The slang dictionary

The Slang Dictionary

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. diamond, 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.

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.57

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,58 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.59

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.60 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. 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.

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 triangle pointing down, 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.

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 circle with dot, 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.

Fly, to be on the, to be out for a day’s drink or pleasure.

Fly, to lift, toss, or raise; “fly the mags,” i.e., toss up the halfpence; “to fly a window,” i.e., to lift one for the purpose of stealing.

Fly-boys, men employed to clear the printed copies from the Hoe machines, on which daily papers are “worked.” So called to distinguish them from the “machine boys,” a superior grade of labourers who “lay on” the sheets.

Flying mare, a throw in wrestling.

Flying mess, “to be in flying mess” is a soldier’s phrase for being hungry and having to mess where he can.

Flying stationer, a paper-worker, hawker of penny ballads; “Printed for the Flying Stationers” is the imprimatur on hundreds of penny histories and sheet songs of the last and present centuries.

Flymy, knowing, cunning, roguish.—Seven Dials and Low Life.

Fly the kite, or raise the wind, to obtain money on bills, whether good or bad, probably in allusion to tossing paper about as children do kites.

Fly the kite, to evacuate from a window,—term used in padding-kens, or low lodging-houses.

Fobbed, old slang for robbed. From fob, the ancient breeches-pocket for the watch.

Fogey, or old fogey, a dullard, an old-fashioned or singular person. Grose says it is a nickname for an invalid soldier, from the French fougueux, fierce or fiery, but it has lost this signification now.

Fogger, old word for a huckster.

Fogger, a farm servant who feeds cattle. Probably a corruption of fodderer.

Foggy, tipsy.

Fogle, a silk handkerchief,—not a clout, which is of cotton. It has been hinted that this may have come from the German Vogel, a bird, from the bird’s-eye spots on some handkerchiefs, but a more probable derivation is the Italian slang (Fourbesque), foglia, a pocket, or purse; or from the French Argot, fouille, also a pocket.

Fogus, tobacco.—Ancient Cant. Fogo, old word for stench.

Follow-me-lads, curls hanging over a lady’s shoulder.

Foont, a sovereign, or 20s. Probably a corruption of vingt.

Footing, “to pay footing.” See shoe.

Forakers, the closet of decency, or house of office. Term used by the boys at Winchester School. Very likely from “four acres,” the original necessary having been in all likelihood a field behind the school.

Force the voucher, a term in use among sporting tricksters, who advertise to send certain winners, and on receipt of letters enclose vouchers similar to those sent out by respectable commission agents, but with double or treble the current odds marked thereon, in reference to the horse named. A plausible letter is sent with the voucher, and the victim is informed that on account of early investments made by the firm, which has of course a high-sounding title, the extra odds can be laid by them, and a remittance to the amount named, or part of it, is requested. Of course the firm “dries up” when claims become heavy, and, with a new name and new address, appears in the next week’s advertising columns. Forcing the voucher was a fine game when it was first started, but it was soon overdone, as it required no particular ingenuity, and offered special immunities, theft of this kind being rather favoured than otherwise by the authorities. Certainly the law that punishes honest betting men seems powerless with regard to these plunderers, otherwise we should hardly be treated as often as we are to the spectacle of one man being fined for honest dealing, while another escapes simply because he is not a betting man, but a welcher.

Fork out, to bring out one’s money, to pay the bill, to “stand for” or treat a friend; to hand over what does not belong to you—old cant term for picking pockets, and very curious in its origin. In the early part of the last century, a little book was published on purloining, and of course it had to give the latest modes. Forking was the newest mode, and it consisted in thrusting the fingers stiff and open into the pocket, and then quickly closing them and extracting any article thus caught.

Forks, or grappling-irons, fingers. Costermongers and other clumsy feeders have a proverb which seems to justify their taking bones and choice morsels in their hands during the progress of a meal. It is, “Fingers were the first forks;” sometimes varied to “Fingers were made before forks.”

Form, condition, training. “In good form” or “in bad form” refers to a man’s or horse’s state of being in the sporting world. Form has also had a moral significance of late years, and with the qualifying adjectives attached as occasion requires, is extensively used in general conversation. As, “It was bad form of Brown to do that.” “That article was bad form.” In the latter cases the word “in” rarely appears.

Forty foot, a derisive appellation for a very short person.

Forty guts, vulgar term for a fat man.

Forty-twa, the common place of retirement on a well-known French plan at Edinburgh, so called from its accommodating that number of persons at once.

Forty winks, a short sleep or nap.

Fou, rather more than slightly intoxicated.—Scotch.

“We are na’ fou, we are na’ fou.”

Foul, to jostle or bore unfairly in a race. See bore. To touch any foreign substance during a race—particularly a boat-race—is to foul it.

Foul, a touch, no matter how slight, of bodies or machinery in a race of any kind. Fouls in boat-racing are often inevitable, and are not always the result of boring or any other malicious practice.

Foul riding, riding which after a horse-race is made the subject of complaint, such as refusing to let a competitor pass, boring him against the rails, &c. Some jockeys are great adepts at this work, and are invaluable to a confederacy as a means, not so much of attaining victory themselves, as of preventing its attainment in others. Of course unless proof of jostling can be given, or evidence of malicious intent shown, jockeyship of this kind is not considered foul riding.

Four-and-nine, or four-and-ninepenny goss, a cheap hat, so called from 4s. 9d., the price at which a once noted advertising hat-maker sold his hats—

“Whene’er to slumber you incline,
Take a short nap at 4 and 9.”

Four-eyes, a man or woman who habitually wears spectacles.

Four kings, history of the, an old name for a pack of playing cards. See Sir Thomas Urquhart’s Translation of Rabelais. In Argot, livre des quatre rois.

Fourth, or fourth court, the court appropriated to the waterclosets at Cambridge; from its really being No. 4 at Trinity College. A man leaving his room to go to the fourth court, writes on his door, in algebraic notation, gone⁴, which expresses the Cambridge slang phrase, “gone to the fourth.”

Fourth estate, the complete body of journalists of all descriptions. This term is much in use among “liners.”

Fox, to cheat or rob.—Eton College. In London to watch closely and narrowly.

Foxed, a term used by print and book collectors to denote the brown spotted appearance produced by damp on paper.

Foxing, when one actor criticises another’s performance.—Theatrical. Also in street slang foxing means watching slyly.

Fox’s Sleep, or foxing, a purposely assumed indifference to what is going on. A fox, as well as a weasel, is said to sleep with one eye open.

Foxy, rank, tainted, from the odour of the animal.—Lincolnshire.

Foxy, said also of a red-haired person.

Frapping, a beating. French, frapper.

Free-and-easy, a club held at a low public-house, the members of which meet in the tap-room or parlour for the purpose of drinking, smoking, and hearing each other sing. These gatherings are generally called harmonic meetings by the landlord, but free-and-easy best indicates the character of the proceedings.

Free fight, a fight conducted on the Irishman’s principle—“Sure, wherever you see a head, hit it.” The term is, however, American, so the practice may be considered fairly general.

Freeman’s quay, “drinking at Freeman’s Quay,” i.e., at another’s cost. This quay was formerly a celebrated wharf near London Bridge, and the saying arose from the beer which was given gratis to porters and carmen who went there on business.

French cream, brandy.

French gout, a certain disease, which is also known as “ladies’ fever.”

French leave, to take, to leave or depart slyly, without saying anything; or obtaining permission.

Fresh, said of a person slightly intoxicated.

Freshman, a University man during his first year. The official appellation for the students until they have passed the Previous or First Cambridge Examination, otherwise called the Smalls or Little Go, is Junior Sophs or Sophisters. After this they are Senior Sophs until their last term, when they are Questionists, or preparing “ad respondendum quæstioni.” At Oxford the title freshman lasts for the first term.

Friday-face, a gloomy-looking man. Most likely from Friday being a day of meagre fare among Catholics and High Church Protestants.

Frisk, to search; frisked, searched by a constable or other officer.

Frisk a cly, to empty a pocket.

Frog, a policeman. Because, by a popular delusion, he is supposed to pounce suddenly on delinquents.

Frog’s march, the manner in which four or more policemen carry a drunken or turbulent man to the station-house. The victim is held face downwards, one constable being at each shoulder, while the others hold on above the knees. Often there is another active and intelligent officer who beats time to the march on the recalcitrant hero’s posteriors.

Frow, a girl, or wife. German, frau; Dutch, vrouw.

Frummagemmed, annihilated, strangled, garrotted, or spoilt.—Old Cant.

Frump, a slatternly woman, a gossip.—Ancient. In modern slang it is the feminine of fogey, and means a prim old lady, who is generally termed “a regular old frump.”

Frump, to mock or insult.—Beaumont and Fletcher.

F sharps, fleas. Compare B flats.

Fudge, nonsense, stupidity. Todd and Richardson only trace the word to Goldsmith. Disraeli, however, gives the origin to a Captain Fudge, a great fibber, who told monstrous stories, which made his crew say in answer to any improbability, “You fudge it!”—See Remarks on the Navy, 1700. At page 87 of a collection of some papers of William Crouch (8vo, 1712), the Quaker, we find a mention of this Captain. Degory Marshall informed Crouch that—

“In the year 1664 we were sentenced for banishment to Jamaica by Judges Hyde and Twisden, and our number was 55. We were put on board the ship Black Eagle; the master’s name was Fudge, by some called Lying Fudge.”

Some persons believe that the word comes from the Gaelic, ffug, deception.

Fuggies, hot rolls.—School.

Full against, opposed to. As, “I’m full against him,” I decidedly object to, or dislike him, or I am opposed to him. The term originated with the bookmakers; who, when they have laid all their money against a certain horse, put a mark against his name, and reply to all inquiries, “full against him.” This grew to “full against his winning,” and was thus taken, when shortened, to express feeling the reverse of friendly.

Fullams, false dice, which always turn up high.—Shakspeare.

Full blast, a term evidently borrowed from the technology of the engine-room, and now frequently used to express the heyday or apogee of anything. As, “By the middle of the day matters were in full blast, and proceedings generally were very satisfactory.”

Full feather, good condition, high spirits. Also any one gaily dressed is said to be in full feather.

Full fig, full costume, male or female uniform or evening dress.

Full of beans, arrogant, purseproud. A person whom sudden prosperity has made offensive and conceited, is said to be too “full of beans.” Originally stable slang.

Fully, “to be fullied,” to be committed for trial. Term in general use among thieves. Possibly from the reports which, in the slang of the penny-a-liner, say “the prisoner was fully committed for trial.” The magistrates often say fully committed also, whatever that may mean.

Funk, trepidation, nervousness, cowardice. To funk, to be afraid or nervous.

Funk, to smoke out, or terrify.

Funking the cobbler, a bold schoolboy trick, performed with assafœtida and cotton stuffed into a hollow tube or cow’s horn. The cotton being lighted, the smoke is blown in through the keyhole of a door, or the crannies of a cobbler’s stall. A funny song, much in vogue some years back, gave all the agonies of a drunken cobbler, who believed the devil had come for him, with all sorts of accessories, till

        “He was told by a shout
That ’twas only some boys who’d been funking him out.”

Funny, a rowing boat with both ends pointed and out of the water.

Funny-bone, the extremity of the elbow—or rather, the muscle which passes round it between the two bones, a blow on which causes painful tingling in the fingers. Facetiously derived, from its being the extremity of the humerus (humorous).

Fye-buck, a sixpence.—Nearly obsolete.

Gab, gabber or gabble, talk; “gift of the gab,” loquacity, or natural talent for speech-making.—Anglo-Norman; gab is also found in the Danish and Old Norse.

Gaby, a simpleton, a country bumpkin. Probably from gape.

Gad, a trapesing slatternly woman.—Gipsy. Anglo-Saxon, gædeling.

Gadding the hoof, going without shoes. Gadding, roaming about, although used in an old translation of the Bible, is now only heard amongst the lower orders.

Gaff, a penny play-house, in which talking is not permitted on the stage. See penny gaff.

Gaffer, a master, or employer; term used by “navvies,” and general in Lancashire and North of England. Early English for an old man. See “blow the gaff.”

Gaffing, tossing halfpence, or counters.—North, where it means tossing up three halfpennies. One man tosses, and another calls. Sometimes the coins are tossed from a stick, and the tosser keeps those which fall heads uppermost.

Gag, a lie; “a gag he told to the beak.”—Thieves’ Cant.

Gag, language introduced by an actor into his part. In certain pieces this is allowed by custom, and these are called gag-pieces. The Critic, or a Tragedy Rehearsed, is chief among these. Many actors, however, take French leave in this respect with most pieces.—Theatrical slang.

Mr. Robson at Belfast.—We (Northern Whig) suspected a little bit of what is professionally termed gag in Mr. Robson’s Daddy Hardacre last night. He had occasion to say that one of the characters in the piece “understands me well enough,” to which he added—“I wish some other people did the same,” with an expressive glance at the pit; which we interpreted as having special reference to those appreciative persons in the audience whom we have already mentioned, who think it absolutely needful to roar with laughter at every sentence Mr. Robson utters, without the least regard to whether it be humorous or pathetic—only because Mr. Robson has fame as a comic actor.

When another Robson shall arise, no one will object to his gagging a little. The public could afford that to such a man in these days of “creations.”

Gag, to hoax, “take a rise” out of one; to “cod.”

Gage, a small quantity of anything; as “a gage of tobacco,” meaning a pipeful; “a gage of gin,” a glassful. Gage was, in the last century, a chamber utensil.

Galeny, old cant term for a fowl of any kind; now a respectable word in the West of England, signifying a Guinea fowl.—Vide Grose. Latin, gallina.

Gallanty show, an exhibition in which black figures are shown on a white sheet to accompanying dialogue. Generally given at night by “Punch and Judy” men.

Gallimaufry, a kind of stew, made up of scraps of various kinds. Sea term, and probably meaning the galley scraps.

Gallipot, an apothecary.

Gallivant, to wait upon the ladies.—Old.

Gallows, or gallus, very, or exceedingly—an unpleasant exclamation; “gallows poor,” very poor. Term originally applied to anything bad enough to deserve hanging.

Gallows bird, an incorrigible thief; often applied to denote a ruffian-like appearance.

Gallowses, in the North of England a pair of braces.

Gally-yarn, a sailor’s term for a hoaxing story. He expresses disbelief by saying only “G. Y.”

Galoot.—See geeloot.

Galore, abundance. Irish, go leor, in plenty.

Gamb, a leg. Still used as an heraldic term, as well as by thieves, who probably get it from the Lingua Franca. Italian, gamba; French, jambe, a leg.

Game, a term variously applied; “are you game?” have you courage enough? “what’s your little game?” what are you going to do? “come, none of your games,” be quiet, don’t annoy me; “on the game,” out thieving. To “play the game” is among sporting men to do a thing thoroughly and properly.

Game leg, a lame or wounded leg.

Gameness, pluck, endurance, courage generally.

Gammon, deceit, humbug, a false and ridiculous story. Anglo-Saxon, gamen, game, sport.

Gammon, to hoax, to deceive merrily, to laugh at a person, to tell an untrue but plausible story, to make game of, or, in the provincial dialect, to make game on;—“who’s thou makin’ thy gam’ on?” i.e., of whom are you making a fool?—Yorkshire.

Gammy, bad, unfavourable, poor tempered. Those householders who are known enemies to the street folk and tramps are pronounced by them to be gammy. Gammy sometimes means forged, as “gammy-monniker,” a forged signature; gammy stuff, spurious medicine; gammy lowr, counterfeit coin. Hants, gamy, dirty. The hieroglyphic used by beggars and cadgers to intimate to those of the tribe coming after that things are not very favourable is known as square, or gammy. Gaelic, Welsh, and Irish, cam (gam), crooked.

Gammy-vial (Ville), a town where the police will not let persons hawk.

Gander Month, the period when the monthly nurse is in the ascendant, and the husband has to shift for himself. Probably from the open choice he has during that period.

Ganger, the person who superintends the work of a gang, or a number of navigators.

Gape, to stare about in an astonished manner. “gaping about like a country bumpkin.” Sometimes pronounced garp. There is no reference in the use of this phrase by Cockneys to gape in its correct sense.

Gape-seed, something to look at, cause for astonishment; a lazy fellow, unmindful of his work, is said to be “looking for gape-seed.” Rustics are said to find plenty of “gape-seed” in London streets.

Gar, euphuistic rendering of the title of the Deity; “be gar, you don’t say so!”—Franco-English.

Garden, among tradesmen signifies Covent Garden Market; among theatrical performers, Covent Garden Theatre.

Gardener, an awkward coachman; an insinuation that he is both coachman and gardener, and understands the latter branch of service better than the first; “get on, gardener,” is a most insulting expression from a cabby to a real coachman. Men who in small families do the coach, garden, and general work, are sometimes called “teakettle grooms,” or “teakettle coachmen.”

Gargle, medical-student slang for drinkables.

Garnish, the douceur or fee which, before the time of Howard the philanthropist, was openly exacted by the keepers of gaols from their unfortunate prisoners for extra comforts. The practice of garnishing is by no means so defunct as some folk seem to think, and its influence may often be traced by those who wish.

Garnish, footing money.—Yorkshire.

Garreter, a thief who crawls over the tops of houses, and enters garret-windows. Called also a “dancer,” or “dancing-master,” from the light and airy nature of his occupation.

Garrotte, a system of robbery with violence much practised on dark winter nights by ruffians who during summer infest racecourses and fairs. Their victims are generally weak men and delicate women. From the Spanish garrotte, because the practice generally commences with a throttling attack. Procedure is, however, various, these gentlemen being possessed of much ingenuity in the way of torture. “The cat” has within the past year or so done much to modify this offensive state of things, but the sympathetic appeals of certain tenderhearted M.P.’s and other philanthropists, who are not themselves likely to be garrotted, on behalf of the garrotters, will probably before long result in a withdrawal of the lex talionis, and a natural resumption of the garrotte system, with new adornments.

Garrotting, a mode of cheating practised amongst card-sharpers, by concealing certain cards at the back of the neck.

Gas, to give off superfluous conceit, to bounce or brag; “his game is gas.” “To give a person gas,” is to scold him or give him a good beating. Synonymous with “to give him Jessie.”

Gassy, or gaseous, liable to “flare up” at any offence.

Gate, the, Billingsgate. Sometimes Newgate, according to the occupation and condition of the speaker. In the same way Paternoster Row is by publishers known as “the Row.”

Gate, to order an undergrad not to pass beyond the college gate. As a rule, the gate begins after hall, but in extreme cases the offender is gated for the whole day.—University.

Gate-race, among pedestrians a mock race, got up not so much for the best runner to win, as for the money taken from spectators, at the gate. This sort of business is not peculiar to pedestrians; there are such things as gate-money meetings at horse-racing.

Gatter, beer; “shant of gatter,” a pot of beer. A curious slang street melody, known in Seven Dials as Bet the Coaley’s Daughter, thus mentions the word in a favourite verse:—

“But when I strove my flame to tell,
  Says she, ‘Come, stow that patter,
If you’re a cove wot likes a gal,
  Vy don’t you stand some gatter?’
In course I instantly complied—
  Two brimming quarts of porter,
With sev’ral goes of gin beside,
  Drain’d Bet the Coaley’s daughter.”

Gaudy, the annual dinner of the Fellows of a College, in memory of founders and benefactors. From gaudeamus.—Oxford University.

Gawfs, cheap red-skinned apples, a favourite fruit with costermongers, who rub them well with a piece of cloth, and find ready purchasers.

Gawky, a lanky, or awkward person; a fool. Saxon, geak; Scotch, gowk.

Gay, loose, dissipated; “gay woman,” a kept mistress or prostitute. Many people will remember Leech’s celebrated caricature of two wretched females on an equally wretched night, and the question asked by one woman of the other, “How long have you been gay?”

Gay tyke boy, a dog-fancier.

Gee, to agree with, or be congenial to a person.

Geeloot, or galoot, a recruit, or awkward soldier. A clumsy person, also a term of contempt in America.

Gen, a shilling. See back-slang article.

Gent, a contraction of “gentleman,”—in more senses than one. A dressy, showy, foppish man, with a little mind, who vulgarizes the prevailing fashion.

Gent, silver. From the French, argent.

Gentleman of four outs; in Ireland when a vulgar, blustering fellow asserts that he is a gentleman, the retort generally is, “Yes, a gentleman of four outs”—that is, without wit, without money, without credit, and without manners.

Gentleman of three ins,—that is, in debt, in danger, and in poverty.

Geordie, general term in Northumberland and Durham for a pitman, or coal-miner. From the Greek, George meaning one who works the earth, originally a cultivator; the term has been in use more than a century.

German Duck, a sheep’s-head stewed with onions; a favourite dish among the German sugar-bakers in the East-end of London.

German Ducks, bugs.—Yorkshire.

Get up, a person’s appearance or general arrangements. Probably derived from the decorations of a play.

“There’s so much getting up to please the town,
It takes a precious deal of coming down.”

Planché’s Mr. Buckstone’s Ascent of Parnassus.

Ghost, “the ghost doesn’t walk,” a theatrical term which implies that there is no money about, and that there will be no “treasury.”

Gibberish, unmeaning jargon; the language of the gipsies, synonymous with slang, another Gipsy word. Somner says, “French, gabber; Dutch, gabberen; and our own gab, gabber; hence also, I take it, our gibberish, a kind of canting language used by a sort of rogues we vulgarly call gipsies, a gibble-gabble understood only among themselves.” See Introduction. The gibberish of schoolboys is formed by placing a consonant between each syllable of a word, and is called the gibberish of the letter inserted. Thus, if F were the letter, it would be termed the F gibberish; if L, the L gibberish—as in the sentence, “How do you do?—Howl dol youl dol?” A gibberish is sometimes formed by adding vis to each word, in which the previous sentence would be—“Howvis dovis youvis dovis?” These things are worthy of schoolboys, as they are in ability far below the rhyming, the back, or the centre slang, each of which is constructed by people possessing no claim to literary excellence whatever. Schoolboys in France form a gibberish, in a somewhat similar manner, by elongating their words two syllables, in the first of which an r, in the second a g, predominates. Thus the words vous êtes un fou are spoken, vousdregue esdregue undregue foudregue. Fast persons in Paris, of both sexes, frequently adopt terminations of this kind, from some popular song, actor, exhibition, or political event. In 1830, the favourite termination was mar, saying épicemar for épicier, cafémar for café. In 1823, when the diorama created a sensation in Paris, the people spoke in rama (on parlait en rama.) In Balzac’s beautiful tale, Le Père Goriot, the young painter at the boarding-house dinner-table mystifies the landlady by saying, “What a beautiful soupeaurama!” To which the old woman replies, to the great laughter of the company, “I beg your pardon, sir, it is une soupe à choux.” These adaptations can hardly be called slang, or we shall have everybody making a slang of his own, and refusing to believe in any one’s else—a sort of secondhand edition of the Tower of Babel.

Gib-face, a heavy, ugly face; gib is properly the lower lip of a horse; “to hang one’s gib,” to pout the lower lip, to be angry or sullen.

Gibus, an opera hat. From the inventor of the crush hat.

Giffle-gaffle, or gibble-gabble, nonsense. See chaff. Icelandic, gafla.

Gig, a farthing. Formerly grig.

Gig, fun, frolic, a spree. Old French, gigue, a jig, a romp.

“In search of lark, or some delicious gig,
The mind delights on, when ’tis in prime twig.”

Randall’s Diary, 1820.

“‘No heirs have I,’ said mournful Matt;
  But Tom, still fond of gig,
Cried out, ‘No hairs? don’t fret at that,
  When you can buy a wig.’”

Gig lamps, spectacles; also a person who wears spectacles is often called gig-lamps. Connexion obvious. This term has been in use probably as long as gig-lamps themselves—if gig-lamps were invented after spectacles.

Gill, or jill, a homely woman; “Jack and Gill,” &c.

Gills, the lower part of the face.—Bacon. “To grease one’s gills,” “to have a good feed,” or make a hearty meal. A man suffering from the effects of a previous night’s debauch, is said to “look queer about the gills.”

Gills, overlarge shirt collars.

Gilt, money. German, geld; Dutch, gelt.

Gimcrack, a bijou, a slim piece of mechanism. Old slang for “a spruce wench.”—New Bailey. Any things which are gaudy and easily breakable, are known now as gimcracks.

Ginger, a showy, fast horse—as if he had been figged with ginger under his tail; a red-haired man. Term commonly used in depreciation of a person’s appearance.

Ginger hackled, having flaxen, light yellow hair. Term originally used to describe a certain colour or colours in game-cocks.—See hackle.

Gingerly, to do anything with great care.—Cotgrave.

Gingham, an umbrella. Term very common in London.

Gingumbob, a bauble.

Gin-spinner, a distiller, or rectifier of gin.

Give, to strike, to scold; “I’ll give it to you,” i.e., I will thrash you. To lead to, in the sense of directions. Thus, in one of the Christmas numbers of All the Year Round we are told that “a side portal and a passage, dark at noon, gave upon Paradise Alley.” This usage of the word, from the French idiomatic use of donner, is becoming by no means uncommon.

Give in, to admit oneself defeated, to “throw up the sponge,” or “strike one’s flag.”

Give it mouth, a rude request to an actor or orator, which means, speak up. Low folk can fancy nothing higher in the way of encomium on an actor than, “He’s the cove to give it mouth—rather!”

Gladstone, cheap claret. Gladstone reduced the duty on French wines.

Glasgow magistrate, a salt herring. When George IV. visited Scotland, a wag placed some salt herrings on the iron guard of the carriage belonging to a well-known Glasgow magistrate, who made one of a deputation to receive his Majesty.

Glaze, glass; generally applied to windows. To “star the glaze” is to break a window.

Glib, a tongue; “slacken your glib,” i.e., “loosen your tongue.”

Glim, a light, a lamp; “dowse the glim,” put out the candle. Sea and Old Cant. Glims, spectacles. Gaelic, glinn, light. German (provincial), glimm, a spark.

Glim lurk, a begging paper, giving a circumstantial account of a dreadful fire—which never happened.

Gloak, a man. Term much used in old thieves’ cant.

Glum, sulky, stem; “to look glum,” to appear annoyed or disconcerted.

Glump, to sulk.

Glumpish, of a stubborn, sulky temper.

Go, a go of gin, a quartern of that liquor. (This word, as applied to a measure of liquor, is stated to have arisen from the following circumstance:—Two well-known actors once met at the bar of a tavern to have a “wet” together. “One more glass and then we’ll go,” was repeated so often on either hand, that in the end go was out of the question with both of them, and so the word passed into a saying.) Go is also synonymous with circumstance or occurrence; “a rummy go,” and “a great go,” signify curious and remarkable occurrences; “all the go,” when anything creates unusual interest, “no go,” no good; “here’s a pretty go!” here’s a trouble; go, a term in the game of cribbage; “to go the jump,” to enter a house by the window.—See little go; also call-a-go.

“Gemmen (says he), you all well know
The joy there is whene’er we meet;
It’s what I call the primest go,
And rightly named, ’tis—‘quite a treat,’”

Jack Randall’s Diary, 1820.

Go along, a fool, a cully, one of the most contemptuous terms in a thieves’ vocabulary.

Gob or gobbet, a portion. Generally applied to meat by schoolboys.

Gob, the mouth, as in pugilistic slang “a spank on the gob, drawing the gravy.” Also mucus, or saliva. Sometimes used for gab, talk—

“There was a man called Job,
  Dwelt in the land of Uz;
He had a good gift of the gob;
  The same case happen us.”

Zach. Boyd.

Gaelic—gab and gob, a mouth. See gab.

God bless the Duke Of Argyle! a Scottish insinuation made when one shrugs his shoulders, of its being caused by parasites or cutaneous affections.—See scotch fiddle, scotch greys. It is said to have been originally the thankful exclamation of the Glasgow folk, at finding a certain row of iron posts, erected by his grace in that city to mark the division of his property, very convenient to rub against. Some say the posts were put up purposely for the benefit of the good folk of Glasgow, who were at the time suffering from the “Scotch fiddle.” This is, however, but a Southern scandal.

Gods, the people in the upper gallery of a theatre; “up amongst the gods,” a seat amongst the persons in the gallery—so named from the high position of that part, and the blue sky generally painted on the ceiling of the theatre; termed by the French, “paradis.”

Gods, the quadrats used by printers in throwing on the imposing stone, similar to the movement in casting dice.—Printers’ term.

Go due north, to become bankrupt, to go to Whitecross Street.—Nearly obsolete.

Go for the gloves, to lay against a horse on the chance of its losing, without having the wherewithal to pay if it wins. Probably from the custom of ladies who bet gloves, and expect, as the racing men say, to “stand them to nothing,” i.e., to be paid if they win, but not to pay if they lose. This is a last resource of the bankrupt turfite; and the big handicaps at the end of the year, the Cesarewitch and Cambridgeshire, offer both temptation and opportunity to those who can only hope to recoup themselves for their previous losses by “gloving it” successfully. When, in the sporting papers it is stated that a settling at Tattersall’s was more than usually unsatisfactory, it may be fairly assumed that the gloves have not been won by those who most desired them.

Go in, to enter for, to apply oneself in pursuit of. Men at the Universities are said to go in for honours, aquatics, or whatever their chief desire or employment may be. The expression is now general.

Go it, a term of encouragement, implying, “keep it up!” Sometimes amplified to “go it, ye cripples;” said to have been a facetious rendering of the last line of Virgil’s Eclogues—

“Ite domum saturæ, venit Hesperus, ite capellæ;”

or, “go it, ye cripples, crutches are cheap.”

Goldbacked uns, body lice. Sometimes called greybacked uns.

Goldfinches, sovereigns. Similar to Canaries.

Gold-mine, any profitable investment, from a fried-fish shop to a remunerative speculation involving millions.

Golgotha, a hat, “place of a skull.” Hence the “Don’s gallery,” at St. Mary’s, Cambridge, and that part of the theatre at Oxford where the heads of houses sit.

Gol-mol, noise, commotion.—Anglo-Indian.

Golopshus, splendid, delicious, luscious.—Norwich.

Gonnof, an expert thief, a master of his craft; one of the greatest compliments a London pickpocket can pay another is to say, “he’s a reglar gonnof.”—See gun. The word gonnof is very old. During Kett’s rebellion in Norfolk, in the reign of Edward VI., a song was sung by the insurgents in which the term occurs—

“The country gnoffes, Hob, Dick, and Hick,
  With clubbes and clouted shoon,
Shall fill up Dussyn dale
  With slaughter’d bodies soone.”

Good people, the name given by country folk, evidently from fear of offending by any less decided term, to fairies, brownies, pixies, &c. Mothers often say to querulous children, “I wish the good people would run away with you.”

Goods, in the sporting world, men or horses. A horse or man of exceptionable quality is called “good goods,” and a backer will speak of either as being in his opinion “best goods,” as compared with others in the race.

Good time, an expressive phrase, which means all earthly bliss to the American mind. The finest reminiscence a Yankee can have is that of a good time, wherever it may have been spent. No moderate amount of happiness is ever recorded in the register which denotes how often its possessor has “had a good time.”

Good woman, a not uncommon public-house sign, representing a woman without a head,—the ungallant allusion is that she cannot scold. Maybe, the publican does not think that it means also that she cannot drink. The Honest Lawyer, another sign, is depicted in the same manner.

Goose, a tailor’s pressing iron. Originally a slang term, but now in most dictionaries.

Goose; “Paddy’s goose,” i.e., the White Swan, a celebrated public-house in Ratcliff Highway.

Goose, “to cook his goose,” to kill him; the same as “to give him his gruel,” or “settle his hash.”

Goose, “to get the goose,” “to be goosed,” signifies to be hissed while on the stage. The big-bird, the terror of actors. See big bird.—Theatrical.

Goose, to ruin, or spoil; to hiss a play.—Theatrical. To be “sound on the goose” is in America to be orthodox in one’s political creed.

Gooseberry, to “play up old gooseberry” with any one, to defeat or silence a person in a quick or summary manner.

Gooseberry-pickers, sharp children, who are ostensibly placed in charge of their elder sisters, when the latter go out shopping, but who are in reality a check on any chance of flirtation.

Goosecap, a simpleton, a booby, or noodle.—Devonshire.

Gooser, a settler, or finishing blow.

Go over, in clerical slang, signifies to join the Church of Rome.

Gorge, to eat in a ravenous manner. “Rotten gorgers” are those hungry lads who hang about Covent Garden Market, and devour the discarded fruit.

Gorger, a swell, a well-dressed, or gorgeous man—probably derived from the latter adjective. Sometimes used to denote an employer, or principal, as the manager of a theatre.

Gormed, a Norfolk corruption of a profane oath. So used by Mr. Peggotty in David Copperfield.

Gospel grinder, a City missionary, or tract-distributor.

Gospel Shop, an irreverent term for a church or chapel of any denomination. Mostly in use among sailors.

Goss, a hat—from the gossamer silk of which modern hats are made.

Goss, “to give a man goss,” to requite an injury, to beat, or kill. This is an Americanism, and is applied variously. A steamboat captain on the Mississippi, determined to pass his rival, called out, so the story goes, to the fireman, “Give her goss and let her rip, as I mean to pass that boat, or bust.”

Goth, an uncultivated person. One who is ignorant of the ways of society.

Go the whole pile, to put all one’s bank on a solitary chance. An Americanism which had its origin in the piles of gold dust used as circulating medium by gambling miners.

Gourock ham, a salt herring. Gourock, on the Clyde, about twenty-five miles from Glasgow, was formerly a great fishing village.—Scotch.

Government sign-post, the gallows. This is necessarily almost obsolete.

Governor, a father, a master or superior person, an elder; “which way, guv’ner, to Cheapside?”

Gowler, a dog.—North Country Cant. Query, growler.

Gownsman, a student at one of the universities, as distinguished from a townsman.

Grab, to clutch, or seize; grabbed, caught, apprehended.

Grace-card, the six of hearts, so termed in Ireland. A Kilkenny gentleman, named grace, being solicited, with promises of royal favour, to espouse the cause of William III., gave the following answer, written on the back of the six of hearts, to an emissary of Marshal Schomberg’s, who had been commissioned to make the proposal to him:—“Tell your master I despise his offer; and that honour and conscience are dearer to a gentleman than all the wealth and titles a prince can bestow.” This would have been a much better story had James II. been a better King, and had he not earned for himself, even among Catholic Irishmen, a disgraceful name, through his craven conduct at the Battle of the Boyne.

Graft, work; “where are you grafting?” i.e., where do you work? “What graft are you at?” what are you doing? Perhaps derived from gardening phraseology; or a variation of craft.

Granny, a knot which will not hold, from its being wrongly and clumsily tied.—Sea.

Granny, to know, or recognise; “do ye granny the bloke?” do you know the man?

Grappling irons, fingers.—Sea.

Grass, “gone to grass,” dead,—a coarse allusion to burial; absconded, or disappeared suddenly; also, gone to waste; it is said of wasted limbs that they have “gone to grass;” “oh, go to grass,” a common answer to a troublesome or inquisitive person,—possibly a corruption of “go to grace,” meaning, of course, a directly opposite fate.

Grass, to knock down. Also to throw in a wrestling-match. “He grassed his man with a heavy righthander,” or “He brought his man to grass by means of a swinging hipe.”

Grass-comber, a country fellow, a haymaker.

Grasshopper, a waiter at a tea-garden.

Grass widow, an unmarried mother; a deserted mistress. In the United States, during the gold fever in California, it was common for an adventurer to put both his wife (termed in his absence a grass-widow) and his children to school during his absence. Also a married woman, resident in England, whose husband is in India or the colonies.

Gravel, to confound, to bother; “I’m gravelled,” i.e., perplexed or confused.—Old. Also, to prostrate, to beat to the ground.

Gravel-rash, a scratched face,—telling its tale of a drunken fall. A person subject to this is called a gravel-grinder.

Gravesend sweetmeats, shrimps. Gravesend twins are solid particles of sewage.

Gray, a halfpenny, with either two “heads” or two “tails”—both sides alike. They are used for cheating the unwary at “Tommy Dodd,” or pitch and toss. They are often “rung in” with a victim’s own money, so that the caller of “heads” or “tails” cannot lose. Thus if A has to call, he or a confederate manages to mix the selected grays with B’s tossing halfpence. There are various and almost obvious uses for them.

Gray-coat parson, a lay impropriator, or lessee of great tithes.

Gray mare, a wife who “wears the breeches.” From an old story in which the point is to show that the “gray mare,” the wife’s choice, “is the better horse,” and by parity of reasoning that the wife is superior to the husband.

Grays, or Scotch grays, lice. These pretty little things are called by many names, among others by those of gray-backs, and gold-backed uns, which are popular among those who have most interest in the matter.

Grease spot, a minute remnant, humorously the only distinguishable remains of an antagonist after a terrific contest.

Greasing, bribing. Sometimes called “greasing the palm” of a man’s hand.

Grecian bend, modern milliner slang for an exaggerated bustle, the effect of which is generally assisted by unnaturally high-heeled boots.

Greek, a wide-awake fellow, a sharper.

Greek kalends, an expression signifying an indefinite period; never. Term used in making promises never intended to be carried out. The Greeks had no kalends.

Greeks, the low Irish. St. Giles’s Greek, slang or cant language. Cotgrave gives merrie Greek as a definition for a roystering fellow, a drunkard. The Greeks have always been regarded as a jolly, luxurious race; so much so, that the Latins employed the verb Græcari (lit. to play the Greek) to designate fine living and free potations, a sense in which Horace frequently uses it; while Shakspeare often mentions the merry Greeks; and “as merry as a grig” (or Greek) was long a favourite allusion in old English authors. It is said by some that grig is in this sense intended to represent the small eel of that name which from its lively movements is supposed to be always merry; while others incline to the belief that the cricket, which is also in some parts of the provinces known as a grig, is meant. Readers may take their choice.

Green, ignorant, not wide-awake, inexperienced.—Shakspeare. “Do you see any green in my eye?” ironical question in a dispute.

Greenbacks, the paper money issued in the United States during the war. The term was at first applied only to the notes for small amounts, which were backed with green, but eventually the one word represented all descriptions of what is now known in America as “currency.”

Green-horn, a fresh, simple, or uninitiated person.

Greenlander, an inexperienced person, a spoon. Sometimes an Irishman.

Greenwich goose, a pensioner of the Naval Hospital.

Griddler, a person who sings in the streets without a printed copy of the words.—Seven Dials.

Gridiron, a County Court summons. Originally a summons to the Court of Westminster only; from the gridiron arms. The Grafton Club is nearly always known as the grid or gridiron, that instrument being brought into requisition whenever possible in the cuisine.

Gridiron and dough boys, the flag of the United States, in allusion to the stars and stripes.—Sea.

Grief, “to come to grief,” to meet with an accident, to be ruined.

Griffin, in India, a newly-arrived cadet; general for an inexperienced youngster.

Grind, “to take a grind,” i.e., a walk, or constitutional. The daily grind is a term representing employment containing much routine. At Oxford college sports are called sometimes the grind.

Grind, to work up for an examination, to cram by oneself, or with a private tutor.

Grinder, private tutor, a coach.—University.

Grinder, a tooth.

Grindoff, a miller. From The Miller and his Men.

Gripes, the stomach-ache. See tripes.

Grist to the mill, money to the pocket, food to the family; anything which is supposed to add to a man’s immediate prospects, to his income, or to his benefit in any way, is said to “bring grist to the mill.”

Grizzle, to fret or cry continuously.

Grog blossoms, pimples on the face, caused by hard drinking. Of such a person it is often said, “He bears his blushing honours thick upon him.”

Grog-fight, a drinking party.—Military.

Groggy, tipsy; when a prize-fighter becomes “weak on his pins,” and nearly beaten, he is said to be groggy. The same term is applied to horses that are overworked and unsteady. From similarity of appearance to the peculiarity of gait consequent on imbibing too much grog.

Grove of the Evangelist, a facetious name for St. John’s Wood.

Growler, a four-wheeled cab. It is generally supposed that drivers of these vehicles take a less favourable view of life than do their Hansom brethren.

Grub and bub, victuals and drink of any kind,—grub signifying food, and bub, drink.

Grubbing ken, or spinikin, a workhouse; a cook-shop.

Grubby, musty, or old-fashioned.—Devonshire.

Gruel, “to give a person his gruel,” to kill him. An expression in all probability derived from the report of a trial for poisoning, or from the easiest manner of administering a dose of poison. In the old days a similar phrase was “to drug a posset.” Compare “to settle his hash,” and “cook his goose.”

Guardevine, a cellaret.—Scotch.

Guinea pigs, habitual directors of public companies; special jurymen; and engineer officers doing civil duty at the War Office, and paid a guinea per diem.

Guinea to a goose, a sporting phrase, meaning long odds in favour of, or against, anything under notice. In the City this state of things is represented by the phrase, Lombard Street to a China orange. There are also other colloquialisms on this subject, but their power is, as a rule, mainly dependent upon their indecency.

Gulfed, originally a Cambridge term, denoting that a man is unable to enter for the classical examination from having failed in the mathematical. These men’s names appeared in the list of “Degrees Allowed.” The name gulf for this list is said to have arisen from the boast of a former “wooden spoon.” “I would have you to know there is a great gulf between me and the captain of the poll.” Candidates for classical honours were compelled to go in for both examinations. From the alteration of the arrangements, the term as thus applied is now obsolete. The expression is common now in Oxford as descriptive of a man who goes in for honours, and only gets a pass. An Honorary Fourth is when a candidate who only tries for a pass does so well that he is raised to the honours’ list.

Gull, to cheat, to deceive; also one easily cheated. From the easy manner in which the bird of that name is deceived.

Gullyfluff, the waste—coagulated dust, crumbs, and hair—which accumulates imperceptibly in the pockets of schoolboys.

Gully rakers, cattle thieves in Australia, the cattle being stolen out of almost inaccessible valleys, there termed gullies.

Gulpin, a weak, credulous fellow, who will gulp down anything.

Gummy, thick, fat—generally applied to a woman’s ankles, or to a man whose flabby person betokens him a drunkard.

Gumption, or rumgumption, comprehension, capacity. From gaum, to comprehend; “I canna gauge it, and I canna gaum it,” as a Yorkshire exciseman said of a hedgehog.

Gun, a magsman or street thief. Diminutive of gonnuf or gunnof. A gun’s practice is known as gunoving.

Gunner’s daughter, a term facetiously applied to the method of punishing boys in the Royal Navy by tying them securely to the breech of a cannon, so as to present the proper part convenient for the cat, and flogging them. This is called “marrying” or “kissing” the gunner’s daughter.

Gup, gossip.—Anglo-Indian.

Gurrawaun, a coachman, a native Indian corruption of the English word coachman. For another curious corruption of a similar kind, see simpkin.—Anglo-Indian.

Gusher, one overflowing with sentiment, a rhapsodizer. Romance-reading young ladies are generally described as gushing, and of late years the word gush has done duty as representing the newspaper work necessary for a continuance of the “largest circulation.”

Gut scraper, a fiddler.

Gutter blood, a low or vulgar man.—Scotch.

Gutter lane, the throat. Probably from guttur.

Guttle, see guzzle.

Guy, a fright, a dowdy, an ill-dressed person. Derived from the effigy of Guy Fawkes carried about by boys on Nov. 5. “Hollo, boys, another guy!”

Guy, to get away. Same as hedge in street phraseology, which see.

Guzzle, to eat or drink to excess; to eat loudly, hastily, and clumsily.

Gyp, an undergraduate’s servant at Cambridge. Popularly derived by Cantabs from the Greek, gyps, (γύψ), a vulture, from the dishonest rapacity peculiar to gyps. At Oxford servants are called scouts.

Hackle, pluck; “to show hackle,” to be willing to fight. Hackles are the long feathers on the back of a cock’s neck, which he erects when angry,—hence the metaphor.

Hackslaver, to stammer in one’s speech, like a dunce at his lesson.

Haddock, a purse.—See beans.

Hair of the dog, a “modest quencher,” taken the morning following a debauch. Originally a “hair of the dog that bit you.” This is very old, and seems to show that homœopathy is by no means new, so far as topers, at all events, are concerned.

Half-a-bean, half-a-sovereign.

Half-a-bull, two shillings and sixpence.

Half-a-couter, half-a-sovereign.

Half-a-hog, sixpence; sometimes termed half-a-grunter.

Half-and-half, a mixture of ale and porter, much affected by medical students; occasionally Latinized into “dimidium dimidiumque.” Cooper is half-and-half, made of stout and porter. The term of half-and-half is also applied to the issue of marriages between gipsies and “white people.”

Half-a-stretch, six months in prison.

Half-a-tusheroon, half-a-crown.

Half-baked, soft, doughy, half-witted, silly. Half-rocked has a similar meaning.

Half-foolish, ridiculous; means often wholly foolish.

Half Jack. See jacks.

Half-mourning, to have a black eye from a blow. As distinguished from “whole-mourning,” two black eyes.

Half-rocked, silly, half-witted. Derived from a vulgar idea that in the Westcountry children are nursed in a peculiar manner, which in afterlife affects their wits. They are said to be nursed bottom upwards, so as to sleep without much rocking. If this is inconsequent it is the fault of the saying and not of the dictionary. Compare half-baked.

Half-seas-over, reeling drunk.—Sea. Used by Swift.

Hall, the, Leadenhall Market, among folk who get their livings there, in the same way as “The Garden” refers to Covent Garden.

Hand, a workman or helper, a person. “A cool hand,” explained by Sir Thomas Overbury to be “one who accounts bashfulness the wickedest thing in the world, and therefore studies impudence.”

Hander, a second, or assistant. At some schools blows on the hand administered with a cane are so called.

Handicap, an arrangement by which, in any description of sport, every competitor in a race is supposed to have a chance of winning equal to the chances of his opponents. Handicapping, in horse-racing signifies the adjudgment of various weights to horses differing in age, power, and speed, so as to place them as much as possible on an equality. At other sports this equalization is managed by means of starts.

The old game of handicap (hand i’ the cap) is a very different affair; and, as it is now almost obsolete, being only played by gentlemen in Ireland, after hunting and racing dinners, when the wine has circulated pretty freely, merits a description here. It is played by three persons, in the following manner:—A wishes to obtain some article belonging to B, say a horse; and offers to “challenge” his watch against it. B agrees; and C is chosen as handicapper to “make the award”—that is, to name the sum of money that the owner of the article of lesser value shall give with it, in exchange for the more valuable one. The three parties, A, B, and C, put down a certain stake each, and then the handicapper makes his award. If A and B are both satisfied with the award, the exchange is made between the horse and watch, and the handicapper wins, and takes up the stakes. Or if neither be satisfied with the award, the handicapper takes the stakes; but if A be satisfied and B not, or vice versâ, the party who declares himself satisfied gets the stakes. It is consequently the object of the handicapper to make such award as will cause the challenger and challenged to be of the same mind; and considerable ingenuity is required and exhibited on his part. The challenge having been made, as stated, between A’s watch and B’s horse, each party puts his hand into a cap or hat [or into his pocket] while C makes the award, which he purposely does in as rapid and complex a manner as possible. Thus, after humorously exaggerating the various excellences of the articles, he may say—“The owner of the superior gold lever watch shall give to the owner of the beautiful thoroughbred bay horse, called Flyaway, the watch and fifteen half-crowns, seven crowns, eighteen half-guineas, one hundred and forty groats, thirteen sovereigns, fifty-nine pence, seventeen shillings and sixty-three farthings. Draw, gentlemen!” A and B must instantly then draw out and open their hands. If money appears in both, they are agreed, and the award stands good; if money be in neither hand, they are also agreed, but the award is rejected. If money be only in one hand, they are not agreed, the award is off, and the stakes go as already stated. Very frequently, neither A nor B is sufficiently quick in his mental calculation to follow the handicapper, and not knowing on the instant the total of the various sums in the award, prefers being “off,” and, therefore, “draws” no money. As in this event the handicapper gets the stakes, the reason for the complex nature of his award is obvious.

When handicapping has once commenced in a convivial party, it is considered unsportsmanlike to refuse a challenge. So when the small hours draw on, and the fun becomes fast and furious, coats, boots, waistcoats, even shirts are challenged, handicapped, and exchanged, amidst an almost indescribable scene of good humoured joviality and stentorian laughter. This is the true handicap. The application of the term to horse-racing has arisen from one or more persons being chosen to make the award between persons, who put down equal sums of money, on entering horses unequal in power and speed for the same race. So that the handicap has ultimately come to be regarded as an arrangement of a purely business-like nature, by which means affairs, no matter how much they may differ in degree, may be arranged satisfactorily by all parties. The use of the word is spreading rapidly, and it has already a sense beyond that of mere sporting.

Handicap, to make even, as a Roland for an Oliver. Not long since in a pedestrian enclosure, a pugilist who had been specially retained on one side struck a member of the other party, who not being a fighting-man received the blow with apparent contentment. The injured person had, however, determined on being revenged, and about an hour afterwards he knocked the professional down with a big stick, using the words at the same time, “that handicaps us” (that makes us even). The word is often used thus also: A man finding himself inferior to another at fisticuffs will, seizing a weapon, exclaim, “I’ll handicap you,” i.e., I’ll bring you to my level (or “level myself up”) with this.

Handle, a nose; the title appended to a person’s name; also a term in boxing, “to handle one’s fists,” to use them against an adversary.

Handling, a method of concealing certain cards in the palm of the hand, or in fashionable long wristbands; one of the many modes of cheating practised by sharpers.

Hand-me-downs, second-hand clothes. See reach-me-downs.

Hand-saw, or chive fencer, a man who sells razors and knives in the streets.

Handseller, or cheap jack, a street or open-air seller, a man who carries goods to his customers, instead of waiting for his customers to visit him.

Hanging, in difficulties. A man who is in great straits, and who is, therefore, prepared to do anything desperate to retrieve his fortunes, is said, among sporting men, to be “a man hanging,” i.e., a man to whom any change must be for the better.

Hangman’s wages, thirteenpence halfpenny.—Old. 17th century.

“’Sfoot, what a witty rogue was this to leave this fair thirteenpence halfpenny, and this old halter,” intimating aptly—

“Had the hangman met us there, by these presages
Here had been his work, and here his wages.”

Match at Midnight.

The clothes of the culprit were also the hangman’s wages. See one of Lord Bacon’s aphorisms, beginning “A cursed page.”

Hang out, to reside,—in allusion to the ancient custom of hanging out signs.

Hang up, to rob with violence, to garrotte. Most likely from throttling associations in connexion with the practice of garrotting.

Hannah, “that’s the man as married hannah,” a Salopian phrase to express a matter begun or ended satisfactorily. Meaning actually, “that’s the thing.”

Hansel, or handsel, the lucky money, or first money taken in the morning by a pedlar.—Cocker’s Dictionary, 1724. “Legs of mutton (street term for sheep’s trotters, or feet) two for a penny; who’ll give me a hansel? who’ll give me a hansel?” Hence, earnest money, first-fruits, &c. In Norfolk, hanselling a thing is using it for the first time, as wearing a new coat, taking seisin of it, as it were. Danish, handsel; Anglo-Saxon, handselen.

Ha’porth o’ coppers, Habeas Corpus.—Legal slang.

Ha’porth o’ liveliness, the music at a low concert, or theatre. Also a dilatory person.

Happy-go-lucky, careless, indifferent as to the favours or reverses of fortune.

Haramzadeh, a very general Indian term of contempt, signifying base-born.—Anglo-Indian.

Hard lines, hardship, difficulty. Soldiers’ term for hard duty on the lines in front of the enemy. Lines was formerly synonymous with Lot, see Ps. xvi. 6.—Bible version—“The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;” Prayer-Book do.—“The lot is fallen unto me in a fair ground.”

Hard mouthed un, any one difficult to deal with, a sharp bargainer, an obstinate person. Derivation obvious.

Hard tack, ship biscuits. This is a term used by sailors to distinguish their ordinary sea-bread from that obtained on shore, which is called soft tack, or soft tommy. Hard tack is also a phrase used by the London lower classes to signify coarse or insufficient food.

Hard-up, a cigar-end finder, who collects the refuse pieces of smoked cigars from the gutter, and having dried them, smokes them, or sells them as tobacco to the very poor. See topper.

Hard-up, in distress, poverty-stricken.—Sea.

Hardy, a stone.—North.

Harebrained, reckless, unthinking.

Harry, or old harry, (i.e., Old Hairy?) the Devil; “to play old harry with one,” i.e., ruin or annoy him.

Harry-soph, (ἐρίσοφος, very wise indeed), a student of law or physic at Cambridge who, being of the same standing as the students in arts in his year, is allowed to wear a full-sleeved gown when they assume their B.A. gowns, though he does not obtain his actual degree so soon. An undergraduate in his last year is a Senior Soph, in his last term a Questionist.

Harum-scarum, wild, dissipated, reckless; four horses driven in a line. This is also called suicide. See tandem, randem, unicorn, &c.

Hash, a mess, confusion; “a pretty hash he made of it;” to hash up, to jumble together without order or regularity. The term also occurs in the phrase “to settle his hash,” which is equivalent to “give him his gruel,” or “cook his goose,” i.e., to kill him.

Hatchet, “to throw the hatchet,” to tell lies. Same as “to draw the long bow.”

Hatchet, “to sling the hatchet,” to skulk.—Sea.

Hawbuck, a vulgar, ignorant, country fellow, but one remove from the clodpole.

Hawse holes, the apertures in a ship’s bows through which the cables pass; “he has crept in through the hawse-holes,” said of an officer who has risen from the grade of an ordinary seaman, whose original position in the vessel was forward—before the mast.—Navy.

Hay bag, a woman.

Haymarket Hectors, bullies who, in the interest of prostitutes, affect the neighbourhood of Leicester Square and the Haymarket.

Haze, to confuse and annoy a subordinate by contradictory, unnecessary, and perplexing orders.

Hazy, intoxicated, also dull and stupid.

Head-beetler, the bully of the workshop, who lords it over his fellow-workmen by reason of superior strength, skill in fighting, &c. Sometimes applied to the foreman.

Header, a plunge head foremost into water, or a fall in the same posture from accident. Nowadays a theatrical expression for any supposedly daring jump of hero or heroine in sensational dramas.

Head or tail, “I can’t make head or tail of it,” i.e., cannot make it out. Originally a gambling phrase.

Head-rails, the teeth.—Sea.

Head-serag, a master, overseer, or other important personage; from serang, a boatswain.—Bengalee, and Sea.

Heap, “a heap of people,” a crowd; “struck all of a heap,” suddenly astonished.

Heat, a bout, or turn, in horse or foot racing. By means of heats the field is gradually reduced.

Heavy dragoons, bugs, in contradistinction from fleas, which are “light infantry.”—Oxford University.

Heavy wet, malt liquor—because the more a man drinks of it, the heavier and more stupid he becomes.

Hedge, to get away from any dangerous spot. “We saw the slop coming, and hedged at once.”

Hedge, to secure oneself from loss over one bet by making others. hedging, as a system of betting, is entirely dependent upon what happens in the market after a horse has been backed. From information, or good judgment, a backer selects, say, three horses, A, B, and C, whom he thinks likely to advance in the betting, and takes 50 to 1—say £1000 to £20—against each of them. As the race-day approaches the horse A may fall out of the betting, from accident or other cause, and have to be written off as a dead loss of £20. But the other two horses, as anticipated, improve in public favour, and the backer, who now becomes a hedger, succeeds in laying 5 to 1—say £500 to £100—against B, and 2 to 1—say 500 to £250—against C. The account then stands thus:—A is a certain loss of £20; but if B wins, the hedger will receive £1000 and pay £500; balance in favour, £500. If B loses, the hedger will receive £100 and pay £20; balance in favour, £80. If C wins, the hedger will receive £1000 and pay £500; balance in favour, £500. If C loses, the hedger will receive £250 and pay £20; balance in favour, £230. Deducting, then, the loss of £20 on A, the hedger’s winnings will be considerable; and he cannot lose, providing his information or judgment lead to the required result. It must be borne in mind that very often a man who feels inclined to go in for a hedging speculation, may back half a dozen horses, not one of which sees a short price or goes to the post; besides which it must never be forgotten, that, however well turf speculations may look on paper, they are subject to the contingency of the bets being honourably paid on settling-day—the Monday after a race—when unfortunately there are often more “receivers” than “payers” at the clubs. However, turf transactions are among professionals conducted at least as honourably as are any other business matters; and it is only the fledgling swell, to whom the Legislature gives special opportunities of losing his money, who is generally non est when paytime comes. “The Druid” in Post and Paddock has remarked:—

“The term hedging has been quite superseded by “laying off;” and we had, in fact, quite forgotten it till we saw it stated in the papers lately, by a clergyman, who did not answer a question on doctrine as the Bishop of Exeter exactly liked, that his lordship addressed him to this effect: ‘You are hedging, sir; you are hedging!’”

Usually correct as “The Druid” was, he seems to have fallen into an error here, as hedging, and “laying off,” have been exchangeable terms, as far as the oldest turfite can say. It should be remembered that hedging is generally done with the man who has originally laid the odds; for as a natural consequence, when the backer finds it convenient to hedge, the layer finds it equally so to back the horse back,—the first loss being considered always the best by bookmakers who are bookmakers. Besides which, the layer has generally a lot of “dead money”—money to the good over horses he has laid against, which have since been struck out—and this he profitably expends in backing certain horses back for the purpose of levelling up the book.

Hedge-popping, shooting small birds about the hedges, as boys do; unsportsmanlike kind of shooting.

Heel-tap, the small quantity of wine or other beverage left in the bottom of a glass, considered as a sign that the liquor is not liked, and therefore unfriendly and unsocial to the host and the company. See day-light.

Heigh-ho! a cant term for stolen yarn, from the expression used to apprize the dishonest shopkeeper that the speaker had stolen yarn to sell.—Norwich Cant.

Hell, a fashionable gambling-house. Small places of this kind are called “silver hells.” Reason obvious.

Hell and Tommy, utter destruction.

Helter-skelter, anyhow, without regard to order or precedence.

Hempen cravat, the hangman’s noose.

Hen and Chickens, large and small pewter pots.

Hen-pecked, said of one whose wife “wears the breeches.” From the action of the hen in paired cage-birds.

Herring-pond, the sea; “to be sent across the herring-pond,” to be transported.

Hiding, a thrashing. Webster gives this word, but not its root, hide, to beat, to flay by whipping. Most likely from the part attacked. The threat of thrashing is sometimes conveyed thus:—“I’ll tan (or dress) your hide.”

Higgledy-piggledy, confusedly, all together,—as pigs lie.

High and dry, an epithet applied to the soi-disant “orthodox” clergy of the last century, for whom, while ill-paid curates did the work, the comforts of the Establishment were its greatest charms.

“Wherein are various ranks, and due degrees,
The Bench for honour, and the Stall for ease.”

Though often confounded with, they are utterly dissimilar to, the modern High Church or Anglo-Catholic party, who now receive the title at times; while their opponents receive the corresponding appellation of “Low and Slow,” and the so-called “Broad Church” is defined with equal felicity as the “Broad and Shallow.” Humourists have divided these three portions of one Church into Attitudinarians, Platitudinarians, and Latitudinarians.

High Church, term used in contradistinction from “Low Church.”

Highfalutin’, showy, affected, tinselled, affecting certain pompous or fashionable airs, stuck up; “come, none of yer highfalutin’ games,” i.e., you must not show off or imitate the swell here.—American slang, now common in Liverpool and the East-end of London. From the Dutch, verlooten. Used generally now in the sense of fustian, high-sounding, unmeaning eloquence, bombast.

High-flier, anything above the common order. Apt students, fast coaches, and special trains are sufficient instances of the extreme openness of the qualification.

High-fly, “on the high-fly,” on the genteel or letter-bearing begging system.

High-flyer, a genteel beggar or swindler. A begging-letter impostor.

High-flyer, a large swing, in frames, at fairs and races. The first fast coaches were called high-flyers on account of their desperate speed.

High jinks, “on the high jinks,” taking up an arrogant position, assuming an undue superiority. Scott explains this game in Guy Mannering. Nowadays high jinks is often used to mean a jollification.

High-lows, laced boots reaching a trifle higher than ankle-jacks.

High-strikes, corruption of Hysterics.

Hipped, bored, offended, crossed, low-spirited, &c. This may have been originally hypped, and have had some connexion with hypochondriacal affections.

Hitched, an Americanism for married. From the word hitch, used in America in the sense of to harness.

Hittite, a facetious sporting term for a prize-fighter. Derived from the Bible.

Hivite, a student of St. Begh’s College, Cumberland, which is pronounced and generally written St. Bee’s. Literally, Hive-ite.

Hoax, to deceive, or ridicule,—Grose says this was originally a University cant word. Corruption of hocus, to cheat.

Hob and nob, to act in concert with another; to lay “heads together;” to touch glasses in drinking; to fraternize in a convivial meeting or merry-making. Originally meaning “foot and head,”—the touching of the top of one glass with the bottom of another, and then reversing the order. Nowadays it means simply to clink glasses together as a salutation before imbibing.

Hobbadehoy, a youth who has ceased to regard himself as a boy, and is not yet regarded as a man.

Hobble, trouble of any kind. A man is said to be in a hobble when he has offended the proprieties in any way, “from pitch and toss to manslaughter.”

Hobbled, committed for trial; properly said of animals fed by the wayside, with their forelegs fastened together. Hence people who gather burdens about them are said to get into hobbles.

Hob Collingwood, according to Brockett, a north country term for the four of hearts, considered an unlucky card.

Hobson’s choice, “this or none.” Hobson was a carrier at Cambridge, and also a letter-out of horses for hire; and is said to have always compelled his customers to take the horse that stood in the stall next the stable-door or none at all. He was a benefactor to the town, and Hobson’s Conduit still stands as a memorial of him.

Hock-dockies, shoes.

Hocks, the feet and ankles; curby hocks, round or clumsy feet and ankles. Term originating with horsey men.

Hocus, to drug a person for purposes of robbery. The potion generally consists of snuff and beer among rogues of the lowest class, and is by them called “snuffing a bloke;” or sometimes, when the drug is administered to a woman for purposes other than those of robbery, “snuffing a blowen.”

Hocus pocus, gipsy words of magic, similar to the modern “presto fly.” The gipsies pronounce “Habeas Corpus,” hawcus paccus (see Crabb’s Gipsies’ Advocate, p. 18); can this have anything to do with the origin of hocus pocus? Turner gives ochus bochus, an old demon. Pegge, however, states that it is a burlesque rendering of the words of the Roman Catholic Church service at the delivery of the host, hoc est corpus, which the early Protestants considered as a species of conjuring, and ridiculed accordingly.

Hodge, a countryman or provincial clown. Most country districts in England have one or more families in the name of hodge; indeed, giles and hodge appear to be the favourite hobnail nomenclature. Hodge is said to be simply an abbreviation of Roger.

Hog, a shilling.—Old Cant.

Hog, “to go the whole hog;” “the whole hog or none,” to do anything with a person’s entire strength, not “by halves;” realized by the phrase “in for a penny in for a pound.” Bartlett claims this to be a pure American phrase; whilst Ker, of course, gives it a Dutch origin.—Old. “To go the whole hog” is frequently altered by those people who believe there is wit in circumlocution, into “the entire animal,” or “the complete swine!”

Hoga, do. “That wont hoga,” i.e., that wont do, is one of the very commonest of the Anglo-Indian slang phrases.

Hogmagundy, the process by which the population is increased.

“There’s many a job that day begun
That ends in Hogmagundy.”

—Burns.

Hogmany night, New Year’s Eve, when presents are solicited by the young folk.—Scotch.

Hogo, a tremendous stench. From haut goût. Now often pronounced fogo.

Hoisting, shoplifting.

Hold hard, an exclamation made when a sudden stoppage is desired. Originally an expression used in riding or driving, now general.

Hollow, “to beat hollow,” to excel.

Holy Joe, a sea-term for a parson.

Holy Land, a very old term for the Seven Dials,—where St. Giles’s Greek is spoken.

Homo, a man. Lingua Franca; but see omee, the more usual Cockney pronunciation.

Hondey, a Manchester name for an omnibus, and the abbreviation of hondeybush, the original Lancashire pronunciation of the word.

Honest Shilling, a shilling earned by a process actually immoral, but not positively illegal. The money earned by a prostitute is said to be honest, as distinguished from that obtained by a thief. Probably from the story of the converted burglar, who determined to sin no more himself, and who lectured against dishonesty, but sent his wife out regularly every evening with instructions to earn an honest shilling.

Honey blobs, a Scotch term for large ripe, yellow gooseberries.

Honour bright, an asseveration which means literally, “by my honour, which is bright and unsullied.” It is often still further curtailed to “honour!” only.

Hook, an expression at Oxford, implying doubt, either connected with Hookey Walker, or with a note of interrogation (?) “Yes, with a hook at the end of it!” i.e., with some reservation, generally that of doubt, by the speaker.

Hook, to steal or rob. See the following.

Hook or by crook, by fair means or foul—in allusion to the hook with which footpads used to steal from open windows, &c., and from which hook, to take or steal, has been derived. Mentioned in Hudibras as a cant term.

Hook it, “get out of the way,” or “be off about your business;” generally varied by “take your hook.” “To hook it,” to run away, to decamp; “on one’s own hook,” dependent upon one’s own exertions. Originally connected with the preceding, but now perfectly “on its own hook.”

Hookey walker! ejaculation of incredulity, usually shortened to walker!—which see.

Hooks, “dropped off the hooks,” said of a deceased person—possibly derived from the ancient practice of suspending on hooks the quarters of a traitor or felon sentenced by the old law to be hung, drawn, and quartered, which dropped off the hooks as they decayed.

Hook um snivey (formerly “hook and snivey”), a low expression, meaning to cheat by feigning sickness or other means. Also a piece of thick iron wire crooked at one end, and fastened into a wooden handle, for the purpose of undoing from the outside the wooden bolt of a door. Sometimes used as an irrelevant answer by street boys. As, “who did that?”—“hook um snivey”—actually no one.

Hop, a dance.—Fashionable slang.

Hop merchant, a dancing master.

Hop o’ my thumb, an undersized person. From the story of that name. Portion of a set of phrases established for the benefit of the small, in which Tomtit, Little Breeches, Daniel Lambert, Sixfoot, Twentystun, &c., play a prominent part.

Hopping Giles, a cripple. St. Ægidius or Giles, himself similarly afflicted, was the patron saint of lazars and cripples. The ancient lazar houses were dedicated to him.

Hoppo, custom-house officer, or custom-house. Almost anything connected with custom-house business.—Anglo-Chinese.

Hop the twig, to run away; also, a flippant expression meaning to die. Many similar phrases are used by the thoughtless and jocose, as “laying down one’s knife and fork,” “pegging out,” from the game of cribbage, and “snuffing it.” A new form of this phraseology is to say that a man has “given up” or “given in.”

Hornswoggle, nonsense, humbug. Believed to be of American origin.

Horrors, the low spirits, or “blue devils,” which follow intoxication. Incipient del. trem.

Horse, contraction of Horsemonger-Lane Gaol, also a slang term for a five-pound note.

Horse, to flog. From the old wooden horse or flogging-stool.

Horsebreaker. See pretty horsebreaker.

Horse chaunter, a dealer who takes worthless horses to country fairs and disposes of them by artifice. He is generally an unprincipled fellow, and will put in a glass eye, fill a beast with shot, plug him with ginger, or in fact do anything so that he sells to advantage. See coper.

Horse marine, an awkward person. In ancient times the “jollies,” or Royal Marines, were the butts of the sailors, from their ignorance of seamanship. “Tell that to the marines, the blue jackets wont believe it!” was a common rejoinder to a “stiff yarn.” A HORSE marine (an impossibility) was used to denote one more awkward even than an ordinary “jolly.” Nowadays the marines are deservedly appreciated as one of the finest regiments in the service.

Horse nails. At the game of cribbage, when a player finds it his policy to keep his antagonist back, rather than push himself forward, and plays accordingly, he is sometimes said “to feed his opponent on horse nails.”

Horse nails, money.—Compare brads.

Horse’s nightcap, a halter; “to die in a horse’s nightcap,” to be hanged.

Horsey, like a groom or jockey. Applied also to persons who affect the turf in dress or conversation.

Hot coppers, the feverish sensations experienced in the morning by those who have been drunk over-night.

Hot tiger, an Oxford mixture of hot-spiced ale and sherry.

House of Commons, a humorous term for the closet of decency.

Houses; “safe as houses,” an expression to satisfy a doubting person; “Oh! it’s as safe as houses,” i.e., perfectly safe, apparently in allusion to the paying character of house property as an investment. It is said the phrase originated when the railway bubbles began to burst, and when people began to turn their attention to the more ancient forms of speculation, which though slow were sure.

Housewarming, the first friendly gathering in a new or freshly-occupied house.

How-came-you-so? intoxicated.

How much? A facetious way of asking for an explanation of any difficult or pedantic expression. “Why don’t you cook your potatoes in an anhydrohepsaterion?” A waggish listener might be excused for asking, “An anhydro—how much!”

How’s your poor feet? an idiotic street cry with no meaning, much in vogue a few years back.

Hoxter, an inside pocket.—Old English, oxter. Probably the low slang word huxter, money, is derived from this. Oxter is, among the Irish, an armpit.

Hubble bubble, the Indian pipe termed a hookah is thus designated, from the noise it makes when being smoked.

Huey, a town or village.—Tramps’ term.

Huff, a dodge or trick; “don’t try that huff on me,” or “that huff wont do.” Also a term in the game of draughts,—the penalty for failing to take an opponent’s piece when an opportunity occurs.

Huff, to vex, to offend; a poor temper. Huffy, easily offended. Huffed, annoyed, offended. Some folk are tersely and truly described as easily huffed.

Hugger-mugger, underhand, sneaking. Also, “in a state of hugger-mugger” means to be muddled.

Hulk, to hang about in hopes of an invitation. See mooch.

Hulky, extra-sized.—Shropshire. From this and from hulk we probably get our adjective hulking, as applied to the great lazy ruffians who infest low neighbourhoods.

Hum and haw, to hesitate, or raise objections.—Old English.

Humble pie, to “eat humble pie,” to knock under, to be submissive. The umbles, or entrails, and other unprime parts of a deer, were anciently made into a dish for servants, while their masters feasted off the haunch.

Hum-box, a pulpit. This is a very old term.

Humbug, an imposition, or a person who imposes upon others. A very expressive but slang word, synonymous at one time with hum and haw. Lexicographers for a long time objected to the adoption of this term. Richardson uses it frequently to express the meaning of other words, but, strange to say, omits it in the alphabetical arrangement as unworthy of recognition! In the first edition of this work, 1785 was given as the earliest date at which the word could be found in a printed book. Since then humbug has been traced half a century further back, on the title-page of a singular old jest-book—“The Universal Jester; or a pocket companion for the Wits: being a choice collection of merry conceits, facetious drolleries, &c., clenchers, closers, closures, bon-mots, and humbugs,” by Ferdinando Killigrew. London, about 1735-40.

The notorious Orator Henley was known to the mob as orator humbug. The fact may be learned from an illustration in that exceedingly curious little collection of Caricatures, published in 1757, many of which were sketched by Lord Bolingbroke—Horace Walpole filling in the names and explanations. Halliwell describes humbug as “a person who hums,” and cites Dean Milles’s MS., which was written about 1760. In the last century, the game now known as double-dummy was termed humbug. Lookup, a notorious gambler, was struck down by apoplexy when playing at this game. On the circumstance being reported to Foote, the wit said—“Ah, I always thought he would be humbugged out of the world at last!” It has been stated that the word is a corruption of Hamburgh, from which town so many false bulletins and reports came during the war in the last century. “Oh, that is Hamburgh [or humbug],” was the answer to any fresh piece of news which smacked of improbability. Grose mentions it in his Dictionary, 1785; and in a little printed squib, published in 1808, entitled Bath Characters, by T. Goosequill, humbug is thus mentioned in a comical couplet on the title-page:—

“Wee Thre Bath Deities bee,
Humbug, Follie, and Varietee.”

Gradually from this time the word began to assume a place in periodical literature, and in novels written by not over-precise authors. In the preface to a flat, and most likely unprofitable poem, entitled, The Reign of humbug, a Satire, 8vo, 1836, the author thus apologizes for the use of the word:—“I have used the term humbug to designate this principle [wretched sophistry of life generally], considering that, it is now adopted into our language as much as the words dunce, jockey, cheat, swindler, &c., which were formerly only colloquial terms.” A correspondent, who in a number of Adversaria ingeniously traced bombast to the inflated Doctor Paracelsus Bombast, considers that humbug may, in like manner, be derived from Homberg, the distinguished chemist of the court of the Duke of Orleans, who, according to the following passage from Bishop Berkeley’s Siris, was an ardent and successful seeker after the philosopher’s stone!

“§194.—Of this there cannot be a better proof than the experiment of Monsieur Homberg, who made gold of mercury by introducing light into its pores, but at such trouble and expense that, I suppose, nobody will try the experiment for profit. By this injunction of light and mercury, both bodies became fixed, and produced a third different to either, to wit, real gold. For the truth of which fact I refer to the memoirs of the French Academy of Sciences.”—Berkeley’s Works, vol ii. p. 366 (Wright’s edition).

Another derivation suggested is that of ambage, a Latin word adopted into the English language temp. Charles I. (see May’s translation of Lucan’s Pharsalia), and meaning conduct the reverse of straightforward. Again, in the (burlesque) Loves of Hero and Leander (date 1642), we find “Mum-bug, quoth he, ’twas known of yore,” a cant expression, no doubt, commanding a person to “shut up,” or hold his tongue, and evidently derived from the game of mum-budget or silence, upon which Halliwell (Dict. Arch.) has descanted.

ambage is also used in the sense of “circumlocution.” “Without any long studie or tedious ambage.”—Puttenham, Art of Poesie.

“Umh! y’ are full of ambage.”—Decker’s Whore of Babylon, 1607.

“Thus from her cell Cumæan Sibyl sings
Ambiguous ambages, the cloyster rings
With the shrill sound thereof, in most dark strains.”

Vicar’s Virgil, 1632.

De Quincey thus discourses upon the word:—

“The word humbug, for instance, rests upon a rich and comprehensive basis; it cannot be rendered adequately either by German or by Greek, the two richest of human languages; and without this expressive word we should all be disarmed for one great case, continually recurrent, of social enormity. A vast mass of villany, that cannot otherwise be reached by legal penalties, or brought within the rhetoric of scorn, would go at large with absolute impunity were it not through the stern Rhadamanthean aid of this virtuous and inexorable word.”—Article on “Language.”

The original collater of these notes purchased the collection of essays known as the Connoisseur at the sale of Thackeray’s library. At the end of vol. i. he found a memorandum in the great humourist’s handwriting—“p. 108, ‘humbug,’ a new-coined expression.” On referring to that page (in the 3rd edition, 1757) this paragraph was noted:—

“The same conduct of keeping close to their ranks was observed at table, where the ladies seated themselves together. Their conversation was here also confined wholly to themselves, and seemed like the mysteries of the Bona Dea, in which men were forbidden to have any share. It was a continued laugh and whisper from the beginning to the end of dinner. A whole sentence was scarce ever spoken aloud. Single words, indeed, now and then broke forth; such as, odious, horrible, detestable, shocking, humbug. This last new-coined expression, which is only to be found in the nonsensical vocabulary, sounds absurd and disagreeable whenever it is pronounced; but from the mouth of a lady it is ‘shocking,’ ‘detestable,’ ‘horrible,’ and ‘odious.’”

The use of this term is almost universal; in California there is a town called Humbug Flat—a name which gives a significant hint of the acuteness of the first settler.

Humdrum, monotonous, tedious, tiresome, boring; “a society of gentlemen who used to meet near the Charter House, and at the King’s Head, St. John’s Street, Clerkenwell. They were characterized by less mystery and more pleasantry than the Freemasons.”—Bacchus and Venus, 1737. In the West the term applies to a low cart.

Humming, strong as applied to drink. Extra strong ale is often characterized as “humming October.” Maybe from its effect on heads not quite so strong.

Hump, low spirits. A costermonger who was annoyed or distressed about anything would describe himself as having “the hump.”

Hump, to botch, or spoil.

Hump up, “to have one’s hump up,” to be cross or ill-tempered—like a cat with its back set up. See back and monkey.

Humpty-dumpty, short and thick; all of a heap; all together, like an egg.

“Humpty-dumpty sat on a wall.”

Also a hunchback. Humpty is an abbreviated form of the expression.

Hunch, to shove, or jostle.

Hunks, a miserly fellow, a curmudgeon.

Hunky, an American term which means good, jolly, &c. As, “a hunky boy,” a good jovial fellow; and “everything went off hunky.”

Hunter pitching, the game of cockshies—three throws a penny.—See cockshy.

Hurdy-gurdy, a droning musical instrument shaped like a large fiddle, and turned by a crank, used by Savoyards and other itinerant foreign musicians in England, now nearly superseded by the hand-organ. From the peculiar noise made by the instrument, which in Italy is called “viola.”

Hurkaru, a messenger.—Anglo-Indian.

Husbands’ boat, the Saturday afternoon packet to Margate during the summer season. So called for obvious reasons. The passengers by this boat come in for an unusual share of attention from the cads peculiar to this watering-place.

Husbands’ tea, very weak tea. See water bewitched.

Hush-money, a sum given to quash a prosecution or stay evidence. Money given to any one for the purpose of quieting him.

Hush-shop, or crib, a shop where beer and spirits are sold “on the quiet”—no licence being paid.

Huxter, money. Term much in use among costermongers and low sharpers. Probably from oxter or hoxter.

Hyps, or hypo, the blue devils. From hypochondriasis.—Swift.

Hy-yaw! an interjectional exclamation of astonishment.—Anglo-Chinese.

Ikey, a Jew “fence.” Corruption of Isaac, a common Hebrew name.

Imperence, servant-girl currency for impudence or impertinence. “Now, then, Mr. Imperence, leave off now, do,” seems, however, to have faded away with Greenwich, Bartlemy, and kindred fairs.

Improve the occasion, a slang term much in use among Chadbands and Stigginses, who never lose an opportunity of improving the condition of either pockets or stomachs at the expense of the credulous.

In, “to be in with a person,” to be even with, or up to him; also, to be on intimate terms, or in partnership, with him.

Inexpressibles, unutterables, unmentionables, unwhisperables, or sit upons, trousers, the nether garments. All affected terms, having their origin in a most unpleasant squeamishness.

Infantry, nursery term for children; light infantry, fleas.

In for it, in trouble or difficulty of any kind. As, “You’re in for it, I wouldn’t stand in your shoes for a trifle.”

In for patter, waiting for trial, referring to the speeches of counsel, the statements of witnesses, the summing up of the judge, &c.,—the fuss of which the prisoner sets down as “all so much patter.”

Innings, earnings, good fortune; “he’s had a long innings,” i.e., a good run of luck, with plenty of cash flowing in. From the distinction between innings and outings at cricket and kindred games.

Inside lining, dinner, &c.

Interesting, “to be in an interesting situation,” applied to females when enceinte.

Interview, to inspect privately with a view to obtaining information which shall be afterwards published. Both the verb and its use have their origin with our Transatlantic cousins, and “interviewing” by means of special reporters, who question most minutely, is of frequent occurrence,—of occurrence whenever opportunity offers. Should a man be found guilty of murder, or start as a candidate for the Presidency, he will be interviewed by “our special correspondent,” and there are already signs of this objectionable form of newspaper work finding its way here. Should a visitor of importance arrive in New York, the conversation which passes, or is supposed to pass, between him and the reporter will be found minutely described, with an elaborate introduction. It is but fair to Americans, however, to say that the gentleman to whom the credit, or discredit, of the invention of this system belongs was a native of Great Britain, who invented many other startling Americanisms during his residence in New York.

Into, “hold my hat, Jim, I’ll be into him,” i.e., I will fight him. In this sense equivalent to pitch into, or slip into.

Invite, an invitation—a corruption used by stuck-up people of mushroom origin. Often used, also, by people who know better, from their desire for slang of any kind.

Ipsal dixal, Cockney corruption of ipse dixit—said of one’s simple uncorroborated assertion.

Irish American, an Irishman who has been for some time resident in the States; sometimes a man born in America of Irish parents. The Irish American body is a power in the United States, and is the fount-spring as well as the maintaining power of all Fenianism.

Irish apricots, potatoes.

Irish Cockney, a child born of Irish parents in any part of the southern counties of England. It is a singular fact that Irishmen born profess great abhorrence of Irish Cockneys, while the latter despise all Irish, and use the word as one of reproach. Irish Cockneys were originally only Cockneys born of an Irish strain, but the term has proved very elastic, and threatens soon to mean any English-born person whose descent is Hibernian. Liverpool will, however, always prove an exception to the rule, as the name “Liverpool Irishmen” is given to those who would in any southern part be called Cockneys.

Irish theatre, the temporary prison, guard-room, or lock-up in a barracks. The fond fancy of the soldier supplies it with other figurative appellations, as “the mill,” “the jigger,” “the house that Jack built.” In Edinburgh Castle it is termed “the dryroom.”

Irons in the fire, a man is said to have too many irons in the fire when he turns his attention to too many occupations or enterprises at once.

Isthmus of Suez, the covered bridge at St. John’s College, Cambridge, which connects the college with its grounds on the other side of the river.—See crackle.

Ivories, teeth; “a box of ivories,” a set of teeth, the mouth; “wash your ivories,” i.e., “drink.” The word is also used to denote dice.

Jabber, to talk, or chatter. A cant word in Swift’s time. Probably from gibber.

Jack, the knave of trumps, at the game of all-fours.

Jack-at-a-pinch, one whose assistance is only sought on an emergency. Jack-in-the-water, an attendant at the watermen’s stairs on the river and sea-port towns, who does not mind wetting his feet for a customer’s convenience, in consideration of a douceur.

Jacked-up, ruined, done for. To jack-up is to leave off doing anything suddenly. See chuck-up.

Jacket, the skin of a potato which has not been pared before cooking. In Ireland potatoes are generally served “with their jackets on.”

Jacketing, a thrashing. Similar term to leathering, cowhiding, &c.

Jackey, gin. Seven Dials originally. Nearly general now.

Jack-in-the-box, a small but powerful kind of screw, used by burglars to break open safes.

Jack Ketch, the public hangman.—See ketch.

Jack Nasty-face, a sailor.—Sea. Nasty-face is a term applied often in London streets to an ugly or unpleasant-looking person.

Jacks, and half-jacks, card counters, resembling in size and appearance sovereigns and half-sovereigns, for which they are occasionally passed to simple persons. In large gambling establishments the “heaps of gold” are frequently composed of jacks. Jacks are not, as they are sometimes supposed to be, counterfeit coins; they are simply little medals, and so “magsmen” and “street muggers” carry them with less concern than they would feel were their pockets loaded with spurious money.

Jack Sprat, a diminutive boy or man.

Jack Tar, a sailor.

Jacob, a ladder. Grose says, from Jacob’s dream.—Old Cant.

Jacob’s ladder, a longitudinal flaw in the leg of a ballet-girl’s tights.

Jagger, a gentleman. German, Jager, a sportsman.

Jail-bird, a prisoner, one who has been in jail.

James, a sovereign, or twenty shillings. From Jacobus, the James II. guinea.

Jannock, sociable, fair dealing.—Norfolk. Generally now jonnick, which see.

Japan, to ordain. Having evident reference to the black clothes which follow ordination.—University.

Jark, a “safe-conduct” pass.—Oxford. Old cant for a seal.

Jarvey, the driver of a hackney-coach; “Jarvey’s upper Benjamin,” a coachman’s overcoat, with many capes. An ingenious etymology has been found for Jarvey, thus:—Jarvey, vernacular for Geoffrey, which was often written Geo. (gee-ho), hence Jarvey. This is open to considerable objection, as George is shortened in similar manner to that shown above. Still it is worthy of record, independently of its ingenuity, being as exact as many accepted derivations.

Jaw, speech, or talk; “hold your jaw,” don’t speak any more; “what are you jawing about?” i.e., what are you making a noise about?

Jaw, to talk without cessation, to scold vehemently.

Jawbone, credit.

“We have a few persons whose pockets are to let—men who have more complaints than dollars—individuals who, in digger’s parlance, live on jawbone (credit), and are always to be found at saloons; a class of men who, when they are here, wish themselves yonder, and when yonder, wish themselves back.”—Times Correspondent, San Francisco, Oct. 21, 1862.

Jaw-breaker, a hard or excessively long word. Also, in pugilistic sense, a hard blow on the side of the face.

Jaw-twister, a hard or many-syllabled word. Elaboration of preceding.

Jazey, a wig. A corruption of jersey, the name for flax prepared in a peculiar manner, of which common wigs were formerly made; “the cove with the jazey,” i.e., the judge.

Jeames (a generic for “flunkeys”), the Morning Post newspaper—the organ of Belgravia and the “Haristocracy.”

Jehu, old slang term for a coachman, or one fond of driving.—Biblical.

Jeminy O! a vulgar expression of surprise.

Jemmy, a sheep’s-head.—See sanguinary James.

Jemmy, a short crowbar, which generally takes to pieces, for the convenience of housebreakers.

Jemmy ducks, the man whose business it is to look after the poultry on board a ship.—Sea.

Jemmy Jessamy, a dandy.

Jemmy-John, a jar for holding liquor; probably a corruption of demi-gallon, by means of demi-john.

Jeremiad, a lament; derived, of course, from the Book of Lamentations, written by the Prophet Jeremiah.

Jeremy Diddler, an adept at raising the wind, i.e., at borrowing, especially at borrowing with no intention of repaying. See the farce of Raising the Wind.

Jericho, an improper quarter of Oxford. A lady visitor once writing her name down in the visitors’ book at the Bodleian or elsewhere, for a joke put down her residence as “Jericho,” to the no small disgust of her undergraduate friend.—University.

Jerry, a chamber utensil; abbreviation of jeroboam.—Swift.

Jerry, a watch. “Jerry nicking” or “jerry sneaking” is watch-stealing, which is a distinct form of street robbery, and requires both courage and dexterity; for it is done, as the thieves say, “right afore a bloke’s face.”

Jerry, to jibe or chaff cruelly. Development of jeer.

Jerry-go-nimble, the diarrhœa. Derivation apparent.

Jerry Lynch, a pig’s head pickled. Term usually applied to the long Irish heads which are sent over here for sale in the poorer districts of London, and which are vastly different from the heads of “dairy-fed” porkers.

Jerry shop, a beer-house. Contraction of “Tom and Jerry.”

Jerry Sneak, a hen-pecked husband,—a character in the Mayor of Garret. Also, a stealer of watches.

Jerusalem pony, a donkey.

Jessie, “to give a person jessie,” to beat him soundly. See gas.

Jew fencer, a Jew street salesman.

Jew’s eye, a popular simile for anything valuable. Probably a corruption of the Italian, gioje; French, joaille, a jewel. In ancient times, when a king was short of cash, he generally issued orders for so many Jews’ eyes, or equivalent sums of money. The Jews preferred paying the ransom, although often very heavy. It is notorious that in this country the order often went forth to draw Jews’ teeth in the event of their refusing to contribute so much to the Exchequer. A probable idea is, that as a Jew’s teeth brought in so much money, the value of a Jew’s eye must be something fabulous. Possibly, also, from the lex talionis so strongly believed in by Jews,—an eye for an eye, and nothing less. The term is used by Shakspeare.

Jezebel, a showily-dressed woman of suspected character; derived, of course, from 2 Kings ix. 30, but applied in this sense from the time of the Puritans. Also, a hot-tempered female.

Jib, a first-year man.—Dublin University.

Jib, or jibber, a horse that starts or shrinks. Shakspeare uses it in the sense of a worn-out horse.

Jib, the face, or a person’s expression; “the cut of his jib,” i.e., his peculiar appearance. That sail of a ship, which in position and shape, corresponds to the nose on a person’s face.—Sea. A vessel is often known by the cut of the jib sail; hence the popular phrase, “to know a man by the cut of his jib.”

Jibb, the tongue.—Gipsy and Hindoo. (Tramps’ term.) Thence extended to mean language.

Jiffy, “in a jiffy,” in a moment.

Jigger, a door; “dub the jigger,” shut the door. Ancient cant, gyger. In billiards, the bridge or rest is often termed the jigger. Also, the curtain of a theatre. Jigger has many meanings, the word being applied to any small mechanical contrivance. Printers use the word for a little machine which guides the eye when copy is minute.

Jigger, a secret still for the manufacture of illicit spirits.

Jigger, “I’m jiggered if you will,” a common form of mild swearing. See snigger.

Jigger-dubber, a term applied to a gaoler or turnkey.

Jiggot o’ mutton, a leg of mutton. From Fr. gigot.

Jilt, a crowbar or house-breaking implement.

Jingo, “by jingo,” a common form of oath, said to be a corruption of St. Gingoulph. Vide Halliwell.

Jo, Scotticism for a man or lover. As “John Anderson, my jo, John.”

Job, “a job lot,” otherwise called a “sporting lot,” any miscellaneous goods purchased at a cheap rate, or to be sold a bargain. Frequently used to conceal the fact of their being stolen, or otherwise dishonestly obtained.

Job, a short piece of work, a prospect of employment. Johnson describes job as a low word, without etymology. It is, and was, however, a cant word; and a job, two centuries ago, was an arranged robbery. Even at the present day it is mainly confined to the streets, in the sense of employment for a short time. Amongst undertakers a job signifies a funeral; “to do a job,” conduct any one’s funeral; “by the job,” i.e., piece-work, as opposed to time-work. A job in political phraseology is a Government office or contract, obtained by secret influence or favouritism. Any unfair arrangement is now called a job.

Job, a sudden blow, as “a job in the eye.” Also used as a verb, “I’ll job this here knife in your ribs.”

Jobation, a chiding, a reprimand, a trial of the hearer’s patience.

Jobbery, the arrangement of jobs, or unfair business proceedings.

Job’s comfort, reproof instead of consolation.

Job’s comforter, one who brings news of additional misfortunes. Both these words are of Biblical origin.

Job’s turkey, “as poor as Job’s turkey,” as thin and as badly fed as that ill-conditioned and imaginary bird.

Jocteleg, a shut-up knife. Corruption of Jacques de Liège, a famous cutler.

Joe, a too marvellous tale, a lie, or a stale joke. Abbreviated from Joe Miller. The full name is occasionally used, as in the phrase “I don’t see the Joe Miller of it,” i.e., I don’t perceive the wit you intend, or I don’t see the fun of doing it,—whatever may have been the request.

Joey, a fourpenny piece. The term is derived (like Bobby from Sir Robert Peel) from Joseph Hume. The explanation is thus given in Hawkins’s History of the Silver Coinage of England:—

“These pieces are said to have owed their existence to the pressing instance of Mr. Hume, from whence they, for some time, bore the nickname of Joeys. As they were very convenient to pay short cab fares, the hon. M.P. was extremely unpopular with the drivers, who frequently received only a groat where otherwise they would have received a sixpence without any demand for change.”

The term, therefore, was originated by the London cabmen, who have invented many other popular phrases. Fancy offering a modern hansom cabman a Joey!

Jog-trot, a slow but regular trot, or pace.

Jogul, to play up, at cards or other game. Spanish, jugar.

John Blunt, a straightforward, honest, outspoken man.

Johnny, half-a-glass of whisky.—Irish.

Johnny Darbies, a nickname for policemen, an evident corruption of the French gensdarmes. Also, a term applied to handcuffs.—See darbies.

Johnny Raw, a newly-enlisted soldier.

John Orderly, the signal to shorten the performance at a show. Whenever the master, who remains on the platform outside to take the money and regulate the performance, desires to refill the booth, he pokes his head inside and shouts, “Is John Orderly there?” The actors instantly cut the piece short, the curtain falls, and the spectators are bundled out at the back, to make room for the fresh audience. According to tradition, John Orderly was a noted showman, who taught this move to the no less noted Richardson. This is like the old story of the publican who used to call out to his waiter, “A pot of ale, Robert,” when he wished his customers to be served with the best; but “A pot of ale, Bob,” when they had been drinking long enough not to distinguish good stuff from the bad the latter order meant. One day after calling for Bob many times, he reluctantly, at the request of a visitor, tasted the ale, and found it was the best. Rushing out immediately afterwards, and calling for Bob with all his voice, he was answered by his wife, who said, “Why, Bob’s been out these three hours.”

John Thomas, a generic for “flunkeys,”—more especially footmen with large calves and fine bushy whiskers.

Jolly, a Royal Marine.—See horse marine.

Jolly, a word of praise, or favourable notice; “chuck Harry a jolly, Bill,” i.e., go and praise up his goods, or buy of him, and speak well of the article, that the crowd standing around his stall may think it a good opportunity for laying out their money. This is called jollying. “Chuck a jolly,” lit. translated, is, throw “a shout” or “good word.”

Jolly, to abuse or vituperate, sometimes to “bear up” or “bonnet.” To jolly a man often means to give him a piece of one’s mind. To jolly “for” any one is another phase of the business mentioned in the foregoing paragraph.

Jomer, a sweetheart, or favourite girl. See blower.

Jonnick, right, correct, proper. Said of a person or thing.

Jordan, a chamberpot. To throw the contents of a chamberpot over any one is to christen him.

Jorum, a capacious vessel from which food is eaten, as broth or stew.

Joskin, a countryman.

Jossop, the syrup or juice in a fruit pie or pudding. Also, sauce or gravy.—School.

Jow, be off, be gone immediately. If the word Jehanum be added, it forms a peremptory order to go to a place unmentionable to ears polite.—Anglo-Indian. Our phrase, “Go to Jericho,” is probably a modification of the Jehanum business.

Judas, a deceitful person; judas-haired, red-haired, deceitful. It is generally believed that Judas Iscariot was red-haired. Painters seem to have accepted this idea, with modifications as to the exact amount of colour.

Jug, a prison of any kind. Contraction of “stone jug.”

Julep, one of a set of drinks peculiar to America. Generally prepared with mint, and called a mint-julep. Originally julep was a pleasant liquid, in which nauseous medicines were taken. Its literal meaning is rosewater, and it is derived from the Arabic.

Jump, to seize, or rob; to “jump a man,” to pounce upon him, and either rob or maltreat him; “to jump a house,” to rob it.

Jumped-up, conceited, arrogant, setting full value on oneself.

Jump-up-behind, to endorse an accommodation-bill.

Juniper, gin. Derivation obvious.

Junk, salt beef.—See old horse.

Juwaub, literally, in Hindostanee, an answer; but in Anglo-Indian slang signifying a refusal. If an officer asks for leave and is refused, he is said to be juwaubed; if a gentleman unsuccessfully proposes for the hand of a lady, he is said to have got the juwaub.—Anglo-Indian.

Karibat, food, literally rice and curry; the staple dish of both natives and Europeans in India.—Anglo-Indian.

Keel-hauling, a good thrashing or mauling, rough treatment,—from the old nautical custom of punishing offenders by throwing them overboard with a rope attached, and hauling them up from under the ship’s keel. See full description of this barbarous practice in Marryat’s Snarleyyow.

Keep a pig, an Oxford University phrase, which means to have a lodger. A man whose rooms contain two bedchambers has sometimes, when his college is full, to allow the use of one of them to a Freshman, who is called under these circumstances a pig. The original occupier is then said to keep a pig.

Keep it up, to prolong a debauch, or the occasion of a rejoicing,—a metaphor drawn from the game of shuttlecock. People suffering from the effects of drink are said to have been keeping it up.—Grose.

Kelter, coin, money. Probably from gelt.

Ken, a house.—Ancient cant. khan, Gipsy and Oriental.

⁂ All slang and cant words which end in ken, such as spielken, spiniken, or boozingken, refer to houses, and are mainly of Gipsy origin.

Kennedy, a poker; to “give Kennedy” is to strike or kill with a poker. A St. Giles’s term, so given from a man of that name being killed by a poker.

Kent rag, or clout, a cotton handkerchief.

Kervorten, a Cockneyism for quartern or quarter-pint measure. “Kervorten and three houts,” a quartern of liquor and glasses, each holding a third of the quantity.

Ketch, or Jack Ketch, the popular name for a public hangman; derived from a person of that name who officiated in the reign of Charles II.—See Macaulay’s History of England.

Kettle of fish, a mess or muddle of any kind. As, “Here’s a pretty kettle of fish!”

Key of the street, an imaginary instrument said to be possessed by any one locked out of doors.

Kibosh, nonsense, stuff, humbug; “it’s all kibosh,” i.e., palaver or nonsense; to “put on the kibosh,” to run down, slander, degrade, &c. To put the kibosh on anything is, latterly, to put an effectual end or stop to it.

Kick, a moment; “I’ll be there in a kick,” i.e., in a moment.

Kick, a pocket; Gaelic, cuach, a bowl, a nest; Scotch, quaigh.

Kick, a sixpence; “two and a kick,” two shillings and sixpence.

Kick the bucket, to die.—Norfolk. According to Forby, a metaphor taken from the descent of a well or mine, which is of course absurd. The Rev. E. S. Taylor supplies the following note from his MS. additions to the work of the East-Anglian lexicographer:—

“The allusion is to the way in which a slaughtered pig is hung up—viz., by passing the ends of a bent piece of wood behind the tendons of the hind legs, and so suspending it to a hook in a beam above. This piece of wood is locally termed a bucket, and so by a coarse metaphor the phrase came to signify to die.”

Another correspondent says the real signification of this phrase is to commit suicide by hanging, from a method planned and carried out by an ostler at an inn on the Great North Road. Standing on a bucket, he tied himself up to a beam in the stable; he then kicked the bucket away from under his feet, and in a few seconds was dead. The natives of the West Indies have converted the expression into “kickeraboo.”

Kick over the traces, to be over-extravagant. Any one who has come to grief by fast living is said to have kicked over the traces.

Kick up, a noise or disturbance.

Kick up, “to kick up a row,” to create a tumult.

Kickeraboo, dead. A West Indian negro’s phrase. See kick the bucket, of which phrase it is a corruption.

Kickseys, or kicksies, trousers.

Kickshaws, trifles; made, or French dishes—not English or substantial. Anything of a fancy description now. Corruption of the French quelques choses.

Kicksy, troublesome, disagreeable. German, keck, bold.

Kid, an infant, or child. From the German kind; or possibly from the name for the young of a goat. Also, a shallow dish in which sailors receive their portions of food.

Kid, to joke, to quiz, to hoax anybody. “No kid, now?” is a question often asked by a man who thinks he is being hoaxed.

Kidden, or kidken, a low lodging-house for boys.

Kiddier, a pork-butcher.

Kiddily, fashionably or showily; “kiddily togg’d,” showily dressed.

Kiddleywink, a small shop where are retailed the commodities of a village store. Originally kiddle-a-wink, from the offer made, with a wink, to give you something out of the kettle or kiddle. In the west country an alehouse. Also, a woman of unsteady habits.

Kiddy, a man, or boy. Formerly a low thief.

Kiddyish, frolicsome, jovial.

“Think, on the kiddyish spree we had on such a day.”

Randall’s Diary, 1820.

Kidment, humbug, coarse chaff or jocularity.

Kidnapper, originally one who stole children. Now applied without reference to the age or sex of those stolen. From “kid,” a child, and “nab” (corrupted to “nap”), to steal, or seize.

Kidney, “of that kidney,” of such a stamp; “strange kidney,” odd humour; “two of a kidney,” two persons of a sort, or as like as two peas, i.e., resembling each other like two kidneys in a bunch.—Old. “Attempt to put their hair out of kidney.”—Terræ Filius, 1763.

Kid-on, to entice or incite a person to the perpetration of an act.

Kidsman, one who trains boys to thieve and pick pockets successfully.

Kilkenny cat, a popular simile for a voracious or desperate animal or person, from the story of the two cats in that county, who are said to have fought and bitten each other until a small portion of the tail of one of them alone remained.

Killing, bewitching, fascinating. The term is akin to the phrase “dressing to death.”

Kilt, an Irishism for badly beaten, but by no means equivalent with killed.

Kimbo, or a-kimbo, holding the arms in a bent position from the body, and resting the hands upon the hips, in a bullying attitude. Said to be from a schimbo, bandy-legged, crooked, Italian; but more probably from kimbaw, the old cant for beating or bullying. See Grose. Celtic, cam, crooked.

Kimmer, a gossip, an acquaintance, same as cummer.—Scotch.

“What’s a’ the steer, kimmer?”

Kinchin, a child.—Old Cant. From the German diminutive, kindchen, a baby.

Kinchin cove, a man who robs children; a little man.—Ancient Cant.

Kincob, uniform, fine clothes, richly embroidered dresses. Really, cloth of gold or silver.—Anglo-Indian.

Kingsman, a handkerchief with yellow patterns upon a green ground, the favourite coloured neckerchief of the costermongers. The women sometimes wear kingsman kerchiefs thrown over their shoulders. A coster will often imagine his caste, or position, is at stake, if his kingsman is not of the most approved pattern. When he fights, his kingsman is tied around his waist as a belt. This partiality for a peculiar-coloured neckcloth is part of the fondness for gaudy colours which at all times and in all countries has been shown by the uncultivated. A strange similarity of taste for certain colours exists amongst the Hindoos, Gipsies, and London lower classes. Red and yellow (or orange) are the great favourites, and in these hues the Hindoo selects his turban and his robe; the gipsy his breeches, and his wife her shawl or gown; and the costermonger, his plush waistcoat and favourite kingsman. Among either class, when a fight takes place, the greatest regard is paid to the favourite coloured article of dress. The Hindoo lays aside his turban, the gipsy folds up his fancy breeches or coat, whilst the pugilistic costermonger of Covent Garden or Billingsgate removes his favourite neckerchief to a part of his body, by the rules of the “ring,” comparatively out of danger.

King’s pictures (now, of course, queen’s pictures), money.

Kisky, drunk, fuddled.

Kiss-curl, a small curl twisted on the temple. See bowcatcher.

Kisser, the mouth.—Pugilistic term.

Kissing-crust, the soft crust which marks where one loaf has been broken from another.

Kiss-me-quick, the name given to the very small bonnets which have of late years become fashionable.

Kit, a person’s baggage. Also, a collection of anything, “the whole kit of ’em,” the entire lot. Anglo-Saxon, kyth.—North.