me 
tangere  manner. 

A  hundred  years  since  Versailles  was 
almost  divided  into  two  camps.  The 
quarter  of  Notre"  Dame  almost  proudly 
assumed  the  title  of  the  patriotic  quarter. 
Its  denizens  gave  the  first  deputies  of 
France  a  cordial  welcome,  while  those  of 
St.  Louis  stood  aloof.  It  is  solemn  and 
respectable,  one  might  almost  say  stand- 
offish. Its  doors  keep  people  at  a  distance, 
and  its  windows  seem  to  look  with  a  kind 
of  contempt  on  the  passers-by. — Evening 
Aeivs. 

Stand  off,  to  (American),  to  put 
off  by  means  of  a  trick. 

Loop-holed  !  Well,  the  man  who  built 
this  place  expected  occasionally  to  have  to 
stand  off  irate  Mexicans  who  had  followed 
stolen  stock  into  the  valley. — F.  Francis: 
Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Stand  on  one's  hind  legs,  to 
(popular),  to  show  anger,  to  take 
a  thing  in  bad  part,  or  to  lose 
one's  temper.    French  sej:abrer. 

Stand  on  velvet,  to  (racing),  to 
have  all  your  bets  Becured,  and 
on  the  winning  side. 


3oo 


Stands — Starting. 


Stands  on  his  ears  (American), 
an  expression  which,  like  stand- 
ing on  his  head,  or  throwing 
somersaults,  denotes  exhilara- 
tion of  spirits. 

Man  springeth  up  as  the  toad-stool,  and 
standeth  upon  his  ears  when  he  is  young, 
hut  as  he  groweth  older  he  wrinkleth  up 
with  worry,  and  his  beauty  fadeth  away. 
—Thomas  P.  Mont/ori. 

Stand  to  (common),  to  treat  to. 

If  you  like  to  stand  a  can  of  beer,  you 
may  enter  the  smithy  and  have  a  chat 
with  them ;  but  idle  only  on  your  part. 
— Greenwood :  In  Strange  Company. 

Stand  me  a  drink  before  I  go ;  it  is  an 
arduous  task  I  have  to  perform. — Bird  o' 
Freedom. 

Star  (auction),  an  article  not  pro- 
perly belonging  to  the  sale 
introduced  into  an  auction  of 
goods. 

Starcher  (common),  stiff  white 
necktie. 

Star-gazer  (popular),  a  horse  that 
keeps  its  head  high  when  trot- 
ting or  galloping.  Also  a  hedge 
prostitute. 

Star-gazers  (American),  "ladies 
of  the  pavement,  who  walk  by 
night,  not  so  much,  however,  to 
study  the  heavenly  bodies,  as 
to  dispose  of  their  own."  "Bats, 
night  -  hawks,  owls,  astrono- 
mers, nocturnes,  moonlighters, 
moths,  nightlies,  nymphs  of 
darkness." 


His  "  bingo  "  was  unexceptionable ;  and 
as  for  his  stark-naked,  it  was  voted  the 
most  brilliant  thing  in  nature. — Lytton: 
Paul  Clifford. 

Starling  (police),  a  person  marked 
for  the  police.  From  a  play  on 
spotted,  marked  out. 

Star-queller  (theatrical),  is  a  term 
applied  to  an  actor  whose  im- 
perfect acting  mars  that  of 
better  actors. 

Starring  (prison).  "Some  crack 
a  pane  in  a  shop-front  and  by 
passing  the  wet  thumb  along, 
they  can  direct  the  crack  as 
they  please ;  then  removing 
the  glass  they  can  remove  the 
goods  "  (Chesterton's  "  Revela- 
tions of  Prison  Life  ").  A  lump 
of  putty  is  sometimes  placed 
on  the  window  and  then  struck 
with  a  life-preserver.  The  glass 
is  thus  broken  without  noise, 
even  that  of  falling  glass. 

Star  the  glaze,  to  (popular  and 
thieves),  to  break  a  window 
pane ;  to  star  in  that  sense  is 
provincial  English. 

So,  in  fractional  arithmetic,  it  is  con- 
sidered highly  improper  to  star  the  glaze, 
in  falling  through  the  sashes  of  a  grapery, 
when  on  the  look-out  for  grapes. — Diprose : 
Laugh  and  Learn. 

Start,  the  (beggars  and  tramps), 
London.  Grose  gives  it  as  being 
Newgate.  (Popular),  a  rum  start, 
an  odd  circumstance. 


Stark-naked    (old    slang),    raw 
gin.    Also  "strip-me-na£ed." 


Starting  (popular),  a  reprimand 
or  beating. 


Star — Stay. 


301 


Star,  to  (theatrical),  to  perform 
as  a  star  with  inferior  actors. 
Also  to  star  it. 

To  use  a  bit  of  theatrical  slang,  Mr. 

is  starring  it  with  success  in  Wales, 

and  is  not  likely  to  forget  the  extraor- 
dinary moonlight  demonstration  at  Single- 
ton Abbey.—  Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

(Billiards),  to  star  is  to  receive 
one  or  more  additional  lives  in 
the  course  of  the  pool  game, 
on  payment  of  an  additional 
entrance  fee. 

Staruben  (gypsy),  imprisoned. 

Where  is  Anselo  W.  ?  He  that  was 
staruben  for  a  gry  ? — C.  G.  Leland :  The 
Gypsies. 

Vide  STURIBEN. 

« 

Starve  'em,  Rob  'em,  and  Cheat 
'em,  slang  names  for  the  con- 
tiguous or  united  towns  of 
Stroud,  Rochester,  and  Chat- 
ham. "  So  called,"  says  Grose, 
"by  soldiers  and  sailors,  and 
not  without  good  reason." 

Stash,  to  (common),  to  cease, 
stop,  stay,  leave  off.  As  this 
word  agrees  in  every  particular 
as  to  meaning  with  the  gypsy 
hatch,  it  is  possibly  an  anagram 
of  it,  or  a  corruption  of  to  stanch, 
which  formerly  had  the  limited 
meaning  of  to  stop. 

What  to  the  heel  do  you  stash  at  ?  I'll 
chive  you.— Jon  Bee  :  A  Living  Picture  of 
London. 

Stationery  (theatrical),  paper,  or 
orders  in  a  theatre. 

Staving-,  rip-staving,  rip-staver- 
ing  (American),  to  stave,  i.e.,  to 


break  into,  as  to  stave  a  cask, 
is  correct.  From  this  comes  to 
stave,  to  burst  through,  or  press 
onward.  "  The  world  will  stave 
right  on,"  "Where  are  you  stav- 
ing to  1 "  Hence  staving,  dash- 
ing on,  proceeding  brilliantly, 
doing  well,  as  a  staving  business. 
"Ripping  and  staving  along" 
may  be  heard  sometimes.  "Rip- 
snorter,  rip-staver,  a  tearer,  driver, 
dasher  "  (Bartlett).      Fide  Rip. 

Stay  (American).  "  To  be  stayed 
with  is  to  be  courted  by  a 
man  "  (Bartlett).  To  stay  with 
a  woman  is  to  carry  courtship 
to  the  extreme.  (Common),  to 
stay  is  said  of  a  horse  or  man 
with  powers  of  endurance. 

M.  Carnot  .  .  .'has  been  unquestion- 
ably the  most  hard-worked  citizen  in  this 
country  ;  yet  he  has  amazed  his  entourage 
by  his  staying  powers. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Stayer  (sporting),  one  not  to 
•be  discouraged.  An  athlete  or 
horse  who  has  powers  of  en- 
durance. 

The  distance  was  half-a-mile,  and  con- 
siderable interest  was  taken  in  the  race,  in 
which  a  fine  contest  was  expected  to  ensue 
between  the  holder,  H.  C.  S.,  and  J.  N., 
who  has  previously  been  known  as  a  short- 
distance  swimmer  rather  than  a  stayer. — 
Pastime. 

Gonfalon  is  stopped  by  his  penalty,  and 
is  nearly  certain  to  give  way  to  Theo- 
phrastus,  who  is  a  rare  old  stayer. — 
Referee. 

Stay  out  (Eton),  meaning  the  re- 
verse. 

Sometimes  Blazes  had  a  lazy  fit,  and 
put  himself  on  the  sick  list  for  a  day.  This 
was  called  stay  out,  for  the  reason  that 


302 


Stay-tape — Stem-winder. 


one  had  to  stay  in. — Brinsley  Richards : 
Seven  Years  at  Eton. 

Many  things  at  Eton  were  called  by 
misnomers,  in  the  construction  of  which 
the  lucus  a  non  lucendo  principle  came 
out  very  strong.  Thus,  when  we  stayed 
in,  we  said  we  were  staying  out ;  when 
"absence"  was  called,  we  had  to  be 
present;  a  third  of  a  year  was  called  a 
half,  &c.  &c— Sketchy  Memories  of  Eton. 

Stay-tape  (trade),  a  dry  goods 
clerk  or  salesman. 

Steak,  a  two-eyed  (popular),  a 
bloater,  or  "  soger,"  or  red  her- 
ring. 

Steamer  (American),  a  tobacco- 
pipe. 

Steaming  (popular),  a  pudding 
steamed.  In  Manchester  a  po- 
tato-pie is  called  a  steam-engine. 
The  term  is  much  used  in  the 
army. 

Steel,  prison  slang  for  Coldbath 
Fields,  from  the  Bastille.  A 
name  it  earned  rightly  from  its 
abominable  management  in  the 
early  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  and  wrongly  from  the 
ignorant  outcry  which  greeted 
the  introduction  of  the  separate 
(or  silent  and  solitary)  system 
of  imprisonment. 

"And  the  Steel — the  place  to  which  Mr. 
Eggshells  alludes  in  connection  with  his 
retirement  ?  " 

"  Coldbath  Fields,"  responded  Mr.  Bad- 
ger, promptly,  "quod  —  gaol  —  prison  — 
that's  the  Steel." — /.  Greenwood:  Dick 
Temple. 

The  term  has  been  extended 
to  any  prison,  lock-up. 


He  pitched  into  the  policeman,  was 
lugged  off  to  the  steel,  had  up  before 
the  magistrate,  and  got  a  month. — Thor 
Fredur:  Sketches  front  Shady  Places. 

Steel-bar  drivers  (popular), 
journeymen  tailors.  Termed 
also  "  Singers." 

Steel-pen  (common).  A  steel-pen 
coat  is  a  dress  coat. 

As  regards  the  coat,  the  Emperor  has 
sternly  set  his  face  against  the  "swallow- 
tail," "claw-hammer,"  or  steel-pen  gar- 
ment which,  for  the  last  sixty  years,  has 
been  'mercilessly  inflicted  on  civilised 
society  all  over  the  world. — Daily  Tele- 
graph. 

Steep  (American),  extreme.  "A 
steep  price. "  Steep  grade,  a  rather 
difficult  undertaking.  De  Vere 
remarks  that  steep  is  not  only 
used  in  its  literal  sense,  but  by  a 
kind  of  bold  hyperbole  applied 
to  things  generally.  Men  speak 
of  "a  steep  price  for  a  farm," 
and  complain  of  "  a  steep  tax  to 
be  paid."  The  French  have 
raide  (steep),  for  anything  diffi- 
cult to  perform,  to  believe,  or 
to  stomach. 

At  the  election  in  Minnesota  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  Winnebago  Indians,  wearing 
their  blankets,  voted  the  Democratic 
ticket ;  but  the  agent  thought  this  was 
rather  steep,  sohe  afterwards  crossed  that 
number  from  the  list. — Chicago  Tribune. 

Steeple -house,  Puritan  for 
church. 

Stems  (popular),  the  legs. 

Stem-winder  (American),  applied 
to  anything  quite  perfect  and 
finished,  "  with  the  latest  im- 
provements." 


Step — Steward. 


303 


"  Denver." 

"  Yes,  sir,  you're  right,  Denver.  Now, 
there's  a  booming  city — regular  stem- 
winder.     Ever  been  to  Denver  ?  " 

"  Yes,  siree.  Denver  is  a  pretty  slick 
sort  of  a  place.  Didn't  stay  there  long, 
eh  ?  " — American  Newspaper. 

Step  down  and  step  out !  (Ame- 
rican), an  intimation  to  cease, 
or  a  hint  that  a  man  has  the 
worst  of  it. 

Step  it,  to  (common),  to  run  away. 

Mr.  Curtis  slipped  into  his  pockets  nine 
silver  knives,  and  some  dessert  spoons  and 
forks,  and  then  we  regret  to  say  he  stewed 
it,  but  he  did  so  like  a  gentleman. — Daily 
Telegraph. 

The  last  dull  rays  of  the  rushlight  were 
gleaming, 
Poor  Snip  and  his  wife,  just  as  usual, 
were  tight : 
That  the  landlord  would  seize  they  had 
long  been  a-dreaming, 
So  they  made  up  their  minds  to  just  step 
it  that  night. 

— Fred.  Perry:  Ballad. 

Stepper  (prison),  the  treadmill. 

Stepping  it  (army),  desertion. 
When  a  soldier  absents  himself 
with  no  intention  of  returning, 
he  is  said  to  have  stepped  it  by 
his  comrades. 

Stepping  ken,  a  dance-house. 
English,  but  now  more  used  in 
America,  where  the  dance-house 
is  much  commoner  than  in  Eng- 
land. It  is  a  dancing-hall  fre- 
quented by  sailors,  and  the 
lowest  classes  of  men  and  wo- 
men of  all  kinds.  The  shameless 
debauchery  practised  in  these 
places  is  of  the  most  outri 
description. 


Stereo  (printers),  any  one  relating 
stale  news  to  his  companions, 
would  be  told  it  was  stereo,  i.e., 
already  "  cast."     Vide  Geoege 

HOENE. 

Steven  (thieves),  money.  Vide 
Stevee. 

I  rather  fancies  that  it's  news, 
How  in  a  mill,  both  men  should  lose ; 
For  vere  the  odds  are  thus  made  even, 
It  plays  the  dickens  with  the  steven. 
— Ainsworth:  Rookwood. 

Stever  (popular),  a  penny;  Dutch, 
stuiver.    English  stiver. 

But  now  I've  grown  to  man's  estate,  for 

work  I've  never  cared, 
I've  "  prossed  "  my  meals  from  off  my  pals, 

ofttimes  I've  badly  fared  ; 
Last  night  I  had  a  single  brown,  a  faggot 

thought  I'd  buy, 
I  dropped  the  stever  down  the  sink,  and 

then  said  with  a  sigh, 
"  I  can't  get  at  it." 

— Catnach  Press  Broadside. 

Stew  (old),  not  wholly  obsolete, 
for  a  brothel ;  a  «<eie-holder,  the 
keeper  of  a  house  of  ill-fame. 
The  name  of  stew  originated 
from  such  establishments  being 
generally  held  in  conjunction 
with  places  where  hot  baths 
were  kept,  and  where  the  men 
who  frequented  them,  if  afraid 
of  infection,  might  resort  to 
the  hot  bath  and  induce  copious 
perspiration,  by  way  of  possible 
purification.  A  prostitute  was 
often  called  a  stew,  in  the  seven- 
teenth century. 

Steward  (American  cadet),  the 
doctor  at  West  Point,  United 
States  Military  Academy. 


304 


Stick — Sticks. 


Stick  (general  and  American), 
an  inefficient  person. 

If  you've  got  any  sticks  working  in  this 
office  I  want  them  discharged  at  once.  I 
can't  allow  any  but  first-class  men  in  this 
department. — Chicago  Tribune. 

An  awkward  and  uninte- 
resting actor  is  often  called  a 
stick.  (Thieves),  a  crowbar. 
Burglars  that  "work  with  the 
stick"  are  looked  down  upon 
by  those  that  "  work  with  the 
'  screws.' " 

"What  tools  will  you  want?"  "We 
shall  want  some  twirls  and  the  stick." — 
Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

(Silver  trade,  &c),  stick,  for 
candlestick,  also  a  candle. 

Sticker  (popular),  a  butcher  or 
slaughterer. 

Sporting  with  feelings,  'tis  too  bad, 
Although  a  butcher's  boy, 

For  stickers  may  be  made  to  smart 
With  love's  cruel  alloy. 

— W.  B.:  Sporting  with  Young  Kill 
Butts  Heart. 

Stick-hopper  (sport),  hurdle- 
racer. 

First  Fiddler  is  being  taught  hurdle- 
jumping  at  Richmond,  where  they  are  re- 
ported to  have  two  or  three  very  promising 
stick-hoppers.  — Evening  News. 

Sticking  (theatrical),  or  "dead 
stick,"  when  all  concerned  get 
muddled. 

Stick  in,  to  (cricket),  or  to  keep 
up  one's  wicket,  is  to  avoid 
getting  out  by  careful  play 
without  attempting  to  make 
runs. 


Stick  it  up,  to  (popular),  to  put 
a  charge  down  to  any  account, 
to  score. 

The  old  man  has  died  and  left  in  his  will 
That  all  is  for  me  so  I'll  pay  every  bill, 
Though  some  stick  it  up,   now  I'll  pay 

money  down, 
And  ride  in  my  carriage  all  over  the  town. 
— Charles  Sheard:  I'm  a  Millionaire. 

Sticks  (common),  furniture. 

To  the  individual  whose  average  earn- 
ings are  perhaps  half-a-crown  a  day,  fur- 
nished lodgings  are  of  course  out  of  the 
question,  and  so  none  will  permit  him  to 
occupy  a  room  in  a  private  house,  unless 
he  has  at  least  a  few  sticks  by  way  of 
security  for  the  payment  of  a  week's  rent. 
— ■/.  Greenwood:  Tag,  Rag,  6*  Co. 

To  tide  over  till  then  is  a  work  of  some 
difficulty,  but  the  sticks  and  the  "ward- 
robe "  of  the  family  have  paid  the  rent  up 
to  now. — George  R.  Sims :  How  the  Poor 
Live. 

A  poor  woman  owed  ns.  3d.  for  rent. 
A  broker  distrained  on  her  goods.  They 
were  sold  at  auction  for  £2,  is.  od.,  the 
expenses  amounting  to  £2,  4s.  Among 
other  items  10s.  had  been  charged  for 
advertising  her  miserable  sticks. — Daily 
Telegraph. 

(Printers),  another  slang  term 
for  bad  or  hard  printing  rollers. 
(Racing),  hurdles. 

Some  little  time  back  Trap  was  smart 
over  sticks,  but  now,  I  fear,  he  is  no  flyer ; 
and  of  the  others,  Lowestoft,  if  he  can 
jump,  might  have  to  be  reckoned  with, 
while  both  Never  and  Windsor  did  better 
at  Croydon  than  is  imagined. — Evening 
News. 

(Cricket),  the  stumps. 

Every  ball  on  the  sticks, 
And  the  wicket  playing  vilely  up  to  all 
kinds  of  tricks. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

(Old  cant),  pistols. 


Sticks — Stiff. 


305 


Sticks  and  stones  (popular),  one's 
sticks  and  stones  are  one's  house- 
hold goods  and  possessions,  equi- 
valent to  Lares  and  Penates. 

Stick,  to  cut  one's.  Vide  Cut 
One's  Stick. 

"That  lad,"  said  he  to  the  sergeant, 
when  the  lad  had  gone  out,  "that  lad's 
apprentice  to  a  customer  of  mine.  I  sup- 
pose he's  cut  it's  stick." — The  Gaol  Cradle. 

Stick,  to  stick,  to  be  stuck.  This 
word,  in  the  sense  of  to  cheat, 
to  be  taken  in,  or  as  signifying 
loss,  is  English,  but  like  many 
slang  terms  it  has  been  very 
much  extended  and  developed 
in  the  United  States.  Thus  any 
and  every  kind  of  miscalculation, 
or  error,  or  mistake,  involves  or 
results  in  being  stuck,  or  in  a 
stick.  A  man  left  with  a  certain 
number  of  unsaleable  articles  is 
stuck  to  that  amount,  and  so  on. 
There  is  a  story  of  a  country 
fellow,  who,  having  gone  into 
an  auction,  was  told  after  it 
was  over  that  he  must  pay  for 
an  immense  quantity  of  goods 
which  he  had  purchased. 
"Why,  I  didn't  buy  no  goods," 
he  replied.  "  Yes,  you  did," 
replied  the  auctioneer.  "  Every 
time  I  winked  to  you,  you 
nodded  again,  and  that  was  a 
bid."  '"Twan't  no  bid,"  cried 
the  countryman.  "You  kep  a 
winkin'  at  me,  as  much  as  to 
say,  '  Yes,  you  see  how  I'm  goin' 
to  stick  somebody  this  time,' 
and  I  nodded  back,  meanin'  •'  I'm 
darned  if  you  don't,  mister.'" 
(Popular  and  thieves),  to  stick 
up,  to  deceive,  cheat,  disappoint. 

vol.  n. 


Now  don't  stick  me  up  (disappoint)  ; 
meet  me  at  six  to-night. — Horsley :  Jot' 
tings  from  Jail. 

(Australian),  to  rob,  to  en- 
trap, to  take  violent  possession 
of.  To  stick  up  literally  sig- 
nifies to  stop.  "Stop,"  in  the 
days  of  highwaymen  in  England, 
had  a  similarly  disagreeable  con- 
notation. Australians  talk  of  a 
bank  being  stuck  up,  i.e.,  rob- 
bed, of  being  stuck  up  by  bush- 
rangers, &c. 

Why,  they  stuck  up  Wilson's  Station 
there,  and  murdered  the  man  and  woman 
in  the  kitchen ;  they  then  planted  inside 
the  house,  and  waited  until  Wilson  came 
home  at  night  with  his  stockman.  Then 
they  rushed  out,  and  knocked  old  Wilson 
on  the  head,  and  drove  a  spear  through 
the  man's  side. — A.  C.  Grant:  Bush  Life 
in  Queensland. 

A  man  talks  of  being  stuck  up 
when  he  does  not  see  how  to 
score  at  billiards,  when  he  is 
puzzled  for  an  answer,  in  fact, 
whee  he  cannot  get  on  in  any 
matter. 

Sticky -fingered  (popular),  thiev- 
ish or  covetous.  The  metaphor 
is  obvious.  In  French  cant 
poisser  (to  make  sticky,  clam), 
signifies  to  steal;  poisseur  or 
poisse,  a  thief. 

"  You're  as  sticky -fingered  as  a  Scotch- 
man." 

"  Why  a  Scotchman  in  particular?" 
"  Because  he  keeps  the  Sabbath,  and 
everything  else  he  can  lay  hands  on." 

A  dialogue  heard  after  the 
joke  came  out  in  Punch. 

Stiff  (general),  paper  of  any  kind, 
so  called  from  its  stiffness;  a 
promissory  note,  used  in  con- 
V 


306 


Stiff— Stilting. 


trast  with  "  hard,"  which  signi- 
fies cash,  or  hard  money.  To 
do  a  "  bit  of  stiff"  is  to  accept 
or  endorse  a  bill. 

Could  not  otherwise  obtain  his  share  of 
the  plunder  than  by  taking  paper  from 
P.,  i.e.,  stiff,  in  the  form  "I  promise  to 
pay." — Jon  Bee:  A  Living  Picture  of 
London. 

(American  turf),  explained  by 
quotation. 

"  What  do  they  mean  by  a  stiff  in  the 
race?" 

"  That  means  generally  a  horse  that  on 
public  form  should  win  the  race,  and  that 
either  the  jockey,  trainer,  or  horse  has 
been  '  fixed '  so  that  he  will  not  win.  I 
have  heard  the  term  '  bookmaker's  stiff' 
used,  and  it  means  about  the  same  thing, 
and  is  played  at  the  expense  of  the  public 
and  in  the  interest  of  the  bookmakers." — 
St.  Louis  Republican. 

(Popular  and  thieves),  a  letter, 
a  secret  or  clandestine  com- 
munication between  a  prisoner 
and  his  friends  outside,  or 
between  one  and  another.  It 
is  written  on  a  sheet  torn  out 
of  a  library  book,  or  on  whitey- 
brown,  with  a  scrap  of  pencil 
picked  up  and  cautiously  se- 
creted, or  a  piece  provided  by 
an  officer  in  connivance. 

"  You've  got  a  '  new  chum '  in  your 
party  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  he's  got  a  fiver.  He  is  a  draper, 
from  Leicester.  He  says  you  used  to  be 
his  lawyer." 

"  Ask  him  to  write  me  particulars  of  his 
case." 

"  Oh,  yes ;  I'll  swag  it  in.  I  have  a 
piece  of  '  cedar '  which  I'll  lend  him  to 
write  the  stiff." — Evening  News. 

(Popular),  a  stiff,  a  corpse. 

I've  been  terribly  scared  myself.  I  re- 
collect one  night,  something  like  this,  I 


had  gone  out  about  eleven  o'clock  to  get 
the  stiff  of  a  man  who  had  died  of  con- 
sumption.— Globe  Democrat. 

Stiff-fencer  (streets),  a  street  seller 
of  notepaper.     Vide  Stiff. 

Stiff  for  (sporting  Australian),  cer- 
tain for.  The  metaphor  here  is 
something  that  cannot  be  di- 
verted (or  averted).  After  the 
Melbourne  Derby  and  Cup  of 
1880,  Grand  Flaneur  was  con- 
sidered stiff  for  every  race  for 
which  he  was  entered. 


Stiff  on  (tailors). 
Hobse. 


Vide  Dead- 


Stiff  'un  (popular),  a  corpse. 
(Turf),  a  horse  certain  not  to 
run. 

The  shilling  you  sent  me,  dearest  mother, 

Has  caused  your  boy  some  weeks  of 

mental  pain, 

I  backed  a  stiff 'un  with  it,  dearest  mother, 

You  shall  have  it  when  the  Gee-gees  run 

again. 

— When  the  Gee-gees  run  Again. 
The  latter,  seeing  how  sensitive  the 
market  is  nowadays,  and  how  inclined 
racing  men  are  to  follow  what  is  done  by 
layers  who  have  the  reputation  of  living 
out  of  stiff  'uns,  kept  his  place  in  a  way 
that  can  only  be  regarded  as  miraculous. 
— Referee. 

There  are  two  bookmakers 
in  Melbourne  nicknamed  "  the 
Undertakers,"  because  of  their 
fondness  for  laying  against  stiff 
'uns,  which,  in  this  case,  means 
horses  that  are  certain  not  to 


Stilting  (thieves),  synonymous 
with  "  high  flying,"  explained 
by  quotation. 


Stilton — Stone. 


307 


"  Don't  say  another  word,"  said  he  : 
"am  I  anything  in  the  police,  indeed  I 
You  are  a  nice  sort  of  chap  to  try  your 
hand  at  stilting!  "  (first-class  pocket-pick- 
ing). "  Why,  what  d'yer  mean  by  it  ? 
How  long  have  you  been  about?" — The 
Little  Ragamuffins. 

Stilton  (common),  that's  the  Stil- 
ton, a  rendering  of  "  that's  the 
cheese." 

Stinger  (common),  a  hard  blow. 

Stingo  (popular),  strong  ale. 

...  to  prove  his  trust  in  native  stingo, 
quaffed  off  a  flagon  of  it.  —  Daily  Tele- 
graph. 

Stink  cupboard,  a  cupboard  in 
a  chemical  laboratory  through 
which  a  strong  upward  draught 
passes,  and  into  which  any  evil- 
smelling  and  noxious  prepara- 
tion is  placed  during  the  pro- 
cess of  its  manufacture. 

Stinkious,  gin  ;  a  word  in  use  in 
the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century. 

Stinks  (schools,  &c),  chemistry, 
a  lecturer  on  physical  science, 
especially  chemistry.  When  a 
man  took  his  degree  in  natural 
science,  he  used  to  be  said  at 
Cambridge  to  "go  out  in  stinks." 

Stinky  (army),  a  farrier  or  shoe- 
ing smith.  Query  so  called  from 
the  unpleasant  smell  of  burning 
hoof,  &c,  so  often  accompany- 
ing the  fitting  of  new  shoes  to  a 
horse. 

Stir  (thieves),  prison.  Abbrevia- 
tion of  "  sturiben  "  (which  see). 


Stiver  (American),  to  run  away, 
be  off  rapidly.  Dutch  stuiven, 
to  fly,  rush  away. 

Stock  actor  (theatrical),  an 
artiste  who  is  a  regular  member 
of  a  stock  company. 

Stock  cards,  to  (cardsharpers), 
to  arrange  cards  for  cheating 
purposes. 

Stock,  long  of,  explained  by 
quotation. 

Long  of  stock  is  an  American  term  for  a 
holder  of  securities  who  anticipates  ability 
to  sell  at  a  higher  price  than  that  at  which 
he  purchased. — St.  James's  Gazette. 

Stodge  (Charterhouse),  the  in- 
side of  a  -roll  or  the  crumb 
of  new  bread.  (Popular  and 
thieves),  food.  Stodge  is  pro- 
vincial for  soft  food,  pottage, 
&c,  of  any  kind.  From  stodge, 
thick,  slimy  mud. 

Stodger  (common),  a  great  eate^r, 
gormandiser.  (Charterhouse), 
a  penny  bun. 

Stodge,  to  (common),  to  gorge 
oneself  with  food. 

Stolen  ken  (old  cant),  a  broker's 
shop. 

Stomp  drawers  (old  cant), 
stockings. 

Stone  broke  or  stoney  (general), 
term  in  very  common  use  among 
men  in  the  fashionable  world 
to  express  that  they  are  in 
extreme  financial  difficulties  and 
on  the  verge  of  bankruptcy, 
if  not  already  bankrupts.    The 


308 


Stone — Stop-lay. 


term  is  perhaps  derived  from 
"stone-breaking,"  in  that  the 
solid  mass  of  rock,  broken  up 
into  small  fragments,  and  only- 
useful  for  mending  roads  with, 
is  a  decided  come-down  for 
a  granite  rock.  Or  it  is  an 
allusion  to  "rock"  or  "bed 
rock ' '  dollar,  last  dollar.  Origin  - 
ally  American.  The  term  is  now 
in  general  use.  The  writer  heard 
it  from  the  lips  of  itinerants,  &c. 

At  your  mute  call  the  people  flock, 
The  banker  for  his  pounds  pawns  stock ; 
The  widow  for  the  mite  pawns  frock ; 
The  milkmaid  sweet,  she  pawns  a  crock  ; 
All  stoney  broke — with  not  a  "rock," 
Ye  three  brass  balls. 

— Detroit  Free  Press. 

We  shall  see  scores  of  punters  who  went 
stoney  over  Manchester  working  away  at 
Croydon  this  afternoon. — Evening  News. 

Stone-jug,  the,  originally  New- 
gate Prison.     Now  any  prison. 

\    In  a  box  of  the  stone-jug  I  was  born. 
— Ainswortk :  Jerry  Juniper's  Chant. 

"The  elders  of  the  Kirk  in 
Glasgow  used  of  old  to  go  out 
of  church  and  make  a  sweep 
round  for  absentees  and  idlers, 
who  on  Monday  were  placed  in 
the  stocks  or  pillory,  which 
being  called  (from  the  Latin 
jugum,  a  yoke),  the  jougs,  the 
treatment  was  styled  '  clapping 
them  in  the  jougs,'  hence  stone 
jougs  or  jug.  Parish  jugs  in 
Scotland  consisted  of  an  iron 
collar  fastened  by  a  chain  and 
padlock  to  one  6f  the  entrance 
piers  of  the  churchyard  gate. 
This  was  the  iron  jug,  and  a 
prison  in  which  the  offender 
is  confined  bodily  becomes,  by 


an  easy  association  of  ideas, 
the  stone-jug."  "  It  is  remark- 
able that  the  use  of  the  phrase 
stone-jug  for  prison,  finds  a 
parallel  in  Greek.  The  Scho- 
liast on  the  Iliad,  on  the  word 
Keramos,  gives  the  meaning, 
a  prison,  as  a  Cyprian  usage" 
(Notes  and  Queries).  Grose  calls 
it  a  "stone  doublet." 

Stone-fence  (common),  brandy 
and  ale.  A  variation  of  "  breaky 
leg." 

Stook  (thieves),  pocket-handker- 
chief. Probably  Yiddish,  from 
the  German  stuck,  a  piece.  Stook- 
hauler,  a  pickpocket  who  steals 
pocket-handkerchiefs. 

Stoop,  the  (old  cant),  the  pillory. 

Stop,  on  the  (thieves),  explained 
by  quotation. 

You  have  heard  of  working  on  the  stop, 
most  likely,  which  means  picking  pockets 
when  the  party  is  standing  still. — Temple 
Bar. 

Stop-lay.  Two  or  more  well- 
dressed  pickpockets  promenade 
singly,  until  they  select  a  person 
that  will  answer  their  purpose. 
One  then  inquires  of  him  the 
direction  to  a  place  somewhat 
distant.  On  being  told,  he  pre- 
tends not  to  understand  his 
informant,  who,  becoming  inte- 
rested in  his  desire  to  be  ex- 
plicit, draws  closer  to  the  in- 
quirer. At  this  instant  one  or 
both  the  others  walk  up,  and  in 
an  instant  the  obliging  man  is 
relieved  of  a  part  of  his  property 
This  is  called  the  stop-lay. 


Stormen-^-Straight. 


309 


Stormen  (society),  a  hot  member 
of  society,  a  man  who  is  ex- 
tremely proficient  at  anything, 
a  lady  who  is  fast  and  peculiar 
in  ways  and  language ;  the 
origin  of  the  word  is  a  storm 
which  bears  down  everything 
before  it. 

Stotor  (old  cant),  a  heavy  blow ; 
Dutch  stoat,  a  blow,  thrust,  or 
push.  "  Het  schip  stiet  op  en 
onder  schip  " — "  The  ship  fell 
foul  upon  another  ship." 

Stouts  (Stock  Exchange),  Arthur 
Guinness,  Son  &  Co.  Shares. 

Stove-pipe  (popular),  a  silk  hat. 
French  "tuyau  de  poele." 

Stow,  to  (thieves),  to  live. 

You  may  have  a  crib  to  stow  in, 
Welcome,  my  pal,  as  the  flowers  in  May. 
—  W.  Maginn  :  Vidocq's  Slang  Song: 

(Popular),  stop,  cease. 

'  Stow  that  gammon,"  interposed  the 
robber. — Dickens :  Oliver  Twist. 

Stow  it,  Emma  .  .  .  It's  only  a  lark  .  .  . 
Lark  or  linnet,  you  stow  it,  or  I  shall  have 
to  show  you  downstairs. — J.  Greenwood : 
Low-Life  Deeps. 

Stow  that  kid,  stop  that  non- 
sense, humbug. 

I  am  a  Devonshire  clergyman's  daughter, 
and  just  left  my  home  with  an  officer — 
oh,  stow  that  kid.  Here's  half  a  dollar, 
which  is  precious  near  the  last — Sporting 
Times. 

To  stow,  not  to  talk  about. 

You  maunders  all  stow  what  you  stall, 
To  rum  coves  what  so  quire. 
— Song:  Clear  Out,  Look  Sharp. 

Stow     magging,     stow    your 


whids,  stow  your  gab,  hold  your 
tongue. 

"  Oh !  stow  your  gab,  now,  old  'un,  do ; 

Oh  !  stow  your  gab,"  said  she  ; 
"  And,  though  it's  nowt  to  do  wi'  you, 

I'll  tell  what's  ailin'  me." 

— Scraps. 

(Nautical),  to  stow  one's  jaw- 
ing tackle,  to  hold  one's  tongue . 

But  'tain't  for  a  British  seaman  to  brag, 
so  I'll  just  stow  my  jawin'  tackle  and  be- 
lay.— Gilbert:  Ruddigore. 

"  To  stow  comes  from  old  Eng- 
lish stewen,  to  restrain;  akin 
to  stay,  stop,  stand.  Compare 
Shetland  stow !  hush  I  silence  ! " 
(A.  Smythe  Palmer). 

Straddle,  spread  (American),  a 
Stock  Exchange  term  for  "  op- 
tions." This  term  is  also  used 
in  England. 

The  well-understood  operation  of  put 
and  call  is  in  danger  of  being  henceforth 
known  as  straddle  or  spread.  — St.  fames' s 
Gazette. 

Straddle,  to  (American).  When 
a  candidate  for  office,  "or  any 
other  man,"  in  America  does 
not  take  sides  distinctly  with 
one  party  or  the  other,  he  is 
said  to  be  "  on  the  fence,"  or  to 
straddle  it.  * 

Their  view  of  the  message  is  that  the 
President  has  convictions  on  the  subject, 
but  lacks  the  courage  to  give  expression 
to  them  in  a  fighting  way ;  so  he  straddled. 
—  Chicago  Tribune. 

Straight  (American).  In  the 
United  States  a  straight  drink 
means  one  of  unmixed  spirits, 
e.g.,  whisky  straight,  is  the  same 
as  neat.  But  Mr.  Hotten  is 
quite  wrong  in  saying  that  it  is 


3io 


Straight — Strap. 


peculiar  to  dram-drinkers.  It 
is  used  in  many  strange  ways. 
Thus,  if  cigars  are  labelled, 
" Ten  cents  apiece,  straight"  it 
means  that  no  deduction  "will 
be  made  for  buying  a  number 
of  them.  To  vote  the  straight 
ticket  at  an  election  is  to  do  so 
without  scratching,  that  is  to 
say,  without  taking  off  the  name 
of  any  candidate  and  substi- 
tuting another. 

Jn  molasses,  mixtures  are  relatively 
cheaper  than  straight  goods. — New  York 
Price  Current. 

But  refusing  to  take  e'en  a  moment  of  rest, 

He  exceedingly  rapidly  fell, 
By  dint  of  disposing  of  glass  after  glass, 

Into  that  Bacchanalian  state, 
Into  which  you  will  almost  be  certain  to 
pass 
If  you  go  in  for  taking  Scotch  straight. 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Straighten  the  screw,  to  (thieves), 
to  bribe  the  jailer. 

I've  knowed  what  it  was  to  go  starvin' 
on  skilly  and  toke  for  a  month,  and  then 
'ave  a  cold  mutton  chop,  as  was  sent  in  by 
a  pal  as  'ad  straightened  the  screw,  shoved 
in  through  my  trap. — Sporting  Times. 

Straight    griffin,  the   (popular), 
"the  straight  tip,"  or  hint. 

The  Old  Temple  Bar  was  to  London  a  cuss, 
But  I  think  the  new  griffin's  a  jolly  sight 

worse, 
Our  sage  city-fathers  grandmothers  appear 
To  raise  such  a  griffin,  at  which  people  jeer, 
Now  here's  the  straight  griffin — it  won't 

long  be  here. 

— Ballad:  Oh  lor,  oh  lor,  oh  dear. 

In  explanation  of  this  verse  it 
may  be  said  that  Old  Temple 
Bar  was  removed  because  it 
was  considered  ugly  by  all  who 


regard  everything  ugly  which 
is  not  brand-new,  but  chiefly 
because  it  was  in  the  way.  A 
monument,  representing  a  griffin, 
was  raised  on  its  site,  to  com- 
memorate it — which  monument 
is  quite  as  much  in  the  way  as 
"the  Bar"  ever  was,  and,  in 
the  opinion  of  everybody,  except 
perhaps  its  manufacturer,  twice 
as  ugly. 

Straight  racket,  on  the  (thieves), 
leading  an  honest  life. 

Plenty  of  cases  might  be  cited  where 
wrong  'uns  who  were  wanted  went  to  a 
chief  of  police,  demanded  truce  on  promise 
of  amendment,  and  most  scrupulously  ob- 
served the  conditions  of  the  treaty.  "  Will 
you  leave  me  alone  if  I  take  on  the  straight 
racket  ?"  is  a  question  often  answered  in 
the  affirmative. — Referee. 

Straight  tip  (racing),  straight  is 
probably  only  a  slang  form  of 
"  right."  Latin  and  Greek  have 
each  a  word  meaning  both 
straight  and  correct.  Straight  tip 
originally  meant  correct  in- 
formation as  to  what  horse 
would  win  a  race,  but  is  used 
slangily  for  "good  advice"  or 
"  correct  information  about  any- 
thing." 

He  was  a  real  good  fellow,  and  would 
give  them  the  straight  tip. — A.  C.  Grant : 
Bush  Life  in  Australia. 

Strain  your  taters,  to  (common), 
to  urinate.  The  play  is  on  kid- 
ney potatoes.    Also  "  to  scatter." 

Strap  (popular),  credit  at  a  pub- 
lic-house or  other  place  where 
drink  is  retailed.    The  word  is 


V 


Strap — Streaks. 


3ii 


common  among  small  dealers, 
but  has  not  yet  extended  to  the 
classes  immediately  above  them. 

I  was  once  told  by  a  brassfounder  that 
out  of  thirty-six  men  in  the  factory  where 
he  was  employed  no  fewer  than  thirty-two 
were  on  the  books  of  a  public-house  to 
which  the  men  regularly  resorted,  as  there 
they  could  get  strap,  i.e.,  credit. — Daily 
Telegraph. 

I've  tried  to  get  fried  fish  on  strap, 

But  found  it  was  no  use. 
For  when  I  said  she  was  a  duck, 
She  said  I  was  a  goose. 

—  T.  W.  Barrett:  Blow  Me  up 
an  Apple-Tree. 

Strap  is  a  Yorkshire  term. 
The  idea  is  probably  that  of 
a  man  in  debt,  metaphorically 
bound  by  a  strap  or  tightening 
his  belt  as  if  hungry.  The 
French  use  the  term  serri 
for  needy.  (American),  hard 
strapped,  in  great  trouble,  much 
distressed  for  money.  Vide 
Black-Steap. 

Strawer  (public  schools),  straw 
hat. 

Strawing  (streets),  '"selling* 
straws  in  the  streets  for  a  penny 
and  'giving'  the  purchaser  a 
paper  (indecent  or  political),  or 
a  gold  ring ;  neither  of  which, 
the  patterer  states,  he  is  allowed 
by  Act  of  Parliament  to  sell" 
(Hotten). 

Straw,  in  the,  to  describe  a 
woman  in  childbed.  "  Halli- 
well  and  Wright  give  the  ex- 
pression as  an  archaism,  but 
without  instances  of  its  use. 
It  is  not  found  in  the  older 
phraseological  dictionary.   Hot- 


ten  derives  it  from  the  uses  of 
.  the  farmyard,  Webster  from 
the  supposed  practice  of  making 
beds  of  straw.  The  more  pro- 
bable derivation  is  that  given 
from  the  practice  of  laying 
down  straw  before  a  house  in 
which  a  lady  is  confined.  I 
believed  that  the  expression 
was  only  applied  to  persons  of 
condition.  I  am  reminded  of  a 
characteristic  witticism  uttered 
by  a  celebrated  judge,  many 
years  ago,  in  connection  with 
this  practice.  He  was  on  cir- 
cuit, and  going  in  state  with 
the  high  sheriff  to  the  court- 
house, the  street  in  front  and 
round  the  court  was  found 
covered  with*  straw.  Some 
curiosity  was  expressed  by  the 
sheriff  to  know* why  this  was 
done.  The  learned  judge  said 
he  supposed  it  was  on  account 
of  the  fjaol  delivery"  (G.  B.  B., 
Notes  and  Queries). 

Streaked,  streaky.  Bartlett  gives 
this  as  American :  "To  feel 
streaked,  is  to  feel  confused, 
alarmed ;  "  Hotten  as  English 
slang  for  irritated  or  ill-tem- 
pered, and  derives  it  from  its 
being  "said  of  a  short-tempered 
man  who  has  his  good  or  bad 
times  in  streaks."  The  Dutch 
say,  "  Daar  loopt  met  hem  eea 
streck  door,"  i.e.,  a  streak  runs 
through  him,  which  Sewell 
translates  as,  "  He  has  a  weak 
place  in  his  head." 

Streaks,  to  make  (American),  to 
decamp ;  also  "  make  tracks." 


312 


Street — Strike. 


Street  ganger  (thieves),  a 
beggar. 

Street  pitchers  (popular),  any  of 
the  class  of  people  who  make  a 
"  pitch  "  or  stand  in  the  streets 
to  sell  articles  or  give  an  enter- 
tainment or  performance  of 
some  kind. 

Stretch  (thieves),  a  year.  Com- 
pare with  "length"  (six  months' 
imprisonment). 

I  did  not  fall  again  for  a  stretch.  This 
time  I  got  two  moon  for  assaulting  the 
reelers  when  canon. — Horsley:  Jottings 
from  Jail. 

"All right,  Sam."  "How much, Toby?" 
"Three  stretch,"  by  which  the  sympathetic 
Sam  knows  his  friend  means  "  three  years." 
— Greenwood :  Under-currents  of  London 
Life. 

One  of  them  called  out,  "We  may  get 
a  stretch  (twelve  months)  for  it,"  and  an- 
other replied,  "  No,  we  can't,  for  loiter- 
ing." One  then  called  out,  "  We  may  get 
'  a  drag '  (three  months),  after  the  remand." 
— Daily  Telegraph. 

(University)  a  walk. 
Stretched  (thieves),  hanged. 

The  night  before  Larry  was  stretched. 
The  boys  they  all  paid  him  a  visit. 

— Death  of  Socrates. 

Stretcher  (common),  a  falsehood. 

Stretcher  fencer  (streets),  a  street 
seller  of  braces. 

Stretch-hemp  (common),  a  candi- 
date for  the  gallows. 

Stretching  match  (thieves),  an 
execution  by  hanging. 

A  long,  an  audible  breath  of  relief  passes 
like  a  wave  over  the  crowd.    They  look  at 


one  another.  After  all,  Billy  would  be 
saved  his  stretching  match,  and  the  girl 
would  die  game. — Savage  London. 

Strides  (theatrical),  trousers. 

Strike,  to  (old  cant),  to  steal 
money. 

The  cutting  a  pocket,  or  picking  a  purse, 
is  called  striking. — Greene :  Art  of  Coney- 
catching. 

(American),  to  borrow  or  ex- 
tort money.  From  provincial 
to  strike,  to  tap  a  barrel.  Com- 
pare with  French  slang  taper. 

I  may  strike  you  for  $10  next  week. — 
The  Judge. 

Strike  a  bright,  to  (popular),  to 
have  a  piece  of  good  fortune. 

Strike  a  jigger  (thieves),  to  break 
open  a  door,  or  pick  a  lock. 

Strike  a  light  (popular),  to  open 
an  account  of  the  minor  sort, 
generally  applied  to  ale-house 
scores.  This  is  said  to  have 
originated  with  printers. 

Strike  it  rich,  to  (American),  to 
find  a  rich  vein. 

To  increase  the  unfounded  enmity 
against  the  boy-miner,  and  give  it  such 
basis  as  envy  would  rate  enough,  he  found 
a  vein,  struck  it  rick,  as  the  saying  goes. 
— H.  L.  Williams :  Buffalo  Bill. 

Strike  me  blind  (nautical),  rice. 

Strike  me  lucky !  (popular),  an 
exclamation  used  when  conclud- 
ing a  bargain ;  from  the  old 
custom  of  striking  hands  and 
leaving  a  luck  or  earnest  coin 
in  that  of  the  seller,  formerly 


Strike — Strummel. 


313 


termed  God's  penny.  In  France, 
when  letting  apartments  or  a 
house,  it  is  customary  to  give 
the  concierge  a  silver  or  gold 
coin  as  denier  &  Dieu. 

Strike  oil,  to,  to  come  upon,  dis- 
cover oil.  Hence  to  be  very 
lucky,  to  hit  upon  a  fortune. 
A  metaphor  borrowed  from  an 
American  phrase. 

Dr.  Stanford  has  undoubtedly  struck  oil 
with  this  novel  adaptation  of  our  national 
melodies. — London  Figaro. 

Strikers  (American),  persons  who 

in  politics  and  elections  simply 

aim  at  personal  profit. 

My  dear  boy,  you  do  not  understand 

these  matters  yet.     The  mugwumps  do 

not  form  a  party  or  nominate  a  ticket. 

They  sit  in  judgment  on  the  other  fellows. 

They  are  not  political  strikers.    They  are 

political  kickers.      They  want  no  offices 

for  themselves,  but  they  demand  the  best 

services  for  the  State. — Boston  Herald. 

Stringer  (cricket),  a  very  hard 
ball  to  play,  one  that  puzzles 
the  batsman.  Possibly  alluding 
to  a  ball  that  comes  in  direct  on 
the  stringed  handle  of  the  bat, 
consequently  one  hard  to  play. 

String,  to  (printers),  to  mislead, 
or  put  one  on  the  wrong  scent ; 
to  hoax  a  person  would  be  to 
ttring  him,  i.e.,  to  lead  him. 
(Provincial),  to  get  in  a  string, 
to  deceive.  (Billiards),  players 
string  at  the  commencement  of 
the  game  for  choice  of  balls  and 
option  of  breaking,  by  playing 
both  together  from  the  two 
corner  spots  in  the  D.  They 
play  to   hit   the   top  cushion, 


and  rebound  back  into  baulk. 
The  winner  is  he  who  gets  his 
ball  nearest  to  the  bottom 
cushion  when  the  balls  have 
come  to  a  rest.  To  string  is 
therefore  to  play  up  and  down 
the  table,  literally  to  put  on  a 
line  (as  to  string  beads).  A  com- 
mon expression  in  America  is 
"  to  get  in  a  string,"  applied  to 
any  kind  of  fortunate  series. 
The  French  have  the  slang  term 
"  se  faire  enfiler "  (literally  to 
get  strung  or  stringed),  mean- 
ing to  have  an  unlucky  series 
at  cards,  hence  to  lose  much 
money. 

Strippers  (gambling  cheats),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

Strippers  were  also  great  favourites — 
that  is  to  say,  packs  in  which  the  high 
cards  were  a  little  wider  than  the  rest, 
and  cut  slightly  wedge  shape,  so  that  they 
could  be  drawn  out  at  will. — Star. 

Struck  all  of  a  heap  (popular), 
astounded. 

For  a  second  he  stood  struck  all  of  a 
heap,  as  he  explained  to  his  wife  after- 
wards. Then  he  burst  into  a  roar  of 
laughter. — George  R.  Sims:  The  Doll's 
Secret. 

Strummel  (cant),  straw.     Gypsy 
strammd. 

The  bantling's  born ;  the  doxy's  in  the 
strummel,  laid  by  an  autumn  (autcm) 
mort  of  their  own  crew  that  served  for 
midwife. — Broome :  Jovial  Crew. 

Hair,  called  also  "  thatch." 

With  my  strummel  faked  in  the  newest 
twig. 

— Ainsiuorth:  Rookwood. 

Strummel    or    strummel    faker 
(cant),  a  hairdresser,  barber. 


3*4 


Stubble — Stu  mper. 


Stubble  your  whids  (thieves), 
hold  your  tongue. 

Stubble  your  ivhids, 
You  wants  to  trick  I. 

Lend  you  my  quids? 
Not  one,  by  Dickey. 

— Lytton:  Paul  Clifford. 

Stuck,  to  be  (popular),  to  be 
moneyless.  Vide  Stick,  to 
Stick.  (American),  to  be  at  a 
disadvantage,  to  lose  in  trade, 
to  lose  by  miscalculation. 

"  We're  the  only  Eastern  folks  in  the 
Yonkville  Stock,  unless  Mr.  Sloper  will 
take  a  few  shares — and,  of  course,  any 
body  else  may  be  stuck,  and  be  darned." — 
Mace  Sloper,  by  C.  G.  Leland:  Knicker- 
bocker Magazine,  March  1856  (cited  by  J. 
R.  Bartlett). 

Shielding  (Winchester  College), 
explained  by  quotation. 

Stuckling  was  a  kind  of  flat  pastry  made 
of  chopped  apples  and  currants.  And  the 
speciality  of  it  was  that  the  apples  must  be 
that  year's  apples.  They  used  to  be  sent 
up  from  Devonshire  or  Cornwall,  and  some- 
times were  with  difficulty  obtained. — T.  A. 
Trollope :  What  I  Remember. 

Stuck  on  it  (American),  fond  of, 
addicted  to.  To  get  stuck  on  a 
girl,  to  fall  in  love  with  her. 

Spring's  the  best  time  to  buy  stock. 
Turn  'em  on  to  your  range  when  the  grass 
is  green,  and  there's  plenty  of  it ;  they  get 
stuck  on  it  then,  and  stop  there — you 
don't  have  no  trouble  locating  them. — F. 
Francis :  Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Stuff  (American),  a  stuff,  a  weak, 
worthless  person,  one  without 
energy.  In  low  slang  used  for 
an  honest,  respectable  citizen. 
(Common),  money. 

Has  she  got  the  stuff?  Is  she  rich  ?— 
Sheridan :  The  Rivals. 


(Prison),  tobacco. 

When  was  I  at  the  steel?  Had  I  got 
any  stuff?  That  screw  was  all  right.  He 
would  sling  some  stuff  for  a  quid. — Even- 
ing News. 

Stuff-gownsman  (legal),  a  junior 
or  barrister  under  the  degree  of 
Queen's  Counsel  is  so  called. 

Stuggy  (public  schools),  thick- 
set. 

Stumer  (London  slang),  a  ficti- 
tious or  dishonoured  cheque. 
From  German  stumm,  stv/mme, 
dumb,  in  imitation  of  the  Eng- 
lish "  dummy,"  meaning  both 
"  dumb  "  and  "  sham." 

My  collection  of  writs,  pawn-tickets, 
Unreceipted  bills,  stumers,  letters  from 
tarts,  unpublished  operas,  and  correspond- 
ence.— Sporting  Times. 

Stump  (old  cant),  strength. 

Now  my  kinching-cove  is  gone, 
By  the  rum-pad  maundette  none  ; 
Quarrons  both  for  stump  and  bone, 
Like  any  clapperdogeon. 

—  The  Rum-Morts'  Song. 

Stumped  (common),  defeated  in 
argument,  nonplussed,  puzzled, 
confused.  Literally  bowled  out. 

To  be  all  "abroad,"  to  be  stumped,  not  to 
know  where 
To  go,  so  disgraced  as  not  to  be  "  placed, " 
Or,  as  Crocky  would  say  to  Jem  Bland, 
"to  be  nowhere." 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

Also  bankrupt,  in  poverty. 
Stumper  (cricket),  wicket-keeper. 

Since  then  he  has  enjoyed  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  one  of  the  finest  stumpers 
that  England  has  ever  produced.  —Sports- 
man. 


Stump — Stunner. 


315 


Stump,  on  the  (common),  or  to 
stump,  to  go  about  speech- 
making  on  politics  or  other  sub- 
ject. Originally  American,  al- 
luding to  an  orator  who  har- 
angues the  populace  from  the 
stump  of  a  tree  or  other  eleva- 
tion. 

The  temptation,  in  short,  would  be  far  too 
severe,  and  would,  too,  so  often  pre- 
vail, 

That  members,  as  'tis  far  too  much  on  the 
stump,  would  be  always  henceforth 
on  "  the  rail." 

— London  Figaro. 

Stumps  (common),  the  legs, 
synonymous  with  "  pins. " 

See — see — the  fine  fellow  grows  weak  on 
the  stumps. — Lytton :  Paul  Clifford. 

"  Shove  on  more  coke ! "  yelled  the 
engine-driver.  "  Shovel  it  up,  shovel  it 
up,  you  butter-fingered  bungler !  Move 
your  stumps,  I  say,  or  I'll  help  you  !  "  and 
he  did,  with  a  heavy  boot. — C.  H.  Ross: 
The  Husbands  Boat. 

Stump-spouter  (Canadian),  an 
itinerant  "orator." 

They  were  downright  Tories — thought 
most  things  would  grow  better  and  stronger 
in  the  long  run  for  being  let  alone  a  bit. 
If  a  constitution  was  to  grow  upvstrong,  it 
didn't  want  forcing  with  a  lot  of  stump- 
spouter 's  rubbish,  and  so  on,  and  so  on. — 
Phillipps-Wollcy:  Trotting*  of  a  Tender- 
foot. 

Stump,  to  (common)  to  defeat, 
literally  bowl  out. 

He  was  determined,  he  said,  to  stump 
the  examiners.—  C.  Bede:  Verdant  Green. 

(Popular),  to  pay,   or  stump 
up. 

Why  don't  you  ask  your  old  governor 
to  stump  up  f — Sketches  by  Boz. 


Only  a  pound  !  it's  only  the  price 
Of  hearing  a  concert  once  or  twice, 

But    common    prudence   would    b»4  you 
stump  it. 

— Hood:  Tale  of  a  Trumpet. 
Why  didn't  he   stump  up  the  ochre? 
— Punch. 

Also  to  stump  the  pewter.  For 
derivation  vide  Stumpy.' 

Stumpy  (popular),  cash,  coin, 
money. 

Reduced  to  despair,  they  ransomed 
themselves  .  .  .  till  they  was  reg'larly 
done  over  and  forked  the  stumpy. — 
Sketches  by  Boz.  % 

Down  with  the  stumpy;  a  tizzy  for  a 
pot  of  half-and-half. — C.  Kingsley:  Alton 
Locke. 

Stumpy  is  that  which  is  paid 
on  a  stump,  synonymous  with 
"paid  on  the  naili"  "In  the 
centre  of  Limerick  Exchange," 
says  O'Keefe,  "is  a  pillar  with 
a  circular  plate  of  copper  about 
three  feet  in  diameter,  called  the 
nail.  On  this  metal  desk  the 
earnest  of  all  Stock  Exchange 
bargains  has  to  be  paid."  A 
similar  custom  prevailed  at 
Bristol,  where  were  four  pillars 
called  nails  in  front  of  the 
Exchange  for  a  similar  purpose. 

Stunner  (common),  splendid,  ex- 
cellent, quite  out  of  the  way ; 
applied  to  a  person  or  thing. 

Who's  the  buyer  of  coat?  Here's  a 
stunner  for  three-and-six,  half-a-crown, 
two  bob,  anything.—/.  Greenwood :  Low- 
Life  Deeps. 

(Popular),  a  surpriser. 

A  six-and-thirty  tonner 
Not  inaptly  called  a  stunner, 
And  known  as  the  Woolwich  Infant. 
-Punch. 


3*6 


Stunning — Sucker. 


Stunning  (common),  astonishing, 
excellent. 

You  were  justly  reproved.  The  word 
stunning  is  decidedly  slang. — Household 
Words. 

She  certainly  was  a  stunning  girl. — 
Punch. 

Stun  out  of  the  regulars  (thieves), 
to  stun  a  man  out  of  his  regulars, 
is  to  cheat  him  out  of  his  rights, 
deprive  him  of  his  share  in  the 
plunder. 

Sturiben  (thieves).  In  America 
sturbin.  In  England  any  prison, 
in  America  the  State-prison. 
The  common  canting  stir  or 
stur  is  an  abbreviation  of  this. 
It  is  a  pure  gypsy  word,  from 
the  root  star-ava.  Correctly 
staripen  in  gypsy.  Stardo  in 
gypsy  means  "  imprisoned." 

My  mush  is  lelled  to  sturiben, 
To  sturiben,  to  sturibon, 
My  mush  is  lelled  to  sturibon, 
To  the  tan  where  mandy  jins. 

— Gypsy  Song. 

Sub  (popular),  to  do  a  sub  is  to 
borrow  money,  probably  an 
abbreviation  of  subtraction. 
Also  a  small  advance  of  pay  in 
this  sense  from  subsidy  or  sub- 
sistence. ■  (Anglo-Indian),  all. 

Suck  (common),  a  swindle.  (Uni- 
versity), a  parasite.  (Old  cant), 
beer,  a  breast-pocket. 

Suck-casa  (costermongers  and 
itinerants),  a  public-house. 

Suck  egg  (popular),  a  silly  person. 
^"  Go  along,  you  suck  egg." 


Sucker  (American),  a  greenhorn, 
a  gullible  person,  a  dupe.  A 
term  much  used  by  thieves  and 
gambling  cheats. 

Such  men  always  take  it  for  granted  that 
an  Englishman  is  a  sucker.  It  is  as  well 
to  foster  the  belief,  for  the  amusement  of 
hearing  them  ingeniously  unfold  their  mag- 
nificent schemes. — F.  Francis:  Saddle 
and  Moccasin. 

Perhaps  I'd  better  buy  land,  waiting  for 
a  rise  and  a  sucker,  buy  horses  with  de- 
fects, sellin'  'em  for  sound,  buy  shares  of 
railroad  stock,  or  mines,  anything  to  beat 
some  one  else  and  get  the  better  of  them. — 
Bird  o'  Freedom. 

From  sucker,  a  fish  which  is  a 
synonym  for  stupidity,  or  from 
sucking,  young,  new  to. 

My  enemy  are  but  sucking  criticks,  who 
would  fain  be  nibbling  ere  their  teeth  had 
come. — Dryden :  A II  for  Love. 

I  suppose  you're  a  young  barrister,  a 
sucking  lawyer. — Thackeray:  The  New- 
comes. 

Also  a  sponger,  a  sycophant, 
same  as  English  suck.  A  per- 
son who  ingratiates  himself  into 
the  favour  of  the  landlord  of  a 
large  hotel,  praises  or  puffs  the 
establishment  in  the  newspapers 
and  makes  himself  agreeable  to 
the  guests,  does  odd  jobs  for 
his  patron,  and  lives  rent-free 
and  board-free  at  his  expense. 
The  same  sort  of  person  was 
once  called  a  sponger  in  Eng- 
land, and  a  sorner  in  Scotland, 
though  both  were  confined  to 
private  practitioners,  and  un- 
known to  hotel-keepers. 

Sam  .  .  .  you're  a  nigger,  but  thar's 
more  real  white  man  under  your  black  skin 
than  could  be  found  in  an  acre  of  such 
varmints  as  that  sucker. — Americans  at 
Home. 


Suck — Suit. 


317 


Suck  in,  to  (common),  to  cheat, 
swindle. 

I  up  wid  a  rock  and  I  hit  him  on  de  shin, 
And  dat's  de  way  I  sucked  him  in. 

— Negro  Song. 

Sucking  the  monkey  (common). 
The  phrase  is  used  by  all  who 
have  to  do  with  wines,  beer, 
&c,  as  sucking  the  liquor  (sur- 
reptitiously) out  of  a  cask,  or 
barrel,  through  a  straw,  or  other 
thin  tube.  From  spirits  con- 
veyed in  cocoa-nuts,  commonly 
called  monkeys  (Marryat,  "Peter 
Simple  "). 

Suck,  to  (American  University), 
to  make  use  of  cribs  and  helps 
to  translation.  (Common),  to 
sponge,  draw  information  from 
a  person.  (Society),  to  suck 
up  to,  to  toady,  flatter,  make 
up  to.  This  word  has  been  bor- 
rowed by  society  from  school- 
boy slang. 

Sudden  death  (Anglo-Indian),  a 
fowl  served  as  a  spatch-cock  (i.e., 
a  split  and  grilled  chicken).  It 
was  so  called  because  it  was 
often  killed  and  cooked  within 
half-an-hour.  Sudden  death,  as 
food,  recalls  the  German  pro- 
verb," Tod  ist  des  Lebens  Bothen- 
brod."  (Popular),  in  tossing,  to 
be  decided  by  the  first  call,  is 
to  go  sudden  death.  (University), 
a  crumpet.     Vide  SORE  Leg. 

Suds,  in  the  (thieves),  embar- 
rassed, nonplussed,  at  a  loss  to 
know  what  course  to  take. 

Suety  Isaac  (popular),  a  pudding 
of  only  duff,  and  without  plums. 


Sugar  (common),  money.  (Ame- 
rican), flattery,  praise,  gam- 
mon. 

Sugar-bag  (Australian  black- 
fellows),  a  nest  of  honey ;  also 
"chewgah  bag."  This  is  the 
name  the  blackfellows  give  to 
the  honey-stores  of  the  wild 
bee,  of  which  they  are  inordi- 
nately fond. 

The  regular  sharp  chop-chop  of  the 
tomahawk  could  he  heard  here  and  there 
where  some  of  them  had  discovered  a 
sugar-tag,  or  a  'possum  on  a  tree. — A.  C. 
Grant :  Bush  Life  in  Queensland. 

Sugar  off,  to  (American),  used 
when  speaking  of  a  large  for- 
tune. 

Josh  Billings  comes  of  a  wealthy  family, 
Shaws  of  Lanesborough  in  Massachusetts, 
and  it  is  estimated  that  his  estate  would 
sugar  off,  as  they  say  in  Vermont,  about 
$200,000. — Harper's  Bazaar. 

Sugar,  to  (rowing),  pretending 
to  row  hard  but  in  effect  shirk- 
ing. 

Suit  (thieves),  a  watch  and  seals. 

Near  to  these  hopeful  youths  sat  a  fence, 
or  receiver,  bargaining  with  a  clouter,  or 
pickpocket,  for  a  suit,  or,  to  speak  in  more 
intelligible  language,  a  watch  and  seals. 
— W.  H.  Ainsworth:  Jack  Shej>j>ard. 

(Popular),  suit  of  mourning,  a 
pair  of  black  eyes.  (American). 
Whiskers  or  moustachios,  as 
being  a  pair  or  a  match,  are 
often  in  the  United  States  called 
a  suit.  Hence  a  head  of  hair 
has  received  the  same  name. 
"A  full-blown  suit  of  whiskers 
and  moustachios,  with  head  to 
match."    Very  naturally  derived 


3i8   ' 


Sukey — Super. 


from  suite  as  a  series,  a  suit  at 
cards,  a  suite  of  rooms,  a  suit  of 
cards,  suite  being  frequently 
pronounced  suit. 

Sukey  (servant -girls),  a  kettle. 
A  servant -girl  is  frequently 
addressed  as  Sukey  by  the  lower 
classes. 

Sulky  (common),  a  one-horse 
chaise,  with  only  room  for  one 
person.  Used  now  only  in 
trotting  matches. 

Summer  game  (American  gam- 
blers), playing  merely  for  amuse- 
ment or  benefit  of  another 
person,  but  with  his  money. 

Sumpsy  (legal),  an  action  of 
assumpsit. 

Stimpsy  is  a  pet  word  among  lawyers  for 
an  action  of  assumpsit. — Morning  Adver- 
tiser. 

Sun  (common),  in  the  sun,  hav- 
ing too  much  drink.  (Naval), 
"  getting  the  sun  over  the  fore- 
yard,"  taking  a  forenoon  cup 
of  grog  at  six  bells,  or  eleven 
o'clock. 

Sunday -face  (popular),  the  be- 
hind. 

Sunday-man  (low),  the  lover  of  a 
street  girl,  her  bully.  Formerly 
a  man  in  debt,  who  went  out 
on  Sundays  only,  for  fear  of  the 
bailiffs.  " 

Sun  dog  (nautical),  the  name 
given  to  the  phantasmic  mir- 
age of  a  mock  sun  shining  near 


the  real  sun — a  phenomenon  ob- 
served in  some  latitudes. 

Sundowner  (Australian),  a  tramp. 

The  Australian  shepherd,  like  the  sun- 
downer,  is  almost  a  thing  of  the  past. — 
The  Graphic. 

Vide  OVEBLAND  MAN. 

Sunshades  (Stock  Exchange), 
Sunehales  Extension  of  the 
Buenos  Ayres  and  Rosario  Rail- 
way Company  Shares. 

Super  (theatrical),  supers,  or 
supernumeraries.  In  the  dic- 
tionaries a  supernumerary  is 
described  as  "  a  person  or  thing 
beyond  the  number  stated,  or 
beyond  what  is  necessary."  If 
this  description  be  accurate, 
then  the  word  supernumerary 
is  utterly  inappropriate  to  de- 
scribe the  humble  but  valuable 
auxiliary  popularly  known  by 
the  name  of  super.  The  super 
is  as  essential  to  the  business 
of  the  historical,  the  melodra- 
matic, or  the  operatic  theatre 
as  the  actor  or  the  vocalist. 
The  super  is  the  valiant  soldier, 
the  faithful  follower,  the  gro- 
tesque retainer  of  the  panto- 
mime. He  it  is  who  seizes  the 
hero,  and  loads  him  with  chains, 
and  drags  him  to  the  deepest  dun- 
geon beneath  the  castle  moat  ; 
or  presently  leads  him  to  storm 
the  castle,  to  cut  off  the  giant's 
head,  or  the  dragon's  tail,  and 
anon  quaffs  his  health  from  a 
gorgeous  empty  goblet  of  papier 
mdch6  what  time  he  comes 
crowned  with  triumphant  lau- 
rels to  rescue  the  lady  of  his 


Super — Supers. 


319 


love,  to  marry  her,  and  to  live 
happy  ever  after.  He  it  is  who 
carries  the  "  wood  of  Birnam" 
on  his  shoulders  to  "  high  Dun- 
sinian  Hill,"  who  patiently  bears 
"  the  blows  and  buffets  of  out- 
rageous fortune"  at  the  hands 
of  that  rascal  Joseph  Kum- 
buster,  the  clown.  The  super's 
work  begins  with  the  rehearsal, 
and  ends  with  the  performance, 
and  he  keeps  the  wolf  from  the 
door  (though  God  knows  how 
he  does  it ! )  at  eighteenpence  or 
half -a-crown  a  night. ,  Amongst 
the  supers  you  will  find  the  idle, 
the  dissolute,  and  the  drunken ; 
but  amongst  them  you  shall  also 
find  the  modest,  the  gentle,  the 
industrious — the  broken  gentle- 
man, the  disbanded  soldier,  the 
disappointed  author,  the  ruined 
tradesman,  bearing  their  fallen 
fortunes  with  equanimity.  Most 
of  these  poor  fellows  are  unpre- 
tentious, uncomplaining ;  and 
very  few  are  unwilling,  or  un- 
intelligent. Upon  all  important 
occasions,  by  special  permis- 
sion, detachments  from  House- 
hold troops,  the  Grenadiers,  the 
Coldstreams,  and  the  Guards 
officiate  as  supers.  During  the 
run  of  Henry  V.,  at  the  Queen's 
Theatre,  the  actor  who  played 
the  king  had  the  honour  of 
having  amongst  his  body-guard 
four  stalwart  six-footers  for  his 
squires,  gallant  gentlemen  who, 
although  reduced  to  the  ranks 
from  adverse  circumstances,  had 
all  held  commissions  in  Her  Ma- 
jesty's service,  and  fought  in 
famous  battles. 


He  is  only  an  amateur  supe,  who  goes 
on  in  the  "  angry  populace  "  scenes.  — 
Greenroom  Jokes. 

At  the  Philadelphia  Academy  of  Music, 
at  the  close  of  the  performance,  the  supers 
and  ballet -girls  demanded  their  wages, 
but  they  were  not  forthcoming. — Boston 
Journal. 

(Thieves),  watch. 

You  must  know  where  to  dispose-ef.  a 
■  super. — Temple  Bar. 

(Thieves  and  popular),  super 
and  slang,  watch  and  chain. 
Also  used  by  itinerants,  strol- 
lers, &c.  &c.  (Australian  up- 
country),  the  superintendent 
of  a  station  or  run.  Colonial 
slang  is  addicted  to  abbrevia- 
tions— e.g.,  prof,  for  professor, 
comp.  for  compositor ;  and  so 
uses  super,  not  in„its  ordinary 
sense  of  supernumerary  at  a 
theatre,  but  in  the  sense  of 
superintendent  of  a  sheep  or 
cattle  station. 

Curly  Johnson,  the  super,  despised  him, 
and  never  neglected  a  chance, 

To  annoy  and  degrade  the  poor  wretch 
who  replied  with  not  even  a  glance. 
' — New  South  Wales  Paper. 

Super  master  (theatrical),  the 
superintendent  of  the  supers  at 
a  theatre. 

Supers  (medical),  explained  by 
quotation. 

Dr.  Oliver  Birnie's  consulting-room  was 
generally  pretty  full  in  the  morning,  and 
always  with  paying  patients.  _He  had 
long  since  passed  the  super  stage  of  the 
profession.  Lest  any  intelligent  reader 
should  be  unacquainted  with  this  phase 
of  medical  practice,  let  me  explain  that  it 
is  the  custom  when  young  doctors  are 
anxious  to  work  up  a  reputation  for  being 


320 


Super- screwing — Swaddler. 


fashionable  for  them  to  engage  a  few 
supers,  that  is,  to  give  advice  gratis  to  a 
few  selected  persons,  on  condition  that 
they  come  once  or  twice  a  week  and  help 
to  make  a  crowd  in  the  waiting-room. — 
C.  Sims :  Rogues  and  Vagabonds. 

Super-screwing  (thieves),  steal- 
ing watches. 

Supouch  (old  cant),  a  landlady. 

Supplejacks  (up-country  Aus- 
tralian), creepers,  lianas.  The 
derivation  is  obviously  from  the 
toughness  and  pliancy  of  these 
lianas,  which  in  Victoria  are 
rare,  but  are  commoner  in  the 
warmer  parts  of  Australia  and 
New  Zealand. 

Supplejacks,  cyclopean, 
Binding  huge  tree  to  tree,  with  strength 
of  mesh 
No  apic  elephant  could  tear  apart ; 
While  up  the  bank,  in  their  spring  glory 
fresh, 
The  blue  lobelia  with  yellow  heart, 
And  waratah  with  flame-hued  royal  crown 
Proclaim  the  beauties  round  Australia's 
own. 

— D.  B.  W.  Sladen :  A  Poet 
of  Exiles. 

Sura  (Anglo- Indian),  this  is  com- 
monly called  toddy,  the  fer- 
mented sap  of  several  kinds  of 
palm,  such  as  the  cocoa,  pal- 
myra, and  wild  date.  Sanskrit 
sura,  vinous  liquor  (Anglo-Indian 
Glossary). 

Surat  (popular),  an  adulterated 
article  of  inferior  quality.  From 
the  mixing  of  cotton  with  surat, 
an  inferior  article. 

Surf  (theatrical),  a  fourth  or  fifth- 
rate    actor    or    musician    who 


blends  some  other  daily  occupa- 
tion with  his  nightly  employ- 
ment at  the  theatre.  (Popular), 
surf,  or  serf,  a  sycophant. 

Sut  (tailors),  satisfactory;  said  of 
anything  gratifying,  fortunate. 

Swab  (naval),  an  epaulet. 

Swack-up  (common),  a  falsehood. 

Swad  (American),  a  crowd,  a  num- 
ber, a  mass,  or  bunch.  Dutch 
zwad,  a  swath,  a  row  of  mown 
grass ;  swod  (Sussex),  a  bushel 
basket  for  measuring  fish ;  a 
swod  of  fish. 

Swadder,  swaddler  (old  cant),  a 
pedlar. 

Swaddler.  In  America  this  term 
is  specially  applied  to  men  who 
are  paid  by  pickpockets  to  preach 
in  public  places  and  collect  a 
crowd  in  which  they  may  ply 
their  craft.  In  England  any 
street-preacher.  In  America 
men  who  pick  a  quarrel  with 
a  man  and  at  the  same  time 
beat  and  rob  him.  Originally 
a  contemptuous  term  for  Metho- 
dists used  by  Roman  Catholics. 
"It  happened  that  Cennick, 
preaching  on  Christmas  Day, 
took  for  his  text  these  words 
from  St.  Luke's  Gospel,  'And 
this  shall  be  a  sign  unto  you ; 
ye  shall  find  the  babe  wrapped 
in  swaddling-clothes,  lying  in  a 
manger."  A  Catholic  who  was 
present,  and  to  whom  the  lan- 
guage of  Scripture  was  a  no- 
velty, thought  this  so  ridiculous 


Swaddler — Swagman . 


321 


that  he  called  the  preacher  a 
swaddler  in  derision  (Southey, 
"Life  of  Wesley").  In  old 
cant  a  swaddler  was  a  pedlar. 
Hotten  gives  the  definition  "a 
Roman  Catholic  who  pretends 
conversion." 

Swaddy  (popular),  an  opprobrious 
name  for  a  soldier ;  in  old  cant 
swad,  swadkin.  Swad  is  a  Lan- 
cashire term,  thought  to  be  from 
pea-swad,  used  by  old  writers 
for  a  silly  fellow,  a  country 
bumpkin. 

Did  sweare  that  he  would  kill  and  slay, 

I,  mary,  would  he  doe, 
If  any  swad  besides  himselfe  faire  madam 

owle  did  wowe. 
— Warner:  Albion's  England,  1592. 

Again,  it  is  possible  that 
it  owes  its  origin  to  the  cant 
term  swadder,  a  pedlar,  alluding 
to  the  soldiers  tramping  about 
with  a  knapsack  like  a  pedlar's 
pack,  or  to  the  provincial  swad, 
a  sword. 

Swag  (old  cant),  a  shop. 
(Costers),  a  large  collection  of 
miscellaneous  goods.  Hence 
swag-ahop  (also  termed  a  swag), 
swag-b&Trovr.  (Thieves),  booty, 
plunder.  Swag -shop,  a  re- 
ceiver's place,  also  swag-chovey. 

"  It's  all  arranged  about  bringing  off 
the  swag,  is  it?"  asked  the  Jew.— C. 
Dickens :  Oliver  Twist. 

Twas  awful  to  hear,  as  she  went  along, 
The  dark  allusion,  or  bolder  brag 
Of  the  dexterous  dodge,  and  the  lots  of 
swag. 

—Hood:  Tale  0/ a  Trumpet. 

"  We  must  do  it  to-night,  Tioss,"  said 
the  elder,  soon  after  dusk.     "The  swag's 
VOL.  II. 


all  in  jewels,  and  a  grab'U  collar  the  lot." — 
G.  R.  Sims:  Rogues  and  Vagabonds. 

A  mess  of  sausages  may  apprise  a  re- 
manded dog-stealer,  "  it  is  all  right ;  the 
animal  is  dead,  and  his  body  effectually 
disposed  of;"  "toad  in  the  hole"  may 
convey  to  a  suspected  burglar  the  glad 
tidings  that  the  hidden  swag  has  not  at 
present  been  discovered. — •/.  Greenwood: 
Undercurrents  of  London  Life. 

Speak  to  the  tattler,  bag  the  swag, 
And  finely  hunt  the  dummy. 

— C.  Hindley :  Life  and  Times  of 
James  Catnach. 

Swag  is  provincial  for  a 
quantity  or  lot,  a  portion  of  pro- 
perty. Scottish  swag  or  swack, 
from  old  German  sweig,  a  flock. 
The  Australian  swagman,  i.e.,  tra- 
velling artisan  or  journeyman, 
"humps  his  swag"  i.e.,  carries 
his  tools  and  luggage  in  a  bundle 
on  his  back. 

I  feel  in  the  race  of  life  of  late, 

I've  been  handicapped  badly  by  careless 

fate, 
Who  has  put  on  my  back  a  swag. 

—Keighley  Goodchild:  Through 
the  Fence. 

Also  a  small  valise. 

I  would  advise  anybody  to  take  as  little 
as  possible  in  the  way  of  articles  of  toilet, 
I  mean  brushes,  combs,  &c. ,  as  if,  later 
on,  he  wishes  to  travel  on  horseback,  he 
will  find  how  little  can  be  squeezed  into 
a  swag. — Comhill  Magazine;  With  a 
Cockatoo. 

Swagman  (Australian),  a  tramp, 
a  travelling  artisan.  Swag, 
bundle.  The  bond-fide  travelling 
artisan  is  properly  the  swagman, 
but  the  word  is  often  used  as 
equivalent  to  a  sun-downer,  i.e., 
a  tramp.  In  old  cant  swigman, 
a  tramp,  a  mendicant  bearing  a 
wallet,  a  pedlar. 

X 


322 


Swag-chovey — Swatchcl. 


Swag-chovey  bloke  (thieves),  a 
marine-store  dealer  who  buys 
stolen  goods. 

Swaggering  Bob  (theatrical),  an 
impudent  buffoon. 

'Tis  the  miserable  art 
Of  the  vile  buffoon,  who  to  please  the  pit, 
Provokes  its  laughter,  but  lets  down  his 

part, 
Winks  at  his  audience  while  he  slaps  his 

fob, 
And  turns  Charles  Surface  into  Swagger- 
ing Bob  I 

— Lord  Lytton  (the  present) : 
Glenaveril. 

Swagsman  (thieves),  an  accom- 
plice who  takes  charge  of  the 
plunder. 

Swag,  to  (thieves),  originally  to 
carry  off  as  plunder,  but  ex- 
tended to  carrying  off  anything. 

The  next  witness  is  a  policeman,  who 
deposes  that  he  was  in  a  public-house, 
where  he  overheard  the  prisoner  say  that 
he  had  had  a  good  haul,  and  got  over  a 
hundred  ounces  of  plate,  which  heswagged 
away. — Evening  News. 

By  arrangement  they  each  undertook 
to  swag  out  their  literary  treasures,  so 
that  each  man  would  only  have  the  statu- 
tory number  of  books  in  his  cell  which 
were  allowed  by  the  authorities. — Even- 
ing News. 

Swallow  the  cackle,  to  (thea- 
trical), to  learn  a  part. 

Swanker  (public  and  military 
schools),  one  who  works  hard. 
Vide  To  Swank. 

Swankey  (West-Indian),  a  bever- 
age compounded  of  molasses, 
vinegar,  and  water — a  favourite 
drink    with    fishermen.      This 


term  has  now  become  com- 
mon throughout  the  States  and 
the  Dominion. 

"  Roll  along  here,"  shouted  the  cook. 
"Tumble  up,  and  get  your  swankey,  boys. 
It's  as  good  as  ever  you  cocked  a  lip  at." 
And  at  the  word  each  man,  his  face  glow- 
ing with  excitement  and  exercise,  took  his 
turn  at  the  swankey  pail. — Newfoundland 
Fislieries. 

Swank,  to  (public  and  military 
schools),  to  work  hard;  old  Eng- 
lish swinlce,  to  labour  ;  swinked 
or  swenkt,  tired  with  work. 

The  swenkt  grinders  in  this  treadmill  of 
an  earth  have  ground  out  another  day. — 
Carlyle. 

Swan-slinger  (theatrical),  a 
slinger  of  "the  sweet  Swan  of 
Avon, "  otherwise  a  Shakspearian 
actor. 

Swapped  off  (American),  cheated, 
taken  in,  done,  "  sold." 

Den  Brer  Fox  know  dat  he  been  swap 
(^mighty  bad.  —  Uncle  Remus. 

That  was  the  time  that  you  got  swapt, 
And  looked  so  awfully  wambler-cropt. 
— A  Poem :  Simon  Barky. 

Swartwout  (American),  a  verb  of 
local  (New  York)  origin  or  usage, 
signifying  "to  abscond,"  "to 
vamoose,"  "to  skip."  A  Mr. 
Swartwout  once  decamped  from 
that  city,  carrying  with  him  a 
large  amount  of  public  money 
— hence  its  origin. 

Swat  (Royal  Military  Academy), 
i.e.,  sweat,  work  in  general,  but 
especially  mathematics. 

Swatchel  (Punch  show),  Punch. 
Also  the  show.     Sivatcfiel  box 


Swatchel — Sweating. 


323 


the  show  itself ;  swatchel  cove, 
the  showman.  Swatchel  is  pro- 
vincial for  "to  beat  with  a 
switch."  Hence  probably  the 
nickname  given  to  Mr.  Punch, 
whose  principal  occupation  is 
plying  his  stick. 

The  various  slang  names  used 
by  the  Punch  and  Judy  show- 
men are — "  Mozzy  "  for  Judy  ; 
"  darkey,"  the  negro;  "  vampo," 
a  clown  ;  "  vampire,"  a  ghost ; 
"buffer  figure,"  dog  owner; 
"scrappers,"  fighting  men; 
"crocodile,"  a  demon;  "filio," 
a  baby ;  "buffer,"  a  dog. 

The  "  frame "  is  the  entire 
machine  ;  "  peepsies,"  the  pan 
pipes ;  the  "  nobbing  slum,"  the 
bag  for  collecting  money;  the 
"letter  cloth,"  the  advertise- 
ment ;  "  tambour,"  the  drum  ; 
"  stalk  or  prop,"  the  gallows  ; 
"  slum  fake,"  a  coffin  ;  "  slum," 
the  call. 

Swat,  to  (University),  to  sweat, 
to  work  hard. 

Sweat  (public  schools),  fagging. 
(American),  in  a  sweat,  in  a 
hurry,  impatient. 

Besides,  he  was  in  a  sweat  to  get  to 
the  Indian  Ocean  right  off. — Huckleberry 
Finn. 

Sweat-box,  the  cell  where  pri- 
soners are  confined  on  arrest 
previous  to  being  brought  up 
for  examination  before  the  ma- 
gistrate. 

Sweater  (common),  explained  by 
quotation. 


At  the  outset   Mr.  is  careful   to 

distinguish  between  a  contractor  and  a 
sweater.  Both  are  contractors,  but  the 
sweater  is  a  contractor  and  something 
more.  Both  exact  from  the  workmen 
under  them  a  certain  amount  of  work  for  ; 
a  definite  wage,  but  there  the  likeness 
ends ;  for  whilst  the  contractor  pays  an 
ordinary  wage  for  an  ordinary  day's  work, 
the  sweater  "exacts  from  men  employed 
by  him  and  working  under  his  immediate 
superintendence  the  performance  of  an  ex- 
cessive amount  of  work  in  return  for  an 
unreasonably  low  remuneration." — Even- 
ing News. 

The  great  sweater  is  the  public ;  and  as 
long  as  the  public  continues  to  encourage, 
or  rather  to  compel,  the  "  unscrupulous 
employer"  to  use  the  over-stocked  labour 
market  as  he  is  using  it  now,  so  long  will 
the  existing  evils  endure. — Daily  Tele- 
graph. 

(Boating),  a  thick  woollen 
jersey  originally  .used  in  boat- 
ing. (Stock  Exchange),  a  broker 
who  cuts  down  commissions. 
A  broker  who  works  for  such 
small  commissions  as  to  prevent 
other  brokers  getting  the  busi- 
ness, whilst  hardly  being  profit- 
able to  himself  (Atkin,  "House 
Scraps  "). 

Sweat  gallery  (Winchester  Col- 
lege), the  juniors  who  had  to 
do  some  "sweat"  or  fagging. 
Each  prefect  had  a  water-car- 
rier, who  brought  him  cold 
water  on  Sunday;  a  clothes' - 
brusher,  who  had  to  brush  his 
clothes;  a  valet  to  bring  him 
his  books,  and  warm  water  in 
winter. 

Sweating  (thieves),  a  primitive 
way  of  scraping  gold  off  coins 
by  shaking  them  in  a  bag.  An- 
other mode  explained  by  quota- 
tion. 


324 


Sweating — Swell. 


By  far  the  most  scientific  form  of  smash- 
ing is  that  which  is  called  sweating—  the 
modern  equivalent  for  the  ruder  art  of 
"clipping,"  so  fully  described  in  Macau- 
lay's  History.  Here  the  galvanic  battery 
is  brought  into  requisition,  the  metal  being 
dissolved  equally  from  all  the  surfaces  of 
the  coin  operated  upon,  and  that,  too, 
without  impairing  the  sharpness  of  "  image 
or  superscription."  Sufficient  metal  for 
the  sweater's  purpose  being  removed,  the 
coin  is  polished  afresh.  —  Thor  Fredur: 
Sketches  from  Shady  Places. 

(Schools),  working.  (Com- 
mon), extracting  money  from  a 
person,  employing  workpeople 
at  starvation  wages. 

In  Bavaria,  it  appears  from  the  reports 
of  the  German  factory  inspectors,  nearly 
sixty  per  cent,  of  the  working  classes  work 
from  ten  to  eleven  hours  a  day,  and  over 
forty-nine  per  cent,  work  from  eleven  and 
a  quarter  to  sixteen  hours  daily.  It  is  the 
immigrants  from  countries  like  this  who 
have  made  sweating  possible. — Evening 
News. 

Sweating  shops,  establishments 
where  this  is  practised. 

It  is  the  women  and  children  from  the 
factories  at  the  East  End  and  the  sweating 
shops  in  the  neighbourhood  who  are  pour- 
ing in  now. — Sims :  Social  Kaleidoscope. 

Sweat  one's  duds,  to  (thieves), 
to  pawn  one's  clothes,  that  is, 
extract  money  from  them. 

They  sweated  their  duds  till  they  riz  it. 
— Death  of  Socrates. 

Sweat  one's  guts  out,  a  vulgar 
expression,  meaning  to  work 
very  hard. 

Sweep  the  board,  to  (common), 
to  take  all.  (American),  to 
scoop  the  pool. 

Games  have  introduced  others  as  bandy 
and  sweep  the  board. — Standard. 


Sweet  (thieves),  in  thieves'  slang, 
an  intended  victim  is  sweet  if 
he  does  not  suspect  the  trick 
which  is  about  to  be  practised 
on  him.  If  he  suspects,  they 
try  "  to  sweeten  him  "  and  "  to 
keep  him  sweet"  until  their  ob- 
ject is  accomplished. 

Sweetener  (auction),  a  man  who 
runs  up  prices  at  an  auction. 

Sweetmeat  (common),  a  very 
young  kept  mistress,  a  precocious 
votary  of  Venus. 

Sweet  on  (common),  in  love  with. 

Swell  (general),  a  showily  dressed 
pretender  to  extreme  fashion. 

This  isn't  the  moment,  when  all  swell- 
dom is  at  her  feet,  for  me  to  come  forward. 
— Thackeray:  Newcomes. 

There  were  the  swell  and  the  snob. 

— Punch. 

Swell  .  .  .  seems  to  have  the  greatest 
amount  of  vitality ;  but  it  is  unquestion- 
ably moribund. — Globe. 

This  word  threatens  to  be 
superseded  by  its  more  modern 
synonym  of  masher  and  dude. 
Both  swell  and  masher  have  had 
many  predecessors,  some  of 
which  still  linger  in  popular 
parlance,  such  as  beau,  dandy, 
brick,  macaroni,  Bond  Street 
lounger,  Mohawk,  Corinthian, 
and  bloke.  Swell  survives  as  an 
adjective  in  the  sense  of  showy, 
brilliant,  pretentious,  as  a  swell 
carriage,  a  swell  house,  a  swell 
waistcoat,  a  swell  dress,  a  swell 
turn-out,  a  swell  watch-chain, 
and  many  others. 


Swell — Swim. 


325 


Bullingdon  Club  is  the  most  aristocratic 
and  the  swellest  in  Oxford. — Truth. 

Swell  is  evidently  from  the  act 
of  being  puffed  up  with  pride. 
French  slang  se  gonfler,  to  feel 
proud  of  some  achievement, 
congratulate  oneself.  It  is  the 
exact  equivalent  in  meaning  of 
the  Italian  govfione,  synonymous 
with  zerbinotto  and  damerino.  It 
is  also  used  of  any  one  who  is  pro- 
ficient in  anything,  who  is  high 
up  or  excels  in  his  profession. 
Our  distinguished  admiral  who 
bombarded  Alexandria  has  the 
nickname  of  "swell  of  the 
ocean." 

There  was  a  very  large  attendance  of 
swells,  including  such  magnates  of  the 
world  of  sports  as  the  Dukes  of  Beaufort 
and  Portland,  &c. — Sporting  Times. 

A  swell  at  Eton  is  thus  de- 
fined by  T.  R.  Oliphant,  author 
of  "Eton  College" : — "  It  is  very 
hard  to  define  exactly  what  is 
meant  by  a  swell  at  Eton;  but 
it  usually  implies  a  boy  who, 
brought  into  notice  either  by 
athletic  prowess  or  scholarship, 
or  high  standing  in  the  school, 
by  this  means  becomes  ac- 
quainted with  the  leading  mem- 
bers of  the  school,  and  is 
found  on  acquaintance  to  de- 
velop considerable  social  quali- 
ties, which  make  him  hand  and 
glove  with  all  the  Eton  mag- 
nates." 

Swell  block  (American  Univer- 
sity), a  coxcomb  and  dandy ; 
also  those  who  assume  and  pre- 
tend overmuch. 


Swell  head  (American),  a  vain, 
arrogant  man,  one  who  gives 
himself  airs.  Also  a  man  who 
is  drunk,  spirits  in  excess  giving 
the  feeling  as  if  the  head  were 
heavy  and  swollen. 

S  w  e  1 1  -  m  o  b  (common),  .well- 
dressed,  genteel  sharpers  and 
swindlers  taken  collectively. 

He  is  renowned  for  his  acquaintance 
with  the  swell-mob. — Charles  Dickens. 

Swell  mobsman  (common),  one 
of  the  swell-mob  (which  see). 

Swells  (Winchester  College), 
services  on  Sunday,  saints'  days, 
&c,  when  college  men  used  to 
wear  surplices. 

Swell,  to  (Winchester  College), 
to  make  a  swell  or  mess ;  to 
bathe,  wash,  &c. 

Swelter,  to  do  a  (popular),  to 
perspire. 

Athletics  ain't  'ardly  my  form,  and  a  cut- 
away coat  and  tight  bags 

Are  the  species  of  togs  for  yours  truly,  and 
lick  your  loose  flannels  to  rags, 

So  I  let  them  as  liked  do  a  swelter. 

— Punch. 

To  swelter  is  an  old  English 
word  used  by  Shakspeare. 

Swift  (printers),  a  fast  and  expe- 
ditious setter  of  type ;  quoted 
by  Savage's  Dictionary,  1841. 

Swill,  to  (Shrewsbury),  to  take  a 
shower-bath. 

Swim  (common),  to  be  in  the  swim, 
to  be  in  the  popular  current 


326 


Swim — Swing. 


either  in  opinion,  speculation, 
or  fashion,  on  the  move  with 
the  rest.  To  be  one  of  an 
association,  an  affair. 

"  Look  here,"  said  the  indignant  gentle- 
man in  the  brown  pot  hat,  "why  wasn't 
I  in  this  swim  f  " 

"What  swim?"  asked  his  Criterion 
friends. 

"Why,  this  'ere  fight?" 

— Snorting  Times. 

One's  particular  pursuits. 

But  hus,   Charlie,  husf    I  likes  horder, 

and  likeways  I'm  partial  to  law, 
Wen  it  means  keeping  my  swim  all  clear, 

and  a  muzzling  my  henemy's  jaw. 
Wy,  nothink  could  easy  be  nicerer,  then, 

don'tcher  see,  dear  old  pal ; 
But  supposing  that  game  interferes  with 

my  larks,  or  my  lush,  or  my  gal  ? 

— Punch. 

(Angling),  the  section  of  water 
one  selects  to  fish  in.  (Thieves), 
a  good  swim,  a  good  run  of 
luck,  a  long  time  without  police 
interference. 

Swimmer  (old  cant),  a  guardship 
on  the  river.  A  thief  who,  to 
avoid  conviction,  consented  to 
be  sent  on  board  ship  to  serve 
the  king,  was  said  to  have  been 
swimmered. 

Swimming  market  (Stock  Ex- 
change), in  other  words,  when 
the  market  is  firm  and  buyers 
feel  no  hesitancy  in  operating ; 
the  reverse  of  a  "  sick  market." 

Swim,  to  (thieves),  to  make  a 
man  swim  for  it,  is  to  cheat 
him  out  of  his  share. 

Swindle.  This  word  is  used  in 
sporting  circles  to  describe  a 
speculation,  or  any  dealing  in 


which  there  is  an  element  of 
chance.  When  a  proposition 
is  made  to  toss  for  a  drink  by 
spinning  a  coin,  the  phrase  is 
generally  "let's  have  a  swindle." 

Judge  Pigott  summed  up  in 
a  case.  "As  to  the  second 
plea  that  smndle  had  not  a 
libellous  meaning,  this  was  in 
a  great  measure  carried  out  by 
the  plaintiff  himself,  who  had 
advertised  that  he  was  getting 
up  a  swindle.  In  sporting  circles 
they  certainly  did  deal  with  an 
extraordinary  vocabulary,  and 
apparently  did  not  use  this 
word  swindle  in  Dr.  Johnson's 
sense." 

In  another  case,  Davey  v. 
Walmsley,  the  following  bit  of 
evidence  was  tendered. 

Mr.  Hawkins — "  Is  the  word 
swindle  commonly  applied  to 
things  like  'specs.' " 

Witness  (Mr.  Paul  Walmsley, 
Editor,  Racing  Investigator) — 
"Certainly!  I  never  heard 
them  called  by  any  other  name. 
It  is  a  regular  byword  with 
us  as  a  racing  phrase.  Lot- 
teries are  announced  and  com- 
monly known  as  swindles." 

Swinger  (Charterhouse),  a  box 
on  the  ears. 

Swing-tail  (old  cant),  a  pig. 

Swing,  to    (common),  to    be 
hanged. 

Whether  it  be  direct  infrynging 
An  oath  if  I  shed  waive  his  swinging. 
—Butler:  Hudibras. 
If  I'm  caught,  I  shall  swing  ;  that's  cer- 
tain.— Sketches  by  Boz. 


Swipe — Swizzle. 


327 


Swipe  (popular),  at  cricket  a 
hard  hit  with  full  swing  of  the 
bat.  Also  a  blow.  Provincial 
English  swipe,  a  blow. 

"You   might   drag  me  to  if  you 

liked,  if  you  d  on'y  let  me  get  one  fair 
swipe  at  him,"  growled  Mr.  Perks,  sav- 
agely.— The  Lit  He  Ragamuffins. 

Swipes  (common),  the  cheapest 
kind  of  beer-tap  droppings. 

We  smoked  our  pipes, 
With  no  such  swipes, 
When  we  were  blithe  and  bold. 
— Punch. 

At  schools,  beer  good  or  bad 
is  invariably  termed  swipes.  Also 
tea  or  weak  tea. 

Tea!  swipes!  After  all,  miss,  it's  your 
way,  and  no  doubt  you  don't  know  no 
better. — Golden  Butterfly. 

A  swipe,  properly  an  imple- 
ment for  drawing  water  for  a 
brewery,  hence  probably  swipes, 
for  weak  beer. 

Swipe,  to  (American),  to  ap- 
propriate. Frequently  said  of 
actors  or  exhibitors  who  take 
the  "gags"  or  "games"  of 
others,  and  pass  them  off  for 
thek  own. 

You  can't  copyright  a  gag,  you  know, 
and  as  soon  as  we  get  off  anything  good 
the  other  fellows  swipe  it  and  it's  all  over 
everywhere  before  we  have  time  to  get 
clear  round. — Philadelphia  Press. 


Swipey    (popular), 
From  "swipes." 


intoxicated. 


Swishing   (Eton),  explained   by 
quotation. 


Flogging,  or,  as  it  is  called  at  Eton, 
swishing,  is  to  be  abolished  at  that  aris- 
tocratic seminary.  —  Illustrated  London 
News. 

Swished,  flogged. 

Swiss  admiral  (naval),  a  person 
who  personates  a  naval  digni- 
tary at  a  watering-place.  The 
French  have  the  derisive  term 
amiral  suisse  for  a  naval  officer 
who  has  never  navigated,  who 
is  employed  on  terra  jirma,  or 
for  some  suspicious  indivi- 
dual who  pretends  to  have 
held  a  high  rank  in  army  or 
navy. 

Switch  in,  to  (American),  to 
bring  in  expeditiously,  to  in- 
troduce with  promptness,  and 
execute  with  despatch.  "  Now's 
your  time,  boys  ;  switch  in  and 
let  them  have  it  1 " 

.  .  .  Men  were  sent  to  cut  out  the 
Chicago,  but  being  denied  admittance  to 
the  cellar  under  the  pavement  went  to 
work  and  broke  through  one  of  the  man- 
holes from  the  street,  and  were  busily 
engaged  switching  in  their  own  service 
when  the  Chicago  Company's  men  ap- 
peared on  the  scene. — Chicago  Tribune. 

Swivel  eye  (common),  squinting 
eye. 

Young  Arthur  Orkintrooler,  him  with 
the  swivel  eye  and  the  pink  wart  on  his 
blushing  brow. — Sporting  Times. 

Swizzle  (common),  drink. 

Humph  !  you've  turned  a  teetotaller  now, 

I  suppose, 
And    should   I  sing  "  hey !    ho  1    and    a 

bottle  of  rum," 
You'd  not  join  in  the  song — or  the  swizzle  ? 
— Punch. 


328 


Swizzle  — Sydney-sider. 


Also  awiz. 

No,  percessions,  dear  boy,  ain't  my  fad, 
But  political  picnics  with  fireworks,  and 
plenty  of  swiz,  ain't  'arf  bad. 

— Punch. 

To  swizzle  is  provincial  for  to 
drink,  and  swizzle  is  ale  and  beer 
mixed.  (West  Indian  and  Aus- 
tralia.) Mr.  Finch- Hatton  thus 
graphically  describes  a  drink 
which  is  said  to  make  a  man 
wish  he  had  a  throat  a  mile 
long  and  a  palate  at  every  inch 
of  it  :— 

"Never  having  heard  of  a 
swizzle,  which  is  a  drink  peculiar 
to  Mackay,  I  believe,  I  watched 
his  proceeding  with  interest. 
First  of  all  he  put  two  inches 
of  Jamaica  rum  into  the  bottom 
of  a  tumbler,  into  which  he 
shook  a  few  drops  of  Angostura 
bitters  from  a  bottle  with  a 
small  hole  in  the  cork.  Next 
he  added  a  small  teaspoonful  of 
brown  sugar,  and  a  squeeze  of 
a  lemon,  and  filled  the  tumbler 
two-thirds  full  of  water.  He 
then  took  a  small  stick  with 
three  prongs  growing  the  re- 
verse way  up  at  the  end,  and 
whirled  it  round  in  the  tumbler 
between  his  hands,  with  a  dex- 
terity only  to  be  acquired  by 
constant  practice,  till  the  de- 
coction was  foaming  to  the  top 
of  the  glass.  Handing  it  to 
me  quickly  with  directions  to 
'drink  it  while  fizzing,'  he 
watched  it  going  down,  with 
one  eye  shut,  and  an  expression 
of  sympathetic  interest  on  his 
face.  '  How's  that  for  high  ? ' 
he  asked,  as  I  set  down  the 


glass  with  a  sigh  of  satisfac- 
tion." In  America  swizzle  is  a 
mixture  of  rum,  molasses,  and 
water,  and  the  Australian  drink 
described  above  is  nothing  but 
the  old  American  rum  cock-tail. 

Swizzy,  swizzle  (nautical),  grog. 

The  drink  to  be  discovered  in  Dibdin's 
songs  would  make  a  sea  large  enough  for 
several  combined  fleets  of  that  age  to  have 
floated  on.  The  sailor  had  nothing  to  do 
but  to  sing  in  all  weathers,  beat  the  French, 
and  drink  the  swizzy. — IV.  Clark  Russell. 

Swop  (popular),  to  get  the  swop, 
to  be  dismissed  from  one's 
employment.  Especially  used 
among  linendrapers'  assistants. 

Swot  (University  and  public 
schools),  explained  by  quota- 
tion. 

So  much  for  work  or  swot,  as  the  Har- 
rovian, in  common  with  other  boys,  some- 
what inelegantly  terms  the  more  important 
part  of  instruction  he  receives  at  school. 
— Pascoe :  Everyday  Life  in  our  Public 
Schools. 

A  swot,  one  who  works  hard. 
At  the  Royal  Military  Academy 
swat  or  swot  applies  specially  to 
mathematics.  (Shrewsbury),  in 
a  swot,  in  a  rage. 

Sycher  (popular),  a  contemptible 
person. 

Sydney-sider  (Australian),  a  con- 
vict. There  never  were  any 
convicts  sent  to  Victoria  after 
its  separation  from  New  South 
Wales,  while  Sydney  was  ori- 
ginally a  convict  settlement.  It 
was  therefore  natural  to  talk 
of  a  convict  as  being  on  the 
Sydney. 


Tab —  Tail-buzzer. 


329 


AB,  the  (popular),  the 
Tabernacle  of  Mr. 
Spurgeon. 


Tabby  party 
(common),  a  party  consisting 
entirely  of  women.  Tabby  is  a 
colloquialism  for  an  old  maid 
or  gossip. 

Tabs  (tailors),  the  ears. 

Tack  or  sheet  (nautical),  a  man's 
saying  that  he  will  not  start 
tack  or  sheet,  implies  resolution. 

Tack  or  tackle  (public  schools), 
food ;  sometimes  applied  to 
drink.  Vide  Habd  Tack.  Hard 
tack  is  properly  a  large  kind  of 
hard  crackers  much  used  for 
food  on  board  ship. 

Tackle  (old  cant),  a  kept  mistress. 
(Thieves),  a  watch  chain.  Red 
tackle,  a  gold  chain. 

One  day  I  went  to  Croydon'and  touched 
for  a  red  toy  and  red  tackle,  with  a  large 
locket — Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

(Nautical),  clothes. 

Tacky  (printers),  according  to 
printers'  vocabulary,  a  roller  is 
in  good  condition  when  it  is 
tacky,  that  is,  a  little  sticky  to 
the  touch  of  the  finger. 

Tad  (American),  originally  pro- 
vincial English.  In  English, 
tad  is  an  excrement  (Wright). 
Hence  in  the  United  States,  and 
perhaps  in  England,  it  was 
commonly  applied  contemptu- 


ously to  the  frequenters  of 
brothels.  It  is  now  more  widely 
extended.  Bartlett  gives ' '  little 
tads,  small  boys ;  provincial 
tadde,  a  toad,  hence  applied  to 
any  small  person.  The  French 
have  crapaud  for  a  little  boy ; 
les  crapauds,  the  children ;  old 
tads,  grey-bearded  men." 

Taffy  (American),  flattery,  "  soft- 
sawder,"  "soap,"  "gammon," 
persuasive  and  unctuous  hum- 
bug. 

Tag  (theatrical),  explained  by 
quotation. 

And  the  tag  is  the  end  of  the  play — the 
last  lines  spoken,  in  rhyme  or  otherwise — 
just  as  this  sentence  is  the  end  of  this 
article. — Globe. 

Also  the  end  or  catch  word  of 
an  actor's  cue.  Tags,  a  species 
of  improvised  jokes  (called  by 
French  actors  "  cascades "), 
allied  to  "tack."  Danish  tak, 
a  supplement,  appendix. 

Tail  (common),  to  have  one's  tail 
down,  to  be  discouraged;  to 
have  one's  tail  out,  to  be  angry ; 
to  get  one's  tail  up,  to  pluck  up 
spirits. 

Tail-block  (nautical),  a  watch. 
Properly  a  rope-stropped  block, 
having  an  end  of  rope  attached 
to  it  as  a  tail  by  which  it  may 
be  fastened  to  any  object. 

Tail-buzzer  ( thieves),  a  pickpocket 
who  devotes  his  attention  to  the 
pockets  in  the  tails  of  a  coat. 


33Q 


Tailed — Take. 


Tailed,  vide  Long-tailed  One. 
A  curious  coincidence  occurs  in 
French  cant.  Tailbin  is  an  ac- 
commodation bill,  from  old  word 
taUe,  tail ;  and  tailbin  d'alteque, 
a  bank  note,  d'alteque  in  this 
instance  signifying  superior, 
genuine. 

Tailing  (up-country  Australian), 
herding. 

Mustering  now  proceeded  with  steady 
vigour,  and  Desmard  was  allowed  to  gain 
experience  in  tailing-  those  already  brought 
in,  along  with  two  old  and  experienced 
hands,  who  were  much  amused  with  their 
companion's  eccentricities,  and  who  never 
tired  of  relating  his  peculiar  sayings. — A. 
C.  Grant. 

Tail-piece  in  the  steel  (thieves), 
explained  by  quotation. 

Their  conversation,  though  not  the  most 
elegant,  was  least  of  all  concerning  the 
wretched  trade  they  followed  ;  indeed,  the 
subject  was  never  mentioned  at  all,  except 
in  melancholy  allusion  to  Peter  or  Jerry, 
who  had  been  recently  "copped,"  and 
was  expected  to  pass  a  tail-piece  in  the 
s teel  (three  months  in  prison). — ■/.  Green- 
wood :  Seven  Curses  of  London. 

Tail-pulling  (publishers),  amethod 
of  publication  explained  by  quo- 
tation. 

It  came  out  in  evidence  yesterday,  in 
the  case  of  Mackay  v.  M'Lean,  that  the 
publication  of  the  literary  productions  of 
private  individuals,  who  like  to  contem- 
plate their  own  handiwork  in  print,  is 
technically  known  among  those  who  do  it 
as  tail-pulling.  That  seems  an  odd  name 
to  give  it,  because  no  animal  we  are  ac- 
quainted with  likes  having  its  tail  pulled  ; 
unless  it  is  on  the  principle  of  the  little 
girl  who  "wagged  the  dog's  tail  to  give  it 
pleasure." — Globe. 

Tai-pai  (pidgin),  a  large  ticket,  a 
great  chop,  first,  slangily  "  boss." 


Dey  lock  um  up  in  littee  house  thlee  day 

till  alio  done, 
An'  den  Wang-ti  come  out  tai-pai,  first- 
chop,  an'  Numpa  One. 

Tai-pan,  typan  (pidgin),  literally 
"great  series,"  i.e.,  the  first  of 
a  series,  a  leader,  a  head-man, 
or  "boss." 

My  typan  must  make  fun  of  me, 
When  all  Vis  crowd  can  see — 
Ah  !  well,  perhaps  they  do  not  care 
For  a  little  clerk  like  me. 

—China  Punch. 

Tai-pay  (pidgin),  great-beer,  i.e., 
porter  (Canton). 

Take  (printers),  a  synonym  used 
by  compositors  to  signify  the 
portion  of  copy  that  falls  to 
their  share.  A  "fat"  take  is 
considered  a  good  one. 

Take  a  figure  (printers).  This  is 
an  appeal  to  the  ballot  instead 
of  "  j effing,"  or  "throwing" 
with  the  nine  quadrats.  To 
settle  shares  of  good  or  bad 
work,  or  other  matter,  a  man 
would  select  a  number  of  figures, 
according  to  the  number  of  men 
concerned,  shake  them  up  in  his 
apron,  and  each  individual  would 
take  a  figure,  the  highest,  or  vice 
versd,  as  agreed  on,  having  the 
choice. 

Take  a  rise.    Vide  Rise. 

Take  beef,  to  (thieves  and  popu- 
lar), to  run  away.     Vide  Beep. 

Take  down,  to  (thieves  and  popu- 
lar), to  get  the  best  of  one,  to 
deceive,  humbug. 


Take — Takes. 


331 


Well,  Governor,  I  think  there  is  some 
credit  due  to  me  for  taking  you  down. 
Any  fool  can  do  an  ordinary  swindle,  but 
it  is  not  any  one  who  would  attempt  to  take 
down  the  Governor  of  a  convict  prison. — 
Evening  News. 

Take  it  in  snuff.  This  old  slang 
phrase,  which  dates  from  a  time 
long  anterior  to  the  supposed 
introduction  of  the  tobacco 
plant  into  Europe  by  Sir  Walter 
Raleigh,  occurs  in  plays  of  the 
Elizabethan  and  Shakspearian 
era.  It  does  not  appear  to  have 
originated  in  the  habit  of  snuff- 
taking,  nor  would  the  apposite- 
ness  or  appropriateness  of  the 
phrase  have  been  palpably  appa- 
rent if  it  had  done  so.  Sniff,  in 
its  primary  acceptation,  means 
a  movement  of  the  nostrils,  ex- 
pressive either  of  annoyance  or 
displeasure  at  a  disagreeable 
smell,  and  by  metaphorical  ex- 
tension a  sign  of  scorn  or  anger 
at  any  person  or  thing  that  is 
offensive  to  either  the  moral  or 
physical  sense.  It  is  curious  to 
note  how  often  the  consonants 
sn  are  found  as  the  initial  sound 
of  words  that  express  anything 
disagreeable,  and  that  are  mani- 
fested by  the  action  of  the  nose. 
Among  others,  sneeze,  snore, 
sneer,  snort,  snarl,  snigger,  &c, 
all  more  or  less  suggestive  of  an 
unpleasant  meaning. 

Take  it  out  of  him  (popular), 
thrash  him  well. 


Take  my  hat  (American).  In  the 
United  States,  when  any  man 
narrates  a  story  which  is  so 
incredible  or  extravagant  that 
the  auditor  must  confess  that 
he  cannot  outdo  it,  the  latter 
often  exclaims,  "  Take  my  hat !" 
In  a  pamphlet  entitled  "  Three 
Thousand  Miles  in  a  Railway 
Car,"  the  author  tells  us  that 
in  a  jovial  party  of  men  they 
had  a  small  hat  which  was 
made  from  a  champagne  cork, 
and  that  when  one  of  them 
told  the  last  best  story  the  hat 
was  given  to  him,  to  be  re- 
tained until  another  told  a 
better,  when  it  was  handed 
over  to  the  latter.  "  Saw  my 
leg  off"  was  an  equivalent  or 
synonym  for  the  same  phrase. 
When  the  story  was  remark- 
ably good  it  was  usual  to  add 
"  close." 

Taken  on  (turf),  another  term 
for  welshed. 

The  old  man  has  been  taken  on  to  the 
extent  of  a  fiver. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Take  one's  hook.     Vide  Hook. 

She  asked  him  to  come  in  the  house, 

Then  begged  that  he  would  stay 
And  take  some  tea  along  with  her, 

And  on  the  Indian  drum  play. 
She  told  me  I  could  take  my  hook, 

And  leave  the  place  at  once ; 
I  was  no  good — a  chump  of  wood, 

In  fact,  a  perfect  dunce. 

— Song. 


Take  it  out,  to  (popular),  to 
obtain  value  for  expenditure, 
labour,  &c. 


Takes  the  gloss  off  (tailors),  it 
takes  away  the  profit,  or  materi- 
ally detracts  from  its  value. 


332 


Take — Taking. 


Take  the  biscuit,  to,  a  variation 
of  "  take  the  cake."  Vide  CAKE 
and  Bun. 

I  think  you  will  admit  this  fairly  takes 
the  biscuit  for  a  detective  story. — Snorting 
Times. 

Take  the  cake,  to.    Vide  Cake. 

Take  the  diploma  (American),  to 
take  the  prize,  take  the  cake,  to 
be  pre-eminent. 

Take  the  field,  to  (turf),  to  stake 
one's  money  against  the  favour- 
ite, thus  backing  all  the  rest 
against  a  single  horse. 

Take  the  rag  off  the  bush,  to 

(American),  precision  and  excel- 
lence in  action  or  thought.  An 
illustration  drawn  from  the 
wild  life  of  the  Far  West,  when 
at  improvised  shooting  competi- 
tions the  hunters  and  trappers 
would  hang  a  rag  on  a  bush  as 
a  target,  and  few  of  them  would 
miss  lifting  it. 

Take  the  starch  out,  to  (Ame- 
rican), to  take  the  starch  out  of  a 
man  is  to  extinguish  his  conceit, 
nerve,  or  pluck.  It  is  widely 
applied  to  weakening,  refuting, 
or  deterioration  of  any  kind. 

The  forthcoming  Women's  Bible  will 
take  more  of  the  starch  out  of  St.  Paul, 
so  to  speak,  in  one  edition,  than  the  com- 
bined assaults  of  infidels  have  done  in  1800 
years. — Chicago  Tribune. 

Take  up  a  collection  (American). 
This  is  often  heard  humorously 
applied  to  any  one  who  in  an 
emergency,  not  being  able  to 


do  any  good,  nevertheless  sug- 
gests   something    which     has 
some  shade  or  colour  of  a  rela- 
tion to  the  subject.    Also  to  a 
man  who  avails  himself  of  the 
least  excuse  to  raise  money.    It 
is  said  that  when   some  men 
were  in  a  boat  in  a  storm  on 
Lake   Superior,    and   expected 
every  minute  to  go  down,  as 
none  of  them  knew  a  prayer  or 
a  hymn,  they  did  the  next  best 
thing  they  could  as  "a  religious 
exercise,"  and  took  up  a  collection. 
The    President's    sole   recommendation 
with  reference  to  the  Civil-Service  ques- 
tion, is  that  the  salaries  of  the  Civil  Service 
Commission  be   increased.     We   suspect 
Mr.  Cleveland  of  being  the  man  who,  in  a 
sinking  boat  where  some  religious  services 
were  suggested,  enthusiastically  declared 
himself  in  favour  of  taking  «/  a  collection. 
— Philadelphia  Press. 

Take  up  one's  connections,  to 

(American  University),  to  leave 
college. 

Taking1  the  nap  (theatrical), 
making  pretence  to  be  struck, 
by  slapping  the  hands  together 
unseen  by  audience,  &  la  clown 
and  pantaloon.    Vide  Knap,  To. 

Taking  the  stage  (theatrical), 
assuming  a  commanding  posi- 
tion in  the  centre  of  the  stage, 
or  crossing  from  the  right  hand 
side  to  the  left,  or  vice  versa". 
The  movement  with  which  a 
well-graced  tragedian,  in  a  burst 
of  passionate  emotion,  dashes 
from  one  side  of  the  stage  to 
the  other,  or  down  to  the  foot- 
lights and  up  again.  An  almost 
exploded  artifice,  and  one  which 


Taking —  Tame . 


333 


requires  an  artist  of  great  skill 
•    to  accomplish  with  precision. 

Taking  up  one's  bed  (tailors), 
leaving  the  shop  for  good. 

Talent,  the  (racing).  The  ring  is, 
in  racing  phraseology,  the  talent. 
Common  in  Australia. 

And  sinks  from  view  for  ever,  while  the 

talent 
Declare  they  never  saw  a  sight  so  gallant. 
— New  South  Wales  Paper. 

Talk  a  donkey's  hind  leg  off,  to 

(American),  to  talk  to  no  pur- 
pose. 

They  may  talk  a  donkey's  hind  leg  off, 
and  I  wouldn't  send  a  single  line  to  the 
New  York  papers  to  tell  them  what  was 
said  nor  what  they  wore. — The  Golden 
Butterfly. 

Talking  through  one's  neck 
(Australian),  talking  foolishly. 
A  young  lady,  who  had  been 
impressing  the  dangers  of  foot- 
ball upon  her  small  brother  with 
more  ardour  than  discretion, 
wound  up  with,  "  If  you  were 
my  son  I  wouldn't  let  you  go 
to  a  boarding-school  at  all  with- 
out I  had  you  safe  home  every 
night,"  which  was  met  with  a 
contemptuous  "  Oh,  you're  talk- 
ing through  your  neck." 

Talk,  to  (stable),  said  of  a  horse 
that  roars.  (American),  tall  talk, 
explained  by  quotation. 

The  word  cheek,  as  synonymous  with 
conceit  or  impudence,  is,  notwithstanding 
its  relative  antiquity,  still  largely  patron- 
ised by  the  lovers  of  argot ;  but  were  it 
not  for  the  obliging  correspondent  of— if 
we  mistake  not  —  the  Daily  Telegraph, 


tall  talk,  a  Transatlantic  phrase  of  appar- 
ently similar  import  and  of  undoubted  ori- 
ginality, might  never  have  been  naturalised 
among  us. — Belgravia. 

The  expression  is  now  com- 
mon in  England.  In  quotation 
tail  refers  to  an  incredible  story. 

The  new  Enoch  Arden  story  which  has 
turned  up  at  East  Greenwich  is  certainly 
tall.  It  reminds  one  instinctively  of  the 
American  tree  so  high  that  it  took  two 
men  to  look  to  the  top,  one  beginning 
where  the  other  left  off,  and  forty  men  to 
believe  the  tale. — Daily  Telegraph. 

(Pedestrian),  the  term  is  ap- 
plied to  a  great  rate  of  speed. 

Tally  (popular),  to  live  tally  is  to 
live  as  man  and  wife  though 
not  married.  Hence  a  tally  wife, 
"  femme  de  la  main  gauche." 

Talosk  (tinker),  weather. 

Tambour  (Punch  and  Judy),  the 
drum.    French. 

Tame  cats  (society).  Thus  de- 
fined by  the  Saturday  Review : — 
"  There  is  a  class  of  men,  who 
are  not  at  all  young  by  any 
means,  who  in  society  are  termed 
tame  cats ;  these  men  present 
rather  a  ludicrous  spectacle  for 
their  foolishness.  They  are  by 
no  means  vicious,  but  they  are 
by  no  means  manly.  They  con- 
tinue to  attend  all  entertain- 
ments till  they  are  well  on  in 
the  sere  and  yellow  leaf ;  they 
have  no  occupations ;  they  are 
neither  men  of  letters  nor  of 
arts ;  they  are  not  political ; 
and,  last  of  all,  they  are  in  no 
way  sportsmen,  neither  shoot- 


334 


Tame — Tan. 


ing,  hunting,  driving,  nor  fish- 
ing. The  raison  d'itre  of  their 
existence  seems  hard  to  define  ; 
their  daily  occupation  is  wan- 
dering round  from  house  to 
house,  and  exchanging  gossip 
and  scandal  with  old  ladies 
and  young  alike.  They  have 
the  entree  to  many  houses 
where  they  are  welcome  at  all 
times,  and  are  not  looked  upon 
as  eligible  husbands  for  the 
daughters  of  the  house  ;  they 
are  made  use  of  to  fill  up  vacan- 
cies at  dinner,  theatre  parties, 
&c,  and,  above  all,  they  are 
essentially  good-natured." 

Tame  cheater  (thieves),  a  false 
player. 

Tan  (gypsy),  a  tent,  a  place,  a 
resting-place.  A  word  of  very 
general  application.  To  tan,  to 
encamp  or  rest.  "Kek  tan  to 
hatch  " — "  No  place  to  rest." 
"  Chiv  a  tan  apre- " — "  Pitch  a 
tent."  "Kanna  b<5ro  bavol  se, 
huller  the  tan  pari  the  waver 
rikk  pali  the  bor  " — "  When 
there  is  a  great  wind,  move  the 
tent  to  the  other  side  behind 
the  hedge."  (Tana,  Hindu.) — 
Oypsy  Saying. 

Tangle  -  footed,   tangle  -  legged 

(American),  drunk.  Tangle-foot 
(from  tangle- footed),  bad  whisky 
or  spirits.  Derived  from  the 
idea  that  a  man  when  intoxi- 
cated has  a  tendency  to  entwine 
or  tangle  his  feet  together,  or 
to  get  them  locked  in  every 
obstacle  in  the  way. 


"  Drink  a  pint  of  tangle-foot, 
You'll  catch  your  boot 
In  every  root." 

Tani  (gypsy),  small,  young; 
tanirdni,  young  lady ;  tanopen, 
childhood,  youth. 

Tanner,  a  sixpence.  Hotten  says 
of  it,  "Perhaps  gypsy  tavono 
(tdno),  little,  or  Latin  tener, 
slender."  It  is  more  likely  to 
have  been  derived  directly  by 
the  ancestors  of  the  gypsies  from 
the  Indian  silver  coin  tanga 
or  tana,  which  has  been  rated 
from  fivepence  (Malcolm,  1815), 
to  sevenpence-halfpenny,  which 
is  its  present  value  in  Turkestan 
(Anglo-Indian  Glossary).  This 
would  make  its  average  value 
sixpence.  The  obvious  deriva- 
tion is  the  Sanskrit  tanlca,  a 
weight  of  silver  equal  to  four 
moshas,  a  stamped  coin.  The 
word  has  been  in  use  over  a 
vast  extent  of  territory.  The 
threepenny  piece  (ruppeny  bitto) 
is  the  only  coin  which  is  speci- 
ally called  little  in  gypsy,  and 
it  is  most  unlikely  that  a  six- 
pence would  be  called  a  par- 
ticularly small  coin  while  four- 
penny,  threepenny,  and  even 
twopenny  silver  coins  were  in 
circulation. 

Old  Alec  don't  like  to  win  with  favour- 
ites. I  shall  'ave  my  tanner  on  Timothy. 
— Sporting  Times. 

Tanning  (common),  a  beating. 

Tan,  to  (common),  to  beat  or 
thrash.  Exists  in  several  Eng- 
lish  dialects,   with  variations, 


T any  ok — Taps. 


335 


such  as  tan  base,  tan  baste,  tancel, 
but  is  used  slangily.  French 
slang,  tanner  le  cuir.  Exists  in 
gypsy  as  tanner,  from  tanava,  I 
beat.    Hindu  tan,  abuse. 

Tanyok  (tinker),  halfpenny. 
(Query  tani,  little,  Romany,  and 
nyok,  a  head  ?) 

Tap  (tailors),  getting  the  tap  of 
the  job,  getting  the  upper  hand. 

Tape  (popular),  liquor.  Red  tape, 
wine.  White  tape,  gin.  Vide 
White  Tape. 

Oh  !  those  jovial  days  are  ne'er  forgot ! 

But  the  tape  lags — 
When  I  be's  dead,  you'll  drink  one  pot 

To  poor  old  Bags ! 

— Lytton:  Paul  Clifford. 

(Sporting),  a  small  telegraphic 
machine  kept  at  clubs,  public 
offices,  and  some  of  the  public- 
houses  where  sporting  goes  on. 

And  Ascot  week !  ye  little  gods 

And  fishes  ;  ay,  a  deluge1 
Might  swamp  us  as  we  took  the  odds 

From  ring-men  in  their  hell  huge. 
Then  wise  in  time  at  home  we'll  stay  ; 

The  tape  shall  see  us  punting, 
From  Ascot  tempests  far  away, 
The  oof  bird  we'll  be  hunting. 

— Topical  Times. 
Gambling  will  be  all  the  go 

By-and-by ; 
Tapes  you'll  find  in  every  show 
By-and-by. 
— Atkin :  House  Scraps. 

(American),  explained  by  quo- 
tation. 

His  white  tie  was  not  of  lawn,  but  of 
that  most  approved  Bond  Street  pattern 
known  as  tape. — American  Magaziue. 

Tape-worm  (Stock  Exchange),  a 
nasty  name    for   a  man   who 


walks  about  the  House  collect- 
ing prices  of  different  stock  to 
telegraph  on  the  tape. 

Tapper  (old  cant),  bailiff,  tipstaff. 
In  provincial  English  it  means 
an  innkeeper. 

Tapping  the  admiral,  secretly 
boring  a  hole  through  a  spirit 
cask  and  sucking  the  contents 
out  through  a  quill  or  straw. 
An  admiral  died  aboard  ship 
some  distance  from  England. 
He  had  wished  to  be  buried  at 
home,  and  to  preserve  his  body 
the  officers  placed  it  in  a  cask 
filled  with  spirits,  and  securely 
nailed  the  head  of  the  cask 
down.  During  the  voyage  home 
an  Irishman  of  thS  marines  was 
continually  drunk,  and  it  was  a 
great  mystery  to  see  where  he 
got  his  liquor  from.  For  some 
drunken  breach  of  discipline  he 
was  ordered  to  be  flogged,  but 
he  was  promised  forgiveness  if 
he  would  tell  who  had  supplied 
him  with  drink.  Upon  that  he 
confessed  that  he  had  been  "  so 
hard  up  for  a  dhrink,  that 
bedad  he'd  tapped  the  admiral," 
i.e.,  made  a  hole  in  the  cask  and 
sucked  out  through  a  tobacco 
pipe  the  spirit  in  which  the 
admiral's  body  was  preserved. 

Taps  (American).  "To  be  on  one's 
taps  is  to  be  on  one's  feet,  lite- 
rally on  one's  soles ;  on  the 
move,  or  ready  to  move.  A 
metaphor  preserved  from  the 
shoemaker  "  (Bartlett).  To  tap 
is  provincial  English  for  to  sole 
shoes. 


336 


Taps — Tart. 


(American    cadet),   a   bugle- 
call. 

Taps  had  sounded  (at  to  p.m.,  after 
which  no  one  is  permitted  to  cross  the 
sentinel's  posts  without  the  countersign). 
— The  West  Point  Scrap  Book. 

Tap  the  claret,  to  (pugilistic),  to 
give  a  blow  on  the  nose  which 
draws  blood. 

He  was  thoroughly  conversant  with  the 
sporting  slang  of  Tintinnabulums  Life 
when  he  told  Verdant  that  his  claret  had 
been  repeatedly  tapped.— C.  Bede:  Ver- 
dant Green. 

Tap  the  wire,  to  (American),  to 
obtain  surreptitious  possession 
of  the  electric  telegraph  wire  and 
extract  the  information  with 
which  it  is  charged.  General 
Morgan,  the  Confederate  officer, 
once  when  tapping  the  wire  was 
in  ignorance  of  the  name  of 
the  station  in  the  hand  of  the 
Federals,  and  to  obtain  the  in- 
formation he  adopted  the  fol- 
lowing ruse.  He  telegraphed, 
"A  gentleman  in  the  office  bets 
me  two  cigars  you  cannot  spell 
the  name  of  your  station." 
Answer,  "  Take  the  bet.  Le- 
banon Junction — is  this  not 
right ;  how  did  he  think  I  would 
spell  it  ?  "  General  Morgan  re- 
plied, "He  gives  it  up;  he 
thought  you  would  put  two  b's 
in  Lebanon."  Answer,  "He  is 
a  green  one."  Vide  Telegram, 
Milking  a. 

Tap,  to  (thieves),  to  break  into 
a  house. 

The  most  difficult  part  of  all  is  to  dress 
so  as  to  escape  a  description  which  the 


police  have  of  your  usual  appearance. 
Often  they  will  redress  themselves  under 
a  tree,  in  a  field  or  a  barn  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  house  they  are  about  to  tap,  but  as 
a  rule  they  dress  as  .becomes  a  poor  speci- 
men of  the  middle  class. — Tit-Bits. 

Tap  tub,  the  Morning  Advertiser, 
so  called  by  vulgar  people  from 
the  fact  that  this  daily  news- 
paper is  the  principal  organ  of 
the  London  brewers  and  publi- 
cans (Hotten). 

Taradiddles  (society),  falsehoods, 
travellers'  tales  or  yarns. 

Tar  brush  (nautical),  any  one  of 
mixed  blood  is  said  to  have  had 
a  touch  of  the  tar  brush. 

Tare,  tear  (American),  a  frolic, 
spree,  riot,  bender,  batter,  or 
rampage. 

I'm  on  a  rare  (rear), 
.  I'm  on  a  tare; 
On  a  high  old  circumbendibus, 
Such  as  will  be 
A  sight  to  see, 
When  the  boys  pull  into  the  rendyvoos. 
— American  Newspaper. 

Tarryin  (tinker),  rope. 

Tart  (common),  a  young  lady,  an 
actress  of  smart  personal  appear- 
ance and  fine  manners.  There 
seems  some  doubt  as  to  whether 
the  term  is  an  aspersion  on  the 
lady's  character  or  not,  as  maybe 
seen  from  a  case  of  an  actress 
who  brought  an  action  against 
the  Sporting  Times  for  calling 
her  a  tart,  which  created  much 
amusement  at  the  time. 


Tart — Tats. 


337 


The  word  tart  also  designates 
a  mistress  or  girl  with  whom 
one  has  had  only  casual  inti- 
macy, or  even  a  wife.  Also 
any  girl  or  woman.  Formerly 
one's  mistress  was  termed  "my 
jam,"  or  "  my  little  bit  of  jam." 
The  term  is  apparently  from  a 
simile  between  a  sweet  jam  tart 
and  a  girl  (compare  "cherry- 
pie  "  for  a  girl),  but  it  has  been 
suggested  that  it  originated  in 
the  song  "Good-bye,  sweet- 
heart." Tart  was  originally 
schoolboys'  slang,  probably  ab- 
breviated from  tartar  in  this 
instance. 

I  remember,  I  remember,  though  Time's 
progress  is  so  fleet, 
How  I  doated  on  my  juvenile  sweet- 
hearts, 
And  I  remember  that  I  thought  them  so 
superlatively  sweet, 
That   I   spoke  of  them  admiringly  as 
tarts. 
But  nowt    Well,  times  have  altered,  and 
I'm  not  prepared  to  say 
If  a  girl's  "a  tart"  or  not — so  here  I'll 
pause, 
For  it's  probable  that  if  I  called  a  girl  "  a 
tart "  to-day, 
She  would  summons  me  next  week  to 
show  just  cause  ! 

— Sporting  Times. 

The  latest  synonym  for  tart  is 
"bun."  Tart  is  a  word  gene- 
rally recognised  and  understood 
in  the  United  States.  It  is 
sometimes  used  as  an  uncom- 
plimentary epithet,  an  abbre- 
viation from  tartar. 

Tartlet  (London),  usually  applied 
to  a  lady  of  the  demi-monde,  or 
even  quart-de-monde.    A  dimi- 
nutive of  "  tart." 
VOL.  II. 


E'en  tartlets  are  stale,  be  they  ever  so 
tasty — 
The  magic  has  fled  from  their  languorous 
locks: 
They're  but  fairies  in  fake,   their  com- 
plexions seem  pasty — 
I've  no  wish  for  a  place  in  their  very 
best  books. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Tashi  shingomai  (tinker),  to  read 
the  newspaper. 

Tasser  (gypsy),  to  suffocate, 
drown,  or  strangle.  "  Beng  tasser 
tute  I " — "May  the  devil  strangle 
you  1 " 

Tat-box  (gambling),  a  dice-box; 
tats  are  dice. 

Tatch  (popular),  a  hat ;  a  corrup- 
tion of  "thatch." 

Taters.  Vide  Strain  tour 
Tatees. 

Tater-trap  (popular),  for  potato- 
trap,  mouth. 

Up  goes  the  jug  to  Ginger's  tater-trap. 
— Brighton  Beach  Loafer. 

Tatols  (Winchester  College), 
tutors  in  Commoners  who  came 
into  course  in  alternate  weeks 
to  be  present  at  meals  and 
Toys,  and  for  names  -  calling, 
and  to  go  round  galleries  at 
9-15- 

Tats  (canting),  old  rags.  Gypsy 
tat  or  tats,  not  only  rags,  &c, 
but  coarse  sack-cloth.  Hindu 
tat,  sack-cloth.  Hence  tatters 
in  English.  Milky  tats,  white 
linen. 

Y 


338 


Tatter — Team. 


Now  I'll  tell  you  about  the  fo*-gatherers ; 
buying  rags  they  call  it,  but  I  call  it 
bouncing  people. — Mayhem :  London  La- 
bour and  the  London  Poor. 

Tatter  (tramps),  a  rag-gatherer. 

Tatties  (Anglo-Indian),  a  frame 
composed  of  thick  jungle  grass, 
the  inside  being  interlaced  with 
layers  of  slender  fibrous  roots, 
on  which  water  is  constantly 
thrown  to  cool  the  air. 

As  a  rule,  during  the  very  hottest  months 
all  the  doorways  situate  on  the  sides  of  the 
buildings  towards  which  the  breeze  may 
be  blowing  are  usually  fitted  with  portable 
arrangements  called  tatties. — Brunlees 
Patterson :  Life  in  the  Ranks. 

Tattle  or  tattler  (thieves),  a  watch. 

A  famble,  a  tattle,  and  two  pops 
Had  my  bowman  when  he  was  ta'en. 
— Frisky  Molls  Song. 
I  have  made  a  grab  at  a  bunch  of  onions 
to-night,  but  the  jockey  wore  a  guard  to 
his  tattler. — Disconsolate  William. 

To  speak  to  the  tattler,  to  steal 
a  watch. 

Speak  to  the  tattler,  bag  the  swag, 
And  finely  hunt  the  dummy. 
— C.  Hindley :  Life  and  Times  of 
James  Catnach. 

To  nim  a  tattler,  to  steal  a 
watch.  Tattler,  a  dog  that  barks. 
In  French  argot  "  tambour  "  or 
"  alarmiste." 

Tattogeys  (old  cant),  players  who 
play  with  loaded  dice.  Vide 
TAT-BOX.  The  tattogey  was  the 
dice-cloth. 

Tattoo  (Anglo-Indian),  a  pony. 

Taut  hand  (nautical),  a  strict  dis- 
ciplinarian, a  martinet. 

Sir  Hannibal  regulated  his  household 
as  he  did  his  ship ;  he  was,  in  truth,  what 


is  termed  a  taut  hand ;  at  the  sound  of 
his  stump  cook  and  housemaid  held  their 
peace,  while  his  lady-wife  scarcely  dared  to 
bless  herself  without  permission. — Scraps. 

Tav  (gypsy),  string,  thread,  fine 
cord,  strip,  lace.     Tel,  thread. 

Tax  collector  (old),  a  high- 
wayman, a  bandit.  So  called 
from  the  forcible  extraction 
of  money  and  kind  from  his 
victims — a  sarcastic  reference 
to  the  similar  tactics  of  "  the 
powers  that  be."  In  America  a 
"  road  agent." 

Tea-boardy  (studios),  an  epithet 
applied  to  an  inferior  picture, 
which  reminds  one  of  the  old- 
fashioned  lacquered  tea-trays 
with  landscapes  on  them. 

Tea  chop  (nautical),  small  craft 
used  to  bring  a  cargo  of  tea 
alongside  the  ocean-going  vessel. 

Teach-guy  (costers),  back  slang 
for  eight  shillings. 

The  exception  to  the  uniformity  of  the 
"  gen  "  enumeration  is  in  the  sum  of  eight 
shillings,  which,  instead  of  "  teaich-gen," 
is  teaich-guy. — May  hew. 

Tea-fight  (society),  an  evening 
party. 

Tea-kettle  (popular),  tea -kettle 
grooms,  or  coachmen,  are  those 
who  do  general  work.  Tea-kettle 
purgers  are  scullery-maids. 

A  decent  allowance  made  to  seedy 
swells,  tea-kettle  purgers,  head-robbers, 
and  flunkeys  out  of  collar. — A  Tailor's 
A  dvertisemen  t. 

Team  (Oxford  and  Cambridge 
Universities),   the    pupils  of  a 


Team — Tear. 


339 


coach  or  private  tutor.  It  fre- 
quently, indeed  usually  hap- 
pens that  a  "coach"  of  refu- 
tation declines  taking  men  into 
his  team  before  they  have  made 
time  in  public.  (American),  it 
is  remarkable  that  team,  as  now 
used  in  America  to  signify  a 
company  or  party,  or  number 
of  people,  is  old  Saxon,  or,  as 
Ettmiiller  defines  it,  "  Tedm, 
longus  ordo  cujusvis  generis," 
a  series  of  any  kind." 

"He  Nde  bearh.and  his  vife 
and  his  tedme  at  tham  miclan 
fldde  " — "  He  preserved  Noah 
and  his  wife  and  his  team 
{suboles,  offspring)  in  the  great 
flood."  Hence  to  team  with, 
associate.  "Godes  beam  ti)m- 
don  vid  manna  dohtru  " — "  And 
the  children  of  God  teamed 
with  the  daughters  of  men" 
(Ettmiiller,  Anglo-Saxon  Lexi- 
con). 

Teapot  (American),  a  mispronun- 
ciation of  depot,  i.e.,  a  railway 
station. 

Then  outspoke  a  man  unnoted 
Hitherto :  "  I  heard  the  fellow 
Say  just  now  to  the  conductor 
Ere  we  reached  the  second  teapot, 
That  he  reckoned  he  must  hook  it 
This  here  time  a  little  sooner 
If  he  hoped  to  get  his  portion." 

— In  Nevada. 

(Cricketers),  a  teapot  stroke, 
hit  up  in  the  air  giving  an  easy 
catch,  a  result  of  "spooning." 
(Prison),  smashing  the  teapot, 
losing  the  privilege  of  tea  from 
bad  behaviour,  and  returning 
to    the    third-class.      Having 


one's  teapot  mended,  being  re- 
stored to  the  higher  class  and 
its  privileges.  Also  called  "get- 
ting it  down  the  spout." 

Teapot  sneaking  (thieves),  steal- 
ing plate,  teapots. 

"  Teapot  sneaking  your  mark  1 " 

"  Something  better." — Sporting-  Times. 

Teapot    soak  (thieves),  a  thief 
who  steals  plate,  teapots,  &c. 

Teapot  soaks  will  have  the  twitters, 
Garrotters  oft  will  suffer  pain. 

— Hun  Almanack. 

Tearing  his  seat  (tailors),  trying 
to  do  more  than  he  can. 

Tear  up,  a  (criminal),  explained 
by  quotation. 

Going  a  day  or  two  back  into  the  casual 
ward  of  my  union,  I  found  a  policeman 
standing  waiting  in  the  day  room.  Guess- 
ing that  he  had  come  to  remove  a  casual 
to  the  police  court,  "  What  is  it  this  time? 
Anything  serious?"  I  asked.  "Oh  no, 
sir ;  only  a  tear  up,"  was  the  reply.  T!iis, 
of  course,  was  so  far  satisfactory ;  but  as  it 
is  possible  that  among  the  readers  of  the 
St.  James's  Gazette  there  may  be  some 
who  are  unacquainted  with  the  accepted 
method  of  obtaining  a  fresh  outfit  among 
the  casual  poor,  it  may  be  worth  while  to 
explain  a  little  further.  But  first  let  us 
visit  the  unfortunate  creature  that  the  con- 
stable has  come  for. 

In  a  small  room,  some  seven  feet  by 
four,  the  furniture  of  which  consisted  of  a 
bed  and  a  wooden  stool  (it  is  usual  to  call 
these  rooms  "  cells,"  and  it  must  be  con- 
fessed that  "  cell "  is  more  accurately  de- 
scriptive of  the  facts  than  *'  room  "  or 
"  cubicle,"  which  has  also  been  suggested 
as  the  proper  term),  we  found  a  broken- 
down,  dejected-looking  man  of  about  forty. 
He  was  dressed  in  a  brown  cloth  coat  that 
had  seen  better  days,  a  pair  of  almost  new 
corduroy  trousers,  and  boots  which,  though 
not  new,  were  stout  and  serviceable.    At 


340 


Teaser —  Tcll-box. 


his  feet,  in  a  heap  on  the  floor,  lay  some 
filthy  rags  of  cloth  and  cotton,  the  remnants 
of  what  had  recently  heen  his  garments ; 
on  the  top  of  them  the  sole  and  a  fragment 
of  the  upper  part  of  one  of  his  boots.  The 
heap  was  the  result  of  the  tear  up. — St. 
James's  Gazette. 

Teaser  (pugilistic),  a  maddening 
blow. 

The  latter  planted  a  teaser  on  Sam's 
mouth,  which  produced  the  claret  in 
streams.  — Pierce  Egan :  Book  of  Sports. 

Tease,  to  (prison),  to  flog ;  to 
.    nap  the  tease,  to  be  flogged. 

Teaspoon  (sport),  five  thousand 
pounds. 

Tec  or  teck  (popular  and  thieves), 
explained  by  quotation. 

The  "detective"  was  always  an  untold 
terror,  because  he  could  not  see  him,  and 
every  suspicious  man  was  to  him  a  teck. 
He  despised  the  "  bobby  "  or  the  "  copper," 
but  he  had  an  untold  dread  of  the  teck. 
— Evening  News. 

"  Hulloh,  father  !  "  cried  Shakspeare, 
"look  here!  Isn't  that  the  'tec  that  we 
see  so  often  at  the  races?" — G.  Sims: 
Rogues  and  Vagabonds. 

Teck  (Harrow  school),  mathe- 
matics. 

Teddy  Hall  (Oxford  University), 
St.  Edmund's  Hall,  Oxford. 

Teejay  (Winchester  College). 
When  a  new  man  comes,  he  is 
given  by  his  house-master  to  an 
old  man  to  be  protected  and 
instructed  in  notions.  From 
the  French  protege". 

Teek  (Anglo-Indian),  exact,  close, 
precise,  parsimonious.  Hindu 
thick. 


Teeth  (nautical),  to  have  one's 
"back  teeth  afloat,"  to  be  very 
much  intoxicated. 

Teeth-drawing  (medical  stud- 
ents), wrenching  off  knockers. 

Teetotal  hotel,  her  Majesty's 
(prison),  a  prison. 

Telegram,  milking  a,  a  telegram 
is  said  to  be  milked  when  the 
message  sent  to  a  specific  paity 
is  surreptitiously  made  use  of 
by  others  (Dr.  Brewer). 

They  receive  their  telegrams  in  cipher 
to  avoid  the  risk  of  their  being  milked  by 
rival  journals. — The  Times. 

Telescoped  (Australian  popular), 
suppressed,  silenced.  Telescoped 
signifies  "shut  up"  like  a  tele- 
scope is  shut  up,  cf.  "shut  up" 
itself.  Possibly  also  when  they 
use  it,  people  may  think  of  it 
in  its  railway-accident  sense  of 
one  carriage  being  forced  into 
another. 

At  first  the  widow  flew  into  a  rage  and 
used  indignant  language  to  her  pastor, 
who  felt  quite  telescoped. — New  South 
Wales  Paper. 

Te'-li-man  (pidgin),  tailor. 

Tell-box  (American  gamblers). 
The  tell-boxis  an  improvement  on 
the  "gaff"  (q.v.),  and  has  a  fine 
spring  attached  to  it.  The  ob- 
ject of  it  is  to  cheat  the  dealer. 
The  dealer  plays  with  a  pack  of 
cards  which  the  player  has  had 
a  chance  to  handle,  and  he  nebs 
the  backs  of  certain  of  them 
with    sandpaper.      The    rough 


Tell-box —  Tench . 


341 


card  adheres  to  the  smooth  one, 
and  the  fact  that  it  does  not 
move  a  hairsbreadth  in  the 
box  enables  him  to  know  the 
card  that  is  covered,  and  he 
plays  accordingly.  He  can  also 
play  in,  the  same  manner  with 
a  new  pack  of  cards  without 
sanding  them,  as  certain  cards 
require  a  greater  amount  of 
ink  than  others  (New  York 
Slang  Dictionary). 

Tell  Chapman  to  crow!  (Ame- 
rican). About  fifty  years  ago, 
it  was  made  the  subject  of  a 
political  revelation  or  scandal 
that  an  eminent  Democratic 
politician  (we  think  it  was  John 
Van  Buren)  had  written  to  an 
associate  bidding  him  "tell  Chap-, 
man  (an  editor),  to  crow,"  i.e.,  to 
make  a  bluster  and  brag  in  his 
newspaper.  This  caused  a  great 
deal  of  laughter,  and  from  that 
time  "Crow,  Chapman,  crow/" 
became  a  byword.  From  this 
originated  the  custom  of  an- 
nouncing political  victories  by 
putting  pictures  of  crowing 
cocks  at  the  head  of  the  column. 
Once  an  editor,  named  John 
Du  Solle,  in  Philadelphia,  an- 
nounced a  Democratic  victory, 
only  unfortunately  "  a  little  too 
previously,"  as  it  appeared  a 
few  hours  after  that  the  Demo- 
crats had  lost  the  battle  of  the 
ballot.  More  unfortunately  still, 
Colonel  Du  Solle  had  ordered 
the  "  rooster  "  crowing  to  be  put 
at  the  head  of  the  "grand  vic- 
tory and  overwhelming  defeat," 
but  in  the  haste  of  "making 


up,"  the  typo  put  it  in  upside 
down,  so  that  the  cock  of 
triumph  appeared  like  that  de- 
scribed by  Washington  Irving 
as  sprawling  ignominiously  on 
his  back.  From  that  time,  per- 
haps, even  here  and  there  to 
the  present  day,  a  defeat  is 
announced  by  reversing  the 
gallant  bird. 

Teller  (pugilistic),  a  well-planted 
blow  that  tells. 

Each  cove  vos  teazed  with  double  duty, 
To  please  his  backers,  yet  play  booty, 
Ven  luckily  for  Jem  a  teller 
Vos  planted  right  upon  his  smeller. 

— Ainsworth:  Rookwood. 

Temples  (Winchester  College), 
explained  by  quotation. 

On  the  last  night  of  term  there  is  a  bon- 
fire in  Ball  Court,  and  all  the  temples 
or  miniature  architectural  excavations  in 
"Mead's"  wall  are  lighted  up  with 
candle-ends. — Everyday  Life  in  our  Pub- 
lic Schools. 

Temps.  For  this  there  is  no  Eng- 
lish equivalent.  Hoffman,  trans- 
lating Robert  Houdin,  writes 
that  it  is  "the  opportune 
moment  for  effecting  a  given 
disappearance  or  the  like,  un 
known  to  the  spectators  "  ( "  Con 
juring  and  Magic  "). 

Ten-cent  man,  a  (American),  a 
small,  narrow-minded,  or  trilling 
man. 

You  can  get  more  wind  out  of  a  ten- 
cent  fan  than  you  can  from  a  $500  one. 
It's  the  same  way  with  a  ten-cent  man. — 
Detroit  Free  Press. 

Tench  (thieves),  abbreviated  from 
House  of  Detention. 


342 


Ten — Thanks. 


I  fell  at  Isleworth  for  being  found  in  a 
conservatory  adjoining  a  parlour,  and  got 
remanded  at  the  tench. — Horsley :  Jot- 
tings from  Jail. 

Ten  commandments  (popular), 
fingers  or  nails. 

Tender-foot  (American),  one  who 
is  new  to  the  country,  a  green- 
horn or  "griffin."  Applied  in 
the  West  to  those  whose  feet 
are  not  yet  accustomed  to  much 
walking,  or  probably  to  those 
unused  to  moccasins. 

Stebbins  fell  an  easy  victim  to  the 
cigarette  and  smoked  incessantly.  The 
effect  of  the  habit  on  him  was  not  noticed 
until  one  day  he  fired  at  a  tender-foot 
from  the  East,  three  times  in  succession, 
and  missed  him  every  time. — Detroit  Free 
Press. 

How  an  American  ever  expects  to 
digest  his  food  is  a  problem  to  a  tender- 
foot, as  they  call  us  new-comers. — Phil- 
lips-Wolley:  Trottings  of  a  Tender-foot. 

A  yell  as  I  put  my  naked  foot  on  a 
cactus,  and  thus  made  my  first  acquaint- 
ance with  a  noteworthy  member  of  the 
flora  of  the  sandy  prairies,  is  a  reminis- 
cence of  that  night,  and  I  realised  in  a 
substantial  form  the  nickname  that  is 
given  to  the  new-comer  out  West  of 
tender-foot  or  pilgrim. — A .  Staveley  Hill : 
From  Home  to  Home. 

Tenner  (prison),  a  sentence  of  ten 
years'  penal  servitude. 

The  speaker,  in  a  stage  whisper,  would 
continue:  "It's  all  right.  Don't  turn 
your  head."  After  another  journey  round 
the  ring,  he  would  again  hiss  :  "  How  long 
have  you  got  ?  " 

"A  tenner  and  my  ticket,"  would  be  the 
reply. — Evening  News. 

(Common),  a  ten-pound  note. 

"  No  money?"  "  Not  much  ;  perhaps 
a  tenner. "  —  Hughes  :  Tom  Brown  at 
Oxford. 


2?<ra£«:(holdingout  his  hand):  "Evens." 
M.P. :  "  Yes ;  a  tenner.    I'll  settle  after 

the  race." 
B. :  "All  right.     What  name ?  " 
M.P. :  "Brown-Smith,  R.H.A." 
B.  :  "  Oh,  one  of  your  bloomin'  initials 

is  enough ! " — Sporting  Times. 

Ten-strike  (American),  a  ten-strike 
is  the  highest  "count"  which 
can  be  made  at  the  game  of 
ten-pins.  Applied  to  a  very 
lucky  hit  at  anything,  or  to  an 
unusual  stroke  of  success. 

Oh,  vot  ish  all  dis  earthly  pliss? 

Oh,  vot  ish  man's  soockcess? 
Oh,  vot  ish  various  kinds  of  dings  ? 

Und  vot  ish  hoppiness  ? 
Ve  find  a  pank-note  in  de  shtreet, 

Next  dings  der  pank  ish  preak, 
Ve  falls  und  knocks  our  outsides  in, 

Ven  ve  a  ten-shtrike  make. 

— The  Breitmann  Ballads. 

Ten  up !  (Stock  Exchange).  If  a 
broker's  credit  is  at  all  shaky, 
or  it  is  thought  he  is  unable  to 
carry  out  his  contracts,  he  is 
required  to  lodge  ten  per  cent, 
of  any  stock  bought  before  the 
contract  can  be  considered  valid. 
This  is  called  ten  up. 

Terri  (tinker),  coal. 

Terry  (tinker),  a  heating-iron. 

Tertians.     Vide  Bejant. 

Teviss  (costers  and  tramps),  a 
shilling. 

Thanks,  no  (society),  an  expres- 
sion meaning  one  does  not  in- 
tend to  be  taken  in.  There  are 
variations  of  this,  as  "  Not  in 
these  boots,"  &c. 


Thari — There. 


343 


Thari  (tinker),  to  talk,  language, 
conversation.  Also  bug.  "  Can 
yon  thari  Shelta,  sublee?" — 
"  Can  you  talk  Shelta,  man  1 " 
"  Do  you  grani  the  Minklas 
thari?"  —  "Do  you  know  the 
tinkers'  tongue  ? " 

Thatch  (popular),  a  person's  hair  ; 
well  thatched,  with  a  good  head 
of  hair.     Also  a  straw  hat. 

That-side  (pidgin),  there.  "  That 
sidey  sittee  he  compladore." 
This-side,  here.  "  Hab  makee 
stop  t'his  side." 

That's  too  rich  for  yonr  blood 

(American),   too  good  for  any 
one. 

You  go  a  visitin'  Miss  Perkinblower  I 
You  makin'  calls  on  a  judge's  daughter  1 
Tkat's  too  rich  for your blood — why,  they'll 
jest  tell  the  servant  to  carry  you  out  on  a 
chip  and  heave  you  into  the  barn-yard. — 
Newspaper  Story  :  MS.  A  mericanisms, 
by  C.  Leland  Harrison. 

That's  where  your  toes  turn  in 
(American),  one  of  many  popu- 
lar expressions,  equivalent  to 
"That  is  where  you  make  a 
mistake." 

"  My  frens,"  continued  the  speaker,  "de 
rich  man  walks  on  welwet  ca'pets,  an'  he 
sots  doun  on  stuffed  cheers,  an'  he  has 
Saratoga  'taters  ebery  meal.  He  jists  rolls 
in  ham  an1  eggs,  an'  he  walks  all  ober  fri- 
cassed  chicken.  De  poo'  man  walks  on  a 
bare  flo',  sots  on  a  hard  cheer,  an'  his 
'taters  am  biled  wid  de  hides  on.  Yet  who 
am  de  happiest  ?  You  will  say  de  rich  man, 
of  co'se — but  dat's  •what'  yer  toes  turn  in. 
— Detroit  Free  Press. 

Theatre  (thieves),  a  police  court. 
(Army),  Irish  theatre,  the  guard- 
room. 


Theddy,  tedhi,  thedi  (tinker),  fire. 

There's  no  knowing  what  an 
ox  may  do  (American).  This, 
which  was  once  a  popular  ex- 
pression, may  still  be  heard 
occasionally  in  New  England. 

"There  was  once  a  Yankee 
in  Montreal  who  was  about  to 
race  horses  with  an  Englishman 
for  a  thousand  dollars  a  side. 
Two  days  before  the  run  was  to 
come  off,  the  Yankee  learned 
that  his  horse  had  not  a  ghost 
of  a  chance  to  win.  While 
walking  about  town,  he  saw  an 
immense  prize  ox  adorned  with 
ribbons,  preceded  by  a  band  of 
music.  This  gave  him.an  idea. 
He  went  to  the  Englishman, 
and  proposed  a  preliminary  ex- 
amination of  both  their '  beasts.' 
The  Englishman  assented,  and 
said,  '  Well,  show  your  horse.' " 

"' Horse  1'  said  the  Yankee. 
'I  ain't  got  no  horse.  Why, 
Squire,  don't  you  know — my 
critter's  an  ox.  Didn't  you  see 
him  goin'  about  town  this  arter- 
noon  1 ' 

"The  Englishman  was  bewil- 
dered. He  had  seen  the  ox, 
and  believed  the  Yankee.  '  The 
race  is  off ! '  he  exclaimed.  '  I'll 
run  my  animal  against  any 
horse,  but  there's  no  knowing 
what  a  d d  ox  may  do!'" 

There  you  ain't  (popular),  this 
expression  expresses  a  failure. 
It  is  the  converse  of  "There  you 
are"  (q.v.). 

I  saw  a  lady,  I  rose  my  cadie, 
I  went  like  this,  and  then  I  did  a  wink, 


344 


There —  Thimble. 


I  said  you're  tasty,  very  tasty, 

Then  proposed  adjourning  for  a  drink. 
But  she  was  stuck  up,  and  turned  her 
nose  up, 
And  tried  to  look  as  though  she  were  a 
saint, 
I  did  just  what  I  thought,  but  she  wasn't 
quite  my  sort, 
So  there  you  ain't,  there  you  ain't,  there 
ycu  ain't. 
—Music  Hall  Ballad  {Francis  &>  Day). 

There  you  are  (popular),  meaning 
that  you  are  all  right.  "  Manage 
it  properly,  and  there  you  are." 

Nod  politely,  but  do  it  nicely, 

And  if  the  chance  occurs,  just  do  a  wink  ; 
Don't  be  hasty,  but  if  it's  tasty, 

Try  within  your  own  her  arm  to  link. 
While  you're  talking,  and  onward  walking, 

Be  careful  that  you  do  not  go  too  far, 
And  if  the  girl's  the  proper  sort,  and  you 
do  just  what  you  ought, 
Why,  tliere  you  are,  titer e  you  are,  there 

you  are. 
— Music  Hall  Ballad  (Francis  &>  Day). 

Thick  (popular),  cocoa.  ( Common ), 
intimate. 

"You  haven't  been  round  to  see  me  so 
often  as  you  used  to?" 

"  No ;  I've  made  a  new  set  of  acquaint- 
ances." 

"  What's  that  to  do  with  it?" 

"Well,  you  see,  they're  very  thick.  The 
consequence  is,  I'm  either  hoodman  or 
getting  over  an  attack  of  D.T." — Bird  o' 
Freedom. 

To  lay  it  on  thick,  to  natter  in 
an  exaggerated  manner.  (Win- 
chester College),  a  thick,  a  stupid 
fellow. 

Thick  'un  (common),  a  sovereign. 

"  Have  you  sufficient  confidence  in  me 
to  lend  me  a  sovereign?"  "Oh!  yes, 
I've  the  confidence,  but  I  haven't  the 
thick  'un'." — Atkin :  House  Scraps. 

I  forfeited  three  thick  'uns  entrance  fee 
at  Alexandra  Park  over  a  horse  which  I 


have  never  seen,  which  was  sold  to  me  for 
nothing  by  a  man  that  it  didn't  belong  to 
— Sporting  Times. 

Thieves,  murdering  (army),  the 
(now  extinct)  military  train. 

Thieving-irons  (old),  scissors. 

Bill  placed  his  canister  under  the  thiev- 
ing-irons, while  Dick  and  the  barber  gave 
play  to  their  velvets.—/.  Burrowes:  Life 
in  St.  George's  Fields. 

Thilly  (tinkers),  a  make- weight. 

"  You're  welcome  to  your  fun  this 
mornin',  Jim,"  replies  Jack,  "  but  wouldn't 
you  have  the  halt,  and  that  bit  of  a  spavin 
your  baste  have,  go  agin  one  another  ?  and 
maybe  you'd  give  us  a  pair  of  specs  a  blind 
horse  could  see  wud,  by  way  of  a  thilly  : 
for  your  hunther  will  soon  want  that  same 
sort  of  a  spy-glass." — Sporting  Times. 

Thimble.  This,  in  canting,  gene- 
rally means  a  watch.  The 
gypsies,  however,  apply  it  to 
both  watch  and  purse;  and 
this  confusion  of  terms  is  also 
to  be  found  occasionally  among 
thieves  in  America.  It  is  pro- 
bable that  the  Romany  word 
meaning  purse  is  by  far  the 
oldest,  since  in  Hindu  zambil 
is  a  purse  or  wallet.  Gypsy  is 
popularly  supposed  to  be  a  me- 
lange of  many  languages  ;  but 
in  the  Anglo -Romany  about 
forty -nine  words  out  of  fifty 
are  not  merely  Hindustani,  but 
to  a  very  great  extent  indeed 
Hindi  -  Persian,  approximating 
often  much  more  closely  to  an 
old  form  than  modern  Hindu 
itself.  This  was  the  opinion  of 
the  late  Professor  E.  H.  Palmer. 


Thimble-rigger —  Three. 


345 


Thimble-rigger  (common),  a 
sharper  who  practises  the  thim- 
ble-rig, a  cheating  game,  played 
thus :  A  pea  is  placed  on  a  table, 
and  the  man  rapidly  covers  it 
successively  with  three  or  four 
thimbles,  which  are  then  laid 
on  the  table.  You  are  then 
asked  to  point  out  the  thimble 
which  is  supposed  to  cover  the 
pea,  but  which  is  concealed 
under  the  cheat's  nail  or  up  his 
sleeve. 

The  poor  trumpery  beggars — converted 
clowns,  and  dog-stealers,  and  tramps,  and 
thimble  -  riggers  —  a  poor  out  -  at  -  elbows 
crew. — /.  Greenwood:  Dick  Temple. 

Thimble-twister  (thieves),  a  thief 
who  steals  watches  from  the 
person. 

Things,  the  (thieves),  base  coin. 

Thin  'un  (popular  and  thieves), 
half  a  sovereign. 

Thirteen  clean  shirts,  getting 
(prison),  three  months'  impri- 
sonment, shirts  being  changed 
once  a  week  in  prison. 

Thoker  (Winton),  a  large,  thick 
slice  of  bread,  baked  after  being 
soaked  with  water. 

Thoke,  to  (Winchester  College), 
to  rest.  Old  provincial  English 
thoky,  sluggish.  A  thoke  is  rest, 
lying  in  bed.  (Winchester),  to 
lie  in  bed  late.  But  "to  thoke 
upon  anything"  is  to  look  for- 
ward with  pleasurable  anticipa- 
tion to  its  enjoyment. 


Thomyok,  tomyok  (tinker), 
magistrate.  Literally  great 
head. 

Three-by-nine  smile  (American), 
a  laugh  or  smile  to  the  full 
extent  of  the  jaws.  A  pun  on 
the  word  benign. 

' '  Papa,  don't  you  think  young  Mr. 
Canter  has  a  benign  smile?" 

"Yes,  my  dear,  seven-by-nine.  I  never 
see  him  do  it  without  wishing  to  throw  a 
shovelful  of  corn  ihto  his  mouth." — New 
York  Journal. 

I  found  Mrs.  Langtry  engaged  in 
practising  a  new  fall,  and  she  smiled  a 
three-by-nine  smile  on  me.  —  New  York 
Morning  Journal. 

Three  cheers  and  a  tiger.  (Ame- 
rican). In  the  United  States, 
after  three  cheers  are  given,  it 
is  usual  to  add  a  howl,  called 
"the  tiger"  in  order  to  in- 
tensify the  applause.  Bartlett 
gives  a  very  meaningless  ac- 
count of  doubtful  authenticity 
as  to  the  origin  of  this  phrase, 
saying  that  a  man  once  cried 
to  the  Boston  Light  Infantry, 
"  Oh,  you  tigers,"  and  that  they 
began  to  growl.  The  true 
origin  seems  to  be  as  follows : 
Once  the  famous  wit  and  poli- 
tician, S.  S.  Prentiss,  being 
on  a  stumping  tour,  came  to  a 
town  where  there  was  a  small 
menagerie  on  exhibition.  This 
he  hired  for  a  day  and  threw 
it  open  to  all  comers,  availing 
himself  of  the  occasion  to  make 
a  political  speech.  The  orator, 
holding  a  ten-foot  pole,  stood 
on  the  tiger's  cage,  in  the  roof 
of  which  there  was  a  hole,  and 


346 


Three —  Throttle. 


whenever  the  multitude  ap- 
plauded oneof  his  "points"  with 
three  cheers,  Mr.  Prentiss  poked 
the  tiger,  who  uttered  a  harsh 
roar.  From  this  three  cheers  and 
a  tiger  spread  over  the  country. 
The  writer  had  this  anecdote 
from  a  relative  of  Mr.  Prentiss, 
and  can  vouch  for  its  authen- 
ticity. 

"  Three  cheers  and  a  tiger"  are  the  in- 
separable demonstrations  of  approbation 
on  all  festive  and  joyous  occasions  in  New 
York. — Boston  Evening-  Post. 

The  phrase,  which  was  new 
in  1842,  has  become  common 
since  that  time,  and  has  ex- 
tended from  New  York  to  every 
part  of  the  country  where 
political  and  social  gatherings 
are  held. 

Three  -  decker  (booksellers),  a 
three-volume  novel. 

Three  draws  and  a  spit  (com- 
mon), a  jocular  phrase  for  a 
cigarette. 

Three-legged  mare,  the  gallows, 
because  originally  formed  of 
three  parts. 

For  the  mare  with  three  legs,  boys,  I  care 

not  a  rap, 
'Twill  be  over  in  less  than  a  minute. 

— Ainsworth:  Rookwood. 

Also  called  the  "triple  tree." 

Three-pair  back  (popular),  a  back 
room  on  third  floor. 

So  they  eloped  together  from  the  work- 
house, and  took  shelter  in  a  three-pair  back. 
—J.  Wight :  Mornings  at  Boiv  Street. 


Three-ply  (American),  a  Mormon 
name  for  a  man  with  three  wives. 
How  the  three-ply  system  works 
is  set  forth  in  the  following 
extract. 

Other  wives  again,  through  policy,  and 
for  their  children's  sake,  become  good  girls, 
and  jog  along  in  misery  as  best  they  can. 
But  when  the  lord  after  some  time — shorter 
or  longer — becomes  somewhat  cooled  off 
in  his  affection  for  the  "  second,"  or  per- 
haps sees  another  woman  who  strikes  his 
fancy,  he  at  once  feels  the  necessity  of  his 
still  greater  exaltation  in  both  worlds,  and 
becomes  a  three-ply. — New  York  Herald. 

Three  ride  business,  the  crack 
way  of  running  over  hurdles, 
in  which  just  three  strides 
are  taken  mechanically  between 
each  hurdle. 

Three  sheets  in  the  wind  (com- 
mon), originally  a  sea  phrase  ; 
intoxicated,  or  nearly  so. 

Many  of  these  votaries  of  Bacchus  were 
three  sheets  in  the  wind. — Punch. 

It  should  be  enacted,  in  addition,  that 
the  drunkard  should  wear  a  badge,  .  .  . 
let  the  heralds  invent  a  cognizance  for 
three  sheets  in  the  wind. — Illustrated 
London  News. 

A  woman  who  scrubs 
Over  lathery  tubs, 
Though  not  of  a  bibulous  mind, 
Has  no  cause  to  faint 
If  folks  make  a  complaint 
Of  her  having  three  sheets  in  the  wind. 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Three  X's  (army),  the  30th  Regi- 
ment of  Foot,  from  the  Roman 
numerals  XXX. 

Throttle  (popular),  throat. 

Sam's  throttle  napt  a  rum  one,  but  the 
latter  put  in  his  one  two  with  heavy  effect. 
— Pierce  Egan:  Book  of  Sports. 


Through — Tib. 


347 


Through  a  side-door  (common), 
"the  child  came  through  a  side- 
door,"  i.e.,  is  illegitimate. 

Some  wicked  wretches  say,  but  I 

My  indignation  smother, 
That  I  came  through  a  side-door, 

Into  this  world  from  the  other. 
— H.  Wilson:  The  Blessed  Orphan. 

Throwing  off  (American  gam- 
blers), a  term  used  by  gamblers 
when  a  capper  is  the  partner  of 
a  sucker  (dupe).  The  capper 
can  lose  when  he  pleases,  thereby 
throwing  off  the  sucker  (New 
York  Slang  Dictionary). 

Throw  off  the  belt,  to  (American), 
to  stop  a  machine,  to  cause  any- 
thing to  cease.  "  Oh,  just  throw 
off  the  belt,  and  stop  your  wheels," 
i.e.,  cease  talking. 

There  seems  to  be  a  tolerably  general 
demand  that  the  controller  of  Lord  Tenny- 
son's poetical  machine  should  throw  off  the 
belt. — Detroit  Free  Press. 

Throw  up  a  maiden,  to  (cricket), 
to  bowl  an  innings  without  any 
runs  being  made  by  the  batsman. 

Thrums  (costermongers),  three- 
pence. 

Thrups  (popular),  threepence. 

Thugs  (American).  This  word  is 
in  the  United  States  applied  to 
the  adherents  of  the  native  Ame- 
rican party  and  others  by  their 
opponents,  also  to  roughs  and 
villains  generally. 

Thumper  (common),  a  gross  false- 
hood. 


Thumpers  (showmen,  itinerants), 
dominoes. 

Thumping  (common),  very  large. 

Thunderer,  the  (journalistic),  the 
Times  newspaper.  This  sobri- 
quet was  given  to  the  chief 
London  daily  because  of  the 
unusual  force  and  vigour  dis- 
played in  a  series  of  articles 
formerly  contributed  to  its 
columns  by  Captain  Edward 
Stirling. 

Thundering  (common),  very  large, 
superlative. 

Young  women  employed  in  drapery 
establishments  may  be  interested  to  learn 
that  if  their  employer  accuses  them  of 
telling  thundering  lies,  they  are  justified 
in  leaving  their  situation  without  notice. 
— Globe. 

He  took  me  into  his  confidence,  with  the 
professed  object,  as  he  himself  declared, 
of  proving  to  me  "  what  a  thundering  fool 
he  had  been."—/.  Greenwood:  Tag,  Rag, 
&>Co. 

Thunder-mug  (American  low),  a 
chamber  utensil. 

The  first  place  our  Sophomore  got  in  his 
scenic  work  was  on  the  slab  fence  opposite 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  On  the  topmost 
slab  he  traced,  in  burning  letters  a  foot 
long,  "T.  Williams  and  Son  sell  Bugs, 
Jugs,  Rugs,  and  Thunder-Mugs. "  A  few 
ornamental  flourishes  that  would  have 
made  Michael  Angelo  look  about  for  a 
place  in  which  to  lie  down  and  die,  com- 
pleted the  first  venture. — He'd  Paint,  so 
He  Would:  An  American  Story. 

Tib  (old  cant),  a  goose. 

On  red  shanks  and  tibs  thou  shalt  every 
day  dine. 

— Retoure,  my  dear  Dell. 


348 


Tibby —  Ticker. 


Also  "  tib  of  the  buttery."  Tib 
is  provincial  English  for  a  calf. 

Tibby  (popular),  the  head. 

I'm  a  chickaleery  bloke  with  my  one,  two, 
three, 
Whitechapel  is  the  village  I  was  born 
in, 
For  t»  get  me  on  the  hop,  or  my  tibby 
drop, 
You  must  wake  up  very  early  in  the 
mornin'. 

—  The  Chickaleery  Cove. 

It  has  been  suggested  that 
tibby,  or  a  thick  skull,  is  dis- 
coverable in  tibbad,  thickness,  a 
blockhead,  explained  in  Shaw's 
Gaelic  Dictionary  published 
more  than  half  a  century  ago. 
More  probably  from  tab,  tib, 
end  piece.  To  "  drop  on  the 
tibby  "  is  to  startle  or  alarm  any 
one,  to  take  him  unawares. 

Tib's  Eve,  on  (popular),  on  the 
Greek  Kalends,  i.e.,  never,  at 
no  time. 

Tichborne's  own  (army),  the  6th 
Carabineers. 

Tick  (common),  credit.  "  What  is 
the  damage  of  the  tick,"  what 
is  the  amount  of  the  bill  on 
credit.  Tick  is  old  English,  now 
used  slangily. 

I  confess  my  tick  is  not  good. — Sedley: 
The  Mulberry  Garden,  1668. 

What,  Timon,  does  old  age  begin  t'  ap- 
proach 

That  thou  thus  droop'st  under  one  night's 
debauch, 

Hast  thou  lost  deep  to  needy  rogues  on 
tick, 

Who  ne'er  could  pay,  and  must  be  paid 
next  week  ? 
—  The  Earl  of  Rochester  5  Works. 


When  you've  got  lots  of  money 

You're  a  brick,  brick,  brick  ; 
When  you've  got  lots  of  money 

All  your  friends  to  you  will  stick ; 
But  when  you've  got  no  money 
All  the  world  has  lost  its  honey, 
And  you'll  find  your  name  is  Dennis 

When  you  want  tick,  tick,  tick. 

— -Broadside  Ballads. 
Some  dads  leave  houses  to  their  sons, 

Mine  ne'er  left  me  a  brick, 
And  so  just  like  my  watch,  by  Jove, 

I  always  go  on  tick. 

-~G.  W.  Hunt:  The  Custom 
of  the  Country. 

In  the  seventeenth  century  a 
ticket  was  a  tradesman's  bill  or 
written  acknowledgment  of  a 
debt  or  score,  and  hence  the 
phrase  on  ticket,  on  trust,  on 
account,  on  credit,  on  tick,  sig- 
nified the  same.  In  French 
slang  the  equivalent  is  "avoir 
l'ardoise,"  alluding  to  the  slate 
on  which  accounts  are  recorded 
at  wine  shops. 

Your  courtier  is  mad  to  take  silks  and 

velvets 
On  ticket  for  his  mistress. 

— Cotgrave. 

No  matter  upon  landing  whether  you 

have  money  or   no — you    may  swim    in 

twentie  of  their  boats  over  the  river  upon 

ticket. — Decker:  Gulfs  Horn  Book,  1609. 

Also  a  watch.  Same  in  Ger- 
man cant.  In  French  cant 
"  tocante." 

You  know  you'll  buy  a  dozen  or  two  of 
wipes,  dobbin  cants,  or  a  farm,  or  a  tick 
with  any  rascal. — Parker:  Variegated 
Characters. 

Ticker  (thieves),  a  watch. 

For  seven  long  years  have  I  served  them, 
And  seven  long  years  I  have  to  stay, 

For  meeting  a  bloke  in  our  alley, 
And  taking  his  ticker  away. 

— Inscribed  on  a  Prison  Wall. 


Ticker — Tick. 


349 


"And  always  put  this  in  your  pipe, 
Nolly,"  said  the  Dodger.  "If  you  don't 
take  fogies  and  tickers— \(  you  don't  take 
pocket-handkerchers  and  watches — some 
other  cove  will." — Charles  Dickens :  Oliver 
Twist. 

As  it  is,  we're  doing  proper,  and  nicking 
our  ten  or  a  dozen  tickers  in  the  course  of 
a  single  afternoon. — Funny  Folks. 

(American  University),  one 
who  does  not  know  what  he  is 
talking  about. 

Ticket  (common  and  American), 
that's  the  ticket,  that  is  the  pro- 
per thing,  exactly  what  is  re- 
quired. In  this  sense  ticket  is 
the  equivalent  of  the  French 
itiquette,  of  which  the  original 
meaning  is  label,  notice  posted 
up,  hence  arrangement,  cere- 
monial. 

Quite  the  real  ticket  if  the  dons  as 
wholesales  the  blacklead  would  make  it 
up  to  sell  in  ha'porths  and  penn'orths. — 
Mayhew  :  London  Labour  and  the  Lon- 
don Poor. 

"  'Deed,  that  ain't  the  ticket,  Miss  Mary 
Jane,"  I  says,  "  by  no  manner  of  means." 
— Mark  Twain :  Huckleberry  Finn. 

"  What's  the  ticket  f  "  what  is 
the  programme?  what  is  to  be 
done?  In  French  "quelle  est 
la  marche  du  bceuf  gras  ? " 
alluding  to  the  pageant  and 
procession  of  the  prize  ox  in  the 
streets  of  Paris  (now  a  thing  of 
the  past).  (American),  "  what's 
the  ticket  on  it  ?  "  what  is  the 
price  of  it?  what  will  be  the 
result.  (Theatrical),  ticket  night, 
a  night  on  which  the  friends 
of  the  supers  at  a  theatre 
are  allowed  to  buy  tickets,  on 
the  understanding   that    it    is 


some  advantage  to  the  supers, 
who  have  a  percentage  on  the 
receipts.  (Australian),  to  go 
on  a  ticket,'  to  be  in  favour  of, 
to  adopt  the  policy  of.  Pro- 
bably adopted  from  the  United 
States.  It  signifies  to  make  a 
thing  one's  policy.  Thus  Mr. 
Gladstone  would  be  said  to 
be  "going  on  the  Home  Rule 
ticket. " 

Tickler  (common),  a  small  short 
poker  used  to  save  the  orna- 
mental fire-irons.  A  regular 
tickler,  a  poser.  (Popular),  a 
whip. 

I  don't  recollect  whether  Mrs.  Joe  Gar- 
gery's  tickler,  which  was  the  terror  of  Pip's 
life,  was  minutely  described  in,  "  Great 
Expectations." — Greenwood:  In  Strange 
Company. 

(American),  explained  by  quo- 
tation. 

The  drummer  never  travels  without  a 
tickler,  which  is  not,  as  the  name  might 
seem  to  imply,  a  sportive  term  for  a  bowie- 
knife,  but  a  small  pocket  ledger,  in  which 
are  carefully  noted  all  the  debts  incurred 
by  the  parties  with  whom  the  drummer 
does  business;  and  which  consequently 
enables  him  to  refresh,  or  tickle,  the 
memory  of  firms  who  are  a  little  behind- 
hand with  their  payments. — Daily  Tele- 
graph. 

Tickler,  titler  (gypsy  and  pro- 
bably provincial  also),  a  butter- 
fly.    Hindu  titld,  a  butterfly. 

Ticks  (sporting),  debts.  From 
tick,  credit,  or  written  acknow- 
ledgment of  a  debt. 

Tick  up,  to  (popular),  to  put  to 
one's  account. 


35o 


Tiddlywink —  Tiger. 


It  was  handed  round,  and  everybody 
praised  the  ale.  .  .  .  Some  adding  that 
they  would  tick  it  up  this  time,  but  that 
the  next  time  they  happened  to  be  pass- 
ing they  would  be  sure  to  call  in  and 
rub  off  the  score.  —  Household  Words: 
Lodged  in  Newgate. 

Tiddlywink  (provincial),  a  leaving 
shop,  where  money  is  lent  on 
goods  without  a  pawnbroker's 
license. 

Tied  his  hair,  that  (tailors),  that 
puzzled  him,  he  had  to  give  it 
up,  could  not  do  it. 

Tied  his  wool  (tailors),  vide  Tied 
His  Haie. 

Tie-drive,  tie  (American),  timbers 
tied  together,  rafts. 

The  "boys"  are  men  engaged  in  land- 
ing ties  thus  floated  down;  and  sitting 
around  the  red-hot  stove,  they  make  the 
evening  jolly  with  songs  and  yarns  of  tie- 
drives  and  of  wild  rides  down  the  long 
"  V  "  flume. — James  Stevens :  Around  the 
World  on  a  Bicycle. 

Tied  up  (popular),  given  over, 
finished. 

Tied  up  prigging  (thieves),  given 
over  thieving. 

Tiffin  (Anglo-Indian  and  pidgin), 
luncheon,  at  least  in  English 
households.  Also  to  tiff,  to 
take  luncheon.  As  there  is 
no  plausible  or  possible  deri- 
vation of  the  word  from  any 
Eastern  tongue,  the  authors  of 
the  Anglo-Indian  Glossary  be- 
lieve it  to  be  a  local  survival 
of  our  old  English  colloquial  or 
slang  term.      Grose  (1785)  de- 


fines tiffing  as  eating  or  drink- 
ing out  of  meal  time,  or,  as 
Americans  would  say,  "drink- 
ing in  between  drinks."  To 
take  a  little  tiff  is  an  old- 
fashioned  term  for  such  a  mere 
bit  and  sup  (especially  the  sup) 
in  the  United  States  (tiff,  old 
English  for  a  draught  of  liquor. 
Also  tift,  common  in  America), 
where  it  has  certainly  no  Anglo- 
Indian  connection.  It  is  pro- 
bably an  old  derivation  from 
the  same  root  with  "tip" 
and  "tipple."  To  tiff  or  take 
luncheon  is  correct.  To  tiffin  is 
generally  used  by  lady-novelists 
who  have  not  been  in  India, 
and  it  is  denounced  as  "bad 
grammar,  according  to  Anglo- 
Indian  use,"  in_the  Anglo-Indian 
Glossary.  The  Anglo  -  Indian 
word  tiffin,  according  to  G. 
A.  Sala,  is  in  common  use  in 
hotel  advertisements  in  South 
Africa. 

Lawn-tennis,  picnics,  and  flirtation  fill 
up  the  time  of  the  poor  expatriated  wives 
and  daughters  from  tiffin  to  afternoon 
tea. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Tiger  (workmen).  The  navvies 
call  streaky  bacon  by  this  name. 
Vide  Theee  Cheeks  and  a 
Tiger. 

(American),  to  fight  the  tiger, 
to  gamble  with  professionals. 
From  the  stripes  on  a  faro  table. 

Tiger  Bay,  one  of  the  slums  of 
London. 

As«soon  as  her  eyes  are  open  in  the  morn- 
ing, the  she-creature  of  Tiger  Bay  seeks 
to  cool  her  parched  mouth  out  of  the  gin- 
bottle  ;  and  " your  eyes,  let  us  have 


Tight —  Tilbury. 


35* 


some  more  gin  ! "  is  the  prayer  she  nightly 
utters  before  she  staggers  to  her  straw, 
to  snore  like  the  worse  than  pig  she  is. — 
Seven.  Curses  of  London. 

Tigers,  Bengal  (army),  the  17th 
Foot,  from  their  badge. 

Tight  (common),  drunk. 

And  I  lie  in  such  pose 

On  my  pallet  to-night 
(With  my  boots  unremoved), 

That  you  fancy  me  tight — 
And  I  rest  so  at  large 

On  my  pallet  to-night 
(With  my  head  to  its  foot), 

That  you  fancy  me  tight — 
That  you  frown  as  you  look  at  me, 

Thinking  me  tight. 

— Funny  Folks. 

He's  had  his  day,  and  had  his  night, 
And  now  when  he  did  get  tight, 
He  used  to  go  it  proper  right, 
Did  grandfather  1 
— C.  H.  Ross :  The  Husband's 
Boat. 

In  about  half-an-hour  they  were  as  thick 
as  thieves  again,  and  the  tighter  they  got, 
the  lovinger  they  got. — Mark  Twain: 
Huckleberry  Finn. 

This  corresponds  to  the  French 
slang  word  "rond,"  drunk,  i.e., 
distended  by  drink.  Mr.  George 
Augustus  Sala  tells  an  amusing 
story  of  Macready  in  connection 
with  this  word.  To  enable  the 
reader  to  understand  the  point 
of  the  anecdote,  it  is  essential 
to  state  that  in  America  there 
is  a  harmless  bird  called  a 
peep,  which,  in  consequence  of 
being  purblind,  flies  in  a  groggy 
and  erratic  manner,  continually 
striking  its  wings  against  the 
branches  of  trees.  Hence  it  is 
popularly  known  as  the  boozy 
bird. 


While  playing  in  Philadelphia, 
Macready  was  much  distressed 
by  the  actor  who  played  Horatio 
being  very  drunk.  Coming  off 
the  stage,  the  star  encountered 
the  manager,  to  whom  he  pointed 
out  the  peccant  player. 

"Do  you  see  that  beast,  sir?" 
inquired  the  enraged  tragedian, 
pointing  to  the  drunken  Horatio. 

"I  do,  sir,"  replied  the  man- 
ager ;  "and  I  guess  he's  tight  as 
a  peep." 

"  Oh,  indeed  I  "  growled  Mac. 
"  I  was  not  aware  that  that  was 
the  gentleman's  name ;  but  it's 
my  private  opinion,  sir,  that 
Mr.  Titus  Peep  is  as  drunk  as  a 
lord  1 " 

(Popular),  "blow  me  tight!" 
an  exclamation.  A  variation  of 
"jigger  me  tight/"  which  origin- 
ally was  probably  obscene. 

"  Good  people,  he  disowns  me — he's  a  false, 

deceitful  churl  I 
And  if  that's  not  right  —  well,  blow  me 

tight ! "     She  was  a  vulgar  girl ! 

— Sporting  Times. 

Tightener  (general),  a  meal,  or  a 
hearty  meal. 

Why  I've  cleared  a  "flatch-enork  "(half 
a  crown),  but  "kool  esilop"  (look  at  the 
police),  nammus  (be  off),  I'm  going  to  do 
a  tightener  (have  my  dinner). — Diprose : 
London  Life. 

(Popular),  do  the  tightener,  to 
dine. 

Tight  fit  (Vermont  University),  a 
good  joke.  The  one  telling  it  is 
said  to  be  "  hard  up." 

Tilbury  (old  cant),  a  sixpence. 


352 


Tile — Time. 


Tile  (common),  a  hat,  sometimes 
also  used  for  any  head  covering 
by  the  lower  orders. 

At  a  fe,w  minutes  before  one,  Sam  threw 
his  tile  into  the  ring. — Pierce  Egan  :  Book 
of  Sports. 

John,  Lord  Kinsale, 

A   stalwart   old    Baron,    who    acting    as 

henchman  ' 

To  one  of  our  early  kings,  killed  a  big 

Frenchman : 
A  feat  which  his    Majesty  deigning    to 

smile  on, 
Allowed  him  henceforth  to  stand  with  his 

tile  on. 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

Tried  to  get  to  the  bottom  of  the  three- 
card  trick,  but  fellow  was  too  deep  a  card. 
Got  my  new  tile  flattened  by  a  fellow 
taking  me  for  a  welsher. — Moonshine. 

The  comparison  of  the  head 
to  a  house  or  habitation  is  ob- 
viously appropriate  and  familiar. 
Thus  the  metaphor  of  a  tile,  as 
the  covering  of  the  house  or 
head,  is  not  incongruous.  The 
hat,  or  tile,  as  used  in  this  sense, 
is  erroneously  supposed  to  be  a 
corruption  of  pantile,  or  sugar- 
loaf,  because  hats  shaped  like 
a  sugar-loaf  were  sometimes 
worn.  By  a  similar  metaphor 
the  hat,  and  sometimes  the  hair, 
wascalledthe  "thatch,"  andless 
commonly  the  "slate."  The 
similarity  in  idea  of  many  ex- 
pressions of  the  slang  of  dif- 
ferent nations,  is  exemplified  in 
this  as  in  other  instances.  Thus 
in  French  argot,  ardoise,  a  slate, 
stands  for  hat  or  cap,  as  well 
as  tile,  and  in  Spanish  cant 
tejado,  or  techo,  is  literally  a  tile- 
roof.  Dr.  Brewer  thinks  tile  is 
from  Saxon  tigel,  to  cover,  to 


which  is  due  the  English  pro- 
vincial teag,  an  article  of  head- 
dress. 

Tile-frisking  (thieves),  stealing 
hats  from  halls. 

"What's  the  programme?"  said  the 
Dude  to  the  Baby  Hippo,  last  Saturday 
afternoon. 

"  Going  on  a  circular  tour." 

' '  Personally  conducted  ?  Black  Maria  ? 
Case  of  tile-frisking,  I  suppose  ? " — Bird 
o'  Freedom. 

Tile  loose  (common),  to  have  a 
tile  loose,  to  be  slightly  deranged. 
Also  a  "  tile  off  "  or  slate  loose." 

Questioned  by  Mr.  Finlay,  witness  said 
the  feather  came  from  Mount  Calvary. 
She  thought  the  major  had  got  a  tile  loose. 
— Daily  Telegraph. 

Till-sneak  (thieves),  a  rogue  that 
robs  tills. 

Tilt  on,  to  (American),  to  tumble 
on,  come  across,  meet.  From 
to  tilt  up,  or  tilt  over. 

If  there  are  any  blooming  young  Beech- 
ers,  or  flourishing  clerical  cocks,  who  expect 
a  hen-reward  for  their  devotion,  let  them 
beware,  lest  when  they  tilt  on  something 
extra  sweet,  they  tilt  up.  Tilting  on  and 
tilting  up,  my  young  friends,  is  by  far  too 
favourite  a  vanity  among  you  all. — Sermon 
by  Don  the  Third. 

Timbers  (popular),  the  legs.  Also 
"stems,"  "pegs." 

Timber-tuned  (musical),  said  of  a 
person  who  has  a  heavy  wooden 
touch  on  the  piano,  or  other 
instrument. 

Time  of  day  (popular  and  thieves), 
that's  the  time  of  day,  that's  the 


Time —  Tinkler. 


353 


thing,  how  matters  stand,   or 
ought  to  stand. 

Pop  that  shawl  away  in  my  castor, 
Dodger,  so  that  I  may  know  where  to  find 
it  when  I  cut ;  that's  the  time  of  day ! — 
Dickens :  Oliver  Twist. 

To  know  the  time  of  day,  to 
be  wide-awake ;  to  be  put  up  to 
the  time  of  day,  to  be  initiated, 
made  expert.  Alluding  to  teach- 
ing a  child  how  to  tell  the  time 
from  a  clock.  Compare  with 
"  to  know  what's  o'clock." 

Then  "  Royal "  Prescot  dares  the  fray, 
And  teaches  us  the  time  of  day. 

— St.  Helen's  Lantern, 

"  To  be  fly  to  the  time  of  day," 
to  be  initiated,  expert. 

Who  should  I  meet  but  a  jolly  blowen 
Who  was_/?y  to  the  time  of  day. 

—  W.  Maginn  :  Vidocq's  Song. 

Timer  (thieves),  used  in  the  phrase 
first,  second,  &c,  timer. 

Time,  to  do  (thieves),  to  serve  out 
a  term  of  imprisonment. 

Tin     (general),     money.      Also 
"pewter." 

We  never  put  tin  on  a  horse  to  win, 
Lack  of  oof  explains  it  partly, 

But  the  horse  that  will  be  in  the  final  three, 
Is  the  one  that  races  Smartley. 

— Sporting  Times. 

(Pidgin),  thin,  i.e.,  light,  not 
heavy,  short  weight.  Probably 
theorigin  of  the  American  phrase 
"too  thin,"  i.e.,  shallcw,  wanting 
in  reason.  "  That  excuse  is  too 
thin."  "You  talkee  my  t'at  one 
catty  ginger — t'at  too  tin  he  alio 
samee  play,  pidgin — you  want- 
chee  cheatee  my,  no  can  do." 
VOL.  II. 


Tindal  (Anglo-Indian),  a  native 
petty-officer  of  lascars,  or  the 
overseer  of  a  gang  of  labourers. 

Tinge  (tailors),  special  per- 
centage allowed  to  drapers'  as- 
sistants when  old  or  damaged 
stock  is  sold. 

Tin-horn  lot,  a  (American,  West- 
ern), a  term  used  to  express 
contempt,  implying  that  the 
one  "  contempted  "  is  a  small- 
minded,  mean  fellow.  In  Lon- 
don "  tin-pot." 

There  wasn't  none  of  this  small-minded 
scraping  and  shaving,  and  adding  up  and 
keeping  tally.  Them  as  got  it  paid,  and 
them  as  hadn't  it  didn't,  and  that's  there 
was  to  it ;  and  if  anybody  said  anything 
ugly  about  it,  you  just  blowed  the  top  of 
his  head  off,  and  set  up  the  drinks,  and 
there  was  an  end  of  him.     As  to  these  here 

Californians  that's  come  out  since  then 

they're  a  tin-horn  lot  compared,  half  Jew, 
half  Chinaman,  on'y  fit  to  take  their  plea- 
sure in  a  one-horse  hearse.—  F.  Francis: 
Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

Tinkers'  news  (common),  news 
that  has  been  heard  or  told  be- 
fore. In  Scotland  the  term  is 
"pipers'  news,"  the  idea  being 
that  information  supplied  by 
these  people  soon  gets  stale  on 
account  of  their  peregrinatory 
habits. 

Tinkler  (common),  explained  by 
quotation. 

"  Hark  !  "  cried  the  Dodger  at  this 
moment,  "  I  heard  the  tinkler."  .  .  .  The 
bell  was  rung  again.— Dickens  ;  Oliver 
Twist. 

French    thieves    call  a    bell 
"  une  retentissante." 

Z 


354 


Tin — Tip. 


Tin-pot  "(common),  low,  mean,  as 
a  tin-pot  game ;  worthless,  as  in 
a  tin-pot  company. 

I  shall  have  correspondents  all  over  the 
world,  and  I  shall  have  information  of 
every  dodge  goin',  from  an  emperor's  am- 
bition to  a  tin-pot  company  bubble. — The 
Golden  Butterfly. 

Most  of  the  men  whom  one  met  at  the 
Castle  had  been  under  the  patronage  of 
sportsmen  amongst  the  Upper  Ten,  and 
no  tin-pot  heroes  could  get  a  footing. — 
Sporting  Life. 

(Naval),  a  contemptuous  term 
for  an  ironclad. 

Tip  (general),  a  bribe  or  gratuity 
to  servants  or  others,  in  reward 
for  services  or  information  fur- 
nished or  expected.  From  tipe, 
to  toss,  as  money  was  at  one 
time  commonly  thrown  to  ser- 
vants. The  word  is  so  exten- 
sively used  as  to  be  hardly  slang. 

Even  instances  have  come  to  our  notice 
of  men  in  a  good  position  in  society  being 
blackmailed  when  returning  home  late,  and, 
under  the  threat  of  being  run  in  as  drunk 
and  disorderly,  giving  the  necessary  tip 
rather  than  have  to  go  to  the  police-station, 
and  perhaps  get  their  names  brought  pro- 
minently before  the  public.  —  Saturday 
Review. 

We   do   not   desire   to  suggest   that  a 

judicious  tip  from  Miss to  Constable 

E ,  when  he  first  addressed  himself  to 

her,  would  have  released  her  from  the 
further  effects  of  his  zeal. — The  World. 

In  the  sporting  world,  tip  has 
also  the  signification  of  private 
information,  on  the  chances  of 
a  horse  winning,  supposed  to 
be  derived  from  some  trust- 
worthy source.  Straight  tip, 
direct  information  from  the 
owner  or  trainer  of    a    horse, 


and  generally  direct  informa- 
tion or  hint  on  any  subject. 
From  tip,  a  cue,  in  showman's 
slang. 

I  don't  knowhow  he  knows  about  horses, 
but  he  doe's ;  he  is  generally  right.  He's 
a  tout— makes  it  his  living  going  round 
giving  tips. — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

No  matter  what  paper  or  tout  proclaims, 
Take  only  the  tip  from  "  Truthful  James ; " 
He  is  up  to  all  the  dodges  and  games, 
And  money's  not  wasted  by  "  Truthful 
James." 

— Sporting  Times. 

(Popular),  to  sling  the  tip,  to 
give  information,  give  a  hint. 

Kim  here,  you  confounded  young  josser, 

while  straight 
From  the  shoulder  I  slings  you  the  tip, 
As  regards  a  bad  habit  you've  taken  of 

late. 

— Sloper's  Vagaries. 

(Common),  that's  the  tip,  that 
is  the  proper  thing  to  do ;  to 
miss  one's  tip,  to  miss  one's  op- 
portunity, fail.  (Old),  a  tip, 
a  drink.  Provincial  English 
diminutive,  tipple. 

Miss  (with  a  glass  in  her  hand) — "  Hold 
your  tongue,  Mr.  Neverout,  don't  speak 
in  my  tip." — Swift :  Polite  Conversation. 

Tip  and  a  bopatte  (provincial),  a 
shop  in  country  villages,  where 
everything  may  be  had  from  a 
shirt  to  a  lucifer  match. 

Tip  a  stave,  to  (common),  to  sing. 

Miss  Amy can  also  tip  you  a  stave 

with  an  ability  something  above  the  com- 
mon.— tun. 


Tip  one's  boom  off. 
Tip. 


Vide  To 


Tipperary —  Tip. 


355 


Tipperary  lawyer  (Irish),  a  blud- 
geon or  shillelagh. 

Next  he  produced  a  shillelagh — a  real 
Tipperary  lawyer—  and,  taking  off  his  hat 
and  turning  back  his  cuffs,  he  proceeded 
to  wield  it  in  a  defiant  manner,  finally 
bringing  it  down  with  a  sounding  thwack 
on  the  lid  of  the  japanned  box. — Daily 
Telegraph. 

Tippery  (common),  payment. 

In  plain  words,  he  wished  to  have  the 
tippery  for  his  toggery. — /.  Wight:  Morn- 
ings at  Bow  Street. 

Tipping  (American).  "  Tipping 
about  on  her  toes."  Used  in 
Philadelphia  to  mean  a  mincing 
gait.  This  agrees,  certainly  by 
mere  accident,  with  the  Yiddish 
tippeln,  to  come  and  go  (Hebrew 
tapoph),  walking  with  a  minced 
or  tripping  gait.  (Public  and 
military  schools),  it  is  tipping, 
it  is  first-rate,  jolly. 

Tipster  (turf),  an  agent  who  pro- 
cures special  information  for 
his  clients  on  the  condition  of 
horses,  their  capabilities,  &c. 

It  is  an  open  secret  that  tipsters  pay  for 
their  advertisements  on  an  unusually  high 
scale. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 


"  Sir,  I  am  a  /; 
"  I  seldom  bet 
Times. 


'erl"  he  said  proudly, 
myself."  —  Sporting 


Tip  the  double,  W  (common),  to 
decamp. 

In  plain  words  he  fairly  tipped 'em  the 
double,  he  was  vanished.  — /.  Wight : 
Mornings  at  Bow  Street. 

Tip  the  little  finger,  to  (slangy 
Australian),  to  drink.  The  ex- 
pression is  taken  from  the  posi- 


tion of  the  little  finger  in 
emptying  a  glass.  When  a  man 
takes  to  drink,  or  injures  his 
position  or  business  by  drinking 
too  much,  Australians  say  that 
he  is  a  little  too  fond  of  tipping 
the  little  finger. 

Tip,  to  (common),  to  give,  convey. 
There  are  many  applications  of 
this  word  in  English,  which 
may  be  translated  by  "  give." 
Thus  "tip  the  wink,"  a  silent 
request  to  act  with  caution,  or 
to  abstain  from  crediting  all 
that  is  said.  "Very  old.  In 
Colley  Cibber's  "  Flora,  or  Hob 
in  the  Well,"  ii.  2,  the  servant 
says,  "Know  you,  sir  I  Why, 
I  bought  one  of  your  ballads 
for  her,  and  she  tipt  the  wink 
upon  me,  with  as  much  as  to 
say,  desire  him  not  to  go  till 
he  hears  from  me." 

Sudden  she  storms !  she  raves  !     You  tip 

the  wink  ; 
But  spare  your  censure :   Silia  does  not 
drink. 

— Pope's  Moral  Essays. 
At  which  words  Sextus  tipped  me  the 
wink,  but  I  did  not  observe  that  Licinius 
was  at  all  displeased  with  them. — Valerius. 
As  we  went  by  our  house  I  wished  I 
hadn't  sent  Mary  Jane  out  of  town  ;  be- 
cause now,  if  1  could  tip  her  the  wink, 
she'd  light  out  and  save  me.  —  Mark 
Twain :  Huckleberry  Finn. 

"  Tip   us    your    fin,"    shake 
hands.      Also     "tip    us    your 
daddle,"  or  "your  flipper,"  &c. 
Tip  us  your  daddle. 
She  tipped  me  her  sweet  little  paw. 
— Punch. 
Old  Bottleblue   tipped  me  his  flipper, 
and  'oped  I'd  refreshed  and   all   that.— 
Punch. 


356 


Tip — Tizzy. 


Tip  me  the  clank  like  a  dimber  mort  or 
you  are  trim  a  ken  for  the  gentry-cove,  he 
is  no  lansweardo,  or  I  am  a  kinchin. — 
Beaconsfeld :  Venetia. 

To  give  a  gratuity. 

"  Which  they're  the  very  moral  of  Chris- 
tyuns,  sir ! "  observed  Mrs.  Tester,  who  was 
dabbing  her  curtseys  in  thankfulness  for 
the  large  amount  with  which  our  hero  had 
tipped  her. — C.  Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

"What's  the  tip?"  what  is 
to  be  given  or  paid,  same  as 
"  what's  the  damage  ?  "  (Popu- 
lar and  thieves),  to  tip  the  cole, 
to  pay  money. 

For  when  that  he  hath  nubbed  us, 
And  our  friends  tip  him  no  cole, 
He  takes  his  chive  and  cuts  us  down. 
And  tips  us  into  the  hole. 

—  The  Life  and  Death  of  the  Dark- 
man  s  Budge. 

To  "  tip  the  cole  to  Adam 
Tyler,"  to  pass  the  stolen  money 
to  an  accomplice.  To  "  tip  the 
loaver,"  to  pay  money. 

.  .  .  Just  by  sweetening  them,  and  then 
they  don't  mind  tipping  the  loaver. — 
May  hew :  London  Labour  and  the  Lon- 
don Poor. 

(Popular),  to  tip  one's  boom 
off,  to  depart,  from  a  sailor's 
phrase. 

Tip-top  (common),  of  the  best 
kind,  first-rate. 

Tip-top  swells  used  to  come  among  us, 
and  no  mistake ;  real  noblemen,  sir. — 
Mayhew:  London  Labour  and  the  Lon- 
don Poor. 

Perhaps  a  tip-top  cracksman  be, 
Or  go  on  the  high  toby. 

—  The  Song  of  the  Young  Prig. 

Tip -topper  (popular),  a  gentle- 
man, one  of  the  best  class,  first- 
rate.    Also  "topper." 


Tip  up,  to  (popular),  to  pay. 

"  Come  on,"  whispered  Mouldy,  first 
looking  up  and  down  to  see  that  we  were 
not  observed  ;  "  tip  up,  Smiffield." 

"  Tip  up!"  I  repeated,  in  amazement, 
seeing  that  he  as  well  as  Ripston  were 
looking  perfectly  serious. 

"  Fork  out,"  said  the  boy  last  mentioned. 
— The  Little  Ragamuffins. 

Tire,  to  be  tired  (American),  to 
be  afraid  of,  alarmed  at,  timid. 

"  Sir,  I  thank  you  for  not  giving  him 
your  gun  (revolver).  Perhaps  you  saved 
my  life."  Then  getting  ferocious,  "  Not 
that  I'm  scared  at  him."  Then  a  short 
silence,  and  glaring  fiercely  at  me,  "  Nor 
of  you  either.  I've  seen  cow-boys,  bigger 
men  than  you,  and  with  bigger  hats  too 
— but  they  didn't  tire  me.  No,  they 
didn't  tire  me  any." — Morley  Roberts  : 
The  Western  Averntts. 

Tish  (Oxford  Military  College), 
partition  or  cubicle. 

Title-page  (printers),  a  face.  A 
well  -  displayed  .  title  -  page  is  a 
handsome,  open  face. 

Titter  (popular),  a  girl. 

Only  a  glass  of  bitter  ! 

Only  a  sandwich  mild  ! 
Only  a  stupid  titter! 
Only  she's  not  a  child  1 

— Song:  Only  a  Penny 
Blossom. 

From  tit,  used  by  Dryden  as 
a  contemptuous  term  for  a  girl. 
Wright  gives  tit  as  provincial 
for  smart  or  proud  girl ;  a  light 
tit,  a  strumpet.  Probably  from 
titmouse.  Tytmose,  the  pud. 
fern.  (Halliwell). 

Tizzy  (common),  perhaps  a  cor- 
ruption from  tester,  an  old 
English  word  for  a  sixpence. 


Tizzy — Toco. 


357 


There's  an  old  'oraan  at  the  lodge  who 
will  show  you  all  that's  worth  seeing — the 
walks  and  the  toy  cascade — for  a  tizzy. — 
Lytton :  The  Caxtons. 

Tizzy  Poole  (Winchester),  an  old 
term  for  a  fives'  ball.  They 
cost  sixpence,  and  were  sold  to 
the  boys  by  a  head  porter  named 
Poole. 

Toadskin  (American  boys'  slang), 
a  five-cent  postage-stamp. 

"Why,  ma,  don't  you  know  what  a 
toadskin  is  ?  "  said  Billy,  drawing  a  dingy 
five-cent  stamp  from  his  pocket.  "  Here's 
one,  and  don't  I  wish  I  had  lots  of  'em  1 " 
— Fitz-Hugh  Ludlow:  Little  Brother. 

Toasting-fork  or  iron  (common), 
a  sword. 

If  I  had  given  him  time  to  get  at  his 
other  pistol,  or  his  toasting-fork,  it  was  all 
up. — Hughes :  Tom  Brown  at  Oxford. 

I  served  in  Spain  with  the  King's 
troopers  until  .  .  .  and  hung  up  my  toast- 
ing-iron.—  Thackeray :  Pendennis. 

Toast,  on  (common),  to  have  one 
on  toast,  to  place  another  in  a 
corner  or  dilemma.  In  America 
a  very  common  phrase  for  any- 
thing nicely  served. 

Toasty  (studios)  is  said  of  a 
picture  painted  in  very  warm 
tints.  French  painters  call  this 
r6ti. 

Tobacco-curers  (South  Carolina), 
explained  by  quotation. 

"Barns"  were  built  or  repaired,  cheap 
thermometers — or  terbacker  kyorers,  as 
they  are  called  there — are  bought,  and  the 
golden-leafed  luxury  —  the  bane  of  the 
revenue  reformer — is  cut  from  a  thousand 
steep  and  stony  hillsides,  and  hung  in 
"chinked  and  daubed"  air-tight  barns. 
— Bird  o'  Freedom. 


Tobur,  toba  (showmen,  &c),  the 
ground  or  field  at  fairs,  hired  to 
put  the  waggons  on  for  show 
or  circuses,  or  other  al  fresco 
entertainments,  which  does  not 
amount  to  much,  so  that  a  man 
or  manager  is  considered  very 
hard  up  if  he  has  not  enough 
to  pay  the  tobur.  Gypsy  tober, 
the  road,  hence  ground. 

Toby  (cant),  highroad.  This 
word  is  as  much  in  use  as  ever 
among  "travellers,"  who  now 
call  it  "tober."  "Tober"  is  pro- 
bably the  older  word.  See  above. 

You  are  a  capital  fellow  !  and  when  the 
lads  come  to  know  their  loss,  they  will 
know  they  have  lost  the  bravest  and 
truest  gill  that  ever  took  to  the  toby. — 
Lytton ;  Paul  Clifford. 

Toby  consarn  (old  cant),  a  high- 
way expedition.    Toby,  highway. 

Tobyman  (old  cant),  highwayman. 
Toby,  the  highway. 

All  the  most  fashionable  prigs,  or  toby- 
men,  sought  to  get  him  into  their  set. — 
Lytton:  Paul  Clifford. 

Toco  or  toks  (popular),  to  give 
toco,  to  thrash.  From  Italian 
tocco,  touch,  stroke,  or  stock,  stick. 

The  school -leaders  come  up  furious,  and 
administer  toco  to  the  wretched  fags  nearest 
at  hand. — Hughes :  Tom  Brown's  School- 
Days.  * 
Dear  Charlie, — Ascuse  shaky  scribble  ;  I'm 

writing  this  letter  in  bed. 
Went  down  to  the  Square,  mate,  last  Sun- 
day, and  got  a  rare  clump  on  the  'ed. 
Beastly  shame,  and  no  error,  my  pippin  ! 

Me  cop  it !    It's  too  jolly  rum. 
When  a  reglar  Primroser  gits  toko,  one 
wonders  wot  next  there  will  come. 
— Punch. 


358 


Toddle —  Tojfishness. 


Toddle,  to  (common),  to  be  off, 
to  walk.  Provincial  English,  to 
walk  with  short  steps. 

"Then  toddle  to  bed  as  soon  as  you 
like,"  said  Mr.  Belcher.  "Can  you  find 
your  way  back?" — The  Little  Raga- 
muffins. 

"We're  a-going  Hitchin  way,"  said  the 
companionable  linker,  "  we'll  toddle  to- 
gether."—/. Greenwood:  Tag,  Rag,  &* 
Co. 

Toe-fil-tie  (Winton),  to  tie  string 
or  cord  to  the  toes  of  sleeping 
boys  with  the  object  of  waking 
them  by  pulling  the  string. 

Toeing  (pugilistic),  toeing  the 
scratch  or  mark,  beginning  the 
fight,  that  is,  placing  one's  foot 
on  the  scratch  or  line  in  a  prize 
fight. 

Wednesday  was  "presentation  day" 
at  London  University.  The  gentleman 
who  gained  the  greatest  applause  on  "  toe- 
ing the  mark"  before  the  Chancellor  was 
William  Waterloo  Wellington  Rolleston 
Napoleon  Buonaparte  Guelph  Saunders, 
B.A.,  and  the  clerk  of  the  course  was 
fairly  out  of  breath  when  he  had  got  to 
the  end  of  this  appalling  cognomen.  Even 
the  sweet  girl  graduates  smiled. — Sporting 
Times. 

(Common),  toeing  one,  kicking 
one  behind. 

Toff  (popular),  a  dandy,  a  swell, 
one  who  appears  well.  Also 
toffer,  a  well-dressed  gay  woman. 
Derived  from  the  Yiddish  or 
Hebrew  toff,  tov,  tuiv,  literally 
good,  and  used  in  an  extended 
sense  which  perfectly  warrants 
its  application  to  good  or  a  fine 
appearance.  Toff,  good  ;  toffer, 
better ;   tbffest,    best ;  jom    toff, 


good  day,  a  festival ;  toff  peg, 
a  good  groschen ;  tof  malluschim, 
fine  clothes.  A  probable  deri- 
vation is  from  to  tiff,  to  deck 
oneself  out,  or  toft,  a  dressy  in- 
dividual. Toff,  often  applied  to 
an  over-dressed  clerk  or  draper's 
assistant,  who  apes  the  swell. 
An  old  toff,  an  old  beau. 

A  magistrate  recently  sentenced  a 
woman,  who  made  her  hundredth  appear- 
ance at  the  court,  to  fourteen  days'  hard 
labour.  "You  are  an  old  toff,"  warbled 
the  lady,  "  and  if  you  sit  there  long  enough, 
I'll  certainly  treat  you.  I  am  now  going 
to  eat  some  bread  and  onions  I  have  in  my 
pocket."  "  Saints  preserve  us  !  "  groaned 
the  magistrate.  "Remove  the  lady  with 
electric  rapidity,  gaoler,  and  get  rid  of 
those  onions  as  quickly  as  possible,"  he 
continued.  The  gaoler  obeyed  orders, 
and  as  he  re-entered  the  court,  a  powerful 
aroma  floated  round,  and  the  worthy  beak 
was  heard  to  ejaculate  "pah  1 " — Judy. 

The  sort  of  old  toffs.%  a  cove  would  be 
proud  of  for  a  dad. — Punch. 

Up !    sport-loving   toffs,   tool   your  drags 
o'er  the  sward, 

And,  forsooth  !  since  a  coster  may  elbow 
a  lord, 

At   Epsom,   let  coves  who  from  White- 
chapel  hail, 

Drive  their  nags  and  their  barrow  close 
up  to  the  rail. 

— Sporting  Times. 

Tofficky    (popular),   dressy,   fine, 
nice. 

Toffishness  (popular),  explained 
by  quotation. 

Taking  the  average,  it  may  be  set  down 
at  ten  for  each  of  the  two  hundred,  or  two 
thousand  slices  in  all — thick  slices,  bear  in 
mind  :  anything  under  an  inch  thick  would 
be  regarded  with  contempt  by  the  bony 
young  barrowman,  and  perhaps  with  an 
uncomfortable  suspicion  that  you  have  de- 
signs to  inveigle  him  into  the  detestable 


Togged —  Togs. 


359 


ways  of  gentility.  He  calls  it  toffishness. 
He  is  peculiar  in  his  views  in  this  respect. 
— Greenwood :  In  Strange  Company. 

Togged  (popular),  dressed. 

He  was  togg'd  gnostically  enough.  — 
Scott :  St.  Roman's  Well. 

So  I've  togged  myself  up  to  the  nines. 
— Punch. 

In  London  many  female  servants  seldom 
remain  long  in  one  situation ;  just  long 
enough  to  get  togged  and  fed  up.  Then 
my  lady  must  have  a  spree  for  a  few  days. 
—  Thor  Fredur :  Sketches  from  Shady 
Places. 

Shakspeare  has  toged.  gowned. 

Toggery  (popular  and  thieves), 
clothing. 

Next  slipt  off  his  bottom  clo'ing, 
And  his  ginger  head  topper  gay. 
Then  his  other  toggery  stowing, 

Tol  lol,  &c, 
All  with  the  swag  I  sneak  away. 

— Burrowes :  Vidocq's  Song. 

But  in  Edward  the  First's  days,  I  very 

much  fear, 
Had  a  gay  cavalier  thought  fit  to  appear 
In  any  such  toggery — then  'twas  term'd 

"gear"— 
He'd  have  met  with  a  highly  significant 

sneer, 
Or  a  broad  grin  extending  from  ear  unto 

ear, 
On  the  features  of  every  soul   he  came 

near; 
There  was  no  taking  refuge  too,  then,  as 

with  us, 
On  a  slip-sloppy  day,  in  a  cab  or  a  'bus. 
— Ingoldsby  Legends. 
But  take  a  pal's  advice,  and  don't  be  over 

nice, 
Though  your  suit  of  toggery  ain't  a  very 

flash  'un  ; 
You'd  better  far  put  up  with  the  rig  than 

tear  it  up, 
And  be  measured  for  the  latest  "  parish  " 

fashion. 

— /.  Greenwood :  A  Night  in  a 
Workhouse. 


Toggy,  togman  (old  cant),  a  coat. 

Togman    (thieves),   a    cloak    or 
coat. 

I  towre  the  strummel  trine  upon  thy 
nachbet  and  togman. — Harman :  Caveat. 

Togs  (common),  clothes. 

Look  at  his  togs  !  Superfine  cloth,  and 
the  heavy  swell  cut  I  Oh,  my  eye,  what  a 
game  ! — Dickens :  Oliver  Twist. 

"  It  mightn't  spoil  some  sort  of  togs," 
I  replied,  with  a  scornful  glance  at  poor 
Sam's  wretched  rags.  "  I  shouldn't  like 
to  get  the  soot  over  my  clothes  wot  I  wears 
of  Sundays,  so  I  tell  yer.  I'm  going  to 
have  another  suit  to  follow  my  trade  in." 
—  The  Little  Ragamuffins. 

My  friend  could  play  the  fiddle  and  de- 
claim, and  I  can  dance,  whistle,  and  sing 
with  anybody  ;  so,  having  obtained  my 
pension,  we  bought  an  old  violin  and  suit- 
able togs,  and  startqd  to  do  a  bit  of  nigger 
minstrel  business  in  the  country,  where 
such  things  are  nearly  unknown. — Thor 
Fredur:  Sketches frotn  Shady  Places. 

Togs  was  used  for  garments 
in  the  time  of  Henry  VIII. 
From  the  Anglo  -  Saxon  tygan, 
or  else  from  the  same  root  with 
the  Latin  toga,  a  covering  ;  like 
tugurium,  hut  or  roof.  Indo- 
Germanic  teg,  to  cover ;  hence 
tego,  tegere.  German  dach,  a 
roof.  "Thatch,"  and  the  Greek 
aiiytj,  a  roof,  are  of  the  same 
family.  This  word  seems  to  be 
the  same  as  the  old  term'  tugs, 
same  meaning,  as  in  under  tug, 
a  petticoat.  Tug  clothes,  work- 
ing clothes. 

Also  possibly  from  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  teog,  material,  stuff,  and 
tege,  a  binding,  i  tying  (ligatura, 
rexus).  Tygan  (Boswell),  to  tie 
together.     Togged  out  reminds 


36o 


Toheno —  Toloben. 


us  of  teohjan,  from  the  same 
root,  signifying  to  adorn,  trick 
out,  exornare  (Bedwulf,  5871). 
Latin  toga. 

Toheno,  tohereno  (costermong- 
ers),  pronounced  tocheiw  or  to- 
chereno,  very  nice  ;  literally  a 
transposition  of  "  hot  one." 

Toke  (popular  and  thieves),  bread. 
Same  as  "  tack." 

One  night  coming  home  to  the  crih  where 

he  lived, 
Found  two  cripples  a  munching  dry  toke 
as  they  sat. 

— •/.  Greenwood:  A  Night  in  a 
IVorkhouse. 

For  breakfast  there  is  bread  and  scrap, 

And  something  she  calls  tea  ; 
I  only  know  it's  wet  and  warm 

And  disagrees  with  me  ; 
I  wouldn't  mind  so  much  for  that 

If  the  toke  was  not  so  thick, 
For  each  slice  is  two  inches  high, 

And  hard  as  any  brick. 

— Broadside  Ballad. 

Pieces  of  bread. 

He  could  devour  as  many  surplus  tokes 
as  an  elephant  at  the  Zoo  on  an  Easter 
Monday. — Evening  News. 

Token  (printers).  Vide  Bul- 
lock's Heart.  Printers  in 
working  off  sheets  reckon  their 
work  by  tokens  of  two  hundred 
and  fifty  impressions. 

Tol  (old  cant),  a  sword.  Evidently 
abbreviated  from  Toledo,  when 
the  blades  manufactured  in  that 
town  had  a  world-wide  reputa- 
tion. 

Merrily  over  the  common  he  flies, 
Fast  and  free  as  the  rush  of  the  rocket, 


His  crape-covered  vizard  drawn  over  his 

eyes, 
His  tol  by  his  side,  and  his  pops  in  his 

pocket. 

— Ainsworth:  Rookwood. 

(Costermongers'  back  slang), 
stock,  share,  or  lot. 

How  is  a  man  to  sell  fine  cherries  at 
4d.  a  pound  that  cost  him  3jd.,  when 
there's  a  kid  alongside  of  him  a  selling 
his  tol  at  2d.  a  pound  ? — Mayhew  :  Lon- 
don Labour  and  the  London  Poor. 

Tol  lol,  happy,  pretty  well. 

Toll-loll-loll-kiss-me-dear  (bird 
fancier),  explained  by  quotation. 

"Just  the  same,"  put  in  old  Master 
Nosey  Warren;  "just  the  same  as  the 
Middlesex  finch  calls  hisself  toll-loll-loll- 
kiss-me-dear;  it's  the  nat'ral  note  of  'em." 
— Greenwood :  In  Strange  Company. 

Toll-shop  (provincial),  a  prison, 
a  variation  of  toll-booth.  "  The 
prison  was  so  called  in  Cam- 
bridge, as  it  still  is  in  Scotland. 
Corbel  uses  the  word  as  a  verb, 
and  explains  it  in  a  note,  '  Idem 
quod  Bocardo  apud  Oxon.'  The 
English  Dictionary  gives  it  as 
meaning  custom-house  "  (Lewis 
O.  Davies). 

The  Maior  refused  to  give  them  the 
keys  of  the  toll-booth,  or  town  prison. 
— Fuller :  History  of  Cambridge. 

Tolly  (public  schools),  a  candle  ; 
from  tallow. 

Tolly  up,  to  (Harrow  School),  to 
keep  a  candle  alight  after  the 
gas  has  been  turned  off. 

Toloben  (old  cant),  the  tongue. 
Also  tollibon,  tullibon.     Possibly 


Toloben —  Tommy. 


36i 


from  toll,  to  ring  a  bell,  and  bene, 
well.  This  derivation  is  sup- 
ported by  similar  metaphors : 
English  slang  "clapper,"  a 
tongue,  especiallya  busy  tongue ; 
French  slang  "battant "  (tongue 
of  a  bell),  tongue;  "avoir  un 
bon  battant,"  to  be  a  great  or 
loud  talker ;  Italian  cant  "  scam- 
panare"  (literally  to  toll),  to 
talk  loud.  Or  from  tal  (tell),  and 
bene,  well,  or  gypsy  termination 
ben  or  pen  to  every  verbal  noun. 
The  gypsies  use  the  term  under 
the  form  of  tdlloben.  Again, 
the  term  may  owe  its  origin  to 
tvlly,  red  silk,  "red  rag  "  being 
the  modern  phrase  for  tongue  ; 
in  French  slang  "chiffon  rouge." 
Toloben  rig,  fortune-telling. 

Tolsery  (old  cant),  a  penny. 
Literally  the  price  of  toll.  "  Tol- 
sey"  is  provincial  for  a  place 
where  tolls  were  taken. 

Tom  and  Jerry  shop  (popular),  a 
low  drinking-shop. 

Tomarter  or  tomato,  a  (Ameri- 
can), "  he  caught  a  tomarter  that 
time."  A  substitute  for  ' '  a  tar- 
tar," provided  by  Artemus  Ward. 

Tom  astoners  (nautical),  dash- 
ing fellows.  From  astound  or 
"  astony,"  to  terrify  (Smyth). 
Tom  is  tinker  for  great. 

Tombstones  (popular),  large  teeth. 
Pawn  tickets,  all  that  remains 
of  the  departed  property. 

The  collection  for  master  amounted  to 
4id.,  and  a  tombstone  for  ninepence  on  a 
brown  Melton  overcoat. — Sporting  Timfs. 


Tombstone  style  (printers),  a 
slang  term  to  indicate  a  parti- 
cular kind  of  display  in  setting 
up — similar  to  that  used  in 
monumental  inscriptions. 

Tom-John,  tonjon  (Anglo-Indian), 
a  sort  of  sedan  or  portable  chair. 

Tommies  (popular),  a  name  for 
tomatoes. 

Now  that  the  wholesome  "  love-apples," 
with  their  delicious  sub-acid  flavour,  have 
become  cheap,  the  masses  in  their  thou- 
sands may  be  seen  continually  munching 
them,  not  only  because  the  tommies  are 
nice,  but  because  they  are  red. — Daily 
Telegraph. 

Tommy  (popular),  bread,  food. 
The  usual  name  for  food  amongst 
navvies.  Probably  from  Irish 
tiomallain,  I  eat. 

One  finger  is  what  you've  got  to  look 
out  for.  The  job  what  Rip's  got  will 
get  us  the  coffee  ;  now,  if  we  can  find 
summat  else  while  he's  a-doin'  of  it,  that'll 
be  the  tommy;  which  I  hopes  we  shall, 
cos  coffee  wirrout  tommy  don't  make 
much  of  a  breakfast.  So  keep  your  eyes 
open,  Smiffield. — The  Little  Ragamuffin. 

Also  inferior.  Tom  seems  to 
enter  into  many  disparaging 
phrases.  The  exchange  of  labour 
for  goods.  Tommy-shop,  a  place 
where  a  variety  of  articles,  mainly 
food,  are  sold.  From  provincial 
English  tommy,  provisions. 

The  proprietor  keeps  a  "tienda"  or 
tommy-shop  on  his  estate,  just  as  the 
Australian  squatter  keeps  his  store  at  his 
station. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Also  a  baker's  shop.  Originally 
a  store  belonging  to  an  employer 


362 


Tommy —  Tool. 


whose  workmen  were  obliged  to 
take  out  part  of  their  earnings 
in  tommy  or  food. 

Tommy  Atkins  (army),  a  familiar 
term  given  by  soldiers  to  their 
pocket  ledger  or  small  account- 
book.  The  origin  of  this  name 
arose  from  every  document, 
paper,  &c,  being  headed,  for 
convenience  sake,  "  I,  Tommy 
Atkins,"  &c.  In  general  par- 
lance the  term  is  applied  to  a 
soldier. 

Tommy  Dodd,  in  tossing,  when 
the  odd  man  either  wins  or 
loses,  as  per  agreement  (Hotten). 

Tommy  rot  (common),  rubbish, 
nonsense. 

Wen  he  sez  my  god's  "  go  " — well  he's  'it 

it.     Great  Scott !  wot  is  life  without 

"go?" 
But  "loud,  slangy,  vulgar"?    No,  'ang 

it,   young  man,  this  is — well,  there, 

it's  low. 
Me  vulgar !  a  Primroser,  Charlie,  a  true 

"  Anti-Radical "  pot ! 
No,  excuse  me,  St.  J.,  I  admire  you ;  but 

this  is  all  dashed  tommy  rot. 

— Punch. 

Tom-pats,  in  canting,  shoes.  In 
gypsy,  feet.  Hindu  tal-pat, 
trampled  on.  To  patter-alay  in 
gypsy,  is  to  trample  on,  alay, 
being  an  abbreviation  of  tale  or 
tal.  (Old  cant),  rum  tom-pat,  a 
real  clergyman,  in  opposition  to 
the  "patrico,"  which  see. 

Tom  Topper  (popular),  freshwater 
mariner,  ferryman.  Also  "  Tom 
Tug." 


Tongs  (American),  an  old  word 
used  for  boys'  jackets  and 
trousers.  Probably  a  form  of 
the  old  English  togs,  aided  by 
the  resemblance  of  trousers  to 
tongs,  in  the  forked  shape. 

(Medical),  a  familiar  name 
amongst  medical  students  for 
the  midwifery  forceps. 

Tony  catchy,  tunnyketch, 
tawnykertch  (Anglo  -  Indian). 
In  Madras  the  domestic  water- 
carrier,  generally  a  woman. 
Tamil,  tannir-hassi. 

Too  big  for  his  boots  (theatrical), 
a  phrase  invented  by  the  late 
F.  B.  Chatterton,  manager  of 
Drury  Lane,  to  denote  an  actor 
who,  having  made  a  hit,  gave 
himself  airs,  and  became  obstre- 
perous and  presuming. 

Too  forth-putting  (American), 
too  demonstrative  or  "too  pre- 
vious." 

The  Taylor  gush  in  Tennessee  is  getting 
tiresome.  At  the  latest  "rally  "  both  were 
presented  with  pathetic  speeches,  and  Bob 
got  a  bass  viol  of  red  roses  and  Alf  a  ship 
of  white  roses,  and  both  were  nominated 
for  Vice-President  on  the  next  Presidential 
tickets.  These  gentlemen  are  quite  too 
forth-putting.  The  public  is  fatigued  and 
would  fain  seek  repose. — Washington  Post. 

Toofered  (gypsy),  mended. 

Tacho,  true.  But  an  old  coat  can  hold 
out  better  than  a  man.  If  a  man  gets  a 
hole  in  him,  he  dies  ;  but  his  chukko  (coat) 
can  be  toofered  and  sivved  apr6  (mended 
and  sewed  up  for  ever).—  The  English 
Gypsies. 

Tool  (studios),  artists  give  this 
appellation    to    their    brushes. 


Tool — Top. 


563 


(Popular),  a  poor  tool,  a  clumsy- 
fellow,  a  bad  hand  at  anything, 
a  whip.  (Burglar),  a  small  boy 
whom  housebreakers  employ  to 
enter  a  house  by  a  small  aper- 
ture. 

Tooler  (thieves),  a  pickpocket ; 
moll-tooler,  female  pickpocket. 
To  tool  is  applied  to  stealing, 
picking  pockets,  and  burglary  ; 
derived  beyond  doubt  from  the 
gypsy  word  tool,  to  hold,  handle, 
or  take.  In  all  the  Continental 
Romany  dialects  it  is  tulliwawa. 

Tool,  to  (general),  to  drive,  to 
hold  and  manage  the  reins, 
to  "handle  the  ribbons."  Pro- 
bably from  an  association  with 
tools  and  skilful  handling.  To 
do  a  thing  in  workmanlike  style. 
Suggested  to  be  from  the  gypsy 
tvl,  indicative  present  tullivava 
{vide  Toolee),  I  hold,  also  gene- 
rally applied  to  driving.  Tul  tiro 
chib,  hold  your  tongue ;  tul  0  soli- 
varis,  hold  the  bridle,  i.e.,  ride. 

He  could  tool  a  coach. — Lytton :  The 
Caxtons. 

A  coach  he'd  tool.     You've  coaches  still, 
I've  heard  that  they're  not  driven  ill, 
But  where's  the  fun  without  the  spill  ? 
Says  Grandfather. 
— C.  H.  Ross:  The  Husbands  Boat. 

Mr.  Carnegie  was  taking  the  peace 
gentlemen  with  him,  and  he  is  well-known 
to  be  a  generous  host.  Who  has  not  read 
of  his  coaching  tours  in  England,  when 
he  tooled  Mr.  Matthew  Arnold,  Mr.  John 
Morley,  Mr.  William  Black,  and  other 
men  of  light  and  leading  behind  his  teams 
of  prancing  nags. — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

(University),  to  tool  along,  to 
go  or  cause  to  go  at  a  great 
pace. 


Too  much  bag  (American),  need- 
less disquisition,  padding,  super- 
fluity. 

There  is  a  great  deal  of  bag  and  a 
strong  sense  of  too-muchness  in  this  tale. 
It  bulgeth. — Western  Newspaper. 

Toother  (pugilistic),  a  blow  on 
the  mouth. 

I  found  .  .  .  two  knuckles  cut  to  the 
bone  almost,  so  I  must  have  got  in  one 
pretty  good  toother. — Sporting  Life. 

Tooth-music  (popular),  mastica- 
tion. 

Toot,  on  a  (American),  raising 
the  devil,  making  a  noise,  on  a 
spree.  Toot,  the  devil  (English 
provincial,  Wright).  Toot,  to 
blow  a  horn ;  Anglo  -  Saxon 
tutan,  to  swell,  to  grow ;  tarda 
{i.e.,  toot),  to  murmur,  sound ; 
getete,  show,  ostentation  ;  totjam, 
eminere,  micare,  to  cut  a  shine. 
All  agreeing  with  the  modern 
forms. 

Too-too  (society),  exceedingly,  an 
expletive.  Thomas  Scott,  in  his 
"  Philomythia,"  employs  this 
phrase,  which,  after  an  oblivion 
of  nearly  three  centuries,  has 
been  revived.  Speaking  of  the 
weathercock,  he  says,  "  his 
head  was  too  -  too  great,"  and 
again,  "his  tail  was  too-too 
weak,"  referring  to  its  irregu- 
larities. 

Tootsies  (common),  feet,  those  of 
ladies  and  children  in  particular. 

Top  I  a  signal  among  tailors  and 
sempstresses   for    snuffing   the 


364 


Top —  Topping. 


candle.  One  cries  top  1  and  all 
the  others  follow ;  he  who  last 
pronounces  this  word  has  to 
snuff  the  candle  (Hotten).  An 
abbreviation  of  "  top  the  glim." 
To  top  is  to  burn  off  the  long 
cotton  end  of  a  candle.  (Ame- 
rican), first-rate.  An  abbrevia- 
tion of  "tip-top." 

The  third  suddenly  becomes  a  very 
swash-buckler  of  a  young  woman.  Hither- 
to she  has  spoken  English  ;  now  she  falls 
into  an  unknown  dialect.  "  How  is  your 
mother,  Jenny  ? "  she  is  asked  by  the 
visitor.  "  Oh,  top  I " — The  Youth's  Com- 
panion. 

Top-dressing  (journalistic),  a 
large-type  introduction  to  a 
report,  generally  written  by  a 
man  of  higher  literary  attain- 
ments than  the  ordinary  re- 
porter who  follows  with  the 
details  (Hotten).  (Common), 
doing  the  hair,  coiffure. 

The  Roman  Emperor  Caracalla,  when 
he  made  a  progress  in  Germany,  tried  to 
conciliate  the  fierce  Teutons  by  having  his 
sable  locks  cropped  close  to  his  head,  and 
assuming  a  top-dressing  in  the  shape  of  a 
tawny  rig. — Daily  Telegraph. 

The  coarseness  of  thy  tresses  is  distress- 
ing, 
With  grease  and  raddle  firmly  coales- 
cing, 
I   cannot  laud  thy  system  of  top-dress- 
ing. 
— /.  B.  Stephens :  To  a  Black  Gin. 

Shakspeare  uses  the  word  top 

for  head  : 

All  the  starred  vengeance  of  Heaven  fall 
On  her  ungrateful  top. 

Topee  (Anglo-Indian),  a  hat  of 
any  kind.  Hindu  topi.  Incor- 
rectly limited  in  popular  English 


parlance  to  the  sola  (not  solar) 
helmet. 

Top  o'  reeb  (costermongers'  back 
slang),  pot  of  beer. 

Top-heavy  (common),  drunk.  Un- 
steady, like  anything  having  the 
upper  part  too  heavy  for  the 
lower,  as  of  a  boat  or  ship. 

Top-joint  (thieves'  back  slang),  a 
pint  of  beer. 

Top-lights  (nautical),  the  eyes. 
In  French  slang,  "quinquets;" 
Spanish  cant,  "  lanternas  ;  " 
Italian,  "lampante." 

Topped  (thieves  and  popular), 
hanged,  "may  I  be  topped!" 

Topper  (common),  excellent,  as  a 
topper  at  billiards.  The  toppers, 
swells,  fashionable  people. 

But  I  twigged  that  the  toppers  left  early ; 
Yours  truly  ain't  'ooked  for  a  flat ! 

— Punch. 

(Thieves),  head  topper,  a  hat 
or  wig.  (Popular),  tobacco  left 
in  the  bowl  of  a  pipe,  a  tall  hat. 
(Pugilistic),  a  blow  on  the  head. 

Vile  Jem,  with  neat  left-handed  stopper, 
Straight  threatened  Tommy  with  a  topper. 
— A  insivorth :  Rookwood. 

Topper  hunter  (popular),  poor 
men  who  pick  up  cigar  ends 
and  pieces  of  tobacco,  which 
they  chop  up. 

Topping  (popular),  elegant,  swell, 
great.  (Nautical),  pretentious, 
as  topping  the  officer ;  also 
fine,  gallant. 


Topping —  Top. 


365 


Topping  cheat  (old  cant),  the 
gallows.  Topping,  hanging,  and 
cheat,  a  thing. 

Top-sawyer  (general),  a  term  de- 
noting excellence,  superiority. 
It  is  derived  from  the  rule  of 
the  sawpits;  the  top  man  has 
to  work  harder  and  is  more 
responsible  for  the  job  than  the 
man  who  stands  below.  This 
term  is  of  many  special  applica- 
tions. (Sporting),  a  renowned 
horse,  that  excels  others  in  speed 
and  endurance. 

There  will  be  at  least  a  dozen  runners — 
more,  probably,  should  the  favourite  de- 
velop more  fibrine  in  the  blood — and  far 
more  interest  attaches  to  the  race  than  in 
years  past,  when  there  has  usually  been  a 
top-sawyer'vn.  the  field. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

(Thieves),  an  expert  thief, 
one  who  has  gained  distinction 
among  his  fellows  by  his  achieve- 
ments. 

Wasn't  he  always  a  top-sawyer  among 
you  all  ?  Is  there  one  of  you  that  could 
touch  him,  or  come  near  him  on  any  scent  ? 
— Dickens :  Oliver  Twist. 

They  planned  their  work  and  executed 
it  without  any  assistance ;  not  because 
they  declined  to  associate  with  the  old 
ones — as  the  candidate  for  platform  em- 
ployment hastened  to  add,  with  undis- 
guised contempt  for  the  whole  race  of 
paltry  pretenders — but  because  they  were 
unacquainted  with  any  of  the  school, 
being  themselves  green  hands  and  novices, 
who  were  ambitious  "to  be  top-sawyers 
when  as  yet  they  were  fit  for  nothing  but 
to  pick  up  chips." — /.  Greenwood:  A 
Converted  Burglar. 

(Common),  a  rich  person. 

"I'll  marry  a  top-sawyer"  he  used  to 
say,  whenever  his  uncle  broached  the 
question  of  his  settlement  in  life.  "  Why, 
bless  ye,  it's  the  same  tackle  and  the  same 


fly  that  takes  the  big  fish  and  the  little 
one." — Wliyte-Melville :  M.  or  N. 

A  great  person. 

He  had  paid  the  postboys,  and  travelled 
with  a  servant  like  a  top-sawyer. — Thack- 
eray :  The  Newcoines. 

Also  applied  to  a  thing. 

"  Well  then,"  says  I, ,"  I  have  made  a 
spec,  gineral,  and  such  a  spec  too  as  ain't 
often  made  now-a-days  nother.  It's  a 
top-sawyer  one,  I  do  assure  you." — Sam 
Slick. 

Formerly  a  dandy,  an  ex- 
quisite. 

When  the  perfumed  mane  of  the  Persian 
lion  flowed  over  his  high  coat-collar,  and 
in  conjunction  with  an  exuberant  pointed 
beard,  imparted  a  formidable  ferocity  to 
his  strongly-marked  lineaments,  his  con- 
temporary, the  London  top-sawyer,  went 
about  clean-shaven,  save  for  a  mutton-chop 
whisker  or  so,  and  with  hair  sedulously 
curled  but  symmetrically  trimmed. — Daily 
Telegraph. 

(Costers),  the  largest  and  best 
fruit  placed  at  the  top  of  a 
basket.  (Tailors),  a  collar.  Also 
applied  to  the  fore  part  of  a  gar- 
ment. 

Top  shuffling  (gambling  cheats), 
explained  by  quotation. 

He  will  make  up  the  hand  he  wants  out 
of  the  discards,  or  else  hold  out  the  neces- 
sary cards  until  he  gets  enough,  and  it  is 
his  deal.  Then  he  drops  it  on  the  top  of 
the  pack,  and  perforins  a  very  neat  little 
piece  of  work  known  as  top. shuffling, 
which  consists  in  shuffling  the  lower  half 
of  the  pack  over  the  upper  half  without 
disturbing  it.  When  this  is  over  the  hand 
he  wants  is  still  on  top.  The  cut,  of  course, 
buries  it,  but  by  a  very  simple  movement 
he  gets  the  cards  back  in  their  original 
condition.  This  is  called  "  shifting  the 
cut,"  and  can  be  done  with  one  hand  or 
two.      Nothing   then   remains  but  to  go 


366 


Tops —  Tosher. 


ahead  and  deal.  Dexterity  in  over-shuffling 
and  shifting  the  cut  are  the  two  things 
that  modern  gamblers  cultivate  in  all  their 
leisure  hours,  and  with  these  accomplish- 
ments, and  coolness  and  nerve,  little  else 
is  required. — Star. 

Tops,    short   for  top-boots,  also 
upper  garments. 

Tom  is  the  one  to  patter  flash, 
And  make  the  coveys  laugh  ; 

With  whites  and  tops  he  cuts  a  dash, 
And  like  a  beak  can  chaff. 
— Pierce  Egan :  Book  of  Sports. 

Topsman    (thieves),   the   execu- 
tioner.   Vide  Topped. 


(popular),     very 


Topsy  -  boozy 

drunk. 

Yes,  that's  it,  you  laughter-loving  jokers 
and  corkers  I  If  you  get  "  screwed," 
topsy-boozy,  or  "three  sheets  in  the  wind" 
in  a  dedicated  road,  the  blue-coated  war- 
riors may  nab  you. — Toby. 

Top-yob  (thieves'  back  slang),  a 
pot-boy. 

Top  your  boom.    Vide  Boom. 

To   rights   (common),  in  the 
.  proper  way,  completely.     Vide 
Rights. 

The  comedy  provides  you  with  hilarity. to 

rights  ! 
With  Lottie  Venne  and  Penley  in  the  wild 

Arabian  Nights. 

— Fun. 

Torpids,  the  eight-oared  races  at 
Oxford  rowed  in  the  spring,  in 
contradistinction  to  the  summer 
eights.  It  is  in  these  races  that 
the  freshmen  are  able  to  distin- 
guish themselves,  and  qualify 


for  their  college  boat  in  the 
next  term. 

Torrac  (costermongers),  back 
slang  for  a  carrot. 

Tortle  (American),  a  Philadelphia 
expression  meaning  go  or  walk 
away,  or  "  turtle  off."  In  the 
"Charcoal  Sketches,"  by  J.  C. 
Neal,  one  man  advises  another 
to  put  on  his  "  skeets  "  (skates) 
and  tortle.  Early  English,  tortyll, 
to  twist  or  wriggle  away. 

Tortoise,  Pump  and  (army),  "  the 
38th  Foot,  on  account  of  their 
great  sobriety  and  equally  re- 
markable slowness  when  once 
stationed  at  Malta  "  (Chambers's 
Journal). 

Tosh  (public  and  military  schools), 
a  foot-bath,  any  bath.  Perhaps 
a  corruption  of  "toe-wash ; "  but 
it  is  curious  to  note  that  in 
Turkish-Persian  tasi  is  a  copper 
basin  used  in  the  bath,  from 
which  "tosher"  (which  see)  is 
probably  derived. 

A  tosh  pan,  an  important  utensil  for 
periodical  ablutions  on  stated  nights,  is 
also  provided. — Pascoe :  Life  in  our  Pub- 
lic Schools. 

(Royal  Military  Academy),  the 
tfosft-pond  is  the  bathing-pond. 

Tosher  (nautical),  a  man  who 
steals  copper  sheathing  from 
ships'  bottoms,  or  from  dock- 
yard stores.  Probably  from  tasi, 
a  copper  basin  in  Turkish-Per- 
sian. (Oxford),  an  unattached 
student.  (Gypsy,  obsolete),  food, 
victuals.  Hindu  tosha,  provisions. 


Toshing —  T'other. 


367 


Toshing  (nautical).  Vide  Tosher. 

Tosh-soap  (Charterhouse  School), 
cheese.     Vide  TOSH. 

Toss  (Billingsgate),  a  measure  of 
sprats. 

Tot  (popular),  a  small  glass. 
(South  African),  a  drink. 

Tot,  or  tots,  old  (army),  old 
bones,  the  kitchen  refuse  which 
is  often  bartered  to  some  bar- 
rack sutler  who  supplies  in 
exchange  the  crockery  for  the 
barrack  men.  One  of  the  slang 
names  of  the  17th  Lancers — 
"  the  Death  or  Glory  Boys  " — 
is  the  Old  Tots,  because  they 
carry  the  device  of  a  skull  and 
crossbones.  (School),  tots,  addi- 
tion sums ;  to  tot  up,  to  add 
up,  abbreviation  of  "total." 

Tote  (popular),  a  hard  drinker. 
From  old  English  totted,  drunken. 

As  well  we'd  another  old  chum, 

By  all  of  his  mates  called  the  Tote, 
So  named  on  account  of  the  rum 
He  constantly  put  down  his  throat. 

— He  Hasn't  Got  Over  it  Yet 
(Francis  &*  Day). 

A    teetotaller,    an    abstainer 
from  all  intoxicating  drinks. 

You'll  always  find  the  sober  Tote 

With  a  few  pounds  at  command, 
He  can  buy  a  house  to  live  in, 

Or  else  a  lot  of  land. 
His  home  is  peace  and  happiness, 

His  children  and  his  wife 
They  never  know  keen  hunger, 

Or  hear  wild  drunken  strife. 

I  think  I've  shown,  dear  friends, 
Drink  leads  to  sin,  while  Temperance 
To  every  comfort  tends. 


So  look  upon  these  pictures  : 

The  Toper  and  the  Tote, 
And  see  which  .has  most  happiness, 

And  which  the  better  coat. 

— Broadside  Ballad :  The  Toper  and 
the  Tote. 

Toted  (American),  led,  or  more 
commonly  carried,  to  be  made  to 
act  not  of  one's  own  free  will. 

I  cannot  think  Mr.  Ulysses  S.  Grant  will 
degenerate  into  becoming  a  puppet  to  be 
played  by  wires  held  in  the  hand  by  gen- 
tlemen from  Illinois,  or  that  he  will  de- 
generate yito  a  kind  of  hand-organ  to  be 
toted  around  on  the  back  of  a  gentleman 
from  Illinois. — Mr.  Donnely's  Speech  in 
Congress  on  the  Impeachment  of  President 
Johnson. 

Tote,  to  (American),  to  carry  or 
bear.  Peculiar  formerly  to  the 
South.  Bartlett  says  that  it 
has  been  "absurdly  enough  de- 
rived from  the  Latin  tollit,"  and 
thinks  it  is  of  African  origin. 
Anglo  -  Saxon  teohan,  teon,  to 
lead,  carry,  draw.  "  Ted h  his 
nett  on  lande  " — "  Drew  his  net 
on  land."  Also  to  take ;  hence 
t6tehan,  "altrahere,"  and  tohte, 
"  expedito."  Hence  in  provincial 
English  tath,  taketh.  It  is  not 
impossible  that  the  Dutch  tot, 
to,  or  unto,  may  have  influenced 
the  formation  of  this  word. 

Dey  say  fetch  an'  tote  'stead  of  bring  and 

carry, 
An'  dat  dey  call  grammar ! — by  de  Lawd 
Harry ! 

— Old  Negro  Song. 
I  toted  up  a  load,  and  went  back  and 
sat  down  on  the  bow  of  the  skiff  to  rest. — 
Mark  Twain :  Huckleberry  Finn. 

T'other  side  of  Jordan  (Ameri- 
can), a  phrase  expressive  of  no- 
where, the  Unknown,  or  "  gone 


368 


T '  other-sider —  Touch. 


into  de  Ewigkeit."  From  a 
popular  song  of  Methodist 
origin. 

"  Oh,  I  looked  to  de  north  an'  I  looked  to 
de  souf, 
And  I  saw  a  mighty  charret  a  comin', 
Wid  forty  grey  hosses  a-crackin'  on  de 

lead, 
To  take  us  to  de  odder  side  of  Jordan. 
Oh,  take  off  yer  coat  and  roll  up  yer 

sleeve, 
Jordan  am  a  hard  road  to  trabble  ; 
Take  off  yer  coat  and  roll  up  yer  sleeve, 
Jordan  am  a  hard  road  to  trabbel,  I 
believe." 

T'other-sider  (Australian  popular, 
but  growing  obsolete),  a  convict. 
Cf.  "  Sydney-sider,"  "Van  De- 
monian,"  &c.  There  never  were 
any  convicts  transported  to  Vic- 
toria after  its  erection  into  a 
separate  colony  ;  hence  they 
can  afford  to  speak  contemptu- 
ously of  convicts  from  the  Syd- 
ney side,  or  Van  Diemen's  Land. 
The  inhabitants  of  that  island, 
to  escape  the  odious  old  convict 
associations,  have  changed  its 
name  to  Tasmania. 

Tot  rakers  (popular),  men  who 
go  about  picking  up  odds  and 
ends  from  refuse  heaps.  Also 
"  tot  -  pickers."  From  tot,  any- 
thing very  small. 

Tottie  (popular),  a  girl,  a  fast 
girl.  A  term  of  endearment, 
from  English  tot,  anything  small. 

Totting  (popular),  explained  by 
quotation. 

P'r'aps  he's  goin'  s.-tottin  (picking  up 
bones). — Greenwood:  'J he  Little  Raga- 
muffins. 

Vide  Tot  Rakees. 


Tottie,  tottlish  (American),  from 
"totter"  (Bartlett).  To  walk 
unsteadily.  Anglo-Saxon  tealt, 
vacillating,  unsteady ;  tealtrjan 
mid  fdtum,  tottering  with  the 
feet. 

Totty-headed  (popular),  slow  to 
understand.  English  provincial 
tot,  a  fool,  i.e.,  one  with  little 
brains ;  Suffolk  dialect,  totty, 
little. 

Touch  (common),  synonymous 

with    cost    or    "  damage  ;  "    a 

a 


witn    cost    or    "  damage  ; 
penny  ride  in  an  omnibus  is 
penny  touch. 


At  night  went  to  the  ball  at  the  Angel, 
a  guinea  touch. — Phillip :  Diary. 

(Eton  School),  a  present  of 
money.  Formerly  a  cant  word 
for  a  slight  essay  (Swift). 

Toucher  (coaching),  as  near  as  a 
toucher,  as  near  as  possible  with- 
out actually  touching.  The  old 
jarveys,  to  show  their  skill, 
used  to  drive  against  things  so 
closely  as  absolutely  to  touch, 
yet  without  injury.  This  they 
called  a  toucher,  or  "touch- 
and  -  go,"  which  was  thence 
applied  to  anything  which 
was  within  an  ace  of  ruin 
(Hotten). 

Touch,  to  (thieves),  to  steal  or 
to  succeed  in  getting. 

One  day  I  took  the  rattler  from  Broad 
Street  to  Acton.  I  did  not  touch  them, 
but  worked  my  way  to  Shepherd's  Bush. 
— Horsley :  Jottings /rom  Jail. 


Touch —  Towelling. 


369 


(Common),  to  borrow  money. 

He  was  down  on  his  luck  altogether, 
dead  broke,  his  clobber  seedy.  He  was 
altogether  a  woeful  object  when  he  ran 
against  a  wealthy  friend  whom  he  thought 
to  touch.  "  No,  my  boy,"  said  the  friend, 
"  I  never  give  or  lend  money." — Bird  o' 
Freedom. 


Toughs,  old  (army),  the  103rd 
Regiment.  The  nickname  was 
gained  by  hard  service  in 
India.  Some  of  the  nicknames 
of  other  regiments  are  as  fol- 
lows :  —  "  Royal  Goats,"  or 
"  Nanny  Goats,"  the  23rd ;  the 
"Blood  Suckers,"  the  63rd; 
"  Mud  Larks,"  the  Royal  Engi- 
neers. The  "Blind  Half-Hun- 
dredth," "Fighting  Fiftieth," 
or  "  Dirty  Half -Hundredth,"  is 
the  50th  Regiment.  The  "  Supple 
Twelfth,"  the  12th  Lancers; 
the  "Dumpies,"  the  20th 
Hussars;  the  "Cherry  Pickers," 
the  1  ith  Hussars  ;  the  "Ragged 
Brigade,"  the  13th  Hussars  (not 
as  incorrectly  stated  under 
Raggkd  Brigade)  ;  "  Pontius 
Pilate's  Bodyguard  "  (the  oldest 
of  British  regiments),  the  1st 
Foot;  the  "Rib-breakers,"  the 
3rd  Battalion  Grenadier  Guards ; 
the  "Slashers,"  the  28th  Foot; 
the  "  Cheesemongers,"  the  Regi- 
ment of  Household  Cavalry; 
the  "Steel  Backs,"  the  58th; 
the  "Death  or  Glory  Men,"  the 
17th  Lancers;  the  "Excellers," 
the40th;  the  "Bloody  Eleventh," 
the  nth  of  Foot ;  the  "  Die 
Hards,"  the  57th;  the  "Old 
Dirty  Shirts,"  the  101st.  The 
Military  Train  were  the  "Mur- 
VOL.  II. 


dering  Thieves  ; "  the  "  Sprin- 
gers," the  62nd ;  the  "  Sweeps," 
Rifles,  &c. 

Toure,  towre  (old  cant),  see. 

Bing    out    bien    morts,    and    toure   and 

toure, 
Bing  out  of  the  Romevile  fine. 

— The  English  Rogue. 

Tout  (turf),  an  agent  on  the  look- 
out for  any  information  as  to 
any  circumstances  as  to  a  horse's 
capabilities  or  condition,  or  for 
anything  else,  hotels,  railways, 
theatres,  &c. 

The  tout  being  haled  before  him,  said 
that  he  had  already  "got  three  races"  for 
his  master  that  morning. — Truth. 

Touting  ken  (old  cant),  a  bar  in 
a  public-house.  Probably  one 
frequented  by  inn  touts. 

Touzle  (popular),  the  whisker 
worn  bushy,  or  mass  of  frizzled, 
ragged  hair.  From  tousle,  to 
tug  at,  to  entangle,  rumple. 

With  spreads  of  pink  shoulders  ;  slim  twis- 
ters with  touzles  of  tow-coloured  'air. 
—Punch. 

Tow  (Shrewsbury  School),  a  run 
in  "  hare  and  hounds." 

After  that  last  "all  up,"  there  is  a  tow 
or  continuous  run  of  from  one  to  three 
miles.  —  Everyday  Life  in  our  Public 
Schools. 

Towelling,  to  give  a  (common), 
to  thrash.  Provincial  English 
tout,  to  beat  with  a  stick.  In 
Norfolk  a  man  who  has  been 
cudgelled  is  said  to  have  been 
"  rubbed  down  with  a  black- 
thorn towel.1' 

2  A 


37° 


Towels —  Track. 


Frankly  shaking  his  cane,  bid  him  hold 
his  tongue,  otherwise  he  would  dust  his 
cassock  for  him.  "  I  have  no  pretensions 
to  such  a  valet,"  said  Tom ;  "  but  if  you 
should  do  me  that  office,  and  over-heat 
yourself,  I  have  here  a  good  oaken  towel 
at  your  service." — Smollett:  Humphrey 
Clinker. 

I  got  a  towelling,  but  it  did  not  do  me 
much  good. — Mayhem  :  London  Labour 
and  the  London  Poor. 

Towels,  lead  (old  cant),  pistols, 
with  which  to  wipe  a  man  out 
of  existence. 

Tower-Hill  vinegar  (old),  the 
block.  Executions  used  very 
frequently  to  take  place  on 
Tower-Hill. 

Town  bull  (old),  a  bawd,  a  very 
licentious  man,  popular  among 
women. 

Townie  (army),  a  comrade  who 
comes  from  the  same  town  or 
part  of  the  world.  In  French 
pays. 

Town -lout  (Rugby  School),  a 
pupil  who  resides  in  the  town 
with  his  parents. 

Tow-pows  (popular),  Grenadiers 
(Hotten). 

Towzery  gang  (popular),  swin- 
dlers who  have  sale-rooms  for 
mock  auctions  of  cheap  and 
worthless  goods.  From  towzc  or 
touse,  to  make  a  noise,  a  disturb- 
ance ;  towser,  one  that  makes  a 
bustle  or  stir.  Hence  "Towser," 
a  name  for  a  dog. 


Toy  (thieves),  a  watch ;  a  white 
toy,  a  silver  watch  ;  a  red  toy,  a 
gold  watch. 

Me  and  the  other  one  went  by  ourselves  ; 
he  was  very  tricky  (clever)  at  getting  a 
poge  or  a  toy,  but  he  would  not  touch 
toys  because  we  was  afraid  of  being  turned 
over  (searched). — Horsley  :  Jottings  from 
Jail. 

Toy -getter  (thieves),  a  watch 
stealer. 

Toys  (Winchester  College),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

The  clock  striking  seven,  each  junior 
retires  to  his  toys  or  bureau  for  an  hour 
and  a  half  during  what  is  known  as  "toy- 
time." —  Pascoe :  Everyday  Life  in  our 
Public  Schools. 

Toy -time  (Winchester  College), 
evening  preparation. 

During  what  is  known  as  toy-time,  when 
the  work  of  the  next  morning  and  the 
week's  composition  have  to  be  prepared. 
— Pascoe:  Everyday  Life  in  our  Public 
Schools. 

Tracks,  to  make  (common).  Vide 
Make  Tracks. 

You  will  be  pleased  to  make  tracks,  and 
vanish  out  of  these  parts  for  ever. — C. 
Kingsley:  Two  Years  Ago. 

He  said  he  was  a  banker,  did  our  smart 

Teutonic  Max, 
And  many  a  quid  he'd  given  her,  before  he 

made  his  tracks. 
'Twas  only  when  the  "  thick  'uns"  proved 
but  Hanoverian  Jacks 

That  she  knew  he  was  a  "smasher. " 
— Sporting  Times. 

Track  up  the  dancers,  to  (thieves), 
to  go  upstairs.  Dancers,  stairs, 
or  flight  of  stairs. 


Trade-mark — Translated. 


371 


Trade-mark  (common),  a  scratch 
or  wound  in  the  face. 

I  know  what  the  old  woman  is  when  she 
is  drunk, 
She  pawns  everything  in  the  place  ; 
And  if  I  correct  her  for  what  she  has  done, 
She  draws  her  trade -mark  down  my 
face. 
— C.  Cornell:  Father,  Take  a  Run. 

(Servant  -  girls),    a    servant's 
cap. 

Tradesman,  a  regular  (popular), 
a  term  of  encomium  meaning 
one  who  thoroughly  under- 
stands his  business,  whatever 
his  profession  (honest  or  the 
reverse)  may  be. 

Trafficking  (prison),  the  inter- 
change of  money,  prohibited 
articles,  food,  between  prison 
officers  and  prisoners,  and  be- 
tween prisoners  themselves. 
The  practice  in  the  former  case 
is  an  offence  at  common  law, 
and  when  prosecution  follows 
may  lead  to  imprisonment.  Be- 
tween prisoners  it  is  a  breach 
of  discipline  entailing  dietary 
and  other  punishment. 

Prisoners  usually  volunteer  to  serve  as 
permanent  "  orderlies  "  for  trafficking  pur- 
poses. Trafficking  means  giving  of  food, 
exchange  of  books,  or  passing  of  letters  or 
writing  materials  from  one  prisoner  to  an- 
other.— Evening-  News. 

Tragedy  Jack  (theatrical),  a  term 
of  derision  for  a  heavy  trage- 
dian. 

Train  up,  to  (popular),  to  hurry. 


dissipated  men.  The  "bucks  of 
the  very  first  water" — the  music- 
hall  ideals. 

I  will  not  sing  of  city  swells, 

Your  La-di-dahs, 
At  such  cheap  toffs  we've  laughed  enough. 
I  sing  of  swells  you  know  so  well, 

The  Tra-la-las! 
The  style's  the  same, — but  better  stuff, ' 

With  glossy  hat  and  spotless  boots, 
From  top  to  toe,  quite  comme  il/aut, 

You  know  them  by  their  perfect  suits 
From  far-famed  Poole  of  Savile  Row. 
—Music- Hall  Ballad:  Tra-lal-la. 

Trampolin  (circus),  a  double 
spring-board.  This  seems  to 
be  a  very  old  term,  from  tram, 
a  small  bench  (generally  used 
for  setting  a  tub  on),  Hereford- 
shire, and  poling,  a  plank. 

Trampoose  (American),  to  walk 
or  tramp.     "  Trampoosing  about ' 
all  over  town,"  gadding  here  and 
there.   From  tramp,  and  an  affix 
very  common  in  America. 

Tranklements,  trollybobs  (popu- 
lar), entrails,  intestines.  Given 
by  Wright  as  "trolly-bags." 

Tranko  (circus),  the  elongated 
barrel  which  a  performer  man- 
ages with  his  feet,  and  keeps 
up  in  the  air  while  lying  on  his 
back.  It  is  said  to  be  from  the 
Spanish  tranco,  a  threshold,  as 
the  shape  is  almost  like  that  of 
one.  But  the  ordinary  Spanish 
word  for  threshold  is  umbral. 
The  trick  is  very  ancient,  and 
was  originally  performed  by 
kicking  a  spear  in  the  air. 


Tra-la-la  (popular),  the  wealthiest      Translated     (popular),     second- 
and  most  extravagant  class  of  hand,   as  applied  to  shoes  or 


372 


Translated —  Trash. 


boots  repaired  and  sold  by  a 
cobbler. 

Baeker  had  to  limp  in  his  socks  to  the 
New  Cut,  and  purchase  a  pair  of  trans- 
lated crab-shells  to  go  home  in. — Sporting 
Times. 

(Tailors),  is  said  of  a  coat 
which  is  cut  down  and  turned  ; 
also  a  garment  made  to  fit  a 
smaller  man. 

Translator  (popular),  a  cobbler, 
one  who  turns  worn-out  shoes 
into  good  ones,  or  "as  good 
as  new."  It  was  an  estab- 
lished word  more  than  a  cen- 
tury ago.  Sewell,  1757,  gives  the 
Dutch  sclioenlappen  as  its  equi- 
valent ;  literally  shoe-patcher. 

It  was  not  likely  to  occur  to  me  that 
Sunday  morning  when  I  interviewed  the 
kind-hearted  old  translator  of  old  boots 
into  new  ones,  in  his  kitchen  in  Leather 
Lane. — ■/.  Greenwood:  The  Woodchopper  s 
Wedding. 

Translators  are  also  second- 
hand boots. 

He  will  part  with  anything  rather  than 
his  boots,  and  to  wear  a  pair  of  second- 
hand ones,  or  translators,  as  they  are 
called,  is  felt  as  a  bitter  degradation  by 
them  all. — Mayhcw.  London  Labour  and 
the  London  Poor. 

Trap  (popular),  up  to  trap,  wide- 
awake, not  to  be  deceived  or 
caught  easily.  The  metaphor  is 
obvious. 

Not  ,the  least  mite  up  to  trap. 

—Punch. 

To  smell  trap,  explained  by 
quotation. 

They  can  discover  the  detective  in  his 
innocent-looking    smock-frock    or    brick- 


layer jacket,  while  he  is  yet  distant  the 
length  of  a  street.  They  know  him  by 
his  step,  or  by  his  clumsy  affectation  of 
unofficial  loutishness.  They  recognise  the 
stiff-neck  in  the  loose  neckerchief.  They 
smell  trap  and  are  superior  to  it. — Seven 
Curses  of  London. 

"You  do  not  understand  trap," 
"vous  n'y  entendez  pas  finesse" 
(Boyer's  Dictionary,  1748).  It  is 
worth  observing  that,  in  gypsy, 
drab  or  trap  (which  words  were 
pronounced  alike  by  the  first 
gypsies  who  came  from  Ger- 
many to  England)  is  used  for 
medicine  or  poison,  and  the 
employment  of  the  latter  is 
regarded,  even  at  the  present, 
as  the  greatest  Romany  secret. 
A  gypsy  said,  "If  you  know 
drab,  you're  up  to  everything ; 
for  there's  nothing  goes  above 
that."  (Common),  that  trap  is 
down,  the  attempt  is  a  failure. 

Traps  (thieves),  a  very  old  term 
for  the  police,  detective  force. 

"  But  whereare  the  lurchers?"  "Who?" 
asked  Wood.  "The  traps,"  responded 
a  bystander.  "The  shoulder-clappers," 
added  a  lady. — Ainszuorth:  Jack  Shep- 
pard. 

"What's  become  of  the  boy?"  .  .  . 
"  Why  the  traps  have  got  him,  and  that's 
all  about  it,"  said  the  Dodger  sullenly. — 
Dickens:  Oliver  Twist. 

Trash  (gypsy),  fear,  to  fear; 
trdsherdo,  afraid ;  trdsheno  covva, 
an  awful  or  fearful  thing ;  trds- 
hipen,  terror ;  trdsherdo  mvZlo, 
scared  to  death. 

Trash  a  trail,  to,  is  an  expression 
used  in  the  West,  meaning  to 
conceal  the  direction  one  has 
taken  by  walking  in  a  stream, 


Trat — Trek. 


373 


or  in  fact  taking  water  in  any 
way.  The  fox,  deer,  and  other 
animals  understand  this  mode 
of  escape  as  well  as  man  (Bart- 
lett's  Dictionary). 

Trat  (popular),  a.  pretty  girl,  a 
"tart."  Probably  an  anagram 
of  "tart." 

Travel  in  the  market  (sport), 
how  backed,  what  the  odds  are 
about  a  horse. 

These  are  to  be  found  in  the  well-doing 
and  health  of  horses,  in  the  way  in  which 
they  have  stood  training,  or  in  the  manner 
in  which  they  travel  in  the  ir.arket,  and 
a  host  of  other  things. — Sporting  Life. 

Traveller  (tramps),  a  tramp. 

There  are  many  individuals  in  lodg- 
ing-houses who  are  not  regular  patterers 
or  professional  vagrants,  being  rather,  as 
they  term  themselves,  travellers. — May- 
hew. 

(Thieves),  a  thief  who  goes 
from  town  to  town. 

Traveller,  to  tip  the  (common), 
to  humbug.  This  refers  to 
the  wonderful  tales,  like  those 
of  "  Baron  Munchausen,"  some- 
times told  by  travellers. 

Aha !  dost  thou  tip  me  the  traveller, 
my  boy  ? — Smollett :  Sir  L.  Greaves. 

Traverse  the  cart,  to.   Vide  Cabt. 

Tray  (thieves),  three  months'  im- 
prisonment ;  obviously  from  the 
French,  possibly  vid  the  lingo 
of  the  card-table.  Also  tray 
of  moons. 

The  other  gentleman  remained,  was  dis- 
covered, and  did  a  tray  of  moons. — Sport- 
ing Times. 


Tray  soddy  mits  (popular),  three- 
pence halfpenny,  a  corruption 
of  trois  ct  demi,  used  to  express 
the  amount  of  points  in  whist 
in  Clerkenwell,  Saffron  Hill, 
and  the  districts  where  there 
are  a  mixture  of  nationalities. 

Treacle  (popular),  to  talk  about 
treacle,  to  talk  about  love  and 
love  affairs.  (Publicans),  thick, 
bad  port. 

Treacle-moon  (popular),  the 
honeymoon. 

Treaders  (popular),  shoes.  Dutch 
thieves'  slang,  treder ;  from  tre- 
den,  to  tread,  step.  Evidently 
from  "  tread." 

Tread  the  boards,  to  (common); 
to  appear  on  the  scene  in  order 
to  •compete  at  anything. 

Treat  (popular),  he's  such  a  treat, 
i.e.,  he  is  such  a  cunning  person 
or  animal,  such  a  nuisance. 

Treddle,  a  cant  term  for  a  prosti- 
tute (Wright) ;  from  tread,  the 
copulation  of  fowls. 

Tree-moon  (tinker),  three  months, 
a  "  drag."     Vide  Tbay. 

Trek,  to  (South  African),  to  move 
away,  depart.  The  expression 
"let's  trek,"  i.e.,  let's  go* away, 
is  used  in  England.  A  figure  of 
speech.  Properly  to  yoke  oxen 
to  a  waggon. 

The  Boers  of  the  Transvaal  do  not  like 
it  at  all.     They  are  selling  their  lands  and 


374 


Trials — Trip. 


trekking  away  into  regions  unpolluted  by 
the  presence  of  the  mirier. — Pall  Mall 
Gazette. 

Trials  (Harrow  School),  examina- 
tions. 

Triangles  (popular),  a  corruption 
of  delirium  tremens. 

Trick  and  tie  (sport),  to  be  trick 
and  tie,  or  touch  and  go,  is  to 
be  equal  in  a  race,  or  other 
athletic  performance. 

Tricks  (Texas),  one's  personal 
belongings ;  thus  one  has  tricks 
instead  of  things  in  a  house, 
and  similarly  tricks  and  not 
baggage  on  a  journey. 

Trick  with  a  hole  in  it,  a  (Ame- 
rican), an  extraordinary  device 
or  performance.  '*  When  it 
comes  to  making  a  duck-stew, 
I  can  show  you  a  trick  with  a 
hole  in  it." 

T  r  i  k  e  (common),  a  tricycle  ; 
triking,  cycling.  Do  you  bike 
or  trike?  do  you  ride  a  bicycle 
or  tricycle. 

Trim  a  jacket,  to  (nautical),  to 
rope-end  the  wearer. 

Trimmer  (cricketers^,  a  ball  de- 
livered in  very  good  style. 
(Common),  explained  by  quo- 
tation. 

What  is  a  trimmer? — "A  man  who  runs 
with  the  hare  and  hunts  with  the  hounds," 
who  tries  to  face  two  sides,  and  sometimes 
several  sides  at  the  one  time ;  one  who 
says  to-day  what  he  tries  to  explain  away 
to-morrow,   and   re-explains  away  again 


the  day  following — a  jelly-fish  man,  who 
is  a  reformer,  and  at  the  same  time  a  fossil. 
— Toby. 

Trine,  to  (old  cant),  to  hang. 

Now  toure  the  cove  that  cly'd  your  duds 
Upon  the  chats  to  trine. 

— The  English  Rogue. 

From  old  English  to  trine,  to 
put  in  the  aspect  of  a  trine  (old 
English  trine,  triple),  a  triad, 
alluding  to  the  three  beams  of 
the  gallows,  formerly  termed 
the  "  triple  tree,"  or  "  mare 
with  three  legs."  In  gypsy  trin 
(three)  bonc/o  drums  means  the 
cross  or  the  crooked  road. 


Trinkerman     (nautical), 
Thames  tidal  fisherman. 


the 


Trip  (theatrical),  a  dance.  Pas  de 
deux,  by  harlequin  and  colum- 
bine, so  called  because  they  trip 
across  the  stage  from  one  side 
to  the  other,  and  then  make 
their  exit.  This  dance  usually 
commences  each  scene  in  what 
is  called  the  harlequinade. 
(Thieves),  a  prostitute,  concu- 
bine. Possibly  in  allusion  to 
tripping  about.  The  same  idea 
occurs  in  old  English  trapes,  a 
slattern ;  from  trape,  to  walk 
about  idly  and  sluttishly  (Ger- 
man trappen).  "  Trot,"  an  old 
woman,  "  troll,"  "  trull,"  &c. 

It  was  at  one  of  these  places  I  palled  in 
with  a  trip,  and  stayed  with  her  until  I 
got  smugged.  —  Horsley  :  Jottings  from 
Jail. 

I  was  fullied,  and  then  got  three  stretch 
for  the  job, 
And  my  trip — cuss  the  day  as  I  seen 
h-r— 


Tripes —  Trout. 


375 


She  sold  off  my  home  to  some  pals  in  her 
mob 
For  a  couple  of  foont  and  ten  deaner. 
—  The  Referee. 

Tripes  (popular),  the  belly. 
Triple-tree  (old  cant),  the  gallows. 

For  whether  I  sink  in  the  foaming  flood, 

Or  swing  on  the  triple-tree, 
Or  die  in  my  bed  as  a  Christian  should, 

Is  all  the  same  to  me  ! 

—Meister  Karl's  Sketck-Book. 

Tripper  up  (thieves),  a  thief. 

Troc  (London),  the  Trocadero 
Music  Hall. 

He  murmured  o'er  a  glass  of  hock, 

"  It's  barely  nine  o'clock — 
Shall  it  be  the  Royal,  Pav.,  or  Troc?" 

And  echo  answered,  "  Troc  I" 

— Sporting  Times. 

Trolly-wags  (popular),  trousers, 
breeches.  A  corruption  of  the 
word  trousers  by  costermongers, 
who  naturally  have  the  trolly 
uppermost  in  their  minds  as 
being  the  means  of  their  getting 
a  livelihood,  and  a  further  face- 
tious distortion  of  bags.  Com- 
pare the  synonym  "  trucks." 
Or  possibly  from  provincial 
"  trolly-bags,"  intestines,  tripe. 

Tronk  (South  African).  This  is 
a  Cape  Dutch  expression  for 
gaol,  just  as  in  English  a  prison 
is  called  a  "  stone  jug." 

He  informed  me  that  he  had  just  been 
in  the  tronk,  and  on  my  asking  why,  re- 
plied, "  Oh,  for  fighting  and  telling  lies  1 " 
— Lady  Duff  Gordon's  Letters  from  the 
Cape. 


Tros-dab  (costermongers'  back 
slang),  "  I've  had  a  regular  tros- 
dab,"  i.e.,  bad  sort  of  day. 

Trosseno  (costers),  back  slang  for 
one  sort,  a  "  bad  one." 

"  He's  a  regular  scab  !  "  cried  another  ; 
and  a  coster  declared  he  was  "  a  trosseno, 
and  no  mistake  !  " — Mayhew. 

Trotter  (University),  a  tailor's 
man  who  goes  round  for  orders. 
In  French  slang,  "  trottin  "  is  a 
young  girl  employed  by  dress- 
makers to  do  errands. 

Trotter  boxes  (popular),  shoes. 

Trotter  cases  (popular  and 
thieves),  shoes  or  boots. 

"  If  the  tottering  Edifice  were  to  be 
hanged  privately,  I  presume  they  would 
not  allow  his  sorrowing  survivors  to  cling 
to  his  trotter  cases,"  plaintively  murmured 
Alexandry,  the  Blue-Eyed  Blossom. — Ally 
Slopers  Half-Holiday. 

Trot,  to  (auctions),  to  run  up,  i.e., 
bid  against.  (Thieves),  to  steal 
in  broad  daylight.  (Common), 
to  trot  out,  to  draw  one  out  in 
order  to  bring  into  evidence  his 
capability  or  foibles,  the  simile 
being  a  horse  that  is  trotted  up 
and  down  by  a  horsedealer  in 
the  presence  of  a  purchaser. 

Trout,  Nor-loch  (old  Scottish 
cant),  a  leg  of  mutton.  Other 
quaint  terms  for  different  kinds 
of  food  are,  "  German  duck," 
a  sheep's  head  stuffed  with 
onions,  a  dish  much  affected 
by  the  German  sugar-bakers  in 
the  East  End  of  London  ;  a 
"  Bombay  duck  "  is  a  species  of 


37$ 


Trout —  Tru  nks. 


dried  fish  in  Western  India. 
Shrimps  are  "  Gravesend  sweet- 
meats ; "  a  red  herring  is  a 
"  pheasant,"  a  "  Yarmouth 
capon,"  also  "  Norfolk  capon," 
"Dunbar  w-ethers,"  or  "  Gourock 
ham."  Potatoes  are  "  Irish 
apricots"  or  "  Munster  plums," 
&c.  "  Albany  beef  "  in  America 
is  sturgeon;  "Cape  Cod  tur- 
key" is  cod.  Herrings  are 
"Taunton  turkeys"  or  "  Digby 
chickens." 

Truck  (nautical),  a  hat.  From 
the  cap  on  the  top  of  the  mast. 
(American),  odd  bits  and  ends, 
rubbish,  plunder  of  little  value. 
From  provincial  English  truck, 
rubbish. 

No  use  to  take  truck  and  leave  money. 
— Mark  Twain  :  Huckleberry  Finn. 

It  also  means  by  extension 
bad  food,  and  corresponds  in 
this  instance  to  the  English 
"  scran,"  broken  victuals,  food  ; 
from  scrans,  refuse. 

Trucks  (popular),  trousers.  Syno- 
nymous with  "  trolly  -  wags," 
which  see. 

True  inwardness  (American).  It 
has  always  been  the  fashion 
in  Boston  to  affect  a  kind 
of  transcendental  metaphysical 

'  language,  and  "  the  true  inward- 
ness "  of  anything  is  a  term  pro- 
bably derived  by  some  Carlyleist 
from  the  German  innerlichkeit. 
It  is  also  now  used  in  England. 

Mr.  Gerald  Massey,  the  poet,  who 
knows  all  the  true  inwardness  of  the  how 
and  the  why,  the  when  and  the  where- 


fore of  Shakspeare's  sonnets,  announces  a 
course  of  lectures  on  all  sorts  of  occult 
matters. — Entertainment  Gazette. 

Truk,  a  prostitute  of  the  lowest 
class,  defined  by  Grose  as  "a 
soldier's  or  tinker's  female  com- 
panion," and  in  Hotten's  Slang 
Dictionary  as  "a  dirty,  slatternly 
woman  and  prostitute,  the  word 
being  a  corruption  of  troll,  or 
trollop."  In  reality,  the  deriva- 
tion can  be  traced  to  old  Eng- 
lish trug,  a  prostitute  ;  "  trug- 
ging-pla.ee,"  a  whore-house. 

Trump,  a  colloquialism  signifying 
an  excellent  person,  a  fine  fellow, 
from  the  card  term  (French 
triomphe).  It  verges  on  slang, 
but  can  hardly  be  classified  as 
such. 

He  passes  hy  Waithman's  emporium  for 

shawls, 

And,  merely  just  catching  a  glimpse  of  St. 

Paul's, 

Turns  down  the  Old  Bailey, 

Where  in  front  of  the  jail,  he 

Pulls  up  at  the  door  of  the  gin-shop,  and 

■  gaily 
Cries,  "What  must  I  fork  out  to-night, 

my  trump, 
For  the  whole  first-floor  of  the  Magpie  and 
Stump?" 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 
I  stands  a  quart,  like  the  trump  as  I 
are. — Bird  d  Freedom. 

Trumped  (common),  defeated  by 
superior  skill  in  a  device  or 
scheme. 

Gambling  supplies  many  like  "within 
an  ace,"  "played  out,"  trumped,  and 
"  euchred." — Standard. 

Trunks  (theatrical),  short  breeches 
worn  over  tights.  Also  bathing 
drawers. 


Trunk-3—  Tub-thumper. 


377 


Trunk,  shove  his  (old  cant),  to 
go  away,  trunk  being  the  body. 

Truppo  (gypsy),  the  body,  the 
trunk. 

Trushull  (gypsy),  a  cross.  Sup- 
posed to  be  derived  from  trfyula, 
the  trident  of  Siva.  Vide  Pott's 
"  Thesaurus. " 

Try  a  smile.  Vide  Invitations 
to  Deink. 

Trying  it  on  a  dog  (American), 
a  metaphor,  as  of  anything  of  a 
doubtful  nature  put  to  the  test 
by  first  giving  some  to  a  dog. 

"  Bootle's  Baby  "  will  on  the  7th  of  May 
be  produced  somewhere  in  the  provinces. 
This  is  what  the  Americans  call  trying  it 
on  a  dog;  if  the  dog  don't  die,  the  baby 
will  come  up  to  London  and  be  on  view  at 
the  Circus  later  on. — Sporting  Times. 

Tub,  very  modern  slang  for  a 
morning  bath.  The  word  has 
been  adopted  across  the  Chan- 
nel. 

When  I  got  home,  and  had  my  tub,  and 
looked  at  myself  in  the  glass,  I  found  my 
frontispiece  much  disfigured. — Sporting 
Life. 

Formerly  a  bath  was  termed 
a  bathing-tub. 

Tubbing  (University),  boating, 
generally  in  a  broad  boat,  called 
a  tub. 

If  "up"  at  the  University,  we  will  pro- 
bably pass  our  time  between  "grinding 
hard  "  and  tubbing  on  the  river. — Morning 
Advertiser. 

So  to  the  river  he  next  day  went,  and 
made  his  first  essay  in  a  tub. — C.  Bede : 
Verdant  Green. 


Also  before  a  crew  take  to 
their  racing  craft  they  have 
some  preliminary  practice  in  a 
wide  pair-oared  boat,  called  a 
tub  pair.  This  practice  is  called 
tubbing.  The  same  term  is  also 
applied  to  the  coaching  given 
to  new  oarsmen.  (Prison),  im- 
prisonment. "  Nantes  from  the 
Rents  (Fuller's  or  Tullwood's 
Rents  in  Holborn),  smugged  to 
rites,  pilled,  expects  a  tubbing  ;  " 
inscription  in  a  prison  cell. 

Tub-man,  an  appointment  given 
to  a  barrister  practising  in  the 
old  Exchequer  Court,  which 
gave  him  a  precedence  in  all 
"  motions,"  or  applications  to 
the  judge.  This  was  a  great 
advantage  to  its  possessor,  and 
was  always  given  to  one  who 
had  a  good  practice  in  that 
court. 

Tubs  (American  cadet),  a  sob- 
riquet for  a  very  corpulent  man, 
one  who,  so  to  speak,  possesses 
a  self-contained  corporation. 

Tub-thumper  (common),  a  street- 
corner  parson. 

"  But  I  know  a  lady  friend,  an  awful 
nice  girl,  who's  out  of  an  engagement " 

But  the  tub-t/tumperhad  fled. — Sporting 
Times. 

Dr. is  a  frothy  tub-thumper,  whose 

sermons  (they  are  published  in  one  of  the 
London  "  religious  "  weeklies)  are  models 
of  what  pulpit  eloquence  should  not  be. — 
Evening  News. 

"Tub-preacher"  is  an  old 
term  for  a  ranting,  dissenting 
preacher.    Also  "tub-drubber." 


378 


Tub-thumping —  Tug. 


Business  and  poetry  agree  as  ill  together 
as  faith  and  reason ;  which  two  latter,  as 
has  been  judiciously  observ'd  by  the 
fam'd  tub-drubbtr  of  Covent  Garden,  can 
never  be  brought  to  set  their  horses  to- 
gether.— T.  Brown's  Works. 

Tub-thumping  (common),  street 
preaching. 

Another,  who  waxed  rather  warm,  was 
requested  not  to  do  any  tub-thumping.— 
Funny  Folks. 

Tuck  (schoolboys),  food,  especi- 
ally sweet-stuff,  pastry. 

The  slogger  looks  rather  sodden,  as  if  he 
didn't  take  much  exercise  and  ate  too  much 
tuck. — Hughes:  Tom  Browns  Schooldays. 

To  tuck  is  a  provincialism 
signifying  to  eat,  hence  tuck ; 
tuck-shop,  a  pastry  cook-shop. 

Come  along  down  to  Sally  Harrowell's  ; 
that's  our  school-house  luck-shop.  She 
bakes  such  shining  murphies. — Hughes: 
Tom  Brown's  Schooldays. 

Tuck-'em-fair  (old  cant),  place  of 
execution.  From  tuck-up,  to 
hang. 

He  was  tucked-up  so  neat  and  pretty. — 
Death  of  Socrates. 

Tuck  in  your  twopenny,  a  re- 
commendation by  boys  playing 
at  leap-frog  to  the  one  who 
stoops  to  bend  his  head. 

Tuck-man  (mercantile),  the  part- 
ner who  brings  the  money  to 
a  business  is  so  called.  From 
tuck,  food. 

Tuck  on,  to  (popular),  to  tuck  on 
a  price  is  to  charge  exorbit- 
antly without  reference  to  the 
real  value  of  an  article. 


Tuck  out,  tuck  in  (boys),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

The  understood  terms  were  a  tuck  out, 
which  in  Hale's  Street  is  short  and  simple 
language  for  as  much  as  can  be  eaten. — 
Greenwood:  In  Strange  Company. 

Tuft  (University),  explained  by 
quotation. 

The  lad  .  .  .  followed  with  a  kind  of 
proud  obsequiousness  all  the  tufts  of  the 
university. — Thackeray  :  Shabby-Genteel 
Story. 

As  tuft  and  tuft-hunters  have  become 
household  words,  it  is  perhaps  needless  to 
tell  any  one  that  the  gold  tassel  is  the 
distinguishing  mark,  of  a  nobleman. — C. 
Bede :  Verdant  Green. 

Tuft-hunter  (society),  any  one 
who  seeks  after  and  hangs  on 
to  the  society  of  people  of  title. 
The  derivation  of  the  word  is 
from  the  tuft  or  gold  tassels  the 
noblemen  and  fellow  commoners 
used  to  wear  at  the  University. 
The  expression  is  now  general 
in  society. 

He  was  at  no  time  the  least  of  a  tuft- 
hunter,  but  rather  had  a  marked  natural 
indifference  to  tufts. — Carlyle  :  Life  of 
Sterling. 

At  last  a  lugubrious  crew 

Rode  pensively  over  the  plain, 
Composed  of  the  tuft-hunters,  who 

No  Jubilee  honours  could  gain. 
Levy-Lawson,  he  headed  the  train, 
And  as  they  moved  gloomily  by 

The  band  played  a  sorrowful  strain  ; 
The  soldiers  were  ordered  to  cry 

Boo-hoo  1 
The  soldiers  were  ordered  to  cry ! 

— Funny  Folks. 

Tug  (Winchester  College),  usual, 
ordinary,  common,  stale,  as 
£w<7-clothes,  every- day  clothes. 
Also  stale  news.    (Eton),  a  col- 


Tug — Tumble. 


379 


leger  or  boy  on  the  foundation. 
Tug  was  supposed  to  be  short 
for  iug-rautton,  as  the  collegers 
were  then  allowed  by  the  col- 
lege statutes  to  have  no  meat 
but  mutton. 

The  long-looked  for  St.  Andrew's  Day 
arrives,  when  the  great  match  of  collegers, 
or,  as  the  small  oppidan  would  term  it,  tugs, 
and  oppidans  is  to  be  played. — Pascoe  : 
Everyday  Life  in  our  Public  Schools. 

Tuggery  (Eton),  explained  by 
quotation. 

My  interlocutor  was  a  red  -  headed, 
freckled  little  boy  of  eleven,  who  had 
come  from  Aberdeen,  "  to  try  for  tuggery," 
that  is,  to  try  and  pass  on  to  the  foun- 
dation as  a  King's  scholar.  —  Brinsley 
Richard:  Seven  Years  at  Eton. 

Tulip  (roughs),  "  Go  it,  my  tulip/" 
A  street  phrase  during  the  tulip 
mania  in  1842,  when  one  bulb 
was  sold  for  ^640. 

Turn  (American),  stylish,  "in  pro- 
per form." 

By  the  way,  gold  spoons  and  forks  for 
dessert  have  come  in  again,  and  you  get 
them  everywhere.  Indeed,  no  table  seems 
to  look  quite  turn  for  a  big  occasion  with- 
out them.—/.  W.  A'.,  in  Chicago  Tribune. 

Tumasha  (Anglo-Indian),  an 
entertainment,  a  spectacle,  a 
popular  excitement.  Arabic 
tamdshl, 

Tumbies  (University),  ablutions. 

Our  hero  soon  concluded  his  tumbies 
and  his  dressing. — C.  Bed* :  Verdant 
Green. 

Tumbler  (printers),  a  synonym 
for  a  printing  machine,  the 
cylinder  of  which  has  a  peculiar 


rocking  motion.  (Thieves),  cart ; 
to  nap  the  flog  at  the  tumbler, 
formerly  to  be  whipped  at  the 
cart's  tail.  (Turf),  a  term  ap- 
plied to  a  worthless  horse  not 
steady  on  its  legs. 

Its  representatives  likewise  cut  a  better 
figure  than  Tom  Fergusson's  three  tum- 
blers.— Sporting  Times. 

Tumble,  to  (American),  agree  to 
anything,  assent.  A  variation 
of  "  fall  in,"  to  concur.  The 
French  have  tomber  d'accord. 

Now  as  for  this  speculation  which  you 
propose.  It  may  be  a  very  fine  thing,  but 
I  don't  tumble  to  it. — American  News- 
paper. 

Also  to  understand.  In  this 
sense  to  tumble  is  very  general 
in  England  among  turfites,  cos- 
termongers,  roughs  and  thieves. 

"  Eh,  Johnson,  ever  see  a  nicer  run  o' 

sleighing?" 

"Yes,  Mr.  Green." 

"  When  and  where?" 

"  In  the  West  Indies  in  1857." 

Three  weeks  later  Mr.  Green  meets  Mr. 

Johnson  and  exclaims : 

"Ah!  I  tumble!    Of  course,  it's  winter 

ten  months  in  the  year  down  there.     Ha  ! 

ha !     Good  joke  1 " — Detroit  Free  Press. 

"Well,  any  woman  that's  dyin'  has  to 
be  braced  up,  an'  if  she's  faintin*  has  to 
be  brought  to.  Medicine  is  the  thing. 
Patent  medicine  of  course.  S'pose  you're 
doin'  Frou-Frou  —  last  act.  Bottle  of 
'  Warner's  Certain  Cure '  —  big  label  — 
on  the  mantelpiece.  Husband  in  tears 
rushes  to  bottle  and  pours  out  cupful : 
'Take  this,  my  darling,  my  wayward 
child,  it  will  keep  you  with  us  a  moment 
longer,  if  it  does  not  pull  you  through.' 
One  line,  twenty  dollars  a  night — we 
divide — tumble  t ' 

"  I  am  not  a  tumbler,"  she  said,  with 
rising  indignation.— Green-R 00m  Jokes. 


38o 


Tumble —  Tunny. 


Although  I  did  not  tumble  to  the  real 
essence  of  the  business  for  some  minutes, 
yet  I  got  in  at  the  finish. — Sporting  Times. 


"To  tumble  to  barrikin,' 
understand  language. 


to 


"  I  can't  tumble  to  that  barrikin ,"  said  a 
young  fellow,  "it's  a  jaw-breaker." — May- 
new:  London  Labour  and  the  London 
Poor. 

"I  tumble  to  your  barrikin," 
I  understand  you,  I  twig.  To 
tumble  to  the  dodge,  to  perceive 
the  trick. 

Jack  always  believed  that  he  had  been 
robbed  by  one  of  his  former  "  pals,"  who, 
in  the  language  of  the  profession,  had 
"  tumbled  to  the  dodge." —  George  R. 
Sims :  The  Doll's  Secret. 

To  tumble  to  it  is  to  allow 
oneself  to  be  taken  in,  to  be- 
lieve a  falsehood,  implying  a 
certain  degree  of  eagerness. 
(Provincial),  to  tumble  to  the 
racket,  to  get  accustomed  to  a 
thing. 

Tumble  to  pieces,  to,  to  be  safely 
delivered,  as  in  childbirth. 

Tump,  to  (American),  a  Maine 
word  meaning  to  pull  or  draw. 
Bartlett  thinks  it  may  be  Indian. 
Till  this  is  established,  it  may 
possibly  be  regarded  as  related 
to    the    Anglo  -  Saxon    tedn,  to 

../draw.  Also  a  slang  word,  to 
poke,  push  into ;  so  used  in  a 
song  in  an  obscene  sense.  From 
tamp,  to  fill  up  a  hole  in  a  rock 
for  the  purpose  of  blasting ;  to 
plug. 

Tum-tum  (Anglo-Indian),  a  dog- 
cart. 


T  u  n  d  (schoolboys),  funding  at 
Winchester  School  is  thrashing, 
and  Punch  puts  into  the  mouth  of 
a  Wykhamist  the  confession — 

I  like  to  be  funded  twice  a  day, 
And  swished  three  times  a  week. 

Tunding  (Winchester),  explained 
by  quotation. 

It  was  the  prefect  of  hall  who  ordered 
the  infliction  of  a  public  funding.  .  .  . 
The  following  simple  and  truthful  state- 
ment of  what  a  public  funding  was  may 
enable  those  who  take  an  interest  in  the 
matter  to  form  some  reasonable  opinion 
whether  the  infliction  of  such  punishment 
were  a  good  or  a  bad  thing.  .  .  .  Some 
dozen  or  so  of  boys,  who  had  the  best 
capacities  for  the  performance,  were  ap- 
pointed by  him  for  the  purpose,  and  the 
whole  assembly  stood  around  the  dais, 
while  the  hymn  Te  de  profundis  was  sung. 
When  all  were  thus  assembled,  and  before 
the  singers  commenced,  the  culprit  who 
had  been  sentenced  to  a  funding  stepped 
out,  pulled  off  his  gown,  and  received  from 
the  hands  of  one  deputed  by  the  "prefect 
of  hall,"  and  armed  with  a  tough,  pliant, 
ground-ash  stick,  a  severe  beating. —  T.  A. 
Trollope :  What  I  Remember. 

I  never  heard  of  any  case  in  Eton  like 
the  funding  which,  some  •  years  ago, 
brought  our  mother-school  into  disagree- 
able notice. — Pascoe:  Everyday  Life  in 
our  Public  Schools. 

From  tund,  to  beat,  same  as 
"to  tan;"  "tan,"  a  switch; 
"tancel,"  to  beat. 

Tunker  (popular),  a  street 
preacher. 

Tunny  or  turnee  (Anglo-Indian), 
an  English  supercargo.  Sea- 
Hindu,  and  probably  a  corrup- 
tion of  attorney  (Roebuck,  cited 
in  the  Anglo-Indian  Glossary). 


Tup — Turned. 


381 


Tup,  properly  a  ram,  occurs  in 
the  slang  phrase  a  "stray  tup 
on  the  loose,"  i.e.,  a  man  looking 
out  for  a  girl. 

Tuppennies  (London),  women  who 
for  twopence  will  take  articles 
to  a  pawnbroker's  shop,  deposit 
them,  obtain  the  money  and 
ticket,  and  take  them  to  the 
owner. 

In  those  parts  of  London  where  pawn- 
shops and  poverty  abound  there  is  a  class 
of  women  who  go  by  the  name  of  two- 
pennies, and  who  make  it  their  business 
to  be  intermediaries  between  the  lenders 
and  the  borrowers  of  money  on  articles  of 
property. — Tit-  Bits. 

Turkey  merchant  (tramps,  &c), 
a  stealer  of  fowls. 

"  We'll  make  a  Turkey  merchant  of  you 
yet,"  said  an  old  gypsy,  "  never  fear  that." 
— Beaconsjield:  Venetia. 

Also  a  dealer  in  plundered  or 
contraband  silks. 

Turkey,  to  talk  (American),  to 
talk  turkey  is  to  converse  on  pro- 
fitable business,  to  "  talk  iron  " 
signifies  the  contrary.  "  Now 
you  begin  to  talk  turkey,"  said 
a  man  in  Philadelphia  to  one 
who  at  last  told  him  how  much 
he  was  to  have  out  of  a  certain 
transaction.  It  is  derived  from  a 
well-known  story.  A  white  man 
and  an  Indian  went  hunting, 
with  the  understanding  that  the 
game  was  to  be  divided  piece  by 
piece.  The  result  of  the  sport 
was  two  wild  turkeys  and  three 
crows.  The  white  man,  who 
took  it  on  himself  to  count  out, 
began  by  allotting  a  crow  to  the 


Indian,  then  a  turkey  to  himself, 
then  another  crow  to  the  Indian, 
appropriating,  of  course,  the 
second  turkey.  To  which  the 
native  demurred,  saying :  "  You 
talk  all  turkey  for  you,  and  only 
talk  crow  for  Injun "  (C.  G. 
Leland). 

Turn  (theatrical),  length  of  per- 
formance of  an  actor  or  singer. 

'Twas  plain  that  ere  her  turn  had  ceased, 
Her  talent  had,  on  him  at  least, 
Created  a  most  palpable  impression. 

— Sporting-  Times. 

(Stock  Exchange),  an  Ameri- 
can term,  very  common  in  Wall 
Street,  signifying  a  method  of 
eluding  the  risks  pertaining  to 
an  infringement  of  the  usury 
laws  —  for  example,  when  a 
broker  "carries  stock"  (which 
see)  for  a  client,  in  order  to 
pay  for  it  he  often  has  to  seek 
the  aid  of  bankers  or  private 
money  -  lenders,  hypothecating 
the  stocks  in  return  for  an  ad- 
vance. When  money  is  tight, 
the  bank,  in  addition  to  the 
legal  interest  which  it  is  em- 
powered to  charge,  levies  also 
an  additional  commission.  This, 
in  the  slang  parlance  of  the 
Stock  Exchange,  is  called  a 
turn.  Also  the  profit  on  a  bar- 
gain. 

Turned  (prison),  converted,  by  ab- 
breviation from  turned  square, 
the  contrary  of  being  crooked, 
or  on  the  crook.  A  conversa- 
tion between  two  thieves  was 
overheard  in  Clerkenwell  Pri- 
son.   "That  chaplain  I"   "What 


382 


Turned —  Turnpike. 


of  him?"  "He's  a  rum  'un;  he 
come  into  my  cell,  and  said, 
1  Look  here,  you  talk  straight  to 
me,  and  I'll  talk  straight  to  you.' 
Ah  I  and  he  do  talk  straight, 
don't  he  ?  I  think  he's  one  of 
us — turned,  you  know." 

Turned  up  (thieves),  arrested. 

Turning  cart-wheels  (popular),  a 
feat  performed  by  circus-clowns 
and  street  boys  of  rolling  over 
and  over  in  such  a  manner  that 
only  the  palms  of  the  hands  and 
the  soles  of  the  feet  touch  the 
ground.  In  French,  "faire  la 
roue." 

The  urchin  who  watches  the  passing 
'bus  in  order  to  mount  it  while  the  con- 
ductor is  collecting  fares ;  who  gets  a 
gratuitous  ride  behind  growlers  and  drays  ; 
who  sells  matches,  and  opens  cab  doors, 
and  carries  luggage,  and  directs  strangers, 
and  turns  cart-wheels  —  precocious  brat- 
lings  of  this  sort  are  well  known  to  the 
true  Londoner,  who  marvels  at  their  ex- 
traordinary sharpness  and  unquenchable 
vitality. — Daily  Telegraph. 

Turnips  (common),  to  get  turnips, 
to  be  taken  in,  to  be  jilted.  To 
"  turn  it  up." 

One  day  I  got  a  letter, 
It  came  from  Betsy  Gay ; 

She  said  she'd  given  me  turnips  ; 
With  another  she'd  run  away. 
— London :  The  Prize  Songster. 

Turn  one's  coat,  to,  explained  by 
quotation.  This  is  an  almost 
recognised  phrase.  French  "  re- 
tourner  sa  veste."  A  man  who 
changes  his  political  opinions  is 
termed  a  "turncoat." 

Thinking  men  of  both  parties  who  have 
hitherto  strenuously  opposed  the  introduc- 


tion of  politics  into  municipal  elections, 
are  beginning,  as  it  has  become  the  silly 
fashion  to  designate  a  change  of  opinion, 
to  turn  their  coats. — St.  Helens  Lantern. 

Turn  one  over,  to  (thieves),  to 
search  on  the  person. 

"  What  catch  would  it  be  if  you  was  to 
turn  me  over?  "  So  I  took  him  into  a 
pub  which  had  a  back  way  out,  and  called 
for  a  pint  of  stout,  and  told  the  reeler  to 
wait  a  minute. — Horslcy  :  Jottings  from 
Jail. 

Turn  out  (society),  a  very  fav- 
ourite word  in  London  society, 
meaning  entourage,  get  up.  "A 
very  smart  turn  out"  is  often 
applied  to  a  carriage  which  is 
well  and  smartly  got  up,  with 
good  horses,  harness,  and  every- 
thing well  done.  It  is  also  ap- 
plied to  people  who  dress  well 

and   look   smart.      "Mrs.  

is  always  so  well  turned  out." 
(Popular),  the  name  given  by 
working  girls  to  the  toilette 
hired  by  them  to  go  to  pleasure 
gardens. 

"  And  what  should  you  say  it  would 
cost  a  girl  on  an  average  who  hired  a  full 
turn  out  on  Monday  and  Saturday  even- 
ings?" 

"If  she  was  a  regular  customer,  it 
wouldn't  cost  her  more  than  two  shillings, 
ostrich  anti  all." — /.  Greenwood:  Tag, 
Rag  &■*  Co. 

Turn  out  slap,  to  (tailors),  to 
execute  work  expeditiously. 

Turnover  (trade),  an  apprentice 
transferred  from  one  master  to 
another  is  called  a  turnover. 

Turnpike  sailor  (popular),  a 
vagabond  who  shams  the  ship- 
wrecked sailor. 


Turn —  Twicer. 


383 


I  became  a  turnpike  sailor,  as  it  is 
called,  and  went  out  as  one  of  the  Shal- 
low Brigade,  wearing  a  guernsey  shirt  and 
drawers,  or  tattered  trousers. — Mayheiv  : 
London  Labour  and  the  London  Poor. 

Turn  the  game  up,  to  (common), 
to  give  up  one's  occupation  or 
pursuits,  generally  dishonest 
ones. 

Marston  had  long  ago  announced  his 
intention  to  turn  the  game  up ;  Brook 
had  determined  to  get  out  of  the  country 
for  a  bit  in  case  of  accidents. — G.  Sims : 
Rogues  and  Vagabonds. 

Turn  turtle,  to  (nautical),  to 
capsize. 

Turn-up  (common),  a  prize-fight. 
Also  a  street  fight. 

I'd  describe  now  to  you  as  "  prime  a 
set-to,"  and  "  regular  turn-up"  as  ever 
you  knew  ;  not  inferior  in  "  bottom  "  to 
aught  you  have  read  of. — Ingoldsby  Le- 
gends. 

A  sudden  piece  of  luck. 
(Sport),  bookmakers  are  said 
to  have  a  turn-up  when  an  un- 
backed horse  wins. 

"  Ah,  well,"  said  young  Bob,  "  I  sup- 
pose we  shall  still  be  allowed  to  have  our 
private  turn-ups,  and  I  can  tell  you  it's 
pretty  warm  work  sometimes." — Punch 

Turn  up  Jack  (American),  a 
phrase  borrowed  from  card- 
playing. 

Mad  dogs,  mad  cows,  and  mad  men  are 
reported  as  turning  up  jack  in  almost 
every  direction. — Milford  (Massachusetts) 
Journal. 

Turtle-doves  (thieves),  rhyming 
slang  for  gloves. 


Tusheroon  (tinker,  also  canting), 
a  crown.  Also  a  "bull,"  a 
"  cart-wheel." 


Tut  -  work 
work. 


(workmen),     piece- 


Tweak  (old),  difficulty,  perplexity. 
"  He  was  in  a  sad  tweak."  Also 
a  prostitute. 

Thence  to  Bantree,  as  I  came  there 
From  the  bushes  near  the  lane  there, 
Rushed  a  tweak  in  gesture  flaunting, 
With  a  leering  eye  and  wanton. 

— Drunken  Barnaby's  Journey. 

Tweedle  (thieves),  a  spurious 
ring,  used  to  swindle  jewellers 
and  pawnbrokers. 

Twelve  apostles,  the  last  twelve 
men  in  the  mathematical  tripos 
at  Cambridge. 

Twelve  godfathers,  a  jury  who 
have  to  decide  whether  a  pri- 
soner has  been  guilty  of  man- 
slaughter, justifiable  homicide, 
or  murder,  i.e.,  to  give  a  name 
to  crime. 

Twelver  (thieves),  a  shilling. 

Twicer  (printers),  a  man  that 
professes  to  work  both  at  case 
and  press  or  machine,  is  gene- 
rally termed  a  twicer.  Country 
hands  coming  to  town  are  often 
looked  on  as  such,  for  in  their 
native  places,  owing  to  a  limited 
number  of  hands  and  amount  of 
work,  they  are  expected  to  turn 
their  hands  to  either.  The 
Cockney  printer  as  a  rule  follows 
but  one  branch. 


3§4 


Twig —  Twins. 


Twig,  in  prime  (popular),  in  first- 
rate  condition,  in  high  spirits. 
Twig  is  provincial  for  brisk, 
active. 

Twig,  to  (popular),  a  Lincolnshire 
term,  to  understand,  but  com- 
monly used  in  slang  with  the 
further  meaning  of  perceive, 
see,  notice,  observe.  From  the 
Irish  tuigim,  I  understand,  dis- 
cern. Whitley  Stokes  compares 
Irish  tuigim,  old  Irish  tuccu, 
with  old  Latin  tongire,  Gothic 
thagkjan,  Icelandic  thekkja,  Eng- 
lish think  (Irish  Glossaries). 

"  They're  a  twiggin  of  you,  sir,"  whis- 
pered Mr.  Weller. — Dickens:  Pickwick 
Papers. 

A  landsman  said,  "  I  twig  the  chap — 
he's  been  upon  the  mill." — Ingoldsby  Le- 
gends. 

I  see  you  twig. — Punch. 

The  giant  kept  dropping  in,  usually 
followed  by  a  crowd  of  ragamuffins,  whilst 
the  gamin  shouted  in  French  the  equi- 
valent of  "  Twig  his  legs,  Bill?"  for  he 
was  dreadfully  in-kneed. — Moonshine. 

Henceforth  we'll  speak  with  common 
throat, 

For  common  party  ends  combine. 
Here,  put  this  primrose  in  your  coat  ; 

That  orchid  I  will  place  in  mine. 
Henceforth  in  concert  we  will  jig, 

To  Solly's  piping-7-eh,  my  boy  ? 
We  can't  afford  to  tiff,  you  twig, 

If  we'd  the  Gladstonites  annoy ! 

— Funny  Folks. 

Also  possibly  from  the  Anglo- 
Saxon  tvigsprcec,  geminata  lo- 
qula,  ambiguitas  (Ettmiiller, 
Lex.  Ang.  Sax.),  an  ambiguous, 
double-meaning  speech.  Hence 
twedgan,  to  doubt.  "  Ne  magic 
thas  na  tveogan,"  I  cannot  doubt 


this,  i.e.,  I  twig.     Vide  Hop  THE 
Twig. 

Twilight  (schools),  toilet. 

It  was  no  use  doing  the  downy  again,  so 
it  was  just  as  well  to  make  one's  twilight 
and  go  to  chapel. — C.  Bede:  Verdant 
Green. 

Twine,  to  (prison),  explained  by 
following  extract  from  Temple 
Bar :  — "  Suppose  you  start  in 
the  morning  with  a  good  sove- 
reign and  a  snyde  half-sovereign 
in  your  pocket.  You  go  into 
some  place  or  other  and  ask  for 
change  of  the  sovereign ;  or  you 
order  some  beer,  and  give  the 
sovereign  in  payment.  It  is  likely 
you  will  get  half-a-sovereign 
and  silver  back  in  change.  Then 
is  the  time  to  twine.  You  change 
your  mind  after  you  have  rung 
your  snyde  half-quid  with  the 
good  one,  and,  throwing  down 
the  snyde- half,  say  you  prefer 
silver.  The  landlord  or  land- 
lady, or  whoever  it  is,  will  pick 
up  the  snyde  half -quid,  thinking, 
of  course,  it  is  the  same  one 
they  have  given  you." 

From   to  twine,   to  twist  or 
complicate. 

Twinkler  (thieves),  a  light.  The 
burglar  is  said  to  hold  three 
things  in  abhorrence  when  found 
in  a  house  he  intends  to  rob — a 
twinkler,  a  tinkler,  and  a  tattler, 
alius  a  light,  abell  on  the  shutter, 
and  a  barking  dog. 

Twins  (American),  a  now  almost 
obsolete  New  England  term, 
meaning   "  dinner   and   tea  at 


Twins —  Two-eyed. 


385 


one  meal.  The  custom  of  having 
twins  in  the  short  days  of  winter 
was  formerly  very  common " 
•(Bartlett).  In  England  such  a 
meal  is  called  by  commercial 
travellers  "Box  Harry"  (Hot- 
ten),  a  term  used  in  Lincolnshire 
to  mean  economy  of  any  kind 
after  extravagance.  Probably 
from  the  idea  of  beating  or  rob- 
bing "  old  Harry,"  or  the  devil, 
who  dances  in  an  empty  pocket. 

Twirlers  (thieves),  sharpers  with 
a  round-about  at  fairs. 

Twirls  (burglars),  skeleton  keys. 

He  was  very  lucky  at  making  twirls, 
and  used  to  supply  them  all  with  tools. — 
Horsley :  Jottings  front  Jail. 

Twist  (common),  a  good  appetite, 
alluding  probably  to  the  twist- 
ing or  gnawing  sensation  in  a 
hungry  man's  stomach — to  the 
pangs  of  hunger,  which  is  ex- 
actly rendered  by  the  French 
slang  phrase  "avoir  une  crampe 
au  pylore."  It  is  curious  to  note 
also  the  term  "  tortiller,"  to  eat, 
literally  to  twist,  coil.  Formerly 
"tordre."  "  II  ne  f ait  que  tor- 
dre  et  avaler,"  said  of  a  glut- 
ton. Oliver  Twist  was  appa- 
rently so  called  by  Dickens  on 
account  of  his  "hero's  "  propen- 
sity to  ask  for  "  more." 

"An  egg,"  cried  Shakebacon,  who  has 
a  twist.     "  Bosh  ! " 

"  Well,"  replied  Gubb,  "I  once  hunted 
all  day  after  breakfasting  on  two-thirds  of 
one,  and  never  felt  a  pang  till  night  time." 

Shaky  looked  incredulous.  —  Bird  o' 
Freedom. 

(Low),  brandy  and  gin  mixed. 
VOL.  II. 


Twister  (popular),  a  falsehood, 
imaginary  story ;  "  he  can  spin 
a  twister,"  he  is  clever  at  telling 
a  falsehood. 

Twistical   (American),  having  a 
•  twist,  tortuous ;  hence  perverse, 
unfair,   dishonest.      In   North- 
amptonshire twister  means  cross, 
perverse. 

Twist  on  the  shorts  (Stock  Ex- 
change), said  when  the  market 
has  been  puffed  up  by  irregular 
and  artificial  means,  and  the 
shorts  (which  see)  have  been 
compelled  to  settle  at  a  ruinous 
loss,  in  consequence  of  being 
heavily  undersold. 

Twist,  to  (thieves),  to  hang. 

Twitch  a  twelve,  to  (American 
University),  to  get  the  highest 
number  of  marks. 

Two  d.  (popular),  twopence.  A 
costermonger  will  say,  "I'll  take 
two  d.  for  it." 

Two-eighteener  (American),  a 
man  or  woman  of  the  fastest 
kind,  the  allusion  being  to  the 
highest  record  in  trotting 
matches,  about  two  minutes 
eighteen  seconds  being  the  fast- 
est time  for  a  mile. 


Two-er  (popular),  a  florin. 
a  hansom  cab. 


Also 


Two  -  eyed    steak   (familiar),    a 
dried  herring  or  bloater. 

A  few  weeks  ago  said  my  groom  to  my 
housemaid,   "  Wouldn't  you  like  what  I 
2  B 


386 


Twofer —  Two-thirty. 


am  going  to  have  for  breakfast  ?  "  "  What 
is  it  1 "  "A  two-eyed  steak,"*  which  turned 
out  to  be  a  Yarmouth  bloater.  —  The 
Reader. 

Twofer  (common),  a  term  applied 
to  a  loose  woman. 

Two  fours  (army),  the  44th  Regi- 
ment of  Foot. 

Two-nick  (printers),  a  vulgar  allu- 
sion to  infants  of  the  female  sex. 

Twopenny  (popular),  the  tongue. 
"  Twopenny  red  rag." 

Why,  you're  going  into  Newgate  Street, 

the  Lord  Mayor  bawls, 
But  John  said  "  Tuck  your  twopenny  in — 
I'm  going  around  St.  Paul's." 

—A  Ballad:  The  Lord  Mayor's 
Coachman, 

Twopenny  damn,  probably  analo- 
gous to  "not  worth  a  curse," 
"a  tinker's  curse."  The  Duke 
of  Wellington  is  alleged  to  have 
said  that  he  did  not  care  a  two- 
penny damn  what  became  of  the 
ashes  of  Napoleon  Buonaparte ; 
and  a  correspondent  of  Notes 

.  and  Queries,  Series  iii.,  326,  anxi- 
ous to  redeem  the  Iron  Duke's 
memory  from  the  charge  of  pro- 
fanity, thinks  that  it  was  a  cant 
reminiscence  of  his  Indian  ser- 
vice—a dam  being  a  coin  and 
^  weight  which  had  become  de- 

preciated in  value  to  about  two- 
pence ;  hence  a  twopenny  dam 
would  naturally  pass  into  ordi- 
nary speech.  This,  however,  is 
very  problematical. 

We  don't — we  quote,  mind  you,  our  con- 
temporary— we  don't  care  a  twopenny 
damn  for  the  argument  about  Probate. — 
Star. 


Twopenny  hop  (thieves),  a  cheap 
dance. 

The  girl  is  invited  to  "raffles,"  and 
treated  to  twopenny  hops  and  half-pints  of 
beer. — May  hew:  London  Labour  and  the 
London  Poor. 

Twopenny  rope  (popular),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

"And  pray,  Sam,  what  is  the  twopenny 
rope  ? "  inquired  Mr.  Pickwick. 

"The  twopenny  rope,  sir,"  replied  Mr. 
Weller,  "is  just  a  cheap  lodgin' -  house 
where  the  beds  is  twopence  a  night  I " 

"  What  do  they  call  a  bed  a  rope  for  ?  " 
said  Mr.  Pickwick. 

"Well,  the  adwantage  o'  the  plan's  ob- 
vious. At  six  o'clock  every  mornin',  they 
lets  go  the  ropes  at  one  end,  and  down 
falls  all  the  lodgers.  Consequence  is  that, 
being  thoroughly  waked,  they  get  up  very 
quickly,  and  walkaway." — Dickens :  Pick- 
wick Papers. 

The  French,  have  "  coucher  a 
la  corde,"  to  sleep  in  such  lodg- 
ing-houses. 

Two  -  pipe  scatter  -  gun  (Cana- 
dian), a  double-bore  rifle. 

"Oh,  durn  your  rifles!"  said  an  old 
settler  to  me.  "Give  me  a  two -pipe 
scatter-gun  and  a  spike-tailed  smell-damp 
and  I'm  fixed."  And  this  gentleman's 
neatly  expressed  opinion  seems  to  be  pretty 
generally  received.  —  Phillipps  •  Wolley : 
'Pro  t  tings  of  a  Tenderfoot. 

Two  pun'  ten  (trade),  an  expres- 
sion used  by  assistants  to  one 
another  in  shops  when  a  sus- 
pected customer  enters.  The 
phrase  refers  to  "two eyes  upon 
ten  fingers,"  shortened  as  above. 

Two  sevens  (army),  the  77th 
Regiment.    Also  "Pot-hooks." 

Two-thirty.     Vide  Full  Drive. 


Two —  Type-Slinger. 


387 


Two  to  one  shop,  the  pawn- 
broker's ;  in  allusion,  says  Grose, 
to  the  three  blue  balls,  the  sign 
of  that  trade ;  or,  perhaps,  from 
its  being  two  to  one  that  the 
goods  pledged  there  are  ever 
redeemed.  The  balls  are  not 
now  of  necessity  blue,  as  they 
appear  to  have  been  in  Grose's 
time.  The  slang  of  the  present 
day  for  this  convenient  banker 
of  the  poor,  is  "my  uncle" 
(in  France  it  is  "my  aunt," 
ma  tante),  and  the  act  of  pledging 
is  to  "  spout "  or  to  "  pop." 

Two  twos  (army),  the  22nd  Regi- 
ment of  Foot,  formerly  known 
as  the  "Red  Knights,"  from 
being  once  served  out  with  com- 
plete suits  of  scarlet. 

Tyburn  (old),  Tyburn  blossom,  a 
young  thief.  To  preach  at  Ty- 
burn cross,  to  be  hung,  allud- 
ing to  the  penitential  speeches 
made  on  such  occasions. 

That  soldiours  steme,  or  prech  at  Tiborn 
croste. — Steele  Glas. 

Also  to  fetch  a  Tyburn  stretch. 
Tyburn  show,  hanging,  hanged. 

If  I'm  not  lagged  to  Virgin-nee, 
I  may  a  Tyburn  show  be. 

— The  Song  of  the  Young  Prig. 

A  Tyburn  tippet,  a  halter. 

Tyconna,  tyecana  (Anglo- 
Indian),  an  underground  room 
or  cellar,  in  which  people  can 
take  refuge  during  the  hottest 
part  of  the  day.  Persian  tah- 
khdna,  nether  house. 


Tyke,  a  dog.  This  is  old  English, 
from  Icelandic  tik,  a  bitch,  but 
only  used  now  by  slang-talking 
classes.  Shakspeare  uses  the 
word  (Henry  V.). 

There  sat  auld  Nick,  in  shape  o'  beast ; 
A  towsie  tyke,  black,  grim,  and  large, 
To  give  them  music  was  his  charge. 

— Burns:  Tarn  o'  Shunter. 
When  I  got  there  I  found  it  so  hot, 
because  there  had  been  so  many  tykes 
poisoned,  that  there  was  a  reeler  at  almost 
every  double,  and  bills  posted  up  about 
it. — Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Also    a    countryman,    clod- 
hopper. 

Tyker,  a  man  who  takes  charge 
of  dogs. 

"  Put  some  in  your  pocket,  you'll  want 
'em  on  the  course,"  observes  my  guide. 
And  I  sigh  for  the  capacious  pockets  of 
the  gamekeeper  or  the  "kick"  of  the 
tyker,  yet  manage"  to  stow  a  dozen  or  so 
about  rny  person. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Tyler,  Adam.  Vide  Adam  Tilee, 
to  which  may  be  added :  this 
probably  has  no  reference  to  a 
man's  name,  adam  being  short 
for  adamcd,  married,  united  ; 
hence  in  confederacy.  A  "  mason 
and  tyler"  were  swindlers  in 
close  association,  the  first  being 
also  called  "masoner"  (which 
see),  a  Yorkshire  term  for  a 
bricklayer. 

Type  -  lifter  (printers),  a  term 
generally  applied  to  fast  com- 
posers of  type. 

Type-slinger  (printers),  an  expe- 
ditious but  slovenly  compositor, 
who  composes  rapidly  regard- 
less of  errors  and  blunders. 


388 


Typhoon — Uncle. 


Typhoon  (maritime),  a  storm.  It 
is  not  generally  known  that 
the  exabt  Hindu  word  tufan,  a 
storm,  is  used  in  the  same  sense 
by  English  gypsies. 

Typo  (printers),  a  term  of 
familiarity  applied  by  one  typo- 


grapher to  another,  the  abbre- 
viation being  apparent.  Also 
French. 

Tzing  tzing  (London),  excellent, 
elegant,  dashing,  synonymous 
with  "  slap  up,"  "  chic,"  but 
seldom  heard  now. 


GLIES    (theatrical), 
delirium  tremens. 

Uhlan   (tailors),   a 
tramp. 
t 

Ullages,  a  nautical  term,  meaning 
the  remainder  in  a  cask,  which 
has  leaked ;  hence  the  wine  of 
all  sorts  left  in  the  bottom 
of  glasses  at  a  public  dinner. 
Hotten  suggests  Latin  vllus, 
any,  but  it  is  more  probably 
from  the  French  cordage. 

Ultramarine  (London),  "  blue," 
that  is,  more  or  less  indecent. 

Woe  to  the  cracker  of  a  "risky  "  wheeze  ; 
pity  the  dancer  of  an  ultramarine  step, 
for  the  order  of  the  boot  is  kept  ready  be- 
hind the  bar  for  these  offenders. — Sporting 
Times. 

Ultray  (Punch  show),  very ;  ultray 
cativa,  very  bad. 

"How  are  you  getting  on?"  I  might 
say  to  another  Punch-man.  "  Ultray 
cativa,"  he'd  say. — Mayhew. 

Unbleached  American  (Ameri- 
can), a  negro,  a  man  of  colour. 
An  expression  which  sprang  up 
during  the  war.     "  Am  I  not  a 


man  and  a  brother  ? "  was  con- 
verted about  the  same  time 
into  "Am  I  not  a  man  and  a 
bother  ?  " 

Uncertainties  (printers),  a  vul- 
garism applied  to  babies  of  the 
female  sex. 

Uncle  (common),  pawnbroker. 

"  Dine  in  your  frock,  my  good  friend, 
and  welcome,  if  your  dress-coat  is  in  the 
country."  "  It  is  at  present  at  an  uncle's. " 
—  Thackeray:  The  Newcomes. 

We  find  him  making  constant  reference 
to  an  uncle,  in  respect  of  whom  he  would 
seem  to  have  entertained  great  expecta- 
tions, as  he  was  in  the  habit  of  seeking  to 
propitiate  his  favour  by  presents  of  plate, 
jewels,  books,  watches,  and  other  valuable 
articles. — Dickens:  Martin  Chuzzlenvit. 
Woe  1  woe  !  to  that  jock, 
My  watch  is  in  soak, 
More  aid  from  my  uncle 
I  vainly  invoke. 

I'm  a  wave  on  the  sea  of  misfortune, 
And — what's  frequent  with  breakers — 
I'm  broke  1 

—  Turf,  Field,  and  Farm. 

It  has  been  suggested  that 
uncle  is  from  uncus,  a  hook 
(French  au  clou,  in  pawn),  but 
it  is  evidently  derived  from 
a  jocular   allusion    to    a  fond 


Uncle —  Unload. 


389 


uncle  or  a  mysterious  rich  uncle 
— "  oncle  d'Amdrique  " — as  in 
Dickens's  quotation.  Uncles 
have  always  been  considered  as 
the  natural  prey  of  spendthrift 
nephews.  The  French  term  the 
pawnbroker  "  ma  tante  "  or  "  ma 
tante  Dumont"-(du  mont-de- 
pie"t^).  Also  "mon  oncle  Du 
Pret."  "Oncle"  is  a  very  old 
term  for  a  usurer,  and  also  means 
a  jailer,  prisoners  considering 
themselves  as  being  in  pawn. 

Uncork  the  swag  (American), 
deliver  !  literally,  unlock  the 
portmanteau. 

Once  more,  you  bloke,  will  you  uncork 
that  swag  ? — Detroit  Free  Press. 

Unction,  blue  (popular),  mercurial 
ointment.     Also  "  blue  butter." 

Undergraduates  (turf),  horses 
that  are  being  trained  for 
steeple-chasing. 

It  seems  to  me  that  the  undergraduates 
comprise  far  better  material  than  what  is 
generally  drafted  from  the  ranks  of  the 
flat  racers  .  .  .  the  best  of  the  lot  are  in 
the  hands  of  trainers  who  lay  themselves 
out  for  the  preparation  of  jumpers. — 
Referee. 

Undergrounder  (cricket).  An  un- 
dergrounder,  a  "  daisy  cutter,"  a 
"daisy  trimmer,"  or  "sneak," 
is  a  ball  bowled  all  along  the 
ground,  without  a  proper  pitch. 

Understandings  (common),  shoes, 
feet,  in  opposition  to  lops,  upper 
garments  or  tops  of  boots,  and 
bottom  clothing. 


The  massive  Kadoudja  found  a  fitting 
exponent  in  Miss ,  whose  short  Cir- 
cassian skirt  admitted  of  the  display  of  a 
pair  of  shapely  understandings. — Modern 
Society. 

Understudy  (theatrical),  an  actor 
or  actress  engaged  to  under- 
study, and  to  act,  if  necessary, 
the  parts  of  principal  perform- 
ers— so  that,  in  the  event  of 
accident,  or  indisposition,  the 
run  of  a  piece  may  not  be  sus- 
pended. 

Her  voice  was  no  fortune,  but  it  sufficed 
for  the  chorus  in  comic  opera,  and  she  was 
offered  an  understudy  of  a  few  lines  in  the 
preceding  farce. — Society  Times. 

Unicorn  (thieves),  two  men  and 
one  woman,  or  two  women  and 
one  man  associated  to  steal. 
From  unicorn,  two  horses  abreast 
with  a  leader. 

Universal  staircase  (thieves),  the 
treadmill. 

Well,  the  beaks  got  up  to  the  dodge, 
and  all  the  Spanish  lurksmen  in  their  turns 
got  to  work  the  universal  staircase.  — 
May  hew:  London  Labour  and  the  Lon- 
don Poor. 

Unlimber  (American),  deliver  I 
out  with  the  money. 

No  monkeying!  unlimber!  produce  the 
scads. — Detroit  Free  Press. 

Unload,  to  (Stock  Exchange),  to 
sell.  (American),  unload  your 
boodle,  empty  your  pockets,  de- 
liver up  the  property. 

Cheese  your  patter  I  Don't  you  see  I've 
got  the  drop  ?  Unload  your  boodle. — De- 
troit Fret  Press. 


390 


Un  mentionables —  Upper. 


Unmentionables,  a  silly  euphem- 
ism for  trousers.  Also  "  unut- 
terable6,  unwhisperables,  ineff- 
ables,  inexpressibles." 

Unregenerate  chicken-lifter 

(American),  a  petty  thief  be- 
yond all  hope  of  reform.  Mr. 
Stevens  applies  this  beautiful 
term  to  an  Austrian  gypsy. 

Unrigged  (thieves  and  popular), 
naked ;  rigged  out,  dressed. 

Unsalted  (American),  fresh,  green, 
"young,"  or  inexperienced. 

He  was  an  unsalted  young  man  at  the 
oyster  festival  given  the  other  night  by  the 
Dorcas  Aid  Society  of  Christ  Church,  and 
he  was  seated  in  front  of  half-a-dozen 
fried. — Washington  Critic. 

Unsweetened  (popular),  gin. 

Those  who  are  partial  to  the  unsweet- 
ened ox  "Old  Tom." — Bird o'  Freedom. 

Up  and  down  place  (tailors),  a 
situation  where  a  man  is  re- 
quired to  cut  and  fill  up  time 
in  sewing.  Up  and  down  is  old 
for  "  in  every  respect." 

He  was  euen  Socrates  up  and  downe  in 
this  pointe  and  behalfe,  that  no  man  euer 
sawe  hym  either  laughe  or  weepe. —  Udal : 
Erasmus's  Apophthegms. 

Up  a  tree,  treed  (American),  in 
difficulty,  cornered,  unable  to 
do  anything. 

A  Something,  apparently  intermediate 
between  man  and  monkey,  now  ornaments 
a  Bowery  museum.  This  Something  is 
believed  to  be  a  primeval  m — gw — mp. 
The  modern  m — gw — mp,  it  will  be  re- 
membered, has  long  ears,  and  he  is  arbo- 
real in  his  habits.  That  is,  he's  always  up 
a  tree. — New  York  Sun. 


Also  much  used  in  England. 

How  he  lived  I  can't  conjecture ;  he  was 

always  up  a  tree, 
Though  'tis  fair  to  state  he  often  borrowed 

half-a-crown  of  me. 

— Funny  Folks. 

Uphill  player  (cricketers),  a  player 
who  plays  a  good  losing  game 
under  disadvantage,  one  who 
never  says  "die." 

Up  in  his  hat  (Irish),  drunk,  cor- 
responding to  English  slang 
"  elevated." 

Upon  my  Sam  (common),  upon 
my  soul.  A  piece  of  slang  at 
one  time  very  common  in  the 
mouths  of  women. 

Upper  Benjamin  (popular),  a  top- 
coat. 

A  greatcoat,  a  sort  of  upper  Benjamin, 
hanging  on  loosely  and  unbuttoned. — 
Sporting  Times. 

Originally  a  cloak  or  upper 
garment  was  a  "  Joseph."  The 
connection  is  obvious. 

Upper  crust  (common),  the  higher 
society.  Originally  American. 
La  haute. 

Since  then  our  nearest  synonym  to  chic 
has  been  "  good  form,"  a  later  outgrowth 
of  British  upper-crust  slang. — Daily  Tele- 
graph. 

(Pugilistic),  the  skin. 

Sam's  nob  had  been  in  pepper  alley,  and 
his  upper  crust  was  rather  changed. — 
Pierce  Egan :  Book  of  Sports. 

Upper  Roger  (Anglo-Indian), 
young  king.  "This  happy  ex- 
ample of  Hobson-Jobson  dialect 


Upper— Up. 


391 


occurs  in  a  letter  dated  1755, 
from  Captain  Jackson,  at  Syrian 
in  Burma.  It  is  a  corruption  of 
the  Sanskrit  yuvah-rajah,  'young 
king,'  the  Cassar  or  heir-appa- 
rent" (Anglo- Indian  Glossary). 
In  a  similar  way  Surajah  Dow- 
lah  was  commonly  called  by  the 
soldiers  Sir  Roger  Dowler. 

Upper  shell  (old  cant),  a  coat. 
"  Under  shell,"  a  waistcoat. 

Upper  storey  (popular),  the  head  ; 
rats  in  the  upper  storey,  crazy. 
Also  "  upper  works." 

Upright  man  (old  cant),  the  head 
of  a  gang  of  mendicants. 

Upset  his  apple-cart  (American), 
generally  heard  in  this  form — 
"  Look  out,  or  you'll  upset  your 
apple-cart  and  spill  the  peaches," 
i.e.,  "  Take  care,  or  you'll  come 
to  grief." 

Up  stakes  (American),  "  up  stakes 
and  off,"  meaning  the  same  as 
"to  cut  stick,"  i.e.,  to  depart  in 
a  hurry. 

Jemmy  Jed  went  into  a  shed, 
And  made  a  ted  of  straw  his  bed. 
An  owl  came  out  and  flew  about, 
And  Jemmy  Jed  up  stakes  and  fled. 
Wasn't  Jemmy  Jed  a  staring  fool, 
Born  in  the  woods  to  be  scared  by  an  owl  ? 
— Mother  Goose. 

The  reference  appears  to  be 
a  pulling  up  of  tent-pegs  or 
stakes  before  decamping. 

Up  the  spout  (common),  in  pawn. 
Hence  imprisoned. 


With  our  energetic  hero  he  at  once  com- 
menced to  play, 
And  then  left  him  on  the  pavement,  in 
the  rain : 
And  his  notes  on  the  inquiry  were  not 
statements  a  la  mode, 
But  a  message  worded,   "  Vine  Street 
(uj>  the  spout), 
There  is  barrack  room  in  plenty  to  be 
found  in  this  abode, 
Only  send  along  some  oof  to  bail  me 
out ! " 

— Snorting  Titties. 

Up  to  Dick  (popular),  a  phrase 
which  has  become  very  popular 
of  late  years,  having  very  ex- 
tensive application  to  many 
circumstances.  A  man  who  is 
clever  is  up  to  Dick,  as  is  one 
who  is  gifted  with  presence  of 
mind.  One  who  is  well  off,  or 
rich,  or  generous,  or  wise  in 
managing  matters ;  also  one 
who  is  quick  and  ready  to  please 
is  quite  the  same.  It  also  means 
to  be  well,  satisfied,  or  jolly. 
There  is  a  popular  comic  song 
in  which  all  of  these  applica- 
tions are  made  to  the  phrase. 
It  is  very  evidently  derived  from 
the  gypsy  dick  or  dikk,  which  is 
also  common  in  ordinary  slang, 
meaning  to  see,  to  perceive. 
"He  is  dressed  up  to  Dick," 
i.e.,  so  that  it  is  worth  while 
to  see  him,  is  an  old  popular 
phrase  borrowed  from  the 
ltomany. 

When,  lo  !  a  dear  relation  died, 

Who  left  me  lots  of  tin. 
I  often  think  with  gratitude 

About  the  dear  old  flick, 
Who  left  me  cash  to  cut  a  dash, 
And  set  me  up  to  Dick. 

Up  to  Dick,  boys,  up  to  Dick, 
At  trifles  never  stick. 


392 


Up — Use. 


Be  like  me,  a  jolly  brick, 
That's  the  style,  boys,  up  to  Dick. 
'  — Catnach  Press  Ballad. 

Also  in  good  health. 

Up  to  .  dictionary  (popular), 
learned. 

Up  to  sample  (common),  equal 
to  anticipation,  of  sufficiently 
good  quality. 

This  combat  is  up  to  sample. 

— Punch. 

Up  to  snuff.     Vide  Snuff.     Up 
to  snuff  appears  to  be  literally 
t  "  up  to  scent,"  and  a  metaphor 

like  "  smell  a  rat,"  "up  to  trap," 
&c. ;  but  it  was  perhaps  first 
popularised  as  meaning  "  stylish 
enough  to  take  snuff,"  when 
snuff  was  still  a  luxury,  and 
afterwards  applied  to  familiar- 
ity with  fashionable  usages,  &c. 

Up  to  the  door  (popular),  to  the 
last  degree,  as  fine  as  possible. 
Probably  a  variation  of  "up  to 
the  knocker." 

Yes,  and  we  goes  out  respectable,  I  can 
tell  you.  None  of  your  half-and-half 
turn-outs.  I'm  togged  up  to  the  door, 
a  pair  of  respectable  "  round  my  owsers," 
a  two  quid  "I'm  afloat,"  a  silk  "wipe" 
tied  round  my ' '  top-deck, "  and  a ' '  bruiser's 
s^  cady  "  on  the  top  of  the  nob. — T.  Browne : 
Coster  Joe;  or,  the  Happy  Trio. 

Up  to  the  knocker.  Vide 
Knocker.  This  term  usually 
occurs  in  the  phrase  "  dressed 
up  to  the  knocker,"  i.e.,  very 
elegantly  dressed,  which  pro- 
bably arose  from  the  practice  of 
tying  a  glove  to  the  knocker  of  a 


house  when  a  lady  was  in  child- 
bed, the  idea  of  the  height  of 
elegance  being,  in  the  popular 
mind,  inseparable  from  the 
wearing  of  gloves,  specially  kid 
gloves.  Hence,  up  to  the  knocker, 
supremely  elegant,  completely, 
to  the  last  degree,  proficient. 
"  Up  to  the  door"  appears  to  be 
a  variation  of  this.  "Kid,"  in  its 
meaning  of  "swell,"  and  "kid- 
dily,"  fashionably,  in  fine  style, 
skilfully,  probably  arose  from  a 
like  appreciation  of  the  use  of 
kid  gloves.  Again,  it  is  possible 
that  up  to  the  knocker  owes  its 
origin  to  the  "knocker"  or 
breast-pin  which  was  formerly 
in  fashion,  and  which  was  like 
a  knocker  on  a  door. 

I  shall  have  'em  all  on  to-morrow — tidy 
sort  of  weskit,  cuffs,  collar,  and  dicky — 
all  up  to  the  ktwcker. — /.  Greenwood: 
Under  the  Blue  Blanket. 

Up  to  the  mark.     Vide  Mark. 

Up  to  the  ropes  (London),  saga- 
cious, knowing. 

Her  style  and  her  talk  were  decidedly 
"gay," 
And  any  one  up  to  the  ropes, 
Will  guess  that,  of  course,  in  the  usual 
way, 
I  took  her  to  supper  at  "  Pope's." 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

U.S.  cove  (American  thieves),  a 
soldier,  a  man  in  the  service 
.  of  the  American  government. 
"  U.S.  plate,"  handcuffs. 

Use  at,  to  (thieves),  frequent. 

I  got  in  company  with  some  of  the  widest 
people  in  London.  They  used  to  use  at 
a  pub  in  Shoreditch. — Horsley :  Jottings 
from  Jail. 


Usher —  Vamper. 


393 


Very  common  in  Western 
America.  To  use  round  a  place, 
to  haunt  it. 

Usher  (thieves),  yes ;  from  the 
Yiddish  user,  it  is  right,  it 
is  so. 

When  I  got  into  Shoreditch  I  met  one 
or  two  of  the  mob,  who  said,  "  Hallo,  been 
out  to-day?  Did  you  touch?"  So  I  said 
usher. — Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 


Utilities  (theatrical),  minor  parts 
for  beginners.  "  Responsible 
utilities "  are  somewhat  more 
important  parts  than  ordinary 
utilities. 

Utter  (society),  excellent,  most 
elegant. 

Uzar  (gypsy),  by  chance.  (Hindu 
usar,  by  chance.) 


ACCASHO  (gypsy),  a 
calf,  also  a  lamb. 

Vag.  (American), 
a  vagabond.  The 
Vagabond  Act  is  always  called 
in  police  circles  the  Vag.  Act. 

By  the  way,  Billy,  why  ain't  I  in  with 
the  other  vags.  or  the  S.  D.'s  (Simple 
Drunks)?  You're  treating  me  as  royally 
as  a  murderer. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Vakeel  (Anglo-Indian),  abarrister. 

Valley  tan  (American),  a  kind  of 
whisky  sold  in  the  Mormon 
country  is  known  as  valley  tan. 

Valleys  (pantomime,  &c),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 
Cascades  and  valleys  are  trundling  and 
gymnastic  performances,  such  as  tumbling 
across  the  stage  on  wheels  and  catching 
hold  of  hands  and  twirling  round. — May- 
hew  :  London  Labour  and  the  London 
Poor. 

Vamos  (American).  The  soldiers 
who  returned  from  the  war 
with  Mexico  brought  with  them 
several  Spanish  phrases,  such 
as  vamos,  let  us  go,  which  they 


speedily  changed  to  vamo,  very 
properly  described  by  Bartlett 
as  "a  curious  grammatical 
perversion."  With  this  came 
ranch,  a  farm  ;  hence  the  popu- 
lar saying,   "Let  us  vamos  the 

ranch."  % 

> 

Vamose,  vamoose,  to  (common), 
to  depart,  run  away.  Vide 
Vamos. 

And  he  vamosed  with  that  clear  con- 
science that  belongs  to  him  that  giveth 
away  his  fellow-man. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Vamp  (thieves),  a  robbery.  In 
for  a  vamp,  convicted  of  steal- 
ing. 

Vamper,  a  horse-dealer  that 
"  vamps "  up,  cobbles  up  a 
horse ;  that  is,  makes  him  ap- 
pear sound  by  certain  tricks 
and  devices.     Vide  To  Vamp. 

By  what  process  of  diabolical  conjura- 
tion it  is  contrived,  it  is,  of  course,  im- 
possible for  me  to  say,  but  it  is  beyond 
dispute  that  in  the  hands  of  the  experi- 
enced horst-vam/er  the  most  wretched 
used-up  screw  in  existence  may,  for  a  brief 
hour  or  so,  be  made  to  exhibit  an  amount 


394 


Vamping —  Vardo. 


of  fire  and  spirit  that  if  persisted  in  for  a 
longer  period  would  inevitably  shake  its 
ramshackle  carcass  all  to  pieces. — •/.  Green- 
wood: Undercurrents  of  London  Life. 

Also  a  thief. 

Vamping  (musical),  a  musical 
term,  introduced  from  America. 
"It  means  a  plan  of  playing 
an  accompaniment  at  sight,  by 
simply  knowing  the  key  and  the 
time  to  which  the  song  is  set. 
In  the  Western  States  men 
make  a  good  living  by  teaching 
it  in  eight  lessons,  for  which 
they  charge  ten  dollars  (£2) " 
(Tit- Bits). 

The  man  at  the  shop  had  no  guitar  to  sell, 
So  I  purchased  a  banjo,  which  did  just  as 

well; 
The  hour  it  was  late,  and  the  night  it  was 

damp, 
But  my  mind  was  made  up,  and  I  started 

to  vamp. 

— Song  by  fas.  Tabrar. 

Vampire  (American),  a  man 
who  lives  by  following  men 
and  women  about  until  he  has 
proof  of  their  undue  intimacy, 
and  then  blackmailing  them. 
(Punch  and  Judy),  the  ghost. 

Vampo  (theatrical),  the  clown. 

Vampoose,  to  (popular  and 
thieves),  to  decamp.  Obsolete 
English,  vamp,  to  go,  to  travel, 
influenced  by  vamoose. 

Has  he  vamfioosed  with  the  contents  of 
a  till  ? — Kingsley :  Two  Years  Ago. 

Vamp,  to  (popular),  to  leave  in 
pawn,  to  do  a  thing  carelessly, 
slovenly,  anyhow,  so  that  it  will 
pass  muster  for  the  time  being. 


Vamped  is  said  of  anything  fal- 
sified, arranged  so  as  to  make 
it  appear  genuine. 

Vanish,  in  conjuring,  used  almost 
invariably  as  a  verb  active.  To 
vanish  an  object  is  to  make 
an  object  disappear  from  sight 
of  the  audience. 

Van  John,  a  common  corruption 
of  the  game  of  vingt-et-un. 

Vantage  (printers).  Vide  Fat. 
An  old  term,  according  to 
Moxon,  1683,  for  good  paying 
work — "fat"  being  the  modern 
equivalent. 

Van-ts'ang-koon-sz  (pidgin), 
the  Pacific  Mail  Steamship 
Company  of  Shanghai.  An 
American  who  heard  this  name 
remarked  that  the  Van  Zang 
coons  must  be  of  the  Knicker- 
bocker Kuhn  family  to  judge 
by  their  name. 

Vardo,  wardo,  a  waggon.  Ac- 
cording to  Hotten  this  word  is 
"old  cant,"  according  to  fact 
it  is  old  Romany,  wardo  being 
in  some  form  or  other  found  in 
all  gypsy  dialects.  It  is  also 
applied  to  cards,  and  to  a  wheel, 
from  the  old  gypsy  wortin,  a 
vessel. 

"  Awer  bikdom  dovo  wardo  leski 
Patserdo,  te  yuv  te  vel  kek  pessur  " — 
"  But  I  sold  him  that  waggon  on  credit, 

and  he  will  not  pay  (for  it). " 

(Roughs,  itinerants,  strollers, 
&c.)  Vardo!  or  varder !  look, 
see.     From  Italian  vedere. 


Varmint —  Ventilator. 


395 


Varmint  (University),  spruce, 
natty,  good  all  round. 

A  varmint  man  spurns  a  scholarship, 
would  consider  it  a  degradation  to  be  a 
fellow. — Gradus  ad  Cantab. 

The  handsome  man,  my  friend  and 
pupil,  was  naturally  enough  a  bit  of  a 
swell,  or  varmint  man. — Alma  Mater. 

Varmint  men  (University),  those 
who  used,  like  Jemmy  Gordon, 
to  write  themes  for  Cantabs 
too  idle  to  do  it  themselves. 

Varnister  (thieves),  an  utterer  of 
false  sovereigns. 

Varsity  (Oxford  and  Cambridge), 
a  common  pronunciation  of  uni- 
versity. 

With  Le  Maitre  only  half  a  yard  worse 
than  sof  sec.  for  the  Quarter,  it  doesn't 
look  as  if  the  Cantabs  will  have  a  smell  at 
the  Quarter,  the  Half,  or  the  Mile,  at  the 
next  'Varsity  contest. — Sporting  Life. 

Vaseline  (Royal  Military 'Aca- 
demy), butter. 

Vassavo,  vessavo  (gypsy),  bad, 
naughty. 

"  Awer  tu  shan  vassavi  lfibbeni 
Sar  gorgiko  rat  to  be  kambli " — 
"  But  thou  art  a  bad  harlot  to  be  with 
child  with  Gorgio  blood." — George  Bor- 
row: Lavengro. 

Vaulting-house  (common),  ahouse 
of  ill  fame.  See  "Ballads  and 
Songs,"  seventeenth  century. 

Velvet  (thieves),  the  tongue ; 
"  especially,"  says  Hotten,  "  the 
tongue  of  a  magsman."  This 
circumstance  would  support  the 
derivation  of  magsman  from  to 


mag,  to  talk  persuasively.  (Com- 
mon), men,  especially  racing 
men,  who  have  succeeded  in 
their  speculations,  are  said  "to 
stand  on  velvet." 

Ventilator  (theatrical),  a  piece, 
or  an  actor  who  ventilates,  i.e., 
empties  the  house.  An  amusing 
story  is  told  of  a  certain  trage- 
dian, who  was  popularly  known 
as  the  champion  ventilator. 
While  acting  Othello  in  the 
Cork  theatre,  he  became  dis- 
gusted with  the  coldness  and 
want  of  sympathy  on  the  part 
of  the  audience.  Being  ex- 
tremely short-sighted,  the  poor 
fellow  could  not  distinguish 
whether  the  house  was  a  good 
or  a  bad  one,  so  he  sent  his 
dresser — a  native  of  the  Emerald 
Isle — into  the  pit  to  discover 
the  state  of  the  land  During 
his  rendition  of  the  crucial 
scene  in  the  third  act,  his  per- 
formance was  of  such  a  char- 
acter that  the  few  people  who 
were  in  the  pit  began  to  strag- 
gle out.  When  the  dresser  came 
round  at  the  end  of  the  third 
act,  his  master  opened  fire  with, 
"Well,  Larry,  I  think  I  had 
them  in  that  act." 

"Faith,  you  may  say  that, 
sor." 

"Yes,  I  flatter  myself  I 
moved  them  in  the  farewell." 

"You  did,  sor;  you  moved 
them  so,  that,  begorra,  they've 
all  moved  out,  and  there's  no- 
thing lift  but  the  binches  to 
play  to." 

That  was  the  champion  venti- 


396 


Verge — Vincent's  Law. 


lator's  last  engagement  in  Cork, 
or  anywhere  else  for  that  mat- 
ter. He  has  now  retired,  and 
lives  on  his  means — "  a  pros- 
perous gentleman." 

Verge  (thieves),  a  gold  watch. 

Vert,  frequently  used  during  the 
Tractarian  Controversy,  is  a  per- 
vert or  convert  from  the  Church 
of  England  to  that  of  Home. 

Vertical  case-grinder,  the(prison), 
the  treadwheel. 

Very  like  a  whale.  Vide  Whale. 

Vest  (common),  to  lose  your  vest, 
to  lose  your  temper. 

Vestas  (Stock  Exchange),  Rail- 
way Investment  Company  De- 
ferred Stock. 

Vet.,  an  abbreviation  for  veteri- 
nary surgeon.  In  the  United 
States  it  is  a  common  term  for 
a  veteran. 

I  had  hired  a  trap  from  an  innkeeper 
who  was  also  a  vet. — Chambers's  Journal. 

Vice,  the  (University),  obvious 
corruption  of  Vice-Chancellor. 

Victim  (society),  a  very  common 
expression  for  any  one  who  is 
desperately  in  love. 

Victualling  department  (pugilis- 
tic), the  stomach.  Also  "vic- 
tualling office,"  "  bread  basket," 
"  dumpling  depdt."  In  French 
slang  "panier  au  pain;"  in 
Italian  cant  "fagiana,"  literally 
the  bean  box. 


Vile  (thieves),  a  town;  from  the 
French  vttle.  In  ancient  cant 
London  was  termed  Home-vile, 
the  fine  town.  Deuce-a-vile,  the 
country. 

And  prig  and  cloy  so  benshiply 
All  the  deuce-a  vile  within. 

— The  English  Rogue. 

In  old  English  "vill,"  a  vil- 
lage. 

Vile  child  (Eton),  explained  by 
quotation. 

Being  called  a  vile  child,  the  which  I 
subsequently  learnt  was  a  very  frequent 
term  of  mild  reproach,  and  had  no  parti- 
cular reference  to  the  age  of  the  individual 
to  whom  it  was  addressed.  As  a  proof  of 
this  I  may  add  that,  being  at  Eton  for  the 
Winchester  Match  in  1883, 1  {moi-qui-vous- 
parle,  height  6  feet  2  inches,  and  weight 
14  stone  7  lbs.)  was  called  a  vile  child  for 
being  on  a  committee  to  oppose  a  certain 
obnoxious  Indian  Bill  1  I  wasn't  sorry 
when  tea  was  over,  although  many  most 
pleasant  evenings  did  I  afterwards  spend 
in  that  room. — Polytechnic  Magazine. 

Village  bustler  (old  cant),  an  ac- 
tive thief,  that  steals  anything. 

Village,  the  (London),  a  playful 
appellation  for  London. 

Vim,  from  the  Latin,  claimed  as 
American,  but  well  known  to 
English  schoolboys, — strength, 
spirit,  activity,  pluck. 

Virginia  city  is  sobering  down  with  the 
ebbing  tide  into  substantial  legitimate  busi- 
ness, but  Helena  has  all  the  vim,  reckless- 
ness, extravagance,  and  jolly  progress  of  a 
new  camp. — Tour  through  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. 

Vincent's  Law,  the  act  of  cheat- 
ing at  cards. 


Vinegar —  Vulgus. 


397 


Vinegar  on  his  oysters  (Ame- 
rican), applied  to  men  not  per- 
fectly familiar  with  the  minor 
refinements  of  highly  civilised 
life. 

' '  What  kind  of  man  is  he — a  gentleman  ?  " 
"Oh  yes,  he  believes  himself  to  be  one,  calls 
himself  'an  Amurican,'  takes  vinegar  on 
his  oysters  instead  of  lemon-juice,  very  often 
skips  his  daily  bath,  and  never  mentions 
a  picture,  or  a  horse,  or  a  human  being, 
without  telling  you  how  much  it,  or  he,  or 
she  is  worth." — Newspaper  Letter. 

Violets  (common),  an  euphemism 
for  sage  and  onions. 

Virgins  (Stock  Exchange),  Vir- 
ginia New  Funded. 

Virgin  Mary's  Bodyguard,  a 
nickname  for  the  7th  Dragoon 
Guards,  from  having  served 
under  Maria  Theresa  of  Austria. 
Also  "Black  Horse,"  and 
"Straw  Boots." 

Vocaller  (American),  a  singer. 

Let  things  alone,  and  presently  that 
young  lady  discovers  that  she  is  not  likely 
to  get  cracked  up  as  a  vocaller. — The 
Golden  Butterfly. 

Voker,  a  word  found  only  in 
Hotten,  who  says  that  it  is  the 
gypsy  to  talk  ("Can  you  voker 
Romany  ?  "),  and  derives  it  from 
the  Latin  vocare.  He  was  pro- 
bably misled  by  a  misprint 
or  mis -writing  of  rokcr,  raker, 
or  rdkker,  being  the  true  word. 
It  is  true  that  verakava  or 
wrakkerava  is  found  in  con- 
tinental gypsy  dialects,  but  it 
is  very  doubtful  whether  it 
exists  in  England. 


Vongar,  wongur  (gypsy),  coals. 
Also  hangars  and  angars  (Sans- 
krit angara),  money ;  angaren- 
gro,  a  tinker  or  smith.  "  It 
came  out  in  the  course  of  an 
examination  at  the  Guildhall 
that  receivers  of  stolen  goods 
are  in  the  habit  of  carrying 
small  pieces  of  coal  about  with 
them.  When  they  see  a  thief 
who  seems  to  be  rather  shy, 
they  will  walk  up  to  him,  take 
out  a  purse,  and  innocently 
show  him  a  bit  of  coaL  It  has 
been  suggested  that  this  pro- 
ceeding is  analogous  to  taking 
salt  together  among  the  Arabs 
as  a  sign  of  good  faith  and 
mutual  hospitality.  In  several 
languages  "glowing  coals"  is  a 
slang  synonym  for  money,  e.g., 
French  braise. 

Voucher  (old  cant),  a  rogue  who 
passed  base  coin. 

The  first  was  a  Coiner,  that  stampt  in  a 

mould ; 
The  second  a  Voucher,  to  put  off  his  gold. 
—  The  Twenty  Craftsmen. 

Vowel  mauler  (common),  one 
who  pronounces  his  words  in- 
correctly. 

Vowel,  to  (common),  to  vowel  a 
debt  is  to  acknowledge  with  an 
I.O.U. 

Vulgus  (Winchester  College),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

The  mention  of  a  vulgus  requires  some 
explanation.  Every  inferior,  i.e.,  non-pre- 
fect in  the  school  was  required  every  night 
to  produce  a  copy  of  verses  of  from  two  to 
six  lines  on  a  given  theme — four  or  six  lines 
for  the  upper  classes,  two  for  the  lowest. 


398 


Vum —  Wag-tail. 


This  was  independent  of  a  weekly  verse 
task  of  greater  length,  and  was  called  a 
vulgus,  I  suppose,  because  everybody — 
the  vulgus— had  to  do  it.— T.  A.  Trol- 
lope :  What  I  Remember. 

Vum  (American),  a  form  of  swear- 
ing. "  '  I  vum ! '  for  '  I  vow  I '  is 
a  euphemistic  form  of  oath  often 
heard  in  New  England  "  (Bart- 
lett).    As  the  writer  has  heard 


"I  vum/"  innumerable  times 
in  his  boyhood,  he  always  un- 
derstood it  to  be  much  more 
strongly  expressive  than  "  I 
vow."  It  is  worth  observing 
that,  in  Anglo-Saxon,  vomm  or 
vamm  (peccatum,  crimen,  horror), 
and  vom,  full  of  evil,  formed  a 
malediction  or  curse,  e.g.,  vome, 
malediction  (Caedmon). 


D,  straw.  A  common 
abbreviation  for  wad- 
ding, which,  as  pad- 
ding, means  the  stuff- 
ing of  a  bed,  and  dates 
from  the  times  when  straw  and 
hay  were  used  for  the  purpose  for 
which  cotton  or  other  wadding 
is  now  employed. 

Moll  in  the  wad  and  I  fell  out, 
I'll  tell  you  what  'twas  all  about ; 
She  had  money,  I  had  none, 
That  was  the  way  the  row  begun. 
— Old  Popular  Song: 

(American),  a  roll  of  bank- 
bills,  hence  a  fortune. 

Many  scores  of  these  philanthropists, 
who  have  spent  their  lives  in  looking  for 
men  to  enrich,  whilst  anxious  only  to 
make  a  small  ivad  for  themselves,  have 
I  encountered. — F.  Francis :  Saddle  and 
Moccasin. 

Waddle  out  of  the  alley.  Vide 
Dtjck. 

Waddler  (popular),  a  duck. 

Waddy  (Australian),  the  Austra- 
lian natives'  club,  a  native  word 
adopted  by  the  whites. 


Nulla  Nullas,  waddles,  or  clubs,  used 
chiefly  for  hand-to-hand  encounters,  but 
also  for  throwing ;  the  sharpened  points 
cause  terrible  stab-wounds.  The  timbers 
chosen  are  the  hardest  and  heaviest  ob- 
tainable in  the  forests  of  the  different 
districts,  iron  bark,  myall,  swamp  myrtle, 
&c. — New  South  Wales  Catalogue. 
Dear  Peter  from  my  threshold  went 

One  morning  in  the  body, 
He  "  dropped  "  me,  to  oblige  a  gent, 
A  gent  with  spear  and  waddy. 
— H.  Kendall:  Peter  the  Piccaninny. 

Waddy  is  also  slang  for  any 
kind  of  stick.  A  young  colonial 
will  speak  in  joke  of  his  walking- 
stick  as  his  waddy. 

Thanks,  generous  colonial, 

Thou  art  very,  very  kind  ; 
Now  pick  a  thickish  waddy  up 
And  plug  my  wound  behind. 

— J.  B.  Stephens :  The  Headless 
Trooper. 

Waffle  (printers),  to  waffle  is  to  be 
endowed  with  the  "  gift  of  the 
gab,"  or  talk  of  any  kind  to 
an  excess ;  popular  equivalent 
would  be  to  "  jaw." 

Wagon  (American),  a  bicycle. 

Wag-tail,  a  prostitute,  a  harlot. 


Wailo—Walk. 


399 


Wailo,  wylo  (pidgin-English),  go 
away !  away  with  you  I  to  go, 
depart,  gone,  departed,  went. 

There  was  an   Englishman  in  Canton 
who  kept  a  cow,  with  a  maid  to  milk  it, 
and  a  dog  to  guard  it.    One  morning  there 
was  no  milk,  and  the  gentleman  scolded 
his  comprador  or  steward,  who  in  great 
agitation  burst  into  poetry  and  said : — 
T'at  cow  hab  die-lo, 
T'at  dog  hab  wylo, 
T'at  woman  catchee  chilo — 
How  can  hab  milk  ? 
— The  Cow  and  the  Comprador. 

Waistcoat,  foetid,  a  term  current 
in  1859  for  a  low,  flaunting, 
vulgar  pattern. 

Wake  up  the  wrong  passenger, 

to  (popular),  a  phrase  of  Ameri- 
can origin,  and  derived  from 
railroad  terminology.  On  long 
distance  journeys,  when  travel- 
lers sometimes  spend  several 
days  and  nights  on  board  a  car, 
it  occasionally  happens  that  the 
attendant,  not  being  sure  of 
the  identity  of  a  passenger, 
wakes  up  the  wrong  man.  The 
expression  therefore  indicates 
uncertainty  as  to  identity,  al- 
ways meaning  to  catch  a  Tartar. 

Walk  (bankers),  the  round  of  a 
banker's  collecting  clerk  is  so 
called.  A  rich  walk  is  one  where 
a  large  sum  of  money  is  got  in. 

Walk  down  a  person's  throat, 
to  (common),  to  rate  or  scold 
any  one  soundly.  Sometimes 
for  "walk,"  "jumped "  is  used. 

Walker,  a  vulgar  exclamation 
to  express  incredulity. 


All  this  in  her  ear,  he  declared,  but  I  fear 

That    her    senses    were    wandering — she 
seem'd  not  to  hear, 

Or,  at  least,  understand — for  mere  unmean- 
ing talk  her 

Parch'd  lips  babbled  now,  such  as  "  Hoo- 
key," and  Walker! 

She  expired,  with  her  last  breath  express- 
ing a  doubt 

If  "his  mother  were  fully  aware  he  was 
out." 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 

The  remark  which  was  made,  after  per- 
using the  book  by  that  eminent  botanist, 
my  friend  Professor  Hookey,  was  Walker! 
— Punch. 

(Popular),  walker,  a  postman. 

It  was  reported  recently  that 
the  Prince  of  Wales,  on  calling 
to  see  Lord  Tennyson  at  Fresh- 
water, was  denied  admittance 
by  the  small  page  who  answered 
the  bell  until  he  had  given  his 
name.  When  the  Prince  gave 
his  name  accordingly,  the  same 
little  boy,  disbelieving  him, 
"  took  a  sight "  (q.v.),  and  crying 
"Walker/ "  shut  the  door  against 
the  royal  visitor.  The  story  is 
possibly  apocryphal,  but  may 
serve  to  illustrate  the  meaning 
of  the  vulgarism. 

Walking  mort  (old  cant),  a  con- 
cubine, the  autem  mort  being  the 
lawful  spouse. 

Walking  papers  (American),  to 
dismiss  one  is  to  give  him  his 
walking-papers. 

Walk  into,  to  (common),  to  strike, 
thrash. 

When  he  told  Verdant  that  ...  his 
bread-basket  walked  into,  his  day-lights 
darkened.—  C.  Bede ;  Verdant  Green. 


400 


Walk — Wanted. 


(Metaphorically),  to  demolish. 

A  hungry  man  walked  into  a  pigeon-pie. 
—Punch. 

To  walk  into  the  affections, 
to  scold  or  thrash  ;  also  to  run 
into  debt. 

Walk  one's  chalks,  to  (popular), 
to  walk  straight,  to  be  compelled 
to  behave  well,  to  go  away,  ab- 
scond. 

That  artist  was  a  keen  observer,  as  all 
true  artists  should  be,  so  finding  the  corner 
was  getting  too  hot  for  him  he  simply 
walked  his  chalks. — Moonshine. 

Hotten  gives  the  explanation, 
"An  ordeal  for  drunkenness  used 
on  board  ship,  to  see  if  the  sus- 
pected person  can  walk  on  a 
chalk  line  without  overstepping 
it  on  either  side"  (the  device 
in  the  army  is  putting  a 
man  suspected  of  drunkenness 
through  his  facings) ;  another 
explanation  of  the  phrase  is 
"a  person  who  has  run  up  a  score 
or  chalk  at  a  public-house  or 
shop,  walking  off  without  pay- 
ing for  it." 

And  if  you  want  fresh  liquor,  you  must 
pay, 

For    chalks    too    often   walk    themselves 
away. 

— Albert  Smith  :  Alkambra. 

Walk  over  (society),  when  any 
one  wins  or  succeeds  very  easily 
it1  is  called  a  walk  over.  It  is 
borrowed  from  racing  language. 
When  a  horse  walks  over  the 
course,  not  having  any  opponents 
in  the  race. 

Besides  his  monetary  advantage  and 
personal  gifts,  he  could  sing  well  and  talk 


admirably,  and  he  was  considered  sure  to 
"■walkover  the  course." — H.  L.  Williams : 
Buffalo  Bill. 

The  latest  batch  we  have  received  are 
from  W.  Hazelberg,  of  Berlin  and  London 
Wall,  who  evidently  does  not  intend  that 
the  English  manufacturers  shall  have  a 
walk  over. — Sporting  Times. 

Wallaby  track,  to  go  on  the 
(Australian),  to  go  on  foot,  up- 
country,  in  search  of  work 

Wallflowers,  second-hand  gar- 
ments exposed  for  sale  in  Seven 
Dials.  A  common  expression  for 
ladies  in  a  ballroom  who,  either 
from  choice  or  otherwise,  sit 
looking  on  without  dancing. 

Wall,  to  (Oxford  University), 
confining  a  student  to  college. 
(Popular),  to  wall  it,  to  post  the 
account  for  drink  on  the  wall 
at  a  public-house. 

Waltzing  about  (tailors)  is  said 
of  a  man  who  makes  himself  a 
nuisance. 

Wanky  (printers).  This  expres- 
sion is  used  to  denote  a  spuri- 
ous or  wrong  article.  A  bad 
sixpence  given  amongst  change 
for  a  larger  coin  would  be  de- 
scribed as  a  wanky  sixpence. 

Wanted  (common),  wanted  by  the 
police  for  an  offence,  or  by  one's 
creditors. 

The  police,  on  their  part,  caused  it  to  be 
understood  that  until  he  was  really  wanted 
on  a  specific  charge,  a  thief  should  in  no 
case  be  interfered  with,  nor  any  measures 
be  taken  to  put  the  public  on  their  guard 
against  him. — /.  Greenwood:  Tag,  Rag, 
&>Co. 


Wapping —  War-pot. 


401 


The  landlady's  certain  to  peach 
When  she  finds  not  a  thing  do  I  own. 

The  Bobby's  come  into  the  lane, 
And  somebody's  wanted,  I  see, 

They  pass  me  again  and  again, 
But  haven't  found  out  that  it's  me. 
— Birdo'  Freedom. 

Wapping.     Vide  To  Wap. 

Wap,  to  (old  cant),  futuere.  Wap- 
pen  is  provincial  English. 

Ward-heeler  (American),  the 
ward-heeler  is  a  power  in  Ame- 
rican politics.  He  raises  the 
money  by  which  city  elections 
are  carried,  and  when  some 
"prominent  politician"  is  sent 
to  prison,  the  ward-heeler  repre- 
sents to  the  magistrate  or  judge 
the  inexpediency  of  weakening 
"the  party  "  by  withdrawing  an 
"  influential "  partisan  from  his 
sphere  of  activity.  Chiefly  ap- 
plied to  men  who  solicit  money, 
generally  without  authority  from 
candidates,  for  electioneering 
purposes. 

Ware  hawk  I  (old  cant),  a  cry  of 
warning,  especially  when  the 
police  are  espied.  Sir  Walter 
Scott  puts  the  term  in  the  mouth 
of  De  Bracy  in  "  Ivanhoe." 

Warehousing  (society),  taking  to 
the  pawnbroker's.  The  more 
genteel  are  called  "warehouse- 
men," and  their  shops  "  ware- 
houses." 

War-hat,  or  war-pot  (army),  the 
new  helmet  with  a  spike. 

Warming-pan.  In  clerical  circles 
a  warming-pan  is  an  incumbent 
VOL.  II. 


who  accepts  a  benefice  on  the 
condition  of  resigning  it  in 
favour  of  some  other  presentee 
so  soon  as  the  latter  shall  be 
able  to  assume  its  duties.  He 
keeps  the  place  "  warm "  for 
the  son  or  other  friend  of  the 
patron.  (Common),  a  large 
watch. 

Warm  member  (society),  a  fast 
man  or  woman.  Also  a  "hot 
'un,"  a  "  scorcher." 

Warm  'un  (common),  one  who  is 
immoral,  fast,  dissipated. 

They  call  me  Salvation  Sarah, 

A  warm  'un  I  have  been  ; 
But  now  I  am  converted, 

I'll  never  go  wrong  again. 
So  come  and  join  our  army, 

And  better  you'll  all  be ; 
And  instead  of  beer, 
Then  live  on  prayer, 

Peace,  sherbet,  love,  and  tea. 

— Song  0/ Salvation  Sarah. 

War-paint  (theatrical),  paint  for 
the  face. 

Stickin'  on  a  few  feathers  an'  a  bit  o' 
war-faint ! — Sporting  Times. 

Also  a  common  expression  for 
official  costume  or  evening  dress, 
a  phrase  originally  used  by  some 
women  who  dressed,  as  the  Ame- 
ricans say,  to  kill,  determined 
to  make  conquests  at  evening 
parties. 

She — "  Have  you  seen  the  hero  of  the 
evening'?" 

He — "Who?  Do  you  mean  the  Por- 
tuguese governor  in  his  war-paint  ?  "  — 
Rider  Haggard:  Dawn. 


War-pot 


Vide  War-hat. 
2  C 


402 


/ 

Wash —  Watcher. 


Wash,  to  (common),  in  the  sense 
of  to  do,  to  serve. 

The  conversation,  as  a  rule,  ended  in 
Charley's  giving  them  an  order  too.  Of 
course  this  little  "  caper  "  would  only  wash 
once. — Hindley :  Life  and  Adventures  oj 
a  Cheap  Jack, 

This  will  not  wash,  this  will 
not  stand  test,  as  of  colours 
that  will  not  bear  washing. 

Waste-butt  (thieves),  an  eating- 
house. 

Wasters  (gypsies),  hands.  (Pro- 
nounce a  as  in  glass.) 

"  And  as  they  were  gillerin'  and  hul- 
jerin'  him,  Samson  chivved  his  wasters 
kettenus  the  boro  chongurs  of  the  sturaben, 
and  bongered  his  kokerus  adree,  an  sar 
the  ker  pet  a  lay  with  a  boro  gudli,  an'  sar 
the  pooro  mushis  were  mullered  an'  the 
ker^poggered  to  bitti  cutters" — 

"And  as  they  were  making  fun  of  him 
and  teasing  him,  Samson  threw  his  hands 
around  the  great  pillars  of  the  prison,  and 
bowed  himself  in,  and  all  the  house  fell 
down  with  a  great  noise,  and  all  the  poor 
men  were  killed  and  the  house  broken  to 
small  pieces." — C.  G.  Leland:  The  Eng- 
lish Gypsies. 

Waste,  to  (sporting),  to  reduce 
one's  weight  by  certain  means 
which  bring  on  profuse  per- 
spiration. 

He  had  often  heard  Archer  say  that  he 
was  so  exhausted  at  the  end  of  the  season 
that  he  could  not  ride.  But  he  had  to 
waste:  that  was  different  from  Wood. — 
St.  James's  Gazette. 

Watch  and  seals  (popular),^  a 
sheep's  head  and  pluck. 

Watcher  (special  meaning),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 


Wash  (printers).  When  a  printer 
"  slings  the  hatchet,"  that  is,  ex- 
aggerates or  tells  a  falsehood,  his 
companions  proceed  to  wash  him 
in  a  somewhat  emphatic  and 
noisy  manner,  by  banging  or 
knocking  on  their  cases.  This  is 
another  and  older  expression  for 
"whack,"  which  see.  An  ap- 
prentice coming  out  of  his  time 
would  receive  a  "  washing  "  or 
"  jerry."  Bee  Hansard's  "  Typo- 
graphia,"  1825. 

Washing  (tailors),  to  get  a  wash- 
ing is  to  have  one's  workman- 
ship or  conduct  criticised  in 
language  more  forcible  than 
pleasant.  In  French  "  laver  la 
tete."  Washing  day,  dinner  at  the 
shop.  (Stock  Exchange),  a  fic- 
titious bargain  or  sale,  in  which 
one  broker  agrees  with  another 
to  purchase  a  given  stock  when 
put  up  for  sale,  the  object  being 
to  keep  it  on  quotation.  If  the 
deal  is  a  large  one  it  may  send 
up  the  price,  in  which  case  the 
object  is  sometimes  so  to  in- 
crease its  value  as  to  form  a 
basis  for  a  genuine  deal. 

Wash  one's  ivories,  to  (society), 
to  drink.  In  French  slang  "  se 
rincer  la  dent." 

Wash-outs  (American),  ragged, 
stony  sides  of  hills. 

Where  scraggy  -  looking  latitudinous 
wash-outs  are  awaiting  a  chance  to  com- 
mit a  murder,  or  to  make  the  unwary 
cycler  who  should  venture  to  "  coast," 
think  he  had  wheeled  over  the  tail  of  an 
earthquake.  —  T.  Stevens  :  Around  the 
World  on  a  Bicycle. 


Watchmaker —  Wayzgoose. 


403 


So  I  do,  but  not  alone.  Dress  lodgers 
are  never  allowed  to  do  that,  sir.  I 
haven't  been  one  long,  but  long  enough  to 
find  that  out.  There's  always  a  watcher. 
Sometimes  it's  a  woman — an  old  woman, 
who  isn't  fit  for  anything  else — but  in 
general  it's  a  man.  He  watches  you  al- 
ways, walking  behind  you,  or  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  way.  He  never  loses 
sight  of  you,  never  fear. — Greenwood: 
Seven  Curses  of  London. 

Watchmaker  (thieves),  a  thief 
who  steals  watches. 

Water  (Westminster  School),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

Boating,  or  water,  as  it  is  called  at  West- 
minster, is  in  a  very  flourishing  condition. 
— Pascoe :  Everyday  Life  in  our  Public 
Schools. 

Water  a  stock,  to  (Stock  Ex- 
change). Watering  is  generally 
resorted  to  by  companies  whose 
fortunes  are  on  the  down  grade. 
It  consists  in  enhancing  the 
total  of  capital  stock  by  new 
issues,  on  the  ground  that  the 
profits  already  accrued,  or  in 
anticipation,  justify  such  a 
course. 

Waterloo-day  (army),  pay-day,  a 
day  of  victory  and  rejoicing. 

Watersman  (costers,  pugilistic, 
&c),  a  sky-coloured  silk  pocket- 
handkerchief. 

Water  the  dragon,  or  water  one's 
nag,  a  hint  for  retiring  (Hotten). 

Wattles  (popular),  the  ears. 

Wavy  in  the  syls  (theatrical), 
unsteady  in  the  syllables,  loose 


in  the  words,  imperfect  in  the 
text. 

Wavy-rule  (printers),  an  inebri- 
ated person  is  said  to  be  making 
wavy-rule  -~ — ~~  if  his  gait  is 
unsteady. 

Wax  (general),  in  a  wax,  in  a 
rage. 

She  is  in  a  terrible  wax,  but  she'll  be  all 
right  by  the  time  he  comes  back  from  his 
holidays. — H.  Kingsley :  Ravenshoe. 

"  Wax,  to  be  angry  or  vexed, 
is  evidently  identical  with  Scot- 
tish wcx,  i.e.,  vex  "  (A.  S.  Palmer). 

And  mak  thi  self  als  merry  as  yhoue  may,| 
It  helpith  not  thus  fore  to  wex  al  way. 
— Lancelot  of  the  Laik. 

Waxed  (tailors),  to  have  him 
waxed,  to  know  all  about  one, 
alluding  to  a  thread  well  waxed 
before  it  is  used. 

Waxy  (common),  angry.  Vide 
Wax. 

It  would  cheer  him  up  more  than  any- 
thing if  I  could  make  him  a  little  waxy 
with  me ;  he's  welcome  to  drop  into  me 
right  and  left,  if  he  likes. — Dickens :  Bleak 
House. 

Wayzgoose  (printers).  Essen- 
tially a  printer's  term  for  the 
annual  dinner  or  "beanfeast." 
Derived  from  the  old  English 
word  wayz  or  stubble,  when  the 
dinners  were  usually  held  at 
the  season  of  the  wheat-stubble, 
the  head  dish  at  these  enter- 
tainments being  a  wayz-goose 
or  stubble-goose.  Bailey  gives 
wayz-goose,  a  stubble-goose,  and 
wayz,  a  bundle  of  straw.     Old 


404 


Wayzgoose —  Weed. 


English  wase,  a  wisp.  These 
festive  occasions  are  usually 
celebrated  earlier  in  the  year 
now — generally  July. 

The  master-printer  gives  them  a  way- 
goose,  that  is,  he  makes  them  a  good  feast. 
— Moxon  :  Mechanick  Exercises. 
After  the  wayzgoose :  a  moment  immense  ! 

Gargantuan  the  feasting  has  been. 

— Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Weak  (popular),  tea  is  so  called 
in  the  low  coffee-shops. 

Weaver,  query  wheezer,  a  broken - 
winded  horse,  a  "  roarer."  The 
definition  given  to  the  writer 
by  a  stable-keeper  was,  "  a 
horse  that  over-gorges  himself," 
probably  the  cause  for  the 
effect,  as  over-feeding,  in  the 
case  of  horses,  often  produces 
thick  wind. 

T'  horse  was  a  weaver,  if  iver  one  was, 
as  any  could  ha'  told  as  had  come  within 
a  mile  of  him. — Mrs.  Gaskell:  Sylvia's 
Lovers. 

Again,  it  is  possible  that  weaver 
refers  to  a  horse  that  rolls  from 
side  to  side  when  trotting,  one 
that  rocks.  Vide  To  Weave, 
and  Wobbler. 

Weave,  to  (American),  to  work 
along  from  one  side  to  the  other, 
as  a  shuttle  flies  right  and  left 

^  in  a  loom.  A  drunken  man 
"weaves  along." 

He  began  in  earnest  too ;  and  went 
weaving  first  to  one  side  of  the  platform 
and  then  the  other.  —  Mark  Twain : 
Huckleberry  Finn. 

Hence  to  get  into  a  weaving 
way,  to  walk  or  stagger  along 


recklessly,  not  to  care  what  one 
is  doing. 

When  I  git  in  a  weaving  way, 

I  spend  my  money  free  ; 
Oh  deu  I  hab  a  merry  time, 

And  Jenny  am  de  girl  for  me. 

— Old  Negro  Song. 

Weaving  (cardsharpers),  a  trick 
performed  by  keeping  some  par- 
ticular cards  on  the  knee  and 
using  them  when  required. 

Wedge  (thieves,  itinerants,  strol- 
lers, &c),  a  very  old  term  for 
silver  money. 

I  succeeded  in  getting  some  wedge  and 
a  kipsy  full  of  clobber. — Horsley :  Jottings 
front  Jail. 

TTee^e-feeder,  a  silver  spoon  ; 
wedge-hunter,  one  who  purloins 
plate  from  unguarded  kitchens. 
Spelled  wage  in  some  old  cant 
vocabularies,  which  perhaps 
gives  a  clue  to  the  origin  as 
meaning  pay. 

Weed  (common),  a  cigar. 

A  cigar  is  figuratively  styled  a  weed,  an 
innovation  applicable  enough  to  the  ano- 
malous compounds  of  nastiness  retailed  at 
the  Derby,  the  Boat  Race,  and  other  public 
gatherings,  but  an  evident  misnomer  as  re- 
gards the  fragrant  samples  issuing  from  Mr. 
Benson's  emporium. — Belgravia. 

So  you  see,  Mr.  S.,  that  the  modest  request 

on  which  you  so  coolly  insist, 
Would  probably  to  the  establishment  tend 

of  a  kind  of  gigantic  free  list, 
On  which  would  be  found  every  law- maker's 

name,  and  which  in  its  limitless  scope 
Would  ensure  him  free  shaving,  free  papers, 

free  weeds,  free  candles,  and  pickles 

and  soap. 

— London  Figaro. 


Weenie — Wet. 


405 


Weenie  (telegraph),  the  inspector 
is  coming,  used  in  the  same 
sense  as  "cave." 

Wejee,  a  chimney-pot;  often 
applied  to  any  clever  invention, 
or  to  anything  elegant,  as  "that's 
a  regular  wejee  "  (Hotten). 

Welsher  (common),  a  race-course 
swindler  who  makes  bets,  takes 
the  money  if  he  wins,  and 
absconds  if  he  loses. 

Does  the  reader  know  what  is  a  welsher, 
the  creature  against  whose  malpractices 
the  sporting  public  are  so  emphatically 
warned?  Probably  he  does  not.  It  is 
still  more  unlikely  that  he  ever  witnessed 
a  welsher  hurt ;  and  as  I  there  have  the 
advantage  of  him,  it  may  not  be  out  of 
place  here  to  enlighten  him  on  both  points. 
A  welsher  is  a  person  who  contracts  a 
sporting  debt  without  a  reasonable  pro- 
spect of  paying  it.  There  is  no  legal 
remedy  against  such  a  defaulter. — Green- 
wood :  Seven  Curses  of  London. 

The  word  has  no  connection 
with  the  natives  of  Wales,  who 
are  quite  as  honest  as  other 
people.  Welsch  in  German  argot 
signifies  a  foreigner,  and  roth- 
weltch  or  red-welsh,  is  the  name 
applied  to  the  canting  language 
which  thieves  use  among  them- 
selves. It  is  supposed  with  pro- 
bability that  the  name  was  given 
to  the  brown  or  red- skinned 
gypsies  or  foreigners,  who  first 
swarmed  into  continental  Europe 
from  Central  Asia.  An  account 
of  roth-welsch  appears  as  a  sup- 
plement to  the  Dictionnaire 
d* Argot  Frangais,  by  Francesque 
Michel.  The  word  welsher,  as 
used  originally  in  England  and 


borrowed  from  the  Germans, 
meant  nothing  more  than  an 
outsider,  a  foreigner,  one  who 
did  not  conform  to  the  estab- 
lished laws  of  honest  betting, 
and  thus  shared  the  double 
odium  of  being  a  stranger  as 
well  as  a  rogue.  Walscher  is 
used  in  German  slang  in  a  dis- 
creditable sense,  being  derived 
from  walsh,  Italian,  or  one  of 
Latin  race,  and  it  is  extremely 
probable  that  it  came  into  Eng- 
lish slang  through  the  German 
Jews. 

Westphalia  (London),  the  behind, 
alluding  to  Westphalia  hams. 

Wet  (common),  a  drink. 

Many  are  the  schemes,  contrivances,  and 
devices  of  some  of  the  old  topers  to  obtain 
a  wet  or  reviver,  first  thing  in  the  morn- 
ing, especially  with  some  of  those  thor- 
oughly saturated  worthies  who  have  had 
rather  "more  than  'nuff"  the  night  pre- 
vious.— Brunlees  Patterson :  Life  in  the 
Ranks. 

The  gas-glare — the  horse-play — 
The  fume  and  the  fret — 

Have  ceased,  with  the  fever 
That  asked  for  a  wet — 

With  the  Jubilee  fever 
Demanding  a  wet. 

— Funny  Folks. 

Oh,  come, 
We  have    no  Wilfrid    Lawson   in   Sicily 

yet; 
All  my  Cyclops  would  strike.     Yes !  I'm 
game  for  a  wet. 

— Punch. 

A  wet  night,  a  night  of  hard 
drinking. 

As  he  knew  he  should  have  a  wet  night, 
it  was  agreed  that  he  might  gallop  back 
again  in  time  for  church  on  Sunday  morn- 
ing.— Thackeray:  Vanity  Fair. 


406 


Wet-bob — Whack. 


Wet-bob  (Eton),  explained  by 
quotation. 

It  was  the  ambition  of  most  boys  to  be  a 
•wet-bob,  and  to  be  "in  the  boats."  The 
school  was  divided  between  wet-bobs  and 
dry-bobs,  the  former  taking  their  pleasure 
on  the  river,  and  the  latter  in  the  cricket- 
field.—  C.  T.  Buckland:  Eton  Fifty  Years 
Ago.     > 

Wetherall,  general  in  command 
(army),  a  term  used  when  incle- 
ment weather  prevents  a  parade. 
The  health  of  the  troops,  from 
economic  and  prudential  rea- 
sons, is  always  closely  watched, 
and  medical  officers  are  always 
ready  to  interpose  even  when 
the  commanding  officer  does  not 
of  his  own  motion  yield  before 
cold  and  wet. 

Wet  quaker,  a  man  who  pretends 
to  be  religious,  and  is  a  dram- 
drinker  on  the  sly  (Hotten). 
In  America  a  wet  quaker  is  a 
quaker  who  is  limp  or  loose  as 
regards  observing  the  rules  of 
the  sect — one  who  is  worldly- 
minded,  not  "dry"  in  religion. 

Would  you  buy  any  naked  truth,  or 
light  in  a  dark  lanthorn?  Look  in  the 
wet  quaker  s  walk. — T.  Brown's  Works. 

Socinians,  and  Presbyterians,  Quakers, 
and  wet  quakers,  and  merry  ones.  — 
Ward:  England 's  Reformation. 

Wet,  to  (common),  to  have  a 
drink.  The  same  idea  occurs  in 
French  slang  "se  mouiller." 

Greatly  as  I  stared  to  see  him,  my  surprise 

I  cannot  forget,  • 
When  he  paid  me  all  he  owed  me,  and 

invited  me  to  wet. 

— Funny  Folks. 


Also  wet  one's  whistle  or 
throttle. 

"Well,  as  we  have  nothing  to  eat,"  said 

old  Brooke, 

"  I  move  that  each  man  wet  his  throttle  ; 

My  hand  I  can  place  in  a  snug  little  nook, 

And  fork  out  the  housekeeper's  bottle." 

— H.  J.  Why  mark:  The  Bachelors 

Dinner. 

(Navy),  wetting  a  commission, 
giving  an  entertainment  to  ship- 
mates on  receiving  promotion. 
Among  French  soldiers  "arroser 
ses  galons "  is  treating  one's 
comrades  on  being  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  non-commissioned 
officer.  Some  of  the  synonyms 
for  "to  drink"  are  "to  have  a 
gargle,  a  wet,  a  dram,  a  quencher, 
something  damp,"  "  to,  moisten 
one's  chaffer,"  "to  sluice  one's 
gob,"  "to  lush,"  "to  liquor 
up,"  and  the  American  phrases 
"to  smile,"  "  to  see  a  man,"  &c. 

Whack  (general),  a  share.  Scotch 
sweg  or  swack. 

This  gay  young  bachelor  had  taken  his 
share  (what  he  called  his  whack)  of  plea- 
sure.— Thackeray :  SJiabby-Genteel  Story. 

He  complains  of  the  food,  and  that  he 
doesn't  get  his  w/utck. — Moonshine. 

So  when  we  got  there,  there  was  some 
reelers  there  what  knew  me,  and  my  pals 
said,  "  You  had  better  get  away  from  us ; 
if  we  touch  you  will  take  your  whack  just 
the  same." — Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

To  go  whaclcs,  to  share. 

"You  agreed  that  we  should  go  whacks 
in  everything,"  I  pleaded,  appealing  to  his 
sense  of  justice,  since  I  could  not  succeed 
in  touching  his  generosity. — Greenwood: 
The  Little  Ragamuffins. 

(Printers),  whaelc!  a  very  com- 
mon and  decided  expression  of 


Whacker — Whang-doodle. , 


407 


doubt  or  query  to  a  companion's 
assertion.  Generally  a  polite 
way  of  giving  the  lie  direct. 

Whacker  (common),  any- 
thing very  large,  identical  with 
"whopper." 

"  Look  what  -whackers,  Cousin  Tom," 
said  Charley,  holding  out  one  of  his  prizes 
by  its  back  towards  Tom,  while  the  indig- 
nant cray-fish  flapped  its  tail. — Hughes: 
Tom  Brown  at  Oxford. 

(American),  driver,  drover. 

There  were  only  eight  -whackers  left,  and 
they  were  obliged  to  work  day  and  night 
to  keep  the  stock  together. — O'Reilly: 
Fifty  Years  on  the  Trail. 

Used  in  the  phrases  mule- 
whaeker,  bull  -  whacker,  bush- 
ichacker. 

Whacking  (popular),  large. 

"  How  kind  of  them,"  says  he,  "  to  gi'e 
me  'em, 

Since  they're  at  such  a  -whacking  pre- 
mium." 

— Atkin:  House  Scraps. 

Whack,  to  (general  and  Ameri- 
can), to  share. 

As  far  as  he  was  able  to  speak,  it  was 
the  "new  hands"  who  went  in  for  re- 
volvers, and  not  the  old  ones,  who  worked 
in  "co.,»and  on  the  sound,  old-fashioned 
principle  of  "  sharing  the  danger  and 
whacking  the  swag."—/.  Green-wood:  A 
Converted  Burglar. 

To  whack  up  on  the  square,  to 
share  fairly. 

He  was  trying  to  beat  them  out  of  their 
share  of  the  swag.  He  ought  to  have 
■whacked  up  on  the  square.— Wall  Street 
News. 

Whack  up,  share  or  hand  up. 

Gap  a  stopper  on  your  gab  and  whack 
up,  or  I'll  let  'er  speak  \— Detroit  Free 
Press. 


Whacky  (tailors),  one  who  does 
anything  ridiculous. 

Whale  (Cheltenham  College). 
Codfish,  sardines,  are  called 
whales  at  the  Eoyal  Mili- 
tary Academy.  (Common),  an- 
chovies on  toast.  "-Very  like  a 
whale  I "  very  much  like  a  cock 
and  bull  story.  From  Shak- 
speare,  Hamlet. 

Whale  away,  to  (American),  to 
preach,  talk,  or  lecture  away 
continuously  or  vehemently. 
Probably  from  provincial  Eng- 
lish to  whale  (wale),  to  beat 
soundly,  as  of  an  orator's  ani- 
mated gestures,  or  by  associa- 
tion from  the  common  saying, 
"  Going  ahead  like  a  whale." 
The  association  of  greatness 
and  strength  with  a  whale  led 
in  the  New  England  seaport 
towns  to  many  comparisons  and 
origins  of  this  kind.  Thus  a 
powerful  and  large  man  was 
called  "  a  regular  whale,"  and 
"  a  whaler,"  while  anything 
large  and  overwhelming  was 
"  whaling." 

Whaler  (American),  anything  of 
great  or  unusual  size.  Pro- 
vincial English  whaler,  one  that 
beats,  a  big  strong  fellow. 

Whang-doodle  (American).  This 
eccentric  word  first  appeared  in 
one  of  the  many  "  Hard-Shell 
Baptist"  sermons  which  were  so 
common  in  1856.  "Where  the 
whang-doodle  mourneth  for  her 
first-born."    It  refers  to  some 


408 


Whare—Whid. 


mystical  or  mythical  creature. 
It  was  subsequently  applied  to 
political  subjects,  such  as  the 
Free  Trade,  Lecompton  Demo- 
cracy, &c. 

Whare  (New  Zealand),  a  hut.  The 
word  is  used  by  the  settlers  in 
New  Zealand,  and  is  a  native 
term. 

What's  the  ticket  on  it?  Vide 
Ticket. 

Wheeler  (cycling),  a  cyclist. 

Wheel  of  life,  the  (prison),  the 
tread-wheel.  Vide  Everlast- 
ing Staircase. 


Wheels  (cycling), 
tricycle. 


a    bicycle   or 


Wheeze  (common),  a  comic  gag, 
a  funny  bit  of  "business,"  a 
joke.  Possibly  from  wheaze,  a 
puff. 

Alas  !  at  times  on  nights  like  these 
Poor  is  the  plot  and  weak  the  wheeze, 
And  the  only  pleasure  one  extracts 
Is  'tween  the  acts — yes,  'tween  the  acts. 
— Fun. 
"  Swell  vernacular  "  ?   Swells  don't  invent 
it ;  they  nick  it  from  hus,  and  no  kid. 
Did  a  swell  ever  start  a  new  wheezel 

Would  it  'ave  any  run  if  he  did  ? 
Let  the  ink-slingers  trot  out  their  kibosh, 

and  jest  st^  'ow  flabby  it  falls. 
Bet  it  won't  raise  a  grin  at  the  bar,  bet  it 
won't  git  a  'and  at  the  'Alls. 

— Punch. 

To  crack  a  wheeze,  explained 
by  quotation. 

To  crack  a  wheeze  is  to  originate  some- 
thing smart,  or  to  say  something  at  the 
right  moment,  whether  original  or  bor- 
rowed.— Globe. 


Wheeze,  to  (thieves),  to  say,  in- 
form, as  of  one  speaking  under 
one's  breath,  in  husky  tones. 
The  synonyms  for  inform  are 
"  to  squeal,  to  scream,  to  blow, 
to  whiddle." 

Connor  then  asked  if  they  (meaning  the 
police)  had  got  "  the  scout."  To  this  she 
replied,  "  He  didna  wheeze"  by  which  he 
understood  her  to  mean  that  he  (the  super- 
intendent) had  given  no  indication  whether 
or  not. — Scottish  Newspaper. 

Whid  (old  cant),  word ;  stubble 
your  whids,  hold  your  tongue  ; 
to  cut  whids,  to  talk,  speak. 

What !  stowe  your  bene,  cofe,  and  cut 
benat  wydds. — Harman  :  Caveat. 

To  cut  hien  whids,  to  speak 
soft  words. 

This  doxie  dell  can  cut  Hen  whids, 
And  drill  well  for  a  win. 

— English  Rogue. 

Also  a  falsehood. 

Even  ministers  they  have  been  kenn'd, 

In  holy  rapture, 
A  rousin'  whid  at  times  to  vend, 
And  nail  't  wi'  Scripture. 

— Burns :  Death  and  Dr. 
Hornbook. 

In  the  first  edition  of  Burns 
the  word  whid  did  not  appear, 
but  instead  of  it — 

"Great    lies  and  nonsense  baith  to 
vend." 

"  This  was  ungrammatical,  as 
Burns  himself  recognised  it  to 
be,  and  amended  the  line  by 
the  more  emphatic  form  in 
which  it  now  appears"  (Dr.  C. 
Mackay,  "  A  Dictionary  of  Low- 
land Scotch").  Burns  also 
uses  the  word  with  the  mean- 


Whid—Whip. 


409 


ing  of  frisking  about,  gambols. 
"Hence,"  says  Drennan,  "it  is 
obvious  how  whid  applied  to 
statements  could  come  to  mean 
a  lie."  The  transition  to  "word" 
is  easy,  and  the  origin  of  whid 
might  be  thus  traced  ;  gambols 
(akin  to  said,  as  in  the  line  "  an 
arrow  whidderan,"  i.e.,  scold- 
ing), hence  a  lie,  hence  a  word. 
It  is  now-a-days  used  with  the 
signification  of  word,  falsehood, 
joke. 

The  whids  we  used  to  crack  over  them. 
— HindUy :  Life  of  a  Cheap  Jack. 

Whiddle,  to.  To  Hotten's  defini- 
tion, to  enter  into  a  parley,  or 
hesitate  with  many  words,  must 
be  added,  to  divulge ;  "he 
whiddles  the  whole  scrap,"  he 
tells  the  whole  secret.  Whidd- 
ler,  an  informer,  who  betrays 
the  secrets  of  the  gang.  Vide 
Whid. 

Whip  (parliamentary),  a  contrac- 
tion of  whipper-in,  a  member 
of  the  House  of  Commons  whose 
duty  is  to  collect  his  party  and 
bring  them  to  divisions. 

Dickens,  in  "  Sketches  by  Boz,"  tells  us 
how  "  Sir  Somebody  Something,  when  he 
was  whipper-in  for  the  Government, 
brought  four  men  out  of  their  beds  to 
vote  in  the  majority,  three  of  whom  died 
on  their  way  home  again."  —  Comhill 
Magazine. 

They  curse  the  nation  that  declines  to 
believe  their  lies  or  to  be  influenced  by 
their  cant,  they  curse  their  whips,  they 
curse  their  leaders,  and  they  curse  their 
fate.— Truth. 

Also  a  notice  requesting  at- 
tendance at  a  division. 


A  four-line  whip  has  been  issued  by  the 
Government  in  opposition  to  the  second 
reading  of  Lord  Dunraven's  Bill  for  the 
reform  of  the  House  of  Lords. — Standard. 

(Printers),  quick  setter  of 
type.  (Army),  after  the  usual 
allowance  of  wine  is  drunk  at 
mess,  those  who  wish  for  more 
put  a  shilling  each  in  a  glass 
handed  round  to  procure  a 
further  supply  (Hotten). 

Whip-belly  (popular),  bad  beer. 
Also  whip-belly-vengeance. 

I  believe  the  brewer  forgot  the  malt, 
or  the  river  was  too  near  him.  Faith, 
it's  meer  whip-belly-vengeance.  —  Swift : 
Polite  Conversation. 

Whip-jack  (old  cant),  a  vagabond 
who  begged  for  alms  as  a  dis- 
tressed soldier.  Also  fresh- 
water sailor. 

Swaddlers,"  Irish  toyls,  whip-jacks. — 
Oath  of  the  Canting  Crew. 

Whipper  -  snapper  (popular),  a 
youth,  stripling,  or  youngster 
of  precocious  tendencies. 

Whipping.     Vide  Whip. 

Whip-round  (common),  a  sub- 
scription for  a  man  in  distress, 
or  for  a  drink. 

Whipster  (thieves),  a  sly,  cunning 
fellow. 

Whip-sticks  (Stock  Exchange), 
Dunaberg  and  Witepsk  Railway 
Shares. 

Whip  the  cat,  to  (old  cant),  has 
reference  to  mechanics  idling 


4io 


Whip —  Whisker-bed. 


their  time,  "derived  from  the 
practice  of  bricklayers'  men, 
who,  when  repairing  the  pantiles, 
sneak  into  the  adjacent  gutters, 
pretending  to  be  in  pursuit  of 
and  whipping  the  torn  cats  and 
their  moll  rows  "  (Jon  Bee).  It 
is  worthy  of  remark  that  the 
French  use  the  phrase  "  il  n'y  a 
pas  de  quoi  fouetter  un  chat," 
referring  to  a  trivial  offence ; 
hence  "  j'ai  d'autres  chats  a 
fouetter,"  I  cannot  waste  my 
time  on  matters  of  such  little 
importance.  But  the  true  deri- 
vation is  from  idling  the  time 
away  at "  whipping  the  cat,"  i.e., 
playing  tip-cat.  To  whip  the  cat 
is  modern  working-men's  slang 
for  shirking  work  and  enjoy- 
ing oneself  on  a  Monday.  (Car- 
penters), one  who  does  private 
work  by  the  day.  (Tailors), 
working  at  the  houses  of  the 
people  for  whom  the  garments 
are  being  made.  This  custom 
is  now  almost  obsolete,  owing 
to  the  cheapness  of  ready-made 
garments.  It  is  very  prevalent 
in  France  in  the  case  of  semp- 
stresses. 

Whip  the  devil  round  the  stump, 
to  (American),  probably  older 
English  also,  to  evade,  equi- 
vocate, say  one  thing,  and 
virtually  do  another.  Very 
common  in  New  England,  par- 
ticularly in  Maine,  where  the 
devil  is  whipped  around  the 
temperance  stump  in  innumer- 
able ways.  There  are  several 
English  uses  of  the  word  whip, 
all  implying  something  round- 


about, equivocal,  or  dishonest. 
Thus  to  whip  is  generally  used 
to  express  anything  dishonestly 
taken.  It  may  be  observed  that 
there  is  an  old  negro  camp- 
meeting  hymn  in  which  these 
lines  occur — 

Oh,  whip  de  debil  rouri  de  stump, 
Prayer  and  gospel  make  him  jump. 

In  this  the  reference  is  to 
justifiably  and  properly  deceiv- 
ing the  devil  himself.  It  is 
possible  that  this  may  be  the 
original  source  of  the  expression. 

Whip,  to  (popular  and  thieves), 
to  swindle. 

It  was  I  who  got  the  money,  and  I 
swindled  one  of  my  confederates,  pretend- 
ing I  got  only  a  few  shillings.  This  is  a 
common  practice  amongst  thieves,  and  is 
called  in  criminal  parlance  -whipping.  I 
have  whipped  many  and  have  been  whipped 
a  few  times  myself. — Joe  Bragg:  Confes- 
sions of  a  Thief. 

A  naive  confession  was  made  by  a 
woman  in  the  Thames  Police-court  to-day. 
The  prisoner  by  way  of  defence  said  it  all 
arose  out  of  what  happened  a  fortnight 
ago,*when  she  and  Scully  robbed  a  sailor 
in  Devonshire  Street,  and  Scully  was 
guilty  of  what  is  known  in  Billingsgate  as 
whipping — that  is,  keeping  part  of  the 
plunder. — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

Whishler  (circus),  the  man  with 
the  whip,  or  the  ring-master. 
The  one  who  superintends  the 
performances,  who  starts  the 
horses,  and  acts  as  interlocutor 
with  the  clown. 

Whisker -bed  (pugilistic),  the 
cheeks  or  face. 

His  wories  rattled,  his  nozzle  barked, 
his  whisker-bed  napped  heavily. — C.  Bede : 
Verdant  Green. 


Whispering —  Whit. 


411 


Whispering  gill,  or  syl  (i.e.,  syl- 
lable) slinger  (theatrical),  the 
prompter. 

Whisper,  the  angel's  (army),  the 
defaulter's  bugle,  the  call  to 
turn  out  to  be  mustered,  or 
for  pack  or  fatigue  drill. 

Whisper,  to  (popular),  to  bor- 
row, generally  a  small  sum ;  to 
whisper  for  a  bob,  to  borrow  a 
shilling.  A  whisperer  is  a  man 
in  the  habit  of  borrowing. 

Whist  (Hibernian).  "  Hold  your 
whist,"  i.e.,  hold  your  tongue,  is 
an  Irishism  which  has  passed 
into  English  slang.  In  gypsy 
whishtcrs  mean  lips. 

This  plea,  for  "little  games"  like  chess 
and  cards, 
The  Speaker  hath  (not  chess  -  tingly), 
dis-carded, 
And  so  the  Members  whom  St.  Stephen's 
guards 
Are  doomed,  it  seems,  to  pine  all  disre- 
garded. 
But  though  with  chess  they  mayn't  the 
hours  improve, 
They  still  to  "hold  their  whist"  are  not 
commanded ; 
Moreover,    they're    still    up    to    many  a 
"  move," 
And    are    not    for    a    "nap"    entirely 
stranded — 
Besides,  while  bent  on  legislation's  aims, 
In  "  rowing  "  they  keep  up  their  "  little 
games." 

— Fun. 

Whistle,  a  very  ancient  slang 
word  for  the  throat  or  gullet. 
"  To  wet  one's  whistle,"  is  to  take 
a  dram,  or  a  drink.  More  cor- 
rectly "to  whet  one's  whistle," 
which  phrase  has  its  exact 
counterpart  in  the  French  slang 


expression  "  s'aff titer  le  sifflet." 
The  expression  is  found  in 
Chaucer,  who  says  of  the  Miller 
of  Trumpington's  wife  in  his 
"  Canterbury  Tales  "  : — 

"  So  was  hir  joly  whistal  well  y-wet." 

Whistle  and  ride  (tailors),  work 
as  well  as  talk. 


Whistle-belly-vengeance. 
Whip-Belly. 


Vide 


Whistler  (horse-dealers),  a  horse 
that  breathes  hard. 

He  therefore  excited  plenty  of  bidding 
when  put  up  for  sale  afterwards,  and 
although  a  whistler,  is  worth  the  520 
guineas  at  which  he  was  knocked  down. — 
The  County  Gentleman. 

"That  horse  of  mine  is  the  best  I  ever 
had.     Very  fast  and  a  perfect  fencer.     I 
had  very  bad  luck  the  other  day,  he  over- 
reached himself,  and  I  had  to  turn  him  out 
on  the  grass." 
M. — "  Is  he  a  roarer*  " 
A. — "  No  ;  nor  a  whistler  either." 
M. — "I  suppose  that's  the  reason  you 
have  to  make  all  the  noise  for  him  1 " — Bird 
o'  Freedom. 

Whistling  Billy,  or  puffing  Billy 
(popular),  a  locomotive. 

Whistling  breeches  (popular), 
corduroys. 

Whistling-shop  (popular),  a  place 
in  which  spirits  are  sold  without 

Z  a  license.  Explained  by  Sam 
Weller. 

Whit  (old  cant),  prison. 

He  broke  through  all  rubbs  in  the  whit, 
And  chiv'd  his  darbies  in  twain. 

—Frisky  Molts  Song. 


412 


Whit —  White-  choker. 


And  when  we  come  unto  the  whit. 

For  garnish  they  do  cry  ; 
We  promise  our  lusty  comrogues 

They  shall  have  it  hy  and  by. 
Then  ev'ry  man  with  his  mort  in  his  hand, 

Is  forced  to  kiss  and  part ; 
And  after  is  divorced  away 

To  the  nubbing-cheat  in  a  cart. 
— The  Life  and  Death  of  the  Dark- 
man's  Budge. 

Originally  Newgate  Prison. 

There  are  three  housebreakers  that  are 
lately  come  out  of  the  whit. — Hitchin: 
A  True  Discovery. 

Probably  a  form  of  white,  as 
in  Whitsuntide. 

White,  "  as  a  slang  term  for  blame 
or  fault  (Grose),  as  in  the  phrase 
1  You  lay  all  the  white  off  your- 
self,' or  to  white,  to  blame,  is  a 
corrupted  form  of  the  old  Eng- 
lish and  Scottish  wite  or  wyte, 
Anglo  -  Saxon  witan,  to  know 
(something  against  one),  to  im- 
pute ;  O.  H.  German  wizan.  Cf. 
twit,  from  Anglo-Saxon  edwitan, 
old  English  icite,  a  fine  or  punish- 
ment ;  Anglo  -  Saxon  wite,  Ice- 
landic viti  "  (A.  S.  Palmer).  To 
white,  to  blame. 

"You  lean  all  the  white  off  your  sell," 
i.e.,  you  remove  all  the  blame  from  your- 
self.— Ray :  North  Country  Words. 

Alake  !  that  e'er  my  Muse  had  reason, 

To  w)  y  her  countrymen  with  treason. 

— Burns :  Poems. 

White-boy,  a  term  of  endearment 
in  the  seventeenth  century  for 
a  favourite  child  or  young  man. 

I  am  his  white-boy  and  will  not  be 
gull'd.— Ford:  'TisPity,  &=c. 

The  name  was    assumed  in 
Ireland   early  in   the    present 


century,  during  the  agrarian 
outbreaks,  prior  to  the  days  of 
Daniel  O'Connell,  Smith  O'Brien, 
Mr.  C.  Stuart  Parnell,  and  the 
dynamiters.  (American),  dis- 
interested, whole-souled. 

A  good  fellow  is  Rayner,  as  white 
a  man  as  I  ever  knew.  —  The  Golden 
Butterfly. 

Whitechapel  (common),  anything 
mean  or  paltry.  (Billiards),  to 
do  whitechapel,  to  pot  your  op- 
ponent. (Cards),  whitechapel 
play.  At  whist  playing  off  all 
the  winning  cards  without  skill 
or  plan.  It  used  to  be  called 
bungay  play  in  Norfolk.  "  Bun- 
gay," says  Forby,  "was  a  cor- 
ruption from  bungar,  old  Eng- 
lish, synonymous  with  bungler." 
(Popular),  whitechapel  is  a  term 
used  in  tossing  when  "  two  out 
of  three  wins."  Whitechapel 
fortune,  a  clean  gown  and 
pair  of  pattens.  Whitechapel 
brougham,  a  costermonger's 
donkey-barrow. 

White  choker  (common),  a  white 
tie. 

Not  only  were  white  chokers  seen  in 
every  part  of  the  house,  including  the  top- 
most gallery,  but  ladies  in  low  dresses 
were  content  to  brave  the  draughts  of  the 
pit. — Daily  Telegraph. 

A  parson,  from  the  white  tie. 
On  the  resignation  of  his  bene- 
fice by  a  divine  still  in  the 
prime  of  life,  he  said  at  a  fare- 
well meeting  that  he  had  no 
intention  of  giving  up  the  white 
tie.  This  a  local  journal  printed 
as  the  white  lie. 


White. 


413 


White  eye  (American),  maize 
whisky,  so  called  all  over  the 
United  States. 

White-horsed  in  (tailors),  having 
procured  a  place  by  influence. 

White  jenny  (popular),  a  silver 
Geneva  watch,  or  any  silver 
watch  of  foreign  manufacture. 
Called  by  thieves  a  "white 
clock,"  or  "  white  'un." 

White   man's    hansom   woman 

(West  Indian),  a  black  mistress. 

White  Mary  (blackfellows'  lingo). 
The  Australian  blackfellows  who 
come  in  contact  with  "stations  " 
of  the  white  men  have  a  regular 
slang  of  their  own.  White  Mary 
is  their  generic  name  for  all 
female  cooks,  just  as  it  is  always 
"Mary,  the  maid  of  the  inn,"  in 
England. 

Blucher,  as  usual,  had  marched  into  the 
room  on  the  morning  in  question,  coolly 
ignoring  the  remonstrances  of  the  irritated 
woman,  when,  her  passion  getting  the  bet- 
ter of  her,  she  made  a  rush  at  him  with  the 
poker,  which  perhaps  she  had  heated  on 
purpose,  and  touched  him  on  the  bare  leg 
— for,  like  all  his  race,  when  not  on  horse- 
back, he  doffed  his  trousers  and  boots,  and 
wore  nothing  but  a  Crimean  shirt.  The 
pain  of  the  wound  was  as  nothing  to  the 
indignity.  With  a  bound  he  rushed  into 
the  "Cawbawn  Humpy,"  his  eyes  flashing 
with  insulted  pride,  exclaiming,  "Missus 
Fitzgell,  White  Mary  cook,  'un  me," 
pointing  to  his  leg. — A.  C.  Grant. 

White  mice  (pidgin),  Chinese 
babes  of  the  poorest  class. 
When  blind  they  are  called 
blind  mice.  It  is  very  gene- 
rally believed    in    China,  and 


often  said  by  Chinese  who  know 
better,  that  European  mission- 
aries buy  white  mice  in  order  to 
make  medicines  or  charms  for 
sorcery  out  of  their  eyes. 

White-poodle,  a  woolly,  shaggy 
kind  of  cloth. 

Peter  wore  a  white-doodle  upper  Benja- 
min of  his  own  make. — ■/.  Wight :  Morn- 
ings at  Bow  Street. 

White  prop  (thieves),  a  diamond 
pin.    Also  "  sparkle  prop." 

White,  smooth  (popular),  a  shil- 
ling. 

With  him  half-crowns  were  half-bulls, 
and  shillings  smooth  whites. — Living  Pic- 
tures of London. 

White  stuff  (street,  strollers,  &c), 
silver.     Also  "  white  wedge." 

White  tape  (popular),  gin.  Also 
"white  satin."  These  terms  for 
spirits,  white  tape,  "  red  tape," 
"  lace,"  &c,  most  probably  ori- 
ginated in  the  practices  of  some 
of  the  "  driz  fencers,"  or  sellers 
of  cheap  lace,  who  carried  about 
their  persons  "  jigger  stuffs,"  or 
spirit  made  at  an  illicit  still. 
"  They  sold  it,  I've  heard  them 
say,  to  ladies  that  liked  a  drop 
on  the  sly.  One  old  lady  used 
to  give  three  shillings  for  three 
yards  of  '  driz,'  and  it  was  well 
enough  understood,  without  no 
words,  that  a  pint  of  brandy 
was  part  of  them  three  yards  " 
(Mayhew). 

Jack  Randall,  then  impatient,  rose, 
And  said  Tom's  speech  was  just  as  fine 


4H 


White — Whittled. 


If  he  would  catch  that  first  of  goes, 
By  that  genteeler  name  "  white  wine." 
— Randall:  Diary. 

White  trash  (American),  used  by 
negroes  to  a  white  man  as  a 
term  of  opprobrium. 

White  'un  (popular  and  thieves), 
a  silver  watch,  a  shilling. 

Then  her  eyes  fell  on  the  present,  and  she 
felt  a  most  unpleasant 
Sort  of  shock,  which  made  her  rave,  and 
swear,  and  sob. 
And  her  heart  began  to  sicken,  for,  alas  ! 
it  was  no  "  thick  "un," 
'Twas  a  white  'un— or,  in  other  words, 
a  bob? 

— Snorting  Times. 

Whitewashed    and    fenced    in 

(American).  This  is  a  very  com- 
mon phrase  applied  sarcastically 
not  only  to  towns  whose  in- 
habitants are  vain  of  the  beauty 
or  other  merits  of  their  "place," 
but  even  to  people  themselves. 
It  implies  a  sense  of  exclusive- 
ness,  pride,  and  hauteur,  which 
is  of  all  things  most  detestable 
to  the  Western  American.  Thus 
Bostonians,  from  their  noted 
conviction  of  the  superiority  of 
"the  Hub"  as  regards  culture, 
are  often  asked  if  it  is  not  yet 
fenced  in.  To  explain  the  fol- 
lowing illustration  taken  from 
tht)  Pittsburg  (Pennsylvania) 
Dispatch,  it  must  be  under- 
stood that  the  dwellers  in  the 
"Birmingham"  of  that  state 
are  supposed  to  be  extremely 
ambitious. 

"  A  few  days  since  a  verdant  Oleander 
was  searching  through  the  city  for  a  pur- 
chaser for  a  raft  of  lumber  which  he  had 
tied  up  near  Saw  Mill  Run.  On  the  wharf 
he  learned,  much  to  his  gratification,  that 


the  Burgess  wished  to  buy  a  very  large 
quantity  of  lumber.  But  when  he  had 
found  that  official  he  was  informed  that 
he  was  certainly  mistaken,  the  Burgess 
wanted  no  lumber.  '  Why,'  replied  the 
Oleander,  'a  man  in  Pittsburg  told  me 
that  you  wanted  al^that  could  be  had  to 
fence  in  the  town.'  And  he  left,  not 
understanding  why  there  was  a  roar  of 
laughter  from  all  present." 

White  wine  (old  slang),  gin.  In 
"A  Picture  of  the  Fancy,"  the 
old  slang  names  for  gin  are 
thus  amusingly  grouped  to- 
gether. "  The  squeamish  fair 
one,  who  takes  it  on  the  sly, 
merely  to  cure  the  vapours, 
politely  names  it  to  her  friends 
as  white  wine.  The  swell  chaffs 
it  as  blue  ruin,  to  elevate  his 
notions.  The  laundress  loves 
dearly  a  dram  of  Ould  Tom, 
from  its  strength  to  comfort 
her  inside.  The  drag  fiddler 
can  toss  off  a  quartern  of  max 
without  making  a  wry  mug. 
The  costermonger  illumines  his 
ideas  with  a  flash  of  lightning. 
The  hoarse  Cyprian  owes  her 
existence  to  copious  draughts 
of  jackey.  The  link  -  boy  and  * 
mudlark,  in  joining  their  browns 
together,  are  for  some  stark 
naked.  And  the  out-and-outers, 
by  the  addition  of  bitters  to  it, 
in  order  to  sharpen  up  a  dis- 
sipated and  damaged  victual- 
ling office,  cannot  take  anything 
but  fullers'  earth." 

Whittled  (American),  drunk. 

Unquestionably  Americans  may  evince 
a  disposition  to  whittle  without  first  getting 
whittled. — Cowboys  and  Colonels. 

Also  used  in  England. 


Whole —  Why  os. 


415 


Whole  boiling.    Vide  Boiling. 

Whole  -  footed,  whole  -  hearted, 
and  whole  -  souled  are  now 
cant,  though  once  possessing  a 
legitimate  meaning.  Says  the 
Philadelphia  Age,  "  Any  devising 
man  who  invites  a  crowd  to 
'  drinks  all  round '  is  instantly 
praised  as  a  whole-footed  man, 
and  the  calculating  man  who 
gives  a  piece  of  land  for  a  church, 
with  a  view  to  the  enhanced 
value  of  the  adjoining  lots 
which  he  retains,  appears  in  the 
newspapers  as  a  noble,  whole- 
souled  gentleman,  whose  libe- 
rality will  earn  him  the  thanks 
of  his  countrymen  and  the  gra- 
titude of  coming  generations." 

Whole  kit  and  biling  (American), 
all,  all  the  company. 

Go  'long  now,  the  whole  kit  and  biling 
of  ye,  and  don't  come  nigh  me  again  till 
I've  got  back  my  peace  of  mind. — Mark 
Twain :  Adventures  of  Huckleberry  Finn. 

Whole  team,  and  a  little  dog 
under  the  waggon  (American). 
This  synonym,  for  completeness 
in  every  detail,  is  equalled  by  "a 
six-storey  house — and  a  light- 
ning rod."     Vide  TEAM. 

Whoop    it    up    (American),    to 
keep  up  an  excitement,  such  as* 
hurrahing,  gambling,  or  drink- 
ing. 

Midnight  is  called  the  whiching  time  of 
night,  because  at  that  hour  it  is  sometimes 
difficult  to  determine  which  to  do,  go  home 
or  whoop  it  up  larger. — Lift. 

Whopper  (colloquial  and  vulgar), 
anything  large,  applied  especi- 


ally to  a  monstrous  lie.  Whop, 
to  beat ;  hence  a  whopper,  one 
tbat  beats  anything.  Originally 
"  whapper." 

When  once  you've  passed  the  door — "  Was 
you  ever  here  before  ?  " 
Is  the  question  that  the  cove  on  duty 
asks  you ; 
But  you've  got  your  answer  pat,  and  you 
won't  be  such  a  flat 
As  to  let  a  little  crammer  flabbergast  you. 
Check  it  proper — tell  a  whopper. 

— ■/.  Greenwood:  A  Night  in  a 
Workhouse. 

Whop -straw  (popular  and 
thieves),  a  countryman. 

Who's  your  hatter  ?  Formerly  a 
street  catchword. 

I  shall  not  be  surprised  if  the  arrange- 
ment in  black — this  decorative  tile  which 
you  describe — does  not  revive  the  now 
almost  forgotten  slang  question,  the  sport 
of  a  bygone  day,  "  Who's  your  hatter ■?" 
— Punch. 

Whyos  (American),  a  name  for  a 
large  gang  or  class  of  the  lowest 
villains  and  vilest  desperadoes 
in  New  York. 

The  young  men  against  the  walls  in  the 
street  were  Whyos — that  is  to  say,  mem- 
bers of  the  most  desperate  gang  of  thugs 
and  thieves  in  town — and  Baxters,  which 
is  the  name  of  the  band  from  which  the 
Whyos  are  recruited,  a  mob  of  boys.,be- 
tween  fourteen  and  seventeen,  too  young 
to  have  the  nerve  needed  to  be  a  Whyo. 
.  .  .'  They  were  Whyos,  also  —  pick- 
pockets dressed  to  mingle  in  the  crowds 
at  the  best  up-town  hotels  and  at  the  races 
and  on  the  avenues,  so  as  to  drain  fatter 
pockets  than  ever  stray  into  Park  Street, 
unless  they  bring  them  there  after  a 
night's  work.  They  did  not  look  like  vil- 
lains. .  .  .  Bezie  Garity  was  a  typical 
Whyo  girl.  She  was  almost  worshipped 
by  the  gang,  she  was  so  strong  and  coarse 


416 


Wide — Wig. 


and  violent  and  depraved.  .  .  .  When  she 
felt  amiable  she  gave  exhibitions  of  what 
she  called  her  "nerve."  At  such  time  she 
planted  herself  squarely  on  her  feet  and 
challenged  the  strongest  Whyo  to  hit  her 
in  the  face  with  all  his  might. — Phila- 
delphia Press. 

Wide  (thieves),  well  -  informed, 
clever,  short  for  wide-awake. 

It  was  while  I  was  with  him  that  I  got 
in  company  with  some  of  the  "widest  people 
in  London. — Horsley:  Jottings  from  Jail. 

The   bookies    had   been    wide,   and    the 
plunger  homeward  hied, 
O'erladen  he  with  champagne  cup  and 
sorrow. 

— Sporting  Times. 

Cabby  has  none—  cabbies  are  far  too  wide, 
So,  after  lots  of  hunting,  and  much  bob- 
bery, 
I  pay  two  shillings  for  a  half-mile  ride. 
I  call  it  robbery. 

— Punch. 

Wide-awake  (common),  a  broad- 
brimmed  felt  or  stuff  hat.  "  So 
called,"  says  Hotten,  "  because 
it  never  had  a  nap,  and  never 
wants  one."  This  word  is  so 
universally  used  as  to  be  almost 
recognised. 

Widdle,  to  (thieves).  "Oliver 
don't  widdle"  the  moon  does  not 
shine.  Literally,  does  not  in- 
form upon  us.     Vide  Whiddle. 

Widow,  the  gallows.  In  French 
slang  "la  veuve,"  now  the  guil- 
lotine, was  formerly  the  gallows. 
"  Epouser  la  veuve."  Widow  and 
"  veuve  "  originally  were  terms 
to  designate  the  rope  or  halter, 
in  allusion  to  a  metaphorical 
marriage  knot,  or  wedlock  with 
a    widow  of    manv  husbands. 


However,  the  Eev.  A.  S.  Palmer 
thinks  that  widow,  as  a  slang 
term  for  the  gallows,  is  no  doubt 
the  same  as  Scotch  widdie,  a 
halter  made  of  a  flexible  branch 
of  withes,  but  this  is  very  doubt- 
ful indeed. 

(American),  a  grass  widow,  a 
wife  a  long  time  separated  from 
her  husband,  or  who  has  been 
deserted. 

Wife  (prison,  old),  a  fetter  fixed 
to  the  leg. 

Wife  in  water-colours  (society), 
a  wife  "  de  la  main  gauche." 
The  French  talk  of  an  unmarried 
couple  living  as  man  and  wife 
as  "un  collage  a  la  de'trempe," 
which  is  a  very  close  rendering 
of  the  English  phrase. 

Wig-block  (popular),  the  head. 

Wigger.    Vide  Wig,  To. 

Wigging  (common),  a  rebuke. 
When  in  private  it  is  an  "ear- 
wigging."  Also  "  combing  one's 
hair."  In  French  "  laver  la 
tete  "  is  to  rebuke,  scold ;  "  don- 
ner  une  peigne"e,"  to  thrash. 

Wigster  (theatrical),  a  wiggy 
actor — an  actor  whose  theory  of 
art  is  bounded  by  the  idea  of 
making  his  head  a  wig  block. 

Wig,  to  (pigeon-fanciers),  to  post 
a  scout  on  the  route  of  flight 
in  a  pigeon  race  with  a  hen 
pigeon,  to  attract  the  opponent's 
bird  and  retard  his   progress. 


Wig —  Wind-jammer. 


417 


Probably  a  form  of  "  to  wool," 
to  discomfit,  which  see. 

"  If  I  ivigs,  I  loses,"  replied  Tinker, 
evidently  much  hurt  at  the  insinuation. 

Instructed  by  Mr.  Stickle,  I  learnt  what 
wigging  was,  and  no  longer  marvelled  at 
Mr.  Tinker's  indignation.  It  is  a  fraudu- 
lent, and  lamentably  common  practice 
amongst  the  vulgar  "fancy." — Greenwood: 
Undercurrents  of  London  Life. 

Wild  (old  cant),  the  country,  a 
village.  Wild  is  frequently  used 
by  old  authors  for  the  "  weald  " 
(old  English  woeld,  wald,  open 
country)  of  Kent,  as  if  it  meant 
a  wild  or  uncultivated  region, 
a  wilderness  (Palmer). 

I  was  borne  in  the  wylde  of  Kent. 

— Lyly:  Euphues. 

There's  a  Franklin  in  the  wylde  of  Kent 
hath  brought  three  hundred  markes  with 
him  in  gold. — Shakspearc:  1  Henry  IV. 

Wild  -  cat  villages  (American), 
pi  aces  with  odd  names.  The  f  ol  - 
lowing  are  all  in  existence  :  — 


A.  B.  C. 

Accident. 
Axle-Town. 
Babylon. 
Beef-Hide. 
Big-Bag. 
Braggadocio. 
Chicory. 
Coffee. 
Cowboy. 
Crab  Tree. 
Dammit.  - 
Dirt  Town. 
Door-Way. 
Frozen  Creek. 
Good  Land. 
Good  Luck. 
Good  Night. 
VOL.  II. 


Gunpowder. 
Hat  Off. 
Hat  On. 
High  Up. 
Hobbie. 
Jingo. 

Johnny  Cake. 
Jump  off  Joe. 
Kiss-Me  (Fla.) 
Long-a-Coming. 
Macphelah. 
Mad  Indian. 
Matrimony. 
Mount  Hugging 

(N.H.). 
Nine  Times. 
Number  One. 
Obligation. 


Wild-cat  villages— continued. 

Our  Carter.  Rat. 

Oz.  Shirt  Tail  Bend. 

Pat's  Store.  Squantum. 

Patta  Gumpus.  Swopetown. 
Plevna  (several).  U.  Bet. 

Quiz-Quod.  Yuba  Dam. 
Rabbit  Hash. 

Wilfreds  (popular),  teetotallers. 

Fill  the  bumper,  crack  the  joke, 
We're  not  Wilfreds. 

—Punch. 

This  has  reference  to  Sir  Wil- 
fred Lawson,  M.P.,  the  great 
teetotal  champion. 

William  (common),  a  jocose  term 
for  a  bill. 

Willow  (cricket),  a  bat ;  from  the 
material. 

Wilt,  to  (London),  to  run  away. 

Win,  wyn  (old  cant),  a  penny. 
Suggested  to  be  connected  with 
Welsh  gwyn,  white,  i.e.,  the  sil- 
ver penny.  Some  thirty  years 
ago  in  France  pennies  were 
termed  "blancs"  or  "rouges," 
according  to  their  more  or  less 
dark  hue. 

If  we  niggle  or  mill  but  a  poor  boozing- 

ken, 
Or  nip  a  poor  bung  with  one  single  win, 
Or  dup  but  the  gigger  of  a  country-cove's 

ken, 
Straight  we're  to  the  cuffin  queer  forced 

to  bing. 

— T.  Decker:  The  Beggar's  Curse. 

Wind-jammer  (popular),  a  player 
on  a  wind  instrument. 
2  D 


V 


4i8 


Wind-jammer —  Wipe. 


But  hold,  there's  another,  a  puffer  of  fame, 
A   noted   wind-jammer,  young  Conlan's 

his  name. 
— R.  Blades :  The  Charing  Cross  Party. 

(Nautical),  a  sailing-ship. 

Wind  one's  cotton,  to  (popular), 
to  give  trouble  purposely. 

Window  fishing  (burglars),  bur- 
glarious entry  at  a  window. 


Also  a  "wing  of  snout,"  "wing 
of  stuff." 

I  had  a  screw  who  would  sling  a  wing 
of  stuff,  and  so  long  as  I  had  a  bit  of  to- 
bacco and  did  not  hear  a  woman's  jawing, 
I  was  werry  comfortable. — Evening  News. 

Winging  (theatrical),  taking  a 
part  under  exceptional  circum- 
stances, at  a  moment's  notice, 
and  studying  it  in  the  wings. 


Windows  (popular),  the  eyes.  Winkers  (pugilistic),  the  eyes. 


Wind,  raise  the.    Vide  Raise. 
slip  one's  wind,  to  die. 


To 


Wind -sucker  (stable),  a  term 
applied  to  a  horse  with  tbe 
heaves.  In  gypsy  "bavolengro," 
i.e.,  "air  or  wind  master;"  wind 
sucker  is  provincial  for  a  kestrel. 

Wine,  a  (University),  a  wine- 
party.  A  wine  consists  of  des- 
sert, wine  (usually  only  port, 
sherry,  and  claret,  but  at  very 
big  wines  champagne),  and  tea 
and  coffee  later  on.  Wines  are 
generally  confined  to  men  of 
the  same  college.  It  is  un- 
usual to  ask  out-college  men  to 
a  wine  without  asking  them  to 
dinner  also. 

\Wing  (prison),  a  small  piece  of 
tobacco. 

A  piece  as  large  as  a  horse-bean,  called 
a  "  chew,"  is  regarded  as  the  equivalent 
for  a  twelve-ounce  loaf  and  a  meat  ration, 
and  even  a  morsel — a  mere  taste  that  can 
only  be  laid  on  the  tongue  and  sucked  like 
a  small  sweetmeat  (it  is  called  a  wing,  and 
is  not  larger  or  of  more  substance  than  a 
man's  little  finger-nail),  is  "good"  for  a 
six-ounce  loaf. — J.  Greenwood :  Jail  Birds 
at  Large. 


Wins  the  button  (tailors),  is  the 
best,  and  is  therefore  entitled 
to  the  button,  i.e.,  medal. 

Winter-cricket  (popular),  a  tailor. 

Wipe  (popular  and  thieves),  a 
pocket-handkerchief. 

"How  many  wipes  did  you   nibble?" 
"Only  two,  a  bird's-eye  and  a  hingy." — 
Disconsolate  William. 
Cold,  callous  man  ! — he  scorns  to  yield, 

Or  aught  relax  his  felon  gripe, 
But  answers,  "  I'm  Inspector  Field  ! 
And  this  here  warmint's  prigg'd  yo\ir 
wipe." 

— Ingoldsby  Legends. 
To  see  him  splitting  away  at  that  pace 
.  .  .  and  me  with  the  wipe  in  my  pocket 
crying  out  arter  him. — Dickens  :  Oliver 
Twist. 

"  As  a  matter  of  fact,  I  had  my  handker- 
chief in  my  pocket  all  the  time,  and  I  have 
it  still,"  he  said,  producing  a  bloodstained 
wipe,  with  which  he  had  sopped  up  the 
blood  from  his  face  on  Bloody  Sunday. — 
Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

Also  a  blow,  as  a  wipe  on  the 
kisser,  across  the  chops,  &c. 

Wipe  out,  to  (American),  signify- 
ing to  extinguish,  is  taken  from 
the  Pawnee  Indian  language.   It 


Wipe— Wolf. 


419 


means  to  defeat,  to  destroy. 
Imported  from  America.  "  To 
wipe  one's  eye,"  to  shoot  game 
which  a  person  has  missed,  as 
if  correcting  defective  vision  by 
wiping  watery  eyes.  Hence  to 
obtain  an  advantage  by  superior 
skill. 

She  had  what  is  called  a  bow-gun  when 
she  was  six  years  old,  a  rifle  when  she  was 
nine,  and  from  that  time  she  has  gone  on 
shooting  turkeys,  red -heads,  wild  cats> 
cotton-tails,  and  pigeons,  "wiping-  the 
eyes"  of  the  boys  along  the  Pacific  Coast, 
and  making  her  name  celebrated,  until 
Colonel  Cody  secured  her  for  his  show. — 
Bailey's  Monthly  Magazine. 

Wire  (popular),  a  telegram. 

The  boots'  brother  knowed  him  in  Bir- 
mingham, and  'as  got  the  tip  direct  from 
the  stable.  He  is  going  to  send  us  a  wire 
from  the  course. — Bird  0'  Freedom. 

(Harvard  University),  a  trick 
or  dodge.    A  pickpocket. 

His  fingers  were  very  long,  and  no  lady's 
could  have  been  more  taper.  A  burglar 
told  me  that  with  such  a  hand  he  ought  to 
have  made  his  fortune.  He  was  worth 
£20  a  week,  he  said,  as  a  wire,  that  is, 
a  picker  of  ladies'  pockets. — Mayhew: 
London  Labour  and  the  London  Poor. 

Wirer,  wire,  or  wire-hook  (Eng- 
lish and  American),  a  pick- 
pocket. 

Wire,  to  (common),  to  telegraph. 

It  cannot  be  called  the  most  startling 
piece  of  intelligence  ever  wired.  —  Pall 
Mall  Gazette. 

(Popular),  to  wire  in,  to  go 
ahead,  push  on,  go  in  with  a 
will.     Also  to  join,  unite  with. 

And  when  larks  and  loyalty  jine, 
I  say  wire  in  and  bust  the  expense. 

— Punch. 


Wire-worm  (Stock  Exchange), 
a  man  who  collects  prices  to 
"wire,"  i.e.,  to  telegraph  to 
country  clients. 

Wisty-castor  (pugilistic),  a  seri- 
ous blow.  Seems  to  be  from 
wistly,  earnestly. 

Neal  was  always  dangerous,  and  now 
and  then  put  in  a  wisty-castor,  which 
rather  changed  the  look  of  Sam's  frontis- 
piece.— Pierce  Egan:  Book  of  Sports. 

Wobbler  (cavalry),  an  infantry 
soldier.  (Common),  a  horse  that 
swerves  from  side  to  side  when 
trotting.  French,  "  un  cheval 
qui  se  berce." 

Wobble-shop  (popular),  a  shop 
where  beer  or  spirits  are  sold 
without  a  license. 

Wolfer  (common),  a  man  with  a 
large  appetite,  or  a  hard  drinker. 

And  a  great,  sad  silence  fell  upon  the 
crowd  ;  for  then,  and  not  till  then,  did 
they  realise  what  unwarrantable  liberties 
they  had  been  taking  with  their  internal 
organisations,  and  everybody  wished  that 
they  had  been  born  an  elephant  or  a  mega- 
losaurus,  or  something  with  a  similar  capa- 
city for  the  storage  of  liquors,  until  con- 
fidence was  restored  by  the  reassuring  re- 
mark of  an  adjacent  whisky  wolfer — "  But 
it  stretches,  gentlemen,  it  stretches !  "— 
Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Wolf,  to  (common),  originally 
to  ingurgitate  ravenously,  but 
now  with  extended  meaning  of 
simply  to  eat. 

And  then  it  transpires  that  Skipper 
Hammett  is  chewing  bacca,  and  that 
Shifter  has  wolfed  all  the  brandy.  This 
is  a  cold  world.— Sporting  Times. 


420 


Wolf —  Wooden . 


I've  tasted  bouillabaisse,  and  I've 
wolfed  roast  hare  and  pickled  pork. — 
Bird  d  Freedom. 

Also  to  steal,  to  cheat  out  of. 

It  was  generally  considered  that  dis- 
tance, who  was  on  Comforter  in  the  City 
and  Suburban  of  i860,  was  wolfed  by 
Wells  on  Lord  Nelson,  who  made  a  dead 
heat  of  it,  Comforter  winning  the  decider. 
— Bird  d  Freedom. 

To  wolf  is  said  to  be  of  Ame- 
rican origin.  The  derivation  is 
obvious. 

George. — "Quite  a  snug  pile." 

Tom. — "  Yes.  The  boy  was  only  seven 
years  old,  and,  of  course,  there  was  a 
guardian,  or  rather  a  set  of  them,  ap- 
pointed for  him  and  to  take  charge  of  the 
estate.    Well,  they  wolfed  him." 

George. — "  Got  away  with  it  all?  " 

Tom.— "Nearly  all." 

— Missouri  Republican. 

Wolloping  (popular),  thrashing, 
beating. 

"  Porliceman,  father's  giving  mother 
such  a  wolloping,  will  you  come?" — Music 
Hall  Song. 

Wood  (clerical),  the  pulpit. 

Wood-and-water  Joey  (Austra- 
lian), a  hanger  about  hotels. 

\  Wood-butcher  (tradesmen),  work- 
men who  have  not  thoroughly 
learned  their  business  as  car- 
penters or  joiners. 

Counting  carpenters  and  wood-butchers 
together,  it  is  estimated  that  about  20,000 
men  make  their  living  in  London  as  car- 
penters and  joiners.  Of  these  nearly  5000 
are  of  the  wood-butcher,  or  inexpert  work- 
men class,  and  therefore  do  not  belong  to 
the  trade  societies. — New  York  Herald. 

Wooden  fit  (popular),  a  swoon. 


Wooden  spoon,  the  last  man  in 
the  mathematical  tripos  at  Cam- 
bridge is  generally  referred  to 
as  the  wooden  spoon  of  his  year  ; 
a  common  wooden  spoon  is  often 
actually  presented  to  him  by  the 
undergraduates  in  the  gallery 
of  the  Senate  House.  When 
two  or  more  "  last "  men  are 
bracketed  together,  the  group 
is  termed  the  spoon  bracket. 

Winning  perhaps  eventually  the  wooden 
spoon,  or  worse,  being  utterly  ploughed. — 
Morning  Advertiser. 

Spanish  undergraduates  wear 
a  wooden  spoon  in  their  hats 
when  in  full  costume,  perhaps 
an  allusion  to  the  intellectual 
food  provided  by  Alma  Mater, 
but  more  probably  from  a 
custom  of  poor  students  in  the 
Middle  Ages,  who  often,  like 
the  old  French  poet  Villon,  as- 
sociated with  vagabonds,  such 
as  are  depicted  by  Teniers 
with  a  spoon  stuck  in  their 
hats.  In  France  the  practice 
still  exists  among  tramps  or 
other  low  class  of  people.  This 
would  tend  to  show  that  the 
university  custom  has  been 
handed  down  from  the  Middle 
Ages.  In  the  sixteenth  century 
the  "  Chevaliers  de  la  Cuiller  " 
were  an  association  formed  by 
noblemen  of  Vaud  who  had 
boasted  of  eating  up  their 
enemies  the  Genevese,  but  to 
this  of  course  is  not  due  the 
origin  of  the  ornamental  spoon. 

Wooden  wedge  (Cambridge  Uni- 
versity), the  last  name  in  the 
classical  honours  list  at  Cam- 


Wood — Wool. 


421 


bridge.  From  the  name  of  a 
wrangler  named  Wedgewood, 
who  was  the  last  on  the  list  of 
the  first  classical  tripos  in  1824. 

Wood  merchant  (streets),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

When  he  can't  get  on  that  racket  he'll 
turn  mumper  and  wood  merchant  (which 
means  a  seller  of  lucifer  matches). — Temple 
Bar. 

Wood-sawyer's  clerk  (Ameri- 
can), employed  to  indicate  a 
man  in  the  lowest  possible  or 
poorest  employment.  A  clam- 
butcher  is  applied  scornfully  to 
one  who  is  in  similar  circum- 
stances. 

Wool  (popular),  hair.  "Keep  your 
■wool  on,"  don't  get  angry,  liter- 
ally an  intimation  not  to  tear 
one's  hair;  or,  more  probably, 
to  keep  one's  wig  on.  Compare 
"  Dash  my  wig  1 "  expressive  of 
disappointment  or  angry  excite- 
ment, which  must  have  origin- 
ated in  the  frequency  of  persons 
dashing  their  wigs  in  anger  to 
the  ground  when  it  was  the 
fashion  to  cover  the  shaven  pate 
with  that  ornament,  an  act  far 
more  convenient  than  tearing 
the  hair.  (Pugilistic),  pluck, 
courage.  "  Woolled  'un,"  or  a 
rare  "  wool-topped  'un,"  a  man 
of  great  courage.  Said  to  be  in 
allusion  to  coloured  heroes  of 
the  prize-ring. 

Wool-bird  (popular  and  thieves), 
a  sheep  or  lam  b.  French  thie  ves 
call  a  sheep  lavni. 


Wool-hole  (popular),  a  very  old 
synonym  for  the  workhouse. 
Perhaps  more  used  by  printers 
than  any  other  class  of  work- 
people. Savage,  1841,  quotes 
this  term. 

Wool  is  up,  times  are  good ; 
wool  is  down,  times  are  bad 
(used  by  up  -  country  slangy 
Australians).  Wool  being  the 
staple  of  Australia,  it  is  easy  to 
see  how  a  phrase,  which  at  first 
was  applicable  only  to  the  for- 
tunes of  the  wool-growers,  gra- 
dually passed  into  a  metaphor. 

Bother  !  how  can  I  go  steady, 
I'm  worth  thousands — wool  is  up. 

— Garnet  Walch. 
I  go  where  wool  has  gone — down-,  ever 
down. 

— Garnet  Walch. 

Woolly  (studios),  a  woolly  painting 
is  one  painted  in  slack  touches. 
(Common),  irritable,  angry.  Vide 
Wool.  (Popular  and  thieves), 
a  blanket. 

Woolly  -  headed  boy  (tailors),  a 
favourite. 

Wool-splitter  (tailors),  a  renown- 
ed tailor. 

Wool,  to  (common),  to  get  the 
better  of,  to  discomfit.  This 
phrase,  allied  to  blinding  a  man 
in  the  sense  of  deceiving  him, 
probably  gave  rise  to  the  saying 
so  common  in  America,  "To  pull 
the  wool  over  one's  eyes."  Ger- 
man, "  Er  machtihn  mit  sehen- 
den  Augen  blind  " — "He  blinds 
him   while   he    sees    with   his 


422 


Working —  Wrinkle. 


eyes,"  is  very  old,  and  to  be 
found  in  the  HUdebrandslied. 

Working  the  shells  (American 
thieves),  a  variety  of  thimble-rig, 
in  which  walnut  shells  are  used, 
instead  of  thimbles  or  little  cups. 

I  was  pinched  for  working'  the  shells  at 
Atlantic  City  last  summer,  and  got  two 
months  for  it.  A  gent  in  the  crowd  offered 
to  bet  me  ten  dollars  he  could  tell  which 
shell  the  ball  was  under,  and  of  course  I 
went  him  on  it.  As  soon  as  I  showed  my 
money,  he  put  his  hands  on  me,  and  said 
he  was  a  special  officer  in  plain  clothes. 
Low  trick — wasn't  it.  They  brought  the 
s/iells  into  court,  and  they've  got  my  table 
there  now. — Confidence  Crooks  (Phila- 
del/hia  Press). 

Works,  the  (prison),  a  convict 
establishment,  such  as  Port- 
land, Portsmouth,  or  Dartmoor. 

Work  the  bulls,  to  (coiners),  to 
get  rid  of  bad  crown  pieces. 

Work,  to  (thieves),  to  steal. 
French  slang,  trdvailler;  Spanish 
slang,  trdbajar. 

Worm  (popular),  a  policeman. 

Worm-crusher  (cavalry),  a  foot 
\    soldier. 

Worm-eater,  a  man  who  sells  as 
authentic  articles  of  spurious 
historical  value,  manufactured 
for  the  purpose,  or  otherwise. 

Now  and  then,  it  is  true,  he  picked  up 
some  article  to  which  the  attached  legends 
were  a  trifle  apocryphal.  That  industrious 
artist,  who  is  technically  known  as  the 
worm-eater,  was  at  times  too  much  even 
for  the  editor  of  the  Architect. — Standard. 


Worms  (Winchester  College),  ex- 
plained by  quotation. 

Across  the  two  ends  of  the  ground  a 
small  trench  is  dug,  about  four  inches 
wide  and  two  deep,  and  a  goal  is  obtained 
when  the  ball  is  fairly  kicked  across  the 
trench  (Wiccamice-  worms). — Pascoe. 

Wrap-rascal  (old  cant),  a  cloak. 

Wrens,  prostitutes  who  "squat- 
ted" amongst  the  furze  of 
Curragh  Common. 

These  creatures  are  known  in  and  about 
the  great  military  camp  and  its  neighbour- 
hood as  wrens.  They  do  not  live  in  houses 
or  even  huts,  but  build  for  themselves 
"nests"  in  the  bush. — Greenwood:  Seven 
Curses  of  London. 

Wright,  Mr.  (prison),  a  faithless 
prison  officer,  the  intermediary 
between  an  incarcerated  crimi- 
nal and  his  friends  outside. 
The  title  is  so  given  in  the 
clandestine  letters  sent  out  sur- 
reptitiously, in  which  the  pri- 
soner says  Mr.  Wright,  who  is 
all  right  or  safe,  will  call. 

Wring  oneself,  to  (thieves),  to 
change  one's  clothes. 

I  went  home  and  wrung  myself,  and 
met  some  of  the  mob  and  got  very  near 
drunk. — Horsley :  Jottings  from  Jail. 

Wrinkle  (common),  properly  a 
whim,  fancy.  Used  slangily  for 
a  cunning  trick  or  artful  dodge. 

I  can  put  you  up  to  a  wrinkle.  Tollit 
has  got  a  mare  who  can  lick  Tearaway 
into  fits.  She's  as  easy  as  a  chair  and 
jumps  like  a  cat.  All  that  you  have  to  do 
is  to  sit  back. — C.  Bede:  Verdant  Green. 

Implying  artfulness,  this  word 
was    probably  associated  with 


Wrinkle— X,  Y,  Z. 


423 


wrinkle,  a  fold  or  plait,  as  if  it 
meant  an  involved  proceeding, 
a  piece  of  "duplicity"  {duplex) 
or  double-foldedness,  as  opposed 
to  what  is  plain  or  "simple" 
(Latin  simplex,  one  fold)  (Pal- 
mer). 

Palmer  as  he  was  a  man  symple  and 
withoute  all  ivryncles  off  cloked  colusy- 
one,  opened  to  hym  his  whole  intent. — 
Narratives  oj  the  Reformation. 
I  know  you're  a  little  bit  artful,  old  boy, 

And  up  to  a  wrinkle  or  two ; 
You  know  this  from    that   without  any 
doubt, 

And  many  old  fakements  can  do. 

— Ballad:  You're  More  Than  Seven- 

Writing  a  poor  hand  (tailors),  is 
said  of  one  who  sews  badly ; 
also  "sore  fist." 

Wrong  (common),  wrong  in  the 
upper  storey,  crazy.  In  the 
wrong  box,  out  of  one's  ele- 
ment. "You'll    find    yourself 


in  the  wrong  box,"  refers  to 
being  completely  mistaken  and 
finding  oneself  in  embarrass- 
ment or  jeopardy.  "We  are  in- 
debted for  this  to  George  Lord 
Lyttelton.  He  was  of  a  rather 
melancholy  disposition,  andused 
to  tell  his  friends  that  when 
he  went  to  Vauxhall  he  was 
always  supposing  pleasure  to 
be  in  the  next  box  to  his,  or  at 
least  that  he  was  so  unhappily 
situated  as  always  to  be  in  the 
wrong  box"  (E.  W.  Hackwood, 
Notes  and  Queries). 

Wrong  'un  (common),  anything 
or  anybody  that  is  artful  or 
bad.  (Turf),  a  horse  not  sup- 
posed to  be  meant  to  win. 
(Popular),  a  prostitute,  a  spuri- 
ous coin  or  note. 

Wusser  (bargemen),  a  canal 
boat. 


},  or  letter  x,  a  method 
of  arrest  used  by 
policemen  with  des- 
perate ruffians,  by 
getting  a  firm  grasp 
on  the  collar,  and  drawing  the 
captive's  hand  over  the  holding 
arm,  and  pressing  the  fingers 
down  in  a  peculiar  way — the 
captured  person's  arm   in  this. 


way  can  be  more  easily  broken 
than  extricated  (Hotten). 

X,  Y,  Z,  an  (literary),  a  common 
literary  caterer,  so  called  from 
an  advertiser  under  these  initials 
in  the  Times  offering  to  perform 
all  descriptions  of  literary  work 
at  very  moderate  and  unpro- 
fessional prices. 


424 


Yack — Yellow. 


jjACK  (thieves),  a  watch. 
From  the  gypsy  yack, 
an  eye  or  watch. 
Watches  were  at 
one  time  commonly 
known  as  bull's  eyes.  "To 
church  a  yack,"  or  "  christen  a 
yack,"  to  take  the  works  out  of 
the  case,  to  avoid  detection. 

Yaffle  (old  cant),  to  eat. 

Yam  (West  Indian  negro,  sailors, 
&c),  food. 


Yam,  to  (popular),  to  eat. 
is  provincial  English. 


This 


Ya-mun,  ya-men  (pidgin),  a  man- 
darin, a  prefect's  residence. 

Yank  (American),  nickname  for 
Yankee.  A  quick  pull,  snap; 
of  very  wide  application. 

No  kid.  I  didn't  get  home  till  three 
o'clock,  and  the  missis  would  have  it  I  was 
boozed.  I  assure  you,  it  rained  tea-cups 
and  hailed  fire-irons  for  about  half-an-hour, 
and  I've  felt  like  struck  by  lightning  ever 
since.  No;  that  Yank  was  about  right, 
I  guess. — Bird  o'  Freedom. 

Yank,  to  (American),  to  remove 
by  a  quick  motion,  or  a  snap. 

He  moistens  his  hands,  grabs  his  pro- 
perty vigorously,  yanks  it  this  way,  then 
that. — Mark  Twain:  A  Tramp  Abroad. 
A  grasshopper  sat  on  a  sweet- potato  vine, 
A  sweet-potato  vine, 
A  sweet-potato  vine, 
A  great  turkey  gobbler  came  running  up 

behind. 
And  yanked  the  poor  grasshopper  off  the 
sweet-potato  vine. 

— Popular  Song. 


To  yank  the  bun,  a  synonym 
for  "to  take  the  cake,"  meaning 
to  take  the  prize,  or  to  excel 
in  some  way. 

Yannam  (old  cant),  bread. 

Yarmouth  bee  (tailors),  a  herring. 

Yarmouth  capon.  Vide  Tbout, 
Nokloch. 

Yarmouth  mittens  (nautical), 
bruised  hands. 

Yarn-slinger,  one  who  writes  tales 
in  newspapers. 

Yarum  (old  cant),  milk ;  "  poplars 
of  yarum,"  milk  porridge. 

Yaw-sighted  (nautical),  squinting. 

Yellow  belly  (nautical),  a  name 
given  to  a  person  born  in  the 
fens  along  our  eastern  shores. 
Also  a  half-caste.  (American), 
a  Dutchman ;  so  called  from 
"  yellow  belly,"  a  frog. 

Yellow  boy  (common),  a  gold 
coin,  a  sovereign.  In  French 
slang  "jaunet,"  German  cant 
"fuchs"  and  "gelbling,"  from 
gelb,  yellow.  Some  of  the 
synonyms  for  a  sovereign  are 
"canary,"  "couter,"  "gingle 
D°y>"  "goldfinch,"  "monarch," 
"shiner,"  "quid,"  "meg," 
"James,"  "bean,"  "foont," 
"portrait,"  "thick-un,"  "skiv," 
"yellow  mould." 

The  best  of  all  robbers  as  ever  I  know'd, 
Is  the  bold  fighting  Attie,  the  pride  of  the 
road  ! — 


Yellow —  Yeute. 


425 


Fighting  Attie,  my  hero,  I  saw  you  to-day 
A  purse  full  of  yelloiu  boys  seize. 

—LordLytton:  Paul  Clifford. 

We  shut  the  cellar  door  behind  us,  and 
when  they  found  the  bag  they  spilt  it  out 
on  the  floor,  and  it  was  a  lovely  sight,  all 
them yaller boys. — Mark  Twain:  Huckle- 
berry Finn. 

Yellow  dog  (American).  Dr.  0. 
W.  Holmes,  in  "  Elsie  Venner, " 
has  written  an  amusing  com- 
ment on  the  fact  that  in  the 
New  England  States  a  yellow 
dog  is  a  synonym  for  all  that 
is  contemptible. 

"  I  am  looked  at  as  a  blackmailer,"  said 
he,  "  and  those  who  believe  I  have  been 
bleeding  that  old  man  hold  me  in  as  much 
contempt  as  a  yellow  dog." — American 
Newspaper. 

Yellow  fancy  (costers  and  pugi- 
listic), silk  pocket-handkerchief 
with  white  spots. 

Yellow  fever,  formerly  a  cant 
term  for  drunkenness  at  Green- 
wich Hospital,  where  drunkards 
used  to  be  punished  by  being 
made  to  wear  a  parti- coloured 
coat  in  which  yellow  predomi- 
nated. (Australian  mining), 
greed  for  gold.  The  expression 
has  practically  come  to  mean 
"  Dreams  of  an  Eldorado."  In 
the  same  way  ladies  are  said 
to  suffer  from  "scarlet  fever" 
when  they  run  after  military 
society. 

Yellow  gloak  (old),  a  jealous  man. 

Yellow  hammer,  one  of  the 
synonyms  for  a  gold  coin. 


Yellow  man  (prize  ring),  a  yellow 
silk  handkerchief. 

Sporting  the  yellow  man.  The  wipe 
was  of  bright  yellow,  made  on  purpose  for 
him. — Pierce  Egan  :  Book  of  Sports. 

Yellow-mould  (tailors),  a  sove- 
reign. 

Yellow  pine  (American),  a  word 
frequently  used  to  indicate  a 
quadroon  or  light  mulatto. 

Yellow  stuff  (thieves),  gold.  In 
French  slang  "jaune."  Also 
counterfeit  gold  coins. 

If  he  can  manage  to  begin  every  morn- 
ing with  yellow  stuff,  he  may  make  a 
couple  of  quid  a  day ;  but  if  he  can  only 
muster  white  stuff,  why,  of  course  he  can't 
make  so  much. — Temple  Bar. 

Yellows  (thieves), counterfeit  gold 
coin ;  the  silver  coin  is  called 
blanks  before  impressed.  Many 
of  these  are  struck  at  Birming- 
ham, but  there  was  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  century  a  large 
number  made  in  London. 

(Popular),  Blue-coat  or  charity 
school  boys. 

Yelper,  or  bullet,  got  (popular), 
discharged. 

Yennep  (costers  and  thieves),  back 
slang  for  a  penny. 

"  All  a  fellow  wants  to  know  to  sell  pota- 
toes," said  a  master  street  seller  to  me,  "  is 
to  tell  how  many  tanners  make  a  bob,  and 
how  many  yenneps  a  tanner." — Maykew : 
London  Labour  and  the  London  Poor. 

Yeute  (Punch  show),  no,  not,  as  in 
yeute  lette,  no  bed. 


426 


Yid—Yokuff. 


Yid,  Yiddisher,  Yeddan,  or  Yed- 
dican  (London),  a  Jew.  From 
the  German  Jiidisch. 

I  might,  if  I  had  poached  upon  the  province 

of  the  Pitcher, 
Have  devoted  just  a  verse  or  two  to  love 

among  the  Yids. 

— Sporting  Times. 

Yiesk  (tinker),  fish  (Gaelic  casg). 

Ying-jen  (pidgin),  Englishman. 

Yiu  (Punch  and  Judy),  a  street. 
Query  French  "rue "  ? 

Yob,  boy.  An  example  of  back 
slang  largely  used  by  coster- 
mongers,  which  simply  consists 
in  spelling  (more  or  less  accu- 
rately) words  backwards.  Thus, 
"Hi,  yob,  kool  that  enif  elrig 
with  the  nael  ekom.  Sap  her 
a  top  o'  reeb  or  a  tib  of  occabot," 
•  is  "  Hi,  boy,  look  at  that  fine 

girl  with  the  lean  moke  (donkey). 
Pass  her  a  pot  of  beer  and  a  bit 
of  tobacco."  The  art  or  merit 
of  this  form  of  slang  consists  in 
the  rapidity,  often  most  re- 
markable, with  which  words 
can  be  reversed.  Thus  May  hew, 
^  wishing  to  test  the  skill  of  a 
professor  of  the  art  with  a  word 
not  in  common  use  in  the  market, 
asked  a  coster  friend  what  was 
the  back  slang  for  hippopota- 
mus. At  once  he  answered 
"  sumatopoppy."  Back  slang 
largely  mingles  with  the  older 
and  more  legitimate  argot  or 
thieves'  slang. 

Yob-gab  (costers  and  thieves), 
boys'  talk.     This  is  a  jargon 


used  by  costermongers,  thieves, 
and  tramps  to  enable  them  to 
talk  about  their  doings  without 
being  understood  by  the  unin- 
itiated. It  is  seldom  if  ever 
seen  written  or  printed.  The 
"language"  is  simple  enough, 
and  when  the  key  is  known 
there  is  no  difficulty  in  talking 
oneself,  or  in  understanding 
the  talk  of  others.  The  simplest 
form  of  yob-gab  is  the  spelling 
of  words  letter  by  letter,  with 
the  addition  of  a  consonant  after 
each  vowel,  and  a  vowel  after 
each  consonant.  Thus  legs  is 
li-et-gi-si ;  but  as  any  vowel  or 
consonant  may  be  used,  the 
same  word  may  be  expressed  in 
several  different  forms  ;  thus  la- 
el-go-su,  le-em-gu-so,  lo-es-ga-se, 
lw-es-ga-so.  Man  is  represented 
by  mw-aZ-nw,  mi-a£-m,  mo-ad-no, 
and  so  forth,  through  number- 
less variations,  which  make  the 
jargon  more  puzzling  to  any  one 
who  hears  it  spoken,  the  same 
word  being  varied  at  the  will 
of  the  speaker.  The  jargon  is 
easily  learned,  and  amongst 
costers  and  their  children  it 
was,  a  quarter  of  a  century  ago, 
quite  common,  and  teachers  in 
the  Ragged  Schools  in  Kent 
Street,  and  the  Mint  in  South- 
wark,  and  the  district  visitors 
got  quite  familiar  with  it, 
through  hearing  it  in  use  by 
both  parents  and  children. 

Yokuff  (thieves),  a  kind  of  back 
slang,  or  anagram,  for  coffer, 
that  is,  a  box,  chest. 


Yok —  Your. 


427 


Yok,  yoke  (tinker),  a  man. 
(English  canting  and  old  pro- 
vincial), a  countryman.  The  el 
final  is  a  common  termination 
(e.g.,  cockerel),  like  er. 

Yorkshire,  to,  to  cheat  or  cozen. 
Also  to  come  Yorkshire  over  a 
person. 

You  bet !  (American),  an  exclama- 
tion, a  strong  affirmative  or 
negative.  The  writer  has  also 
heard  it  with  the  meaning  of 
what  next  ?  Don't  you  think 
you  may  get  it  ? 

"You  can  be  supplied  cheaper  than  that, 
you  bet!  About  ten  bobs'  worth  of  ste- 
phanotis,  and  half  a  dollar  to  the  door- 
keeper " 

Another  friendship  severed. — Bird  o' 
Freedom. 

(American),  this  slang  phrase 
has  actually  given  a  name  to  a 
settlement  in  the  north-west. 
Vide  Wild-cat  Villages. 

We  at  last  got  straightened  up,  and  the 
snow  came  on  with  a  heavy  wind,  but 
most  fortunately  it  was  behind  us,  so  we 
kept  before  the  storm,  and  reached,  in  the 
course  of  another  two  miles,  the  settlement 
of  Ubet.  .  .  .  The  name  of  Ubet  had  been 
selected  from  the  slang  phrase  so  laconi- 
cally expressive  of  "  You  may  be  pretty 
sure  I  will." — A.  Staveley  Hill:  From 
Home  to  Home. 

You  bet  your  buttons  I  (Ameri- 
can), said  of  a  man  who  will 
play  at  a  gambling-table  so  long 
as  he  has  money. 

"  You  bet  your  buttons!"  murmured 
Squito  proudly,  "  Sam'll  stay  with  'em  as 
long  as  he's  got  a  check." — F.  Francis: 
Saddle  and  Moccasin. 

You  bet  your  sweet  life!  (Ame- 
rican),   meaning   you  may  be 


assured.      Also    used   in   Eng- 
land. 

You  can  find  me  whenever  you  do  ;  and 
you'll  find  me  heeled,  too,  you  bet  your 
iweet  life. — F.  Francis :  Saddle  and  Moc- 
casin. 

You  fasten  on  (common),  syno- 
nymous of  "  you  go  on." 

You'll  do  I  (American),  uttered 
with  a  strong  accent  on  the 
you'll.  A  strong  approval,  a 
declaration  that  the  one  ad- 
dressed can  take  care  of  him- 
self or  hold  his  own,  a  note  of 
admiration.  In  a  police  report 
in  a  Michigan  newspaper,  a 
vagrant  brought  before  the 
mayor,  being  asked  what  caused 
the  wound  on  his  nose,  re- 
plied, "  I  fell  down  and  stepped 
on  it."  BeiDg  required  to  pay 
a  fine,  he  produced  a  bank-bill, 
which  he  assured  the  magistrate 
was  the  last  fragment  of  an  im- 
mense fortune  left  to  him  by 
a  fond  and  devoted  uncle.  He 
was,  in  short,  so  prompt  with 
his  replies,  and  showed  such 
"  a  healthy  indifference  "  to  his 
adversity,  that  the  magistrate 
dismissed  him,  exclaiming  in 
admiration  ' '  You'll  do  !  "  "  I'll 
do "  is  also  commonly  heard 
when  a  man  is  confident  of  his 
ability  to  succeed  in  anything, 
or  to  take  care  of  himself. 

And  like  a  rat  without  a  tail, 
I'll  do,  and  I'll  do,  and  I'll  do. 

—Mackbeth. 

Your  uncle  (American),  an  equiva- 
lent for  "  I." 


428 


You — Zoyara. 


You  say  you  can,  but  can  you? 
(American).  "  This  was  ex- 
plained by  one  of  my  friends  as 
being  Chesterfleldian  for  ■  yon 
be!'  "  (C.  Leland  Harrison,  MS. 
Americanisms). 

You've  fixed  it  up  nicely  for  me 

(popular),  one  of  the  numerous 
popular  slang  synonyms  for  say- 
ing that  a  man  is  not  to  be 
taken  in.  "No  you  don't," 
"Not  for  Joseph,"  or  "Do 
you  see  anything  green  in  my 
eye?" 

Now  grammar  is  all  very  well  in  its  way, 
As  taught  to  young  folks  in  their  teens — 


But  as  for  myself  I  am  sorry  to  say 
That  I  really  don't  know  what  it  means. 
There  is  only  one  phrase   I   can   safely 

employ, 
When  a  widow  invites  me  to  tea, 
I  wink  my  left  eye  and  I  simply  reply, 
You've  fixed  it  up  nicely  for  me. 

— Robert  Johnson :  Ballad. 

You've  shot  your  granny  (Ame- 
rican), you've  found  a  mare's 
nest. 

Yoxter  (thieves),  a  convict  re- 
turned from  transportation  be- 
fore his  time. 


Yum-yum 

elegant. 


(London),     first-rate, 


IFF  (thieves),  a  young 
thief. 

Zoo  (common),  ab- 
breviation for  Zoo- 
logical Gardens. 

Zooning  (American),  used  in 
the  South.  Humming,  buzzing, 
barking. 

Bre'r  Bar,  he  low  dat  he  kin  hear  de 
bees  a-zoonin. — Uncle  Remus. 

Zoucher  (thieves),  a  slovenly 
fellow. 

Zoyara  (American),  an  effeminate 
young  man,  a  lady-gentleman,  a 
"  Molly."  In  1 860-6 1  there  was  a 
young  fellow  whose  name  "on 


the  slangs  "was  Zoyara,  a  circus- 
rider,  who  affected  the  dress 
and  airs  of  a  girl  so  well  that 
it  was  the  town-question  in 
New  York  for  some  time  as  to 
what  the  sex  of  the  "  phenome- 
non "  really  was.  Of  course 
every  circus  in  the  United 
States  had  for  some  time  after 
a  Zoyara. 

The  London  Globe  having  in- 
quired why  the  stage  names 
of  female  acrobats  and  circus- 
riders  so  generally  begin  with 
Z,  a  correspondent  (C.  G.  Leland) 
remarked  that  they  are,  as  in 
Zazel,  Zaniel,  Zoes,  derived  from 
Hebrew  or  Yiddish  words  mean- 
ing devil  or  goblin. 


\ 


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El     -°' 

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1642  ! 

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SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A  A      000143  356    4 


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■  • 


"— WWWMMI 


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