The Slang Dictionary (part 1)

A 1, first-rate, the very best; “she’s a prime girl, she is; she is A 1.”—Sam Slick. The highest classification of ships at Lloyd’s; common term in the United States; also at Liverpool and other English seaports. Another, even more intensitive form is “first-class, letter A, No. 1.” Some people choose to say A I, for no reason, however, beyond that of being different from others.

Abigail, a lady’s-maid; perhaps obtained from old comedies. Used in an uncomplimentary sense. Some think the term is derived from Abigail Hill (Mrs. Masham), lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne, and a typical ABIGAIL in the way of intrigue.

About Right, “to do the thing ABOUT RIGHT,” i.e., to do it properly, soundly, correctly; “he guv it ’im ABOUT RIGHT,” i.e., he beat him severely.

Abraham-man, a vagabond, such as were driven to beg about the country after the dissolution of the monasteries.—See BESS O’ BEDLAM, infra. They are well described under the title of Bedlam Beggars.—Shakspeare’s K. Lear, ii. 3.

“And these, what name or title e’er they bear,
Jarkman, or Patrico, Cranke, or Clapper-dudgeon,
Frater, or ABRAM-MAN; I speak to all
That stand in fair election for the title
Of king of beggars.”—Beaumont and Fletcher’s Begg. Bush. II. 1.

It appears to have been the practice in former days to allow certain inmates of Bethlehem Hospital to have fixed days “to go begging:” hence impostors were said to “SHAM ABRAHAM” (the Abraham Ward in Bedlam having for its inmates these mendicant lunatics) when they pretended they were licensed beggars in behalf of the hospital.

Abraham-sham, or SHAM ABRAHAM, to feign sickness or distress. From ABRAHAM-MAN, the ancient Cant term for a begging impostor, or one who pretended to have been mad.—Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy, vol. i. p. 360. When Abraham Newland was Cashier to the Bank of England, and signed their notes, it was sung:—

“I have heard people say
That SHAM ABRAHAM you may,
But you mustn’t SHAM ABRAHAM Newland.”

Absquatulate, to run away, or abscond; a hybrid American expression, from the Latin ab, and “squat” to settle.

Acres, a coward. From Bob Acres, in Sheridan’s Rivals.

Adam’s Ale, water.—English. The Scotch term is ADAM’S WINE.

Added to the List, a euphuism current among sporting writers implying that a horse has been gelded. As, “Sabinus has been ADDED TO THE LIST.” Another form of expression in reference to this matter is that “the knife has been brought into requisition.” “ADDED TO THE LIST” is simply a contraction for “added to the list of geldings in training.”

Addlepate, a foolish fellow, a dullard.

Admiral of the Red, a person whose very red face evinces a fondness for strong potations.

Affygraphy. “It fits to an AFFYGRAPHY,” i.e., to a nicety—to a T.

Afternoon Farmer, one who wastes his best opportunity, and drives off the large end of his work to the little end of his time.

Against the Grain, in opposition to the wish. “It went AGAINST THE GRAIN to do it, but I knew I must,” is a common expression.

Aggerawators (corruption of Aggravators), the greasy locks of hair in vogue among costermongers and other street folk, worn twisted from the temple back towards the ear. They are also, from a supposed resemblance in form, termed NEWGATE KNOCKERS, and sometimes NUMBER SIXES. This style of adorning the head is, however, fast dying out, and the everyday costermonger or street thief has his hair cut like any one else. The yearly militia drill may have had a good deal to do with this alteration.

Akeybo, a slang phrase used in the following manner:—“He beats AKEYBO, and AKEYBO beat the devil.”

Albertopolis, a facetious appellation given by the Londoners to the Kensington Gore district. Now obsolete.

Alderman, a half-crown—possibly from its rotundity. Also a long pipe.

Alderman, a turkey; “ALDERMAN IN CHAINS,” a turkey hung with sausages.

All of a Hugh! all on one side; falling with a thump; the word HUGH being pronounced with a grunt.—Suffolk.

All my Eye, a remark of incredulity made in reference to an improbable story; condensation of “ALL MY EYE AND BETTY MARTIN,” a vulgar phrase constructed from the commencement of a Roman Catholic prayer to St. Martin, “Oh, mihi, beate Martine,” which in common with many another fell into discredit and ridicule after the Reformation.

All out, by far;—“he was ALL OUT the best of the lot.” Old—frequently used by Burton in his Anatomy of Melancholy.

All-overish, neither sick nor well; the premonitory symptoms of illness. Also the feeling which comes over a man at a critical moment, say just when he is about to “pop the question.” Sometimes this is called, “feeling all over alike, and touching nowhere.”

All-rounder, a shirt collar going all round the neck and meeting in front. Once fashionable, but little worn now.

All Serene, an ejaculation of acquiescence. Some years back a popular street cry. With or without application to actual fact, the words ALL SERENE were bawled from morning to night without any reference to the serenity of the unfortunate hearers.—See SERENE.

Alls, tap-droppings, refuse spirits sold at a cheap rate in gin-palaces.

All There, in strict fashion, first-rate, “up to the mark;” a vulgar person would speak of a handsome, well-dressed woman as being ALL THERE. An artisan would use the same phrase to express the capabilities of a skillful fellow-workman. Sometimes ALL THE WAY THERE. Always used as a term of encomium.

All to Pieces, utterly, excessively; “he beat him ALL TO PIECES,” i.e., excelled or surpassed him exceedingly. Also a term much in use among sporting men and expressing want of form, or decadence. A boat’s crew are said to “go ALL TO PIECES” when they through distress lose their regularity. A woman is vulgarly said to “fall to pieces,” or “tumble to pieces,” when she is confined.

All to Smash, or “GONE ALL TO PIECES,” bankrupt, ruined.

Almighty Dollar, an American expression representing the manner in which money is worshipped. Modernly introduced by Washington Irving in 1837. The idea of this phrase is, however, far older than the time of Irving. Ben Jonson’s Epistle to Elizabeth, Countess of Rutland, commences thus—

“Whilst that for which all virtue now is sold,
And almost every vice, almightie gold.”

It seems almost obvious that the term must have been applied, not to dollars certainly, but to money, long before the time of Irving.

American Tweezers, an instrument used by an hotel-sneak which nips the wards end of a key, and enables him to open a door from the opposite side to that on which it has been locked.

Andrew Millar, a ship of war.—Sea.

Ain’t, the vulgar abbreviation of “am not,” “are not,” or “is not.”

Anointed, i.e., eminent; used to express great rascality in any one; “an ANOINTED scoundrel,” king among scoundrels.—Irish.

Anointing, a good beating. A case for the application of salve.

Anonyma, a lady of the demi-monde, or worse; a “pretty horsebreaker.” Incognita was the term at first. Product of the squeamishness of the age which tries to thrust away fact by the use of fine words.

Antiscriptural, oaths, foul language. Anything unfit for ordinary society conversation.

Apartments to Let, a term used in reference to one who has a somewhat empty head. As, “He’s got APARTMENTS TO LET.”

Apostle’s Grove, the London district known as St. John’s Wood. Also called GROVE OF THE EVANGELIST.

Apostles, The Twelve, the last twelve names on the Poll, or “Ordinary Degree” List at the Cambridge Examinations, when it was arranged in order of merit, and not alphabetically, and in classes, as at present; so called from their being post alios, after the others.—See POLL. The last of all was called St. Paul (or Saint Poll), as being the least of the apostles, and “not meet to be called an apostle” (see 1 Cor. xv. 9). As in the “Honour” list (see Gulf), students who had failed only slightly in one or more subjects were occasionally allowed their degrees, and these were termed ELEGANT EXTRACTS.—Camb. Univ. Slang.

Apple-pie Bed, a trick played at schools on new comers, or on any boy disliked by the rest. One of the sheets is removed, and the other is doubled in the middle, so that both edges are brought to the top, and look as if both sheets were there; but the unhappy occupant is prevented getting more than half-way down, and he has to remake his bed as best he can. This trick is sometimes played by children of a larger growth.

Apple-Cart, the human structure, so far as the phrases with which it is connected are concerned. As “I’ll upset your APPLE-CART,” “down with his APPLE-CART.”

Apple-pie Order, in exact or very nice order.

Appro, contraction of approbation, a word much in use among jewellers. Most of the extensive show of chains, watches, and trinkets in a shop window is obtained “ON APPRO,” i.e., “on sale or return.”

Area Sneak, a thief who commits depredations upon kitchens and cellars.

Argol-bargol, to bandy words.—Scotch.

Article, derisive term for a weak or insignificant specimen of humanity.

Atomy, a diminutive or deformed person. From ANATOMY, or ATOM.

Attack, to carve, or commence operations; “ATTACK that beef, and oblige!”

Attic, the head; “queer in the ATTIC,” intoxicated or weak-minded. Sometimes ATTIC is varied by “upper story.”

Attic Salt, wit, humour, pleasantry. Partly a reference to a suggestive portion of Grecian literature, and partly a sly hit at the well-known poverty of many writers.

Auctioneer, to “tip him the AUCTIONEER,” is to knock a man down. Tom Sayers’s right hand was known to pugilistic fame as the AUCTIONEER.

Audit Ale, extra strong ale supposed to be drunk when the accounts are audited.—Camb. Univ.

Auld-Reekie, an affectionate term for the old town of Edinburgh. Derived from its dingy appearance.

Aunt Sally, a favourite figure on racecourses and at fairs, consisting of a wooden head mounted on a stick, firmly fixed in the ground; in the nose of which, or rather where the nose should be, a tobacco-pipe is inserted. The fun consists in standing at a distance and demolishing AUNT SALLY’S pipe-clay projection with short bludgeons, very similar to the halves of broom-handles. The Duke of Beaufort is a “crack hand” at smashing pipe noses; and his performances some years ago on Brighton racecourse, which brought the game into notoriety, are yet fresh in remembrance. Aunt Sally has, however, had her day, and once again the inevitable “three shies a penny!” is chief among our outdoor amusements.

Avast, a sailor’s phrase for stop, shut up, go away,—apparently connected with the old Cant, BYNGE A WASTE; or from the Italian, BASTA, hold! enough.

Awake, or FLY, knowing, thoroughly understanding. “I’m awake,” i.e., I know all. The phrase WIDE-AWAKE carries a similar meaning in ordinary conversation, but has a more general reference.

Awful, a senseless expletive, used to intensify a description of anything good or bad; “what an AWFUL fine woman!” “awfully jolly,” “awfully sorry,” &c. The phrase is not confined to any section of society.

Ax, to ask. Sometimes pronounced arks.

Babes, the lowest order of KNOCK-OUTS (which see), who are prevailed upon not to give opposing biddings at auctions, in consideration of their receiving a small sum (from one shilling to half-a-crown), and a certain quantity of beer. They can, however, even after this agreement, be secured on the other side for a little longer price. There is no honour among thieves—at all events not among auction thieves—nowadays.

Back, to support by means of money, on the turf or otherwise.—See LAY.

Back, “to get one’s BACK UP,” to annoy or enrage. Probably from the action of a cat when preparing to give battle to an enemy.

Back-end, that portion of the year which commences with October. This phrase is peculiar to the turf, and has its origin in the fact that October was actually, and is now nearly, the finishing portion of the racing season. Towards BACK-END the punters and “little men” generally begin to look forward with anxiety to their winter prospects, and “going for the gloves” is not only a frequent phrase, but a frequently recurring practice.

Back Out, to retreat from a difficulty; reverse of GO AHEAD. Metaphor borrowed from the stables.

Back Slang It, to go out the back way. Equivalent to “Sling your hook out of the back-door,” i.e., get away quickly.

Backslums, the byeways and disreputable portions of a town.

Back-Hander, a blow on the face with the back of the hand, a back-handed tip. Also a drink out of turn, as when a greedy person delays the decanter to get a second glass. Anything done slyly or secretly is said to be done in a back-handed manner.

Backer, one who places his money on a particular man or animal; a supporter of one side in a contest. The great body of betting men is divided into BOOKMAKERS and BACKERS.

Back Jump, a back window.—Prison term.

Bacon, the body, “to save one’s BACON,” to escape.

Bad, “to go to the bad,” to deteriorate in character, to be ruined. Virgil has an almost similar phrase, in pejus ruere, which means, by the way, to go to the worse.

Bad, hard, difficult. Word in use among sporting men who say, “He will be BAD to beat,” when they mean that the man or horse to whom they refer will about win.

Bad Egg, a scoundrel or rascal.

Badger, to tease, to annoy by “chaffing.” Suggestive of drawing a badger.

Bad Lot, a term derived from auctioneering slang, and now generally used to describe a man or woman of indifferent morals.

Badminton, blood,—properly a peculiar kind of claret-cup invented at the Duke of Beaufort’s seat of that name. Badminton proper is made of claret, sugar, spice, cucumber peel, and ice, and was sometimes used by the patrons of the Prize Ring as a synonym for blood.

Bad Words, words not always bad of themselves but unpleasant to “ears polite,” from their vulgar associations.

Baffaty, calico. Term used in the drapery trade.

Bag, to seize or steal, equivalent to “collar.”

Bagman, a commercial traveller. This word is used more in reference to the old style of commercial travellers than to the present.

Bags, trousers. Trousers of an extensive pattern, or exaggerated fashion, have sometimes been termed HOWLING-BAGS, but only when the style has been very “loud.” The word is probably an abbreviation of bumbags. “To have the BAGS off,” to be of age and one’s own master, to have plenty of money. Bags of mystery is another phrase in frequent use, and refers to sausages and saveloys. Bag of tricks, refers to the whole of a means towards a result. “That’s the whole bag of tricks.”

Baked, seasoned, “he’s only HALF-BAKED,” i.e., soft, inexperienced.

Baker’s Dozen, thirteen. Originally the London bakers supplied the retailers, i.e., chandlers’ shopkeepers and itinerants, with thirteen loaves to the dozen, so as to make up what is known as the overweight, the surplus number, called the inbread, being thrown in for fear of incurring a penalty for short weight. To “give a man a BAKER’S DOZEN,” in a slang sense, sometimes means to give him an extra good beating or pummelling.

Balaam, printers’ slang for matter kept in type about monstrous productions of nature, &c., to fill up spaces in newspapers that would otherwise be vacant. The term BALAAM-BOX has often been used as the name of a depository for rejected articles. Evidently from Scripture, and referring to the “speech of an ass.”

Bald-Faced Stag, a term of derision applied to a person with a bald head. Also, still more coarsely, “BLADDER-OF-LARD.”

Bale up, an Australian term equivalent to our “Shell out.” A demand for instantaneous payment.

Ballambangjang. The Straits of BALLAMBANGJANG, though unnoticed by geographers, are frequently mentioned in sailors’ yarns as being so narrow, and the rocks on each side so crowded with trees inhabited by monkeys, that the ship’s yards cannot be squared, on account of the monkey’s tails getting jammed into, and choking up, the brace blocks.—Sea.

Ballast, money. A rich man is said to be well-ballasted. If not proud and over-bearing he is said to carry his ballast well.

Balmy, weak-minded or idiotic (not insane).

Balmy, sleep; “have a dose of the BALMY.”

Bamboozle, to deceive, make fun of, or cheat a person; abbreviated to BAM, which is sometimes used also as a substantive—a deception, a sham, a “sell.” Swift says BAMBOOZLE was invented by a nobleman in the reign of Charles II.; but this is very likely an error. The probability is that a nobleman then first used it in polite society. The term is derived from the Gipsies.

Bandannah, originally a peculiar kind of silk pocket-handkerchief, now slang used to denote all sorts of “stooks,” “wipes,” and “fogles,” and in fact the generic term for a kerchief, whether neck or pocket.

Banded, hungry. From the habit hungry folks have of tying themselves tight round the middle.

Bandy, or CRIPPLE, a sixpence, so called from this coin being generally bent or crooked; old term for flimsy or bad cloth, temp. Q. Elizabeth.

Bang, to excel or surpass; BANGING, great or thumping.

Bang-up, first-rate, in the best possible style.

Bank, to put in a place of safety. “Bank the rag,” i.e., secure the note. Also “to bank” is to go shares.

Bank, the total amount possessed by any one, “How’s the BANK?” “Not very strong; about one and a buck.”

Bantling, a child; stated in Bacchus and Venus, 1737, and by Grose, to be a cant term. This is hardly slang now-a-days, and modern etymologists give its origin as that of bands or swaddling clothes.

Banyan-Day, a day on which no meat is served out for rations; probably derived from the BANIANS, a Hindoo caste, who abstain from animal food. Quite as probably from the sanitary arrangements which have in hot climates counselled the eating of BANYANS and other fruits in preference to meat on certain days.—Sea.

Bar, or BARRING, excepting; in common use in the betting-ring; “Two to one bar one,” i.e., two to one against any horse with the exception of one. The Irish use of BARRIN’ is very similar, and the words BAR and BARRING may now be regarded as general.

Barber’s Cat, a half-starved sickly-looking person. Term used in connexion with an expression too coarse to print.

Barber’s Clerk, an overdressed shopboy who apes the manners of, and tries to pass himself off as, a gentleman; a term of reproach applied not to an artisan but to one of those who, being below, assume airs of superiority over, handicraftsmen.

Barge, a term used among printers (compositors) to denote a case in which there is an undue proportion of some letters and a corresponding shortness of those which are most valuable.

Bark, an Irish person of either sex. From this term, much in use among the London lower orders, but for which no etymology can be found, Ireland is now and then playfully called Barkshire.

Barker, a man employed to cry at the doors of “gaffs,” shows, and puffing shops, to entice people inside. Among touting photographers he is called a doorsman.

Barking-Iron, or BARKER, a pistol. Term used by footpads and thieves generally.

Barnacles, spectacles; possibly a corruption of binoculi; but derived by some from the barnacle (Lepas Anatifera), a kind of conical shell adhering to ships’ bottoms. Hence a marine term for goggles, which they resemble in shape, and for which they are used by sailors in case of ophthalmic derangement.

Barney, an unfair race of any kind: a sell or cross. Also a lark, jollification, or outing. The word BARNEY is sometimes applied to a swindle unconnected with the sporting world.

Barn Stormers, theatrical performers who travel the country and act in barns, selecting short and tragic pieces to suit the rustic taste.

Barrikin, jargon, speech, or discourse; “We can’t tumble to that BARRIKIN,” i.e., we don’t understand what he says. “Cheese your BARRIKIN,” shut up. Miege calls it “a sort of stuff;” Old French, BARACAN.

Bash, to beat, thrash; “BASHING a dona,” beating a woman; originally a provincial word, applied to the practice of beating walnut trees, when in bud, with long poles, to increase their productiveness. Hence the West country proverb—

“A woman, a whelp, and a walnut tree,
The more you BASH ’em, the better they be.”

The word BASH, among thieves, signifies to flog with the cat or birch. The worst that can happen to a brutal ruffian is to receive “a BASHING in, and a BASHING out,”—a flogging at the commencement and another at the close of his term of enforced virtue.

Baste, to beat, properly to pour gravy on roasting meat to keep it from burning, and add to its flavour. Also a sewing term.

Bastile, the workhouse. General name for “the Union” amongst the lower orders of the North. Formerly used to denote a prison, or “lock-up;” but its abbreviated form, STEEL, is now the favourite expression with the dangerous classes, some of whom have never heard of BASTILE, familiar as they are with “steel.”

Bat, “on his own BAT,” on his own account. Evident modification of the cricket term, “off his own bat,” though not connected therewith.—See HOOK.

Bat, to take an innings at cricket. To “carry out one’s BAT” is to be last in, i.e., to be “not out.” A man’s individual score is said to be made “off his own BAT.”

Bat, pace at walking or running. As, “He went off at a good BAT.”

Bats, a pair of bad boots.

Battells, the weekly bills at Oxford. Probably originally wooden tallies, and so a diminutive of bâton.—University.

Batter, wear and tear; “can’t stand the BATTER,” i.e., not equal to the task; “on the BATTER,” “on the streets,” “on the town,” or given up to roystering and debauchery.

Batty, wages, perquisites. Derived from BATTA, an extra pay given to soldiers while serving in India.

Batty-Fang, to beat; BATTY-FANGING, a beating; also BATTER-FANG. Used metaphorically as early as 1630.

“So batter-fanged and belabour’d with tongue mettle, that he was weary of his life.”—Taylor’s Works.

Beach-Comber, a fellow who prowls about the sea-shore to plunder wrecks, and pick up waifs and strays of any kind.—Sea.

Beak, originally a magistrate, judge, or policeman; now a magistrate only; “to baffle the BEAK,” to get remanded. Ancient Cant, BECK. Saxon, BEAG, a necklace or gold collar—emblem of authority. Sir John Fielding was called the BLIND-BEAK in the last century. Maybe connected with the Italian BECCO, which means a (bird’s) beak, and also a blockhead.—See WALKER.

Beaker-Hunter, or BEAK-HUNTER, a stealer of poultry.

Beans, money; “a haddock of BEANS,” a purse of money; formerly, BEAN meant a guinea; French, BIENS, property.

Bear, one who contracts to deliver or sell a certain quantity of stock in the public funds on a forthcoming day at a stated place, but who does not possess it, trusting to a decline in public securities to enable him to fulfil the agreement and realize a profit.—See BULL. Both words are slang terms on the Stock Exchange, and are frequently used in the business columns of newspapers.

“He who sells that of which he is not possessed is proverbially said to sell the skin before he has caught the BEAR. It was the practice of stock-jobbers, in the year 1720, to enter into a contract for transferring South Sea stock at a future time for a certain price; but he who contracted to sell had frequently no stock to transfer, nor did he who bought intend to receive any in consequence of his bargain; the seller was, therefore, called a BEAR, in allusion to the proverb, and the buyer a BULL, perhaps only as a similar distinction. The contract was merely a wager, to be determined by the rise or fall of stock; if it rose, the seller paid the difference to the buyer, proportioned to the sum determined by the same computation to the seller.”—Dr. Warton on Pope.

These arrangements are nowadays called “time bargains,” and are as fairly (or unfairly) gambling as any transactions at the Victoria Club or Tattersall’s, or any of the doings which call for the intervention of the police and the protestations of pompous City magistrates, who, during their terms of office, try to be virtuous and make their names immortal. Certainly BULLING and BEARING are as productive of bankruptcy and misery as are BACKING and LAYING.

Be-argered, drunk. (The word is divided here simply to convey the pronunciation.)

Bear-Leader, a tutor in a private family. In the old days of the “grand tour” the term was much more in use and of course more significant than it is now.

Bear-up and Bearer-up.—See BONNET.

Beat, the allotted range traversed by a policeman on duty.

Beat, or BEAT-HOLLOW, to surpass or excel; also “BEAT into fits,” and “BEAT badly.”

Beat, “DEAD-BEAT,” wholly worn out, done up.

Beater-Cases, boots. Nearly obsolete. Trotter cases is the term nowadays.

Beaver, old street term for a hat; GOSS is the modern word, BEAVER, except in the country, having fallen into disuse.

Bebee, a lady.—Anglo-Indian.

Be-Blowed, a derisive instruction never carried into effect, as, “You BE-BLOWED.” Used similarly to the old “Go to.” See BLOW ME.

Bed-Fagot, a contemptuous term for a woman; generally applied to a prostitute.—See FAGOT.

Bed-Post, “in the twinkling of a BED-POST,” in a moment, or very quickly. Originally BED-STAFF, a stick placed vertically in the frame of a bed to keep the bedding in its place, and used sometimes as a defensive weapon.

Bee, “to have a BEE in one’s bonnet,” i.e., to be not exactly sane; to have a craze in one particular direction. Several otherwise sensible and excellent M.P.’s are distinguished by the “BEE in his bonnet” each carries.

Beef-Headed, stupid, fat-headed, dull.

Beefy, unduly thick or fat, commonly said of women’s ankles; also rich, juicy, plenteous. To take the whole pool at loo, or to have any particular run of luck at cards generally is said by players to be “very BEEFY.”

Beeline, the straightest possible line of route to a given point. When a bee is well laden, it makes a straight flight for home. Originally an Americanism, but now general.

Beery, intoxicated, or fuddled with beer.

Beeswax, poor, soft cheese. Sometimes called “sweaty-toe cheese.”

Beeswing, the film which forms on the sides of bottles which contain good old port wine. This breaks up into small pieces in the process of decanting, and looks like BEES’ WINGS. Hence the term.

Beetle-Crusher, or SQUASHER, a large flat foot. The expression was made popular by being once used by Leech.

Beetle-Sticker, an entomologist.

Beggars’ Velvet, downy particles which accumulate under furniture from the negligence of housemaids. Otherwise called SLUTS’-WOOL.

Belcher, a blue bird’s-eye handkerchief.—See BILLY.

Bell, a song. Tramps’ term. Simply diminutive of BELLOW.

Bellows, the lungs. Bellowser, a blow in the “wind,” or pit of the stomach, taking one’s breath away.

Bellowsed, or LAGGED, transported.

Bellows to Mend, a person out of breath; especially a pugilist is said to be “BELLOWS TO MEND” when winded. With the P.R., the word has fallen into desuetude.

Belly-Timber, food, or “grub.”

Belly-Vengeance, small sour beer, apt to cause gastralgia.

Bemuse, to fuddle one’s self with drink, “BEMUSING himself with beer,” &c.

Ben, a benefit.—Theatrical.

Ben Cull, a friend, or “pal.” Expression used by thieves.

Bend, “that’s above my bend,” i.e., beyond my power, too expensive or too difficult for me to perform.

Bender, a sixpence. Probably from its liability to bend. In the days when the term was most in use sixpences were not kept in the excellent state of preservation peculiar to the currency of the present day.

Bender, the arm; “over the BENDER,” synonymous with “over the left.”—See OVER.

Bendigo, a rough fur cap worn in the midland counties, called after a noted pugilist of that name. “Hard Punchers” are caps worn by London roughs and formerly by men in training. They are a modification of the common Scotch cap, and have peaks.

Bene, good.—Ancient Cant; BENAR was the comparative.—See BONE. Latin.

Benedick, a married man. Shakspeare.

Benjamin, coat. Formerly termed a JOSEPH, in allusion, perhaps, to Joseph’s coat of many colours.—See UPPER-BENJAMIN.

Ben Joltram, brown bread and skimmed milk; a Norfolk term for a ploughboy’s breakfast.

Benjy, a waistcoat, diminutive of BENJAMIN.

Beong, a shilling.—See SALTEE.—Lingua Franca.

Bess-o’-Bedlam, a lunatic vagrant.—Norfolk.

Best, to get the better or BEST of a man in any way—not necessarily to cheat—to have the best of a bargain. BESTED, taken in, or defrauded, in reality worsted. Bester, a low betting cheat, a fraudulent bookmaker.

Better, more; “how far is it to town?” “Oh, BETTER ’n a mile.”—Saxon and Old English, now a vulgarism.

Betting Round, laying fairly and equally against nearly all the horses in a race so that no great risk can be run. Commonly called getting round. See BOOK, and BOOKMAKING.

Betty, a skeleton key, or picklock.—Old Prison Cant.

B Flats, bugs.—Compare F SHARPS.

Bible-Carrier, a person who sells songs without singing them.—Seven Dials.

Biddy, a general name applied to Irish stallwomen and milkmaids, in the same manner that Mike is given to the labouring men. A big red-faced Irish servant girl is known as a Bridget.

Big, “to look BIG,” to assume an inflated air or manner; “to talk BIG,” i.e., boastingly.

Big-Bird, TO GET THE, i.e., to be hissed, as actors occasionally are by the “gods.” Big-bird is simply a metaphor for goose.—Theat. Slang.

Big House, or LARGE HOUSE, the workhouse,—a phrase used by the very poor.

Big-wig, a person in authority or office. Exchangeable with “GREAT GUN.”

Bilbo, a sword; abbrev. of “BILBAO blade.” Spanish swords were anciently very celebrated, especially those of Toledo, Bilbao, &c.

Bilk, a cheat, or a swindler. Formerly in general use, now confined to the streets, where it is common, and mostly used in reference to prostitutes. Gothic, BILAICAN.

Bilk, to defraud, or obtain goods, &c., without paying for them; “to BILK the schoolmaster,” to get information or experience without paying for it.

Billingsgate (when applied to speech), foul and coarse language. Many years since people used to visit Thames Street to hear the Billingsgate fishwomen abuse each other. The anecdote of Dr. Johnson and the Billingsgate virago is well known.

Billingsgate Pheasant, a red herring or bloater. This is also called a “two-eyed steak.”

Billy, a silk pocket-handkerchief.—Scotch.—See WIPE.

⁂ A list of slang terms descriptive of the various patterns of handkerchiefs, pocket and neck, is here subjoined:—

Belcher, darkish blue ground, large round white spots, with a spot in the centre of darker blue than the ground. This was adopted by Jem Belcher, the pugilist, as his “colours,” and soon became popular amongst “the fancy.”

Bird’s-eye wipe, a handkerchief of any colour, containing white spots. The blue bird’s-eye is similar to the Belcher except in the centre. Sometimes a BIRD’S-EYE WIPE has a white ground and blue spots.

Blood-red fancy, red.

Blue Billy, blue ground, generally with white figures.

Cream fancy, any pattern on a white ground.

King’s man, yellow pattern on a green ground.

Randal’s man, green, with white spots; named after the favourite colours of Jack Randal, pugilist.

Water’s man, sky coloured.

Yellow fancy, yellow, with white spots.

Yellow man, all yellow.

Billy, a policeman’s staff. Also stolen metal of any kind. Billy-hunting is buying old metal. A Billy-fencer is a marine-store dealer.

Billy-Barlow, a street clown; sometimes termed a JIM CROW, or SALTIMBANCO,—so called from the hero of a slang song. Billy was a real person, semi-idiotic, and though in dirt and rags, fancied himself a swell of the first water. Occasionally he came out with real witticisms. He was a well-known street character about the East-end of London, and died in Whitechapel Workhouse.

Billy-Cock, a soft felt hat of the Jim Crow or “wide-awake” description.

Bingo, brandy.—Old Cant.

Bingy, a term largely used in the butter trade to denote bad, ropy butter; nearly equivalent to VINNIED.

Bird-Cage, a four-wheeled cab.

Birthday Suit, the suit in which Adam and Eve first saw each other, and “were not ashamed.”

Bishop, a warm drink composed of materials similar to those used in the manufacture of “flip” and “purl.”

Bit, fourpence; in America a 12½ cent piece is called a BIT, and a defaced 20 cent piece is termed a LONG BIT. A BIT is the smallest coin in Jamaica, equal to 6d. Bit usually means the smallest silver coin in circulation; also a piece of money of any kind. Charles Bannister, the witty singer and actor, one day meeting a Bow Street runner with a man in custody, asked what the prisoner had done; and being told that he had stolen a bridle, and had been detected in the act of selling it, said, “Ah, then, he wanted to touch the BIT.”

Bitch, tea; “a BITCH party,” a tea-drinking. Probably because undergraduates consider tea only fit for old women.—Oxford.

Bite, a cheat; “a Yorkshire BITE,” a cheating fellow from that county. The term BITE is also applied to a hard bargainer.—North; also old slang—used by Pope. Swift says it originated with a nobleman in his day.

Bite, to cheat; “to be BITTEN,” to be taken in or imposed upon. Originally a Gipsy term. Cross-biter, for a cheat, continually occurs in writers of the sixteenth century. Bailey has CROSS-BITE, a disappointment, probably the primary sense; and BITE is very probably a contraction of this.

Bit-Faker, or TURNER OUT, a coiner of bad money.

Bit-of-Stuff, overdressed man; a man with full confidence in his appearance and abilities; a young woman, who is also called a BIT OF MUSLIN.

Bitter, diminutive of bitter beer; “to do a BITTER,” to drink beer.—Originally Oxford, but now general.

Bittock, a distance of very undecided length. If a North countryman be asked the distance to a place, he will most probably reply, “a mile and a BITTOCK.” The latter may be considered any distance from one hundred yards to ten miles.

Bivvy, or GATTER, beer; “shant of BIVVY,” a pot or quart of beer. In Suffolk the afternoon refreshment of reapers is called BEVER. It is also an old English term.

“He is none of those same ordinary eaters, that will devour three breakfasts, and as many dinners, without any prejudice to their BEVERS, drinkings, or suppers.”—Beaumont and Fletcher’s Woman Hater, i. 3.

Both words are probably from the Italian, BEVERE, BERE. Latin, BIBERE. English, BEVERAGE.

Biz, contraction of the word business; a phrase much used in America in writing as well as in conversation.

B. K. S. Military officers in mufti, when out on a spree, and not wishing their profession to be known, speak of their barracks as the B. K. S.

Black and White, handwriting or print. “Let’s have it in BLACK AND WHITE,” is often said with regard to an agreement when it is to the advantage of one or both that it should be written.

Black-a-vised, having a very dark complexion.

Blackberry-Swagger, a person who hawks tapes, boot-laces, &c.

Blackbirding, slave-catching. Term most applied nowadays to the Polynesian coolie traffic.

Black Diamonds, coals; talented persons of dingy or unpolished exterior; rough jewels.

Blackguard, a low or dirty fellow; a rough or a hulking fellow, capable of any meanness or cowardice.

“A cant word amongst the vulgar, by which is implied a dirty fellow of the meanest kind, Dr. Johnson says, and he cites only the modern authority of Swift. But the introduction of this word into our language belongs not to the vulgar, and is more than a century prior to the time of Swift. Mr. Malone agrees with me in exhibiting the two first of the following examples:—The black-guard is evidently designed to imply a fit attendant on the devil. Mr. Gifford, however, in his late edition of Ben Jonson’s works, assigns an origin of the name different from what the old examples which I have cited seem to countenance. It has been formed, he says, from those ‘mean and dirty dependants, in great houses, who were selected to carry coals to the kitchen, halls, &c. To this smutty regiment, who attended the progresses, and rode in the carts with the pots and kettles, which, with every other article of furniture, were then moved from palace to palace, the people, in derision, gave the name of black guards; a term since become sufficiently familiar, and never properly explained.’”—Todd’s Johnson’s Dictionary.

Blackguard as an adjective is very powerful.

Blackleg, a rascal, swindler, or card cheat. The derivation of this term was solemnly argued before the full Court of Queen’s Bench upon a motion for a new trial for libel, but was not decided by the learned tribunal. Probably it is from the custom of sporting and turf men wearing black top-boots. Hence BLACKLEG came to be the phrase for a professional sporting man, and thence for a professional sporting cheat. The word is now in its worst sense diminished to “leg.”

Black Maria, the sombre van in which prisoners are conveyed from the police court to prison.

Black Monday, the Monday on which boys return to school after the holidays. Also a low term for the Monday on which an execution took place.

Black Sheep, a “bad lot,” “mauvais sujet;” sometimes “scabby sheep;” also a workman who refuses to join in a strike.

Black Strap, port wine; especially that which is thick and sweet.

Blackwork, undertaking. The waiters met at public dinners are often employed during the day as mutes, etc. Omnibus and cab drivers regard BLACKWORK as a dernier ressort.

Bladder-of-Lard, a coarse, satirical nickname for a bald-headed person. From similarity of appearance.

Blade, a man—in ancient times the term for a soldier; “knowing BLADE,” a wide-awake, sharp, or cunning man.

Blarney, flattery, powers of persuasion. A castle in the county of Cork. It is said that whoever kisses a certain stone in this castle will be able to persuade others of whatever he or she pleases. The name of the castle is derived from BLADH, a blossom, i.e., the flowery or fertile demesne. Bladh is also flattery; hence the connexion. A more than ordinarily persuasive Irishman is said to have “kissed the BLARNEY stone.”

Blast, to curse. Originally a Military expression.

Blaze, to leave trace purposely of one’s way in a forest or unknown path by marking trees or other objects.

Blazes, a low synonym for the infernal regions, and now almost for anything. “Like BLAZES” is a phrase of intensification applied without any reference to the original meaning. Also applied to the brilliant habiliments of flunkeys, since the episode of Sam Weller and the “swarry.”

Bleed, to victimize, or extract money from a person, to sponge on, to make suffer vindictively.

Blest, a vow; “BLEST if I’ll do it,” i.e., I am determined not to do it; euphemism for CURST.

Blether, to bother, to annoy, to pester. “A BLETHERING old nuisance” is a common expression for a garrulous old person.

Blew, or BLOW, to inform, or peach, to lose or spend money.

Blewed, a man who has lost or spent all his money is said to have BLEWED it. Also used in cases of robbery from the person, as, “He’s BLEWED his red ’un,” i.e., he’s been eased of his watch.

Blewed, got rid of, disposed of, spent.

Blind, a pretence, or make-believe.

Blind-Half-Hundred, the Fiftieth Regiment of Foot; so called through their great sufferings from ophthalmia when serving in Egypt.

Blind-Hookey, a game at cards which has no recommendation beyond the rapidity with which money can be won and lost at it; called also WILFUL MURDER.

Blind-Man’s-Holiday, night, darkness. Sometimes applied to the period “between the lights.”

Blind Monkeys, an imaginary collection at the Zoological Gardens, which are supposed to receive care and attention from persons fitted by nature for such office and for little else. An idle and useless person is often told that he is only fit to lead the BLIND MONKEYS to evacuate. Another form this elegant conversation takes, is for one man to tell another that he knows of a suitable situation for him. “How much a week? and what to do?” are natural questions, and then comes the scathing and sarcastic reply, “Five bob a week at the doctor’s—you’re to stand behind the door and make the patients sick. They wont want no physic when they sees your mug.”

Blinker, a blackened eye.—Norwich. Also a hard blow in the eye. BLINKERS, spectacles.

Blink-Fencer, a person who sells spectacles.

Bloated Aristocrat, a street term for any decently dressed person. From the persistent abuse lavished on a “bloated and parasitical aristocracy” by Hyde Park demagogues and a certain unpleasant portion of the weekly press.

Bloater.—See MILD.

Blob (from BLAB), to talk. Beggars are of two kinds—those who SCREEVE (introducing themselves with a FAKEMENT, or false document) and those who BLOB, or state their case in their own truly “unvarnished” language.

Block, the head. “To BLOCK a hat,” is to knock a man’s hat down over his eyes.—See BONNET. Also a street obstruction.

Block Ornaments, the small dark-coloured and sometimes stinking pieces of meat which used to be exposed on the cheap butchers’ blocks or counters; matters of interest to all the sharp-visaged women in poor neighbourhoods. Since the great rise in the price of meat there has been little necessity for butchers to make block ornaments of their odds and ends. They are bespoke beforehand.

Bloke, a man; “the BLOKE with the jasey,” the man with the wig, i.e., the Judge. Gipsy and Hindoo, LOKE. North, BLOACHER, any large animal.

Blood, a fast or high-mettled man. Nearly obsolete, but much used in George the Fourth’s time.

Blood-money, the money that used to be paid to any one who by information or evidence led to a conviction for a capital offence. Nowadays applied to all sums received by informers.

Blood-Red Fancy, a particular kind of handkerchief sometimes worn by pugilists and frequenters of prize fights.—See BILLY and COLOUR.

Bloody, an expletive used, without reference to meaning, as an adjective and an adverb, simply for intensification.

Bloody Jemmy, an uncooked sheep’s head.—See SANGUINARY JAMES. Also MOUNTAIN PECKER.

Blow, to expose, or inform; “BLOW the gaff,” to inform against a person.

“‘As for that,’ says Will, ‘I could tell it well enough, if I had it, but I must not be seen anywhere among my old acquaintances, for I am BLOWN, and they will all betray me.’”—History of Colonel Jack, 1723.

The expression would seem to have arisen from the belief that a flower might be blighted if “BLOWN upon” by a foul wind or a corrupted breath. See the condition of the flowers on a dinner-table by the time the company rise. In America, “to BLOW” is slang for to lie in a boasting manner, to brag or “gas” unduly.

Blow a Cloud, to smoke a cigar or pipe—a phrase used two centuries ago. Most likely in use as long as tobacco here—an almost evident conclusion.

Blow Me, or BLOW ME TIGHT, a vow, a ridiculous and unmeaning ejaculation, inferring an appeal to the ejaculator; “I’m BLOWED if you will” is a common expression among the lower orders; “BLOW ME UP” was the term a century ago.—See Parker’s Adventures, 1781.—The expression BE-BLOWED is now more general. Thomas Hood used to tell a story:—

“I was once asked to contribute to a new journal, not exactly gratuitously, but at a very small advance upon nothing—and avowedly because the work had been planned according to that estimate. However, I accepted the terms conditionally—that is to say, provided the principle could be properly carried out. Accordingly, I wrote to my butcher, baker, and other tradesmen, informing them that it was necessary, for the sake of cheap literature and the interest of the reading public, that they should furnish me with their several commodities at a very trifling per-centage above cost price. It will be sufficient to quote the answer of the butcher:—‘Sir,—Respectin’ your note, Cheap literater BE BLOWED! Butchers must live as well as other pepel—and if so be you or the readin’ publick wants to have meat at prime cost, you must buy your own beastesses, and kill yourselves.—I remane, etc.

“‘John Stokes.’”

Blow Out, or TUCK IN, a feast. Sometimes the expression is, “BLOW OUT your bags.” A BLOW OUT is often called a tightener.

Blow Up, to make a noise, or scold; formerly a cant expression used among thieves, now a recognised and respectable phrase. Blowing up, a jobation, a scolding.

Blowen, originally a showy or flaunting female, now a prostitute only. In Wilts, a BLOWEN is a blossom. Germ. BLÜHEN, to bloom. In German, also, BUHLEN is to court, and BUHLE, a sweetheart.

“O du blühende Mädchen, viel schöne Willkomm!”—German Song.

Possibly, however, the street term BLOWEN may mean one whose reputation has been BLOWN UPON or damaged.

Blower, a girl; a contemptuous name in opposition to JOMER.—Gipsy.

Blowsey, a word applied to a rough wench, or coarse woman.

Bludger, a low thief, who does not hesitate to use violence, literally one who will use a bludgeon.

Blue, said of talk that is smutty or indecent. Probably from the French, “Bibliothèque Bleu.” When the conversation has assumed an entirely opposite character, it is then said to be BROWN or Quakerish.

Blue, a policeman; otherwise BLUE BOTTLE. From the colour of his uniform.

Blue, or BLEW, to pawn or pledge. Actually to get rid of.

Blue, confounded or surprised; “to look BLUE,” to look astonished, annoyed, or disappointed.

Blue Bellies, a term applied by the Confederate soldiers during the civil war in America to the Federals, the name being suggested by the skyblue gaberdines worn by the Northern soldiers. On the other hand, the “filthy BLUE BELLIES,” as the full title ran, dubbed the Confederates “Greybacks,” the epithet cutting both ways, as the Southern soldiers not only wore grey uniforms, but “greyback” is American as well as English for a louse.

Blue Billy, the handkerchief (blue ground with white spots) sometimes worn and used as a colour at prize-fights. Also, the refuse ammoniacal lime from gas factories.

Blue Blanket, a rough overcoat made of coarse pilot cloth.

Blue Bottle, a policeman. This well-known slang term for a London constable is used by Shakspeare. In Part ii. of King Henry IV., act v. scene 4, Doll Tearsheet calls the beadle, who is dragging her in, a “thin man in a censer, a BLUE-BOTTLE rogue.” This may at first seem singular, but the reason is obvious. The beadles of Bridewell whose duty it was to whip the women prisoners were clad in blue.

Blue Butter, mercurial ointment used for the destruction of parasites.

Blued, or BLEWED, tipsy, or drunk. Now given way to SLEWED.

Blue Devils, the apparitions supposed to be seen by habitual drunkards. Form of del. trem.

Blue Moon, an unlimited period. “Once in a blue moon.”

Blue Murders. Probably from desperate or alarming cries. A term used more to describe cries of terror or alarm than for any other purpose. As, “I heard her calling BLUE MURDERS.”—MORBLEU.

Blue-Pigeon-Flyer, sometimes a journeyman plumber, glazier, or other workman, who, when repairing houses, strips off the lead, and makes away with it. This performance is, though, by no means confined to workmen. An empty house is often entered and the whole of the roof in its vicinity stripped, the only notice given to the folks below being received by them on the occasion of a heavy downfall of rain. The term FLYER has, indeed, of late years been more peculiarly applied to the man who steals the lead in pursuance of his vocation as a thief, than to him who takes it because it comes in the way of his work.

Blue Ruin, gin.

Blues, a fit of despondency.—See BLUE DEVILS.

Blues, the police. Sometimes called the Royal Regiment of Foot-guards BLUE.

Bluey, lead.—German, BLEI. Most likely, though, from the colour, as the term is of the very lowest slang.

Bluff, an excuse; also the game at cards known as euchre in America.

Bluff, to turn aside, stop, or excuse.

Blunt, money. It has been said that this term is from the French BLOND, sandy or golden colour, and that a parallel may be found in BROWN or BROWNS, the slang for half-pence. Far-fetched as this etymology seems, it may be correct, as it is borne out by the analogy of similar expressions. Cf. BLANQUILLO, a word used in Morocco and Southern Spain for a small Moorish coin. The “asper” (ἄσπρον) of Constantinople is called by the Turks AKCHEH, i.e., “little white.”

Blurt Out, to speak from impulse, and without reflection, to let out suddenly.—Shakspeare.

B.N.C., for Brasenose, initials of Brazen Nose College. In spite of the nose over the gate the probability is the real name was Brasinium. It is still famous for its beer.—University.

Board-of-Green-Cloth, a facetious synonym for a card or billiard table.

Boat, originally to transport; the term is now applied to penal servitude. To “get the BOAT,” or to “be BOATED,” is to be sentenced to a long term of imprisonment equivalent to transportation under the old system.

Bob, a shilling. Formerly BOBSTICK, which may have been the original. Bob-a-nob, a shilling a-head.

Bob, “s’help me BOB,” a street oath, equivalent to “so help me God.” Other words are used in street language for a similarly evasive purpose, i.e., CAT, GREENS, TATUR, &c., all equally ridiculous. Ignorant people have a singular habit of saying “so help my,” instead of “me,” whatever the following words may be. This shows how little they think of the meanings of the phrases most in use among them. The words “so help” are almost invariably pronounced “swelp.”

Bobbery, a squabble, tumult.—Anglo-Indian.

Bobbish, very well, clever, spruce. “How are you doing?” “Oh! pretty BOBBISH.”—Old.

Bobby, a policeman: both BOBBY and PEELER were nicknames given to the new police, in allusion to the Christian name and surname of the late Sir Robert Peel, who was the prime mover in effecting their introduction and improvement. The term BOBBY is, however, older than the introduction of the new police. The official square-keeper, who is always armed with a cane to drive away idle and disorderly urchins, has, time out of mind, been called by the said urchins, “BOBBY the beadle.”

Bodkin, any one sitting between two others in a carriage, is said “to ride BODKIN.” Amongst sporting men, applied to a person who takes his turn between the sheets on alternate nights, when the hotel has twice as many visitors as it can comfortably lodge; as, for instance, during a race-week.

Body-Snatcher, a bailiff or runner: SNATCH, the trick by which the bailiff captures the delinquent. These terms are now almost obsolete, so far as the pursuits mentioned are concerned.

Bog, or BOG-HOUSE, a privy, as distinguished from a water-closet. Originally printers’ slang, but now very common, and not applied to any particular form of cabinet d’aisance. “To BOG” is to ease oneself by evacuation.

Bog-Oranges, potatoes. A phrase perhaps derived from the term “Irish fruit,” which, by some strange peculiarity has been applied to potatoes; for even the most ignorant Cockney could hardly believe that potatoes grow in a bog. As, however, the majority of the lower classes of London do believe that potatoes were indigenous to, and were first brought from the soil of Ireland, which is also in some parts supposed to be capable of growing nothing else, they may even believe that potatoes are actually BOG-ORANGES.

Bog-Trotter, satirical name for an Irishman.—Miege. Camden, however, speaking of the “debateable land” on the borders of England and Scotland, says, “both these dales breed notable BOG-TROTTERS.”

Bogus, an American term for anything pretending to be that which it is not—such as BOGUS degrees, BOGUS titles, &c.

Boilers, or BROMPTON BOILERS, a name originally given to the New Kensington Museum and School of Art, in allusion to the peculiar form of the buildings, and the fact of their being mainly composed of, and covered with, sheet iron. This has been changed since the extensive alterations in the building, or rather pile of buildings, and the words are now the property of the Bethnal Green Museum.—See PEPPER-BOXES.

Boko, the nose. Originally pugilistic slang, but now general.

Bolt, to run away, decamp, or abscond. Also to swallow without chewing. To eat greedily.

Bolus, an apothecary. Origin evident.

Bombay Ducks; in the East India Company’s army the Bombay regiments were so designated. The name is now given to a dried fish (bummelow), much eaten by natives and Europeans in Western India.—Anglo-Indian.

Bone, to steal or appropriate what does not belong to you. Boned, seized, apprehended.—Old.

Bone, good, excellent. , the vagabonds’ hieroglyphic for BONE, or good, chalked by them on houses and street corners as a hint to succeeding beggars.—French, BON.

Bone-Grubber, a person who hunts dust-holes, gutters, and all likely spots for refuse bones, which he sells at the rag-shops, or to the bone-grinders. The term was also applied to a resurrectionist. Cobbett was therefore called “a BONE GRUBBER,” because he brought the remains of Tom Paine from America.

Bone-Picker, a footman.

Bones, to rattle the BONES, to play at dice: also called St. Hugh’s BONES.

Bones, “he made no BONES of it,” he did not hesitate, i.e., undertook and finished the work without difficulty, “found no BONES in the jelly.”—Ancient, vide Cotgrave.

Boniface, landlord of a tavern or inn.

Bonnet, or BONNETER, a gambling cheat. Sometimes called a “bearer-up.” The BONNET plays as though he were a member of the general public, and by his good luck, or by the force of his example, induces others to venture their stakes. Bonneting is often done in much better society than that to be found in the ordinary gaming rooms. A man who persuades another to buy an article on which he receives commission or per-centage is said to BONNET or bear-up for the seller. Also, a pretence, or make-believe, a sham bidder at auctions, one who metaphorically blinds or BONNETS others.

Bonnet, to strike a man’s cap or hat over his eyes. Also to “bear-up” for another.

Booby-Trap, a favourite amusement of boys at school. It consists in placing a pitcher of water on the top of a door set ajar for the purpose; the person whom they wish to drench is then made to pass through the door, and receives the pitcher and its contents on his unlucky head. Books are sometimes used.

Book, an arrangement of bets against certain horses marked in a pocket-book made for that purpose. “Making a BOOK upon it,” is a common phrase to denote that a man is prepared to lay the odds against the horses in a race. “That does not suit my BOOK,” i.e., does not accord with my other arrangements. The principle of making a BOOK, or betting round, as it is sometimes termed, is to lay a previously-determined sum against every horse in the race, or as many horses as possible; and should the bookmaker “get round,” i.e., succeed in laying against as many horses as will more than balance the odds laid, he is certain to be a winner. The BOOKMAKER is distinguished from the backer by its being his particular business to bet against horses, or to lay, while the backer, who is also often a professional gambler, stands by the chance of a horse, or the chances of a set of horses about which he supposes himself to be possessed of special information. A bookmaker rarely backs horses for his own particular fancy—he may indeed put a sovereign or a fiver on an animal about which he has been told something, but as a rule if he specially fancies a horse, the bookmaker lets him “run for the BOOK,” i.e., does not lay against him. When a bookmaker backs a horse in the course of his regular business, it is because he has laid too much against him, and finds it convenient to share the danger with other bookmakers.

Booked, caught, fixed, disposed of.—Term in Book-keeping.

Bookmaker’s Pocket, a breast-pocket made inside the waistcoat, for notes of large amount.

Books, a pack of cards. Term used by professional card-players.—See DEVIL’S BOOKS.

Boom, “to top one’s BOOM off,” to be off or start in a certain direction.—Sea.

Boom-Passenger, a sailor’s slang term for a convict on board ship. Derived from the circumstance that prisoners on board convict ships were chained to, or were made to crawl along or stand on the booms for exercise or punishment.

Boon-Companion, a comrade in a drinking bout. Boon evidently corruption of BON.

Booze, drink. Ancient Cant, BOWSE. Booze, or SUCK-CASA, a public-house.

Booze, to drink, or more properly, to use another slang term, to “lush,” viz., to drink continually, until drunk, or nearly so. The term is an old one. Harman, in Queen Elizabeth’s days, speaks of “BOUSING (or boozing) and belly-cheere.” Massinger also speaks of BOUSE. The term was good English in the fourteenth century, and came from the Dutch, BUYZEN, to tipple.

Boozing-Ken, a beer-shop, a low public-house.—Ancient.

Boozy, intoxicated or fuddled.

Bore, a troublesome friend or acquaintance, perhaps so called from his unvaried and pertinacious pushing; a nuisance; anything which wearies or annoys. The Gradus ad Cantabrigiam suggests the derivation of BORE from the Greek Βάρος, a burden. Shakspeare uses it, King Henry VIII., i. 1—

“——at this instant
He BORES me with some trick.”

Grose speaks of this word as being much in fashion about the year 1780-81, and states that it vanished of a sudden without leaving a trace behind. That this was not so, the constant use of the word nowadays will prove. The late Prince Consort spoke as follows on the subject of BORES in his address to the British Association, at Aberdeen, September 14, 1859—

“I will not weary you by further examples, with which most of you are better acquainted than I am myself, but merely express my satisfaction that there should exist bodies of men who will bring the well-considered and understood wants of science before the public and the Government, who will even hand round the begging-box, and expose themselves to refusals and rebuffs, to which all beggars are liable, with the certainty besides of being considered great BORES. Please to recollect that this species of BORE is a most useful animal, well adapted for the ends for which nature intended him. He alone, by constantly returning to the charge, and repeating the same truths and the same requests, succeeds in awakening attention to the cause which he advocates, and obtains that hearing which is granted him at last for self-protection, as the minor evil compared to his importunity, but which is requisite to make his cause understood.”

Bore (Pugilistic), to press a man to the ropes of the ring by superior weight. In the world of athletics to BORE is to push an opponent out of his course. This is a most heinous crime among rowers, as it very often prevents a man having the full use of the tide, or compels him to foul, in which case the decision of the race is left to individual judgment, at times, of necessity, erroneous.

Bosh, nonsense, stupidity.—Gipsy and Persian. Also pure Turkish, BOSH LAKERDI, empty talk. The term was used in this country as early as 1760, and may be found in the Student, vol. ii. p. 217. It has been suggested, with what reason the reader must judge for himself, that this colloquial expression is from the German BOSH, or BOSSCH, answering to our word “swipes.”

Bosh, a fiddle. This is a Gipsy term, and so the exclamations “Bosh!” and “Fiddle-de-dee!” may have some remote connexion.

Bosh-Faker, a violin player. Term principally used by itinerants.

Bos-Ken, a farmhouse. Ancient.—See KEN.

Bosky, inebriated. Not much in use now.

Bosman, a farmer: “faking a BOSMAN on the main toby,” robbing a farmer on the highway. Boss, a master.—American. Both terms from the Dutch, BOSCH-MAN, one who lives in the woods; otherwise Boschjeman, or Bushman.

Boss-Eyed, said of a person with one eye, or rather with one eye injured, a person with an obliquity of vision. In this sense sometimes varied by the term “swivel-eyed.”

Bostruchyzer, a small kind of comb for curling the whiskers.—Oxford University.

Botany Bay, Worcester Coll. Oxon., so called from its remote situation.

Bother, trouble or annoyance. Any one oppressed with business cares is said to be BOTHERED. “Don’t BOTHER,” is a common expression. Blother, an old word, signifying to chatter idly.

Botheration! trouble, annoyance; “BOTHERATION to it!” “confound it!” or “deuce take it!”—an exclamation when irritated.

Bottle-Holder, originally a term in prize ring parlance for the second who took charge of the water-bottle, which was an essential feature in all pugilistic arrangements. This second used to hold the combatant on his knee between the rounds, while the other or principal second sponged, instructed, and advised; an abettor; also the bridegroom’s man at a wedding. Slang term for Lord Palmerston, derived from a speech he made some years ago when foreign secretary, in which he described himself as acting the part of a judicious BOTTLE-HOLDER among the foreign powers.

Bottom, stamina in a horse or man. Power to stand fatigue; endurance to receive a good beating and still fight on. “A fellow of pluck, sound wind, and good BOTTOM is fit to fight anything.” This was an old axiom among prize fighters. Pierce Egan was very fond of the word.

Bottom, spirit placed in a glass before aërated water is poured in. As, “a soda and a BOTTOM of brandy,” “soda and dark BOTTOM,” is American for soda and brown brandy.

“Bottomed well with brandy.”—Bon Gaultier Ballads.

Botts, the colic or bellyache.—Stable Slang. Burns uses it. See Death and Dr. Hornbook.

Botty, conceited, swaggering.—Stable. An infant’s posteriors.—Nursery.

Bounce, impudence, cheek. A showy swindler, a bully.

Bounce, to boast, cheat, or bully.—Old Cant. Also to lie.

Bounceable, prone to bouncing or boasting.

Bouncer, a person who steals whilst bargaining with a tradesman, a swindler, or a lie of more than ordinary dimensions.

Bounder, a four-wheeled cab. Because of its jumping motion over the stones. Also a University term for a TRAP, which generally has a very rough time of it on the country roads.

Bow-Catcher, or KISS-CURL, a small curl which a few years back used to be, and probably will be again some day, twisted on the cheeks or temples of young—and often old—girls, adhering to the face as if gummed or pasted. Evidently a corruption of BEAU-CATCHER. In old times this was called a lovelock, when it was the mark at which all the Puritan and ranting preachers levelled their pulpit pop-guns, loaded with sharp and virulent abuse. Hall and Prynne looked upon all women as strumpets who dared to let the hair depart from a straight line upon their cheeks. The French prettily termed these adornments accroche-cœurs, whilst in the United States they were plainly and unpleasantly called “spit-curls.” Bartlett says: “Spit-curl, a detached lock of hair curled upon the temple; probably from having been at first plastered into shape by the saliva.” It is now understood that the mucilage of quince seed is used by the ladies for this purpose. When men twist the hair on each side of their faces into ropes they are sometimes called “bell-ropes,” as being wherewith to draw the belles. Whether BELL-ROPES or BOW-CATCHERS, it is singular they should form part of a prisoner’s adornment, and that a jaunty little kiss-curl should, of all things in the world, ornament a jail dock; yet such was formerly the case. Hunt, “the accomplice after the fact and King’s evidence against” the murderer of Weare, on his trial appeared at the bar with a highly pomatumed love-lock sticking tight to his forehead. In the days of the Civil Wars, the very last thing a Cavalier would part with was his love-lock.

Bowdlerization, a term used in literary circles to signify undue strictness of treatment caused by over-modesty in editing a classic. To BOWDLERIZE is to emasculate through squeamishness. From the name (Bowdler) of one of Shakspeare’s “purifiers.”

Bowlas, round tarts made of sugar, apple, and bread, sold in the streets, especially at the East-end of London.

Bowles, shoes.

Bowl Out, to put out of the game, to remove out of one’s way, to detect.—Originally a Cricketing term, but now general.

Box-Harry, a term with bagmen or commercial travellers, implying dinner and tea at one meal; also dining with “Duke Humphrey,” i.e., going without—which see.

Box the Compass, to repeat the thirty-two points of the compass either in succession or irregularly. The method used at sea to teach boys the points of the mariner’s compass.—Sea.

Boy, a hump on a man’s back. In low circles it is usual to speak of a humpbacked man as two persons—“him and his BOY,” and from this much coarse fun and personality are at times evolved.

Bracelets, handcuffs.

Brace up, to pawn stolen goods.

Brads, money. Properly a small kind of nails used by cobblers.—Compare HORSE NAILS.

Brain-Pan, the skull, and BRAIN-CANISTER, the head. Both pugilistic and exchangeable terms.

Bramble-Gelder, a derisive appellation for an agriculturist.—Suffolk.

Brandy Pawnee, brandy and water.—Anglo-Indian.

Brandy Smash, one of the 365 American drinks, made of brandy and crushed ice.

Bran-New, quite new. Properly Brent, BRAND or Fire new, i.e., fresh from the anvil, or fresh with the manufacturer’s brand upon it.

Brass, money. “Tin” is also used, and so are most forms of metal.

Brass, impudence. In 1803 some artillerymen stationed at Norwich were directed to prove some brass ordnance belonging to the city. To the report delivered to the corporation was appended this note:—“N.B.—It is customary for the corporal to have the old metal when any of the pieces burst.” Answer.—“The corporation is of opinion that the corporal does not want BRASS.”

Brass-Knocker, broken victuals. Used by tramps and cadgers.

Brat, a child of either sex. Generally used in an offensive sense.

Brazen-Faced, impudent, shameless. From BRASS. Such a person is sometimes said “to have rubbed his face with a brass candlestick.”

Brazil, a hard red wood; “hard as Brazil,” a common expression. Quarles in his Emblems says—

“Thou know’st my brittle temper’s prone to break.
Are my bones BRAZIL or my flesh of oak?”

Bread-Bags, a nickname given in the army and navy to any one connected with the victualling department, as a purser or purveyor in the Commissariat.

Bread Basket, DUMPLING-DEPOT, VICTUALLING-OFFICE, &c., were terms which in the old pugilistic days were given by the “Fancy” to the digestive organs. Blows in this region were called “porridge disturbers,” and other fancy names, which were supposed to rob them of their hardness—to those who did not receive them.

Break-Down, a noisy dance, almost violent enough to break the floor down; a jovial, social gathering, a “flare up;” in Ireland, a wedding—American so far as the dance is concerned.

Break One’s Back, a figurative expression, implying bankruptcy, or the crippling of a person’s means.

“A story is current of a fashionable author answering a late and rather violent knock at his door one evening. A coal-heaver wanted to know if the gentleman would like a cheap ton of coals; he was sorry for troubling him so late, but ‘the party as had a-ordered the two ton and a-half couldn’t be found,’ although he had driven his ‘waggon for six blessed hours up and down the neighbourhood. Five-and-twenty is the price, but yer shall have them for 20s.’ Our author was not to be tempted, he had heard of the trick before; so bidding the man go away from his house, he shut the door. The man, however, lingered there, expatiating on the quality of his coals—‘Acterly givin’ ’em away, and the gent wont have ’em,’ said he, addressing the neighbourhood in a loud voice: and the last that was heard of him was his anything but sweet voice whistling through the keyhole, ‘Will eighteen bob BREAK YER BACK?’”

Break Shins, to borrow money. Probably from an older slang phrase, “kick,” to ask for drink-money.

Break the Ice, to make a commencement, to plunge in medias res.

Break Up, the conclusion of a performance of any kind—originally a school term.

Breaky-Leg, strong drink; “he’s been to Bungay fair, and broke both his legs,” i.e., got drunk. In the ancient Egyptian language the determinative character in the hieroglyphic verb “to be drank,” has the significant form of the leg of a man being amputated. “Tangle Leg” is the name given to New England rum.

Breeched, or TO HAVE THE BAGS OFF, to have plenty of money; “to be well BREECHED,” to be in good circumstances. Also among schoolboys to be well flogged.

Breeches, “to wear the BREECHES,” said of a wife who usurps the husband’s prerogative. Equivalent to the remark that “the grey mare is the better horse.”

Breeching, a flogging. Term in use among boys at several private schools.

Breef, probably identical with BRIEF, a shortened card used for cheating purposes; thus described in an old book of games of about 1720—

“Take a pack of cards and open them, then take out all the honours ... and cut a little from the edges of the rest all alike, so as to make the honours broader than the rest, so that when your adversary cuts to you, you are certain of an honour. When you cut to your adversary cut at the ends, and then it is a chance if you cut him an honour, because the cards at the ends are all of a length. Thus you may make breefs end-ways as well as sideways.”

Modern card-players of a certain kind have considerably improved on this.

Breeks, breeches.—Scotch, now common.

Brick, a “jolly good fellow;” “a regular BRICK,” a staunch fellow. About the highest compliment that in one word can be paid one man. Said to be derived from an expression of Aristotle’s—τετραγωνος ἀνηρ.

Bridge, a cheating trick at cards, by which any particular card is cut by previously curving it by the pressure of the hand. Used in France as well as in England, and termed in the Parisian Argot FAIRE LE PONT.

Brief, a pawnbroker’s duplicate; a raffle card, or a ticket of any kind.

Briefs, cards constructed on a cheating principle. See BRIDGE, CONCAVES and CONVEXES, LONGS, and SHORTS, REFLECTORS, &c. From the German, BRIEFE, which Baron Heinecken says was the name given to the cards manufactured at Ulm. Brief is also the synonym for a card in the German Rothwälsch dialect, and BRIEFEN to play at cards. “Item—beware of the Joners, (gamblers,) who practice Beseflery with the BRIEF, (cheating at cards,) who deal falsely and cut one for the other, cheat with Boglein and spies, pick one BRIEF from the ground, and another from a cupboard,” &c.—Liber Vagatorum, ed. by Martin Luther, in 1529. English translation, by J. C. Hotten, 1860, p. 47. See BREEF.

Brim, a violent irascible woman, as inflammable and unpleasant as brimstone, from which the word is contracted.

Briney, the sea. A “dip in the BRINEY” once a year is a great attraction to Cockney excursionists. A story is told of one excursionist saying to another, as they stripped in a double machine, “Why, ’Arry, what dirty feet you’ve got!” “’Ave I; well yer see I wasn’t down last year.”

Bring-up, or BRING-TO, to stop suddenly, as a team of horses or a vessel. To BRING-UP also means to feed, clothe, and educate a child. To BRING-UP by hand is to bring up a newly-born child or animal without assistance from the natural fount.

Brisket-Beater, a Roman Catholic.

Broad and Shallow, an epithet applied to the so-called “Broad Church,” in contradistinction to the “High” and “Low” Churches. See HIGH and DRY.

Broad-Brim, originally applied to a Quaker only, but now used in reference to all quiet, sedate, respectable old men.

Broad-Cooper, a person employed by brewers to negotiate with publicans.

Broad-Faking, playing at cards. Generally used to denote “work” of the three-card and kindred descriptions.

Broad-Fencer, a “k’rect card” seller at races.

Broads, cards. Broadsman, a card-sharper. See Broad-faking.

Broadway Swell, a New York term for a great dandy, Broadway being the principal promenade in the “Empire City.”

Broady, cloth. Evidently a corruption of broadcloth. Broady workers are men who go round selling vile shoddy stuff under the pretence that it is excellent material, which has been “got on the cross,” i.e. stolen.

Brolly, an umbrella. Term used at both Oxford and Cambridge Universities.

Brosier, a bankrupt.—Cheshire. Brosier-my-dame, school term, implying a clearing of the housekeeper’s larder of provisions, in revenge for stinginess.—Eton.

Brother-Chip, originally fellow carpenter. Almost general now as brother tradesman of any kind. Also, BROTHER-WHIP, a fellow coachman; and BROTHER-BLADE, of the same occupation or calling—originally a fellow-soldier.

Brother-Smut, a term of familiarity. “Ditto, BROTHER SMUT,” tu quoque.

Broth of a Boy, an Irish term for a jolly good fellow.

Brown, a halfpenny.—See BLUNT.

Brown, “to do BROWN,” to do well or completely, “doing it BROWN,” prolonging the frolic, or exceeding sober bounds; “done BROWN,” taken in, deceived, or surprised.

Brown Bess, the old Government regulation musket; a musket with a browned barrel; also BLACK BESS. A suggestion has been made that BESS may be from the German BUSCHE, or BOSCHE, a barrel. It is much more likely, however, that the phrase is derived from the fact that “the soldier is wedded to his weapon.”

Brown-papermen, low gamblers.

Brown Study, a reverie. Very common even in educated society, but hardly admissible in writing, and therefore considered a vulgarism. It is derived, by a writer in Notes and Queries, from BROW STUDY, and he cites the old German BRAUN, or AUG-BRAUN, an eye-brow.—Ben Jonson.

Brown Talk, conversation of an exceedingly proper character, Quakerish. Compare BLUE.

Brown to, to understand, to comprehend.

Bruiser, a fighting man, a pugilist. Shakspeare uses the word BRUISING in a similar sense.

Brum, a counterfeit coin. Nearly obsolete. Corruption of Brummagem, for meaning of which see Introductory Chapter.

Brush, a fox’s tail, a house-painter. Also a scrimmage.

Brush, or BRUSH-OFF, to run away, or move on quickly.—Old Cant.

Bub, drink of any kind.—See GRUB. Middleton, the dramatist, mentions BUBBER, a great drinker.

Bub, a teat, woman’s breast, plural BUBBIES; no doubt from BIBE. See ante.

Bubble, to over-reach, deceive, to tempt by means of false promises.—Old. (Acta Regia, ii. 248, 1726.)

Bubble-and-Squeak, a dish composed of pieces of cold roast or boiled meat and greens, afterwards fried, which have thus first BUBBLED in the pot, and then SQUEAKED or hissed in the pan.

Bubble-Company, a swindling association.

Buckled, to be married. Also to be taken in custody. Both uses of the word common and exchangeable among the London lower classes.

Bubbley-Jock, a turkey, or silly boasting fellow; a prig.—Scottish. In the north of England the bird is called a BOBBLE-COCK. Both names, no doubt, from its cry, which is supposed by imaginative persons to consist of the two words exactly.

Buck, a gay or smart man; an unlicensed cabman; also a large marble used by schoolboys.

Buck, sixpence. The word is rarely used by itself, but generally denotes the sixpence attached to shillings in reference to cost, as, “three and a BUCK,” three shillings and sixpence. Probably a corruption of Fyebuck.

Buckhorse, a smart blow or box on the ear; derived from the name of a celebrated “bruiser” of that name. Buckhorse was a man who either possessed or professed insensibility to pain, and who would for a small sum allow anyone to strike him with the utmost force on the side of the face.

Buckle, to bend; “I can’t BUCKLE to that.” I don’t understand it; to yield or give in to a person. Shakspeare uses the word in the latter sense, Henry IV., i. 1; and Halliwell says that “the commentators do not supply another example.”

Buckle-Beggar, a COUPLE-BEGGAR, which see.

Buckle-to, to bend to one’s work, to begin at once, and with great energy—from buckling-to one’s armour before a combat, or fastening on a bundle.

Buckley, “Who struck Buckley?” a common phrase used to irritate Irishmen. The story is that an Englishman having struck an Irishman named Buckley, the latter made a great outcry, and one of his friends rushed forth screaming, “Who struck Buckley?” “I did,” said the Englishman, preparing for the apparently inevitable combat. “Then,” said the ferocious Hibernian, after a careful investigation of the other’s thews and sinews, “then, sarve him right.”

Buckra, a white man. The original of this term is a “flogging man,” from the Hebrew, and the application of it to the whites by the West Indian negroes is, therefore, rather interesting. They probably first learned it from a missionary.

Buckshish, BUCKSHEESH or BACKSHEESH, a present of money. Over all India, and the East generally, the natives lose no opportunity of asking for BUCKSHISH. The usage is such a complete nuisance that the word is sometimes answered by a blow; this is termed BAMBOO BUCKSHISH. Buckshish has taken up a very firm residence in Europe—may, in fact, on a much larger scale than that of Asia, be said to have always had an existence here. Buckshish is a very important item in the revenues of officials who hold positions of considerable importance, as well as in those of their humbler brethren. During the recent visit of the Shah of Persia, that potentate discovered that BUCKSHISH was by no means peculiar to the East.

Budge, to move, to “make tracks.”

Budge, strong drink; BUDGY, drunk; BUDGING-KEN, a public-house; “cove of the BUDGING-KEN,” the landlord. Probably a corruption of BOOZE. Probably also, on the lucus a non lucendo principle, because its use made one incapable of budging.

Buff, the bare skin; “stripped to the BUFF.”

Buff, to swear to, or accuse; generally used in reference to a wrongful accusation, as, “Oh, BUFF it on to him.” Old word for boasting, 1582.

Buffer, a navy term for a boatswain’s mate, one of whose duties it is—or was—to administer the “cat.”

Buffer, a familiar expression for a jolly acquaintance, probably from the French BOUFFARD, a fool or clown; a “jolly old BUFFER,” said of a good-humoured or liberal old man. In 1737, a BUFFER was a “rogue that killed good sound horses for the sake of their skins, by running a long wire into them.”—Bacchus and Venus. The term was once applied to those who took false oaths for a consideration; but though the word has fallen into disuse there is no particular reason for imagining that the practice has.

Buffer, a woman employed in a Sheffield warehouse to give the final polish to goods previously to their being plated.

Buffer, a dog. Dogs’ skins were formerly in great request—hence the term BUFF, meaning in old English to skin. It is still used in the ring, BUFFED meaning stripped naked, though the term BUFF, as applied to the skin, is most likely due to its resemblance to the leather so called. “Stripped to the BUFF,” cannot have any reference to dog skinning, though it may have originally referred to the BUFF jerkins worn under defensive armour. In Irish cant, BUFFER is a boxer. The BUFFER of a railway-carriage doubtless received its very appropriate name from the old pugilistic application of this term.

Buffle-Head, a stupid or obtuse person.—Miege. German, BUFFELHAUPT, buffalo-headed. Occurs in Plautus’ Comedies made English, 1694.

Buffs, the Third Regiment of Foot in the British army. From their facings.

Buffy, intoxicated.

Buggy, a gig, or light chaise. Common term in America and in India, as well as in England.

Bug-Hunter, a low wretch who plunders drunken men.

Bug-Walk, a coarse term for a bed.

Build, applied in fashionable slang to the make or style of dress, &c. “It’s a tidy BUILD, who made it?” A tailor is sometimes called a “trousers’ BUILDER.”

Bulger, large; synonymous with BUSTER.

Bulky, a constable.—North.

Bull, one who agrees to purchase stock at a future day, at a stated price, but who simply speculates for a rise in public securities to render the transaction a profitable one. Should stocks fall, the BULL is then called upon to pay the difference. See BEAR, who is the opposite of a BULL, the former selling, the latter purchasing—the one operating for a fall, the other for a rise.

Bull, a crown-piece, formerly BULL’S EYE. See WORK.

Bull, term amongst prisoners for the meat served to them in jail. Also very frequently used instead of the word beef. The costermonger often speaks of his dinner, when he has beef, as a “bit o’ BULL,” without any reference to its being either tough or tender, but he never speaks of mutton as “sheep.”

Bull-Beef, a term of contempt; “as ugly as BULL-BEEF,” “go to the billy-fencer, and sell yourself for BULL-BEEF.” Sometimes used to indicate full size of anything. “There was he, as big as BULL-BEEF.”

Bulldogs, the runners who accompany the proctor in his perambulations, and give chase to runaways.—University.

Bullet, to discharge from a situation. To shake the BULLET at anyone, is to threaten him with “the sack,” but not to give him actual notice to leave. To get the BULLET is to get notice, while to get the instant BULLET is to be discharged upon the spot. The use of the term is most probably derived from a fancied connexion between it and the word discharge.

Bullfinch, a hunting term for a large, thick, quickset hedge, difficult alike to “top” or burst through. Probably a corruption of BULL-FENCE, a fence made to prevent cattle straying either in or out.

Bull the Cask, to pour hot water into an empty rum puncheon, and let it stand until it extracts the spirit from the wood. The mixture is drunk by sailors in default of something stronger.—Sea.

Bully, a braggart; in the language of the streets, a man of the most degraded morals, who protects fallen females, and lives off their miserable earnings.—Shakspeare, in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, uses the word in its old form, as a term of endearment. This epithet is often applied in a commendable sense among the vulgar; thus—a good fellow or a good horse will be termed “a BULLY fellow,” “a BULLY horse;” and “a BULLY woman” signifies a right, good motherly old soul. Among Americans, “BULLY for you,” is a commendatory phrase, and “that’s BULLY” is a highly eulogistic term.

Bullyrag, to abuse or scold vehemently; to swindle one out of money by intimidation and sheer abuse.

Bum, the part on which we sit.—Shakspeare. BUMBAGS, trousers; Gael. BUN, a base or bottom; Welsh, BON, the lowest or worst part of anything.

Bum-Bailiff, a sheriff’s-officer—a term, some say, derived from the proximity which this gentleman generally maintains to his victims. Blackstone says it is a corruption of “bound bailiff.” A BUM-BAILIFF was generally called “bummy.”

Bumble, to muffle. Bumble-footed, club-footed, or awkward in the gait.

Bumble, a beadle. Adopted from Dickens’s character in Oliver Twist. This and “BUMBLEDOM” are now common.

Bumble-Puppy, a game played in public-houses on a large stone, placed in a slanting direction, on the lower end of which holes are excavated, and numbered like the holes in a bagatelle-table. The player rolls a stone ball, or marble, from the higher end, and according to the number of the hole it falls into the game is counted. It is undoubtedly the very ancient game of Troule-in-madame.

Bumbles, coverings for the eyes of horses that shy in harness.

Bumbrusher, an usher at a school.

Bumclink, in the Midland counties the inferior beer brewed for haymakers and harvest labourers. Derivation obvious.

Bum-Curtain, an old name for academical gowns when they were worn scant and short, especially those of the students of St. John’s College.—Camb. Univ. Any ragged or short academical gown.

Bummarees, a term given to a class of speculating salesmen at Billingsgate market, not recognised as such by the trade, but who get a living by buying large quantities of fish from the salesmen and re-selling them to smaller buyers. The word has been used in the statutes and bye-laws of the market for upwards of 200 years. It has been variously derived. Some persons think it may be from the French BONNE MARÉE, good fresh fish! “Marée signifie toute sorte de poisson de mer qui n’est pas sale; bonne marée—marée fraîche, vendeur de marée.”—Dict. de l’Acad. Franc. The BUMMAREES are accused of many trade tricks. One of them is to blow up codfish with a pipe until they look double their actual size. Of course when the fish come to table they are flabby, sunken, and half dwindled away. In Norwich, to BUMMAREE one is to run up a score at a public-house just open, and is equivalent to “running into debt with one.” One of the advertisements issued by Hy. Robinson’s “Office,” over against Threadneedle Street, was this:—

“Touching Advice from the OFFICE, you are desired to give and take notice as followeth:—

“Of Monies to be taken up, or delivered on Botto-maria, commonly called Bomarie.

“Of money to be put out or taken upon interest,” &c.

—The Publick Intelligencer, numb. 17, 25th June, 1660.

Bummer, literally one who sits or idles about; a loafer; one who sponges upon his acquaintances. In California, men who profess to be journalists, and so obtain free dinners and drinks, are called “literary BUMMERS.” Although the term is not much in use in this country, the profession of bumming, both literary and otherwise, is freely practised.

Bumper, according to Johnson from “bump,” but probably from French BON PÈRE, the fixed toast in monastic life of old, now used for “full measure.” A match at quoits, bowls, &c., may end in a “BUMPER game,” if the play and score be all on one side. Bumper is used in sporting and theatrical circles to denote a benefit which is one in reality as well as in name.

Bumptious, arrogant, self-sufficient. One on very good terms with himself is said to be BUMPTIOUS.

Bunce, costermongers’ perquisites; the money obtained by giving light weight, &c.; costermongers’ goods sold by boys on commission. In fact anything which is clear profit or gain is said to be “all BUNCE.” Probably a corruption of bonus; BONE, or BONER, being the slang for good. Bunce, Grose gives as the cant word for money.

Bunch-of-Fives, the hand, or fist.

Bundle, “to BUNDLE a person off,” i.e., to pack him off, send him flying.

Bundling, men and women sleeping together, where the divisions of the house will not permit of better or more decent accommodation, with all their clothes on. Bundling was originally courting done in bed, the lovers being tied or bundled up to prevent undue familiarities. The practice still obtains in some parts of Wales.

Bung, the landlord of a public-house. Much in use among sporting men.

Bung, to give, pass, hand over, drink, or to perform almost any action. BUNG up, to close up, as the eyes.—Pugilistic. “BUNG over the rag,” hand over the money.—Old, used by Beaumont and Fletcher, and Shakspeare. Also, to deceive one by a lie, to CRAM, which see.

Bunk, to decamp. “Bunk it!” i.e., be off.

Bunker, beer.

Bunkum, an American importation, denoting false sentiments in speaking, pretended enthusiasm, &c. The expression arose from a speech made by a North Carolina senator named Buncombe.

Bunter, a prostitute, a street-walking female thief.

Burdon’s Hotel, Whitecross Street Prison, of which the Governor was a Mr. Burdon. Almost every prison has a nickname of this kind, either from the name of the Governor, or from some local circumstance. The Queen’s Bench has also an immense number of names—SPIKE PARK, &c.; and every Chief-Justice stands godfather to it.

Burerk, a lady, a showily-dressed woman.

Burke, to kill, to murder, secretly and without noise, by means of strangulation. From Burke, the notorious Edinburgh murderer, who, with an accomplice named Hare, used to decoy people into the den he inhabited, kill them, and sell their bodies for dissection. The wretches having been apprehended and tried, Burke was executed, while Hare, having turned king’s evidence, was released. Bishop and Williams were their London imitators. The term BURKE is now usually applied to any project that is quietly stopped or stifled—as “the question has been BURKED.” A book suppressed before publication is said to be BURKED.

Burra, great; as BURRA SAIB, a great man; BURRA KHANAII, a great dinner.—Anglo-Indian.

Bury a Moll, to run away from a mistress.

Bus, or BUSS, an abbreviation of “omnibus,” a public carriage. Also, a kiss, abbreviation of Fr. BAISER. A Mr. Shillibeer started the first BUS in London. A shillibeer is now a hearse and mourning coach all in one, used by the very poorest mourners and shabbiest undertakers.

Why is Temple Bar like a lady’s veil? Because it wants to be removed to make way for the BUSSES.

Bus, business (of which it is a contraction) or action on the stage, so written, but pronounced BIZ.—Theatrical. See BIZ.

Business, the action which accompanies dialogue. “His BUSINESS was good.” Generally applied to byplay.—Theatrical.

Busk, to sell obscene songs and books at the bars and in the tap-rooms of public-houses. Sometimes it implies selling other articles. Also to “work” public-houses and certain spots as an itinerant musician or vocalist.

Busker, a man who sings or performs in a public-house; an itinerant.

Bust, or BURST, to tell tales, to SPLIT, to inform. Busting, informing against accomplices when in custody.

Buster (BURSTER), a small new loaf; “twopenny BUSTER,” a twopenny loaf. “A penn’orth o’ BEES-WAX (cheese) and a penny BUSTER,” a common snack at beershops. A halfpenny loaf is called a “starver.”

Buster, an extra size; “what a BUSTER,” i.e., what a large one; “in for a BUSTER,” determined on an extensive frolic or spree. Scotch, BUSTUOUS; Icelandic, BOSTRA.

Bustle, money; “to draw the BUSTLE.”

Busy-Sack, a carpet-bag.

Butcha, a Hindoo word in use among Englishmen for the young of any animal. In England we ask after the children; in India the health of the BUTCHAS is tenderly inquired for.

Butcher, the king in playing-cards. When card-playing in public houses was common, the kings were called butchers, the queens bitches, and the knaves jacks. The latter term is now in general use.

Butcher’s Mourning, a white hat with a black mourning hatband. Probably because, under any circumstances, a butcher would rather not wear a black hat. White hats and black bands have, however, become genteel ever since the late Prince Consort patronized them, though they retain a deal of the old sporting leaven.

Butter, or BATTER, praise or flattery. To BUTTER, to flatter, cajole. Same as “soft soap” and “soft sawder.” Soft words generally. Maybe from the old proverb, “Fine words butter no parsneps.”

Butter-Fingered, apt to let things fall; greasy or slippery-fingered.

Button, a decoy, sham purchaser, &c. At any mock or sham auction seedy specimens may be seen. Probably from the connexion of buttons with Brummagem, which is often used as a synonym for a sham.—See BONNET.

Buttoner, a man who entices another to play.

Buttons, a page,—from the rows of gilt buttons which adorn his jacket.

Buttons, “not to have all one’s BUTTONS;” to be deficient in intellect. To “make BUTTONS” means for some occult reason to look sorry and sad. “He was making BUTTONS,” i.e., he was looking sorrowful. Perhaps because button-making is a sorry occupation.

Butty, a word used in the mining districts to denote a kind of overseer. Also used by the Royal Marines in the sense of comrade; a policeman’s assistant, one of the staff in a mêlée.

Buz, to share equally the last of a bottle of wine, when there is not enough for a full glass to each of the party.

Buz, a well-known public-house game, played as follows:—“The chairman commences saying “one,” the next on the left hand “two,” the next “three,” and so on to seven, when “BUZ” must be said. Every seven and multiple of 7, as 14, 17, 21, 27, 28, &c., must not be mentioned, but “BUZ” instead. Whoever breaks the rule pays a fine, which is thrown on the table, and the accumulation expended in drink for the company. See “SNOOKS and WALKER” for more complicated varieties of a similar game. These “parlour pastimes” are often not only funny, but positively ingenious. But the Licensing Act and a zealous police are fast clearing them all out.

Buz, to pick pockets; BUZZING or BUZ-FAKING, robbing.

Buz-Bloke, a pickpocket who principally confines his attention to purses and loose cash. Grose gives BUZ-GLOAK, an ancient cant word. Gloak was old cant for a man. Buz-napper, a young pickpocket.

Buz-man, an informer; from BUZ, to whisper, but more generally a thief.

Buz-napper’s Academy, a school in which young thieves were trained. Figures were dressed up, and experienced tutors stood in various difficult attitudes for the boys to practise upon. When clever enough they were sent on the streets. Dickens gives full particulars of this old style of business in Oliver Twist.

Buzzer, a pickpocket. Grose gives BUZ-COVE and, as above mentioned, BUZ-GLOAK.

Byblow, an illegitimate child.

By George, an exclamation similar to BY JOVE. The term is older than is frequently imagined—vide Bacchus and Venus (p. 117), 1737. “’Fore (or by) GEORGE, I’d knock him down.” Originally in reference to Saint George, the patron saint of England, or possibly to the House of Hanover.

By Golly, an ejaculation, or oath; a compromise for “by God.” By gum is another oblique oath. In the United States, small boys are permitted by their guardians to say GOL DARN anything, but they are on no account allowed to commit the profanity of G—d d——n anything. A manner of “sailing close to the wind” which is objectionable to the honest mind. A specimen ejaculation and moral waste-pipe for interior passion or wrath is seen in the exclamation—BY THE EVER-LIVING JUMPING-MOSES—a harmless and ridiculous phrase, that from its length is supposed to expend a considerable quantity of fiery anger.

By Jingo, an oath or exclamation having no particular meaning, and no positive etymology, though it is believed by some that JINGO is derived from the Basque jenco, the devil.

Cab, in statutory language, “a hackney carriage drawn by one horse.” Abbreviated from the French CABRIOLET; originally meaning “a light low chaise.” The wags of Paris playing upon the word (quasi cabri au lait) used to call a superior turn-out of the kind a cabri au crême. Our abbreviation, which certainly smacks of slang, has been stamped with the authority of the Legislature, and has been honoured by universal custom.

Cab, to stick together, to muck, or tumble up—Devonshire.

Cabbage, pieces of cloth said to be purloined by tailors. Any small profits in the way of material.

Cabbage, to pilfer or purloin. Termed by Johnson a “cant word,” but adopted by later lexicographers as a respectable term. Said to have been first used in the above sense by Arbuthnot.

Cabbage-Head, a soft-headed person.

Cabby, popular name for the driver of a cab. This title has almost supplanted the more ancient one of jarvey.

Caboose, the galley or cook-house of a ship; a term used by tramps to indicate a kitchen.

Cackle-Tub, a pulpit.

Cackling-Cove, an actor. Also called a MUMMERY-COVE.—Theatrical.

Cad, or CADGER (from which it is shortened), a mean or vulgar fellow; a beggar; one who would rather live on other people than work for himself; a man who tries to worm something out of another, either money or information. Johnson uses the word, and gives huckster as the meaning, in which sense it was originally used. Apparently from CAGER, or GAGER, the old Cant term for a man. The exclusives at the English Universities apply the term CAD to all non-members. It has also been suggested that the word may be a contraction of the French CADET.

Cad, an omnibus conductor. Of late years the term has been generically applied to the objectionable class immortalized by Thackeray under the title of snob. A great deal of caddism is, however, perpetrated by those who profess to have the greatest horror of it—the upper classes—a fact which goes far to prove that it is impossible to fairly ascribe a distinctive feature to any grade of society.

Cadge, to beg in an artful, wheedling manner.—North. In Scotland to CADGE is to wander, to go astray. See under CODGER.

Cadging, begging, generally with an eye to pilfering when an opportunity occurs. To be “on the cadge” is almost synonymous with “on the make.”

Cag, to irritate, affront, anger. Schoolboy slang.

Cage, a minor kind of prison. A country lock-up which contained no offices.

Cagmag, bad food, scraps, odds and ends; or that which no one could relish. Grose give CAGG MAGGS, old and tough Lincolnshire geese, sent to London to feast the poor cockneys. Gael., French, and Welsh, CAC, and MAGN. A correspondent at Trinity College, Dublin, considers this as originally a University slang term for a bad cook, κακὸς μάγειρος. There is also a Latin word used by Pliny, MAGMA, denoting dregs or dross.

Cake, a “flat;” a soft or doughy person, a fool.

Cakey-Pannum-Fencer, or PANNUM-FENCER, a man who sells street pastry.

Calaboose, a prison.—Sea slang, from the Spanish.

Calculate, a word much in use among the inhabitants of the Western States U.S., as “I CALCULATE you are a stranger here.” New Englanders use the word “guess” instead of CALCULATE, while the Virginians prefer to say “reckon.”

Caleb Quotem, a parish clerk; a jack of all trades. From a character in The Wags of Windsor.

California, or Californians, money. Term generally applied to gold only. Derivation very obvious.

Call, a notice of rehearsal, or any other occasion requiring the company’s presence, posted up in a theatre. “We’re CALLED for eleven to-morrow morning.”

Call-a-Go, in street “patter,” is to leave off trying to sell anything and to remove to another spot, to desist. Also to give in, yield, at any game or business. Probably from the “GO” call in cribbage.

Cameronians, The, the Twenty-sixth Regiment of Foot in the British Army.

Camesa, shirt or chemise.—Span. See its abbreviated form, MISH, from the ancient Cant, COMMISSION. Probably re-introduced by the remains of De Lacy Evans’s Spanish Legion on their return. See Somerville’s account of the Span. Leg., for the curious facility with which the lower classes in England adopt foreign words as slang and cant terms. Italian, CAMICIA. This latter is the more likely etymology, as anyone who visits the various quarters where Irish, Italians, and a mongrel mixture of half-a-dozen races congregate and pig together, will admit.

Camister, a preacher, clergyman, or master.

Canary, a sovereign. From the colour. Very old slang indeed.

Canister, the head.—Pugilistic.

Canister-Cap, a hat.

Cannibals, the training boats for the Cambridge freshmen, i.e., “Cannot-pulls.” The term is applied both to boats and rowers.—See SLOGGERS. Torpids is the usual term for the races in which these men and machines figure.

Cannikin, a small can, similar to PANNIKIN. “And let the Cannikin clink.”

Cant, a blow or toss; “a CANT over the kisser,” a blow on the mouth; “a CANT over the buttock,” a throw or toss in wrestling.

Cantab, a student at Cambridge.

Cantankerous, litigious, bad-tempered. An American corruption probably of contentious. A reviewer of an early edition of this book derives it from the Anglo-Norman CONTEK, litigation or strife. Others have suggested “cankerous” as the origin. Bailey has CONTEKE, contention as a Spenserian word, and there is the O.E. CONTEKORS, quarrelsome persons.

Cant of Togs, a gift of clothes.

Canvasseens, sailors’ canvas trousers.

Cap, a false cover to a tossing coin. The term and the instrument are both nearly obsolete. See COVER-DOWN.

Cap, “to set her CAP.” A woman is said to set her CAP at a man when she makes overt love to him.

Cap, to outdo or add to, as in capping jokes.

Cape Cod Turkey, salt fish.

Caper-Merchant, a dancing-master. Sometimes a hop-merchant.

Capers, dancing, frolicking; “to cut CAPER-SAUCE,” i.e., to dance upon nothing—be hanged. Old thieves’ talk.

Capper-Clawing, female encounter, where caps are torn and nails freely used. Sometimes it is pronounced CLAPPER-CLAW. The word occurs in Shakspeare, Troilus and Cressida, act v. sc. 4.

Caravan, a railway train, especially a train expressly chartered to convey people to a prize fight.

Caravansera, a railway station. In pugilistic phraseology a tip for the starting point might have been given thus. “The SCRATCH must be TOED at sharp five, so the CARAVAN will start at four from the CARAVANSERA.”

Carboy, a general term in most parts of the world for a very large glass or earthenware bottle.

Card, a character. “A queer CARD,” i.e., an odd fish.

Cardinal, a lady’s red cloak. A cloak with this name was in fashion in the year 1760. It received its title from its similarity in shape to one of the vestments of a cardinal. Also mulled red wine.

Cardwell’s Men, officers promoted in pursuance of the new system of non-purchase.

Carney, soft hypocritical language. Also, to flatter, wheedle, or insinuate oneself.—Prov.

Carnish, meat, from the Ital. CARNE, flesh; a Lingua Franca importation; CARNISH-KEN, a thieves’ eating-house; “cove of the CARNISH-KEN,” the keeper thereof.—North Country Cant.

Caroon, five shillings. French, COURONNE; Gipsy, COURNA; Spanish, CORONA.

Carpet, “upon the CARPET,” any subject or matter that is uppermost for discussion or conversation. Frequently quoted as sur le tapis, or more generally “on the tapis,” but it does not seem to be at all known in France. Also servants’ slang. When a domestic is summoned by the master or mistress to receive a warning or reprimand, he or she is said to be CARPETED. The corresponding term in commercial establishments is a WIGGING.

Carpet-Knight, an habitué of drawing-rooms, a “ladies’ man.”

Carrier-Pigeon, a swindler, one who formerly used to cheat lottery-office keepers. Now used among betting men to describe one who runs from place to place with “commissions.”

Carriwitchet, a hoaxing, puzzling question, not admitting of a satisfactory answer, as—“How far is it from the first of July to London Bridge?” “If a bushel of apples cost ten shillings, how long will it take for an oyster to eat its way through a barrel of soap?”

Carrot. “Take a CARROT!” a vulgar insulting phrase.

Carrots, the coarse and satirical term for red hair. An epigram gives an illustration of the use of this term:—

“Why scorn red hair? The Greeks, we know,
(I note it here in charity)
Had taste in beauty, and with them
The graces were all Χάριται!”

Of late years CARROTY hair in all its shades has been voted beautiful, i.e., fashionable.

Carry Corn, to bear success well and equally. It is said of a man who breaks down under a sudden access of wealth—as successful horse-racing men and unexpected legatees often do—or who becomes affected and intolerant, that “he doesn’t CARRY CORN well.”

Carry me Out! an exclamation of pretended astonishment on hearing news too good to be true, or a story too marvellous to be believed. Sometimes varied by “Let me die,” i.e., I can’t survive that. Profanely derived from the Nunc dimittis (Luke xi. 29). The Irish say, “CARRY ME OUT, and bury me decently.”

Carry-on, to joke a person to excess, to CARRY ON a “spree” too far; “how we CARRIED ON, to be sure!” i.e., what fun we had. Nautical term—from carrying on sail.

Carts, a pair of shoes. In Norfolk the carapace of a crab is called a crab cart; hence CARTS would be synonymous with CRAB SHELLS, which see.

Cart-wheel, a five-shilling piece. Generally condensed to “WHEEL.”

Ca-sa, a writ of capias ad satisfaciendam.—Legal slang.

Casa, or CASE, a house, respectable or otherwise. Probably from the Italian CASA.—Old Cant. The Dutch use the word KAST in a vulgar sense for a house, i.e., MOTTEKAST, a brothel. Case sometimes means a water-closet, but is in general applied to a “house of accommodation.” Casa is generally pronounced carzey.

Cascade, to vomit.

Case. Some years ago the term CASE was applied generally to persons or things; “what a CASE he is,” i.e., what a curious person; “a rum CASE that,” or “you are a CASE,” both synonymous with the phrase “odd fish,” common half a century ago. This would seem to have been originally a “case” for the police-court; drunkenness, &c. Among young ladies at boarding-schools a CASE means a love-affair. Case now means any unfortunate matter. “I’m afraid it’s a CASE with him.”

Case, a bad crown-piece. Half-a-case, a counterfeit half-crown. There are two sources, either of which may have contributed this slang term. Caser is the Hebrew word for a crown; and silver coin is frequently counterfeited by coating or CASING pewter or iron imitations with silver. Possibly from its being “a CASE” with the unfortunate owner.

Cask, fashionable slang for a brougham, or other private carriage. Not very general. “Pillbox” is the more usual term.

Cassam, cheese—not CAFFAN, which Egan, in his edition of Grose, has ridiculously inserted.—Ancient Cant. Latin, CASEUS. Gael. and Irish, CAISE.

Cast, to assist by lightening labour. Men in small boats who want to be towed behind steamers or sailing vessels, say “Give us a CAST.” Also used by waggoners and others, who sometimes vary the performance by asking, when stuck on a hill, for a pound, possibly a pound of flesh, horse or human.

Cast up Accounts, to vomit.—Old.

Castor, a hat. Mostly used in pugilistic circles. Indeed many hangers-on of the P.R. have considered that the term arose from the custom of casting the hat into the ring, before entering oneself. Castor was the Latin name for the animal now known as the BEAVER; and, strange to add, BEAVER was the slang for CASTOR, or hat, many years ago, before gossamer came into fashion.

Cat, a lady’s muff; “to free a CAT,” i.e., steal a muff.

Cat, to vomit like a cat. Perhaps from CATARACT; but see SHOOT THE CAT.

Cat—CAT O’ NINE TAILS, a whip with that number of lashes used to punish refractory sailors.—Sea. The “cat” is now a recognised term for the punishmental whip.

Catamaran, a disagreeable old woman.—Thackeray.

Cat and Kitten Sneaking, stealing pint and quart pots and small pewter spirit measures from public-houses.

Cataract, once a black satin scarf arranged for the display of jewellery, much in vogue among “commercial gents.” Now quite out of date.

Catchbet, a bet made for the purpose of entrapping the unwary by means of a paltry subterfuge. See CHERRY COLOUR.

Catch-’em-Alive, a humane trap; also a small-tooth comb. A piece of paper smeared with a sweet sticky substance which is spread about where flies most abound, and in this sense not particularly humane. The CATCH-’EM-ALIVE trap for rats and other such animals is humane compared with the gin trap.

Catch-penny, any temporary contrivance to obtain money from the public; penny shows, or cheap exhibitions. Also descriptions of murders which have never taken place.

Catchy (similar formation to touchy), inclined to take an undue advantage.

Caterwauling, applied derisively to inharmonious singing; also love-making, from the noise of cats similarly engaged.

Catever, a queer, or singular affair; anything poor, or very bad. From the Lingua Franca, and Italian, CATTIVO, bad. Variously spelled by the lower orders.—See KERTEVER.

Cat-faced, a vulgar and very common expression of contempt in the North of England.

Catgut-Scraper, a fiddler.

Cat-in-the-Pan, a traitor, a turncoat—derived by some from the Greek, καταπαν, altogether; or—and more likely—from cake in pan, a pan-cake, which is frequently turned from side to side.

Cat-lap, a contemptuous expression for weak drink. Anything a cat will drink is very innocuous.

Cats and Dogs. It is said to rain cats and dogs when a shower is exceptionally heavy. Probably in ridicule of the remarkable showers which used to find their way into the papers during the “silly season.”

Cat’s-meat, a coarse term for the lungs—the “lights” or lungs of animals being usually sold to feed cats.

Cat’s-paw, a dupe or tool. From the old story of the monkey who used the cat’s-paw to remove his roast chestnuts from the fire. A sea term, meaning light and occasional breezes occurring in calm weather.

Cat’s-water, “old Tom,” or gin.

Cattle, a term of contempt applied to the mob, or to a lot of lazy, helpless servants.

Caucus, a private meeting held for the purpose of concerting measures, agreeing upon candidates for office before an election, &c. This is an American term, and a corruption of CAULKER’S MEETING, being derived from an association of the shipping interest at Boston, previous to the War of Independence, who were very active in getting up opposition to England.—See Pickering’s Vocabulary.

Caulk, to take a surreptitious nap; sleep generally, from the ordinary meaning of the term; stopping leaks, repairing damages, so as to come out as good as new.—Sea term.

Caulker, a dram. The term “caulker” is usually applied to a stiff glass of grog—preferably brandy—finishing the potations of the evening. See WHITEWASH.

Caulker, a too marvellous story, a lie. Choker has the same sense.

Caution, anything out of the common way. “He’s a CAUTION,” is said of an obdurate or argumentative man. The phrase is also used in many ways in reference to places and things.

Cavaulting, a vulgar phrase equivalent to “horsing.” The Italian CAVALLINO, signifies a rake or debauchee.—Lingua Franca, CAVOLTA. From this comes the Americanism “cavorting,” running or riding round in a heedless or purposeless manner.

Cave, or CAVE IN, to submit, shut up.—American. Metaphor taken from the sinking of an abandoned mining shaft.

Chaff, to gammon, joke, quiz, or praise ironically. Originally “to queer” represented our modern word “CHAFF.” Chaff-bone, the jaw-bone.—Yorkshire. Chaff, jesting. In Anglo-Saxon, CEAF is chaff; and CEAFL, bill, beak, or jaw. In the Ancren Riwle, A.D. 1221, CEAFLE is used in the sense of idle discourse.

Chaffer, the mouth; “moisten your CHAFFER,” i.e., take something to drink.

Chal, old Romany term for a man; CHIE was the name for a woman.

Chalk out, or CHALK DOWN, to mark out a line of conduct or action; to make a rule or order. Phrase derived from the Workshop.

Chalk up, to credit, make entry in account books of indebtedness; “I can’t pay you now, but you can CHALK IT UP,” i.e., charge me with the article in your day-book. From the old practice of chalking one’s score for drink behind the bar-doors of public-houses.

Chalks, “to walk one’s CHALKS,” to move off, or run away. An ordeal for drunkenness used on board ship, to see whether the suspected person can walk on a chalked line without overstepping it on either side.

Chalks, degrees, marks; so called from being made by a piece of chalk; “to beat by long CHALKS,” i.e., to be superior by many degrees. “Making CHALKS” is a term connected with the punishment of boys on board ship, and in the Naval School at Greenwich. Two chalk lines are drawn wide apart on the deck or floor, and the boy to be punished places a foot on each of these lines, and stoops, thereby presenting a convenient portion of his person to the boatswain or master.

Chance the Ducks, an expression signifying come what may. “I’ll do it, and CHANCE THE DUCKS.”

Chancery, a pugilistic phrase for difficulties; “to get a man’s head into CHANCERY,” i.e., to get an opponent’s head firmly under one’s arm, where it can be pommelled with immense power, and without any possibility of immediate extrication. From the helplessness of a suitor in Chancery. This opportunity was of very rare occurrence when the combatants were at all evenly matched.

Change, small money. The overplus returned after paying for a thing in a round sum. Hence a slang expression used when a person receives a “settler” in the shape of either a repartee or a blow—“Take your CHANGE out of that!”

Chap, a fellow, a boy; “a low CHAP,” a low fellow—abbreviation of CHAPMAN, a huckster. Used by Byron in his Critical Remarks.

Chapel, a printers’ assembly, held for the purpose of discussing differences between employer and workmen, trade regulations, or other matters. The term is scarcely slang, but some “comps” ask its insertion in this work.

Chapel. An undergrad is expected to attend seven out of the fourteen services in chapel each week, and to let four or five be morning chapels. Occasionally a Don—the Dean as a rule—will “CHAPEL” him, that is, order him to attend to worship his Creator twice daily. The Bible clerk “pricks the list,” i.e., marks down the names of all present.—Univ.

Chapel-of-ease. French, CABINET D’AISANCE, a house of office.

Chariot-buzzing, picking pockets in an omnibus.

Charley, a watchman, a beadle. Almost obsolete now.

Charley-pitcher, a low, cheating gambler.

Charlies, a woman’s breasts. Also called dairies and bubbies.

Chats, lice, or body vermin. Prov., any small things of the same kind.

Chatter-basket, common term for a prattling child amongst nurses.

Chatter-box, an incessant talker or chatterer.

Chatty, a filthy person, one whose clothes are not free from vermin; CHATTY DOSS, a lousy bed. A CHATTY DOSSER or a CRUMMY DOSSER is a filthy tramp or houseless wanderer.

Chaunt, to sing the contents of any paper in the streets. Cant, as applied to vulgar language, may have been derived from CHAUNT.

Chaunt, “to CHAUNT the play,” to explain the tricks and manœuvres of thieves.

Chaunter-culls, a singular body of men who used to haunt certain well-known public-houses, and write satirical or libellous ballads on any person, or body of persons, for a consideration. 7s. 6d. was the usual fee, and in three hours the ballad might be heard in St. Paul’s Churchyard, or other public spot. Strange as it may appear, there are actually two men in London at the present day who gain their living in this way. Very recently they were singing before the establishment of a fashionable tailor in Regent Street; and not long since they were bawling their doggrel rhymes outside the mansion of a Norfolk M.P., in Belgravia.

Chaunters, those street sellers of ballads, last copies of verses, and other broadsheets, who sang or bawled the contents of their papers. They often termed themselves PAPER WORKERS. Cheap evening papers and private executions have together combined to improve these folks’ occupations off the face of the earth. See HORSE-CHAUNTERS.

Chaw, to chew; CHAW UP, to get the better of one, finish him up; CHAWED UP, utterly done for.

Chaw-bacon, a rustic. Derived from the popular idea that a countryman lives entirely on bread and fat bacon. A country clown, a joskin, a yokel, a clodcrusher. These terms are all exchangeable.

Chaw over, to repeat one’s words with a view to ridicule.

Cheap, “doing it on the CHEAP,” living economically, or keeping up a showy appearance with very little means.

Cheap Jacks, or JOHNS, oratorical hucksters and patterers of hardware, who put an article up at a high price, and then cheapen it by degrees, indulging all the time in volleys of coarse wit, until it becomes to all appearance a bargain, and as such it is bought by one of the crowd. The popular idea is that the inverse method of auctioneering saves them paying for the auction licence.—See DUTCH AUCTION.

Checks, counters used in games at cards. In the Pacific States of America a man who is dead is said to have handed (or passed) in his checks. The gamblers there are responsible for many of the colloquialisms current.

Chee-Chee, this word is used in a rather offensive manner to denote Eurasians, or children by an English father and native mother. It takes its origin in a very common expression of half-caste females, “Chee-chee,” equivalent to our Oh, fie!—Nonsense!—For shame!—Anglo-Indian.

Cheek, share or portion; “where’s my CHEEK?” where is my allowance? “All to his own CHEEK,” all to himself.

Cheek, impudence, assurance; CHEEKY, saucy or forward.

Cheek, to irritate by impudence, to accuse.

Cheek by Jowl, side by side—said often of persons in such close confabulation that their faces almost touch.

Cheese, anything good, first-rate in quality, genuine, pleasant, or advantageous, is termed the CHEESE. The London Guide, 1818, says it was from some young fellows translating “c’est une autre CHOSE” into “that is another CHEESE.” But the expression CHEESE may be found in the Gipsy vocabulary, and in the Hindostanee and Persian languages. In the last CHIZ means a thing—that is the thing, i.e., the CHEESE.

Cheese, or CHEESE IT (evidently a corruption of cease), leave off, or have done; “CHEESE your barrikin,” hold your noise. Term very common.

Cheesecutter, a prominent and aquiline nose. Also a large square peak to a cap. Caps fitted with square peaks are called cheesecutter caps.

Cheesemongers, once a popular name for the First Lifeguards. Until the Peninsular War the First Lifeguards, from their almost exclusive service at home, were nicknamed CHEESEMONGERS. This term then fell into desuetude; but at Waterloo the commanding officer of the regiment had not forgotten it, and when leading his men to the charge, called out, “Come on, you damned CHEESEMONGERS!” an invitation complied with so readily, that the title was restored, with the difference that it was no longer a word of reproach.

Cheesy, fine or showy. The opposite of “dusty.”

Cherry-bums, or CHERUBIMS, a nickname given to the 11th Hussars, from their crimson trousers.

Cherry-colour, either red or black, as you wish; a term used in a cheating trick at cards. When the cards are being dealt, a knowing one offers to bet that he will tell the colour of the turn-up card. “Done!” says Mr. Green. The sum being named, Mr. Sharp affirms that it will be CHERRY-COLOUR; and as cherries are either black or red, he wins, leaving his victim a wiser man, it is to be hoped, and not a better for the future. It may be as well for the habitually unfortunate to know that wagers of this kind are not recoverable even according to the sporting code, which disacknowledges all kinds of catch-bets.

Cherry-merry, a present of money. Cherry-merry-bamboo, a beating.—Anglo-Indian.

Cherubs, or still more vulgarly, CHERUBIMS, the chorister boys who chaunt in the services at the abbeys and cathedrals. Possibly because in some places their heads alone are visible.

Cheshire Cat, to grin like a CHESHIRE CAT, to display the teeth and gums when laughing. Formerly the phrase was “to grin like a CHESHIRE CAT eating cheese.” A hardly satisfactory explanation has been given of this phrase—that Cheshire is a county palatine, and the cats, when they think of it, are so tickled with the notion that they can’t help grinning.

Chicken, a term applied to anything young, small, or insignificant; CHICKEN STAKES, small paltry stakes; “she’s no CHICKEN,” said of an old maid.

Chicken-hearted, cowardly, fearful. With about the amount of pluck a chicken in a fright might be supposed to possess.

Chi-ike, to hail in a rough though friendly manner; to support by means of vociferation.

Chi-ike, a hail; a good loud word of hearty praise; term used by the costermongers, who assist the sale of each other’s goods by a little friendly, although noisy, commendation.

Children’s Shoes (to make), to be made nought of.—See SHOES.

Chill, to warm, as beer. This at first seems like reversing the order of things, but it is only a contraction of “take the CHILL off.”

Chimney-Sweep, the aperient mixture commonly called a black draught.

Chin-chin, a salutation, a compliment.—Anglo-Chinese.

Chink, or CHINKERS, money.—Ancient. Derivation obvious.

Chin-wag, officious impertinence.

Chip of the Old Block, a child which physically or morally resembles its father. Brother chip, one of the same trade or profession. Originally brother carpenter, now general.

Chips, money; also a nickname for a carpenter.—Sea.

Chirp, to give information, to “peach.”

Chisel, to cheat, to take a slice off anything. Hence the old conundrum: “Why is a carpenter like a swindler?—Because he chisels a deal.”

Chit, a letter; corruption of a Hindoo word.—Anglo-Indian.

Chitterlings, the shirt frills once fashionable and worn still by ancient beaux; properly the entrails of a pig, to which they are supposed to bear some resemblance. Belgian SCHYTERLINGH.

Chivalry, coition. Probably a corruption from the Lingua Franca. Perhaps from CHEVAULCHER.

Chive, or CHIVEY, a shout, a halloo, or cheer; loud tongued. Probably from CHEVY-CHASE, a boy’s game, in which the word CHEVY is bawled aloud. Dickens uses the word CHIVEY in Bleak House rather freely, but there it is from the other phase of CHEVY-CHASE which follows.

Chive, a knife; also used as a verb, to knife. In all these cases the word is pronounced as though written CHIV or CHIVVY.

Chive-Fencer, a street hawker of cutlery.

Chivey, to chase round, or hunt about. Apparently from CHEVY-CHASE.—See above.

Choakee, or CHOKEY, the black hole.—Military Anglo-Indian. Chokey is also very vulgar slang for prison.

Chock-Full, full till the scale comes down with a shock. Originally CHOKE-FULL, and used in reference to theatres and places of amusement.

Choke Off, to get rid of. Bulldogs can only be made to loose their hold by choking them. Suggestively to get rid of a man by saying something to him which “sticks in his gizzard.”

Choker, a cravat, a neckerchief. White-choker, the white neckerchief worn by mutes at a funeral, waiters at a tavern, and gentlemen in evening costume. Clergymen and Exeter Hallites are frequently termed WHITE-CHOKERS.

Choker, or WIND-STOPPER, a garotter.

Chonkeys, a kind of mincemeat, baked in a crust, and sold in the streets.

Choops, a corruption of CHOOPRAHO, keep silence.—Anglo-Indian.

Chootah, small, insignificant.—Anglo-Indian.

Chop, in the Canton jargon of Anglo-Chinese, this word has several significations. It means an official seal, a permit, a boat load of teas. First chop signifies first quality; and CHOP-CHOP, to make haste.

Chop, to exchange, to “swop.” To CHOP and change, to be as variable as the wind.

Chops, properly CHAPS, the mouth, or cheeks; “down in the CHOPS,” or “down in the mouth,” i.e., sad or melancholy.

Chouse, to cheat out of one’s share or portion. Hackluyt, CHAUS; Massinger, CHIAUS. From the Turkish, in which language it signifies an interpreter. Gifford gives a curious story as to its origin:—

“In the year 1609 there was attached to the Turkish embassy in England an Interpreter, or CHIAOUS, who, by cunning, aided by his official position, managed to cheat the Turkish and Persian merchants, then in London, out of the large sum of £4000, then deemed an enormous amount. From the notoriety which attended the fraud, and the magnitude of the swindle, any one who cheated or defrauded was said to chiaous, or chause, or CHOUSE; to do, that is, as this Chiaous had done.”—See Trench, Eng. Past and Present.

Chiaus, according to Sandys (Travels, p. 48), is “one who goes on embassies, executes commandments,” &c. The particular Chiaus in question is alluded to in Ben Jonson’s Alchymist, 1610.

“D. What do you think of me?
That I am a CHIAUS?
Face.That I am a CHIAUS? What’s that?
D. The Turk [who] was here.
As one would say, do you think I am a Turk?”

Chout, an entertainment.—East-end of London.

Chovey, a shop.—Costermonger.

Chow-Chow, a mixture, food of any kind. Also chit-chat and gossip.—Anglo-Chinese.

Chowdar, a fool.—Anglo-Chinese.

Christening, erasing the name of the maker, the number, or any other mark, from a stolen watch, and inserting a fictitious one in its place.

Chubby, round-faced, plump. Probably from the same derivative as CHUB, which means literally a fish with a big head.

Chuck, bread or meat; in fact, anything to eat. Also a particular kind of beefsteak.

Chuck, a schoolboy’s treat.—Westminster School. Provision for an entertainment. Hard CHUCK is sea biscuit.

Chuck, to throw or pitch.

Chuck a Jolly, to bear up or bonnet, as when a costermonger praises the inferior article his mate or partner is trying to sell. See Chi-ike.

Chuck a Stall, to attract a person’s attention while a confederate picks his pockets, or otherwise robs him.

Chuck in, to challenge—from the pugilistic custom of throwing a hat into the ring; a modern version of “throwing down the gauntlet.” This term seems to have gone out of fashion with the custom which gave rise to it.

Chuckle-head, much the same as “buffle head,” “cabbage head,” “chowder head,” “cod’s head,”—all signifying that large abnormal form of skull generally supposed to accompany stupidity and weakness of intellect; as the Scotch proverb, “muckle head and little wit.”—Originally Devonshire, but now general.

Chucks! Schoolboy’s signal on the master’s approach.

Chuck up, to surrender, give in—from the custom of throwing up the sponge at a prize-fight in token of yielding. This is very often corrupted into “jack up.”

Chuff it, i.e., be off, or take it away, in answer to a street seller who is importuning you to purchase. Halliwell mentions CHUFF as a “term of reproach,” surly, &c.

Chull, make haste. An abbreviation of the Hindostanee CHULLO, signifying “go along.” Chull is very commonly used to accelerate the motions of a servant, driver, or palanquin-bearer.

Chum, an intimate acquaintance. A recognised term, but in such frequent use with slangists that it almost demands a place here. Stated to be from the Anglo-Saxon, CUMA, a guest.

Chum, to occupy a joint lodging with another person. Latin, CUM.

Chumming-up, an old custom amongst prisoners before the present regulations were in vogue, and before imprisonment for debt was abolished; when a fresh man was admitted to their number, rough music was made with pokers, tongs, sticks, and saucepans. For this ovation the initiated prisoner had to pay, or “fork over,” half-a-crown—or submit to a loss of coat and waistcoat.

Chummy, a chimney-sweep—probably connected with chimney; also a low-crowned felt hat. Sometimes, but rarely, a sweep is called a clergyman—from his colour.

Chump, the head or face. Also one end of a loin of mutton. A half-idiotic or daft person is said to be off his chump.

Chunk, a thick or dumpy piece of any substance, as a CHUNK of bread or meat.—Kentish.

Church a yack (or watch), to take the works of a watch from its original case, and put them into another one, to avoid detection.—See CHRISTEN.

Churchwarden, a long pipe, “a yard of clay;” probably so called from the dignity which seems to hedge the smoker of a churchwarden, and the responsibility attached to its use. Sometimes called an Alderman.

Cinder, any liquor used in connexion with soda-water, as to “take a soda with a CINDER in it.” The cinder may be sherry, brandy, or any other liquor.

Circumbendibus, a roundabout way, a long-winded story.

Clack-box, a garrulous person, so called from the rattle formerly used by vagrants to make a rattling noise and attract attention.—Norfolk.

⁂ A common proverb in this county is, “your tongue goes like A BAKER’S CLAP-DISH,” which is evidently a modern corruption of the beggars’ CLAP or CLACK-DISH mentioned in Measure for Measure. It was a wooden dish with a movable cover.

Claggum, boiled treacle in a hardened state, hardbake.—See CLIGGY.

Clam, or clem, to starve.—North.

Clap, to place; “do you think you can CLAP your hand on him?” i.e., find him out. Clap is also a well-known form of a contagious disease.

Clapper, the tongue. Said of an over-talkative person, to be hung in the middle and to sound with both ends.

Clap-trap, high-sounding nonsense. An ancient theatrical term for a “TRAP to catch a CLAP by way of applause from the spectators at a play.”—Bailey’s Dictionary.

Claret, blood.—Pugilistic. Otherwise Badminton—which see.

Clashy, a low fellow, a labourer.—Anglo-Indian.

Class, the highest quality or combination of highest qualities among athletes. “He’s not CLASS enough,” i.e., not good enough. “There’s a deal of CLASS about him,” i.e., a deal of quality. The term as used this way obtains to a certain extent among turfites.

Clawhammer coat, an American term for a tail-coat used in evening costume. Also known as a steel-pen coat.

Clean, quite, or entirely; “CLEAN gone,” entirely out of sight, or away.—Old, see Cotgrave and Shakspeare. Clean contrary, quite different, opposite.

Clean out, to ruin, or make bankrupt any one; to take all he has got, by purchase, chicane, or force. De Quincey, in his article on Richard Bentley, speaking of the lawsuit between that great scholar and Dr. Colbatch, remarks that the latter “must have been pretty well CLEANED OUT.” The term is very general.

Click, a knock or blow. Click-handed, left-handed.—Cornish. A term in Cumberland and Westmoreland wrestling for a peculiar kind of throw, as “an inside CLICK,” or “an outside CLICK.”

Click, to snatch, to pull away something that belongs to another.

Clicker, a female touter at a bonnet shop. In Northamptonshire, the cutter out in a shoemaking establishment. In the Dictionary of the Terms, Ancient and Modern, of the Canting Crew, Lond. n. d. (but prior to 1700), the CLICKER is described as “the shoemaker’s journeyman or servant, that cutts out all the work, and stands at or walks before the door, and saies—‘What d’ye lack, sir? what d’ye buy, madam?’” In a printing-office, a man who makes up the pages, and who takes work and receives money for himself and companions.

Clift, to steal.

Cliggy, or CLIDGY, sticky.—Anglo-Saxon, CLÆG, clay.—See CLAGGUM.

Clinch (to get the), to be locked up in jail.

Clincher, that which rivets or confirms an argument, an incontrovertible position. Also a lie which cannot be surpassed, a stopper-up, said to be derived as follows:—Two notorious liars were backed to outlie each other. “I drove a nail through the moon once,” said the first. “Right,” said the other; “I recollect the circumstance well, for I went round to the back part of the moon and clinched it”—hence CLINCHER.

Cling-rig, stealing tankards from public-houses, &c.

Clipper, a fine fast-sailing vessel. Applied also as a term of encomium to a handsome woman.

Clipping, excellent, very good. Clipper, anything showy or first-rate.

Clock, a watch. Watches are also distinguished by the terms “red clock,” a gold watch, and “white clock,” a silver watch. Generally modified into “red’un” and “white’un.”

Clock, “to know what’s O’CLOCK,” to be “up, down, fly and awake,” to know everything about everything—a definition of knowingness in general.—See TIME O’ DAY.

Clod-hopper, a country clown.

Cloud, TO BE UNDER A, to be in difficulties, disgrace or disrepute; in fact, to be in shady circumstances.

Clout, or RAG, a cotton pocket-handkerchief.—Old Cant. Now “clouts” means a woman’s under-clothes, from the waist downwards, i.e., petticoats when they are on the person; but the term is extended to mean the whole unworn wardrobe. Probably St. Giles’s satire, having reference to the fact that few women there possess a second gown.

Clout, an intentional heavy blow.

Clover, happiness, luck, a delightful position—from the supposed extra enjoyment which attends cattle when they suddenly find their quarters changed from a barren field to a meadow of clover. Among betting men he who has arranged his wagerings so satisfactorily before an event that he cannot possibly lose, and may win a good deal, is said to be in clover, a phrase which is sometimes varied by the remark that “he stands on velvet.” Any one who is provided for, so that he can look forward to a term of ease and enjoyment for the rest of his life, is also said to be in clover.

Club, in manœuvring troops, so to blunder in giving the word of command that the soldiers get into a position from which they cannot extricate themselves by ordinary tactical means. Young officers frequently “CLUB” their men, and get consequently “wigged” by the inspecting general.

Clump, to strike, to beat.—Prov.

Cly, a pocket.—Old Cant for to steal. A correspondent derives this word from the Old English, CLEYES, claws; Anglo-Saxon, CLEA. This pronunciation is still retained in Norfolk; thus, to CLY would mean to pounce upon, to snatch.—See FRISK. Gael., CLIAH (pronounced CLEE), a basket.

Cly-faker, a pickpocket.

Coach, a private tutor. Originally University, but now general. Any man who now trains or teaches another, or others, is called a coach. To coach is to instruct as regards either physical or mental acquirements. A private tutor is sometimes termed a RURAL COACH when he is not connected with a college. At Rugby a flogging is termed a “coaching.”

Coach-wheel, or TUSHEROON, a crown-piece, or five shillings.

Coal, money; “post the COAL,” put down the money. The phrase was used by Mr. Buckstone at the Theatrical Fund Dinner of 1863. From this is derived the theatrical term COALING, profitable, very good, which an actor will use if his part is full of good and telling speeches—thus, “my part is full of COALING lines.” This term was used in the sporting world long anterior to Mr. Buckstone’s speech. See COAL.

Coals, “to haul (or pull) over the COALS,” to take to task, to scold. Supposed by Jamieson to refer to the ordeal by fire. To “take one’s coals in,” is a term used by sailors to express their having caught the venereal disease. It means that they have gotten that which will keep them hot for a good many months.

Cobbing, a punishment inflicted by sailors and soldiers among themselves. See Grose and Captain Marryat’s novels. A hand-saw is the general instrument of punishment.

Cock, a familiar term of address; “jolly old COCK,” a jovial fellow, “how are you, old COCK?” Frequently rendered nowadays, COCK-E-E, a vulgar street salutation—probably a corruption of COCK-EYE. The latter is frequently heard as a shout or street cry after a man or boy.

Cock, a smoking term; “COCKING a Broseley,” i.e., smoking a pipe. Broseley in Shropshire is famous for “churchwardens.” A “COCK” is an apocryphal story, generally, of a murder or elopement bawled about the streets by the Seven Dials’ “patterers.”

Cock, a pugilistic term for a man who is knocked out of time. “Knocked him a reg’lar COCK.” Sometimes used to signify knocked out of shape, as, “Knocked him A-COCK,” probably connected with “cocked-hat shape.” A horse who has been backed by the public, but who does not run, or, running, does not persevere.

Cock, “to COCK your eye,” to shut or wink one eye, to make “sheep’s-eyes.”

Cock-a-hoop, in high spirits. Possibly the idea is from the fact that, if a cock wins a fight, he will mount on anything near, and crow lustily and jubilantly. It is noticeable that under these circumstances a cock always gets off the ground-level if he can.

Cockalorum, or COCKYLORUM, amplification of cock or cocky.

Cock and bull story, a long, rambling anecdote.—See Peroration to Tristram Shandy.

Cock-and-hen-club, a free and easy gathering, or “sing-song,” where females are admitted as well as males.

Cock-and-pinch, the old-fashioned beaver hat, affected by “swells” and “sporting gents” forty years ago—COCKED back and front, and PINCHED up at the sides.

Cock-a-wax, an amplification of the simple term COCK, sometimes “Lad of WAX,” originally applied to a cobbler, but now general.

Cocked-hat-club, the principal clique amongst the members of the Society of Antiquaries, who virtually decide whether any person proposed shall be admitted or not. The term comes from the “cocked-hat” placed before the president at the sittings. There was another cocked-hat club in London not many years back, which had nothing peculiar about it beyond the fact that every member wore during club sittings, a “fore-and-aft” cocked-hat. Otherwise the proceedings were of the most ordinary kind.

Cocked-hat-shaped, shapeless: Anything which has been altered beyond recognition, or any man who has been put completely hors de combat, is said to have been knocked into a COCKED-HAT.

Cocker, “It is all right, according to Cocker,” meaning that everything has been done in accordance with the present system of figures. The phrase refers to the celebrated writing-master of Charles II.’s time, whose Arithmetic, Dictionary, &c., were long the standard authorities. The Arithmetic was first published in 1677-8, and, though it reached more than sixty editions, is considered a very scarce book. Professor de Morgan says that the main goodness of Cocker’s Tutor consists in his adopting the abbreviated system of division; and suggests that it became a proverbial representative of arithmetic from Murphy’s farce of The Apprentice, 1756, in which the strong point of the old merchant, Wingate, is his extreme reverence for Cocker and his arithmetic. A curious fact may here be mentioned in connexion with this saying. It has been stated, and very well proved, that many words popular in Shakspeare’s time, and now obsolete in this country, are still in every-day use in the older English settlements of North America. The original compiler of this work was surprised, when travelling through Western Canada, to find that, instead of the renowned Cocker, the people appealed to another and more learned authority. “According to Gunter,” is a phrase in continual Transatlantic use. This scientific worthy invented the sector in 1606; and in 1623, about the time of the great Puritan exodus to North America, he brought out his famous Rule of Proportion. This was popularly known as Gunter’s Proportion, or Gunter’s Line, and the term soon became a vulgar standard of appeal in cases of doubt or dispute.

Cock-eye, a term of opprobrium often applied to one that squints.

Cockles, “to rejoice the COCKLES of one’s heart,” a vulgar phrase implying great pleasure. Also, to “warm one’s COCKLES,” said of any hot, well-spiced drink, taken in cold weather. Cockles altogether seem to be an imaginary portion—of great importance—in the internal economy of the human frame.

Cockney, a native of London. Originally, a spoilt or effeminate boy, derived from COCKERING, or foolishly petting a person, rendering him of soft and luxurious manners. Halliwell states, in his admirable essay upon the word, that “some writers trace the word with much probability to the imaginary land of COCKAYGNE, the lubber land of the olden times.” Grose gives Minsheu’s absurd but comical derivation:—A citizen of London being in the country, and hearing a horse neigh, exclaimed, “Lord! how that horse laughs!” A bystander informed him that the noise was called neighing. The next morning when the cock crowed, the citizen, to show that he had not forgotten what was told him, cried out, “Do you hear how the COCK NEIGHS?”—See MARE’S NEST.

Cock of the walk, a master spirit, head of a party. Places where poultry are fed are called WALKS, and the barn door cocks invariably fight for the supremacy till one has obtained it. At schools where this phrase was originally much used, it has been diminished to “COCK” only.

Cock one’s toes, to die. Otherwise “turn-up one’s toes.”

Cock-robin shop, a small printing-office, where cheap and nasty work is done and low wages are paid.

Cocks, fictitious narratives, in verse or prose, of murders, fires, and terrible accidents, sold in the streets as true accounts. The man who hawks them, a patterer, often changes the scene of the awful event to suit the taste of the neighbourhood he is trying to delude. Possibly a corruption of cook, a cooked statement, or maybe “the story of a cock and a bull” may have had something to do with the term. Improvements in newspapers, especially in those published in the evening, and increased scepticism on the part of the public, have destroyed this branch of a once-flourishing business.

Cockshy, a game at fairs and races, where trinkets are set upon sticks, and for one penny three throws at them are accorded, the thrower keeping whatever he knocks off. From the ancient game of throwing or “shying” at live cocks. Any prominent person abused in the newspapers is said to be a common COCKSHY.

Cocksure, certain.

Cocky, pert, saucy.

Cocoa-nut, the head. A pugilistic term. Also, when anything is explained to a man for the first time, it is not unusual for him to say, “Ah, that accounts for the milk in the cocoa-nut”—a remark which has its origin in a clever but not very moral story.

Cocum, shrewdness, ability, luck; “Jack’s got COCUM, he’s safe to get on, he is,”—viz., he starts under favourable circumstances; “to fight COCUM” is to be wily and cautious. Allied perhaps to the Scottish KEEK, German, GUCKEN, to peep or pry into.

Cod, to hoax, to take a “rise” out of one. Used as a noun, a fool.

Coddam, a public-house game, much affected by medical students and cabmen, generally three on each side. The game is “simplicity itself,” but requires a great amount of low cunning and peculiar mental ingenuity. It consists in guessing in which of the six hands displayed on the table, a small piece of marked money lies hid. If the guesser “brings it home,” his side takes the “piece,” and the centre man “works” it. If the guess is wrong, a chalk is taken to the holders, who again secrete the coin. Great fun is to be obtained from this game when it is properly played.

Codds, the “poor brethren” of the Charter House. In The Newcomes, Thackeray writes, “The Cistercian lads call these old gentlemen CODDS; I know not wherefore.” A probable abbreviation of CODGER.

Codger, or COGER, an old man; “a rum old CODGER,” a curious old fellow. Codger is sometimes used as synonymous with CADGER, and then signifies a person who gets his living in a questionable manner. “Cogers,” the name of a debating society, formerly held in Shoe Lane, Fleet Street, and still in existence. The term is probably a corruption of COGITATORS.

Coffee-Shop, a watercloset, or house of office.

Cog, to cheat at dice.—Shakspeare. Also, to agree with, as one cog-wheel does with another, to crib from another’s book, as schoolboys often do. This is called “cogging over.”

Cogged, loaded like false dice. Any one who has been hocussed or cheated is sometimes said to have been COGGED.

Coin, “to post the COIN”—sometimes “post the coal”—a sporting phrase meaning to make a deposit of money for a match of any kind.

Cold blood, a house licensed for the sale of beer “NOT to be drunk on the premises.”

Cold coffee, misfortune; sometimes varied to COLD GRUEL. An unpleasant return for a proffered kindness is sometimes called COLD COFFEE.—Sea.

Cold coffee, an Oxford synonym for a “sell,” which see.

Cold cook, an undertaker. Cold cook’s shop, an undertaker’s.

Cold meat, a corpse. Cold-meat box, a coffin.

Cold meat train, the last train at night by which officers can reach Aldershot per South Western Railway. So called because by this train corpses are often conveyed on account of the Necropolis Company to Woking.

Cold shoulder, “to show or give any one the COLD SHOULDER” is to “cut” in a modified form, to assume a distant manner towards anybody, to evince a desire to cease acquaintanceship. Sometimes termed “COLD SHOULDER of mutton.”

Colfabias, a Latinized Irish phrase signifying the closet of decency, applied as a slang term to a place of resort in Trinity College, Dublin.

Collar, “out of COLLAR,” i.e., out of place, no work. Probably a variation of the metaphorical expressions, “in, or out of harness,” i.e., in or out of work—the horse being in collar when harnessed for his work. Collar work is any very hard work, from the expression among drivers. Any uphill journey is said to be all “COLLAR work” for the horses.

Collar, to seize, to lay hold of. Thieves’ slang, i.e., to steal.

Collar and elbow, a term for a peculiar style of wrestling—the Cornwall and Devon style.

Collections, the College examinations at the end of each term, when undergraduates wear white ties and bands, and are trotted through the subjects of the term’s lecture. These are the occasions when the dons administer reproof or advice on the conduct of each individual undergrad.—Oxford University.

Collogue, to conspire, talk mysteriously together in low tones, plot mischief. Connected with “colloquy” or “colleague.” Maybe mixture of both.

Colly-wobbles, the stomach-ache, a person’s bowels,—supposed by many to be the seat of feeling and nutrition.—Devonshire.

Colour, complexion, tint; “I’ve not seen the COLOUR of his money,” i.e., he has never paid me any. In fortune-telling by cards, a diamond colour is the fairest; heart-colour, fair, but not so fair as the last; club colour, rather dark; spade colour, an extremely swarthy complexion.

Colour, a handkerchief worn by each of the supporters of a professional athlete on the day of a match, so as to distinguish them from the partizans of the other side. The professional chooses his colours, and his backers, and as many of the general public as can be persuaded to do so, take one each to wear on the eventful day, the understanding being that the man is to be paid, say, a guinea if he wins, and nothing if he loses. Some of these handkerchiefs used to be, in the palmy days of pugilism and professional rowing on the Thames, very fine specimens of work; but as their purveyors expected to be paid whether they won or lost, and as the price was generally about four times the intrinsic value, colours are rather shyly dealt with now. The custom is, however, a very ancient one, and such men as Tom Sayers, Tom King, Harry Kelley, and Bob Chambers have, even in these degenerate days, received very large sums for their winning colours.

Colt, a murderous weapon, formed by slinging a small shot to the end of a rather stiff piece of rope. It is the original of the misnamed “life-preserver.”

Colt, a person who sits as juryman for the first time. In Cork an operative baker who does not belong to the union.

Colt, a professional cricketer during his first season. From the best colts in the annual match are selected new county players.

Colt, to fine a new juryman a sum to be spent in drink, by way of “wetting” his office; to make a person free of a new place, which is done by his standing treat, and submitting to be struck on the sole of the foot with a piece of board.

Colt’s tooth, elderly persons of juvenile tastes are said to have a COLT’S TOOTH, i.e., a desire to shed their teeth once more, to see life over again.

Comb-cut, mortified, disgraced, “down on one’s luck.”—See CUT.

Come, a slang verb used in many phrases; “Aint he COMING IT?” i.e., is he not proceeding at a great rate? “Don’t COME TRICKS here,” “don’t COME THE OLD SOLDIER over me,” i.e., we are aware of your practices, and “twig” your manœuvre. Coming it strong, exaggerating, going ahead, the opposite of “drawing it mild.” Coming it also means informing or disclosing. Also, in pugilistic phraseology, to COME IT means to show fear; and in this respect, as well as in that of giving information, the expression “COME IT” is best known to the lower and most dangerous classes.

Come down, to pay down.

Commemoration, the end of Lent term at Oxford, when honorary degrees are conferred and certain prizes given, and when men have friends “up.”

Commission, a shirt.—Ancient Cant. Italian, CAMICIA.

“As from our beds, we doe oft cast our eyes,
Cleane linnen yeelds a shirt before we rise,
Which is a garment shifting in condition;
And in the canting tongue is a COMMISSION.
In weale or woe, in joy or dangerous drifts,
A shirt will put a man unto his shifts.”

—Taylor’s Works, 1630.

For further particulars, see CAMESA.

Commister, a chaplain or clergyman.—Originally Old Cant.

Common sewer, a DRAIN,—vulgar equivalent for a drink.

Commons, the allowance of anything sent out of the buttery or kitchen. “A commons of bread,” or “of cheese,” for instance.—University. Short commons (derived from the University slang term), a scanty meal, a scarcity.

Competition wallah, one who entered the Indian Civil Service by passing a competitive examination.—Anglo-Indian.

Compo, a sailor’s term for his monthly advance of wages.

Comprador, a purveyor, an agent.—Originally Spanish, now Anglo-Chinese.

Concaves and convexes, a pack of cards contrived for cheating, by cutting all the cards from the two to the seven concave, and all from the eight to the king convex. Then by cutting the pack breadthwise a convex card is cut, and by cutting it lengthwise a concave is secured.—See LONGS AND SHORTS.

Conjee, a kind of gruel made of rice.—Anglo-Indian.

Conk, a nose. Possibly from the Latin, CONCHA, a shell. Greek, κόγχη—hence anything hollow. Somewhat of a parallel may be found in the Latin, TESTA, an earthenware pot, a shell, and in later Latin, a skull; from whence the French TESTE, or TÊTE, head. Conky, having a projecting or remarkable nose. The first Duke of Wellington was frequently termed “Old Conky” in satirical papers and caricatures.

Connaught Rangers, the Eighty-eighth Regiment of Foot in the British Army.

Conshun’s price, fair terms, without extortion. Probably conscience price.—Anglo-Chinese.

Constable, “to overrun the CONSTABLE,” to exceed one’s income, or get deep in debt. The origin of this phrase is unknown, but its use is very general.

Constitutional, a walk, or other exercise taken for the benefit of the health.

Consumah, a butler.—Anglo-Indian.

Contango, among stockbrokers and jobbers, is a certain sum paid for accommodating a buyer or seller, by carrying the engagement to pay money or deliver shares over to the next account day.

Continuations, coverings for the legs, whether trousers or breeches. A word belonging to the same squeamish, affected family as unmentionables, inexpressibles, &c.

Convey, to steal; “CONVEY, the wise it call.”

Conveyancer, a pickpocket. Shakspeare uses the cant expression CONVEYER, a thief. The same term is also French slang.

Cooey, the Australian bush-call, now not unfrequently heard in the streets of London.

Cook, a term well known in the Bankruptcy Courts, in reference to accounts that have been meddled with, or COOKED, by the bankrupt; also to form a balance-sheet from general trade inferences; stated by a correspondent to have been first used in reference to the celebrated alteration of the accounts of the Eastern Counties Railway, by George Hudson, the Railway King. Any unfair statements of accounts or reports are now said to be COOKED.

Cook, in artistic circles, to dodge up a picture. Artists say that a picture will not COOK when it is excellent and unconventional, and beyond specious imitation.

Cook one’s goose, to kill or ruin a person.—North.

Cooler, a glass of porter as a wind up, after drinking spirits and water. This form of drinking is sometimes called “putting the beggar on the gentleman.”

Coolie, a soldier, in allusion to the Hindoo COOLIES, or day labourers.

Coon, abbreviation of racoon.—American. A GONE COON—ditto, one in an awful fix, past praying for. This expression is said to have originated in the first American war with a spy, who dressed himself in a racoon skin, and ensconced himself in a tree. An English rifleman taking him for a veritable coon, levelled his piece at him, upon which he exclaimed, “Don’t shoot, I’ll come down of myself, I know I’m a GONE COON.” The Yankees say the Britisher was so “flummuxed,” that he flung down his rifle and “made tracks” for home. The phrase is pretty general in England. [There is one difficulty about this story—How big was the man who dressed himself in a racoon skin?]

Cooper, “stout half-and-half,” i.e., half stout and half porter. Derived from the coopers at breweries being allowed so much stout and so much porter a day, which they take mixed.

Cooper, to destroy, spoil, settle, or finish. Coopered, spoilt, “done up,” synonymous with the Americanism caved in, fallen in, ruined. The vagabonds’ hieroglyph , chalked by them on gate posts and houses, signifies that the place has been spoilt by too many tramps calling there.

Cooper, to forge, or imitate in writing; “COOPER a monniker,” to forge a signature.

Cooter, “a sovereign.”—See Couter. Gipsy, CUTA.

Cop, to seize or lay hold of anything unpleasant; used in a similar sense to catch in the phrase “to COP (or catch) a beating.” “To get COPT,” is to be taken by the police. Probable contraction of Lat. capere.

Cop, beware, take care. A contraction of Coprador.—Anglo-Indian.

Coper, properly HORSE-COUPER, a Scotch horse-dealer,—used to denote a dishonest one. Coping, like jockeying, is suggestive of all kinds of trickery.

Copper, a policeman, i.e., one who COPS, which see.

Copper, a halfpenny. Coppers, mixed pence.

Coppernose, a nose which is supposed to show a partiality on its owner’s part for strong drink. Synonymous with “jolly nose.” Grog-blossoms are the jewels often set in a jolly nose.

Copus, a Cambridge drink, consisting of ale combined with spices, and varied by spirits, wines, &c. Corruption of HIPPOCRAS.

Corduroy roads, an American term for the rough roads made by simply laying logs along a clearing.

Corinthianism, a term derived from the classics, much in vogue some years ago, implying pugilism, high life, “sprees,” roystering, &c.—Shakspeare, 1 Hen. IV. ii. 4. The immorality of Corinth was proverbial in Greece. Κορινθιάζεσθαι, to Corinthianize, indulge in the company of courtezans, was a Greek slang expression. Hence the proverb—

Οὐ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς εἰς Κόρινθον ἔσθ᾿ ὁ πλοῦς;

and Horace, Epist. lib. 1, xvii. 36—

“Non cuivis hommi contingit adire Corinthum,”

in allusion to the spoliation practised by the “hetæræ” on those who visited them. Pierce Egan, in his Life in London, is responsible for a deal of the modern use of this word; and after him Bell’s Life, as the oracle of Corinthian sport, was not idle.

Cork, a broken man, a bankrupt. Probably intended to refer to his lightness, as being without “ballast.”

Cork, “to draw a CORK,” to give a bloody nose.—Pugilistic.

Corkage, money charged when persons at an hotel provide their own wine—sixpence being charged for each “cork” drawn.

Corked, said of wine which tastes of cork, from being badly decanted, or which has lost flavour from various other obvious causes.

Corker, “that’s a CORKER,” i.e., that settles the question, or closes the discussion.

Corks, a butler. Derivation very obvious.

Corks, money; “how are you off for CORKS?” a sailors’ term of a very expressive kind, denoting the means of “keeping afloat.”

Corned, drunk or intoxicated. Possibly from soaking or pickling oneself like CORNED beef.

Corner, “the CORNER,” Tattersall’s famous horse repository and betting rooms, so called from the fact of its situation, which was at Hyde Park Corner. Though Tattersall’s has been removed some distance, to Albert Gate, it is still known to the older habitués of the Subscription Room as “the CORNER.”

Cornered, hemmed in a corner, placed in a position from which there is no escape.

Corner-man, the end singer of a corps of Ethiopian or nigger minstrels. There are two corner men, one generally plays the bones and the other the tambourine. Corner-men are the grotesques of a minstrel company.

Corn in Egypt, a popular expression which means a plentiful supply of materials for a dinner, &c., or a good supply of money. Its origin is of course Biblical.

Corporation, the protuberant front of an obese person. Probably from the old announcements which used to be made, and are made now in some towns where improvements are made by the municipal authorities, “Widened at the expense of the CORPORATION.”

Corpse, to stick fast in the dialogue; to confuse, or put out the actors by making a mistake.—Theatrical.

Cosh, a neddy, a life-preserver; any short, loaded bludgeon.

Cossack, a policeman.

Costard, the head. A very old word, generally used in connexion with “cracked.”

Coster, the short and slang rendering of “costermonger,” or “costardmonger,” who was originally an apple-seller. Costering, i.e., costermongering, acting as a costermonger would.

Costermonger, a street seller of fish, fruit, vegetables, poultry, &c. The London costermongers number more than 30,000. They form a distinct class, occupying whole neighbourhoods, and were at one time cut off from the rest of metropolitan society by their low habits, general improvidence, pugnacity, love of gambling, total want of education, disregard for lawful marriage ceremonies, and their use of a peculiar slang language. They have changed a good deal of this, though, now. Costermonger aliter COSTARDMONGER, i.e., an apple-seller. In Nares’s Glossary (Ed. H. & W.) they are said to have been frequently Irish. So, Ben Jonson—

“Her father was an Irish COSTAR-MONGER.”

Alchym., iv. x.

“In England, sir, troth I ever laugh when I think on ’t,
----Why, sir, there all the COSTER-MONGERS are Irish.”

2 P. Hen. IV., O. Pl., iii. 375.

Their noisy manners are alluded to in Beaumont and Fletcher’s Scornful Lady, iv. I.

“And then he’ll rail like a rude COSTER-MONGER
That school-boys had couzened of his apples,
As loud and senseless.”

Cotton, to like, adhere to, or agree with any person; “to COTTON on to a man,” to attach yourself to him, or fancy him, literally, to stick to him as cotton would. Vide Bartlett, who claims it as an Americanism, and Halliwell, who terms it an archaism; also Bacchus and Venus, 1737.

“Her heart’s as hard as taxes, and as bad;
She does not even COTTON to her dad.”

Halliday and Lawrance, Kenilworth Burlesque.

Cotton Lord, a Manchester manufacturer.

Cottonopolis, Manchester. A term much in use among the reporters of the sporting press engaged in that locality.

Council-of-ten, the toes of a man who turns his feet inward.

Counter, to hit back, to exchange blows. A cross COUNTER is a blow with the right hand given in exchange for one with the left, the counterer preferring to strike rather than to “stop” the blow.—Pugilistic.

Counter-jumper, a shopman, a draper’s assistant.

Country-captain, a spatch-cocked fowl, sprinkled with curry-powder. A favourite breakfast dish with the captains of country-ships.—Indian.

Country-ship, a ship belonging to the East Indies, and trading from port to port in that country.

County-crop (i.e., COUNTY-PRISON CROP), haircut close and round, as if guided by a basin—an indication of having been in prison. Since short hair has become fashionable the expression has fallen somewhat into disuse. In the times when long hair was worn, a man with his hair cut as described was said to have had it done with a knife and fork.

Couple-beggar, a degraded person, who officiated as a clergyman in performing marriages in the Fleet Prison.

Couter, a sovereign. Half-a-couter, half-a-sovereign. From the Danubian-gipsy word CUTA, a gold coin.

Cove, or COVEY, a boy or man of any age or station. A term generally preceded by an expressive adjective, thus a “flash COVE,” a “rum COVE,” a “downy COVE,” &c. The feminine, COVESS, was once popular, but it has fallen into disuse. Originally ancient cant (temp. Henry VII.), COFE, or CUFFIN, altered in Decker’s time to COVE. See Witts’ Recreations, 1654: “there’s a gentry-COVE here,” i.e., a gentleman. Probably connected with CUIF, which, in the North of England, signifies a lout or awkward fellow. Amongst Negroes, CUFFEE.

Coventry, “to send a man to COVENTRY,” not to speak to or notice him. Coventry was one of those towns in which the privilege of practising most trades was anciently confined to certain privileged persons, as the freemen, &c. Hence a stranger stood little chance of custom, or countenance, and “to send a man to COVENTRY” came to be equivalent to putting him out of the pale of society.

Cover-down, a tossing coin with a false cover, enabling either head or tail to be shown, according as the cover is left on or taken off. The cover is more generally called a CAP. This style of cheating is now obsolete. A man who cannot manage to cheat at tossing without machinery is a sorry rogue.

Cowan, a sneak, an inquisitive or prying person. Greek, κύων, a dog. Term given by Freemasons to all uninitiated persons. Used in Anderson’s Constitutions, edit. 1769, p. 97. If derived from κύων, its use was probably suggested by such passages in the N. T. as Matt. vii. 6, and Phil. iii. 2. The Moslems apply dog in a similar manner. It is probably Oriental. Other authorities say it is from COWAN, or KIRWAN, a Scottish word signifying a man who builds rough stone walls without mortar—a man who, though he builds, is not a practical mason.

Cow-cow, to be very angry, to scold or reprimand violently.—Anglo-Chinese.

Cow-hocked, clumsy about the ankles; with large or awkward feet.

Cow-lick, the term given to the lock of hair which costermongers and tramps usually twist forward from the ear; a large greasy curl upon the cheek, seemingly licked into shape. These locks are also called NUMBER SIXES, from their usual shape. The opposite of NEWGATE-KNOCKER, which see.

Cow’s grease, butter.

Coxy-loxy, good-tempered, drunk.—Norfolk.

Crab, a disagreeable old person. Name of a wild and sour fruit.

Crab, “to catch a CRAB,” to fall backwards by missing a stroke in rowing. From the crab-like or sprawling appearance of the man when in the bottom of the boat.

Crab, to offend, or insult; to expose or defeat a robbery, to inform against. Crab, in the sense of “to offend,” is Old English.

“If I think one thing and speak another,
I will both CRAB Christ and our Ladie His mother.”

Packman’s Paternoster.

Crabs, in dicing, a pair of aces.

Crabshells, or TROTTER-CASES, shoes.—See CARTS.

Crack, the favourite horse in a race. Steeplechase and hunting CRACKS have been made the subjects of well-known pictures, and “the gallops of the CRACKS” is a prominent line in the sporting papers.

Crack, first-rate, excellent; “a CRACK HAND,” an adept; a “CRACK article,” a good one. “A CRACK regiment,” a fashionable one.—Old.

Crack, dry firewood.—Modern Gipsy.

Crack, “in a CRACK (of the finger and thumb),” in a moment.

Crack, to break into a house; “CRACK A CRIB,” to commit burglary.

Crack a bottle, to drink. Shakspeare uses CRUSH in the same slang sense.

Cracked up, penniless or ruined.

Cracking a crust, rubbing along in the world. Cracking a tidy crust, means doing very well. This is a very common expression among the lower orders.

Crackle, or CRACKLING, the scored rind on a roast leg or loin of pork; hence applied to the velvet bars on the gowns of the students at St. John’s College, Cambridge, long called “Hogs,” and the covered bridge which connects one of the courts with the grounds, Isthmus of Suez (SUES, Lat. SUS, a swine).

Cracksman, a burglar, i.e., the man who CRACKS.

Crack up, to boast or praise.—Ancient English.

Cram, to lie or deceive, implying to fill up or CRAM a person with false stories; to impart or acquire learning quickly, to “grind” or prepare for an examination.

Crammer, one skilled in rapidly preparing others for an examination. One in the habit of telling lies.

Crammer, a lie.

Cranky, foolish, idiotic, rickety, capricious (not confined to persons). Ancient cant, CRANKE, simulated sickness. German, KRANK, sickly. A CRANK or CRANKY vessel is one which pitches very much.

Crap, to ease oneself by evacuation.

Crapping case, or KEN, the water-closet. Generally called CRAPPING-CASTLE.

Crawler, a mean, contemptible, sycophantic fellow. Also a cab which is driven slowly along while its driver looks out for a fare. Crawling is by recent statute a punishable offence.

Crawly mawly, in an ailing, weakly, or sickly state.

Craw thumper, a Roman Catholic. Compare BRISKET-BEATER.

Cream of the valley, gin; as opposed to or distinguished from “mountain dew,” whisky.

Crib, house, public or otherwise; lodgings, apartments; a situation. Very general in the latter sense.

Crib, to steal or purloin; to appropriate small things.

Crib, a literal translation of a classic author.—University.

Crib biter, an inveterate grumbler; properly said of a horse which has this habit, a sign of its bad digestion.

Cribbage-faced, marked with the small-pox, full of holes like a cribbage-board. Otherwise crumpet-face.

Crikey, profane exclamation of astonishment; “Oh, CRIKEY, you don’t say so!” corruption of “O Christ!” Sometimes varied by “O crimes!”

Cripple, a bent sixpence.

Cripple, an awkward or clumsy person. Also one of dull wits.

Croak, to die—from the gurgling sound a person makes when the breath of life is departing.

Croaker, one who takes a desponding view of everything, a misanthrope; an alarmist. From the croaking of a raven.—Ben Jonson.

Croaker, a beggar.

Croaker, a dying person beyond hope; a corpse. The latter is generally called a “stiff’un.”

Croaks, last dying speeches, and murderers’ confessions.

Crocodiles’ tears, the tears of a hypocrite. An ancient phrase, introduced into this country by Mandeville, or other early English traveller, who believed that the crocodile made a weeping noise to attract travellers, and then devoured them. See Shakspeare’s use of the term in Othello.

Crocus, or CROAKUS, a quack or travelling doctor; CROCUS-CHOVEY, a chemist’s shop.

Crone, a termagant or malicious old woman. Crony, an intimate friend.

Crooked, a term used among dog-stealers and the “fancy” generally, to denote anything stolen. “Got on the CROOK” is exchangeable with “Got on the cross,” CROOK and cross generally being synonymous.

Crooky, to hang on to, to lead, to walk arm-in-arm; to court or pay addresses to a girl.

Cropped, hanged. Sometimes topped. “May I be topped.”

Cropper, a heavy fall, a decided failure. Term originally used in the hunting-field, but now general, and not at all confined to physical matters.

Cropper, “to go a CROPPER,” or “to come a CROPPER,” i.e., to fail badly.

Croppie, a person who has had his hair cut, or CROPPED, in prison. Formerly those who had been CROPPED (i.e., had their ears cut off and their noses slit) by the public executioner were called CROPPIES, then the Puritans received the reversion of the title.

Crop up, to turn up in the course of conversation. “It CROPPED UP while we were speaking.”

Cross, a deception—two persons pretending hostility or indifference to each other, being all the while in concert for the purpose of deceiving a third. In the sporting world a CROSS is an arrangement made between two men that one shall win without reference to relative merits. This is sometimes done with the backer’s consent for the public benefit, at other times a backer is himself the sufferer, the men having “put some one in to lay,” according to instructions.—See DOUBLE CROSS.

Cross, a general term amongst thieves expressive of their plundering profession, the opposite of square. “To get anything on the CROSS” is to obtain it surreptitiously. “Cross-fanning in a crowd,” robbing persons of their scarf-pins, so called from the peculiar position of the arms. This style of thieving is not confined to the conveying of scarf-pins. Crossman, a thief, or one who lives by dishonest practices.

Cross.—For not paying his term bills to the bursar (treasurer), or for cutting chapels, or lectures, or other offences, the undergrad can be “CROSSED” at the buttery, or kitchen, or both, i.e., a CROSS is put against his name by the Don, who wishes to see him, or to punish him. Of course it is easy to get one’s buttery commons out in some one else’s name, and to order dinner in from the confectioner’s. The porter is supposed to allow no dinners to be sent in, but, between his winking and a little disguise, it is possible. As another instance, a barrel of beer will not be admitted; but if it is in a hamper it will pass!—Oxford University.

Cross-buttock, an unexpected fling down or repulse; from a peculiar throw practised by wrestlers.

Cross cove and molisher, a man and woman who live by thieving.

Cross-crib, a house frequented by thieves.

Crossed, prohibited from taking food from the buttery.—University.

Crow, or COCK-CROW, to exult over another’s abasement, as a fighting-cock does over his vanquished adversary.

Crow, “a regular CROW,” a success, a stroke of luck,—equivalent to a FLUKE.

Crow, one who watches whilst another commits a theft, a confederate in a robbery. The CROW looks to see that the way is clear, whilst the SNEAK, his partner, commits the depredation.

Crow, “I have a CROW to pick with you,” i.e., an explanation to demand, a disagreeable matter to settle. Sometimes the article picked is supposed to be a bone.

Crowsfeet, wrinkles which gather in the corners of the eyes of old or dissipated people.

Crug, food. Christ’s Hospital boys apply it only to bread.

Crumbs, “to pick up one’s CRUMBS,” to begin to have an appetite after an illness; to improve in health, circumstances, &c., after a loss thereof.

Crummy, fat, plump.—North. In London street slang, lousy.

Crummy-doss, a lousy or filthy bed.

Crumpet-face, a face pitted with small-pox marks.

Crunch, to crush. Perhaps from the sound of teeth grinding against each other.

Crush, to run or decamp rapidly. Crush down sides, run to a place of safety, or the appointed rendezvous.—North Country Cant.

Crusher, a policeman.

Crushing, excellent, first-rate.

Crusty, ill-tempered, petulant, morose.—Old, said to be a corruption of the Anglo-Norman CORUSEUX.

Cub, a mannerless uncouth lout.—See UNLICKED.

Cubitopolis, an appellation, originally given by Londoners to the Warwick and Eccleston Square districts. From the name of the builders.

Cue, properly the last word spoken by one actor, it being the CUE for the other to reply. “Very often an actor knows nothing of a piece beyond his own lines and the CUES.”

Cull, a man or boy.—Old Cant. Rum cull, the manager of a theatre.

Cullet, broken glass. French, CUEILLETTE, a gathering or collection.

Culling, or CULING, stealing from the carriages at racecourses.

Cully gorger, a companion, a brother actor.—Theatrical. See GORGER.

Culver-headed, weak and stupid.

Cummer, a gossip or acquaintance.

Cumshaw, a present or bribe.—Anglo-Chinese.

Cupboard-headed, an expressive designation of one whose head is both wooden and hollow.—Norfolk.

Cupboard-love, affection arising from interested motives.

“A CUPBOARD LOVE is seldom true;
A love sincere is found in few.”—Poor Robin.

Cupboard is the fount-spring of the love supposed to exist among policemen for the cooks upon their beats.

Cup-tosser, a person who professes to tell fortunes by examining the grounds in tea or coffee cups. A cup or goblet, however, is the old mystic symbol of a juggler. French, Joueur de gobelet.

Cure, an odd person; a contemptuous term, abridged from CURIOSITY, which was formerly the favourite expression. The word cure, as originally applied, was London street slang, and was, as just stated, an abbreviation of curiosity, or, more correctly, of curious or queer fellow. Of late years it has, however, been used to denote a funny, humorous person, who can give and receive chaff.

Curios, a corruption of “curiosities;” any articles of vertu brought from abroad. Used by naval and military travellers and others.

Currency, persons born in Australia are there termed CURRENCY, while natives of England are termed STERLING. The allusion is to the difference between colonial and imperial moneys, which it may be as well to remark have no difference so far as actual value is concerned.

Curse, anything worthless. Corruption of the Old English word KERSE, a small sour wild cherry; French, CERISE; German, KIRSCH. Vision of Piers Ploughman:—

“Wisdom and witt nowe is not worth a KERSE,
But if it be carded with cootis as clothers
Kembe their woole.”

The expression “not worth a CURSE,” used frequently nowadays, is therefore not properly profane, though it is frequently intensified by a profane expletive. Horne Tooke says from KERSE, or CRESS. The expression “not worth a tinker’s CURSE,” may or may not have arisen from misapplication of the word’s origin, though as now used it certainly means curse in its usual sense. Tinkers do curse, unfortunately, and it will take a good deal of school-board work to educate them out of it, as well as a fair amount of time. The phrase “not worth a tinker’s damn,” is evidently a variation of this, unless indeed it should be spelt “dam,” and used as a reference to the general worthlessness of the wives and mothers of tinkers. This latter is merely offered to those who are speculative in such matters, and is not advanced as an opinion.

Curse of Scotland, the Nine of Diamonds. Various hypotheses have been set up as to this appellation—that it was the card on which the “Butcher Duke” wrote a cruel order with respect to the rebels after the battle of Culloden; that the diamonds are the nine lozenges in the arms of Dalrymple, Earl of Stair, detested for his share in the Massacre of Glencoe; that it is a corruption of Cross of Scotland, the nine diamonds being arranged somewhat after the fashion of a St. Andrew’s Cross. The first supposition is evidently erroneous, for in Dr. Houston’s Memoirs of his own Lifetime, 1747, p. 92, the Jacobite ladies are stated to have nicknamed the Nine of Diamonds “the Justice Clerk,” after the rebellion of 1715, in allusion to the Lord Justice-Clerk Ormistone, who, for his severity in suppressing it, was called the Curse of Scotland. Gules a cross of lozenges were also the arms of Colonel Packer, who attended Charles I. on the scaffold, and commanded in Scotland afterwards with great severity.—See Chatto on the Origin and History of Playing Cards, p. 267. The most probable explanation is, that in the game of Pope Joan the nine of diamonds is the POPE, of whom the Scotch have an especial horror.

Curtail, to cut off. Originally a Cant word—vide Hudibras, and Bacchus and Venus, 1737. Evidently derived from the French court tailler.

Cushion, to hide or conceal.

Cushion-smiter, polite rendering of tub-thumper, a clergyman, a preacher.

Cushmawaunee, never mind. Sailors and soldiers who have been in India frequently say—

“Cushmawaunee,
If we cannot get arrack,
We must drink pawnee.”

Anglo-Indian.

Customer, synonymous with CHAP, a fellow; “a rum CUSTOMER,” i.e., a man likely to turn the tables on any one who attacked him, and therefore better be let alone, or very warily proceeded with; an “odd fish,” or curious person.—Shakspeare.

Customhouse-officer, an aperient pill.

Cut, to run away, move off quickly; to cease doing anything; CUT AND RUN, to quit work, or occupation, and start off at once—Sea phrase, “CUT the cable and RUN before the wind;” to CUT DIDOES, synonymous with to CUT CAPERS; CUT A DASH, make a show; CUT A CAPER, to dance or show off in a strange manner; CUT A FIGURE, to make either a good or bad appearance; CUT IT, desist, be quiet, go away, leave what you are doing and run; CUT IT SHORT, cease being prolix, “make short work” of what you have in hand; CUT OUT, to excel, thus in affairs of gallantry one Adonis is said to CUT the other out in the affections of the wished-for lady—Sea phrase, from CUTTING out a ship from the enemy’s port. Cut that! be quiet, or stop; CUT OUT OF, done out of; CUT OF ONE’S JIB, the expression or cast of his countenance [see JIB]; TO CUT ONE’S COMB, to take down a conceited person, from the practice of cutting the combs of capons [see COMB CUT]; CUT AND COME AGAIN, plenty, if one cut does not suffice, plenty remains to come at again; CUT UP, to mortify, to criticise severely, or expose; CUT UP SHINES, to play tricks; CUT ONE’S STICK, to be off quickly, i.e., to be in readiness for a journey, further elaborated into AMPUTATE YOUR MAHOGANY [see STICK]; CUT IT FAT, to exaggerate or show off in an extensive manner; to CUT UP FAT, or CUT UP WELL, to die, leaving a large property; CUT UNDER, to undersell; CUT YOUR LUCKY, to run off; CUT ONE’S CART, to expose unfair tricks; CUT AN ACQUAINTANCE, to cease friendly intercourse with him; “CUT UP ROUGH,” to become obstreperous and dangerous; to have “CUT ONE’S EYE-TEETH,” i.e., to be wide awake, knowing; to DRAW CUTS, to cast lots with papers of unequal lengths.

Cut, to take cards from a pack, with a view to decide by comparison which persons shall be partners, or which players shall deal. Not less than four cards must be picked up by the cutter, and the bottom one is the CUT. When cutting for a “turn-up,” the residuum is called the CUT.

Cut, in theatrical language, means to strike out portions of a dramatic piece, so as to render it shorter for representation. A late treasurer of one of the so-called Patent Theatres when asked his opinion of a new play, always gave utterance to the brief but safe piece of criticism, “Wants cutting.”

Cut, tipsy.—Old.

Cut, to compete in business; “a CUTTING trade,” one conducted on competitive principles, where the profits are very closely shaved.

Cut-throat, a butcher, a cattle-slaughterer; a ruffian.

Cute, sharp, cunning. Abbreviation of ACUTE.

Cutter, a ruffian, a cut-purse. Of Robin Hood it was said—

“So being outlaw’d (as ’tis told),
He with a crew went forth
Of lusty CUTTERS, bold and strong,
And robbed in the north.”

Cutter, a swashbuckler—balaffreux taillebras, fendeur de naseaux.—Cotgrave.

“He’s out of cash, and thou know’st by CUTTER’S LAW,
We are bound to relieve one another.”

Match at Midn., O. Pl., vii. 553.

This ancient cant word now survives in the phrase, “to swear like a CUTTER.”

Cutting-shop, a place where cheap rough goods are sold.

Cutty-pipe, a short clay pipe. Scotch, CUTTY, short.

Cutty-sark, a short chemise.—Scotch. A scantily-draped lady is so called by Burns.

“‘Weel done, CUTTY-SARK!’
And in an instant all was dark.”

Dab, or DABSTER, an expert person. Most probably derived from the Latin adeptus.

Dab, street term for small flat fish of any kind.—Old.

Dacha-saltee, tenpence. Probably from the Lingua Franca. Modern Greek, δέκα; Italian, DIECI SOLDI, tenpence; Gipsy, DIK, ten. So also DACHA-ONE (oney), i.e., dieci uno, elevenpence.—See SALTEE.

Daddle, the hand; “tip us your DADDLE,” i.e., shake hands.

Daddy, a stage manager.—Theatrical. Also the person who gives away the bride at a wedding.

Daddy; at mock raffles, lotteries, &c., the DADDY is an accomplice, most commonly the getter-up of the swindle, and in all cases the person that has been previously selected to win the prize.

Daddy, the old man in charge—generally an aged pauper—at casual wards. Most people will remember “kind old DADDY.”

Daffy, gin. A term with monthly nurses, who are always extolling the virtues of Daffy’s Elixir, and who occasionally comfort themselves with a stronger medicine under Daffy’s name. Of late years the term has been altered to “soothing syrup.”

Dags, feat or performance; “I’ll do your DAGS,” i.e., I will do something that you cannot do. Corruption of DARINGS.

Dairies, a woman’s breasts, which are also called CHARLIES.

Daisy-cutter, a horse that trots or gallops without lifting its feet much from the ground.

Daisy-kicker, the name ostlers at large inns used to give each other, now nearly obsolete. Daisy-kicker, or GROGHAM, was likewise the cant term for a horse. The DAISY-KICKERS were sad rogues in the old posting days; frequently the landlords rented the stables to them, as the only plan to make them return a profit.

Damage, in the sense of recompense; “what’s the DAMAGE?” i.e., what is to pay? or actually, what is the DAMAGE to my pocket?

Damper, a shop till; to DRAW A DAMPER, i.e., rob a till. A till is more modernly called a “lob,” and stealing from tills is known as “lob-sneaking.”

Dancer, or dancing-master, a thief who prowls about the roofs of houses, and effects an entrance by attic windows, &c. Called also a “garreter.”

Dance upon nothing, to be hanged.

Dander, passion or temper; “to get one’s DANDER up,” to rouse his passion.—Old, but now much used in America.

Dando, a great eater, who cheats at hotels, eating shops, oyster-cellars, &c., from a person of that name who lived many years ago, and who was an enormous oyster-eater. According to the stories related of him, Dando would visit an oyster-room, devour an almost fabulous quantity of bivalves, with porter and bread and butter to match, and then calmly state that he had no money.

Dandy, a fop, or fashionable nondescript. This word, in the sense of a fop, is of modern origin. Egan says it was first used in 1820, and Bee in 1816. Johnson does not mention it, although it is to be found in all late dictionaries. Dandies wore stays, studied a feminine style, and tried to undo their manhood by all manner of affectations which were not actually immoral. Lord Petersham headed them. At the present day dandies of this stamp have almost entirely disappeared, but the new school of muscular Christians is not altogether faultless. The feminine of DANDY was DANDIZETTE, but the term only lived for a short season.

Dandy, a small glass of whisky.—Irish. “Dimidium cyathi vero apud Metropolitanos Hibernicos dicitur DANDY.”—Father Tom and the Pope, in Blackwood’s Magazine for May 1838.

Dandy, a boatman.—Anglo-Indian.

Dandypratt, a funny little fellow, a mannikin; originally a half-farthing of the time of Henry VII.

Danna, human ordure; DANNA DRAG, a nightman’s or dustman’s cart; hence DUNNA-KEN, which see.

Darbies, handcuffs.—Old Cant.—See JOHNNY DARBIES. Sir Walter Scott mentions these, in the sense of fetters, in his Peveril of the Peak—

“‘Hark ye! Jem Clink will fetch you the DARBIES.’ ‘Derby!’ interrupted Julian, ‘has the Earl or Countess’”——

Had Sir Walter known of any connexion between them and this family he would undoubtedly have mentioned it. The mistake of Julian is corrected in the next paragraph. It is said that handcuffs were, when used to keep two prisoners together, called Darbies and Joans—a term which would soon be shortened as a natural consequence.

Darble, the devil. French, DIABLE.

Dark, “keep it DARK,” i.e., secret. A DARK horse is, in racing phraseology, a horse of whom nothing positive is known, but who is generally supposed to have claims to the consideration of all interested, whether bookmakers or backers.

Darky, twilight; also a negro. Darkmans, the night.

Darn, vulgar corruption of DAMN.—American.

Dash, to jot down suddenly. “Things I have DASHED off at a moment’s notice.”

Dash, fire, vigour, manliness. Literary and artistic work is often said to be full of DASH.

Dash, an ejaculation, as “DASH my wig!” “DASH my buttons!” A relic of the attempts made, when cursing was fashionable, to be in the mode without using “bad words.”

Dashing, showy, fast.

Daub, in low language, an artist. Also a badly painted picture.

David’s sow, “as drunk as DAVID’S sow,” i.e., beastly drunk. See origin of the phrase in Grose’s Dictionary.

Davy, “on my DAVY,” on my affidavit, of which it is a vulgar corruption. Latterly DAVY has become synonymous in street language with the name of the Deity; “so help me DAVY,” generally rendered, “swelp my DAVY.” Slang version of the conclusion of the oath usually exacted of witnesses.

Davy’s locker, or Davy Jones’s locker, the sea, the common receptacle for all things thrown overboard;—a nautical phrase for death, is “gone to Davy Jones’s locker,” which there means the other world.—See DUFFY.

Dawdle, to loiter, or fritter away time.

Dawk, the post.—Anglo-Indian.

Daylights, eyes; “to darken his DAYLIGHTS,” to give a person black eyes. Also the spaces left in glasses between the liquor and the brim,—not allowed when bumpers are drunk. The toast-master in such cases cries “no DAYLIGHTS or heeltaps!”

Daze, to confound or bewilder; an ancient form of dazzle used by Spenser, Drayton, &c. This is more obsolete English than slang, though its use nowadays might fairly bring it within the latter category.

Dead-against, decidedly opposed to.

Dead-alive, stupid, dull.

Dead-amiss, said of a horse that from illness is utterly unable to run for a prize.

Dead-beat, utterly exhausted, utterly “done up.”

Dead-heat, when two horses run home so exactly equal that the judge cannot place one before the other; consequently, a DEAD-HEAT is a heat which counts for nothing, so far as the even runners are concerned, as it has to be run over again. When a race between dead-heaters has been unusually severe, or when the stake is sufficiently good to bear division, it is usual to let one of the animals walk over the course so as to make a deciding heat, and to divide the money. In such case all bets are divided. Sometimes, however, when no arrangement can be made, an owner will withdraw his horse, in which case the animal that walks over wins the whole of the stake, and his backers the whole of their money. Where the course is short and the money of small amount, the DEAD-HEAT is run off, the second essay being called the decider, though on certain occasions even the decider has resulted in a DEAD-HEAT.—See NECK AND NECK.

Dead-horse, “to draw the DEAD-HORSE;” DEAD-HORSE work—working for wages already paid; also any thankless or unassisted service.

Dead-letter, an action of no value or weight; an article, owing to some mistake in its production, rendered utterly valueless,—often applied to any instrument in writing, which by some apparently trivial omission, becomes useless. At the general and large district post-offices, there is a department for letters which have been erroneously addressed, or for which, from many and various causes, there are no receivers. These are called DEAD-LETTERS, and the office in connexion with them is known as the DEAD-LETTER office.

Dead-lock, a permanent standstill, an inextricable entanglement.

Dead-lurk, entering a dwelling-house during divine service.

Dead-man, a baker. Properly speaking, it is an extra loaf smuggled into the basket by the man who carries it out, to the loss of the master. Sometimes the DEAD-MAN is charged to a customer, though never delivered. Among London thieves and low people generally a “dead’un” is a half-quartern loaf.

Dead-men, the term for wine bottles after they are emptied of their contents.—Old.—See MARINES.

Dead-men’s shoes, property which cannot be claimed until after decease of present holder. “To wait for a pair of DEAD-MEN’S SHOES,” is considered a wearisome affair. It is used by Fletcher:—

“And ’tis a general shrift, that most men use,
But yet ’tis tedious waiting DEAD MEN’S SHOES.”

Fletcher’s Poems, p. 256.

Dead-set, a pointed and persistent attack on a person.

Dead’un, a horse which will not run or will not try in a race, and against which money may be betted with safety.—See SAFE UN.

Deaner, a shilling. From DENIER.

Death, “to dress to DEATH,” i.e., to the very extreme of fashion, perhaps so as to be killing.

Death-hunter, a running patterer, who vends last dying speeches and confessions. More modernly the term is supposed to mean an undertaker, or any one engaged in or concerned with burials.

Deck, a pack of cards. Used by Shakspeare, 3 K. Hen. VI., v. 1. Probably because of DECKING or arranging the table for a game at cards. General in the United States.

Dee, a pocket-book; term used by tramps.—Gipsy. Dee (properly D), a detective policeman. “The DEES are about, so look out.”

Delicate, a false subscription-book carried by a LURKER.

Demirep (or DEMIRIP), a courtezan. Contraction of DEMI-REPUTATION, which is, in turn, a contraction for demi-monde reputation.

Derby-dog, a masterless animal, who is sure to appear as soon as the Epsom course is cleared for the great race of the season. No year passes without a dog running between the two dense lines of spectators and searching in vain for an outlet, and he is almost as eagerly looked for as are the “preliminary canters.” It is said that when no DERBY-DOG appears on the course between Tattenham Corner and the judge’s box, just before the start, a dead-heat will take place between all the placed horses.

Derrick, an apparatus for raising sunken ships, &c. The term is curiously derived from a hangman of that name frequently mentioned in Old Plays, as in the Bellman of London, 1616.

“He rides circuit with the devil, and DERRICK must be his host, and Tyborne the inn at which he will light.”

The term is now almost general for all cranes used in loading ships, or doing similar work of a heavy nature.

Despatchers, false dice with two sets of numbers, and, of course, no low pips. So called because they bring the matter to a speedy issue. Great skill in palming is necessary for their successful use.

Deuce, the devil.—Old. Stated by Junius and others to be from Deus or Zeus.

Deuce, twopence; DEUCE at cards or dice, one with two pips or spots.

Devil, among barristers, to get up the facts of a case for a leader; to arrange everything in the most comprehensive form, so that the Q.C. or Serjeant can absorb the question without much trouble. Devilling is juniors’ work, but much depends on it, and on the ability with which it is done.

Devil, a printer’s youngest apprentice, an errand-boy in a printing-office.

Devil dodger, a clergyman; also a person who goes sometimes to church and sometimes to meeting.

Devil-may-care, reckless, rash.

Devil’s bed-posts, the four of clubs. Otherwise Old Gentleman’s BED-POSTS.

Devil’s books, a pack of playing-cards; a phrase of Presbyterian origin.—See FOUR KINGS.

Devil’s delight, a noise or row of any description. Generally used thus:—“They kicked up the DEVIL’S DELIGHT.”

Devil’s dung, the fetid drug assafœtida.

Devil’s dust, a term used in the manufacturing districts of Yorkshire to denote shreds of old cloth torn up to re-manufacture; also called SHODDY. Mr. Ferrand, in his speech in the House, March 4, 1842, produced a piece of cloth made chiefly from DEVIL’S DUST, and tore it into shreds to prove its worthlessness.—See Hansard’s Parliamentary Debates, third series, vol. lxi. p. 140.

Devil-scolder, a clergyman.

Devil’s livery, black and yellow. From the mourning and quarantine uses of the colours.

Devil’s teeth, or DEVIL’S BONES, dice.

Devotional habits, horses weak in the knees, and apt to stumble and fall, are said to have these.—Stable.

Dew-beaters, feet; “hold out your DEW-BEATERS till I take off the darbies.”—Peveril of the Peak. Forby says the word is used in Norfolk for heavy shoes to resist wet.

Dew-drink, a morning draught, such as is served out to labourers in harvest time before commencing work.

Dewskitch, a good thrashing, perhaps from catching one’s due.

Dibbs, money; so called from the huckle bones of sheep, which have been used from the earliest times for gambling purposes when money was not obtainable—in one particular game being thrown up five at a time and caught on the back of the hand like halfpence.

Dick, a riding whip; gold-headed DICK, one so ornamented.

Dick, abbreviation of “Dictionary,” but often euphemistically rendered “Richard,”—fine language, long words. A man who uses fine words without much judgment is said to have “swallowed the DICK.”

Dickens, synonymous with devil; “what the DICKENS are you after?” what the devil are you doing? Used by Shakspeare in the Merry Wives of Windsor. In many old stories his Satanic Majesty is called the DICKENS, and by no other name, while in some others the word is spelt “diconce.”

Dickey, bad, sorry, or foolish; food or lodging is pronounced DICKEY when of a poor description; “very DICKEY”, very inferior; “it’s all DICKEY with him,” i.e., all over with him.

Dickey, formerly the cant for a worn-out shirt, but nowadays used for a front or half-shirt. Dickey was originally “tommy” (from the Greek, τομή, a section), a name which was formerly used in Trinity College, Dublin. The students are said to have invented the term, and love of change and circumlocution soon changed it to DICKEY, in which dress it is supposed to have been imported into England.

Dickey, a donkey.—Norfolk.

Dickey Sam, a native of Liverpool.

Dicking; “look! the bulky is DICKING,” i.e., the constable has his eye on you.—North Country Cant.

Diddle, old cant word for geneva, or gin.

Diddle, to cheat, or defraud.—Old. In German, DUDELN is to play on the bagpipe; and the ideas of piping and cheating seem to have been much connected. “Do you think I am easier played on than a pipe?” occurs in Hamlet.

Diddler, or JEREMY DIDDLER, an artful swindler. A diddler is generally one who borrows money without any intention of ever repaying it; the sort of man who, having asked for half-a-crown and received only a shilling, would consider that eighteenpence was owing to him.—From Raising the Wind.

Diddling, cheating or swindling. Borrowing money without any intention of repaying it. Edgar Allan Poe wrote a very amusing article once on DIDDLING, which he seemed to regard as a rather high art.

Didoes, pranks or capers; “to cut up DIDOES,” to make pranks.

Dig, a hard blow. Generally in pugilistic circles applied to a straight “left-hander,” delivered under the guard on the “mark.”

Diggers, spurs; also the spades on cards.

Diggings, lodgings, apartments, residence; an expression probably imported from California, or Australia, with reference to the gold diggings. It is very common nowadays for a man moving in very decent society to call his abode or his office, or anyplace to which he frequently resorts, his “DIGGINGS.”

Dilly, originally a coach, from diligence. Now a night-cart.

Dilly-dally, to trifle.

Dimber, neat or pretty.—Worcestershire, but old cant.

Dimber-damber, very pretty; a clever rogue who excels his fellows; chief of a gang. Old Cant in the latter sense.

Dimmock, money; “how are you off for DIMMOCK?” diminutive of DIME, a small foreign silver coin, in the United States 10 cents.

Dinarly, money; “NANTEE DINARLY,” I have no money, corrupted from the Lingua Franca, “NIENTE DINARO,” not a penny. Turkish, DINARI; Spanish, DINERO; Latin, DENARIUS.

Dine out, to go without dinner. “I DINED OUT to-day,” would express the same among the very lower classes that “dining with Duke Humphrey” expresses among the middle and upper.

Ding, to strike; to throw away, or get rid of anything; to pass to a confederate by throwing. Old, used in old plays.

“The butcher’s axe (like great Alcides’ bat)
Dings deadly downe ten thousand thousand flat.”

Taylor’s Works, 1630.

Dingy, a small boat. Generally the smallest boat carried by a ship. The g in this is pronounced hard.

Dipped, mortgaged.

Dirt, TO EAT, an expression derived from the East, nearly the same as “to eat humble (Umble) pie,” to put up with a mortification or insult.

Dirty Half-hundred, a nickname given to the 50th Regiment on account of their tattered and soiled appearance during the Peninsular War. A term to be proud of, as it implies much work and little reward.

Disguised, intoxicated. A very old term is that of “DISGUISED in drink.”

“Some say drinking does DISGUISE men.”—Old Song.

“The saylers and the shipmen all,
Through foul excesse of wine,
Were so DISGUISED that at the sea
They shew’d themselves like swine.”

Thos. Deloney’s Strange Histories, p. 14.

Dish, to stop, to do away with, to suppress; DISHED, done for, floored, beaten, or silenced. To “do brown” and to “DISH,” both verbs with very similar meanings, have an evident connexion so far as origin is concerned, and most likely were both first used in the kitchen as synonymous with “done for.” The late Lord Derby made the word “DISH” famous by his latest public act, that of “DISHING the Whigs.”

Dithers, nervous or cold shiverings; “it gave me the DITHERS.”

Dittoes, A SUIT OF, coat, waistcoat, and trousers of the same material.—Tailor’s term.

Ditty-bag, the bag or huswife in which sailors keep needles, thread, buttons, &c., for mending their clothes.

Diver, a pickpocket. Also applied to fingers, no doubt from a similar reason. To DIVE is to pick pockets.

Do, this useful and industrious verb has for many years done service as a slang term. To DO a person is to cheat him. Sometimes another tense is employed, such as “I DONE him,” meaning, I cheated or “paid him out;” this is only used in the lowest grades of society. Done brown, cheated thoroughly, befooled; DONE OVER, upset, cheated, knocked down, ruined. Among thieves DONE OVER means that a man’s pockets have been all quietly searched; the term also means among low people seduced; DONE UP, used up, finished, or quieted. Done also means convicted, or sentenced; so does DONE-FOR. To DO a person in pugilism is to beat him. Humphreys, who fought Mendoza, a Jew, wrote this laconic note to his supporter—“I have DONE the Jew, and am in good health.—Rich. Humphreys.” Tourists use the expression, “I have DONE France and Italy,” meaning I have been through those countries.

Dobie, an Indian washerman; and though women wash clothes in this country, Anglo-Indians speak of a washerwoman as a DOBIE.

Doctor, to adulterate or drug liquor; to poison, to hocus; also to falsify accounts. A publican who sells bad liquors is said to keep the DOCTOR in his cellars. On board ship the cook is always termed “the DOCTOR.”—See COOK.

Doddy, a term applied in Norfolk to any person of low stature. Sometimes HODMANDOD and “HODDY-DODDY, all head and no body.” Dodman in the same dialect denotes a garden snail.

Dodge, a cunning trick. “Dodge, that homely but expressive phrase.”—Sir Hugh Cairns on the Reform Bill, 2nd March, 1859. Anglo-Saxon, DEOGIAN, to colour, to conceal. The TIDY DODGE, as it is called by street-folk, consists in dressing up a family clean and tidy, and parading in the streets to excite compassion and obtain alms.

Dodger, a dram. In Kent, a DODGER signifies a nightcap; which name is often given to the last dram at night.

Dodger, a tricky person, or one who, to use the popular phrase, “knows too much.” Also one who knows all phases of London life, and profits by such knowledge.

Dogberry, a foolish constable.—Shakspeare.

Dog cheap, or DOG-FOOLISH, very or singularly cheap, or foolish. Latham, in his English Language, says:—“This has nothing to do with dogs. The first syllable is god=good, transposed, and the second, the ch‑‑p, is chapman, merchant: compare EASTCHEAP.”—Old term.

Doggery, nonsense, transparent attempts to cheat.

Dog gone, a form of mild swearing used by boys.

Dog in a blanket, a kind of pudding, made of preserved fruit spread on thin dough, and then rolled up and boiled. This pudding is also called “rolly-polly” and “stocking.”

Dog in the manger, a scurvy, ill-conditioned, selfish fellow. From the fable of that title.

Dog Latin, barbarous Latin, such as was formerly used by lawyers in their pleadings. Now applied to medical Latin.

Dogs, TO GO TO THE, to be commercially or socially ruined. Originally a stable term applied to old or worthless horses, sold to feed hounds.

Dog’s body, a kind of pease pudding.—Sea.

Dog’s ears, the curled corners of the leaves of books, which have been carelessly treated. The use of this term is so common that it is hardly to be considered slang.

Dog’s nose, gin and beer, so called from the mixture being cold, like a dog’s nose.

Dog stealer, a DOG DEALER. There is sometimes less difference between the two trades than between “d” and “st.”

Doing time, working out a sentence in prison. “He’s done time,” is a slang phrase used in reference to a man who is known to have been in gaol.

Doldrums, difficulties, low spirits, dumps.—Sea.

Dollop, a lump or portion.—Norfolk. Anglo-Saxon, DALE, dole.

Dollop, to dole up, to give up a share.—Ibid.

Dolly, a very mild gambling contrivance, generally used in sweetmeat and other child’s-ware shops, until stopped by the authorities a few years back, and consisting of a round board and the figure of an old man or “DOLLY,” down which was a spiral hole. A marble dropped “down the DOLLY,” would stop in one of the small holes or pits (numbered) on the board. The bet was decided according as the marble stopped on a high or low figure. See DOLLY-SHOP.

Dollymop, a tawdrily-dressed maid-servant, a semi-professional street-walker.

Dolly shop, an illegal pawnshop,—where goods, or stolen property, not good enough for the pawnbroker, are received, and charged at so much per day. If not redeemed the third day the goods are forfeited. Originally these shops were rag shops as well, and were represented by the black doll, the usual sign of a rag shop. Twenty years ago, a DOLLY SHOP was, among boys, a small sweetstuff and fruit shop where a hollow wooden figure, of the kind described above, was kept. A wager was made, and the customer got double quantity for his money, or nothing. A paternal legislature, and a police system worthy of the task, have long since wiped this blot from a nation’s face. The amount at stake was generally a halfpenny, sometimes less.

Dominie, a parson, or master at a grammar school.

Domino, a common ejaculation of soldiers and sailors when they receive the last lash of a flogging. The allusion may be understood from the game of dominoes. A DOMINO means either a blow, or the last of a series of things, whether pleasant or otherwise, so the ejaculation savours somewhat of wit.

Dominoes, the teeth.

Don, a clever fellow, the opposite of a muff; a person of distinction in his line or walk. At the English Universities, the Masters and Fellows are the DONS. Don is also used as an adjective, “a DON hand at a knife and fork,” i.e., a first-rate feeder at a dinner-table.

Dona and feeles, a woman and children. Italian or Lingua Franca, DONNE E FIGLIE. The word DONA is usually pronounced DONER.

Done! the expression used when a bet is accepted. To be DONE, is to be considerably worsted.—See also DO.

Done up, an equivalent expression to “dead beat.”

Donkey, “tuppence more and up goes the DONKEY,” a vulgar street phrase for extracting as much money as possible before performing any task. The phrase had its origin with a travelling showman, the finale of whose performance was the hoisting of a DONKEY on a pole or ladder; but this consummation was never arrived at unless the required amount was first paid up, and “tuppence more” was generally the sum demanded.

Donkey, in printers’ slang, means a compositor. In the days before steam machinery was invented, the men who worked at press—the pressmen—were so dirty and drunken a body that they earned the name of pigs. In revenge, and for no reason that can be discovered, they christened the compositors DONKEYS.

Don Pedro, a game at cards. It is a compound of All Fours, and the Irish game variously termed All Fives, Five and Ten, Fifteen, Forty-five, &c. It was probably invented by the mixed English and Irish rabble who fought in Portugal in 1832-3.

Dookin, fortune-telling. Gipsy, DUKKERIN.

Dose, three months’ imprisonment with hard labour.

Doss, a bed. Probably from DOZE, though quite as likely from DORSE, the back. Least likely of all, as any one who knows aught about the surrounding circumstances of those who use the term will admit, is it from the Norman, DOSSEL, a hanging or bed canopy, from which some have professed to derive it.

Doss, to sleep, formerly spelt DORSE. Gael., DOSAL, slumber. In the old pugilistic days a man knocked down, or out of time, was said to be “sent to DORSE,” but whether because he was senseless, or because he lay on his back, is not known, though most likely the latter.

Dossing-ken, a lodging-house.

Dot and go one, a lame or limping man.

Do the high, to walk up and down High Street on Sunday evenings, especially just after Church.—Oxford University.

Double, “to tip (or give) the DOUBLE,” to run away from any person; to double back, turn short round upon one’s pursuers, and so escape, as a hare does.—Sporting.

Double cross, a CROSS in which a man who has engaged to lose breaks his engagement, and “goes straight” at the last moment. This proceeding is called “doubling” or “putting the double on,” and is often productive of much excitement in athletic circles.—See CROSS.

Double lines, ship casualties. So called at Lloyd’s from the manner of entering in books kept for the purpose.

Double-shuffle, a low, shuffling, noisy dance, common amongst costermongers. Sometimes called “cellar flap,” from its being danced by the impecunious on the cellar-flaps of public-houses, outside which they must perforce remain.

Doublet, a spurious diamond, made up of two smaller stones for pawning or duffing purposes. These articles are cleverly manufactured and excellently set, and a practised eye can alone detect the imposition.—See Moskeneer.

Double up, to pair off, or “chum” with another man; to beat severely, so as to leave the sufferer “all of a heap.”

Doughy, a sufficiently obvious nickname for a baker.

Douse, to put out; “DOUSE that glim,” put out that candle. In Norfolk this expression is DOUT, which is clearly for DO OUT. Sometimes DOUSE means to rinse; and sometimes to throw water, clean or dirty, over any one, is to “DOUSE it.”

Dovercourt, a noisy assemblage; “all talkers and no hearers, like Dovercourt.” At Dovercourt, in Essex, a court is annually held; and as the members principally consist of rude fishermen, the irregularity noticed in the proverbial saying frequently prevails. Bramston in his Art of Politics says:—

“Those who would captivate the well-bred throng,
Should not too often speak, nor speak too long;
Church, nor church matters, ever turn to sport,
Nor make St. Stephen’s Chapel Dover Court.”

This would seem to be more properly applied to a Court of Dover people, a Dover Court, not a Dovercourt Court.

Dove-tart, a pigeon pie. A snake tart is an eel pie.

Dowd, a woman’s nightcap.—Devonshire: also an American term; possibly from DOWDY, a slatternly woman.

Dowlas, a linendraper. Dowlas is a sort of towelling.

Down, to be aware of, or awake to, any move—in this meaning, exchangeable with UP; “DOWN upon one’s luck,” unfortunate; “DOWN in the mouth,” disconsolate; “to be DOWN on one,” to treat him harshly or suspiciously, to pounce upon him, or detect his tricks.

Downer, a sixpence; apparently the Gipsy word, TAWNO, “little one,” in course of metamorphosis into the more usual “tanner.”

Downs, Tothill Fields’ Prison.

Down the road, stylish, showy, after the fashion.

Down to the ground, an American rendering of the word entirely; as, “that suits me DOWN TO THE GROUND.”

Downy, knowing or cunning; “a DOWNY COVE,” a knowing or experienced sharper. Literally, a DOWNY person is one who is “DOWN to every move on the board.” In Norfolk, however, it means low-spirited, i.e., DOWN in the mouth.

Dowry, a lot, a great deal; “DOWRY of parny,” lot of rain or water.—See PARNY. Probably from the Gipsy.

Dowsers, men who profess to tell fortunes, and who, by the use of the divining rod, pretend to be able to discover treasure-trove.—Cornish.

Doxy, the female companion of a tramp or beggar. In the West of England, the women frequently call their little girls DOXIES, in a familiar or endearing sense. Orthodoxy has been described as being a man’s own DOXY, and heterodoxy another man’s DOXY.—Ancient Cant.

Drab, a vulgar or low woman.—Shakspeare.

Drab, poison.—Romany.

Draft on Aldgate Pump, an old mercantile phrase for a fictitious banknote or fraudulent bill.

Drag, a cart of any kind, term generally used to denote any particularly well-appointed turnout, drawn by a pair or four horses, especially at race meetings.

Drag, feminine attire worn by men. A recent notorious impersonation case led to the publication of the word in that sense.

Drag, a street, or road; BACK-DRAG, back street.

Drag, or THREE MOON, three months in prison.

Drag, THE, a favourite pursuit with fast-hunting sets; as, THE DRAG can be trailed over very stiff country.

Dragging, robbing carts, &c., by means of a light trap which follows behind laden vehicles. Cabs are sometimes eased of trunks in this way, though it is hard to say whether with or without the complicity of the cabmen.

Dragging time, the evening of a country fair day, when the young fellows begin pulling the wenches about.

Draggletail, a dirty, dissipated woman; a prostitute of the lowest class.

Drain, a drink; “to do a DRAIN,” to take a friendly drink—“do a wet;” sometimes called a “common sewer.”

Draw, used in several senses:—1, of a theatre, new piece or exhibition, when it attracts the public and succeeds; 2, to induce—as, “DRAW him on;” 3, of pocket-picking—as, “DRAW his wipe,” “DRAW his ticker.” In sporting parlance it is used with an ellipsis of “trigger,” “I DREW on it as it rose.” In America to “DRAW on a man” is to produce knife or pistol, and to use it as well. Where lethal weapons are used in the States, no man raises his weapon till he means to use it, and a celebrated American writer has recently given a dissertation on the relative advantages of cocking and firing a pistol by an almost simultaneous action as it is raised, and of cocking as the instrument is raised, and of then dropping the muzzle slightly as the trigger is pulled. The former way is more speedy, the latter more effective. “Come, DRAW it mild!” i.e., don’t exaggerate; opposite of “come it strong,” from the phraseology of the bar (of a “public”), where customers desire the beer to be “drawn mild.”

Draw-boy, a cunning device used by puffing tradesmen. A really good article is advertised or ticketed and exposed for sale in the shop window at a very low price, with a view of drawing in customers to purchase other and inferior articles at high prices. These gentry have fortunately found to their cost, on one or two occasions, by means of magisterial decisions, that DRAW-BOYS have drawn for their owners something other than profit.

Drawers, formerly the ancient cant name for very long stockings.

Drawing teeth, wrenching off knockers.—Medical Student slang.

Drawlatch, a loiterer.

Draw off, to throw back the body to give impetus to a blow; “he DREW OFF, and delivered on the left drum.”—Pugilistic. A sailor would say, “he hauled off and slipped in.”

Draw the long bow, to tell extravagant stories, to exaggerate overmuch; same as “throw the hatchet.” From the extremely wonderful stories which used to be told of the Norman archers, and more subsequently of Indians’ skill with the tomahawk.

Dress a hat, TO, to rob in a manner very difficult of detection. The business is managed by two or more servants or shopmen of different employers, exchanging their master’s goods; as, for instance, a shoemaker’s shopman receives shirts or other articles from a hosier’s, in return for a pair of boots. Another very ingenious method may be witnessed about eleven o’clock in the forenoon in any of the suburban districts of London. A butcher’s boy, with a bit of steak filched from his master’s shop, or from a customer, falls in with a neighbouring baker’s man, who has a loaf obtained in a similar manner. Their mutual friend, the potboy, in full expectation of their visit, has the tap-room fire bright and clear, and not only cooks the steak, but again, by means of collusion, this time with the barman or barmaid, “stands a shant of gatter” as his share. So a capital luncheon is improvised for the three, without the necessity of paying for it; and this practical communistic operation is styled DRESSING A HAT. Most likely from the fact that a hat receives the attention of three or four people before it is properly fit for wear.

Dripping, a cook.

Drive, a term used by tradesmen in speaking of business; “he’s DRIVING a roaring trade,” i.e., a very good one; hence, to succeed in a bargain, “I DROVE a good bargain,” i.e., got the best end of it. To “LET DRIVE at one,” to strike out. A man snoring hard is said to be “DRIVING his pigs to market.”

Drive at, to aim at; “what is he DRIVING AT?” “what does he intend to imply?” a phrase often used when a circuitous line of argument is adopted by a barrister, or a strange set of questions asked, the purport of which is not very evident.

Driz, lace. In a low lodging-house this singular autograph inscription appeared over the mantelpiece. “Scotch Mary, with DRIZ [lace], bound to Dover and back, please God.” It is a common thing for ignorant or superstitious people to make some mark or sign before going on a journey, and then to wonder whether it will be there when they return.

Driz-fencer, a person who sells lace.

Drop, “to DROP an acquaintance,” to relinquish a connexion, is very polite slang. Dropping is distinguished from cutting by being done gradually and almost imperceptibly, whereas cutting has outward and visible signs which may be unpleasantly resented. To “DROP money” at any form of speculation or gambling, is to lose it.

Drop, to quit, go off, or turn aside; “DROP the main Toby,” go off the main road.

Drop, “to DROP a man,” to knock him down; “to DROP into a person,” to give him a thrashing. See SLIP and WALK. “To DROP on a man,” to accuse or rebuke him suddenly.

Drop it, synonymous with “cut it” or “cheese it.” Probably from the signal given in the good old hanging days by the culprit, who used generally to drop a handkerchief when he was ready for the cart to be moved from under him.

Drum, a house, a lodging, a street; HAZARD-DRUM, a gambling-house; FLASH-DRUM, a house of ill-fame.

Drum, the ear.—Pugilistic. An example of slang synecdoche.

Drum, as applied to the road, is doubtless from the Wallachian gipsy word “DRUMRI,” derived from the Greek, δρόμος.

Drum, old slang for a ball or rout; afterwards called a hop.

Drummer, a robber who first makes his victims insensible by drugs or violence, and then plunders them.

Drumsticks, legs; DRUMSTICK CASES, trousers. The leg of a fowl is generally called a DRUMSTICK.

Dryasdust, an antiquary. From Scott.

Dry lodging, sleeping and sitting accommodation only, without board. This is lodging-house keepers’ slang, and is generally used in reference to rooms let to lodgers who take their meals at their clubs, or in the City, according to their social positions.

Dry nurse, when an inferior officer on board ship carries on the duty, on account of the captain’s ignorance of seamanship, the junior officer is said to DRY-NURSE his captain. Majors and adjutants in the army also not unfrequently DRY-NURSE the colonels of their regiments in a similar manner. The sergeant who coaches very young officers, is called a “wet nurse.” The abolition of purchase has, however, considerably modified all this.

D.T., a popular abbreviation of delirium tremens; sometimes written and pronounced del. trem. D.T. also often represents the Daily Telegraph.

Dub, to pay or give; “DUB UP,” pay up.

Dubash, a general agent.—Anglo-Indian.

Dubber, the mouth or tongue; “mum your DUBBER,” hold your tongue.

Dubsman, or SCREW, a turnkey.—Old Cant.

Ducats, money.—Theatrical Slang.

Duck, a bundle of bits of the “stickings” of beef sold for food to the London poor.—See FAGGOT.

Ducket, a ticket of any kind. Generally applied to pawnbroker’s duplicates and raffle cards. Probably from DOCKET.

Ducks, trousers. Sea term. The expression most in use on land is “white DUCKS,” i.e., white pantaloons or trousers.

Ducks and Drakes, “to make DUCKS AND DRAKES of one’s money,” to throw it away childishly—derived from children “shying” flat stones on the surface of a pool, which they call DUCKS AND DRAKES, according to the number of skips they make.

Dudder, or DUDSMAN, a person who formerly travelled the country as a pedlar, selling gown-pieces, silk waistcoats, &c., to countrymen. In selling a waistcoat-piece, which cost him perhaps five shillings, for thirty shillings or two pounds, he would show great fear of the revenue officer, and beg the purchasing clodhopper to kneel down in a puddle of water, crook his arm, and swear that it might never become straight if he told an exciseman, or even his own wife. The term and practice are nearly obsolete. In Liverpool, however, and at the East-end of London, men dressed up as sailors, with pretended silk handkerchiefs and cigars “only just smuggled from the Indies,” are still to be plentifully found.

Dudeen, or DUDHEEN, a short tobacco-pipe. Common term in Ireland and the Irish quarters of London.

Duds, clothes, or personal property. Gaelic, DUD; Ancient Cant; also Dutch.

Duff, to cheat, to sell spurious goods, often under pretence of their being stolen or smuggled.

Duff, pudding; vulgar pronunciation of dough.—Sea.

Duffer, a hawker of “Brummagem” or sham jewellery, or of shams of any kind, a fool, a worthless person. Duffer was formerly synonymous with DUDDER, and was a general term given to pedlars. It is mentioned in the Frauds of London (1760) as a word in frequent use in the last century to express cheats of all kinds.

Duffer, anything of no merit. A term applied by artists to a picture below mediocrity, and by dealers in jewellery to any spurious article. It is now general in its application to a worthless fellow.

Duffing, false, counterfeit, worthless.

Duffy, a term for a ghost or spirit among the West Indian negroes. In all probability the DAVY JONES of sailors, and a contraction thereof originally.

Duke, gin, a term amongst livery servants.

Duke Humphrey. “To dine with Duke Humphrey” is a euphuism for dining not at all. Many reasons have been given for the saying, and the one most worthy of credence is this:—Some visitors were inspecting the abbey where the remains of Humphrey Duke of Gloucester lie, and one of them was unfortunately shut in, and remained there solus while his companions were feasting at a neighbouring hostelry. He was afterwards said to have dined with Duke Humphrey, and the saying eventually passed into a proverb.

Dukes, or DOOKS, the hands, originally modification of the rhyming slang, “Duke of Yorks,” forks = fingers, hands—a long way round, but quite true. The word is in very common use among low folk. “Put up your DOOKS” is a kind invitation to fight.

Dukey, or DOOKEY, a penny gaff, which see.

Dumbfound, to perplex, to beat soundly till not able to speak. Originally a cant word. Johnson cites the Spectator for the earliest use. Scotch, DUMBFOUNDER.

Dummacker, a knowing or acute person.

Dummies, empty bottles, and drawers in an apothecary’s shop, labelled so as to give the idea of an extensive stock. Chandlers’ shop keepers and small general dealers use dummies largely, half-tubs of butter, bladders of lard, hams, cheeses, &c., being specially manufactured for them. Dummies in libraries generally take the form of “Hume and Smollett’s History of England” and other works not likely to tempt the general reader.

Dummy, a deaf-and-dumb person; a clumsy, awkward fellow; any one unusually thick-witted.

Dummy, in three-handed whist the person who holds two hands plays DUMMY.

Dummy, a pocket-book. In this word the derivation is obvious, being connected with DUMB, i.e., that which makes no sound. As a thieves’ term for a pocket-book, it is peculiarly applicable, for the contents of pocket-books, bank-notes and papers, make no noise, while the money in a purse may betray its presence by chinking.

Dump fencer, a man who sells buttons.

Dumpish, sullen or gloomy.

Dumpy, short and stout.

Dun, to solicit payment.—Old Cant, from the French DONNEZ, give; or from Joe Din, or Dun, a famous bailiff; or simply a corruption of DIN, from the Anglo-Saxon DUNAN, to clamour.

Dunderhead, a blockhead.

Dundreary, an empty swell.

Dung, an operative who works for an employer who does not give full or “society” wages.

Dungaree, low, common, coarse, vulgar.—Anglo-Indian. Dungaree is the name of a disreputable suburb of Bombay, and also of a coarse blue cloth worn by sailors.

“As smart a young fellow as ever you’d see,
In jacket and trousers of blue Dungaree.”

Dunkhorned, sneaking, shabby. Dunkhorn in Norfolk is the short, blunt horn of a beast, and the adjective is applied to a cuckold who has not spirit to resist his disgrace.

Dunnage, baggage, clothes. Also, a sea term for wood or loose faggots laid at the bottom of ships, upon which is placed the cargo.

Dunnyken, originally Dannaken, a watercloset.—From DANNA and KEN, which see.

Durrynacking, offering lace or any other article as an introduction to fortune-telling; generally practised by women.

Dust, money; “down with the DUST,” put down the money.—Ancient. Dean Swift once took for his text, “He who giveth to the poor lendeth to the Lord.” His sermon was short. “Now, my brethren,” said he, “if you are satisfied with the security, down with the DUST.”

Dust, a disturbance, or noise, “to raise a DUST,” to make a row.

Dust, to beat; “DUST one’s jacket,” i.e., give him a beating.

Dust-hole, Sidney Sussex College at Cambridge.—Univ. Slang.

Dust-hole, the Queen’s Theatre, Tottenham Court Road, was so called until comparatively recently, when it was entirely renovated and renamed, and now, as the Prince of Wales’s, it is one of the most fortunate and fashionable theatres in London.

Dustoorie, commission, douceur, bribe.—Anglo-Indian.

Dusty, a phrase used in answering a question where one expects approbation. “What do you think of this?” “Well, it’s not so DUSTY,” i.e., not so bad; sometimes varied to “none so DUSTY.”

Dutch, or Double Dutch, gibberish, or any foreign tongue. “To talk Double Dutch backwards on a Sunday” is a humorous locution for extraordinary linguistic facility.

Dutch auction, a method of selling goods, adopted by “CHEAP JOHNS,” to evade the penalties for selling without a licence. The article is offered all round at a high price, which is then dropped until it is taken. Dutch auctions need not be illegitimate transactions, and their economy (as likewise that of puffing) will be found minutely explained in Sugden (Lord St. Leonards) “On Vendors and Purchasers.”

Dutch concert, where each performer plays a different tune. Sometimes called a Dutch medley when vocal efforts only are used.

Dutch consolation, “thank God it is no worse.” “It might have been worse,” said a man whom the devil was carrying to hell. “How?” asked a neighbour. “Well, he’s carrying me—he might have made me carry him.”

Dutch courage, false courage, generally excited by drink—pot-valour.

Dutch feast, where the host gets drunk before his guest.

Dutch uncle, a personage often introduced in conversation, but exceedingly difficult to describe; “I’ll talk to him like a Dutch uncle!” conveys the notion of anything but a desirable relation.

Earl of Cork, the ace of diamonds.—Hibernicism.

“‘What do you mean by the Earl of Cork?’ asked Mr. Squander. ‘The ace of diamonds, your honour. It’s the worst ace, and the poorest card in the pack, and is called the Earl of Cork, because he’s the poorest nobleman in Ireland.’”—Carleton’s Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry.

Early, “to get up EARLY,” to prepare for a difficult task. “You’ll have to get up very EARLY in the morning to beat that.” Early rising and ability seem also closely connected by certain modifications of this expression. Possibly the belief is that a man who rises early for early rising’s sake deserves to be clever. Perhaps the greatest enjoyment a day labourer—whose work commences at six in the winter mornings, and who may have to rise at half-past four and trudge off—can have, is a “quiet snooze” after the usual time of rising. The early rising in “the steel” is the chief terror of that institution in the minds of habitual criminals.

Earwig, a clergyman, also one who prompts another maliciously and privately.

Earwigging, a private conversation; a rebuke in private; an attempt to defame another unfairly, and without chance of appeal; a WIGGING is more public.

Ease, to rob; “EASING a bloke,” robbing a man.

Eat his head off. A horse who is kept idle in the stable is said to EAT HIS HEAD OFF. Of late the phrase has been applied to servants who have little to do but constantly “dip their noses in the manger.”

Eavesdropper, a listener. The name is derived from the punishment which, according to Oliver, was directed in the Lectures, at the revival of Masonry in 1717, to be inflicted on a detected Cowan [g. v.], and which was

“To be placed under the eaves of the house in rainy weather, till the water runs in at his shoulders and out at his heels.”—Mackey’s Lexicon of Freemasonry.

Efter, a thief who frequents theatres.

Egg, or EGG ON, to excite, stimulate, or provoke one person to quarrel with another, &c. From the Anglo-Saxon eggian; or possibly a corruption of EDGE, or EDGE ON, or even from agere, to drive.—Ancient.

Egg-flip, or EGG-HOT, a drink made after the manner of purl and bishop, with beer, eggs, and spirits made hot and sweetened.

Elbow, “to shake one’s ELBOW,” to play with dice; “to crook one’s ELBOW,” to drink.

Elbow grease, labour, or industry. Anything that is rusty, or in household work dirty or dingy, is said to require ELBOW GREASE.

Elegant extracts, a Cambridge University title for those students who having failed only slightly in some one subject, and being “plucked” accordingly, were allowed their degrees. This applied to the “Poll” list, as the “Gulf” did to the “Honours.”

Elephant, “to have seen the ELEPHANT,” to be “up to the latest move,” or “down to the last new trick;” to be knowing, and not “green,” &c. Possibly a metaphor taken from the travelling menageries, where the ELEPHANT is the finale of the exhibition.—Originally an Americanism. Bartlett gives conflicting examples. General now, however. A modification of this is “having seen the king.” When a man becomes aware that he has been cheated or imposed on, and does not mean to stand it any longer, he is said to have seen the king, i.e., to have seen his adversary’s best card, and to be prepared for it.

Elevated, intoxicated. Elevation is the name of a drug-mixture much used in the fen-counties for keeping up the spirits and preventing ague. It consists mainly of opium.

Enemy, time, a clock, the ruthless enemy and tell-tale of idleness and of mankind generally; “what says the ENEMY?” i.e., how goes the time?

Essex lion, a calf. A calf is probably the only lively animal to be seen in a journey through Essex.

Essex stile, a ditch. A jocular allusion to the peculiarities of the “low county.”

Evaporate, to go, or run away.

Everlasting shoes, the feet. The barefooted children about the Seven Dials, and other low quarters of London, are said to wear EVERLASTING SHOES and stockings. Another expression in connexion with this want is, “the shoes and stockings their mothers gave them.”

Everlasting staircase, the treadmill. Sometimes, but very rarely now called “Colonel Chesterton’s EVERLASTING STAIRCASE,” from the gallant inventor or improver. Also known as “the STEPPER.”

Exasperate, to over-aspirate the letter H, or to aspirate it whenever it commences a word, as is commonly done by under-educated people who wish to show off their breeding. Exasperation does not refer to an omission of the aspirate.

Exes, expenses. “Just enough to clear our exes.”

Extensive, frequently applied in a slang sense to a person’s appearance or talk; “rather EXTENSIVE that!” intimating that the person alluded to is showing off, or “cutting it fat.”

Extracted, placed on the list of “ELEGANT EXTRACTS.”—Camb. Univ.

Eye teeth, supposed evidences of sharpness. A man is said to have, or have not, cut his EYE TEETH, according to possession or want of shrewdness.

Eye water, gin. Term principally used by printers.

Face, credit at a public-house, impudence, confidence, brass; thus a BRAZEN-FACE. “To run one’s FACE,” is to obtain credit in a bounceable manner. “He’s got some FACE,” i.e., he has got lots of impudence.

Face entry, the entrée to a theatre. From the FACE being known, as distinguished from free-list entry.

Facer, a blow on the face. In Ireland, a dram.

Facer, a tumbler of whisky-punch. Possibly from the suffusion of blood to the face caused by it.

Fad, a hobby, a favourite pursuit.

Fadge, a farthing.

Fadge, a flat loaf.—North.

Fadge, to suit or fit; “it wont FADGE,” it will not do. Used by Shakspeare, but now heard only in the streets.

Fadger, a glazier’s frame. Otherwise called a “frail,” perhaps in reference to the fragile nature of its contents.

Fag, a schoolboy who performs a servant’s offices to a superior schoolmate. From FAG, to become weary or tired out. Low German, FAKK, wearied.

Fag, to beat.

Faggot, a bundle of bits of the “stickings” (hence probably its name) sold for food to the London poor. It is sometimes called a duck. In appearance it resembles a Scotch “haggis,” without, however, being nearly so good as that fragrant article. Probably the FAG-END of a thing, the inferior or remaining part, the refuse.

Faggot, a term of opprobrium used by low people to children and women; “you little FAGGOT, you!” Faggot was originally a term of contempt for a dry shrivelled old woman, whose bones were like a bundle of sticks, only fit to burn.—Compare the French expression for a heretic, sentir le fagot.

Faggot briefs, bundles of worthless papers tied up with red tape, carried by unemployed barristers in the back rows of the courts to simulate briefs.

Faggot vote, a phrase which belongs to the slang of politics, and which was applied to a class of votes, by no means extinct even now, though not so common as in the days preceding the first Reform Bill, when constituencies were smaller, and individual votes were consequently more valuable. Faggot votes were thus created:—A large landowner who was blessed with, say, seven sons and seven brothers, and had also on his estate fourteen labourers’ cottages worth about a shilling a week each, would go through the form of sale of one cottage to each son and each brother, it being perfectly understood that the title-deeds would be returned when the occasion for their use was at an end. And thus the squire would command fifteen votes instead of one. In a famous election for the West Riding of Yorkshire during the third decade of the present century, which cost upwards of half a million sterling, and ruined the successful candidate, it was said that six hundred FAGGOT VOTES were created by three noble lords. The origin of the term has been variously explained. One ingenious writer has suggested that as a FAGGOT may be split into a bundle of sticks, so was one estate thus split into a bundle of votes. It is, however, more reasonable to suppose that it was derived from the old word “FAGGOT,” which was used to describe a “nominal soldier,” one, that is, whose name appeared on the muster-roll, and for whom the colonel drew pay, but who was never to be found in the ranks. The connexion is evident enough.

Fake, in the sporting world, means to hocus or poison. Fake is also a mixture supposed to be used for purposes of “making safe.”

Fake, to cheat, or swindle; to do anything; to go on, or continue; to make or construct; to steal or rob,—a verb variously used. Faked, done, or done for; “FAKE away, there’s no down;” go on, there is nobody looking. From the Latin FACERE.

Fakement, a false begging petition, any act of robbery, swindling, or deception. Fakement is a word of most general application among the lower classes. Any things strange, and most things not strange, are called FAKEMENTS, particularly if there is anything peculiar or artistic in their production.

Fakement Charley, the owner’s private mark. Faker, is one who makes or FAKES anything. To “fake a cly,” is to pick a pocket.

Fal-lals, trumpery ornaments, gewgaws. Forby suggests as a derivation the Latin PHALERÆ, horse trappings.

Fambles, or FAMMS, the hands.—Ancient Cant. German, FANGEN.

Family men, or PEOPLE, thieves, or burglars.

Fan, a waistcoat.—Houndsditch term.

Fancy, the favourite sports, pets, or pastime of a person, the ton of low life. Pugilists are sometimes termed the FANCY. Shakspeare uses the word in the sense of a favourite or pet; and the paramour of a prostitute is still called her FANCY MAN.

Fancy bloak, a fancy or sporting man.

Fanning, a beating. Fanning is also stealing; CROSS-FANNING is stealing with the arms crossed so as to distract attention, as in stealing breast-pins, &c.

Fanqui, a European, literally foreign devil.—Anglo-Chinese.

Fantail, a dustman’s or coalheaver’s hat. So called from the shape.

Farm, to contract, after the manner of those who engage to feed and lodge children belonging to the parish, at so much a head; a fruitful cause of starvation and misery. See Oliver Twist. The baby farmings, unconnected with the parishes in which they occurred, which ultimately resulted in the trial and execution of Margaret Waters, on the 11th October, 1870, have caused the word FARM as applied to any dealings with children, parish or private, to be one of obloquy and reproach.

Farmer. In Suffolk this term is applied to the eldest son of the occupier of the farm. In London it is used derisively of a countryman, and denotes a farm-labourer or clodpole. Both senses are different from the proper meaning.

Fast, gay, spreeish, unsteady, thoughtless,—an Americanism that has of late ascended from the streets to the drawing-room. The word has certainly now a distinct meaning, which it had not thirty years ago. Quick is the synonym for FAST, but a QUICK MAN would not convey the meaning of a FAST MAN,—a person who, by late hours, gaiety, and continual rounds of pleasure, lives too fast, and wears himself out. In polite society a FAST young lady is one who affects mannish habits, or makes herself conspicuous by some unfeminine accomplishment,—talks slang, drives about in London, smokes cigarettes, is knowing in dogs, horses, &c. An amusing anecdote is told of a fast young lady, the daughter of a right reverend prelate, who was an adept in horseflesh. Being desirous of ascertaining the opinion of a candidate for ordination, who had the look of a bird of the same feather, as to the merits of some cattle just brought to her father’s palace for her to select from, she was assured by him they were utterly unfit for a lady’s use. With a knowing look at the horses’ points, she gave her decision in these choice words, “Well, I agree with you; they are a rum lot, as the devil said of the ten commandments.” Charles Dickens once said that “fast,” when applied to a young man, was only another word for loose, as he understood the term; and a fast girl has been defined as a woman who has lost her respect for men, and for whom men have lost their respect.

Fast, embarrassed, wanting money, tied up. Sometimes synonymous with “hard up.”—Yorkshire.

Fast and loose, to play FAST AND LOOSE with a man, is to treat him as a fast friend in the days while he is useful, and to cast him loose when he is no longer necessary; also, to equivocate or vacillate. In old days it was the name of a vulgar pastime. See PRICK THE GARTER.

Fat, a printer’s term signifying the void spaces on a page, for which he is paid at the same rate as for full or unbroken pages. Occasionally called “grease,” and applied variously, but always as showing some undue or uncommon amount of advantage.

Fat, rich, abundant, &c.; “a FAT lot;” “to cut it FAT,” to exaggerate, to show off in an extensive or grand manner, to assume undue importance; “cut up FAT,” see under CUT. As a theatrical term, a part with plenty of FAT in it is one which affords the actor an opportunity of effective display.

Father, or FENCE, a buyer of stolen property.

Favourite, the horse that has the lowest odds laid against it in the betting list. When the FAVOURITE wins, the public or backers of horses generally are the gainers. When an outsider wins, the ring, that is to say, the persons who make a business of laying against the chances of horses, are the gainers.

Fawney, a finger ring. Irish, FAINEE, a ring.

Fawney bouncing, selling rings for a pretended wager. This practice is founded upon the old tale of a gentleman laying a wager that if he were to offer “real gold sovereigns” at a penny a-piece at the foot of London Bridge, the English public would be too incredulous to buy. The story states that the gentleman stationed himself with sovereigns on a tea-tray, and sold only two within the hour, thus winning the bet. This tale the FAWNEY BOUNCERS tell the public, only offering brass, double-gilt rings, instead of sovereigns.

Fawney rig, the ring-dropping trick. A few years ago this practice was very common. A fellow purposely dropped a ring, or a pocket-book with some little articles of jewellery, &c., in it, and when he saw any person pick it up, ran to claim half. The ring found, the question of how the booty was to be divided had then to be decided. The sharper says, “If you will give me eight or nine shillings for my share, the things are yours.” This the “flat” thinks very fair. The ring of course is valueless, and the swallower of the bait discovers the trick too late. For another way of doing this trick, see RING-DROPPING.

Feathers, money, wealth; “in full FEATHER,” rich. Feathers is also a term applied to dress; “in full FEATHER,” means very often in full costume. It also means, at times, in high spirits.

Feed, a meal, generally a dinner. Originally stable slang, now pretty general.

Feele, a daughter, or child.—Corrupted French.

Fellow-commoner, uncomplimentary epithet used at Cambridge for an empty bottle.

Felt, a hat.—Old term, in use in the sixteenth century.

Fence, a purchaser or receiver of stolen goods; also, the shop or warehouse of a FENCER.—Old Cant.

Fen-nightingales, toads and frogs, from their continued croaking at night.

Feringee, a European—that is, a Frank.—Anglo-Indian.

Ferricadouzer, a knock-down blow, a good thrashing. Probably derived, through the Lingua Franca, from the Italian, “far’ cader’ douser,” to knock down. “Far’ cader’ morto,” is to knock down dead.

Few, used to signify the reverse, thus:—“Don’t you call this considerably jolly?” “I believe you, my bo-o-oy, A FEW.” Sometimes the reply is, “just a FEW.” Another expression of the same kind is RATHER, which see.

Fib, to beat or strike.—Old Cant.

Fib, to lie, to romance.

Fibbing, a series of blows delivered quickly, and at a short distance.—Pugilistic.

Fiddle, a sharper, “a street mugger.” In America, a swindle or an imposture.

Fiddle, “to play second FIDDLE,” to act subordinately, or follow the lead of another. From the orchestral practice.

Fiddle-face, a person with a wizened countenance.

Fiddle-faddle, twaddle, or trifling discourse.—Old Cant.

Fiddler, a sharper, a cheat; also a careless, negligent, or dilatory person. On board some ocean steamers the FIDDLER is the capstan-house, the only place on board where passengers are permitted to smoke. The term FIDDLER is easily traceable to the fact that, while the seamen are working the capstan-bars, a man sometimes plays on the fiddle to cheer them at their toil.

Fiddler, a sixpence. Fiddler’s money is small money; generally from the old custom of each couple at a dance paying the fiddler sixpence.

Fiddler, or FADGE, a farthing.

Fiddlers’ green, the place where sailors expect to go when they die. It is a place of fiddling, dancing, rum, and tobacco, and is undoubtedly the “Land of Cocaigne,” mentioned in mediæval manuscripts. A story is told of a drunken sailor who heard a street preacher threatening all listeners with eternal damnation, and who went up and asked where he (the sailor) was going after death. “To hell, of course,” replied the preacher. “No, you lubberly son of a sea-cook!” shouted the seaman, knocking the itinerant down; “I’m going to FIDDLER’S GREEN; and if you say I’m not, I’ll throttle you.” Under compulsion, the preacher admitted the existence of FIDDLER’S GREEN, pro tempore.

Fiddles, transverse pieces of wood used on shipboard to protect the dishes at table during stormy weather. Swing tables obviate the use of FIDDLES.

Fiddle-sticks! an exclamation signifying nonsense. Sometimes “Fiddle-de-dee.”

Fiddling, doing any odd jobs in the streets, holding horses, carrying parcels, &c., for a living. Among the middle classes, FIDDLING means idling away time, or trifling, and amongst sharpers it means gambling.

Fid-fad, a game similar to chequers, or drafts, played in the West of England.

Field, the whole of the runners in a race of any kind. “A FIELD of fourteen runners was placed in care of the starter.” In betting phraseology the FIELD represents the bulk of the horses, as opposed to the favourite. “The FIELD for a pony,” means that the offerer will lay 25l. against the favourite, preferring the chances of a winner turning up amongst the others. “Ten to one on the FIELD,” means that the price named can be obtained about any horse in the race, that being the lowest figure or favourite’s price. Laying against favourites is called FIELDING, and bookmakers are often known as FIELDERS.

Field, “to look out,” at cricket. In the outings of an eleven the FIELDERS are those who stand away from the wickets with a view to checking the progress of the ball. Fielding is a great essential to cricket, and to be “a good FIELD” is no slight honour. Also to lay against favourites in the betting.

Field-lane duck, a baked sheep’s head. Field Lane was a low London thoroughfare leading from the foot of Holborn Hill to the purlieus of Clerkenwell. It was formerly the market for stolen pocket-handkerchiefs. Holborn Viaduct improved all but a small portion of Field Lane off the face of the earth. There is but the smallest vestige of this famous (or infamous) thoroughfare left. The neighbourhood has received an upheaval within the past few years, and from one end the pedestrian must descend to the remains of Field Lane by means of a flight of steps.

Fieri-facias. A red-faced man is often jocularly said to have been served with a writ of FIERI-FACIAS.

Fi-fa, a writ of Fieri-Facias.—Legal.

Fi-fi, Thackeray’s term for Paul de Kock’s novels, and similar modern French literature.

Fig, “in full FIG,” i.e., full-dress costume, “extensively got up.” Possibly an allusion to the dress assumed by our first parents after they were naked and not ashamed, or else an abbreviation of figure, in the references to plates in books of fashions.

Fig, “to FIG a horse,” to play improper tricks with one in order to make him lively. The FIG is a piece of wet ginger placed under a horse’s tail for the purpose of making him appear lively, and enhance his price.

Figaro, a barber; from Le Nozze di Figaro.

Fig-leaf, a small apron worn by ladies.

Figure, “to cut a good or bad FIGURE,” to make good or indifferent appearance; “what’s the FIGURE?” how much is to pay? Figure-head, a person’s face.—Sea term.

Filch, to steal, or purloin. Originally a cant word, derived from the FILCHES, or hooks, thieves used to carry, to hook clothes, or any portable articles from open windows.—Vide Decker. It was considered a cant or gipsy term up to the beginning of the last century. Harman has “FYLCHE, to robbe.” Probably from “FILICHI,” Romany for a handkerchief.

File, a deep or artful man, a jocose name for a cunning person. Originally a term for a pickpocket, when to FILE was to cheat or rob. File, an artful man, was used in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. To deal with an artful man is sometimes said to be like biting a FILE.

Filibuster, an American adventurer, who, if successful, helps to extend the boundaries of the United States, becomes a General, and receives high honours, but who remains a FILIBUSTER, and is despised as such, if he fails. The Texan, Nicaraguan, and kindred expeditions were of a FILIBUSTERING order.

Fillibrush, to flatter, praise ironically.

Fimble-famble, a lame, prevaricating excuse.—Scandinavian.

Fin, a hand; “come, tip us your FIN,” viz., let us shake hands.—Sea.

Finder, one who FINDS bacon and meat at the market before they are lost, i.e., steals them.

Finnuf, a five-pound note. Double finnuf, a ten-pound note.—German, FUNF, five.

Fire-eater, a quarrelsome man, a braggadocio or turbulent person who is always ready to fight.

Firkytoodle, to cuddle or fondle.

First flight, the first lot to finish in a foot or horse race, in a fox hunt, &c.

Fish, a person; “a queer FISH,” “a loose FISH.” Term never used except in doubtful cases, as those quoted.

Fishfag, originally a Billingsgate fishwife; now any scolding, vixenish, foul-mouthed woman.

Fishy, doubtful, unsound, rotten; used to denote a suspicion of a “screw being loose,” or “something rotten in the state of Denmark,” in referring to any proposed speculation.

Fit, an Americanism denoting the preterite of the verb to fight. A Yankee once came upon the words nihil fit, and he immediately wrote off to the editor of the paper to which he subscribed to know “Who was Nihil, who he fit, what amount he fit for, and if he won.”

Five fingers, the five of trumps, at the game of Five-cards, or Don.

Fives, “bunch of FIVES,” the fist.

Fix, a predicament, or dilemma; “an awful FIX,” a terrible position; “to FIX one’s flint for him,” i.e., to “settle his hash,” to “put a spoke in his wheel.”

Fixings, an Americanism, equivalent to our word “trimmings,” which see.

Fiz, champagne; any sparkling wine.

Fizzing, first-rate, very good, excellent; synonymous with “stunning.”

Flabbergast, or Flabberghast, to astonish, or strike with wonder; literally, to strike aghast.—Old.

Flag, a groat, or 4d.—Ancient Cant.

Flag, an apron. People who wear their aprons when not at work, are called “flag-flashers.”

Flag of distress, any overt sign of poverty; the end of a person’s shirt when it protrudes through his trousers.

Flam, nonsense, blarney, a lie, humbug. “A regular FLAM,” a tale devoid of truth.

Flame, a sweetheart.

Flannel, or HOT FLANNEL, the old term for gin and beer, drunk hot, with nutmeg, sugar, &c.; a play on the old name “lambswool.” Also called “flip.” There is an anecdote told of Goldsmith helping to drink a quart of FLANNEL in a night-house, in company with George Parker, Ned Shuter, and a demure, grave-looking gentleman, who continually introduced the words “crap,” “stretch,” “scrag,” and “swing.” Upon the Doctor asking who this strange person might be, and being told his profession, he rushed from the place in a frenzy, exclaiming, “Good God! and have I been sitting all this while with a hangman!”

Flap, lead used for the coverings of roofs.

Flapper, or FLIPPER, the hand.

Flare up, a jovial social gathering, a “breakdown,” a “row.”

Flash, showy, smart, knowing; a word with various meanings. A person is said to be dressed FLASH when his garb is showy, and after a fashion, but without taste. A person is said to be FLASH when he apes the appearance or manners of his betters, or when he is trying to be superior to his friends and relations. Flash also means “fast,” roguish, and sometimes infers counterfeit or deceptive—and this, perhaps, is its general signification. As it is used by those who best understand it nowadays, the word means that which is not what it appears to be—anything spurious, as jewellery and shoddy clothes. “Flash, my young friend, or slang, as others call it, is the classical language of the Holy Land; in other words, St. Giles’s Greek.”—Tom and Jerry, by Moncreiff. Vulgar language was first termed FLASH in the year 1718, by Hitchin, author of “The Regulator of Thieves, &c., with account of flash words.” “Flash” is sometimes exchangeable with “fancy.”

“My FLASH man’s in quod,
And I’m the gal that’s willin,
So I’ll turn out to-night,
And earn an honest shillin’.

“Tooral, looral la,
What are wealth’s possessions?
Bless the man we love,
And blow the b—— Sessions.”—Lyra Flagitiosa.

Flash it, show it—said when any bargain is offered.

Flash o’ lightning, the gold band on an officer’s cap.—Sea. Also in street slang, a glass of gin.

Flat, a fool, a silly or “soft” person; the opposite of “sharp.” The terms appear to be shortenings for “sharp-witted” and “flat-witted.” Or, maybe, from musical notes.

Flat-feet, the battalion companies in the Foot Guards.

Flats, playing cards; sometimes called “broads.” Also the storeys of large houses, built on the “independent” principle, each flat having its separate and peculiar offices, street-door, &c.

Flatty, a rustic, or uninitiated person.

Flatty-ken, a public-house the landlord of which is ignorant of the practices of the thieves and tramps who frequent it.

Flay the fox, to vomit. Now replaced by the more popular “shoot the cat.”

Flemish account.—Old. Still used by sailors for a tangled and unsatisfactory account or reckoning.

Flesh and blood, brandy and port in equal quantities.

Flesh bag, a shirt. American humourists call a white shirt a “clean biled rag.” In the mining camps, and rough parts generally, a white shirt is called a “biled shirt” to distinguish it from the usual woollen garment, which cannot be boiled.

Flick, or OLD FLICK, a comical old chap or fellow. Term of endearment among low people.

Flick, or FLIG, to whip by striking, and drawing the lash back at the same time, which causes a stinging blow. A flicking is often administered by schoolboys with a damp towel or pocket-handkerchief.

Flies, trickery, nonsense. “There are no FLIES about me, sir.” Softening of lies.

Flim-flamn, idle story.—Beaumont and Fletcher.

Flimp, to hustle, or rob.

Flimsy, a bank-note. Bank of Elegance notes are sometimes called soft flimsies. In this particular case two good terms make a bad one, as both “soft” and “flimsies” used separately refer to good notes.

Flimsy, the thin prepared copying-paper used by newspaper reporters and “penny-a-liners” for making several copies at once, which enables them to supply different papers with the same article without loss of time.

Flint, an operative who works for a “society” master, i.e., for full wages.

Flip, corruption of FILLIP, a light blow. Also a hot drink. See FLANNEL.

Flip-flap, a peculiar rollicking dance indulged in by costermongers when merry or excited—better described, perhaps, as the “double-shuffle” danced with an air of extreme abandon. Also, a kind of somersault, in which the performer throws himself over on his hands and feet alternately.

Flipper, the hand; “give us your FLIPPER,” give me your hand.—Sea. Metaphor taken from the flipper or paddle of a turtle.

Floater, a small suet dumpling put into soup.—Whitechapel.

Floating academy, the hulks.

Flog, to whip. Cited both by Grose and the author of Bacchus and Venus as a cant word. Many efforts have been made to ascertain the earliest use; Richardson cites Lord Chesterfield. From Flagellum. “Flawged,” for whipped, occurs in “The Presbyterian Lash, or Nockhoff’s Maid Whipt,” published in 1663. Nockhoff was the anagram for the name of the Rev. Zachary Crofton, who had scandalized the town by subjecting his servant-maid to the discipline of the nursery. There is a good story on the proper orthography of the convertible term for castigation related in a newspaper of 1841. A county magistrate, who had sentenced a boy to be birched, wrote in his warrant that the boy was to be “floged.” The scrupulous gaoler hesitated to inflict the punishment, and sent back the warrant to the justice for amendment, who thereupon drew his pen through “floged,” and ordered the boy to be “wiped.”

Flogger, a whip.—Almost obsolete. Flogger is still the term applied to a number of strips of cloth attached to a handle, and used in theatrical painting rooms to beat off the dust of the charcoal used in sketching a scene.

Flogster, one addicted to flogging. William IV., who was accused of unduly and excessively punishing the sailors whom he commanded when in the navy, was nicknamed in the newspapers “Prince William Henry Flogster.”

Floor, to knock down.—Pugilistic.

Floored, when a picture is hung on the lowest row at the Exhibition of the Royal Academy, it is, in artistic slang, said to be FLOORED, in contradistinction to “skyed,” which see.

Floorer, a blow sufficiently strong to knock a man down, or bring him to the floor. Often used in reference to sudden and unpleasant news.

Flop, to plump; “to go FLOP down,” to fall suddenly, with violence and noise.

Flowery, lodging, or house entertainment; “square the omee for the FLOWERY,” pay the master for the lodging.—Lingua Franca.

Flue-faker, a chimney-sweep.

Fluff it, a term of disapprobation, implying “take it away, I don’t want it.”

Fluff, railway ticket clerks’ slang for short change given by them. The profits thus accruing are called “fluffings,” and the practice is known as “fluffing.”

Fluke, at billiards, playing for one thing and getting another. Hence, generally what one gets accidentally, as an unexpected advantage, “more by luck than judgment.”

Flummery, flattery, gammon, genteel nonsense. In American ships a peculiar kind of light sweet pudding.

Flummux, to perplex or hinder.

Flummuxed, done up, sure of a month in quod, or prison. In mendicant freemasonry, the sign chalked by rogues and tramps upon a gate-post or house corner, to express to succeeding vagabonds that it is unsafe for them to call there, is known as , or FLUMMUXED, which signifies that the only thing they would be likely to get upon applying for relief would be a “month in quod.”—See QUOD.

Flunkey, a footman or other man-servant.

Flunkeyism, blind worship of rank, birth, or riches, or of all three; toadyism.

Flush, the opposite of “hard up,” in possession of money, not poverty-stricken.—Shakspeare.

Flush, to whip; “FLUSHED on the horse,” to be privately whipped in gaol; to deluge with water, as in “FLUSHING the sewers;” to come upon suddenly and completely,—“I came FLUSH upon him.”

Flush, a term in cribbage, signifying a hand of cards composed entirely of one suit.

Flutter, to try hard in defence or pursuit of an object. “I’ll have a FLUTTER for it,” means I’ll have a good try for it. Also to toss for anything. Probably from the spinning of the coin.

Fly, knowing, wide-awake, fully understanding another’s meaning.