C
Cabal, a secret Junto of Princes, a seated knot of Statesmen, or of Conspirators against the State in Counter-Cabal.
Cabbage, a Taylor, and what they pinch from the Cloaths they make up; also that part of the Deer’s Head where the Horns are Planted.
Cabob, a Loin of Mutton Roasted with an Onyon betwixt each joint; a Turkish and Persian Dish but now used in England.
Cacafuego, a Shite-fire; also a furious fierce Felow.
Cackle, c. to discover. The Cull Cackles, c. the Rogue tells all.
Cackling-cheats, c. Chickens, Cocks or Hens.
Cackling-farts, c. Eggs.
Cadet, or Cadee, a Gentleman that Bears Arms in hopes of a Commission; also a younger Brother.
Caffan, c. Cheese.
Cakehis, Cake is Dough, of a Miscarriage or failure of Business. The Devil ow’d her a Cake, and has pai’d her a Loaf, when instead of a small, a very great Disaster or Misfortune has happen’d to a Woman.
Call, a Lesson, Blowed on the Horn to comfort the Hounds.
Caliver, a small Sea-Gun.
Calle, c. a Cloak or Gown.
Cambridge-Fortune, a Woman without any Substance.
Cameleon-Diet, Air, or a very thin slender Diet.
Cameronians, Field-Conventiclers, (in Scotland) great outward Zealots, and very squeemish Precisians.
Camesa, c. a Shirt or Shift.
Campaign-coat, Originally only such as Soldiers wore, but afterwards a Mode in Cities. See Surtout.
Canary-Bird, a little Arch or Knavish, a very Wag.
Cane upon Abel, a good Stick or Cudgel well-favoredly laid on a Man’s Shoulders.
Canal, a Channel, Kennel, Pipe, Passage, fine Pond, or small River.
Cannal, choice Coals, very Fat or Pitchy that Blaze and Burn pleasantly.
Canibal, a cruel rigid Fellow in dealing; also Men-Eaters.
Cank, c. Dumb. The Cull’s Cank, c. the Rogue’s Dumb.
Cannikin, c. the Plague, also (among the Dutch) a little Kan with a Spout to pour out the Wine or Beer, making it Froth As great as Cup and Cann; or as great as two Inkle-makers.
Cant, c. to speak, also (Cheshire) to grow Strong and Lusty; also to Kick or throw any thing away.
Canterbury, a sort of a short or Hand-gallop; from the Road leading to that famous City (of Kent) on which they Ride (for the most part) after that manner.
Canting, c. the Cypher or Mysterious Language, of Rogues, Gypsies, Beggers, Thieves, &c.
Canting-crew, c. Beggers, Gypsies; also Dissenters in Conventicles, who affect a disguised Speech, and disguised Modes of Speaking, and distinguish themselves from others by a peculiar Snuffle and Tone, as the Shibboleth of their Party; as Gypsies and Beggers have their peculiar Jargon; and are known no less by their several Tones in Praying, than Beggers are by their whining Note in Begging.
Cap, c. to Swear. I’ll Cap downright, c. I’ll Swear home. Or (in another Sense) he may fling up his Cap after it, when a thing or business is past Hope.
Capitation-Drugget, a Cheap, Slight Stuff, called so from the Tax of that Name.
Capricious, Whimsical, Fantastic, Freakish.
Captain-Hackum, c. a Fighting, Blustring Bully.
Captain-Queere nabs, c. a Fellow in poor Cloths, or Shabby.
Captain-Sharp, c. a great Cheat; also a Huffing, yet Sneaking, Cowardly Bully; and a noted English Buckaneer.
Captain-Tom, a Leader of, and the Mob.
Captious, Touchy, Snuffy, apt to take Exception.
Caravan, c. a good round sum of Money about a Man, and him that is Cheated of it; also a great Convoy of Arabian, Grecian, Persian, Turkish, and other Merchants, Travelling with Camels from Place to Place; also a sort of Wagon.
Carbuncle-Face, very Red and full of large Pimples.
Card-Wool, to cleanse and prepare it for Spinning: Also a Game; a sure Card, a trusty Tool, or Confiding Man; a cooling Card, cold comfort, no hope; a Leading Card, an Example or Precedent.
Cargo, c. a good round Sum of Money about a Man; also the Lading of a Ship.
Carouse, to Drink hard, or Quaff heartily.
Carpet-road, Level and very good.
Carriers, Pigeons that will with safety, and almost incredible Swiftness convey Letters from one Place to another, much used at Smyrna and Aleppo; also Milk-womens Hirelings, or Servants, that carry the Pail Morning and Evening.
Carrots, Red hair’d People, from the Colour of the well known Root of that Name, whence came
Carrot-pated, used in derision.
Carted-Whore, Whipt publickly, and packt out of Town. The Cart before the Horse, of a thing preposterous, and out of Place.
Cash, c. Cheese.
Case, c. a House, Shop, or Ware-house; also a Bawdy-house. Toute the Case, c. to view, mark, or eye the House or Shop. There’s a peerey, ’tis snitcht, c. there are a great many People, there’s no good to be done. ’Tis all Bob, and then to dub the gigg, c. now the coast is clear, there’s good Booty, let’s fall on, and Rob the House. A Case fro, c. a Whore that Plies in a Bawdy-house.
Caster, c. a Cloak.
Cast, to Bowl. A bad cast, an ill laid Bowl, or at great distance from the Jack. He is Cast for Felon and Dose, c. found guilty of Felony and Burglary.
Cat, a common Whore or Prostitute.
Catch-fart, a Foot-Boy.
Catching-harvest, when the Weather is Showery and Unsettled.
Catch-pole, a Serjeant, or Bayliff that Arrests People.
Cat-in-pan, turn’d, of one that has chang’d Sides or Parties. Who shall hang the Bell about the Cat’s Neck, said of a desperate Undertaking.
Catchup, a high East-India Sauce.
Caterwauling, Men and Women desirous of Copulation, a Term borrowed from Cats.
Cathedral, old-fashioned, out of Date, Ancient; also a chief Church in a Bishop’s See.
Catharpin-fashion, when People in Company Drink cross, and not round about from the Right to the Left, or according to the Sun’s motion; also small Ropes to keep the Shrouds, taut or tight, and the Mast from Rolling.
Catting, drawing a Fellow through a Pond with a Cat.
Catstick, used by Boies at Trap-ball.
Cattle, Whores. Sad Cattle, Impudent Lewd Women.
Catmatch, c. when a Rook is Engag’d amongst bad Bowlers.
Cavalcade, a publick Show on Horseback.
Cavaulting School, c. a Bawdy-house.
Caudge-paw’d, Left Handed.
Caveating, or Disengaging, flipping the Adversary’s Sword, when ’tis going to bind or secure one’s own.
Caw-handed, awkward not dextrous, ready or nimble.
Changeable-ribbon, or Silks, of diverse Colours, resembling those of Doves-necks, or of the Opal Stone.
Chafe, in a great Chafe, a great heat or pet. To Chafe, to fret or fume. Chafing, fretting or fuming, Chafing and fretting, being the same with fretting and fuming, hence a Chafing dish, that carries Fire.
Chaft, c. well beaten or bang’d; also much rub’d or bath’d.
Chagrin, moody, out of humour, pensive, melancholy, much troubled.
Chalk, used in Powder by the Perfumers to mix with their Grounds; and also scented Hair-Powders, being cheap and weighing heavy; found to Burn and destroy Wiggs and all Hair in general.
Chanticlere, a Cock.
Chape, the Tip at the End of a Fox’s Tail; also the Cap at the End of the Scabbard of a Sword.
Character, a distinguishing Sign or Mark of Distinction, the same among Great Men or Ministers, that a Badge is among Low and little People. As a Man of Character, of Mark or Note, as Privy-Chancellors, Judges, Foreign Ministers, Ministers of State, &c.
Chare-women, Under-drudges, or Taskers, assistants to Servantmaids.
Char, a Task or Work. A good Char well Char’d, a Work well over.
Chates, c. the Gallows.
Chat, Talk, Prate.
Chatter, to Talk fast or jabber.
Chattering fellow, a noisy prating Man.
Chatts, c. Lice. Squeeze the Chatts, c. to Crack or Kill those Vermin.
Cheap, Contemptible. How Cheap you make your self, how Contemptible you render your self or undervalue your self.
Chear, good or bad, high or ordinary fare. How Chear you? How fare you? Chear up, be of good courage, hence chearful, or chearly, for one in Heart, or that keeps up his Spirits, prety chearly, indifferent hearty or lightsom.
Cheats, Sharpers, which see; also Wristbands or sham Sleeves worn (in good Husbandry) for true, or whole ones.
Chicken, a feeble, little creature, of mean Spirit; whence a Chicken-hearted Fellow, or Hen-hearted Fellow, a Dastard.
Childish, Foolish.
Childing-women, Breeding.
China-Ale, From the well known East-Indian Drug of that Name, of which they ought to put some, but they seldom do any into it, making it sweet only and adding a little Spice.
Chink, c. Money, because it chinks in the Pocket.
Chip, a Child.
Chip of the old Block, a Son that is his Father’s likeness; more particularly the Son of a Cooper, or one brought up to the same Trade.
Chirping-merry, very pleasant over a Glass of good Liquor.
Chit, a Dandyprat, or Dergen.
Chittiface, a little puiny Child.
Chitchat, idle Prate, or empty Talk.
Chive, c. a Knife.
Chop, to change, or barter.
Chopping-boy, a bouncing Boy. To chop up Prayers, to huddle them up, or slubber them over in posthast. A Chop by chance, a rare Contingence, an extraordinary or uncommon Event, out of course.
Chopps, (of a Man) his Face (of Mutton) a Bone or Cut.
Chounter, to talk pertly, and (sometimes) angrily.
Chouse, to cheat or trick.
Chop-houses, where Both boyl’d and roast Mutton (in chopps) are alwayes ready.
Chub, c. he is a young chub, or a meer chub, c. very ignorant or inexperienc’d in gaming, not at all acquainted with Sharping. A good Chub, said by the Butchers; when they have met with a silly raw Customer and they have Bit him.
Chuck-farthing, a Parish-Clerk (in the Satyr against Hypocrites) also a Play among Boies.
Chum, a Chamber-fellow, or constant Companion.
Church-yard-cough, that will terminate in Death.
Churl, an Ill-natur’d Fellow; a selfish, sordid Clown. To put a Churl upon a Gentleman, to Drink Ale or any Mault-Liquor immediately after Wine.
Ciento, an old Game at Cards.
Citt, for Citizen.
Civil List, all the Officers and Servants in the King’s Family.
Clack, a Woman’s Tongue.
Clammed, Starved, or Famished.
Clan, Family, Tribe, Faction, Party in Scotland chiefly, but now anywhere else.
Clank, c. a Silver-tankard.
Clanker, a swinging Lie.
Clank-napper, c. a Silver-tankard Stealer. See Bubber.
Rum-clank, c. a large Silver-tankard. Tip me a rum Clank a Booz, c. give me a double Tankard of Drink.
Clap, a Venereal Taint.
Clapperclaw’d, beat soundly, or paid off in earnest.
Clapperdogeon, c. a Begger-born and Bred.
Clark, or Clerk, Scholar or Book-learned.
Clerk-ship, or Clergy, Scholarship or Book-learning, though of late the one be more restrained to a Clergyman, and the other appropriate to a Clergyman’s Skill or Qualifications; because it may be heretofore, none but the Clergy were learned, or so much as taught to Read. Hence the Benefit of Clergy, (or Reading) &c. legit ut Clericus, in the Law, for him that cou’d Read his Neck-verse, like a Clerk or Scholar, when so few perhaps were Scholars or Clerks, that every one that could but only Read, passed for no less: We say still, the greatest Clarks (or Scholars) are not the Wisest Men: And the Scots much to the same Effect. An Ounce of Mother-Wit is worth a Pound of Clergy, or Book-learning.
Claw’d off, lustily lasht, also swingingly Poxt.
Clear, c. very Drunk. The Cull is clear, let’s Bite him. c. The Fellow is Damn’d Drunk, let’s Sharp him.
Cleave, has two contrary Senses under one Sound; for to cleave, (Verb Neuter) is to cling close or stick fast, and to cleave, (verb Active) is to part or divide; as to cleave asunder, when Cleft and Cloven.
Clench, a pun or quible; also to nick a Business by timing it.
Cleymes, c. Sores without Pain raised on Beggers Bodies by their own Artifice and cunning, (to move charity) by bruising Crows-foot, Speerwort, and Salt together, and clapping them on the Place, which frets the Skin, then with a Linnen rag, which sticks close to it; they tear off the Skin, and strew on it a little Powder’d Arsnick, which makes it look angrily or ill favoredly, as if it were a real Sore.
Click, c. to Snatch. I have Clickt the Nab from the Cull, c. I whipt the Hat from the Man’s Head. Click the rum Topping, c. Snatch that Woman’s fine Commode.
Clicker, the Shoemaker’s Journey-man, 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.
Clicket, Copulation of Foxes, and sometimes, used waggishly for that of Men and Women.
Clinker, c. a crafty Fellow.
Clinkers, c. the Irons Felons wear in Goals.
Clip, to hug or embrace. To clip and cling, of a close hug or fast embrace. To Clip the Coin, to diminish or Impair it. To clip the King’s English, not to Speak Plain, when one’s Drunk.
Clod-hopper, c. a Plough-man.
Clodpate, a heavy, dull Fellow.
Close, reserv’d, silent, not talkative, or open.
Close-confident, a trusty Bosom-friend.
Close-fisted, covetous, stingy, pinching.
Clotts, or thick dropps of Bloud clottered or in clots.
Cloud, c. Tobacco. Will ye raise a Cloud, c. shall we Smoke a Pipe?
Clouds, or Cloudy-Sky, in opposition to clear open Sky; as Clouds in Gemms and Stones, to clear ones; and Clouded Fate, to a clear pleasant one. Under a Cloud, in disgrace, under misfortunes or disasters; Speaks in the Clouds, of one that flies or soars in Talking above the common reach or capacity.
Cloudy, dark complexion’d.
Clout, c. a Handkerchief.
Cloy, c. to Steal. Cloy the Clout, c. to Steal the Handkerchief. Cloy the Lour, c. to Steal the Money; also, in another Sense, to Cloy, is to Nauseate or Satiate.
Cloyers, c. Thieves, Robbers, Rogues.
Cloying, c. Stealing, Thieving, Robbing; also Fulsom or Satiating.
Clowes, c. Rogues.
Clown, a Country-Fellow, also one very Ill-bred or unmannerly, Being.
Clownish, rustical, unpolish’d, uncouth.
Club, each Man’s particular Shot, also a Society of Men agreeing to meet according to a Scheme of Orders under a slight Penalty to promote Trade and Friendship.
Cluck, the noise made by Hens, when they set upon their Eggs to Hatch and are disturb’d, or come off to Eat, and also when they wou’d have Eggs put under them for that purpose.
Clump, a Heap or Lump.
Clunch, a clumsy Clown, an awkward or unhandy Fellow.
Clutch the Fist, or close the Hand, whence Clutches. I’ll keep out of your Clutches or Claws; the Clutches of the Parish, the Constable or Beadle.
Clutchfisted, the same as Closefisted.
Clutter, Stir. What a Clutter you keep? What a stir you make?
Cly, c. Money. To Cly the Jerk, c. to be Whipt. Let’s strike his Cly, c. let’s get his Money from him; also a Pocket, Filed a cly, c. Pickt a Pocket.
| Coach-wheel, | { | Fore | { | Half a Crown. |
| { | Hind | { | A Crown or Five Shilling-Piece. |
Coals to Newcastle when the Drawer carries away any Wine in the Pot or Bottle. To blow the Coals, to raise differences between Parties. He’ll carry no Coals, not be Pissed upon, or Imposed upon, nor bear a Trick, or take an Affront, or tamely pass by any ill Treatment. Let him that has need blow the Coals, Let him Labour that wants.
Cob, a Dollar (in Ireland.)
Cobble, to mend or patch.
Cobbled, bunglingly done.
Cobble-colter, c. a Turkey. A rum Cobble-colter, c. a fat large Cock-Turkey.
Cobweb-cheat, easily found out.
Cobweb-pretence, slight, trivial, weak.
Cock-a-hoop, upon the high Ropes Rampant, Transported.
Cockish, wanton uppish, forward.
Cockale, pleasant Drink, said to be provocative.
Cock-baw’d, a Man that follows that base Employment.
Cocker, one skill’d in, or much delighted with the sport of Cock-fighting.
Cockney, Born within the Sound of Bow-bell; (in London) also one ignorant in Country Matters.
Cock-oyster, the Male.
Cock pimp, a Supposed Husband to a Bawd.
Cock-robbin, a soft easy Fellow.
Cock-sure, very Sure.
Cod, a good sum of Money; also a Fool. A meer Cod, a silly, shallow Fellow. A rum Cod, c. a good round sum of Money. A jolly or lusty Cod, c. the same. An honest Cod, a trusty Friend.
Codders, gatherers of Peascods.
Cod’s Head, a Fool.
Codsounds, the Pith or Marrow in the Cod’s Back, esteem’d as choice Peck.
Cofe, c. as Cove.
Cog, to cheat at Dice, Cog a Die, to conceal or secure a Die; also the Money or whatever the Sweetners drop to draw in the Bubbles; also to wheedle, as Cog a Dinner, to wheedle a Spark out of a Dinner.
Cogue, of Brandy, a small Cup or Dram.
Coker, c. a Lye, rum Coker, c. a whisking Lye.
Cokes, the Fool in the Play, or Bartholomew-Fair, and hence (perhaps) Coxcomb.
Cold, shy, or averse to Act.
Cold-Tea, Brandy. A couple of cold words, a Curtain-Lecture. Cold-Iron, Derisory Periphrasis for a Sword. In cold Blood, when the heat of War, or Passion are over. The Matter will keep cold, it will stay a while, and not be the worse for keeping.
Cole, c. Money.
Coliander-seed, c. Money.
Collation, a Treat or Entertainment.
College, c. Newgate; also the Royal Exchange.
Collegiates, c. those Prisoners and Shop-keepers.
Collogue, wheedle.
Colquarron, c. a Man’s Neck.
Colt, c. an Inn-keeper that lends a Horse to a Highway-man, or to Gentlemen Beggers; also a Lad newly bound Prentice.
Coltish, said when an old Fellow is frolicksom or wanton; or he has a Colt’s Tooth.
Colt bowl, laid short of the Jack by a Colt bowler, a raw or unexperienc’d Person.
Colt-veal, very red.
Come, c. to Lend. Has he come it? c. has he lent it you?
Comical, very pleasant, or diverting.
Coming-women, such as are free of their Flesh; also breeding Women.
Commission, c. a Shirt.
Commode, a Woman’s Head-dress, easily put on, and as soon taken off.
Common garden-gout, or rather Covent-garden, the Pox.
Common Women, Whores, Plyers in the Streets and at Bawdy-Houses.
Complement, the Ship’s or Regiment’s compleat Number or Company.
Comfortable Importance, a Wife.
Conceited, a Self-lover, and Admirer, Wise in his own Opinion.
Coney-sitteth.
Confect, c. Counterfeit.
Conger, a Set or Knot of Topping Book-sellers of London, who agree among themselves, that whoever of them Buys a good Copy, the rest are to take off such a particular number, as (it may be) Fifty, in Quires, on easy Terms. Also they that joyn together to Buy either a Considerable, or Dangerous Copy. And a great over-grown Sea-Eel.
Conjurers, Astrologers, Physiognomists, Chiromancers, and the whole Tribe of Fortune-tellers, by the common People (Ignorantly) so called.
Consent, Leave, Approbation, Agreement. Affected by Consent, as one Sore Eye infects the other, (unseen) because they are both strung with one Optic Nerve: As in two Strings set to an Unison, upon the Touch of One, the other will Sound.
Consult of Physicians, Two, or more.
Content, a thick Liquor, made up in Rolls in imitation of Chocolate, Sold in some Coffee-Houses.
Contre-temps, making a Pass or Thrust without any advantage, or to no purpose.
Convenient, c. a Mistress; also a Whore.
Conveniency, c. a Wife; also a Mistress.
Conundrums, Whimms, Maggots, and such like.
Cony, a silly Fellow, a meer Cony, very silly indeed.
Cook-ruffin, c. the Devil of a Cook, or a very bad one.
Cool-crape, a slight Chequer’d Stuff made in imitation of Scotch Plad.
Cooler, a Woman.
Cool-Lady, a Wench that sells Brandy (in Camps).
Cool nantz, Brandy.
Cool Tankard, Wine and Water, with a Lemon, Sugar and Nutmeg.
Copper-nos’d, extremely Red.
Coquet, a flippant, pert Gossip.
Corky-brain’d Fellow, silly, foolish.
Corinthian, a very impudent, harden’d, brazen-fac’d Fellow.
Cornish-hug, a hard gripe, or squeeze.
Corn-jobber, an Enhancer of the Price, by early buying, monopolizing, and sharp tricks. A great Harvest of a little Corn, a great adoe in a little Matter. He measures my Corn by his own Bushel, he muses as he uses, he thinks me Bad because he is so himself.
Cornuted, made a Cuckold of.
Corny-fac’d, a very Red or Blue pimpled Phiz.
Cosset, a Fondling Child.
Cosset-Colt or Lamb, brought up by Hand, made Tame, and used to follow any Body about the House.
Costard, the Head, I’ll give ye a knock on the Costard, I’ll hit ye a blow on the Pate.
Coster-monger, a Wholesale Dealer in Apples, Pears, &c.
Cot for Cotquean, a Man that meddles with Womens matters.
Cotton, they don’t cotton, they don’t agree well.
Cote, a sorry, slight Country-House or Hovel, now a Cottage. Hence the Compounds yet in use, of Dove-cote, Sheep-cote, &c.
Couchee, going to Bed I was at Court at the Couchee, I attended the King at his going to Bed.
Couch a Hogs-head, c. to go to Bed.
Cove, c. a Man, a Fellow, also a Rogue. The Cove was bit, c. the Rogue was out-sharp’d or out-witted. The Cove has bit the Cole, c. The Rogue has Stolen the Money. The Cove’s a rum Diver, c. that Fellow is a cleaver Pick-pocket.
Covey of Whores, a well fill’d Bawdy-house; also of Partridges, a Nest or Brood.
Counterfeit-cranks, c. the Twentieth Rank or Order of the Canting Tribe.
Counterfeit, a Cheat Or Impostor. A Counterfeiter of Hands, a Forger. A Counterfeiter of Persons, a Sham. Counterfeit Gemms or Jewels, Bristol-stones. Counterfeits, for the most part exceed the Truth. Thus a Flatterer pleases more than a Friend; a Braggadochio-coward thunders more than a Hero; a Mountebank promises more than a Doctor, and a Hypocrite over-acts a Religious Man, as a Counterfeit Gem is often fairer than a True one.
Country-put, a silly Country-Fellow.
Couped up, Imprison’d, Environ’d, Surrounded Pent up.
Court-promises, fair Speeches, or empty Promises without performances. Much the same with Court-holy-water. Court-card, a gay fluttering Fellow. Court-tricks, State-Policy.
Course, or rather
Coarse, homely, ord’nary, oppos’d to fine; as Coarse treatment, rough or rude Dealing; Coarse fare, homely Food; a Coarse Dish, a mean one; Coarse or Hard-Favor’d, oppos’d to Fair or Handsom. Of Course of Custom; out of Course, extraordinary, or out of the way; a Horse-Course a Race, also the place where the Race is Run. A Water-course, a Drain. Course of Law, the proceedings, at Law, The Law must have its Course, or run freely. I’ll take a Course with you, I’ll hamper ye, or stick close on your Skirts. A Course of Physick, an Order or set Constitution of Physick, for a continuance or course of time. Course of the Sun, Yearly or Daily, a Yearly or Daily Revolution, Course of the Moon, the Circle of a Month.
Court-holy-water, Court Promises.
Cow-hearted, fearful or Hen-hearted.
Cows-thumb, when a thing is done exactly, nicely, or to a Hair.
Cows-baby, a Calf.
Coxcomb, a Fool; a silly Coxcomb, a very foolish Fellow.
Crabbed, sower, churls.
| Crab-lice, | { | Cock, Male. | } | Vermin breeding in Moist and Hairy Parts of the Body. |
| { | Hen, Female. | } |
Crack, c. a Whore.
Cracker, c. an Arse; also Crust.
Crackish, c. Whorish.
Cracking, Boasting, Vaporing. Crackt credit, Lost, Gone. Broken. Crackt-title, Unsound Crackt-brains, lost Wits.
Crackmans, c. Hedges.
Cramped, a weight with a string tied to one’s Toe, when a Sleep, much used by School-boies, one to another; also obstructed or hampered in any Business whatever.
Crag, a Neck; also a Rock.
Cramp-rings, c. Bolts or Shackles.
Cramp-words, difficult or uncommon.
Crank, brisk, pert.
Cranksided-ship, that does not bear Sail well.
Cranked-shells or Stones, wrinkled or wreathed.
Crap, c. Money. Nim the Crap, c. to Steal the Money. Wheedle for Crap, c. to coakse Money out of any Body.
Crash, c. to Kill.
Crash the Cull, c. Kill the Fellow.
Crashing-cheats, c. Teeth.
Craz’d, Mad.
Crazy, infirm or distemper’d.
Creatures, Men raised by others, and their Tools ever after.
Creeme, to slip or slide any thing into another’s Hand.
Crew, the Coxon and Rowers in the Barge, or Pinnace, are called the Boats-crew, in distinction from the Complement of Men on Board the Ship, who are term’d the Ships-company, not Crew; also an ill Knot or Gang, as a Crew of Rogues.
Crimp, one that undertakes for, or agrees to unlade a whole Ship of Coals. To play Crimp, to lay or bet on one side, and (by foul play) to let t’other win, having a share of it. Run a Crimp, to run a Race or Horse-match fouly or knavishly. He Crimps it, he plays booty. A Crimping Fellow, a sneaking Cur.
Crinkums, the French Pox.
Crispin, a Shoe-maker, from the St. of that Name, their Patron.
Crispin’s Holy-day, ev’ry Munday in the Year, but more particularly the Twenty fifth of October, whereon the whole Fraternity fail not to lay they Hearts in Soak.
Crochets in the crown, whimsies, Maggots.
Crockers, Forestallers, Regraters, see Badgers.
Croker, c. a Groat or Four-pence. The Cull tipt me a Croker, c. the Fellow gave me a Groat.
Crony, a Camerade or intimate Friend; an old Crony, one of long standing; used also for a tough old Hen.
Crop, one with very short Hair; also a Horse whose Ears are Cut.
Crop-ear’d-Fellow, whose Hair is so short it won’t hide his Ears.
Croppin-ken, c. a Privy, or Bog-house.
Crop-sick, Stomack-sick.
Crossbite, c. to draw in a Friend, yet snack with the Sharper.
Crosspatch, a peevish froward Person.
Crotiles, Hares Excrements.
Crow-over, to insult or domineer. To pluck a Crow with one, to have a bout with him. Strut like a Crow in a Gutter, said in jeer of the Stalking of a proud Fellow. The Crow thinks her own Bird the Fairest, applied to those that dote on their foul issues. As good Land as any the Crow Flies over, with regard it may be, to the Crow’s being a long Liver; as no Carrion will kill a Crow, to his being so hardy a Bird.
Crowder, a Fidler.
Crown, the top of the Head or Hat; Imperial or Regal Crown. Where the Earth is raised it is said, to be Crown’d with Hills, in Poetry. The End Crowns all, said both of the Event of Actions, and Finishing of Works. In the Crown-Office, Drunk; also to Crown, to pour on the Head.
Cruisers, c. Beggers; also nimble Friggats Coasting to and fro for Prizes, and to carry Orders, &c.
Crump, c. one that helps Sollicitors to Affidavit-men, and Swearers, and Bail, who for a small Sum will be Bound or Swear for any Body; on that occasion, putting on good Cloaths to make a good appearance, that Bail may be accepted.
Crump-back’d, Crooked or Huncht-backt.
Crumplings, wrinkled Codlings, usually the least, but sweetest.
Crusty-beau, one that lies with a Cover over his Face all Night, and uses Washes, Paint, &c.
Cub, or young Cub, c. a new Gamester drawn in to be rookt; also a young Bear, a Fox, and a Martern the first Year.
Cucumbers, Taylers.
Cucumber-time, Taylers Holiday, when they have leave to Play, and Cucumbers are in season.
Cudgelliers, a Mob rudely arm’d; also Cudgel-Players.
Cuffin, c. a Man.
Cuffin-quire, c. see Quire-cuffin.
Culp, a kick, or blow, also a bit of any thing.
Culp of the Gutts, (Suffolk) a hearty kick at the Belly.
Cull, Cully, c. a Man, a Fop, a Rogue, a Fool or silly Creature that is easily drawn in and Cheated by Whores or Rogues. Cully napps us, c. the Person Robb’d, apprehends us. A Bob-cull, c. a sweet-humour’d Man to a Whore, and who is very Complaisant. A Curst-cull, c. an ill-natur’d Fellow, a Churl to a Woman.
Culm, the small or dust of Sea-coal.
Cunning-shaver, a sharp Fellow.
Cup-shot, Drunk.
Cup of Comfort, as
Cup of the Creature, Strong-liquor. A Cup too low, when any of the Company are mute or pensive. To carry one’s Cup even between two Parties, to be equal and indifferent, between them. Many things fall out between the Cup and the Lip, or many things intervene between the forming and accomplishing a Design.
Cur, a Dog of a mungrel Breed, good for nothing.
Curle, c. Clippings of Money.
Currish-fellow, snapping, snarling.
Curmudgeon, an old Covetous Fellow, a Miser.
Currant-coyn, good and Lawful Money. Currant Custom, a received custom, the Current, Stream; also humor or bent of the People.
Cursitors, c. Vagabonds; the first (old) Rank of Canters.
Curst, a curst Cur, a sower, surly, snarling, fierce Dog; a Curst Cow has short Horns.
Curtals, c. the Eleventh Rank of the Canting Crew.
Curtail’d, cut off, shorten’d.
Curtezan, a gentile fine Miss or Quality Whore.
Curtain-Lecture, Womens impertinent Scolding at their Husbands.
Cushion, beside the Cushion, beside the Mark.
Cut, Drunk. Deep Cut, very Drunk. Cut in the Leg or Back, very drunk. To Cut, c. to Speak. To Cut bene, c. to Speak gently, civilly or kindly; to Cut bene (or bennar) Whidds, c. to give good Words. To Cut quire whidds, c. to give ill Language. A Cut or Chop of Meat. Cut and come again, of Meat that cries come Eat me. A cutting wind, very sharp. Of the precize Cut or Stamp, a demure starcht Fellow. No Present to be made of Knives, because they Cut kindness. Ready Cut and Dried, or turned for the purpose. Not Cut out for it, nor turned for it. To Cut another out of any business, to out-doe him far away, or excell, or circumvent. I’ll cut you out business, I’ll find you Work enough. A Book with Cuts or Figures; Brass or Wooden Cutts or Prints from Copper-plates, or Wood. A Cut throat House or Town, where sharp and Large Reckonings are imposed, as at Gravesend, Deal, Dover, Portsmouth, Plimouth, Harwich, Helvoetsluyce, the Briel, and indeed all Sea-ports, nay and Common-wealths too, according to the observation of a late Learned Traveller in his ingenious Letters publish’d in Holland.