Key to Persons and Places, &c.
A.
A.B.C.—Any easy matter, the A.B.C. of the affair, i.e., the whole of the particulars can be comprehended as soon, or as easy as you can say A.B.C.:—Then comes answer like A.B.C. book.—Shakespeare.
Above Board.—In open sight, all fair and square, dealing without artifice or trick.
Above Par.—Tolerably drunk—also to be possessed of money beyond one’s actual expenses—plenty of the needful—lots of blunt!—able to post-the-pony—lay down the rag!—chink the ochre! &c., in case of laying a wager or making an investment.
Ace of Spades.—A widow.
Adelphi.—Greek for brothers: several streets on the south side of the Strand, London, erected about 1768 by the brothers, John, Robert, James, and William Adam, after whom the streets are named.
Adelphi Theatre.—Formerly called the Sans Pareil, opened under the management of Mr. and Miss Scott, 27 Nov., 1806. Messrs. Rodwell and Jones purchased the property and opened on Monday, Oct. 18, 1819, and issued the first playbill bearing the name of “Adelphi Theatre.” Messrs. Mathews and Yates became managers, Sept. 29, 1828—Mr. Charles Mathews—Mathews at Home—died the 28th of June, 1835. The theatre was then let for the remainder of the season to Messrs. Ephraim Bond and Company, and announced to be “under the management of Mrs. Nisbett.” After that Mr. Yates had the sole management. In 1840 Messrs. Yates and Gladstone were the proprietors. Mr. Benjamin Webster became lessee, and Madame Celeste directress, 1844. The theatre was re-built and opened, with improved arrangements 27 Dec., 1858, as The New Adelphi. In 1870 it was announced that while Mr. Ben. Webster was sole proprietor, Mr. Webster and Mr. F. B. Chatterton were joint managers. After several changes Messrs. A. and S. Gatti became sole proprietors and managers.
Air and Exercise.—Or, Shoving the tumbler. Being whipped at the cart’s tail.
Alderman.—A turkey, Alderman in chains, a roast turkey well-stuffed and garnished with pork sausages; the latter emblematical of the gold chain worn by that civic dignitary.
Ale Draper.—The alehouse-keeper; a rum cull, a squirt quester. Ale spinner, a brewer or publican.
Alive.—Active, smart, to be ever on the alert. Alive to the subject; the game, the fact, or to any circumstance. Tom’s alive to his own interest, let him alone for that; he’s wide-a-wake!
All Hands to the Pump.—All force concentrated to one spot.
All-Max in the East.—Open to all influenced by none—was held at the Coach and Horses public-house, Nightingale-lane, East Smithfield, and was frequented by most of the Wapping elegantes. Blue Ruin and reels were generally the order—rather the disorder of the evening.
All Out.—The whole of the reckoning. “How stands the great account t’wixt me and vengeance!”
Almack’s.—Aristocratic exclusiveness. A ball given by the highest nobility. Almack’s means properly a suite of assembly rooms in King Street, St. James’s, London, built in 1765 by a Scotchman named Macall, who inverted his name to obviate all prejudice and hide his origin. Balls, presided over by a committee of ladies of the highest rank, used to be given in these rooms; and to be admitted to them was as great a distinction as to be introduced at Court. The rooms are now called Willis’s from the present proprietor.
If once to Almack’s you belong,
Like Monarch’s, you can do no wrong;
But banished thence on Wednesday night,
By Jove, you can do nothing right.
Alone.—A knowing one may be trusted “Alone” by reason of his experience in worldly matters.
Angelics.—Young ladies. N.B. Unmarried!
Annointed.—Knowing, ripe for mischief, full of courage and energy for any desperate exploit.
Apartments to Let.—It is said that the “widow’s cap,” denotes that there are Apartments to Let! Also of an empty-headed or shallow-cove.
Argument.—The best of the. Any man with a pair of leather lungs has the best of an argument at a tavern, unless there be an other present who can lay heavy sums which are quite uncoverable that his opinion or assertion is correct. A stable-keeper being beaten in argument by one of the leather-lunged breed, produced a large roll of bank-notes and a handful of sovereigns, smacking them down on the table exclaiming, “There you —— look at that; if I am a fool my money’s none. That beats you!”
Arm Pits.—To work under the arm pits, is to practise only such depredations as will amount on conviction to transportation. By following this course and system, a thief avoids the halter, or neck-squeezer! which certainly is applied above the arm pits.
Arm Props.—Crutches.—Go it ye cripples crutches are cheap.
Astley’s Amphitheatre.—Was built and opened by Philip Astley, 1773.
Astronomer.—A star-gazer. A horse that carries his head high-up in the air.
At Fault.—At a loss; not knowing in what direction to proceed, like dogs who have lost scent of a hare or fox. This sporting phrase is often used, figuratively to signify that a man has been defeated in his pursuits, and does not know how to extricate himself from difficulty.
At Home.—To Provincials, this phrase may operate rather as a sort of paradox—as houses and persons, in general are robbed not “at home” but when the parties are abroad.
Awake.—Knowing; acquainted with, aware of, or knowing what is going on. Awake to the move, aware of the proceedings; Stow the books, the culls are awake, Hide the cards, the persons know what we intend to do. This word is used on many occasions, and in most situations of life, being expressive of attention.