I

PASSING ENGLISH
 STANDABD REFERENCE LIRRARY.
Large 8vo, half red-morocco gilt.

Dictionary of Slang and Colloquial English. By J. S.

FARMER and the late W. E. HENLEY. Abridged from
the seven-volume work. 542 pp.

Passing English of the Victorian Era. By J. BEDDING

WARE. (Forming a Supplement to the above.)

Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words, Obsolete

Phrases, &c. By J. 0. HALLIWELL. 998 pp.

Glossary of Words, Phrases, Names and Illusions. By

Archdeacon NARES. Edited by J. 0. HALLIWBLL and
T. WRIGHT. 992 pp.

English Quotations. By ROBINSON SMITH.

The Eosicrucians. By HARGRAVE JENNINGS. With 300
illustrations and 12 plates.

Shakespeare Word-book. By JOHN FOBTBR, M.A.

Prof. E. DOWDEN, writes :
'
One of the special distinctions of the book lies in its tracings
of the ramifications of meaning, and I think there is a delight-
ful training of the mind in following its guidance here. But,
apart from this, as a mere swift aid in getting past difficulties
in reading Shakespeare, it will be most useful, and all the more
'
useful because of its condensation.
PASSING ENGLISH
OF THE VICTORIAN ERA

A DICTIONARY OF HETERODOX
ENGLISH, SLANG, AND PHRASE

BY

J. BEDDING WARE
999

\
As forests shed their foliage by degrees,
So fade expressions which in season please. BYRON.

LONDON
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LIMITED
NEW YORK : E. P. DUTTON & CO.
 P
373,1

This Work forms a Companion Volume to

FARMER AND HENLEY'S

'DICTIONARY OF SLANG
AND COLLOQUIAL ENGLISH'
IN THE SAME SERIES.
 PREFACE
i

HERE a numerically weak collection of instances of 'Passing

is

English It may be hoped that there are errors on every page,

'.

and also that no entry is quite too dull '

Thousands of words '.

and phrases 1870 have drifted away, or changed

in existence in
their forms, or been absorbed, while as many have been added
or are being added. 'Passing English' ripples from countless
sources, forming a river of new language which has its tide and
its ebb, current brings down new ideas and carries away
while its

those that have dribbled out of fashion. Not only is 'Passing

'

English general it is local ;

;
often very seasonably local.
Careless etymologists might hold that there are only four divisions
of fugitive language in London west, east, north and south. But
the variations are countless.Holborn knows little of Petty Italia
behind Hatton Garden, and both these ignore Clerkenwell, which is
equally foreign to Islington proper; in the South, Lambeth

generally ignores the New Cut, and both look upon Southwark
as linguistically out of bounds; while in Central London, Clare
Market (disappearing with the nineteenth century) had, if it no
longer has, a distinct fashion in words from its great and partially
surviving rival through the centuries the world of Seven Dials,
which in St Giles's
is St James's being practically in the next
parish. In the East the confusion of languages is a world of
' '

variants there must be half-a-dozen of Anglo-Yiddish alone

' '

all,however, outgrown from the Hebrew stem. Passing English

belongs to all the classes, from the peerage class who have always
adopted an imperfection in speech or frequency of phrase associated
with the court, to the court of the lowest costermonger, who gives
the fashion to his immediate entourage. Much passing English
becomes obscure almost immediately upon its appearance such
as
'

Whoa, Emma !
'

or
'
How's your poor feet ?
'

the first from an

inquest in a back street, the second from a question by Lord
Palmerston addressed to the then Prince of Wales upon the
 Preface

'
return of the latter from India. Everything is nice in my
garden' came from Osborne. 'O.K.' for 'orl kerrect' (All
Correct) was by Vance, a comic singer, while in the
started
East district,Wainwright' a woman (i.e. to kill her) comes
'to
from the name of a murderer of that name. So boys in these
later days have substituted 'He's a reglar Charlie' for 'He's
a reglar Jack' meaning Jack Sheppard, while Charley is a
loving diminutive of Charles Peace, a champion scoundrel of our
generation. The Police Courts yield daily phrases to 'Passing
English ', while the life of the day sets its mark upon every hour.
Between the autumn of 1899, and the middle of 1900, a Chadband
became a Kruger, while a plucky, cheerful man was described
as a 'B.P.' (Baden Powell). Li Hung Chang remained in London
not a week, but he was called 'Lion Chang' before he had gone
twice to bed in the Metropolis. Indeed, proper names are a
great source of trouble in analysing Passing English. 'Dead
as a door nail' is probably as O'Donnel. The phrase comes
from Ireland, where another fragment Til smash you into
Smithereens' means into Smither's ruins though no one seems
to know who Smithers was. Again, a famous etymologist has
assumed 'Right as a trivet' to refer to a kitchen-stove, whereas
the 'trivet' is the last century pronunciation of Truefit, the

supreme Bond Street wig-maker, whose wigs were perfect hence

the phrase. Proper names are truly pitfalls in the study of
colloquial language. What is a Bath Oliver,' a biscuit invented
'

by a Dr Oliver of Bath again there is the bun named after

;

Sally Lunn, while the Scarborough Simnel is a cake accidentally

discovered by baking two varying superposed cakes in one tin.
In Scarborough, some natives now say the cake comes down
from the pretender Simnel, who became cook or scullion to
Henry VII. Turning in another direction, it may be suggested
that most exclamations are survivals of Catholicism in England,
such as 'Ad's Bud' 'God's Bud' (Christ); 'Cot's So' 'God's
'S'elp me greens
'
oath'; meaning groans; more blue (still
heard in Devonshire) morbleu (probably from Bath and the
' '

Court of Charles II.) the 'blue death or the 'blue-blood death

' '
the crucifixion. Please the pigs is evidently pyx while the ;

dramatic 'sdeath is clearly 'His Death'; even the still common

'

Bloody Hell 'is 'By our lady, hail the lady being the Virgin.
',

There are hundreds of these exclamations, many wholly local.

ri
 Preface

Amongst authors perhaps no writer has given so many words to

'
the language as Dickens from his first work, Pickwick ', to
almost his last, when he popularised Dr Bowdler; anglicization
is, however, the chief agent in obscuring meanings, as, for instance,

gooseberry fool is just gooseberry fouille, moved about of course

through the sieve. Antithesis again has much to answer for.
'
'
Dude having noted itself,
'
fade
'
was discovered as its opposite ;

'Mascotte' a luck-bringer having been brought to England, the

clever ones very soon found an antithesis in Jonah, who, it
will be recalled, was considered an unlucky neighbour. Be it
repeated not an hour passes without the discovery of a new
word or phrase as the hours have always been as the hours
will always be. Nor is it too ambitious to suggest that passing
language has something to do with the daily history of the
nation. Be this all as it may be here is a phrase book offered
to, it may be hoped, many readers, the chief hope of the author,
in relation with this work, being that he may be found amusing,
if neither erudite nor useful. Plaudite.

J. R. W.
 ABBREVIATIONS USED
ab. .
 PASSING ENGLISH

A. D. Academy Headache

A. D. (Ball-room programme). can, and will, chatter 'about and about

Drink, disguised, thus :
the various arts is in quite unprecedented
disproportion to the number of those who
PROGRAMME OF DANCES. are content to study these various arts
Polka in patience, and, above all, in silence
1. Polly J.
2. Valse A. D. there was something eminently salutary
3. Valse Miss F. in Millais' bluff contempt for the more
4. Lanoers Polly J. presumptuous theories of the amateurs.
5. Valse A. D. D. T., 14th August 1896.
6. Valse Miss M. A. T. Above - board (Peoples'}. Frank,
7. Quadrille Polly J. open. From sailors' lingo. Not
8. Valse A. D. between decks or in the hold, but
Etc., etc. above all the boards in the ship.
The ingeniousness of this arrangement Abraham's Willing (Rhyming}.
that young ladies see 'A. D.', and
Shilling. Generally reduced to willing,
is
assume the youth engaged. Lend us a willing.'
'

e.g.,
Abernethy (Peoples'}. A biscuit, so He don't care an Abraham's willing for
named after its inventor, Dr Abernethy anybody. Newsp. Cutting.
(see Bath Oliver). Absolutely True (Soc., ab. 1880).
Abisselfa (Suffolk). Alone. From Absolutely false, from the title of a
'
A by itself, A '

;
an old English way book, the statements in which, of a
of stating the alphabet. ghostly character, were difficult of
Abney Park (Hast London). About acceptation.
1860. An abbreviation of Abney Park Abyssinian Medal (Military). A
cemetery, a burial ground for a large button gone astray from its button-
proportion of those who die in the hole, one in the region of the abdomen.
East End of London. Cemetery is a Introduced after the Abyssinian "War.
difficult word which the ignorant (See Star in the East.)
always avoid. Now used figuratively, Academy (London). A billiard-
e.g., 'Poor bloke, he's gone to Abney room. Imported from Paris, 1885.
'
Park meaning that he is dead. An edict has been promulgated (Paris)
We had a friendly lead in our court forbidding the playing of games of chance
t'other Billy Johnson's kid
night. on public thoroughfares or in cafes for
snuffed it, and so all the coves about
' ' money, and it is chiefly directed against
got up a friendly to pay for the funeral the billiard rooms, or academies as they
to plant it decent in Abney. Cutting. are called here. D. T., 26th July 1894.
About and About (Soc., 1890 on).
Mere
Academy Headache. When art
chatter, the conversation of fools became fashionable to a severe degree
who talk for sheer talking's sake, e.g., this malady appeared now applied
1
A more about and about man never ;

generically to headaches acquired at

suggested or prompted sudden murder.' any art galleries.
In an age of windy and pretentious Art critics complain of 'Academy head-
gabble when the number of persons who ache' and of the fatigue produced by
 Academic Nudity Advertisement Conveyancers

leagues of coloured canvases. D. N., an ordinary horse -lifting case in the

15th April 1885. West of U.S.A. The victim was
There has yet to arise the philosopher accused of stealing four horses from
who can explain to us the precise cause one point and four feeds of corn from
of the 'Academy headache'. ... It is
' another for the said four horses.
an experience familiar to many who do '
c

the great collection at Burlington House. acknowledge the corn,' said the
I

Most persons who go to the Academy sufferer but legend says he was
know the malady well. D. N., 4th June lynched in spite of the admission.
1885. Acting Ladies (Theatrical, 1883).
Academic Nudity ( Oxford). Appear- Indifferent artistes. Mrs Langtry,
ance in public without cap or gown. moving in society, having (1882)
After a tranquil pipe in a friend's room appeared as an actress in London,
we set out again. Shall we take cap and and in the same year gone to America,
gown, or shall we venture forth in a
'
where she made vast sums of money,
state of Academic nudity ? Perish
'

the slavish thought We go without many ladies of more education than

!
dramatic ability turned their attention
them. Cutting. to the stage. Eleven out of a dozen
Accident. A child born out of totally failed, and few twelfths kept
' '

wedlock. before the public hence an ' acting

:

Accidented (Lit., 1884). Liable to

lady' soon came, amongst theatrical
surprise. people, to represent an incapable
An operatic season thus accidented actress: e.g., 'She isn't a comedian,
can hardly prove prosperous, but may
be pregnant of good if it teach intending you know, she's an acting lady.'
Acting ladies, in my opinion, should
managers of Italian opera to rely on be severely left alone. There is no
general excellence of ensemble, rather them or their friends.
than on stars that may at any moment pleasing
be eclipsed. Globe, 1st July 1885. Entr'acte,February 1883.
Actor's Bible (Theatrical). The
According to Cocker (Peoples').
Era. This phrase was one of the first
Quite correct, according to rule.
directed against sacred matters, about
Cocker flourished in 1694, when the
the time when Essays and Reviews was
first edition of his Arithmetic appeared
at the sign of the Black Boy on
much discussed (1860-70).
London Bridge. In the beginning Mr Sydney Grundy, whose sensitive-
ness sometimes outruns his discretion,
there was no sense of the preposterous
issued a challenge to Mr Clement Scott
in declaring a thing was 'according '
in the Actor's Bible '.Ref. 1883.
to Cocker'. Probably the quaintness There was a motion in the Court of
of the name brought down the dignity
Chancery on Friday, before Mr Justice
of the phrase. Chitty, to commit the proprietor of the
According to Gunter (Peoples'). 'Actor's Bible' for contempt of Court
Used precisely as 'according to for allowing certain remarks about un- '

Cocker '. Gunter was a distinguished principled imitators' of Miss Genevieve

arithmetician, and the inventor of a Ward to appear in print. Cutting.
chain and scale for measuring. Adam and Eve's togs (Peoples').
'Gunter's chain' is dragged over the Nakedness. (See Birth-day suit.)
land to this day. Give me the
'

Adam's Ale Water-

(Peoples').
Gunter' is as common a phrase probably from the time of the Stuart
amongst surveyors as 'Give me the Puritans. If so, it forms a good
chain '. example of national history in a word
Acknowledge the Corn (Amer. or phrase.
English}. Adroit confession of minor Ad's
offence to intensify the denial of the
my Life (Peoples'; 18 cent.).
An 18 cent, form of ' God's my life '.
I believe
major offence: e.g., 'Sir, (See Odd's life.)
you are after my wife and you Ad's Bud (18 God's Bud,
certainly pocketed my meerschaum
last cent.).
Christ. Common in H. Fielding.
Sunday evening at 10.30.' To which
i.e.,

the answer might be: 'Well, I Advertisement Conveyancers (Soc. ,

Street Advertisement Board

acknowledge the corn I took the 1883).
pipe by incident, so to speak
but as ;
Carriers. (See Sandwich Men.)
to Mrs H., I'm as innocent as the Brought in by W. E. Gladstone (2nd
skipping lamb.' Said to arise from May 1883), during his speech at the
 JEgis Agony in Red

inauguration dinner of the National
Liberal Club in these words
These fellow-citizens of ours have it
for their lot that the manly and interest-
ing proportions of the human form are
in their case disguised both before and
after by certain oblong formations which
appear to have no higher purpose than
what is called conveying an advertise-
ment. Newsp. Cutting.
Society accepted the phrase and the
Premier's enemies shot many a shaft
anent it.
A shield,
^Egis (Latin).
tection, patronage, from Minerva's
habit of putting her invisible shield
You had not observed that sort of
: thing before marriage? Never. What
I saw of her was at afternoon calls.
Lord Gerard's evidence in Lord Durham's
Nullity of Marriage suit, March 1885.
Afternoonified (Soc.). Smart.
What may prove a popular new adjec-
tive made its first appearance last week.
A lady entered a fashionable drapery
store. The lady found nothing to please
her. The shopwalker then was called.
This individual, with a plausible tale or
compliment, will invariably effect a sale
hence pro- after all other means have failed. In
reply to his question whether the goods
were not suitable, the fastidious customer
answered : No, thank you ; they are
'

in front of her favourites when in

not "afternoonified" enough for me.'
battle. In the case of a lady armed with an
Madam Adelina Patti appeared yester- argument of such calibre what was the
day afternoon under the aegis of Messrs shopwalker to say or do? Like a wise
Harrison, and once more gathered a man, he expressed his regret and beat
great audience round her. D. T., 4th a dignified retreat. The lady did the
June 1897. same, but the adjective remained.
^Estheticism (Soc., 1865 - 1890). D. T., July 1897.
Ideal social ethics, represented out- *
After you with the push' (Peoples').
wardly by emblems, chiefly floral, the Said, with satirical mock politeness,
more significant flowers being the in the streets to any one who has
white lily and the sunflower.
roughly made his way past the speaker,
The women wore their dresses chiefly and 'smudged' him.
in neutral tints, and especially in three
Aggeravators, Hagrerwaiters
series, viz. greens, dead leaf (the
:
(Costermongers). Side-curls still worn
yellows, or yellowish, of the series) ; by a few conservative costennongers.
olive (the middle path of colour) ; and Of two kinds the ring, or ringlet (the
sage (the blues of the series). In each more ancient), and the twist, dubbed,
of these series there were scores of doubtless in the first place by satirists,
tints. The pomegranate was also a 'Newgate Knockers'. Indeed the
fetish. (See Grego. ) model of this embellishment might
The and sunflowers
joke of sestheticism have been the knocker of the door of
had been smiled at and had died once the house of the governor of that gaol.
or twice between 1865 and 1878 before it
was familiar enough to the public for
The aggravation may mean that these
dramatic purposes. D. N. 27th January adornments excite envy in those who
t

1887. cannot grow these splendours, or that

To a T, they aggravate or increase the admira-
Affigraphy (Coster).
tion of the fair sex. The younger
exactly. A
corruption of autograph costers wear rival forehead tufts such
the vulgar regarding a signature as
as the Quiff, the Guiver, or the Flop.
of world-wide importance and gravity.
There is, however, one golden rule for
(See Sivvy.)
these fashions the hair must stop
Afters (Devon). Sweets pies and
' ' short of the eyelids.
puddings. Bring in the afters is
a common satirical remark in poor Agony in Red (Soc.). Vermilion
Devonshire houses, especially when
costume. When the aesthetic craze
' was desperately 'on' (1879-81), terms
there are no ' afters to follow. Also
used in music were applied to paint-
used in Scotland, e.g., 'Hey mon, a
' ing, as a 'nocturne in silver-grey,' a
dinner, an' nae afters !

'symphony in amber,' a 'fugue in

Afternoon Calls (Soc., 19 cent.). purple,' an 'andante in shaded violet'.
Referring to exclusive society, who Hence it was an easy transition to
have never accepted the afternoon human emotions
apply terms of to
'drums' and five o'clock teas, but costumes.
adhered to the more formal 15 -minute There are many terrible tints even now
afternoon visit. to be found among the repertory of the
 Agreeable Rattle
leaders of fashion agonies in red, livid
horrors in green, ghastly lilacs, and
monstrous mauves. Newsp. Cutting.
Agreeable Rattle (Soc., ab. 1840).
A chattering young man. The genus
has long since disappeared. The A. R.
went out with the great Exhibition of
1857.
Roderick Doo appeared to be what the
ladies call an agreeable rattle. Albert
Smith,' Mr Ledbury (1842).
Ah, dear me !
(Soc.,
An
ejaculation of sorrow, perhaps from
'
which in its turn
Ah, Dieu mais
'
!
came from de mi (q.v.). Probably
Ay
introduced by Catherine of Braganza
or one of her French contemporaries at
Whitehall ('Ah, dear me, but it's a
wicked world').
Ah, que je can be bete ! (Half-Soc.
A new macaronic saying
1899).
French and English. Amongst the
lower classes another ran
'
Twiggy -
vous the chose ?
'
'Aipenny Bumper (London Streets).
A two-farthing omnibus ride, descrip-
tive of the vehicles in question which
were not generally great works in
carriage building, until the London
-
County Council started (1899) a line of
d. 'busses between Waterloo Station
and Westminster along the Strand.
The L.C.C. 'busses were as good as
any others, and better than most.
Air-hole (Soc., 1885-95). small
a dismally
public garden, generally
converted graveyard, with the ancient
' '
gravestones set up at attention against
the boundary walls.
For some years past the churchyard
has been disused, and the Metropolitan
Public Gardens Association, with a keen
eye for what it not inaptly terms 'air-
holes,' has been making strenuous
efforts
to secure it as an ornamental space.
June 1895.
D. T., 1st
Air-man-chair (Music-hall
position). Chairman
taking the 'ch' from the beginning
and adding it, with 'air', to the
termination. Very confusing and once
equally popular, e.g., 'The
air-man-
chair is got up no end to-night,' i.e., is
well dressed. The chairman has now
been abolished in music-halls.
was supposed to keep order and lead
choruses. The modern public now do
these things for themselves.
Albany Beef (Amer.). Unattrac-
tive viands.
The New York Herald concludes by
Alhambra War Whoop
observing that 'ioukka', which it calls
'really the national soup of Russia', to
'one of simple tastes, must resemble
Hudson River sturgeon, otherwise known
as Albany beef, struck
by Jersey
lightning '.G. A. Sala, in D. T.,
30th June 1883.
Albertine 1860-80). An adroit,
(Soc. ,
calculating, business - like mistress ;
from the character of that name in
Le Pere Prodigue (A. Dumas fils). She
is in his play an economical housewife,
18 and 19 cents.).
but looks to her own ledger with
remorseless accuracy. The word is
used and understood in England only
by persons of high rank. In France
it is used by all classes as a term of
reproach, addressed even to a wife for
any display of niggardliness. (Sec
,
Nana, Oheri.)
Alderman hung 1
in Chains (City).
A fatturkey decked with garlands of
sausages. From the appearance of
the City fathers, generally portly
becoming more so when carrying their
chains of office over their powerful
busts.
Alderman (Peoples'). Half a dollar
= half a crown, which by the way is
fivepence more than the American
'
half. Its origin beyond the reach of
discovery ; it is probably derived from
some remote alderman who when on
the bench habitually ladled out this
A coin to applicants for relief.
Alexandra Limp (Soc., ab. 1872).
An affected manner of walking seen for
several yearsamongst women. Said to
have been imitated from the temporary
mode in which the then Princess of
Wales walked after some trouble with
a knee. (See Buxton Limp, Grecian
Bend, Roman Fall.)
Alhambra War Whoop (Theatrico-
political,l87Q). The 'historical' defiance
cast at each other by the Germans and
trans-
French in London during the Franco-
effected by German war. Speaking of the destruc-
tion of the theatre by fire (Dec. 1882)
G. A. Sala wrote at the time in The
Illus. London News :
Do you remember the War Whoop '
at
the Alhambra'? That was during the
Franco-German war in 1870 in the late
He Mr Sawyer's time, and just after the
refusal of the dancing licence to the
place. The enterprising lessee, not to
be baffled by the unkind action of the
Areopagus of Clerkenwell Green, deter-
mined to 'take it out' in international
noise ; so every evening towards the close
 All All of a Piece

of the performance he organised one All a treat (Street). Perfection of

band which played the 'Marseillaise', enjoyment, sometimes used satirically
the strains of which were immediately to depict mild catastrophe.
followed by the enlivening notes of the All-fired A
(Amer.). euphemism
German Wacht am Rhein
'
Then '.
for used as a
ensued the Alhambresque War Whoop '. ' hell-fired, general
intensive, e.g., 'I was in an all-fired
The Frenchmen in the house cheered
their own melody to the echo, and rage.'
All it is worth (Amer.). To the
groaned, whistled, and yelled at the
Teutonic air. The Germans, on their fullest extent, as fully as possible.

side, received the Wacht am Rhein ' '

Scalchi, to use a side-walk phrase,
with clamorous exultation, and hooted played Siebel for all the character was
and bellowed at the Marseillaise '. The '
worth, and was evidently the favourite.
English portion of the audience im-
N. Y. Mercury, 1883.
partially screamed and howled. The All my eye and Betty Martin
appalling charivari nightly drew crowds (Peoples' }.
1

An
expression of disbelief,
to the Alhambra ; but the excitement evasive declaration that the person
did not last long. addressed is a liar. Perhaps the
All (L. Peoples'}. Perfect, extreme, finest example extant of colloquial

complete, absolute the sum of street exclamations reaching to-day from

gentlemen's admiration, e.g., 'She's
all there,' 'All a lark,' 'All on,' 'All
a neat bit.'
'It's all bosh.' All is a big word.
Does he refer to the meeting, the Royal
Exchange, the speeches, the speakers, or
the existence of unemployed thousands ?
His favourite word comes in again in the
supplementary remark
It's all a game.'
My friend says he isa French polisher,
and he smells like one. He further
informs me that he belongs to some
mysterious commonwealth, that he is
a teetotaler, a vegetarian, a non-smoker.
When I hint to him emphasizing his
own term that he is all too good for me,
he cheerily comforts me with Not a bit
of it it's all right '.
;
This is as it should
be all bosh, all a game, all right.
I). N., 5th February 1885. (See Neat.)
All his buttons on (C. L., 1880 on).
Sharp, alive, active, not to be deceived.
He is eighty-three years of age, but as
we say hereabouts, has all his buttons on
pre-Reformation times. St Martin
was, and is, the patron saint of
beggars. The prayer to St Martin
opens, '0, mini, beate Martine.'
This phrase was used by English
mendicants (and is still used by South-
Italian beggars) when asking for alms.
When indiscriminate charity 'went
'
:
out' in England at the date of the
Reformation, this phrase fell into
bad repute as representing a lazy and
lying class. It is still used by the
commoner classes as an expression of
doubt, though it has been very widely
superseded by 'humbug' (q.v.).
'
All my own (London Apprentices,
19 cent.). Freedom, 'mastership. Its
use is disappearing with the tendency
to abolish apprenticeship.
I'm quite in the world alone
And I'll
marry you
If you'll be true,
The day I'm all my own. (1896).
'

(laughter), and he says, I never heard of All my eye and my elbow (London,
greater nonsense in all my life. Here I Fictional to be a
1882). :
appears
am, W. G. of the "Blue Boar", who, if
the Duke of So-and-So gives me notice in flight of starting from 'all
genius
September to quit next Lady Day, have my eye and Betty Martin', got into
to leave my licence behind me without form, not because Betty Martin had
any compensation.' Sir W. Harcourt, become vulgar, but possibly because
Speech in Bermondsey, 20th May 1890. her vague identity led to conventional
All a-cock (Peoples'}. Overthrown, divergencies. There is a smart aspect
vanquished. It may be a version of about this term, for, while eye and
knocked into a cocked hat, (q.v.), or, elbow offered a weak alliteration, there
more probably it is derived from cock- is some sort of association and agree-
'
'

fighting e. g. , He's all a kick, meaning

;
ment in the action of these personal
a dying bird, from the motion of the belongings, for one can wink with the
legs during the agony of death. This
'
eye and nudge with the elbow at once.
would pass into cock readily, seeing
'
All of a piece (Peoples'). Awkward,
that the conquering bird was always without proper distribution or relation
' '
called a game one or he just only ;
'
of parts, e.g., 'He lounged in all of
tripped me, an' I was all a-cock in a a piece.' 'Have you seen his new
one-two '. Venus ? Awful all of a piece.'
 All over Grumble Ally Sloper

All over grumble (Peoples'). cheat. 'Washy money allee samee,'

Obvious. applied by Anglo -Asiatics in a satirical
In some of the things that have been spirit where things are not quite
seen here it has been a case of all over satisfactory.
'
It appeared that they
grumble, but Thursday's show was all were not quite married, but that they
over approval. Re/., 28th March 1886. lived together allee samee.' N. Y.
All over red (Railway, to public, 1840 Mercury, February 1883.
on). Dangerous, to be avoided. From Alligators (Amer.). People of
red being the colour signal of danger Florida, so named from the alligators
throughout the railway world. The there ; used also because the Floridans
phrase has been accepted by the public are supposed to be as greedy as these
at large. (See Be Green, White Light, reptiles. Of course, an invention of
Paint the Town Red.) some other State or States.
All poppy cock (Amer.). Mere 'Will you kindly tell me which way
'

brag, nonsense. Perhaps a figure of the wind blows ? asked a Northern

invalid of the landlord of a Florida
speech drawn from the natural history
of the field-poppy, which looks very hotel. 'Certainly, sir,' replied the
'
landlord, stepping to the door ; the
braw, military, cockish, and flaunting, wind now blows due north, sir.' Thank
'

but which tumbles to pieces if touched,

you.' A little later the landlord said to
or droops and faints almost directly it the bookkeeper :
'
Have you made out
is gathered. Mr Smith's bill yet ? ' '
No, sir.' Well,
'

All right up to now (Street}. just charge one dollar to his account
Derived from enceinte for information about the direction of
Smiling, serene.
women making the remark as to their the wind.'
condition. Used by Herbert Campbell Alls (Public-House). Waste pot at
as a catch-phrase in Covent Garden public-houses. On all public-house
Theatre Pantomime, 1878. pewter counters may be seen holes,
All-round muddle (Stock Exchange, down which go spillings of everything.
1870). Complete entanglement. Popular mistrust runs to the belief
' that these collections are used up
Her bondage is not of lengthened
'

hence the comment upon bad beer.

duration, inasmuch as the husband,
finding himself in an all-round muddle,
shoots himself dead. Cutting.
When reporters get hold of a new
phrase they are liable to work it to
death. At present they are grinding
'
away at all-round '. They tell about
the all-round fighter, the all-round base-
ball player, the all-round reporter, the
all-round thief, and the all-round actor.
One reporter said the other day that
whisky was the best all-round mischief-
maker there was in the world, and he
probably hasn't been all-round either.
Cutting, 1888.
All very fine and large (Lond.,
Satirical applause from the
1886). ;
'This must be alls.' As a fact, the
brewer allows a barrel of good beer for
every barrel of alls forwarded to the
brewery. What does the brewer do
with it? This is indeed wanting to
know, at the end of the book, what
became of the executioner ? Pro-
bability is in favour of the sewer-
grating.
Allsopp Short for
(Peoples').
Allsopp's Pale Ale.
Ally Luja lass (Lond. Street, 1886
on). Hallelujah lass was the name
given to the girl contingent of the
Salvation Army, when the movement

refrain of a song sung by Mr Herbert rose into importance in London, and

General Booth made an effort to
Campbell.
How many people passed the turnstiles purchase all the theatres, succeeding,
at the Alexandra Palace I am not in a however, only in one case, that of the
position to say, but that the attendance Grecian Theatre, City Road.
was all very fine and large is beyond She sed thay wur Ally Luja's lasses.
dispute. Ref., 7th August 1887. 'Ally Luja's asses,' I sed; 'thay wants
Alley (Peoples'). A go-between. kikkin.' Comic Report of a Salvation
'

Evidently from aller ', to go. Meeting (1870).

Mrs Cox was an alley for her.
Bravo Coroner's Inquest.
Alice samee (Pidgeon English). All
the same. Used by Chinese cheap
abourers when detected in trying to
Ally Sloper (Street, 1870 on). A
dissipated -looking old man with a red
and swollen nose. Invented by Mr
Charles Ross, who ran him in print
for a score of years.
 Almighty Dollar Angel

dollar This with what we may call the cult of the

'

Almighty (Amer.).
a derisive for altogether^. D. T., 30th April 1896.
expression, synonym
money os Mammon, originated with Altogether^ (Soc.). Drunk from
Washington Irving. It is found in his the tendency of a drunken man to
Creole Village, and reads thus : lounge himself. Byron uses the term
'The Almighty Dollar, that great in a letter of 1816.
object of urdversal devotion throughout
Amen Corner (California/a). A
our land, seems to have no genuine church.
devotees in these peculiar villages.' Sunday found them, judge and
lawyers, seated in the amen corner '.
'

Alphonse 'Soc., 1870 on). A man All the Year Round, 31st October 1868.
of position who accepts money from a
married woman or women richer, and A' mighty(Amer.). One of the
first evasions of an oath - like
probably older, than himself, as recom-
word. It is, of course, a corruption
pense for remaking her or their lover. '
of
Quite understood in Paris not known almighty '.

out of society ii London. From the

As you know, young fellur, them goats
is a'mighty kewrous anymal as kewrous
play Monsieur Alphonse (Alexandre as weemen is.
Dumas, fils).
There was yesterday evening and up
Ammedown Shop (Poor). Corrup-
to the small hours of the morning a
tion of Hand-me-down Shop. A good
serious riot in the Latin Quarter, caused example of a phrase getting bastardized '
into one meaningless word.
by the students who continue from time George,
to time to make violent demonstrations my dear, ammedown my gal's Turkey-
against those professional allies of red frock.'
certain men who bear the name
women Amok. See Run a-muck.
' '
of Alphonse a sobriquet invented by
Alexandre Dumas, one which has passed Anatomy (Peoples', formerly
into the language. Nwcsp. Cutting. Literary). A thin needy boy, or old
withered soul. In common English it
Altogether (Soc., 1894). The nude ;

has been reduced to natermy, e.g.,

in art. From Du Mauri er's Trilby,
who is an artist's model.
'
I sit for
1
He were a perfick 'nattermy.'
the altogether.'
A boy of twelve stood leaning against
a fence on Duffield Street, hat pulled
The New York Mercury, 27th down, feet crossed, and his right hand
September 1895, has this heading: going up occasionally to wipe his nose,
Will the next fad be photographs of when along came another anatomy about
modern woman taken in the altogether' ? '
his size. Detroit Free Press.
Society women now have their busts Ancient Mariners
done in marble, their hands and arms in (Cambridge
Univ.). Graduates still associated
bronze, and their legs photographed.
In The Demagogue and Lady Phayre, with the University who continue to
the labour leader appears as a figure row.
of rude nobility. The proportions are At Cambridge Fawcett rowed stroke
not heroic they are simply life-size.
; (the necessary position of a blind man) in
In the altogether they make up an the crew of ' Ancient Mariners ', as the
individuality rich, massive, and imposing. older members of the University who
Weekly Sun, 29th December 1895. still ply the oar are called. D. N., 7th
They wore little underclothing scarcely November 1884.
anything or no thing Androgynaikal (Art.). Appertain-
And
their dress of Coan silk was quite
ing to the nude figure, and to the
transparent in design
anatomy of both sexes.
Well, in fact, in summer weather, some- Simeon Solomon's notion of the classic
'

thing like the altogether ', ideal in his picture called Sacramentum
'

And it's there I rather fancy, I shall

amoris', a small figure, as nude as may
have to draw the line
be, girt with a skin of a panther and
!

Mr W. S. Gilbert's 'The Grand a light blue sash, and background of

Duke', March 1896.
There was no earthly necessity why yellow drapery, but of that peculiar
type of form to which the term andro- '

the Hotel du Libre Echange should be '

an improper play, except that the gunaikal is applied in art, and holding
a long thyrsus. Newsp. Cutting.
modern French audience revels in
impropriety. They like it, they wallow Angel London Street). A woman
(N.
in it, and they destroy their native of the town fringing the Angel at
ingenuity in construction and invention Islington, e.g., 'What are you doing
 Angel-makers Apostle of Culture

here ? you ain't a Angel you're only a but more especially referring to the
Sinker' (i.e., St Luker, from the Parish Elephant and Castle (S. London) ;

of St Luke, in the City Road, which is until (1882) this place was exception-
considered at the Angel as socially ally dubbed 'Jumbo' (q.v.).
below Islington, as it is
comparatively Anno Domini, B.C. {Soc., 1890
depressed in its physical want of on). Relating to unknown longevity.
elevation in comparison with the Angel, 'He must be very anno domini,
'
which is quite at the top of the hill). mustn't he ? A.D. ? my dear fellow,
'

1889 say B.C.'

Angel-makers (Peop., on).
A name
Baby-farmers because so many of the
Anonyma (Soc., 186>).
;

farmed babies die. Probably from the given to women an

of gaZlantry in
'
French Faiseuses des anges '.
article in the Times commenting on a
well-known Phryne of chat day. The
'
ANGEL - MAKING '. Another case of
' word lasted many years and came to
baby-farming, or angel-making', as it is
be synonymous with a gay woman.
called in Austria, has just been dis-
who She could kick highsr in the can-can
covered by the Lemberg police,
than any anony ma there. N. Y. Mercury,
have arrested three women on the charge
of systematically starving to death infants
1882.
committed to their care. Newsp. Cutting, Anti-queer-uns (Soc., 18 cent.). A
December 1892. perversion of 'antiquarians', due to
They are not only under a cloud owing Foote.
to the deaths ofMiss Thompson and So many interesting associations
Mademoiselle Madet, but every day a clusteraround the remains of the old
fresh charge is laid at their doors, and nunnery at Godstow, a mile or two out
some people have even gone so far as of Oxford, that it is rather surprising
to describe them as members of a band so little attention has been bestowed on
of what Parisians call 'angel-makers'. the ruin. Perhaps it may be difficult
D. T., 7th December 1896. even for ' Anti-queer-uns ', as Foote calls
them, to get up much enthusiasm over
Angels on Horseback (Virginia). nameless graves, D. AT., 3rd February
Fricasseed oysters meaning exquisite.
1885.
Origin not known. Anti-Tox (Amer. reaching England
Anglican Inch (Church, 1870 on).
,

1885). A drug to sober a drunken

Description given by the ritualistic
clergy of the short
which is so much affected by the
Broad Church party. The Hits (q.v.)
call themselves the Church of England
*
the generally accepted Broad Church,
or Taits as they were called in Arch-
bishop Tait's time, are 'Anglicans'
hence the 'inch'. (See St Alban's
Clean Sweep.)
Anguagela (Transposed) Language.
A good example of the confusion
Tox of
person. is, course, the
square whisker
abbreviation of intoxication.
A reporter noticed the singular fact
that nearly every one who went into a
',
leading saloon was under the influence
of some powerful stimulant, and nearly
every one who came out was painfully
sober. Then he determined to go in and
see about it. 'Have a dose of Anti-
Tox?' asked the barkeeper, recognising
the reporter. 'It's the greatest thing
on earth you come to me rocking from
;

one side of the saloon to the other and

produced by transposing and repeating
a syllable or letter e.g., reeking with the fumes of the vilest
whisky, and I will make a new man of
;

How the Lord Chamberlain's people

you while you are getting out a twenty-
pass this stuff goodness only knows. cent piece.' Minneapolis Oaz., 1885.
Perhaps they don't understand the
French anguagela. 'Apenny-lot day (Costers'). A bad
and D. time for business really, when every-
Animal (L. 0. Railway
Passengers, 1860). theSynonym for thing has to be sold cheap.
1

Elephant and Castle station.

Third-
' '
Apostle of culture (Soc., 1880).
'
class Animal is, or was, quite under-
An individual who sets up as a perfect
stood by the railway booking-clerks of judge of Probably started by
taste.
Sir Francis Burn and in Punch.
the district.
A Our self -elected apostle of culture has
Animal (Tavern). disguised, or told us thatit is as ridiculous to say that
flippant, reference amongst boon com- such and such a colour is the fashion as
panions to the tavern, used in common itwould be to assert that B flat was the
when the sign is zoological, such fashionable key. D. N., 13th January
as the Bull, Bear, Lion, Dragon 1885.
8
 Apostles of Murder Arfarfan'arf

It is short for 'Archer

Apostles of murder (Pol it., 1867 before him.
on). A name given generally to is up in the saddle'. He rode with
political agitators who included an absolute recklessness which may
assassination in their programme. account for his end, for he shot
To say nothing of dynamite, and of himself. At once the phrase passed
that horrible compound found at Liver- away utterly, and was heard no more.
pool which presents the innocent appear- Arctics (Amer.). Winter clothing,
ance of sawdust but of which every grain which in the earlier settled States is
is an explosive agency, the apostles of
murder are reported to have employed decidedly built on a vast scale.
I hate a hotel where you have to get
methods of offence even more diabolical. in a cold room,
D. N., 6th April 1883. up at 4.15 A.M., dress
and walk down to the station because
Apple-jack (Amer. ). Spirit distilled the 'bus doesn't go to that train, and
from cider or from the pulp of apples about half-way down you discover that
already pressed for cider. (See Sweet you left your arctics in the office. Newsp.
Jack is a common term
'
Waters. ) '
Cutting.
for spirits in U.S.A. In Normandy Ardent (Soc., 1870). A shortened
this liquor is calvados. form of 'ardent spirits'. From the
'A grindstun can,' remarked a Mexican aqua ardente, through
weazened farmer, who had just called America.
for some apple-jack. Newsp. Cutting, After this we all felt in such good
1883. humour that the bottle passed freely,
and I fear that more than one of our
Apples (Corruption of Rhyming number swallowed a little too much of
Apples and
'

Slang}. Stairs, as thus : the ardent. Newsp. Cutting, 1878.

pears stairs.' 'Bill an' Jack's gone
Arer (Peoples'). More so. From
up apples.' '
are
'
We
'Apples and pears in no birdlime ', emphatically used. are,
time.' (Rhyming Street, 1882). and what's more, we can't be any arer.'
An obscure mode of describing sudden 'Arf-a-mo' (Peoples', 1890 on).
Abbreviation half a moment ',
of
'

ejection from a house; e.g.,

The flunkeys had me down stairs cf., 'half a sec.' and 'half a tick' (of
(apples and pears) in no time (birdlime). a watch).
I'llbet you never noticed all the things
'Appy dosser (Low Life, 19 cent.). that you can do
A satirical description of a homeless In half a mo' half a mo',
creature, so wretched as not to have So cock your ears and listen and I'll
the few halfpence necessary to pay for mention one or two,
a ' doss ', or bed in a common lodging- In half a mo' half a mo'.
house. Tho' you're as sane as Satan you can go
Elizabeth, poor storm-tossed bit of one clean off your dot,
of the myriad wrecks that strew the And then start backing gee-gees on a
ocean of life, homeless and starving, system very hot ;
dying of an agonizing ailment, was, Have five-and-twenty thousand quids and
having neither money nor friends, what lose the blessed lot
is professionally known as a "appy In half a mo' half a mo'.
dosser '.That is to say, she would crawl Chorus In half a mo' half a mo'
:

at night into the open passages of a low Your pluck and perseverance
lodging-house, and fall down where she you can show,
could in the yard or the passage and You can go with other people
sleep. Ref., February 1882. Down a sewer, climb a steeple,
Archer up (London, 1881). Safe to Fall an' break your blooming
win. neck in half a mo'.
Formerly a popular phrase of
A man was seen -1896.
congratulation.
running for and catching a 'bus : Arf-an-arf (London Public-house,
'Archer up,' shouted the on-lookers. 19 cent.). Half-and-half. mixture A
A man appeared in new clothes : half of black beer (porter) and half
' '
Archer up Another threatened to
! ale. (See Cooper.)
knock another down Archer up :
'
!
'
Arfarfan'arf (Peoples'). A figure
here used probably satirically. The of speech, meaning 'drunk', the sub-
phrase took its rise from a celebrated stitution of cause for effect, the
jockey who suddenly sprang to the intoxication being the latter, arfarf-
'

front in 1881, and carried everything anarf the former. It may be thug
9
 Argol-bargol Ash-plant

explained, arf
= half pint of; arfanarf
'
'Arrico Veins (Common people, 19
= half and half- half ale and half cent.). Varicose veins.
beer = half and half. This liquor is '
Bless yer, 'arrico veins don't kill. I
fourpence the quart, therefore, the know an old lady o' ninety-one, an' she's
'ad 'era these forty years. Ill-conwenient,
mystic refreshment is called for as
<arf o' four d arfanarf, the 'd' being but they ain't dangerous on'y a leak.'
used to express pence = denarii. Is Artful Fox (Music-hall, 1882). A
used to describe drunken men, e.g., nonsense rhyme for box '. '

'
'
'E's very arfarfanarf really meaning You capture the first liker at him in a
that he has had snug artful fox at some chantin ken where
'

many arfs '.

there's a bona varderin serio comic, and

Argol-bargol. To have a row.
Isle of Francer engaged. From Bio-
May be argue turned into argol, from
graphy of the Staff Bundle Courier, the
the old term 'argil' (see the Grave- who serio - '

gentleman accompanies
digger in Hamlet), corrupted from '
comics' from music-hall to music-hall
'
ergo '. The bargol is a rhymed
'

when doing turns '.

'

invention following a common habit. Artistic Merit (Society, 1882). A

The whole term, however, is pervaded satirical criticism of a flattering
apparently by depreciation: 'Well A celebrated sculptors' case
' portrait.
well want ter argol-bargol ?
d'yer (Belt v. Lawes, 1882) brought this
Aristocratic veins
(Theatrical). term into a general use. Belt com-
Blue lines of colour usually frescoed plained that Lawes had said of him
on the temples, and sometimes on the that he (Belt) had no 'artistic merit,'
backs of the hands and wrists. Sup- and that all his many busts were
posed to be a mark of high and noble artistically finished by competent men,
birth. Sometimes adopted by women commonly called
'
studio ghosts '.
in society.
'
Pass me the smalt, girl Belt and his friends maintained that
I want to put in my veins.' (See he possessed not only good modelling
Mind the Paint.) power, which was also denied, but
Arkansas tooth-pick (Amer.). A finishing power also. For Lawes, the
bowie-knife. Arkansas is notorious then President of the Royal Academy
for sudden blood-letting. (Sir F. Leighton) and many other
And he jabbed an eighteen Arkansas eminent art followers gave evidence
tooth-pick into whoever it happened to that Belt had no artistic merit.
be. Mark Twain. Gradually, during a long trial of over
He had a seductive way of drawing forty days, the public grew to com-
his 18-inch Arkansas tooth-pick, and
prehend that in sculpture 'artistic
examining it critically with a sinister merit might mean the use of flattering
'

while humbly requesting the

smile, refinement in finish. Hence arose the
temporary loan of five dollars. Texas
use of the phrase as an euphemism for
Siftings.
The flattery.
'Arrydom (Soc., 1885).
kingdom and rule of 'Any, the typical Sincerity may raise a costume ball
London cad. from the mere pastime of an evening
It seems a pity that the Whitehall
to an undertaking involving culture,
Review did not confine itself to saying, patience, and self-denial, and bring about
in the speech of 'Arrydom, 'You're a result not perhaps without 'artistic
merit'. Newsp. Cutting, February 1885.
another,' instead of appealing to a
special jury. Sat. Rev., 26th March Fancy asking a policeman to decide
1885. upon the morality or immorality of a
ballet You might as well ask a police-
!

'Arry's Worrier (Peoples', 1885 on). man to pass judgment on the decency of
The deadly and bronchitical concertina a statue of Venus, and at the same time
common to 'Arry's hand, and as deadly to criticise its 'artistic merits'. Ref.,
'
as his fist or his Hinglish '. llth February 1883.
our readers are inclined to be
If Ashkenazic. German and Polish
curious, they may, on further investiga- Jews.
tion, discover the player of "Arry's'
favourite worrier in the form of a
' ' Ash-plant (Military, 1870). Light,
little lady, who sitson unvarnished, un peeled, rough-cut ash
patient-looking
the stonework of the railings which swish, for carrying in the hand.
Subalterns at Dover first carried these
guard the select piece of grass and trees.
People, 19th February 1897. swishes, value about Id., the head
10
 Ask Another
formed by a knot got at a branching.
They became very fashionable, and
soon, owing to their valuelessness,
very common. Therefore, after a time,
they were mounted in gold or silver,
the swish remaining impeded, and in
no way polished or varnished.
Bringing his ash-plant down on the
counter with ten Slade force, he said,
If that's the sort of man you are, I'm
'
off to take tea with Miss Murnford.'
And he offed. Bird o' Freedom, 7th
March 1883.
Ask another
protest against a reiterated or worn-
out joke, an expression of boredom ;
directed at a 'chestnut', e.g., 'I say,
Joe, when's a door not a door ? to
which Joe disgustedly replies, 'Oh,
ask another.'
Hatton
Aspect (Lond., chiefly
Garden district}. A look of eager love.
Used chiefly in the Italian quarter,
but Where there is a
spreading.
foreign colony in London, as French
in Soho, Italian in Clerkenwell Road,
German in Clerkenwell, the English
amongst them, to some extent
fraternizing, adopt any forcible word
or phrase used by them, as, for
instance, in the White chapel district
the Jewish selah (God be with you,
or good-bye) has become so long ', a
phrase which has spread all over
England. Amongst
is a very common word.
no doubt itmay be translated, Hold
' the 'Atlantic greyhounds' now plying
on a bit
!
'
look ',
'
aspect
lation which has been accepted by the
observant English lower-middle-class
in the Italian district. A fiery youth
looking too fiercely into the eyes of a
gutter donzella, she observes, aspetto
aspetto Her English sister has
!
'
accepted the word, and under similar
circumstances cries, Not too much
aspect, Tom
'
Applied also in other
ways, e.g., 'Well, Jack, not too much
aspect, or you might run agin one o'
' big-wig is generally called a devil '.
my fists !
Aspinall (Peoples'). Enamel. Also
as a verb. From Aspinall, the
inventor and manufacturer of an
oxidized enamel paint.
Astarrakan
mispronunciation
jocular
astrachan fur. Used satirically, after
Mr Gus Elen's (1898) song, the first
line of the chorus running
Astarrakan at the bottom of my coat.
Auditorium
Atavism (Society, c. 1890-5). The
antithesis of decadent. The difference
between these newly meaninged words
is very marked. The decadent may
show ability, genius even, but his life
demonstrates that he is in a general
way mentally, morally, and physically
inferior to his forebears; and, as a rule,
he dies childless, or his children have
no families. The atavist, on the other
hand, is a human being who is
relegated by some hidden natural force
to a condition assimilating to an early
(Street, 1896 on). A
form of mankind. He is therefore, as
a rule, a physical improvement upon
his immediate or modern forebears, and
' even possibly a mental superior but
morality from the modern standpoint
has little or no existence for him. He
tends to the animal life he takes
what he wants; society calls him a
kleptomaniac plain people dub him a
;
thief, while as a dipsomaniac he again
imitates themammal, which, once
indulged in liquor, becomes a hopeless
drunkard. An atavist may become a
decadent ; a decadent never becomes
an atavist.
Athletic Drolls (Music-hall, 1860
Comic performers whose songs
on).
' were interspersed with gymnastic feats.
'
'
(See Knockabout Drolls, Singing Drolls.)
Atlantic Greyhounds (Soc. Quick
).
' ' Atlantic steamers.
Italians aspetto
Used alone The booking of passengers desirous of
*
securing berths on board one or other of
but it retains its meaning between the Old and New Worlds far
', and it is this trans-
exceeds the accommodation available for
their reception. D. T. 20th May 1895.
,
Attorney-General's Devil (Legal).
He was chosen by Sir John Holker,
' whose practical shrewdness was seldom
at fault, to succeed the present Lord
Justice Bowen as junior counsel to the
Treasury, commonly called Attorney-
'
'
General's Devil '.Newsp. Gutting, 1883.
!
The working barrister who does the
heavy work of a K.C. or other legal
'
But the term is dying out owing to
increased legal amenities.
Auctioneer (Peoples'). The fist
because it knocks down '.
'
A Milo, the boxer, was an accomplished
(Street, 1890). man. He did not, however, use the
of the
sculptor's hammer, but rather the
'auctioneer of
'
the late Mr Thomas
Savers. D. N.
: Auditorium (Press, 1870). The
portion of a theatre occupied by the
11
 Aunt Sally
audience called the theatre until
Dion Boucicault took Astley's ', spoilt
'
the ceiling by cutting ventilating holes
in it, and then wrote a long letter to
the Times in which he spoke of the
improvements he had made in 'the
auditorium'. The word was at once
accepted with much laughter.
used seriously.
Some time before the curtain rose
large crowds of seat-seekers might have
been observed surging down the tunnels
that lead to the auditorium of this house
(Opera Comique, now swept
Jief., 14th June 1885.
Aunt Sally (Low
London). A to open its hospitable doors to himself
black-faced doll. Early in the century
the sign of a rag-shop afterwards
;
adopted as an entrancing cock-shy, a
pipe either forming the nose or being
placed between the teeth. From Black
Sail and Dusty Bob, characters in the
elder Pierce Egan's Life in London,
and probably adopted owing to the
popularity of that work, precisely as
in a later generation many of Dickens's
characters were associated with trade
advertisements. Aunt Sally is vanish-
ing, even at race-courses. Soon, but
for a portrait, she will be only a
memory. Very of Pierce
significant
Egan's popularity, which from 1820 to
1840 was as great as that of Dickens,
whose fame threw Egan into obscurity.
Aunt's sisters (London Middle-class).
A foolish perversion of
'
ancestors
Koy was once more restored to
Corrie
the home of his aunt's sisters. Qomic
Romance.
Away (London Thieves'
A man is never spoken of as in prison ',
' innumerable acts of kindness received
though he there for many a 'stretch*.
is
It would evince great want of etiquette
to mention the detaining locality, e.g.,
'Mine's away, bless 'is 'art,' the grass-
widow of lower life will say, as indica-
tive that her husband is in jail. The
answer should be, A 'appy return 'ome
'
mum.'
to 'im,
'Awkins (Lower Classes, 1880 on).
A severe man, one not to be trifled
with. Name-word from the Judge,
then Sir Frederic Hawkins, who about
this time impressed the lower and
criminal classes as a 'hanging' judge,
e.g., 'Joe,don't you play around Tom
Barr Vs a 'Awkins, and no mistake.'
'Awkins (Mid- London, 1905). A
princely coster monger. From a music
Ay de mi
hall song sung by Albert Chevalier,
with the catch line, And 'Enery
'
'Awkins is a first-class name'.
And, indeed, if not in Walworth,
where should Mr Hawkins be supreme ?
It is the epical home, so to speak, of his
race a district traversed by that Old
Now Kent-road in which their lyric hero
' '
knocked the passers-by with the un-
expected splendours of his attire and
turn-out. Disestablishment is not under-
stood to trouble his repose, and the
downfall of the Welsh Church would
probably leave him as unmoved as the
away).
just man in Horace, so long as the
'
Harp of the same nationality continues
'
and Mrs Hawkins on their 'Sundays
out'.D. T., 14th May 1895.
Axe to grind (Amer.-Engl.). I.e.,
a personal end to serve, originally a
favour to ask ; from men in backwoods
pretending to want to grind their axes
when in reality they required a drink.
Mr Ebbs, an American etymologist,
says that the origin of this phrase has
been attributed to Benjamin Franklin.
It is true, many of his sayings in Poor
Richard bear a striking similarity to
the saying still, not one of them can
;
be tortured into the above phrase.
Every one seems to have had what the
Americans call an axe to grind
'
'.
Yates, Recollections (1884).
Finally, Mr Irving stepped forward,
and in a voice trembling with emotion,
'.
bade farewell to his American friends.
He said among other things: 'Now
that I can speak without fear or favour,
and without the suspicion that I have an
axe to grind, I can say for the first time
Etiquette).
how deeply grateful we are for the
from the American people.' Newsp.
Cutting, April 1885.
Conservatives with axes to grind will
soon make the word Beaconsh'eld as
wearisome by mere iteration as the word
Jubilee. D. N., 7th April 1887.
Axe-grinders (American}. Men
who grumble, especially politically.
Willard's Hotel was closed, and, even
if ithad not been, with its clientele of bar-
loafers, swaggerers, drunkards, and axe-
grinders (a class of politicians peculiar to
Washington hotels), it would not have
been the place for Mr Dickens in his
state of health. Dolby, Dickens as I
knew him,
de mi, sometimes de my
Ay Ay
(Hist.). It pervades all Western
It is found in
-
European literature.
12
 B's Back Answers

Tom Cringle's Log, also in Gil Bias, please me, who don't pay, but the
bk. xi. 5. B.P., who do. Ref., 9th August 1
de my un anno felice My dear Wilfred, They tell me you
'

Ay !
are in a wax about the exceptions I took
Parece un soplo ligero ;
to your article. I am extremely sorry to
Per6 fin dicha un instante touch any line of yours, but B.P. must
Es un siglo de tormento. be considered, you know Ouida, An
'
!

Smollett translates the phrase Altruist, 1896.

'alas'. It was Carlyle's favourite
and
found frequently in
is
B. and P. (Land.). Initials of two
protest,
Froude's biography of him : young men whose public proceedings
resulted, about 1870, in a long police-
The dinners, routs, callers, confusions court inquiry and trial. (See Beanpea. )
inevitable to a certain length. Ay de mi
I wish I was far from it.
B
Flat (Peoples'). Proof of advance
It was probably brought to England of education, being a sort of pun lying
'Oh between si bemol or B flat, and an
by Catherine of Braganza. (See
dear me !
intimate insect (now rapidly being
')
evicted by a survival of the fittest),
which has been too fatally associated
with the family of Norfolk Howard
B (q.v.).

Baby (Tavern, 1875). The con-

B's. (Fenian, 1883). Patriotic victionamongst men given to creature-
Brotherhood. In questionable taste. comforts that the cheapest soda and
The members of the Patriotic Brother- spirits refresher rose to sixpence at least,
led the serated water manufacturers to
hood, or Irish Invincibles, thus styled
themselves. It may have had some invent the half-bottle (2d. ), which from
' '

absurd association with the busy bee '.

Patrick Duffy was sworn, and deposed
Finnegan and Devlin were at a meet-
ing of the society held in the spring of
1881. I knew James Hauratty and
Patrick Geogeghan, who were both 'B's'.
Report of the Patriotic Brotherhood
Conspiracy (Trial at Belfast, 26th March
1883).
B.C. play
'
its small size was dubbed baby by all
Give me a baby lemonade
' '
men.
was understood by all barmaids, who
never blushed. The term has lapsed.
Baby and Nurse(Tavern, 1876).
A small bottle of soda-water and two-
penny-worth of spirit in it. This is
the nurse. Accepted terms even by
queens of the taps and handles. Where
(Theatrical, 1885). '
more than two of spirits is required
'

Classical drama ; Before Christ. In- numerals come by their own again.
vented apropos to Claudian (Princess's The phrase has lapsed.
Theatre).
Baby's public-house (Peoples').
The authors are wise to eschew low Nature's fount.
comedy. There wasn't much of it in the
time of Pericles. George cannot come in Among them a six-year-old baby
is
that is suckled at the breast when it asks
and talk about milking his hay and
' for baby's public-house, and that fills up
mowing his cows as he did in Claudian '. the intervals between refreshment by
One of our best low comedians, he is not Fact 5th
at home in a B.C. period. smoking cigarettes. !
Ref.,
Ref., 28th October 1884.
March 1886.
B.H. Bank Bab'sky (Liverpool). Corruption of
(Peoples', 1880).
Bay o' Biscay.
holiday. The place where the arch was erected
B. K. 's (Military}. Barracks. Used _
isabout the most exposed part of the
by officers, non-coms., and privates, town when the wind is high, and in
down to the drummer-boy. (See H. Q.) consequence is generally styled the
<

B.P. (Theatrical). British Public. Bab'sky '.Newsp. Cutting, May 1886.

(See Pub.) Back answers (C. Eng., 19 cent.).
'
Have you read Leader's manifesto on Sharp retorts, quick-tongued replies,
dorsal eructations, without any conces-
taking possession of Her Majesty's
Theatre?' 'We have, and feel sure sion to the laws of etiquette.
there's a good time coming for the He went to the station and gave no
' '
' '
B.P.' Bird o' Freedom, 1883. cheek or back-answers to any one.
Harvey writes and arranges, not to Cutting.
 Back down
Back down (American). To yield.
If we may we
indicate an apologetic
foreign policy by remarking that the
Government backs down '.
'
That is to say, makes a back ', as
'
boys at leap-frog, to enable the other
players to get over.
Back-hairing (Street}. Feminine
fighting, in which the occipital locks
suffer severely.
His Honour said no doubt there had
been a great deal of provocation, but the
rule was when a woman had her back
hair pulled down and her face scratched,
she back-haired and scratched in return.
Newsp. Cutting.
Back-hair
parts (Theatrical}.
Roles in which the agony of the
performance at one point in the drama
admits of the feminine tresses in
question floating over the shoulders.
Like the famous lady who never would
undertake any but 'back-hair' parts,
the Parisian comedienne could only with
difficulty be prevailed upon to become
a stage heroine whose garments have to
express the depths of an unpicturesque
poverty. D. N., November 1884.
Back o' the green (Theatre and
Music-hall}. This is a sort of rebus,
* '
green being an imperfect rhyme
the
for 'scenes', also referring to that
historical 'green' curtain which has
now almost passed away. It represents
'
behind the scenes '.
Back row hopper
Chiefly used in taverns affected by the
commoner members of * the profession '.
'
He's a back row hopper is said of an
impecunious man who enters one of
these houses on the pretence of looking
for somebody, and the certain hope of
finding somebody ready
pay for a drink.
Back slang it (
Thieves
the back way.
Back-scene (Devonshire). Literal.
The second word direct from the
French 'seant,', and an interesting
example of evasive French- English
found only in Devon.
Backs, The (Cambridge). Literally
the backs of several of the greater
colleges, notably Trinity and John's
seen from the opposite side of the Cam.
St Andrews boasts her links, Oban is
proud of her bay, Cambridge has her
'backs', and whoever visited Liverpool
without hearing of her docks ? D. N.
Bad Egg
Backsheesh (Anglo-Arabic). Bribe.
The origin of this word is historical.
When Mohamed Ali endeavoured, after
his lights, to bring Egypt within the
pale of civilization, he sought to abate
the endless begging exercised by most
of his subjects. To this end he assured
his people that if they did not beg,
foreigners would always make them a
The natives
backsheesh, or 'present'.
accepted the theory, but only to apply
to their old practice.
it They begged,
as they beg to this day, as much as
ever ; but they made their entreaties
elegant by asking for a backsheesh
the one word of Arabic that every
Englishman in Egypt learns, even if
he acquire no other.
The people who talk of bribery and
'backsheesh' in such circumstances are
imperfectly informed as to desert
customs and slang. To give a Sheikh
who gets for you a hundred camels, say
60, is not an act of bribery. It is
merely paying him a commission.
D. N. 16th March 1883.
t
Bad cess to ye ! (Irish). Cess board
and lodging. An amiable Celtic bene-
diction. An Act of Parliament was
passed during Strafford's viceroyalty
*
for the better regulating of Ireland ',
'
wherein we find these words Whereas
:
there are many young gentlemen of
this kingdom (Ireland), that have
nothing to live on of their
little or
own, and will not apply themselves to
(Theatrical}. labour, but live coshering on the
country, cessing themselves and their
followers, their horses and their grey-
'
hounds, upon the poorer inhabitants,'
etc., etc. This phrase is in common
use in England where the two words
are supposed to mean ill-luck, as
indeed they do, e.g., Bad cess to you,
'
and willing to
'
Joe wherever you go !
1
}. To go out Bad crowd (Califor nian). A man
of indifferent character.
She then went out to tell the feminine
convention on the back stoop what a bad
crowd Jabez used to be when he kept a
chicken-ranch on the Stanislaus in '51.
San Francisco Mail.
Bad egg (Peoples'). A person hope-
lessly beyond cure, perfectly disreput-
able. Originally American, though no
longer used in the U.S. Colloquial in
England.
A man out West, by the name of
Thomas Egg, having committed some
crime, his neighbours gave him the
14
 Bad Form
appellation of a bad Egg ', which, in its
'
application to vice, with man, woman, or
child, they are invariably called bad
eggs. It is also used to denote a good
man, by calling him a good egg. And
this is used either to denote his moral or
pecuniary standing. American Paper.
Bad form 1860 on).
(Soc., The
opposite of Correct Fashion. Derived
from the racing stable.
The very low bodices of some seasons
ago are now considered bad form (a
'
quite untranslatable phrase). D. N.,
'
Dresses for dances 15th
',
1885.
This ingenious piece of tactics in
taking cover was looked upon as bad
form ', even by the other hill men, who
appreciated the scruples of British
humanity. Newsp. Cutting.
(See No class).
Bad hat (Middle-class, 19 cent.). A
queer chum, dissatisfactory mess-mate,
disreputable person. Probably Irish,
from the worst Hiberian characters
always wearing bad high hats (caps
are not recognised in kingly Ireland).
What a shocking bad hat is the next
cry, with something of an historical
flavour about it, that I can recollect.
The observation is not yet wholly extinct,
I should say, although its meaning has
entirely vanished from the public ken ;
but, according to Sir William Fraser, in
his Words on Wellington, the origin of
this derisive criticism on a gentleman's
head -gear was as follows : ' When the first
Reform Parliament met, the Duke went
into the Peers' Gallery of the House of
Commons Sir William Fraser says that
it was the Bar, but this part of his state-
ment is due, I should say, to a slip of the
pen to survey the members. Expect-
of course to be questioned, and
ing,
words would be
knowing that his
repeated, the Duke, prompt as usual,
was ready for the inquisition and when
asked, on walking back to the House of
Lords, what he thought of the new
Parliament, he evaded responsibility by
" I never saw so
saying, many shocking
bad hats in my life." The catchword
soon lost its political associations, and
after a few years, was merged in the
Who's your ' '
purely imbecile query,
hatter ?'" G. A. Sala, in D. T., 28th
July 1894.
Bad
Shilling (Common). The last,
'That's a bad shillin', that is, for
e.g.,
there ain't another beyinde it, you
know.'
Bad young man (L. Peoples', 1881).
Antithesis to Good Young Man
Bag and Baggage
That the fatted calf, who had never
been a prodigal, should suffer death in
honour of the bad young man has never
seemed to me strict dramatic justice.
Ref., 18th January 1885.
Badger, to (Peoples'). To worry.
From worrying a badger in his hole
until he comes out to show fight. (See
Draw.) It forms a remarkable ex-
ample of complete inversion of the
original meaning, for it was the badger
'
which was worried he was never the
worrier. Nowadays he is the aggressor.
December
Immediately after the explosion at the
House of Commons on Saturday I went
to see 'the scene'. Thanks to the
'
courtesy of the officials in charge sorely
badgered by M.P.'s, peers, and public
persons, who had come out of idle curi-
osity I was able to make a thorough
inspection both of the House and of
Westminster Hall. Ref., 1st February
1885. (See also G.O.M.)
Badges and Bulls' eyes (Army,
1899). In the Boer Revolt (October
1899), the officers' medals and badges
offered fatal bulls' eyes for the Bore
!
rifles.
The question has been much discussed
whether, in view of the terrible gaps
made in the roll of officers, they were not
even yet too much marked out as Boer
targets by what General Gatacre called
badges and bulls' eyes. D. T., 21st
December 1899.
Bag o' Beer. (Lowest people's).
Bacchanalian brevity for it means,
and nothing else than a quart half of
fourpenny porter and half of fourpenny
'
ale. This once stood pot o' four 'arf
an' 'arf, reduced to 'four 'arf, and
'
thence to bag o' beer '.
Bags o' Mystery. (Peoples'). A
satirical term for sausages, because no
man but the maker knows what is in
;
them.
'If they're going to keep running-in
polony fencers for putting rotten gee-
gee into the bags of mystery, I hope
they won't leave fried-fish-pushers alone.'
This term took its rise about 1850,
long before the present system of
market-inspection was organised. But
this term remained long after sausages
were fairly wholesome. The 'bag'
refers to the gut which contained the
chopped meat.
Bag and Baggage. Thoroughly,
completely. It once more became
popular from a phrase in a speech by
(q.v.). Gladstone in reference to the Turk in
15
 Bagger, Bag-thief
Europe, whom he recommended should
be turned out of Europe * bag and
The truth of the matter is that all the
petty States which won over the sym-
pathies of sentimental politicians by their
'
eternal whinings against that big bully,
the Turk ', have proved themselves past
masters in the art of oppressing minorities,
now that the tables have turned. They
'
would like to carry into effect the bag
and baggage theory, and make a clean
'
sweep of foreigners, to whatever race or
religion these latter may belong. D, T.,
13th August 1885.
Bagger, Bag-thief. (Thieves'). A
by seizing the hand.
stealer of rings
Possibly from the French 'bague', a
ring.
Baiard A fellow.
(Peoples'). good
now and
Still again heard in the
provinces '; of course from Bayard, the
chevalier sans peur et sans reproche '.
'Thou'rt a real baiard thou art.
How now, mates, what baiards have we
'
here ? Garrick, Abel Drugger.
Bailiff of Marsham (Fens, 17 cent.}.
Ague.
There was so much water constantly
lying about Ely, that in olden times the
Bishop of Ely was accustomed to go in
his boat to Cambridge. When the out-
falls of the Ouse became choked, the
surrounding districts were subject to
severe inundations and after a heavy fall
;
of rain, or after a thaw in winter, when
the river swelled suddenly, the alarm
spread abroad 'The Bailiff of Bedford
' instantly dubbed with the name of the
is coming the Ouse passing through
that town. But there was even a more
terrible bailiff than he of Bedford, for
when a man was stricken down by the
ague, it was said of him, he is arrested
by the Bailiff of Marsham, this disease
extensively prevailing all over the
district when the poisoned air of the
marshes began to work. Smiles, Lives of
the Engineers.
A fine example of passing English
being helped by old phrases, for when
the draining of the fens had been
practically accomplished, ague ceased
as an endemic disease. The term,
however, is still heard now and again
at any point between Boston in the
north and Chelmsford in the south.
It is metaphorically used to suggest
approaching death.
Baked dinner (Jocose, Prison, 1 9 cent. ),
Bread which is baked. The phrase
was habitually used at Bridewell, this
prison having been utilized until quite
16
Balaclava
recently as a place of detention rather
than as a prison for the punishment of
troublesome city apprentices bound to
freed men of the City of London.
They were taken before the City
Chamberlain, who in extreme cases
sent the youngsters to Bridewell, in
Bridge Street, Blackfriars, where a
painting or two of Hogarth's are still
to be found. Here the offenders were
kept in honourable durance for a fort-
night or more without labour, their
only punishment being the absence of
liberty. It was upon these neophytes
that the trick was played of telling
them that they were to have Baked '
Dinner'. Their disappointment, and
the explanation of the term afforded
huge merriment, reiterated on every
possible occasion.
Baker's Dozen. Thirteen grimly
used fora family of twelve and another.
The baker's dozen meaning thirteen,
'
',
dates back to the time of Edward I.,
when very rigid laws were enacted
regarding the sale of bread by bakers.
The punishment for falling short in the
sale of loaves by the dozen was so severe
that, in order to run no risk, the bakers
were accustomed to give thirteen or
fourteen loaves to the dozen, and thus
arose this peculiar expression.
Newsp.
Cutting.
Balaclava (1856-60). A full beard,
firstseen upon the faces of the English
army upon their return to England
from Crimea. The new departure was
most popular of the three great battles
(Alma, Balaclava, Inkermann), the name
probably being chosen by reason of the
brilliancy of the charge of the Light
French writers who had
Brigade.
visited the Great Exhibition of 1851,
and who had been struck by the
absolute absence of the moustache
(except in the case of some military
men), and the utter absence of the beard,
without exception, were astonished
visits half-a-dozen
upon return years
afterwards, to find
Englishmen were
bearded like the pard. Britons upon
the principle of reaction always going
the whole hog, grew all the hair they
could, and the mere moustache of
Frenchmen was nowhere in the fight.
Interestingly enough, exactly as the '
wild, unkempt beard of The Terror
'
dwindled into the moustache for the
young, and the cStelette (mutton-chop)
for the elderly, so the Balaclava (which
 Bald-head Bang (To)

abated the razor, as a daily protesting an elephant instead of a bally jackass,

sacrifice to anti-gallicanism) toned you would have had your trunk on the
down by '70, into the various beards end of your nose, when you could have
of to-day the Peaked, the Spade, the seen to it yourself 'Sporting Times..

llth April 1885.

Square, and other varieties of Tudor
beards. These remained until the Balmedest Balm (Low London).
Balm in the extreme.
Flange, or Dundreary (see 1872-73),came '
in and cleared the chin, to be followed It is just a little the balmedest balm

by the Scraper. To-day the 'York' you ever plastered on your love-stricken
heart. Try it, Annetta and don't be
prevails the short, pointed beard still afraid of it ; spread it on thick.
;
'

worn by the Prince of Wales. Newsp.

Cutting.
Bald-head (American). An old Balsam From
man.
(Sporting}. Money.
both medicaments being of such an
The house-fly flies an average of three
agreeable character. Originally con-
miles per day. He can't be biting babies fined to dispensing chemists.
and bald heads all the time, you know. Ban (Com. Irish, 18 cent. on). Lord-
Texas Siftings.
Lieutenant. There is a supposed
Byron used this term contemptuously
The Two association between 'ban', curse or
in Foscari, Act iii., sc. 1. '
MARINA. 'Held in the bondage of ten edict, and banshee ', the precursor of
'
bald heads,' referring to the Council of sorrow. Still in use, e.g., Bedad, one
Ten. ban or anoder, 'tis the same man. '
Bald-headed Butter (Com. Banbury (London, 1894). One of
London). Butter free from hairs. the more recent shapes of 'jam',
First publicly heard in a police-court 'biscuit', 'cake', 'confectionery', 'tart'
case, where the satire had led an (qq.v.) a loose woman.
indignant cheesemonger to take law Witness took several names and
in his own hands. addresses, and some of the females
'
Waiter, I'll take a bit of bald-headed described themselves as 'Banburys' ;

butter, if you please.'

and said they got their living as best
they could. Eaid on the Gardenia Club,
Bailey, To ( Com. Lond. ). To be off, The People, 4th February 1894.
e.g., 'I thought it was time to be off,
Baned (Prov. ). Poisoned, e.g.
<
I'll
so I balleyed.' (See Skip, Valse, Polka.) ,

have 'ee baned like a rat.' Abbrevia-

Balloon (Tailors'). week's en- A tion of henbane.
forced idleness from want of work.
What if my house is troubled with a
French, Ulan, officially a balance-sheet rat,
book, figuratively a sentence, con- And I be pleased to give ten
demnation. thousand ducats
Balloon-juice (Public-house, 1883). To have it baned ?
Soda-water presumably suggested by
;
Merchant of Venice, Act iv.
itsgassy nature. Banded (Low London). Hungry.
It's as good as a bottle of balloon- juice May be Romany, or literal, hunger
after a night's hard boozing. Newsp. pressing like a band on the stomach,
Gutting. e.g., 'I've been fair banded all the
Balloon-juice Lowerer.
'
total A blooming week.'
'
abstainer, the lowerer from the use Bang Exchange).
(S. To loudly
'
'
of to lower for to swallow '. '
and plentifully offer a certain stock
To be a booze fencer now, is to be a with the intention of lowering its price.
mark for every balloon-juice lowerer who When any adventurers call them
can't take a drop of beer or spirits bears or bulls, or any other animals
without making a beast of himself. start to bang the shares, do not lend
Newsp. Cutting. yourself to the game they are playing ;

sit close on your shares. D. T., 2nd

Bally (Sporting, 1884 on). Ex-
June 1898.
cessive, great. Perhaps an evasion of
'bloody'. Bang; (To) (Fashion, 1870-95). Mode
of dressing the hair in a line of fixed
'
Too bad, too
getting bad ! after
curls over the forehead.
fourteen days or forty bob, the bally rag Chiefly used
don't even mention it. I shall turn by women in England. Introduced
by
teetotal '....' Has that bally Ptolemy the then Princess of Wales.
'
Commonly
'

won, d'ye know? What price did he called to fringe the hair.
'
start at ? . . . 'If you had been born An American lady has written :
'
If for
17
 Bang Mary Banyan Day

a few brief hours of triumphant bang you comic since the time of Grimaldi.
are willing to undergo a long night of An evasion of the '
ist and invention of
'

anguish, roll three rows of these wooden a friendly term at the same time. Said
fire-crackers in your
perfumed tresses.'
to be a trouvaille by the Prince of Wales,
D. N., 21st October 1886. who brought banjo orchestras into
The man who bangs his hair hasn't
out his brains, even fashion, being a banjoey himself.
enough sense to blow
ifhe possessed any. N. Y. Commerc. Bank Up, To (N. Country coal
Advertiser. districts). To complete,
more than to
This fashion at last gave way (1895) complete referring to building up a
'
bands covering the
'
to undulated huge fire, e.g., 'Us sooped yell till
forehead, and, more fashionably, also niight, an' then us poot away room !

the ears. Then we banked up with a jolly dance

Bang Mary
English cook's translation of 'bain
Marie', the small saucepans within
another saucepan of boiling water, an
apparatus devised by a French cook
(Kitchen). The and the tykes did go it.'
The Helston Flora Day or 'Furry
Day' was a go-as-you-please sort of
festivity, where people danced in the
streets, waltzed in and out each other's
'

named Marie. This obvious simplifica- doors,and hilariously banked up these '

tion of French is a good example of the entertainments by holding a bird show

vulgar habit of fitting foreign words to
well-known English ones of something
like similar sound (' folk-etymology ').
Bang through the Elephant
(Low London). A finished course of
dissipation, as thus
into elephant's trunk, abbrev. to
elephant.
'You're no fool, don't you know,
you're up to slum been right bang;
and running foot races. D. T., 20th
August 1896.
Banker Chapel Ho (E. London).
Whitechapel, and, in another shape,
vulgar language. The word got in
: drunk rhymed this way. In the first place, it is a
ludicrous Italian translation Bianca,
white; cappella, chapel = White Chapel.
Then Anglicization entering in, the
first word got into Banker and the ' '

through the elephant.' second back into Chapel, with the

Bang Up (Low London).
'
First- addition of the rousing and cheery
Bang probably from
'

class, superior. 'Oh!' 'Ah, Mrs Dicks, but you

the commanding cry of a cannon or
'
know the force of the sweet Italian
gun, while up is always an aspiring
'

quotation "Giotto Cimabue di Fra

' '
" '

adverb, or even verb. However, bang Angelico in Sistine To which !

Mrs D
'

may be a vivid translation of bien ', originally from the district,

,

an exclamation certainly used at the might reply

'
Now, Ned, there's a
:

court of Charles II. good feller, none o'

your Banker Chapel
Bang up to the Elephant (London,
1882). Perfect, complete, unapproach-
'
Bant, To (Soc., 1860 on). To reduce
Elephant and
'
able.
'
The Elephant ( stoutness. From the name Banting '
',
Castle Tavern,' South London), had for that of a very fashionable funeral
years been the centre of South London undertaker, who reduced himself many
tavern-life when (1882) Jumbo, an stones by the use of non-fat-producing
exceptionally large elephant at the food. He had a whale-bone frame
Zoological Gardens, became popular made to fit his once large waistcoats
through certain articles in the D. T. and coats, and wore the whole over his
The public were pleased to think reduced size removing this armour to
Jumbo refused to leave England and
produce a full effect.
the gardens for America. He, how- The Globe Dime under Meehan and
ever, did ultimately, with no emotion, Wilson has not been behind its neigh-
leave behind him this bit of passing boiirs in furnishing attractive novelties,
English. leading off with John Craig, a champion
of obesity, who has banted down to a
'
The fly flat thinks himself so blooming
' '

sharp, so right bang up to the elephant, net weight of 758 pounds avoirdupois.
that he's got an idea that no sharper N. Y. Mercury, 13th January 1885.
would ever try to take him on.' No
Banyan Day (Middle-class).
Banian Day. See Banyan Day. meat only
;
'
bread and cheese and
'

Banjoeys (Soc., 90's). Banjoists. kisses through twenty-four hours. Of

A happy application of the comic joey course from India and the Army, the
18
 Barbecue
cooling banyan suggesting that all the
rupees went yesterday.
If the actor has been taking the M.P.
unawares on banyan day, when there
wasn't enough cold meat to go round, I
certainly think he owes him an apology.
Ref., 25th February 1882.
In Devonshire the word is even
applied to scrappy, tawdry dressing,
e.g.
,
What a banyan sight to be sure
'
(The word must be pronounced as a
spondee).
Those were the halcyon days of British
industries. The banyan days have been
with the miners since then, and seem
2nd May 1886.
likely to stay. Ref.,
They told me that
Wednesdays, and Fridays, the ship's
company had no allowance for meat,
and that these meagre days were called
banyan days, the reason of which they
did not know but I have since learned
;
they take their denomination from a
sect of devotees in some parts of the
East Indies, who never taste
Smollett, Roderick Random, ch. xxv.
' '
is sometimes used for the
Banyan
skin.
The hour found him beastly
first
drunk the second, robbed and stripped
;
to his banyan. Rattlin the Reefer,
ch. xliii.
Barbecue (Old English}. Any
animal, bird, or large fish cooked
whole, without cutting, from beard
(barbe) to tail (queue).
The triumphal procession of a band of
music, to welcome Mrs Langtry, was a
comparatively ancient device smacking
somewhat of both the circus and the
institution known in America as a
'
barbecue (a festival where a bullock or
'
sheep is roasted entire, set to music).
Newsp. Gutting.
In the United States the word now
represents a noisy political meeting.
I they announce a big, old-
see
fashioned barbecue to be given next
week by the Brooklyn Democrats, at
which Cleveland and Hendricks, Presi-
dential candidates, are to participate.
This barbecue holdin' used to be a very
popular form of political excitement in
the olden time. Newsp. Gutting.
The barbecue was announced as a
'
Monster Democratic Kally ', and A
Grand Political Carnival and Ox-Roast '.
Newsp. Cutting.
Barber's Cat (Peoples'}. A skinny
man. Perhaps a corruption of bare
brisket ', also used for a thin fellow
the brisket being the thinnest part of
beef,
Barmy
Barclay Perkins (Peoples'). Stout
From the brewing firm Barclay,
Perkins & Co.
Barg-es (Peoples',
1884). Imita- c.
tion which
breasts, arrived from
France, and prevailed for about four
years. Named probably from their
likeness to the wide prow of canal-
!
'
Bark up a wrong- Tree (American,
e.g., 19 cent.}. Mr Rees, an American
etymologist, says :
This is a very common expression at
the West. It originated, as many of
these vulgarisms do, from very
simple
on Mondays, causes. In hunting, a dog drives a
racoon, as he imagines, up a certain tree,
at the foot of which he keeps
up a
constant barking, by which he attracts
the attention of his master, who vainly
looks on the tree indicated. While
endeavouring to find the animal he dis-
covers it on another tree, from which it
flesh. escapes and gets beyond his reach.
Hence the phrase To bark up the wrong
'
tree'. It has become general in its
application, denoting that a person has
mistaken his object, or pursuing the
wrong cause to obtain it, etc.
Barkisis Willin' (Peoples', 1850).
Form of proposal of marriage, still
very
popular in lower-middle classes. From
Dickens' David Gopperfield, ch. v.
'Ah,' he said, slowly turning his eyes
towards me. 'Well, if you was writin'
to her p'raps you'd recollect to say that
Barkis was willin 1
would you ?
:
'
Characters hardly less distinguishable
for truth as well as oddity are the kind
old nurse and her husband, the carrier,
whose vicissitudes alike of love and
mortality are condensed into three words
since become part of universal speech,
Barkis is willin Foster, Life of Dickens,
.
vol. in., p. 18.
In cross-examination she said that the
drinking fits usually occurred when Mr
Dunn was from home. She did not
think that the Walls were fit company
for Mrs Dunn. Mr Wall did not pay the
witness any attention. Mrs Wall wanted
to force her son on the witness, but she
resented it. Sir C. Russell Waa :
'
"Barkis willing "? 'The witness: 'No.'
(Laughter.) Dunn v. Dunn & Wall,
' 30th January 1888.
Barmy (Peoples'). Generally a
bitbarmy', rather mad, 'cracked'.
From St Bartholomew, the patron
'
saint of mad people. The pronuncia-
tion of the saint's name was Barthelemy
passing into Bartlemy (cf. Bartlemy
Fair), and Barmy became the final
19
 Barn
form, e.g., 'The family has always
been a bit barmy in the crumpet.'
(Why crumpet should stand for head
so far, beyond discovery. )
is,
Barn. A public ball-room ; pro-
bably because one of the last of the
London garden ball-rooms was High-
bury Barn, North London. (See
Earner.)
Barn - stormers (Theatrical, 18
cent. on). Inferior actors who play
in barns. Used, of course, in scorn by
those comedians who have reached
permanent footlights. The term has
now almost passed away in consequence
of the enormous increase in the number
of theatres which now exist, even in
The 'barn-
the smallest towns.
stormers' hire a barn near a village,
and there give their performance
frequently of Shakespeare.
Miss Helen Bancroft, who recently
played in this city, was announced as
with a barn-storming company. N. Y.
Mercury, 1883.
Barner (North London, 1860-80).
A ' roaring blade, a fast man of North
'
London ; from Highbury Barn, one of
those rustic London gardens which
became common casinos. The term
remained until the Barn was swept
away for building purposes.
Barneries (Strand, 1887). Last
outcome of S. Kensington exhibitions
ending in '-ries '.
Considerable commotion ensued at the
Adelphi Stores, Strand, on account of
the new proprietress, Miss Barnes, being
resented with a testimonial. Miss B.
E as already won favour in her new
venture, and it is thought the 'Barneries'
will be much affected by the profession.
Ref., 20th February 1887.
Barney(L. Eng.}. A
quarrel, row,
generally of an innocuous character.
Then Selby runs out, and goes into the
lodging-house to get another knife, but
I stops him, and the barney was all over,
but aswe was agoing along to the
hospital up comes a copper. People,
6th January 1895.
Baron George
(S. London, 1882).
A portly man. This term was derived
from the Christian name of a Mr George
Parkes, a portly theatrical lessee in
S. London, who came to be called
Baron George; e.g., 'He's quite the
'
Baron George !
Barrel of Salt, To take with a
(American). To accept under reserve,
20
Bash
with incredulity. From the Latin
phrasecum grano salts.
He is therefore to be taken with a
barrel of salt.
Newsp. Cutting.
Barrel of Treacle (Low London).
The condition of love, suggested by
the sweetness of this cloying synonym.
Ton our sivey, we don't want to poke
fun at chaps who've fallen into that
barrel of treacle called love, and make
up to their little lumps of soap in the
operpro sort of way, and no blooming
kid. Newsp. Gutting, 1883.
Barrered (Low Life). A corruption
of harrowed, from to barrow or put in
a barrow, not that of the gardener
but of the coster. Distinct from
'shettered' (q.v.), intimating that the
drunken gentleman was removed by
his friends and not by the police
e.g., ;
'Which mum, we 'ad to barrer 'im 'ome.
He
were too that 'eavy to carry.' In
St Giles the highest shapes of in-
' '
voluntary locomotion is wheeled (in
a cab) then follows barrered then
the declension is reached in ' shettered '
(shuttered). This term is passing
away with the shutters themselves.
Barrikin (Com. London). Barking,
chatter.
Let 'em say what they like, and howl
themselves dotty. Their barrikin only
makes 'em thirsty, and when they've got
hot coppers through chucking the
barrikin out too blooming strong they go
in for a little quiet booze themselves,
make no error. Newsp. Cutting.
Barrister's (Thieves'). A thieves'
coffee-house, derived from a celebrated
host of this name.
The witness remarked that he could
not waste his time and Richards said
;
he could not make out where he was,
and he would go to the barrister's and
' '
look for him. (The witness explained,
amid a roar of laughter, that a bar- '
rister's' was a slang term for a coffee-
house frequented by thieves.) Cutting.
Baseball (American, 1880 on).
Small, insignificant. Sometimes heard
in Liverpool. Suggested by the small
size of the ball in question.
Yesterday a Mercury reporter saw
Heer within the prison walls. As he
stepped into the corridor from his cell he
evinced some nervousness, and stroked a
' '
baseball moustache faintly perceptible
on his upper lip, with his cigarette-
stained fingers. N. Y. Mercury, 1880.
Bash (Thieves', 1870). To beat
heavily with the fist only. Probably
the most modern onomatope the
 Basher Bayreuth Hush

word doubtless being an attempt to of Bath, and took

away with him to the
vocalize thesound made by a fist front a bountiful supply of Bath Olivers.
striking full in the face.
He sent home for a further supply, which
This real lady said, I ain't any the
' Lady Roberts took with her when she
went to join him. It is not every one who
wuss for being able to take my own part,
has heard of the Oliver. It is a biscuit,
and I should think myself very small
and owes its name to the celebrated
beer, and no kid, if I couldn't bash any Dr
dona in our court.' Oliver, a Bath physician, and the
Newsp. Gutting. friend of Pope, Warburton, and other
Women susceptible and nervous
of
eighteenth century notabilities. When
temperaments are asked to come to on his death-bed, the doctor called for
theatres and see for themselves how they
'
his coachman, and gave him the recipe
hocuss and bash people at low river-
'

for the biscuits, ten sacks of flour, and a

side houses. Cutting.
Mr Chaplin '
hundred sovereigns. The lucky fellow
Bless me, yes
: Didn't !
started making and selling the biscuits
you know that he had offered Greenwood, in a small shop in Green Street, Bath.
of The Telegraph, a Civil List
pension if And there they are made and sold to
he would get Lord Randolph "bashed"
and dropped into the Thames?' Re/.,
this day. M. A. P., 19th May 1900.
1882. Batter through (Peoples'). To
Basher (Mod. Low. Lond.). A struggle, beat thro', from French
name applied to low fighting rowdies battre, to beat, probably used in the
time of Charles II. ; e.g., ' He battered
paid to bruise and damage. '

The villain of the and the through the part somehow !

piece
'bashers', or hireling assassins, are Batty-fang (Low London). To thrash
supposed to carry on their trade un- thoroughly. Evidently battre a Jin.
checked in Ratcliffe Highway and But how it passed into English, or
Wapping. whence it came, unless from the heated
Basket of Oranges (Australian, court of Charles II., it would be
difficult to say.
passing to England).
Pretty woman.
A metaphor founded on another Baub(Cockney, 19 cent.). One of
metaphor the basket of oranges being the commonestmodes of evasively
a phrase for a
discovery of nuggets of referring to the Deity modes in which
gold in the gold fields. One of the some idea of the original word, either
few flashes of new in length, syllable, or letters, or even
language from
rhyme, is to be traced ; e.g., S'elp me
' '
Australasia e.g., She's a basket of
;

oranges fit for any man's table.' Baub, I didn't go for to do it.' How-
Bastile (Street, 18 cent. on).
Any ever, the word really comes from
place of detention, but generally a Catholic England, and is 'babe'
prison or a workhouse. More meaning the infant Saviour.
Baudinguet (Parisian). A nick-
'

commonly Steel '. The horror of the

Bastile felt by all Frenchmen in the name given to Prince Napoleon in 1848,
18th century spread to
England, and from the name of the mason who aided
the name was associated with the Prince to escape from Ham, where
oppres-
sion. The
word was particularly he was imprisoned. It stuck to
applied to Cold Bath Fields prison, Napoleon III. even to 1870, when a
Clerkenwell, which was called 'The war correspondent at Sarbriick (July
Steel' until its final fall about 1890. 1870) asked a soldier if he knew whether
The last new application of this word the emperor had arrived. The reply
was (1870) to the Peabody was '
Oui Baudinguet est arrive.'
:
Buildings ;

for
working men, erected in the Bayreuth Hush (Soc., 1890).
Black Friars Road, London. It was Intense silence. From the noiseless-
the of these buildings, which have
first ness of the opera house at Bayreuth
long since been accepted and even (Bavaria) when a Wagner festival is
battled for by about to commence.
working people. But
at first the If it cannot be said that the peculiar
prejudice was
very marked.
The term has not been order of stillness known as the Bayreuth '

applied since
hush' made itself felt in the Covent
Bath Oliver Garden opera house last evening, yet
(W. Eng., 18 cent. on). there is no denying the spirit of expecta-
A biscuit with a historical character.
tion and attention in which a full
'Bobs' fights on 'Bath Olivers'. audience brought itself to the opening
Shortly before leaving for the Cape he performance of the long-expected Ring
paid a visit to his sister, Mrs Sherston,
cycle.Z?. T., 7th June 1898.
21
 Bazaar Rumour Beaner

Bazaar Rumour (Army, 1882 Beak (Low London, 18 and 19 cent.).

on). Doubtful news. Equivalent to A magistrate. Probably from lawyers,
'

Hamburg '. The result of the Egyptian
occupation, referring to native news
spread through the bazaars of Cairo.
I am able to contradict on official
authority the statement published in
as Thackeray has somewhere remarked,
being celebrated for a vast expanse of
aquiline nose. Mr Gr. A. Sala (D. T.,
28th July 1896), urges a different
origin :

London that there was a bazaar rumour Acontributor to Notes and Queries
that the Mahdi and his followers were
states that Hookey Walker was a
marching on Dongola. D. N., 10th
magistrate of much-dreaded acuteness
November 1884. and incredulity, whose Roman nose gave
Bazaar'd (Soc., 1882). Robbed. the title of
'
beak to
'
all his successors.
From the extortion exercised by remorse- The term derived from the Anglo-
is
ladies at Saxon beag ', a necklace or collar worn
'
less, smiling English
bazaars. Applied everywhere. Re- as an emblem of authority. Sir John
placed, 'rooked' in society; e.g., 'I Fielding, half-brother of the novelist,
was awfully bazaar'd at San down.' was known as the 'blind beak', and he
A died in 1780, sixty years before the cry
gentleman coming home from a '

Hookey Walker became popular.

'
of
bazaar met a highwayman, who accosted
him with the professional formula of Beak-hunter (Thieves'). Annexer
'Your money or your life.' 'My dear of poultry.
sir,' said the gentleman, 'I should be Bean-eater (New York}. term A
most happy to give you my money if I of scorn for a citizen of Boston, refer-
had any, but I have just been to a
bazaar. '< The at once ring to the former Sunday custom
highwayman observed by some Bostonians of accept-
acknowledged the force of this argument,
and further was so touched by the ing for dinner on that day cold belly
circumstances that he offered the victim of pork, and colder beans. (See Stars
a small contribution. Newsp. Cutting. and Stripes.)
Beach-comber (Nautical}. A pirate, Circus tricks circus tricks you bean-
! !

a beach-loafer, or a yachting tourist. eaters Can't you tell when a feller's

!

In its earlier shape it referred to the a-dying: Gutting.

pirate who made a landing and swept Beanfeast (Peoples'}. A treat.
up all he could that is, he 'combed Used generally in reference to enjoy-
the beach '. The pirate being quite ments, and derived from the yearly
dead in the Western Seas, this sense of feast of employees in factories and
the term is now only applied in the shops, of which much of the expense
East, and generally to the Chinese is borne by the employer. Originally
marin d'industrie. The use of the the treat consisted of broad beans and
word in its earlier meaning is some- boiled bacon, which must have been a
times figurative, especially on the great delight when few green vegetables
American coast, e.g., 'I was beach- were obtainable throughout winter.
combed out of every red cent.' In its Oh, it was quite a beanfeast only one
later sense the word means a globe- mouse [= black-eye]. Cutting.
trotter, or rather a beach -trotter, who Sometimes it is used satirically to
travels only on land within easy denote a riot, e.g., 'What a bean-
'

distance of his wandering yacht. feast !

parallel with the American
It would be better to enter the army '
'.
picnic
from the ranks, or to go gold-mining in
Beano (Peoples'). Great rejoicing.
Chiapas, or try ivory and Central Africa, From bean-feast, reduced to bean, with
or even to be a beach-comber in some
insular paradise of the Southern Seas, the ever rejoicing o added. (See Boyno. )
It may be a connected coalition with
which, as Mr Stevenson is showing, is
the best kind of lotus-eating life left to
'
bueno
'
common in London Docks
mankind. D. N., llth February 1891. being Lingua Franca.
Probably Mr Stevenson would not be
'
One day last week I said '
Good-bye !

displeased at the title of a literary beach- To my kids, my wife, and home,

comber. D. N., 27th December 1890. I met some pals, and away we went
Beadles (American). People of For a beano by the foam.
' '

Virginia ; probably from their high, Cutting, 1897.

old-fashioned behaviour, which the Beaner (Peoples'}. Chastisement.
' '
Northerner associates with that ex- To give beans is to inflict punish-
piring church functionary. ment, a phrase derived from boys
22
 Beanpea Beef-a-la-Mode

beating each other with a collection of A hook -shaped curl, after the
flat
horse-beans in the foot of a sock. The Spanish manner, gummed on each
word 'beaner' is sometimes used temple, and made of the short temple
ironically, calling something agreeable hair, spelt sometimes bow-catcher. It
which is quite otherwise, e.g., 'That's is synonymous with Kiss curl'. Now
'

a beaner that
Beanpea (London
coalescing of B and P (q.v.) into one
word, the d being dropped. Doubtless
the outcome of time, and the droll idea
of combining the two vegetables which
come in almost at the same time.
Still hastily, too hastily, applied to
effeminate youths. The case was
thrown out of Court when it came
before Lord Chief-Justice Cockburn.
Beans.
Sovereigns. Possibly a
corruption of bien (a sovereign being
'
'
is ! obsolete on this side of the Pyrenees.
Streets). A Beaver-tail (Mid. -class, 1860). A
feminine mode of wearing the back-
hair, turned up loose in a fine thread
net (called 'invisible') which fell well
on to the shoulders. When the net is
now worn, generally by lazy girls of
the people, it is fixed above the neck.
Obviously from the shape of the netted
hair to a beaver's flat and com-
paratively shapeless tail. The well-
marked fashion in hair for the people's
women folk which followed was the
' '

certainly a bien '). But it may be a Piccadilly Fringe (q.v.).

Bedder (Oxford- 1 er'). Bedroom.
market-gardeners' trade phrase. But
if so, why beans ? not straw- Why Bedford Go (Tavern, 1835-60). A
berries, or asparagus, or some other of peculiar oily chuckle usually accom-
'

the more valuable products ? panied by the words, I b'lieve yer my

Drunk. bu-o-oy.' From the style of Paul
Be-argered (Peoples'}.
The '

argered
'
is
'

argumentative ', a Bedford, an actor for many years with

drunken man being commonly full, not Wright, at the old Adelphi. Bedford
only of beer, but also of argument. always was famous for his chuckle,
Beast (Fowls', 1870). A but he raised it to fame in connection
bicycle
the with the above credo, uttered in the
first endearing metaphor bestowed
this locomotive. Used in no way celebrated melodrama, The Green
upon
Bushes. (See Joey, 0. Smith.)
derogatively, but as though a horse a
hunter. Bee (American). An industrious
(See Bone-shaker, Craft,
Crock.) But, as time went on and the meeting as quilting, or apple-
' '
byke became a power, it ceased to be gathering.
associated with a mere animal One day the boys over in the Bend
by ;
had a hanging bee and invited us to
1897 no term could be too distinguished
come down and see a chap swing for his
by which to designate the all-conquer- crimes. Detroit Free Press, January
ing machine. 1883.
Beat-up (Soc., 19 cent.). To call Beef A bawl or
(Theatrical, 1880).
upon unceremoniously from beating-
Probably the career of this word
;
yell.
up game, which is certainly not treated is 'bull bellow beef, 'the last word
with politeness when wanted, e.g.,
'
elegantly suggesting the declaration of
I'll beat you up on Monday, or when a noisy bull.
I can.' (See Stir up, Have out.)
At the back was the musical box, and
Beau A man of fashion
(Peoples'). an obliging hammer-wholloper beefed
early18 century, of course direct the names of the different squallers and
from the French, and evidently from bawlers as they slung on the boards.
' '
est il beau ? for before homme ' it '

Cutting.
changes its formation un bel homme
' '
: ! Beef ( Clare Market extinct). Cat's
Johnson says,
'
A man whose great meat, e.g., 'Give me my mouser's one
care is to deck his person.' Still used d. of beef.'
in country places. What a beau ye '
Beef a Bravo (Music-hall). To
be, Tummis '
Earliest classic!use by bellow, bravo like a bull, in order to
Dryden, What will not beaux attempt who
'
lead the applause for a friend has
to please the fair Swift says, You ?
' '

just left the stage.

will become the delight of nine ladies Beef-a-la-Mode (Com. London).
in ten, and the envy of ninety-nine Stewed beef called d-la-mode on the
beaux in a hundred.' Never now lucus a non lucendo principle for it is
heard in towns. (See Spark. ) not a fashionable dish. It came from
Beau-catcher (Peoples', 1854-60). Paris, where, in the days of sign-
23
 Beef-heads or Cow-boys Behind Yourself

boards, a restaurant where this dish some of the old

nobility would be inclined
was sold showed the sign of a bullock to agree with his denunciation of the
seated in clothes of fashion. 'beerage' for other reasons Newsp.
You can swill yourselves out with beef-
Cutting.
d-la-mode, as toffs call it, for two d., Beer-bottle (Street}. A stout, red-
or you can indulge in the aristocratic faced man.
sausage and mashed and half-a-pint of Beer-eaters (19 cent.}. A great
pongelow all for four d. Cutting. consumer of beer, one who more than
Beef-heads or Cow-boys (Ameri- drinks it who lives on it.
can). People of Texas and the West The Norwaygiansarea fine and a sturdy
of U.S.A. from the general employ- race, but not at all like I had imagined
ment of the inhabitants being the them, after all I had read about Sigurd
and Sintram and Sea-egg-fried, and the
harrying of cattle.
Beef-headed. Cattle be- Beerseekers, who must not be confounded
Stupid. with a race peculiar to London, found
ing heavy, stolid, and torpid.
mainly upon licensed premises, and dis-
Beef-tugging (City). Eating cook- tinguished among their kind as the Beer-
shop meat, not too tender, at lunch- eaters. Ref., 21st August 1887.
time. Dinner is not clerkly known in
Beer - juggers (Amer. Miner's}.
the E.G. district as occurring between
Bar-women.
1 and 2 P.M.
The only busy people in the place were
Been and gone and done it the wife of the pianist, who sat by him
(Peoples'). Very general mode of say- industriously sewing, and the women
ing that the speaker has got married, who sold drink. These latter are called
N.B. gone is in this relation generally beer-juggers, and fill a large place in the
pronounced 'gorne'. evening life of the miner. Journey '
Marius and Florence St John have Round the World :
'
of LEADVILLE.
'been and gorne and done it' at last. D. N., October 1883.
The registrar of hatches, matches, and Beer O The cry when
! (Trades).
dispatches has tied what for them is the an artisan does a something, or omits
'dissoluble' knot. Newsp. Cutting. to do a something, the result of which
Been there (Amer.-Eng., 1870). in either case being a fine to be paid
Had experience; e.g., 'Thank 'ee in pongelow. The exclamation is
no betting ; I've been there.' taken up by the whole shop, or rather
Some reasons why I left off drinking was, as the custom is now obsolete.
whiskey, by one who has been there. Beetroot Mug (Street). A red
Paper in Philadelphia, Sat. Ev. Post, face
1877.
passed for many years into Ally
He wants a man who understands his Sloper, a character in comic fiction
since 1870, invented by Charles Ross,
case, who sympathises with him, who
has been there himself, and who will a humorist of the more popular kind.
give him a vent for his emotions at a Before the War (Soc. 1880). From ,

reasonable rate per line. N. York Puck, America. A new shape of ' the good
14th September 1883. old times'. Whenever a ganache in
Beer and Skittles A the U.S.A. wants to condemn the
(Peoples').
synonym for pleasure; e.g., 'Ah, Joe, present he compares it with the time
if a bloke's life was beer and
all 'before the War (1860-65)'.
skittles we shouldn't be doing time.'
'
How beautiful the moon is to-night !
'

But life on a yacht is not all beer and remarked an American belle to her lover,
' '
as they spooned in the open. Yes,
skittles,nor is it always afternoon. '

There the dreadful morning time,

is
was the reply but you should have
;
'
seenit before the war Newsp. Cutting.
when the crew begin to stir on deck, !

and earthquake and chaos seem to have Begorra, also By Jabers (Irish).
come. D. N., 22nd August 1885. Solemn Irish oaths. Both words have
(Soc. , 1 9 cent. A satirical been adopted by common English folk.
Beerage ).

rendering of peerage, referring to the Spoken Yes, by jabers he's the best ;

brewery lords, chiefly of the great
houses of Allsopp and of Guinness.
Dr Edwards as a temperance worker
had some very strong things to say a few
months ago on the subject of the en-
noblement of rich brewers. Of course
boy that ever was. Sure he's shown such
powers of discernment ever since the
first day he was born, that begorra he
knows more now than ever I've forgotten.
Newsp. Cutting.
Behind Yourself (Peoples' 1896 on). ,

he opposed it on moral grounds, but Too far behind, quite in the rear, far
24
 BeJiindativeness Ben

from absolutely up to date.
of Too previous; e.g., 'What you
thought to-day was Thursday ? Why,
it's Saturday afternoon.
Antithesis round the cat's neck, that they might be
apprized of her coming. The Earl of
Angus replied that he would bell the
cat which he accordingly did, and was
You're behind :

ever after called Archibald Bell-Cat.

yourself, man, and a deal at that.'
Belle a croquer (Soc., 1860). Beauti-
Behindativeness (Soc., 1888).
Referring to the dress pannier one
ful enough to command desire. Dating
of the shapes with which fashion is for
second French Empire, it lasted into
ever varying the natural outline of the 1883, in English Society, becoming in
'

feminine frame; e.g., 'That lady has lower circles beller- croaker '.
It possesses the further advantage of
got a deal of behindativeness.'
Belcher (Sporting, 19 cent.). A being blue enough to make a blonde
belle cl croquer, and yet not too blue to
handkerchief pattern, round spots,
make her darker sister look as delightful
light or dark upon a dark or light as Nature meant her. Newsp. Gutting,
ground. From a prize-fighter, Jim 1883.
Belcher, who always carried into the Bellering Cake (School). Cake in
ring a wiping handkerchief of this which the plums are so far apart that
kind. After Belcher's the
time, they have to beller (bellow) when they
'belcher' split up into colours, every wish to converse.
prize-fighter having his own tints. Belly-washer (Amer. Saloon).
Belcher's original was white spots on Lemonade or aerated water. (See
dark blue ground. Until quite recent
Rattle-belly-ppp.)
years, a spotted neck-tie was called a Bellywengins (E. Anglian, chiefly
Belcher : now called a ' moon-tie '. A violent of
Suffolk). corruption
At one time belchers were made of
' '
'
a cruel comment
that pattern which is affected in that belly- vengeance ',
upon the sour village beer of those
spotty coat which Mr H. B. Con way
sports in The Widow Hunt. regions.
Entr'acte,
June 1885. Belt (Anglo-American). To assault.
To. To make little of.
From the army, where the belt was
Belittle,
often used for aggressive purposes.
An old word not found in most
but brought into fresh Mrs who saw her approaching,
Tice,
dictionaries, '
said There comes that old maid belt
by Mr Joseph Chamberlain,
:
use in 1898 ;

her.' Newsp. Cutting.

who about this time frequently used it.
Belt Case, The (Soc.). A symbol
Our whole policy has been belittled for years of wearisome tardiness. From
and ridiculed by the men who, when
a celebrated libel case, Belt v. Lawes
they were in office, kept our Colonies at which lasted on and off for
arms' length. Mr J. Chamberlain, 8th (1882),
December 1898. weeks.
The hard-won victories he gained in It is more interminable than the Belt
the old times are belittled and made case. D. N., 25th October 1883.
nothing of. Sun, 6th December 1899. Ben (Theatrical, 19 cent.). Short
Bell the Cat ( Peoples'). To risk the for 'benefit' 'benefit' never being
lead. Still used without any real used under any consideration by any
knowledge of its origin, but with self-respecting actor when speaking in
thorough comprehension of its applica- the profession. 'Benefit' succeeded
tion, e.g., 'Yes, but who'll tell him
'

bespeak ', which was in use when

she's no good who'll bell the cat? Dickens wrote Nicholas Nickleby.
Some of us know he's got a bunch of Ben 1880). fib, a tarra-
(Soc., A
fives.' diddle. history of this word is
The
The proverb is of Scottish origin, and fortunately preserved. well-known A
was thus occasioned The Scottish
: Italian proverb was converted into
nobility entered into a combination Se non e vero e Benjamin trovato.
against a person of the name of Spence, The 'Ben' was too evident to be
the favourite of King James III. It
resisted. Hence a fib was described
was proposed to go in a body to Stirling
as a Benjamin Trovato, passing into
to seize Spence and hang him ; then to
offer their services to the king, as his
Ben Trovato, then Ben Tro, and
natural counsellors upon which the Lord
;
finally Ben, whence it has got fatally
'

Gray observed, It is well said, but who

'
confounded with ben ', the abbrev.
'
will bell the cat ? alluding to the fable of 'benefit'.
of the mice, who proposed to put a bell The papers were rampant as to the
25
 Ben-cull Best Eye Peeled

Czar's forty thousand dollar diamonds, up north. It is common to sailors

and Modjeska's jewellery was one of the '
over the ditch '.
attractions of the season. Perhaps this There was a distant rumbling and
story isn't true. Anyway, it will do to groaning, as if old Vesuvius was on a
go into the Benjamin Trovato series. bender. Newsp. Gutting.
Ref., 29th March 1885. In England the Bender is the elbow.
Here is a little story which, if not
(See Over the Bender. )
true, ought to be, for it is at least of
the Benjamin order. Newsp. Gutting. Bengal Blanket (Anglo-Ind., 19
cent.). Used by soldiers who have
Ben-cull (Thieves'). A friend. Ben been in India to describe the sun ; e.g.,
is from the Hatton Garden Italian '
Yere's a London May fifteen days,
bene. and I ain't seen a corner o' Bengal
Bench Winner (Soc. ). A dog which Blanket what a climate ' !
(See Blue
has won many prizes at dog-shows Blanket.)
from the exhibits being placed upon Benjamin (Maritime, 19 cent.). A
benches. sailor'sblue jacket, larger than the
The result is a series of paintings very ' '

monkey jacket which barely passes

aptly termed
'
A
dog show on canvas and the hip-bones. It was the merciful
paper', for not only are all the Koyal invention of a Hebrew sailors' -tailor on
favourites represented, but there is
Portsmouth Hard. The grateful tars
scarcely a bench winner of note not
included. D. T., llth February 1897. appear to have given the name of this
The hounds are the property of Mr watcher of their winter comforts to the
Edwin Brougb, who has devoted himself garment he invented. The word is
to bloodhound breeding. It has been now in general use for a jacket of
Mr Brough's practice not only to breed dark-blue or black cloth made long
for bench points, but to train his animals and fitting to the figure. Generally
to exercise those peculiar faculties with called an Upper Benjamin '.
'
Sailors
which they have been endowed by also call the rare nautical waistcoat a
nature. D. N., 10th October 1888.
'Benjy'. Probably this was another
Bench Points (London). Ascer- invention, used in the diminutive form
tained and classified physical advan- of the beneficent Benjamin.
tages. From show animals, especially Benjo (Sailors', 1 9 cent. ). A riotous
dogs, being exhibited on benches. holiday, a noisy day in the streets,
Applied also to women, e.g., 'Her probably from 'ben', or buen giorno;
bench points were perfect, but I e.g.,
'
Jim's out on a benjo.'
shouldn't like a wife of her build.' Beong (Thieves'). A shilling pro-
'
'
Bend the Filbert (Low, 18 cent.).
o' bably a form of the French bien ;

A bow or nod, filbert being elegantly for indeed a shilling is very well when
substituted for the 'nob' or 'nut', coppers only are, as a rule, ours.
both signifying head. Bermondsey Banger (London). A
She gives him a bend o' the filbert as society-leader among the South London
much as to crack 'ight-ri, its oper-pro tanneries. He must frequent The '

for your nibs, you can take on '. Cutting. prepared to hold his own,
Star', be
The above describes a serio-comic and fight at all times for his social
belt.
lady accepting by a nod, while acting
or singing, the attentions of an Bespeak (Theatrical, 1830-50). A
admirer. performance for the benefit of an actor
or actress. The name took its rise
Bender (London). A sixpenny
called from the rapidity
so
from the patrons called upon by the
piece ;
beneficiare at the country theatre, giv-
with which this coin wears thin, and
This was ing a comparative consensus of opinion
thereupon easily bends.
as to the piece in which the applicant
especially the case thirty years since. It was superseded by
should appear.
Bender (Anglo- Amer.). E.g., 'Three A
'
'benefit', which yielded to 'ben'.
sailors on a bender,' on a drunken
good deal concerning bespeaks may be
i.e.,
spree.' Possibly a conception of a found in Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby.
'Bon Dieu' used exclamatorily='My Best Eye Peeled (Amer.). A figure
' ' '

eye or Good heavens or it may be

of speech for extreme alacrity.
! !

from some Spanish word adopted by I tell you a driver on one of those
Texas cow-boys after that State was vane has got to keep his best eye peeled
wrested from Mexico (1845), creeping every minute. Newsp. Gutting.
26
 Bet yer Sweet Life Big Beck

Bet yer sweet life (Amer.-EngL). To this, one venerable old gentleman
Perfect assurance, complete conviction. in the circle responded that he could now
'Ob, no, certainly not,' said Mr Jones, see around him daily his friends who had
smiling blandly. 'There are ups and gone to the beyond, and that if he is
downs in theatrical life ; can't always riding in a street car and it is not
crowded, they enter and sit beside and
opposite him. N. Y. Mercury, April
1885.
said Mr Lunk emphatically. 1884. A new form
Beweep (1898). of
Bet you a million to a bit of dirt 'weep' brought in by the Tzar of
(Sporting, 19 cent.}. The thing is so'
Kussia (20th May 1898) in a telegram
sure that there can be no referring to the death of W. E.
uncertainty.
The betting man's Ultima Thule of Gladstone. It took the fashion at
confidence. once.
Bet your boots ( W. Amer}. Ab- The whole of the civilised world will
solutely safe betting the boots being beweep the loss of the great statesman
the most serious item of expense in the whose political views were so widely
Wild West uniform. humane and peaceful. (Signed) Nicholas.
'You bet', or 'you bet yer life', or Bianca Capellas (E. London). An
'

you bet yer bones ', while to bet yer

'

'
elegant evasion in describing White
boots confirmation strong as holy writ
is
Chapellers cigars understood ; a very
in the mines, at least. All the Year bad brand.
Round, October 1868. There was adjoining this a smoking-
Betty Martin : v. All my eye and room or salle d'attente, in which were
Betty Martin. some stale English papers and the odour
Between the Devil and the Deep of equally stale cigars, also English
Blue Sea. Scylla on the one side, veritable Bianca Capellas but of the
sort of thing that we wanted there was
Charybdis on the other between two
The phrase has no no sign whatever. Ref., 6th June 1886.
equal menaces.
meaning as it reads the devil and the Bible Mill (Com. London, 19 cent.}.
deep blue sea have no relation. May A public-house. An attack upon
this not be one of the Bible classes said of noisy talking in
:
frequent per-
versions of proper names to words well a tavern.
understood of the people? For in- Bible Class, Been to a (Printers'
stance, may it not refer to a couple A gentleman with two black
Satire}.
of French admirals or generals 'Deville'
eyes, got in a fight.
and Duplessy
' '
'Between Deville and
Duplessy' inferring disaster for the Bi-cameral (Polit., 1885). Two
middle party. The phrase is quite chambers, Lords and Commons. First
historical. heard in 1885 used satirically by the
I had to pay up there was Hook
'
opponents of a second chamber.
on one side, and Crook on the other Mr Labouchere complained that of
I was between the Devil and the Deep the sixteen members of the Cabinet
Blue Sea.' thirteen are peers, or the near kinsmen
He may indeed be said to be between of peers. This fact is an evil resulting
the devil and the deep sea victims alike from several causes. The first is the
of Kurd and Turk. Joseph Hatton, 6th bi-cameral system, to adopt the con-
February 1898. venient pedantry of Continental writers.
Bever (E. Anglian). A four o'clock D. N., 9th September 1885.
halt on the road for a drink. An Bi-cennoctury (Theatrical, 1870).
interesting word, evidently from the The two hundredth night of a run,
Norman conjugation of boire. (See with which explanation we leave this
Levenses. ) marvellous bit of etymology to the
Bexandebs (E. London, 18 cent. on). mercy of a critical world.
A young easy-go Jewess in the
Big Beck (Kent). A local oath,
Wentworth com-
Street district. A e.g., 'By the big beck'
heard only
bination of Becks (Rebeccas) and Debs in remote places. Probably refers to
(Deborahs), used satirically, e.g., 'The Thos. a Becket, and has come down
bexandebs are in full feather it's from his canonized bones. Sometimes
'
Pentecost Shobboth '
!
(still in Kent) By the Blessed Beck '.
Beyond, The (Amer. 1878). Heaven. (See More blue).
27
 Big Bird Billy-ho

Big Bird (Theatrical}. A

hissing This phrase is probably one of the
figurative reference to the goose (q.v.) few that filter down in the world
a figure in itself for hissing; e.g., from Oxford, where, in the 50's it was
'
Tom had the big bird last night, and the abbreviation of potentate. It
he is in bed this morning.' However, referred to a college don, or a social
this phrase sometimes has another magnate. It has remained per-
meaning. At the Britannia Theatre manently a peoples' phrase the pot
the audiences began (about 1860) to being associated with the noblest
compliment the accomplished villainy pewter in a public-house.
of the stage-villain by politely hissing '
Some of the failures you meet at the
him at the end of one act, to prove "York" will try to impress you with
how well he had played the scoundrel. the fact that the comic singers in receipt
This thoroughly indigenous E. London of big salaries have made their reputa-
fashion came West about 1878 where tion by means of "smut", and that if
it was heard, perhaps at the Princess' they (the unsuccessful ones) were to
resort to a similar method of gaining
for the first time. It has since spread,
the applause of audiences, the big pots
' '

notoriously to the Adelphi (when still would not be in it ".' Newsp. Cutting.
a dramatic house) and Drury Lane ;

but it has never become a W. London The 'York' is an hotel in the

institution. In the E., if the villain Waterloo Road, 8. London, where
did not get the 'big bird', he would music-hall people still meet.
consider that he was not on a par Billy born drunk (L. London). A
with Titus, and that he had lost his drunkard beyond the memory of his
day, or rather evening, and he might neighbours.
fear for the renewal of his engagement. He did not have 30 or 40 pots of beer
that day. He could do a good many, but
Big end of a month (Anglo- he was not going by the name of Billy '

American). born drunk '. People, 6th January 1895.

'The "big end of a month" is three
weeks. I heard a market man- speak of Billy-cock (Provincial). brimmed A
the "big end of a dozen" chickens.' low, felt hat ; a modern amelioration
of bully-cock, a term now having little
Big Heap (Amer. old mining or no meaning, e.g., Do you cock '

districts). Alarge sum of money

now current also in England. your hat at me, sir?' was the reply
to this challenge the cocking of the
Sam Adams had a ben. at the Pav. hat. Other authorities hold the word
on Thursday night, and I hope he's to refer to William III., and his mode
made a big heap out of it. Newsp.
of wearing the hat.
Cutting.

Big Numbers (Anglo-French; old). Billygoat in Stays (Navy, 1870-85).

Bagnios. From the huge size of the A term of contempt probably the :

number on the swinging door, never outcome of the astonishing use, by

shut, never more than two or three young naval officers, of waist-stays,
inches open. The English grooms, during or about these years. Intro-
duced by a young naval officer of the
stable-men, and their like in France
often use this phrase : ' Joe's fond o' highest, who afterwards, on shore,
the big numbers.' 'Tom Four can't came to be called 'cuffs'.
run over to the old home for Christmas Billy-ho (Peoples', Hist.). In
he's left too many of Nap's likenesses excelsis ; suggests extreme vigour.'
'
in the big numbers.' So extensively May be from a proper name, Hough
known throughout Europe was the for instance, confounded with the big
' '
association of big numbers and shady so commonly used as a suffix to
houses that, when about 1880, people words of congratulation as What '

began to place the numbers of their cheer ho What ho etc.

!
' '
!
'

houses on their fanlights, for night The Marquis of Salisbury and Mr

observation, neighbours were
their Biggar were having a cigar together.
often quite (for a time);
unhappy
Said the Marquis Weather keeps very
:
'

while even now many people shrink dry we want rain badly. I think
;

from the convenient custom. Canterbury ought to issue a prayer for

it.' 'Arrah! be asy wid yer Canter-
Big Pot (Music-hall, 1878-82). A bury,' exclaimed Mr Biggar; 'it's just
'
leader, supreme personage, the don '. a new hat I'll be afther buying, and it's
28
 Billy Turniptop Birmingham School

my umbrella I'll be lavin' at home, and the Greek. 'Bird' it remained until
shure it'll rain like billy -ho 'Ref., 9th
! General Booth of the Salvation Army
August 1885.
bought it up (1882). To this day an
Billy Turniptop (1890 sqq). An effigy of the 'bird' surmounts the
agricultural labourer. Probably an main building. (See Brit., Vic., Eff.,
outgrowth of Tommy Atkins. Delphy, Lane.)
'Billy Turniptop' does not seem a
very respectful description of the Birdlime (Low Class, 19 cent.).
'

agricultural labourer, especially during Nonsense-rhyme for time '.

election times, and the Unionist candi-
date for Doncaster has been sharply
pulled up for using that cognomen.
His explanation was that he was only
quoting the speech of a representative
of the opposite party. D. T., 10th July
1895.
Bin (Harrogate}. A mineral spring.
Satire based upon the wine-cellar.
It is considered high treason at Harro-
We have been awfully stoney in our
birdlime, and didn't know where to turn
for a yannep, so we've had to fill up our
insides on something less than two quid
a week.
Birdofreedomsaurin (Amer.). Bird-
of-freedom soaring. A jocular mode of
describing the altitude of the American
eagle. Used mildly in England to

gate to drink from the Old Sulphur, or deprecate any chance American extreme
any other 'bin', as a Scottish robust expression of patriotism.
invalid calls it, without first consulting I think that Prince Louis Napoleon
medical authority D. N. (Harrogate),
.
was over-dressed. I know that in his
31st August 1883. green or purple stock (I forget which) he
Binder (Lower Class). An egg. wore an immense breastpin representing
Pint o' wash, two steps, an' a binder
'
an eagle in diamonds not the eagle with
'a pint of tea, two slices of bread- displayed wings, that is, the American
'
'
birdofreedomsaurin but an aquiline
and-butter, and an egg.' Alludes to
presentment with the wings closed the
its constipating action. eagle of Imperial sway. G. A. Sala, in
Bindery (Amer.-Eng., 1879). A D. T., 16th June 1894.
bookbinder's workshop.
Birds may roost in my
The word 'bindery', a new-comer in bonnet,
England, though in common use in Any (Devonshire). Self - praise.
Canada and the United States, has Speaker so little given to slander
recently been welcomed with something that the most Aristophanic birds could
like a bonneting by correspondents of
carry no disparagement of hers between
Notes and Queries. Newsp. Cutting, 1879. heaven and earth; 'Don't 'ee
e.g.,
Binned (Lond., 1883). Hanged; a b'lieve it, Mrs Mog any bird may
ghastly word, referring to Bartholomew a-roost in my bonnet.' little bird
'
A
told me is in close relation with this
'
Binns, a hangman appointed in 1883.
Bird (Theatrical). Hissing the phrase. The origin is to be found in
Ecclesiastes, x. 20. For a bird of the
bird being the goose (q.v.), whose
air shall carry thee voice, and that
general statements are of a depreciatory
character. which hath wings shall tell the matter.'
Professor Grant, Q.C., had both 'the The belief that birds carry messages
' '
bird and the needle at the Royal on
'
between earth and heaven is common
Monday. Age, January 1884. to all countries and times. In Europe
Pantomimes and Blackmailers. the dove and the robin are the birds
Threats of the bird '. Already three or
'

most associated with this charming

four of the most prominent artistes
superstition.
engaged at one house have been molested
after leaving the theatre at night, and Birmingham School (Soc.). A
threatened with 'the bird' that is, polite evasion of radical ; e.g., do '
We
hissing unless their tormentors are not like his politics at the Duke's he
well paid to remain quiet. People, 6th belongs too thoroughly to the Birming-
January 1895. ham School' about 1885. Since then
Bird ( Theatrical, 1 840). A figurative Birmingham has climbed down or up ;

name of The Eagle, which was the title and the centre of radicalism is supposed
of the tavern and pleasure-grounds out to be Newcastle. The Newcastle
'

of which grew the Grecian Theatre, Programme should be backed by the '
an elegant name never accepted by its Marquis de Carabas !
(See Newcastle
patrons, except a few who called it Programme. )
29
 Biscuit and Beer Bet Bit o' Raspberry

Biscuit and Beer Bet (Street, 19 of words designating woman imme-

cent. ). A swindle because the biscuit diately following the introduction of
'
backer invariably loses, it being in- 1

jam as the fashionable term (in un-

tended that he should lose to the
extent of glasses round, for instance.
The bet is as follows that one youth
(the victim) shall not eat a penny
biscuit before his antagonist has
swallowed a glass of beer by the aid of
a teaspoon without spilling any of the
beer. The biscuit is so dry, and the
anxious bettor so fills his mouth in
the desire to win that he generally
'
loses e.g., Yere's a mug
;
let's biscuit
an' beer 'un.'
Bismarck
fashionable quarters) for lovely woman.
Then Joe fell in love with a dona oh,
: what a bit of crumb. Newsp. Gutting.
Bit of fat from the eye, Have a
(L. Class). Suggestive of compliment
this phrase being seriously used at
a spread, or dinner of sheep's head,
the orbits of the eyes being lined with
a fat supposed by the accustomed con-
sumer to be exceptionally delicate.
Bito' grease (Anglo- Ind. Army).
A Hindoo stout woman of a smiling
(Political ; South German '

character, e.g. , She's a nice bit o' grease

and French,
tempt.
A good story is told of a Bavarian
who, quarrelling the other day with one
of his fellow-countrymen, abused him in
the most violent language, and, after
exhausting a very extensive vocabulary
of invectives,
'
Bismarck !
'
had borne previous insults with all
praiseworthy patience; but, on hearing
himself thus apostrophised, he flew into
a tremendous passion, and cited his
enemy before the courts. He was non-
suited on the plea that Bismarck is a
1866). A term of con- she is.'
Bit of haw-haw (London Tavern,
1860 on). A fop. Possibly suggested
by the hesitating commencing syllable
used by many well-bred men more
frequently from modesty or caution
at last called him than from any sense of impressing the
The phlegmatic German idea of superiority.
When these young bits of haw-haw
borrow a swallow tail coat and a crook
stick, and a bit of window to shove into
their weak peepers, and then go into the
' Gaiety with an order, strike us purple if
'

they're not at their best then. They

name, and does not necessarily imply an know all the actresses of course, and the
insult at least, no such interpretation talk about some of 'em would
was to be found in any of the Bavarian way they
make a red stinker turn blue. Newsp.
law precedents. This is not the first
Cutting.
time that the name of a Prime Minister
has thus been popularly applied as a Bit o' jam (1879). A pretty girl-
term of contempt. Under the Restora- good or bad.
tion it was a common incident to hear a He kisses me, he hugs me, and calls
cabby apostrophising a sulky or restive me his bit o' jam, and then chucks me
down stairs just to show me there's no ill
'

horse, Va done, hS, Polignac

'
and !

during the early part of the reign of '

feeling ; yet I love him like anything.
the Grand Monarque, Mazarin was '

Newsp. Gutting.
equivalent to the refined exclamation, Everything you see you just feel you
'
You pig which an attentive listener
!
'
would like to buy and take it home to
may be edified by hearing exchanged by the bit of jam. Newsp. Gutting.
the gamins of Paris in the present year Bit o' pooh ( Workmen's}. Flattery
of grace. Morning Star, 1867.
After 1870, Bismarck was 'accepted' generally said of courtship obtained
' '

very oddly. The exclamation pooh

by Bavaria. the
Counterfeit generally expressing nonsense,
Bit-faker (Thieves').
' phrase suggests flattering courtship or
money - maker from bit ', money,
blarny.
and 'fake', to make, or rather
Bit o' prairie (Strand, 1850 on). A
cunningly to imitate. lull in the traffic at
Bit o' Beef (Vulg. 19 cent.). A momentary any
tobacco; less than a pipeful. point in the Strand, so that the tra-
quid of veller can cross the road. From the
A playful, or possibly a grim, reference
to
bareness of the road for a mere moment,
tobacco-chewing staying hunger.
Pound o' bacca.) e.g., 'A bit o' prairie go.'
(See City sherry ;

Bit o' blink (Tavern). Drink- Bit o' raspberry (Street, 1883). An
rhyming slang. attractive girl. When jam came to ' '

Bit o' crumb (C. L., 1882). A be used to describe a girl, the original
pretty plump girl one of the series double intendre suggested by a comic
30
 Bit o Red
y
Black-ball

song having become known raspberry, and marriages, especially the latter, to
as the most flavoursome of conserves, give an air of staid dignity to the
was used to describe a very pretty chief performers.
'
Don't tell me we
creature. Then the jam was dropped, had a small and early, all young
'
and the bit o affixed, and this phrase
'
most miserable, growling, towering
became classic. failure I ever endured. No stir-up
'
So,' said Bill, you're the bloke who's
'
for me without my bits of grey. They
spliced my bit o' raspberry'. Cutting. give tone to the whole thing.' Society
Bit o' ^(Historical, 18 and 19 cent.}. Novel, 1883.
A 'A bit of red so lights
soldier, e.g., Bits o' soap (Com. Land., 1883).
up the landscape.' Charming girls of a kind.
Bit o' stuff (Street, 19 cent.). A I can imagine General Booth jumping

lovely woman not perhaps of a in his boots when he piped that article in
his paper. I wonder what all the con-
Penelope-like nature rarely at home.
He waited for a bit of stuff near the verted bits o' soap thought about it.
stage door of the Comedy Theatre. He Cutting, 1883.
was an elderly cove and he had great (Booth became the self-appointed
patience. Cutting. general of the Salvation Army, 1882-83.)
Bit o' tripe (L. Class}. One of Bitter
path (Peoples', 19 cent.}.
the endearing names given to the wife Emphatic intensification of oath ; e.g.,
probably a weak rhyme. Til take my
bitter oath.' Oaths
This paper always comes useful, if it's may be divided into two classes
only to wrap a Billingsgate pheasant in those which appeal to heaven, as '
By
to take home to the bit of tripe.
God', and those which relate to an
Cutting. as
'
hell the former
antithesis, By ',
Bit on, To have a (Sporting). To The masses,
'
being the better oath.
have a bet on a bit of money on a '

incapable of discriminating one kind

race. from the other, simplified 'better
I hear that all the shining lights of ' '
oath into bitter oath ', as possessing
the music hall who are accustomed to more emphasis.
'
have a little ' bit on were on the right
side. Bitties (Thieves'}. Evasive term
Newsp. Cutting.
for skeleton -key s.
Bit to go with (Amer. -
Eng.).
as the result of self- Bivvy (London). Beer ; evidently
Generosity
satisfied superiority. from the French 'buvez' (Italian
An American railway train can give '
bevere ') the imperative mood of
most things in this world a bit to go the verb being applied to the beer
with in the way of noise. Ref., 20th itself. The difficulty is to find the
February 1887. descent. It may have come from
Bitch the pot ( University, down to French prisoners very early in the
1850). Amongst a tea-drinking party nineteenth century, or from the French
of men it was asked,
'
Who'll bitch colonies in Soho, or (more likely) from
'

the pot ? meaning who will pour out the Italian organ-grinding regiment in
the tea. the neighbourhood of Hatton Garden.
Bitched (Printers'). Spoilt, ruined, Black and white (Thieves' rhym-
in reference to type. ing}. Night. It would mean, when
'

Bite the tooth. To (Thieves'). To used, to-night '.

be successful. Origin unknown. Black-bagging (1884). Dynami-
tarding from fact that where
the
Bite-etite, perhaps Bity tite (Peoples',
E. London). Grotesque substitution dynamite proceedings had failed at
of bite for the four letters
first of certain rail way- terminuses the explo-
' sive charges were found in black bags.
appetite '. (See Drinkitite. )
Five thousand pounds reward for the
Bite off more than one can chew
-
discovery of the perpetrators of the out-
(American to
English). Referring rage at London Bridge is too much. It
plug tobacco, and meaning that the is an encouragement to others to go
person spoken of has undertaken more black-bagging. Ref., 4th January 1885.
than he can accomplish. Black-ball ( Club, 1 9 cent. ). To reject
Bits of Grey (Soc., 1880). Elderly by ballot. The word is now absolutely
vietims of both sexes present at balls inappropriate, though still used by
31
 Block-bottle Scene
1 '
correct clubmen. It had meaning
when club elections were effected by
each elector being given one white and
one black ball, so that upon opening
the ballot-box the colours decided,
black naturally being a negative. So
far as the declaration of the election
was concerned, nothing could be better
than this mode but unfortunately
;
every elector was troubled by the pos-
session of the second ball, which he
might drop and thereby betray
vote. This ball the voter certainly
would have some inconvenience in de-
positing, apart from the watchfulness
of neighbouring eyes. Hence the new
mode of club-balloting with a box,
having a hole in front large enough
for the entrance of the hand, the
bottom of the box being divided by a
high partition, while the outside is
marked 'Yes' (or 'Ay') and 'No'
referring to the two boxes formed by
the partition. Only one ball is given
to each voter, and thus he gets rid of
his responsibility by depositing the
ball either on one side or the other.
Unfortunately nervous voters are fre-
quently fogged the moment they lose
sight of the right hand, while the
ballot-box-carrier (where it is carried,
instead of being placed on a table
for the approach of the voter) has a
frequent habit of tilting up the No
' '
side of the box, so that if the ball is
not firmly manipulated when inside
the palladium, it may have a better
chance of favouring the Ay '. Even
'
this word a difficulty, for its
itself is
'
complication between ay and ayes ',
' '
together with its infrequency except
as an interjection, helps to confuse
timid voters. More recently the ballot
boxes have been bearing the legends
'yes', 'no' the affirmative always
preceding the negative.
Black-bottle Scene (Dublin, 1822
on). Black beer-bottle throwing at
.
obnoxious persons.
On the 14th of December 1822, on the
occasion of the Marquis Wellesley, visit-
an
ing the Theatre Eoyal, Dublin,
organized disturbance on the part of
the Orangemen took place, in resent-
ment of his Excellency's sympathy with
Catholic Emancipation. The affray is
always referied to as the 'black-bottle'
riot a black bottle having been flung
;
at the Viceroy by an Orangeman in the
top gallery. Newsp. Cutting.
On any other occasion the incident
Black Maria
might have passed unnoticed, but now
the rumour of a '
black bottle scene
'
was in every one's mind. A M. .
Sullivan, 1877.
Black Eye (American, political and
social). A
reverse, especially political.
A black eye for Platt. An Albany
jury has decided that Governor Hill was
right, and Quarantine Commissioner
Platt wrong, and that the latter has all
along been a resident of Owega, while
holding office in New York. N. Y.
his
Mercury. 15th January 1888.
Often used to designate theatrical
failure.
This inheritance proved a black eye
to all concerned, because the new com-
pany lacked all the vocal and comedy
requisites for a successful interpretation
of this very popular work.
Black Ivory -
(Slave dealers). A
of referring to negro
disguised way
slaves.
Mr Steyn, a former Landdrost of
Potchefstroom, in both letters and
speeches, complained that 'loads of
"black ivory" were being constantly
hawked about the country'. F. W.
Chesson, in D. N., 5th November 1883.
Black Jack 1 9 cent. ). A black
( port-
manteau of peculiar make.
William Wall deposed that he
repaired the portmanteau produced,
and recognised Burton as the man who
brought it. Burton also brought another
second-hand portmanteau called in the
trade Black Jack
'
Dynamite Case
'.
Report, 4th March 1885.
Blackleg (Labour, 1889-90). A
non-striker in industry. Blackleg had
long been used for a swindler, but at
this date it was first applied to non-
Union men or non -strikers. Directly
used in relation to the dock-strikes.
Common to the labouring classes by
June 1890.
It will be seen from the full report
of the situation, which we print else-
where, that the present stage of the
conflict turns on the presence of the
blackleg ', to use the designation which
'
the Dock labourers first popularised.
Chaos in the Post Office, in D. N., 10th
July 1890.
Black Maria (Thieves', 19 cent.).
The prison van, probably Anglicizing
'Black V.R.', this public conveyance
being ink-coloured, and bearing V.R.
on each side of it. To the ignorant
V.R. would have no meaning; while
Maria would ; or it may be a rhyming
effort. The New York prison van,
32
 Black-silk Barges

though of course very different from the The

traditions respecting the kissing
of the Blarney stone, to impart to the
English carriage, bears the same name.
He 'protested' against entering the devotee a peculiar suavity of speech, is
Black Maria, and on the way up would '
about three hundred years old.
not admit' that he was going to the Newsp. Cutting.
Workhouse, but by this time he prob- Blase (Fr., 1840). Wearied, bored.
ably feels at home up there. N. Y.
Police Report, 1883. Brought to England with a farce
called L'Homme
Blast, subsequently
the death of Queen Victoria,
Upon for Wright (Princess Theatre),
produced
necessarily the initials on the prison in which version this actor was called
van were changed to E.R. the term Blase. Succeeded by 'bored' about
for the vehicle, however, still remain-
1860.
ing. A phrase was immediately found
for E.R. Energy Rewarded a term Bleed (Peoples'). A perversion of
the word 'blood', as She'll have
accepted by even the nation, with
applause. ( See V. R. , Virtue Rewarded,
his bleed' usually said of a woman
who is rating her husband.
Vagabonds Removed, Sardine Box.)
Black-silk Barges (Ball - room). Blenheim
Cloud (Polit.). The
Stout women who ought to avoid Dukes of Marlborough
influence of the
dances. over Woodstock, which lies in the
They dress in black silk shadow of Blenheim.
to moderate in appearance their
Against this the more sanguine point
amplitude.
'It's time I sounded a retreat from
to the advantage of being free from
what they call 'the Blenheim cloud',
dancing I've had to dance with the Duke having formally declared that
seventeen black-silk barges this blessed
he takes no part in this election, and
evening. Never again never again.' that all his people are free to vote as
Black Strap (Peoples', Old
English). they choose. D. N., 1st July 1885.
Port wine. A '
corruption of black Blenheim The
'
or sack first
Pippin, (Polit.,
stirrup cup. Sherry (the An application of the name
1883).
a corruption of Xeres, the second, an
of a known variety of pippins, always
abbreviation, was always white wine ; a small to describe Lord
clarets and burgundies red ; port black). apple,
The stirrup cup was always potent. Randolph Churchill, a diminutive
The passage from black stirrup to man, who, as a son of a Duke of
Marlborough, was associated with
black strap is too evident when port
came amongst the people more Blenheim, the family seat in Oxford-
shire.
accustomed to strap than the stirrup. .. the Tories are, as a rule, fol-
.

To this day strap is used for port. lowers of the strongest ; and after the
Blank please (American). A Blenheim Pippin's latest manifesto they
negative euphemism for the unending
will hardly know whether to throw in
'
damned
'
with a polite request their lot with Tweedledum or Tweedle-
added. dee. Entr'acte, 7th April 1883.
. that matter - of - fact business
. . Bless me soul (Peoples'). Bless me
of ours says that, although we
manager Saul. Probably one of the few
may put what we blank please in the Puritanic exclamations all of which
editorial columns, he won't put a six- '
were Biblical, * Bless me, or my, soul
inch display in the advertising end of
is nonsense, as it stands for who
the paper for less than several hundred '
dollars cash, quarterly in advance.
blesses ? Hence probably arose God
Texas Siftings. bless my
soul '. But this phrase is
The also meaningless, for the soul needs no
Blarney (Irish). Flattery.
Blarney stone is a protruding one, blessing.
'
God bless me ' is reason-
able. But here, ' soul ' is the important
standing out from below a ruined
window of ruined Blarney Castle word. In this conversation it should
Whoever kisses this be remembered that Saul was held in
(near Cork).
stone, a very difficult feat, and one high Puritanic esteem as a patriarch
which requires help and strong hold- of much power.
ing hands while the aspirant leans Blessing (Irish). Gratuity. Poetic
over and down into space, is supposed way will contrast
of putting it ;
with
to possess for ever after the gift of 'backsheesh' (q.v.) 'Sure, he's a man
successful flattery. gives me a blessing every time he
33
 Blew, To Bloke

passes without pretending not to see Blink. See Bit o' blink.
me, he In Devonshire
does.' a To 1890
Blister, (Peoples', on).
'blessing' is a handful thrown in, To punish with moderation a modi- :

e.g., 'Plase to give' us a half-peck o' fication of 'to pound'; e.g., Til blister
pays, and give us a blessing.' 'im when I ketch 'im' a promise of
Blew, To (Com. Land.). To listing. Used chiefly by cabmen in
dissipate. This word is by no means relation to magisterial fines, e.g., 'I
to
'
blow ', but is suggested by blue '. '
was blistered at Bow Street to-day for
* '
I blewed (or blew ') means ' I
'

twenty hog.'
spent', and probably is suggested by Blizzard Collar (Soc., 1897). A
the dismal blue appearance of a man,
high stand-up collar to women's
penniless and recovering from a coats. of cold
jackets, Suggestive
drunken fit. The word was turned weather.
to very droll account by a comic- I must mention the very pretty Russian
singer, Herbert Campbell, in 1881. vests of fur that our elegantes have now
A medicinal pad to be worn over the adopted. They are tightly fitting, and
liver was very much advertised ;
and fasten on the side ; they have a short
a half cut of a masculine and
life-size basque all round, a blizzard collar, and
a fancy belting of jewelled enamelled
healthy patient with the 'liver pad*
in situ created a great deal of comment. plaques. D. T., 16th January 1897.
The singer put both together and Bloater (Peoples'). An abbrevia-
came out with a ballad. Herbert '
tion of Yarmouth bloater a : fat

Campbell's favourite song now is person. From the fact that the first
" Clara blued her Liver Pad"
called ', smoking process applied to the herring
results in a remarkable swelling, which
meaning that she had sold her speci-
men and spent the proceeds in drink afterwards abates.
'
If intended for immediate eating, the
you only blew money when you
'
for
do spend it in drink. herring is taken down after one firing,
In about an hour he reached the when it is swelled and puffed out like a
roasted apple. It is then known to the
Strand, and in less than another hour
he had blewed his half-a-dollar, so he true East Anglian as a blowen-herring
sat on a doorstep and wept as only boys the word bloater is rejected by philo-
who have run away from home and logists at a foreign corruption and here
have got the stomach-ache can weep. you probably have the true etymology
of the familiar word. Yarmouth, by
Cutting.
W. Norman (Yarmouth, 1883).
Blewed his red 'un (Peoples').
'Red 'un' is an anglicization of Blob (Cricket, 1898). No runs.
' '
' ' Blob has taken the place of '
duck
redding (a thieves') word for a ',

or ' duck's egg '.

watch, probably the name of a watch-
receiver. The phrase therefore means Block (Scotch Thieves', 1868). A
policeman in one syllable.
'

Spent in drink the money raised on

his watch.' Here brevity is indeed I think it would be a good idea for

triumphant. my mother to get the block privately

An
Blighter (TJieat., 1898).
of evil omen : it took the
Jonah (q.v.).
'I never care about acting in a play
which is likely to fail. Look at Jones.
Splendid actor, but he has been con-
nected with so many failures that he
has got to be known, as a blighter, and
no one will engage him.' Cutting.
Blind Hookey (Peoples'). A leap
in the dark; e.g., 'Oh, it's Blind
Hookey to attempt it.' From a card
game. The centre card is the banker's
the players put money against either
of the four other cards. If the dealer's
centre card is the highest of the five
he takes all the bets. If his card is
the lowest, he pays all four.
actor
and make an appeal to him he would ;
have a little feeling for her, I think.
place of Dundee garotter's letter, 1868.
Block (Linen Drapers'). A name
applied curiously to the young lady of
fine shape who in the mantle depart-
ment tries on for the judgment of the
lady customer.
Block a quiet pub. (Peoples'). To
stop a long time in a tavern ; e.g., 'I
don't care for theayters or sing-songs ;
but I like to block a quiet pub. ', said
the commercial ; i.e., to remain quietly
drinking in an out-of-the-way public
house. Generally said of a sot.
Bloke (Lower Classes, 19 cent). A
friendly soul, inclined to be charitable.
 Blood Bloody Carpet Rags

This word has not the objectionable anglicization of words whose original
meaning it is often supposed to possess. meanings are from various causes lost.
On the contrary, it is mighty affec- Probably most of the Catholic adjura-
tionate ; e.g., 'Got a bit o' bacca, tions have been applied in the same
'
bloke ? if asked you in the streets such manner as this.
is by no means offensively said. It is
Blood Ball (London Tr.). The
less than 'gentleman', more than
' ' butchers' annual hopser, a very lusty
'
mate '. He's a proper bloke is
and fierce-eyed function. The female
simply a paean.
Bloke is also a lover, or even an contingent never wear crimson as
being too trady. (See Bung Ball. )
acquaintance.
Master Edward Graham, aged eight, Blood Hole (E. London, 1880). A
and Miss Sarah King, aged nine, theatre in Poplar.
appeared at Bow Street as inseparable The irreverent ones of the district,
and incorrigible beggars in the Strand. whenever they mentioned the place,
'

Sally and her bloke is said to be the called it The Blood Hole 'in allusion,
' '

unpoetical designation of the pair in the I presume, to the style of drama pre-
Strand. D. N., 1882. sented. Newsp. Cutting.
In universities, an outsider, a mere Blood or Beer (Street). A
challenge
book-grubber, e.g. , 'Balliol mere blokes. to fight or stand, i.e., 'pay for' malt
But they carry off everything.' (See refreshment. A jocular phrase border-
Old Put, Muff.)
ing on bullying. Real fighting is
Blood (Old). By our Lord one of '
inducted by the phrase Take off your
the old Catholic exclamations. coat
'
This is serious.
!
'
Come on,
Blood it is almost enough to make '
ruffian. It's blood or beer is simply
my daughter undervalue my sense.
Fielding,Tom Jones, bk. vii., ch. 4. friendly suggestion.
' '
The extended form is bloody Bloods (Lowest Glasses) Wall-
by our lady an asseveration referring flowers, from a not too clear association
to the Virgin, which becomes an of colours. A
higher figure of speech
apostrophe in the shape 'What the than Bugs (q.v.), but still painfully
bloody hell' 'By our lady, hail.' disgusting in association with this
'
What' thus appears to be a Protestant fresh - breathed blossom. '
Bloods,
addition. About 1875, when the Lon- bloods penny a bunch, bloods.'
don School Board had influenced the Bloods (Navy). Sailor boys' title
metropolis for some half dozen years for
'

Penny Dreadfuls '.

this word and phrase were super-
They expect lots of blood, wonderful
seded by 'blooming', a sheer evasion adventures, gruesome illustrations, and
which has survived the nineteenth a good deal of cheap sentiment', and
century, and has quite passed into the they get it. As they get older, their
lower layers of the language. In 18th tastes change. Rev. G. Goodenough,
century literature may be found the Navy Chaplain.
form ' blady hell ', which suggests the Blood-worms (London, 19 cent.).
origin very forcibly. Sausages in general, but a black-
Some actors have been known to pudding of boiled hog's blood in
mutilate the speech in Macbeth, 'Be 'S 'elp me I've
particular. sivvy,
bloody, bold, and resolute', lest it
come down to blood- worms.' (See
should suggest the inconceivably wicked
Sharp's Alley.)
thought, 'Be bloody-bold, and resolute '.
Now this extremely shocking word is Bloody carpet rags (Amer., im-
nothing more nor less than a corruption ported to Liverpool). A mutilated
'
of By'r lady '. How little do the dregs man.
of our population, who, when they hurl All of a sudden the burly coloured
out the word, imagine that it contains man drew a razor from his pocket and
some frightful explosive, dream that started the light-weight with the
for
they are appealing to the Virgin. D. T. remark that he'd make bloody carpet
Blood and 'ounds (Irish). Blood rags of him. Newsp. Gutting.
and wounds (Christ's) an old pro- It should be added that the razor
'
nunciation rhyming with pounds ;
'
is the American negro's favourite
e.g., 'Blood an' 'ounds how the weapon, carried as a rule in a high
blood runs out uv 'un thin.' This boot something after the manner
phrase is a good example of the of a Scotch dirk in a Scotch sark.
35
 Blooming Emag Blue

Blooming Emag
(Street, 1870). just eats whatever is set before him, and
Back ' ' '
asks no questions.
spelling Emag is game '.
:
Cutting.
Selfishness in its perfect degree.
Blow me tight (Peoples'). Below
There nothing like cheek, yobs, what-
ever you're blooming emag may be.
me with a firm hand that is, sent to
Hades. Used generally as a protest
But be honest, even if you have to go
out nailing to be honest. on the part of the speaker, and an
Cutting.
assurance of truth. Generally followed
Blopmeration (London, 1891). Illu- by 'if, and sometimes 'but'. He
mination. First heard 9th November means that he is willing to be damned
at Prince of Wales' illuminations. if he lies.
was reckoned out we'd get to
It
Blooming little holiday (Lowest
Brighton at six o'clock last Saturday,
Peoples'). Saturnalia liberty to be blow me tight. Cutting.
free, tobe perfectly tyrannical.
An English defeat and panic, on Blow-out (Peoples'). Dissipation
English soil, would seem to the English literally stretching the digestive
rough the very beginning of the mil- apparatus.
lennium, or, in his own language,
'
a At the end of a month a miner finds
blooming little holiday.' Newsp. Cutting) himself in possession of from 25 to 30,
1879. and, as a corollary, has what he calls a
'

blow-out'. Newsp. Cutting, 1883.

Blouser (obscure). To cover up, to
hide, to render nugatory, e.g., 'Joe Blowing (Thieves'). 'A pick-
you won't blouser me V
the
s
From pocket's trull ', quotes Byron in a
French, evidently. Probably used in note to the line
'
Who on a lark
an anti - Gallican spirit, when the with black-eyed Sal (his blowing)'
blouse first appeared to cover over (Don Juan, ca. xi. st. 19). Some-
an honest Englishman's waistcoat or ;
'
times blowen '.
it may be from the court of Charles II.
The Army is warned that the clergy
Blowsa-bella (TJieat. 18 cent.). A
will try to 'blouser' or mislead them, vulgar, self-assertative woman, gener-
and to persuade people to refuse the use ally stout. Blowsa is probably from
'
of halls, while all the time professing the French blouser ', a verb got from
'
interest in the Army's holy labours. blouse ', meaning to attract by
Newsp. Cutting (about 1881). gutter arguments. Bella is of course
an abbreviation of Isabella, and the
Blow (Peoples'}. To boast from the
noisemade when a whale blows water whole phrase probably would mean
a vulgar woman of the people giving
through and up from the nostrils, with
much noise. Introduced by sailors in herself false airs of grandeur. The
the whale trade, common to England Daily News (22nd Feb. 1883) throws
and America, and still surviving perhaps some light on the word in
reference to the Salvation Army.
amongst the lower classes. A good
example of a word arising from a new Bluchers (Mid. Class-, 1815 on).
industry and passing away with it. Plural ofblucher, referring to the
About the veracity of big game commonest of boots. From General
shooters, one is sometimes obliged to von Bliicher, the Prussian general-in-
feel now and then a lingering doubt. chief at the battle of Waterloo.
They might remind an Australian reader When some clever bootmaker invented
of him who tried to blow ', in a well-
'

the now extinct Wellington boots, a

known line of a modern poet. Blow '
',

it may be necessary to explain, is the

Australian equivalent for 'brag' or
4
boast '. Thus Othello blew in the
humble imitator followed with the
handy Blucher, and made quite a
large fortune out of this idea and
'
'

account of his adventures with which the boots the most frequent name
he obliged Desdemona. D. N., 25th for workmen's boots known to Britons,
February 1885. '
who have found this manufacture a
' '
'
Blow are some-
and blow upon handy weapon. (See Wellingtons.)
times still used in their old form, in
Blue (Old English). Dismal
the sense of to expose or betray.
All he asks is to pass him along his evidently from the appearance of the
countenance when showing anxiety or
plate with whatever happens to be handy
round the pantry, and he won't go away mistrust as distinct from red anger.
and blow how poor the steak is. He In this sense it is used in U.S.A. to
36
 Blue Blanket Blue Moon

this day ; e.g., 'This news will make it may be further said that it is calcu-
our return to Yonkers rather blue', lated to develop his most approved strain
i.e., melancholy. It will be found of humour, which in
schoolboy parlance
temp. George III. in a ballad,
is known as blue funk. People, 28th
published in Dublin by Trojanus February 1897.
Laocoon, called The All -devouring He will, no doubt, tell people at home
Monster ; or New Five per a that he the Soudan because he was
left
t,
satirical work which attacked a pro- invalided. That is not the case. He
left us because he was in a blue funk.
ject, dating from England, of course, D. 6th July 1897.
to put a duty of 5 per cent, upon T.,

all imports. Here is a triplet from Blue Grass (Amer.). People of

the ballad in question : Kentucky from the peculiar tint of
The Tax the grass.
effects of the will soon make
us look Blue, The Kentucky correspondent of the
Its nature, its drift being known but Cincinnati News - Journal is evidently
to few ; hard hit. This is what he writes When :

Reverse of the Glass Act this all men the Bona Dea, out of her bounteousness,
saw through. makes a Bluegrass woman, she takes care
In England, 19th century, 'blue'
never to spoil the job. A soft, white,
warm body, translucent with divine
has been abandoned as describing
light, and curving to lines of beauty
melancholy, owing to its new meaning as naturally as the tendrils of a vine,
one of vulgar, coarse, double en- is the groundwork
upon which nature
tendre', e.g., 'Have you got any new limits the human angel. . The brow
. .

blue?' may be asked by one who of Juno and the bust of Hebe the sea- ;

is athirst for entertainment.

erotic nymph's pearly ear, the wood-nymph's
Perhaps comes in some obscure way springy step these are a few of the
from the French, where a bluette charms nature gives the maiden of the
certainly means a short song, which Bluegrass. Newsp. Cutting.
skirts the wind of impropriety. The Even accepted as the title of a paper.
earlier meaning of blue is however still Blasphemous Libel. Louisville (Ky.),
sometimes applied. 21st April. Mr C. E. Moore, Editor of a
And yet, though things are all so blue, newspaper, published here, known as
it's funny, The Blue Grass Blade, and who has been
My missus never lets me blue the money.
in prison for the last fortnight.
Newsp.
Elephant and Castle pantomime, 1882. Cutting.

Blue Blanket (Peoples', 19 cent.).

Blue Grass Belle. A Kentuckian
The sky. 'I slept under the blue beauty.
blanket last night. (See Bengal While down in Kentucky last Fall,
Blanket.) buying horses, he tipped a wink at a
blue grass belle. Newsp. Cutting.
Blue Caps (Indian Mutiny, 1857).
Blue-handled Rake. The railing
Dublin Fusiliers.
and steps leading to the platform of
The Dublin Fusiliers are 'The Blue
a fair-booth stage.
Caps'. A despatch of Nana Sahib was
intercepted, in which he referred to Blue Hen's Chick (Devonshire). A
'
those blue-capped English soldiers who clever soul, e.g., 'You're a blue hen's
fight like devils '. The name stuck. At chick hatched behind the door ' said
the Siege of Lucknow the bridge of
Char Bagh was raked by four guns and satirically.
defended on the flanks by four others. Blue Jack
(Nautical). Cholera
'Who is to carry it?' asked Outram. morbus from the colour of the skin
'
My Blue Caps ', replied Havelock ; and in this disease. (See Yellow Jack.)
they did. Rev. E. J. Hardy.
Blue-jacket (Peoples', 19 cent.). A
Blue Damn.Evasive swearing. sailor given from the colour of jacket.
Celestial curse the blue referring to (See Lobster, Robin Redbreast.)
the sacred purple blood of the Crucified.
Blue Moon (General, in all classes).
Blue Funk
(Pub. Sch.). Absolute Absolutely lost in mystery, but prob-
panic from the leaden colour of the ably an Anglicism of a word or words
'
skin when the owner is beyond ques- with which neither blue nor moon
' ' '

tion afraid. has anything to do. It imports

Of Mr Weedon Grossmith's assumption indefinite futurity. Possibly meaning
37
 Blue Noses
'
never ', because a blue moon is
seen.
'
I ain't a going to make a speech ',
said he, in a voice husky with emotion,
'
because if I was to jaw till a blue moon
I couldn't tell you more about her we've
been and buried than you know already.'
'Cadgers in Mourning', D. T., 8th
February 1863.
Blue Noses (American). Canadians
obviously from the force of sharp
weather on the Canadian nose. Prob-
ably contemptuous.
In Nova Scotia, has died a centenarian
who had fought under Nelson and under
Wellington. Did a grateful people
follow the hero to the grave with proud
tears? Not much. John Aberton was
buried in a rough box on the day he
died. There were no prayers, no funeral
procession, no formalities, but the old
patriot received the burial of a dog.
This ought to make recruiting brisk in
Canada and incite the blue noses to
volunteer in a mass to defend Queen
Victoria's codfish. N. Y. Mercury, 1st
January 1895.
Blue o'clock in the morning
(Street}. Pre-dawn, when black sky
gives way to purple. Rhyming fancy,
suggested by two o'clock in the morn.
Suggestive of rollicking late hours.
The birdcatcher has often to be up
f
at blue o'clock in the morning '. The
rime is on the grass when he lays his
nets. It is bitterly cold standing about
in the fields. D. N. t 12th October 1886.
Blue Pencil (To) (Theat., 1885
Cutting down literature first applied
to dramatic pieces. From the colour
of the pencil used. More blue pencil ',
c dubbed them Blue Ribbon fakers.
said Mr Tree it is the only way of
writing a successful piece.
The actor will have a better chance
after the blue pencil has eliminated the
unnecessary verbiage in the dialogue.
D. N. 17th February 1899.
y abstainers, and were discarded.
Blue Pig (Maine, U.S.A. ). Whisky.
Maine is a temperance state, therefore
liquor has to be asked for under various
strange names, which have generally
been satirically distinguished by a
strange contradiction in their com-
ponent parts, as in this instance. The
phrase common in Liverpool.
There have been remarkable animals
discovered in Maine before now to wit,
striped and blue pigs and Japanese dogs
of scarlet hue. These creatures, however,
have usually been found to be of the
genus stalking - horse that is, they
merely served as screens for the sale
of prohibited intoxicating fluids.
Blue Roses
never Blue Ribbonite (M. Class, 1880).
A sort of
pun between 'nite' and
'knight', and one which gave the
phrase rapid popularity. Outcome of
the custom of wearing a blue ribbon
on left breast of coat to demonstrate
that the wearer was an abstainer.
With respect to the inconsistencies in
the man who married Miss Dash drinking
champagne and port, it should be
remembered that he had not taken the
pledge, and that he was concealing his
identity. Besides, he said before the
wedding breakfast that he was almost
a blue-ribbonite Brighton Bigamy Case,
20th and 24th October 1885.
Blue Ribbon Fakers (London,
1882). The progress of abstinence
started
principles, practically by
Father Mathews (1815-71), is very
interesting. The original abstainers
made no daily public parade of their
principles, and were not forbidden
to associate with men who drank
fermented liquors, or to have * drinks '
in the house, or to pay for drinks.
Then followed the Good Templars
(1860), who prohibited their followers
from paying for others' alcoholic
drinks, from having liquor in the
house, or entering a tavern, even to
buy a biscuit, but they showed no
visible signs of their temperance. Then
came the Blue Ribbon Army who
(1882) instituted the daily assertion
of their principles by wearing a scrap
on).
of bright blue ribbon in the left breast
buttonhole of the coat. Street satirists
The Blue Ribbon fakers may say
what they fair like, but there are times
when good brandy is new life ask the
squirts. About 1896 these blue ribbons
became in some degree unpopular with
But
so far no abstinence supporters had
tabooed tobacco. It remained for the
Salvation Army to add to all the
abstinence principles hitherto adopted
that of the rejection of tobacco in all
its forms. As they operated chiefly
amongst youths, their success as anti-
tobacconalians was considerable. So
far moderation or abstinence in rela-
tion to animal food has not yet been
advanced but it must follow in due
course.
Blue Roses (Literary). Unattain-
able sometimes blue dahlias, or
D. N. tortoise-shell Tom cat, equal to squar-
38
 Blue 'Un Bols

ing the circle. Blue roses is the most Bluffer (Californian, 1849 on). The
poetical of these phrases. noun followed the verb very rapidly.
The blue cloud of a fame beyond The stranger went away and returned
Core's reach floated ever before him ; with the bluffer. Newsp. Cutting.
he was eternally allured by the blue A
roses of an impossible success. D. N., Bobby (Scottish). faithful person
abbreviation of Greyfriars Bobby,
25th June 1885.
who has become a household word in
Blue 'un (Sporting). A journal the Canongate, Edinburgh. He was
named Winning Post so named from a devoted little terrier who kept watch
its tint, no doubt given to enter the and ward for a dozen years over the
Pink 'un and Brown
* ' '
ranks with the
grave of his unknown master, buried
'un' (see) three fine examples of
all in the strangers' corner of Greyfriars
language produced by the habitually Cemetery, Edinburgh. Lady, then
obvious, and of the tendency to shorten Miss Burdett Coutts, was so touched
frequent phrases. Technically, blue by this fidelity that she erected a little
'un is a learned woman. monument to his memory.
'

The application of the term to women, Hey,

mon, nae mair thanks, or maybe ye'll
originated with Miss Hannah '
Moore's
be getting the name o' Bobbie.'
admirable description of a Blue Stock-
ing Club' in her 'Bas Bleu'. Mill. Bobby Atkins . See Tommy Atkins.
Bluchers (London). Outsider cabs, Bobby's Labourers ( Volunteers,
not allowed, except upon emergency, 1868). Name
given to special con-
to enter railway termini probably during this
stables, chiefly volunteers,
in contradistinction to Wellingtons,
year one of Fenian alarm upon the
just aa the Wellington boot was the principle that the s.c's did the work
aristocratic foot-covering the Blucher of the policemen that is bobby'. '

that of the general. The Blucher boot

survives ; the Wellington is a fossil. Bob, Harry and Dick (Rhyming,
It appears that when there is a 1868). Sick disguised way of
admitting a crushed condition, the
deficiency of cabs at any station, outside
or non-registered vehicles are called in morn following a heavy drink. (See
on payment of a penny for the right of Micky.)
taking stand in the yard. With a nice Bobolink (American). talkative A
regard for history, the drivers of these
'
person, from being like a bird of this
understudy cabs are, in the vernacular
'

of the fraternity, dubbed 'Bluchers'.

name. Abbreviation of Bob o'
D. T., 'Cab Strike', 23rd May 1894. Lincoln.
This is the way somebody translates
Bluff (Californian, 1849 on). To the bobolink's libretto Chink a link,
:
'

humbug, hector, from an bully, chink a link, tink tink, tinkle tootle,
American card-game wherein the Tom Denny, Tom Denny, come pay me,
player sheerly seeks to domineer over with your chink a link, tinkle linkle,
his opponent, and gain by sheer toodle popsidoodle, see, see,
loodle,
'

audacity, without absolute reference

see!
making not the slightest pause
to the cards he (the bluffer) holds. from beginning to end.

Probably from 'bluff', Californian for Bobs (Soc., passing to People, 1900).
cliff; the word suggesting tall Plural of Bob, exactly as Roberts is
boasting. the plural of Robert hence the
'I bluffed 'im for a hour, but 'e genesis of the familiar name for
wouldn't 'ave it at not no price. Mr General Roberts. Bobs was much
Newton, the magistrate at Maryborough applied in this year, especially to
Street observed : This is a case of bluff. smart Irish terriers. B.P. (passing to
Sir George Lewis If you have made
:

Bups), was also in great vogue of

up your mind, I will retire from the case. course the initials of General Baden
Mr Newton: Can you contradict the
Powell. This pluralising of nick-
constables People, 3rd October 1895.
?

Tom afforded in his own

Gossage
names had been growing for years.
character and habits an amusing Mr Ernest Wells, one of the founders
example of how a man could get and managers of the Pelican Club, and
imbued with the peculiar vice of the familiarly known in sporting, dramatic,
time and that was the game of brag and literary circles by his journalistic
'

brag and the hard old vices of its pseudonym of Swears ', has, etc. D. T.,
kindred bluff and poker. Newsp. 25th July 1900.
Cutting. Tales, old Chestnuts, Hairs, Pots,
39
 Bobtail Boko

became one of the results of time.

Pumps, were some of the plural nick-
names in use about this period. The Nell Gwynne was once a Bohemian
If a limber's slipped a trace, Bungery.
'Ook on Bobs ;
Bohemian down to his boots (Art
If a marker's lost 'is place, and Bohemian in excelsis.
Lit.).
Dress by Bobs
For 'e's eyes all up 'is coat,
; '
He a
is such as they are
. . .
'

'
that the boots '.
is
An' a bugle in 'is throat,
An' you will not play the goat, At that time a young man, Nelson
Under Bobs. Kneass, a scion of an old and proud '

family, was horrifying society by going

'

Rudyard Kipling. round blacking his face as a negro

Bobtail Name given
(Peoples'). minstrel. He was a brother of District
early in 19th century to the
the Attorney Kneass, of this city, was highly
dandies who wore the pointed tail- educated, but was a 'Bohemian down
coats which followed the wide skirts of to his boots '. N. Y. Mercury, 15th
the 18th century, tails which must January 1888.
have been very striking. Name still Boiled Owl (People's). Drunk
given to a waiter by common classes. as a boiled owl. Here there is no
(See Claw-hammer.) common sense whatever, nor fun, wit,
nor anything but absurdity. Prob-
Bobtail (Irish). Appealing to the
masses, to the passing penny. Irish, ably another instance of a proper
and probably dating from the intro- name being changed to a common or
duction of the swallow-tail coat from even uncommon word. May be drunk
as Abel Doyle which would suggest
England doubtless despised at first,
but still retained by the peasantry. an Irish origin like many incom-
prehensible proverbs too completely
Boucicault said I introduced The Poor
'

of Liverpool a bobtail piece with local Anglicised.

scenery and Mr Cowper in the principal It is a well-known fact in natural
part (Badger). I share after 30 a night, history that a parrot is the only bird
and I am making 100 a week on the which can sing after partaking of wines,
damned thing. I localise it for each spirits, or beer ; for it is now universally
town, and hit the public between the agreed by all scientific men who have
eyes so they see nothing but fire.
;
I investigated the subject that the expres- '

sion, Drunk as a boiled owl is a gross

'
can spin out these rough-and-tumble
dramas as easily as a hen lays eggs. It's libel upon a highly respectable teetotal
a degrading occupation, but more money bird which, even in its unboiled state,
has been made out of guano than out drinks nothing stronger than rain-water.
of poetry.' D. T., 12th December 1892.
Bread Also whitish, washed-out counten-
Body Lining (Drapers').
ance, with staring sleepy eyes.
very opposite, lining in this trade Both were admirably made up, and
being what goes inside the bodice (or Twiss had just the boiled-owlish appear-
body) of a dress. 'Pass me half a ance that is gained by working all night
yard of body -lining.' Body -lining in a printing-office. Ref., 31st May
itself is a strong twill. 1885.
Dead as O'Donnel, Smithereens.)
Body Snatcher (Street, London, (See
1840-1860). A cabman from the Boiled Shirt (Middle Class). Clean,
habit, before higher civilization white from the fact that if the shirt
amongst cabmen prevailed, of snatch- is not boiled it remains dull grey. W.
ing their victim-patrons. Suggested America, but common in England.
by that other body-snatcher the Waal now, say, you with the boiled
'

resurrection - man, who was but a shirt. What did Miss Maslam reply
memory in 1840. when you put the question?' Newsp.
Gutting, 1897.
Bohemian Bungery
(Strand
District). Public -house patronized by Boko (Common). A huge nese.
' '

struggling authors. Bohemian having Corruption of beaucoup ', the o' being
been introduced by Murger for a national and preferred to the French
fighting author, artist, or musician,
'
ou '. Said to be descended from the
and the tea-pot brigade having dubbed time of Grimaldi, who would observe
a licensed victualler a bung, from that while 'joey-ing' (g.v.) 'C'est beau-
adjunct to the beer barrel this phrase coup', and tapping his nose. The
40
 Boko-smasher Bono Johnny

phrase still remains, Anglicised, for a which is popularly supposed to in-

rough observing to another rough of a duce muscle.
third gentleman's nose, will make the Bone Idle (Scottish}. Could not be
'

statement, I say boko When one '

more Probably the one atom of

!
so.
Espinosa, a French dancer, came to slang, if this can be called slang, which
London (1858), the size his wonderful
of
Carlyle exercised ; may be found in a
nose drew so much gallery observation letter to his mother (15th Feb. 1847).
of 'boko' that Mr J. Oxenford, in the '
I have gone bone idle these four weeks
Times, especially referred to the organ and more, and have been well done to
and assumed it was art. Thereupon, every way.'
Espinosa wrote explaining that the
nose in question was un don de la Bone-shaker (Youths^
1870 on).
nature. The earliest bicycle which tried to
He was as thin and pale as a coffee break bones incessantly.
palace bit of roast beef, and his boko Bone-shop (Lower Classes). Work-
was as high and red as the sun on a house another of the more figurative
foggy morning. and satirical names for this establish-
If he thought he had a black spot on Here
his boko he'd go into convulsions.
ment. it refers presumably and
untruly to the nature of the nourish-
Boko-smasher (Street}. For elucida- ment as producing nothing visible over
tion of this elegant occupation see Boko. the pauper bones.
'
Two of 'em lives in the blooming bone-
Bolt -upright (Peoples'). A good shop and the other little devil is in the
example of graphic application. From small-pox hospital.'
the rigidity of a bolt, e.g., 'he was Boner Nochy (Clerkenwell Italian
bolt-upright, mum and were so all the
;

quarter). Good-night imitated by

time, as 'is dear father was a-thrashin' the Clerkenwellians, from the bona
of him.' notteof the Italians in Eyre Street
Bolted to the Bran (Polit.). Hill, Little Bath Street, and Hatton
Thoroughly sifted one of the few Garden ; or it may be from the
puns or jocular phrases of which Glad- Spanish 'noche' through the U.S.A.
stone could ever be accused. 'In any case', said Don Miguel,
Now the great questions are initiated, rising and preparing to retire for the
'
'
bolted to the bran ', night, in any case, can you wonder that
discussed, sifted, I hate the Argentine, and everything
to use an expression more than once
Mr connected with it ? Buenas noches,
adopted by Gladstone, before they senor
'
Ev. News, 9th December 1898.
come formally under the notice of the !

House of Commons. D.N.. 12th August Bonner (Oxford

1885.
Bombast (Hist.). Windy words
from Bumbast the word, with a double
entendre used for the material for
stuffing out trunk hose, 16th and 17th
centuries.
When I came to unrip and unbumbast
this Gargantuan bag-pudding, I found
nothing in it but dog's tripes. Gabriel
Harvey.
I. Disraeli says 'Bombast was the
tailors' term in the Elizabethan era
for the stuffing of horse-hair or wool
f
er'). Bonfire.
This specimen of 'er' shows a spice
of satirical wit, for it is suggestive of
Bishop Bonner, who certainly lit up
many bonfires Smithfield way.
Bonnet (Lower Class). To smash
another's hat over the eyes. From
French (bonnet - a cap), and time
Charles II. Bonnet passed into hat,
but 'to bonnet' went sliding down
until now it is in the gutter. (See
Cloak, In his sleeve, Shawl.)
Bonny Robby (Provincial). Pretty
but frail girl, probably from buona '

'
used for the large breeches then in roba common in the time and court
fashion hence the term was applied of Charles II.
to high-sounding phrases "all sound DRUG There visits me a rich young
:

and fury, signifying nothing".'

widow ? FACE : A bona roba ?
Garrick's Alel Drugger.
Bone (London, 1882). A thin man.
Hence 'The bone has made a remark.'
Bono Johnny (Pigeon Chinese). A
good fellow. A Chinese invention ;
(Surrey Pantomime, London, 1882.) used by English sailors as warrant of
Bone-clother (Medical}. Port wine good intentions.
41
 Bonse Boot

Bonse (School).Head. 'Lookout, and chappie, adapted to bookmaker.

'
or I'll fetch you a whack across the The maker '

dropped the suffix

bonse '. added.

Boo; Boo-ers (Theatrical, 1900). Booking (Public School). Anything

First-night gallery critics who replaced but for it is casting volumes from
you as missiles at the enemy for the
'
the goose (hissing) by booing
'

probably because it was easier and time being, e.g., 'Jannery split book
'
more secretive. him together !

Whowould have thought, when an ill- It would be a pity to deprive them of

mannered gallery booed Mr Kerker's
' '
the chance of such glorious fun as the ' '

sparkling entertainment more than ' '

'

mobbing and booking (that is pelting

'

twelve months ago that it would achieve with books) of the model school tyrant.
an unparalleled success at the Shaftes- Newsp. Cutting.
bury? D. T., 9th May 1899.
(See Wreckers.)
Boomerang (American, 1882). A
vain folly, the consequence of which
Boobies' Hutch (Military, 19 cent. ). returns upon the perpetrator. This
A drinking point in barracks, which, phrase is of course based upon the
under certain circumstances, is open peculiar trajectory of the Australian
after canteen is closed. Satire prob- boomerang, which, properly thrown,
ably upon the fools who have never returns to the feet of the missile-
had enough. thrower. In 1883 a play was pro-
duced by Mr Daly in New York,
Boodle (Liverpool). One of the c
with the title 728 or Casting the
New York terms for money. Probably
from the Dutch. Boomerang'. York dramatic A New
critic in the course of an article upon
Hangman ain't such a bad fellow. He this play, wrote: 'the various follies
always treats the boys after he receives
'the boodle' from the Sheriff for send- or boomerangs of the principal char-
ing an unfortunate to the other side ;
acters return in the course of the play
although some folks are really afraid to to plague them '.

go near him, and wouldn't even pass his Boomlet (City, 1896). A small
house, I'd just as leave drink with him
as I would with you. N. Y. Mercury,
'
boom Satirical invention used to
'.

3rd attack the prosperous enemy.

May 1885.
In vain did one of the American comic Without troubling you with details,
some time ago depict, with I may mention that during the recent
journals
West Australian boom or, as some of
becoming scorn, a hoard of needy
European nobles struggling for the my Stock Exchange friends prefer to
call it, 'boomlet' we succeeded in
possession of a dermire American beauty
who bears a bag of what is locally known realising, etc. Mr H. Bottomley, 10th
as '
boodle ', and in polite society as December 1897.
lucre, in her shapely arms. D. N., Boomster (City, 1898). One who
15th September 1890. booms.
Book-maker (Racing, 19 cent.). A Boost American).
(LiverpoolA -

professional betting man who makes hoist, toss, elevation from the mode
a betting book upon every race, or of raising one in the world hurriedly,
about every race in a season. He lays exercised by an angry bull or even
against all horses. bookmaker of A cow.
position must make immense profits, The cowcumber kin be made an orna-
under the two conditions of betting
ment, will stand in any climate, and the
with men who can pay and with men placques and chromos will encourage art
who will accept all the conditions and give a fresh boost to decoration.
offered by the bookmaker. In fact,
Boot (Tailors' and Bootmakers', 19
under these 'circs', he rarely loses,
cent. ). one of the trade
Money
while the money he may make is
applications to describe money
almost limitless. Sometimes, however,
when a favoiirite wins, the ring (that ' '
just exactly as the grocer calls coin
'
'

sugar or the milkman ' cream '.

is the mass of betting men), is hit
'We've had the boot for that job.'
heavily.
Probably an abbreviation of 'beauti-
Bookie (Sporting, 1881). The ful', this being an obviously likely,
endearing 'ie', common in Johnnie vulgar, poetical naine for money. (See
 Booth Star Born Days

Needful. ) Sometimes only a shilling.
'Can have the boot?' asked for
I among them than among any other
at the end of a day's work. Indeed
' '
boot in its most ordinary form is an
advance on the weekly wages but one
never under a shilling. The lower
advance, sixpence, is
Also used in the tailoring trade. A
worker will say at closing time,
'
Please, sir, could you oblige me
with the boot', while a more retiring
soul would ask * Could I have a
slipper, sir?'
Booth Star (Minor
ing actor or 'booth'.
actress
'
Let me tell you a booth star is a
good thing. You often get four parts
a night. It is great experience and
it is the first step to
Drury Lane.'
Booze (Low London). Intoxicants
of kinds, but particularly beer.
all
May be from a name, but probably is
an onomatope of quite modern date,
from the boozing noise made by
drunkards when falling off to sleep.
Booze is drink in general boozy, the
result of drinking slowly and tandem,
also to sleep.
At the hearing of the Southampton
election petition, witness describing a
procession of costermongers said :
heard some men shout that they wanted
some more booze '. Mr Justice Wright :
'
What ? Mr Willis ' <
Booze, my lord,
:
that there are more real gentlemen
class,
upper ten included. Newsp. Cutting.
Booze-pushers (Low London, 19
cent.). Variant of booze-fencer.
When a bloke is flatch kennurd the
called a slipper. booze pushers will give him any rot in
the house, and that's very hard lines.
Newsp. Cutting.
Booze-shunters (P. House, 1870).
Beer-drinkers.
They have never robbed a man of a
hard day's work, and are the best booze
shunters in the world without ever
Stage). Lead-
getting slewed.
in a To 'shunt' in railway life is to
move from place to place. The booze-
shunter moves the beer, or 'booze,' from
the pot into his visceral arrangements.
The term was started by the S.W.R.
porters and guards, who use the larger
public-houses in the neighbourhood of
the terminus in the Waterloo Koad
(London).
Bo-peep (Nursery}. Exclamation
of Johnson does not compre-
fun.
hensively elucidate this word when
he gravely says it is from 'bo' and
'The art', he says, 'of look-
'peep'.
ing out, and drawing back, as if
' frighted, or with the purpose to fright
I one another.' SHAKESPEARE, who has
everything, has this phrase once
'
Then they for sudden joy did weep

drink '. Mr Justice Wright : Ah '

!
' And I for sorrow sung,
Booze plausibly claims a sort of corrupt That such a king should play bo-peep
descent from the genuine, if low, English And go the fools among.'
word to bouse, which occurs in our
' '

DRYJDEN has : ' There devil plays at

literature as early as 1567. D. T., 2nd bo-peep, puts out his horns, etc.'
December 1895.
Bor (E. Anglian}. May be a
Mr O'Donovan, the Eastern traveller,
shortening of neighbour, but is pro-
said to a press - interviewer World,
(
bably a corruption of boy politely
31st January 1885), 'this word is
" applied even to the oldest male
Persian for beer '. Was he indulging
* '
inhabitant.
in one of his ordinary jokes ? If not,
Bore (Soc. t 19 cent.). Weary.
then the coalescing of these words and
From tunnelling operations steady,
meanings is a very remarkable etymo- deadly, incisive 'jaw'. One of the
logical fact. trade metaphors which has passed into
Boozer
(Street, 19 cent.). The society and
stops there.
still Never
'
public house, as well as the public-
-
has come down
in the social scale.
house frequenter. 'Lord Tom bores one to death with
Big Tim goes with him, while I pops Tel-el-Kebir.'
around the boozer. People, 6th January To bore in the hills, is it? Well
1895. don't bore me about it. Miss M.
Booze-fencers (Com. Lon., 1880). EDGEWORTH, The Absentee (1809).
' '
Licensed victuallers from booze Born Days (Peoples'). Intensifies
drink, and fencers sellers probably Days that are born in an individual
a wilful corruption of * dispensers '. life.
'
In all my born days I was
You may run down booze fencers as never so insulted.' Other authorities
much as you like, but you take my tip maintain it should be 'borne,' or
 Born a Bit Tired Bouguereau Quality

burdened, days while still more Bottle Nose (Amer. Boys}. Scorn-
recondite etymologists maintain it is ful designation of the aged nose an
'bourn' from our progress daily to organ which so frequently derogates
that bourn whence no traveller from the promise of youth. Applied
returns. Fine example of three without mercy to those no longer
different words with the same sound young. Heard in Liverpool. (See
offering as many meanings. Almost Bald-head, Scare-crow.)
*
as good or as bad as mala '.
Bottle up (People's). To refrain,
Born a bit tired (Soc., 1870 on). restrain oneself; in another sense, to
Sarcastic excuse for a chronically lazy hem in the enemy, literally or figura-
man. 'You can't reasonably expect tively.
him to work a couple of hours per The old story of Spanish lack of pre-
day he was born a bit tired'. paration was repeated vessels were foul
;

According to Mr Alderman Taylor, of from long absence from dock, coal was
the London County Council, there exists deficient, ammunition ran short, and in-
the man who is 'born a bit tired'. stead of commanding a fleet in being ',
'

D. T., 13th February 1897. Admiral Cervara was glad to bottle him-
Born with a sneer self up in the harbour of Santiago. D.
(Literary, 1850
Said of an T., 17th June 1898.
on). implacable critic,
attributed to Douglas Jerrold, who Bottled (People's, 1898). Arrested,
was good at sneering himself. stopped, glued in one place re-intro-
'
Lord X
would laugh at the Holy duced during the American-Spanish
Sepulchre he was, etc.'. war, immediately after the U.S.A.
Light opera has familiarised the public squadron had bottled the Spanish fleet
with the man who was 'born with a in Santiago by closing the narrow
sneer'. D. T., 13th February 1897.
opening to the harbour of that city ;
Bosh (Lower Official English). A e.g., 'My wife's come to town I'm
term applied by market inspectors to bottled. Next week, Jane.'
butterine, oleomargarine and other Bottle o' Spruce (Peoples', 18 cent.).
practically too
-
preparations long Zero, nothing, abbreviation of Bottle
windedly named to please the official of Spruce Beer, which was cheap, com-
mind. Now extended to all adulter-
monplace, almost valueless; e.g., 'Of
ants or adulterated food. Mr course, you say I don't care a bottle of
O 'Donovan declared this word to be spruce.
'

Persian, and that it means 'empty'. It also implies twopence this sum,
;

Certainly the word used as an ex- early in the 19th century being the price
clamation is replete with the idea of of a bottle of spruce beer. A
man now
emptiness. (See World, 31st January seeking twopence asks for the price of
1883.) a pint. His grandfather would have
Boss Time (Anglo- Amer.). Great asked for a bottle of spruce.
pleasure, a supreme holiday ; e.g.,
'
Eve had a boss time last winter hunt- Boughten or Bought (Provincial).
Adj ecti ve of disparagement. Bought as
ing deer up in Michigan.' distinct from superior home-madegoods.
Now used in England. No longer heard. Very pleasant, as
Botany Beer Party (Soc., 1882). illustrating a time when every country-
A meeting where no intoxicants are house, large and small, had its spinsters,
weavers, stocking-knitters, and straw
-
drunk. In this year temperance,
which had been growing in society for plaiters. This word is the more
years, became drunk on affectation. interesting from a modern instance in
Botany Beer, it has recently been de- Ireland, where vanned bread that is
cided on judicial authority, is not beer carted from the baker's is a term of
G. A. Sala, in Lond. News,
at
disparagement as compared with home-
all. III.
10th March 1883. made bread.
Botherums (Agricultural). Yellow
Bouguereau quality (Art, 1884).
Riskily effeminate. From the name of
marigolds.
Among the turnips the yellow mari- the great French painter, whose style
golds flourish mightily, so mightily that almost unwholesomely refined. The
'
is
they are called locally botherums by
'

the farmers, for they are most difficult word has become cruelly perverted by
to get rid of. Newsp. Gutting. its translation into common-place art
44
 Boulevard-journalist Bowl

chat. Now very extensively
The Bouguereau quality is
applied to figure painting and to
sculpture, but reaches landscape and
portrait painting, decoration, and even
literature. The Bouguereau quality in
letters is now very marked, and refers
to work by both sexes. It is also
applied to manners, speech, and even
dress remarkable example of rapid
growth of a word.
The exhibition includes several
notable works by famous painters. M.
Bouguereau 'a group called 'Spring' is
alone worth seeing, being a very refined
example of his exquisite painting of the
nude. I). N., 19th July 1886.
used. Every one who mixes much in society in
not only Whitechapel will understand the functions
of the bouncer. When tavern liberty
verges on licence, and gaiety on wanton
delirium, the bouncer selects the gayest
of the gay and bounces him. To
' '
bounce is simply to prevail on persons
whose mirth interferes with the general
enjoyment to withdraw from society
which they embarrass rather than adorn.
The bouncer almost invariably uses gentle
means and moral persuasion. He bounces
the erring 'as if he loved them'. His
reputation for strength and science are
so great that no one cares to resist the
bouncer, and the boldest hold their
breath and let themselves be bounced
without a murmur. (See Chucker out '. ) '

D. N., 26th July 1883.

Boulevard -journalist (Fr., 1856).
Immediately after Louis Napoleon Bouncing (Peoples'). Big, rotund
seized upon the throne of France, a probably from bonse a huge round
number of contentious little journals marble.
Moreover, he has females in his employ
appeared, mostly of a personal and who have been with him ten years, and
scandalous character, for politics had
been practically slain. many of them are the healthy mothers
The serious of bouncing boys and girls. I'm not
journals styled these new issues quite sure under what circumstances
'journaux des boulevards', their children bounce, but I believe the ex-
'
writers Les journalistes boulevar- pression is applied to strapping infants ;
diers '.These literary gnats especially though, again, I do not know under what
attacked England, as a rule, hence circumstances children strap. G. K.
the English press willingly Anglicised Sims, Ref., 28th December 1884.
the term to describe an unscrupulous Bound to Shine (Amer.). Praise.
'
writer until 'Society journalist' was The antithesis of clouded over' (q.v.).
discovered and accepted. Bournemouth (Theatri., 1882-83).
Boulevardier (Franco-Eng. y 1854- The deported Gaiety Theatre (London)
70). Paris man about town of third- said satirically. The house was very
rate position ; accepted in England ; icy that winter, and produced colds,
e.g.,
'
He is only a boulevardier.
'
while Bournemouth is the sanatorium
for weak-chested invalids.
Bounced (Avier., 1880). Igno- We don't care about Bournemouth
miniously ejected. Derivation speaks our pleasant name for the Gaiety, as
fatally for itself. everybody there is dying of coughs and
While he did not feel greatly injured colds. Sporting Times, 3rd February
by being bounced from a club which num- 1883.
bered only seven lame old men and two
Bowl for Timber (Cricketers'). To
dogs, he wanted to feel that justice was
on and he therefore appealed to
his side, send the ball at the martyr-player's
the Lime-Kiln Club for its decision. legs the timber. Discountenanced in
Newsp. Cutting. later years rather as waste of time
Quite accepted in England. than with any view of repression of
'

Bounced muchly (Amer. Tavern}. personal injury. Try for timber

he's quivery' that is to say, nervous.
To be expelled with exceeding vigour.
Bounced is a modern discovery, but Bowl ( Thieves', 1 9 cent. ). Discovery
' '

the adverb 'muchly' is due to the from bowl out a cricketing term.
wild philology of the mirth-provoking Good as illustrating how a national
Artemus Ward. pastime always provides new language.
3
Grizard went with them, and said he
Bouncer (P. House, 80's). Ex- wanted them to look sharp and get to
peller of noisy or even mildly drunken Covent Garden before the market was
*
customers. (See Chucker out '. ) open, in case it came to a bowl '. This
'

The ' bouncer ' of the House of Com- was at four in the morning. The Alder-
mons, going into the gallery, tried to find man What is a bowl ? Witness I
:
'
:

the guilty individual, Newsp. Cutting. understand it to be a find-out.

45
 Bowler Brayvo Hicks

Bowler (Middle Glass). Hard, boot-making trade, and is still in use

dome-shaped, man's felt hat. This hat in the north. Brads are small nails.
'

('80) took the place of the deer-stalker, Hey, lass, thee shalt hev' thy tay-tray
which was the first modern felt hat when t' brads coom along.'
produced in London. The bowler was Bradshaw (Middle Class). Precise
a make of a smaller kind altogether. person, great at figures. From '
Brad-
Origin not known but probably from
'
shaw's Railway Guide' ; e.g., Quite a
the nam of the manufacturer. Has Bradshaw my dear.
'

quite passed into the language. Brag (Soc., 1800-30). A game of

All the description that the railway
cards in which the players tried to give
officials can give of the man is that he
the idea that they held better cards
appeared well dressed, and wore a dark
than they did. Hence the phrase,
overcoat, closely buttoned, and a bowler '

hat. Z). T., 15th February 1897. Don't brag by the card.'
Speculation does not greatly surprise
Bow - wow - mutton (Naval). So
me, I believe, because I feel the same
bad that it might be dog-flesh. myself ; but it mortifies me deeply be-
Boxing put (Austral, from Amer.). cause speculation was under my patron-
Boxing outing or bout. age ; and, after all, what is there so
delightful in a pair royal of Braggers?
Boy (Boltoii). Man.
There are no It is but three nines or three knaves, or a
men in Bolton are boys, even at
all mixture of them. Jane Austen's Letters,
ninety. This quality they share alone, 1809.
throughout England, with post-boys Bran New A
who never grow up. (Peoples'). corrup-
tion of brand new, that which is
Boy Jones, The (about 1840). branded with the name of the maker.
Secret informant. chimney boy- A Probably from Sheffield.
sweep of this name tumbled out of a
chimney at Buckingham Palace, or was
Brandy and Fashoda (Soc. t October
found there under a bed, and was sup- 1898). Brandy and soda, of course.
Good example of droll pleonasm.
posed to have heard State secrets as From
between the Queen and the then discovery of the French
the
Prince Albert. Event supposed to captain,Marchand, at Fashoda, almost
have accelerated chimney-sweeping by immediately after the conquest of the
' dervishes at Omdurman (1898). (See
machinery. For years the boy Jones'
was suggestive of secrecy. ' The per- S. andB.)
son who told me, my son, was the boy Brandy-shunter (L. Class). He
Jones.' (See 'Jinks the Barber', that swalloweth frequent eau-de-vie.
'Postman's Sister'.) Thomas Spencer Carlton, the eminent
brandy-shunter, was born about thirty-
Boyno ! (Nautical from Lingua five years ago of wealthy yet honest
Franca, or S. American). Friendly parents. Newsp. Cutting.
valediction; sometimes been used at
' ' '
how Brass (Metallic England). Money.
meeting as Hullo !
Boyno
' The commonest term for cash all over
is it ?

At 'Well
so long! England, and almost the only one used
parting, Boy- in the copper and iron industries.
no!' From the
Spanish 'bueno', The prisoner and another man stopped
equivalent of 'God speed you.' the prosecutor, and explained that it was
Bueno, senoretta said the dwarf, and
' '
! ' '

walked away with the superintendent. '

money to buy beer that they wanted.
' '
Haven't any said he. Yes, you have
'

Brace up (Thieves'). Pawn stolen shouted Quain ; and we've got to have
'

property. Corruption perhaps from some of it. Now, then, brass up, or we'll
Fr.
'
Eraser ', to fabricate at length ; shove you through it.' Neivsp. Cutting.
'braser des faffes' to fabricate false Brass-knocker Broken
(Cadgers').
papers. May have been introduced by victuals. This may be a corruption
French criminals. from the Romany, but it is now
Bracelets ( Thieves'). Humorous suggestive of a house whose superior
title for hand-cuffs ;
in itself a satirical respectability warrants the absence of
description. complete economy and the presence of
Brads (North Country). One of the pieces.
trade names for money in this case Brayvo Hicks (Theat., 1830). A
halfpence. The word comes from the peculiar form of applause only used
 Brayvo Rouse Bremerhaven Miscreant

in approbation of muscular demonstra- from his place; coming from the old
tion on the lower stage especially French settlements of America, prob-
' '
broadsword exercise. Derived from ably a corruption of Rigodon
Hicks, a celebrated favourite actor for Anglicised or rather Americanised.
more I have heard of burlesque actors
many years, especially 'upon
the Surrey side'. After he passed dancing a 'breakdown', but the other
away the applausive phrase first day the jEcho, on its broadsheet,
announced, 'breakdown of an excursion
applied to him was inherited for train
'

Entr'acte, January 1883.

!

many years by his natural successors. Ahead

It may still be heard in out-of-the-way Breakers (Nautical).
little theatres. Applied in S. London Necessarily, warning of coming danger.
' 'Melita' enjoyed a very short and
widely ; e.g., Brayvo Hicks into 'er
It started with
'er the gravil inglorious career.
again. Mary give 'breakers ahead' and ended with
rash.'
brokers on the spot, I believe. Ref.,
Brayvo Rouse (E. London). 14th January 1883.
Applause approval. From the name Breaking Camp (American back-
of an enterprising proprietor of * The To change one's camping
' woods).
Eagle , afterwards The Royal '

place figuratively, to leave it by

;
Grecian ', a theatre situated in the
way of death.
City Road, now the Central London could have braced up under it if
I
headquarters of the Salvation Army. my poor Mary had got sick and died at
This clever man was one of the first home with me holdin' of her hand and
managers to give a long series of consolin' her as she was breakin' camp
well-presented French light operas in for the other world. Newsp. Cutting.
English. All the best of Auber's Breast the Tape (Sporting).
work was dressed in by
English Conquer, lead, overcome from touch-
Rouse who, it is to be feared, ' ing the tape with breast in running
'
annexed without authorial complica- matches.
tions. Whenever he appeared it was Leeds at the best of times does not
*
always Brayvo Rouse '. Old players rejoice in a very clear atmosphere but ;

still show his house in the City Road. when she wraps herself in a fog, she can
Buck up give London a good start in the race for
*
to it again bray vo
objectionableness and breast the tape an
'
Rouse !

Bread and Meat Man easy winner at the finish. Ref., 27th
(Military). November 1887.
An officer of the Army Service Corps.
Breath strong enough to carry
Bread-basket (London Trade, 19 coal (Anglo. -Amer.). Drunk.
cent.). Obvious invention of genius . comes home at three o'clock in
. .

for stomach. Hence never extended to the morning with a breath strong enough
Ireland, where the equivalent is tater- to carry the coal. Newsp. Cutting.
sack, the mouth being tatur-trap. Brekker (Oxford '
er'). Breakfast
Miss Selina Slops was invited before a great find in the er dialect, but ' '

his Worship, on the charge of smearing

the face of B.O. 44 with a flatiron, while
probably in origin dating from the
nursery.
hot, and also with jumping upon his
bread-basket, while in the execution of Bremerhaven Miscreant (Amer.
his duty. Gutting. polit., 1883). At this place were made
the clock-work dynamite torpedoes
Break(L. Class). Ruin, overcome, which ('80 -
'83) alarmed European
expose, injure justly or unjustly.
'
I broke 'im society.
Expression of victory ' Bremerhaven miscreant These toys,
'
'.
I broke 'im through and through !
in which a charge of dynamite is ex-
In middle classes 'to break a man'
ploded by clockwork, are manufactured,
is an abbreviation of break away it is commonly believed, by Mr Crowe,
from him to cease to know him to of Peoria. In a free country, of course,
cut him. This word obtains ever- where there is a large Irish vote, a clever
increasing significations. mechanic may make what he pleases, and
we are far from expressing the futile
Breakdown (Negro -plantation). A hope that the Government of the United
particular kind of dance, for one States will interfere with the industry of
generally, where the steps are varied, Mr Crowe and his followers. But our
but the performer does not move far nation, though averse to a policy of
 Briar Bristols

Protection, might not unreasonably lay a sentimental servant women in

Irish
heavy prohibitive duty on infernal '
New York much of which has, it
machines D. N., March 1883.
'.
has been declared, aided the Irish
Briar (Peoples', 1870). A briar-root Nationalist movement in the House
pipe. A modern invention, supposed of Commons. Term now applied in
*
to be of god-like comfort. Briar-root many directions.
is sometimes used to describe a corru- Brief (Peoples'}. Letter, or piece
gated, badly-shaped nose.' of paper with writing. Probably
Brickfielder (Australian). Hot ancient. May be from the use by the
north wind, bringing with it a red First or Second George of this term
impalpable dust from the interior. It for letter.
penetrates even locks, and stains Brief (19 cent.). False reference.
fabrics in drawers of a dull brick red The system of false references has so
hence the graphic name. Generally increased that many masters do not
comes after great heat in January, ask for references, but accept the ser-
and portends a grateful change in the vant or clerk, discovering him to be
weather. 'What a brickfielder you honest or dishonest, as the peculiar
'
are !
meaning nuisance. disposition of the employer lies.
Bricky (Peoples'). Brave, fearless, Brenner said, I've given the Jew boy
'

adroit after the manner of a brick ; another brief. I hope he'll pay me this
said even of the other sex,
'
What a time.' Alleged conspiracy to defraud
Licensed Victuallers. Morning Adver-
bricky girl she is.' (See 'Plucky',
tiser, 25th February 1892.
'Cheeky'.)
A Brief (Lawyers' Clerks'). Pawn-
Bridges-bridges (Printers'). cry
Prob- broker's ticket, suggested perhaps by
to arrest a long-winded story.
' the shape. The synonyms for this
ably corruption of abregeons-abre-
geons' in a deal Anglicized. (See signal of woe are countless, and the
' ' list is
always growing.
Grasses ', Chestnuts '. )
Ah, Sam, how are yer ? 'ere, will
'
1

Bridges and no Grasses (Printers ).

you buy the brief of a good red 'un, in
Secret. A bridge is an absentee with- for a fifth its value?'
Newsp. Cutting.
out leave, who has not
sent a substi- This mystic enquiry refers to the
tute, or grass. When a combination duplicate (this paste-board being a
is made to prevent a master from simulacrum of a card firmly pinned
getting out his paper by the printers to the pledge) of a pawned watch a
absenting themselves, this would be red 'un, a term which is probably the
called Breaking the Bridge. The corruption of a proper name say
whole system belongs to a system of Redding. (See Tombstone.)
rattening, a system which is being
Brighton Bitter (Public House).
swept away by the strides of education. Mild and bitter beer mixed satirical
Bridgeting (Amer.-Eng., 1866 on). reference to some Brighton ale-house
Obtaining money under false pretences, keepers, who, knowing Sunday and
or even by criminal process, from ser- Monday excursionists are only chance
vant girls. This word has taken customers, never give these customers
astounding journeys. It dates from bitter beer, though they pay its price.

Ireland, where so many female chil- Brim (Thieves'). A fearless woman

dren are named after Saint Bridget of the town. Origin evidently foreign
that the name became as typical of the probably the French army, where
Irish serving-girl in New York as Pat ' '
a brimade is equal to English mili-
(from St Patrick) is typical of the
'
tary making hay ', and introduced to
Irish working-man. From the fifties London by way of Soho.
onward Bridget became synonymous Bristols (Soc. t 1830 on). Visiting
in New York with domestic servant.
cards, from the date when these articles
In the sixties the Fenian leaders in were printed upon Bristol i.e., card-
New York new way of
discovered a
board a superior Bristol make.
;

getting money by issuing notes of the Inside Madame Bernhardt's house there
Bank of the Republic of Ireland at 50 is a register open for the signatures of
per cent, discount. Large sums were callers, and the card basket shows a
obtained through many years, and large collection of 'Bristols'. D. T. t

money is obtained even now from 17th February 1898.

48
 Brit
Brit ( Theatr. ). An endearing dimi-
nutive conferred by its denizens on
the Britannia Theatre ; as,
'
How do
'
you get to the Brit ?' Take a train
east one station this side of Jericho.'
(See Bird, Vic, Eff, 'Delphi,
Lane. )
British Roarer (Peoples'}.
heraldic and symbolical lion.
The tribunes are dressed in red cloth,
and are guarded by four comic Byzantine
lions, which act as symbols of our British
roarer. D. N., May 1883.
Broad Faker (Thieves').
player, probably not wholly dissociated
from cheating. Broad may simply
refer to the width of the card ; but it
probably refers to the name of an early
maker of cards probably marked for
cheating.
Broad - gauge Lady (Railway
passing to Peoples'). One who
Officials',
makes rather a tight fit for five on a
I know I'm a broad-gauge
'
side.
'
lady but I can't help it, can I ?
Herbert Campbell's ' gag ', Drury Lane
Panto. 1884-85. Passed away with
the broad-gauge in the '90's.
Local
Brogue (Irish).
accent from the name of the
covering worn by the peasants. From
' 'Brompton boilers' in their present
the brogue to the boot (gentleman)
'all speak the same of him, and can
say no other '. Maria Edgeworth, The
Absentee, ch. 9.
Broken Brigade (Soc., 1880 on).
Poor, younger sons living on their wits.
'
'
Broken another form of * stone-
broke'.
The younger son has been brought up
in almost precisely the same fashion as
his elder brother. . . . When, therefore,
he finds himself without the legitimate
means to live and enjoy life, as he has
been trained to do, he must either find
illegitimate means or else join that party
which has earned for itself the un-
enviable name of the broken brigade.
D. N., 26th September 1887.
Brokered (L. C., 1897).
specimen of the daily making of
here upon the pre-historic
language
basis of the noun creating the verb.
How much more concise than 'got
the brokers in', and so much nearer
the literal, for one broker who brokers,
as a rule, suffices.
Defendant complained that she had
been 'brokered' by mistake, and that
she had to go out to wash to help pay
Broom
this debt for another man, as her
husband was only surety. D. T., 20th
November 1897.
Brolly (Public School, 1875 on).
Umbrella. This is evidently a corrup-
and tion of umbrella. How did it come
about ? It descends from good society.
Our Let us suppose the then Prince of
Wales hears one of his children when
very young make an effort to say
umbrella, with 'brolly' for result,
that he therefore applies the word very
naturally to his umbrella ; that he is
Card- heard at the Marlborough, where the
word is adopted, and so passed on
to the sons of the members of the club,
who carry it down into their schools
whence it spreads. In King's College
the word is quite naturalised. (See
'Gamp,' 'Gingham,' 'Sangster'.)
Brompton Boilers (Art, 1870 on).
A three-roofed iron-built museum at
S. Kensington. It got this name from
the aspect of the building, and retained
it nearly fifty years. They were only
demolished in 1898.
As little is there room or reason for
carting them (the pictures left to the
nation by Sir Richard Wallace), off to
lingual
South Kensington, especially so long as
foot-
the administrative powers leave the
'
absolutely disgraceful condition. D. T.,
2nd April 1899.
Brooks of Sheffield (M. CL, 1853
on). Nemo warning to be careful as
to names.
'
Who was he ? oh '
Brooks of Sheffield. From the first
three numbers of David Copperfield
where David is referred to by Mr
Murdstone in this name. Now passiug
away but still used in the '80's. On
all fours with Binks the Barber.
Never mind I hear that Smith, the
;
champion pugilist of the universe and all
England, is going to find out who that
there Brooks of Sheffield is who boasts
that he knocked Smith out in a private
glove fight. Ref., 31st July 1887.
A Broom (Soc., 1860 on). A would-be
swell a total pretence. Corruption
of Brum, with the 'u' long, it being
an abbreviation of Brummagem, which
is a contemptuous pronunciation of
Birmingham for many years, until
the '80s, a synonym for pinchbeck
manufactures. Good example of sub-
stituting a known word for another
less known on this occasion the
process taking place in Society itself.
 Broomstick Brulee

Broomstick (Canadian). A gun or The height of respectability is to

rifle. No word could more perfectly
live in a brown stone-fronted house
outline the peaceful character of the that is to say, to show a bold veneer of

Canadian as distinct from his American brown stone to the world that passes
along the main street, putting off your
brother, when it is borne in mind that
the latter calls his gun, shooting iron. neighbours at the back with ordinary
brick. Neicsp. Cutting.
The domesticity of broomstick
' '

yields history in itself.

Brown Study Deep study.
(Soc.)
But why brown ? Blue, or black and
Brother Bung(London Tavern). A white would be more appropriate.
'
fellow - publican ; as, Oh, they're
brother bungs', said contemptuously. Possibly from a celebrated 'varsity man
given to being lost in thought.
However, after the usual smart English
manner of taking even Mr John Bull Brown to (Com. Classes). To
by the horns, the less dignified understand. Origin very obscure
publicans have accepted the situation probably from a keen man of this
amongst themselves, and will fre- name. He didn't brown to what she
'

quently say when ' meeting, How goes was saying not a little bit.' Possibly
'

it, brother bung ?

from meat proving its goodness by

Brougham (Soc. t 1820 [?]). A handsomely browning while on the

roast.
small, close carriage, named after Lord
Brougham even said invented
it is Brown 'un, The (Sporting, 1870).
The Sporting Times from the then
by him. The name has lasted to this
day as 'broom' amongst high-class tone of its paper. (See Pink 'un. )
people though less well-informed Brownies (Loiver London, 1896).
souls will give the two syllables. Common three for one half-
cigarettes
Recently a smaller brougham with penny. From proper name, Brown.
rounded front has come to be called, Outcome of cigarette-smoking.
by leading people, 'cask', and even To meet humbler feminine wants there
'tub'. are now halfpenny packets of cigarettes
Brown containing three, known as Brownies.'
'

(Mooney's, Strand). Two

Z>. T., 3rd March 1898.
pennyworth of whisky. Evasive,
delicate mode of getting a 2d. drink, Bruffam (Soc., 1860 on). A droll
the usual whisky -
gargle being half variation of Brougham, the small car-
sixpence. Good example of a singu- riage known by that name Brough
larly local passing word. Mooney's itself being pronounced Bruff. Another
is the Irish whisky - house of the ' '
illustration of the gh eccentricities.
whole Strand. A story runs that Brougham, on being
Brown George (Oxford fin, 1890 rallied by the Iron Duke as a man whose

on). Large jug holding bath-water,

name would go down to posterity as a
from and the name of the
its colour, great lawyer, statesman, etc., but who
earth en warer.
would be best known by the name of the
carriage which had been christened after
Brown Polish (Anglo Amer.). -
him, retorted that the Duke's name
A mulatto. Outcome of the use of would no doubt go down to posterity as
tan - coloured boots. that of a great general and the hero of
Grotesquely
on the lines of Day and a hundred fights, but that he would be
graphic
best remembered by having a particular
Martin (1840) describing a negro,
kind of boot named after him. Neivsp.
because D. & M.'s blacking was so
Cutting.
black.
Brulee Naval, 1863). A very
(chiefly
Brown Stone Fronts (Amer. poli- obscure word.
'

Term
is used at Vingt
tical). Aristocrats.
et un, and consists of the dealer help-
The dream of the rich New Yorker,
ing himself to two cards, one from the
realised in the case of Mr Vanderbilt, is
to live in a brown stone house. top of the pack, the other from the
bottom. This is permissible before the
In New York politics, efforts are some-
times made to bring about what are called new dealer commences his deal. He
the primary elections in July, because in has the option of making the brulee or
that month, as it is said, the brown '
not. If the two cards are not a natural
stone fronts are out of town'. D. N., (one ace and one court card or ten), he
10th October 1883, pays the unit to each player of the
50
 Brums Buck

money played for if it is a natural, he Bryant & May's 'Chuckaways'

takes from each player from four to six
times the stake, according to agree-
ment. Sheer gambling. Not good
form. 'N.B. Nap' (Napoleon) has
completely swept away Vingt et un
and 'brulee avec' as the French
golden youth might say. Probably
from the name of the inventor.
Brums (R. S. Exchange).
stock. stocks
All railway
Railway
have names of convenient brevity.
The nicknames of stocks at the Ex-
change are, on the whole, disrespectful.
Thus, the ordinary stock of the London
and North- Western Kailway is known as
Brums
although Brummagem is any-
'
',
thing but a proper description of so solid
a property. Mids will readily be re- '
cognized as Midland Railway stock and
an equal facility of identification may
be claimed for 'Chats' (Chatham and
Mets '
Dis-
(E. London, 1876). Girls employed in
B. & M.'s lucifer match factory. Here
one reading is droll, the other perhaps
very cruel a combination too frequent
in peoples' wit. Chuckaways is
one of the graphic names given
to lucifer matches, simply because
after striking and using, the remainder
'
of the lucifer is thrown or ' chucked
N.W.
away. Here, in effect, the lucifer is
applied to the cause, the maker. The
rhyming too should be remarked.
This same cruel meaning of chuckaway
maybe left to the imagination. Of course
match-makers, following a
girl lucifer
' '
miserable and unhealthy industry, are
not the equals of Belgravian match-
'
making mothers.
;
Bub (Old'iEng. now American). In
The Country Girl the author often calls
' ' her husband bub.' In the States it
'

Dover), (Metropolitan),
tricts (Metropolitan District), and some
'
is a friendly term addressed to a boy.

others. Dovers ', '

however, would Your husband ought to be arrested
'

'

sugggest at first sight the for working on Sunday Working on

'
scarcely !

South - Eastern Railway, nor 'Souths' Sunday come here, bub Now, bub, !

the London and South- Western while ; if you'll prove that my husband ever
the North Staffordshire shares are irre- worked on Sunday, or any other day in
Pots,' after the
'

verently spoken of as the week, I'll give you a dollar I've !

Potteries. lived with him for twenty years, and

The pet names are in every way pre- have always had to buy even his whiskey
ferable. Who would
'
not cheerfully lose and tobacco, and now if he's gone to
money on Berthas (Brighton Ordinary),
'
work I want to know it The boy !
'

'
on Doras'
(South-Eastern Deferred), backed off without another word. 1882.
'
on Noras (Great Northern Deferred),
'

Bubble (Soc. 17 cent.). To cheat.

on 'Saras' (Manchester, Sheffield, and '
t

Lincoln Deferred), or even on Dinahs

' ' To bubble you out of a sum of money.'
Decker's Horn-book, 1609.
(Edinburgh and Glasgow Ordinary) ? On
the other hand, there is an added The well-meaning ladies of England,
exasperation in the thought of having '
when they subscribed for that monu-
'

ment, had not the faintest notion of

'

rashly
'
put one's pile on Caleys
(Caledonian Ordinary) or 'Haddocks' what they were doing. They were in-
(Great Northern of Scotland Ordinary.) deed bubbled ', to use a phrase of Queen
'

Neivsp. Cutting. Anne's time. D. N., 1882.

POLLY. I'm bubbled.
Brush (Public House). Odd name LUCY. I'm bubbled.
for a small glass, which is an inverted POLLY. Oh, how I'm troubled.
cone fixed on a thick stem of glass ; Beggars' Opera.
used for dram-drinking in London Still used by the lowest. I bubbled
'

and thus fancifully named from its out- 'im to rights.' Equal to bilk a more
' '

*
line to a house-painter's brush. modern word.
That little bloke, with no more flesh Bubble around ( Amer.
-
on him than on a one and ninepenny Eng. ).
Rather a strong verbal attack, gener-
fowl, put away six pots of four-halt", '

ally by way of the press. I will back

three kervoortens of cold satin in a two-
out brush, a 'arf kervoorten of rum, and a first-class British subject for bubbling
a bottle of whisky. Newsp. Cutting. around against all humanity.' Besant
& Rice, The Golden Butterfly, ch. 18.
Brush Power (Artists', 1882).
Simply Never was Mr
painting, e.g.
(
Buck (Soc., 18 cent.). Young man
Millais' brush power so manly and of fashion, derived not from the male
deer, but a diminutive of buckram ',
'
assured.' Grit, of R. Academy, 1883,
John Forbes-Robertson. a stiffening fabric used in setting out
 Buck Against Bucking the Tiger

the full-skirted coats of the eighteenth plan tin' facilities of yer own it's got to be
century. The word lasted fashionably done. Was the lamented a buck or a
to about 1820. It is now only used by doe?' 1883.

thoroughly vulgar people. Its fashion- Buck Parties (Soc.). Bachelor

able equivalent in the middle of the meets. From Australia.
nineteenth century was swell ', which '
The ono drawback
to our pleasure has
is rapidly being vulgarized.
*
Toff
'
is been the delicate state of Mrs Pen's
an invention of the envious enemy. health. This sent me out to what are
Buck obtained an other meaning during called here 'buck parties', i.e., parties
of men only, when otherwise I should
the '70's a sham cab fare. During the
have gone with her to (what she calls)
evening the Strand being gorged with more civilised gatherings. 19th
Ref.,
crawler cabs, it was determined to keep
September 1888.
empty cabs out of that thoroughfare 1870 on). Stock-
from 10 to 11 P.M. Cabmen desirous Bucket-shop (City,
of getting through on the chance of jobber's, or outside broker's office.
From U.S.A.
obtaining a fare from a Strand theatre RUINED BY BUCKET SHOPS once A
or restaurant would ask passing young
men prosperous merchant's defalcation and
fairly dressed, if poor, to pretend suicide. Montreal. SamuelJohnson . . .

to be a fare in order to get past the line absconded. Two detectives started
. . .

of police. This fraudulent passenger with him for this city. This morn- . . .

came to be called by cabmen, and after-
wards by the police, a buck ', used
no doubt satirically.
When a cabman wants to drive past
the police to get access to theatre exits
out of his own turn he puts a man into
his cab and drives rapidly on, as if taking
a fare away. This sham fare in street
parlance, we learn, is 'only a buck'.
D. N., 26th September 1887.
Mr
Bridge said in this case
been shown that the man was
in the ordinary acceptance of the term.
Defendant had evidently allowed his
friend to ride on the spring. This was
an offence against the regulations, in
addition to entailing extra labour on the
horse. He hoped it would be understood
that in future in such cases, and where
'
'
bucks were employed, the full penalty
would be imposed. Newsp. Cutting,
October 1887.
Buck against (Anglo-Amer.). To
oppose violently. From the stubborn
bucking habit of stag and goat.
Buck up and take a chilly (Navy).
Advice to a man to pull himself to-
after a hard
gether '
*
may be literal, since
chilly
is to be
signal help
supposed
in restoring the collapsed patient to
sense and sobriety.
Buck or a doe (Anglo-Amer. ).
ing he jumped from the train at the
'
Tanneries, and was found dead with two
bullets through his brain. Johnson is
another victim of bucket-shop specula-
tion. It is known that he has lost
thousands of dollars in these places. The
community is indignant at the manner
in which so many citizens are being ruined
by bucket shops, and steps will certainly
be taken to close them. N. Y. Mercury,
had not 2nd October 1887.
it
'
'
a buck Bucking match (Negro). Fight
with heads. Fine example of throw-
back to savage life. Sheer atavism.
Stacey appeared to be the more belli-
gerent of the two, insisted on having the
quarrel out, and challenged Kline to
fighthim without fists or weapons. This
isthe usual manner among Philadelphia
negroes to denominate a
'
bucking
match', which is not an infrequent
method of settling disputes. Newsp.
Gutting.
Bucking the Tiger (Anglo-Amer.).
Gambling heavily.
Entering by a green baize door, the
visitors found themselves in a large and
drink. The well-lighted room the lair of the tiger.
Gamblers usually speak of faro playing
cayenne bucking the tiger ', but if any one
'
as
a
imagines that the animal is other than a
fat, sleek, attractive-looking feline they
make a great mistake. Only the furry
coat is exposed one must join in the
A ;

play in order to get a glimpse of the

man or woman, obviously from the
fangs and claws. Newsp. Cutting.
habit and mode of thinking by back- An oil region correspondent of a Phila-
woods' men. delphia journal, who evidently
'
has
The startled girl gave glance, him a been there' at both places says that
' "
but no other demonstration of recog- boring for oil is like
" bucking the
nition.
'
It's kinder rough to rattle 'em tiger ', or eating mushrooms if you ;

along like freight in this way (coffined, live it is a mushroom if you die it is a
;

dead), but where you ain't got no toadstool. If you strike oil you have
52
 Bud
bored in the right place if you don't ; last
you haven't. Newsp. Cutting.
In the United States the operation of
staking all one's money in a gaming hell is
'
called bucking the tiger '.
Bud (Amer.-Eng.). A young girl.
Keal original American discovery.
The American novelist is in rather a
tight place. When he is in a tight place
or, indeed, whether he is or not he
usually takes the world into his confi-
dence. His grievance at present is the
censorship of the bud ', or young
'
of his native land. D. N., 31st
1889.
Buff to the Stuff (Thieves', 19 cent.).
Accomplices who swear to stolen pro-
perty as theirs.
They might as well have the twenty
quid as not, for they were sure to get out
of it, as they were going to send some
people to buff to the stuff ', a slang term
'
for claiming the property supposed to
have been stolen, and stating that they
had sold it. Newsp. Cutting.
Buffalo Boys (Music Hall). Comic
negroes, affecting stupidity, probably
from one of the earliest nigger melodies.
Buffer (Peoples'). A catspaw, inter-
mediator, illustrator of the couplet
'
Those who in quarrels interpose
Often get a bloody nose.'
Comes in one line from the railway
buffer, which breaks the impingement of
railway carriages, and in another line
from buffo, who in comic Italian opera
' '
is always ill-used. Poor old buffer,
said by Robson to the ghost of Lablache,
the buffo, in The Camp at the Olympic,
by J. R. Planche.
Buffer (Navy). A boatswain's mate
probably because he is the buffer
between boatswain
state, so to speak,
and able seaman.
Buffer State (Political). A small
territory dividing the countries or
two greater states as Bel-
colonies of
gium, which is a buffer state between
France and Germany. Holland is
another buffer state. So also is
'
Andorre '. So also were Monaco and
Mentone '
the * buffer once between
France and
Italy.
Buffs, Buffaloes (Secret Society)
An-
jovial, so-called, secret society
cient Order of Buffaloes.' Probably in
the commencement from beau fel-
lows
'
as Hullo ! my beau fellows
beau being a word much used in the
Bug-eaters
The process of being
century.
made a buffalo fifty years ago was
the victim being sworn
very simple,
on the sacred ibis. Before him and
G. A. SALA.
the elect a cork was
of
everyone
placed, when the president told the
acolyte that upon a given word every
man was to seize his cork, the last to
touch his cork having to pay 2s. 6d.
The word was given, the victim saized
his cork, and as no one budged or moved
a hand, evidently he was the last to
girl, touch his cork. So he paid his half-
May
crown. The Buffaloes ( A. S. 0. B. ) have
been for a long time a well-ordered
society possibly too jovial, but cer-
tainly in some degree charitable. They
have proper officera, give annual jewels
of gold, not perhaps of a very high
carat, to their officers, and have cere-
monials, in some degree choral, as the
astonished outsider may learn for him-
self as, on passing a lodge, he hears
the brethren proclaiming their inten-
tion to 'Chase the Buffalo', though
where they would find the buffalo it
would be difficult to say. Sisters, i.e.,
brethren's wives, come without to hear
these things, and go home trembling
and minatory. The Buffs are strictly
non-political.
Buffy (Com. Lond.). Drunk pro-
bably Anglicized from bevvy. He '
always goes to bed buffy.' Or it may
be swelled with drink, from French
bouffi temp. Charles II.
He, the driver, must get up earlier and
go to bed without getting buffy, which
he hadn't done for a week of Sundays,
before he found that little game would
draw in the dibs. Newsp. Cutting.
Bug (Amer.). Abbreviation of bug-
bear a nuisance.
The phraseology of Edison, to judge
from his day-book records, is synthetic,
*
strongly descriptive, and quaint. . .
A bug is a difficulty which appears
' '
insurmountable to the staff. To the
master it is an ugly insect that lives on
'
the lazy, and can and must be killed.'
Newsp. Cutting.
Bugaboo (Amer.). A panic of an
absurd and unreasoning character.
1
The recent Fenian bugaboo.'- 1867.
A
Bug -eaters (Amer.). People of
'
Nebraska. This word must be read
'
'beetle' in English. Refers to the
! enormous amount of insect life in this
territory.
 Bug-slwoter Bully

Bug-shooter (Schools mid Univs.). negro was to be whipped the overseer ;

A volunteer
volunteers not being was instructed to give him as many lashes
as was applied to an animal, hence the
popular with gown the system being
left to town. term 'bull-doze'." Maybe 'doze' has
reference to dozen.
If join the Volunteers you are dis-
you This word is also used in private life
'
courteously spoken of as a bug-shooter'.
D. T., 14th August 1899. to describe pestering conduct :

Serves you just right for bull-dozing

Bugs (Lowest Classes). Wall- me a whole month to make this infernal
flowers. From theirsignal colour, excursion. Newsp. Cutting.
example of lower tendency to
class The following quotation will show
horribly vulgar association of ideas, that even in the U.S.A. themselves
even in relation to such pleasant visitors this term is not fully understood :

as these blooms the first of the year '

What do
they mean by bull-dozing ?
'

frequently seen in penny bunches in asked an inquisitive wife the other even-
'I suppose they mean a bull that
poorest neighbourhoods early in Febru- ing.
Who'll 'av a pennorth o' bugs ? is half asleep.' And the injured one kept
ary.
on with her sewing, but said nothing.
(See Bloods.)
Build up To array in Bulley (Westminster School). The
(Thieves').
good clothes, for trade purposes. lappet of a King's scholar's gown
Jennings agreed to build up Archer
' '
probably rather meant to describe the
with clothes, and at another meeting wearer than the gown.
brought him a coat in order that he Bullfinches (Hunting). High hedges
might appear respectable when he visited probably from the name of some
his old fellow-servants at the Lodge. owner or farmer opposed to hunting.
Newsp. Cutting. To the stag, we imagine, it is a matter
Bulge, To get the (Anglo-Amer.). of small concern whether his enemies are
To gain an advantage from the ap-
; counter-jumpers or leapers of bullfinches.
proaching conqueror in wrestling or Newsp. Cutting, March 1883.
A bullfinch in Ireland is a stone hedge.
fighting overcoming the opponent, so
that the conqueror's chest-muscles are Athenceum, 17th Feb. 1887, p. 221.
Bullock's horn (Artizans' rhyming).
forward, or bulging.
Mr Dodsley Pawn.
has, to use the new phrase
of American '
the bulge
'
on Put your kicksies in the bullock's
slang,
Messrs Longmans. D. N., 19th June horn. Cutting.
1891. Bully (0. Eng.). From bullocking
'
You wanted to get the bulge on it, and bull -tossing.
didn't you?' 'Wanted to do what?' Yes, you villain, you have defiled my
*
Wanted to get the bulge on it.' What '
own bed, you have, and then you have
'
do you mean by bulge ? N. Y. Mercury, charged me with bullocking you into
1892. owning the truth. It is very likely, an't
Bull (Common Lodging House) . please your worship, that I should bul-
A second brew of tea. lock him. Fielding, Tom Jones, bk. ii.
The lodgers divide their food fre- ch. 6. (See Bully-rag.)
quently, and a man seeing a neighbour Bully
(Amer.). Capital, good,
without anything will hand him his tea- excellent perhaps from French
pot, and say,
'
Here you are, mate ;
here's Colonial times in the south, and from
a bull for you.' A bull is a teapot with
' '
*
bouilli' the stewed beef which equals
second brew.
the leaves left in for a secoi in Gallic popularity and stability the
G. R. Sims, Horrible London. '
4
roast of England and the States.
Bull and Cow (Rhyming). A row. '
What's the matter with you ?
' '
My
To bull-doze (Amer.- leg's smashed,' says he. 'Can't yer
Bull-doze, '
walk ? 'No.' Can yer see ?
'
Yes.'
'

Eng., 19 cent.}. Political bullying. '

Rebel, but
'

Well,' says I, you're a

The origin of this phrase is absolutely will you do me a little favour ? 'I will,'
'

lost, always supposing that it was ever

says he, ef I ken.' Then I says, Well,
' '

found. Mr
Rees, an American autho- ole butternut, I can't see nothin*. My
rity on obscure words, says (1887) :
eyes is knocked out, but I ken walk.
'
A bull-doze is a term used in inflicting Come over yere. Let's git out o' this.
punishment upon an unruly animal ; the You pint the way, an' I'll tote yer off the
weapon a strap made out of the hide of
'
field on back.'my Bully for you,' says
a bull. During the existence of slavery he. And so we managed to git together.
the term "bull-doze" was used when a We shook hands on it. 1863.
54
 Bully about the Muzzle Buncombe or Bunkum

'
Mr Rees (N. York) says Bully is :
'

Bain-marie, a cooking utensil consist-

used as indicating satisfaction amongst ing of a number of little pots in a bath,
lower English classes as Never mind, '

or ' bain ', of water contained in a

as they say in the waxey crowd, he's a The French phrase is as
large pot.
bully boy.' difficult to comprehend as the corrup-
Captain Townshend saw an omnibus tion for Marie is beyond analysis
pole strike a gentleman's horse in the
unless it is the name of the inventor.
flank, knocking over both steed and rider,
and the man, calling out 'Bully for English books of a later school making
you,' drove away laughing. an effort to avoid the first syllable and
about the muzzle (Dog- be truly Parisian, call the contrivance
Bully c '

Too thick and large in the a bang Mary a very alarming

fanciers'}.
mouth. rectification.

Angelina [a terrier] is bully about the

'
Bummer (Anglo- Amer., 1880). Ori-
muzzle,' said Maulevrier we shall have ;
ginally a commercial traveller, from one
to give her away.' Miss Braddon, who * booms '. (Now a noisy cad. )
Phantom Fortune. 'You are nothing but a third-class
Bully-fake (London, 1882). A com- society bummer, fit only to associate
with your own class of New York scum.'
' '

pound of bully here meaning

advantageous and 'fake' action, or N. Y. Mercury, 8th October 1883.
result. Fake is said to come from Bun Feast (Soys'). A woeful
facto. description of a very poor and meagre
It's a bully fake for a dona when she feast, where buns need not necessarily
has the fair good luck to snap hold a serve to swell up the juvenile stomach.
husband who will cut up to rights.
Bunce (Drapers'). Goods probably
Newsp. Gutting. from a proper name.
Bully-rag 19 cent.). To
(Peoples',
scold at length a woman.
said of
Bunch of Fives (L. Class). The
;

Probably suggested by the irritation

fistsimply ingenious mode of proving
caused to the bull in the ring, or per- the speaker can count up to five.
with One of the associates of the eccentric
haps pit, by being driven frantic
a perpetual red flag the rag.
'
Don't Marquis of Waterford formed a collection
of door-knockers, brass plates, bell pulls,
bully -rag me, woman !
'

little dustpans, golden canisters, and

Bum-boozer ( Theatr.}. A desperate glovers' bunches of fives ', of which, in
'

drinker. It is to be feared that the the course of a roystering career, he had

following line has been seen in the ad- despoiled private houses and tradesmen's
vertisements for artistes in the com- shop-fronts. G. A. Sala, Illust. Lond.
moner theatrical papers : Neics, 27th January 1883.
'
Bum-boozers save your stamps.' Buncombe or Bunkum (Amer.-
Bumble puppy (Provincial). A Eng., 19 cent.). Politically, or pos-

tossing to cheat simpletons

game used sibly any spoken flattery.
publicly,
hence bumble-puppy means idiot and This word is an admirable instance of
a name at once passing into a language
idiocy. Origin unknown.
and even yielding to phonetic spelling.
By-the-bye now that we are to be
legalized into such goody-goodies that
The press, both in the U.S.A. and in
little or no sport is to be allowed except England, accepted immediately the
battledore and shuttlecock, egg -hat, name as a synonym for humbug. From
push-pin, etc., I am about to offer a prize a celebrated orator of honied phrases
for the championship of Bumble puppy, named Buncombe. Vulgarised rapidly
i.e., if the police authorities
will allow it
into Bunkum ; but the Americans,
to take place. Newsp. Cutting.
permanently accepting the word, have
Bummaree (Billingsgate). A mid- restored the original spelling. This
dleman at the fish auctions. Corruption name-word has as absolutely passed
of bonne maree. French seaside term '
into the English language as burke ',
for high tide or flood, and also for salt-
boycot '. Mr Rees
'
or (New York)
water fish.
says of this word :
'
The bummarees or middlemen whip
'
The origin of this expression was in
up all the plaice, and carry them off to the lower house of Congress. A member
turn a penny on them by breaking them from North Carolina, and from the
up into smaller lots. Newsp. Cutting. county of Buncombe, was speaking when
Bummarees (Cooks'). Corruption of some of the members showed disappro-
55
 Bundling Burick

bation, manifested in the usual manner general contempt for pubs, increased,
by coughing and sneezing. The member bungary for his house came to be good
was not long in making the discovery
Bungs and bimgaries must
'
English.
that he was making himself very ob-
pass away.'
noxious, nor willing to yield an iota of
his time to any one, and fully determined Buniony (Art, 1880). Terra to
to have his ' talk ', addressed the dis- express lumpiness of outline, from a '
affected members thus:
'
'Go, gentle- a bunion breaking up the drawing
men, if you like ; clear out, evaporate, of a foot. <
He has still go, but he's
for I would have you to know that I am
getting very buniony.'
not addressing the house but Bun-
kum !
'
Bunk (Peoples'). To retreat judi-
in a ciously.
'
I shall bunk ', very common
Bundling ( Welsh). Courting in public schools.
reclining position.
That peculiar Welsh institution, Bunker (L. Class). Beer Angliciz-
'
' '

bundling has almost disappeared, a ing of

'
bona-aqua an idea of some
son of the Cymry tells me, from the light-hearted Italian organ-grinder in
Principality. It was a sort of union by the Italian quarter behind Hatton
which a man and woman agreed to take Garden.
one another on trial for twelve months.
If at the end of that time harmonious Bunko (Amer. -Eng.). Doubtful,
relations still subsisted between them, shifty. From S. America. Heard in
they usually took one another, for better Liverpool.
for worse, in the orthodox manner. But, At Mackinao they took him for a lord,
if they separated, no sort of disgrace or and at Cleveland he was taken for a
stigma attached to either they went ; bunko man, and had to identify himself
their ways, and the world thought none by telegraph.
the worse of them for having lived in
Bunter (Thieves'). A woman thief
open adultery. People, 17th January
1897. of the lowest possible kind. The very
gutterling' of crime to whom no per-
'

Bung 1850 on). A land-

(Peoples', fect lady would condescend to fling
lord sometimes endearing when used ' '
a 'ow d'ye doo ?
by dearest friends, but generally and
increasingly suggestive contempt of Bunting - tosser (Navy) Signal-
and superiority on the part of the man. The signals are small flags
speaker. Used by a client towards a made of bunting, and they are run up
at or near the mast-head.
publican whilst he is holding his court
in his own particular gin palace ; might 19 Uni-
Bupper (Peoples', cent.).
lead to an immediate call upon the versal infantile reduction of bread and
chucker-out to eject the traitor. Only butter used, as a rule, until the speci-
'
a complete ' pal could afford, with an men gets his first paternal spanking
elegant but risky sense of fun, to say, over his first pair of breeches, when the
' '
Dear Bung, I'll take another bitter '
word passes into ' toke for the whole
beer being understood. term of his natural boy's life, e.g.,
Bung (Public Schools). A lie pro-
'
Bit o' bupper, p'ease
'
too often
bably from some notorious liar's name, heard in the watches of the night. Said
'
known in some leading school, whence to be of royal descent. Upon my
it has drifted to most schools. word ', said the old general, ' I think
BungBall (London Tr.). A great I prefer bup to anything.'

annual Terpsychorean meet of the Burgle (Soc., 1880). To commit

bungs, or publicans. Celebrated for burglary. Introduced (at all events
the grandeur 'of the diamonds or to London) by Mr W. S. Gilbert in
what are said to be diamonds and The Pirates of Penzance.
other precious stones. At this function Burick (L. Class, 19 cent.). A wife
artificialhops and grapes are never said to be Romany. To administer
worn, they being too suggestive of the manual correction to her is ' to slosh
bar. (See Blood Ball.) the burick '.

Bungaries (Peoples', 1870 on). When your burick gets boozed, smashes
Public-houses. As taverning came to the crockery, and then calls in her bloom-
be looked down upon, the landlord, ing old ma to protect her from your
once mine host, honest John Barley- cruelty, that's the time to do a guy.
corn, etc., became a 'bung' whence, as Cutting, 1883.
 Burke Bust

Burke (Polit., 19 cent.). To stifle, of the City of London. The satire was
quash, abate from one Burke, who completed by a couplet
with another, Hare, for some years Bus-bellied Ben ;

in the nineteenth century, Eats enough for ten.

early
systematically murdered persons of all Bush-ranger (Austral.}. Highway-
ages, in Edinburgh, for the purpose of man. Interesting as a comparative
selling their bodies to medical men for term for while the word is fairly
;

hospital purposes. Their mode was equivalent to our highwayman, it is

by stifling with pitch-plasters, which significant to compare both with the
'

prevented outcry. Their victims were American evasive road-agent '.

first generally made drunk, except in A
Bushy Park (Rhyming, 1882).
the case of women. Hence the synonym for lark
'
'.

appositeness of the word for silencing.
First used in Parliament by way of
attack ; afterwards accepted as a good
verb full of meaning.
Out-
Burst (Policemen's, 1879).
pour of theatrical audiences about eleven
(of course P.M.), into the Strand. 'The
burst gets thicker every month,' said
'
the sergeant. All the world goes to
the play now.' The sudden popularity
of the play-house began about 1879, and
went on increasing in the most mar-
vellous manner.
Burst her stay-lace (London). A
sudden bust-heaving feminine indig-
nation, which might even literally, and
certainly does figuratively, bring about
this catastrophe.
Burst your crust (Prize-ring, 1800,
etc.). Breaking the skin. Went to
America.
It is not good manners to do so, and
you might slip and burst your crust by
so doing. American Comic Etiquette for
Children.
Oh, a bushy park to see the Sal-
it is
vation souls toddling about arm-in-arm.
Cutting.
Business end of a tin tack (Amer. ).
The point.
The joke about the pin in the chair,
and the suggestion that the business end
of a tin tack would be preferable, are
essentially American. 7). N., 1882.
Persons unaware of the existence of
such agents as buckram or crinoline
muslin might be forgiven for supposing
that such flounces were maintained in
order on the principle of an air cushion,
and that the introduction of the business
end of a pin would produce sudden
collapse. D. N., 27th March 1883.
Busker. He who goes busking.
'
Now, gentlemen, don't break out the
bottom o' the plate with the weight o'
silver you 'and this old busker. I'd
send round my 'at as more civil, but
yer liberality 'ud knock the bottom
out.'
-
Busking (Street singers'). Going
from pub. to pub. singing and reciting,
generally in tow with a banjo.
Hang it, I hope I shall never come
'

Bury (Low Life). To desert.

down to regular busking yes, now ;

Buryen' face (Amer.) Solemn, and again when bis. is bad, but for
serious countenance burying face. ever Lord forbid.'
Boon's I could git my buryen' face on, That pub's no good don't you see
'

I takes Spider in ter whar the fuss wuz the notice no buskers after 7. They've
goin' on. Tobe Hodge. got their evenin' reglers.' Cutting.
Bus (Soc., 1881). Dowdy dress. Busnacking (Navy). Equals Paul
Applied only to women ; when a badly- Prying unduly interfering.
dressed victim enters a drawing-room Iwish old Nobby wouldn't come
'

busnacking about, worrying a chap

1

this fatal word may be used meaning

out of his life. I wasn't doing any harm !

not so much that the lady has come by

To 'busnack' is to be unnecessarily
bus as that her style of dress is not
fussy and busy. Rev. O. Goodenough,
fitted to any sort of vehicle higher in R.N.
character than the once popular one
Buss me bub (London, 18 cent.).
named. Baise-moi evidently. (See Country
Ben (Street, E.G., 1840
Bus-bellied Girl.)
on). Anordinary name for an alder- Bust (Street, 1875). Burst, or ex-
man, who used to be frequently corpu- plode with rage, and so join the
lent. The wave of abstinence, however, majority. As a noun it means a
has swept even over the corporations heavy drink.
 Busted Buz

A vulgar critic asserts that Poe must probably from general observation that
have been on a bust, and raven mad few butchers are thin and narrow.
when he wrote his famous poem.
A sculptor can be on a bust without Butter, To (Cricket, 1898). To
miss, catch
fail from butter-
to
losing cast. Newsp. Cutting.
Busted (Amer., 19 fingers, or rather buttered, so that
cent.). Bank-
they have no hold. In cricket gener-
rupt.
' ally applied to the miss of an easy
We're busted miners, missus,' began catch.
Black Dan, with a wink to his comrades,
'
completely busted, an' can't pay. What Butter-churn (Music Hall Artistes').
' '

you give us to eat must be fer charity.' Rhyming for turn the short appear
Newsp. Gutting. ance of the performer on the stage,
Buster (London, 1844 on). A which he or she occupies about a
penny loaf. This word has rather a quarter of an hour.
When the abolition When the dona's finished her butter
pathetic origin.
of the corn laws reduced the price of churn, he fakes his way to her, and if
there's no otheromee mouchin for the
bread, it increased the size of the music why he takes her to her next
penny loaf, which at once obtained flippity flop. Biography of a Toff Bundle
this eulogistic title a corruption of Carrier.
burster, a loaf large enough to rend - A
Butter fingers (Household).
the enclosing stomach. This term
servant careless in all her ways
remains, but not in its appositeness,
for whereas the baker in those early especially as to crockery. As though
the fingers are so greased that no grip
free trade days took a pleasure in
can be made.
showing how much bread he could
give for a couple of halfpence, the
Butter upon Bacon (Household
more recent baker has practically English). Extravagance resulting
abolished the object. Even his penny out of the condemnation of eating bread
roll is not overpowering as to size. and butter with bacon, instead of the
plain loaf. What are you going to
'

Buster (Music Hall,
special giantess, called Maid Marian.
For some time after she left London
the word was applied to big women,
and for some years the boys in the
1882). A put lace over the feather ' isn't that
rather butter upon b'acon ?
Buttock and File ( Thieves', 18 cent. ).
Shop-lifter, evidently French ; filer
'

Leicester Square district would shout meaning to escape quickly '.

at a big woman, 'My high yere's a Button-maker (London). A nick-
Maid Marian for yer !
'
Marian was a name of George III.
Bavarian giantess brought to London The King was familiarly called the
in this year. She appeared at the 'Button Maker' by one generation of
Alhambra in the autumn so success- his faithful subjects, and 'Farmer
'

George by another. His son is still

fully that the dividends paid to share-
holders were doubled. She was sixteen sarcastically referred to as the 'First
Gentleman in Europe '. Newsp. Cutting.
only, more than 8 feet high, and
was * still growing'. The use of the Buxton Limp
(Buxton). Reference
'
word ' Maid before Marian grew out of to the hobbling walk of invalids taking
the suggestion the two words formed the waters. Borrowed from the
that of the sweetheart of Robin Hood. Alexandra Limp (q.v., also Grecian
Doubtless this title accelerated the Bend, Roman Fall).
too severe exaction just
popularity of the giantess, who died
If walking is

before she was twenty. at first and the 'Buxton limp'

is too

decided, the patient secures a seat in

Bust yer (Street, 1880 on). A the omnibus. D. N. (Harrogate), 31st
recommendation to ruin; e.g., 'Bust August 1883.
'

yer, what do I care about that ?

Buy your Thirst (Amer., passing
Busy Sack (Travellers'). A
carpet English 1894). To pay for drink.

bag. Good word, and capital equivalent Buz (Oxford Common Room). Turn
to the American ' hand-grip ', given to of the don or visitor to whom this
the small hand-bag. word addressed to
is the fill his glass
Butcher (Public House). One of liquor, as a rule, being priceless port.
' ' ' '
the synonyms for stout obtained It's your buz Very ancient !

58
 Buz-faker, Buz-fdking Callage, The

' '

supposed to be a corruption of
'
bouse ', derived from sang real in this way.
or booze, common London for 'a The 'g' of 'sang' thrown upon the
drink ', and to drink. following <r' we have great; then
'
In bousing about 'twas his gift to the remaining 'san' has been taken
'
e

excel, for saint holy, and then some

And from all jolly topers he bore off blundering early printer has taken the
the bell.' verbal phrase 'san greal' and trans-
Buz-faker, Buz-faking (L. London). lated it 'Holy Grail' and thus it
One of the applications of booze
'
a '
remains to this day a phrase utterly
buz-faker being an individual, gener- without meaning. (See More Blue).
ally a woman, or rather one that was By th' good Katty (Lancashire and
a woman, who makes the victim drunk Northgenerally). An ancient Catholic
before the robbery is effected.
oath, evidentlyBy the good Catherine
Buzzards (Amer.). People of St Catherine of Alexandria, whose
Georgia probably from the wild popularity in England is probably
turkeys which once abounded there. proved by the number of wheel-
Singular return to Red Indian customs, windows in Gothic architecture. By
'

the Red Indian being always designated th' good Katty, aw feel like as if aw
by the name of something in natural should ne'er ha' done.'
history associated with his surround-
ings. Nearly every state has its in-
habitants named after this system.
(See Blue Grass.)
Buzzer 1898 on). A road- C. B. U. (Commercial, 1897). Legal
(Peoples',
motor of any kind, from the noise initials of Court of Bankruptcy, Un-
made during discharged. Arose from the process
progress.
of one H. H. who obtained goods
Byblow (Lower Peoples ). An 1

while an undischarged bankrupt by

illegitimate child. Suggested by an letter headed with these initials which
aside breath. May be from Carolian'
he held, freed him from a charge of
times, and a corruption of bibelot
'

fraud.
(a valuable small art object) a term
The superintendent of police stated
which any one of the famous French that there were hundreds of cases against
' '
beauties of the Court might apply the accused, who pleaded that the letters
to her nursling and one that may 'C. B. U.' which appeared on his note-
have been translated satirically into paper informed his creditors that he was
byblow. The bas peuple of France to an undischarged bankrupt, the exact
this day style an illegitimate 'un interpretation of the letters being Court
'

accident '. of Bankruptcy, undischarged'. D. T.,

23rd March 1897.
Bythe Holy Grail (Hist.). The
blood of Christ. A solemn invocation C. H. (Popular from Nov. 1882-83).
to this day in thoroughly Catholic Conquering Hero. The term took its
countries, and heard in provincial
rise consequent upon the incessant
France now and again 'Par le sang reception of the soldiers engaged in
real.' It is heard in England, in the the Egyptian War (1882), by the
'
west only, and there very naturally playing of See the Conquering Hero
' Comes.'
reformationised into
'
By the Holy
Grill for Grail has no meaning, It will soon be a military distinction
while 'grill' has a deal. not to be a C. H. Ref., 19th November
Probably
here the grill refers to St Lawrence, 1882.
who was completed by being grilled. C. O. (Military). Soldiers' Greek
In Paris this invocation is represented for
'
the Colonel '.
' ' ' '
by Sacre ', and Sacre* Dieu Sang
Real de Dieu.' The English phrase C. S. (American Civil War}.
Abbreviation of Confederate soldiers.
has much exercisd English ety-
U. S. and C. S. slept together on
mologists. Many have assumed that blankets.
' '
the grail was a round dish in which Newsp. Cutting.
the Redeemer broke the bread. Nay, Cabbage, The (1883). A familiar
there has been published a drawing name given to the Savoy Theatre,
of this very dish. The phrase is opened in 1881, and named after the
59
 Cabbage Garden Patriots Calico Hop

'
old '
Savoy liberties, within which it could kill by ridicule a pastime to which
was built. they took exception. D. JV., 10th
When I saw the Cabbage Theatre September 1885.
thought to myself, etc. (1883).
full I
Cady or Kadi (Whitechapel). A
Cabbage Garden Patriots (PoliL, hat probably from the Hebrew. It
1848 on). Cowards. has the distinction of offering one of
'
The phrase cabbage garden patriots
'
the rare rhymes to lady. In 1886 a
way in which Smith O'Brien,
refers to the song-chorus began
the uncrowned king of forty years ago Met a lady !

or so, was discovered hiding in a bed of Raised my cady !

cabbages after his followers had fled in The lady probably being of in-
all directions, when they were informed
sufficient virtue the context borne
as to the coming of the horrid Saxon's
in mind.
minions. Ref., 20th October 1889.
Cackle To cackle is Ca.esa.r&tion( American). remark- A
(Theatrical).
able shape of evasive swearing really
neither to gag, nor to is pong it
A damnation.
both, with cackle added. ceaseless '
Ow ow
! ! Caesaration ! I'll kick the
unpunctuated flow of words and head offyou !
'
he roared, catching hold
phrases more or less unconnected and of a fence and glaring at the boy.
meaningless. Neivsp. Cutting.
'Cackle' is a convertible substantive
or verb which carries a meaning for
Cake (London, 1882). A foolish

which it would be most difficult to sub- stupid fellow.Used in good society,

stitute any other word nearly so effective, Borrowed by Mr Emanual Duperre for
and there is a world of satire in its a comedy of English manners called
application to a human goose. Stage, Rotten Row, produced at the Odeon
21stAugust 1885. (Paris, 1882).
Cackle-tub (Thieves'). A pulpit. Cake-walk (Music Hall, 19 cent.).
The dangerous classes evolved this Negro step-dancing. '

term in prison, where they probably The science of cake-walking does not
'

see a pulpit for the first time. appear to be a particularly abstruse

Cackling Cove (Cadgers').
actor the cadger seeing no difference
between observing Shakespeare, and
whining floridly for pence.
Cadaver (A nglo-Amer.).
*
ally dead 'un.'
Three fresh Cadavers. Last week the
Crawford Mutual Belief Association, of
Ohio, notified the Insurance Commis-
sioner of that State that it was in the
throes of dissolution. The day following
the Northern Ohio Mutual Relief
Association and the Eureka Life sur-
rendered their hungry ghosts. Newtp.
Cutting.
See Dead 'un.
Cad-mad (Oxford, 1880). The vain
glory and superciliousness which over-
come, and permanently, the better
sense of nouveaux riches, parvenues,
mushroomers (see), 'Poor devil forgive
him he's a cad mad emancipated
haberdasher.'
Cads on Castors (1880).
It will come as a severe blow to
fastidious people, who, adopting and
freely using the rather stupid phrase
that stigmatised all bicyclists as 'cads
on castors', fondly thought that they
one. Indeed, it may be said to have
An been anticipated by the English minuet.
Cake - walking is, in fact, a graceful
motion, conducted upon the toes and
ball of the foot. Yet there must be an
A financi- unsuspected amount of merit in it, for
we are informed that the Farrells won
first prize at the Madison Square Gardens
in New York before 10,000 interested
spectators. ... As the reward to the
dancers generally consists of an elaborate
cake we are at once enlightened as to
the genesis of a colloquialism, which has
become quite acclimatised in our own
land. D. T., 14th March 1898.
Calf Round (Amer. Agricultural,
1870). To dawdle about, asking for
some kind of help suggested by a
calf worrying its mother.
'
No, sir ; I'll die first. Integrity in
business transactions is the rule of my
life. When I set a time to pay you,
calf 'round.' Kentucky State Journal,
1882.
Calico Hop\(Amer.-Eng.). A free
and easy calico ball. This function
Bicylists. was invented to evade expenditure by
providing that all the dresses, ordinary
or fancy, should be strictly of cotton.
However cunning people held cotton
velvet to be within the bounds of a
60
 Calicot Canaries

calico ball, and so contrived to make Cambridge lot (Oxford Univ.).

rare displays of themselves. General term of scorn for men of the
The Pleasure League gave a calico hop more eastern of the two universities.
'
to their numerous friends on Wednesday The distinction of this Cambridge lot
'

is of a kind which is not merely official

evening, at Gerstner's Hall, which was
largely attended. N. Y. Mercury, April but individual, and of an individuality
1883. specially suitable for recognition by a
University. Newsp. Cutting, 1883.
Calicot (French). Originally a
trade
Camera Obscura (Amer. - Eng.).
phrase for a linen-draperman Le queu.
both in France and England used to
The Arkansan walked behind the
describe a snob or cad.'
What a ' '

stooping darkey, swung his right boot

Zola in Au
'
calicot he is E. !
into the air three or four times, and then
Bonheur des Dames (1883) uses the sent the sole whizzing against the darkey's
word in its original acceptation cam era-obscura. Neivsp. Gutting.
'
Hein des calicots qui vendent des Came up (Street, 1890). Come up.
'
fourrures Derived from linen -
Amongst the masses it is a common
!

drapers' young men dressing expen- shape of small wit to replace the
sively, but not purchasing good 'Came'
manners.
present by the past tense.
for come is very common and used
' '

Call it 8 Bells (Nautical). Early by most drivers who invariably say

drink. It is not etiquette in good
*
Came up '.
nautical circles to have a drink before Camp (Street). Actions and gestures
high noon ; 8 Bells. So the apology of exaggerated emphasis. Probably
for alcoholics before that hour takes from the French. Used chiefly by
this form : Come along '
I fancy persons of exceptional want of char-
the bar is this way. Call it 8 Bells.' acter.
*
How very camp he is.'
And they do. Can (Navy). A. B.'s familiar ab-
Call-money (Police). Money paid breviation of Canopus. Why classic
to policemen for calling artisans early when you can be colloquial, and can ' '

in the morning at a given hour. is still very colloquial in the Navy.

Attention to ' '

call-money appeared to Can I help you with that ? (Peoples',

receivemore favourable consideration, 1895 on). Said generally to a man
and sixpences per week for rousing with money, or eating, or more
sleepy shopkeepers were matters not to especially drinking. Drolly begging,
be lightly estimated, even though it is in fact mean invention. When said
written in the rules, we believe, that no
to the fairer sex the import is different.
fees are to be received from the citizen
who requires to be roused. Papers on Can you say uncle to that ? (Dust-
Metrop. Police. men's). To which the usual answer
appears to be (in a dust-yard) Yes
'

Calloh (Hebrew- Yiddish). A bride.

I can.' Uncle in this relationship
Proper spelling of the ordinary term, '

kollah (q.v.). appears to equal reply '.

Can you smash a thick 'un?
Camberwell Death-trap (Camber- (Peoples'). Can you change a sovereign.
well, 19 cent.). Surrey Canal. A grim sign of woe suggesting the
Mr Powell, whose little nephew was common experience that the moment
recently drowned in the Surrey Canal,
'
a sovereign is changed, it is ' smashed
has called attention in a contemporary or gone.
to the dangerous condition of that water-
Canader ( Oxford er '). A Canadian
'

way. He regards it as a pitfall for little

canoe this word being canoer. Accent
boys who walk on or play about its
banks, and he tells us that it is locally on the second in Canader.
known as the Camberwell Death-trap '.
'

Canaries (London, 1882). Charity

D. ^.,.27th September 1883. This term took
subscription papers.
Cambric (Soc., 18 cent.). A shirt its rise from the use of the word by
of fine linen ; later a handkerchief of Booth, the General of the Salvation
cambric. Derived from name of place of
'
Army. The colours of the Army were
manufacture of fine linen. ' Cambray red and yellow, probably in close
or Cambrick, after the fashion of calico. imitation of the scarlet and gold of the
(AtoLully.) officers of the Guards. The idea of
lil
 Canary
using yellow paper for subscription
lists probably arose from the combined
facts that yellow paper is cheap and
that yellow was one of the Army
colours. On the other hand, red
paper is very expensive. General
Booth, who had a marked tendency
to very simple forms of humour,
named these papers * Canaries '. The
word ' took ' at once.
Canary (Music Hall, 1870). Chorus
singer amongst the public generally
in gallery. Invented by Leybourne,
a comic singer, probably to give him
rest between his being
verses,
pulmonary.
'
Go he
it, canaries
flatteringly would say, meaning that
they sang like canaries.
Chorus-singing by the canaries has
long been a South London Institution.
March 1886.
Ref.,
Canary (Costermonger, 1876).
ideal hip adornment.
Upper Benjamin built on a downy
plan, velveteen taoc, kerseymere kicksies,
built very slap up, with the artful dodge,
a canary, very hanky panky, with a
double fakement down the side. Gutting.
Very difficult of explanation, and in
true descent from the cod-piece, though
not so glaring in its declaration. It
has also some association with II Ruos-
signuole ', as spoken of in the sprightly
pages of Boccacio.
Canary Bird (Peoples').
reign. Canary, as something charming,
is often associated with pleasant things
'
that are yellow. Yes, it's a canary
bird, but it will soon fly away to my
landlord. He gets them all
Candid Friend (Soc., 1860). Equi-
valent of the damned kind friend of
One who says
Sir Peter Teazle's.
what a mere acquaintance would stu-
Man who urges what
diously avoid.
he should only admit with reluctance.
Mr Foster has for a long while taken
upon himself the unpleasant
'
candid friend
'
with
regard
Government, and every now and again
considers it his bounden duty to chide
the members of it when even those who
are in open Opposition would remain
silent. Ref., 8th March 1885.
Candle, To (Peoples', 18 cent.).
investigate or examine minutely.
Figure of speech derived from the use
of candles to test eggs, and to ascertain
if a second sheet or other enclosure was
included in a letter. In the last
Cant
century the candle was practically the
only mode of illumination a common
Now, except in the wax
'
'
object.
division of society, a candle is fre-
quently not seen from year's beginning
to end.
It requires a stretch of fancy to picture
forth an old-fashioned post-office, with
'
clerks ' candling the letters as if they
were doubtful eggs. The conditions of
a single letter were that it should be
-
written ' on one sheet.' The letters were
held up to the light to show whether they
required a surcharge for an enclosure.
D. N., 1st August 1883.
he Candle-shop (Broad Church). A
', Roman Catholic chapel, or Ritualistic
church from the plenitude of lights.
Canister (Street). A preacher.
Evidently a corruption of a street
preacher whose name was something
'
An like, for instance, Kynaster ', and
popularly Anglicised. (See Sky Pilot.)
Cant. Sneaking, mean, lying, faced
with assertion of religion. Probably
first used opprobriously after the Refor-
mation, when Canterbury fell out of
grace for the time being, as the metro-
polis of the English Church. Long
after the destruction of the monasteries
Kent was the headquarters of English
'
It is so
beggars. perhaps to this day.
Dickens, whodied in 1870, was always
accompanied in his walks from Gad's
A sove- Hill House by several mastiffs, which
he declared were for his protection
from beggars. The author certainly
cleared the roads about Gad's Hill
from beggars and the lieges as well
!
'
for that matter, for the dogs were as
fierce as Bismarck's. The abbey-
loupers always begged with canticles
in their noses and mouths, especially
with the prayer to S. Martin, patron
saint of beggars. Cant may be from
Kent, Canterbury, or canticle, or all
three, but it certainly means, as it
r61e of meant, whining imposture on a basis
of religion, as He doesn't preach
'
to the he
*
cants.' Don't cant, Bert, or I won't
pay a doit of your debts.' All the
great writers of the eighteenth century
use this word Swift, Addison, Dry-
den, and many others. Dr Johnson,
To of course, gives the word a Latin origin
'
'
Cantus but does not say how
the journey was made. In Scotland
they believe the word came from two
Andrew Cants, father and son, time of
Charles II., and both very violent
62
 Cant of Togs Carachtwankterous

Presbyterian preachers. But the word on the high road to fortune but unless ;

went north to them, the Cants did not he promptly ceases to follow what the
'
send it south, I write not always in new-fashioned jargon calls cantillatory
the proper terms of navigation, land realism his rosy prospects may become
overshadowed. D. T., 1st February
service, or in the cant of any profes-
1898.
sion.' Dryden.
'
A
few general rules,
with a certain cant of words, has some- Cap (Eng.-Amer.). Equivalent to
' '
times set up an illiterate heavy writer Sir but abbreviation of
really
for a most judicious critic.' The word
'

Captain '. Common in America

in Ireland is still used for selling by gaining ground in England.
bids.
*
Numbers of these tenants or 'Fact, Cap,' asserted a bystander.
their descendants are now offering to
Cape Smoke (Cape Town, S. A.).
sell their leases by cant.' Swift. Indigenous whiskey of the colony,
Terra del Fue*go is, as the cant phrase which is very cloudy in tone.
goes, beyond the sphere of British in- Mr Cecil Ashley strongly insists on the
fluence for either ambition or greed, but terrible effects of the Cape Smoke '. At
'

it has not been forgotten by the British

present this evil vapour may be bought
missionary societies. D. N., 14th May at sevenpence a bottle, and traders
1889. wander about the country with waggon
Cant of togs (Beggars'). gift of A loads of it, which they almost force on
clothes. Here the mode of begging the natives. Newsp, Cutting, 1878.
for clothes affords a word to describe Captain Bates (Been to see)?
the present or benefit gained by cant- (Thieves' and Street). A satirical
ing. Good example of low satire enquiry of the
*
How d'ye do ? '

satirising itself. character applied to a gentleman

Can't see a hole in a forty-foot once more restored to ungrateful
ladder (Colloquial). Drunk in the society after a term in jail. Captain
extreme degree, for such a ladder offers Bates was a well-known metropolitan
quite forty opportunities. prison-governor.
Every night does my husband come Captain Macfluffer (Theatr.).
home blue, blind, stiff, stark, staring Sudden loss of memory on the stage
drunk, till he can't see a hole in a forty
;

foot ladder, sure. Comic Song, 1882. e.g., 'He took Captain Macfluffer

Can't see it (Peoples'). Reply in the awfully bad.' Its origin is beyond the
hope of discovery. Cut down to Fluff
way of objection, such as Do lend me
'

' '
and fluffy.
five pounds ? Can't see it.'
The prompter's voice is dumb in
Can't show yourself to (Peoples', America. Actors and actresses there
1880). Not equal to ; as thus You :
'
are alert and ready for their work ; they
'
can't show yourself to Jack Spicer don't fluff '.'
Clement Scott, October
It can't show itself to
'
or of a play 1900.
The Golden Prince.'
Captain Swosser (Peoples'). Naval
Can't you the shrimps? feel cousin of the military Captain Jinks,
(Cockney, 1877). I.e., Smell the sea. both blustering specimens of the
Heard on a Thames steamboat when services. Derived from a character of
approaching Gravesend, the metropolis Marryat's.
of shrimps. (See Speak the Brown The inducements
of Captain Swosser,
To-morrow, Taste the Sun, See the of theRoyal Navy, to have his portrait
Breeze.) taken are far less than they were.
Cantillory Realism (Soc. t 1897). (1882).

Onomatope applied to singing. The Carachtevankterous (Amer.).

linguistic
'
find' of 1897. Means sing- Desperately wanting in self-possession.
ing in which the sounds suggest the Perhaps an intensification of can-
words sung. Very open to ridicule, tankerous, which in its turn is a term
but intended quite gravely. At once beyond investigation. Both probably
'

burlesqued where ' kiss was used wild onomatopes.

the lips were smacked. If 'thunder'
came in the words, the singer used all
his bass voice, etc. , etc.
Owing to his powers as a vocalist,
Louis James, of Walthamstow,
I have seen folks upon this river
quiet-looking chaps, too, as ever you
see who were so teetotally carachte-
Mr vankterous that they'd shoot the doctor
may be who'd tell them they couldn't live when
 Caramlo Carrots

ailing, and make a die

of it, jist out nearer the mark than the modern
spite, when
told they must get well. word. (See Cart-wheel.)
Newsp. Cutting.
Carpenter Scene (Theatr.). Cloth
Carambo, Caramba (Span. -Amer., or flats, well down the stage, to allow
going north, and passing to Eng.). of some comic dialogue while the next
Hearty good wishes but more honoured scene is setting.
in the breach than the observance. In The old, feeble device of forward ', or,
'

fact honestly translated, and loudly
expressed to a departing friend might
lead to the interference of any police-
man with salvationary or even merely
denominational tendencies. Meaning
elegantly evaded in Spanish-English
dictionaries. Much used in the
extreme south - west of France
as they were sometimes derisively called,
'carpenter' scenes because notoriously
written only to give time for the building
of more elaborate sets behind them
have now almost entirely disappeared
from the stage. Newsp. Cutting, 6th
April 1885.
Carpet-bagger (Amer. coming to

especially at Tarbes. Implacable England). A general term for a poor

etymologists may apply at any Spanish
embassy perhaps the Spanish door-
keeper, if there be one,
is the safest
to trust to,
professor of Spanish
during this lingual search after useful
knowledge.
Carara (European passing, 1898).
A murderer who cremates his victim.
As she was conveyed to prison the
Mantes people shouted 'A mort la
Carara,' giving her the name of the
Italian mushroom merchant now await-
ing trial in Paris for the murder of the
bank messenger at Bicetre. D. T., 4th
April 1898.
Carding (Irish
A local torture.
Cardings have very likely been rare
in county Wicklow. A carding is a
- About
highly spirited operation.
twenty persons, more or less well armed
and disguised, break into a cottage, and
subject persons who have basely paid
rent to a more or less severe form of
torture. According to the old Parlia-
person who arrives with a carpet-bag,
and becomes prosperous by audacity or
unfair trading. Originated by the
Confederates, as against the Federals,
when after the civil war hungry and
place-seeking political adventurers
from the north were appointed to
places in the conquered south, and,
arriving in a poverty-stricken condition,
soon showed signs of wealth and general
prosperity.
Carpet Dance (Soc., 1877). A
familiar dance for a few unfortunates
in a drawing-room, as distinct from a
large dance to which everybody is
Fenian, 1867-82). invited. It was voted bad taste to
offer champagne at a carpet dance
or indeed to drink any wine whatever,
except claret. White soup was often
served, and became as fashionable as
rational, e.g., 'Do come and christen
our new carpet with a valse or two.'
Carried (Rhyming). Married; e.g.,
1
He was carried yesterday, poor bloke
'

mentary reports, carders 'tool' with a ominous, and

board stuck full of nails, but perhaps very searchingly
modern science has provided, or modern graphic. The word is obtained merely
spirit suggested, some less severe instru- by supplanting the * '
mby a c
' '
but
ment of correction. D. N., 1881. what a suggestion there is of harrying
19 Bene- and rallying on the part of the bride !

Carlylese (Liter., cent.).

volent despotism, Tory democracy Carriwitchet (Peoples'). A puzzling
(1880-85). question. Probably an invented word,
'
To him (Bismarck) says Mr Lowe in in itself suggestive of bewilderment.
the middle -class Carlylese which he Or it may be from the name of a
affects, to him the ballot-box was only
'
woman notorious for asking difficult
a dice-box.' D. N., December 1885.
questions say Carrie Witchet !
Carnival (Amer., 1882). A fashion Red hair.
Carrots (L. Class).
or sudden practice. an interesting instance of
This is
It not unfrequently happens that such
followed by an aggressive Anglicization. It has not in
prominent events are '

epidemic or carnival
'to use a much-
'
origin anything to do with carrots ',
abused word of suicides and murder. the colour of which has never yet been
(1882). seen in association with human, or
Caroon (Peoples'). A five-shilling perhaps any other hair,
'
except,
or crown piece. From Corona, and possibly, that of one of the lemurs '.
64
 Carry me Out Cast-iron and Double-bolted

It is a corruption from Catholic times several miles from

often, Newgate to
in England when a red man or woman Tyburn Tree, whose site was that of
was called ' Iscariot ', the betrayer ' '
the Marble Arch in Hyde Park. Used
in the Roman Church, and especially by all the dramatists in the last
in Rome where red hair amongst the century.
people has always been a rarity 'I care not welcome pillory or cart.'
because Judas Iscariot was historically Garrick, Abel Drugget'.
supposed to have had red hair. The Now would I sooner take a cart in
Protestant religion in England more company with the hangman than a week
or less parting with Iscariot, the with that woman. Farquhar, The In-
historical name became associated with constant.
the vegetable, which, by the way, may Cartocracy (Soc. 19 cent.). People t

have gained its name, seeing its colour, distinguished enough to keep carts
from the same source as did red hair. especially dog-carts. (See Gigmanity. )
'
Hello carrots what cheer now, Carts A
'
(L. pair of
London).
my* lad !
boots generally those of noble size.
Deceptive what can you expect of ' Onomatopoetic reference to the noise
her ? Isn't she carroty? Indeed to this a young navvy can make with his
day there is a firm belief that red-haired understandings as equal to that of the
women are faithless and deceptive
passing waggon.
probably from their frankness, possible
Cartwheel (Peoples'). A five-shilling
rudeness, yet general desire to please.
In Scotland ' carrots has degenerated '
piece. From its noble weight and
into 'sandy', invariably applied to thickness. (See Crown.)
red-haired men, but never to women. Carve up (Amer.). To annihilate
Supposed by correctly thinking people completely.
to be a nickname for Alexander ; but That dear grave holds a disappointed
really a substitute for Iscariot, and a chap who cum out here from Reno to
' carve me up. Neivsp. Gutting.
good one, for there is plenty of sand ',
or ' grit ', or go in
'
most
'
men or Case (Fast Life, 1850 on). Abbre-
women with hair more or less auburn. viated form of Casino, and referring to
the rowdy cafes for which the Hay-
Carry me out (Peoples', 18 cent.).
A satirical
market was once celebrated. The
expression, pretending word has survived the abolition of late
defeat, humiliation, and pardon.
Sometimes 'carry me out and bury houses and the closing of public-
me decent.' The latter portion is houses at 12.30. The word is applied
to any common public-house or con-
possibly an Irish addition. Derived
fectioner's where the business carried
from the prize ring, when the sense-
on is not wholly one of stomachic re-
less, defeated hero was, when quite
freshments. *
He kept a case for years
vanquished, as scrappers once were, '
in Pan ton Street may be from Casa.
ignominiously carried out. Or it may ' '

be from cock-fighting, or both. The Case is also thieves' English for a

dead birds were certainly carried out. counterfeit five-shilling piece.

Though Neal kept what is vulgarly
Carry on proper (Common Lond*, known as a case, and was assisted in his
19 To behave well.
cent.).
unholy work by Mrs Neal, and though
Carsey (L. London). A house ;
both of them at different times were
corruption of casa from the Italian concerned in the management or direction
of other cases, he seems to have consi-
organ-grinders in Saffron Hill district.
If you're a bank director and broken dered it his wife's duty to remain,' etc.
up a thousand carsers of poor honest Ref., 16th March 1890.
people, that's the time to do a guy. Casket (Amer.). Evasion of
'
Neiosp. Gutting. coffinFirst mentioned in Webster,
'.

Cart (Peoples', 18 cent.). A meta- in edition of 1879. Coming to Eng-

phor for the gallows to which land slowly.
terminal victims were jolted in a
its When he got to the house the child
cart. Still heard in provincial places was laid out in a handsome white casket
You be on'y fit for the cart '
'
that must have cost at least twenty
doubtless now used without the least dollars.^. Y. Mercury, 1884.
idea of its original meaning. In Cast - iron and double - bolted
London the cart travelled, only too (Amer., 1880). Samsonly strong.
Go
 Cast an Optic
Striking outcome of the
engineering work.
'
Stranger, onless yer made of
and double-bolted, ye hadn't better go
in till the row is over '1883. !
Cast an Optic (Sporting). A para-
'
phrase of look '.
Cast skin, To (Soc.).
ate from the serpent throwing off
its skin annually, and coming forth
radiant. Still used.
'Why, you've cast your skin.'
sir,
Farquhar, The Inconstant.
Castor (Street). A hat. Of course
from the first hats being made of the
fur of the castor, or beaver; passed
down to the streets, where any hat is
called a castor. Superseded by Gos-
samer.
Casuals (Hotel). One-day stayers in
luxurious hotels at marine and mineral
water stations. From the casual, or
night pauper, as distinct from the
superior settled unionist. '
Another day the casuals at the hotel
'
were mystified exceedingly by a care-
fully printed programme announcing that
a performance of wax-work would be
given in the drawing-room. Newsp.
Cutting.
black eye.
Casualty (Peoples').
From the first Soudan war, when
slight injuries were cabled under this
head.
In one of these contests, in the affair
of the Cross Causeway, indeed, Scott
became what is now called a casualty '.
He suffered a contusion. D. N.. 21st
March 1885.
Cat (Thieves'). Woman
and a bad one in particular. Sug-
gested probably by her smoothness,
the uncertainty of her temper, and the
certainty of her claws.
Cat and Fiddle (Hist.).
common sign for a tavern until words
supplanted rebuses, which were for the
ignorant. The country arrival who
could neither pronounce 'The Bac-
chanals', nor understand these three
dancing graces, could nevertheless know
'
he ' was there when he saw as a painted
sign the
*
Bag o' Nails '. The use of
the house-sign was its power to paint
the sound of a word or words by
objects which had a relation of sound
only to the actual meaning of the sign.
Hence a goat and a pair of compasses,
one of the Cromwellian signs after the
Restoration, represented God encom-
passes us.' Probably all the old
Oat-meat Pusher
spread of Catholic signs, especially those on the
road to Canterbury, are still in exist-
cast-iron ence. For instance, the rendezvous
for the Blackfriars as distinct from the
Southwark pilgrims was 'The Hand
and Flower,' which lent itself readily
to the painter's art. It refers to the
To rejuven- Virgin and her emblem, the lily. This
house was at the corner of Gravel Lane
and Union Street, about half a mile
from the Tabard, and it only lost this
sign some thirty years since. The
Cat and Fiddle is the ' Catherine
fidele', probably broiTght over with
the Conqueror, for 'a la Catherine
fidele
'
is still a common
sign in Nor-
mandy. Obviously the Anglo-Saxon
knew nothing of the great saint of
Alexandria but a painted Cat and
Fiddle was quite within his means.
Necessarily these signs were in the old
parts of London, which in time became
all the low parts of London. For a
'
hundred years or more Cat and Fiddle'
has meant a doubtful house, where
thieves and loose women abound.
He's come down in the world, has
Jim. He keeps a Cat and Fiddle.
Cat and Mutton Lancers (E.
A London, 1870). Name given to the
militia in the district of Dalston when
drilling in Cat and Mutton Fields.
When time, elegance, and the wave of
' '
progress have swept these fields far
away from their present elysium the
' term will remain an enigma. Probably
from a chapel or chantrey (llth to
15th century) dedicated to Catherine
in general, Martyr (of Alexandria). It is a good
instance of human stupidity in accept-
ing sheer ignorance as gospel truth
that within the precincts of these fields
a publican had for sign a cat running
A very away with a leg of mutton ; his rebus
perpetuated the absurdity.
Cat-lap (L. tioc.). Tea and coffee ;
terms used scornfully by drinkers of
beer and strong waters. Cat-lap in club-
life is one of the more ignominious
names given to champagne by men
who prefer stronger liquors.
Bejl rings, and enter Emperor and
Empress ;
and then there takes place
the general presentation. A vast crowd,
but not much animation plenty of card
;
tables, but few players no supper, but ;
'
plenty of soup ; also catlap in abund-
'
ance. Empress retires very soon ; Kaiser
stays. News%). Cutting.
'
Cat-meat pusher (Street}. A mer-
chant of cooked horse-flesh, the final
66
 Cat o' Mountain Caterwauling

term being derived from his truck tain time. The gentleman gave him the
albeit pusher means generally a maker money for his fare, but saw the man go
or doer of something. in a contrary direction to that of the
Linendrapers'
railway station. He followed him, but
young men are calico-pushers, while
he ran into a public-house and got out
the trimmers up of old clothes are
called faker- pushers.
by the back-door, and the gentleman
saw no more of him. He ascertained
Cat o' Mountain (Peoples'). A that he was a Grenadier Guardsman,
shrew. A very common example of and that his battalion could not be at
confused origin, for whether this Windsor, as the Fusilier Guards were
term comes from catamaran, a wild, there. There is not a day but soldiers
American from are guilty of such disgraceful acts of
over- sailed S. craft, or
loafing ', and they glory in it.
'

catamount (a panther) it would be They

call it, in the Guards, 'catching cocks'
difficultto say. Very common still and 'throwing the hammer'. These
inLondon street feminine statements. terms may have a far more cogent or
Yer catter mountin', go 'ome an' obscure meaning. Neivsp. Cutting.
wash yer pore childring an' don't dare
ter haddress me, mum !
Catch on, To (Amer. probably
from New Eng.). To make a hit;
Cat on
testy dodge (Soc. 1870 on). to succeed beyond question.
A ladylike beggar worrying ladies at 'Come down to The Bric-a-brac and
their houses for money if only a six-
I'll show you some of the gentlemen
pence (tester), and bringing testi- thieves ; the fellows who have dis-
monials in favour of some charitable covered a way by which they can
institution. These 'cats', generally commit highway robbery by daylight
strong-minded ones, take commission and in the presence of witnesses, and
on the sums they get. not to be amenable to the law', said
The Old Sport to the reporter. 'I don't
Catafalque (Fashion, 1897).
catch on,' replied the reporter.
high plumed hat especially black I don't catch on worth a cent ', sadly
'

feathered, which rose to its greatest

murmured the managing editor ; but '

height in 1897, towards the end of as you have worked on the great dailies,
which year they were sometimes I suppose it's all right.' Newsp. Cutting^.
removed to laps by their wearers when I hear that Miss Helen Dauvray is
in theatres and a good temper. coming to the Prince's to play 'One
The ladies with the huge hats have of Our Girls ', the comedy which Bronson
capitulated, and George Alexander has
Howard wrote expressly for her. The
added another to his many conquests. piece seems to have caught on in the
At the last Saturday matine'e there was States. Newsp. Cutting.
not a catafalque to be seen on any head, Catch-penny (Street}. Gutter
but towers of plumes in many laps. Ballads.
D. T., 25th November 1897.
The origin of the phrase 'catch-
Cataract (Soc., '40's). Voluminous penny' is that after the execution in
and many folded falling cravat, which London of Thurtell for the murder of
swarmed over the length and breadth Weare (1824), a publisher named
of the fashionable masculine chest. Catchpin printed a ballad
penny
entitled: We are Alive Again.
When
Cat-sneaking Stealing
(Thieves').
cried on the streets it sold to the
public-house pots. Probably an easy extent of 2,500,000 copies, the persons
disguise for
'
pot '. Creatures of a
buying supposing from the sound that
felonious turn so fallen as to take to the ballad had reference to Weare.
this trade would have little invention. It came, therefore, to be spoken of
Catch Cocks, To (Low Military).
'
as a Catch-penny affair '.
To obtain money by false pretences. Catechism (Bankruptcy Court).
Catch-cocks are contrived by character- Interrogatories.
less soldiers who address gentlemen,
Caterpillar (Soc., 1848 on). A
invent of
tales distress, and often ladies' school. (See Crocodile.)
'

thereby obtain money. Joe, let's go Cat-

Caterwauling (Peoples').
cock-catching.' music. Johnson gives
In the Kensington Gardens a soldier up the attempt
told a gentleman that he lost his railway
to derive this word. 'What a cater-
ticket, which was to take him to Windsor wauling do you keep here. 'Shakes-
to join his battalion, and he would be peare (Twelfth Night). Used now
punished if not at his quarters at a cer- only by the vulgar.
67
 Cats' Party Cawfin

'So I cannot stay here to be enter- over to Mr Chamberlain, the caucus-

tained with your caterwauling.' Gay, monger of Birmingham and to Mr
Beggars' Opera. Sheridan, the outrage-monger of Tub-
Cats' Party (Sporting}. bercurry Lord Randolph Churchill.
Chiefly
women. Dinner at Woodstock, 27th February
Probably from the high 1883.
tone of women's voices.
Upon one occasion she was at a party Caulk, Calk (Naval). Go to bed
given at 88 Adelaide Road. It was termed and to sleep, probably from tucking
a 'cats' party', owing to the number in the clothes under you in the
of ladies who were present. (Laughter.) hammock or bunk, and so suggesting
Mr Justice Butt: Descriptive of the the action of caulking a seam in the
music, I suppose. (Laughter.) Divorce vessel's side also used for a short
Court, Dunn v. Dunn & Wall, 1st
;
'
sleep forty winks: I'll caulk it out.'
February 1888.
From this word grows out caulker'. '

Caucus (Amer.-Eng.). Vehmgericht, Four of Irish hot; i.e., four penny-

or council of many tens, who secretly worth of Irish whiskey. Quite uaval,
combine on a given line of action.
and equal to the mere landsmen's ' night-
The word came from U.S.A. about '
caulk meaning to make all tight
1870. Primarily 'caucus' like 'gueux' cap
and weather safe.
in Flanders (16th century), and
'frondeur' in France (17th century) Cave (Cave of Adullam) (Polit.,

was a term of reproach, which was 1866-97 on). A secret political com-
bination distinct from illegal con-
adopted by the party attacked with
this word and used by themselves to
;
spiracy.
Very wide
You recollect a new institution brought
distinguish themselves.
Mr into the House of Commons at that time
in its application. Joseph It is called the 'Cave'. Into
Chamberlain has done much (1886).
'
the ' Cave entered, as was historically
to this very important
popularise correct, all the discontented those who
word not yet admitted into did not like the Bill on the opposite side
dictionaries. of the House, and some on our side who
Gordon, in his history of the American did not like it ; and the result was that
Revolutions, says, About the year 1738, the Bill was destroyed, and the destruc-
'

the father of Samuel Adams, and twenty tion of the Government followed it. We
others who lived in the north or shipping supposed the
'
Cave
'
would come into
part of Boston, used to meet to make a office.They came into office, not all the
caucus and lay their plan for introducing '
but some of them. J. Bright
Cave ',
:

certain persons into places of trust. Bright Celebrations, Birmingham, June

Each distributed the ballots in his own 1883.
circle, and they generally carried the Many of you will no doubt remember
election. As this practice originated in that a strenuous effort was made by the
the shipping part of Boston, caucus Opposition in which they were joined by
may have probably been a corruption some Cave men from our side to frus-
' '

of caulker's meeting.' (1830). trate the Government Bill, which was

'The House of Lords', says Mr rejected, and the Government itself over-
Chamberlain very truly, 'has become, thrown. John Bright, Leeds, 18th
so far as its majority are concerned, a October 1883.
mere branch of the Tory caucus a mere Cave Dwellers (Soc., 1890 on).
instrument of the Tory organisation.' Atavists people whose habits are on a
D.N., 9th October 1884. with those of the pre-historic
'Then the noble lord says I am the par
races.
Birmingham caucus. This description
is as to my influence and A certain mining camp of cave-dwellers
flattering
but it is a total mistake.' Mr J. was wont to beguile its Sabbaths by
ability,
tying up in the same bag a cat, a terrier,
Chamberlain, House of Commons, 30th a monkey, and a parrot, and speculating
October 1884.
on the issue. Newsp. Cutting.
Caucus-monger (Political, 1883).
Caved out (Amer.-Eng., 19 cent.}.
A political
Introduced by
agitator. Come to an end finished. From the
Lord Randolph Churchill (1883), and metal ceasing in a tunnel. The end of
accepted by the Conservative party as the vein.
representing the average radical. A
They now knew beyond all manner
Cawfin (Marine). badly found
of doubt, that on the 4th of May last ship. of 'coffin' name
Corruption
the Government of Ireland was handed given as suggestive of a sailor being as
68
 Celestials Chamber of Horrors

bad as dead who sailed in her. Became complainant, whose name did not
popular when Mr Plimsoll forced his transpire, by a solicitor, summoned a
Bill. cab-proprietor for (through his foreman)
Celestials (Theatrical). Gallery marking a licence with secret signs.
a synonym of ' '
What two witnesses for the com-
occupants, gods ' '

from their superior position to pit and plainant regarded as chairmarking

was some additional writing in the date
even boxes. column.
' '
One of the celestials visiting Toole's Mr Hopkins (the magistrate at West-
Theatre (pulled down in 1897) recently
minster) said it is possible that the
complains that, although he was elevated, licence is marked in a manner to be
his seat wasn't sufficiently high to enable
understood in the trade, but if cabmen
him, with Tarn o' Shanters and Gains- are able to combine to make their terms
boroughs on the heads of the ladies in they have a powerful union of their
the upper boxes, to see more than the top own why should not the proprietors also
of the scenery.^/., 5th October 1884.
combine and by marking a licence in a
Cellars (Street). Boots. Probably
particular way, let it be understood that
because these apartments are the lowest the holder of it is not a desirable person
necessities in connection with ordinary to be employed ? They are entitled to do
sumptuary arrangements. (See Garret. ) it. D. T., 4th August 1891.
Centipedes, The (Military). 100th Chalk against (Peoples'). Resent-
Foot. From the insect of that name. ment or desire for explanation. In the
One of the punning regimental cogno- last century when very few of the
smaller shopkeepers could write, a
mens.
(See^~ and XL's.)
score was kept in chalk on a square of
Cess. See Bad cess to ye !
wood. (See Hogarth's Distressed Poet. )
Chain lightning (L. Class, Lond.). It is most figuratively used to desig-
Potato spirit, imported from Germany. nate an unsettled misunderstanding
Filthy mess poisonous to a degree. or grudge. (See Score,)
Smuggled chiefly. Chalk marquis (Peoples'). A false
On telling him the charge he exclaimed, marquis. Never applied to any other
only gave her
1
It's all nonsense ; I
title than this. Probably the result
some chain-lightning,' which he under-
of some forgotten pun or play upon a
stood to be some foreign spirit. D. N.,
22nd December 1885. name.
Chalk out (Peoples'). Distinct
Chair Days (Soc.). Old age.
should a cruel and humiliating
directions.Nothing so vivid as this
Why in any well-known modern language.
malady torture the kindly, upright, con- '
If you miss it now
scientious spirit, and rack the strong, you are a
I've clean chalked it out.'
temperate bodily force spent in the service juggins.
of his age, deserving, if any ever did,
'
Challik it oop
(Theatrical). A
easy
'
chair days and the supreme grotesque request to obtain credit
blessing of the natural euthanasia of old the primitive way of marking up a
age ? Sir E. Arnold, writing of Glad- credit in public-houses before edu-
stone's death, June 1898. cation was extended.
Chair Warmer
(Theatrical Anglo- Chamber of Horrors (Soc.). The
Artier.). A beautiful
or pretty woman name of the corridor or repository in
who does nothing on the stage beyond which Messrs Christie (King Street,
he 1 ping to fill it. St James's) locate the valueless
Kichard Whalen fired a pistol shot at
' ' pictures that are sent to them from all
Carrie Howard, a chair-warmer at
Esher's Alhambra, St Louis, at the close parts of the world as supposed genuine
old masters ; sent, as a rule, with
of the performance on Friday night.
'
A directions to sell at certain prices
chair- warmer is a lady whose talent
'

is comprised in her charms, and most preposterously fixed very high.

physical
who can neither sing, dance, nor act. Phrase borrowed from Madame Tus-
Newsp. Cutting. saud's wax-work, where this chamber
is coloured black, and filled with the
Chairmarking Industrial, 19
(L.
cent.). Secret markings of licences effigies of murderers.
and employes' characters by masters, Chamber of Horrors (City). Room
foremen, and others. Probably mark- at Lloyd's (Royal Exchange) where
'
ing by the chairman or master.
'
are walled notices of shipwrecks and
On 4th August 1894 (see D. T.) a casualties at sea.
69
 Champagner Chappie

Champagner (Mus. Hall, 1880). Towards Christmas the motor once

Lorette. Within the last twenty years more took to its initial behaviour
the marvellous increase in the con- and ran away.
sumption of champagne or what The Champion Slump of 1897 was not
seems like it to the unlearned in wines appreciably modified by the natural
has been most marked. Directly history of the motor car in 1898.
the tap - stopper was invented and Chancellor's
c ' Eggs (Legal). Day-
fizzing Yvine came to be sold by old barristers.
the glass, the ladies who chiefly fre- Every term a new batch of what were '
quent the better parts of music-halls once humorously called Chancellor's
at once showed their elegance by de- eggs 'is incubated.. D. T.
serting gin, rum, and other horrors for Change breath
(Amer. tavern).
'
this less damaging, however adul- Take a '
go of whiskey this certainly
terated, drink. Hence the poor souls does change the smell of the breath.
who could not command the sparkling' '
The other day as three or four of the
and its adjuncts, either from want of old boys were sitting around the stove
in Schneider's sample room stirring in
good looks, good breeding, or good
new popular the grated nutmeg, Bill Matson came in
clothes, assimilated the
to change his breath. 1882.
drink and its female consumers.
'
she won't speak Chant (Sporting, 1886 on). To
Oh, bless you, swear the last satirical popular verb
now she's quite the champagner.' (See '
to describe language '.
Tip- topper.)
Chanting -ken (L. London). A
Champagne Shoulders (Soc., 1860). music-hall.
Sloping shoulders. From the likeness
to the drooping shoulder of the cham- Chapel (Printers'). Secret meeting
and decision. The congregation of
pagne bottle as distinct from the *
unionists in a shop ', to confer upon
squarish ditto of the sherry or port
bottle. any given matter of trade, or even
personal importance. Little notes are
Champagne Weather (Soc., 1860 sent about, a chapel never being called
on). Bad weather said satirically. at a moment's notice. They generally
Champion Slump of 1897 (London, take place at tea-time, when the
1897). Motor On and after
car. assembly sit in some quiet corner,
Lord Mayor's Day of 1896 the motor drink their tea quietly, and as quietly
car claimed English highways for their discuss the question. Probably from
own. On the 10th there was a pro- '

chapter 'especially as printing in

cession from Westminster to Brighton, England dates from the chapter-house,
with such a lamentable result that Westminster Abbey. (See Garret.)
' '
the slump or catastrophe prefaced Chapper (L. London). Mouth
1897 for some time. from associations with chaps, chops,
Has the great motor car demonstration, and cheeks.
which was to revolutionize British
To To
Chapper, (L. London).
humanity, fizzled off into this? D. T., drink.
15th February 1897.
As this year wore on a dozen or so Chappie (Soc., about 1880). Re-
of pale yellow motor-cabs, which came placed chum, which had become vulgar.
to be satirically styled The Butter- ' There was quite a friendly meaning in
coloured Beauties,' made their appear- the word ; it was by no means con-
ance. But they had not plied for hire temptuous, and thereby varied from
three months before one of them killed the meaning put upon * Johnny ',
a hanger-on boy with its back wheel which appeared about this same time.
gear, while in November a driver went
Dropped rapidly in the world, and
drunk and amok with his motor-cab vanished from society in the '90's.
;

the two in combination doing consider-

The hue and mulberry just now
of vine
is and makes us regret some-
delicious,
able damage.
what that the Mulberry Gardens liked
By the end of November they were by Pepys when the chappies and
' '

called the Margarine Messes ', which

' ' '
Johnnies of his day did not carry him
grew out of their first satiric name off to Fox Hall,' have made way for the
'

'The Butter Beauties ' from their peculiar ugliness of Buckingham Palace.
colour. D. N., 1882.
70
 Charity Bob CJieshire, TJie

Charity Bob. The quick, jerky '

There are innumerable publicans who
curtsey made by charity school-girls,
make a practice of allowing this "cheap
now (1883) rapidly passing away. beer and it is tacitly understood that
",
A little mite about eighteen inches all be treated leniently in
cases will
which those houses may choose to form
high on the O.P. side wins loud applause
for her correct rendering of the charity the scene of future action. The first
bob. Newsp. Cutting. enquiry of a constable whose beat is
changed to his brother officer, who
Charley (Street, 1662-1829). Lon- shows him ' '
his new relief ", is, which
don street watchmen. are the houses where "cheap beer" may
In New Boswell Court might be seen be relied upon to be ready when punctu-
until recently (1868) a relic of the light ally called for.' Newsp. Cutting.
of other days in the shape of an ancient Cheat (Thieves', 18 cent.}. Gallows.
box (which used to be drawn up from Fielding's Jonathan Wild.
the pavement during the day), fitted Check up (Gallery, Theatrical).
for the protection of those slow, anti- To 'check up' is to obtain entry to

quated, muffled -up guardians of the the gallery, not by the ordinary mode
night, covered with their many-caped of payment, but by waiting at the
dark coats, called watchmen. ... At bottom of the gallery stairs and asking
length the Charley found himself one passers out,
'
Have yer done with yer
finemorning superseded by that ad- check, sir?' the pass-out check, by
mirably constituted and well organized production of which the holder
body, the new police, as modelled by obtains re-admission to the theatre.
Sir Robert Peel, who appeared in the When the applicant gets the check,
London streets for the first time, he 'ups' at once the gallery stairs.
20th September 1829. Diprose's Cle- Theatrical managers hold that these
ment Danes, vol. i. p. 101. transfers are not legal, but magis-
Between the bellmen and the London trates, certainly in London, will not
watchmen there was always a close convict checkers-up if brought before
alliance, and in the reign of the Merry them upon charges of fraud. I've
'

Monarch, from whom the Charlies took checked up three times this blessed
their name, their identities were more or week '
said the youth.
! I checked
'

less merged. D. T., 17th January 1894. it up I wasn't goin' to pay no bloomin'
'
This same word is used by the '
shillin'.
general' to describe women's breasts Cheek-ache (Artisans'). Blushing
when well developed. It is said this or turning red in the face rather for
term also comes down from Charles II., the meanness of another than your own.
and refers to his mistresses, who
many '
I got the cheek -ache over him.'
certainly displayed their charms as
never women did before. Wilder Cheeky
(Peoples'). Adjective form
of cheek smart sauciness.
etymologists assume the word to come
from Carolian French 'cher lis'
Cheese and Crust (Low Classes).
Exclamation perversion of Jesus
referring to the painted whiteness of
the attribute in question. Christ. Frightful at first sight, this
phrase suggests a slight sense of
Charlie Freer (Rhyming, Sporting}.
respect by its veiling of the oath.
Beer e.g., 'He can put down Charlie
;
Also a little touching as being a
Freer by the gallon, he can.'
phrase associated with comfort to
Chateau Dif (S. Exchange). A those amongst whom comfort is little
grotesque play upon Chateau d'If. known. (See Corkscrew.)
Here the exchange is the castle of diff, Chen 1840-55 and on). A
' ' (Soc.,
or diffs i.e., differences on settling woman.
Derived from
charming
Madame Montigny, of the Gymnase,
Chatham and Dover (London public- Paris. stage name remained Rose
Her
l '

rhyming). Over. This phrase Cheri. She was a singularly pure

is
generally used as a pacificating one woman, and an angelic actress. Word
in a tavern quarrel, a friend will used by upper class men in society,
'
say, Come Chatham and Dover it' '
in the forties ', to describe the nature
meaning give it over. of their mistresses. Word now forgotten.
Cheap beer (Police). Beer given Cheshire, The (Peoples' 19 cent.).
by publicans at night-time to officers. Perfection. Figure of speech, a meta-
71
 Cheshire Cats Chi-ike

phor wherein the perfection of Cheshire Chew into dish-cloths (Amer.,

cheese ismade to stand for perfection 1882). To
annihilate.
itself. Good example of homely coin- The wolf came down with his ears
'
ing of words, e.g., She's the Cheshire working with delight, and had only
reached the earth when the goose sprang
I can tell you.' A variant is
'
That's
the Stilton.' Charles Steyne was very upon him and chewed him into dish-
cloths. New American Fables.
funny as the ratcatcher, who calls
' Chic (Franco-English, 1865 on)
everything the Cheshire '.
Dash, smartness.
Cheshire Cats (Provincial). Ami- '
Chic
'
in its original acceptation
'
able result of adjacent county criticism, meant simply '
trick or
'
knack ',
and
that of Lancashire. Chiefly used in was applied to dexterity of performance
association with the comparison to before it acquired its application to
'grin like a Cheshire cat'. Cat may elegance of result. A painter, for in-
have been derived from kit stance, was said to have 'du chic'
that is, the knack or dodge of using
Christopher. his brush with effect. It was only later
Chest Plaster (Theatrical, 1883). that a 'stylish' toilette was described
Satirical description of the young actor as displaying the same quality. The
of the day by his much older and more phrase came in, if we remember rightly,
' '
From the in the early sixties, and with the vogue
legitimate brother actor.
of Offenbachian opera-bouffe. G. A.
heart-shaped shirt-front worn with a SALA.
very open dress waistcoat, and starched
almost into a cuirass.
'
Bah he is Chicago Reform Lawyer (Amer.-
but a chest plaster humbug.' (See Eng., 1890 on). A lawyer of lawyers
from the fact that Chicago is supposed
Shape and Shirt.)
to be the most alert spot on the mere
Chesterfield (Soc.). A
long, white earth. 'No he's not an American
coat originally made with capes advocate he's a reform
Chicago
now applied to white coats generally,
lawyer.'
but sometimes to blue (1840-50). Good
She devotes herself to finance, looks
example of qualifying name being used after railway interests and her bonds,
for the object qualified. assisted therein by her son and daughter,
Chestnut (Amer.-Eng.). An old who lives with her, and she defies even
a 'Chicago reform lawyer' to get the
joke offered as new. Brought to Eng-
land officially in 1886 by A. Daly's better of her. Z>. T., 10th February 1897.

Company at the Strand Theatre in A Chickaleary - cove

'
( Costermongers',

Night Off', where the heroine tells the 1860). A

perfect personage. Intro-
hero the play was found in an 'old duced into society above the gutter by
*
Vance, a comic singer, who used the
'
chest to which he replies, Very old
'

chestnut !
'
word in a song-chorus. I'm the
Chevalier Atkins. See Tommy chickaleary cove, with my one, two,
three' the numbers probably refer-
Atkins.
Chevaux de frise (Lit.}. Friesland ring to the mere trinity of blows
required to floor the enemy.
Horse, or cavalry a tangle of spikes The barrowman's one aim and ambition
set at right angles as a rule. The Dutch is to be chickaleary. D. T., 6th April
had no cavalry in the 17th century. 1893.
Invention of the Frieslanders named by;
Enterprising clothiers at the East End
the French (17th century) in scorn of make the construction of 'chickaleary'
Dutch enemies. Good example of a attire a leading feature of their business.
phrase by its construction suggesting Newsp. Cutting.
an apparently more obvious meaning, Chi-ike (A nglo-Amer. 19 cent.). A
for the suggesting 'friser', the
frise distance call used by American
temptation to write Cheveux-de-frise, trappers, and borrowed by them from
as describing the tangle, has in many the Red Indians.
'
Hullo don't chi-
instances been fatal. ike me like that over there you'll
Chevy-chase (Rhyming}. Face in wake Westminster Abbey.'
common use. Mr G. A. Sala (D. T. , 28th August'
'

After listening for a while her 1894) says of this phrase. Chi-ike !

I have not the remotest idea when this

chevy - chase gets serious looks.
Ncivsp. Gutting. slang cry was first heard or what it
72
 CJdnwag Choke off, To

means. Emitted, however, from a Chiv(e) (Historical}. A knife.

* '

powerful pair of lungs, Chi-ike could Said to be Romany, but it may be a

be made almost as far-reaching as the curtailment of She v vie, as the metro-
Australian cry, 'Coo-ee'. Often sent polis of knife manufacture, Sheffield,
in unfriendly salute by street arabs is called to this day. If so, on all
' ' '
'
fours with Jacques de Liege
along the street. Whoa-chi-ike jocteleg
addressed to a 'toff'. who manufactured in the 14th
And then a crowd got round and century a splendid knife, long before
began to chi-ike the couple. Gutting. Sheffield rose to glory.
'

Chinwag (Hist.). Talk. Chiv is used on the stage. I've

have not been out of my pyjamas all
I had to be chivved.' Mr H. Marston
day and no further from the tent than to (1870) meaning stabbed in the course
the next one for a 'chinwag'. People. of the piece.
August 1898, Letter from near Klondyke. Presently Selby pulls out a chivy
Chin-music (Costers' defiant talk}. (knife),and gives Big Tim a dig or two
One of the toughest fights Geoghegan one on his arm and one at his face, and
had ever was with Jim M 'Govern. The another at his leg. Big Tim says to me,
'

two had indulged in a lot of 'chin Costy, I've got it a bit thick ; suppose
I give him a bit of chivy, and see how he
music' on various occasions, and finally
met in a saloon on the Bowery and likes it.' Then we all laughed, and Big
Hester street one winter's night, when Tim pulls out the chivy, and makes a dig
it was snowin' hard. Newsp. Cutting. or two at him. People. 6th January
1898.
Chin-chin (Naval passed into club
Chiv(e) - fencer
(Criminal). One
society). 'Hail!' 'Good health!'
'
Here's to you
' ' ' who harbours, fences, wards off from
!
Chin-chin, old chap. arrest murderers.
The answer is *
Pa-pa '. Origin obscure, '
' He's a chive fencer, the director of a
probably Same to you
'
Dates ! '

railway, or a swell. Newsp. Cutting.

from the Chinese of Singapore. '"We A chive-fencer is also a purveyor in
went into the temples, and our pockets the streets of cheap razors and knives.
were not rifled; we went into the
Chivy (Criminal). Relating to the
prisons, and we were not brained by use of the knife.
manacled villains ; we mixed in crowds
and were never hustled and the only ;
Chivy Duel (Thieves'). A fight
cries we heard were
' ' with knives.
Chin, chin or !

'
Pa, Pa
'
which means welcome or
!
A 'Chivy' Duel Described by a
Costy.' At South wark evidence was
c

good fellows. Clement Scott, D. T., given in the charge of 'intentionally

1st August 1893. and maliciously wounding and inflicting
Chip in (Anglo- Amer.). To join in grievous bodily harm on each other by
discussion ; to subscribe money. stabbing each other', preferred against
' two men, etc. People, 6th January 1895.
Gentlemen, let's chip in enough more
to buy her a new dress. I'm a poor man, Chivy, To (Hist.). To hunt down,
but here's a quarter for the old lady.' worry. A corruption of Cheviot
Neivsp. Cutting. (Hills), whence this kind of attention
Chirrup, To (Music-hall, 1886 on). was much practised by the early Eng-
Applaud, cheer. The word was made lish of the north when swinging into
classical on 5th March 1888, when a the Cheviots after the cattle stolen, or
m&n was 'sent' for a month as the to use the more northern term
' '
lifted by the Scotch more or less
all along the border.
'Which a pore cove were never
alternative of being hissed if they did chivied as I'm chivied by the cops.'
'
not stump up '. This case killed the Choice Riot A
(Street, 1870).
process. horrid noise, such as the festive mar-
Pike, the stage-doorkeeper at the row bones and cleavers. Mildly
Canterbury, proved seeing the prisoner satirical.
*
That there baby's making
for some time carrying on the
system of a choice riot.'
obtaining money for what in the slang of
the gang is called chirruping He had '
'.
Choke off, To18 cent.
(Peoples',
seen the prisoner receive money, and had on). To get the neces-
rid of. From
cautioned him. Police Court Report. sity of twisting a towel or other fabric
6th March 1888. about the neck of a bull-dog to make
73
 Choker Chronic Rot

this tenacious hanger-on let go his Chortle, To (Peoples'). To sing.

biting hold. Used against persons of Probably an onomatope. Chortled
pertinacious application. like the nightingale, and smiled like
'
Choke off' in the U.S.A. means to anything.
reduce a pleading man to silence. Many present on Boxing Night fully
Choker A in its expected that when he appeared he
(Peoples'). lie,
' would chortle a chansonnette or two.
most direct form.
'
What a choker !

Ref., 29th December 1889.

such a bare-faced lie that the hearer Mr Wilford Morgan has been engaged
is nearly choked. Also applied to very to chortle the famous song, Here's to '

large neckties and for similar reasons the maiden of bashful fifteen 'lief., !

the huge adornment appearing to 18th August 1886.

choke the wearer. The masculine Chortle also means to praise exces-
choker was at its greatest in England sively.
'
Joe chortles about his kid
in the time of George IV., and the
'

pretty loudly it's 'is fust !

fashionable lead of Beau Brummel, It seems a curious time for an Ameri-

when it was over a yard in length. can critic to chortle over the recent
Now and again a choker breaks out success of Miss Minnie Maddern Fiske.
about the masculine neck, but in the D. T., 31st March 1897.
'80's and '90's it was steadily replaced Chouse (Peoples', 17 cent. ). A cheat,
*
by the ties '. The feminine choker to cheat. Henshaw derives it from
is always with us, and assumes a new the Turkish word chiaus, an inter-
shape once a month. preter,and referring to an interpreter
at the Turkish embassy in London in
Chokey Imprisonment
(Sailors').
1609. He robbed the embassy right
derived from the narrow confines of
the ship's lock-up and the absence of
and left. In 1610 Ben Johnson in
The Alchymist made the word classic.
ventilation chokey generally being
fixed as near the keel as conveniently What do you think of me
'

That I am a chiaus ? '

it can be managed. However, some

authorities maintain that this word is Johnson has this word, but his
an Anglicising of the Hong- Kong modern fine brethren have rejected it,
though Johnson gives Swift and Dryden
'
Chinese ' Chow Key a prison.
Been run in ? Been locked up ? Been as his authorities.
'
Freedom and zeal
'

in chokey ? What what do you take

!
have choused you o'er and o'er (Dry-
me for? Who are you blooming well den).
'
From London they came, silly
getting at? Who're you kidding? people, to chouse' (Swift). Butler
Cutting. also uses it in Hudibras.
In a very short time the whole of them Chow-chow (Anglo-Ind. ). A hash,
were safely in the chowkey. The parties or resurrection pie, from Hindustanee
implicated have been brought up at the word for mixed confectionery.
Fort Police Court, and committed for Christ-killers (Peoples', 19 cent.).
trial. Bombay Times. Jews. Passing away chiefly used by
(Land. Street). A meat What can you ex-
'
Chonkey old army men.
pie derivation beyond the bounds of pect? he's a Christ-killer. Pay up
mere discovery. Probably from the your sixty per cent. and try and look
,

name of a once historic pieman, whose pleasant !

'

fame remains a name alone. Christen a jack ( Thieves'). A grim

(L. Class ; last cry of the
use of baptismal ceremony to replace
Chop up
19th To annihilate a the name on a stolen watch by another,
century). ;

variant of cut up. to defeat detection. (See Church a

Jack.)
Chopping (Nursery). Big, lusty,
Christmas (Oh) (M. Class). Evasive
handsome. Johnson says :

swearing. Used by Rudyard Kipling

A child which would bring money in
'

' in The Day's Work. Of course it is

the market suggested by chopping '
Mass '.
Christ's
Perhaps,' he says, after
'
and changing.
all the etymologies to be Chronic (M. Class, 1896). Ceaseless,
admitting
doubtful '
a greedy, hungry child, persistent.
*
Oh ! Joe's chronic.'
* '

likely to live.' Charley's Aunt's chronic said of a

<
Both Jack Freeman and Ned Wild piece that ran perpetually.
Would own the fair and chopping Chronic Rot (Peoples'). Despair-
child.' Fenton. ingly bad. Rot may or may not be
74
 Chuck Chuck up the Sponge

from erotic ; it is more likely an appli- dummy this mornin', an' 'ad to be
cation of the original meaning of the brought to with o-der-wee !'

word ; but it is now quite understood. Chuck it out, Creswick

'
then
'

Chronic is used in its original appli- manager of Surrey.

cation ; feutmore widely as '

Oh, that 'Yes, and chuck it out quick, cully,'

theatre's chronic' means that never observed Sir John Adamant. Cutting.
is a good piece seen there. These two Chuck a Shoulder (Costers'). To
words intensify each other. * Jack's turn away said chiefly by the male
' '
swears to swear off (drink) is chronic coster of the female; e.g., 'Which
rot.' she chucked me a shoulder, an' not the
Chuck A biscuit hard one I want an' 'av been on hice ever
(Naval}.
tack the mortal since.'
(see).Probably an onomatope
from the noise made in chewing, or Chuck a yannep (Back Slang). To
perhaps from the hand - broken throw a penny.
'
biscuit (for to snap it with the teeth The Lord loveth a cheerful giver
'

were out of the question), being thrown but there's no use chucking a yannep
or chucked carelessly into the mouth, into the collection plate loud enough to
which is the tar's mode of coaling up. make the people in the back seats think
the Communion service has tumbled off
Chuck, To (Old Eng.). To fling. the altar. Cutting.
Johnson gives half a dozen meanings Chuck his weight about, To
to this word, but not fling, which is its
(Milit.). To demonstrate his physical
most forcible meaning. Everything is
magnificence generally said of any
chucked amongst the common folk, who
from a farthing or a chunk of bread, to
soldier showing off, but more
is

particularly one of the household

a wife or a mistress. Now applied to
the process of divorce.
She had three children by him and
two by some other fellow, which is the
habit of some great ladies, so Sir John
chucked her. Newsp. Cutting.
Jones and Dimsdale were arrested in
court, as they were heard to say, refer-
ring to the evidence against the prisoner
Foster,
'
He's sure to get chucked ' a
slang expression for discharged. Police
Report, November 1890.
So takes the knives away and chucks
I Chuck over the lug (Peoples'). To
them over a bridge. Selby then picks
up an iron bar, and makes a drive at Big
Tim, but T catches hold of it, and stops
him. Cldvey DueL People, 6th Janu-
ary 1895.
They would blush a maidenly pink if
certain words were uttered in their
presence, and then shake off with relent-
lessseverity and austerity any erring
brigades.
'
So 'e turned up, and
chucked 'is weight about all over
the blooming place he did.'
Chuck out ink (Press Reporters').
To write articles.
Suddenly it came across my mind that
the boss might be waiting about for me
somewhere with a big boot and genteel
language, and that it might be better
for my health if I chucked out ink.
Cutting.
thwack over the ear lug being high
Scotch for the auricular. (See Poultice
over the peeper, One over the gash.)
Chuck up, To (L. London). To
abandon.
Did she mean, we says, to chuck us
up ? Of course she did, says she, flaring
up like a mill on fire. Cutting.
But after all, cullies, being mashed on
1

sisterwho has, in modern parlance, a dona is nothing it's when the bit of
;
'chucked everything'. D. T., John jam chucks you up that is the stinger.'
Strange Winter, 5th August 1899. Cutting.
Chuck a Chest (Street). Generally Chuck up the bunch of fives
who has a
said of a soldier full bust.
(Pugilistic). ToThe one poetic
die.
To throw forward the chest, as though figure of speech engendered by the
prepared to meet the world. prize ring. The fives are the two sets
Chuck a Dummy (Tailors'). To of four fingers and a thumb the fists
'
faint. Very interesting as illustrating
the ' bunches flaccid in death.
*
the influence familiar objects have in Pore Ben 'e's been an' gorne an'
framing new ideas from the similarity chucked up 'is bunches o' fives.'
of a falling
fainting man to an over- Chuck up the sponge (Prize Ring).
thrown or chucked tailor's dummy a To admit defeat by way of a pugilist's
ligure upon which eoats are fitted to attendant, at his chiefs failure,
1

show them off for sale. '

I chucked a throwing up the sponge with which he
75
 Chuck your Money about Chump.

has been refreshing his principal. This out are simple and compound. The
custom was, and is, applied to death. firstargues the case, he being gener-
All trades yield these figurative modes ally not a giant of strength. The
of referring to birth, marriage, death,
'

compound ', who gets his name pro-

and money. bably from his '
size large enough for a
'Bill chucked up the sponge this
'

compound of men '

bounces
'
with-
morning.' out a word which he seldom has.
Chuck your money about (Street, Chuckers-out are of two blooming sorts
1894 on). A but good -
satirical
generally simple and compound. The
tempered reproach cast at meanness, '
simple chucker-out is sometimes a bit
or insufficient reward. Jack you've barmy in the crumpet, and is only kept
done me a real good turn yere's the for the sake of show, and to prevent the
sweet tarts behind the bar hollering out.
price of a pint.' To which Jack may
chuck your He's a warm 'un, is the compound
reply, "Well you do just
' . . .

' chucker-out. You generally find him at

money about you do !

music-halls and about the bars of pubs,

Chuck-barge (Naval). Cask in which blokes use that aren't afraid of a
which the biscuit of a mess is kept. couple of black peepers. Gutting.
Also equivalent to bread-basket. (See
Chucking-out Time (Lond. Public-
Bread-barge.) house). Half-past twelve, the closing
Chuck-bread Waste-
(Beggars'). hour for metropolitan taverns, when
bread, that which would be thrown
those who do not go willingly are
away but for mendicants. No chuck '
-
'
chucked out '.
bread for me.'
Chuck-out (L. Theatrical, 1880 on). Chuffy (Peoples' ; rare).
'
Surly ; e.g. ,
'
'
This verb has the force of vigorous'.
Don't be chuffy probably from the
1
Can't he chuck it out ? would mean
' behaviour of one Ohuffs who may ' '

that a singer or actor has a powerful

have once been powerful in the cadger
Therefore the recommenda- world.
delivery.
tion 'Chuck it out' is equal to Chum (Universal). A familiar
'
Louder if you please of the public
'
friend. This term is probably the
dinner. only one that has steadily remained
Chuckaboo (Peoples'). A name patronised by all classes. Dr Johnson,
given familiarly to a favourite chum. who always sought the unexpected,
No meaning ; but probably the 'chuck' says this word is Armorick '. He c

'

adds, a chamber fellow ; a term used

'

is a conversion of duck '.

'

Chuckaways (London). Lucifer in the universities.

matches graphic description of the
'
The princes were quite chums.'
Fielding, Tom
'
act of rejection after the match is done I had a chum, etc.'
with. Bill' I want a light got Jones, book viii. ,
ch. 2.
any chuckaways?' (See Bryant and 'The two actors were very, very friendly
May.) indeed. We dressed in the same dressing
Chucked all of a heap (Street). room, and were very friendly. In fact,
Fascinated, ravishingly overcome,
Mr Crozier bought some colours from Mr
Franks on Saturday, I believe.' The
mashed, enthralled.
They were what is called in
'
Coroner
When he gazed upon her soft and :

vulgar parlance "chums".' Witness:

gentle beauty, and heard the gurgling '
Yes. I never knew them to have any
sound which smote his ear like the
quarrel or speak any angry words to
rushing of many waters he was chucked each other.' Evidence of Mr C. Lillford
all of a heap. Gutting.
at an inquest upon Crozier, an actor
- Chief
Chucker -
in (Public-house). accidentally killed at the Novelty
A prince amongst mere chuckers-out. Theatre, London (10th August 1896).
The magnificent figure of the gentle- D. T., 14th August 1896.
man, who was late literary adviser to Chump (Peoples'). The head.
Gussy (Sir A. Harris, of Drury Lane
now Chump initially is a fine onomatope,
Theatre) and chucker-in-chief ,
is to
be seen nightly at the Princess's, where being the sound made by horses in
its owner finds his services appre- grinding oats. Hence the use of the
ciated. word to represent head, of which the
Chucker-out (Public-house, 1880). dentition is only part. Then extended
to a barman who turns to the human head. (See Orf Chump ',
'
The name given
C

out noisy tavern customers. Chuckers- 0rf his Chump'.)

76
 Chump Cinderella

Spain had her flirtations, and Marie He did grand before we was churched,
Antoinette was frivolous and fond of and used to blarney and call me good-
pleasure until she lost her chump. looking, and squeeze my blooming waist.
Cutting. Cutting.
Take off
yer blooming 'at take off A
;

Said in a
Churchyard Cough (Peoples').
yer blooming chump as well. fatal cold sometimes in these later
theatre.
times synonymised by 'cemetery
Chump (Ang.-Amer., 1895). Equi- catarrh '.
valent to Juggins. A
youth (as a rule)
who is in any way cheated of his '
Churchyard Luck'
(Peoples'). The
good fortunewhich the mother of a
money especially by the so-called
large family experiences by the death
gentler sex. of one or more of her children: e.g.,
What's a chump ?
'
Say, pa, what's a 1
'
asked young Tommy as his Yes, mum, I hev brought 'em all up
chump ?
father was taking him out walking. ten boys, and no churchyard luck
'See that young man in there?' (they with it.' Said by a Liverpool woman
were just passing an ice cream saloon) to a district-visitor.
Cigareticide (Soc., 1883). A word
'
said the father, pointing in. Yes, I see
him the one with the girl in the red
; invented to meet the theory that the
'
dress ? Yes '
well, he's buying ice
;
cigarette is the most dangerous form of
cream for his girl with money he ought
to save to buy his lunch with till next
smoking. More common in America
than in Great Britain.
pay day. He's a chump.' Gutting. That young man's grit is indeed re-
Chumps Elizas (London, Five markable in this age of dudisrn and
Pounder Tourists', 1854 on). A
cigareticide. Cutting.
of Champs
grotesque pronunciation Cinder (Peoples', 19 cent.). Hot-
Elyses still in Paris.
especially alcoholic heat, e.g., 'That's
Church a Jack, To (Thieves'}. To a cinder for him.'
remove the works of a watch from its He had been a teetotaller himself for
case, and put them in another, of seven years, and really left his last
course with the view of destroying the lodgings because the landlady was too
identity of the article. (See Christen fond of putting 'a cinder in her tea',
a Jack.) that is to say, flavouring her Mazawattee
Church-bell (Rural). talkative A with a plentiful supply of rum. D. T..
woman. Ah ca'as ma wife choorch
'
12th May 1896.
bell, cas 'er's yeard arl over t' village/ Cinder-knotter (Navy). A stoker
Church parade (Soc., 1885 on). very descriptive, and necessarily
The display of dress after morning modern, phrase ; for he does knot the
church. Quite the thing to carry living coals into heaps.
prayer books. Began in Hyde Park ; Cinder-sifter (Fashion, 1878). A
imitated now all over the country. hat with open-work brim, the edge of
Mr Button asked, with respect to some which was turned up perpendicularly.
wearing apparel which prosecutrix paid On all fours with the poke bonnet,
4c for on delivery for Mrs Gardiner, called 'coal-scuttle', or the high
whether she did not part with the money collars introduced by George III., and
' '
to enable the countess on the following
styled gills.
Sunday to accompany her to the Church Cinderella (Society, 1880). A dance
parade in the Park. Prosecutrix :

'Church parade was never mentioned.' which ends at twelve the name
D. T., 17th March 1893. fancifully suggested, it is not known
Church-piece (Soc.). A threepenny by whom, in reference to that success-
piece the smallest silver the genteel ful young professional beauty who, at
mean can put in the absurdly-named midnight, was by force major com-
offertory. pelled to give up dancing. Adopted
Churched (Com. Lond.). Married in France 1880.
amongst the common ; attendance N'ayez pas peur, ma chere, ce n'est
at prayers after childbirth amongst qu'une Cendrillon ; a minuit finis et
silence.
higher-class women. The commonest The hours at which balls begin grow
possible term amongst lower classes for later and later. The stroke which sends
marriage, and singularly expressive as the last guest hurrying away from the
marking the distinction between ordin- Cinderella dance scarcely ushers the first
ary come-together marriage, and the arrival to a season ball. D. N., 27th
real ceremony. March 1884.
77
 Girders Clare Market Cleavers

Circlers (Theatr.). Occupants of awaiting the 'ready' pennies of the

dress - circle. Applied with envious passing public. The humble little
derision by the pit. joke took its rise from this opportunity
Circs (City, 1860). Abbreviation of helping oneself to these drinks with-
'
of circumstances '. out calling for a barman, and then
The Duke and Duchess of Teck patron- planking the money down.
ized the performance of Jolanthe at the
Country cousins were told that
Savoy Theatre on Monday last. Under tumblers of city sherry were given
the circs I am disposed to exclaim,
'
What extravagance ' away at this particular house all day
Gutting, August
!

The victim was taken in, was

1883. long.
handed a glass of fourpenny from the
The royal couple at this date were
about economising by leaving England counter, while the operator gave a well-
known wink to the attendant barman
and going to ^umpenheim.
who instantly comprehended this joke.
Circuit Rider (Amer., provincial).
A When the wondering eye of the coun-
peripatetic preacher.
There was no circuit rider or other
' '
try cousin was off the counter the
town relative paid for the drinks.
evangelical authority to be relied upon.
This 'sherry house/ the European,
Cutting.
Circumbendibus ( Peoples'). Evasion fell before the improver at the end of
'
1884, and the jocular halves ceased
'

adopted probably from some author

based to be drawn for ever.
playing with Latin formation However, city
upon circumlocution. He allowed'
sherry, in the City, is still cloaked
'

the accusation by a circumbendibus.' satire for a pretended free drink'.

Circus (Amer.) Excitement, ad- Clackbox (Hist. ). Male or mascu-
venturefrom the pother created when line of chatterbox generally applied
a wandering circus heaves in sight. to a woman, and especially a girl.
A circus is the most favourite form This word rarely comes to town.
of American provincial amusement. Claim (Ang.-Amer.). To recognise
Lafayette got the check cashed and in travelling. In a railway carriage
spent the money, and then Coghill found one may frequently hear the enquiry
'
out that he had paid Lafayette just three Surely I claim you we met at Suez ?
'

times too much for the Louisiana lands. A kick, from

Then there was a circus. N. Y. Mercury, Clamp (N. Eng.).
the name given to the heavy boots
23rd May 1885.
The next day old Hays and young clamped or tipped with iron. Very
formidable weapons.
Hays started out in search of Reed's
companion Stephens. The pair found Clap-trap (Theatrical). Common-
Stephens in his room. He made a '
place. Trap to catch a clap from the
desperate fight, but there was no circus
'
audience, as :

this time, the two Hays bein' too many The man who lays his hands upon
'

for the one Stephens. Cutting. a woman, except in the way of kind-
City Road Africans (Street, 1882). ness,ought to be yard-armed.'
Hetairse of that quarter. Origin Clare Market Cleavers (Strand).
not known. They were the butchers in this once
City sherry (Peoples', E. London, densely populated place now a sixty
1880). Four ale, which in colour may yard street. The rival community was
be said to resemble the worst descrip- Seven Dials half a mile
away with
tion of sherry or the highest quality of which country there were frequent
rectified varnish. The East London wars. The glory of Clare Market
people have a modified mistrust of began to pitch in 70, rocked in the
those living amongst them, who get early '90's, and was practically gone
their living in the city, especially of in '98. The Cleavers were great
the great body of exclusive clerks, fighters, Princes in Clare, and heavy
whose general poverty they satirise in blackmailers of newly-married couples
many ways, of which this is one. of that ilk who were always obliged
'

City sherry used to be the basis of

'
with a concert of marrow-bones and
a great perennial practical joke at the cleavers. These cleaver serenades
'European,' once a prosperous tavern had to be paid for. 'Oh he's a
in the Poultry (E.G.), where this cleaver bloke I can tell you.' As
liquid was set out in imperial half it has been said, the glories of Clare

pints and royal array on the counter Market and her cleavers began to
78
 Clare Market Duclc Clinger

fade in 70. Her commercial and Cleavin (Glare Market).Boastful

butcherly bravery, beginning in the from the Clare Market Cleavers
west at Drury Lane, and swinging (1750-1860) the king-butchers of that
south-east down to Temple Bar, with once popular market who were the
a dash over into Strand Lane (see equal pride and terror of that place,
Diprose's St Clement Danes), fell terror because of their readiness to
before the demands of the new Law fight, pride, because of the warfare,
Courts. Two-thirds of the parish were continual and unflagging, they carried
swept away ; and with the old crowded on over the border amongst the Pict-
houses the Clare Market customers. pockets and maurauding Scots of the
The butchers shared in the fall but adjacent Drury Lane. They made
they still remained a combined power much coin by marriage in the neigh-
in the old slaughter-houses, until in bourhood, and far around by their
' '
the '80's their cleavin propensities rough marrow -bone and cleaver
ended in a steel fight, which finished orchestras.
one of the later cleavers. Resulting Clicker (Printers'). The sub-fore-
precaution, and two School Board man in printing office. Gives out
schools slowly suppressed the cleavers , copy and conveys orders from foreman
who vanished, while the market faded to men. Probably contemptuous, and
into a mere street. from the French Claqueur. The
Clare Market Duck clicker also puts the type into pages.
(19 cent.}.
Baked bullock's heart stuffed with sage Most obscure phrases or words in print-
and onions which gave a faint resem- ing come from France.
blance to the bird. The term is one Climb in on, To (U.S.). To over-
of those satirical associations of cheap come easily, to get the better of
food with luxurious dishes, of which another by cunning.
I climbed in on him proper.'
*
there are several specimens. (See
'Two -Eyed Dr Hall says it is very unhealthy to
'Billingsgate Pheasant,'
live on the ground floor of a house.
Steak,' etc.) A
fellow's creditors can
Doctor's right.
Clarkenco (Polit. ). A
new political climb in on him with so little trouble.
party. When the Gladstone Government Newsp. Cutting.
went out (June, 1885) and that of Lord To lower pride.
Salisbury came in, Mr Ed. Clarke, Q.C., Climb the Golden Staircase, To
who was expected to get office was left (Amer.). One of the U.S.A. equiva-
out in the cold. He was supposed to lents to the Latin 'join the majority'.
lead a new party which took the place Edward's Folly Dramatic Company is
of that led previously by Lord R. reported as having climbed the golden
Churchill. stairs. The cash assets are alleged to have
'Mr Edward Clarke and Co.', as the been carefully secured in a pill box.
new Fourth Party is called in the House, (1883.)
will let the Churchill lot 'have it' at D'Arcy and his company, with Josie
Batchelder as climbed the golden
every convenient, and at several incon- star,
venient, opportunities Ref., 19th July staircase last Monday. They are said to
1885. have been kindly assisted on their tour
homeward by sympathizing citizens.
Claw-hammer (Amer.-Eng.). Tail-
Gutting.
coat, accepted in England about 1880. Climb the Mountain of Piety,
Description of the divided tail, like in To. To pawn from the first govern-
;

shape and lines to the claw of a mental pawnshop being situated on a

hammer. (See Bobtail. )
Clean Time (Amer.).
expression for honesty ; derived from
the old phrase, ' clean hands '. '
He
'
never would do the clean thing.
height in Rome called Monte di Pieta,
A figurative so named, of course, from a group of
the dead Christ and the Virgin called
in art a Pieta.
Mr Candy On one occasion, I think,
:

Clean tuckered out (New Eng.). you had to resort to what is called '

climbing the mountain of piety ?

'

Utterly exhausted probably from the

name Tucker '.
'
Evelyn v. Hulbert, D. N. 15th April t

He was clean tuckered out all but his 1896.

eyes (and he could just barely turn them Clinger (Sail-room). A lady who
in his head) and his bill. Newsp. holds on in waltzing; e.g., 'She's a
Cutting. bad 'un to go, but she's a real clinger.'
79
 Clobber Cock and Bull Story

Clobber (Jewish, E. London). the acts of a play, when the nibbled

Superior, or rather startling clothing. clove vainly sought to hide the higher
In
'
Hebrew KLBR '.
perfume of the alcohol. Came to be
Mylook at Beck.'
high used (1884)for the refreshment itself.
Clobbered (N. Eng. Prov.). Well Pleasing example of modern meta-
nourished and dressed. Common in phor.
Yorkshire. A belief prevails among Union
Square Theatre patrons that the trick
1
Eh, he looks well clobbered.'
Clock (London). A chairs which adorn the auditorium were
dynamite bomb,
when carried in a small square Glad- designed to trap and hold in place be-
tween the acts clove -hunters. N. Y.
stone bag. Took its rise in the 'SO's,
Mercury, December 1884.
during the dynamite scare, when a
Coal-oil Johnny (Amer. coal oil
dynamiter, being stopped by a police-
man and asked what he had in his fields). The derivation of this word
clock '.
'
A is interesting. of the unedu-
Many
bag, replied
Clock stopped (London, cated and more wasteful men who
Peoples').
No struck oil squandered their money,
credit. 'No tick* hence the
while Johnny in American is the
clock has stopped. '
No tick
'
means
1
no ticket' given by master or other equivalent of English Sammy, Sappy,
to obtain credit.
or Softy hence a coal-oil Johnny was
at first a suddenly enriched coal-oil
Cloddy (Dog Market). Aristocratic
in appearance. to human miner, who wasted his easily-gained
Applied wealth. The term soon spread, and
beings by some divisions of the lower
classes.
stood for a description of a stupid,
"E's a cloddy bloke don't yer extravagant, vulgar person.
make no mistake about it !
' He played a coal-oil Johnny ' career ;
'

treated to champagne by the basket,

A bull-dog should be low to the ground,
short in the back, and thickset. An
animal that possesses these qualifications
is known as one of the
had the handsomest carriage and pair in
the city, and paid cabmen five dollars to
drive him a few blocks. Newsp. Gutting.
'

cloddy ', the

correct expression among dog-fanciers. Coal Sack (People?). Cul de sac-
D. T., 13th November 1895. one of the most egregious Anglicisa-
Close out, To (Amer., 1883). To tions in the language.
finish. Quite local until Which we bolted up a blind alley,
'

recently.
Now sometimes heard in England. and found ourselves in a coal sack.'
Do not close out the last of your soup Coal up, To ( Trade. Stokers'). To
'

by taking the plate in your mouth and feed. Let's coal up on bread and
pouring the liquid down. Cutting. cheese nothing better, sonny.'
Clou (Theatr.). From the French. Cock (Printers', 1874). In throw-
Equal to heart
' '
or central idea of a ing types to decide who shall pay
tale or drama. Of for drinks or other matters, by the
course, literally
' '
number of nicks which turn up, the
nail upon which the piece or book
hangs. types used sometimes catch together,
Whatever may be the decision arrived and do not fall flat on the imposing
at, the case will be memorable as fairly stone, the general arena for these
' '
placing before the world entirely op- adventures. That's a cock is said
'
posite views as to the degree of copy- abbreviation of cock and hen '. The
c

right in the central idea, or clou ', as question is once more tried.
it is called in France, of a drama or
Cock and Bull Story (Peoples').
romance. D. N., 4th August 1883.
The field of the French writer is almost
' Every etymologist has had an attack
of analysis of this phrase, which Sterne
unlimited. He writes for men and mar-
ried women. His first thought when uses as his abrupt and unintended
'
termination of The Sentimental
hammering out the clou or mainspring
of his play is " What shall I do with my Journey'. No one has solved this
adulteress?"' G. W. Gilbert, D. N., difficulty. Possibly a phrase on all
21st January 1885. fours with By hook or by crook,
' ' '
A
Clouded over (American). Over- miss is as good as a mile,' etc., and
whelmed by misfortune. (See Bound meaning A. Cock, and D. Bull, story'
'

to shine.) and may refer to two witnesses of

Clove-hunters (Amer.- Eng.} Fre- these names in some once notorious
quent nip-drinkers, especially between case.
80
 Cock and Hen Club
Dr Brewer
of course goes off at score
upon this phrase. He says : ' cor-
"
ruption of a concocted and bully story ".
The catch-pennies hawked about the
streets are still called cocks, i.e., con-
cocted things. Bully is the Danish
bullen (exaggerated), our bull-rush (an
exaggerated rush), bull-frog, etc., etc.'
All this is confused, contradictory,
wanting in relation of parts. Probably
corruption of perchance Cockaigne
Bill a forgotten teller of inconsequent
tales like the more modern Mrs
Partington.
Sir Francis Jeune said the petitioner
had shown a great deal of carelessness.
His wife told him a cock-and-bull story
about having been married before, and
he took no steps to verify it until some
years afterwards. Sir F. Jeune, Div.
Court, 29th October 1896.
Cock and Hen Club (Soc., 1880).
One of mixed sexes
then spoken of
contemptuously probably because they
had not at that date quite succeeded.
He takes advantage of his wife's
absence from home to make a night of
'
it', and take supper with a strange
young lady at a club which, I believe,
would be called of the cock-and-hen
order. Carados.
What are described as working men's
clubs (often enough falsely described
thus), very early breakfast clubs, cock-
and-hen clubs, with one or two other
clubs whose names and descriptions will
to the initiated suggest themselves, are
all flagrant and distinct violations of the
Licensing Acts. Ref., 19th May 1889.
Cock of the Walk (London, Sporting,
18 cent.). Leader derived from cock-
fighting, or from farmyard, where
one cock alone holds the central
ground.
Directly you get up one or two steps
in the ladder, you want to be cock of
the walk Cutting.
Cock one's chest (Navy}. To throw
the chest out, after the manner of vain
creatures. Generally used with the
addition 'like a half-pay Admiral'
not a full-pay, mark you.
Cockatoo (Austral., 1880). A small
farmer. The name is given by the
squatters or sheep breeders to the
agriculturists, from the cockatoos
following the movements of the farmer
over his land, especially at sowing
time. The word is offensively used,
for there is, or
perhaps it is better
to say was, bitter war between the
settled farmer and the unsettled
Cock-linnet
squatter, whose sheep often ruinously
A injured the unenclosed agricultural
stretches, while too frequently, it is
to be feared, the squatter made a path
for his sheep, even where an enclosure
had been made. The squatter still
knows the cockatoo has the sympathy
of the legislature, and he hates him
c
accordingly '.
Cocked Hat, To knock into a (18
cent.). To conquer, tumble about in
all directions. Perhaps no phrase is
more obscure than this. It is
probably
one of the expressions which result out
of a change in dress, especially where
the change is associated with political
movement. The hat which preceded
the cocked was the cavalier, which
possessed a flat flopping brim, above
which showed the white feather,
which swung round and trailed
between the shoulders. Hence arose
the Puritan term for cowardice
showing the white feather this
dancing adornment displaying itself
very ineffectively when the cavaliers
took to flight, which they did upon
occasion. The cocked hat might
figuratively be described as a cavalier
hat, whose brim had been knocked
up and in by three spaced blows
round the circumference. Now as the
cocked hat came in with the Guelphs
and the Whigs, it can readily be under-
stood that the Jacobites accepted the
new cocked hat as a head-gear that
had been assaulted by cavaliers hence
*
probably a Jacobite term, I'll knock
the Whig into one of his own cocked
'
hats an idea so practical that it was
accepted by the people. It has lasted
to this day, when the three-cornered
cocked, or up- turned hat has absolutely
vanished in England except amongst
mayors and aldermen, and by way of
the black cap worn by judges while
uttering the death sentence. The
tricorne is still worn in Germany, and
even in France and Italy.
I thought that was the worst play I
had ever seen, but Nadine knocked it
into several cocked-hats. Newsp. Cutting,
8th March 1885.
Wilson Barrett licka everything else
into a cocked hat. Newsp. Cutting.
Cock-linnet (East London). A
dapper boy, a tiny buck from the
East End of London, where bird fairs
are held every Sunday morning. It
'
is also rhyming slang for minute '.
81 F
 CocJcs Cod-bangers

1
Hold on for a cock linnet now In the circle of cocottes, and cocodettes,
barney.' Newsp. Cutting. by which the French Court has during
the last fifteen years managed to sur-
Cocks (Dispensing chemist). Con-
round itself, fast American women have
coctions.
furnished no inconsiderable contribution.
Cock-sure (Sporting, 1 8 cent. ). Abso- (1867.)
lutely certain. In the good old days Cod (Printers'). A fool; e.g., 'the
of cock-fighting the vanquishing bird fellow's a cod.'
always crowed but never until he Cod (Peoples'). Humbug, swindle,
was quite sure, by various modes of more generally coddem, cod em, cod
proof, that his enemy was either them.
dead or insensible. Then he gave Cod, To
(Thieves', 18 cent.). To cod
gullet. isto cheat meanly by way of familiarity
Used disparagingly in these later in relation to eccentric erotics. To
days. comprehend this term an intimate
In the identification of prisoners police
constables sometimes blunder, and rarely,
acquaintance with Balzac's Vautrin is
required.
if ever, hesitate. They are very 'cock To Theatr. ). To flatter e.g.,
sure' in their evidence. D.N., 8th Cod, ( ;

December 1884.
'
Don't try to cod me '
from Coddem
Cocker up, To (Chaunters'). To a game of deception.
make a horse look young for sale. Cod (Trade. Tailors'). A drunkard.
' '
The word is suggested by the fallen
Evidently from the French coquet ;

the more likely that Chaunter is cer- cheeks and lips' corners which are some
of the facial evidences of a drunkard,
tainly from Chanteur an unscrupulous
and daring cheat. and which certainly suggest the
Cockowax 18 countenance of a cod, which fish,
(Peoples', cent.).
Obscure used '
Hullo furthermore from its size, is typical
satirically.
cock'owax.' Probably corruption of huge drinking. He's a bigger cod
'

my
of cock of wax, which may have been every day.'
said in cock-fighting days of a bird Cod, Coddem (Mid. Class). To
which had no mettle in him a poor ridicule by appealing to the sanity of

soft, waxy, creature, opposite of cock

one codded.
of the walk.
'
Cod '
is word signifying
peculiar as a
ironical chaff,and perhaps it has not
Cock-pit (Political). A convenient much to recommend itself beyond its
place for settling a sanguinary quarrel. brevity. Stage, 21st August 1885.
From the pit or enclosure in which the I don't know all the perfessionals.
cocks fought, and which would become Irving don't play coddem in our tap-
much blood-stained hence the name room. Cutting.
was given to that portion of a warship I hear that at the end of Adelphi
to which the wounded were taken for Terrace there is a theatrical club where
treatment. coddem is now the favourite pastime.
England cannot consent to make Egypt (1882.)
Shoreditch isn't what it was but
the cock-pit in which the diplomatic ;

there's some fun in the old village still.

intrigues of Europe are to find a new
arena. D. N., 21st January 1885.
Cocoa (Nautical). Comic shape of
Toko
(sec). Schoolboy expression,
probably from Negronia. When a
word has become time-weary, it is
often newly editioned by being ex-
changed for a well-known word which
rhymes with it.
Charlie Wyndham and W. H. Vernon
must mind their eye, or Onesimus will
give 'em 'cocoa' before long.
Cutting.
Cocotte Cocodette(Franco-English
; waste, considerable money.
1860-70). Non-virtuous French, or
other young woman of large income.
The second is to the first as a first
officer is to the captain.
You can show off your Sunday togs in the
Aquarium. You can play coddem.
(1883.)
Cod-bangers (Great Grimsby and
Billingsgate). Gorgeously arrayed
sailors. Good example of an obscure
phrase or word having a solid founda-
tion. The cod are brought in alive
from the North Sea to Great Grimsby,
and are knocked or banged on the
Newsp. head as wanted for market. The
fishermen in this trade make, and
They
keep to the blue worsted jersey, but
it is complicated with rich silk squares
hauled round the neck, and by fre-
quent rings. This gorgeousness has
82
 Coddem Cold Coffee

begotten the half-contemptuous, half- Codger's Hall for political discussion

envious name. It has spread to and drinks, under the shadow of
Billingsgate and beyond the cod-trade.
S. Bride's, Blackfriars. Word pro-
'Whoa yere comes a cod-banger.' bably invented itself, in the gutter, or
The word may also have another near about. Byron first gave it house-
meaning, easily sought and found. room in an occasional address to
Coddem (L. Class). A tavern game 'Thomas Moore', 'Oh you who are
5

forfrom two to say ten, and the equi- all, etc. Learned etymologists assume
valent of the American bluff or brag. this w ord to come from cogito, but do
r

All the shapes of this word come from not suggest the itinerary. Nor indeed
do codgers ever think. They have no
Coddem, which is played by the
each time for cogitation.
operators dividing into two sets
set seated opposite the other a table Codocity (Printers', 1874). Stupidity
between them. One side have a bean, or capacity for being codded.
other small object the hands belong- Coffee- and -B. (Night Tavern,
Coffee and brandy.
ing to this side are lowered under the 1880).
On being served the barmaid asked
table, the bean is placed in one of the
him to treat her. He inquired what she
hands, and all the fists are brought up would have, and she said coffee and 'b .'
in a row on the table. The other side
He asked what she meant by b ', and '

now have to guess where the bean is. she said brandy, or as they called it
He must not touch the fists, but he '
'
coffee and cold water'. Newsp. Gutting.
'

points to one, and says either tip it Coffee-sisters (Germany, 19

' cent.).
or ' take it away '. If he says tip it ',
Malignant gossipers. From the
the hand pointed at is opened, and if it women drinking in coffee and scandal
is empty, the other side has lost one,
at the same eager moment. Much
and the holders of the bean score one. word tea-talker in
after the use of the
Then they begin again, and again What is she a mere
England.
bring up their fists. Now as to the
' ' coffee-sister.
'

other term take it away upon this ;

A well-known society lady in Germany
direction, the owner of the hand is credited with the statement that coffee
pointed at takes it off the table if it not only keeps those who indulge in it
is empty. On the contrary shows wakeful and gay, but is likewise endowed
the bean if it is in his hand then
' '
with the mysterious virtue of bringing
the other side loses another point. to light all the vices of a not too-populous
This hand being lowered, the guesser city. And it is well understood that
herein lies the attraction it has for the
begins again with the remaining hands, critical sisterhood of mature German
until he either guesses right, or again
ladies known '
as coffee-sisters ', or, as we
loses a point all of which may appear
should say, gossips. -#. T., 26th Septem-
to the reader very simple. On the ber 1895.
contrary, it is one of the most psycho- Coigne (Printers'). A clever trade
logical games ever invented. It calls
term for money. A play upon coin
for immense intelligence, and there is and coigne, or coin, or quoin, a wedge,
not probably a village in England named thus in printing
generally
without its champion codder a man offices. Pun suggested by the force of
who invariably wins at this game. coin as a wedge, and a wedge as a
When a guess is right, the bean passes coign.
to .the other side that has guessed am
Gascoigne, I willing to believe, has
rightly. Money is won or lost at little
' '

gas about him, and not more

this game but the process is too com- coigne than he knows what to do with.
plicated for clear explanation. Newsp. Cutting.
Coker-nuts (Low London). Well-
Codger (Peoples'). Roystering,
ageing, boon companion. The developed feminine breasts. (See Prize
earlierdictionaries will have nothing Faggot.)
to say to this word, which does not Cold (London Tavern). The anti-
appear to have come from the Persian thesis of warm with and hot with
' ' ' '

or other equally next-door language. (sugar). Cold

A modern dictionary describes him as
a stingy, clownish fellow, whereas he
is rarely stingy, and never clownish.
There was, until perhaps 1880, a
short for cold water. is
Hence, the usual order in times of
'
heat is Three of cold 'say gin.
Cold Coffee (Artisans' Secret, 1874).
Beer. In some offices, especially in
 Cold Cook
some printing houses, beer is only
allowed at certain hours, while coffee
is admissible at all times. Coffee-
house mugs are therefore kept, and the
errand boys go for cold coffee '. The
*
coffee-hoiise keeper has the beer ready,
and to such an extent was the effort at
deception carried that in some cases
milk was mixed with the beer to com-
plete the deception many young
printers being very moderate
drinkers.
Cold Cook (London). An under-
taker for dead humanity being by the
'
lower classes called dead meat', clearly
the undertaker who looks after the
dead is a cold cook.
Cold -creams (Military}.
'
man's name for the Coldstreams
designate their assumption *of superior
manners and distinction. Look out,
mate yere comes a cold cream.' (See
Porridge Pots, Grinning Dears, Muck,
Gee-gees.)
Bad luck good
Cold Day (U.S.).
instance of climatic influence in pro-
ducing phrases.
It's a cold day when I get left any-
where that I can't find my way
Well, good-bye, old potatoes.' Newsp.
Gutting.
This essentially American phrase
(now common in England) intimates
that he is very clever, adroit, and rarely
bested. A cold day in America is
indeed cold, the phrase therefore
of
means only a very dreadful state
weather would result in his discom-
fiture.
'
a cold day when the trotting-
It's
horse reporter gets left,' said the law
reporter to the managing editor. Newsp.
Cutting.
Cold Deck of Cards (Californian,
1849-80). Cards marked for the pur-
pose of cheating.
a
During the early days of California,
witness giving evidence in court referred
to the operation technically known as
deck at poker. For
'
ringing in a cold
< '
the information of the judge, the witness
the game of poker, it
explained that, at
was not uncommon to introduce a pack,
or as the American phrase goes, deck
of cards,which was said by professional
'cold' when duly
cardsharpers to be
marked and arranged for the purpose of
fraud. The judge asked if any person was
present who could give
an explanation of
the modus operandi. To his amazement
the audience rose like one man. Newsp.
Cutting.
Cold Snap
He the alleged 'cold deck'
denied
business in and made some vigorous
toto,
remarks about the moral weakness of a
man who puts up all he can raise on four
aces, with a view to scooping in the
parties of the other part, and then turns
round and 'squeals' when another fel-
low takes the pot with a straight flush.
Newsp. Cutting.
Cold Four One of
(Public-house).
the more opprobrious terms for the
cheapest description of beer. The
cold does not refer to the low tem-
perature of four-ale, or four 'arf-an-
'arf, but to its fatal want of warmthful
generosity.
Cold Meat (L. London). Dead
Lines-
humanity.
', to The wicked Scorcher says a dead wife
is the best bit of cold meat in the house.
Cutting.
Cold Shake
(of the hand) (Amer.).
A new form of cold shoulder, or dis-
' '
missal. Leave you,' he cried do
you give me the cold shake ?
* '
No,
no,' she said,
'
only for a minute.' He
watched it was her false back hair.
She fixed it and returned radiant.
back. Matsada S. Ingomar, a Japanese
athlete, who had married a rich
Quakeress one Miss Lodge of Philadel-
phia for a month or so forsook the arena,
and gave his former companions the
'
cold shake '.
Cold Shoulder (English, coming from
the Italian of Dante's time). To turn
the shoulder upon an applicant. It
isinteresting, as illustrating how per-
sonal wit will deflect a meaning, or add
to it, that Douglas Jerrold totally
changed the aspect of this phrase. He
made it refer to cold shoulder of mut-
ton, and 'cold shoulder' became
synonymous with inhospitality, as it
remains to this day. The climax was
reached by the comicality (attributed
also toDouglas Jerrold) *of Paterfamilias
(at dinner table). For what we
are about to receive may we be truly
thankful cold shoulder again !
Shakespeare used the phrase as turn-
' '
ing the human shoulder from a sup-
pliant.
you are too clever, people are sure
If
to find you out, and call you red-hot
treats, and will give you the shoulder of
mutton for ever. Cutting.
Cold Snap (Amer. -Eng. ). The first
premonitory frost figuratively a quick,
markedly cool reception.
84
 Cold Tub
When the first 'cold snap', as the
Americans call it, arrives, then many of
us must wish to be hibernating animals.
D. N., 20th November 1884.
Young Blunt had his overcoat in pawn
during the cold snap and wanted to get
it out, so he called on Mr Moses to see
about it. Newsp. Cutting.
Cold Tub (Soc., 19 cent.}. A cold
Good example of
morning bath.
homely metaphor. Here the water
gets dubbed by its containant.
The speech of the Chancellor of the
so far from
Exchequer, encouraging
illusions in the mind of clever youth, was
as bracing as cold tub. D. T., llth
November 1899.
Colder'n a Western Amer. ).
wedge (
Dead colder than a wedge, the iron
quoin used for splitting timber, and
which in American winters is cold
enough to take the skin off upon
touch.
Colinderies (Soc., 1886). The
Colonialand Indian Exhibition, South
Kensington. The last of the droll
names given to the series of four in-
dustrial exhibitions at South Kensing-
ton (1883-86).
The Colinderies was patronized by no
fewer than 81,516 people, making a total
since the opening of 2,240,536.
Ref.,
8th August 1886.
Even the authorities accepted this
droll which began with
titling,
Fisheries, followed by Healtheries,
continued with Inventories, and ended
with Colinderies. Even the attend-
ants bore upon their caps the legend
'
Colindia '.
The epilogue was called ' Colindia ',
and was a very pleasant entertainment.
It was a sort of ten minutes' pantomime.
Rcf., 8th August 1886.
At a Royal Commission of Inquiry into
the Metropolitan Board of Works (7th
August 1888) Mr Emil Loibl, a'witness, '
added the last invention in lies'
A song mentioned was Ten to One on
the Lodger, and the songs were said to
have put to the blush two Chinese
mandarins. Witness replied: That was
another trick of the briberies.
Press, 8th August 1888.
Collah Carriage (Street Negro Min-
strels). A
railway carriage filled with
women Collah being Yiddish for
young girls. 'Git into a collah car-
'
riage. Said while waiting on a railway
platform by one negro minstrel to
another, both with their musical instru-
ments of torture, their banjos, ready.
Colour
Until stopped by the police, these
tiresome persons found it pay to take
shilling third-class return tickets some
way down a line, and change their
carriage at every station making a
collection before every change. The
victims fixed, and many of them
nervous, it was a poor collection that did
notproducethreepence. Granted twenty
stations there and back, five shillings
was the result a profit of three shil-
lingswhile they had their ride to
some fair or festive occasion and back
for nothing. Probably derived from
Hebrew negro minstrels in the first
place practically Jews singing
all
from birth, while most acquire some
aptitude on some musical instrument.
Collar (London). In work. Said
of a horse when he gets into swing, or
perhaps when he begins to get wet with
work. Applied to human beings when
in work, and therefore making money.
'Joe's in collar.'
College (Poor Peoples'}. The work-
house. Term by no means satirical,
and used to avoid the true expression.
'
The old gent is gorne inter the col-
lege at last.'
'
Mother ain't 'ome now she's at the
'
college.' (See Lump', 'In there'.)
'
Colleggers (Oxford er'). Aca-
demical collections.
A ceremony at which the whole host
of Dons, sitting in solemn boredom,
frankly say what they think of you are
'
'
colleggers. D. T., 14th August 1899.
Collie shangles (Soc., 1884). Quar-
rels. Brought in by Queen Victoria,
in More Leaves (1884).
'At five minutes to eleven rode off
with Beatrice, good Sharp going with
and having occasional collie shangles
us,
(a Scotch word for quarrels or rows, but
taken from fights between dogs) with
. collies when we came near cottages.'
Colloquials (Soc. 1890 on). Familiar
,
conversation good example of adjec-
tive passing into abstract noun.
Public Well well let us give up the higher
culture now the teapot's here, and have
some colloquials.
Colour (Amer. Soc., 1860 on). Ap-
plied to negroes in American as more
delicate than black or even negro.
This euphemism commenced with the
popularity of Uncle Tom's Cabin '.
'
Why there should be an objection to
'
the word negro is strange. It defines
'
85
 Colour Sail Come off, To

a person of a certain African origin and too, too stupid.''Dear duchess,' re-
complexion, and it is gratifying to know plied Lord Claud, the colt party is
'

that sensible black men are beginning to The charm of maturity,

see it, and despise the studied over- impossible.
to say nothing of age, dares every-
politeness of some white people who talk
and write of color without knowing ' '
thing.'
what it really means. N. Y. Mercury. Com (Business). A commercial
1883. traveller.
' '
Color at a Discount. Attorney- I loved the good old com.' I have '

General Brewster has bounced all the
Africans in the Department of Justice.
He found that the color of money was
a little too much for the man and
brother.'^. Y. Mercury, 1883.
Colour Ball (Amer.-JSng., 1880 on).
In England a vulgar black Sal and
Dusty Bob kick-up. In U. S. A. a negro
spent many a pleasant evening in com-
mercial rooms with the shrewd men of
' '
the world who used to be bagmen, and
'
who had strange tales of the road to tell.
G. R. Sims,^/., 28th December 1884.
Comb and Brush (Rhyming].
Lush.
At one time this word signified
Won't yer '
drink ', and drink only.
'

' ' '

or dignity dance. lush us ? meant Will you not pay for
Colour the meerschaum, To. some drink for us ? Now the word
Drinking to the extent of reddening has been extended in its meaning,
the nose.
'
Aint 'e colourin' 'is meer- and includes all shapes of liberality.
' '
schaum ? The phrase arises from an Jack lushed us all three to the Surrey
association of ideas those in the first Theayter/'
place of darkening the colour of a meer- Comb -cut (Sporting}. Trimmed,
schaum pipe by steady smoking, and manipulated ; applied to a man who
in the second, intensifying the hue of has been completely vanquished.
the nose by steady drinking. The From the comb of fighting cocks being
colour harmony between the pipe and removed to prevent the opponent
the nose above it is very droll, the from seizing it may be suggested by
;

hintful phrase itself a singularly good the vanquished bird having had his
example of the keenness of the com- comb torn across by the victor.
mon people masking itself in a mock
Come and have one (Peoples', 1880).
politeness which is worse than the
Drink is understood. A jocular appli-
plain truth. '
One
cation of the phrase of those'.
Coloured grave (Amer. Puritanism,
That of a negro Come and have a pickle (Soc.,
1882). striking
instance of class prejudice creating 1878). An invitation to a quick un-
ceremonious meal.
phrases of its own.
Presently the undertaker came up, Come and wash your neck (Navy,
and I asked him. He said he didn't 1860). Take a drink from the liquor
know that he had told them to dig a
;
flushing the throat.
coloured grave. Newsp. Gutting.
Come-day, go-day (Military). An
Colt (Anglo- Amer.}. A revolver. come - day, '
It's
extravagance, e.g. ,
Good example of the name of the '

go day with him meaning that

-

manufacturer being given to the manu- he receives on come '-day money or

'

facture. Colonel Colt was the in-

pay that is spent or goes the same day.
ventor of the commercial as distinct
from the historical revolver. I put
' Come-down (Common Life). Dis-
down five pounds for my colt.' ' This '
aster, ruin, degradation, humiliation,
is the colt that is bound to win.' e.g.,'What, no bonnet! What a
Supplanted by Derringer', one *
a come-down an' I knoo 'er
;
mum when
small pocket revolver, sometimes called she 'ad six of everything.'
'
a saloon from its possible conveyance
'
Come down (Theat.). The act of
by way of the waistcoat pocket into moving towards the audience from up
polite society. the stage.
Colt Party (Anglo- Amer.}. A soiree Come off, To (Amer.-Eng., 1892).
of all young people no elders. Much To cease, refrain, desist, etc. Very
more in vogue in United States than in graphic probably from the American
England. call to fighting dogs, or men.
'
I'll never give another all young
'
How much does yez ax for this book ?
'

party again,' said her grace 'it was (Six dollars,' replied the smiling clerk.
86
 Come in, To Coming Bye-and-bye

'Six dollars! Oh, come off !

'
N. Y. Come to stay (Amer.-Eng.}. Come
Mercury, February 1892. to remain.
Come in, To (Society, 1880). To What he had to say about the origin
become fashionable; 'You mark and development of that remarkable
e.g.,
institution, which, as the Americans
my words, the horrid old Victorian
put it, 'has come to stay', was very
furniture, especially from 1840 to 1851, D. T., 20th May 1899.
interesting.
will come in. Already spindley Chip-
pendale is a pill.' (1883.)
Come up with (Amer.-Eng.). To
'
be on equality I came up with
Come on (Theat.). No invitation
him
e.g.,
;

instanter and he took a back

to fight, but a direction to appear upon
seat.'
or ' come on ', the stage. (See Go off'
'

and '
Go up '.
)
Come up to the rack, or jump the
Come over on a Welk fence (Amer.). To decide to do a
Wilk)(or
Rack is
Stall (Coster satire). Kg., 'Where thing or ' take departure.
short for racket ', this word represent-
did yer dad come from ? Come over
on a whilk-stall ? This may be a
'
ing noise. Racket gives a capital idea
* of the bustle of American life, while
folk-satire upon Coming over with the
Conqueror,' or the 'whelk' may have
'jump the fence' is singularly sug-
that broad reference which was appli- gestive of new settlements, and enclosed
cable to
'
He's got 'em on when ' homesteads.
first this satirically eulogistic phrase 'Well, I want to bring this young
came out.
man to time. Fact is, he's either got
to come up to the rack or jump the
Come out, To (Soc., 19 cent.). To fence.' Newsp. Cutting.
appear in society applied to young An endear-
Comfy (Soc., 1880 on).
women in society. The crown which
finishes the work of coming out is pre- ing diminutive of comfortable. Pro-
bable origin a royal nursery.
sentation at Court.
Mr Francis Knowles called, and ex- Felice is lonely, homesick. These dear
amined by Mr Clarke, said I have known : girls are very nice and kind but the
;

Lady Durham ever since she came out '.

'
simple tastes and simple conversation of
General Reilly, examined by Mr Clarke, the truly rural is apt to pall on your
said : I have known Lady Durham ever llase old Diogenes. She feels as if half
since she came out in society. Evidence only of her were here, and the sensa-
in Lord Durham's Nullity Suit, March tion is not 'comfy'. D. N., 4th July
1885. 1895 (Craigie v. Craigie).

Come the old soldier over, To Comic-song faker (Music Hall,

(Peoples'). Cajolery, pretended po-
verty, specious
'
Don't come the old soldier over me
from fraudulent uniformed beggars
after Waterloo.
A great amount of imposture was
practised by means of the old soldier
dodge upon the Duke of Wellington
during the latter part of his life. To
'
come the old soldier is in some quarters
still a familiar expression signifying
the practice of an artful trick, and the
'old soldiers' after Waterloo were so
numerous and so pestered the Duke of
Wellington that he was fain to hand
over all applications for alms to the Old
Mendicity Society.
1885.
Come to grief, To
(Sporting, 1880).
A riding man's term for a smash or
spill ; gradually accepted on all sides
to depict failure.
He tried Hamlet, but to the sur-
'
prise of his family, though not of his
friends, he came to distinct grief.'
1880). Music-hall way [of describing
statement. music-hall song- writers.
lying
'
Mr Joseph Tarbar tells me he is the
boss author of this or any other country
as far as comic song-faking is concerned.
' '
Cutting.
Coming bye-and-bye (Amer.-Eng.,
1876 on.) Eternity. The evangelical
'
nature of the ballads, and other
musical compositions for the voice,
became very marked after 1870, and even
preachers thought it elegant to refer
to the second personage of the Trinity
as 'our mutual friend J.C.' evidently
without any thought of offence ; indeed
I). N., 3rd March with true sincerity. A ballad entitled
'In the coming bye-and-bye', very
namby-pamby, and referring of course
to the after life brought (about 1880),
this style of composition into sudden
contempt more especially when Mr
W. imported it into a ballad
S. Gilbert
for the Lady Jane (Patience), wherein,
lamenting the lapse of her charms, she
87
 Commandeer, To Commonsensible

fears that in the

coming bye-and-bye Commando (Transvaal War, 1899).
meaning a few years her charms A regiment. Name found by Dutch. In
will be gone. a few days it was in London differenti-
It seems to me that there will be ated from commandeering which was
plenty of calls on that Actors' Bene-
' found to be sheer pressing of men,
volent Fund' in the coming by-and-by. and annexation of property.
(1883). I believe that the first attack will be
made on the large Free State commando.
Commandeer, To (Transvaal War, D. M., 25th October 1899.
1899). Required in Dutch; but in
Commercial Drama (Theat., Nov.
England held to be robbery. To com- Drama that pays without
mandeer was to press unwilling men 1900).
into the Dutch army, or take what-
' ' relation to literature, art, wit, poetry,
erer the Dutch came across, and with or any other comfortable quality.
no concurrent effort to pay for the Generally depends upon surprise^scenery
and machinery, or the reproduction of
property annexed.
Some from the inland
of the recruits
well-known places, or common objects
districts were wild and uncouth beings, of street life. Used satirically, but
and patches, and without started quite seriously in a lecture,
arrayed in rags
boots or shoes. With these attractions with this title ; given before the O. P.
were combined the external polish of club, a society of patrons of the drama.
uncombed bushy hair and beard, and The lecturer warmly applauded the
skins rarely washed. Mausers and commercial drama, of which he declared
ammunition were all they possessed in himself a successful producer (at Drury
many cases. One of them commandeered
Lane), while he intensified his position
otherwise a native's horse,
stole
by an attack upon Shakespeare, of
borrowing a saddle from one Britisher whose plays he declared that some were
and stirrup leathers from another.
D. T. 24th October 1899. so pervaded by horrors that they were
,

thereby objectionable, while he main-

Mr Labouchere suggested that Sir tained that some half dozen could not
Michael Hicks- Beach should make a be produced on the modern stage.
commando among the melodramatic
Oh, yes, quite a commercial drama
'

millionaires of Park Lane. D. T.,

thousands of pounds in it, and not
24th October 1899. '
one sentence worth hearing.
The 'last cry' and
of this term,
practically closing it and the war, was
Commercial legs (Recruiting ser-
in the D. T. for 2nd March 1900 the geants'). Bad ones unfitted to drill.
day of the relief of Ladysmith. A slender, awkward, shambling youth,
Scores of them had commandeered the with the confounded commercial legs
'
',

contents the morning and even-

bills of which show that he has never taken the
ing papers announcing the 'Relief of Queen's shilling, etc. Newsp. Cutting.
Ladysmith ', and, sticking them on their Common-roomed (Varsity). Had
chests, they marched on, blowing trum- up before the head of the college the
pets and waving flags. common room being the principal's
President Kruger, before leaving the chamber of state. Good example of
capital, commandeered a quantity of substitution of place for person.
gold. D. T., 7th June 1890. The descendants of Mr Dickenson may
Commander of the Swiss Fleet not mind a story as to how he climbed the
An college gates, and was being 'common
(Polit., 19 cent.). impossible title ;
roomed when cries were heard of
satirical attack upon titles and posi-
',
'
'
Dickenson for ever from the Quad,
!

tions which exist only for the money

and it was found that he had won the
This is the best of D.
they produce. Latin verse prize. N., 7th October
them, Switzerland being not only in 1886.
the centre of Europe, but generally
Commonsensible (Soc., 1890 on).
two miles above the sea-level. The condition of common sense.
It sounds quaint enough to talk of an
English jurisprudence has had a blunt
Admiral winning his spurs articles not
'
', and downright way of presuming a man's
generally associated with seamanship, motives from the results of his conduct
except in the case of the legendary a somewhat rough and ready method no
Commander of the Swiss Fleet. D. N., doubt, but still eminently Commonsen-
'

6th July 1883. Z.

sible '. T., 21st January 1898.
88
 Compos, Non Considerable Action

Compos, Non (19 cent.}. Abbrevia- and concrete impression. D. T., 4th
tion of non compos mentis and a very January 1896.
lame one too. Condemned; Condemnation
The churchwardens proved that he Damned ; a damn.
(Sporting, 1870).
raised the disturbance before the A sort of jocular avoidance of even
collection had commenced. It was
mild swearing.
stated that this was not the prisoner's
first appearance on a similar charge, David out-gagged even himself, and
and a doctor had certified that he was caused great laughter. Nobody else was
not altogether compos. D. T., 23rd worth a condemnation. Ref., llth
December 1884.
February 1897. ' '
Ducks you condemned
'
I says
!
;
Comstockism (Amer.-Eng.,^ 1885 them ain't ducks them's mud
lunatic, ;

on). Opposition to the nude in art. hens

'
!
Cutting.
Comstock was quite a public man in
America. He for some years had a Confidence queen -
(Ang.
- Amer. ,

formidable in his attacks 1883). A

female detective outcome
following
' of American state of society.
upon naked art '.
The confidence queen of Miss Caroline
Comstock on Nudity. He admits that Hill revealed that lady's stage qualities
it is not necessarily obscene the pro- to great advantage, especially in the
prieties observed. Anthony Comstock scene of the third act. N. Y. Mercury,
'
(in heated bath-room) : Hello Hello
! !
June 1884.
I say, porter Bring
! me a match. I
can't see to fix my necktie.' Servant Confidence man (Thieves'}. He is

(hastening to the door) :

'
Did the gas go a specious gentleman who asks his way
out, sah?' 'No; I put it out. I've of one who appears to be a promising
'
been taking a bath (1889.) (See victim, and whom he never meets,
Horsleyism.) but overtakes, after allowing him to
Con 1883).
(Polit., An abbrevia- pass, and so take stock of him. He
tion of Constitutionals, a designation then enters into conversation, asks
fugitively borne by the Conservatives the victim to have a drink as they
in this year. This rather contemptuous approach the tavern where the con-
word was bestowed by the Radicals in federate awaits results. If the victim
return for the discovery of Rad (q.v.). accepts, the confederate, who appears
Mr Wilson Croker in The Quarterly to be a stranger, begins showing what
Review more than forty years ago re- appears to be gold, and making
commended the Tory party to abandon foolishly weak bets. The confidence
that designation and call themselves man then whispers confidentially to
instead the Conservative party. The victim that they may as well have
Quarterly Review of the present day the fool's money as another. If the
seems disposed to think that the title
victim is as much rogue as fool, he
of Conservative should be quietly
'
consents, and by some one of twenty
dropped, and that of Constitutional
'

dodges 365 Straightforward Ways

adopted instead.!). N.. 20th October (see
1883. of Cheating), he is robbed. If he is

Con honest, however, his honesty saves his

(Thieves'}. Simply disguised
convict. pocket.
Concertize (Musical}. From Congo (Amer.,
patois 1884).
America to assist musically in con- Slang. Term heard
at Liverpool.
certs.
The professor bad, probably, been
M. Ovide Musin, the great Belgian reading those shockingly poor books, the
has returned to this Grandissimes, Dr Sevier and the Creoles,
violinist, city to in which Congo patois, as it is called, is
concertizeunder Mr L. M. Eubens'
ascribed to educated white people.
management. Neivsp. Cutting. Novem-
ber 1885. Newsp. Cutting.
Concrete Considerable amount of united
Impression (Art., 1890 Con-
on) Conviction. One of the most action (Parliamentary, 1888).
absurd of the art critical 'finds' of spiracy. Early in this year Mr
the '90's. Herbert Gladstone charged the Conser-
'

Thus, Mr Peppercorn's 'Bosham, Early vative opposition with malicious con-

Morning', is all breeze and grey light, spiracy' to oppose the government.
but not much else; the study is not Called to account, he modified the
distinctive enough to call up a definite statement into this phrase, which
 Conspiracy of Silence Coo-ey

henceforth remained a satirical Backwardation.) These entries read

and furthermore understood contango
euphemism amongst the younger Con-
servatives for
'

conspiracy in general.
'
may possibly be comprehended. No
Mr Herbert
Gladstone, however, is gain being made on a transaction, and
the backwardation being paid, the
mildly of opinion that his words were
'
than the occasion justified ', contract is renewed, in the same terms,
stronger
and that he would more accurately have upon the price at the commencement
expressed whatever amount of meaning of the transaction, and without refer-
was present in his mind by substituting ence to the price of the day when the
' '
for malicious conspiracy the phrase a
'

contango is arranged. This process is

considerable amount of united action '. more generally indulged in when there
Globe, 16th March 1883. has been no, or very little, variation in
Conspiracy of silence (Soc., 1885). the price of a given security between
Evasion of comment. Created by the purchase-day and settling-day.
silence of general press in relation to Context, To (Printers' and Type-
certain terrible articles in The Pall writers'}. To try to ascertain, or to
Mall Gazette. (1885.) discover a badly written word in
'
Some of the clergy and some of the copy ', by its context, by studying
judges have at last been aroused to the the words on both sides of it; e.g.,
danger of the situation, and many
*
Oh, context it, and do the best you
journals are now breaking through the can.'
'

conspiracy of silence ', and boldly Continent (Artier., 1880). The

denouncing the shameless creatures, etc. latest shape of oath in the States; e.g.,
Me/., 31st August 1885. '
What the continent do you mean by
'
Constant - screamer (Peoples', 1860 it ? It refers of course to the conti-
on). Concertina A ono- satirical nent of America. Origin obscure.
matope of the musical instrument in Not in any way the transmutation of
question which is a machine played a word like it.
by an upward pull, and a downward Not one of them even looked up. Not
pressure of the construction, which has
one of them seemed to care a continental
much the appearance of a tubular whether his old ore assayed 15 or 95 per
cent. They had all been there '. Wall
'

Japanese lantern. Street News (1883).

Tommy the Artillery and Army
of
Service is brimful of music hall talent,
and nightly upon the foredeck to the
melody of a
'
Constant- Scream er
warbles, solo or chorus, 'Off to Ashantee'.
I). T., 20th December 1895.
Constructive Assault (Sporting,
1880). Attendance at a prize-fight.
Some time ago the whole of the
common law Judges met to decide the
question, what is an assault? The point
arose out of a decision of a Chairman at
Quarter Sessions, who had ruled that any
' '
one assisting at a prize-fight was guilty
of a 'constructive assault'. The Lord
Chief Justice of England agreed with
the Chairman, and carried a majority
of the Court with him. D. N., 14th
October 1884.
Consume salt (Theat.). English
Conversation, A little. Violent
swearing.
he '
Coo-ey (1860 on). Shout of good-
fellowship. This cry, with a long
' '
accent on the ey is an imitation of
the Australian aborigines' friendly
call to another from long distances in
the bush. It is therefore naturally a
friendly call here in the home coimtry,
and is never used in an inimical spirit.
It is generally used to find a friend
lost in a crowd, or far ahead by night
in the street. Probably introduced by
much
sailors, the starters of so hearty,
vigorous, popular passing English
probably miners who have tried their
luck at the gold fields, and found it
only trying. The gold diggers were
the first to adopt the ' coo-ey which,
'

equivalent of cum grano salis. properly pitched, appears to travel with

A recent Modjeska poisoning item in exceptional vigour. The e-e-e-y is
the country papers suggests that some '

always half a tone below the coo ',

stars must consume a great deal of salt
which is generally pitched as high as
if they read about their
reported doings. the individual voice will allow. The
-(1883.) Australian starts upon the C' in alt,
Contango (Stock Exchange). Practi- or that ut de poitrine which is the
cally, suspense or renewal of a transac- ambition of every operatic tenor in
tion. (See Bull, Bear, and especially the world.
90
 Cooking Day Copper

Cooking Day (Navy). Twenty- obscure, complicated, abbreviated,

four hours devoted to Bacchus. back -
phrasing example. It is to
' '

Means pocket (in the shape of receiving)

Cool (Sack - phrase). look,
the tek being elided when poc being
'
c' being used in place of* k', probably
spelt backwards cop appears. When
' '

because being a true word it is more

the police cop a man he is practically
misleading. So with all the many
'pocketed'.
Cool her on Sunday in a black velvet
applications of this word with a little
costoom, with boots, gloves, and gamp
to match. indulgence its vigour will be seen.
Cutting. Its common use is cop the yenneps ',
'

One who sells ' '

added
Cooper (Nautical).
who buys penny backworded, with an e
liquors on the sly ; also one for the sake of euphony, the plural
illicit Applied (1884) to the
spirits. being made in the ordinary way.
vessels, generallyDutch, which follow '
I've copped the yenneps, and I'm
English fishing smacks into the North off to the carse and the burick' that
Sea. Also applied to the cooper's Cop has another
is, home and wife.

meaning to take too much to drink.

vessel.
Another matter in which he took deep In universal use.
interest was the suppression of those
floating grog-shops in the
North Sea Cop a mouse (Artisans'). Get a
which have done so much injury, and black eye. Cop in this sense is to
no inconsiderable step was taken in that catch or suffer, while the colour of the
direction when he made arrangements obligation at its worst suggests the
by which duty-free tobacco is now colour aad size of the innocent animal
supplied from the mission smacks in the named.
North Sea to the fishermen, who have
not now the inducement to board the Cop on the cross, (Thieves'). To
'Coopers' which before existed. Prince
To discover guilt, by cunning.
of Wales, Birkbeck Testimonial Fish-
A good way of copping her on the
cross is to pretend to go off into the
mongers' Hall, 31st October 1885.
There is a queer craft always hanging country for a day or two, and come
down on her in the middle of the night.
about. She is called a cooper ', and no
'

man cares whence she comes. She flies Gutting.

sometimes an English, sometimes a Cop the brewery, To (L. Class,
foreign flag, and is in fact
denned by the 19 cent.). To get drunk.
Duke of Edinburgh as a floating grog-
shop of the worst kind. D. N., 20th Cop the curtain (Music Hall, pass-
June 1883. ing into the theatres, 1880). To gain
so much applause that the curtain is
Cooper The name of a
(Peoples'). raised for the performer to appear and
beer-mixture of common
beer (3d. per
bow. * The Basher copped the curtain
quart) and stout (6d. to 8d. per quart). twice,and was a great go.'
Named from the coopers who invented
the mixture. Copper (Street, 1868 on). A police-
man. The term superseded Peeler,
Cooper up, To (Boer War, 1899- Robert, Bob, Bobby. From the com-
1900). To surround, fix, render im-
mon street verb cop '.
'
There's a '

movablefrom the fixing of the staves

of a tub copper round the corner will (1884)
by its hoops.
scurry a covey of toddlers wrangling
The pursuit of De Wet
failed, and the
in the gutter more rapidly than a
swoop in a semi-circle from Pretoria to four-horse waggon.' Copper is perhaps
Pinnaar's Poort, miscarried in so far as
the first word the infantile street arab
coopering up De la Key, Theron,
'
' or
any of the lesser Boer leaders and raiders thoroughly comprehends.
was concerned. D. T., 20th October This word is also used as an ex-
1900. clamation amongst work-people when
Cop (Thieves'). Complex rhyming. any one of their number is blustering.
Taken, seized, thrashed, struck, caiight It means giving himself the airs of
by disease, well-scolded, discovered in police authority.
cheating a universal verb suggesting '
we shall soon be a
Copper !
copper !

defeat or damage of some kind. There '

sergeant !

has been more discussion over this The incident of the trial which will
widely applied word than any other probably pass on and become history
in the kingdom of phrase. It is a very when the rest is forgotten was the en-
91
 Copper Captain Cork

quiry of Mr Justice Hawkins as to the Copper -slosher. An individual

meaning of the word copper '. The '
with the mania of '
going for
'

police-
witness kindly explained to the innocent men.
judge that a copper is a policeman one Miss Selina Gripp, the well-known
who 'cops'. Re/., 15th August 1888.
copper-slosher, returned to the buzzim of
'
A Lady'
writes to a fashionable rag her family on Tuesday from Tothill, where
that the low-necked dress is an abomina- she had been staying for some months.
'
tion, into which it is the duty of the Mock Fashionable Intelligence, 1882.
press to look.' Look No, old gal. If
!
The matter to be
any of 'em come near me I shall cry
Copy (Printers').
' ' set up in type, and which must be one
copper !

of two kinds, the ever legitimate MS.

'
'
I cry copper was the refrain of a
or manuscript, and the frequently
popular song (1882) in which the police-
men got it '.
' stolen reprint.
Thecopy's bad, as though with skewer
Copper Captain (Queen's Bench the author wrote, and watery ink.
Prison, South wark). A captain found '
What word is this ? quoth one. Ele-
' '

in neither Army nor Navy List. An phant, elegant, or telephone?' 'Oh, I

officer of self- promotion. don't know, at this time of night ; put it
The Affable Hawks and other varieties
'
what you like, and let the reader find it
'

of copper captains have taken flight from out. Cutting.

the Borough Road. Flash songs are no Coqcigrues (European). Utopias,
longer heard behind the high walls, impossibilities. The word evidently
on the inner side of which the racquet refers to something that will never
courts are still marked out, and a ghastly with the
happen. It is on all fours
stillness has fallen upon the once thickly
French folksaying :
'
That will happen
peopled spot.' Article upon Queen's
Bench Prison (1881), then about to be in the week of the four Thursdays.'
pulled down. 'But the modern practi- May it be Coqs aux Grues cock fowls
tioner has shown a notable advance in that are half storks or cranes more
method from the copper captains, table especially referring to the differences
knights, and Dandos of yore.' I). If., between the gallinaceous claw and the
February 1882. long leg and web-foot of the stork.
'The company contains many copper The anticipation of arrival is also con-
captains, brazen adventurers, and women sistent with the migratory habits of
whose character is advertised in their storks, and also of the coqs de Bray ere.
countenances.' D. N. 26th August 1883. '

Coqcigrues may have originally been

'
t

Copper-clawing (Street.) A fight booth clowns professional jesters ;

between women. Probably a corrup- applied afterwards generally to foolish
' '
tion of cap-a-clawing a pulling of people. They were dressed as cocks,
caps a phrase which ceased to be with feathers and cocks' heads, and
applicable when lower class
- women danced upon stilts, hence the reference
'
or cocks on storks'
'
ceased to wear caps. (1820.) to storks grues ;

Copper-rattle (Navy) Irish, gener- . legs.

from the If reform can only come from within,
ally Irish, or other stew
the teaching of history warns us that we
hubble-bubble of this boiling delicacy
cannot expect reform till the coming of
called in London city restaurants, the Coqcigrues. D. N., June 1885.
*
French Pie '.
The king sent John de Shoreditch to
Copper's Nark ( Thieves'). A police- ask the Dean and Chapter for a loan of
man's civilian spy. the hundred marks left by Bishop Wil-
liam de Marcia, and kept at Wells usque
Upon this the prisoner, who was stand- ad generate passagium ad Terrain Sanctum
ing by, accused witness of being a
till the general passage to the Holy
'

'copper's nark' (i.e., a police spy), and '

dealt him several severe blows. I). T., Land that is to say, till the coming
;

18th October 1897. of the Coqcigrues, or usque ad adventum

Coqcigruorum. Newsp. Cutting.
Copper's Shanty ( C. L. ). A police
Corfee-'ouse cut (Cheesemongers').
station. Shanty is from the back-
woods of America a small, cosy The back of bacon, without bones, and
house. exceptionally used by coffee- house
'
Do you think I've arrived at my time keepers.
of life 'without seeing the inside of a Cork (Workshop). The cork (pro-
'

copper's shanty ? Cutting. bably from the American caucas) is the

92
 Corkscrew
complainant who brings a charge before
the shop-constable and the garret.
He may bring a complaint against a
fellow-workman of a technical char-
acter, or of some social nature or even
crime. The restraint upon the cork
takes the shape of the rule which com-
him to five shillings if
pels pay
the case, while the defendant, when los-
is mulcted in but half-a-crown. Of
ing,
these tines half is generally spent in
drink in the shop, the other forwarded
to the secretary of the Union, who
applies it to the General Purposes
Fund.
Corkscrew (L. Lond.). An
pronunciation of God's Truth used
satirically. (See Cheese and Crust.)
Corn-crackers (Amer. ). The people
of Kentucky ; probably from the im-
mensities of corn grown there.
Corner Boys (Ihiblin). Loafers,
who
generally affect street corners, as
presenting more scope (1) for seeing,
and (2) for bolting.
Kilmainham was reached a few min-
utes before five o'clock. There were
only a few corner boys present in the
neighbourhood of the prison, and there
was no demonstration of any kind.
Report of Arrest of Mr Dillon, M.P.,
1881.
The term comes from America.
Cornichon (Soc., 1880). A muff.
Direct from French gherkin.
Yet are not all French sportsmen good
shots indeed, for every decent gun you
;
must reckon twenty highly developed
cornichons French for muffs.
Newsp.
Cutting.
Cornstalks (A ustral.). The people
of New South Wales ; from this pro-
vince growing quantities of corn.
Given by the people of Victoria.
Being usually of good height, but
wanting in depth and breadth, they have
gained for themselves the epithet of corn-
stalks, which is saying a great deal for
the value of their heads. Baden Powell,
New Homes for the Old Country. (See
Gum-suckers. )
Cornucopia (Amer.). A rich in-
dividual.
We who dine at noon, live
story cottages with mortgages on them,
and have wet blankets thrown over us as
we slowly elbow our way through life,
sometimes envy the old cornucopias as
we see them go down to the bank to
draw their dividends. Cutting.
Cosh
Correctitude
(Soc., 1900). Correct-
ness. Latinised word first seen and
heard in England in 1900. Probably
from U.S.A.
M. Delcasse, it is true, has all along
'
been a pattern of correctitude'
but ;
the Waldeck - Rousseau Cabinet had a
he lose difficult people to deal with. D. T.,
29th December 1900.
Corroboree (Nautical). A drunken
spree, in which there is much yelling.
Supposed to be derived from a term
used by some unknown South Sea
Islanders to describe a wordy and
excited interview. Every sailor knows
the word, sometimes used disparag-
evasive
ingly as It just was a corroboree.'
*
Gould (Handbook of the Birds of
Australia} says it is the Australian
native word for a discussion, or pow-
'
wow. ' The males (of an Australian
'
bird) congregate and form corroboree
places.'
Corpse To balk a fellow-
(Theat.).
actor on the stage while he is acting,
by some by-play or facial action which
attracts attention. Very emphatic.
'
Look here, Joe, if you corpse me
again to-night in the second act, while
'
you are up, I'll pull your long nose !
Corpse-worship (Club, 1880 on).
The extreme use of flowers at funerals.
This custom, set by the Queen at the
mausoleum (Frogmore) immediately
after the death of the Prince Consort,
grew rapidly, until the custom had
extended to quite the lower classes,
amongst whom neighbours vied in for-
warding expensive floral tributes.
Finally, in the '90's, many death
notices in the press were followed by
the legend, No flowers '.
'
Corsey (Sporting). Stiff betting
or play not from race-course, as it
might well be supposed, but from
French corse.
Baccarat may be played for any sums,
from the petit baccarat desante, the family
baccarat, up to the sport which is usually
described as corse, or in stronger lan-
guage reckless. D. N., 18th January
1884.
Cosey (Slums). A small, hilarious
in one- public-house, where singing, dancing,
drinking, etc. goes on at all hours.
,
Cosh (Amer.). One of the veiled
ways of naming the Deity. '
The word Oshkosh is the name of a
'
town, and not a form of profanity in use
by the Scandinavians, from whom the
93
 Coss Counting-house

Americans have obtained it in the modi-

'
A new play by Eobert Buchanan is,
fied form of Cosh however, being rehearsed at the Vaude-'
'

Good-morning
!

said satirically, of course, as to Scandi- ville. Like Sophia, it is a costume '

navia. piece. Re/., 5th February 1888.

Costume plays are, to the thinking of
Coss (Natters'). A blow. Origin some folk, handicapped because they are
obscure probably the name of a costume plays. It is sneeringly said
pugilist. that the modern young actor cannot be
at ease unless he can dive his hands into
Coster (Low Life). Short for coster-
his pockets. D. T., 18th July 1899.
monger, a great being in low life,
generally a sort of prince, and often a
Cot so (18 cent.}. An evasion of
king o' the costers. To be really royal
God's oath the Redemption. Com-
he must make money, but save nothing, mon in Richardson.
dress beautifully (see Pearlies), be hand- Cottages (Fast youtJis'). Ves-
some in a rough way, be always flush pasians retiring points for half a
;

of cash and liberal with it, possess a minute. Said to be derived from the
handsome girl or wife (generally the published particulars of an eccentri-
latter), and above all, fight well, and cally worded will in which the testator
left a large fortune to be laid out in
always be ready to fight. Reign gener- '

ally extends to five years (nineteen to building cottages of convenience '.

twenty-four), when he either takes a Passing away in favour of the under-
shop and does well, takes to drink and ground palaces dedicated to Cloacina
does worse, or growing ancient, grizzly, palaces generally termed 'Fountain
'
'
or broken with disease, loses a fight, Temples or Palaces '.
abdicates, and sinks into the ranks. Cough Drop (Peoples', 1860 on).
Said to be derived from ' Quatre Poison, or even anything disagreeable.
'
saisons' the 'Marchand des quatre '
Lor', what a cough drop she are !

'
saisons that is fruit and vegetables From the ominous motto used many
of spring, summer, autumn, and years since with a cough lozenge
winter.
'

Cough no more '. The gruesome

double entendre here was first seen
Costermonger Joe (Com. London).
Common title for a favourite coster. by W. Brough, who incorporated it
in a burlesque for when you are dead
Costermongering (Musical, 1850). you cough no more !
Altering orchestral or choral music, Honest John Burns, who has been
' '

especially that of great composers. returned for Battersea by the skin of his
From the habit Sir Michael Costa teeth, and who would have benefited
sometimes showed of modifying the considerably had his constituents given
score of Handel. Happy hit, as con- him a holiday, objects to being called a '

trasting the guerilla business of the
coster with the proper professional and
established tradesman.
But the costermongering was worse
cough drop \-Ref., 27th July 1895.
'Oh, he's awful leary a very cough
drop a genuine red hot treat, make no
blooming error.' 'Oh, she's a cough
drop, a red hot treat, and no mistake.
'

than ever this time, and, in mingled

Cutting.
sorrow and anger, amateurs cried, 'Et Couldn't speak a threepenny bit
'

tu, Brute !Better things were expected

1890 on). Utter temporary
(Street,
of Mr Manns, but it was found that '

incapacity for speech. I couldn't

Caesar and Pompey are very much alike
specially Pompey. Ref. 28th June
y
speak a threepenny bit, but I made
myself a luvverley cup o' tea, an' I
were soon better.' The lady had pro-
Costume Play (Theat.). A drama
bably been drinking indeed the phrase
in which the dresses are any before
those of the 19th century, but not
may be an elegant evasion of the ad-
mission of, at least, partial intoxica-
before say the tenth; e.g., 'Thank
'
tion.
God,' she observed, I've got a cos- A
Counting-house (Street, 1870).
tume play at last. I shall klobber in
stupid perversion of countenance
crimson and gold for the first act, blue to be comic. Just take a '

supposed
and amber for the second, and pure
squint at his counting-house.'
white and silver for my death in the We get into the shop and see a really
third. I shall make a great success.
fine-looking dona smiling all over her
Redfern will make.' counting-house. Gutting.
 Country Cousin Cowlick

Country Cousin (Rhyming). A from a French onlooker equivalent to

''
dozen, e.g., They put away about our kickshaw '. Used to be used in
*

three country cousins o' Bass.' London eating-houses derived un-

A doubtedly from the same French origin.

County-crop (1856). closely-
cropped head of hair, such as is im- Cover to Cover, From (Soc. t

posed upon prisoners sent to the county
jails. In 1856 when the Crimean
soldiers returned with long heavy
beards, which for many years remained
a national fashion, it was found that
longish hair, such as had been worn
all the century, gave with the heavy
beard too top-heavy an appearance.
The hair was therefore cut down, and
the result was dubbed a county crop,
while the beard was called a door-
'
18 eent. on). Through and through.
Good example of the spread of educa-
tion and reading yielding new phrases,
for of course this figure of speech is
obtained from reading a book from
first page to last.
I can vouch that Sir William White,
who knew him 'from cover to cover',
never entertained this view of his
character. Z>. T., 12th June 1897.
Covered Br ougham (Peoples' 1870). ,

mat, shortened to mat. He's got a A

' waggon with tarpaulin over the top.
crop and mat quite described the Given to the vehicles which once plied
swell of 1856-1857. The door -mat from the Bank to the East of London,
has vanished the 'crop' (1897) re-
taking up customers too late for even
mains. the last 'bus. They were in especial
Couple of Flats (Theat.). Double force on Saturday night, and were
meaning. In the old time, before the generally very convivial. The increase
advent of elaborate set scenery, two in the number of 'buses swept away
scene screens run on from opposite the covered brougham. (See Virgins'
sides and joining in the centre were 'Bus.)
called a 'couple of flats'.
to two bad actors.
'
Applied
at
Cow-boy (Local Amer.). A Texas
(See Camp fanner, from his cattle-raising boy
Olympia ', by Planche.) being a common term for men of all
Course-keeper ( Winchester School}. ages. 'The graziers of Colorado have
A bully's bully. The Wykehamist '
come to the title of cow-boys '.
enough to compel
strong
officeredthe 'course-keeper' a
fagging
medium
Cow with the iron tail (Peoples').

between the oldest and youngest of the Pump. A wayof attacking milkmen
who until about 1865 sold extensively
scholars. He deputed his work to one watered milk. This phrase was very
of the smallest boys.
familiar until certain municipal acts
The offices which the Eton fag per-
'

forms are amongst the lightest of the were passed which by penalties put
duties of the Winchester fag. Besides down the watering of milk. (See
'

Simpson', 'Hard Simpson', Liquor',

*
these he had to clean dirty boots, clean
frying-pans, cook breakfasts, and fetch 'Dill').
water. The infliction of some of the Milk used
most offensive of these duties, as e.g.,
Cow-juice (Amer.).
by Buckstone, the actor, in Our Ameri-
cleaning frying-pans, was often deputed ' can Cousin.
'
to a middle boy, or course-keeper as
he was called, who gratified any personal Cowlick (Peoples'). wisp of A
grudge he might have against any parti- growing hair, of different colour from
'
cular small boy by selecting him for the the general tone. '
Lick is evidently
odious task. Letter to Daily News. a corruption of *
lock ', and cow has
The term remains, but fagging at
nothing whatever to do with kine.
Winchester is a thing of the wretched Good example how the Anglicizing of
past, one word modifies another in associa-
Couscousou (A Igerian French, 1 840). tion with it. The first word having
The native rendering of qu'est-ce que been turned into '
cow ', and lock
c'est, enquiry a French soldier
the having no meaning in connection with
lick, and the double
*
always puts upon every possible cow ', it became
occasion, and which the Algerian has error suggested a cow-lick which had
supposed to be the name of a stew. turned the colour of the wisp of hair.
Hence in imitating this dish they Probably in the first place from a lock
apply the enquiry it would elicit common to the head of a clan, the
95
 Coxey Cracker

Gow or Gough, Irish or Scotch. This face. "Send my love to Jane, and tell
her" with a woeish face) "I would
wisp of hair in all probability fre- (this
"
like right weel to have a crack (conver-
quently became a birth-mark, and was " wi' her once more." '

probably often imitated by art when FKOUDE,

sation)
nature arrested the
inheritance. A Carlyle's Life in London, vol. ii., p. 96.

very powerful French drama, in which

^

Crack A narrow passage

(London).
'

Fechter was famous in Paris was built of houses ;

'Ave yer seen the
e.g.,
up on a cow-lick (Les Fils de la Nuit). grand duchess of our crack this blessed
A superstition of luck or ill-luck mornin' gorne to the Cristial Pallis
attaches to the cow -lick. Ha he '
! in 'lectric blue she 'av.'

always had a lucky cow-lick.' The Crack a case To break

' ' ' (Thieves').
widow's lick or lock is a tuft of
'

into a house.
'
Case
'
from casa
unmanageable hair which grows lower (Italian) anglicized.
than the rest of the forehead hair, and
is always at or near the centre of the
Crack a wheeze (Theatrical). To
' '
utter the thing out
last wheeze
top of the forehead. The belief that a
woman possessed of this lock, generally probably from the alcholic guffaw
of a greyish tone, must lose her hus- which follows the tale, especially if it
is erotic.
band has, in past generations, pre-
vented many a good woman from
* '

Cracking a wheeze is a phrase which

John-
getting even a worse husband.
son has nothing to say to this word.
Coxey (Aug. -Amer. 1894). A wild
has always struck us as extraordinary,
especially as it has not the recommenda-
tion of brevity. It is synonymous with
,
the sailor - slang phrase, spinning a
'

political leader. From an American

yarn '.
politician of this name who pioneered
a number of out-of-work mechanics, Crack the bell (Peoples'). To pro-
who seized trains and invaded Wash- duce failure by speech ; or even act, to
reveal a
secret unintentionally ; to
ington.
The march of the tramps in America' '
muddle the phrase in fact has many
is a very live thing. The 'Coxeyites' meanings. Derived from the necessity
are having a tremendous amount of fun, of being silent while casting a bell, the
and the eyes of the world are upon them. belief, coming down from monastic
Ref., 29th April 1894. times, that a mere word spoken during
Coxies (Low Glass). Corruption of casting produce a flaw in the bell ;
may
cock's eyes. Aterm at dominoes for e.g., 'What? told Tom Jack's going
double I. A good example of rebus to marry Jill ? Then you have cracked
Probably a translation from the bell.' 'She dropped in the mud
phrasing.
the French ceil de cog especially as a with all her new togs on, and cracked
the bell in a jiffy.' (See Let the Cat
single one is called 'udder
cock' ceil
' '
de coq, although rarely, Cock's eye is out of the Bag. )
the general term. The other names for Crack the monica (Music-halls).
dominoes are evidently French 2, The chairman, who once ruled in these
sinks.
tray 3, duce 4, quarters 5,
;
'
; ;
places he vanished in the '80's had
The whites are called blanks ', while before him a table bell, which he -

the sixes have become quite English. sounded after certain ways, one of
'

Interesting to mark that tray

and '

which informed the audience applaud-

'
'
duce are used still by old-fashioned ing a singer who had retired that he
while even
people for 2 and 3 at cards, or she would appear again. He '

* ' '
the French valet is still varlet '. cracked the monica, an' on she came
Difficult smilin' like "jam"' the monica is
Coy-gutted (Devonshire).
in the matter of eating. Generally the bell.

used with an addition more emphatic Cracker (American). A biscuit.

than elegant. The English word, evidently meaning
Crabby (W. Eng.). carpenter- A '
twice cooked ', or baked, is a mis-
said despitefully. Origin vague. nomer, while the States'-wide synonym
is at least a good specimen of orioma-
Crack (Jovial, 18 cent.}. ' A royster-^'
from cracking tope.
ing meeting, derived
and finishing a bottle of wine. I, a lone bachelor, a lone fisherman,
with infinite pains and great pleasure,
'My poor old mother', he wrote,
1
comes in with her sincere, anxious old first dipped these ink-pots in the freshest

96
 Cracker Credit Draper

of eggs beaten up after that into the

; Roystering ballad, of a cavalier, wine,
finestand crisped cracker dust. Newsp. and women swing. From the eternal
Cutting. Spanish carambo orcaramba, shortened
This ink-pot is cuttle-fish, named
by the omission of the first vowel.
after a protective secretion it throws
Probably brought over by Philip of
out when pursued. Its more fish- or a countess in the suite of
Spain ;

mongerly title is squid. It abounds in Catherine of Braganza, or Charles II.

New York waters. They are capital may be answerable. This cry would
eating when dusted and fried.
' '

be a beloved one in the mouth of a man

Cracker (S. Carolina). Native who did not object to be called ' Old
'

origin unknown. Rowley Charles II. indeed was rather

Imagine a tall, gaunt, loose-jointed proud of the distinction. Rowley him-
man, with long grizzled hair, deep-set self was an etalon in the royal stables.
eyes that glow like coals of living fire, The secret flew out of the right pocket of
'

high, square shoulders, a stooping, his coat in a whole swarm of your carambo
slouching gait skin wrinkled and dirty
;
songs, short-footed odes, and long-legged
beyond pen description hands and feet ;
pindarics.' Farquhar, The Inconstant.
immense, the former grimy and with Cranky gawk (Chicago). Equal to
protruding knuckles, the latter incased Scotch '
dazed gowk said of a stupid,
'

in cowhide boots with soles an inch thick

and of astonishing width clothes beside
awkward lad.
Crazy quilt (Awier. Mid. CL). A
;

which Joseph's coat would sink into insig-

nificance, so covered are they with patches
of divers colours this is a South Caro-
lina 'cracker'. Newsp. Cutting, 1883.
Crackpot(Stock Exchange, 1880).
A doubtful company promoter, a man
who has the appearance of prosperity
and who is but an impostor. This
word may come from New
crackpot in the city' is a term so
familiar that it was taken for the
chorus in a comic song. It appears
quilt of patchwork, made at random.
The old woman's dress looked like a
crazy quilt, and two of the boys had only
one trousers-leg apiece. Texas Si/tings,
Craythur, Craytur, or Craychur
(Irish). Whiskey; e.g., 'Oh, for the
love o' God giv me now a taste o' the
York. '
A craythur.' The origin of the word may
be of singular significance in consider-
ing the history of Ireland and the
Irish if it is really creator and not
' '

even in France where a commercial *

creature as it is
generally supposed.
',
crash of a swindling nature or a politi- In the latter case 'creature' means
'
cal breakdown is called a
'
krach Satan. This is certain, that for years
(pronounced crack;, which may repre- '
after the middle of the 18th century
sent either crack or crash more '

whiskey was not known in Ireland,

probably the latter bearing in mind while during the period of Home Rule
French spelling of most English words.
' (1782-1800) Grattan himself in the
Crackpot replaced the phrase Lame
' '

Dublin House of Commons declared

Duck '.
every seventh house in Ireland was a
They take the honours, and they should
do some of the work. whiskey shop.
Besides, they Cream Ice Jacks (London Streets).
might improve their minds by listening Street -
sellers of d. ices. Jacks
occasionally to 'The Crackpot in the
City' and
'
Tiddy-fol-lol'. Ref., 28th probably from Giacomo and Giacopo.
January 1883. 'They've a bad time of it, 'ave the
We do a tremendous business in our
1
cream ice Jacks, for whenever a kid
bank,' said one
'
crackpot to another. gits ill the mother goes for the jack an'
Why, through buying ink at a new 'as it out with 'im.'
place we save 200 a year. Fancy the Creams (London Street). Abbre-
amount of writing we do.' Cutting. viation of cold-creams, in its turn a
Cracksman (Thieves', 18 cent.). A droll mode of describing the Coldstream
man who cracks buildings a burglar, Guards. Intimates that they are
as distinct from a
high toby man or a dandies, and know how to get them-
low toby fellow. (See
High Toby.) selves up.
'
Now then, my creams-
Craft (Youths', 1870). A bicycle, gods of the essences,' he ' observed.
from liking the machine to a ship. '
Then there was a shindy !

(See Beast, Bone-Shaker, Craft, Crock.) Credit Draper (Peoples'). A smooth-

Crambo Song (Peoples'). Still spoken seeming cheat from the tally-
heard in the remoter parts of England. man system, whose practitioners have
97 G
 Cremorne Crocus

bestowed upon themselves this evasive fiercebeards were thus dubbed, and
and hypocritically benignant name. amongst the people the term has re-
mained. 'My eye, what a Crimeer
'
Don't believe a word 'e 'ave to say
Vs on'y a credit draper.' Bill have got along o' the doctor for
Cremorne (Society, An 'is bronkikkis (bronchitis).'
open-1884).
Before the invasion of the Crimea no
air place of amusement frequented by
man, unless an officer in Her Majesty's
'

doubtful women. From public Lon-

cavalry, ever ventured to wear a beard or
don gardens of that name, long since moustache'. Sir A. West, Memoirs, 1897.
built over. Applied in 1884 to the Criss-cross (Peoples'). A corruption
(see) when that enter-
' '
Inventories
' ' of Christ's Cross one of the few re-
tainment was so frequented by tarts
that it became in the evening scarcely ligious exclamations which have not
become vulgarized since the Refor-
a place to which a girl could take her
mation. Generally refers to right
mother. Now
applied generally.
But ascertain that no porter with
it is angles in textile fabrics, wood, and
a flaming sword can possibly stand at the
metal work. Sometimes used excla-
S'help me criss-cross (or
' '

gate to decline the shillings of persons not matively. '

'
didn't I
immaculately virtuous, so it is probable crass), !

that some day a cry will be raised about Not many who use this word appear
a Cremorne '. When once that ominous
'
to have any idea of its meaning, yet it
word is whispered people begin to be shy is one of the few old Catholic oaths
of their natural pastime of letting the which have retained muck of the
evening pass in the open air. D. N., original sound.
10th November 1886. Croak 19 To be
(Society, cent.).
Creoles (Amer.). People of Louis- hypocritical, suggested by the lament-
ianaprobably a satire by the north able declaration of a frog when he
upon the illegitimate mingling of slave- tunes up.
owners' and slaves' blood previous to John Hollingshead for some time past
1862. has been telling his patrons how they
Crib (Street, 1800-40). To conquer croaked in 1807. Newsp. Gutting. March
with the fists fairly. From Tom Crib, 1883.
a celebrated pugilist early in the 19th Crock (Youths', 1870). A bicycle,
To crib, meaning to thrash, is One of the more obscure names for this
century.
still heard in the slums of London and apparatus. Perhaps from part of the
other great cities. In the nautical name of a builder. (See Beast, Bone-
novel, 'Rattlin the Reefer' (chap. Ixii.), shaker, Craft.)
is this paragraph :
Crocks (Art jargon, 1880). Orna-
Apt quotation you are cabined
!
mental china. This term came in
you are cribbed you are confined when, from 1870 to 1880, the porcelain
cribbed look at your countenance as I mania raged, and huge sums were given
said before, 'tis the hand of Providence. for even poor specimens of china. This
Gutting. word of meek uuobtrusiveness is an
Crime (Army}. Small fault. Often abbreviation of crockery-ware. (See
' '
intentional. Squinting on parade is Rags and Timbers. )
a crime. What will a sergeant not
'

Crocodile (Society, 1850). A lady's

'
go for to say ain't you got a crime ? school out walking. A ballad in the
that is to say, confinement to bar- forties went :

racks or extra drill scored against a '

meet a crocodile
I'd rather
soldier. Than meet a lady's school.'
Crimea (1856). The full-beard Crocodiles' Tears (Peoples', 19 cent.).
long beards worn in Imitation sorrow.
given to the first

England from the time of Elizabeth to Many visitors have probably passed by
that of Victoria. The fashion of shav- the alligator in the somewhat out-of-
the-way corner where he at present
ing, which passed from France (Louis
sojourns ; but others know him well,
XIII.) to England, prevailed here long and love to stir him up until he swells
after Frenchmen had begun to grow out with anger, and emits from the
hair. The severity of the winter corners of his eyes the queer little
1854-55 (in the Crimea) caused the bubbles which pass for crocodiles' tears.
issue of an order to wear beards, and D. N., 21st March 1883.
these were retained. Upon the return Crocus (Thieves'). A mock doctor
of the few survivors, their strange and a cheap-jack gentleman with a
98
 Crony Crowbar Brigade

wonderful cure. Simple derivation :

whom, about whom, and starting from
whom, Lord Lytton may expound his
'
croak ', to kill, or cause to croak, and
'us'. social and political philosophy. D. N..
A friend, or rather 30th March 1885.
Crony (Peoples').
trusted and loved companion. John- Crosses (Peoples'). Woes, miseries,
son says of this word: 'An old sorrows. This may be derived from
acquaintance, a companion of long 'across', or more probably from Catholic
standing.' Generally used with the times, and a reference to carrying the
'
Swift has cross.
qualifying adjective old '.
this word :
Cross-grained (Peoples'). Ill-tem-
'
Strange an astrologer should die pered, hard to manage. A trade
Without one warder in the sky !
metaphor, from the carpenter's shop,
Not one of all his crony stars where cross-grained wood is hard to
To pay their duty at his herse !
'

deal with.
Pepys (30th May 1665) says :

'Died Jack Cole, who was a great Cross -life men (Thieves', 1878).
crony of mine.'
Men who get their living by felony.
Probably one of the few words came
Used amongst themselves rather
from one of the universities. If so, it plaintively it would seem, and in re-
is possibly derived from Chronos. markable contrast with the 18th cen-
'

Crooked 'un( Peoples'). Crook. The tury term,

'
gentlemen of the road ',
reverse of a straight 'un. high toby men ', and others.
Generally Sir H. James What do you mean
said of a husband who turns out bad. by
men of your class ? Witness Men of the
'
He was about as crooked as they world (laughter) men like myself. I
make 'em.' (See By Hook or by did not tell him that I had seen gentle-
Crook.) men's servants there I am certain of
Crop up (Society, 1850). To sud- that. I did not use the term that the
denly appear, or introduced. 'Then room was the resort of cross-life men
Jack cropped up' from geological (thieves). Bignell v. Iforsley, 1880.
term referring to a sudden stratum. Cross the Ruby (Fast World, early
Accepted when geology became modish. Id cent.). A grotesque abbreviation of
Croppie (Scottish). Equivalent of 'cross the Rubicon', with the same
Roundhead, and used precisely in the meaning. Ruby was then the name for
same way. Strangely enough, in the port wine.
1798 Irish rebellion, the rebel Irish Crocheteer (Society, 1880). A patron
were called croppies, equally from the of crotchets.
shortness of their hair. A Hanoverian Within later years the ladies and
song was popular, called Croppies, lie gentlemen who feel so strongly on the
*

down,' which suggestion of treating subjects of vivisection, compulsory vac-

them as dogs made the rebels very cination, teetotalism, Sunday closing, and
wild. In one historical instance a other cognate topics, have been called
crotcheteers. G. A. Sala, /. L. N., 12th
servant of thirty years' standing shot
at the family after hearing one of May 1883.
them singing this song. Crotchetty (Society, 1 9 cent. ). Eccen-
Cross-bench mind (Society, IS cent. ). tric, unexpected. Trade metaphor;
from music. Probably from the time
Undecided, hesitating from the cross ;
when solemn, slow church music was
benches in both Houses of Parliament,
enlivened by the comparatively quick
upon which those peers or members crotchet ; or it may be from a man
seat themselves who have not made
up named Crotchet.
their minds to which party they be-
long.
'
Poor man, with his mother to Crowbar Brigade (Irish, 1848).
the right of him, and his wife to the The Irish Constabulary. From the
left of him, he has but a cross-bench crowbar used in throwing down cot-
mind.' tages to complete eviction of tenants.
Lord Glenaveril is brought up partly After a while the whole posse sheriff,
in Germany, is born to
great estates, and sub-sheriff, agent, bailiffs, and attendant
takes his seat on the cross-benches of the policemen came to be designated the
House of Lords. But poor Lord Glen- 'Crowbar Brigade '.- A. M. Sullivan,
averil with his title, and his land, and his 1878.
patronising Disposition, and his '
cross- Still used to deride policemen in
bench mind '. is
merely a puppet through Ireland.
99
 Crowbar Landlord Culver-head

Crowbar Landlord (Ireland, 19 and so it goes. The English language is

cent.). Outcome of Crowbar Brigade. getting awfully queer American Paper. !

I recommend my countrymen to shoot Crusher (Peoples'). A policeman

the crowbar landlord as we shoot robbers evidently a word suggesting respect for
or rats, at night, or in the day, on the the force. Mr W. 8. Gilbert used this
roadside or in the market - place !
word in the Bab Ballads.
T. Mooney, California, 1865. One day that crusher lost his way,
'

CrowdTheatrical, 1870 on). Simply

(
In Poland Street, Soho !
'

the audience; e.g., 'What sort of a Crushers (Namj). Ships' corporals,

crowd is it to-night ?
'
Also a theatri- who are the rank and file of the master-
cal company; e.g., 'Who's in the at-arms. Descriptive term, borrowed
crowd ?
' '
Lai Brought and Arthur from ashore, where this term is still
Roberts.' 'Oh, then, there will be at applied satirically to policemen.
least half-a-dozen laughs.' Also said Crusoe (Iron Trade). A good ex-
of the mass of supers, whose numbers ample of anglicising name given by ;

increase yearly ; e.g., 'I? What do /

English ironmasters and workmen to
do ? Oh, I go on with the crowd.' the great French ironworks at Creuzot
Crows' feet (Soc.). Diverging Delta a reminiscence of Robinson Crusoe.
wrinkles at the outer angles of the Cry! (Peoples'). Shape of Carai
eyelids. probably introduced by English gipsies
Crow's nest 1850 on). Small
(Soc., passing from Spain. One of the libi-
bedroom bachelors
high up in
for dinous good- wishes at nightfall, similar
country houses, and on a level with to Carambo. Both words more or less
the tree tops ; e.g., 'Give me a crow's known to the oi polloi. Now applied
nest, and pray save me from the state indiscriminately to express surprise of
bed-chamber.' a satiric character.
Cruel classes (Soc., 1893). Used Cry haro (Jersey). A synonym of
by the Duke of York, 6th February justice. Word used by people calling
1893, on the occasion of his first public upon their lords for interference. One
of the first railway engines run out of
speech, as chairman of a dinner in aid
of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty St Helier's was named ' Haro '. Now
to Children. At once took, as distin- used as a 'jollying'.
It is characteristic of the satirists of
guishing the savages of the lowest the hour that they make their victims'
classesfrom the lowest classes gener-
very sobriety a reproach. If he is per-
ally. an excellent thing in
fectly well dressed,
Until this Society came into existence
the lives of young children belonging to youth, is exceptionally quiet and well
bred, and goes frequently to the theatre,
the cruel classes of the community could
they dub him a masher and cry haro
' ' '

',
not be considered secure. Their very
made them an easy prey. upon him. Newsp. Cutting, 1883.
helplessness
Crumb. See Bit o' Crumb. Cuff-shooter (Street, 1875 on). A
clerk. Name invented after the intro-
Crumpet. See Barmy. duction of shirt-cuffs wide enough to
Crush the stur ( Thieves'). To break
from prison stur being abbreviation
come down well over the hands a ;

of sturaban.
movement of the arm to throw forward
A short time after I ascertained from the cuffs was called cuff-shooting said ;

the jailor who payed me a visit, that my scornfully or enviously of young clerks
'
two fly friends had crushed the stir ', popularly supposed to consider them-
' '

and were at large, ready to prey on the selves leading gentlemen; e.g., 'Well,
community again. what if I am a coster? I earns a
Crushed (Soc., 1895). Spoony, in dollar (5s.), where a blooming cuff-
shooter don't make a 'og (Is.).
'
love with.
'
Quite new is the slang crushed '. It This wide cuff was introduced by the
is used in place of the expression, late Duke of Clarence. He also in-
'mashed', 'struck', etc., and is quite vented the high collar. Indeed the
au fait with the summer resort girls.
prince's designation was
One hears everywhere murmurs of Charlie ' '
familiarly
Binks being utterly 'crushed' on Mabel
and collars
cuffs finally cuffs '.
'

Banks, and so on with regard to various

Culver -head (Lower Classes). A
Dora tells Flora that she is fool practically calf-head.
things. ;
Probably
*
crushed on Jim's new sailor, when she
'
from Dutch fishermen (chiefly with
really isn't damaging his headgear at all, eels) frequenting Billingsgate, once the
100
 Cum Grano Curtains

matrix of so many vigorous phrases. fought field at Inkerman, when the

If from Holland of course the word is
'curled darlings' approved themselves
metal of the right temper. Newsp.
a corruption of Kalver, which gives a
name to one of the chief streets of Cutting, May 1883.
Amsterdam. Curmudgeon (Anglicized French,
When the culver-headed yeknods are 17 cent.). Coeur mediant. Probably
down in the dumps, strike us pink if from court of Charles II. The phrase
they're not as humble as a blackberry is colloquial in France.
swagger. Cutting. But he would be a curmudgeon, in-
Cum grano (Anglo- Amer.). Ab- deed, who grudged the warmest praise
for an entertainment light, lively, and
'
breviation of cum grano salis with
'

the same meaning. To listen with
allowances.
Managers as a rule agree with Talley-
rand that words were made to conceal
thoughts, hence theatrical announce-
ments are always received cum grano by
the public. Newsp. Cutting, 1883.
Cummifo (Peoples'}.
com/me ilfaut.
Were it not that she is a lady, and
possesses the cachet of foreign and not
home production, there are folk who
might begin to have a dawning suspicion
that she is within a couple of miles or so
of being not quite as cummifo as she
might be.Ref., 28th April 1889.
Cup o' tea (Colloquial, 1870). Con-
solation probably suggested by a ' cup
'
of tea being so very refreshing to
persons who do not drink any shape of
alcohol. Used satirically of a trouble-
some person.
You are a
'Oh, don't yer though.
nice strong cup o' tea.' Cutting.
Cupboard (Lower Classes). Hungry.
Hunger suggested by mentioning a food
receptacle.
A was spent here,
pleasant hour or so
and then we turned our faces back
towards Valletta, full ready for the lunch
on which in my mind's eye, Horatio, I
had been feasting for some while before
my internal economy set up its cry of
'
melodious, appealing to the eye and
grateful to the ear. D. T., 9th May
1899. (See Quandary.)
Coeur mediant is much objected to
as the origin of this word. It is fully
accepted here on the principle that the
more obvious derivation is preferred to
Cockney for the more erudite, on the ground that
corrupters of phrases are generally
uneducated.
Curse o' Cromwell (Irish). One of
the more vigorous civilities exercised
by the lower Irish to their equals. No
one seems to know what the 'curse'
Was probably his presence in his life-
time possibly tertian fever after the
death of the Protector.
A
Curtain (Theatrical, 1860 on).
tableau at finish of act or play, to
obtain applause.
It matters little for the purpose of
romance whether or not Nelson saw Miss
Emma Hart in Romney's studio before he
met her a married woman at Naples.
These things have to be done for stage-
craft, for theatrical tricks, for what are
vulgarly called 'curtains'. P. T., 12th
February 1897.
It is singular, considering how excel-
lently French dramatists write, that they
so frequently fail in getting a good
<
curtain '.Ref., 15th March 1885.
Also a 'call before the curtain' at

Cupboard \-Ref., 6th June 1886.

'
the end of an act or a piece.
Cupboardy (Com. Land.). Close Edward Russell plays well as Peggotty.
and stuffy. His acting, if a little too hurried, was
I ain't one of them fellers as thinks full of power, and he revealed consider-
that you can't keep healthy without yer able pathos. He was rewarded with
drinks rose water and eats cream cheese, several
'
curtains '.

but, surely me, if the air of the alley (See Take a curtain Quick curtain.)
ain't a-gettin' rayther too cupboardy for
Curtain-taker (Theatrical, 1882).
my stomach. D. T. (Greenwood). An actor more eager even than his
Curled Darlings (Soc., 1856). A brethren to appear before the curtain
name given to military officers immedi-
after its fall. (See Take a Curtain,
ately after the Crimean War, which
once more brought soldiers into fashion. Lightning Curtain-taker, Fake a cur-
tain.)
Referred to the waving of the long
beard and sweeping moustache. Curtains (Regimental.) A name
But needless to cite instances to
it is given to one of the first modes of
be found by the score in warlike annals, wearing the hair low on the military
from the Gentlemen of the French
'
forehead (1870). The locks were
Guard fire first' at Fontenoy to the well- divided in the centre, and the front
101
 Cut a Finger D. V.

hair was brought down in two loops, opponent of the bicycle, as this vehicle
each rounding away towards the temple. became ubiquitous.
The hair was glossed and flattened. The chairman, on whose suggestion the
Quiver. (See Sixes, To put on the, communication was laid on the table in
the first instance, explained that he was
Scoop, etc.).
not a 'cyclophobist', but he did most
Cut a finger (Lower Classes'). To
cause a disagreeable odour; e.g., emphatically object to scorchers, and
'My racers, and pacemakers, and also to care-
hi some cove's cut 'is finger.'
!
less riders, of whom he and many other
Cut and run (Peoples'). Make off people went in daily terror. D. T., 9th
rapidly, retire without permission. December 1897.
Trade metaphor. From sailoring, and Cyrano (Soc., 1900). A huge nose.
act of cutting a vessel in the night- Due to the popularity of Rostand's
time from her moorings and then run- play, Cyrano de Bergerac, whose hero
ning before the wind. Very general : had a phenomenal nose, imitated in
probably accepted from T. P. Cook in pasteboard by French and English
Black-Eyed Susan. actors who played the part. Pro-
Cut one's stick (Old
Eng.) To nounced See-ra-no, with the accent on
travel for work the stick being cut or the first. A dactyl.
obtained for helpful and Miss Annie Hughes was as unlike Sam
probably
defensive purposes. Weller as it is possible to conceive. The
immortal man was not a dandy tiger
' '
' '

Cut the line (Printers'). To knock with a Whitechapel accent and a Cyrano
off work for a time ; origin obscure, nose. D. T., 16th April 1900.
but may refer to the line of type.
(See Boko, Duke.)
Cut the record (Peoples' sporting).
Victory. Here cut is used as sur-

passing.
People are saying that the Inventions
Exhibition is not so much talked of as
previous displays at South Kensington
have been but I think that as soon as
;

we get hot weather, the admission returns D. B. (Theatrical). A masked mode

will cut all previous records. Entr'acte. of condemnation.
30th May 1885. Although Miss Deby was d. b. which
Cut-throat (W. Amer.J. Destruc- being interpreted means deucedly bad
some of those about her were deucedly
tive, reckless applied to card-playing.
It is not uncommon, therefore, to see good. Newsp. Cutting.
merchants (especially American) having D. D. (Naval). Discharged dead.
'
a social game of cut - throat monte ', The usual way on board a man-of-war
'
eucre ', or ' of writing a man's epitaph as 'Bill ?
poker ', with piles of gold ; :

before them. All the Year Round, 31st Oh! he's D. D. this year agone.'
October 1868. Captain Chamier, 1820.
D. T. Centres (Lit., 1880 on).
Cycling fringes (Cycling, 1897).
Minor Bohemian, literary, artistic, and
Especially prepared forehead - hair to
be worn by such women bikers as had musical from the jollity, or
clubs
not abjured all feminine vanities. supposed a Bacchic character
jollity, of
which continually proceeds within their
It may be, of course, both libellous and
walls. D. T. is a reduction to the
ungallant to suggest that there could be
absurd of delirium tremens or 'tre-
any possible connection with those won-
'
derful cycling fringes, warranted never menses,' as some comic folk style that
to come out of curl,' at present filling the self-imposed disease.
barbers' windows. 10th March 1897. D. V. (Atheistic). A satiric and
Cyclophobist (Literary, 1880). An not very
'
adroit application of the
invented word to describe haters of initials of Deo Volente ', to ' Doubtful
tradesmen's circulars. very '.
The word cyclophobist is still com-
' '
Fred Hughes says that the letters
' '

paratively new to the English language, D. V. in his advertisement referring

and perhaps not a very scholarly
it is to his appearance at the Jumbo Theatre,
compound to express a man who hates
'
mean doubtful very
'
I thought so.
'. \

and dreads tradesmen's circulars'. D. V. (Soc.). Divorce. Another

D. N.. 6th January 1882. shape of satire upon Deo Volente
Naturally came to be applied to the Heaven, of course, having certainly
102
 Daddies Damper

nothing to do with the performance, if Dame (Eton). A master who con-

papal authority is of any value. fines his attention to mathematics. To
Daddies (Pugilistic). Hands. some extent a supercilious term.
readiness, and the men
' '
All was in Badger Hale went to this school as
having shaken daddies, the seconds re- a mathematical teacher, and though for
tired to their corners, and at 12.56 com- the last twenty years he took the classes
menced the fight. Newsp. Cutting, 1862. in natural science, he remained, to use
the Eton term, a ' dame
'

to that is to say,
Daisy (Amer., passing England,
A charming, fresh, delightful a house-master who did not teach the
1870).
classics, and whose boys consequently
person or thing. '

always had a tutor as well outside.

'

An enthusiastic admirer of The Silver

'
'

D. T., 26th July 1894.

King lately, in the upper circle of the Damfino (Anglo- Amer.} The last
Grand Opera House audibly proclaimed
Wilfrid Denver to be 'a daisy '. Newsp. instance of abbreviation and obscure
Cutting, October 1883. swearing.
'
I am damned if I know '

This morning a young man walked into is its origin.

the office with a huge watermelon in his A vicious college student being asked
arms. Placing his burden on the counter what he intended doing after graduating,
'
he addressed the agent Now, isn't that : replied: 'Damfino; preach, I s'pose.'
'
melon a daisy ? Newsp. Cutting. Damfoolishness (Amer., passing to

Specially used (and abused) as a Eng.}. Intensification of foolishness,

'
sentimental basis hence Daisy came
;
'
and abbreviation of damned foolishness.
Now, Hennery, I am going to break
'
to he synonymous with humhug.
He took me by the ear and said I '
you of this damf oolishness, or I will break
couldn't come no daisy business on
'
your neck.' Newsp. Cutting.
him. Detroit Free Press, 1883. Damned (Theatrical, 18 and 19
Also a satirical term for a drunken cent.}. Condemned utterly e.g., 'The ;

man. piece was damned from the gods to the

Detective Lanthier had hardly ap- groundlings.'
proached the platform where the Female
'

Damned good swine up (Peoples',

Dudes were on exhibition when a piping
'

1880). A
loud quarrel. Suspected to
voice exclaimed familiarly : 'Vote for me,
be of American origin. In the States
mister ; I am a daisy !
'
N . Y. Mercury,
the
'
swine are more demonstrative
'

8th October 1883.

than at home. Here even the common
Daisy Crown of Cricket (Sporting,
1883 on). Poets have their imaginary pig is quarrelsome ; e.g., 'Tell Cecil to
tone himself down a bit, or we shall
bays, warriors their imagined laurels have a damned good swine up.'
the field daisy, therefore, is the appro- Damirish (Amer., 1883). A dis-
priate floral emblem given to the cham-
guised euphemism for damned Irish '.
'

pion bowler, batter, fielder, et hoc. When I read the story in the papers
Oxford, so far, is retaining her mari- about the explosion in the British Parlia-
time supremacy, though the daisy crown ment pa was hot. He said the dam-
of cricket is decorating other brows. irish was ruining the whole world. A
D.N., 6th July 1883.
Bad Boy's Diary, 1883.
Daisy-five-o' docker (Amer.-Eng.}. Damp bourbon poultice (Amer.
A charming five o'clock tea. An ex-
Saloon}. A ' go ' of whiskey.
treme application of daisy, as a term '
Postage stamps ', replied the country
of approbation. merchant, as he slammed the door and
Dam (University}.
'
Abbreviation of went out to soothe his feelings with a
*
damage in relation to payment for damp bourbon poultice. Newsp. Cutting.
entertainment or entry to place of Dampen (Amer., Theatrical}. A
euphemism for to damn
'
amusement; e.g., 'What's the dam?' '.
'
'
A sov. per fellow.' Most interesting, but the heroine
'

Damager (Theatrical, 1880). A dying so soon, rather dampens the piece

nonsense name for manager. Perhaps in her opinion. Newsp. Cutting.
some covert reference to his autocratic Damper (Soc., 1886 on). dinner- A
bill a document which has steadily
power of sweeping out a comedian.
The green room became so crowded increased in importance through many
that at last the damager was compelled years. Term recognised in the lines
to put up a notice. Neiosp. Cutting. attributed to Theodore Hook.
Then a damager took him in hand and Men laugh and talk until the feast is o'er ;

engaged him to come on first. Newsp. Then comes the reckoning, and they
Cutting. laugh no more !

103
 Dance Dash my Wig

Curiously enough the French found the common name for handcuffs. It
a correlative title to Damper, viz., were curious to trace the first of these
'
*
La Douloureuse. bracelets to Derby, which on the spot
La Douloureuse Few know that in
!
is, or at all events was, pronounced
modern French slang it means the bill '

Darby.'
that is offered to a generous host after Dark as a pocket
the dinner is over and the reckoning is at
(Merchant Sea-
hand. D. T., 29th June 1897. mens'). Very expressive.
Dance (Fashion, 1890). ball A Darkies (Lower Lond. Soc., 1860
this latter word being only used for on). A synonym for the coal-hole,
solemn state and aristocratic functions. the shades, and the cider cellar
The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire places of midnight entertainment in or
gave a large dinner party last evening at near the Strand, all famous in the mid-
Devonshire House, followed by a dance nineteenth century.
reaching the dimensions of a ball, only The days of The Cider Cellars, and
that the word has fallen out of favour The Shades, called in slang terms The
'

save for public functions. D. T., 6th '

Darkies and? The Coal Holes '. and the
'

July 1899. low music-halls with their abominable

Dance upon nothing (Peoples', 18 songs, and the Haymarket orgies and the
cent.}. To be hanged
the convulsive dancing saloons disappeared. D. T.,
motions of the legs in the air suggest- 20th November 1896.
ing the *phrase. Probably took the Darn(Eng.-Amer.). A United States
place of Mount the cart' (q.v.), when evasion of damn, and very suggestive
the place of hanging was in the prison, of household occupation and equally
or its shadow, and a cart was no longer innocent swearing. ( See Dern. )
in vogue. Passing away in appositeness, When Sacramento was being destroyed
now that the hangman uses a long rope,
by fire some of the merchants managed
so that the neck is broken, and the to save some champagne, and, going
victim does not struggle. (See Hemp outside the town, drank
'
Better luck
is grown for you.) next time. This is a great country.'
Dancing dogs (circa, 1880). A Next day a tavern-keeper had a space
satirical title applied to dancing men
' '
cleared among the ruins, and over a little
when dancing began to go out. board shanty hastily run up was this
'

Then drop in those supercilious masters inscription Lafayette House.

: Drinks
of the situation, the dancing young men,
two bits. Who cares a darn for a fire !
'

the 'dancing dogs', as they have been All the Year Round, 31st October 1868.
called. D. N. Leader, 27th March 1884. Some writers maintain that this term
Dander riz (Amer.). Classic in went to U.S.A. from England, upon
the argument of the phrase, Darn my
'
'
Sam Dander is indignation ;
Slide.
*

'
a diminutive of raised '. Dander
riz
' old wig,' which cannot be American.
',

is probably from the old Dutch of Here a kind of pun was intended, for
the early American settlers the wigs were economically darned. Wigs
source of so much American droll have passed away, as a fashion, over a
hundred years, yet this phrase is still
don't for a moment say that she
I heard at and about Plymouth, which
would ; but, quoting from one of the suggests that the word may have
Claimant's own letters, Anna Maria has
'
crossed the ditch in due course, sailing
got a timper of her own ', and there is no long after the Mayflower.
knowing what she might say if her Vance thinks that the management of
'dander were riz'. Entr'acte, 1st Nov- Her Majesty's Theatre are a darned sight
ember 1884. too particular. Newsp. Gutting, March
Darbey ( Thieves'). A haul (of course 1883. (V. was a very clever comic singer,
of stolen goods). and most comic in petticoats).
<
Ben You ought to be in London on Dash my wig (Peoples'). Another
the 10th of this month. The Prince of version of
'
darn '
in the time of wigs.
Wales will be married, every place will
Still heard, though wigs are seldom
" "
be Juminated, and all the" lads expect
" referred to, if worn ; rarely worn
to make a good darbey (good haul, or Some wild etymologists
amongst men.
robbery). Old Bill Clark expects about hold this to be a perversion of Dish the
'

24 reddings (gold watches), and old Tom

and Joe expect twice as many.' Thief's Whigs', but they do not give the clue.
Intercepted Letter, March 1863. Dishing the Whigs, by the way, may
In the plural this word represents mean douching' them, though, on the
'

104
 Daverdy Dead-lock

other hand, there is a common expres- tive reference to esoteric effort. ID

' '
'

sion,
'
Well, I'm dished but this is ! ordinary nautical language dead-eyes
to be a corruption of dashed, are the small clean-cut holes worked in
supposed
in its previous turn a corruption of rigging blocks, and in ships' woodwork
d dash d, the printer's moral evasion generally. They certainly have an
of 'damn' when the printing of this appearance of shadowed sight, which
word was in bad taste, and was bad in is very startling at times. Mr W. S.
law! Gilbert gave this term to his hero,
Daverdy (Devon). Careless. Pro- Dick Dead-eye, in the opera-bouffe
bably from an individual notoriously
E.M.S. Pinafore (1878).
untidy possibly David Day. Deadhead Theatrical, from A mer. ).
(

Day-bugs (Essex schools). Day One who does not pay his or her entrance
scholars ; e.g.,
'
Don't row with that fee. Critics are professional deadheads.
'

fellow, he's only a day-bug said by a Hebrews are the great sinners in this
night-flea or boarder. This phrase is connection, they getting their free

interesting as showing' that the U.S.A. passes, they themselves only knowing
habit of using ' bug for beetle went where. All 'theatrical people' are
from England. deadheads, for they never pay to enter
Dead as a door-nail (Peoples' ; from a theatre. The female deadhead
'
was
Ireland). Dead as O'Donnel on all ;
in a red opera cloak she always is.'

fours with I'll smash you into

'
This vermilion stain, however, has now
smithereens
'
that is to say, Smithers' vanished.
Ruins S. having had his house pulled I have not paid a cent for a seat at the

about his ears. O'Donnel being dead theatre in twenty years. I boast of this
and Smithers no longer alive, the two sometimes. Why is this? I am sup-
posed to have influence '. I am one of
'

folk -phrases become, the one anglicized

the old men about town '. Really I am
'

into door-nail ', the other into a

'

without influence. But no matter. Let

powerful word representing complete me live out the remainder of my theatri-
destruction, one which is heard to this cal days in peace. I shall be a real dead-
day amongst the Irish lower classes head soon. Soliloquy by Old Deadhead'. '

wherever found. Probably many Mr B. V. Page has written a good song '

phrases, such as The Twinkling of a

'
for Miss Tilley on the deadhead lay.'

After this, how can I expect him to pass

Bed-post', etc., are built upon proper
names which have faded from memory, me into the Cambridge stalls ? Entr'acte,
30th May 1885. (See Order dead-
while the phrases relating to them
remain. Dickens begins his Christmas head.)
*
He wished also to add that there
Carol with this phrase Morley was :
'
were quite Deadheads enough visiting
' '

dead as a door-nail to begin with !

theatres. Mr Chance asked what that
Falsta/: What is the old king dead ?
!
meant. Mr Parkes said it meant a class
Pistol: As nail in door : the things I of persons who under various excuses
speak are just. Shakspeare. obtained or attempted to obtain admis-
Dead-be at ( A mer. ~Eng. ). A pauper sion to theatres and places of public
lost his last copper. entertainment without paying. Newsp.
'
Hang me ef I savvy ! He didn't Cutting, 1882.
pungle, he ain't got no kit ;
and nobody The experienced eye can always
don't know him ! Now it's my opinion divide the deadheads from the
'

plank-
he's a dead beat that's how I put him '
downers in a theatre. The dead-
'

up !
Newsp. Cutting. heads are always dressed badly, and
Dead broke (A mer. -Eng.). Another give themselves airs when looking at
reading of dead beat. the inferior parts of the house. The
'
Cheap enough dog cheap for the fun plank- downers never give themselves
I had, but I'm dead broke. Had 60 dol- airs, mean business, and only look at
lars yesterday morning, but she's gone
the stage. Deadheads are very empha-
all gone not a red left.' Newsp. Cutting.
A tically thus described by a theatrical
Dead give away (Amer.). official 'Here come two more dead-
:

swindle, deception. heads ; look at their boots.'

He would seem to argue with her that
a brood of chickens would be a dead give Dead-lock (Street, 1887 on). A
away on them both. Newsp. Cutting. Lock Hospital. Very significant;
Dead-eye (Sailors', 19 cent.). e.g.,
'
Don't muck about always go to
Generally
'
A bit o' dead-eye '.
Figura- the dead -lock.' Applied from the
105
 Dead Number Delo Diam

habit of stags clinching their horns, seen subterfugal conviction of the

and fighting thusto the death. danger of alcoholic indulgence, even
Dead number (Com. Lond.). The taking possession of the intelligence of
last number
in a row or street the very patron of whiskey himself.
; per-
haps the end of the street. Throughout history there is no period
Dead'un (City). A bankrupt com- before the end of the 19th century
'The All Round Blessing where alcohol is associated with death
pany ; e.g.,
Assurance is a dead 'un.' if we except L'assommoir, a
(Set cudgel,
Cadaver. ) and used in France to describe a
'
Dead wood (Amer. forest}. Advan- drinking-bar. (See Pisen'. )

tage. Origin very obscure. In clearing

Decadent (Soc., 1885 - 90). A
trees a skilful axeman so acts as to synonym for degenerate (noun and
take every advantage from the hang of adjective), and the antithesis of
the tree that it may heel over and save atavism, atavistic (q.v.).
him as much The The most extravagant guesses were
cutting as possible.
is
'
dead wood'. made as to its authorship the writer
gain
She extracted a twenty dollar bill, and having for obvious reasons cloaked him-
remarked I reckon I've got the dead
:
' self with anonymity and it was even
wood on that new bonnet I've been whispered that the book came from the
sufferin' for.' Texas Siftings.
hand of a famous decadent, who dropped '

'
out some time back. Sun. 7th Novem-
Deal of weather about (Nautical). ber 1899.
Bad For sailors
meteorological times. Decencies ( Theatrical).
Pads used
fine weatherno weather at all. On
is
by actors, as distinct from actresses, to
the sea the word always means dis-
ameliorate outline.
comfort and struggle, as may be seen
'
in its use, weather the storm '. Deck (Gaming). A
pack of cards.
John Kernell of an actor who
tells
Deaner, The (Oxford 'er). The
spouted his trunk for his board, claiming
Dean. that it contained fifty-three pieces. When
The dean
of a college is the deaner'
'

the landlady opened it she found a paper

'
or the while even this is re-
dagger collar and a deck of cards.
',
Newsp.
duced by some to the dag'. D. T., 14th
'

Cutting.
August 1899. Deck (Costers' ; local). The Seven
Dear me passed to people).
(Soc., Dials (W. London). He's a decker ' '

Exclamation used by the best people
may be a corruption of Dio mio.
Possibly introduced by Maria Beatrice
of Modena, second wife of James II.
As a matter of fact, women do appeal
a good deal, and often when they do not
know it. What is the meaning of Dear
me ? As English it is absolutely mean-
'
ingless. It is a mere phase, an expletive,
until we understand it as a corruption of
'
Dio mio '.
Or it may be ' Dieu mais ', an ex-
clamation which came into use im-
mediately after the Restoration in-
troduced by one of the French Court
beauties.
Death on (Amer.). Determined,
even at the risk of life.
Birmingham, to use the Yankee verna-
cular, which is well understood in that
locality, is 'death on Woman Suffrage.
'
; means he lives in the classic dials.
(See Seven Dials' Raker.)
liber- A
Degenerate (Soc., 1899).
tine (male), a woman of gallantry
(female). Its antithesis was regenerate,
' which probably meant a return to a
reasonable life, and church at least once
on Sunday. A play styled The De-
generates, by Sydney Grundy, with
Mrs Langtry for lead, was set before
the public in the autumn.
To-night you receive and receive most
hospitably and graciously a member of
the theatrical profession. Whether your
taste in this respect is better or worse
than your father's, whether you are de-
generates or regenerates I must ask
others to decide. Charles Wyndham (at
Argonaut Club), 13th November 1899.
Degrugfger (Oxford er ').
'
A degree.

When you passed an examination you

Newsp. Cutting. obtained a testamur or certificate, which
Death - promoter (Amer., about was labelled a testugger ', and thanks
'

1880). An ominous synonym for to it you could proceed to take a de-

'

alcoholic drink. This phrase is a very grugger ', which is Oxford for Degree.
fine instance of the etymological land- D. T., 14th August 1899.
marks sometimes perhaps often Delo diam (Back slang}. An old
afforded by passing English. Here is maid ; in common use.
106
 Delo Nammow Deuce o' Denas

When a bloke's hard up it's the delo Dern (Amer.). Another of the
diam who is his friend. When a poor evasive stages of damn '. '

girl goes wrong it is the delo diam who Never held such derned hands in my
'

gives her shelter until the kid is born.

life. Beat the game, though. 'Newsp.
Delo diams are angels on this muddy
earth, and if there is a heaven delo diams
Cutting. (SeeD&rn.)
will take a front seat there.
The study of evaded swearing in
Newsp.
Cutting, 1883. English may be interestingly compared
with the same process in French. In
Delo nammow (Back slang). Old
the former the evasion is always a
woman.
If he doesn't pay that delo nammow
' concession to religious thought, in the
latter it is always an attack. For
eighteenpence for washing there will be
a bankruptcy at his door.' Newsp. instance, 'Sacre nom de Dieu' has
Cutting. fallen to
'
Ore nom de Chou '. Any
Delo nam o' the Barrack (Thieves'). one can mark the sound similarity of
4
Old man ', which is back spelling, and the final words the pronounciation of
' ' ' '
Master of the house barrack, used chou being something like the mode
'
in which dieu is uttered by Alsacians
'
for house probably being obtained
;

from soldiers on furlough. and Auvergnats. But how needless

'Delphi (Theatr.). Mass pronoun - is the offence of calling the
Almighty
'
ciation of Adelphi ', the great house, a cabbage.
through the Victorian era of melo- Desert (Soc., 1892 on). Ladies'
drama in the Strand. (See 'Lane. ) Club from the absence of members.
Demijohn (Peoples'). Large mea- Deuce. Dusius the erotic God of
sure, swingeing draught. Probably Nightmare, passing (15th century in
from a measure of the time of King England) into Robin Goodfellow. Also
John e.g., All gome well, that was
;
'

applied to the four two's of a pack of

a demijohn, that was.' Johnson has cards here from the French deux ', '

nothing to say about it. playing cards having arrived from

Demons (Austral.). Old hands at Paris, precisely as the three is called
bushranging derived from men who ' '
from trois. There is no
;
tray
arrive from Van Dieman's Land (Tas- association between dusius and the
mania), some of whom are popularly deuce of clubs say, or any other card
supposed to have inaugurated bush- deuce.
ranging in Australia. It's true, I admit, that women have
'

Den (Public-house). A name gener- babies, but who the dooce has to keep *
ally given to a public-house frequented
t
em a?
night after night by the same set, and The most familiar shape of Deuce is
bestowed by them half-raefully, half- Robin Goodfellow, whose pictorial re-
satirically. presentation has long since been turned
Dennis (Sailors'). Nothing except out of good society. If any carious
below contempt ; e.g.,
'

Hullo, Dennis !' reader is desirous of seeing him in his

'

Oh, I'm Dennis, am I ?

'
Sailors always habit as he lived, he must be prepared
to pay him five pounds for a copy of
'
'
call the pig Dennis. This may have
reference to a certain sister isle and it Mr Thomas Wright's remarkable little

may not. (See Mud. ) book upon Phallic worship. Its study
will enable him to comprehend Shake-
Derby (Sporting). To pawn. At a
time when men still were foolish speare's allusions to this alarming per-
enough to take their watches to races, sonage probably Robin Goodfiller.
and especially the crowded Derby, Deucid or Deuced ( Peoples'). Either
they were frequently rushed' (that is, '
corruption of
decided, or meaning
*
pushed at ', but passing language is devilish in the more daily use of that
*
always industriously inclined to be word, as in He's a devilish good
lazy enough to save a word) for their fellow '. In the latter case it is derived
watches. This became so common from deuce. George Eliot, in ' Felix
that men who pawned their watches Holt,' ch. 17, makes it 'deuced'.
would say they had been stolen on '
He has inherited a deuced faculty for
the Derby or other course. Satirical business.'
friends saw the point, and hence a new Deuce o' denas From
' '
(Thieves').
verb for to pawn was added to the
deux, two, and dena, shilling.
countless stores of changing English. If you ask them to lend you a deuce o'
107
 Deuce take You Dip
'
denas, very likely you won't get it. and Kinahan
'
ale, for Irish whiskey.
Newsp Cutting. '
Twa o' bennevis
'

(the
' '
e pronounced
Deuce take you (National). Ejacu- short) is a common request, always
lation desiring that Satan may fly complied with in the hard-working
away with you. Sometimes imper- land o' cakes.
sonal Deuce take it.' From Dusius
'

Dick's hat -band

(Peoples', pro-
Dusii. A
makeshift. The hat-band
* vincial).
in fact the fauns and
They were in general use, even in Mr Weller's
satyrs of antiquity, haunting, as they time of widowhood, was a portentous
did, the wild woods. As incubi they
sweep of crape, draped and bowed
visited houses at night. They made behind. It slipped into a band of
their presence known as nightmare. cloth on the hat, and has now passed
They were known at an early period in to the arm as a strip, in imitation of
Gaul by the name of dusii, from which, the mourning worn by the late Queen's
as the church taught that all these servants for the Prince Consort. Who
mythic personages were devils, we was Dick? 'Tis all that remains of
derive our modern word deuce used in him. What be that, gammer that
'

" '
auch phrases as " Deuce take you !
bean't a bonnet?' 'No, bless thee,
R. Payne Knight, Worship of Priapus. 'tis a Dick's hat-band.
'

Devil doubt you, The (Peoples').

Very commonly used in this form, but Dicky, Dickey '
(Peoples'). Very '
doubtful e.g., It's Dickey, ain't it ?
in full, 'I don't' is added. Used to ;

concede a violent assertion on the other Origin obscure. May refer to Richard
side.
'
I'm a scorcher, I am,' to which
III. as conquered. courtier of A
the reply would be, The devil doubt
'
Henry VII. may have started the
'
phrase as a flattery to the Conqueror.
you / don't probably from the time
;

when compliments were still passed to The columbine was

less fortunate in his
'
opinion. She's werry dicky ; ain't got
Satan on the Persian plan. Means "
what I call move" about her.' Green-
I am not clever enough to dispute
'

wood's Night in a Workhouse.

your theory ; it requires one as clever
as Satan to question your assertion.' Die in a horse's night -cap
Probably the most familiar oath, if it (Thieves'). To die in a halter. Sup-
is an oath, in the English language. posed to be very brilliant satire.
Devil's dinner hour (Artisani). Die Dunghill (Sporting, 18 cent.).
Said of a cock that would not fight
Midnight, the hour for all Satanic
revels. Said in reference to working and applied to human curs ; e.g.,
late. 'I never die dunghill always p;ame.'
In our days the term has changed to
Devil's luck and my own (Peoples'). '
die on a dunghill ', meaning the per-
No luck whatever. The demon having
son spoken of will have no home in
been lamed early in life, and frequently
cheated of his prey, even of the Fausts
which to die.
of this world, his luck is not extensive ; Abbreviation of 'dif-
Diff (Soc.).
e.g., 'Getting on? Bless me no; I've ferences', it is not I love
e.g., 'No
the devil's luck, and my own too. her she loves me. That's the diff.'
When I pay my way I fancy I'm some- Probably came from the Stock Ex-
body else.' change, the birthplace of so much
Devonshire compliment ( W. passing English.
Doubtful There is a great diff between a dona
Country except Devonshire).
',

'Do 'ee 'ave this cup and a mush. You can shut up a mush
politeness ; e.g.,
o' tea in the pot ; 'full on'y be thrawed (umbrella) sometimes. Newsp. Cutting.

away !
' Diffs (Theatr.). A euphemistic ab-
'

Dew o' Ben Nevis and breviation of difficulties', cruelly com-

(Lond.
Edin. Taverns). fortunate name A mon with lessees until the prince,
discovered by a Scotch distiller to dis- about 1870, completely brought the
'
Dew was '
theatre into fashion.
tinguish his whiskey. '

poetic, and Ben Nevis was already

'
Diffs (Vulgar). Abbreviation of
'
in thf heart of the Scotch customer.
'
For gentlemen in diffi-
difficulties '.

The name is now used in place of the culties arrested in the county of Surrey
word whiskey, much like 'Guinness' there was a single spunging-house in
' ' '

Alsopp and Burton for

'
for stout, a street somewhere off the Blackfriars
108
 Dig Dish

'
Are you sure ? and he said,
I said,
'

Road. I remember visiting a friend

me
'
Yes been murdered in a railway
she's
there once, who told that the ;

carriage.' At eleven that same night

apartments were extremely comfort- Cox came to the house and
Sergeant
able. The sheriffs officer was an ac- took 'dimensions'. Newsp. Cutting.
complished whist player, and he had a Dinah (Com. London). A favourite
musical daughter who used to play and woman; e.g., 'Id Mary your Dinah?'
sing to the gentleman in "diffs".' '
Corruption of dona '.

G. A. Sala, Fifa and Ca Sa, in T. D. }

Dipping ( Thieves'). Picking pockets
15th August 1893.
literally dipping.
Dig (Mid. Class, Elegant). Abbrevia- Mr Selfe : What is
meant by 'dipping'?
tion of 'dignity'; e.g., 'So I stood upon The policeman It's the last new word
:

it means picking pockets.

my dig, and told him his room was Newsp.
nicer than his company.' Sometimes Cutting.
1
otium dig
'

(from
'
otium cum dig- Dirt Road
(Amer.). The highway,
nitate
' *
Come and seeme in my as distinctfrom the railroad, which is
; e.g. ,

summer-house ;
there I am in my gravelled. Probably railway official
otium dig.' satire.
His Honour talked to him in a fatherly
Dig me out (Soc. 1860). I.e., call
t
way, and told him to start for home by the
for metear ;
me from lazy loafing in dirt road, and David went out. Newsp.
the house. Cutting.
Digger (Milit.). The guard-room. Dirty Half-Hundred (Milit. O.S.).
Short for
'
Damned
guard-room'. 50th Regiment.
'

Digs. Short for 'diggings'. Austra- The gallant Fiftieth, otherwise known
'

'

lian for lodgings, from the time when Dirty Half -Hundred, a regiment
'
as the
with a splendid record, retains its title as
gold miners lived on their claims, or
'The Queen's Own', with a local habita-
diggings. In co tnrnon use by theatrical
tion in West Kent. D. N., July 1881.
touring companies.
The strolling 'mummers have alighted
'
Disagreeable Bore (Soc.). The
from a cheap excursion train, and are antithesis of Agreeable Rattle.
imbibing hot whisky and water before Discommons ( University). To boy-
commencing their chilly exploration of cott, send to Coventry, exclude.
the quiet little country town in search of A man is supposed, on leaving school
'digs'. D. T., 23rd March 1898. and going to college, to be learning to
Dill (Chemists'). A disguised title take care of himself. Except by dis-
'
'

for water no such cominonsing dishonest tradesmen, a

simple liquor as
mere water being named before the form of permitted Boycotting which
Dill sounds more medicinal
' '
might be more widely exerted, we fail to
public. see how the Heads of Houses are to make
than dill water. The word is a
extravagant young fellows careful.
liquidising of 'distilled water'. D. N., 20th March 1885.
Dilly-dally (Peoples'). Hesitative. One of the
Disguised (Soc.).
An equivalent of shilly-shally, both numerous evasive synonyms for
generally used as an attack upon the *
drunk '.

spoonery of lovers. Probably rhymed Most of Bob Prudhpe's customers are

from the latter. noblemen disguised in liquor. Newsp.
Dimber-damber (Street). Smart, Cutting.
active, adroit. One of the alliterative Bob was a very handsome and dashing
phrases with no absolute meaning a
'
licensed victualler in the neck of the
false onomatope. Namby-pamby and Strand', between St Mary's and St
nimmeny-pimmeny are on similar lines. Clement Danes long since demolished.
He is a bit dimber-damber, and up to Disguised Public-House (Polit.,
everything on the carpet. Newsp. 1886). Workmen's political clubs.
Cutting. First used in the House of Commons ;
Dime Museum Freak Show, applied ( e.g.,
'
Call it a club if you like this is
A common show
to theatres, 1884). a free country but it's an after 12.30
poor piece. From New York, which p.m. public, and nothing else.'
has a passion for monstrosity displays, Dish (Parliamentary). To over-
called Dime Museums the dime being come, to distance figuratively, to pre-
the eighth of a dollar. sent the enemy trussed in a dish, dis-
Dimensions, To take (Police). To played before the conquerors and the
obtain information. nation.
109
 Dismember for Great Britain Do

It is alleged that Liberals have stolen Liverpool from 'diving under to reach
a march upon the Conservatives, that it'. Equivalent to the lost London
non-political candidates have turned out word Shades' from the underground
'

to be Radicals in disguise, and, in short, darkness of these resorts. The last

that the Tories have been dished. ' '
shades were in Leicester Square.
D. T.
The Whigs had been dished, to use The first dive is scarcely more than a
the historic phrase of the great Lord gun-shot away in Piccadilly.
In many places (U.S.A.), especially in
Derby. D. T., 20th May 1899. (See
Dash my Wig.) the cities, the existence of the law makes
Dismember for Great Britain
no real difference ;
in some few, by fits
(Soc.
and starts, it is rigidly enforced, and
1886). The last political nickname
the consequence is that the drinking is
given to Gladstone. About the time driven underground, into what they
of the Home Rule Bill.
speak easies ', and
' '

variously call dives ',

They used to call him the Member for '
kitchen bar room
'
in the North ;
and
Midlothian. Now they call him 'the '
blind pigs
'
and
blind tigers in the
' '

Dismember for Great Britain.' Ref., South. The liquor sold deteriorates at
18th April 1886. the same time. Little but spirits is dealt
Distinct(ly) (Society, 1880). Thor- in, and much of it is of the vilest quality.
ough(ly). The use of this word in this G. A. Sala, D. T., 25th October 1893.
sense in many cases became a mania. A
grand entrance takes the place of
the tavern, which is relegated to down
'

'He is a distinct fool.' She is a dis- '

* below,' and is called a 'dive'. Ref., 10th

tinct fraud.' They are distinctly in
the wrong.' May 1885.
Diver (Thieves'). A pickpocket
Ditch, the (Local Lond., 1850). Ab-
breviation of Shoreditch, one of the obviously from diving the hand down
chief eastern thoroughfares of London. into others' pockets.
The Ditch is the oldest village in Divine punishment (Naval). Divine
London. A bloke named Shore hung service.
out there once. His missus went wrong Jack has little faith, and does not
with a King. When the King snuffed it know, perhaps cares little, what to
the dona had to walk through the streets believe and as to worship, it has long
;

in her nightgown. She died in a ditch been known in the forecastle as divine '

did Jane. Hence the name Shoreditch. punishment Newsp. Gutting, 1869.
'.

Gutting, 1883.
Diviners, or Dimers(0xfprd Univ.).
A.
frequenter of the Ditch is a Reduction in Oxford er ' of the Divin- '

Ditcher.
ity Examination, which replaced the
Ditch (Anglo- Amer.). The Atlantic. Rudiments of Faith and Religion.
A playful allusion toitsimmense width Dixie (Polit. Amer.). The pet name
(See Herring Pond.)
given to the South, or Dixie-land. A
Ditch and Chapel (E.London, street). *
popular negro song went, I wish I was
An abbreviation of Shoreditch and of in Dixie', that is to say, In heaven'.
'

Whitechapel
You only know me, maties, in Ditch Dizzy Age (Soc. of a kind, 19 cent.).
Makes the spectator giddy
parlours and Chapel bagatelle rooms. Elderly.
Cutting, 1883. to think of the victim's years gene-
Ditched (Anglo- Amer,}. Off the rally those of a maiden or other woman
canvassed by other maiden ladies or
highway halted.
; Accepted by the '

States from old coaching days. others, e.g., Poor dear ; but though
A portion of Doris's Inter oceanic
- she is really very well, especially at a
circus was ditched on Friday on the distance, on a dull day, she must be,
Missouri Pacific Railroad, near Boone- the dove, quite a dizzy age.'
ville, Mo.
Newsp. Gutting. Dizzy flat (Chicago). A fool whose
Now figuratively used e.g., ;
1
1 was foolery makes the hearer giddy.
ditched completely, and did not know Do (Peoples'). In one capacity, as a
what to say.' neuter verb, praiseful, as He'll do'.
'

Brother Smut (Peoples').

'

Ditto, Convert it into an active verb, He'll

Your tongue is as coarse as you say do you', and it becomes the most em-
mine is. Probably from chimney- phatic possible warning against a cheat.
sweeps. Rare instance of one word serving two
Dive (Amer. Eng.). An underground distinctly opposite purposes. To 'do',
drinkingbar. Reached England through as meaning to fight and conquer, has
110
 Do Do Oneself Well

quite passed into common English life. the witness said, emphatically, 'Well,
then, robbed me of my money.' Newsp.
'
I got done in three rounds ', simply
means that the speaker cried V(K metis Cutting.
after he had been grounded for the Do
again (Navy). Contemptuous
third time. A serio-comic singer, Bessie referenceto some one who never
achieved much. Generally applied to
Bellwood, turned this word to great
account while singing a song as a girl marines, who, being neither enrolled
who boasts of her prowess, saying sailors nor soldiers, are the ' buffers of
'

Yoho, you come down our court. If both, and get pressed hard'.
I can't do yer, me and my sister
'
Pick him up and pipeclay him and
he'll do again.' Newsp. Gutting.
Jemima 'ull do yer proper,' proper in
this case meaning completely.
Do a bunk (Public School). To re-
tire with precaution.
Finally, this (the emphatic auxiliary Do a bust (Thieves'). To burst a
verb of the eight auxiliary verbs) is
house open ; burglary.
used to describe murder.
Eedfern and his mate told him they
Her ladyship replied The two men
:
'

were 'going to do a bust', meaning a

have been trying to do for me.' Lady
Florence Dixie, concerning an armed robbery. D. T., 14th December 1897.
attack upon her, 1883. Do a Dutch (prob. Amer. Knicker-
bocker). To remove one's furniture
Quite classic in the criminal division
of Irish society, and is even used to ex- without the preliminary of paying the
rent due.
press hanging by law.
'
What Walsh The Spitkinses did a Dutch with all
sort of a do didget?' their stock just before quarter-day.
Asked by Patrick Joyce, the principal
assassin in an agrarian outrage, when
Newsp. Cutting.
almost a whole family were swept away Do a moan (Navy). To growl.
Moans are of frequent occurrence.
(Nov. 1882). He asked this question
of a jailer immediately after he had Do a smile (Amer., 1860 on). To
been condemned to death. Walsh had take a drink. Now rarely heard.
some time previously been hanged at Do a stamp (Amer., passing to Eng-
Galway. land). To go for a walk.
Arthur Chewster, of Boston, U.S., was Do him a treat (Pugilistic). To give
committed for trial from the West Ham him a thrashing.
Police Court on Saturday for severely '
He's a gee-gee of another colour.
wounding a labourer at Walthamstow Whoa, my rorty pals, he's a hot 'un,
with a bowie-knife. The prisoner in-
formed the police that he was an Irish- though some of you can do him a treat
' when he gets a trifle cheeky/ Cutting.
American, and meant 'to do for all
Englishmen. Globe, 5th October 1885.
Do in (Sport, 1886 on). To adven-
In Lancashire is used to express suf- ture, bet, plank down, etc.
' I am utterly unable to understand the
fering ; e.g., I've had a severe do this
time bronchitis, three weeks in bed.' unhealthy state of mind of a young
* ' fellow of one or two and twenty who in
Amongst thieves to do is to serve
little more than a twelvemonth loses
a term of imprisonment. between three and four hundred
In middle-class life 'do' represents thousand pounds, and who now rushes
'
a joke, as, ' What a do
'
! to 'do in every spare fiver or tenner
'
that comes into his possession.
Chiefly applied to cheating, as I Ref.,
was done Brown' that is, completely 19th May 1889.
cooked. Do one's bit ( Thieves'). To carry out
one's enforced contract as a felon with
Carlyle's Cockney, who
favourite
affirmed that every lottery had a do at '
the Government.
the bottom of it', would find his rather It is not easy to persuade a wealthy
cynical view of the gambling world employer who can buy what labour he
strengthened by a case heard at the requires in the cheapest and best market
Guildhall Police Court. Z>. JV., 25th to take a man who has done his bit' in a
'

May 1885. correctional institution. Neicsp. Cutting.

Judge Will you speak to what you
: Do oneself well (Colloquial, 1881).
know of the morality of Mr Doulton ? To make an effort to succeed in life.
Well, I will only say that he has done ' '
He was heard to remark to the lady of
me out of my money. (The word 'done' the house, in confidence, that this was
aroused the curiosity of the C ourt, and what he appreciated, that he adored
111
 Do over for Dr Jim

domesticity and 46, and that he intended still throughout the

year. It helped
to do himself well. Newsp. Cutting, to make the piece popular. The
oddity
3rd February 1883. of the phrase was got out of its
strange
Do over for (Low London). To ex- musical character..
tract money by flattery or threats. The Do was used short, as a grace
' '

When they comes back, Selby says to note. Then followed the you a third ' '

me, All J could do him over for was a

'

higher, and held about an ordinary

couple of bob.' People, 6th January 1895. crotchet's length. The 'know' was
Do the aqua (Public-house}. To put then taken a sixth below the 'you'.
in the water, as Jo, do the aqua ', and
'
The whole had a most droll effect. Mr
Joe pours the water into the held-out Penley began on the middle A, rose to
'
Say when !' When', and
'

glass, observing C, to E. The phrase was in

fell

says the other at the point he con- common use in all stages of society.
siders the dilution absolute. It went to America.
Do the graceful (Peoples'). A para- The Secretary has little more to say
than Do you know', which is delivered
'

phrase: to fascinate, to charm by

in amazingly sepulchral tones, and which
elegance of attention or behaviour. is likely to become a
' '

On Saturday last, on the occasion of gag expression on

the street.^. Y. Mercury, 1884.
the 300th performance of lolanthe, D'Oyly
Carte did the graceful by presenting Do you savey ? (Naif-society, 1840).
every lady visitor with a choice bouquet. Mongrel French Savez-vous?
' '

Newsp. Cutting. All right I shall in a minute.

'
savey
Do to rights (Lower Classes). To I couldn't savey that in a month.'
effect perfectly achieve quite satis-
;
Do you to Wain -rights (Lower
factorily. Has shades of meaning. classes, c. 1874). Intensification of
'
Did me to rights.' May be said eulo- '
Do you to rights,' by introduction of
the name of a more than usually notori-
'
I'll do you to
gistically of a meal.
'

rights may be a promise of high de- ous murderer, one Wainwright. (See
light, but it may mean,
when addressed Wainwright you.) The phrase was
to a man, that the addressee will be used by men to women, meaning a
thrashed awfully by the speaker. threat of murder, sometimes used quite
Do ut Des (Soc., 1883). Selfish earnestly. Wainwright had killed a
' '
mistress who troubled him very much.
people whose philosophy is I give
'
that thou mayest give '. Phrase still heard in East London,
where the crime was committed.
THE Do UT DBS AT HOME Since the
' '
:

time of Bismarck's famous 'do ut des' Doc (Amer. ). Short for doctor.
policy, we have known that the statesmen doc, I want you to tell me the
1
Now,
of the Fatherland are not inclined to worst. Is she dangerous?' The doc
give favours for nothing. D. T., 29th said it was not his nature unnecessarily to
December 1900. (See Doddies.) frighten any one, but he said doctors
Do often had a duty to perform that they
yer feel like that? (Lower would prefer to transfer to other
Classes). Addressed to a person gener-
shoulders. Newsp. Cutting.
ally lazy who is being industrious, or
who is doing some unusual work. Used
Doctor Brighton (Soc., 19 cent.).
satirically. Brighton said to be the invention of
:

Do you know?
history of this initial phrase is very
odd. 'it was first heard in the East of
London, used by a popular preacher
who often preached colloquially in the
streets, and whose voice had very droll
chan ges in it. The phrase spread (1883)
over the East district, and reached
the West towards the end of the year.
It became public early in 1884 through
its adoption by Mr Beerbohm Tree, in
The Private Secretary. The piece was
soon removed to the Globe when Mr
Tree's part was taken by Mr Penley,
who made the phrase more marked
(Peoples'). The George IV. ; one of his few small
witticisms.
'Doctor Brighton' is the prince of
fashionable physicians, and does not dose
his patients with nasty physic. The
'Doctor' has a pleasant face and an
agreeable manner at all times. D. T.,
13th August 1885.
Dr Jim (Peoples', 1896). A soft felt
hat, with wide brim. When soft felt hats
began (1895) to overcome the eternal
hard black or brown 'uu bowler, they
obtained several names of little account,
the quotation of which was more hon-
oured in the breach than the observance.
112
 Do Without Doing the Bear

Upon the arrival, late in 1896, of
Jameson from the Transvaal, the wide
rim of his soft Africander felt was at
once accepted. For some weeks these
models were called Jemmysons, but
the hero in question becoming more
popular as Dr Jim, the wide soft felter
became a Dr Jim very soon reduced to
Jimmunt, sometimes a Jimkwim the
outcome of a coalescing between the
Dr Edgar, who doesn't give much away,
arranges to have Rayne drugged with a
wonderful potion, two drops of which will
make a man silly for the time being.
Newsp. Cutting.
Dog (Peoples'). Clever, cheery,
hearty fellow age not considered.
Derived from the active, cheerful
nature of dogs in general.
An Irishman has always been a dog '

earlier and later titles. at a ballad', as a Shakespearian character

Do without (Yorkshire). To dis-

(oddly anticipating modern slang) calls
himself 'a dog at a catch'. D. N.
like. A Yorkshire man
generally is
too cautious to say he hates a man. Dog-cheap (Peoples'). Very cheap.
He Who or what was the dog ? Certainly
circumambulates, and says, 'Eh, not canine, for the word would not be
ah could do wi'out him.' (See Nice
apposite cat-cheap would be nearer
place to live out of. ) the mark. Probably a pedlar, whose
Dod rabbit it (Amer.). In Charles
II. 's time it was God rebate (assuage)
name might be Diggory, abbreviation
to dig, and thence dog '
I bought it
it. This passed finally in England
into 'Od rabbit it'. dog-cheap'. Johnson, who was cruelly
Going over to
America the phrase was there further puzzled by some of the compounds in
'dog', says, 'dog and cheap cheap
changed. as dog's meat; cheap as the offal
Doddies (Peoples') Corruption of
Do ut des reduction of Doddies-man ; bought for dogs.' Dryden uses the
;
word 'Good store of harlots, say
e.g., 'E's a doddies give a sprat to '

catch a herring any day in the week, you ? and dog-cheap ?

and any hour.' Dog -gone (Peoples'). Devoted ;

from the pertinacious devotion of the

Dodo (Amer., beginning to be
doggie. In U.S.A. it is an evasion of
known in England). A
human fossil, '
God damn '.

a man who clings to the past, and con- cats (Amer.). An example
Dog my
demns future days and present a of concealed swearing God damn my
ganache, to use a French term. eyes.
Dodo (Press, 1885). Scotland Yard Dog my cats if she didn't make a nest
figuratively to express that the metro- of and set three weeks on the buttons
it !

politan police were fossil in their Newsp. Gutting.

organisations. Dog's legs (Soldiers'). The chevron,
The old dodo at Scotland Yard, roused designating non commissioned rank,
-

into a state of feverish activity by the worn on the arm, and not unlike in
comments of the press and the public on outline to the canine hindleg.
the failure of Monday, yesterday con-
verted itself by a tremendous effort into Doggie (Milit., 1850). Officer's
a gigantic turkey-cock, or, to use the servant, especially cavalry. The in-
much more expressive Scotch word, a crease of education amongst the men
great bubbly-jock which strutted and has swept the term away. Men were
rattled and stamped and made its proud of it iu times when officers and
guttural gobble all over the metropolis their servants were more familiar than
yesterday, with the most alarming result. at present.
Pall Mall Gaz., llth February 1886.
Doggie (LondonYouths'). All-round
Dodrottedest (Amer., 1883). An upright collar.(See Sepulchres,
example of evasive swearing. Poultice, Shakespeare navels. )
The Apaches war well mounted, and I Doing (Peoples'). A thrashing ; e.g. ,
'
recko'nized the leader as a feller they give 'im a doin' which 'e won't
I'll
called Chief Billy, the dodrottedest thief see out of 'i* eyes for a fair week after
and cut-throat that ever pestered a com- I've done 'im over.'
munity. Newsp. Gutting. '
I've had a bad doing this week
Doesn't give much away(Peoples', lost thirty quid.'
Yields few or no advantages
80).
Doing the bear (Span.- Amer., pass-
seizes all chances. Very cogent, and ing over U.S.). Courting which in-
full of folk-keenness. volves hugging.
113
 Dol Don't Seem

Courtship is carried on in a most extra- reference a protest against the then

ordinary manner in Mexico. The part a new fashion, with suggestion as to the
man plays in a courtship is called doing '

wearer. Died out as the century wore

the bear', which is a translation of to an end. Which when a gent puts
'

'hacer el oso'. It is quite a common

a donkey's breakfast a-top of his nut
expression in Mexico to say 'I am doing :

' he wants jollying.' It took several

the bear to Miss So-and-so or for the ;

girl tosay That young man is doing

:
'
years for the streets to accept the
the bear to me.' Newsp. Cutting. straw hat. Even now it is far from
universal.
Dol (Peoples'). Abbreviation of
dollar. Donny brook (Anglo-Irish). Riot,
Dollars to buttons (Anglo- Amer.). disturbance, down to a shrew's
A sure bet. squabble. Applied in a thousand
'
She has got to put those clothes on, ways. On 19th February 1900 the
and she feels that it is dollars to buttons Daily Telegraph had a paragraph about
that when she picks up an under-garment a number of torpedo-boat destroyers,
from the floor by the table leg, that she one of which broke away in harbour
will be blown through the roof.' Newsp. from her moorings, and did much mis-
Cutting. chief. This par was headed The '

(See Million to a bit of dirt.) Destroyers' Donny brook '.

Dolly mop (Peoples'). An over- From the historical conviction that
dressed servant girl. Probably a form Donnybrook Fair (Ireland) is all noise.
of Dollabella and Mopsa, both names Don't be a chump (E. London,
used in 18th century for weak, over- 1889). Do not lose your temper.
dre*sed, slovenly women. Derived probably from the act of
Dolly worship (Nonconformist). The fixing the teeth in passion as though
Roman Catholic religion. From the chumping that is, biting hard.
use of statues, etc. Don't care a Pall Mall (Club, 1885).
Dominoes (Tavern). The teeth, A synonym for a damn. In July 1885
when bad and yellow. When white, the Pall Mall Gazette gained wide
they are ivories. notoriety by the publication of articles
Don Caesar spouting (Soc., 1850 entitled The Maiden Tribute'. Hence
elocution the phrase, He may say what he likes ;
'

on). Haughty
public
espesially after dinner. Probably a I don't care a Pall Mall.'
satirical combination of the Don
' '
a Don't dynamite (Peoples', 1883).
memory of Mary Tudor's husband, and Avoid anger. Result of the Irish
Julius. pranks in Great Bdtain with this ex-
Dona Highland Flingers (Rhyming plosive. Their chief result was to add
Music Hall Singers). One of the a word to the army of phrases.
names of the serio-comic generally Don't know who's which from
one who sings or flings high notes when's what! (Street, 1897). Total
'
hence the term. Many a dona High- sentence of stupidity. Speaks for
land Flinger gets nailed when she itself.
thinks .she marries a toff, and finds Don't lose your hair (Peoples', 19
out that he's a bad egg. cent.). Don't lose your temper. Came
Dona Jack (Lower Glasses). Lowest in when wigs went out, and replaced
description of Jack man who lives on 'dash my wig'. From the tendency
the dona, a man who preys upon men to tear the hair in a rage, or, at all
of all designations. events, to seize it. (See Keep your
Done (Texas). Completely. Done hair on. )
is the commonest of adjectives ; e.g., Don't mention that (Common Lon-
1
We are done tired ;
'

'
don, 1882). A catch word which pre-
'
The kitchen is done swept ; vailed for some time in consequence of
'
The baby is done woke up.' Mr Baron Huddleston's frequent use
Done Fairly (Sporting, 1860). Com- of the phrase during the endless hear-
pletely cheated. ing (for over forty days) of a libel case
Fairlie has taken the Novelty Theatre. between sculptors Belt v. Lawes.
Let's hope that nobody will be able to Don't seem ( Colloquial). Equivalent
e.g., 'I don't seem
'

say he's done Fairlie. Cutting. to 'incapable of ;

Donkey's breakfast (London, 1893 to see it, my dear fellow ; where does
'

on). A man's straw hat. Satiric the advantage come in ?

114
 Don't sell me a Dog Doping

Don't sell me a dog (Soc., 1860). Door and hinge (Lond., Peoples').
Do not deceive me. Derived from the Neck and breast of mutton, a joint
of a dog, which bends readily amongst the cer-
experience that the purchase
most fanciers being thieves, was ever a vical vertebrae. Very graphic and
Very popular until 1870. humorsome. (See Stickings, Hyde
deception.
Park Railings.)
Don't think, I (Mid. Class, 1880).
Door-knocker (Peoples', 1854). A
Emphatically meaning cfo think e.g., ;

So you've nailed my young woman-

' ring-shaped beard formed by the cheeks
' and chin being shaved leaving a chain
well that's a nice thin job, I don't think
of hair under the chin, and upon each
simply because he's quite sure of it.
side of mouth forming with moustache
Don't turn that side to London something like a door-knocker.
Condemnation of any kind
(Peoples'). Charles Dickens had a moustache and
of a patched coat or boots, the worst a door-knocker beard. E. Yates, Recol-
side of a joint of meat, some injury to
lections, vol. i., p. 256.
the body, etc., etc. From the supposi- Door-mat (Colloquial, The
1856).
tion that everything of the best is name given by the people to the
heavy
required in the metropolis. (See Turn and unaccustomed beards which the
the best side to London.) Crimean heroes brought home from
Doogheno (London, Back, lucent.}. Russia in 1855-56, and which started
This a remarkably complicated speci-
is the beard movement, much to the
' '

men. It is composed of good back- '

astonishment of French excursionists.
'
wards, the letter h to prevent the By 1882 the term came to be applied
softening of the g' when brought
'
next to the moustache only, probably be-
an e '. Eno is of course ' one '.
' ' '
cause about this time the tendency to
It can't be denied that Booth has shave the beard and wear only a very
made a doogheno hit, and you ought to heavy moustache became prevalent.
nark his bucket. (1882.)
While writing, a pal comes in and tells
Edwin Booth was an American actor me that the City peelers are to be
who (1881-82) obtained considerable allowed to grow doormats. Cutting.
success in London in Shakespearian The Corporation of London, always
characters.
very conservative, only allowed the
a chap happens to be a dab tros he
If
City police to wear moustaches in 1882.
gets on better than a doogheno who
keeps himself quiet and never lets any-
He was a little joker with a red
smeller and a small red doormat over
body Tommy Tripe know how clever he
is.
his kisser. Cutting.
Cutting.
Dook (Peoples'}. A huge nose. Cor- Doormat (Common Lond., 1880).
duke,' and referring to the Victory (see Grease spot), meaning
' -
ruption of
time of Wellington, who that the enemy was overcome, and so
'
1
Duke
fallen that the victor wiped his feet
during the first half of the 19th cen-
tury was, with intervals of unpopu- upon the conquered Vae Victis !

larity, styled 'the duke'. His Grace's guess that chucker-out won't hit me
I

high nose was hereditary. The title any more. I made a doormat of him.
became shortened to this one word, and Cutting (1883).
his nose beiug so exceptional, the title
Doping (Hoeing, 1900). Hocussing
of the owner came by metaphor to rather than poisoning racehorses when
represent a huge nose. To this day it about to run. In 1899-1900 large sums
ia u*ed. (See Boko.) of money had been made by American
Dookin ( Thieves'). Fortune-telling. betting-men at English race meetings.
Sixpenny horoscopes in by-ways and Gradually the conviction gained groun d
cast upon the lines of the palm of the that runner were being tampered, with
baud, the that being nearest the
left, in new and dangerous ways, resulting
heart. Hence the word dook, dookes, in more than temporary injury to the
being ancient slang for hand generally ; horses. Especially in the U.S.A. it
used in plural. 'Put up yer dooks.' was remarkable how frequently racers
Dookin has new become fashionable,
' '
either died at or shortly after a race,
and is called palmistry. Where all the or that they so went back that they
hand is concerned (this in telling char- were never raced again. In the U.S.A.
acter), the term is chiromancy. the term used for the exercise of this
115
 Dorothy Down the Road

nefarious usage of horses was called in a week no one would stop here.
doping' said to be derived from a
'
Newsp. Cutting.
proper name. The term came to be Double Scoop (Military, 1890).
heard in England in the summer of Hair parted in centre, and worn low
1900. In November of this year the gave way to the quitf.
Animals' Aid Society held a weakly
Dough-nut (Amer. passing to Eng-
organised meeting to devise means to A German
meet these fraudulent practices. But land). baker, especially the
it turned out that nobody present knew variety.
'
Shut up, thou dough nut, or thy last
anything at all about the matter. moment may be thy next.' Cutting.
Dorothy (Soc., 1888). Rustic love-
making. From the mode of an opera- Probably from the too frequent pale,
face of this
comique of this name (1887-88). flabby, doughy sickly
Those (letters) of the defendant were operative.
of the most amatory character, contain- Dover Castle boarder (Prison;
ing repeated promises, in Dorothy style, Debtors'}. A circumscribed district
to be true to the plaintiff. D. N. 7th around the Bench
t
Quen's prison
July 1888. (South wark Bridge Road), pulled down
Dorsay (Soc., 1830-45). Perfect. in 1881, was called the rules of the
'

Count d'Orsay, of an old French family,
led the fashion generally during these
so much so that it was the
years ;
highest praise to say he was a dorsay.
Dose of Locust (N. fork Police-
men's). A beating with fists.
Mullaley, smarting under the pain of
the wound, gave Mr Supple a dose of
Bench'. Certain debtors, not im-
prisoned in the Bench itself, were com-
pelled to sleep in this district, and they
were thus called because the most
prominent tavern in the neighbourhood
was styled 'The Dover Castle' much
frequented by these poor debtors, who
were therefore called boarders '. The '

locust, which induced him to accompany house still exists. It was not a stone's-
the officer to court. Newsp. Cutting. throw from the prison.
Dossy Elegant.
(Street). Probably Down
the banks (Irish colloquial).
from Count d'Orsay (q.v.).
Failed; e.g., 'I got down the banks
Dot and carry one (Street). Person for my pains' meaning I failed only
with a wooden leg. as a result. Probably the outcome of
The 'dot 'is the pegged impression life amongst the bogs, which are scored
made by all wooden legs before the with deep ditches, as the peat is cut
invention of the modelled foot and The water at the
perpendicularly.
calf. The one is the widowed leg.
' '

foot of the banks is frequently quite

Dotted (Tavern, 19 cent.). Black-
deep, often enough to go over a man's
eyed. To 'dot' a gentleman is to head.
punctuate him emphatically with a Down the Lane and into the Mo
black -eye.
(Central London, Low). Here the
The chucker-out he dotted,
He got so blooming tight. Lane is that called Drury the 'Mo' ;
' '

Cutting. is abbreviated Mogul Music Hall

Dotties Man (Peoples'). Greedy, (established 1850), and afterwards
grasping giving a sprat to catch a baptized The Middlesex. But the
Lane clung to ' Mo probably a name
'

herring.
Double-breasted water-butt given to the place generations since,
smasher A man of fine bust when a public garden there was kept
(Street).
an athlete. by some wonderful Indian.
The Bobby said that Joey Fanatty What was the good, thought we, of
(aged), described on
the charge-sheet as saving your rhino, if you've got no girl
the double-breasted water-butt smasher, to take for trots down the Lane or into
was charged with a salt. Newsp. Cutting. the Mo. Cutting, 1883.
Double intenders (Peoples'). Knock- Down the Road (E. London Streets).
down blows labial or fistful. Showy, flashy. The road is the Mile End
Double-plated blow-hard (A mer.). Road, which to frequent on a Sunday,
'

A loud aud contemptible boaster. in a good cart or shay', is the ambition

of every costermonger and small trader
They went away believing I was an old
liar and a double-plated blow-hard, and in that district.
116
 Down to the Ground Drilling

Down to the ground (Peoples'). Draw the Badger. (See Badger.)

Completely from head to heels. Draw the dibs (Bootmakers }. To
1

The character suits Rignold

'
down to take wages dibs being a trade term
the ground '. Newsp. Gutting.
for money. Dibs are small nails, hence
Drag (Theat.) Petticoat or skirt coins.
used by actors when playing female
Draw the line at tick (Sena-
parts. Derived from the drag of the A euphemism for declaration
comics').
dress, as distinct from the non-draggi- of virtue on the part of a serio-comic
ness of the trouser. '

lady singer. I may sing a hot line

Mrs Sheppard is now played by a man or two, or take a present here or there,
Mr Charles Steyne, to wit. I don't
but I draw the line at tick,' the mate-
like to see low corns, in drag parts, but
rial in question being not a scheme of
must confess that Mr Steyne is really '

without credit or tick ', but a covered allusion

droll, being at all vulgar. Ref.,
24th July 1887. to the textile fabric used for the cover-
Also given to feminine clothing by ing of beds and mattresses.
eccentric youths when dressing up in Dree his weird (Lanes.). To bear
skirts. trouble sadly.
Drag-on Little do the unthinking youths who
Opprobrious
(Cornish}.
distinction conferred on the men of nowadays assemble at a wedding to
guy the best man suspect that a
* ' ' '

Helston by their Cornish neighbours

generation ago a victim of this descrip-
especially the nearest. tion would not have had to 'dree his
A neighbourly legend of Helston '
weird alone. His weird would have
formerly Hellstone in Cornwall, says been dreed conjointly with him by a
that the borough was dropped from the second best ', a third best, down some-
clouds by the Evil One in the course of a times in a descending scale of excellence
provincial tour over the western county. to an eighth best man. D. T., 3rd
To this moment, 1 understand, it is a
September 1895.
deadly affront to call a Helston man a
Dress for the part (Society drawn
dragon '.D. T., 20th August 1896.
4

A from Theatre, 1870). To act hypo-

Drapery Miss (Com. Class). girl
of doubtful character, who dresses in a critically.
The only two authors of real celebrity
striking manner. Libellous generally.
whom I can remember as having looked
Degenerated from the time of Byron, '
like themselves
'
I mean their books
who says in a note to st. 49 ca. xi. of were Douglas Jerrold and Alexandre
Don Juan: '
Dumas the Elder. Sham celebrities, on
'
Drapery Misses This term is pro-
:
the other hand, dress for the part ', and
'

bably anything now but a mystery. It contrive to look that which they are,
was, however, almost so to me, when I really, not. G. A. Sala, in III. Lond.
first returned from the East, in 1811-12.
News, 16th December 1882.
It means a pretty, a high-born, a fashion-
able young female, well instructed by her
Dressed up to the nines (Com.
friends, and furnished by her milliner London). A eulogistic or sarcastic ex-
with a wardrobe upon credit, to be pression of opinion as to another's
repaid, when married, by her husband. dress according as the accent and
Drasacking (Devon.) Draw-sacking manner of the speaker go. Corruption
idle, slow,
dragging. of 'Dressed to the eyen '. When 'eyen'
'

Drasacking is a common and cheap (pi. of eye ') was departing English,
' '

pastime, consisting of an aimless, point- an 's' was added to give 'eye' a

less, shambling sauntering. The dra- '
modern plural while the knowledge of
'

householder, while an absolute

' ' '
sacking eyen' remained. After a time eyen
tortoise himself, believes that a wise and lost its meaning, and the old plural was
just dispensation intended his servant-
colloqualized into a comprehensive ex-
girl or hired man to be a hare. D. T.,
19th October 1895. pression, and 'nines' followed. Con-
currently, the expression 'dressed to
Draw iron (Amer.}. To present a the nines' took form, and is still used.
pistol.
If every person who fancied himself Drilling ( Workpeoples'}. Punishment
aggrieved by his cabman were to draw
'
by way of waiting, applied to needle-
iron ', the nature of the cabman's shelter women who make errors in their work.
would have to be altered and made to There a common punishment in
is
correspond with the iron huts familiar to these sweating warehouses when work is
'
Irish police. Newsp. Gutting. wrongly done. It is termed drilling '.
117
 Dririkitite Drunk as a Polony

The woman could not, it seems, be suffi- dropped from under the feet of the
' '

ciently drilled by merely being sent victim, the significance of the word
home to undo the work and do it again. became evident.
She must be taught to be more careful
Drop the cue (Billiard - players').
by punishment a little more drastic than To die.
that,and accordingly she was told her
bundle would be sent down to her, and Drouthy (Scotch). Wavering per-
till it came she must wait.
'
The woman son one of no settled will.
;

stood there expecting the parcel every Leading citizens were occupied the
minute for three days.' D. N., 26th greater part of the night before the
February 1885. (See Sweater. ) polling-day watching doubtfuls, known
' '

Drinkitite (Peoples': East London). locally as drouthies every voter was ;

'

pledged not a few were nursed

'
the
Thirst. The struggling populace, who ; ;

halt, the blind, and the deaf were

chiefly joke (when they joke apart from escorted to the polling-booth. D. N.,
abuse) over their struggles, having dis- 27th October 1884.
covered ' bite-etite ' as a jocose conver- Drum 1 A house.
( Thieves', 860).
sion of appetite came naturally to give Close to the gardens the prisoner said
'
it a correlative in drinkitke '. There 'What do you think of those ''drums"
'
is also grim satire in the
application of there ? and witness said, I don't think '

the last syllable, which is the common much of them.' felon's Queen's JUvidence.
word for 'drunk', hence 'drinkitite' Drum is not usually applied to a
' '
as a pendent to bite-etite is positively
respectable quaker-like house, but to
perfect. An East London gentleman any one frequented by, say, soldiers.
gently referring to his continued liba- Fielding uses this word in Tom Jones,
tions would evasively but emphatically Bk. xvii., ch. 6.
'
observe I've been on the drinkitite
:
Drum A cell
(Thieves'). precisely
right through the week.' because a drum is an enclosure.
Driving
1

at (Peoples'). Energetic Drunk as a lord (Streets). Very

acti< >n. Good example
of phrase coming intoxicated. Descent from 18th cen-
out of general characteristic vigour of tury middle-class when drunkenness
the race. '
He must be driving at was honourable.
something.' Even the word drive, Drunk as a lord and Sober as a
' ' '

without the progressive 'ing' or the '

judge have ceased to have any recognis-

emphatic 'at', is a perfect English able application to the nobility and the
word. Judicial Bench. Judges, in these later
To cause to days, are as sober as other folk, take
Drop (Amer.-Eng.). them as a class, no more and no less,
drop. and the same applies to the Peerage.
About two minutes after he had the D. T., 27th May 1888.
revolver hisbody was swung a little on Drunk as Floey Who it
one side, when I pointed my revolver (Peoples').
and fired where I thought I could drop appears was dead drunk may be a cor-
him. D. N., 5th September 1884. ruption of Flora, but probably a con-
fusion between that comparatively
Self-defence of a burglar named
familiar name and 'Chloe'. If the
Wright. Also, to understand.
latter, good instance of the power Swift
'
Ah ? '
sobbed the girl, '

you do not had to popularize. In the dean's poems

drop.' Newsp. Cutting. Chloe is always more or less under the
Drop (Society and Sporting, 1850). influence of drink.
To lose (money). A racing man or Drunk as a polony (Lond.). At
society man who fails to win money on first sight this expression might be
a race never loses he always drops
it
'
accepted as very literal, seeing that a
it; e.g., I dropped awfully on the sausage cannot stand, and that a
Leger.' polony (corruption of Bologna cele-
Drop The modern gal-
(Thieves'). brated for its sausages) exists under
lows. A
significant word to
very the same conditions. But it is more
describe modern capital punishment. probably one of frequent but obscure
At Tyburn tree the man stood in the expressions derived from the French,
cart, which was drawn from under who to this day say ' Soul comme un :

him. Afterwards, at Newgate, the suf- Pol-nnais' this probably took its
ferer was pulled up. But when some origin in reference to Maurice Mai echal
genius invented the falling flap, which de Saxe, who, in his drinks, was more
118
 Druriolanus Duffing

Polish than French. On the other Duchess The shapely

(Silk trade).
hand, the Pole, for drinking com- girl upon whom
mantles and jackets
parisons, has long held in France the are tried to enable ladies to judge of
position maintained in England by the the effect.
cobbler ' drunk as a cobbler'. The Duchess living lay figures receive
that title, in addition to a whole pound
Druriolanus (Theat., 1885).
a week. Besant & Rice, The Golden
Drury Lane Theatre. Playful outcome ch. 11.
of calling Mr Augustus Harris, after- Butterfly, vol. i. ,

wards Sir Augustus the Duchess (Peoples'). Mother in-

Harris,
variable title given between familiar
Emperor Augustus. The word also
friends when the mother of either is
suggests that other directorial person-
being asked after.
'
How's the Duchess,
age, Coriolanus.
Bob?'
The vast stage ofHer Majesty's is not
a whit
The wife, under similar conditions,
lessadvantageous for the display would be asked after as The Old '

of its spectacular effects than that of the

house which gives to Mr Harris's tele- Clock' a title whose derivation a
sharp-witted man may find in the first
'
'
graphic address of Druriolanus its

special fitness and significance. D. N., chapter of Sterne's Tristram Shandy.

12th October 1886. Duck-pond (Navy). The shallow
Augustus Druriolanus is their presi- bathing - place on the lower deck,
dent, and they are going to bring off a effected by a rig -up of sail-cloth,
four-oared race from Barnes to Hammer- made watertight, fixed to the deck,
smith on October 31. Ref., October 1886. and in which the cadets wash and
Dry Bobs (Eton). A cricketer. roll themselves, in batches, under the
(See Wet Bobs.) watchful eyes of a warrant officer.
Dry canteen (Milit.). (See Wet Ducks (Soc., 1840). White
canteen. ) trousers of a peculiarly woven cotton
fabric mentioned here because it has
Dry guillotine (Franco English). been said to be a corruption of dux', '

Severe imprisonment. From the penal
French colony at Cayenne, a fearful
place.
Cayenne so malarious that trans-
is
portation thither used to be styled the
dry guillotine. Graphic, 1st November
1884.
Dry land (Rhyming}.
stand.
Whenever you see a chap after your
judy, the best thing to do is to go up to
her and tell her that you don't mean to
stand her blooming kid, that you dry
land her emag. Cutting.
Dry up (Anglo- Amer.).
because effete from mining districts
the name given to the material by the
Scotch manufacturer who discovered it.
Dux was, if not is, used much by the
Scotch. (See Lindley Murray's English
Grammar).
Duffer-fare ( Lond. Cabmen's). In the
neighbourhood of the theatres, as clos-
To under-
ing time approaches, the police will not
allow cabmen to drive empty cabs
through the Strand highway. In order
to get past the police, and so obtain a
chance of a fare when the theatres vomit
then-thousands, cabmen will ask a pedes-
' '
trian to be chummy enough to jump
To cease in, and be driven into the Strand.
Here arrived the duffing-fare', quits '

of W. America, where, when the moun- the cab, the driver is in the Strand
tain torrents dry up in summer, mining and keeps there till 11 P.M. when the ,

operations necessarily cease. theatres disgorging, he gets a fare that

Duca di Somevera (Peoples'). Libe- is no duffer, and who pays more or less

ral Italian translation of Duke of Some- nobly.

where. On a par with the Earl le Bird, Duffing (Soc. and Peoples', 1880 on).
The outcoming adjective of 'duffer' and
Sir Tinly Someone, and Swift's Lord '
Nozoo. duff'. By 1897 this word became one
The unhappy purchaser of a supposed
of the most active qualitatives in the
language. As a verb it had by this time
masterpiece must be prepared to hear
that his picture is a replica of one in the come be thoroughly conjugated ;
to
Isle of Wight, or at Madrid, or in Lord e.g., 'He
duffs everything he touches.'
Blank's gallery, or in the Palazzo of the
'
He
the most duffing duffer that
is
Duca di Somevera D. N.. 16th June ever duffed.' 'He has duffed, he does
1883.
duff, and he will duff for ever.'
119
 Duke Dutch

Dvk* (Street). Nose. (SeeVook.) Durn(Amer.~JEng.). Another evasion

Duke o' Seven Dials (Low Class, of damned '. (See Darn. )
'

1875). Satirical peerage bestowed upon Worms

that rise early are caught
any male party dressing or behaving gobbled up by birds every time. The
above or beyond his immediate sur- worm's a durn fool to get up so early.
roundings. There is no corresponding Newsp. Cutting.
duchess. A young person of airs and Dust (American Teamsters). A mere
graces is generally spoken of as about light touch of anything.
to marry the peer in question; e.g., The visiting, the music, the marching,
f
I'm going to be the duchess of the the cheering and the excitement of the
Dook o' Seven Dials.' Parody Song, reunion, with a little dust of liquor, had
Drury Lane Pantomime, 1884. made him feel quite excited. Newsp.
Cutting.
Duke's (The) (Lond., 19 cent.). A
nickname of the ArgyllKooms in Wind- Dust (Amer., 1880). To walk
mill Street, Haymarket, W., now re- quickly suggested by the dust thrown
up in the act. Indirect proof of the
placed by the Trocadero. In allusion
to the Duke of Argyll. dry nature of American weather.
One grabbed a rope that was on the
Why should the Argyll be suppressed sidewalk where they was moving a
and the Pavilion be tolerated ? Of the
' building, and pa got up and dusted.
two the Pav. is far worse than the
' '

You'd a died to see pa run. Newsp.

Duke's'. Newsp. Cutting.
Cutting.
Dukey (Street, Boys'). A penny Dusting (Boer War, 1899-1900).
gaff. The four-farthing theatre obtained Finishing the war complement of
this title from a Jewish proprietor of '

Sweeping up '.

one of these temples of art. His nose North

of Pretoria there is still a good
was very prominent (1840-50). In deal of dusting to be done. D. 2nd
T.,
these days such a feature begot its November 1900.
owner the title of duker, from the hero Dustman's bell (Nursery). Time
' '
of Waterloo, emphatically the duke for bed. Is it Dowse
Origin obscure.
from 1815 to 1850. The 'y' here is man's bell curfew bell time to put
an instance of endearing addition. out ('dowse') the lights? Has it any
Dumbed (Amer. Puritanic). Eva- association with dowse the glim ? ' '

sion of damned
'
'. Johnson gives '
To fall suddenly into
:

The man who believes that the Jews the water' which would certainly put
are such a pack of dumbed fools, as to out the light.
seriously entertain any such plan, should Dust out (Amer. -Eng. ). To retreat
be shut up in an asylum for the feeble- '

minded. Newsp. Cutting. quickly, levant '. Suggested by dust

thrown up by rapid walking.
Dummy ( Thieves'). Loaf probably I quickly got inside, locked the door,
from th softness of the crumb. and dusted out the back way. Newsp.
Dumplin' on (L. Classes). Enceinte. Cutting.
Dun (Peoples'). To worry for money. Dust up (Milit., 19 cent.). An
One of the forcible words gleaned from engagement from the dust made by
Of course lexico- the movements.
proper names.
graphers trace it to Early English, A member of theRoyal Army Medical
who, in his own words,
'

Anglo-Saxon, or some other remote Corps, got

source. Webster says it is taken from through the Graspan dust-up nicely ',
the Saxon dynan, to claim. But the was sent, etc. Z>. T., Boer War, 16th
Saxons did not dun they recovered January 1900.
their debts by more forcible means. Dusty (Navy). A ship'g steward's
Here is its true origin It owes its :
assistant probably because this hard-
birth to one John Dun, a famous worked official looks it.

bailiff ofthe town of Lincoln ; so ex- Dutch Retreat especi-

(Peoples').
tremely active, and so dexterous was ally from a creditor, and still more
this man at the management of his especially when accompanied by furni-
rough business, that it became a pro- ture removed from a tenancy, the rent
verb when a man refused to pay his of which has not been handed over.
debts, Why don't you dun him ?
*
It
'
We did a dutch with everything
1

originated in the reign of Henry VII. even down to the coal-hammer.'

120
 Dutch Cheese Early Riser

1
Yere comes 'Anner's young bloke or woman,especially the latter; e.g.,'
1
I think I'll do a quick dutch/ My
eye, ain't she jest a dynamiter ?
I make myself agreeable, and then When tart ' came to be common pass-
'

I must do a Dutch'. ing English, it was applied to this

'
say, Cutting.
Dutch cheese (Low London, 1882). word; e.g., 'Well, she may be tasty,
A bald-head derived from the fact
;
but to my mind she's a dynamitart.'
that Dutch cheeses are generally made (See Petroleuse.)
Dyspepsia (Milit. Hospital). Drink
globular.
Dutch daubs (Amer., Com- delirium. D.T.s.
1883).
mon paintings of still-life, imported
into America by the ten thousands.
Introduced by the New York Herald
(April 1883) in reference to a political
measure which placed a 35 per cent, ad
valorem duty upon imported pictures.
The term soon came to mean a bad E.G. Women (Snob Soc., 1881).
picture of any kind. Wives of city people, so named from
The term 'Dutch Daub' has fetched the city forming the East Central
me a little. I call to mind that in almost
postal district of the metropolis.
every refreshment buffet and miner
hotel bar in the Southern and Western E.P. (Theat.). Experienced Play-
States you come across oil-paintings of goer.
still-life. G. A. Sala, 111. London News, The experienced playgoer will readily
28th April 1883. guess that Branson compasses the
Dutch row A got-up un- (apparent) destruction of Gerald, and
(Street}.
anon returns to Bally vogan to personate
real wrangle.Rarely heard. On all
'
the heir and the e.p. will be right.
fours with une querelle d'Allemand'.
Newsp. Cutting.
Dutchman (Soc. of a sort, 1870 on).
Name E. R. ( Oxford 'er'). Suffix applied
champagne of Deutz and
for
in every conceivable way to every sort
Gelderman. Here the first name is
pronounced Dutch, and the last syllable
of word. Began early in the Queen's
of the second name is added. reign and has never lapsed. new A
woid in 'er' is generally started by
Duty (Lower Class, Respectable).
some quite distinguished Oxonian
Interest on pawnbrokers' pledges.
Evasive synonym for interest. generally a boating man, sometimes
a debater.
Dying duck in a thunderstorm
There has been a furore at Oxford in
(Peoples'). Lackadaisical.
*
recent years for word-coining of this
Whoa, call her good-looking ? That character, and some surprising effects
dona with a mug like a dying duck in a have been achieved. A freshman
thunderstorm, and smiling as if she'd became a 'fresher' in the earlier
had a dose of castor oil and didn't like Victorian era, and promises to remain
it.'
Cutting. so for all time and existence. D. T.,
Dynamite (Afid.-class, 1888). Tea. 14th August 1899.
Early in February two men, Americans, Ear-mark (Parliam., 19 cent.).
were tried in connection with Irish-
? Note of interrogation, or enquiry.
American attempts to do injury in this
Used by M.P.'s when reading Bills
country with dynamite. In the course and other papers to draw their future
of the trial (D.N., 4th Feb. 1888)
it came out that
attention. A sort of rebus, from this
'
dynamite was always character being something like an 'ear'.
called tea' for the purposes of con-
Word often heard in Parliament.
cealment. The word took at once. Nervous reference is made to the
Dynamite Racket (Amer. Eng., assertion of the Chancellor of the
1885). Invented contemptuously to Exchequer that certain items of
describe this sort of explosion. Transvaal revenue would be ear- marked
New York loves a show, whether a for the purpose of the war contribution.
parade, a big funeral, a blazing fire, or a Newsp. Cutting.
dynamite racket. Newsp. Cutting. riser (Anglo-Amer. return-
Early
Dynamiter ( 1 882). A user of dyna- ing emphasized to England). A sharp,
mite for illegal purposes. It soon came business-like person. Probably from
to be a synonym for
any violent man Early to bed and early to rise, Makes
'

121
 Early Purl Eel-skin

a man healthy, and wealthy, and wise,' Eat vinegar with a fork (Peoples').
or again "Tis the early bird catches The extreme of acid sharpness in
the worm' (who unfortunately is for conversation. The vinegar alone \v ould
himself, too early a riser). In U.S.A. set teeth on edge, the fork intensifies
this phrase takes several shapes the the condiment.
best being * You'd have to get up early
Eatings (Peoples'; old). An ancient
to be before me
'
!
word now represented by board e.g., ;
The general idea is that anybody who '
The room 'ull be 'arf-a-crown a week,
is going to over-reach Hetty Green (New
without eatin's' for there are lodgers
York), or do her out of a fraction of those who would
millions, will have to be a very early riser
expect banquets thrown in
indeed. She gives no costume dances, with a sixpenny bed for the night.
and never will she would be better liked
;
Eautybeau (Music-hall transposi-
if she did. D. T., 10th February 1897. tion). Beauty.
A Do I know him? Do Irumble the
Early purl (Street, 19 cent.). What do
drink made of hot beer and gin, so eautybeau? you think?
Cutting.
named because taken early on a cold
(Puritanic). An exclama-
Ebenezar
morning. A song ran tion of rejoicing from the Hebrew.
'
I'm damned if I think
There's another such drink George Eliot often uses this word in
As good her diary.
early purl.'
Eccer (Oxford 'er'). Exercise-
When princes and princesses are both c's hard.
born there is a lavish distribution of
' Every man after lunch devotes himself
caudle ', a mysterious beverage of the to 'eccer', which is, in ordinary parlance,
nature whereof we confess ourselves as exercise. This take the shape of
'
may
ignorant as of that of early purl '. footer ', or a mild constitutional known
'

as a 'constitutor', while if any one

Early-turners (Music-hall). Scorn-
ful reference to an inferior artist who lounges idly about he is, of course, a
' '
takes his turns early in the evening, 'slacker'./). T., 14th August 1899.
before the audience is thrang, or Edgarism (Club, 1882). This was
fashionable, or both. From 8.0 to the new satirical name given to
8,30. (See Enders.) agnosticism, or rather atheism upon
the production of Tennyson's prose
Earth-hunger (Political, 1880).
Greed to possess land. Supposed to play The Promise of May. The villain-
have come from Ireland, and in that hero, Edgar, is an educated man of
relation to refer to the desires of position, who bases his arguments
for free love and free will upon a denial
peasants to obtain a bit of land. In
of the deity. This bit of historical
England used to define the passion of
landed proprietors to add to their land passing English died with the play,
at any cost. which, while never successful, was
most unfairly damned by critics and
East of the Griffin ( W. London). The former appear
to have
East London. '
East of public.
Replaced resented the poet's despotic associa-
Temple Bar'. Outcome of the city
tions of free thought with immorality
Griffin on his wonderful
pedestal as a necessary outcome of atheism.
replacing Temple Bar. To
At the Pavilion Theatre, you ought to Edge (Criminal). bolt, escape.
know by this time, even if you never go Probably from 'dodge' and retire.
east of the Griffin, they do things in a One of the other two called out 'Edge'
way that is not excelled at many West (a slang term to be off), and they ran
End theatres that I am acquainted with. away. D. N.> November 1886.
Ref., llth October 1885. Eekcher (Peoples', 1882). Inversion
Eat strange meat 19 cent.). (Soc., of cheek audacity.
A delicate evasion of cannibalism. Well, modesty is not marketable
We feel much less horror than in face nowadays, and perhaps Tippy is right
of the naked fact of cannibalism practised to pin his faith to the doctrine that
'

civilized men for the sake of dear life. there's nothing like eekcher '.
Newsp.
by
Life is not worth the imputation of Cutting.
having 'eaten strange meat'. D. N., Eel-skin (Soc. t 1881). name A
14th August 1884.
given to the tight skirt worn at this
Eat the leek. To apologize. From date; e.g., 'She wore an eel-skin of
Shakespeare. London smoke.' (See One leg.)
122
 Eenque Ell&rsby

Eenque (Streets ; transposition). 'Elderly jam is elderly jam, and

Queen. A very popular example of heaven preserve it, for man turns from
this queer mode of word-making. it.'

So shout, you beggars, shout God ; Electrate (1890 on). To describe

save the Eenque. Cutting. locomotion by electricity.
Eetswe (Transposition). Sweet a They go by train to Bourne End, where
very commoH word in low life ; e.g., they take to the river and 'electrate'
to Medmenham Abbey and Henley.
'Lord, I am eetswe on that udyju'
Electrate is one of the recently-invented
(Judy).
verbs to express the new mode of loco-
Eff., Effy. (Theatr.) Abbreviation
of Effingham, a small theatre once in motion, to which the words sail and
steam are inapplicable. Newsp. Cutting.
E. London.
Efficient effrontery (Soc., 1885).
Applied more recently to violent
and eccentric meetings; e.g., 'They
Clever audacity brought in by J. W. electrated from 8 to 1 1 1 5 p. M. Every-
.

M'N. Whistler in February by a lecture

at Prince's Hall, called Ten o'clock ',
' thing was amended, and then they
amended the amendments.'
from the hour at which it began Electrocution (Amer.-Eng., 1890).
P.M. It was an attack upon art -critics
Execution by electricity. Built upon
in general, and Ruskin in particular.
execute.
The lecturer used this term, which at
once became familiar in society in a Elephant's Trunk
(Street; rhym-
ing}. Drunk.The phrase became
hundred ways.
Mr Whistler's lectureis distinctly a incomprehensible by the dropping of
' '

surprise. He
deprecates the tone in
the rhyming. Oh, he's elephants
which such subjects are too frequently (i.e.,intoxicated) will, in time to come,
handled. The commonplace world exercise many an etymologist.
(Daddy) And what am I to be?
'
endowed with efficient effrontery no
'

longer reverently approaches Art as a (Mother G.) Get out you're drunk.
dainty goddess, but 'chucks her under (P. Char.) You shall be let's see Baron
1
the chin D. N., 21st February 1885.
.
Elephant's Trunk.
Eicespie (Transposition). Pieces. A
capital example of a common bit
An interesting example of the rough of slang phrase locally applied, for
logic used in phrase -making.
'
Pieces' this line is found in an Elephant and
is a figure of speech for money, and Castle Theatre Pantomime. It should
there is the ordinary transposition. be added that 'daddy' was a satire
But that is not being left
all. The i upon the Blue Ribbon movement
as the initial would destroy the ordinary he belonging to it, and yet always
* ' '
vowel sound of piece ; therefore the being elephant's trunk '.

e is placed before the t. Elevator (Soc., 1882 on). The

Does the artful, and he draws the crinolette. For some years the dress
eicespie. Cutting. below the back of the waist was almost
Eighteen-carat lie (Amer., 1883), flat, when in this year bows were seen
A good, sound lie, 18-carat gold being there, and then followed the crinolette,
good, thorough metal. which, throwing up the dress, obtained
Eighty Club (Soc.). A club formed this satiric name amongst young men,
in the year
4
'80 ', shortly before the and was afterwards accepted literally.
general election, with the object of Elijah Two (Amer.-Eng.). A
promoting political education, and false prophet. From one Dr Dowie,
stimulating Liberal organization by an American peripatetic preacher who
supplying Liberal meetings in London first gained this title. His son was
and the country with speakers and dubbed Elijah Three.
lecturers.
Ellersby (Peoples', 1870 on). The
Eiley Mavourneen (Commercial). initials of the London School Board.
A non- paying debtor. Refers to the No particular point beyond brevity
'
line in Moore's song, It may be for said to be the soul of wit.
months, and it may be for never.' L.S.B. Extravagance The extraordin- :

Elaborate the truth (Soc.). To ary extravagance of the London School

lie.
Board is strikingly shown by the con-
stant increase in the amount paid by the
Elderly Jam (Peoples, 1880 on). Strand Board of Works. People, 20th
Aging woman. Qualified jam ; e.g., September 1896.
123
 Ellessea Establish a Funk

Ellessea (L. Compositors}. The inversion is a sort of rebus, bones

initials of London Society of Com- '
showing affording a study of knobs '.
positors. But he swallowed a box of matches
kisser. A wide mouth. one day which burnt away all the fat
Elongated and left the mere enoba you see now.
'
Yer looks
like a lady, I says then
'

;
'

why do yer wipe yer elongated kisser Cutting.

with a whopping great red stook?' Enthuse (A mer.). Abbreviation of
Cutting. 'create enthusiasm'. Not yet ac-

Empress Pidgeon (Naval, 1876 on). cepted in England.

Pigeon is discussion, and Empress
An entirely new play, called Uncle
was
a palaver with Queen Tom's Cabin, with muzzled bloodhounds
Pigeon in their stellar r61e, did not enthuse the
Victoria for a basis. Now Emperor
manager nor his patrons of the past
Pidgeon. week. Newsp. Cutting.
Endacotted (Socialist, 1887). Enthuzimuzzy (Soc., 19 cent.).
Illegally arrested. Attributed to Mrs Satirical reference to enthusiasm.
Annie Besant. Derived evidently, by Attributed to Braham the terror.
partial similarity in sound, from Boy- Entire Squat (Amer., reaching
cott, and referring to a policeman of
the name who was tried and acquitted Eng. 1883). A household, including
wife, children, servants, and furniture.
(1887) upon an indictment for illegal
arrest of a young dressmaker, whom he Espysay (Stable, 1880 on). word A
swore was a well-known woman of the composed of the letters S.P.C.A.
town. After a time the term was initials of the Society for the Preven-

reduced to 'cotted' tion of Cruelty to Animals. Secretive

following the
common tendency to shorten phrases in its nature, being created by people
and even words. about horses and cattle, many of whom
Ender A go about in savage fear of this valuable
(Music-hall). performer
of inferior quality, even inferior to an society.
Essex calves (Provincial). A
'early-turner,' (q.v.) who only 'goes on'
after the great hours. Enders perform contemptuous designation of Essex-
from 11 to 11.80 when most music- men, always looked down upon by
' more prosperous Suffolk.
halls are emptying except on bens '.

End -men Essex lion. Lion is a variant of

(Negro Minstrels). The calf. Not used in Essex, but against
two comic black souls who enliven
with small wit a negro entertainment,
it especially by superior Kent, over
;

the way, on the south side of the

and sit at either end of the line of
Thames. Interesting as showing inter-
seated performers. Now passed to
black comics who even sit in the county hostilities, now passing away.
The men of Kent or Keniish men
midst.
On the stage there are sixty of these (between whom there would appear to
dark coloured minstrels, whose voices are be great differences) have always
interposed with striking effect in many belonged to an advanced part of
The end men are England, and have escaped satire by
' '
of the choruses.
numerous, and amply endowed with a reason of their superiority. Probably
boisterous humour. Newsp. Cutting. they gave their county neighbours
Engineer (Amer.-Eng., 1880). To their well-known sobriquets Hamp-
manage, manipulate, direct. Out- shire Hogs, Sussex Sows, Surrey
growth of railway and steam era Swine. Middlesex they avoided, but
generally. Essex, separated from them by the
Afterwards you may look out for Daly's Thames, and inferior, as a county, to
Company from New York, engineered by Kent, as indeed it remains to this
Terriss. Rtf., 8th June 1884. day, was specially honoured with a
English pluck Money,
(Peoples').
'
title.

figuratively ; e.g., Got any English Establish a funk (Oxford). To

'

pluck to-day ? (Have you any money create a panic invented by a great
with which to gamble by means of bowler, at cricket, who enlivened this
tossing ?) distinction with some cannon - ball
Enobs (Back slang). Bone, in bowling which was equivalent amongst
ordinary plural. A very favourite the enemy to going into action. Funk
specimen because by chance the for panic, dismay, alarm is superior

124
 Euro! Eye in a Sling

to origin. Probably from establish a Ewigkeit (Soc., 1880). This

'
suit in whist. German word eternity came to
for
'

Euro ! (Navy). Seamen's name for be used not so much in adulation of

the Europa a happy example of the Carlyle as in order to fall in with the
sailor's love of getting in a final 0, bantering spirit of treating religious
what cheer oh ', speculation, which began to grow
' '
as in what oh ', ! !

etc. rapidly in this year. It spread slowly,

Europe on the chest (Army). and by 1883 was found in popular
Home - sickness. Used chiefly by journals.
soldiers in India, who commit offences All these things have vanished
sometimes in order to be sent home. temporarily into the
'
ewigkeit ', to
Sir, they are not all bad at the bottom yield the field to beer and spirits the
of them, but they have had at times people's drink, the birthright of every
the fever, and ague and their heart grows free-born Briton. Ref., 17th May 1885.
faint for England, and then they get
what the driver terms Europe on the Exceedings (Oxford). Expenditure
chest, and at the same time he is not beyond income. Adelicate evasion.
particular what he does as long as he has Extra (Theatrical). An individual
a chance of coming to England. Letter of the great brigades who
'

go on ', but
by Convict, D. N., 3rd November 1885. do not speak, sing, or dance. An
with, To get. A vigorous
Even extra does but fill the eye. Generally
use of this word, to procure equality a pretty girl, of no talent, perhaps
with one who has bested the speaker, with a passion for the stage perhaps
e.g., 'Never fear, I'll get even with with ulterior intentions.
him yet.'
wheezes Extra pull (Operatives'). Ad'
Evening (Peoples').
False news, spread in evening half- vantage, or disadvantage, as the case
penny papers in order to sell them. may be. As an advantage, it is a
Eventuate. To result. A direct figure of speech from the extra pull
of the handle of the beer engine in
importation from America, and not
at all wanted. public-houses (See Long Pull) a pull
It appeared as though we were com-
' which flushes a spirt of beer into
their own jugs
' '

mitted to a conflict with the House of after the proper

Lords of a nature so strenuous and so measure, in the publican's pewter, has
exciting that it might possibly have been shot in. As a disadvantage
eventuated in something like a revolu- refers to the extremely troublesome
tion.'H. Richard, M.P., Speech, 1st tooth in the dentist s grip. All
January 1885. depends on the context.
Everlasting knock (Amer.-Eng.).
The stroke of death. Extradition Court (Polit.). The
And so he closes his career. He may second justice-room at Bow Street
be far happier as a man than he has ever (London). Name given jocularly by
been, but as a ruling prince he has taken officials. Good example of the mode
the everlasting knock. Ref., 10th March in which passing English grows out
1889. of the history of the day.
is nice in your garden
Everything The case was taken in the second court,
(Soc., passing to People, 1896 on). A which is commonly called the Extradition
gentle protest against self-laudation ; Court, because nearly all the extradi-
e.g., 'I don't wish to praise myself, tion cases are heard in it. D. N., 10th
but I believe I'm the greatest living April 1883.
'

tenor, in this world at all events !

Extreme Rockite (Clerical). One
Reply: 'Yes, yes,'
everything is nice who believes in the Rock newspaper,
in your garden ! This is said to be and preaches on its basis.
derived from one of the young In a recent issue of a contemporary,
princesses (probably a daughter of for instance, we find a 'liberal' rector
the Princess Beatrice) who made this asking for a fellow labourer, who among
reply when something in her garden other qualifications must be ' an extreme
Rockite'. Newsp. Gutting.
at Osborne was praised by Her
Majesty. If this is a true statement, Eye in a sling
(Peoples'). Crushed,
it forms one of the very rare phrases defeated. From the doleful appear-
that have come down from the pre- ance presented by a sufferer with a
cincts of the throne. bandage over the suffering eye.
125
 Eye Peeled Fake a Picture

Eye peeled (W. Amer.). Fair trod on (Street, 1887 on).

well opened peeled away from droop-
;
Most ill-used.

ing lids ;
on the watch. Oh, the yeroines o' them penny nove-
'

The Librarian was instructed to keep

lettes yer 'good old penny ones none
his eye peeled for a stray copy of a
o' yer 'apenny ones for me o' them '

Chinese hymn book which might be yeroines arn't they fair trod on ?
Bessie Bellwood (serio-comic, Jan. 1891).
bought cheap. Newsp. Cutting.
Fair warning (Street). Manly and
frank intimation.
Faire Charlemagne (17 cent.,
Court). To know when to leave off
especially at cards. A corruption of
'
to make quiet
'
faire chut la main
F.C.'s (Theat.). False Calves (i.e. the hand ; that is, do not go on mani-
' '

paddings used by actors in heroic pulating the cards, chut being the
'

parts to improve the shape of the legs). equivalent of the English hush'. Said
F.F.V. (Anglo- Amer. Soc.). Dis- to be used by Louise de Querouilles,
tinguished. Initials of First Families known as Mother Carwell, and after-
(of) Virginia. Used quite seriously in ward as the Duchess of Portsmouth
the South of the U.S.A. and satirically a very economic and long-headed
in the North. The origin of the use Bretonne.
of the letters may be traced to Mas- That feat which the French describe
'

singer's City Madam) Act V. sc. 1 (acted , by the mysterious expression,

'
faire
in 1622). Charlemagne the feat of leaving off a
winner is one of the most difficult in the
Face the music. To fearlessly world to perform. D. T., 22nd April
meet difficulties.
1896.
Before sailing Mr Cecil Rhodes gave a _

A de-
brief interview to some reporters. He Fairy (Lower Peoples).
stated that he would not resign his seat bauched, hideous old woman, especially
in the Cape Parliament. I shall meet
' when drunk.
my detractors. I will face the music.' Fairy, To
go a (Theat.). To toss
D. T., 18th January 1896. for a penn'orth of gin, meaning that a

Face ticket (British Museum). A
ticket required for the Reading
is
Room. It is never asked for when a
constant reader passes the janitors.
Nothing is said the passer-by has a
face ticket.
Fade (Pure Amer.).
masher and dude.
ornamental beings gone shabby.
A young lady employed at one of the
Exposition displays rather took the shine
off of a fade the other day. The fade,
fairy takes very little. In use amongst
the minor literary men.
Fairy tales (Mid. Class, 1899 on).
Untruths.
Mr Kruger, for the information of his
sympathisers in America, has told a
Antithesis of Chicago journalist one of his pretty little
Either of these fairy tales, the only truth in which is
that some burghers are again taking up
arms. D. T., 4th July 1900.
Fake a curtain (Theat., 1884).
Reference to Take a curtain ', ' Curtain-
'

taker ', and ' Lightning curtain-taker',

recently a dude, walked up to the place
where she was stationed, etc. Newsp. will alone enable the student to com-
Cutting. prehend this term. To fake a curtain
Fair Undoubted is to agitate the act-drop after it has
cop (Thieves').
means '
fallen, and so perhaps thereby induce
'
arrest ;
fair' here thorough ',
while cop' '
is from Early English for a torpid audience to applaud a little,
'
'
catch '. and justify the waiting actor to take
a curtain'. The manager himself may
Fair herd (Oxf. Univer.). Good
direct this operation, but it is generally
attendance of strangers.
Foreigners are sometimes busy, or in- the stage-manager who manipulates the
different, or afraid of the Channel, and
maiKEUvre.
many promising schemes for a fair herd
' '
Fake a picture (Artistic, 1860 on).
on Commemoration Day have broken To obtain an effect by some adroit,
down owing to this cause. D. N., 13th unorthodox means. In this sense it
Tune 1883. to say where swindling ends
is difficult
Fair itch (Street). Utter imitation. and genius begins. It is much used
Equally vulgar and vigorous. by inferior artists.
126
 Fake a Poke Farthing -taster

Fake a poke (Thieves'). To pick, getic in the highest. Example of

or manipulate, a pocket. This phrase application of one term to varying
is a singular revival. Johnson has meanings. Derived from West Ameri-
'
Fake amongst seamen a pile of rope,' can gamblers wiring back the trigger
'
and as to poke a pocket or small of their revolvers, so that its stop-
'

bag'. I will not buy a pig in a action is arrested. The six barrels of
poke !' Camden. the revolver are discharged by rapidly
Hedenied that when entering the striking back the hammer with the
music hall he was accused by a larty of outer edge of the right hand, while
picking her pocket, and further said that the revolver is held in the left. This
when called out he did not say he had
' vibratory action of the right hand is
never faked a poke in his life. People,
'

the fanning. No aim can be taken,

6th September 1896.
and fanning is only successful in a
Fake pie (Straitened Soc., 1880). crowd. Six bullets will generally
A towards -the-end-of-the- week effort clear a crowd. So rapid is word adap-
'
at pastry, into which go all the orts ', tation in the States that already the
'
overs ', and ' ends of the week.
'
See term 'fanner' is used to describe an
Resurrection pie a term which this
unscrupulously brave man.
has superseded. Far away (Lower Classes, 1884).
Fakement Chorley (Dangerous Pawned. From
a song, a parody upon
Classes). A private mark, especially '
Far, far away '. One line ran,
on the outside of houses and in thieves' '
Where are my Sunday clothes?' To
kitchens. which the singer answered, ' Far, far
Fal (Rhyming, 1868). Represents away '. The '
far away
'
is mine
'gal '(girl). uncle's. Passed into a verb; e.g., 'I
Fall in the thick (Street). To be- far-awayed my tools this blessed day
come dead drunk. Full of metaphor. -I did!'
Black beer is called thick, so is mud ; Far gone (Theat., 1882). Ex-
the phrase suggests equal misery hausted, or worn out, figuratively.
whether the patient plunged in the Miss Gilchrist, who has now matured
into a well-formed young woman, is
mud, or rambled into drunkenness. what I should call a vocal defaulter, her
Fall-downs (Street, 19 cent.). The singing being
'
far gone '. Entr'acte,
fragments of cookshop puddings which April 1883.
fall down while rapidly slicing up the Farcidrama (Theat., 1885). A
puddings forfragments which
sale ;
failure comedy of a farcical char-
are finally collected on a plate, and acter, tied with a thread of serious
sold for a halfpenny. A boy will rush interest. Discovered by Mr Ashley
in, and, with the air of a general at Sterry to describe a posthumous half-
least,say: "A'porth o' fall-downs'. finished comedy by H. J. Byron, and
Conquered when the reply comes, named The Shuttlecock one which Mr
'Hall sold!' Sterry quite finished. It failed, and
oneself (Mid. Classes). On this word at once came to be used to
Fancy
describe a failure of any light piece.
good terms with oneself.
They had never known a Government 'It was a farcidrama' meaning a
which, if he might use the language of 'frost'.
the street, 'fancied itself to the extent
'
To begin with, the description of The
to which the present Government did.
'
Shuttlecock as a farcidrama in three
'
D. T., 14th December 1897. acts and a song may be set down to the
Fanned with a slipper (Amer.- living rather than to the dead dramatist.
Eng., 1880 on). Simply spanked, the Re/. 17th May 1885.
,

vibratory action suggesting the fan- Farthing-faced chit (Peoples').

ning. Small, mean-faced, as insignificant as
Miss Lulu Valli made a hit at once a farthing. Chit also means small and
as the demon child, Birdikins, who is
contemptible.
threatened to be 'fanned with the
Farthing-taster (Street Children's,
slipper' of her devoted but erratic 1870 on). Lowest quantity of com-
mother. D. T., 2nd February 1897. monest ice - cream sold by London
Fanning the hammer ( W. Amer., street itinerant ice-cream vendors.
1886). Brilliantly unscrupulous. In- In other shops be seen hundreds
may
stantaneously active, equal to ener- of the thick, small glasses in which the
127
 Fastened Feel like accepting It

'
'

farthing-taster will be dealt out to ing it in. Poetical description of the

their juvenile consumers. Newsp. Cut- merest idea of foam at the point where
ting, 27th June 1898. a ship's cut- water touches the wave,
Fastened (Lanes.}. Pawned. and which shows there either has been,
Fastidious cove (London, 1882). or will be, dirty weather.
A droll phrase for a fashionable So to Elba the Foam was now directing
swindler, who pretends to be of the her course, dancing lightly along upon a
upper ten. sparkling and nearly smooth surface,
with only just enough movement during
You can always fastidious
tell the
'

' the later portion of the day to keep

cove by his sending twenty-seven cuffs
a very small feather in her mouth '.
'

and collars to the laundry accompanied

Sir E. Arnold, in D. T., 31st March
by a single shirt. Cutting.
1897.
Fat ale (Peoples', early 19 cent.}. Feather in the cap (Hist. }. Prob-
Strong ale as distinct from weak ale,
which is 'thin'. ably from Scotland, where only he who
had shot an eagle dared to wear a
1 was
4
stupefied as much as if I had
feather in his cap.
committed a debauch upon fat ale.'
Features. Practically no features
Marryatt, Rattlin the Reefer, ch. 58. worth talking about. Satirical-like
Fat will burn itself out of the fire
' expression, e.g., 'Hullo, Features!'
(Peoples'}. Antithesis of All the fat's ' '
Face used similarly.
is
in the fire '.
Fed (Amer., 1860-65). Abbrevia-
After a while, however, the fat burnt
tion of federal, given to themselves
itself out of the fire, and the happy
couple seemed to get on very comfort- by the Northerners, whereupon the
Southerners cut themselves down to
ably. Cutting.
Favourite vice (Jovial, 1880). Confeds, and met the Northerners at
that.
General habitual strong drink.
'I have watched the Prince's pro- Fed up with (Boer War, 1899-
gress,' says His Worship, 'and I am 1900). Overdone, oppressed, filled
glad to say there has been progress ; with.
'
for at one time I did not entertain a '
Oh, I'm about fed up with it is the
particularly high opinion of him. I current slang of the camps when officers
rather thought that the Prince cared and men speak of the war. D. T., 20th
more for his pleasures and, I may as October 1900.
well say, for his vices, than for the Feeder (Theat., 1880). Actor or
duties of his high position.' Of course,
actress whose part simply feeds that
the word 'vices' is here used in a
of a more important comedian. Took
harmless sense : for example, when the ' '

bottles and the cigar-case are to the fore, the place of the confidante in opera.
even a bishop may enquire of you, with Feeding birk (Thieves'}. Cook-
'
a jovial smile of boon companionship, shop birk
'

being possibly a cor-

What is your favourite vice? D. N., ruption of barrack '.
'

6th October 1885. You have to be a bit cheeky to go into

Fearful frights (Peoples'}. Kicks, a feeding birk to order pannum good
in the most humiliating quarters. enough for a prince without a D in your
I shouldn't like to be in James Carey's clye. Cutting.
boots his trousers either, if all I hear is Feel cheap (Peoples', 1890).
true. He's had some fearful frights, you Humiliated, e.g., 'Every other girl was
bet. Cutting. in white, and I felt quite cheap.'
Fearful wild fowl (Soc.}. From Feel like (Amer.-Eng., 1884).
Shakespeare's line, any extraordinary Inclined towards.
creature not often seen even applied ;
'
Do you feel like brandy and water ?
'

to men making antic fools of is certainly an incorrect question (even

themselves. grammatically) in England. Across the
A full programme of the Show is a sea we believe the observation means,
formidable study, but a patient plodding
'
Do you feel inclined to partake, at my
through it shows that the fearful wild charge, of the refreshment of cognac and
fowl mentioned are really to take a part water?'/). N., 16th April 1885.
in the pageant. D. N., 10th November Feel like accepting it (Amer.). To
1884. repent, be humble.
in her mouth (Marine).
Feather In his death we has lost a good man,
Capable of showing temper, but hold- but we has at de same time gained some
128
 Feel One's Oats Field-running

waluable experience, in case we feel like are, to use an expressive Americanism,

accepting it. Lime-kiln Club, 1883.
'
fewer of him '. Newsp. Gutting.
Feel one's oats (Amer. - Eng. ). Fiddle-face (Peoples^. A doleful
Certain to be active. Figure of speech face, widening abnormally at the
from the work got out of a well oat- fed temples and jaws, and sinking at the
horse, e.g., 'You needn't be afraid
cheek bones.
he's a man that feels his oats.' Put on a fiddle-face and jaw to him
about his future, and it's most likely he
Feel the collar (Stable). To and his mates will slosh your mug for
perspire in walking. you and sneak your yack. Cutting.
Feel very cheap (Mid. -class Eng., Fiddler (Racing). Fille de I'air a
1885 on). Antithesis of self-sufficiency. French horse. The Anglicization of the
Generally refers to condition when names of foreign horses is a positive
recovering from dissipation. study in itself. English racing men
Does some brother officer adjacent who speak French always accept the
'feel very cheap' after some midnight English baptism.
revelry ; or how comes it that my host Another stud horse, Peut-Etre, always
is not in the way ? Clement Scott, in called in the English betting ring
D. T., 21st January 1893. 'Potater' was, as well as a few other
Female personator (Music -
hall). lots,bought in. Newsp. Cutting.
Another misnomer im-
(see Male In the case of Volodyovski (Derby
personator), for the performer is a winner, 1901) no Anglicization was
male who impersonates female appear- possible, so the pencillers tried an
ance, singing, and dancing. A man assonance,and styled him Bottle o'
who dresses and acts like a woman, Whisky, and it is interesting in this
while the male impersonator is a connection to observe that in all
woman who dresses and acts like a professions and trades uncommon
man. These interchanges of sexual proper names are always Anglicized
appearance are still much relished on roughly, absurdly, no doubt ; but this
the music-hall stage. process clears away all doubt as to
Fenian 1882 on). Three pronunciation. For instance, in the
(Peoples',
cold Irish, i.e., threepence worth of Navy sailors always simplify a hard-
named ship. A person had a vessel
Irish whisky and cold water. Brevity
is the soul of cruel as of brilliant wit. named the Spero, which was corrupted
In this instance the wit is very cruel, into Sparrow. As for Psyche, what
for it refers to the hanging and there- they called her can scarcely be men-
fore coldening of the three Fenians tioned in decent company. Another
who were hanged for the murder of person bought a vessel called the
Lord Frederick Cavendish and Mr Daedalus, which was called the Dead-
loss.
Burke, Under-Secretary for Ireland,
in the Phoenix Park, Dublin, on 6th Field Lane duck (Holborn, Lond.\
May 1882. Other authorities say that Baked bullock's heart. good A
the three Irish, here referred to with example of lower peoples' habit of
such grim humour, were the Fenians satirising their own poverty. This
Allen, Larkin and O'Brien, hanged at bake is made and is the
savoury,
Manchester for the murder of Police nearest duck possible,
approach to
Sergeant Brett. They are called by exactly as baked liver with sage and
the Irish national party the Man- '
onions is called
'

poor man's goose '.

chester martyrs '. In Manchester itself Field Lane was a near neighbour of
' '
the 3 cold Irish became at public- Saffron Hill, where Dickens's Fagin
house bars Give me a Fenian '.
'

reigned London improvements have

;

The term spread all over England. nearly swept it away. Field Lane is
(See Got a clock.) great in the annals of charity as the
Fewer of him (Amer. -Eng., 1880). locality where first a night refuge was
Expression of congratulation at absence opened.
of numbers in the Field-running (Builders',
given case. 1860).
An
English judge is a much more con- Building rickety houses rapidly over
spicuous personage than a judge in any suburban fields. Introduced when the
foreign country. His salary is higher, district railways brought small sub-
his social position is better, and there urban houses into fashion.
129
 Fin de Siecle
Fiery Cross

cross 19 cent).
Yere come and look at the bloke
'

Fiery (Liter.,
standin' on his filbert,' said the boy.
Warning of dagger. Probably from
Scott who
introduces this naming Filibuster (Amer.). To obstruct,
mode of carrying news of clan-risings. impede business.
The Police send round the Fiery The Senate had an all-night sitting,
Cross: 'Idle Panic' was the headline the Republicans filibustered from six '
P.M. till early morning. To filibuster '

by which we described in our

later
editions of yesterday the extraordinary means in its Parliamentary sense to
alarm which seized upon the metropolis, obstruct. Newsp. Cutting, 1882.
and nothing which occurred during the Filing -lay (Thieves', 18 cent.).
of
evening calls for any modification Pocket -picking. Fielding's Jonathan'
that description. P. M. 6?., llth Wild. Probably from the French fil
February 1886. thread from threading the fingers
Fifteen puzzle (Mid. -class Eng.). in the pocket.
Complete confusion. The fifteen
Fill the bill (Amer.) To suit.
of move-
puzzle was an arrangement I have a tree claim and homestead,
able cubes bearing numbers which am a good cook and not afraid to work,
were to be arranged in a square, so and willing to do my part. If any man
that every line counted fifteen. It with a like amount of land, and decent
was very difficult and became a rage face and carcass, wants a good wife, I

(1879). It soon came to represent can fill the bill. Newsp. Cutting.
confusion, incomprehensibility. Fill, To give a (Thieves'). To
The syrup cup was, for a while, a deceive, e.g., 'I gave the blue belly a
fifteen-puzzle for the bear. American fill' would mean that you sent the
Bear Story, 1883.
policeman on a wrong scent.
Fight space with a hair-pin Fills a gentleman's eye
(Oxford Univ., 1882). A
figurative
(Sporting).
of describing the impossible. Shapely possessed of thoroughly good
way points.
Fighting Fours (Milit.). The
What do we not suffer from other
44th Regiment. Our own, of course, is a
people's dogs ?
The 44th East Essex
loses nothing of
treasure of love and loyalty, he has a
its identity in being called The Essex '

splendid nose, is perfectly purely bred,

Regiment' except, perhaps, that the and, in short, as doggy people say, he
'

signification of The Fighting Fours is fills a gentleman's eye'. D. N., 1875.

hardly so clear as it was. D. N., July,
1881. Filly (Ball-room). A lady who
goes racing pace in round dances, e.g.,
Fighting the tiger (San Francisco). '
She's the quickest filly in the barn. '

Gaming, with all its consequences ;

Either from French 'fille', or in refer-
some of which are desperate. Practi-
ence to the use of the word in stables.
cally applied desperate game. ' '
Colt is often applied to an active
He asked me
if I had ever heard of

Faro, and knew the meaning of

if I boy.
'
fighting the tiger '. Soon afterwards I
learned that I was conversing with the
keeper of one of the most notable among
the gaming hells of San Francisco.
Cutting.
Figure-head (Nautical). The head
simple, and suggested of course by the
prow-terminal of most English ships.
A cove can,
too, if he likes, spend the
half bob in pongelow and the
of his
other tanner in bread and cheese, but
we think he's likely to stop out of collar
longer than a cove who doesn't cloud his
blooming figure-head with booze.
We have onoe or twice landed our these words typical of the 20th cen-
blooming figure-head on the kerb.
Filbert (Street). Head variety of
1 '
nut to describe the same. Prob-
ably applied to a long-shaped head.
Derived from prize ring.
130
Filly and foal (Peoples'). A young
couple of lovers sauntering apart from
the world.
Fin de siecle (Soc., 1897 on). Ex-
treme in literature, art, and music.
From Paris adopted here in a con-
Within a year in
demnatory spirit.
London was introduced the phrase
'New Century'
first applied in a
manner to the 'New Century
public
Theatre Society' whose plays were
based upon the Ibsen theories of life.
The authors appear to have thought
tury, whereas Ibsen towards the close
of the 19th century had been writing
for more than fifty years, and had long
been a classic in Scandinavia and, in a
lees degree, throughout Germania.
 Find Cold Weather
Find cold weather (Public-house).
To be bounced, or expelled e.g., Yere
you if you ain't quiet you'll
/ can tell yer
cold weather
Finger and thumb (Rhyming).
Rum.
Finger in the pie (Peoples'). Ob-
vious and based upon the philosophy
of too cooks spoiling the broth.
many
Finish A house where
(Soc., 1830).
the night (which was next morning
about 4 A.M.) was finished by the
exhaustion of the debauche".
We are writing of the days when
'
the Elysium, Mother H.'s, The Finish,
Jessop's, etc., were in their zenith and
glory.' Diprose's Clement Danes, vol.
i., p. 98.
'
Let us go to a finish say Jessop's '.
Jessop's finally expired about 1885. It
was the building afterwards occupied
by the Echo newspaper. Opposite was
the celebrated place of accommodation,
' '
The Fountain
which had then/ been established hun-
dreds of years.
In 1896, King William Street,
Strand, saw the opening of a brilliantly-
appointed lounge entitled The Finale',
assuredly good Italian for finish a there beyond rent.
sign the proprietor had brought with
him from South Africa.
Fire (out) (0. Eng. ; now Amer.
reaching Eng. 1896). To eject. Pro-
bably from 14th century, the phrase
being invented from the summary pro-
cess of the first cannon. Let us fire
him is equivalent to bounce him '.
' '
Then they thought his objection to the
spending of 20 on a lecture and its
necessary or needful accompaniments
on the interesting and entertaining sub-
Bacteriology too much of a
' '
ject of
good thing, so they had him fired from
the meeting. E. N., 10th Feb. 1899.
The Americanism to fire out is seen '
in a sonnet of Shakespeare's
'
Yet this shall I not know, nor live in doubt,
Till my bad angels fire my good one out.'
This instance shows that in the matter of
the mother - tongue common to both
countries, Yankees are even more con-
servative of the well of English than
'
Britishers themselves. Rees, U.S.A.
Fire-box (Passionate Pilgrims').
man of unceasing passion.
'
Fire-new* (Prov. Potteries'). Brand-
new', absolutely new from drawing
pottery from the oven or furnace.
It seems an incongruity, an impossi-
Fitz
bility, for the sculptor and painter of
;
' such forms as those we owe to Watt's
'
genius to become suddenly a fire-new
'
soon find
baronet. D. N., 1st July 1885, referring
'.
to offer of baronetcy to Mr Watts.
Fire-proof coffin (Amer.). A last
house which will resist the action of
the nethermost region. Said of a bad
man that he will need one.
'
My pa says that if your pa would stay
at home from prayer meetin' to mix a
little more sugar with the sand he sells
for fourteen cents a pound, p'raps he
might not need a fire-proof coffin when
he dies '. Newsp. Cutting.
Fire the question (Amer.). To
propose marriage.
First on the top-sail and last in
the beef-skid (Navy). Truly perfect
able-bodied seaman. More in praise
could not be said of him.
Fish-bagger (Suburban). Suburban
resident who working in the city, or in
town, generally takes home food, espe-
significant title,
cially cheap fish, in that respectable
black bag which looks so very legal.
The tradesman shook his head, and
' '
explained that fish-bagger was a con-
tumelious term applied to those who live
'
in good suburbs without spending a penny
;
Graphic, 27th Sep-
tember 1884.
Fishy about the gills (Street).
Appearance of recent drunkenness.
Derived from very acute observation.
Drink produces a pull-down of the
'
corners of the mouth, and a consequent
squareness of the lower cheeks or gills,
suggesting the gill -shields in fishes.
Fit in the arm (Street, 1897). A
blow. In June 1897 one Tom Kelly
was given into custody by a woman for
striking her. His defence before the
magistrate took the shape of the decla-
'
'
'
ration that a fit had seized him in the
'
arm ', and for months afterwards back
: street frequenters called a blow a fit.
Fit-up towns ( Theat. 1880). Poor,
,
behind-the-times places which cannot
boast a theatre amongst them.
Perhaps you don't know what the fit-
'
Let me tell you. They
'
'
up towns
are.
are the towns which do not possess a
theatre, and which are therefore only
A visited by small companies carrying port-
able scenery, which can be fitted up in a
hall or an assembly room. Ref., 22nd
July 1883.
Fitz (Peoples'). Royal natural chil-
dren derivation obvious. Broadly
131
 Five-barred Gate Flag Unfurled

applied amongst old theatrical people

sum when they start, and nothing by
to the invasion of the stage by educated the time they reach London.
persons of position or fortune. The five-pounders are usually of the
I wish all the fitzes in the world were
' genus 'Arry. They are not unwelcomed
in Jersey, so long as their five pounds
at the bottom of the sea.' Said by a
last. Graphic, 31st March 1883.
young stage manager, October 1883.
Five-barred gate (London Streets, Fiz (Society). Champagne.
1886 on).- -A policeman, from the force Pat Feeney has sworn off fiz, and will
never touch a drop for the rest of his life.
being chiefly recruited from the agri- Not even a drop of whisky.
cultural class.
Another
injustice to Oireland. Cutting, 1883.
The evidence against the defendant,
Pat was a patriotic singer of Irish
given by Constable 308 A, was that whilst
in company with a woman he abused him songs, and constantly wailing over the
' '

(the policeman) without reason, asking '

green sod of his native land.
how long he had been away from a five- Fizzle (out) (Peoples'). To fail, and
barred gate' (the country).!). N., 2nd a failure ; from the noise made by the
July 1890.
gas escaping from aerated waters when
Five o'clock tea (Soc., 1879). the corks fail, so that the water has no
Strictly tea, and nothing beyond, effervescent quality when opened.
except a wafer biscuit, a little more Gale and Spader's ' Fizz-Bang-Boom '

wafery bread and butter, and perhaps company has fizzled out in San Francisco.
a microscopic cake, if it is a society Newsp. Cutting.
holiday. Came to be added first to It is a foolish, highly-peppered story of
the ordinary refreshmentless call love, intrigue and politics.It was little
between three and five P.M. Five better than fizzle. N. Y. Tribune.
o'clock tea has gradually stolen up To
Flabbergast (Briv. Class).
to a four o'clock teapot, for people astound. of most lexico-
Rejected
came in a crowd, and the old exclu- graphers, but accepted of all men.
sive puritanic plan of one visitor Probably a proper-name word, possibly
retreating as another came, or retired, Phil Applegarth or Applegast.
even if solus-visiting at the end of a The goings on of Cock-Eyed Sal flabber-
quarter of an hour was abandoned. gasted him much, but he was spliced
to her, and he couldn't help it. Cutting.
Five or seven (Police; London,
1885). Drunk. From 'five shillings Flag (Printers'). Woeful expression
'
or seven days', the ordinary London
'

'
referring to an out ; that is to say,
magisterial decision upon drunks '
some missed words in setting up a
unknown to the police, and reduced by piece of 'copy'. This may involve
Mr Hosack, a metropolitan magistrate, over-running a number of lines at a
to five or seven. frightful expense of time. Taken
'

Another '
Arthur Eoberts in dress from the aspect of the ' out words
is,
written at the side of the proof and
allegorical of five or seven, as Mr Hosack.'
Mr Hosack, as many of my
readers may enclosed in a loop ; a line leading from
not be aware, is a magistrate, and five '
the nearer end of which concludes in
or seven' means but no matter. the caret which marks the point in
Ref., 17th January 1886. the copy where the missing words are
Fiveoclocquer (Paris-Eng., 1896). wanting.
Afternoon tea. Flag of distress (Street). A boy's
shirt through a too-open trousers-seat.
Every one, we suppose, has heard of
the delightful French phrase, five-
'
From the flag of a distress on a ship
oclocquer a quatre heures which is,
', being white because more easily seen ;

perhaps, the noblest achievement of the though perhaps the flag in question is
art of word-coining in sublime contempt only more or less white.
of meaning. Newsp. Cutting, 24th June
1898. Flag unfurled (Rhyming). A man
of the world passing into flag, after
Five - pounders (Jersey). Not a the mode of rhyming English of a
piece of ordnance but cheap excur- passing character.
sionists, who fall upon Jersey in high A cove who fancies himself a flag
summer-time, and who make a stay of unfurled is very now or never we don't
three or four roaring days, having this think. Cutting.
132
 Flam Flash o' Light

Flam (Soc. 18 cent.). Fib rather 'Flare-up' at the present time is a

than lie. Quite passed away from purely jocular interjection. A noisy
revel is very often spoken of by bac-
London, but still heard in the counties. ' '
chanalians as a jolly flare - up ; but
Probably from a proper name. Johnson had ' '

sixty three years ago

-
a cant word of no certain
'
flare-up
says, another and a very sinister signification.
etymology '. Words from proper names To it was added the admonition to join '

really have no etymology. Butler the Union Flare-up and join the
'.
'

(Hudibras) uses this word

'
:
Union The Union part of the cry is
!

A flam more senseless than the associated in my mind with processions

of working men, yelling and cursing
roguery.
Of old aruspicy and augury !
and bearing banners embellished with
death's - heads and cross - bones, and
Miss "Wilhelmina Skeggs (Vicar Bread or Blood ' '
oj inscriptions about ;

Wakefield) is great in the use of this

'
while flare-up had a direct bearing on
'

term. May be from Flamborough incendiarism. G. A. Sala in D.T., 28th

Head, whence, in the 17th century, July 1894.
came false continental news, exactly Flash Imitation gold
' ' (Thieves').
as Humbug came to be the term coins the name probably suggested
applied to continental false news from by their glitter. Sometimes called
Hamburg. '
Hanoverian '

sovereigns a term
Flannel -jacket (Contractors'). originating probably upon the accession
Familiar name for the gigantic navvy of the House of Brunswick looked
who, without exception, wears this upon by all true Jacobites as counter-
garment. Generally pronounced feit. The last occasion where these
flannin ', flannel being a hard word
'
terms were in transitory use was at the
from Wales. Tom Taylor used the trial (1881) of one Lefroy, for murder.
term in a scene of the Ticket of Leave The attorney-general, Sir Henry James
Man. '

Hey sup (drink) thou dear

-
(afterwards Lord James of Hereford),
flannin -jacket.' prosecuted. In his opening speech he
said :
Flap -jack invalid (Amer.). A ' ' '

victim of dissipation. Precisely similar coins the flash

or Hanoverian sovereigns found in the
'
Keduce the nation to a vast hospital carriage, which Lefroy repudiated, etc.'
of flap-jack invalids.' Texas Siftings.
Newsp. Cutting.
Flapper (Lower Class). Hand Flash (Milit.). A ribbon decoration
sometimes Possibly from the
flipper. of the 23rd Koyal Welsh Fusiliers.
slapping movement of the hand It is easy to imagine the indignation
suggesting the striking tail or fins of which would be displayed at any attempt
a fish when the word would be an to deprive the officers of the 23rd Royal
onomatope its sound being that of Welsh Fusiliers of their right to wear
the flap of a fish on wet sand or stones. what is called ' the Flash '. This orna-
Said by some authorities to have a ment consists of a black ribbon sewed
on to the back of the tunic-collar, and
very disagreeable meaning. allowed to flutter in the breeze in
Flapper (Society). A very immoral '
imitation of the tie of the old pig-tail.
young girl in her early teens '. D.N., July 1881.
A correspondent of Notes and Queries Flash (Street). Grand, splendid.
has been troubling his mind about the
'
Evidently derived from strong flash of
use of the slang word flapper as
'

lightning.
applied to young girls. Another corre- They're so flash that it's a blooming
spondent points out that a 'flapper' is wonder they know themselves. Cutting,
a young wild duck which is unable to fly, 1883.
hence a little duck of any description,
human or otherwise. The answer seems Flash dona (Thieves'). A high-
at sight frivolous enough, but it is
first class low-class lady.
probably the correct solution of this
'
I was always a real lady, as much as
interesting problem all the same. any dona what gets her portrait
flash
E. N., 20th August 1892. took and then goes on the boards.'
Flare-up (Peoples', 19 cent.). A
stir, riot, disturbance obviously from Flash o' light (New Cut, S.
a house on fire. London). Complimentary description
133
 Flat as a Frying-pan Fly Member

of a woman dressed upon the model of sheets of carbonized or charcoaled paper,

the rainbow. when by writing heavily in pencil on
the mass of flimsy, twelve copies are
Flat as a frying-pan (Peoples', old).
obtained. Passed into a verb
Flat indeed. Probably derived from '
me that par means '
make
the first implement of this kind which Flimsy ',

half a dozen copies on tracing paper '.

was level compared with the crocks
of Elizabethan days.
Had the questions to be copied out ?
Yes ; and the answers to be flimsied.
Egad I'm struck as flat as a frying-
'

Sir C. Dilke, Crawford Divorce Suit,

pan '. Farquhar, The Inconstant. July 1886.
Flat chicken (Lower Stewed
Class).
Fling out or flung away (Peoples').
tripe. All common foods have fine
names.
Angry retreat,
satirical
Wardlaw whipped before him and
Flat-foot (Navy}. A young sailor flung out of the room. (Charles Keade. )
less than twenty-one. (See Shellback). Theodore flung away and was rushing
A greenhorn. off". (Miss Yonge.)
Flatty (Thieves').
An endearing diminutive of flat, who Flip-flap (Street boy, 1898 on).
Broad fringe of hair covering the
would be more despised than the less
contemned flatty.
young male forehead. This fashion,
revived from the time of George IV.,
Flaxation (New Eng.). One of
began with the quiff (q.v.), expanded
the more remarkable American hypo- to the guiver, and widened to the
critical evasions of actual swearing. name
flip-flap, a evidently gained from
Equal to damnation. its motion in the winds.
Then, what in flaxation do you want
'

of those things ?
'

Newsp. Gutting. Flop (Low Lond., 1881). When

the lower classes of women adopted
Fleet (Old Eng.gone to Nantucktt, ' ' ' '
the cretin or poodle style of
where it stays). To trifle, idle. Heard
sometimes in mid-counties, e.g., wearing the hair low down over the
forehead, they gave it this name.
He fleets his life away. Many young
'

Flounce (Theatrical and

gentlemen flock to him every day, and Society,
fleet the time carelessly as they did in 1854 on). The thick line of black
the golden age.' As You Like It. paint put on the edge of the lower
eyelid to enhance the effect of the eye
Fleshy part of the thigh (Peoples'., itself. When under the second empire
1899). Evasive military hospital
painting the face Mind the
phraseology to describe a wound on
(see paint),
that part of the human frame which
became common, this term came to be
Came heard in society.
'goes over the hedge last'.
into use upon the news from S. Africa Fluff in (Lower Peoples'). Deceive
of Lord Methuen having been wounded by smooth modes.
in this region.
Fly cop (Anglo-Amer.). Detective
Flier (Sporting, 19 cent.). breeder A (see Tec). Cop is abbreviation of
of carrier and other homing pigeons. copper (q.v.). Fly is quite an old
Fliers', a term given to the individuals
'
word for adroit.
whose sportsmanlike instincts induce
Fly donah (Street). Adroit lady
them to spend considerable time and not perhaps too honest.
money on the training of homing pigeons.
D. T. 17th December 1897.
y Fly loo (Student, 1850). Summer
- game. The players stand round a
Flight o' steps (Coffee house).
Thick slices of bread and butter. table, eachhaving a lump of sugar or
touch of honey well before him. The
Royal order in relation to steps at owner of the sweets upon which a
least four ridge and furrows. fly
first settles takes the stakes. (See
He asks for a pint of mahogany juice,
a flight of doorsteps, and a penny Kentucky Loo.)
halligator. Mankind (Surrey Theatre), Fly me (Ancient). Exclamation
1883. against mistrust or doubt. From flay.

Flimsy (Press). Copy on very thin Fly member (Com. Peo.). Clever,
tracing paper. A
dozen sheets of adroit man fly being used to give the
flimsy are interleaved with as many idea of speed in apprehending, and
134
 Fly Rink Forum

lighting on what passes. (See Hot force the hand of an adversary is to

member. ) play high in order to compel him to
Fly rink (Peoples', 1875). A play higher. Much used by lawyers
polished bald head. always great whist-players.
Sir C. Warren agreed with the assessor
Flying: the kite (Soc.). Making that it was hardly fair to put a question
public in the 90's. Earlier in the of this character.
century it was issuing accommodation Mr Wontner observed that it was
bills. Now, however, it has the other forcing his hand. Gass Case, July 1887.
meaning, as
He would be very sorry to do entirely Fore God (American). Shape of
'

without the interview, and politicians old English oath Before God, I
'

were said to use it as a means of flying ' swear.

the kite'. Anthony Hope, April 1898.
Foreign line (Railway). Any line
Foal and filly dance (Soc.).
which is not that on which the speaker
Dance to which only very young is employed.
people of both sexes are invited. Foreigneering coves (Low London,
Fog in (Soc.). To see a place by 1860). Most graphic description of
chance, or to achieve by accident. dislike to others than British that
has perhaps been invented.
Foot I foot ! Now and again this
expression cast after the respectably
is
We have no passion for ribbons, and
dressed person who wanders into orders, and all the tinsel trappings of
aliens or 'foreigneering coves', as
they
strange and doubtful bye-ways. Phrase are termed in the simple language of
obtained much attention by its use by '
Those in the Know '. D. N., 1883.
Emile Zola in L'Assommoir, where it is
found even in the mouth of a priest. Foreigner (Negro). Elegant evasive
title given by negroes to describe
It is difficult to say when this term
themselves, in order to avoid the
passed into England. The word is to
be found as 'foutre' in Shakespeare hated word black.
(Henry VI.). Probably reintroduced Forest of fools (Literary. 17 cent.).
into England by the French court of The World.
Charles II. Amongst all the wild men that run up
Foot-and-mouth disease (Lanca- and down in this wide Forest of Fools,
etc. Decker's Gull's Horn-Book, 1609.
shire).Swearing followed by kicking.
Foot-bath (European. ) Overflow Forever - gentleman ( Soc. , 1870).
from into saucer. Said in
A man in whom
good breeding is in-
glass
grained. (See Half Hour Gentleman.)
England of a full glass.
It is customary throughout Spain for Forrader (Soc., 1880 on). For-
the waiters of cafe's to fill a glass with warder adopted from the gutter, one
wine or liquor so that it overflows upon in the House of Commons.
night,
the saucer. This custom, in which it Used in many jocular ways.
is desired to show an appearance of
Whether the Liberal Forwards will get
liberality, is called 'the foot-bath'. ' '

any forrarder over the light claret

People, 28th July 1895. which we have no doubt is all that they
Foot - rot (Public
-
house). Con- can conscientiously allow themselves
temptuous name given by the con- remains to be seen. D. T., 15th
temn ers of fourpenny ale. (See Brown. ) December 1898.

Footless stocking without a leg. Fortnum and Mason (Soc., 1850

(Irish).Nothing zero. (See What on). Complete, luxurious hamper for
the Connaught man shot at.) picnic or races. From the perfection
1 of the eatables sent out by this firm of
Fopper (Parvenus ). Mistake. Per-
version of faux pas '. In its extreme
'
grocers in Piccadilly.
application an
'
event ', if you accept 49ers ( W. -
American). Earliest
the word's Latin meaning. Equi- Californian miners from the year in
valent to what the French call brise which the movement to California
du soir. commenced.
Forcing the hand (Soc.). Compel Forum (Birmingham). The
admissions. From whist, where to
'
Forum
'
is the Town Hall, and known
135
 Forwards French

by that name through all Warwick- on both sides of the House of Commons
shire. urging members to be in their places
Earl Granville, who was received with this evening. D. N., March 1890.
most enthusiastic cheers, said I rise a :
Four thick Four-
(Public-house).
stranger in this famous Town Hall pence per quart beer the commonest
(cries of No ') known in Birmingham,
'

there is (in London), and generally

I believe, by a still more classical name.
the muddiest.
Bright Celebration (B'rgham), June
1383. Fourpenny cannon (London
Forwards Radicals Slums). Beef-steak pudding price, a
(Polit., 1897).
last cry of the 19th century in groat. Named possibly from its shape,
that of a cannon-ball (cut down to
discovering a new name for the
advanced sections in the House of cannon), but possibly referring to the
Commons. cast-iron character not only of the beef,
Sir Charles Dilke leads a knot of but its integument.
Radical 'forwards' on questions of
Fourpenny pit (Rhyming). Four-
foreign affairs, whose views are, pro-
penny bit now antiquarian phrase
bably, at least as distasteful to the since this silver coin has been
leader of the Opposition as the policy
of Lord Salisbury.!). T., 21st June absolutely withdrawn in favour of the
threepenny bit.
1898.

Foundling temper (London). A Foxes (American). People of

very bad temper proverbially said of Maine probably owing to the foxes
the domestic servants poured upon which prevail there.
London by the metropolitan Foundling Frame (Artists', 1890). Picture.
Hospital. Franc -fileur
(French, 1870). A
The ladies who are conducting the cur, a freebolter in contradistinction
Metropolitan Association for Befriending from franc-tireur, the volunteer light
Young Servants are perpetually thwarted of the defence. Used now
and discouraged by the singular in- infantry
and again in England in society for
capacity for self-control of the girls who
have been bred in the great pauper a man who gets away quietly and
schools. Their chief characteristic is an won't dance.
ungovernable temper. This is popularly
'
Freak (Theatrical, 1885). Actors
recognised as the Foundling temper'. who lose professional cast by aiding in
D. N., 9th September 1885.
eccentric shows. From New York.
Foundry (Peoples'}. Shop, but Actors who play in dime museums are
chiefly applied to a pork butcher's now called 'freaks'. Mef., 18th April
probably because of the noisy vibra- 1906.
tion of the sausage machine.
Freakeries (London, 1898).
Fountain temples (London, 90's). Barnum's freak and acrobat shows at
Places of convenience, sunk below the Olympia.
roadways. Remarkable for lavish
Free (Peoples' and School). To
marble, mosaic, and clear running make free. Process never of a very
water. (See Cottages.)
elegant kind especially amongst
Four arf (Costers'). The coster- school - boys. Expectoration enters
monger's favourite beverage is a pot into the process as a rule. (See
o' four arf. 'Lynch').
Four -legged fortune (Soc. t 1880 Free hand (Political, about 1880).
on). Winning horse. Plenary powers, carte blanche.
'

They talk Turf slang they back four-

; General Gordon has been given, if we
legged fortunes ', and his lordship owns must use a detestable piece of slang a
a steed which brings him to utter grief. 'free hand'. In plainer and better
D.T., 22nd April 1898. English he has been allowed to do as
Four liner (Soc.). Very important. he pleased. D. N., 5th May 1884.
From 'whips' or messages to M.P.'s, French (S. of N. Amer. Soc.).
which have from one to four lines Term used in Maryland and Virginia
drawn under them, according to for any fashion that is disliked.
importance. Probably from 18th century when the
Four-lined whips have been sent out people of these states very much
136
 Frenchman Fruit of a Gibbet

disliked the French population of with no serious aim in life. Sub-

Louisiana. stantive derived from Lord Beacons-
Frenchman 19 field's celebrated phrase 'hair-brained
(Soc., cent.). Bottle
of brandy from this spirit being frivolity '.

French. 'Junius' contains plenty of fine

stirring lines, even if
they awake no
Frenchy 19 cent., to 1854).
(Street, more than an occasional echo in the
A term of contempt addressed to any bosoms of the cynical 'frivollers' who
man with a foreign air in the streets. '

exclusively occupy the best parts at all

'

Fresh -whites our theatres. Kef., 1st March 1885.

(Peoples', 19 cent.).
Pallor. Frochard (Theatrical, about 1870).
and Savage old woman part from the
Freshers toshers
(Oxford,
Freshers despised as freshmen, demon-hag in Les Deux Orphelines.
1896).
and toshers beiog men who have no Augustin Daly's Under the Gaslight
was more or less a bobtail piece, and
' '

sympathy with the Church. Com-

thoroughly American in tone. We had
bined term of contempt. a New York blood a low-comedy ;

Fretted (American). Vexed to do character called Bermudas ;

'
a side-walk
a thing. merchant prince, with a banjo swarry ; '

a Wall Street dealer a judge of the

Friars(L. G. and D. Railway Tombs Police Court and a vile
;

passengers', 1860). Hurried short for Frochard sort of person called Old
'Blackfriars'. Judas. D. T., 9th June 1899.
Friction (Polit., 1885). New Froncey (Low. Land., 19 cent.).
satirical term for political or inter- Fran9ais protest in the interests of
national quarrel. things English and of England.
The letter from Lord Granville which Front (Soc., 1888). Audacity-
Lord Edmund Fitzmaurice read in the from the forehead, pushing forward.
House of Commons contained an expres-
sion of Lord Granville's hope that the
Equals affront.
'
friction
'
with Germany may now be
There is another rendering of the word
'front' in use among some clever folk,
considered a thing of the past. D. N.,
but I wouldn't for the world suggest that
10th March 1885.
the promoters have any of that to say
Fried carpets (London Theatrical, nothing of 420 ft. of it. Ref., 9th March
1878-82). Given to the exceedingly 1890.
short ballet skirt, then especially seen Front name (Universal Street, 19
'
at the old Gaiety'. Christian name, and always
cent.).
Friendly pannikin (Australian considered as the cognomen.
-
gold fields). An amicable drink Front piece (Theatrical, 1880).
together out of the small tin pot Dramatic trifle which precedes the
one which serves the outlying Aus-
piece de resistance.
tralian for most purposes. The new front piece, Written in Sand,
Fright hair (Theatrical). A wig turned out to be a pretty little idyllic
or portion of a wig which by a string affair. Ref., 31st August 1884.
can be made to stand on end and Frosy (Devonshire). A delicacy in
express fright. food eaten quietly by not more than
Frisk at the tables (London). A two, after the children are in bed the
moderate touch at gaming. couple generally man and wife.

My object is fulfilled if I have made it Froze out (Amer.-Eng., 1880-96).

a frisk at the tables is now
' '
clear that
Conquered, made the other a
rendered easy to Londoners, and that
nonentity.
those wishing to enjoy one have but to
attend the first well-managed sporting
Fruit of a gibbet (Peoples', 18 cent.).
Hanged felon. The gibbet, as distinct
meeting, to receive encouragement and
respectful protection at the hands of the
from the gallows, was the frame upon
police. G. A. Sala. which the hanged man was swung in
chains.
Frisky (Com. London, 1880). Bad- I found thee a complete emblem of
tempered, and a euphemism for the
same. poverty, resembling the fruit of a gibbet
seven years exposed to wind and weather
Frivoller (Soc., 1879 on). Person Gay's Beggars' Opera.
137
 Frump Galbe

Frump 1871 on). High cut

(Soc. t

bodice. When
the second French
Empire fell (1870), the low-cut bodice,
which the Court of the Tuileries had
maintained for eighteen years, was
swept away. London society led with
the high, and afterwards the square G. O. M. (Political Popular, 1882).
cut bodice, which still very generally Grand Old Man. In this year Mr W.
prevails. Young men in society at E. Gladstone, when Premier, was de-
once dubbed the high bodice scribed in this way. The satirical
' '

patroness a frump a badly dressed journals took up the phrase, and

woman. reduced it to initials.
Full as a goat (Tavern, 18 cent.). I knocked the G. 0. M. down, North-
Drunk. This phrase is evidently Full '
cote sat on his head, and he gave in.
as a goitre', the word often used for Ref., 7th December 1884.
the huge throat wen which, common G. T. T. (New York). Gone to
in the last century, is now rarely seen. Texas. Confession of flight put on
The word having no distinct modern office door.

meaning, has been naturally changed Gads O](Hist.). Evaded swearing.

to goat. The idea of fulness is com-
Equals God s oath probably refers to
plete in contemplating a huge goitre, the promises made to the patriarchs.
which always looks upon the point of
Gadsbud (Queen Anne). God's
bursting.
blood, or God's bud, meaning the
. . . New
Arrival 'I want a bed.'
Infant Saviour. Another shape is
Clerk Can't have one, sir they're all
:
'

Od's Bud (q.v.), Gadsbud I am pro-

; '

full.' N. A. 'Then I'll sleep with the

:
!

landlord.' Clerk: 'Can't do it, sir. voked into a fermentation.' Congreve,

He's full, too fuller than a goat, and
;
The Double Dealer.
has been for three days.' N. Y. Gaelically utter (Soc. ). The Scotch
Mercury, 1888. accent when trying to produce English.
Function(Soc., 1880 on). First '
West of England
'
cried a supporter
!

used for grave musical performances
but the aesthetes began to apply the
word to all kinds of meetings even
afternoon teas.
The drenching showers of Thursday
night in no way damped the ardour of
Haymarket reopeners. The ceremony
was, inits way, almost a function. Jief.,
18th September 1887.
Fury (Navy). Crew's name for the
Furious.
Fuss (Anglo-American, 19
Dispute, row,
serious consequences.
; of the majority, in an accent too Gaeli-
cally utter for London ink to reproduce.
'
I don't believe there are any solicitors
in the West of England. Only a set of
clerks.' S. T., 1st February 1883.
Gaiety girls (Stage, 1890 on).
Dashing singing and dancing come-
dians in variety pieces from their
first gaining attention at the Gaiety
Theatre.
One of the most interesting features of
cent.). the Nellie Farren benefit is the promised
wrangle, without any re-appearance of Miss Marion Hood, one
of the brightest and most graceful of
' '

Fuss and feathers (Amer.-Eng., Gaiety girls. People, 27th February

1898.
1880). Bosh, pretence, froth. Prob-
from 18th century English Gaiety step (Theat., 1888-92). A
ably ;
made popular
and referring to cock-fighting where quick, high dancing pas,
the birds only pulled feather and
at the Gaiety Theatre. Term spread
to America.
threatened.
Well, as an American critic says of the Galbe (Thieves'). Profile of a vio-
notions of the solar mythologists, this lent character, and even applied to any
was 'all fuss and feathers'. D. 2?., eccentricity of shape above the knees.
10th February 1898. This is from the French, and doubt-
Fuz-chats The people (Beggars'). lessly came into fashion at the Court
who camp out on commons amongst of Charles II. The word is one of the
the '
furze '.
Generally show-people, proper-name series, and comes from
and gipsy cheap-jacks, also gipsies the Emperor Galba, who lived long in
proper. Gaul, where his pronounced profile and
138
 Gallersgood General Backacher

terrificnose begot the word. Galbe is Garret (Hatters', 19 cent.). con- A

used daily all over France, but espe- sultation of the members of a shop
" in relation to some trade or social
cially in Paris. Quel Galbe."
Gallersgood (Thieves', 18 cent.). difficulty of the moment.
Corruption of gallows' good. So bad Garret (Street, 19 cent.). Mouth-
that it is worthy of the gallows. probably suggested by the mouth
Gally-pot baronet (Soc. t 19 cent.). being high up in relation to all the
Ennobled physician outcome of the body.
scorn of birth for even the scientific Gas-pipes (Street). Name given to
parvenu. trousers when tight. In France when
fashion causes the hem of the trouser
Gal-sneaker ( Co mmonLond., 1870).
to widen out, this style is called pied
A man devoted to seduction.
d'elephant, to which it has a fair
Gambetter (International, 1879). resemblance.
To humbug 'Don't you try to Gam
Better me!' From Gambetta, of Gaul darned (American). Modern
Italian and Jewish origin, who was opposition to too plain bad languagb
'
God damned '.
very popular in France from 1870 to
about 1876, when politicians began to Gawblimy (Street, 1870). Cease-
suspect his sincerity. In 1879 his less apostrophe by the lower orders to
popularity was rapidly waning. In heaven, in reference to some declara-
this year the verb in question was tion. This is 'Gaw Bli Me'. Gaw
invented. It is still used in French from the street shape of the word
' ' '

politicswhen accusing an opponent of God this shape being Gawd, bli

double-dealing.
an ellipsis, and me '. '

Gamblous (Soc., 1885). Gambling Gawd forgive him the prayers he

invented by Mr J. Chamberlain. said (Peoples'). Evasion of saying the
sinner swore consummately.
(29th April 1885. Speech at dinner of
the Eighty Club.) Gaze at the melody (American).
I suppose Lord Salisbury thinks that Look a thing in the face. Another
if this country only blustered enough we form of ' Face the music '.
might attain all that we desired from the Gee -
gees (Infantry}. Cavalry.
fears of foreign Powers. There is some- This term, from the nursery, for a
thing to be said for the game of brag, horse is directed at the cavalry by
but in this case the stakes are so high,
the infants. (See Coldcreams, Porridge
the risk so great, that I do not believe
that any sensible men will commit their pots, Grinning dears, Muck. )
fortunes to a party or a statesman who Gee-ru (American, 1880). Exten-
'

would run such tremendous hazards in sion of amazement. The Ge is for '

such a gamblous spirit. Jerusalem, a word once much used ;

Gander (London, accent on first syllable and on second.
1815-40). Fop. '

It a perversion of Gandin, the

is
Often used, ' Je you don't say so !
Parisian description of a fop from the General (Com. Life). Chandler's
Restoration to the '40's. shop where everything may be
obtained.
Ganymede University). Freshman
( ,

or man in his second or even third General (Mid. class, 1880 on).
-

year, of an effeminate tendency. Maid of all work.

That the race of generals threatens to
Gaperies, The (London, 1902). become extinct is a proposition which is
The very last outcome of entertain- not really so startling as it sounds at
' '
ments ending in ies (see Colindiries,
first. D. T., 18th January 1898.
'
etc. ) It is simply a rendering of Gay
General (Middle -
class, 19 cent.}
Paris '.

Shilling. Can you generalise ?

' '
A
Garbage (Naval). Clothes, etc. delicate mode of saying Can you loan
'

probably from the appearance of a box

'
me a shilling ?
of clothes waiting the wash.
General Backacher (Military,
Garbed passing to
(American ; 1899). General Gatacher modula-
Eng.). Full - dressed. Would appear tion of his name to designate this
to be an intensification of the ordinary soldier's love of hard-working his
use of the word dressed. men. (See Bobs.)
139
 Genitrave Get up Early

Genitrave (Peoples', Hist.) Get fits (Peoples'). Vce victis

Farthing or smallest coin. Was suffer rage from being conquered ;
in use before maravedi, which pro- impatient under defeat. Generally
bably came to England with Philip
'

git fits '.

of Spain. Get in 19
(Low London, cent.).
Gentleman (Liverpool). There are Victoriously strike.
no men in Liverpool all are gentlemen.
;
And then you goes and gets in both
Gentleman in blue (London, 1840). fists one, two, three afore I knew
One of the satirical names for police- where I was. Then o' course I ups and
man. gives you a one-er, and off I goes.
D. T., 18th October 1897.
Gentleman super (Theatrical Get inside and the blinds
pull
about 1884). A theatre-super of some down (Low London, 19 cent.). Gross
position or standing the ordinary verbal attack delivered on the high-
super being a person of no standing way at a poor rider.
whatever beyond earning about a
Get it down the neck (Lower
shilling or two per evening. In 1884
Mr Wilson Barrett (Princess's Theatre) Peoples'). To swallow.
invented the gentleman super with a Get left (Anglo- Amer.). Abbre-
'
view to creating a school of actors, viation of in the lurch '.

who began on the lowest rung of the Get outside (Street). Swallow.
ladder. Their price was about twelve Get religion (Peoples'). Become
to fifteen shillings per week.
religious.
Gentleman who pays the rent, Get the drop (Amer.-Eng.). Out-
The (Irish peasantry, 19 cent.). Pig come of the use of the revolver in
Milesian variety. Origin obvious. U.S.A. The muzzle of the revolver is
The Irish pig, the gentleman who pays
dropped down to the aim from a higher
the Irish rent, if not exactly a willing level hence the term, which means to
immigrant into this country, has always obtain victory.
proved a quiet one after his arrival. He
has generally been cured before leaving Get the g. b. (Amer.). Dismissal
'
home. D. T., 17th December 1897. g. b. being go by '.
Gentlemen of the robe
'
Won't he feel cheap when he gets the
long
Term applied by warriors g. b. ?'
(Historical).
who wore short tunics, satirically to Get the heels on it (Amer.-Eng.).
designate mere lawyers, who waged Victory, success from the American
wars with but words. habit (rapidly passing away) of resting
the heels, when their proprietor is
George (Military, 1880-96). The
Commander-in- Chief, George, Duke of seated, on a level with his head, if not
Good evidence of the above it.
Cambridge.
duke's popularity, which never waned Get the shillings ready (Street,
to the moment he resigned the 1897). Be prepared to ladle out
command. money. From the rush of charity
Sidus which characterised the sixtieth year of
Georgium (Soc.). The
Netherlands Queen Victoria's reign, and especially
figuratively speaking.
The referring to the Daily Telegraph shill-
Surrey side of the Styx.
ings charity lists towards the fund for
Geranium (Street, 1882). Red nose. the payment of the debts of the London
German gospel (Peoples', November Hospitals.
1897). Bounce, vain boasting, mega- Get the shoot (Peoples'). Dismissal
lomania. From a phrase addressed probably from the mill shoot turning
in this month by Prince Henry of out the flour.
Prussia to his brother of Germany at
Get the spike (Low London). Lose
a dinner '
: The gospel that emanates one's temper.
from your Majesty's sacred person, etc.' '0' course Chris git's the spike!'
Get away closer (Coster, Hist.). People, 5th January 1895.
to yet more pronounced
Invitation Get to onest (Amer.). Retire im-
devotion. mediately.
Get curly (Tailors'). Troublesome. Get up early (Street). Be clever.
140
 Get up Steam Ginger Blue

Get up steam (Peoples', 1840 on). callthe waiter and order, as he pointed
Be energetic. Outcome of the initia- to the carte, ' Two Giants'. I arrived at
tion of the railway system. Even a solution of the mystery when presently
I saw the gourmands devouring giant ' '

George Eliot, who hated anything

asparagus. Ref., 1882.
approaching slang, used this phrase so
early as 1846. Gibby (Navy). Spoon.
I do not know whether I can get up
'
Giddy young whelp (London,
any steam again on the subject of Quinet 1896). Youth about town. Rather
but I will try.' George Eliot's Life, contemptuous. Sometimes giddy
vol. p. 150.
i.,
young whelk pronounced Wilk.
Get your eye in a sling (Peoples'}. Giddy kipper was the first develop-
Warning that you may receive a mentfrom probably giddy skipper.
sudden and early black eye, calling An
Gigglemug (Street}. habitually
for a bandage the sling in question. face.
smiling
Getting a big boy now (London). Gigmanity (Soc.). People who
Of age. The line was the leading keep gigs therefore
respectable.
phrase of the refrain of a song made Took its rise from the trial of one
popular by Herbert Campbell. It is Thurtell for the murder of a Mr
applied satirically to strong lusty Weare, as to whom it was asked by
young fellows about whose manhood Was Weare '
counsel of a witness :

there can be little or no question. a respectable man ?

'
the answer being
'

over a man (L. Life,

all Yeshe kept a gig '.
Getting
19 cent.). Handling and examining Gilt on the gingerbread (Peoples'
him not necessarily for theft, but in almost obsolete). The past - away
all probability feloniously. annual rural fairs were made ghastly
The only reason witness could give for gay with flat gingerbread cakes,
the attack was that a few days previously covered with Dutch metal, which
'
he prevented Eegan getting all over a tried to look like gilt.
strange man whom he had brought into
'

Gin and fog (Theatrical). Peculiar

the lodging-house. D. T., 8th October
1895.
hoarseness, generally believed to be
caused by the abuse of alcohol.
Getting before oneself (Peoples'). Dr Lennox Brown has been delivering
Personal emphasis of any kind of
an interesting lecture on the effects of
vanity, boastfulness, threat, anger. alcohol on the voice. There is a broken-
down voice known in the profession as
Getting behind yourself (Peoples', 'the gin and fog'. G. R. Sims, Ref.,
19 cent.). Lapse of memory in refer- llth January 1886.
ence to events.
Gin bottle (Street). Dirty, abandoned,
Getting it down fine (American,
Successful adroitness. flabby, debased woman, generally over
1880). by
it down fine on burglars. It thirty, the victim of alcoholic abuse,
Getting
within an ace of inevitable death.
is getting so that even burglars are
seriously interfered with in the practice Gin crawl (London, Fleet St. and
of their professions. A
recent invention,
Strand). Beaten street tracks haunted
etc. Albany Argus, 1883. by drunken or broken down literary
Getting ox-tail soup (1867-83). men, journalists, reporters, and inferior
Refers to the maiming of cattle, actors out of employ.
exercised by Fenians and other dis- Phil Benjamin was taking his daily
affected Irish, against the property of constitutional, which consisted in what
'
'
is called a gin crawl in this instance
cattle-owners who displeased them.
between Drury Lane and Covent Garden.
In Ireland there have been no experi-
Bird o' Freedom, 7th March 1883.
ments at all, for the cutting off the tails
of living cattle 'getting ox-tail soup',
Gin -
sling (Public-house, 19 cent.).
as some Irish facetiously styled this Practically cold gin-punch. Generally
practice is not a scientific experiment. supposed to come from U.S.A., and
D. N., 7th June 1883. named thus from slinging the mixture
Good example of historical phrase. from glass to glass.
Giants (Restaurant). Huge Ginger blue (Amer.-Eng., 1855).
asparagus. Exclamation protesting againstcaddish -
I was startled by hearing the player ness. Ginger was applied on the
141
 Girl of the Period Go In

plantations of S. U.S.A. to over -eager Give way to booze (Street). Mode

negroes. Blue was added as a satirical of describing habits of drinking.
reference to blue blood. Give a drink Theatre and Music-
it (

Girl of the period (Soc., 1880 on). hall, Fin de sttcle shape of
1897).
Term invented by Mrs Lynn Linton condemnation conferred upon a bad
in a series of articles in The Saturday piece, or some poor turn at the music
Review, attacking the self-emancipa- halls.
tion of the young lady of this Give out (American). End finish ;

generation. from a mine giving out as to ore.

After Naseby, by Mr
Briton Riviere.
The reader, even if he has not visited Give way (Ladies', 19 cent.).
the Academy, can imagine for himself Weep, break down, resolve in tears.
the young lady of the period, bowed Unhappily the infection appeared to
down with grief, and holding the fatal extend its influence even to Mr Barry-
letter, below a tall window of the more, who, when Mr Forbes-Robertson
Royalist hall. D. N., Academy Grit. was preparing to bring the scene to a
Git a bit (L. London). May refer close by 'taking the measure of an
to woman, but generally means obtain- unmade grave had begun to exhibit in
',

his turn an alarming tendency to give

'

ing money.
way', as the ladies say. D. N., llth
On the day this 'ere job came off Chris November 1882.
comes around to me and says I 'aint :
'

you had better

Give the shake (American).
going to work to-day ;

come out and see if we can't get a bit. Abbreviation of shaking hands upon
People, 6th January 1895. departure.
Git the ambulance (Street, 1897). Give us a rest (American, 1882).
Declaration of incapacity, generally of A figurative way of asking a long
a drunken character, cast at the talker to curtail his sermon.
sufferer. Took the place of 'git the Give him a rolling for his all
stretcher' which was (and is) main- over (Street). Corruption of give him
tained by the police. Took its rise a Roland for his Oliver.
from the introduction amongst civilians
Giving one. The one here
of ambulance service.
mentioned may be a kiss or a blow.
Git the sads (Peoples'). Vulgar
'to have the vapours'.
Glim (Thieves'). Candle.
synonym for
(See Smokes). Glory-oh (Navy). Name given by
the crew to the Glory.
Give a lift (Amer.-Eng.). A sharp
quick kick. Glory hole (Street). One of the
names found for the places of meeting
Give it hot (L. Life). Severe
of the Salvationists in their early
castigation.
days.
Remember, remember, The Glory Hole Disturbances at
' '

Next month of November,

The boycotting, treason, and plot Maidstone: The 'Glory Hole' disturb-
ances were continued last night at
For condoning this treason
Maidstone. D. N., 24th October 1887.
(To win votes the reason)
We'll give it Lord Salisbury hot ! Glow (Com. Class). Blush.
Ref., 18th October 1885. Go and eat coke (Back Street).
Give the crock (Peoples'). Yield- Direction implying contempt.
ing victory the crock must have been Go around (American). Drift go ;

u g- with current in life ; live thought-

I ha ve been making a long calculation,
and I find that this sum will only just
cover ex.'s, so I am simply giving you Go-away (Soc., 1886). The dress
the crock. Our Boys, No. 2, December into which a bride passes before she
1883. departs with her husband.
Give away the racket (American). Go close (Sporting Anglo-American).
Unintentionally to reveal.
To the winning post. Abbreviation.
Give him rope enough (Old Go down one (Com. London). To
English). This phrase is abbreviated be vanquished.
from the addition, '
and he'll hang Go in (Peoples'). Act with absolute
himself. vigour.
'
Go in
'
and win is the best
142
 Go Off Go-between

known of the applications of this Go to bed (Printers', 1860-80).

phrase. Phrase used by printers in reference to
The person who jumped on the com- printing a newspaper on the bed of the
munion table at St Paul's Cathedral printing-press.
the other day, pulling down the crucifix, Goto Hell or Connaught (Hist.).
knocking over the flowers and other Be From the time of Cromwell,
off.
adornments, may be said to have had but still heard, especially in Protestant
a very inexpensive 'go in'. He had
been fined 5. Entr'acte, April 1883. Ireland. Means utter repudiation of
the person addressed. The Parliament
Go off (Theatrical}. Go off the
(1653-54) passed a law, driving away
stage. all the people of Ireland who owned
Go off (Soc. ). Not to take place.
any land, out of Ulster, Munster, and
Mr Matthews: 'There is something Leinster.
'
cut out of the diary ? That was an '

Whenever Go to sleep (American- English).

engagement that went off.'
'

an engagement goes off you cut it out ? '

Fail, expire, to an end, now
come
'Yes.' 'What do you mean by an generally accepted ; but in the fiist
When a place used as to wandering theatrical
' '
engagement going off ?
person says he will call and does not, I and other amusements companies about
cut it out.' Sir C. Dilke, Crawford the U.S. A.
Divorce Suit, July 1886.
Go up (Oxford and Cambridge). To
Go on the aeger (Oxford). Signs go, academically, to one 'Varsity or the
the sick-list. other.
a man is ill, or thinks he is the
If Wiclif went up to Oxford between
will oftenbeing father to the thought 1335 and 1340. Balliol was his college
he 'goes on the seger' that is to say, naturally, as he was a North Country-
he puts his name down on the sick-list man. D. N., 30th December 1884.
and obtains the luxury of a hot dinner (See Go down).
in his rooms./). T., 14th August 1899. Go up The action of
(Theatrical).
Go on tick (Hist.), Credit short going up the stage that is to the
for ticket. Fallen very low in the back boards of that platform. (See Go
world. off, Come on).
This phrase derived from the French
is Go up one (Peoples'). Applause.
word 'Etiquet,' a little note, breviate or Derived from the school class the
best i.e., a ticket or note being made scholar going one nearer the top as he
or taken instead of payment ; con-
goes up one.
sequently, to go on trust or credit.
" We'll Go-aheaditiveness (Amer.) Suc-
play on tick, and lose "the Indies ;

I'll discharge it all to-morrow. Dryden, cess.

An Evening's Love. Go-between, The (Holborn, W.C.,
Go on with the funeral (American). 1897). St Alban's Church, Holborn.
Continue the ceremony. This high church used to be called
'

Go out foreign (Thieves'). To

'
Machonichie's from the name of its
emigrate under shady circumstances. who, dying in the
first spiritual director,
snows of Scotland, was succeeded by
Go one better (American). Father Stan ton, when the church came
Superiority from a term at 'poker', '
to be called Stanton's '. It acquired
or 'brag'.
the title here given from a police-court
The merry Duchess can see the late
case.
Mrs Lydia Pinkham, and go her one
better.jy. York Puck, September 1883.
Mr Horace Smith : What is your re-
?
ligion
Go solid (American- Eng., 1884). The Woman
Well, my boy was chris-
:

Thorough. tened at St Alban's, Holborn.

The Irish Nationalist vote, whatever Mr Carr (second clerk) Is that Church :

of
it may amount to, will, in American England ?

phraseology, 'go solid', against the The Woman : I don't know. You
Liberal party. D. N., 10th Sept. 1885. ought to know ; you're more learned
than me.
Go to Hanover (Jacobite, 18 cent.). Mr H. Smith : Is it a Roman Catholic
Paraphrase of Go to Hell 'Hanover
'
Church ?
being quite on a par with the hotter Th Woman: Well, it's between the
place in the opinion of the Jacobites. two. It ain't Roman Catholic, and yet
143
 Go ivithout Passport Gold Hunters

it'svery High. It's a go-between. The chronicler adds that the frankness
D. T., 5th February 1897. of this admission so overpowered her
Go without that she could only squeeze his hand and
passport (Amer. '

Commit suicide. say, Oh, George and was it good ?

!
'

1860).
Go wrong (Soc., 1870).
of prosper.
Goes Fanti (Scientific, 19 cent.).
Tendency to return to primitive life-
atavism.
Another sort of man simply 'goes
Fanti,' like the Rev. John Greedy, M. A.,
Oxon, and reverts to savagery. D. N.,
25th August 1887.
Going 'ome (L. Class). Dying.
Going into laager (Colonial, pass-
ing to England). Taking precau-
tions against danger. From S. Africa,
where the farmers in a given district,
when fearing an attack from natives,
assemble their waggons and form them
into a zigzag circle or square, and
Ref., 6th September 1885.
Antithesis
Gone coon (Amer. -Eng. ). Raccoon,
which has taken refuge in a tree, and
thus offers a perfect aim to the sports-
man. Conquered, trapped.
Gone over a goodish bit of grass
(Peoples'}. Tough referring to a very
hard leg of mutton, presumably old.
Good example of evasive satire.
Gone through Hades with his hat
off (Amer. just understood in Eng-
land). Bold.
Gone through the sieve (Managers').
Bankrupt lost from sight.
Gone to Chicago (Eng.-Amer.).
Last outcome
Vanished, levanted.
( 1884) of G. T. T. (q.v.).

pitch their tents within it. This is
going into laager.
The news from Bechuanaland this
morning is more serious. The magis-
trate and farmers at Kuruman have
The spectacle of half a score of gold-
laced and brass-buttoned generals in full
uniform gravely discussing whether a
fellow-officer was or was not wanting in
proper respect for a civilian now shorn
'

gone into laager. D. T., 9th January of official station and '

gone to Chicago
1897. cannot fail to be inspiring. New York
Mercury, April 1885.
Going ter keep a peanner-shop
(Street, London). Evidence of com- Gone to Rome (Obscure}. Become
silent.
plete grandeur, said aloud of and to a
Catholic Spain still keeps up her old
neighbour or other person passing in
all the
flaunting array adapted to
traditions of Holy Week observances and
religious ceremonies. When the clock
holiday-making. strikes ten on the morning of Maundy
Going to Calabar (Naval). Dying Thursday all carriage, cart and tramway-
from Calabar being situated on the car traffic ceases, even in the streets of
marshy estuary of Cross River, West Madrid and the capital of Spain be-
;

Coast of Africa, and particularly one
of the spots called white men's graves.
Going to buy anything?
1896 on). Evasive request for a drink.
One man who wants refreshment
comes a Silent City for forty- eight hours,
until ten o'clock strikes on Saturday
morning, and the bells of the churches
(Streets,
'
return from Rome ', as the popular say-
ing has it, and announce High Mass.
D. N. 4th April 1890.
,

badly meets another, and puts this (See Sent to Coventry. )

minute inquiry. Godfer Troublesome
(Peoples').
Going a dawg (Sporting}.
to see child. Short for God-forsaken.
Meaning a woman, whose social posi- God-forbids (Rhyming). Kids a
tion may be assumed by her associa- mode of describing children,
cynical
tion with 'dawg' always thus spelt by poor men who dread a long family.
or pronounced.
God-speed (Nautical). Hospitable
Goingto see a man (Anglo- Amer., meal given when a vessel is about to
1883). Going to get a drink. sail.
A young fellow, who had a pretty Mr Sutherland at a God-speed party
young woman iu tow, got up after each on board the Valetta said, etc. D. N. t

act and went out. When he came back 3rd March 1884.
the second time his companion asked
'Did you see him?' 'See whom?' he
:
Golblast (Amer., 1883). A mild
' oath.
demanded. The man you went to see.
'

'
I didn't go out to see a man I wanted
;
Gold hunters (American}.
to get a drink,' was the candid rejoinder. Californians.
144
 Gom Got Line

Gom (Political, 1883). G.O.M. Gosh ding (Anglo- Amer.). God

became a word. Coined on the initials damn.
of Graiid Old Man
Gladstone, Mr Gospel according to St Jeames
who in this year was quite the idol
(Soc., 1847 on). Snobbery, abject
of the people. devotion to of
persons position.
Gonnows Women ( of Lower Class, Derived from Thackeray's Jeames de
19 cent.). God knows with the 'd' la Pluche.
elided.
'
Gonnows I'm innercent Mrs Gospel of gloom (Anti -
aesthetic,
Biffley gonnows that.' Satirical of
1880). description
Gonoph London). Thief this
(E. sestheticism which tended to doleful
word being Hebrew for the same. colours, gloomy houses, sad limp
Good curtain (Theatrical). Good dresses,and solemn, earnest behaviour.
ending to an act. As what was called the artistic dress ' '

was never adopted by acknowledged

Good hiding (Peoples'). The good beauties or ladies of rank and fashion so
refers to the
hider, not the hided. did that theory of house decoration
The second word refers to the hide,
familiarly known as the gospel of gloom ',
'

or skin of the victim. completely fail to obtain any grip in

Good strange (Queen Ann). God's Grosvenor, Berkeley, St James's, or
that the cords which Belgrave Square. D. N. Workers, etc.,
strings, is,
17th September 1898.
bound string having possibly been
pronounced strang, as it still is in Gospel of the tub (Society, 1845).
some parts of England. The mania for the use of cold water.
Good strange I swear I'm almost A
bath was, all over Europe, a luxury,
or a remedy for illness, until what has
tipsy. Congreve, The Double Dealer.
been called the gospel of the tub was
Good thing out of it (Peoples' commenced in England. Athletics, tub-
Hist. ) . Success probably not wholly bing, and the Broad Church seized on
unaccompanied by smartness. the English mind together, and cold
Meantime it is as well to put in a word water was preached as the great pre-
of warning against the notion that the server of strength and beauty. D. N.,
British Government seeks to use a 9th February 1883.
common commercial phrase to make a '
Got a clock (Peoples', Historical).
good thing oat of it from a financial
'

Carrying a handbag. The creation of

point of view. D. T., 18th January this phrase is quite historical. The
1898.
firstserious explosion by dynamite in
Good young man (L. Peoples', London (Victoria Terminus, 1883) was
1881). Catch phrase for hypocrite. effected by dynamite in connection
Brought in by Mr Arthur Roberts in with an American clock whose hammer
a song. (See Bad young man.) struck the trigger of a pistol whose
Goose (U.S.A.). Practical joke. charge fired the explosion. (See
Has nothing to do with goosing in Fenian. )
theatres. Got a collar on (Street). Stuck up.
Gooseberry-picker (Soc.old). A Got a face on him (Peoples').
confidant in love matters, who shields Evasion of ugly.
the couple, and brings about inter-
Got the crop (Military up to
views between them.
1856). Short hair. Until after the
Gorblimeries (Police). Seven Dials. Crimean War, when the long beards
A the men brought home resulted in the
Gorblimy (about 1875). gutter
A hair being close cropped as a matter
phrase corruption of 'God blind
me'. of natural taste ; hair in the British

Gord keep us (London- Jewish). A army was worn somewhat long.

Got the glow (Com. London).
vulgar translation of one of the most
beautiful Hebrew To blush.
ejaculations.
A ' '
Got it (General, 19 cent.). The
Gordelpus (Street). starver, or
very emphatic, and means
' '

who has obtained this name it here is

casual,
from his ordinary exclamation punishment in excelsis.

'Gordelpus (God help us) what's a Got line (Theatrical, 1870 on).
cove ter do ? '

Shortly
'

go
'

;
but the words mean
145
 Got Right Grey-mite

more than this. They infer vigour, Grace o' God (Financial). Term
grace, strength and charm in move- given to the copy of a writ issued upon
a bill of exchange.
ment, especially in dancing. Only
applied to women. Grandfather Clock (Peoples', 1868).
Got right (Sporting, 19 cent.}. High eight-day clock. Never had a
Cured. name before this date. From an
Mr C. Hibbert has, we understand, American song called 'My Grand-
sent Kirkhnl to Jesse Winfield to be got father's Clock,' which became popular
right. Jesse is a good trainer and rider,
and gave this title.
but he has theories. Eo. News, 23rd Grand Old Man (Pol., 1880-90).
January 1896. Mr W. E. Gladstone. Mr Bradlaugh,
Got swing (Artistic generally, 1880). although claiming no originality for
or the this phrase, was the cause of its
Equivalent to 'go', vigour
French avoir la ligne. popularity, through introducing it, in
reference to Mr Gladstone, in a speech
Got thar (Anglo- Amer., 1880). Got
there at Northampton.
completion, triumph, victory.
Five minutes later an almost painful
Got the morbs (See., 1880).
Abstract silence, followed by a craning of necks
Temporary melancholia. and a general rising from chairs and
noun coined from adjective morbid.
benches, proclaimed the fact that the
Got the pants (Common}. Panting
'
Grand Old Man '
had been seen
from over-exertion. Figure of speech. emerging from the central doorway at
the back of the stage. D. T., September
Got the perpetual (Peoples' ). Chiefly 1896. (SeeG.OM.)
confined to vigorous and go ahead
Grand Young Man (Pol., 1885).
young men. R,t. Hon. Joseph Chamberlain in
Got the shutters up (Peoples'}. contradiction to the Grand Old Man.
Surly from the silent appearance of
a closed shop.
Granite-boys (American). People
ofNew Hampshire, which is a granite-
Got the woefuls (Peoples'). Miser- producing territory
able, wretched, in the dumps. Grass before breakfast (Irish, 18
Got up and dusted (Amer.-Eng.). cent,and early 19 cent.}. Duel. May
Escaped from a man when running be a jocular derangement of grace
before breakfast.
away throwing up the dust behind
him. Dick Dawson had a message conveyed
Got up no end to him from O'Grady requesting the
Magnifi-
(Peoples').
honour of his company the next morning
cent personal display, appertaining to
to 'grass before breakfast'. Lover,
all parts of the dress and person.
Handy Andy, ch. xix.
Cotter -dam-merung (Soc. 1862). Grasses (Printers'}. A cry directed
Grotesque swearing which was used at any one particularly polite pro- ;
after Wagner had -allowed his Ring to
bably from French gracieuse. (See
be performed in London (1862).
Bridges. )

Gowned (L. Fashion, 1890 on).

Grave-digger (Anglo -
Ind., 19
Evening dressed. cent.). Strong drink.
The diamonds worn by Mrs Raleigh, Too much 'route marching, pipe -
'

exquisitely gowned we believed that

'

and starching tends to dulness'

claying,
is the word would not bear the scrutiny and apathy, whilst it leads the British
of the experts of Hatton Garden. D. T.,
soldier, when off duty, to make too free
26th September 1895. an acquaintance with the grave-digger ',
'

Grab -bag (Anglo-American). as it is termed in India. D. T., 21st

Tombola, or lucky bag, filled with small August 1896.
and large prizes disguised in sawdust. Graved (Sheer adopted American).
' '

Grabber (Thieves'). Evasive term Buried. (See Nuptiated. )

amongst the fraternity for a garotter. Gray -
mare the better horse
Grabbles (Country). Infantry. (Peoples'). Praise of a wife, as more
able than her husband.
Probably disguised grubbies, from the
evident fact that the infantry are not Gray-mite (American). Vegetarian.
out of the mud as are the cavalry. From one Graham, who advocated
146
 Grease Grinning at the Daisy Roots

severe vegetarianism. Grahamite or actress clears the

stage in order to
offered anirresistible opening. have it for himself or herself, and
Grease (Westminster School). bring down the curtain upon himself.
Struggle, contention, or scramble Green mountain boys (American).
of any kind, short of actual fighting.
People of Vermont a droll translation).
Grease. See Bit o' Grease. Green, To
be (Railway, not yet
Grease-spot. The imaginary result come to people). Be cautious, from
of a passage-at-arms. green through the railway world being
Greaser (Navy, 1860-82). A
scorn- the colour signal for caution. Good
ful way of describing naval engineers. example of changed meaning green
still in one sense
Great bed of Ware (Peoples'). meaning foolish, in-
experienced. (See All over Red. )
Anything very large in the furniture
way. The great bed of Ware was at Greenery - yallery (Soc., 1880-84).
"Ware, in Hertfordshire, until near Distinctive term applied to the
1870. Shakespeare speaks of the aesthetes who affected this peculiar
Great Bed of Ware in Twelfth Night. 'colour-tone'. Derived from W. S.
Gilbert's Patience.
Great bounce (Am., 1883). Death.
Everyday Americans, disgusted possibly
When we all admired maidens clad,

with the sentimental fashion of describ-
ing death for some years (see Rocked
to sleep, Joins the angels, Sweet bye
like the Goddess Venus in an obscure
minor poem, 'in mourning raiment of
green and grey', when, in fact, the
' '

greenery yallery view of life prevailed,

and bye, etc., etc.) invented several then blood was at a discount, and
grotesque paraphrases of death (see albumen ceased to be firm in the
Set to music). This was one of the market. D. N., llth June 1885.
attempts. Greens (Hist. Pre-reform). Corrup-
Experience has shown that iron steam- tion of groans, no longer compre-
ships are very dangerous in case of hensible after the reformation. This
collisions, so the only plan now to word has got coalesced with 'agree-
increase ocean travel will be to build '
these referring to domesticity,
vessels entirely of india - rubber. A ings
collision between vessels would hardly
and thus the inexplicable 'greens'
do more than give the passengers the become comprehensible.
grand bounce. Detroit Free Press, 1883. S'elp me greens, yer washup, I don't
Great horn-spoon (American pro- know what booze is. I'm a most ill-used
bloke.
bably from the Dutch). The Deity.
Grey (Thieves'). Evasive name for
Great Seizer (Amer. satirical).
silver from its colour presumably
The Sheriff. ;

and figuratively, money.

Greater Britain Annexa-
(Polit.).
tion. Term seriously invented by Sir Griminess (Literature). Eroticism
in literature, especially French.
C. Dilke (1885) to include all colonies.
Greater London Attempt to write a novel in which the
(Soc.). Popular, characters are 'all good' was no doubt
well-known. *
He
belongs to Greater a spirited reaction against the prevalent
London' meaning that he is more
'griminess' of French fiction. D. N..
than known to a mere division of 19th January 1895.
society. Originally invented to de- Grin like a Cheshire cat (Peoples').
scribe the vast modern increase in
Fearfullest grin of all.
suburbs.
Grecian Bend (1865-70). A satiri- Grinning at the daisy roots (Anglo-
cal description of a stoop forward in Indian). Dead singular reminiscence
of home fields, daisies being absent
walking noticed amongst women of from the Hindustanee flora.
extreme fashion during the last years of
the Second French Empire, and which For thin potations are fortunately
was due to the use of enormously high- in favour, and the old - fashioned
heeled French boots. The fashion fell gormandizers of twenty dozen of oysters
and unlimited stout are like the beer-
with the Empire. (See " Roman Fall,"
" Alexandra " Buxton swilling 'nabobs' or 'old Indians', all,
Limp," Limp.") in Calcutta language, 'grinning at the
Greedy Scene (Theatrical). An daisy - roots' now. D. N. t 25th
acting scene in which a principal actor September 1884.
147
 Grinning Dears Gyle

Grinning dears (Military]. Lines- Shakespeare's Measure for Measure,

man's nick-name for ' Grenadiers '. replies to a question,
'
I guess not'.
Groceries sundries (Trade). Wine Guffoon (Irish). An awkward,
and bottled spirits sold furtively on shambling fellow. From Italian.
credit to women the bills sent in to
Gugusse (French used by certain
their husbands including the cost of
these liquids, itemed as (groceries English An effeminate
Catholics).
youth who frequents the private com-
sundries).
Adulteration.
pany of priests. In Paris (1880) the
Grogging (Peoples'). word was taken from the name of one
Took its rise from making false grog of the novels specially directed about
by pouring boiling water into empty this time at the French priesthood.
whisky barrels, impregnated with the
Thence passed as a well-under- Guinea gold (Peoples', 18 cent.).
spirit.
stood word to represent adulteration in Sincere perfect. The gold coin of
the whole eighteenth century was made
general.
of gold from the coast of Guinea.
Groping for Jesus (Peoples', 1882).
It was of a magnificent yellow and
Public prayer. Derived from one of
the imitative military orders of General gave the name to the new twenty-one
shilling coin.
Booth, the creator of the Salvation
Army. They did actually use the cry Guiver (Street Boy Swells, 1890 on).
'

Grope for Jesus grope for Jesus ', The tignasse or sweep of hair worn
when the followers fell upon their down on the forehead, lower and lower
knees. as the '90's proceeded. (See Quiff. )

Groundling (Theatre, 16 cent.). Gum (Lower Peoples'). Said to be

Occupier of the pit, probably came out abbreviation of '
God Almighty '.
of the bear-pit.
Gummed (American-English Boys').
Grouse (Army). Grumble and American boys' ways of referring to
This is a provincial word still '
He's gummed '
growl. age. meaning that
in extensive use for worrying and he has no teeth left that he is only
scratching. fit to die.
Growler - shovers (Peoples'). Cab- Gummed (Amer.-Eng.). Equal to
men. damned. Disguised swearing. Term
Grub -
hamper (Public Schools'). very common in U.S.A.
Consignment of sweet edibles from Gum-suckers. A native of Tas-
home. mania, where gum-trees abound; a
Gruel (American). Sloppy poetical fool.
effort.
Gummy (Sporting, 1870). Swell, a
Guanoing the mind (Sor.., 1847). grandee. Imported by English racing
Reading French
novels. Invention book-makers who infested and infest
of published in Tancred.
Disraeli, Paris. A translation of gommeux '
'.

Accepted by Geo. Eliot. "This is a

Gummy composer (Musical). Old
piece of impiety which you may expect and insipid.
from a lady who has been guanoing
her mind with French novels. This is
Gun -
flints (Amer.). People of
Rhode Island.
the impertinent expression of Disraeli,
who, writing himself much more Gunnery Jack (Naval). Gunnery
detestable stutf than ever came from a lieutenant very popular in the Navy
French pen, can do nothing better to during the Boer War, and especially
bamboozle the unfortunates who are after the relief of Ladysmith.
seduced into reading his Twiwred, than Gunning (Amer.-Eng.). Shooting,
speaking superciliously of all other
men and vol. Gyle (Fast Life, 1850-78). Shortened
things." Life, i.,
familiar, and secretive title for Argyle
p. 163.
Rooms, Windmill Street.
Guess (American- English). Think ;

as 'I guess not'. Supposed to have

come from U.S.A. to England, but it
seems in the first place to have gone
there from here. Escalus, in
148
 H. 0. G. Hand-me-down Shop

and quite as readily accepted as a

spoken order throughout London
except the West district.
H Half a ton of bones done up in
horsehair (Sporting). A thin ill-

H. O. G. (American). Satire upon conditioned young horse.

titles of honour High Old Genius. Half -
a yennork (Com.
-
Londo-n).
H. Q. (Volunteers', 1860, etc.). Half-a-crown.
Abbreviation of Head Quarters. Half-crown ball (Mid.-CL, 1880).
Had enough (Street, 19 -cent.). A respectable,commonplace hop.
Way of saying a man is drunk. Half -go. Three pennyworth of
debate spirits, for mixing with hot or cold
Haggis (Parliamentary).
water.
Referring to Scotland and Scotch
affairs. Half -hour gentleman (Soc., 1870).
Hail up (Australian). Put up, as A man whose breeding is only
at an inn. Also an order by a bush- superficial. (See For-ever gentleman).
ranger an intimation to throw up the Half - past nines (Lond. Streets).
hands, so that no weapon shall be Very large feminine boots and shoes
used. nines being a large size even for men
Haines (American- Eng.). Intima- of moderate feet.
tion of sudden retreat. Heard in Halfpenny howling swell (1870-
Liverpool, whence it arrived from New 79). An imitation howling swell a
York. pretender. (See Brown.)
Hair raised (American - Eng.). Halfpenny-lot day. (See 'Apenny-
Feminine quarrelling. lot day.)

Hairpin (American Soc., 1882). A Half-rats (Peons', 1897). Partially

simpleton. intoxicated.
Hake (Cornish Local). Offensive Half up the pole (Street). Half
description of a man of St Ives pro- drunk. (See Up the pole.)
bably because hake is a very common Hallelujah galop (Salvationists').
fish, or possibly because it and St Ives A quick hymn in or f time, to
smell equally fishy. which they inarched invented by
It is an unpardonable sin to describe General Booth to attract the multitude.
a gentleman of St Ives as a 'hake'. lass.
D. T., 20th August 1896. Hallelujah (See Ally Luja
Lass.)
Half-a-brewer (Low Street, 1850). One of
Halligator (Coffee-home).
Drunk. the variety of names for herring.
Half-a-doz ( Theatrical). Short for Bazaar
half-a-dozen.
Hamburg (Anglo-Indian).
rumour.
Half-a-foot o' port (Strand, 19 Hamlets Ome-
' ' (Theatrical, 1885).
cent.). Glass of that wine at Short's lettesstarted on Ash Wednesday by
opposite Somerset House. From the actors of the Princess's Theatre,
the height of the glass, its shape being where Mr Wilson Barrett was then
that of the champagne beaker of the These gay souls
playing Hamlet.
'40's.
dined and supped at the Swiss Hotel,
In the front department we have the and necessarily there-
Compton Street,
ladies who are the life-long companions
' '

forefound themselves before omelettes.

of hard work, and enjoy their port of '

They were dubbed Hamlets and

'

uncertain date, at 3^d. the half foot, for

the size of the long glasses warrants this they have kept the name in 'the
description. People, 20th November profession',
1898. Hammered (N. Country Iron Trade).
Halfalfanalf. See Arfarfanarf. Married very local word.

_Half-and-half.
See Arf-an-arf. Hampshire hog (Sussex). Hamp-
Half a pint of mild and bitter shire man. (See Sussex Sow. )
(Tavern). Intimated by a whistled Hand - me down shop -
(Poor).
phrase, well known to bar tenders, Illegal pawnbroker's where halfpence
149
 Hand of Trumps Haussmannisation

are advancedupon property which the water up to the time when the intro-
Lombardians will not look at. Used to duction of the system of market in-
designate the shop. (See Ammedown.) spectors put an end, or almost an end,
Hand of Trumps (Mid. - Class), to adulterated milk. This phrase came
Bound to win. Victory. out in a police court 1865.

Handful - Hard tack (Sailors'). A sea biscuit.

(Mid. Class). Trouble,
In passed-away times it ivas hard.
difficulty. Much to contend with.
Tack is the diminutive of tackle, to
Handy Jack (Peoples'). Con- encounter. (See Soft tack. )
temptuous form of 'Jack of all
trades'.
Hard up (All Classes). Impe-
cunious.
Handy man, The (Boer War. 1899- Harder (Anglo- Amer.). Higher, in
1900). Sailor. When the Boers reference to betting.
(October overran Natal, the
1899)
sailors who went to the front with Hardware (Army and Navy, 1880).
cannon showed themselves very active. Ammunition in general, and shells in
particular. Jocular description.
The handy man. High praise for the
naval brigade. People, 1st April 1900. If King Theebaw has had the precau-
tion to lay in a supply of torpedoes, he
Hang
1

up (Amer.). Hold your

may be able to give the expedition some
tongue. trouble, but the chances are that the
Hang up the ladle (Soc., 18 cent.). authorities atKangoon may have had an
'
To marry. eye on such kind of hardware '. D. N, .

12th November 1885.

Hanover jacks (Peoples 7

). Imitation
sovereigns. Probably originally false Harlequin Jack (Law Class). A
coins bearing the effigy of Jacobus, or man who shows off equally in manner
James II., sent over from Germany, and in dress ; e.g.,
'
What is 'e ?
on'y
and passed as genuine in William a 'arlequin Jack.'
III.'s reign. It may be doubted if the Haro. To yell. (See Cry haro. )
issuers could have been prosecuted Harrico veins. (See 'Arrico veins.)
for their coins were not imitations of
Harriet Lane (Peoples', 1875).
really current coin. Australian canned meat because it
On searching the prisoner I found had the appearance of chopped-up meat;
twenty-five To Hanover
'

sovereigns
'

and Harriet Lane was chopped up by

usually carried by magsmen, several one Wainwright.
'Bank of Engraving' notes, and two
duplicates relating to coats. Police Harvested (Amer.). Guarded,
Report, 1888. watched over.

Happen on (People's, Old). Dis- Hash dispensary (Amer.). Board-

cover. ing house.
Happy dosser. (Se&'Appy dosser.) Hash-slingers (Amer., 1880).
Hard and fast line (Parliamentary). College-student waiters in up-mountain
hotels.
Equal to obstinacy, argument which
refuses to hear reason. Hasty pudding (Peoples'). Literal
Mr Henley did not after 1870 take any for it is flour and water boiled and
prominent part in the debates. Some of completed in five minutes. (See Stir-
his sayings will probably be always re- about Turn-round pudding. )
;

collected in Parliament. The hard and '

Hatter? Who's your (See Bad
' '
fast line and the ugly rush are destined
'

hat.)
apparently to become stock phrases in
our Parliamentary controversy. D. N., Haussmannisation (1860-70 on).
10th December 1884. Imperious action in relation to the
Hard on the improvement of cities without refer-
setting sun (Anglo- ence to the liberty of the subject.
Saxon Hist., 19 cent.). Phrase indi-
From Haussman, the minister of
cating utter scorn of the Red Indian.
'
Hard on the ' Napoleon III., under whose adminis-
setting sun is a charac- tration half Paris, for political pur-
teristic
bye-word with which to signalise poses, was pulled down and rebuilt.
his humiliation. People, 13th June 1897.
But, after all, the possibilities of im-
Hard Simpson (Milk-sellers'). Ice.
provement in this direction are strictly
Simpson was the general name for limited; land is too valuable, and the

150
 Have a Cab Heckling

imperial process known as Haussmanni-

'

'
Haymaking (College and Army).
sation would not in all cases be popular. Practical joking.
D. T., 12th July 1898. A
number of men go into a friend's
Have a cab (London). Paraphrase room, find him absent, and testify to
for admission or reproach of intoxica- their chagrin by disturbing the arrange-
tion. ments of his furniture. But haymaking
of this sort is comparatively harmless
Have a down (Australian). Bear
and inoffensive. D. N., 1882.
a grudge. Very significant Saxon.
' He lies at the Pool of Bethesda
Also, the handicapper would have a
'
(St. Beghs'i). This comes from the
down as the phrase goes in Sydney
on that owner for all forthcoming races. German. To lie at the Pool of Bethesda
is used proverbially in Germany, in
JRef., 26th September 1886.
Have a turn (Pug., 19 cent.). A speaking of the theological candidates
bout of a pugilistic skirmish.
who are waiting for a benefice.
fisticuffs,

Ansburgh even told one of the officers

He never does anything wrong
that he would have liked to have a turn
'
(Music Hall, 1883). Satirical modb
with him ', placing himself at the time in of describing a man who never does
a sparring attitude. D. N., 10th April anything right. What bankrupt
'

again ? Oh, impossible he never does

'
Have out (Peoples', 1860). To hold anything wrong.
a frank discussion, verging upon per- He worships his creator (Soc.).
sonalities. Said of a self-made man who has a
But she cannot forego the satisfaction good opinion of himself. .
'
of '
it out with her husband.
having
D. N., 2nd April 1883.
Heap o' coke (Thieves', Rhyming}.
Bloke which means a comrade.
Have to rights (Lower Peoples', Some heaps o' coke haven't got an
1880). To vanquish frequently used ounce of cheek in them until they're
in the passive voice. Hatch kennurd, but they ain't worth
Have to wait for the honey (Devon- calling into account.
Wait until hungry. Heap o' saucepan lids (Rhyming,
Havelock's saints (Military In- 1880). Rhyming with
dibs money.
dian Mutiny). Teetotallers, abstainers. This is one
the trade titles for
of
money, and comes out of the hard-
Having (Leicestershire). Greedy. ware trades.
Mrs Deane was proud . . . and having
Heaping in (Amer. -Agri.}. Ac-
enough she wouldn't let her husband
stand still for want
of spurring. George cumulating an argument, or debt.
Eliot, Mill on the Floss. From heaping in produce.
Haw-haw toff
(Street). Swell, Heapy (Rhyming}. Bloke (a chum).
aristocrat being an ex-
'haw-haw' Short for heap o' coke.
pression very common as to the opening Heated term (Amer.}. Name for
words of upper class men, while toff is the short but fierce American summer.
almost the sound caused by haughtily Hearthstone ( Coffee Palace}. Butter.
drawing in the breath with the lower '
It results out of the term door-steps ',
lip on the edge of the upper teeth. as a description of the flight of three
Hawk and pigeon (Soc., 19 cent.). or four thick slices of bread and butter
Villain and victim. on a small plate. The action of rubbing
The station-sergeant on duty not }>
hearthstone over house - steps, and of
knowing the detective, supposed him to spreading butter thinly on the slices
be the accused. 'But I am the officer of bread yielded this grotesque figure
in the case.' It was not until the real of speech.
captive intervened with an explanation
that hawk and pigeon were sorted out Heaves (Com. Class}. Spasms.
properly for the occasion.' D. T., 17th Graphic description of the complaint.
June 1897. Heavy hand (Com. Peoples'}. Deep
Hawking (Amer.}. Pouncing. De- trouble.
rived from the action of birds of prey Heavy merchant (Theatr.}. Man
crashing on their quarry. who plays the villain.
Sir Frederic. Heckling (N.B., 18-19 cent.}. Mild
Hawkins, (See
bullying from cock-fighting, heck-
'Awkins.)
151
 Heckling Higher Culture

ling being the process of pecking out and applied to the more eccentric
the neck -feathers. novels of the day.
Heckling (Polit., 1850 on). Search- He's saving them all for 'Lisa
ing enquiry by of questions asked
way (Peoples'). Said of a good young man
of political candidates. From passing who will not use oaths or strike blows.
hanks of raw hemp through carding This phrase arose in consequence of a
machines. row between a violent beggar and a
There was some timid heckling, to frank young man of the people. The
which Mr Gladstone good-humouredly mendicant asked for a copper, the
replied. D. N., llth November 1885. frank youth intimated he was saving
Hell and Tommy (Old English). them all for 'Lisa. A fight followed.
Said to be Hal and Tommy, i.e., Hess-u-hen (Lower Middle Class).
Henry VIII. and Thomas Cromwell A way of asking for a copy of The
this couple, after the fall of Woolsey, Sun newspaper.
playing havoc with church property.
' '
Hey lass let's be hammered for
I'll play hell and tommy with you on Sunday
life Probably, in the
!
!

In all probability this phrase is a cor- first from the work

place, of the
ruption of hell and torment'.
'

blacksmith at Gretna Green. It was

Helter - skelter Full
(Historic).
said of him jocularly that he hammered
speed. Reid says '
Helter-skelter is
: couples together rather than married
a contraction of the Latin, Hilareter them.
celerter cheerfully and quickly.' Pro- Heye-glass weather (Street, 1860
bably an onomatope very .fortunately on). Foggy requiring the help of
applied when Van Tromp's fleet fled an eye, or rather eye-glass. Attack
before the English some ships north upon young men wearing single eye-
towards the Helder, others south glasses, which became common in this
towards the Scheldt (Dutch Skelder). year.
And helter-skelter have Hidgeot (Street). Gutter transla-
I rode to thee, tion of idiot.
And tidings do I bring.
Shakespeare, Henry IV., High
(Oxford). High Street.
2 part, Act 5, Sc. 3. Why, Oxford has laid out more than
100,000 in adding a barrack for
He-male (Com. London, 1880). A '

purposes of examinations to the High ',

full shape male, and resulting
of
modernised
already sufficiently by the
from calling female she-male (q.v.). D. N., February 1885.
tramway.
Hemp's grown for you (Peoples', High collar and short shirts
17 cent.). Periphrastic prognostication (Music Hall, 1882). This was an
of the gallows flax coming from hemp attack upon the cheap swells of the
and rope from flax. Meaning that period.
already the executioner's cord is in
existence for the beneficiary referred High time, or (intensified), High
old time (American). Jovial period,
to. (See Dance
'

upon nothing
'
Mount
enjoyment without much control.
',

the cart'.) '

Look to your safes the burglars are
Henri Clark (Drury Lane, 1883). having a high old time of it. G. A.
Flatter. From the flattering stage- Sala, /. L. News, 10th February 1883.
mode of a singer of this name.
High part (Dublin Theatrical).
Her Majesty's naval police Satirical phrase for the gallery.
(19 cent.). Sharks whose presence
all over the world prevents sailors from High shelf (Peoples'). The ground.
deserting by way of harbour water. Highflyer (Nautical). Slave-ship.
Hercules pillars (Lit. and Soc. High-grade (American- Eng., 1895).
from Latin). Limit of belief. Gibraltar Superior. From railway world mean-
and the corresponding rock on the ing steep above the general level.
African coast, were, for the Roman, High -
toned coloured society
the limits of the world of waters, and, (American, 1882). Negro-astheticism.
colloquially, of any extreme statement.
Higher culture (Soc., 1885 on).
Hero-hotic (Bohemia, 1897). Oatch word of enthusiastic society
Grotesque pronunciation of 'erotic' people interested in education, who
152
 Highland Fling Holloway Castle

assume that all persons are capable of of a host receiving an honoured guest
advanced education. by holding a candle in each hand and
Moreover, even if we neglect to walking backwards before the arrival.
organise in this way the force which Hold stock (Eng.- American, 1879).
appears to be thus mysteriously making Assertion of From the
possession.
for the higher culture,' its mere appear-
'

ance among us is a highly encouraging money brokering operations in New

York.
sign. D.T., llth February 1897.
I do not come as a grievance monger or
Highland fling (Political, 1881). complainant. I do not ask for your
Series of speeches in Scotland. When pity, and have not the faintest feeling
Gladstone (1879-80) delivered his of revenge. Those were the passions of
famous Midlothian speeches, this term youth a delightful period in which, as
was applied to the statesman's efforts, our American friends phrase it, no
and has since been accepted as longer 'held any stock'. Mr E. Yates,
at Dinner given to him, London, 31st
representing a political speech delivered
in Scotland. May 1885.
Solid advice.
Hold up (Society, 1860 on). To bo
Hill-top literature.
Derived from danger- board warnings cheated or turned to account. From
to cyclists on the summits of steep the American highway - man's habit
* '
of calling upon his victim to hold up
hills.
his hands, that he may not fire.
The attention which is now being
given to that form of hill-top literature ',
'
Holding up the corner (Anglo-
known as danger-boards ', has resus-
'
American). Satirical description of a
citated some stories concerning them. leaning idler.
It is said that in Ireland a tourist went
Hollanders (S. London, 1875-85).
down a steep and dangerous hill and
was astonished to observe that it seemed Pointed waxed moustache. "When
to be without the necessary warning. Napoleon III. became popular in
However, when he got to the foot of the England (1854) many adopted the
descent he found the notice, This hill is '
chin-tuft or goatee he wore a tuft to
dangerous to cyclists '. D. T., 14th July which the necessary name imperial
1898. was given. During the first half of
Hinchinarfer (Streets, 1880 on). the 19th century no face hair in
Gruff-voiced woman, with shrieking England was possible below the
sisterhood tendencies. Obscure erotic. mutton-chop whisker probably from
His hand was out national horror of the over-bearded
(Peoples').
to take all and everything at faces of the French revolutionaries.
Ready
all times. A Mr Holland became a popular
"W.
lessee at last reaching Covent
he
Histed (American, outlying}. Vigil-
Garden Theatre. Throughout his
ance committee evasion for hanged.
public life he grew, and always had on
Corruption of hoisted pronounced
hand, or rather on upper lip, the
high-sted. finest pair of black - waxed sheeny
Historical (Society, 1882). Old- moustaches ever beheld.
fashionedsaid of a costume or bonnet
Holler Cuss (London, 1899). From
which has been seen more than three
Holocauste a French horse in the
times.
Derby of 1899. There is here also a
Now, though dinner-dresses are rich, little satire, for the horse in question
costly, and elaborate, if a lady appears
at a fourth dinner or even a third in the showed several faults in form.
'
same gown, it is immediately dubbed Holocauste, colloquially Holler Cuss ',
historical. Fashion as it ivas and is, excited some ribald remarks by reason
D. N., 26th December 1882. of his peculiar hue. D. T., 1st June
1899.
Hitch up (Anglo-American). Start.
From Holloway Castle Prison
harnessing two horses to run
(Peoples').
abreast. at Holloway (chiefly for debt), in the
north of London; hence, sometimes
Ho he's got the white coat called North Castle, as more evasive
(Provincial). Meaning he is drunk. than Holloway.
Hold a candle (Peoples'). Be It may be taken as highly improbable
humble. Serve abjectly, as seen in the that Her GraceSutherland) will be
(of
proverb. Took its rise from the habit subjected to the indignities which are
153
 L ~^BV*V- -WVW T^^BW^
" J*A*T^

.~,,iL_L- ..-
 Hug Centre Idle Fellowships

Hug centre (Amer. passing to Hupper sukkles (Soc., 1846-70).

England}. Head - quarters of public Upper circles. Introduced by
love-making. Thackeray in the De la Pluche
Central Park as a hug centre. The Papers.
amount of love made visible in Central
Park is simply appalling.
Hurry up (Anglo-Indian, 1850). Be
N. Y.
quick originated in the river steamer
Mercury, December 1882.
navigation of U. S. A.
The word was soon taken up in
Hustler (Amer. Circus). Name
London, Hyde Park doing duty as a invented for flaming advertisements.
'

hug centre '.

Hullabaloo (Peoples'}. Noise, dis- Hyde Parkrailings (Streets of W.
London). Breast of mutton from the
turbance. It would appear to be a
parallel bones suggesting the parallel
corruption of the French hurluberlu
' railings.
the accent on the two lu's '.
features Hyking (Peoples'}. Calling out at
Hullo, !
(Com. Peoples'). or after
an any one.
Friendly salute upon meeting
acquaintance.
Hullo, my Buck ! (Peoples'). Ex-
clamation of approbation. Possibly
from Villiers, Duke of Buckingham,
or from the idea of a fine deer. Or it
may be from buckram, the first stiffen- I. T. A. (Peoples'}. Euphemism for
ing used in making men's clothes. In Irish toothache (q.v.).
that case it is a metaphor from the
man to his fashion.
believe you, my boy (L. Class).
I

Hum Crew's name for the

Certainly. Accepted by middle-class
(Navy). about 1850 from the drama of The
Hermes.
Green Bushes, in which Paul Bedford,
Hum (Lower Classes, 19 cent.). then a most popular actor, used the
Smell evilly. This is an application phrase as a catch line.
from the humming of fermentation in 'Tis forty years since Buckstone's
an active manure heap. drama The Green Bushes, was first
Hum (Peoples', Hist.). Attract played at the Adelphi, and since Paul
' '

attention. Bedford's I believe yer, my boy found !

its way on to tongues of the multitude.

Mr
Douglas Sladen has given new life 18th
Ref., October 1885.
to an old and somewhat decrepit annual ;

a new life that makes it hum in the ' '

I refer you to Smith (1897).
very direction the reading world desires. Synonym of Ananias champion long
People, 4th April 1897. bowyer, etc. From a character named
Hunder-hand (Street Boys, 1880).
Smith with an affliction of lying in
Sudden blow given with advantage. The Prodigal Father (Strand Theatre,
1897).
Hung (Artists', 19 cent.}. Picture '
I refer you to Smith.' This will be
accepted and hung at an Exhibition. new London catchword.
I'm hung at the Ac. " (See Walled. )
' ' the Whenever
anyone has been drawing the long bow,
Hung up Said where
(Soc., 1879). as Harry Paulton does in the new play,
in lower classes stuck up would be whenever a boaster has been telling
used. From the American where tarrididles or lying with extra vivacity,
personal catastrophe is referred to he will be met with the quick rejoinder,
by 'I refer you to Smith'./).
this phrase. (See Screwed up.) T., 2nd
February 1897.
Hunkered down( American prairie).
I say (Peoples', 19 cent. ). Protest.
Stooped, anchored down.
Ichabod (Nonconformist). Lamenta-
Hunter (Soc., 1880). Hunting
watch.
tion. From Biblical source. Ichabod '

Ichabod I have lost my wealth.

Jennings was on Friday presented with The Lord be praised.'
a gold hunter and chain, by a few of his
kind friends in front, who took this Idle fellowships (Oxford and Cam-
opportunity of expressing their opinion bridge). The old as distinct from the
of his form as man and manager. Ref., new fellowships. Parliamentary action
9th August 1885.
swept away towards the end of the
156
 letqui Inventories

19th century most of these fatal sine- In the drag (Tailors'). Behind-
cures. hand.
Much has been said against what are Incident (Amer. accepted in Eng-
called idle Fellowships. Z>. N. An illegitimate child.
t
land).
November 1884.
Indorse (Amer.). To sanction.
letqui (0. L.
Sporting).
A re-
Inferior
markable shape of phrasing, where portion (Polit. 1885). t

the first letter or so is removed from Eighties party of younger Tories. From
the beginning of the word and added a letter written by Mr W. E. Gladstone,
at the end. The word is * quiet'. which commenced
He(Complicated rhyming}. Dance
My Dear Sir, In 1879 and 1880 the
' inferior portion of the Tory party circu-
Isle of France dance. ' Can't he ile ?
lated a multitude of untruths concerning
I'll give you Jim Smith (Street, me, etc.
1887). Thrashing. Sudden adoption The phrase took at once, and was
of the name of a prize fighter to
satirically used.
designate fighting. Ink-bottle (Artisans'). A clerk.
Imperial pop (Street, 1854). Pop
Inkslinger (Navy). Purser's clerk.
is ginger beer, derived of course from Term of sovereign contempt.
the sound made when drawing the
cork. The adjective was added by Innocent (Thieves', Hist.). Re-
street sellers of this refreshment when ferring to a term of undeserved con-
demnation.
Napoleon III. passed in state through
London. An ex-convict, who admitted having
1888 on).
undergone long terms of penal servitude,
Imperialists(Polit.,
applied to Mr Denman, at Westminster,
Name found by the Radicals (who were
of the complaining that his worship gave him
in favour of the abandoning '
three months' innocent in May 1893 at
'

colonies) for the Conservatives, who South- Western Police Court. D. T.,
wished the Empire to remain intact. 16th October 1896.
Impressionist (Soc. t 1884). In-
Inquiry note (Theat., 1860). Term
tensely appealing directly to the came into use when provincial com-
emotions. panies were replaced by travelling ones.
Of late years we are accustomed to It is a letter asking for information as
take our notions of French dramatic art '
to what nights a theatre may be had
from something more impressionist
'
; for performance.
more vivid and rapid and startling ;
Ins (Political, 19 cent.). The Minis-
depending more on sudden effects and
terial side of the House of Commons.
bold splashes of light and shade. D.
(See Outs.
N., 29th April 1885.
)

Inside (Thieves'). Abbreviation of

Improve the occasion (American). '
inside a prison '.
Take advantage of it.
Gain.
'
I'm nothing Beaufort's duke trots by, and then
In (Peoples').
dashes past a once member of the dan-
in by that deal.' (See Out. ) '

gerous classes, who has been

'
inside
In and out (Common). Pauper who many a time and oft, but who, having
gives notice frequently to
leave the run into a bit of ready, will now go
poor-house, and who returns
after a straight while straightness pays. Ref.,
short holiday, say a day, or from 14th October 1888.
Saturday to Monday. Inside of (American). A very em-
'

There are considerable numbers of phatic synonym for within '.

paupers, it seems, who find the
work- Inside the mark (Anglo- Amer.}.
house a convenient retreat on emergency, Moderate.
but have a strong aversion to permanent
known Inside the probable (American-
residence there. They are Within proba-
familiarly as 'the ins-and-outs '. D. N. t
reaching England).
10th December 1884. bility.
In for a bad thing (Peoples', 1880 Introduce shoemaker to tailor
To have ill luck. (Peoples'). Evasive metaphor for
on).
You are in for a bad
'
my fundamental kicking.
thing, Phil,
boy.' E. N., 23rd February 1896. Inventories (Soc. 1885). Play upon
,

In Paris 19 cent. Eloped. the word inventions. In the previous

(Soc. , ).

157
 Inveterate Cockney Jacket, To

year a series of industrial exhibitions It's dogged as does it (Pugilistic).

had been started in the then gardens Perseverance.
of the S. Kensington Museum. This Mr Benjamin's race and nation have
initial display was the Fisheries ', and generally shown themselves perfectly
'

from that time the successive exhibi- alive to the truth of the principle that
'
it's dogged as does it ', and
tions had their titles changed into they are not
Hence the ' Inven-
' as a rule devoid of wits. D. N.. 10th
plurals in ries '.
'
tions became the Inventories. February 1883.
As all the world knows by now, London '
was very near losing its Inventories on
'

Friday, for about noon a fire broke out

there, and for some time threatened to J
be a big thing. Ref., 14th June 1885.
This is the close of the season. I sup-
Lost reduction of
pose the Kensington Inventories has had
J. (Peoples').
the best of it, and owing to this fact I Juggins (q.v.) which in 1884 was quite
imagine many of the managers may be exceptionally popular.
deprived of that great pleasure paying By means of this knowledge we find
income-tax. Mr J. L. Toole's closing the greatest of all differences between
speech, Toole's Theatre, 7th August 1885. the raid on betting men in 1869 and the
raid on professional gamblers and their
Inveterate Cockney (Political,
a
J.'s twenty years after. Ref.. 19th April
1885). Ignorant of country life 1889.
mere townsman.
J.A.Y. (Peoples', 1880 on). Fool,
. Now, gentlemen, there are three
. .
over-trustful person, one of easy belief.
assumptions in this calculation, every one
of which I, an inveterate Cockney ', can
'
Our business is not, however, with
see at a single glance to be totally in- them or their intentions what we have ;

accurate. Mr Joseph Chamberlain, 14th to do is to think of the jays who offered

October 1885. about ten times the market price for a
Invincibles (Fenian, 1883). Short ten-round spar. Ref., 17th November
1889.
for Invincible Brotherhood.
J. S. or N. or D. (Divorce Court}.
Irish draperies (Peoples', England).
The initials of the three forms of
Cobwebs. disturbance amongst married folk.
Irish toothache (Peoples). En-
Whether it was an application for a
ceinte. (See I. T. A.)
divorce, a judicial separation, or for
Irishman's rest (Peoples'). Going up nullity of marriage, no one outside the
a friend's ladder with a hod of bricks. parties interested will, probably, ever be
Irons (American). Pistols. any the wiser, since the letter indicating
' '
this (either J. S.', or 'N.', or D.', as
Irvingism (Lond. Soc., 1880 on). the case may was not added in this
be)
Imitation on or off the stage of the instance, for some inscrutable reason.
mode of speaking and bearing of Sir People, 16th August 1896.
Henry Irving. Jack (Lambeth, 1865-72). A police-
Mr
William Felton may also be heard
'
man quite local.
of again. The Irvingism of his voice
'

Jack-a-dandy (Rhyming). Brandy.

was obviously natural and in no way This evolution has something probably
assumed. D. T., 12th October 1896.
to do with brandy, as being the most
Islands (London). Refuges (q.v.) expensive of the ordinary spirits.
or raised pavements in centre of
Jack ashore (Peoples'). Jack
roads, to facilitate road-crossing by elevated drunk, and
practically
pedestrians. larky.
The statue (Charles I., Charing Cross) To
Jack up (Street). quit
being situated on an 'island,' a certain
amount of skirmishing was necessary in especially in love affairs.
order to reach it. D. T., 31st January Jacked it (Obscure). Died.
1899.
Jacket (Military}. A soldier who
It snowed (Peoples' from America}. wears a jacket (chiefly cavalry or horse
Catastrophe, misery. artillery).
Italian quarrel (Soc.). Death, Jacket, To (Peoples'}. Threat to
poison, treachery, remorselessness. hare you locked up as a madman.
158
 Jag Jettisonise

Jag (Spanish -
American - Eng.}. Japanned (Soc., 1897-98). Dressed
Desire to use a knife against somebody or furnished in Japanese fashion.
Play
to jag him. upon the old word for lacquering.
J aggers (Oxford). Men of Jesus The play is japanned by Mr Arthur
' '

College. Diosy of the Japan Society. From

Jesus College men were called 'Jaggers', Daly's Theatre, London, play -
bill,
1897-98.
long before a certain messenger - boy
played the part of Mercury across the Jarbee (Navy). Able seaman.
Atlantic. D. T., 14th August 1899.
Jaundy (Navy). Master-at-arms.
Jailed (Peoples', 1879). Sent to
Supposed to be from
'

gendarme '.
prison. From
America, through
Jaunty (Peoples'). Self-sufficient in
Liverpool, over England.
appearance or words.
Jakkitch (Provincial). Term of
opprobrium. Probably corruption of
Jawkins (Club, 1846). A club bore.
Jack Ketch.
Name-word derived from Thackeray's
'Book of Snobs'.
Jam (Lower Class, 1 880 on). Pretty
girl presumably of easy habits. The
Jay town (Anglo -
Amer., 1889).
Valueless.
history of this word is very interesting.
A girl of notoriety in Piccadilly was
A brother-journalist who has spent
some years in the United States has
named Tart '. She, in compliment to
'

written explaining to me the meaning of

her sweetness, came to be styled jam '
a 'jay town term alleged to have been
tart, and the knowing ones would ask used by Mrs Kendal in describing San
'
'
Would you like a bit of jam tart ? Francisco. A jay town is a country town.
Then the tyranny of brevity asserting A 'jay' or a 'yapp' is the American
itself, the phrase became 'jam', which equivalent of an English yokel or country
lasted twenty years. bumpkin. Ref., 25th November 1894.
Here's a timely warning for all
The Examiner of
Jayhawkers (American). People of
burlesque writers. Kansas.
Plays, which his name is Pigott, has
determined that he will not give his Jee (American). Oath-like expres-
sanction to the production of any piece sion. First of Jerusalem.
syllable
in which the word 'tart' occurs. It ts
'
Jee ! You don't dare to do it ' !

not yet known whether orders have been

Jeff (Anglo American, 1862 - 83).
-
issued from headquarters to all dictionary
publishers to wipe the word out of the
Master, superintendent, director,
but the order has manufacturer.
English language ;

been sent, or will be, first to the burlesque To ( Thieves'). Comprehend.

and to the
Jenny,
makers, dictionary-makers it
may be sent tart-er. Ref., 27th October Jeremiah, To (Peoples'). To
1889. complain from the character of
that prophet.
Jam-pot (Political, 1883-84). One
of the opprobrious names cast at Mr Jeremiah-mongering (Soc., 1885).
Gladstone apropos to his recommend- Deplorable and needless lamentation.
Invented to describe the social
ing to Englishmen the cultivation of
fruit and the exportation of jam. behaviour of those who after the fall
Mr Gladstone is insulted day after day
of Khartoum went around maintaining
and week after week in Tory prints. He that England had indeed come to a
is a jam-pot, a wood-cutter, a hopeless finality.
lunatic, a Jesuit, an Atheist, a windbag, Jerking a wheeze (Theatrical,
a storyteller, an idiot, and a humbug.
1860). Telling a wheeze (q.v.) with
G. R. Sims, 28th September 1884. brilliant effect.
Jammiest bits of jam (Com. Lon., An un-
Jersey hop (1883).
1883). Absolutely perfect young ceremonious assembly of persons with
females. a common taste for valsing ; from
Jane Shore's fate (Provincial very Jersey, U.S.A.
ancient). Death in penury and shame. Jesus'-eyes (Papal). Forget-me-
nots.
Jap crock (Soc., I860 on). Any
piece of Japanese porcelain of a value Jettisonise (Col., 19 cent.). Im-
from 10,000 to a mere lOd. portedplaced on a jetty.
159
 Jeune Sikcle Josser

Jeune siecle (Soc., 20 cent.). The tallyman, or John Fortnight ', as

'

Conversion of fin de siecle, and de- the humorists call him, and the caller
for the club - money secure
scribing people equally of the same varying
social behaviour. Of course from receptions.
Paris. Johnny Crapose (Peoples'). French-
Flat- folding, men. The second word is crapaud ', '

Jib (Soc., 1848-80).

but how comes it that this word has
'chimney-pot' hat, closed by springs
set in centre of vertical ribs. Name been accepted in conjunction with
from that of the French inventor Johnny to describe a Frenchman ?
Johnny Horner (Rhyming). Round
3
'Gibus .

Good wishes the corner meaning a public-house.

'
Jib, Big (Navy). '
Long big jib draw
may your Joined the angels (Amer., 1880).
ostensibly refers to a valuable sail, One of the ways of mentioning death.
but furtively has an erotic meaning. '
Do not ask me after my dear John
Practically it is wishing a man, who Thomas he has joined the angels.'
has served his time and is leaving the Wife.
Joint (Street).
service, health and happiness.
Jolly (Middle Class). Rally, a shout,
Jig-got o' mutton ( Thieves'). French a chevy. This word is evidently very
gigot. old.
Jimmies (Hist., 17 cent.). Guineas He chanced to come where was a jolly
in the reign of James II. Remains Knight. Spenser.
to this day. Those were jolly days. Dryden.
While the jolly horns lead on pro-
Jimmy Bungs (Navy). Coopers. pitious day. Milton.
Jimmy Rounds (Nelsonic Period). The jolly hunting band convene.
Frenchmen according to the Jack Tar Beattie.
of the wars with France in Nelson's
Jolly utter (London, 1881). One of
time. From the cry of the French the phrases resulting out of Punch's
sailor when face to face with the
attack (1881) upon the Esthetic
English mariner ,/e me rends. School. This is to be found in Sir W.
Joburg (Military, 1900 on). S. Gilbert's piece Patience.
Johannesburg. Broken Hearts rather a ticklish piece
is

Jinks the Barber (M. Class, 1850). to tackle. or even carelessly

Badly
Secret informant. Idea suggested by played, the love-sickness and the moon-
the general barber being such a struckness would be quite too jolly utter
for the ordinary Philistine mind to stand.
gossiper. Jinks is a familiar name for
an easy-going man. Invented by Ref., 18th February 1883.
Pierce Egan. Jonah (Theatrical, 1883). An actor
who brings bad luck to a theatre.
Job (Peoples', Hist.}. Hen-pecked the of the evil
husband. Patient obvious. Suggests superstition
origin From Jonah's supposed ill-luck
Jerrold gave this Biblical eye.
Douglas
name to Mr Caudle. bringing catastrophe, when at sea.
Apt antithesis to Mascotte.
Jobanjeramiah(Peo^gs'). Maunderer
combination of the two doleful Joseph and Jesse (Polit., 1886).
Political satiric cry against Mr Joseph
patriarchs. Chamberlain and Mr Jesse Collings,
Jockies, By (American- Provincial). raised immediately after the latter took
Said to be survival of early English ; office (February 1886).
' '

By Jesus cries. The amendment did not expressly con-

Jockeying (London Streets, 19 cent.). tain the principle of compulsion, and the
Vehicular racing. speech of Mr Collings is not binding upon
To or
the House of Commons or the Govern-
Joey (Theatrical). mug, ment. But, as Mr Chaplin rather neatly
attractthe attention of the public,
while the 'mugger' is up the stage, put it on the night of his last appearance
as Chancellor of the Duchy, the voice is '

and should be quiet, letting actors the voice of Jesse, the hand is the
"down the stage" have their chance. hand of Joseph. D. N.. 26th February '
John Workmen's 1886.
Fortnight (

London). The tallyman from his Josser (Hong-Kong). A swell, a

calling every other week. grandee. From joss, the name of the
160
 Jubilee Keep the Devil Out of One's Clothes

figures of Chinese gods, with the Exclamation equivalent to Great

personal 'er' added. Suggested by Heaven.
observation of the request paid by the
Chinese to the 'joss'.
June too-too (Peoples', 1897). June
22 in 1897the celebration of the
Jubilee (Mid. Class, 1887). The sixtieth anniversary of the Queen's
Jubilee (1887) came to be applied in reign. Survival, or rather resuscita-
many ways but one, tion of the phrase 'too-too', satirically
satirically
descriptive of supremacy chiefly directed against sestheticism in the
survived. '80's meaning (satirically) too, too
Here used as a comic variation
Judaic superbacey (C. Garden and good.
of 22 'two two.
'

vicinity, 1897). Jew in all the glory

of his best clothes generally a young Jupiter Scapin (Parisian, 1810).
Joseph, or a young old David. Napoleon I. Used in England now
- and again to indicate a tricky minister.
Judy slayer (London, Jewish).
Lady-killer. Just ached (American). Longed.
Juggins's boy (L. Lond., 1882). Just too sweet for anything
The sharp and impudent son of a (American). Highest form of praise.
stupid and easily ridiculed father.
Juggins-hunting (Tavern). Look-
ing for aman who will pay for liquor.
Jumbo (London, 1882). Anything
particularly large and striking became
a 'jumbo' there being at this time a
large elephant of that name in the Zoo.
The vulgar assert that Epsom is a very K.A.B.G.N.A.L.S. (Myttic). The
hotbed of training theories, and it must letters of back slang
the needless
(less
be admitted that it has its peculiarities
'c'), and uttered rapidly to indicate
in this direction. Nay, did it not pro- that this mode of conversation will be
duce the genial Mr Ellis, whom the
agreeable to speaker. Another form is
wicked called 'Jumbo'? E. N., 23rd
Kabac genals.
January 1896.
Mr Ellis was a big, heavy, solemn Kangaroo(Nautical in origin). A
official. Some months after Jumbo's tall,thin man, especially ill-shaped
and round-shouldered.
expatriation, a very tall man appeared
in Drury Lane Theatre, and all the Kansas neck -blister (American).
'
boys on hand, yelled Jumbo ; an Bowie-knife.
'

amiable Bavarian eight-foot giantess The same with a knife. Horsemen,

was trotted out at a music hall she when travelling, carry it in the boot, and
was at once baptised Jumba by the footmen down the neck hence a bowie-
;

itself. knife is popularly known as a 'Kansas

very press All Year Round, 31st
neck-blister'.
Jumbo (Tavern, 1882). The October 1883.
Elephant and Castle Tavern, S.
London. (See Animal.) Kaps walla (N. American- Indian).
To steal adopted from the original by
Jumboism (Polit., 1882). The American thieves.
Liberals having invented Jingoism Katterzem Quartor-
(Scotland).
to describe the warlike tendency of sieme. A
man willing to go out dining
the Conservative party, this latter at a moment's notice a parasite.
took advantage of the Jumbo craze to
dub the hesitative policy of the Liberal Kee gee (E. London, 1860). Go,
vigour.
Whigs jumboism. off the Be
Keep grass (Peoples').
Jump bail (Anglo-American). To cautious.
run away from Both jumped their boiler clear (Engineers',
it.
Keep the
bail.
1840). Watch your stomach in

Jumped up swell (Street). Sudden reference to health.

leap from rags to royal raiment ; also
Keep the devil out of one's clothes
a ton in a hurry. (American probably from Dutch).
Jumping Moses (Amer. -
Eng.). To fight against poverty.
361
 Keep up Old Queen Kicked the Cat

'

Keep up, old queen (Street). Vale- of qui vive,' the French sentry
diction addressed by common women challenge.
to a sister being escorted into a prison Khaki a tint once called Devon-
is
van. shire grey. It was recommended by a
Keep yer 'air on (L. Class, 1800 on). military convention (1882) to replace
A favourite monitory proverb recom- the scarlet cloth of the British army
mending patience as distinct from this scarlet being condemned in conse-
impatience, and tearing the 'air off. quence of its offering a ready mark for
the distant bullet.
Keep your nose clean (Army).
Avoid drink. Khaki (Military, February 1900).
Keep yourself good all through
Volunteer especially yeomanry
Modern paraphrase of volunteer for the Boer war, 1899-1900.
(Soc., 1882).
Keep yourself unspotted from the Applied in all ways to pease-pudding
world. amongst many, from the colour.
Keeping Dovercourt (E. Anglia).
Hence resulted in common eating-
houses the order, 'Cannon and Khaki,'
Making a great noise. Dovercourt
(Essex) was once celebrated for its i.e., round beef-steak pudding and a
this we have on the authority of pease -pudding.
scolds dump
of Halliwell. On the other hand the Kibe? ( University). To whose
term may come from the great noise benefit ? Abbreviation of
'
cui bono '.
made by a local insect called the Kick (A nglo-A merican) . To succeed
Dovercourt beetle. in pleasing audience.
Kemble pipe (Hereford). Last pipe Kick (Costermongers'). Trousers
of the evening. An ancestor of John short for kicksies, probably from the
Kemble, a Catholic priest, suffered garment being that in which the
martyrdom at Hereford, in the wearer uses his boots at angles. Or it
seventeenth century. On his way may
'
be from quelques choses'.
to execution he smoked his pipe 'That dona's dotty,' said Obadiah, as
and conversed with his friends. he gazed upon his half-a-dollar, and put
'

Kenealyism (Soc., 1874). Social it

carefully away
in his only kick and ;

method composed of alternate pro- now for a jolly spree.'

found humility and complete rebuke If the burick (wife) wears the kicksies,

supposed to have been invented

that's your luck, not ours.
from Dr Kenealy, who in this year Kick is also used by thieves for
1

defended Arthur Orton, called 'the
claimant', upon a charge of perjury.
Orton claimed to be Sir Roger Tich-
borne.
pocket ', probably because the kicksies
or trousers have pockets. Fine example
of application of the title of a whole
to a portion.

Kentucky loo (Students'). Summer When your kick is empty, and your
mouth is dry, your blooming pals will not
gaming operation. (See Fly loo.)
give you a yannep to get a drop of four
Kepple's snob (Naval, 1870). Ex- thick.
pression of scorn by superfine naval Kick To seek for
The Kepple's Head ',
' (Trade-tailors').
young officers. work
named after the admiral. The uaval probably suggested by a
barbarous mode of kicking at a door,
clubmen have converted knob into
before knocker or bell was invented.
snob. Cut him he puts up at the
'

Kick a lung out (Anglo- Amer.).

"Kepple's snob".'
Severe castigation.
Kerwollop (Amer., 19 cent.). To
beat, or wallop.
'
Ker '
is also fre- Kick into dry goods (American).
To dress clothes being dry goods.
quently used before words implying
movement, as kersmash, kerbang, Kick up my dust in the park (Soc. ).
kerash (crash), kerflummux, kerslap. Promenade there. From French 'Faire
(See Artemus Ward' I went kerwallop ma poussiere aux Champs Elysees '.
over the fence.') Kick out (Anglo-American). Die
Kew (Reverse Slang). Week spelt the frequent nervous move-
from
with one ' e '. ment of the legs as death approaches.
Key-vee (Peoples', 1862). Alert, on Kicked the cat (L. Class]. Shown
the key-vee of course a corruption signs of domestic dissatisfaction,
162
 Kid- Catcher Knock Along

Kid-catcher (L. School Board, 1869 I believe that is the aristocratic

term,
on). L.S.B. official who beat up Kate ought to know, now donned for
school tenants. the occasion. Ref., 17th May 1885.
Coroner: How did you escape the
1
And belted knight
school board officers ? Witness I don't :
Isn't such a sight
know how I managed to escape the kid- '
As Becky Moss in her klobr.'
catcher', sir, but I did it. People, 30th
'
So I klobbered myself up as well
August 1896. as circs would permit.'
Kill who? (Peoples', 1870 on). K' mither (Provincial).
Satirical protest against a threat, and Corruption
of "Come hither" a woman of the
an assertion of quiet bravery. town.
Kill with kindness (Peoples'). This
Klondyke (Peoples', 1897 on). Mad
phrase isnot generally understood ; not to be trusted.
fit From the
supposed to be literal. Really means craze that set in August 1897 around
to cause shame by overwhelming with
the Klondyke gold-bearing district.
satirical attentions a person who has
misbehaved himself. It is not forgive- Klondyke fever (July, 1897).
Rush for gold in British Columbia.
ness, but retaliation.
Began in this month, increased as the
Killing the canary (Bricklayers').
year waned.
Shirking work. Klondike gold fever has 'caught on'
Kilmainham (Political, 1882). in the City. . . D. T., 31st July 1897.
.

Compromise. Said of an arrangement descent

in which each of two parties concedes Knapsack (Peoples').
Soldiers in a family, either on the
something to the other in order that father's or mother's side, and very
a third party be defeated. Took
may
possibly both.
its rise early in1882, when the Con-
servative opposition unintentionally Knee-drill (Peoples', 1882). Hypo-
critical Derived from the
brought about the Kilmainham Treaty. praying.
Kin'd Satirical pro-
military terms introduced into prayer
(Soc., 1884).
nunciation of kind. Result of Barrett's meetings by the Salvation Army.
production of Hamlet (October 1884)
Knickerbocker (N. York). Man or
wherein he made this reading A little ' woman in best society in New York.
more than kin and less than kin'd.' Accepted from opponents and made
a class word.
Kingsman of the rortiest (Sporting,
Knife (Lowest Lond., 19 cent.). A
early 19 cent.). Square, folded necktie '

of high colours. shrew suggestive of being ' into you

in a moment.
Kippers (Navy). Stokers. Very prob-
Knife (Theatrical, 1880 on). Con-
ably because they are so smoke-dried,
and dark of complexion. dense a piece. Knife is now modified
into blue pencil.
Kiss-curl (Peoples', 1854-60). Flat
Knife and fork tea (Middle Class,
temple curl, abandoned by middle-
class in 1860 or about. Still seen in 1874). Vulgarisation of high tea (see).
S.E. London, where it is patronised Knights of the Jemmy (Soc.,
by the street belles of that locality. 19 cent.). Burglars the arms of the
Kite (American, 19 cent.). The cavaliers in question being jemmies ;
face. the modern name for short crow-bars.

Kite, Blow outthe (Com. Lond.). Some seasons ago the place was over-
To have a full stomach run by knights of the jemmy, who com-
suggested
either by an inflated bladder, or a mitted their depredations on other
soldier's full
'
kit '.
people's property in the coolest manner
possible, and yet contrived to evade
Klobber (E. London). Jewish for capture. Z>. T., 8th August 1896.
best or state clothes generally.
Knock about drolls. (See Athletic
Kate Vaughan was perhaps a trifle too
drolls.)
dainty, and I fancy any Kitty so circum-
Knock along (Austral.). To idle.
stanced, on the sudden return of master
in the midst of unlawful revelry, would There an Australian phrase, isn't
is
have taken some pains to cover up the
'
there, with reference to an idle fellow?
I
resplendent and unaccustomed klobber
'

they say &he goes 'knocking along'.

163
 Knock Fairly Silly La!

am not aware that it is an Australian Kollah (Hebr.- Yiddish). A bride.

phrase. We get our bad language from Often spelled calloh (q.v.).
England. Last
The Lord Chief Justice: Knocking Kop-gee (Peoples', 1899).
along
'
is not an English phrase. It is discovery of the century for head
' from the Transvaal kopje or mound.
knocking about '.
Dr Kenealy: Well, it is 'knocking Kosal Kasa (Hebrew Trade).
along '. I Hon't think it an improvement Is. 6d. the Hebrew words for '!'
on the English phrase. Tichborne Case, and '
6 '.
1874.
Kosher (E. Lond., Judaic). Pure
Knock fairly silly (Lower Class] undefiled. Word used by the Jews
Almost, not quite annihilated.
if in reference to eatables, and especially
Capt. Thatcher said that when they alcoholic drinks at certain feasts of the
first came in touch with the Boers they
year, especially Passover and Pentecost.
expected to be attacked, and they were. '
The word is here written phonetically,
But they knocked the Boers fairly silly
'

but in actuality the vowels are omitted

and then made for Krugersdorp at a
hand-gallop all the way. People, 16th
K SH R, or rather R SH K, to be
February 1896. very precise. The antithesis of this
word is Trifer unclean, unholy,
Knock in (Costermongers'). To
written TRF R.
make money into the pocket under-
stood. Kruger - spoof (Peoples', 1896).
Knock in (Club). Make one at a Lying. From the promises of fair

card table. dealing forwarded in January 1896,

made by the President of the Transvaal
Knock off corners (Music Hall, and not kept.
republic,
1880). Be successful.
Just as Arthur Williams had com- Kwy (Fast Life,
' '
1800-40). First
syllable of quietus death.
menced to 'knock corners off' at the
music hall, he is once more summoned Kyacting (Navy). Jocularity
to the Gaiety. More study !
Entr'acte, during work.
16th April 1885.
'Here, knock off that "kyacting",
Knock -upable (Soc.). Open to will you?' an irate P.O. will say if he
sees a youngster playing the fool instead
being knocked up.
of attending to his work. Rev. G.
For some time I have been weak and
knock-upable. G. Eliot's Life, vol. i., Goodenough, R.N.
p. 440. Kypher (L. Class). To dress hair
'

Knocker on the front door from the French eoiffer '.

(Peoples'). Achieve respectibility.

Knows how many go to a dozen
(Hist.). Sharp. Even to this day
many things are sold thirteen to the
dozen especially ' books and news-
'

papers. Thirteen is generally called

a baker's dozen from thirteen loaves
being sold as a dozen, exactly as
thirteen rolls in our days go to the
dozen.
Knuckle end
extreme west of the duchy the Land's
End, so named from its shape.
L., The (N. York, 1880 on). The
Elevated Railway.
We have in New York a rich man who
is almost the counterpart of
(Cornwall). The Hetty Green.
I refer to Mr Russell Sage. He was once
associated with Jay Gould, and between
them they engineered the L,' or Elevated '

Kodak (Soc., 1890 on). To sur-
reptitiously obtain shape-information.
From the snap-shot
camera named after its inventor.
We are watching him (Sir Henry
Irving, Richard 111.), our eyes are
riveted on his face, we are interested in
the workings of his mind, we are secretly
kodaking every expression, however
slight.D. T., 21st December 1896.
Railroad of New York, much to their
advantage, as most people imagine.
photographic D. T., 18th February 1897.
L. L. (Dublin Tavern). Best
whisky. Initials of Lord Lieutenant.
L. L. (Financial, 1870 on). Initials
of Limited Liability, and used satiri-
cally to suggest fraud.
La ! (Suburban London). Nimminy-
164
 La-di-da Lassitudinarian

pimminy for the vulgar

'
lor !
'
which on the great north gate, and the
isan abbreviation of the exclamation church being frequented (in Roman
'Lord!' Catholic times) by cripples in great
La-di-da (Street). Elegant leisure, numbers many of them being
and liberal expenditure. fraudulent limpers the gate came
to be called Cripplegate ; and this
Laagered (S. African). Waggon- phrase suggested a lame excuse. The
defence. The waggons are zig-zagged
in line or in square, so that the head of great bastion near the north gate is
still represented by about half of it.
one waggon is half way down the side
of the next thus giving an extended Land Navy (Cadgers'). Imitation
sailors.
firing line, while the length of the
waggon is used to offer its fullest Land o' Cakes (Historical).
protection as compared with its width. Scotland.
For several hours after we were -
It was my firm intention when I
laagered in position on Monday to returned from my little Scotch tour to
receive the attack, concealed behind write glowing accounts of the scenery
trees and tall grass, their sharp-shooters of 'the land of cakes.' G. R. Sims,
kept up a scathing fire. D. N>, 29th Ref., 5th October 1884.
January 1885. Land o' Scots (Eng. -
American,
Lady from the ground up 1884). Heaven.
(American). (See Perfect Lady.) 'Lane (Theatrical). Classic term
Lady in the straw (Hist.). 'Our became popular for Drury Lane
Lady in the Straw' referring to the Theatre.
stable in which the Redeemer was Fine
Langtries (Society, 1880).
born. An old popular oath.
eyes. Mrs Langtry, whose portraits
Lady Jane (Soc., 1882). A stout, as a celebrated beauty had been seen
handsome, cheery woman. for years in shop windows, suddenly
became popular (1882) by appearing
Lally-gagging (American Peoples').
on the stage in England and America,
Flirting origin probably Dutch.
You see, Pa has been in a habit lately where immense crowds were attracted.
of going to the store a good deal and Language (Peoples'), Sheer swear-
lally -gagging with the girl clerks. Bad ing. Satire upon violent expressions.
Boy, 1883. Meanwhile a scramble has been taking
Lamartinism (Literary). Goody- place between two omnibuses behind for
goody. Lamartine introduced the the lead of the road, illustrated by a free
novelty, in historical of use of what is called 'language.' D. N.,
writing,
that has 1st August 1890.
maintaining everybody
always acted for the best, whatever Language of flowers (Bow Street
his action, in the best of possible Police Court, 1860-83). Ten shillings
worlds. Term used scornfully since or seven days ; the favourite sentence
1848 in French literature. Now of Mr Flowers, a very popular and
sometimes exercised deprecatingly at amiable magistrate at this court for
Oxford, and in London. many years.
Lambeth (Peoples', S. L.). Wash. Lap (Co/ee-house). Tea.
From the popular cleansing place in Lapsy lingo (Peoples'). Corruption
S.London being the Lambeth baths. of lapsus linguce.
Lambies (Navy). Mizzen-top men. Lard - king (Anglo - American).
Lame as St. Giles Cripplegate, Typical Cincinnati millionaire, whose
As (Peoples' Hist.). Very lame fortune is based upon pig.
applied to a badly-told untruth. St.
Lardy -
dardy (Peoples', 1862).
Giles was the patron saint of cripples, Affected.
as distinct from St. Martin, who was
Large -
heads (Anglo
-
Amer.).
the patron of all beggars. Cripples,
Drunkards.
therefore, had two saintly patrons.
St. Giles's, London, was just under Large-sized scare (Amer.). Wild
London Wall at its most northern panic.
point, and was St. Giles's Without Lassitudinarian (Soc., 1894 on).
that is, outside the city. It abutted Satirical evolutionfrom valetudinarian.
165
 Last Bit o' Family Plate Leave yer 'Omer

Evasive term for a destruction of his costly game by the

constitutionally
fox. D. N., llth November 1885.
lazy man.
... an occupation, by the way, exactly Leaderette (Press, 1875). When,
probably borrowing from the French,
' '

suiting a lassitudinarian temperament.

D. T., 4th February 1897. the idea of lightening journalism, short
Last bit o' family plate (Artisans'). pithy 'leaders' were introduced, a
technical name was to be found for
Final silver coin. '

them, and leaderette was the result.

'

Last shake o' the bag (Peoples'

Leading article (Trade, 1870). A
old). Youngest child. term used to denote the best bargain
Latch - key (Irish Constabulary, in the shop one that should lead to
1881-82). Crowbar name given by other purchases.
the Irish Constabulary to the crowbar,
as the too frequent key with which Leading heavies (Theat.). Middle-
aged women's serious roles.
they had to open house doors when in
I am an actress. I was in Mr
the process of eviction.
O'Connor's company during his engage-
Law (Police).Advantage, start, ment at the Star Theatre, playing the
privilege. Invented by the police. '
leading heavies
'

throughout that en-

The defendants were placed in the gagement. I was to receive 12 dollars
police van and driven off under the very a week and expenses. N. Y. Mercury,
noses of their would-be persecutors, who 9th June 1888.
were quite unaware that their prey had Leak To
(Anglo-American, 1880).
escaped them. Having given the van a lie.
good extent of 'law', the crowd were Leaky (Peoples'). Talkative when
allowed to go where they wished, but only
drunk.
in time to find that they had been out-
witted. D. N., 15th September 1885. Learn by rote (Scholastic). Learn
Law's a me - -
(Hist. now chiefly by the road, route, or rut that is to
used in U.S.A.). Lord save me. say, without intelligence, perfunctorily.
He's full of the Old Scratch, but laws- Learning shover (Com. London,
a-me he's my own dead sister's boy ! 1869 on). Schoolmaster took its rise
Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, p. 19. at the institution of the London School
Board.
Lay (lie) on the face (Peoples').
Dissipate exorbitantly. Leather and prunella (Middle- Class
Lea toff (Local Lond.). of A youth ancient).Expresses flimsiness. A '

corruption of ' All lather and prunella

'

social aspirations, chiefly in relation to '

the lather being whipped cream,
Sunday ; one who displays his distinc- ' '
the prunella probably damson puree
tion, in a hired boat, rowing up and
down the River Lea. or plum jelly. Sometimes used to
Lead poisoning (W. expresshumbug.
America).
Active bullets.
Then who shall say so good a fellow,
Was only leather and prunella. Don
Very recently a gentleman who was at Juan.
once editor of a local newspaper and
town constable found it necessary to The Foreign Office regards all the
organised cheerfulness of the last few
relinquish the latter post in consequence
of a disease which he euphemistically days' Chinese diplomatic blandishments
termed ' lead -poisoning ', the result of and promises, edicts and telegrams,
alike, as so much leather and prunella.
being shot through part of the lungs by Z). 24th July 1900.
a desperado of the township under his T.,
care. D. N., 27th March 1883. Leave them to fry in their own fat
Leaden sometimes Leaden
pill (Plantagenet English). This phrase is
favour (Anglo-American). Bullet. equal to Give him rope enough and
Leadenhall market he'll hang himself. The phrase was
sportsman
(Sporting, 1870). Landowner who brought into fashion again by Prince
Bismarck, who (1871) after the partial
sells his game to Leadenhall market retirement of the German forces,
poulterers.
The true foxhunter loathes the pre- applied it to Parisians and their
server of pheasants as an old woman ', '
politics.
or ' a Leadenhall-market sportsman ;
'
Leave yer 'omer (L. Class
while the latter rages at the wholesale Women's). A handsome, dashing
166
 Leccers Lethal

man. This is derived, very satirically, 'strengthy' when they mean 'strong',
from 'That's the man I'm goin* to are fond of saying 'utilise' when they
leave me 'ome for '. Good example of mean use. Z). N., April 1883.
street sentiment. Let, To (Art). Sparsely
- filled
Leccers (Oxford Lectures canvas.
'er').
both 'c's'hard. Let 'em all come (Peoples', 1896).
Each man attends as cheerfully as he Cheery defiance. Outcome of the
can his 'leccers'. I). T., 14th August plucky way in which the British, in
1899. the first days in the new year, accepted
Left centre (PoliL, 1885). Whig. the message of congratulation by the
Bestowed by advanced Liberals on Emperor of Germany to President
cautious Liberal party. Kruger on the repulse of the Jameson
Thiers used to say that France was raid followed next day by the im-
;

essentially Left Centre, and that power perial message sent by President of
would come to the party of the most the U.S.A., apropos to the English
prudent./). N., 20th October 1885. boundary dispute with Venezuela ;

Left her purse on her piano both followed by some defiant com-
(Peoples', 19 cent.). Satirical hit at ments in the French press.
self-sufficiency. Let her rip (English-American, 1840
Left the minority (Soc. , 1879). No onwards). Let her go as she wants.
longer with the living. This phrase has a very striking history.
'
Poor Benefit Thompson has left the
'
"When rival river steam-boats were
minority. Entr'acte, 30th April 1885. fully established on the Mississippi
Leg (Fast Society, 1860). Footman and other American rivers, the rival
from the display of the lower limbs. captains would put on every ounce of
steam in order to keep ahead. Too
Leg maniac (Stage, 1880 on).
Eccentric, rapid dancer. frequently the boiler would burst, or
would when
'rip', as emphatically it'
Mr Fred Storey holds a unique position '
' '
horrible term bursting. came to be
Let her rip
as a leg maniac !

D. T., 3rd December 1896. a common expression amongst these

Leg up (Peoples').
Legit (Theatrical). Shortening of
legitimate, in its turn the curtailing
of the legitimate drama.
Leisure hours (Rhyming). Flowers.
captains when more timid passengers
Help. or sensible sub-officers urged him to
lower the steam pressure.
Let out (American). Releases
very emphatic.
Well, sah, I wanted to ax how many
'

Leisured rich (Soc. t 1885). In- kinds of religun you had up dat way ?
'

vented by Mr Gladstone. Oh, about a dozen, I guess.'

'

'

Lemon squash '

Cracky, golly he whispered, ' but
!
party (Soc., 1882).
A dat lets me out 'Detroit Free Press,
meeting of young men, initially at
!

1883.
Oxford, when nothing was drunk but
Let out your back - band
this preparation.
(American). Be more familiar and
Lemoncholy (Transposition
London). friendly in your statement.
Melancholy.
I ax you let out your back band a little
Lend us your breath to kill Jumbo on that last statement.
(Low London). Protest against the
odour of bad breath.
Let through (Peoples'). (1) Escape ;

(2) Cause injury.

Length of the foot (Irish). Com- Let up (Anglo-American). Make
prehend and manipulate the victim. an end. From 'letting' or lifting
Does the enterprising tradesman who
thus shields himself behind magisterial up the engine bar which, down, puts all
steam on. To end pressure.
patronage undertake to teach the
district the length of Mr Bushby's foot ? Lethal (Press, 19 cent.). Mortal.
D. N., 18th August 1884. From the waters of Lethe. Now
Lengthy (Parl., 1875). Used by applied by careless writers to any mode
both houses for 'long'. of violent death.
The people who think it elegant
fine It is always understood among the
to saylengthy when they mean long ',
' ' '
most distinguished members of the pro-
though they have not yet come to say fessionthe higher burglarious circles,
167
 Letter-Fencers Lion Chang

as they are called that nothing but the Light -

comedy merchant
direst necessity shall ever make them (Theatrical). Comedian and
pure
use a revolver or other lethal weapon.
simple.
He/., 3rd February 1889.
Despite its title, The Mormon, has no
Letter - fencers Post- connection with the followers of Brigham
(London).
men. Young, and the scene is laid not at Salt
Levenses (E. Anglican). Lunch Lake City, but at Eamsgate; a very light-
the meals of the elevens, whence this comedy merchant, the Hon. Charles
pleonastic plural has been evolved. Nugent, being heavily in debt. Ref..
13th March 1887.

Liberal forwards (Political, 1898). Light -

food (Lower Peoples').
Modified Radicals without fads.
Tobacco for chewing as a repast very
'
Liberal forwards
'
as Mr light.
George
Kussell's party
styles itself are Light-house (Navy}. Pepper-castor.
notoriously suspicious of the reactionary Lightning curtain -
taker
designs which they attribute to Lord A curtain-taker
Z>. T., 2nd February 1899.
(Theatrical, 1884).
Salisbury.
(q.v.), who does not wait for much
Lick into shape (Com.). To get
applause (which he may not receive),
ready. Obviously from animals, and who therefore rushes on upon the
especially bears, licking their young. least approbation. (See Take a
It had not been thought necessary to curtain, Fake a curtain.)
lick the piece into shape. The result
was most laughable the last act created
;
Lights up (Theat., circa, 1900).
more laughter than has done any farce Condemnation of a new piece on the
first night of its production (see Boo).
for years. Stage, 21st Auguat 1885.
Lie down and die (Anglo Chiefly the decision of the gallery.
Like to meet her in the dark
American). Despair.
(L. Class, 1884). Plain.
Lie down to rest (Amer. - Eng.,
Street). Fail, come to an end, a
Lime-juice (Theatrical, 1875).
dramatic company which has collapsed.
Lime light.
Often seen, in the past tense, in
Limerick (Peoples'). Queer and
American graveyards ; coarse rhymes, like 'There was a
finally it passed
into a colloquialism. (See Climb the young lady of Lea,' etc. Some say
golden staircase. )
this style of rhyme was called
Henderson's Uncle Tom Company laid Limericks because all the specimens
down to rest at Dunkirk, Ohio, on go to a tune to the original words,
Tuesday. N. Y. Mercury. December Won't you come up up up
'

'
1884. Won't you come up to Limerick ?
Reached England about 1883. Lincoln &
Bennett (Soc., 1840 on).
Life andeverlasting (Peoples', Superior hat. From makers' name.
Hist.). Complete, final, without (See Dorsay, Nicholls, Poole, Redfern.)
appeal especially applied to sales. Lined (Low Life). Passive voice of
His Honour Why didn't you jib, and
:
active verb to line, and derived from
take the horse back then ? certificate of marriage.
Defendant: I took it back the next Link and froom (Street, Hebrew).
morning. When he sold it he said 'it '
who was a Jewess, but one
was for life and everlasting'. D. T., Dolly ',

who was link rather than froom, was

23rd November 1897. about forty years old at the time of her
Lift up (N. Eng. Methodists'). To death. Ref., 3rd February 1889.
pray. Linkman ( W. London). General
Lifter (Stable). Kicking horse, one man-servant about kitchen or yard.
which lifts. Lion Chang (Fugitive Ang., 1896).
Lifu (Motor car, 1897). Reduction Jocular Anglicising of the name of Li
of liquid fuel (paraffin or other oil). Hung Chang and referring to his
Starting punctually to time, the Lifu, fleeting popularity.He arrived in the
which takes its name from the liquid beginning of the month, went to
fuel (oil) which it uses, as the odour America before the end of it, and in
proclaims, arrived at London Bridge. the meantime was dubbed long Lion
D. T., 17th December 1897. Chang. His entourage also obtained,
168
 Lion Comique Lizards

in several instances, droll names. Lo Little more Charley behind

Feng Luh became Loafing Loo, Vis- (Theatrical). More lumbar width
count Li became Lud Lulliety, and speaking of feminine dress or costume.
Seng became S'eng-song. Little season 1880 on).
(Society,
Lion comique (Music Hall, 1880). London season between 6th January
This term was a way of describing a and Shrove Tuesday. The real season
leading comic singer. begins about 15th April and ends with
Changes of fancy and taste have July.
abolished the lion comique ', as he was
'

London has been during the last few

known to an antecedent generation, and
years not only full of visitors after Easter,
the death of Mr Macdermott practically but has developed a pre-Lenten or 'little'
snaps the last link. D. T., 9th May season, as it is called. D. N., 6th July
1901.
1884.
Liqueur of four ale (City, satirical). Little whack (Drinking men's).
Precisely as the common folk make Small quantity of spirits.
fun of cheap food and give it impressive
titles such as calling sheep's head
You may choose for the moment of
illustration either your going into or your
broth turtle soup so middle - class
coming out of the Carnarvon Arms ;
;

young city men chaff their drinks. where you intend to have or where you
The most expensive liqueur, green have had your little whack. Besant &
Chartreuse would be eighteenpence Bice, Golden Butterfly, vol. i., ch. xii.
while four ale (City sherry) is the
Phrase really means, *a Live down (Soc., 1870). To over-
cheapest.
beer understood. come by strenuous patience.
glass of bitter'
- house
When it took six months to go from
Liquor (Public keepers').
India to England they made the most of
Euphemism for the water used in
a bad situation, and tried to live down
adulterating beer. heat and care. (Indian Hospitality)
Listening to oneself (Irish, old). Graphic, 17th March 1883.
Thinking. Live messages ( Telegraphers', 1870).
Little beg (Pub. Sch. ). Abbreviation Messages in course of transition.
of little beggar friendly term applied In the telegraph department dining
by upper form to lower form boys. accommodation has been provided,
Little bit o' because it is thought undesirable that
keg (L. Class). Keg-
those who are engaged in the trans-
meg meat, that is, common meat
mission of telegraph messages should
erotic.
leave the premises during their period
Little bit of sugar for the bird of duty. With what are called 'live
(Peoples', 1897). Premium, unexpected
'

messages fresh in their minds, there is

benefit, surprise, acquisition. felt to be an objection to their adjourn-
She applied for five Ordinary shares at ing to neighbouring restaurants. D. N.,
1 premium, paying 2, 10s. with her 27th September 1883.
application, and on allotment she paid
She Live on (L. Peoples'). Fine girl or
up the balance, 7, 10s. in full.
held all the shares when the corporation woman. (See Leave yer 'ome.)
was wound up, and received nothing for Live up to (Esthetic, 1878-83).
her money. Exist purely up to a pure standard.
You didn't get anything of Goodman's Invented by Du Maurier (Punch).
'little bit of sugar'? (Laughter. ) No. Phrase used quite seriously by the
D. T., 24th December 1898.
Burne Jones school. (See Apostle of
Little deers (Soc. Anglo- American). culture. )
Young women generally associated,
bache (Soc.). Life in
or declaring themselves to be associated, Living
New spelling of chambers living like a bachelor.
with the stage.
' '
to form a feminine to stags.
dears Living with mother now (Music
go (Thieves'). First im-
Little Hall, 1881). The refrain of a doubtful
prisonment, first invented by a fallen song, in which this answer is made by
the young person to all the blandish-
university man.
ments of her inamorato.
Little Ireland (1879). The then
Home Rule brigade in the House of Lizards (American). Men of
Commons. Alabama.
169
 Loaferies, The Look into the Whites

Loaferies, The (E. London). a medical man who performs for

Whitechapel Workhouse from the
tenderness shown towards the inmates.
In 1898 the guardians even wished to
do away with the term workhouse.
No very luminous suggestions were
forthcoming as to a new title, though
one of the guardians thought Paradise
another who is ill or away.
Lolliker (Durham old). Tongue.
Lollipop dress (Theatrical, 1884).
Stripy dress, generally red and white,
suggestive of sticks of confectionery.
' '

London, Best side towards

a fitting change. The others, however, (Peoples'). Making the best of every-
seemed to consider this a little previous. thing. Good example of the national
Perhaps 'House of Repose' or 'The
'
desire to battle through adversity.
Loaferies would be considered appro- Derived from the desire of all country
priate. Mr Perez remarked that what- London
ever the new name, in a few years it people to visit for themselves,

would be as \inpopular as the old one.

and make their fortunes,
though its
street are not
paved with gold.
D. T., 10th February 1898.
Loan now London ivy (Colloquial). Dust
(American). Lend,
sometimes used for fog.
becoming English. Has been accepted
probably as a euphemism. London smoke (Soc., 1860). A
Such a term as I will loan you my dog
'
yellowish grey ; became once a favourite
Schneider' is hardly British. D. N.. colour because it hid dirt.
1882.
Long last (Eng. Prov.). Time or
Loathly (London Chib, October period spaciously waited for.
1897). Offensive. At long last Sir George White and his
This savage sacrificial feat, performed gallant garrison are free. Lord Dun
with horrible frequency by Bitchlieli and donald rode into Ladysmith on Wednes-
his reverend subordinates on the day night. D. T., 2nd March 1900.
'
teocalli ', or green stone, surmounting
the shrines of the loathly idols that were Long
pull (Public - house). Over-
measure, either as a custom, or to
eventually overthrown and destroyed by
Hernan Cortes. D. T.. 24th December induce trade.
1898. Long - shore (Maritime). Land-
lubber coast people who have the
Lobby (Amer. coming
Eng.). to ;

To corrupt by process. To attempt to misfortune not to be sailors.

exercise an influence on members of a But what would have been the alarm
' '
of those timid long-shore races if they
legislative body by persons not members
who attend
the session of a legislative could have imagined the present dangers
of the deep. D. N., 6th January 1886.
body for the purpose of influencing the
debates. Long stale drunk (American- Eng. ,
State of depression owing to
Lobby through (Amer. passing to 1884).
Eng.). Is to get a bill accepted by physical inability to throw off the
influence. effects of intoxication.

Loblifer (Cornwall). Luck -bringing . . .

recovery from what our American
mannikin. cousins describe as a long stale drunk '
'.
Probably a corruption of
from this genius Ref., 9th April 1885.
Lob-lie-by-the-fire
being fond of warmth after his damp Long-tailed bear (Peoples', Hist.).
cave abode. One of the evasions of saying 'you
'
is a pretty story
lie'. From the fact that bears have
Lob-Lie-by-the-Fire,'
of farm and
rustic folk, in which
life no tails.

mysterious agrarian services rendered by Long 'un (Poachers'). Pheasant-

an unseen benefactor awaken all the old
referring to the length of the tail.
country superstitions. D. N., 17th (See Short-'un.)
December 1885.
Local pot. (See Pot.) Long's (Strand, 19 cent.). Short's
wine-house opposite Somerset House.
Locate (American). To settle.
Look into the whites (Peoples')
Locked up (Street). Arrested. '
Of each other's eyes understood. To
'

Locust Extravagant person

(Soc. ). be about to fight from the fact that
who sweeps everything away. the eyes protrude, or the lids recede
Locum (Doctors'). Deputy short more than usual when a set-to is about
for locum tenens. Sometimes Moke' to commence.
170
 Look Old Lump o' Stont

It would be absolutely impossible for Lottermy (Mid. Counties rarely

any adjustment of the boundary question Corruption of Lord take me !

to be made if the Russians and Afghans Lotties and Totties (Theatrical).

kept advancing until they could look into Ladies at large.
the whites of each other's eyes. D. N.,
If time and space permitted I should
14th March 1885.
like to tell you all about the Lotties and
Look old (Street}. Severe. Very the Totties and the other out-of-work pets
fineeulogy of the wisdom of age, as who pervaded the stalls, and showed a
compared with the carelessness of liberal proportion of their backs backs
youth. and bosoms, too as bare as they were
Look slippery (Naval). Hurry up, born. Ref., 15th November 1885.
be quick from the association of Lotus (L. Class, 1885.) Rhyme to
slipperinessand speed. hocuss.
Look through the fingers (Irish). Love curls (Society, 1880). This
To evade ; to pretend not to observe term came in when women began to
and see. cut their hair short and wear it low
over the forehead.
Looking as if he hadn't got his
For the defence the respondent, Mr
right change (London). Appearing
mad or wild. Robert Nathaniel Latham, was called.
clock
He gave a positive denial to the charge
Looking round the of cruelty. He had objected to his wife
(American). Getting appearance of wearing what she called 'love curls'.
age parallel between life and comple- Latham v. Latham, Probate and Divorce
tion of the orbit of the hands of a Division, 9th February 1883.
clock. As
Lovely as she can be and live,
Looking seven ways for Sunday (American, 1882). Superlative praise
(Lower Middle London). Squinting. of beauty. That is to say she could
Looks like a widder woman only be more lovely when raised to the
(Amer., 1883). Appears old. condition of an angel.
Loose bit o' goods (Street, 1870 Lovey dovey (Low London).
on). Young woman who has abandoned Example of nonsense rhyming.
the proprieties. (See Straight bit o'
Low comedy merchant (Theat.,
goods.) 1883). Farcical actor.
Loosing a fiver (Peoples'). Having The success of Indiana mainly depends
to pay extravagantly for any pleasure upon the extravagant humours of the
or purchase. chief low - comedy merchant. Ref.,
October 1886.
Loosing French (Street). Violent
He won't be able to box Mr Fred J.
language in English. Stimson, the low comedy merchant, for
Lord Blarney 1885).
(Irish, some weeks to come.
Aristocratic flatterer. First given to (See 'Shop'.)
Lord Carnarvon, who after his appoint- Shirt.
ment as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lully (L. Class).

(1885) made many flattering speeches.

Lumberer (Soc. ). Lying adventurer
obscure.
Lord Carnarvon's plausible and sooth-
Mr Gill felt instinctively that there
ing, or to adopt the
Irish expression
to was something wrong with this man's
'soothering', speeches appear only
have won for him the nickname of Lord appearanee and when this man came,
;

D. N., 14th November 1885. in cross-examination, to give an account

Blarney.
of himself, it accorded with the well-
Lordy me
(Prov. Hist.). Exclama- known expression 'lumberer'. Lord
tion. Corruption of Lord have
me !
Dunlo's Divorce, July 1890.
One of the sacred ejaculations of early
reform days.
Lump of ice (Rhyming}. Advice
in common use.
Lost a cartful and found a
Lump of school (Rhyming). Fool.
- load Getting
waggon (Peoples').
stout. Lump o' jaw on (Street}. Talk-
ative.
Lot's wife's back-bone (Peoples').
To suggest extreme saltness, as Salt
*
Lump o' stone (Thieves'). County
as Lot's wife's back-bone '. jail.
171
 Lumpy-Roar Make a Stuffed Bird Laugh

Lumpy-roar (Low London, 1855). the evening of that day the news of
A grandee, a swell of the first water. the relief of Mafeking arrived at about
Said to be an anglicization of 9 P.M. by eleven o'clock the streets
TEmpereur' Napoleon III., who were absolutely riotous.
became popular in 1885 by his visit Magdalen Marm (Southward, 19
to England, owing to the excitement cent.). A servant from. the Magdalen,
produced by the Crimean War, and a refuge for fallen women in the Black-
his encouragement of English trade. friarsRoad, which existed there until
about the middle of the century. The
women who went out as servants from
that place had been too often pampered
there, and gave little satisfaction
hence the Surrey side found this
M satirical term.
Mailed fist (Peoples', 1897). Need-
less threats, boasting. From a send-
M. D. (Bridgeivater, 1857). Money off dinner speech by the Emperor of
down referring to electioneering Germany when sending forth his only
bribery. brother, Henry, to conquer China with
a fleet of two sail all of which ended
McKinleyism McKinleyise
Protection. in leasing a coaling-station by China
(American- JEng., 1897).
From President U.S.A., to Germany.
Mackinley,
the great apostle of protection. Mailing (Anglo -
American). To
Meanwhile Congress is hearing from post for the mail.
the people in no uncertain tones as to After mailing, I returned to the
certain schedules which Mr Dingley Capitol, and rejoined Agneni on the
proposes to 'McKinleyise'. D. T., 23rd balcony of the Senator's hall. D. N.,
March 1897. 1870.
Mating (Peoples', 19 cent.). Severe, Maintenon (Soc., Hist.). Mistress
but regulated thrashing by fists. who affects piety. From the position
Early in the '19th century Mace was and life of Madame de Maintenon, the
for an exceptional time a leading last favourite of Louis XIV.
prize-fighter. Major MacFluffer or Fluffy
Mackinaw (American Hunters'). (Theatrical, 19 cent.). Sudden lapse
A very strong and ingeniously-woven of memory, and use of words to call
blanket, said to have been first made the attention of the inattentive
and sold by a Scotch wool - stapler prompter. It is said to have arisen
called Maclnor. from an actor, in this strait, yelling
Mad as hops (American).
half a dozen times as he looked off on
the prompt side * Major MacFluffer
Excitable.
where the devil is Major MacFluffer.'
Made in Germany (London, 1890
More than one of the principals were
on). Bad, valueless. Outcome of the
vast quantity of inferior goods im- foggy with the text, and were reduced '
to fluffing or to waiting for the word '

ported from Germany. Term increased from the wings. Ref.. 13th November
in force from the date when this phrase
1887.
had, legally, to be printed on the
Major Methodist (Soc., '80's on).
object.
Extremely precise person. Intensifica-
Maffickers, Early. tion of Methodist.
Japanese merchants in New York Make a fun Exercise fuss.
(Irish).
met at dinner last night 'to celebrate
the Japanese victory'. Star, 10th The villagers make a fun over every
sister leaving, but we don't like it in any
February 1904.
instance. Being externs, they might
Several days after the first naval
express their gratitude that way, but we
success of the Japanese. wish to avoid it. It was done in the case
Mafficking: (Street, 1900). Street of Sister Mary Clare. Miss Sauriris
1

rowdyism. April 1, 1900, added this Nunnery' Case.

word to the English language. It is Make a stuffed bird laugh
quite as likely to stay as boycott. On (American). Absolutely preposterous.
172
 Make All Right Married the Widow

Make all right (Election, 19 cent.). Manny (Jewish E. London). Term

Promise to pay for vote. of endearment or admiration prefixed
Make - it (London Poor). Corrup- to Jewish '
name, as Manny Lyons '.
tion of make-weight, the piece of bread Apparently a muscular Hebrewism.
added by bakers when weighing a loaf, Mantalini (Mid. Class, 1840 on).
to make up the weight few loaves A man-milliner from the milliner's
being baked of the correct weight. husband inDickens's Nicholas Nickleby.
Make it warm (London, 1880).
A famous Mantalini, one who will very
Punish. shortly open a palatial branch establish-
ment in London town, has draped and
MrFirth remarked that he himself adorned the feminine form divine of
was engaged in the icy latitude of the handsome Jane Hading. D. T., 2nd
north endeavouring, as some one had
January 1897.
said, to make it warm for their good
friends on the other side, and to help From about 1860-90 this name was
superseded by that of Worth ', th^
*
to carry the flag of progress once more
to victory. D. N., 7th October 1885. English man-milliner of the second
Make To empire, and afterwards of the third
leg (Com. Lond.).
become prosperous. republic.

Make up and Marcus Superbus (Theat., 1896).

(Soc. Peoples', 1860
Grandee. This was the name given to
on). To make love to.
himself by Mr Wilson Barrett in his
Make up my leg (Costermongers'). play, The Sign of the Cross (1896).
To make money. From the time of Soon after the success of this morality,
smalls, stockings and buckled shoes, a variety piece called The Gay Parisienne
when making up the leg was a necessary was produced ; therein Miss Louie
prelude to going into society. (See Freear made an immediate success as
Pull up my boot. ) a burlesque actress, who invented a
Making your coffin (Tailors'). grotesque name Marcus Superfluous.
Charging too highly for an article.
Said when a tailor charges a heavy
Margery (L. London, 19 cent.).
Effeminate.
price for a first job, and so probably Mark time (Mil., 19 cent.). Wait,
loses a second. hold on, be patient, don't be in a
Male impersonator (Music Hall). hurry. From the military order when
A misnomer for the performer is a soldiers are halted for a short time on
female who personates a man and march, or drill, and which is done
sings like one. that stepmay not be lost.
Mall (Metal Trades'). Credit. Marking M. (Irish Peoples').
Man of Sedan (Political). Last Kapidity. The M. is the initial of
nickname given for Napoleon III. the Virgin Mary, still a very sacred
from his fall at that city. symbol in Ireland. Usually used in
describing rapidity of action.
Man-killer (Abstainers'). Porter,
the black beers. Marksman (Old). Legal term for
stout, cooper
a man who cannot write, and who
Manchester school of nutrition makes his mark.
(Soc., 1860). High-feeding, emphatic- Marm -
poosey or Marm -
puss
ally introduced by certain medical men
of that city. (Public-house, 1863). Applied to a
showily-dressed landlady.
Mandamus (Legal). Verb invented
from a writ of mandamus. Marmalade country (Scotland).
Music hall reference to the orange
The court was not dispensed from con-
marmalade made in Dundee and other
sidering this part of the case, as it would
have been if Mr Bradlaugh had been Scotch places.
trying to mandamus the Speaker or the
'

Marriage face (Middle Class). Sad

'

Serjeant-at-Arms. D. N., 28th January one because generally a bride cries

1885. a good deal, and so temporarily spoils
her looks.
Mange, letty, bevy and clobber.
Italian through the organ-grinders' Married the widow (French
lodging-houses. Eating, bed, drink, known in England, 19 cent. ). Made a
clothes this last word being Hebrew. mess of things. Derived from a man
173
 Married to Brown Bess May God Blind Me

going to the guillotine, which makes Materials (Irish). Evasive term

widows, while the idea of marriage is for whisky-punch.
suggested by the momentary associa- Matinee (Theatrical, 1870). Morn-
tion with the guillotine, which is theatrical
ing performance. This
French slang the widow
'
called in '.
entertainment came from New York,
Married to Brown Bess (Mil., 18- and was speedily adopted not only in
19 cent. ). To serve as a soldier. Brown England, but in France, which accepted
Bess was of course the musket. the word.
You can tell her that you are safe and Matin6e dog (Theatrical). Sufferer
married to Brown Bess (that is to say en- From vivisection
experimented upon.
listed). Thackeray, Barry Linden, ch. v. of canines, or testing food for poison
Martialist (Soe., 1885). Soldier by submitting it to tykes. Of course
holding a commission. a figure of speech in relation to the
The marvel was that the colonel stood
'

frequent dramatic rubbish which is

it '. Hewas, indeed, a long-suffering submitted at matinees, as distinct
martialist. D. N., 31st December 1885. from evening performances.
Marwooded (Peoples'). Hanged. Arrangements have been made by
This term prevailedjwhile Executioner Irvine Bacon and Charles Groves to try
Marwood held office. He died in it ere long on the matinee
dog probably
1883. at the Haymarket. Re/., 3rd February
1889.
Mary Ann (L. London, 19 cent.).
An effeminate man. Matineers (Soc., 1885). Frequenters
Mash, Made a (Soc., 1883). of matinees. Outcome of the rage
Effected a conquest struck somebody for matinees, 1884-85. They are com-
all ofa heap. posed of quite 80 per cent, of ladies.
Mash that (Com. Land.). Hold Matineers on the look out for a really
your tongue. Probably from macher excellent and varied show will thank me
to chew, or figuratively for calling their attention to a matine
keep to your-
self in your mouth. to be given in compliment to Mrs Robert
Reece.
Mashers' corners (Soc., 1882). The
O.P. and P.S. entrances to the stalls Maty (London Workmen's). Mate.
of the old Gaiety Theatre. Maungo (N. Country, 1869).
Masonics (Soc., Hist.). Secrets Shoddy. This word is said to come
from the secret rites of Freemasonry.
from the term it maun go 'that is
'

to say it must sell from its

Not that there are either secrets or cheapness.
rites in Freemasonry at all events in Maw-sang (Northumbrian). Blood
a corrupted oath
England where combined secrets are probably mort
neither wanted nor expected. saint, holy death.
Massites (Soc., 1897). Members of Mawther (E. Anglican). Not only
the Anglican Church who believe in mother, but applied to even a girl
transubstantiation. These believers baby, girl, maid, wife, and childless
accept the term gravely ; but it was widow.
invented by the representative, or Mawwormy (Peoples'). Fault-find-
Low Church, party. ing, dismally anticipating wretched-
Masterpiece o' night work (Street). ness. From the character Mawworm.
Admiringly said of a handsome un- Augustus Harris insisting on Carl Rosa
fortunate. accepting the wreath thrown on the stage
Match 19 cent.). Society
lastSaturday night was a delicious and
(Soc.,
touching spectacle. Here is a glorious
classic marriage throughout the
for
subject for one of our figure-painters.
reign giving rise to the compound Without being mawwormy, I fail to see
matchmaker, a woman who brings why a wreath should be presented to
about marriages. any man who makes a business of giving
Mrs Gerard did her best to make the opera. Entr'acte, 6th June 1885.
match, and although she afterwards con- (See Pecksniffian.)
ceived doubts as to whether her sister
May God blind me (Street). The
really loved him, she said nothing to
Lord Durham to that effect. Lord original invocation of the gutterling,
Herschel, Lord Durham's Nullity Suit,
reduced to ' Gaw blin' me '. ' bly me ',
March 1885. 'blyme', 'bly'.
174
 Mayhap Military

Mayhap (Peoples}. Abbreviation of Mentisental (Syllable traversion

may happen. E. of London only). Sentimental.
'Your widow? Mayhap not.' Gar- Merchant (Theatrical, 1882). The
rick,Abel Drugger. theatre coming to be called the shop ', '

Mean to do without 'em (Music actors dubbed themselves ' merchants ',
Hall, 1882). The "em' infers to qualified by their line.
women. The phrase was first made
Merely moral man (Soc., 1890).
popular by the singer Arthur Roberts. Started by Ritualistic incumbents.
Mean white (Anglo-Indian). A Attack upon men who are moral with-
poor Englishman. out expressed Christian belief.
Meater (Street). Coward. Said of Mervousness (Polit., 1885).
a dog who only bites meat, that is to Satirical synonym for nervousness
say, one who will not fight. Thence invented about 1876 by the political
applied to cowardly men. party who did not believe in the
Meddle and muddle (Political, advance of Russia towards India.
1879). Came in during contest
between Beaconsfield and Gladstone Messengers (Country). The small
dark, rapidly-drifting cloudlets which
unmasterly policy which harries and foretell a storm.
does nothing.
The Board is pursuing a policy of Micky. See Bob, Harry and Dick.
meddle and muddle, and is getting itself Microbe of sectionalism (Soc., and
most cordially hated all round, Ref., Parl, circa 1896). Social fad in the
26th April 1885. House of Commons. As gradually
* '

Meddling duchess (Peoples , 1880).

1
the microbe was discovered to be
Intensification of duchess (q. v. ). Ageing, the cause of all disease, or the effect
pompous woman who fusses about and of all tendency to disease, the phrase
achieves nothing. was used figuratively. In this case it
is applied to the total break up of the
Melt (Financial). To discount a
Liberal party in the '90's, by the
bill.
and
divided feeling upon most extreme
Melton hot day (Sporting Such as total abstinence,
points.
Club, 1885). Equivalent to
melting local veto, vaccination,
hot day. Created Derby Day (3rd voluntary
schools, etc.
June), which was very sultry, and
The abdication by the Radical party
apropos to the winner of the day of its proper functions has an unfortunate
*
Melton '.
tendency to foster what we have called
Several who came near me after the the microbe of sectionalism. D. T.,
big race remarked that it was a Melton 21st June 1890.
hot day, and seemed to think they were
saying something original and something
Mid vire (Sporting, Paris). Midday
funny. Ref., 7th June 1885. wires, giving last prices in the coming-
on races. Heard in London.
Memugger (Oxford). Martyrs'
memorial. A satirical and even pro- Middle cuts (Slums'). These are
'
fane application of er'. the prime cuts of fried fish at fried
The triumph of this jargon was reached fish shops.
when some one christened the Martyrs'
'
Memorial the Martyrs' Memugger '.
Midge (Devon, old). A tell-tale.
D. T., 14th August 1899. Mighty roarer (Yankee). Niagara
cataract.
Mended (Street, 19 cent.}. Bandaged.
Menkind
J
Male Mikey (Corrupt Rhyming). Sick
(Soc., 90's).
relatives simply. after drink. (See Bob, Harry and
The great pull which Pekin had, over Dick).
other Eastern or over South American Milikers (Com. London, 1870).
Legations was that it is the traditional Militia probably a corruption of the
custom that the ladies of the Corps true word, upon the basis that public-
Diplomatique, who can rarely be pre- house is idiotically called shuvly-
vailed upon to venture so far from Paris
as Chili and Peru, accompany their
menkind forth to the Celestial City. Military (Tavern, 1885). Porter.
D. T., 4th July 1900. One of the later baptisms.
175
 Milk-Bottle Monday Mice

Milk-bottle (Com. Peoples'). Baby. Misery junction (Music Hall

M ilken Thieves' , 1 8 cent. . House - Singers'). The angle forming the south-
( )
west corner of the York and Waterloo
breaker. (See Fielding's Jonathan
Roads. So named from the daily
Wild.)
meeting here of music hall pros who
' '

Million to a
bit of dirt (Sporting, are out of engagements, and who are in
1860). A
sure bet requiring no caution. this neighbourhood for the purpose of
'It's a million to a bit o' dirt the
calling on their agents, half a dozen of
Plunger pulls it off.' (See Dollars to whom live within hail. (See Pro's
buttons ) Avenue. )
Mimodrama (Theatrical, 1897). Misleading paper (1876 on). Name
Drama of dumb show, as distinct from given to Times newspaper when it
melodrama, wherein the more noise the began to lose its distinctive feature as
' '
better. the leading paper in Liberal policy.
He had
found the argument of this Probably the critic of the leading I
minodrama in an artic e of criticism should say the misleading morning
written by Theophile KJautier. D. T., paper did not see the show.
3rd March 1897. Miss (American). To be unlucky.
Minchin Malacho (Peoples', 18 cent. Mistaken (Birmingham, 1885).
on). Whatever this may mean it is Lie. From a satirical paragraph by
evidently still understood by the Mr Chamberlain (9th November), at
vulgar. In April 1895 the present
writer heard a man in the gallery of
Birmingham.
Mitching (Canadian). Common
the Palace of Varieties (London), after
term for playing the truant. Comes
several scornful phrases, say derisively, from Devonshire, where the term is
*
Oh ah minchin maleego.' still in use.
Mind the grease (Peoples'). Let Mitten (Amer. Refusal of
t Hist.).
me pass, please. '
She gave him the
marriage by a lady.
Mind the paint (Peoples'). Said of mitten.'
passing girls who have painted their Mixologist (American Saloon).
faces. Adopted from the ordinary Outcome of the complicated nature of
phrase used by house -painters who American drinks a learned mixer.
flourish this legend on floor, pavement,
Mo'. (See 'Art a mo'.)
and wall. (See Aristocratic veins.)
Mock litany men (Irish mendi-
Mind the step Veiled
(Peoples'). cants'). Sing-song beggars who utter
or satiric suggestion that the victim or requests in a
plaints chanting
addressed is drunk. manner.
Mine (Low Life). Husband of a
Modernity (Soc. '90's). Obvious. t

kind. Sometimes really applied to a This word was invented early in the
husband. '90's first as a satire, then as a

Mine-jobber (City, 1880 on). Cheat. perspicacious descriptive.

When English copper mining became Nothing seems to be wanting to the
comparatively valueless by reason of perfect 'modernity' of the process by
the import of Australian and other ore which Clerkenwell is endeavouring to
as ballast, all the rascals on change discover its most fitting 'shepherd of
'
souls save the presence of a few book-
floated mine companies, which had
makers and a daily report of the state
not a chance of success.
of the odds against the various competing
Minnie P. play (Stage, 1885 on). candidates. D. T., 16th June 1898.
Drama in which a little maid variety Moll-hunters (Street). Men, of all
actress is the chief motive. She must who are
ages, always lurking after
sing, dance, play tricks, and never women.
wear a long dress. From Miss Minnie Monaker (Cow,. Lond., 1870). Title
Palmer's creations, chiefly in My or name.From Italian lingo for name,
Sweetheart. Nowobsolete. Monaco being the Italian for monk.
Misery (Old Eng. and American). Monday mice (L. Sir. Hist. ). The ,

Pain.
processions of black eyes, in both sexes,
Misery bowl (Tourists'). Relief- and in back streets as the result of
basin at sea. the week-end closing at 11 P.M. on
176
 Monday Pops Mother of the Modern Drama

Sunday nights a black eye getting Moony cove (Peoples'). The word
this name from ordinary size and
its is derived from trie tendency of persons
rounded shape suggesting a huddled suffering from incipient insanity to
up mouse. keep the eyes raised when walking.
Moon-struck is another form of the
Monday pops (Soc. ). Abbreviation
word.
of popular and put in plural. Refers
- rattler
to celebrated long-established concerts Moorgate (Clare Market,
at St James's Hall, London. Startlingly dressed passer-
-
1899).
We have been to a Monday pop this by a swell of that district, or in
week. Geo. Eliot, Letters, 26th it. Perhaps a corruption of Moorgate,
November, 1862. or possibly Margate.

Money bag lord (Soc., 19 cent.). Mops and brooms (Peoples').

Ennobled banker. (See Paint brush Drunk probably suggested by the
baronet and Gaily pot baronet. ) hair getting disordered and like a
mop. From a time when hair was
Money bugs (Amer. Eng.).
worn long.
Millionaires. Beetles are called bugs, '

Mops and brooms doubtless express

'

or were, in the U.S.A. The golden

a sense of confusion. Daily News.
bug is a beetle that has the appear-
ance of a lump of dead gold. Moral Cremorne
(Soc., 1883).
It is estimated, I see, that the Vander-
Fisheries Exhibition, Royal Horti-
bilt family of millionaires control among
cultural Gardens, 1883. So named
them 20,000 miles of American railways, because there had been no illumina-
which in one way and another afford tion fetes since the closing of immoral
employment for three millions of human Cremorne Gardens.
beings. . . . The happiness or the The Fisheries Exhibition is over. The
misery of three millions of people wholly lights of the moral Cremorne are out.
dependent on the whims and caprices Ref., 3rd November 1883.
of, say, half a dozen 'money bugs'. More blue (Devon, old). Exclama-
People, 20th March 1898. tion. Absolute pronunciation of mort
'

Monkey (Mechanics'). Clerk. bleue', and coming down probably

and time from the Frenchified court of Charles
Monkey parrot
II., when Exeter was a western
(American). Equivalent to cat and
life. metropolis. (See Big beck, Zounds,
dog Odd's Please the pigs,
Zooks, fish,
Monkey motions (Military}. Ex- Maw sang.)
tension drill. Used
satirically by the
men in reference to the manoeuvres of More war (Street, 1898). Street
this really droll drill. quarrel or wrangle, especially amongst
women. Outcome of the somewhat
Monkey on the house (Soc.). discussive warfare carried on between
Expression current in Cambridgeshire. U.S.A. and Spain in this year.
It means that the owner of the house Satirical to some degree.
has raised money on it. The natives Mother Rhyming,
(Complicated
also say, A monkey on the land ', the
'

1868). Water. Abbreviation of

word 'monkey' being exactly equi- *
mother and daughter' rhyming
valent to 'mortgage'. with 'water'.
Monkey, To (American -
Eng.). Mother of the modern drama
Prance and carry on effusively (Theatrical). An actress who took up
especially towards a pretty girl. high matronly ground in a
lecture

Monks. delivered (1884) at Birmingham. The

Sickly parrots. They hold
their heads down and in. lady, successful early in life, and
married to a rich, prosperous and
Monos ( Westminster School).
devoted husband, spoke veryea? cathedra,
King's scholar who at 4 P.M.
and during her oration pitied the
announces, in Latin, the finish of and announced her inten-
the day's work. strugglers,
tion of quitting the stage when '
40 '.

Moo (L. Class). Common woman. Calculating people arrived at

the con-
Moocheries (Peoples', 1885). One clusion that the lady never therefore
names given to The Inventions.
of the intended to leave the stage, as no one
' '

(See Muckeries. ) can be 40 twice.

177 M
 Mother's Help Muffin- Wallopers

*
Mother's help (Mid. Class, 1883 intention, as bin and gitters for gin
on). Nursery governess. Term in- and bitters'. Very common, 1840-56.
vented for the accommodation of Brought into fashion by Albert Smith
people who want a governess, and do from hospital life. Now chiefly
not want to pay for one. patronised in America.
Motor (London Soc., 1896). Fast, A mowrowsky is often a transfer of
said of a man about town. two words, as in the Taming of the
hard-living ;

Shrew, where Grumio cries, in pre-

Motor (Oxford, 1897). Coach, cram tended fright, 'The oats have eaten
tutor exams.
for Origin obvious. the horses'.
the conversion of the old-time
During the Donnelly
Simply discussion (1888) wherein it was con-
coach into the new-time motor with- tended that the plays of Shakespeare
out the car. had been written by Lord Bacon, an
Motor (Soc., 1896). The motor-car, intended satirical mowrowsky was
immediately shortened to motor, was invented by an interchange of initials
first shown in London streets on 10th between the two names, Bakespeare
November 1896. Before the end of and Shacon.
the year a score of phrases were built Muck (Military). Scornful appella-
up around it. tion bestowed upon all infantry by all
Byron had shown the true origin of the cavalry.
Motor long before the gentlemen who
Muck and halfpenny afters (Middle
thought they invented it were born.
Did he not say in his famous riddle : Class). Bad, pretentious dinner
spotted at the corners with custard
'Twas whispered in Heaven, 'twas
Motor'd in Hell. D. T., 19th powder preparations, and half-dozens
November 1896. of stewed prunes, etc., etc.

Motter Name Muckeries (Youths, 1885). Name

(Street, 1896). given '

to the motor carriage on its very first given to the Inventories' (Inventions
London on Lord Exhibition at S. Kensington) as the
official appearance in
season went on, by the youthful
Mayor's Day, 1896.
frequenters.
Mount the cart (Peoples', 18 cent.).
from the then habit of Mucking Westminster School).
Be hanged (

Idling, hanging round.

carting culprits from Newgate to
Tyburn tree, or gallows the cart Mud island (E. London). South-
being drawn from under the wretch end watering-place on the mouth of
when the rope had been attached to the Thames, whose estuary still pro-
the beam. duces a deal of mud.
Mourning coach horse (Middle Mud show (Soc.). An agricultural,
Class London, 1850). A tall, solemn or other out-door show.
woman, dressed in black and many Mud -
hovel argument (Political,
inky feathers. (See Sala's B. ) 1879-84). Term given to Tory argu-
Mouth-pie (Street). Emphatic name ment against extension of political
for feminine scolding. liberty in Ireland.
Move the previous question (Soc., Agreat part of his speech, however,
To evade ; consisted only of what we may call the
from Parliamentary Life). '
mud - hovel argument, an argument
'

to object to explain.
'
which he applied to Ireland, and on
To move the previous question is in
'

which it will be remembered he had

Parliamentary phraseology simply to say recently an opportunity of expatiating
that the present is not the most con- in Ireland. D. N., 4th March 1884.
venient moment for discussing any
Mud-pusher (Street, 1870). Cross-
particular motion. Another time, it
says another time, by all means ; but ing sweeper.
not just now. Muff (Soc., 1840 on). A stupid,
Move the procession (American dilatory, inactive, and generally
Mining). To incite a crowd against amiable young man.
some unpopular person. Muffin puncher
-
(Street). Muffin -

baker.
Mowrowsky (Anglo American).
Interchange of initial consonants of Muffin - wallopers (Middle Class
two adjacent words, by accident or London, 1880). Scandal -loving women,
178
 Mug My Elm is Grown

chiefly spinsters, who meet over a cup Mushroom (Public -

house). Name
of tea.
given by frequenters (presumably in
Mug (Theatrical). To show variety contempt), to the great clock to be
of comic expression in the features. seen in most taverns, and which
gives
warning as to closing time.
Multa bona fakement (Tavern,
1800-35). Very good trick from Music Hall howl (Musicians'). The
the Italian molto bono, and abstract peculiar mode of singing in music-halls,
noun made from fake to manipulate the result of
endeavouring rather to
adroitly if dishonestly,
make the words of a song heard than
A hand truck was procured, and
to create musical effect.
drugged Charley (watchman) and his Music Hall public (Soc. t 1884).
box were then transferred to another Satirical description of
public who do
locality, so that when Charley awoke he not care for high-class
found himself and box ready for doing compositions.
Next time M. Kiviere organises a
duty in another parish. This trick was benefit lethim make up his mind whether
estimated to be a multa bona fakement.
he will seek the suffrages of the musical
Diprose's Clement Danes; Pierce Egan,
Life in London, vol. i., p. 101.
or the music hall public. He might be
happy with either, but he will never get
Mumchance (Peop., Hist.). Dole- both at once. fief., 3rd May 1885.
fully silent.
Musk-rats (American). People of
The man or woman who can sit
Delaware given because those animals
'mumchance', and with faces as long
as a yard measure, over a well-acted prevail in this division.
farce do not deserve to be ranked in the Must know Mrs Kelley? You
noble army of all-embracing playgoers.
(London, 1898 on). Joking exclama-
Z>. T., llth March 1897. tion with no particular meaning,
Mumming booth (Lower Stage). A generally shot at a long - winded
wandering marquee in which short talker. Phrase used for two years at
all times and
plays are produced. places by Dan Leno.
Munching house (City, 1850). Mustard plaster (Peoples'). Dismal
Onomatope for Mansion House from young man. Put a mustard plaster on
the lusty-feeding going on there. his chest. Said of a doleful and dismal
The distinguished artists who repeated pallid young man. Derived from a
The Masque of Painters at the Munching comic song, in association with
House the other day do not seem to Colman's mustard, written by the
have been quite satisfied with their celebrated pantomime writer, E. L.
treatment. Ref., 5th July 1885. Blanchard, and sung in one of his
Mundane (Franco-Eng. y 1890 on). pantomimes at Drury Lane.
Person of fashion. Mustard pot (Peoples'). Carriage
The Comtesse de Maupeou, a mundane with a light yellow body. Obvious
who has recently risen upon the musical outcome of mere relation of colours.
horizon, rendered several songs. D. JV.,
12th April 1897. Mutton shunter (Policemen, 1883).
Policeman.
Murder an' Irish (Peoples', 19 cent.).
Exclamation intimating that things My elm is grown (Peoples', 18 cent.).
are at a climax. Sometimes more Prognostication of one's own death
figure of speech depending upon the
'
emphatically used as murderin' Irish '.
practical fact that elm is used through-
Museum headache (Authors', 1857). out the land for coffins.
Many a student avers, whether
candidly or not, that it costs him less
to buy rare books than to hang about
the Museum, waiting the leisure of the
attendants, and struggling against a
'Museum headache'. Z>. JV., llth
December 1882.

Mush, gush, and lush (Amer.-

Eng., 1884). Mean interested criticism
critiques paid for either in money or
feastings.
179
 N.A.D. Natural, All Your

The negroes of the West Indies call an

'
old wife's fablea Nancy story ', derived
from Ananzi, the African spider who
told tales. D. N., 17th January 1891.
N Nanny (Street boys'). Banana. (See
Tommy Rabbit, )

N.A.D. (Military Hospital). Nanty (Italian organ-grinders').

Shamming in any way. Initials of No Nothing corruption of niente.
Appreciable Disease.
'
'E's a nanty cove.'
N. D. (Soc., 19 cent.). Initials of
Nanty narking(Tavern, 1800 on
No Date, used by librarians in making to Great fun.
1840). (See Egan's
their lists. Applied to a woman who Life in London.)
tries to look young.
Nanty worster (Common London).
N. F. (Artisans', masked). Initials
Nanty (Italian) here means no ' '
;
of No Fool. worster an intensification of 'worst'.
N. G. (Peoples', 19 cent.). Em- The phrase means therefore a 'no-
phatic initials of No Go which in its worse '.
turn implies failure. Nark the titter (Dangerous Classes).
N. N. Necessary Nuisance
(Soc.). Watch the woman. '
Nark '
is prob-
generally applied to husband. ably a rhyming word mark to
'
'.

N. Y. D. (Military Hospital). Titter is the very lowest mode of

Evasive for drunk. Initials of Not describing a woman one who has
Yet Diagnosed found on military teats.

hospital bed-cards as a direction to Nap (London, 1855-70). A very

visiting medical men and to nurses. pointed moustache the two points
In this case the true diagnosis would forming a long line which 'cut' the
lead to a confinement to barracks. face. It was re-introduced by Napo-

Nail a goss ( Thieves'). To steal a leon III., and is still worn by Napo-
leonists in Paris.
hat industry gone out since hats
became so cheap. The silk plush hat Nap or nothing (Club, 1868). All
which succeeded and killed the beaver or naught.
was so comparatively light that it was Nap (knap) the regulars (Thieves').
called a gossamer, soon naturally re- Receive or grab the customary portion
duced to goss. of the money resulting from the sale of
Nail a strike (Thieves'). To steal a stolen property.
watch. Narrative (Middle class). Dog's
Nailed up drama (Theat., 1881). tail. A tale is a narrative tale =
Satirical title found for the drama tail in pronunciation.
which depends upon elaborate scenery. Nathaniel, Below (Old English).
Said first in relation to The World, Even lower than Hades Nathaniel
produced at Drury Lane about this (like Samuel, or Zamiel in Germany)
time. and Old Nick, or Nicholas, being
Nana, Nanaish (Club, 1882). Out- familiar synonyms for Satan.
rageous, overstepping decency from Throughout my life I have always had
the French romance Nana, by Zola. a burning desire and a dogged deter-
Theodora would be an unpresentable mination to get below the surface of
being to a London or a New York audi- things, and Eugene Sue's masterpiece
' '
took you, as the saying is, down below '

ence, and is almost too high in the

sense poulterers attach to the word for Nathaniel', as regards the basements
even a Boulevardier public. In the and the subterraneans of society. G. A.
name of history, Zola's Nana is out- Sala, D. T., 18th July 1895.
Nana-ed. D. N. (criticism on Theodora), Nattermy (Peoples'). Word for a
29th December 1884. thin human being. From anatomy.
Nancy (Low London, 19 cent.). Natural, All your (Peoples'). Ellip-
Effeminate in a slight degree. Also sis of all your natural born days.
used in the U.S.A. Natural probably here meant as or- '

Nancy tales (Lit. , 1890). Humbug, dinary', which phrase would exclude
bosh. your 'extraordinary' days.
180
 Nautical Triumvisetta Nice Place to Live Out Of

Nautical triumvisetta (Music Hall). Neversweat (Common English, 19

A singing and dancing nautical scene cent.). A
graphic, one-word descrip-
by three persons, of whom two are tion of a lazy, or even a slow individual,
generally women. used only towards men and boys.
Near and far (Public-house Rhym- New (Britannia training ship).
ing). The bar. Fresh arrival, last addition. Used in
Neat (Low Peoples'). Unadulterated, the plural.
unmixed in relation to drink e.g., :
New News. is
(American). 'Oh,
Two gin neat is quite an improve-
o' that the new ?
'

ment upon a similar quantity of raw'. '

New cut warrior (S. London, 1830).

Nec Ultra (Soc., 17-19 cent.). West An inhabitant fighter, in or near the
side of Temple Bar. New Cut, a road made only in the
To the Countess Blushrose, Nature 19th century through the Lambeth
herself had written Nec Ultra on the west Marshes from Blackfriars to Lambeth.
side of Temple Bar. D. Jerrold's The
Story of a Feather, chap. ix. New departure (Soc., 1880).
Neck oil (E. London). Beer Synonym change of any kind.
for

generally.
We have often pointed out that the
electoral changes which have just been
Ned Skinner (Rhyming). Dinner.
accomplished must produce a new era
Neddyvaul (Street boys').
'
Ned of or, as the Americans would call it, a new
all'. Chief, commander, conqueror. departure in legislation. D. N., 9th
August 1885.
Neecee peeress (Soc.). An E. C.
or city bride of little or no family, and
New pair of boots (Mid.-class).
an immense fortune, both of which are
Another question altogether later

wedded to some poor lord or baronet. shape of another pair of shoes.

Once they have the concession made
Needful (Peoples', 19 cent.). Money to them, then it becomes a new pair of '

and one of the most urgent terms for '

boots altogether. Entr'acte, 17th March
it. In use by all classes. 1883.
Needle (Tailors'). Got the needle, Newcastle programme (1894 on).
i.e., when the needle runs
irritated, as Extreme promises, difficult of execu-
into a finger. Has spread generally tion. From afepeech of extreme Radical
over working classes, who have accepted promise made by Mr John Morley at
the graphic nature of the phrase. Newcastle.
Needles and pins (Peoples'). Warn- Next parish to America (Irish).
ing against marriage. The rhyming Arran Island most western land of
runs Ireland.
Pins and needles needles and pins Just sixteen miles beyond Barna, and
When a man marries his trouble begins. at the mouth of the Bay of Gal way, is
Common also to America, to which Arran island, which the people here call
the Next Parish to America '.D. N.
'

land it passed from Devonshire, where t

December 1887.
the phrase is still very common.
Next thing to the judgment day
Neetrith gen (Backspeech). Thirteen
(wholly American). Absolute social
shillings. The first word is thirteen
shock.
spelt back wards the 'th' very properly
'Gen' is Nice as nasty (Lower Peoples').
being taken as one letter.
the short for general (a shilling). Evasive of declaring the opponent
way
objectionable.
Negus (Queen Ann's reign). Port Nice
wine and hot water, heightened by blackberry (American).
Satirical phrase, intimating that the
grated nutmeg. One of the name
words from a Colonel Negus who in- other is a bitter weed or fruit.
vented the beverage. Nice joint (Street). Charming, if

Never fear (Peoples'). Don't be over-pronounced, young person.

anxious. Nice place to live out of (Peoples').
Never squedge (Low. London). A Evasive way of condemning a locality.
poor pulseless, passionless youth a Without corresponding to the idea of
duffer.
'
a nice place to live out of ', Harrogate
181
 Nice Thin Job No Rats

is assuredly one of those spots which owe Embankment to Brighton, were dis-
much to their surroundings.
appointed by the immediate results.
(See Do without it. ) No. I. (New York, 1883). When
Nicethin job (Peoples', 1895). the U.S.A. were interested, early in
' ' '
Mean evasion of a promise. Thin this year, as to whether the 'No I.
to be seen through, comes from of the Invincible Brotherhood (Fenian)
America and in England antitheti- was or was not in America, the term
cally suggested thick now very pre- No. I. was often applied to noisy, or
valent for ill-usage and misbehaviour even merely evident, Irishmen.
in general. No. I. (Political, 1883). Mysterious.
Nicholls 1860 on). Complete
(Soc. t This phrase took its rise early this
riding habit. From the splendid year, consequent upon the collapse of
habits made by Nicholls, of Regent '
The Brotherhood of Invincibles'.
Street.
No better than they ought to be
Nickelplate
-
(American). An (Peoples'). Worse than many.
equivalent to our German silver a There are fireworks on certain nights
swindle, a social fraud. now at the Crystal Palace, and they are
The name '
nickel plate ',
as applied to about the most successful of the displays
the York, Chicago & St Louis Rail-
New given here though it may be said they
;

way, came into use in this way speak- : attract very many persons whom Mrs
ing of the road by its initial letters a Grundy says are no better than they
common practice among railroad men ought to be. Entr'acte, 6th June 1885.
N. Y. C. L. suggested nickel, and from
that to ' '
nickel plate was an easy transi-
No beyond jammer (Street).

tion. Detroit Free Press, 1882. Perfectly beautiful woman.

duel (Anglo-American).
Niggers'
No church (Peoples'}. When thegreat
A never-intended encounter. Each wrangle took place between the High
behind a mile-stone, therefore a mile Church party and the Low Church
apart.
party, this phrase, which at once took,
Boarder and has remained popular, was deftly
Night flea (Essex School). discovered by Douglas Jerrold to
in contradistinction from Day-bug
represent the religious condition of
(**). the utterly outcast. The phrase was
Niminy-piminy (Soc., 19 cent.). first published by the wit in a page
Effeminately affected. of Punch.
Mr Beckford wrote in Leigh Hunt's
No class (Street, 1893 on).
Story of Rimini :

Nimmini Pimmini Commonplace.

The Story of Rimmini. He proposed to Sal and she knew he was
D. N., llth December 1882. gone on her a bit
Although I knew quite well it couldn't
Nimshes (American Federal, 1860- last;
65). One of the contemptuous names But when she said, 'I love him, Bill,' it
describing the Secessionists. Origin fairly knocked me sick,
not known. Cos I seemed to know 'e wasn't any
class.
Nine mile nuts (Japanese pigeon). '
Soldiers Why, soldiers ain't no
Anything to eat or drink very sustain-
!

From class.' D. T., June 1897.

ing. the nutritive qualities of
chestnuts especially in Japan. No (London, 1899). Ab-
earthly
breviation of no earthly chance
'

Nine tailors make a man (OldEng. ). '.

Said derisively of a small man, whether

The actors who have not booked their
seats vid Mr Henry Dana, are hereby
tailor or not.
notified that they have now no earthly,
Nines, Up to the (Common). as all seats have been allotted. Ref.,
Perfect. 22nd October 1899.
90 dog (Street). Pug. Referring to No grease (Engineers'). Absence
aspect of tail. of behaviour, of politeness.

97 champion frost (Peoples'). First No rats (Peoples'). Scotchman.

motor cars. The expectations raised Evasive reference to that native, it
on 10th November, 1896, by the being supposed that a Scot is always
procession of motor cars from the associated with bagpipes, and that no
182
 No Return Ticket Not In It

rat can bear the neighbourhood of that Nose (Boating). The extreme tip
musical instrument. of the bow of a boat.
No return ticket (Common, London). Nose and chin (Rhyming). One of
Abbreviation of He's going to Han well
'
the modes of referring to
gin.
and no return ticket' said of a man
who shows signs of madness. Nose-bag (Mid. -class, 19 cent.). A
hospitable house.
Nobby (Navy). Anelicization of 'These gulls', remarked the keeper
the 'Niobe'. before referred to, come now in larger
'

Nolled (American). Form of nolle numbers from year to year. The fact is
prosequi. Used by lawyers. they are like a good many of the people
Non compos. See Compos, Non. you see walking about if they once find
out where there's a good nose-bag they
Non me (Peoples', 1820-30). Lie. take care to be near it.' D. T., 22nd
*
That's a non me for one.' Took its December 1898.
rise from the trial of Queen Caroline, A
Nose-bagger (Seaside Soc.).
wherein the Italian witnesses observed visitor to the seaside, who
day brings
'
non mi ricordo ' (I do not remember) his own provisions, presumably in a
to every important question put to one who is of no monetary value
bag
them in cross-examination. to the resort visited. Contemptuous
Nonsensational (Critical, 1897). comparison to the cab-horse, or even
Sensational nonsense. the shore-donkey.
With a piece of nonsensational ex- 'Last season was a bad one there were ;

travagance entitled The MacHaggis, Mr plenty of" visitors, but nearly all "nose-
Penley on Thursday night re-opened his baggers people who come for the day
theatre. People, 28th February 1897. and bring their own provisions,' said a
Southend butcher in his examination at
Norfolk Howard (Popular). A the Chelmsford Bankruptcy Court.
bed-bug. Due to a man named November
Lloyds', 24th 1807.
Buggey advertising a change of name Noser (Covent Garden). Said of
to this phrase, a combination of the
visitors to the market who inspect
family name and title of the Duke of the flowers and fruits, sometimes quite
Norfolk. Produced much press com-
ment and even sympathy for all closely, and who do not buy.
with objectionable names. Nosper (Low London back}.
persons
The following list of vexatious names Common word for stranger. It is
'
'.
was compiled and published in the person
Times. Not a feather to fly with (Colloquial
Asse, Bub, Belly, Boots, Cripple, from Universities). When the word
'

plucked was used to designate failure

'
Cheese, Cockles, Dunce, Dam, Drink-
milke, Def, Flashman, Fatt, Ginger, to pass an examination, the figure of
Goose, Beaste, Barehead, Bungler, speech was carried out by describing a
Bugg, Buggey, Bones, Cheeke, Clodd, very doleful failure as being ' plucked
Cod, Demon, Fiend, Funck, Frogge, '
without a feather to fly with mean-
Ghost, Gready, Hagg, Humpe, Hold-
ing that no success whatever was
water, Headach, Jugs, Jelly, Idle, obtained. Applied in many ways.
Kneebone, Kidney, Licie, Lame, Lazy,
Leakey, Maypole, Mule, Monkey, Not dead yet (Theatrical, 1883).
Milksop, Mudd, Honeybum, Mayden- Ancient generally said of an antique
head, Mug, Piddle, Paswater, Pisse, fairy.
Pricksmall, Pricke, Phisicke, Pighead, Not enough written (Authors',
Pot, Poker, Poopy, Prigge, Pigge, Not
1870). sufficiently corrected for
Punch, Proverbs, Quicklove, Quash,
Radish, Rumpe, Rawbone, Rottengoose, style.
Swette, Shish, Sprat, Sheartlifte, Stiffe, Not in it (Sporting}. Failure re-
Squibb, Sponge, Stubborne, Swine, ferring to a horse in a race as having
Shittel, Shave, Shrimps, Shirt, Skim, no chance.
Squalsh, Silly, Shoe, Smelt, Skull, The gentleman who declared that gold-
Spattel, Shadow, Snaggs, Spittle, Teate,
mining was not in it was strictly correct.
Taylecoate, Villain, Vittels, Vile, Whale. The gold production in the United States
North Castle (Slang of the im- is worth between nine and ten millions,

pecunious, 1880). Holloway Jail, in but the profit upon it is nothing like that
the north of London. on sugar. D. T., 26th February 1897.
183
 Not on Borrowing Terms Nursery Noodles

Not on borrowing terms (American , Nothing to do with the case

1882). Not in friendly relations said (Peoples', Elegant evasion of
Hist.).
of next-door neighbours.
'

you lie Made very popular by Mr

!
'

The families of the two young souls W. S. Gilbert's The Mikado, wherein
were not on '
borrowing terms Texas
'. Mr G. Grossmith had a capital song
Siftings, 1883. which began :

Not the cheese (Peoples', Hist.). The flowers that bloom in the spring
'

Not satisfactory. Dr Brewer abso- Have nothing to do with the case.'

lutely refers this word back to the Nottub (Back phrasing). Button.
Persian and the Hindoo cheez, thing ;
Now or never (Rhyming). Clever.
though he says nothing of the journey.
be from the French, 'Ce n'est Well, these Tommy Rotters kid the
May
poor judy they're very rich, and if they're
pas la chose' chose being used a great now and never they get carefully carried
deal for thing in the sixties.
(married) to her. Biography of Cheap
Not to-day, Baker (Peons', 1885). Heiress Hunters, 1882.
Said at a youth who is paying atten- Now we're busy (Peoples', 1868).
tions which are obviously unwelcome. To suggest action. Also an evasive
Term used by housewives refusing bread intimation that the person spoken of
when the morning baker calls. But is no better for his liquor, and is about
satirically applied in reference to a to be destructive.
military man of this name who was Now we
shan't be long (Peoples',
given into custody for pressing his 1895 Intimation of finality.
attentions upon a young lady travelling on).
Origin obscure. Probably from rail-
by accident alone with him.
The gentleman signs himself Baker ' way travellers' phrase when near the
',
end of a journey.
and wants to try an experiment on my
family. In the words of the poet, I Now we shan't be long said Henry
'
',

Martin to Thomas Hiom, as the couple

reply, 'Not to-day, Baker !' Ref. 8th ,

March 1885. equipped themselves

a pair of with
double-barrelled catapults and a copious
Not too nice (Soc., 1870 on). First of indiarubber and started
supply pellets,
degree of condemnation equals bad. off on a partridge-shooting expedition to
Outcome of the frequent use of nice. the Finchley Road. D. T. 8th Septem- ,

Not up to Dick (Common Respectable ber 1896.

Life). Not well ill and wretched.
; Now we shan't (Dec.
shall be
Not worth a rap (Irish, Hist.). 1896). Anothershape of jocular
Worth nothing. In the early years of 'Now we shan't be long' and pur-
the 18th century, from 1721, notwith- posely having no meaning.
standing the savage Drapier Letters, Nudities (Critics, 1890 on). New
copper money was so rare in Ireland
' '

shape of nude studies or nudes '.

'

that a quantity of base metal was in The though of the usual

nudities,
circulation in the shape of small coins.
class, are fewer and less fragrant than
They came to be called raps probably usual, the horrors less horrible, and what
the short of rapparee, a good-for- may be called the medical pictures less

nothing fellow hence the word came repulsive. D. N., 19th April 1898.
to be applied to describe valuelessness. Nuf ced (From Con-
America).
Note (Soc., 1860 on). Intellectual traction of
'
enough said
'

absurdly
signature, polite war-cry. spelt. Warning to say no more.
Culture is the 'note' of Boston. Used in Liverpool chiefly.
D. N., 18th November 1884.
Number one (Navy). Strictly naval
Notergal Wash, or N. Wash (L. for first lieutenant.
Class, 1857 on). No wash at all
Nuptiated (Wilful American).
grubbiness. Very interesting if from Married.
Nightingale. Miss Nightingale, the
creator (1855-56) of rational nursing, Nurse the hoe-handle (Agricultural
had the misfortune to incur the lower American). Lazy.
public satire for stating that a person Nursery noodles (Literary). Critics
could keep himself clean on a pint of who are very fastidious.
washing water per day. She did not
say he was preferably to do this.
184
 Oaky-Pokeys

Katharine of Arragon (Henry VIII.),

or perhaps from that of Catherine of
Braganza (Charles II.).
' '

Ay di mi as the Spaniards say, we

!

shall have no Pomard this year The !

storms of yesterday and of Monday have

O (Peoples', Hist. ). Most emphatic devastated the vineyards. D. N., 1874.
form of liking and satisfaction always O Gomorrah to you ! (Com. Life).
used as a suffix. " What "
Play of a word upon to-morrow ', and
'

said either savagely or jocularly.

O (Printers'). Emphatic, and abbre-
viation of overseer. O good night '
! (Low English).
Meaning, This is too much I think
9- B. (Criminal). Old Bailey, City I must be going.'
Criminal Court.
O. P. H.
O ! la
(European almost histori-
!

(Polit., 1886).Old Par- law The influence of the

cal). ! !

liamentary Hand meaning Gladstone. Crusades upon European society was

Invented by Times (February 1886).
notoriously immense. Surely some
O. T. (Street, Satirical, 1880). One expressions were imported ? What
way of observing that the weather is more likely than that of Allah *
!
'

warm. which is in the mouth of every Maho-

O. V. (Sooth). Abbreviation of medan at all times, and always at the
* '

oven the name given to the open beginning of a sentence ? Hullo !

pace below the stage in which the may be from the same source.
Pepper's ghost illusion is worked. Omy eye (Peoples' Old Catholic).
Corruption of Ah mihi 'the opening
'
This apparatus, which is at an angle
of 35, and upon which the phantom- words of the prayer to St Martin, the
ised comedians lie, is surrounded by patron of beggars. Implies doubt, and
lamps, and is very hot hence the a suggestion of deceptive utterance.
title. (See Phant.) O. P. H. (Street, 19 cent.). Off.
OVO (Low Class, Hist.} Quite O Pollaky 1
(Peoples', 1870). Ex-
inexplicable. No solution ever ob- clamation of protest against too urgent
tained from the initiates. enquiries. From an independent, self-
O or O Begga me constituted, foreign detective, who
Bergami, resided on
(London Peoples', 1820). Still used in Paddington Green, and
the streets as intimating that the became famous for his mysterious and
varied advertisements, which invari-
person addressed is a liar, or worse.
From one Ber'gami a lying witness at ably ended with his name (accent on
the trial of Queen Caroline whose the second syllable), and his address.
denial of everything brought about O soldiers !
(Peoples'). Exclamation
this phrase, with his eternal '
non mi not now often heard.
ricordo '. (See Non me.) O Smith (Peoples', ! 1835 -
50).
O chase me (Streets, 1898 on).
Cavernous laugh, very popular, for
Satiric invitation, or pretended satiric, nearly a score of years.
'
What an
'

ty a maiden to a youth to run after Smith would be the comment upon

her and hug and kiss her. hearing a grim 'Ha-ha'. Smith
O Cheese and Crust (Lower always did the frequent Adelphi
villains of that day, also the un-
Peoples'). 0, Jesus Christ !

scrupulous villains.
O cricum jiminy (Peoples', Hist.). O the language 1 (Peoples ).
1

An exclamation of pretended fear.

Generally said to a drunken woman
O !
cry ! Exclamation
(Peoples'). using violent or spluttering English.
of satiric confounded with
surprise, O Willie, Willie (Peoples', 1898).
cry, but probably nothing to do with Term of satiric reproach addressed to a
' '
it.
crickey!
may be another ! taradiddler rather than a flat liar.
shape of the expression. May be an Oak (Rhyming). Joke very
' '
evasion of ! Christ !
common. Now passed into chestnut.
O dear me 1
(Peoples'). Exclamation Oaky-pokeys (Devonshire). Cock-
of regret. Probably from the Court of chafers.
185
 Oat-Stealer Old Ebenezer

Oat-stealer (Country Tavern). Officers of the 52nds (Irish City of

Ostler. A play upon the original word. Cork). Known generally in Irish
Obvious (Soc. t 1897). Fat, stout. garrison towns. Young men, chiefly
clerks and shopkeepers, who make a
Origin evident.
'
rigid official appearance on Sundays.
'Mary, you are becoming too obvious. There are fifty-two Sundays in a year.
Obviously severe (Soc., 1890 on). Officers' wives (Army, 19 cent.).
Hopelessly rude of speech.
Prosperity.
Occifer (Colloquial imbecile, 19 cent. ).
The bugle sang out 'Officers' wives
Officer.
have puddings and pies, while soldiers'
Ochorboc (Italian organ-grinders'). wives have skilly', that is the soldiers'
Beer. The word is here found by translation of the call to mess. Re/.,
taking the first letter of the word 10th April 1885.
' '
bochor and adding it to the end, also Ofters 1884). Fre-
(Sporting,
adding 'oc'. The original word is quenters.
'Bocca' (mouth). We may almost assume that the
Odd job
(Trade). man
Modified principle of heredity has once again
description of the Shyster, who pro- asserted itself, and that the youthful
of ters whom I saw in the Haymarket
' '

fesses to do anything and only does his

the other night, all shirt front and fur
employer.
collar, are the offspring of the very same
Odd-fellows (Peoples'). Name of a sort of tpringalds who exploited them-
mutual benefit society. Corruption of selves thirty years ago in the very self-
God-fellows. same neighbourhood. Ref., 23rd
Odd's Bobs God's Babe December 1888.
(Peoples').
(the Redeemer). May be found in Og-rattin (Land. Restaurant). Au
Roderick Random. gratin anglicization.
Od's death. The Crucifixion Hia Ogotaspuotas (Street, S. L., 1897).
'
death long since passed into 'Sdeath.
; Bosh, nonsense. At once dubbed Oh,
Od's fish (Peoples', Hist.). Scotch go to spue'. Legend upon a Radical
flag carried on Sunday, 7th March 1897,
exclamation, probably brought south
to Hyde Park and to a meeting in
by James I.
'
Od '
an evasion of
is
favour of the Cretans.
'God', while fish is a Scotticism for
fash, which in its turn is from /ache", To fight like. Fight
Old boots,
one of the French terms brought into like Marlborough the first English
Scotland through French influence. general to wear immense jack boots.
William III. preceded him in this
Od's my life (Lower Class). One of
the religious adiurations '
God's my display but the Orange's were lighter
boots. For several generations Marl-
life.'

Know Lieutenant Bowling odd's my borough was the people's hero. Indeed
he was only displaced first by Nelson,
life ! and that I do. Roderick Random,
ch. xxiv.
and then by Wellington. The heroes
have given several boots to society
Odsbud (Peoples'). Is probably
God's Bud and meaningthe Redeemer, Wellington and Blucher amongst
'
others. My dawg can fet like old
or it may be God's Blood. (See Tom
boots, and shoon too.'
Jones, bk. xvi., ch. viii.)
Old boys (Soc., 1880). Old school-
Odso (Provincial). Now only heard fellows.
in country places. One of the evasive An Old
An '
Old Boy's Dinner.
' '

religious ejaculations of 17th century dinner of Amersham and

Boy's'
'God's oath'. Amersham Hall School was held last
Odso night at the Freemasons' Tavern, when
'

Young Mirabel the relics,

:

madam, from Rome

'

Farquhar, The !
about 130 were present. 2). N., 9tk
Inconstant. April 1885.
Off chump (Stable). No appetite Old Ebenezer (American -
Sport).
onomatope of the noise made by horses Grizzly and grisly bear. Probably
in eating.
applied from its appearance.
Off the rails (line) (Peoples', 1840 The hunter on the lonely heights of
on). Unsteady. the Rocky Mountains is far too well
186
 Old Gal On (a Bit o') Toast

armed to-day to fear either a ' mountain on all sides, and

lion as the panther is locally called, or
',
'Old Ebenezer', the renowned grizzly
bear himself. D. N., 2nd February 1883.
Old gal
(Peoples'}.
affection
describing a wife.
Old gang ^Parliamentary, 1870-
1900). Ancient Tory party uncom-
promising Tories, generally old men.
Lord Randolph Churchill has probably
not gained all the points on which he was
disposed to insist. But, in deference to
his opinion, there will no doubt be a
clearance out of some of those whom the
Fourth Party is in the habit of politely
designating as the 'Old Gang'.
Chamberlain, 17th June 1885.
Old geyser (Street). Elderly man.
Old hat (Old English and new Aus-
tralian). Modern anatomical reference
very cogent, but not explainable.
I shall conclude this note with remark-
ing that the term old hat is at present
'
trying to attract,
while having no will of its own.
Old splendid (American, 19 cent.).
Splendid in the highest.
General term of
Old Whiskers (Street, 19 cent.).
Cheeky boys' salute to a working-man
whose whiskers are a little wild and
iron-grey.
Old Wigsby (Middle -
class).
Crotchety, narrow - minded, elderly
man, who snappishly can see no good
in any modern thing. Same in French
equivalent perruque.
M. Halevy, whom he welcomed at the
Mr J. Academy, is also no perruque, or solemn
big wig, and it may be said, with some
emphasis, that he is no prude D. N.,
February 1886.
Olds, middles, and youngs (Pro-
vincial). Scotch, English, and Irish.
Some one who had studied the idio-
'
syncrasies of the three chief component

parts of the United Kingdom, summed

used by the vulgar in no very honourable
up his experiences of them by comparing
sense. Fielding, Jonathan Wild. the Scotch to old people, the English to
Old Mother Hubbard (Common middle-aged, and the Irish to children.
English, 1880). Fictional said of a D. N., 5th March 1885.
story which is past belief. Oldster (Slang, Clubs, 1884). Age-
Old moustache (Street, 1880). ing man. Gift from U.S.A.
Elderly vigorous man with grey You mustn't trust the oldsters too
moustache. implicitly when they endeavour to per-
'
Prisoners
of War ', two English suade you, as they always will, that
them with his arm in there never was such a time as their
middies, one of
a sling, on a bench in a French seaport. time. Ref., 7th March 1886.
An old moustache guards them. D. N., Olive oil
(Music Hall, 1884). Eng-
9th April 1885. lish pronunciation of Au revoir.
Old put (Soc., early 19 cent. now Oliver (Compound Rhyming). Fist.
Peoples). A pretentious, stupid, aged As thus Oliver Twist. Derived from
:

gentlemanly man. Derived probably Dickens.

from a proper name. Omnes (Wine Word
Merchants').
It is quite credible that such a man, for the mixtures of odds and ends of
meeting in an omnibus an elderly gentle- various wines.
man of antiquated air and costume,
should consider it funny to insult the On dig (School). Abbreviation of
'
' '

by pretending to be an inti-
old put on his dignity '.
mate acquaintance, and accosting him On
for a tatur (Peoples'). Fas-
with a familiar 'How's Maria?' St Said of a man
1 cinated, enraptured.
James 7th August 1883.
talking to a barmaid, and making eyes
Gazette,
Old Shake (Amer. Press, 1870). at her. Evidently from Ute-&-Mte.
Shakespeare. On his ear (Amer.-Eng.). In dis-
Old shoes. Rum. (See Old boots. ) grace from American handy mothers
Old Shovel-penny ( Military). The grabbing their boys' ears while battling
in the streets with other boys.
pay-master, who is generally an an-
cient. On his feet (American). Ruined.

Old slop (London, 19 A Qnice(Amer.-Eng.\ Dead. From

cent.). '

corruption of saloop ', derived from

'
placing body on ice to
aid in faking
'
the French salope '. Applied to the it .

Times newspaper from 1840-50, to in- On (a bit o') toast. 'He had me '

timate that it was bowing and smiling on (a bit o') toast ; figuratively to
187
 On the Back Seam Oner over the Gash

say he absorbed or swallowed me so I like Shine I cannot help admiring

the large amount he possesses of what is
readily that the act was no more
trouble to him than swallowing any- vulgarly called 'once'. Rcf., 24th
October 1886.
thing that will lie on a fragment of
the toast in question. Once a week man or Sunday
On the back seam (Tailors'}. An- promenader (London, 1830-40). Man
other elegant evasion. Flat on the in debt. Could only go out on Sunday,
floor. because on that day no arrests for
On
the beer (Peoples'). Evident. debt could be made. (See Egan's Eeal
Onthe bias (Dressmakers'). Ille-
Life in London. )
On the cross. Onces (Artisans'). Wages ab-
gitimate. '
breviation of once a week
On the deck ( Costers' local). Living '.

in Seven Dials. (See Deck.) One and a peppermint drop (Com.

Onthe marry (American). Look- London). One-eyed person.
ing out for a wife or husband. One
bites (Loud. Costers, 1870 on).
On the nail (Peoples'). Immediate Small, acrid apples which, being
payment no trust. From the habit tested with one bite, are thrown away.
of ancient shop - keepers having a One consecutive night and
(Soc.
square
-
headed, large nail driven Stage). Enough.
through the counter. Upon its head The second lecture is almost invariably
the money in payment was laid. a dismal failure. One consecutive night
' '

On the pig's back (Irish}. In is the limit of the funny man's course.
luck's way. Comes from Rome. D. N., 15th August 1890.
During the reigns of the Twelve a Onedrink house (Common London,
golden amulet in the shape of a pig 19 Where only one serving is
cent.).
was supposed to bring good luck. If the customer desire a
permitted.
On the pounce (Irish). Preparing second helping, he has to take a walk
'
to spring, verbally. Brought into
'
round the houses after the first.
sudden fashion by Mr E. Harrington,
One leg trouser (Soc. ,
1 882). Tight,
H.R., M.P. (13th September 1887). feminine skirt of the period.
Upon his being suspended he observed, and ladies in the latest '

'You, Mr Speaker, have been on the one-leg-

. . .

T
trouser' fashion from Paris. D. J\
pounce for me since I rose you have
.,
18th April 1883.
been on the pounce waiting for me
the evening, and (See Eel-skin.)
all I claim my right
to speak. One of them (Streets). A shilling.
Mr Smith has the further* function of
Oneof those (Peoples' 1880). An
'
keeping ready on the pounce ', as the
obscure phrase, coming probably from
irreverent phrase goes to clap on the
closure whenever he and his colleagues
a comic song entitled, I really must '

think they have had enough of a debate. have one of those'. No ascertained
D. N., 10th October 1890. meaning above the class in which it
On the run (Anglo American). originated but evidently quite under-
stood by its patrons. Remained in
Escaping.
On the slate (Loiver gutter fashion for about four years,
Peoples'). when from
Written up against you from the
it fell its high intent.
credit-slate in chandlers' shops. 1.30 (Tavern). That is to say, one '

kept
On the square hour and a half derived from railway
(Peoples'). Totally mode of counting time.
honest andstraightforward. From
Freemasonry, where the square is One-eyed city (American). A poor,
of inactive place.
typical everything that is good.
On the tapis ( Diplomatic). Rumour, One -
light
-
undershirt -
and no - -

'

equivalent to on dit '. suspenders weather (American).

On velvet (Mid. class 1860), Very hot.
Luxurious success. One-two (Peoples'). Familiar figure
Once of speech for rapidity.
Vigour, go, cheek
(Street).
the substantivizing of ' on most '
Oner over the gash (Peoples').
emphatic. A blow over the mouth.
188
 Oolfoo Ought to Know

Oolfoo (Low. Cl-ass). Fool. Order (Theat.). Free pass.

He'll make the judy
think that you're Order dead-head (Theat., 1880).
the biggest oolfoo that ever was started Patron of the theatre the dead-head
on the blessed earth. who passes on with an order. Dead- '

Oons (Provincial Romanesque). head' (q.v.) comes from America, and

'
is there unqualified
God's wounds '. by the word order'
'
Evasion of Once
pronounced 'ouns'. (See 'Tare an' (q.v.).
ouns ',
'
Hounds '). On Mondaythe house was quite full of
'
No hang 'Twill never
it. do oons.' what looked like money, leavened by a
faint sprinkling of the order dead-head.
Farquhar, The Inconstant.
Ref., 17th April 1885.
Op (Soc., 1870). Opera.
Order of the Boot (M. A
Class).
Open-airs Meetings
(Salvationist).
species of violent assault. The order
beyond roofs. of knighthood is bestowed by a tap
We have had some blessed heart-re- with a sword on the shoulder. The
joicing times. Last week three sinners
Order of the Boot is conferred by the
wept their way to Calvary, and enlisted toe of the boot farther down.
to fight under the blood-stained banner.
Our open-airs are glorious. War Cry, Orf chump (Peoples'). No appetite.
1884.
'
Orf is a variation of off'. Derived
'

from stablemen's tongues in reference

Open door (Polit., 1898). Colonial to their horses
'
I'm orf alto-
free trade. Heard long before this chump
year, but took form in the autumn of
gether.'
this, due to the discord in China Orf his chump (Peoples'). Mad,
when England urged that Chinese cranky. It has nothing to do with
commerce should be equally free to
'
orf chump '. Means ' off his head '
all nations hence the term, which at his brain not in order.
once passed over Europe.
Ornary (American). Expression
'

Open eye (Trade, 1899). Correla- for contemptible. Corruption of or-

tive and completion of open door dinary '.

meaning that though the foreigner may But I was roused by a fiendish laugh
trade with the whole empire, a sharp That might have raised the dead
eye must be kept on him. Invention Them ornary sneaks had sot the clocks
of Mr Stuart Wortley (at Stoke-upon- A half an hour ahead !

Trent, December 1899), who said in a Ornin' (L. Class). Boasting, praising
Probably from the bombastic
'

dinner-speech For our commercial

: oneself.

prosperity we needed the open eye as self-assertion of the hunter's horn.

well as the open door.' Chiefly provincial.
Open to (L. London). To tell Otamies (Lower Peoples'). Surgical
confess. operations of all kinds. Probable cor-
I knew then that Selby had got a bit ruption of anatomies.
more (money) than he opened to (told) And now, poor man, he is among the
me. People, 6th January 1895. otamies, at Surgeons' Hall. Gay, Beg-
Perversion gars' Opera.
Opera (Amer., 1880).
of 'uproar'. Other arrangements (Theatrical).
Patch, especi- Defeat retreat.
Operation (Tailors').
Wherefore Hartt, though still by no
ally in relation to the rear
of trousers.
means bowed down by weight of woe or
Opportunism (Polit., 1860 on). otherwise, thinks it now time to make
Shaping ways to most available means. other arrangements. Ref., 5th July
Used rather in contempt, as subserving 1885.
conscience to convenience, or to per- Other side (Anglo-American). In
sonal advantage. U.S.A. it is G. Britain. In G. B. it

Opt (American passing to England, is U.S.A.

'

1882). Abbreviation of verb optate '.

Ouah Ex-
(Erotic, Peoples', 1882).
Food and treatment are much better clamation of delight.
at lunatic asylums than at gaols, or in
casual wards; therefore Mr Wickham Ought to know (Soc. ). Expression
D. N., of belief in capability of person spoken
'opts' for lunatic asylums.
of.
February 1882.
189
 Out Oysterics

Out (Peoples'). Loss. Sometimes but she would not go, and finally
used in the plural. smashed a plate-glass window.
Out (Soc. and Peoples', 19 cent.). Outward man (Devon). A guzzler,
Quarrelled. one who does not stop at home.
Nor is Russian statesmanship our only Ovate (American - English, 90's).
trouble at the present moment. Prince Verb derived from ovation.
Bismarck is or has been ' out with us ', An acute stage of the troubles in
China
as the children say. D. N., 6th March seems to have been thoughtlessly ended
1885. by the Allies without their Commander-
Out of commission (Clerks'). Re- in-Chief, who was really very busy being
received and ovated. N. Y. Times,
quiring an appointment. 1900.
August
Out of the cupboard (Peoples', Over the bender (Old
Turn out in the world. English).
Soys').
Implying that the statement made is
Out of mess (Military, Hist.). untrue, e.g., You'll pay me cock sure
'

Dead he eats no more. on Monday ? ' '

Yes over the bender.'
In the Eastern Soudan, in 1884, at El The bender is the elbow. It is
Teb, many of our men were wounded historical in common English life that
indeed, I believe, some killed by the a declaration made over the elbow
wounded, wily enemy and it became ;
as distinct from not over it, need not
necessary, as we searched the field for be held sacred. Probably from early
our own dead and wounded, to put some
of these treacherous foes out of rness
Christian if not from Pagan times.
;

but there was no unnecessary butchery. The bender is always the left elbow,
D. T., 7th January 1899. and may therefore have something to
do with 'over' the left.
Out of sorts (Printers'). Literally,
out of sorts of types some of the Over the lefter (Poachers'). A
composing compartments empty. This partridge before 1st September, or a
term is quite obsolete now that com- pheasant before 1st October.
posing machines are universal. Over the stile (Rhyming). Com-
Out of the tail of the eye (Irish). mitted for trial.
Furtive observation. (Peoples', old). To watch.
Over-eye
Out of the whole cloth (Amer.). Owl, Biled (Eng.-Amer., 1880 on).
Untruth in the deepest degree. Equi- Bad complexion signs facial of dis-
'
valent to Whole hog (q.v.}.
'
sipation.
But Christmas scooped the sheriff,
Out of the wood (American). Out The egg-nogs gathered him in ;
of the difficulty. Derived from pioneers And Shelby's boy, Leviticus,
and others in the West. Was, New Year's, tight as sin ;

Outs (Polit., 19 cent.). The Oppo- And along in March the Golyers
sition.
Got so drunk that a fresh-biled owl
Would 'a' looked 'longside o' them two
While the Outs look upon this dis-
young men,
covery as a tremendous blow to the Ins, Like a sober temperance fowl.
while Tory newspapers insist that all this
is the outcome of Liberal concessions,
Col. Hay, U.S.A., Ambassador
to Eng., 1897.
there is little or no chance of our getting
the remedy that is so necessary. Ref., Oyster months (Peoples', Hist.).
All the months (8) in which there
25th February 1883.
is an '
R '

oysters being quite

'
out
'

Outs (Anglo- Amer. ). Out of friend- in May, June, July, August.

ship. Probably old provincial English.
Mrs Willie
It is currently believed that
K. Vanderbilt, nee Alva Smith, and the
Baroness Fontenilliat, nee Mimi Smith,
are decidedly and emphatically on the
outs. New York Mercury, 1892.
Outside Eliza (Low.
Drunk again, Eliza. Applied to in-
toxicated, reeling women. Derived
from a police case where a barman
stated that he said to the prisoner
' '
over and over again, Outside, Eliza
Oysterics (Mid. -class, 1900-04 on).
A coined word, suggesting hysterics,
to satirize the panic in reference to
oysters creating typhoid fever.
Once again the public is thrown into a
state of what is grimly known in the
London). '
trade as oysterics ', owing to reports of
deaths at Portsmouth from infected
oysters. It is two years since the great
oyster scare followed on the deaths
following the mayoral banquet at Win-
chester. D. T., llth November 1904.
190
 P. 0. Paint tlie Town Red

P. W.
Abney (Streets', 1897). A
high, feminine hat which first appeared
in 1896, and grew. The phrase is a
reduction of Prince of Wales Abney
Cemetery ; it is got from three black,
upright ostrich feathers, set up at the
P. C. (Soc., 1880). Initials of 'poor side of the hat in the fashion of the
classes'. Prince of Wales's crest feathers. (See
P. P. and C. C. (Irish). Parish 'Catafalque'.)
priest ; Catholic curate. P. Y. C. (Baltic Coffee - house).
P. P. C. (Middle-class). Snappish Pale yellow candle from this establish-
ment
good-bye. Of course from departure persistently rejecting gas.
card, Pour prendre conge". Pa (Peoples'). Relieving officer of a
P. P. C. (Soc., 19 cent.). Pour parish.
prendre conge". Used in two ways, Pack (Navy). Curtailment 01
when sending a card. If without
'
Pactolus '.

addition, it means good-bye if with Pack. (Texas). To carry.

future date added, it means au revoir.
Packing (Peoples'). Food.
P. P. C., To (Soc., 1880 on). To
Packing-ken (Low. Class). Eating-
quarrel and cut. house because you pack the food in
P. P. M. (Soc., 19 cent.). Initials
your stomach then and there.
of Pour Ptit Moment, a modification of
Padder (Oxford). Short for Pad-
P. P. C.
dington Terminus.
P. R. (Sporting). Initials of Prize
Paddington Station, dearest of all the
Ring. London termini to the undergraduate
P. R. B. (Soc., 1848 on). Pre- heart during term, is Padder. D. T.,
Sometimes 14th August 1899.
Raphaelite Brotherhood.
ironically styled 'the Purby'. In Paid shot (Old Scotch). 'Shot' is
1848 three artists, D. G. Rosetti, a common mode of expression to
Holman Hunt and J. E. Millais, denote a reckoning, etc. '
I have
paid
formed a brotherhood, with these my shot,' or rather 'scot', from
letters following their names. Several 'scottum', a tax or contribution, a
other painters joined them, together shot.
with T. Woolner, the sculptor. Paint a proof To make
(Printers').
Theirs was a revival of religion in a number of corrections on a proof, and
art, religion which the brotherhood so paint it with ink on both margins.
maintained had been swept out of
Italian art by the materialistic force Paint the town red (Amer.-Eng.,
of the Renaissance. 1890). Originally to produce a sense
The Pre-Raphaelite brethren, or
of danger by night rioting. From
'P.R.B.'s,' as they are familiarly railway system, where red is the
called, brought skill, earnestness, and danger signal. Now applied in a
thoroughness to the purpose of over- thousand ways.
turning established beliefs in matters The delegates from California are full
artistic. D. N., November 1885. of Chicago firewater, and are in the
streets howling for Elaine and threaten-
P. S. (Theatrical). Prompt side
firstentrance left hand of the stage, ing to paint the town red.
when An effectual stop has been put to the
facing the audience. last eccentricity of the facetious ex-
P. S.'s (Hatter's term). This secret Communist Maxime Lisbonne, who had
trade phrase is called as here written, it be remembered, en-
will
lately,
but is always described in the trade deavoured to paint the town red by
' '

'
by x '. It represents a sum of money promenading the streets of Paris in a
which the master is willing to advance scarlet brougham. D. T.. 6th November
to a valuable workman in addition to 1894.
his statement of weekly account, when After a time variety was gained
by
he has made a short week, and which the use of vermilion.
P. S. he will repay when a 'long' There are no dreary exhibitions of
week arrives. comic ' drunkenness as if drunkenness
'

191
 Paint-Brush Baronets Parable

could ever be comical nor any repre- Sudden alarm, followed by fall in
sentation of 'racketty' young bloods
prices.
painting the place vermilion. Pannum (Thieves'}, Bread, dinner.
Paint-brush baronets (Soc., 1885).
Title invented for ennobled artists.
Panny (Low Peoples'). A familiar
house.
The two paint-brush baronetcies are
also sure to be popular. Mr Watts has Panny (Low Peoples'}. Fight
'
his admirers in the circles of culture ', amongst women.
and is a magnificent artist of the Panorama (Lower Class}. Para-
imaginative school. Mr Christmas phrase of paramour.
Number Millais is, however, a household Mr Branson, the bank forger, murders
word, and popular with all classes. Now his wretched panorama, Mary Power,
he is a bart. he will be more popular
and departs for Australia. Ref., 17th
still, and his pictures will fetch bigger
November 1889.
prices than ever. Ref., 28th June 1885.
Park (London}. View of
Pantile
Painter stainers (Soc., 1883). roofs and chimney pots. Used by
Artists. At the Royal Academy Charles Dickens upon viewing the
Banquet, 1883, remarkable for much scene from Foster's back windows at
erratic observation, the Lord Mayor
58 Lincoln's Inn Fields.
endeavoured to obtain a lift for the
then threatened glories of the city Panto (Theatrical). Brief for
'

by declaring that in earlier times the pantomime. Who would call a

Corporation was the means whereby pantomime by any other name than
art was fostered in this country, and this, would be voted an outsider at a
we have still amongst us a body which blow. 'I now hear that this house

has devoted itself largely to the en- is not to be altered until after the
of Art panto.'
couragement namely, the
Painter Stainers' Company, which Pantry Politics (Soc., 1884).
existed in the reign of Edward III., Servants' talk.
and is still in a flourishing condition. The case has laid bare one side of
'
This company may really be described Society journalism ', or, if we may
suggest an amendment, pantry politics ',
'
as having been the Royal Academy of
and very curious the revelation is. Sat.
England until the foundation of the
Rev., 21st March 1885.
present Academy in 1761 '.
For the remainder of the season Pants - shoulder (American). The
artists were in society jocularly called broadest part of a pair of trousers.
painter-stainers. Indeed the term Paper house (Theatrical). No
lasted for many seasons. money all free admissions.
Pair o' compasses (London, 1880). Paper trunk and twine lock
This term for a couple of human legs (Figurative Anglo - American). The
least possible amount of
(in connection with a human body) luggage
came into vogue when the narrowness packed in an old news sheet and
of the trousers brought out the stringed.
stretched, compass-like effect of a pair Paperer (Theatrical, 1879). The
of long legs. (See Gas-pipes.) official who issues
'

paper ', or free

Pair o' round -mys (Low Life}. passes, and '
so papers the house '.
Trousers. Results showed that the '

paperer
'

understood his business. 14th

Palpitate with actuality (A merican- Ref.,
June 1885.
Eng., 1885). Intensely evident.
As no one of any influence is at present Par-banging (Street). Tramping,
proposing a separation between Church seeking for work. Origin obscure
and State, the vow does not, in the
but probably French.
beautiful phrase which has been wafted Par-leader (Press, 1875). A short,
'
to us across the Atlantic, palpitate with
commenting article, in which no break
actuality '. D. N., 12th November 1885. occurs. A little essay of
perhaps a
Panout boss (American Miners }.
1
score of sentences, but all in one
Successful. Pan out is derived from paragraph.
the process of washing for gold. Parable -
(Amer. Eng.). Long,
Panic (Stock Exchange, 19 cent.}. dreary egotistical statement.
192
 Parish Pick-Axe Pear

Parish pick-axe (Peoples'). A himself a bore, the protest ran Pas '

prominent nose. de Lafarge '. Now ' Pas de Dreyfus '.

Parker (Local L., 1850 and on). Pass round the arm (American).
Street description of a very well-dressed To apply open-handed castigation to
man in the neighbourhood of the children after the manner of applause.
parks. Pass the Rubicon (Classic). Venture
Parliament Whiskey (Irish). everything, no going back.
Satirical description of potheen which Pattern (Irish). Delightful,
has paid inland revenue dues. brilliant. Abbreviation of 'pattern
If you are very ignorant, you must be fair which is a corruption of patron '
',
told that poteen is the far famed liquor which short for
'

which the Irish, on the faith of the pro- fair', is patron saint'.
verb, 'stolen bread is sweetest', prefer, Paul capstan (Navy). Expression
in spite of law, and no not of law- of admission of excellency on the other
'
givers, they drink it themselves, to its side as Well, you paul capstan'. my
unsuccessful rival, parliament whiskey.
Paulies (Transvaal War, 1899).
Mirror, 1829.
Followers of Oom Paul Kruger a pun
Parlour-jumper (Police, 1870 on). between this word and poor lies '. '

From jump, to thieve, to start property '

The writer calls the Boers Paulies '
'.
from you to him.
E. N., 9th December 1899.
A constable explained that the prisoner
was known as a ' parlour-jumper '. This, Pawked up stuff (Sporting). False
in ordinary language, meant that he goods bad horses, or dogs, or value-
went in for robbing rooms. D. T., 4th less
^portsmen.
August 1898. Pay out (American miners' passing
Parnelliament (Soc., 1886). In- to England}. Derived from a mine
vented and accepted name for Parlia- '

ceasing to be productive, when it was

'
ment from the astounding success of
Parnell in throwing the Conservatives
and Liberals into confusion.
Parrot and monkey time (Amer.-
Eng., 1885). Period of quarrelling.
Started from a droll and salacious tale
of a monkey and a parrot. Soon
shortened to parroty.
There is no work to be had for them
and the unfortunate creatures are likely
to have what has graphically been called
'
a parroty time in their new home.
'
Leonard and the chairs have had what
Leonard's gay countrymen call 'a parroty
time'. D. N., 12th October 1886.
Parsley bed (Peoples', Hist.}. The
supposed matrix of the new baby, as
chronicled in nurseries. (See
from the stork. )
Part that goes over the fence last
(American). Evident.
Parts his hair with a towel
(American, 1882). Bald.
Pas de Lafarge (Soc., '40's).
Tabooed subject as the result of its
being over discussed. Did or did not
Madame Lafarge poison her husband ?
said to have paid out. Passed into
general use amongst English-speaking
people.
Peabody (L. Class). Short for
block of houses built under the Peabody
Bequest to the poor of London.
Peacock (Anglo-Indian). Walk up
and down in full fig while the band
plays.
Peacock and the ladies, Before
the (Old Eng.}. A solemn promise
an appeal to knightly honour.
In olden days the peacock was a
favourite dish with lords and ladies of
high degree. It was customary to skin
the bird without plucking, and send the
roast bird to table with its natural
Visit The peacock was considered in
envelop.
the days of chivalry not simply as an ex-
quisite delicacy, but as a dish of peculiar
solemnity. When it was brought to the
table, decorated with its plumage, its
comb gilded, and a sponge in its bill, wet
with spirits of wine and lighted, it was
the signal for the gallant knights present
to make vows to accomplish some deed
of chivalry ' before the peacock and the
ladies '.

The dinner discussions became as great Peacock horse (Street}. Mourning

a bore as did, long after, the Tichborne coach horse which generally has much
case which by the way, led to the parade in his movements.
yell at dinner tables' No Tich '. In Pear (Parisian, 1830-48). Name
Paris, for years, when a man showed given to Louis Philippe from the
193
 Peas in the Pot Permanent Pug

shape of his head. (See Jupiter Pennorth o' treacle (L. London,
Scapin). 1882). A charming girl the final
Peas in the pot (Low London}. outcome of the use of 'jam '.
'

Rhyming phrase meaning hot ', Pennorth o' treason (Newsvendors').

erotic. Copy of a notorious penny Sunday
Big Tim says you are very peaa. London paper, which attacks every
Peoples', 6th
January 1895. party, and has no policy of its own.
Pecksniffian (Peoples'). Hypo- Pennydeath-traps (L. London
critical from Dickens's Martin 1897). Penny glass paraffin lamps
Chuzzlewit. made in Germany. Fragile and easily
Peel off (City, 1860). To obtain upset they caused many deaths.
;

money by a Stock Exchange transaction. Penny gush (1880-82). Exagger-

Peel the patch off the weak point ated mode of writing English frequently
seen in a certain London daily paper.
(A merican) Expose a man's weakness
. .

an English paper
This, published in
Peep o'Day tree (Theatrical, 1862). would probably be described as penny
In this Exhibition year, one Edmund
gush. G. A. Sala, Illustrated London
Falconer produced a piece called Peep News, 16th December 1882.
o' Day, at the Lyceum, and made out
of it a great fortune, chiefly by the Penny loaf (Thieves'}. Cur one
afraid to steal ; a man who would
ingenuity displayed in a stage tree, on rather live on a penny loaf than steal
the edge of a quarry. Its chief branch
good beef.
moved on a pivot by the use of which
the hero swung down on to the stage just Pennylocket (Rhyming}. Pocket.
in time to prevent the murder of the While he's got his peepers on the
heroine. From that time forward this penny locket, you know, perhaps, how
to be a bit careful
providential stage machinery has been
thus called. Penny pick (London, circa 1838).
The hero and heroine escape by a Peep Cigar. From Pickwick, Dickens's first
o' Day tree, which enables them to popular creation.
descend from the cliff, amidst the
enthusiastic and unanimous applause of
Penny puzzle (Street, 1883).
Sausage because it is never found
the audience. Era, April 1883. out. o'
(See Bag mystery.)
Peg (Theatrical, 1884). Sensation Penny starver (Street).Lowest
point or effect of a piece. Something commercial value
description of cigar
upon which the actors, or more pro- three for twopence.
bably an actor, can build up a scene.
Penny toff (London, 1870 on). The
Pegging away
(American, lowest description of toff the cad
Military). Used
by General Grant imitator of the follies of the jeunesse
for heavy artillery attack.
Previously dore'e.
known as a careless phrase, but after
Perfect lady (Street). Not at
the Civil War accepted gravely.
all one anything but. Satirically
Penances and leatherheads woman drunk and mis-
applied to any
(American). People of Pennsylvania behaving herself in the streets. The
probably from their early puritanic
phrase took its rise from a police court
origin still very marked. case, in which a witness deposed that,
Pencil, open, lost, and found though the prisoner did get her living
(Com. Lond., 19 cent.). Rhyming in the streets and drank a little, she
phrase, means 10. was otherwise a ' perfect lady '.
Pencil dates (Theatrical, 1896 on). Perfumed talk (Anglo-American).
Make engagements to perform. Satirical synonym for vile language.
The fourth D'Artagnan is Mr Charles Perhaps (Old Eng.). Equivalent
Warner, who, and energy,
full of spirit
to most decidedly.
intends to bombard Suburbia and the
provinces with the already successful Permanent pug (Printers' and
Hamilton version, and is, as the phrase Tavern). Fighting man around the
goes, 'pencilling in dates' as fast as a door of the premises. Originally ap-
manager can who knows his business. plied to the door-porter of editorial
D. T., 6th August 1898. offices.
194
 Perpetual Staircase Pickles

Perpetual staircase (Thieves'). The Philistine (Soc. ).Formerly an out-

tread-mill. sider, but with no offensive meaning ;
A but now with an offensive meaning.
Perpetuana (Norfolk, IS cent.).
In 1840 Liszt's reputation was at its
very strong dress fabric, which lasted
an immense time. Still applied to highest, but he met with indifference
here, and no doubt regarded us as given
describe old women in Norfolk. over to philistinism. Ref.. llth April
Norfolk folk want a little fresh impulse 1886.
now, to restore the flourishing condition Doctor.
of their textile manufactures. Beauty Physic-bottle (Peoples').

arrayed herself in bravery that was Piano (Soc., 1870). To sing small,
cheap and was not nasty. Perpetuana to take a back seat.
lasted for ever. Athenceum, 1870. Piccadilly fringe (Loiv. Class, 1884).
Perplexed and transient phantom Front hair of women cut short and
(Politics). Politician who fails and brought down, and curled over the
vanishes. forehead. Fashion originated in Paris
Lord Salisbury hopes to be something about 1868.
more than a 'perplexed and transient By Mr Russell When Jarrett talked
phantom D. N., 1st July 1885.
'. about cutting my hair, she asked me if I
'

Perseus (Soc., 1883). An editor. wanted a Piccadilly fringe '.

From a phrase used by Professor What is the '
Piccadilly fringe
'
J Cut
Huxley at the Royal Academy Ban- your hair on your forehead.
Is there anything objectionable about
quet, 1883. that? It makes you look ugly. Arm-
Petit bleu (Franco-Eng. t 1898). strong Abduction Case, October 1885.
From the colour of the
Forgery. Piccadilly window (Street, '90's).
French telegraphic paper. men
Single eye-glass worn by some of
Then, with regard to the petit bleu fashion hence the Piccadilly.
which Picquart is accused of forging.
It is true that the address on this tele- Pick of the basket (Sporting).
graphic post card was scratched out, the Best derived from market baskets.
name of the addressee being effaced, Some of Sir Watkin's horses are of
and that of Easterhazy written over it. extraordinary build and value. Comet
D. T., 28th November 1898. stands out foremost, and 'is the pick of
Peto (Soc.). Evasion of P.T.O. the basket '. World, 1878.
initials of Please turn over. Picker -up (Thieves', 19 cent.).
Petticoat interest (Literature, 1860 Woman of the town.

on). Those portions of fiction referring Picking its eyes (Stock Exchange,
to womankind. '90's). Getting the best, or top, of a
Scott did not trouble himself much good thing. From S. Africa mining,
about Maid Marian. He had enough of there applied to obtaining the imme-
what is nowpetticoat interest
called
' '

diate and easily obtained gold.

in his story without her. D. N., 29th It is to be feared that more attention
March 1892.
would, naturally, be paid to extracting
Phant (Shatomen's). The sheet of the richest ore from the mines ('picking
its eyes ', as the popular term is) than to
plate-glass placed sloping, or diagon-
ally, on the stage, to reflect from below
proceeding with the regular course of
or from the side the illusion known as development.!). T., 26th July 1900.
Pepper's ghost. In order to keep the Pickled dog (Provincial). Term of
secret as far as possible, the word contempt rarely now heard.
glass was never used, but the first Pickles (Peoples'). Exclamation of
of phantom. Sometimes
syllable good-tempered mistrust, or even want
fant', at other times, in the North, of belief.
'
a new evasive name.
'

peeble The promoters say that benefit will

Pheasant (Common London). Dried accrue to our Indian fellow-subjects by
herring. (See Two-eyed steak. ) bringing before the English people actual
representations of the methods of manu-
Phil and Jim (Oxford, 1890 on).
factures, amusements, etc., of our vast
Church of S. Philip and S. James. Indian empire, and will thus serve im-
This phrase is sometimes pronounced perial interests. That, of course, is all
'
Fillin Jim '.
.^e/., 5th July 1885.
195
 Pickpocketienne Pill-Pusher

Pickpocketienne (A nglo - French). Pie-shop (London). Dog from the

Woman pickpocket. supposition (1842), when one Blauchard
first started a penny pie-shop, that the
Picnic (American-English}. A treat
pies were made of dogs.
from the frequency of picnics in
America, where there is always room
Pieuvre (Anglo-French, '60's).
for them. Prostitute. When Victor Hugo pub-
lished his Les Travailleurs de la Mer,
Native dramatists for the past week
his terrible description of the octopus
have enjoyed what the street gamins
would call a picnic. N. Y. Mercury, the pieuvre as a creature which
January 1884. overcame a man by embraces, was at
once seized upon by the boulevardier-
Pidgin ( World's Sea-shore). Sim-
journalists as an apt description of the
plified mixture of two or three
lan-
woman of the town.
guages, of which English is generally
one. Lingua Franca, the common Pig months (Peoples', Hist.). All
the months (eight) in which there is
tongue of the Mediterranean, has
Italian chiefly for its basis, mixed with an R '. These pig months are those
'

French and Arabic. The word started in which you may more safely eat
in the Chinese waters. The chief fresh pork than in the others the four
summer months in fact.
English pidgin, sometimes erroneously
called pigeon, is the mixture of Eng- Pig-bridge (Trin.
Col., Cambridge).
lish with Hindostanee, and of English The Venetian-like bridge
beautiful
with Chinese but there must in all over the Cam, where it passes St
be scores of pidgin in the world, negro John's College, and connecting its
specimens being the more curious. quads. Thus called because the
Pidgin is a corruption of business. Johnians are styled pigs (q.v.).
According to Herr Leo Wigner, this Pigeon pair (Familiar). A boy
mysterious Yiddish is not the mere '
born first, a girl following, within not
barbarous trade-jargon, the pidgin- more than two years. Probably from
Hebrew ', of the indigent alien of White- the known fidelity of
D. 6th 1899. winged pigeon
chapel. T., July
pairs to each other.
Pie (Eng.- American, 19 cent.). De- 19
Pigs (Trin. Col., Cambridge,
lightfulvery enjoyable. cent.). Name given by the men of
At the depot the light was dim, and so
Trinity to their neighbours of St
itwas in the sleeper, as it generally is ;
John's.
but as she got into the car a neat leg in a
white stocking showed plainly enough to Pigs, An't please the (Pre-Reforma-
'

make Jim murmur to himself, '

Well, this tion, Eng. ). Corruption of Please the
is pie '. N. Y. Mercury, 3rd January Pyx '. * Still common in West England,
' '
1885. where x becomes gs '. (See Please
Piebald eye (Peoples'). Black one the pigs.)
black by a blow. Pigot or Piggot (Hist., 1888-89).
Lie unblushing, obvious lie. Passed
My Bill where was yer piebaldered ?
!

into verb, generally passive to be

(See Mouse, Eye in a sling.) From the forger Pigot.
pigotted.
Piebald mucker sheeny (E. Lond.). I must print the verses, and leave the
Low old Jew. reader to judge if I have been Pigotted
Street pieman, or not. Ref., 17th March 1889.
Pie-pusher (Streets).
who ceaselessly recommends, or pushes, Pigtail (Street, obsolete about 1840).
his wares. An old man, from the ancients cling-
Pieces, All to (Soc. , from Sporting, ing to the 18th century mode of wearing
Exhausted generally said of the hair.
1880).
horses. Pill (Street). Dose, suffering,
She was as pale as death, and trem- sentence, punishment. Endless in
bling from head to foot. He was application.
perfectly satisfied that what she had Pill (Sailors'). Custom-house officer.
described took place, for when she came Because both are so very searching.
in she was
'
all to pieces Statement'.

Pill - pusher Doctor.

by Sir Beaumont Dixie concerning an (Peoples').
attack on his wife, Lady Florence Dixie, Fine example of the graphic in
March 1883. phraseology.
196
 Pillow Securities Play Camels

If the pill-pushers will only chuck it spurt in rowing practice to open the
out now that diamond rings are poison- lungs, and get that kind of pipe
ous,broughams pestilential, oysters and in working order.
champagne deadly, and villas in Singin's Pirate (Low London).
Wood fatal in every case, many a man Emphatic
willbe happy, many a pal will be saved. person man or woman especially
the latter, and in music halls, where
Pillow securities (City, 19 cent.). the actresses and singers of great force
Safe scrip, shares that rarely vary in
obtain this distinction.
price.
The shares of the earliest cable com- Pistol-pockets (American - Eng. ).
panies did not enjoy their present Warning not to fool.
character of safe ', or, as Mr Draper,
'
Pitch in (Scotch). Railway collision.
Secretary of the Eastern Telegraph Com- Pith (Hospital). Sever the spinal
pany, who was associated with Sir John cord.
Fender thirty years, aptly terms, pillow '

securities 'those which do not trouble Pittite (Theatrical). Frequenter of

an investor's dreams at night and which the pit. Took the place of groundling
a man need not worry about. D. T., 8th
(q.v.), when seats destroyed the force
July 1896. of the Shakespearian term.
Pin (Peoples'). To pawn clothes. A correspondent wishes me to ask Mr
When Lantier was doing up
bundle his Irving if, when he has finished looking
to send to the pawnbroker's, one in- after the interests of Lyceum pittites,
telligent pittite shouted out Pin '
!
'
he will be kind enough to turn his
Evidently that pittite knew something. attention to Lyceum dress-circlers.
Ref., 1882. Ref., 10th May 1885.

Pin pricks (Hist., 1898). Slight (See Stall-pots.)

attacks assaults. Pizen (American, circa 1875).
Our friendship with France not to is Corruption of poison, and here describ-
be obtained by a policy of pinpricks a ing alcohol generally in its whiskey
phrase, by the way, which is not, as form. (See Death promoter.)
some suppose, of English origin, but was Plain as a pipe-stem (Peoples', 17
first employed by a responsible French
cent. on). Utterly plain nothing
journal, Le Matin. D. T.. 9th December
could be plainer than the stem of the
1898.
white clay pipe from the cutty of the
Ping (Sportsman, to 1854). To time of Charles II., to the long church-
speak in a quick singing high voice. warden III.
From the sharp ping of the old musket. tempo George
Plank the knife in (L. Class, Hist.).
Pink 'un (Sporting Times, 1880). Stab deeply.
Sporting life from the tint of the
Planter (Anglo - Indian). Bad-
paper, and to distinguish it from the
Brown Sportsman.
'un, tempered horse.
Before doing so, I took the advice of Plaster (Peoples', 1890 on). A collar
one John Corlett, who propriets a paper a huge shirt or applied collar, said
called the Pink 'Un.Ref., 31st July to be introduced by the late Duke of
1887. Clarence.
Pink wine (Military}. Champagne. Plasterer's trowel and seringa-
Pinnacles (Peoples'). A corruption patam (Rhyming). It means '
fowl
of
'
barnacles ', eye-glasses, spectacles. and ham '.

Pint o* mahogany (Coffee-house). Plates o* meat (Low London

Coffee. Rhyming}. Feet. (See Barges. )
Piou-piou (Soc.). Tommy Atkins Platform ticket (Railway). Phrase
translated into French. uttered by friend who has been to see
Pip-pip Hue and a friend off by train, and is stopped
(Streets'). cry
after one, but generally a youth
any as a passenger.
in striking bicycle costumery. Play camels (Anglo-Indian). Get
Onomatope of the horn warning drunk, or drink too much. Playful
which sometimes replaces the bell of reference to the drinking habits of the
the bike.
camel, who stores his drink rather than
Pipe - opener ( Universe First drinks it.
197
 Play Consumption Poet of the Brush

Play consumption (American which is utterly antagonistic to

becoming English). This is the equal shadowed or claustral art.
of malingering, or shamming. These pretty from the
illustrations,
Play dirt (American). Deceive. designs of the French
well - known
pleinairiste and
figure painter, Raphael
Play for paste (Billiard - room). and
' Collin, are delicate graceful even
For drink probably from pasta
'
to the verge of effeminacy. D. T., 10th
'
(Spanish) a meal, or perhaps vino February 1897.
di pasta' a light sherry.
Plimsoll (Nautical). The 'cargo'
Play low (American-Eny.). Act line in merchant shipping. Plimsoll,
meanly. in the House of Commons, forced the
Farewell banquets have lately been Bill for the better of
regulation
played a little low down, but the send-
'

merchant shipping.
off' supper given to Wilson Barrett at
the Criterion, on Thursday night, was an Plon-plon (Parisian, 1855). Name
exception. /</., 15th August 1886. given to the despised Prince Jerome
Napoleon after he hurried away from
Play owings (Sporting phrase). the Crimean War.
Living on credit.
Pluck (Peoples'). Daring, as distinct
Play the bear (Lancashire). from slow courage.
Plucking (Peoples'). Robbing.
Played out since '49 (W. Ameri-
can). Ancient untruth. Plug (American). To get into
difficulties.
If he further informs you that 'this
has been played out since '49 he means ', Ply (Mid.-class). Tendency, kink,
that since the first colonization of the inclination, leaning. Probably from
Pacific coast by 'smart men', such a
'
the French pli '.

thing was never believed in : 1849 being

the year of the commencement of the Pocket artist (Critical, '90's).
Calif ornian gold digging. All the Year Small actor or actress. Meant kindly,
Round, 31st October 1868. but not liked by the victims.
Playing a big game (Criminal).
To the prettiness and grace of Miss
for a Cutler Florodora owed not a little. She
Trying daring success. is quite a 'pocket' artist.
Prior to his finally leaving her, he had D.T., 13th
November 1899.
often spoken about 'playing a big game'.
D. T., 31st March 1897. Pod (Commercial). Practical short
for Post Office Directory.
Playing for a sucker (American,
1880). Attack upon the innocence of Podsnap (Soc., 1865 on). A Sir
a youth. Oracle; whose word is sufficient for

Please I want the cook - himself. From Dickens.

girl
(London). Said of a youth haunting Podsnappery. Wilful determina-
the head of area steps. tion to ignore the objectionable or
Please mother open the door inconvenient, at the same time assum-
(Street). Expressed admiration of a ing airs of superior virtue and noble
passing girl. Always said in a high resignation.
door ', which is Oppressed nationalities have not been
'

monotone, except
uttered in a falling minor third. accustomed to expect sympathy or assist-
ance from Austria. But the question is
a very grave one, and no amount of
diplomatic Podsnappery can keep it any
longer in the background. D. N., 8th
Please mo-ther o -
pen the door. July 1889.
Please the pigs (Old Catholic). Poet of the brush (Art, 1890 on).
Deo volente God willing. Corruption Artist. Outcome of the eternal search
for new phrases.
of An it please the pyx (Pyxis).
'
A '

very interesting form of this phrase

Mr T. Hope M'Lachlan is the painter
of night skies, through which the moon
is to be found in Devonshire 'An
sailswith an opalescent halo round her
it please the pixies.' disc. He is in his truest conceptions a
Pleinairists (Art, 1886 on). Open- poet of the brush. D. T., 4th January
air artists the school of pleinair, 1896.
198
 Poke Portuguese Pumping

Poke (Thieves'). Purse. This word Then big Tim popped it on Selby's
for sack, pouch, satchel, is to be found face, and they had a bit of a spar round
in Shakespeare. like. A Chivy Duel, People, 6th January
Poked up 1895.
(Anglo-American). Em-
barassed, inconvenienced. Pop visit (Soc., 18 cent.). Short
Poker (American- Eng.). Game of ones.
cards. I have a dozen friendly pop visits to
make in less than an hour, and would
Polka, To (Anglo-Amer. ). Another
of the forms of expressing rapid retreat. not miss one for the universe. Garrick's
'
Abel Drugger.
Boss, dis woman neber raise dat money
in dis -world ;
'
and with a plaintive Pope (Com. Eng.). Abbreviation of
pope o' Rome, the rhyming for
farewell, she polkaed from the office, and
once more deep silence prevailed.
*
home '.

Providence Journal. Poppa (Amer. Eng., 1890 on).

(See Bailey, Skip, Valse.)
Pomatum pot (Soc., 1885). Small
specimens of pot-shaped and covered
china.
Mr Gladstone at twenty-five minutes
to five was fairly embarked on his speech.
The familiar throat mixture commonly
known as the pomatum pot was at his
side, only on this occasion there were
Papa.
But even those who have never seen
or read the American play can guess
how an old Kansas millionaire, vulgar,
bombastic, dictatorial, and good-hearted,
the typical Yankee 'poppa', came to
New York with his 'gals'. D. T., 15th
February 1897.
Popping-crease (Railway Officials').

two pots instead of one. D. N., 9th May Junction station.

1886:
Pppsy wopsy (Low. Lond.). A
'Pon my life (Com. Lond. Rhyming, smiling, doll-like, attractive girl.
19 cent.). Wife. Pork pie hat and crinoline (Street,
Pongelo (Anglo - Indian Army}. 1866 - 71). Satirical reference to
Pale ale but relatively any beer. women's appearance in the streets.
Poole (Soe. 1840 on).
t Perfect Suppose my (Edipus should lurk at last
clothing from Poole, a leading tailor,
Under a pork-pie hat and crinoline.
in Saville Row. R. Browning, Prince Hohenstiel
(See Dorsay, Lincoln
& Bennet, Redfern, Nicholls, etc.) Schwangau, 1871.
Poor as a Connaught man (Irish,
Porky (Low. Class). Name for a
Poorest even pork-butcher, and sometimes satirically
Personal). amongst Irish- for a Jew.
men.
Marrying Mr Cecil Devereux, who is Porridge-hole (Scotch). The mouth.
as poor they say as a Connaught man. Porridge-pots (Military). Lines-
Miss M. Edgeworth, Ennui, ch. xi. men's satirical mode of naming the
Poor man's goose (Low. Classes). Scotch guard. (See Cold creams,
Bullock's liver, baked with sage and Grinning dears, Gee-gees, Muck. )
onions and a bit of fat bacon. Port wine don ( University). Scorn-
Poot (Hindostanee). Shilling use ful description of the college profes-
confined to E. London where once sorial grandee, who leans to the Man-
E. Indian beggars were common. chester school of nutrition.
the weasel (Street, about
Pop goes Mr Mark Pattison was a very remark-
1870). Phrase a great mystery of able character. . . He was extremely
.

passing English. In the 70's every unlike the port wine don of fiction and
etymologist wrote about this phrase caricature. D. N., 6th March 1885.
and left it where it was. Activity is Portable property (Doubtful Soc.).
suggested by 'pop', and the little Easily stolen or pawned values espe-
weasel is very active. Probably erotic
cially plate.
origin. Chiefly associated with these The testimonial consisted of a silver
lines
tea-pot, coffee-pot, and chocolate-jug
Up and down the City Road, all of which would doubtless have been
In and out the Eagle, considered by my friend Wemmick very
That's the way the money goes, fine specimens of portable property.
Pop goes the weasel !
Ref., 7th June 1885.
Pop on (Sporting). Quick blow Portuguese pumping (Nautical).
generally on the face. Not to be learnt. Ask sailors the
199
 Possle Prayer-Book

meaning of this phrase, and they may attended upon them but head-waiters
;

are alive to the perils of this practice,

laugh a good deal, but they give no
It is which they call patching, and dismissal
etymology. probably nasty.
will be the punishment of the waiter
Possle (Low. Class). Earnest advo-
who is caught taking vails on the sly.
cate. Corruption of apostle. Used
Graphic (Restaurant Management), 17th
satirically. March 1883).
Post the blue (Racing). Gain the
Potentially(Polit., 1883). To all
Derby. intents and purposes.
Post haste (18 cent. English sur-
This person considered that Russia was
vival). Rapid from the post-chaise through her railway system practically,
being the most rapid mode of travel- or as it is the fashion to say potentially,
ling before 1840. (See Motor.) mistress of Herat D. N., 29th April
Postage stamp (Tavern, 1837-85). 1885.
Facetious name given to hotels and Potsheen Word
(Irish). Whiskey.
taverns signed the 'Queen's Head.' varies in various districts generally
Postern gate (American). Widest Potheen.
part of the trouser. Potsheen, plase your honour becaase
Postman's sister (Mid. -class, 1883). it'sthe little whiskey that's made in the
Secret informant. and sheen, becaase
private still or pot ;

For any little inaccuracy of detail it's a fond word for whatsoever we'd
which may have crept into the above and for what we have little of and
like,
paragraph I am in no way to blame. I would make much of. Miss Edgeworth,
tell the tale as 'twas told to me by the The Absentee, chap. x.
postman's sister. Ref.. 18th October Potter's field (American). Portion
1885.
of graveyard appropriated to unpaid
(See Jinks the barber,
Boy Jones.) burials.
Pot(Naval). Executive officer as Poultice Fat woman.
(Soc., 1880).
distinct from Greaser and Scratcher
Poultice 1882).
(Soc.,Very high
(q.v.).
collar, suggestive of a neck poultice,
Pot of all (O. London, 1883). Pot
in ring-like in shape.
pot of exaltation, a perfect
excelsis,
Poultice-mixer (Navy). Sick-bay
leader-hero, demigod.
Pot o' beer (Abstainers'). Bottle of man, or nurse.
Poultice over the peeper (Peoples').
ginger beer. A blow on the eye.
Pot o' bliss (Public-house, 1876).
A fine tall woman. Pound to an
olive (Jewish). This
Pot of O' (Rhyming, 1868). Short is a resulting out of the
phrase
'
Pot of 0, Hebrews' love of olives, and is equi-
for my dear,' which is the
for beer. valent to the sporting term, 'It's a
rhyme
million pounds to a bit o' dirt.'
Potty (Low Class). Tinker.
Pot-au-feu(P0^., 1885). Domestic Powderinghair (Tavern, 18 cent.).
policy. to Clemenceau, who in-
Due Getting drunk still heard in remote
vented it, and named it in antagonism places. Euphemism invented by a
to the Chauvinist principles of Ferry. polite landlord to account for lengths
M. Clemenceau 's rapidly - increasing of time such as dressing and powdering
influence is the most significant fact in hair required.
the current of France. One
politics
might imagine that the pot-au-feu prin-
Ppw-wow (Anglo-American). Con-
vention or tentative meeting. From
ciple, as he himself has named it, would North American Indian this word
fail, as a cry, among a people like the
French. D. N., 8th August 1885. meaning in that language Congress.
Pot-house (Club Prairie. (See Bit o' prairie.)
Life). Easy-go
Prairie comedians (U.S.A.). Poor,
club. Suggestive of a licensed vic-
tualler's house. ranting, talentless actor.
Potching (Hotel Waiters'). Taking Nothing can be more painful to a city
fees against rules. Probably from the summer audience than the wild rantings
' ' of barn-storming tragedians, or more
French to pocher' or empocher'.
Good-natured customers may imagine aggravating than the inane drivel of
prairie comedians. N. Y. Mercury, 1883.
that if they have given a fee to the
waiter who presents the bill, they may Prayer-book (Sporting, circa 1870).
hand another to the usual man who has Ruff's Guide to the Turf.
200
 Predeceased
Predeceased (Legal become satiri-
cal). Used to ridicule the statement
of some obvious fact, such as two and
and two make four.
Premiere (Press, 1884). Abbrevia-
tion of premiere representation, an
ordinary Paris phrase. First used in
London press for first night in 1884.
Prescot (Rhyming}. Waistcoat.
'Spot his blooming prescot.'
Prester
John (Peoples').
unknown.
He's no more related to our family
than Prester John. Farquhar, The
Inconstant.
Preterite (Soc., 19 cent.). Ancient
to women.
especially applied
' Process server
Young ? She's quite a preterite
nevertheless, intense.' (See Has been.)
Pretty -boy clip (Soc., 1880 on).
Hair brought flat down over the fore-
head, and cut in a straight line from
ear to ear.
We happen to know that the style
termed by irreverent mashers the pretty-
boy clip, the style sometimes called the
upward drag, and the quiff which
ranges from a delicate fringe to furze-bush
proportions, at first amazed and amused
the neat Japanese damsels. D. N., 26th
January 1885.
Pretty fellow (Peoples'). Fine,
handsome, sometimes satirical.
Polly thinks him a very pretty man.
Gay, Beggars' Opera.
Pretty steep (American).
Threatening.
Previous. (See Behind yourself. )
Price of a pint ( Workmen's). Any
sum below sixpence.
Prince's points (Soc. and Club,
at whist.
1877). Shilling points
Takes its origin from about this date.
Very keen reasoning on the part of the
then Prince of Wales, an eager whist-
player. H.R.H. laid down the theory
that the best whist-players were not
necessarily the richest of men, and
therefore if he played high points he
might deprive himself of the pleasure
of meeting the best players. Prince's
points became very rapidly fashionable.
PrintingHouse Square (Club, 19
cent., to
1880). Powerful crushing,
ex cathedra, from the Times being
published in that locality.
Prize faggots (Street). Well
developed breasts in women. Faggots
are savoury preparations of minced
bullocks or sheeps' viscera or plucks,
Prospect
mixed with oatmeal, shaped into
rounded lumps and baked until the
outside forms a crust. They are sold
in all the busy lower parts of London
at a penny. Prize faggots would be
those larger than usual.
Problem novel (Literary, 1888 on).
Title bestowed upon novels with a
purpose generally as affecting women,
their aspirations and wrongs.
The It was impossible to resist the question
'
whether the problem novel had had its
'
day, and it appears not quite, but it is
'
considerably less in demand than it was.'
D. T., 2nd October 1896.
Process-pusher (1880). Lawyer's
clerk. Satirical description.
(Artists', 1886 on).
Photogravure printers.
Perhaps many of our artists have not
yet learned the technique which best
suits processes, or perhaps our process-
servers are not yet adepts in their
business. D. N., 9th December 1890.
Procesh (American Eng.). -Ab-
breviation of procession growing
common in England (1884).
I was removed on a plank, escorted by
a torchlight procesh of the local fire
brigade. -Besant & Rice, Golden Butter-
fly, vol. i., ch. xviii.
Pro-donnas (Music Hall, 1880).
Professional ladies actresses.
Professional beauty (Fashionable
slang, 1879-82).This term arose in
one of the Society papers, and was at
once accepted by the best people, and
even by the best of the Press. It
referred to women in society, some-
'
times the very highest, who professed
'
their beauty by permitting any number
of their photographic portraits to be
sold in infinite varities of poses.
Promoted (October 1890). Dead.
From the public funeral of Mrs Booth,
wife of General Booth, the originator
of the Salvation Army.
Propers (Low. Class). Meaning
refused but thoroughly comprehended
by the coster classes. Erotic.
Proper donas and rorty blokes
(L. Peoples', 1880). Good and true
men and women.
Properties (Theatrical). Theatrical
adjuncts.
Propper bit of frock (Com. Lond. ,
1873). Pretty and clever well-dressed
girl.
Prospect (American Miners'). To
search for new gold-fields.
201
 Prostituted Pulling a Pop

Prostituted (Patent Law}. Made Puff -puff (Children's, 19 cent.}.

common. Said of a patent, so long on Railway engine. (See Gee-gee.)
the market, waiting to be taken up by Puffing billy (N. Eng.}. Steam-
a capitalist or company, that it is engine, given contemptuously to
common, and known to one and all. Stephenson's first engine, still at Dar-
Pros' Avenue (Theatrical, circa lington, and accepted seriously by him.
1880). The Gaiety Bar Pull (Peoples'}. Anxious moment.
(Strand).
From bar (See Extra pull. )
this being the resort of
' Pull-down (Soc., 1870, etc.). Name
gentlemen of the profession '.
Prosser (Theatrical, 1880). Pro given to the moustache which suc-
' ceeded the nap. (q.v.}.
passed into prosser '.
Pull down the blind (Low London.,
Protean entertainer (Theatrical). 1880 on). This was addressed in the
Artiste whose exceptional ability con- first place to spooney young couples
sists inrapid changes of dress. who in public were making too great
Few will deny that Leopold! Fregoli a display of their love.
is an artist to the tips of his fingers, Pull down your basque (American
alert, versatile, neat in his business, The basque is ' '

amongst women).
quick as lightning in his changes, and, the spine of the corset. The recom-
when all is said and done, the best
' ' mendation is a suggestion to behave
protean entertainer that the oldest
playgoer has ever seen. D. T., 10th properly.
March 1897. Pull down your vest (American}.
Be well bred, behave yourself.
Proud nothing (Provincial.). Ob-
Pull leg (Peoples'}. Satirize, hum-
vious.
Prudes on the prowl 1895 bug, mislead, ridicule.
(Soc.,
women who Young Chinny hinted that they must
on). Hypersensitive be pulling his leg. Rudyard Kipling,
haunted music halls to discover mis- The Tomb of his Ancestors.
behaviour either on or off the stage. Pull oneself over (Com. London}.
Prudes on the prowl have long ceased To feed.
to minimise the much too meagre fund
I took one for myself, and essayed to
of human enjoyment left in the world,
pull myself over it. But there, I will
and their place has been taken by a
spare further recital, beyond that, burnt
body who may be described as Guardians outside, the chops were raw inside, and
on the Growl. D. T., 16th December like iron all over. Ref., 6th June 1886.
1897.
Pull the string proper (Theatrical].
Pschutt (Parisian, 1883). Ton, To know how to succeed with the
fashion, distinction. Reached Ame- public. Suggested by manipulating
rica in 1884, and at once became ridi- marionnettes.
culous as pasha. Dressed in the uniform of the London
Psha (Peoples'}. Exclamation. No Scottish Rifles, he hides from his mother-
derivation. in-law in a shower-bath, and is swamped
Psychological moment (Soc. and by that awful lady, who knows how and
Literary, 1894 on). Opportunity. when to 'pull the strings'. Ref., 5th
Nick of time. Became very popular October 1884.
in 1896. Pull-up (American becoming Eng-
I seized the p. m., and nailed him for lish, 1 870). Wave of prosperity follow-
a tenner. ing disaster ; chiefly used in theatrical
It can afford to bide its time, and life.
1
strike a decisive blow when the psycho- Pull up my boot (Costermongers }.
logical moment has arrived. D. T.. 6th To make money. When a man pre-
March 1896.
pares for his day's work, he pulls on
Pub (Tlieatrical}. The public and strings up his boots. (See Make
sometimes P. B. up my leg.)
Publican (1883). One of the names The Strand people are pulling the
of General Booth after buying the string with the Comedy of Errors, I am
Grecian Theatre and Tavern in the told (1883).
City Road (1883). (See Salvation Pull your ear (Peoples', Hist.}. To
Army.) produce memory.
Publicaness (Tavern, 1880). The Pulling a pop (Anglo-American}.
wife of a publican. Firing a pistol,
202
 Pulling the Right String Put you on your Back Seam

Pulling the right string (Cabinet- phrase having been invented before
makers', 1863). Before calipers were domestic ovens.
in use by carpenters and others, small Put down (Low London). To eat.
measurements were made with string. Put it on (L. London). Extract
Hence arose the term, Are you pull- *
money by threats, or whining lying,
ing the right string ?' Some maintain as the case may best be met.
it refers to the
pulling of puppet-show Arter all the brass was nearly all gone,
'
Selby says, I'll go round to the Mug
strings.
Pumblechook (American -
Eng.). agin, and put it on him (make him pay)
Human for another bit.' People. 6th January
ass.
1895.
Pumpkin -
face (American}. A
round face with no expression in it. Put on (Street). Old woman mendi-
1 cant who puts on a shivering and
Puncheous Pilate (Peoples ). Cor-
wretched look.
ruption of Pontius Pilate, jocosely
addressed to a person in protest of
Put on (Theatrical). To produce.
some small asserted authority. Put on a boss (Street). Take a
Punkah one's face (Anglo- Indian}. look of a malevolent character, so
Fan the features. From the Hindo- that a squint is suggested for squint-
stanee. ing suggests malevolence.
Push-buggy (American heard in Put on a cigar (Peoples', 1850 on).
Liverpool}. Perambulator. Assertion of gentility, to the injurious
Pushing (Peoples', 1885). Endea- exclusion of the pipe.
vouring to induce a man to propose Put on the flooence (Peoples', 1850-
marriage. Early in 1885, in the suit 83). Attract, subdue, overcome by
brought by Lord Durham to obtain a mental force. Corruption of 'fluence
nullity of marriage (Durham v. Milner, from influence.
otherwise Durham), the Hon. Mrs Put on the pot (All Classes). Be
Gerard, the sister of the defendant, grand.
said in evidence : Put oneself outside (American-
Lord Durham joined my sister at English, 1860). To eat or drink.
Buxton. Put out (Low Class, Hist.). Killed
What was her bearing towards him ? abbreviation of '
Put out his lights
'

I thought she seemed shy, but I con-

(q.v.).
sidered that was chiefly on account of
Brien, on the way to the station re-
there being only one sitting-room in the marked to the officer, ' I am not in this,
house. I had a conversation with my but I know they meant to put you out
sister as to the propriety of visiting to-night.' D. T., 14th May 1901.
Lambton. She was nervous, and said it
looked '
rather pushing
'
to go. 28th
Put the gloves on him (Scotch
Ameliorate him.
Thieves', 1868).
February 1885.
Put the light out (Criminal and
Pusley (American heard in Liver- Kill.
Most mysterious who was Street),
pool).
?
In the days of Shakespeare wise men
Pusley called stealing conveying ; now a male-
' '

Pa better, thanks to careful nursing.

is
factor does not murder, he pops a man
You see, Pa began finding fault with me
off, or he puts his light out. Graphic,
again because I didn't play more jokes 24th September 1884.
on him. I told him that people were
getting an idea that I was mean as Put the miller's eye out (Peoples').
Pusley, because I played jokes on him, To use too much water in making grog
and I had quit. Pa said 'never mind or tea.
what people say. I am your father, and Put the windows in (Street).
it pleases me to have you
practise on me.' Smashing them.
Peck's Bad Boy, 1884. Put to bed To
(Music Hall).
Pusserspock (Naval). Corruption conquer, to annihilate, figuratively.
of 'pursers pork' bad, hard salt- Put to find (Low Class). Prison.
meat, name being given to it because Put you on your back seam
the purser was the purchaser. (Tailors). To seat a gentleman
Put a steam on the table (Peoples'). suddenly, not only on the ground,
To earn enough money to obtain a hot but on the seam which hemispheres
Sunday dinner. A
figure of speech. the 'shoulder' of his trousers. Very
Refers chiefly to boiled food, the local.
203
 Put your Hat up there Queer Shovers

Put your hat up there (Peoples ). was half French by his mother. Qu'
Friendly accusation of courting there en dirai-je ? Skinner gives this deriva-
meaning you are resolved to make tion. Possibly a frequent expression
one of the family. of Louise Querouille (the Mother
Put your clothes together when Carwell of the streets), who afterwards
you come (Provincial, Peoples'). Shape became Louise, Duchess of Portsmouth,
of inviting for a long visit, stretching when she built Portsmouth Place,
over time, requiring many changes of S.W., corner of Lincoln's Inn Fields
garments. some seven houses, those remaining
still showing on the pilasters alternate
Puts a 'and in a pocket (Lower
roses of England, lilies of France,
Classes). Hospitable, given to charity.
To double flanked with torches of Hymen
Putting a poor mouth (Irish).
that look like rams' horns which
complain moaningly.
The Irishman, putting a poor mouth insignia would probably be more appro- '
'

on his position, declared that at his house priate. Johnson calls quandary a
'
'whin they had a red herring it was low word '. Curmudgeon. )
(See
Christmas Day wid 'urn '. D. N., 1884. Quarter pound bird's eye (Low.
Putting the value on it (Artists'}. Class Smokers'). Quarter of one ounce
Signing a canvas. Satirical mean- a pennorth. Asked for quite
ing the work has no real value, and seriously. Probably begun as a joke.
sells only by reason of the name (See Sherry.)
attached. Jocose
Quarter sessions (Legal).
Putty-medal (Peoples', 1856). No swearing.
medal at all. Satirical recommenda- Three
tion to reward for mischief or injury. Quarter stretch (Thieves').
'
months' imprisonment. Saucy Sail's
A tailor makes a misfit; e.g., 'Give
him a putty medal.'
got a quarter with hard.' (See
Stretch.)
Pyrotechnic pleasantries (Soc.,
Quartern o' bliss (Low London,
of a
1897). Dynamite explosions 1882). A taking small woman.
feeble and harmless character. Prob- ' '
Diminutive of Pot o' bliss a fine
ably the work of semi-idiots. Sign woman.
that destructive anarchy was abating. o'
Quartern bry (Complicated
There is, indeed, a growing impression
Rhyming, 1868). Short for Bryan o'
that if he is found out, it will at once be
Lynn which rhymes with gin.
perceived that he is a monomaniac, who
has acted out of sheer silliness in indulg- Quartern o' finger (Complicated
' Rhyming], 1868). Short for finger
ing in these pyrotechnic pleasantries '.
D. T., 17th June 1897. and thumb, which rhymes with rum
the refreshment called for.

Queenie (Street). Mock endearing

name called after a fat woman trying
Queenie, come back,
'
to walk young.
sweet' (Drury Lane Panto., 1884).
Addressed to Mr H. Campell, one of
the heaviest men on the stage, and
then playing 'Eliza', a cook. (See
Poultice.)
Q. B. (Law, '90's). Queen's Bench.
Now King's Bench. Queen's bad bargain (Military}.
Q. S. (Peoples'). Initials of Queer A recruit who turns out a bad soldier
Street a figure of speech, even a from Queen's shilling.
metaphor, whereby a gentleman in Queen's weather(Soc. t 1837 to end
difficulties relegates them to his of reign). Fine sunshine from the
district. singular fact that through her reign
Quagger (Oxford 'cr'). Queen's the Queen almost always had fine
man student of Queen's College. weather when she appeared in public.
'
Also called gooser '. Quaggers is Queer-bit makers (Police}. Coiners.
possibly goose, duck, quack quaggers. Queer shovers (Police}. Queer is
Quandary (Peoples', 17 cent.). bad money shovers any kind of
Difficulty, fix. Probably from the industrials ; the whole passers of bad
half-French court of Charles II., who money.
204
 Queer the Pitch Rail-Birds

Queer the pitch (Music Hall, 1880).

Spoil business, impede applause. This
phrase comes from the patter
'
of street
'

performers, whose pitch for perform-

ance is 'queered' by a severe police-
man. In its application in music halls
it means any act which injures a R. C. (Catholic, 1880 on). Roman
performance the pitch. For instance Catholic.
a jeer, a cough, a sneeze will queer R. M. D. (London, Lower Financial).
the pitch, but it is chiefly applied to Ready money down.
the band, when by a sudden stoppage, Racial atavism (Society, 1897).
or error in accompaniment, the singer Atavism. Came from Paris. It is a
is, or might be, brought to grief. synonym for heredity.
At home, an actor or actress dared
if We prefer to believe that it is a case
to act whilst some one else was speaking, of what might be scientifically described
he or she would be fined or dismissed as as
'
racial atavism '. It is simply that
'
queering somebody's pitch whereas', 'fault of the Dutch' which Canning
every gesture, every animated movement discovered in the course of treaty
assists the speaker instead of spoiling negotiations at an early period of the
him. D. T., 29th June 1897. century, and which has now broken out
in a fresh place among their colonial
Queue (Theatrical). Tail-piece, last
descendants. /). T., 19th February
word, upon which another actor has to
1897.
reply. Evidently from French, and
'

quite clear from queu ', as it is often

Rad (Political). Abbreviation of
lamentably spelt. Radical, and bestowed by the Con-
servatives probably from its suggestive-
Quick-change artiste (Theatrical).
ness of ' rat '.
Translation of protean entertainer.
England has boasted a goodly supply
Rag ( Oxford, 19 cent. ). Disarrange-
of what were once called quick-change
' ment of another man's furniture, but
artists ', from the days of the elder
with no damage.
Charles Mathews until the more decadent If you return and find your rooms in
and mechanical times of W. S. Woodin. a state of chaos, your friends have been
D. T., 10th March 1897. indulging in a 'rag'. D. T., 14th
August 1899.
Quick curtain ( Theatrical}. Rapid
descent of curtain. Rag-stick (Peoples'). One of the
names for umbrella, said of a loose and
Quid -fishing (Thieves'). Skilled
unreefed implement.
thieving quid being a sovereign.
Ragged edge (Amer.~Eng., 1884).
Quid to a bloater (Street}. Sovereign Deserted.
to a herring commonest shape of It seems fair to assume that father,
street cock-sure betting.
daughter and her child sailed yesterday
Quiff (Anglo-Indian). Idea, fancy, for Paris, leaving poor Tom on the
movement, suggestion. ragged edge. N. Y. Mercury, 10th
The sweep January 1885.
Quiff (Army, 1890 on).
of hair over the forehead. Raggies (Navy). Steady chums.
19
The term, however, seems to be gener-
Quifs (Military, cent.}.
one of disparagement.
Manoeuvres. rally
Rags(Art Jargon, 1880). Old lace
Quit off (American). To refrain.
used for decorative purposes. (See
Quite a dizzy (Mid. -class). Very Crocks and Timbers. )
clever man evidently from Disraeli. London
Rags, Daily (Printers').
Quite the don (Peoples' Hist.). lower class daily newspapers.
Perfect, magnificent. Probably from A man in the country wants to sell
the name given to the husband of his old kicksies, Charley Prescotts and
Queen Mary Tudor Philip being a coats, and seeing the advertisements in
the respectable daily rags, he sends them
very magnificent Spaniard. all up to the buyer, and gets five bob in
return, which, he is told, is all they're
worth.
Rail-birds (Racing, 1890 on).
Watchers of race-horses when exer-
205
 Railroad Bible Real Lady

cising. From their perching on five- Bloomers from an American lady of

barred and other gates while on the that name. A generation passed, when
wait. they loomed up again as divided skirts
The '
rail-birds ',
as certain people are and Bectives (probably from Lady
called who closely watch the work of Bective having approved the fashion).
horses on the race tracks, would do well Next, about 1890, they took over the
tokeep an eye on Tommy Ryan. N. T, name for young boys' knee-trousers,
Mercury, December 1891. and were styled knickerbockers the
Railroad Bible (Amer. Travellers', name of which probably came from
1880). Pack of cards. Washington Irving. Finally, in 1895,
Railways (Railway Servants'). Red the female trouser was known as
stockings of course worn by women, ' '
rational costume.
and resulting out of signal red Rattle (Sporting). Good news of
used throughout the British dominions ; certain reliance, and in relation to a
She's a pair of smart railways
'
e.g., horse entered for a given race.
ain't she ?' Rattle-belly-pop (American Saloon).
Rain-napper (Street). Umbrella Whiskey and lemonade. Changed,
because it catches the rain. From when speaking to the more elegant
* '
knap to catch quickly. sex, to rattle-blank-pop.
Raise (Amer., 1880). Kick- Rattle, With a (Racing) Unex-
vigorous instance of replacing cause pected rapidity.
by effect. The only approach to a sensation was
Rajah, The (Drury Lane, 1850 on). caused by Warrington and Kettleholder,
'

Synonym for the Mogul. the former coming with a rattle in the
'

Raked fore and aft

(Mariners'). morning to the price taken about him in
the excitement caused by his forward
Desperately in love. Figure of speech
from damage done to the whole of running in the Cesarewitch. Newsp.
rigging by a well-directed shelling.
Raker (Common Classes, 1840-56). Raum method (Anglo- Amer., 1890).
Comb. Nepotism, corruption.
'Ral (Navy). Strict naval for The Kaum method
' '
is simply the
admiral. method by which Mr Commissioner
Raum is said to determine the fitness of
Rampers (London Street). Noisy
candidates for clerkships in the Pension
street-rangers, chiefly young men. Office. It consists in simply 'looking
Randy-voo (Army). Tavern which
them in the face and giving a judgment '.
is the headquarters of recruiting ser- He looked his own son, Green B. Raum,
Also synonymous with noise
geants. jun., in the face and formed a judgment
and wrangling from Rendez-vous. of him. D. N., 17th July 1890.
Rank and smell (L. Peoples', 19 Raven (Public-house). Small bit of
cent.). Common person. bread and cheese 2d. From the idea
Rare old water-bruiser (Nautical). that the ravens could only carry small
A tough, hard-working old shore-man.
quantities to Elisha.
Rarified (Soc., 1860 on). Tamed.
Readied the rosser (Lower Classes).
Usually applied to tamed women Bribed the Readied, past tense
police.
from one Rarey, a horse-tamer. of to ready, from the 'ready '-money.
Rasher and doorstep (L. Classes). Rosseur French one who harries and
Coffee-house phrasing the rasher
worries.
speaks for itself. The doorstep is a Ready-money betting (Racing).
thick slice of bread and butter.
Where the backer at once pays his
Raspberry. (See Bit o' raspberry.) money to the bookmaker, and awaits
Rat (Artisans'). A man who has the result.
not served his time, and therefore who Real healthy (American passing
has no indentures. He may, however, to England). Well-brained.
be a very fine workman ; but he can
Real Kate (London Local, Clare
enter no society or union.
Rat back 1856).
Market, 1882 swept away, 1900).
clip (Peoples',
Short hair.
Kind matron. In this year a charitable
Rational costume (Society, 1895). queen of the market, one Kate, died.
Trousers for women. Early in the Real lady (Music Hall, 1881). A
fifties these appendages were called lady in excelsis.

206
 Real Peacer Redundant

Real Peacer (Street Soys'). Final Red herring (Soc.). Intended

shape of Charley Peace, a hero-mur-
derer.
Real raspberry jam (Street, 1883).
'
Climax of the use of jam to describe
'
lovely woman.
Real razor
(Westminster School,
A Irishmen will come over in such numbers
1883). defiant, quarrelsome, or
bad-tempered scholar.
Real Rugby
(Public-school).
Derived from the Rugby rules of foot-
ball, which are more likely to lead to
accident, it is generally held, than the
more modified rules of the Soccer '. * Red-handed
Real scorcher (Street). Vigorous,
active personality but without
Real sweet (Eng. -A mer.) Perfect.
Reb (American Civil War, 1862-65).
'
Abbreviation of rebel ', given in scorn
by the Federals to the Confederates,
and afterwards adopted by them.
Reconstituting an epoch
1875). Misrepresenting history. De-
vised when Mr Wills produced Charles
I. at Lyceum Theatre.
M. Sardou lays the scene of his story
in a historic period, introducing more or
less authentic historic personages ; or, as
the phrase goes, reconstituting an epoch.
D. N.'s Criticism of M. Sardou's Theo-
dora, 13th July 1885.
Receipt of fernseed (Proverbial
superstition). Ability to be present
The statement that if you
invisibly.
held fernseed you were invisible was
based upon the supposition that you
could not do so, because fernseed had
no existence ferns showing no flowers.
Rifle green, the dark artillery blue,
and the dark grey of the service great-
coat were as bad, or nearly as bad, as
black ;
so that at present the British
soldier of all arms must be admitted to
be singularly destitute of the receipt of '
fernseed './>. N., March 1883.
Recently struck it (Amer.-Eng.).
Nouveau riche man of sudden wealth.
That is he has recently struck gold.
Common to U.S.A. growing in Eng-
land.
Re-dayboo (Music Hall, 1899). Re-
de"but. Absurdity, of course being a
first appearance a second time.
re-dayboo ', as Dan
'
This welcome
Leno would doubtless call it, was made,
etc. Sun, 29th November 1899.
Red. (See Bit o' red.)
Red, All over. (See All over red.)
Red heart (London Tavern about
1870. Short for redheart rum '.
'
deceit. From dragging
a red herring,
at the end of a string, over the track
of a fox whereby the hounds are
thrown out.
The Conservative candidate gravely
stated that if Home Rule is
granted,
that instead of the labourers' wages
Cruel. being 12s. or 13s. a week, they will be
reduced to 6s. and 7s.; and this red
herring has been implicitly believed.
D. N., 17th July 1886.
(Hist.). In the fact
flagrante delicto.
George Wallis, 30, was charged on
vice.
remand with stealing some cloth from
a shop in Whitechapel. The prisoner
was caught almost redhanded. People,
27th December 1896.
Red-hot miracle (Sporting, 1882).
Startling paradox of the very day.
(Lit., Red - hot treat (Lower Peoples').
Extremely dangerous person.
Red peppers (American). Form of
swearing.
Red-shirts (Colonial and American
Mining World). The name given to
gold and silver miners, all of whom
wear red flannel shirts. Garibaldi
while in America adopted the red
shirt for life, introduced it upon the
continent of Europe, and made it
historically famous.
Red -tie (Univ., Oxford, 1876).
for vulgarity.
Synonym
Reading up (N. Country, Hist.).
Tidying, putting the house in order.
From the habit of rubbing red ochre
over the cleaned doorsteps, side-posts,
and hearth - stones. Passing away
rapidly.
Readings (Thieves'). One of the
words watches.
for Probably from
the name of a receiver of that name,
who gave the best prices.
Redfern (Soc., 1879). Perfectly,
fittinglady's coat or jacket. From
the vogue obtained, 1879 on, by
Redfern, Maddox, W. Regent Street,
whose lady's tailoring became cele-
brated over the whole world.
Redundant (City, 1898). Impudent.
Arose from the invention of Mr H.
Bottomly in a speech.
Personally, and speaking entirely for
myself, I regard the attitude taken up
by Dr Alexander as a little redundant,
having regard to the appointment of the
committee. D. T., 2nd June 1898.
207
 Reelings Rib-shirts

Reelings (Rhyme). Feelings. good at reparty, so artists are not, as a

Ref. (Political}. Abbreviation of body, good at spelling. Ref., 7th March
1886.
Reformer. Invented by the Tories as
a term of brief contempt. Repentance curl (Soc., 1863). It
was a solitary, heavy curl made of a
Refuges (London Mid. -class}. The
portion of the back hair, and brought
lamp-islands centred at wide crossings over the left shoulder and allowed to
as half-way oases in the desert of
London roads.
fall over the left breast. The Princess
ofWales brought this fashion into
Reg. duck egg! (Sporting}. A England (1863), where it held good for
cypher of no value. From cricket many years. (See Zarndrer.)
when a batter going out on nothing
' ' Repetitious (Literary). Repetitional.
at all is marked playfully
described as a duck egg '. The reg '
' '
First applied by the Daily Telegraph.
It was just as well, for the scheme of
is a common abbreviation of
'
'
regular '. Self and Lady had a tendency to
'

Regenerate. (See Degenerate.) become monotonous and to be repetitious

Regionalism 1880 on).
(Political,
in its effects. D. T., 20th September
Word
to describe 1900.
Sub-nationality.
differences of political and
social feel- Reprint(Printers'). Printed matter
ing between differing races or sub-
for putting in type, as opposed to
races under one government as N. manuscript.
and S. of North America, Hungary Resistance - piece (Press). Chief
and Austria, Poland and Russia. dish, or leading stage piece.
-
From
Adopted in England during the Home the French piece de resistance.
Rule struggle in House of Commons. The Christmas treat was a great success.
As platinum and silver do not melt at About sixty sat down to the banquet.
the same degree of heat, so, too, diversity After this, the resistance-piece, was over,
of disposition, which in Italy is more etc. Ref., 10th January 1886.
marked than elsewhere, will not allow of Responsible (Theatrical). Fee'd
the Southerners being educated by the to lead.He is an actor more of
same method as the Piedmontese. The common sense than parts, who steadily
twenty-six years which have elapsed obeys the lead and takes that leader's
since our unification have proved this
place when not acting.
abundantly. Regionalism is still a pro- for a first-class
found sore. Signer Fazzari, D. JV., 21st Wanted, portable,
Entire Co., including Gent, for Entire
April 1886.
Lead, Juveniles, Responsibles, etc.
Regular oner (Peoples'). Indi-
1890 on).
vidual past praying for a scapegrace. Resting (Theatrical,
Obvious but has another satirical
it
Sometimes used in satirical praise.
meaning that of 'out of an
Reign of Queen Dick (Peoples'}. engagement '.
Never a quibble. This is the period of the year when the
Removal Assassi-
(Political, 1883). actor casts off his stage - mantle, and
nation. When the exposure of the settles down to that easy, indefinite,
Phoenix Park and other assassinations unemployed time which comes under the
(1882) took place Carey, one of the description of 'Resting'. D. T., llth
chief informants, in his evidence, August 1898.
always referred to a political murder
Resurrection pie (Peoples'). All
as a removal. The word at once took. sorts pasty.
Umbrellas as Weapons. In reading Revolveress (Soc, 1885). A
woman
the evidence which Town Councillor who uses a pistol.
Carey gave as to the Phoenix Park The details of the career of the charm-
murders or removals
'
as the Irish
', ing Lucille, the latest revolveress, are
Invincibles call them it is impossible romantic, though slightly mixed. Ref.,
to avoid wishing that the heroic victims 8th February 1885.
of hired slabbers had been armed. 'Ria (Maria). Passing to 'Aryet
Graphic, 24th February 1883. (Harriet). The typical name of the
Reparty (Soc., 1874). Satirical costermonger's young lady a coster
pronunciation of repartee. herself.
Just as the young Gaiety lady favoured Rib-shirts (Street, 1880). Fronts,
by royalty who had a speaking part pre- or dickeys, worn over a grubby shirt
sented to her on that account was not to give the air of a fresh one.
208
 Rice Christians Road Combination

Rice Christians (8oc. t 19 cent.}. Right off (Peoples', 1897). Rejec-

Natives in rice-bearing countries, who tion, failure, determination.
accept the missionaries in order to gain Right racket (Amer. Eng.). -

rice or food. Now used generally of Successful public declaration. Chiefly

people who make of religion
a business. refers to entertainments and publishing.
It is extremely doubtful, in these
circumstances, whether such converts
Right tenpenny on the cranium
as the missions boast are ever more (Peoples'). Good phrasing. A new
'
than the dregs of Chinese society, rendering of Right nail on the head '.
coolies without family, home, or pedi- Messrs Robertson and Bruce, at
'
rice-Christians
'
as they are scorn- Toole's Theatre, with 'M.P.', seem to
gree,
named. Ref., llth August 1895. have hit the right tenpenny on the
fully
cranium.
Rich as crazes (Irish). Of course
Rights ( Thieves', 1 860). Perfection.
Croesus.
Rich -one (Upper A Ring dropping Equi-
(Peoples'}.
ffetairice). '
valent to Tell your grandmother to
wealthy Said of the luckless
wife.
suck eggs'. Said in scorn of weak
spouse of a man who finds home not
to his liking. attempts at deception. From the stale
cheat of the operator pretending to
Richmonds in the field (Peoples').
Satirical description of rivals in active pick up a ring in the street in front of
the intended victim.
work no matter of what kind. From
Shakespeare's Richard III.
Rip (Anglo-American). Creation of
a word from the initials of Requiescat in
I think there be six Richmonds in the
field.
pace in Catholic cemeteries, the pious
wish being declared by these initials.
There were so many Richmonds in the
so many pretenders to the throne, Ripper (Thieves'). Daring murderer
field,
of women. Very common noun devised
that it was quite impossible to discover
the real king. I cannot tell you how it from rip, the ripper making his wound
is going to end. Wars of disputed suc- with a knife in the human body. In
cession are proverbially long and bloody. 1888-91 a number (ten) of murders of
Sir W. Harcourt (June 1885) in House women were perpetrated, presumably
of Commons. by the same man, as the ripping treat-
Ricing (Mid.-class). Throwing rice ment of the victims was common to
over the bride when
in her go-away all or almost all the cases.
carriage. From the East Indies, where Ripping slum (Tavern, 1800-30).
this custom intimates the hope of Capital trick. (See Egan's Life in
children rice being a prolific growth. London.)
Ride square (Racing). Square here Rise bristles (Anglo. -
American).
means fair '. '
Excite to resentment.
Adroit- Risky Adulterous
Riding (Sporting, 19 cent.). (Soc., '90's).
from racing, where a but not openly so.
ness, ability
is a great factor in There are plenty of ladies living, as all
jockey's riding
out success. in their world knows, lives which are gener-
working Applied
risky ', who are personally
'

ally called
every possible way. most scrupulous in observing all the
Nobody questions the guilt of William minor conventionalities. John Strange
Palmer. But there was some truth in
Winter, D. T., 5th August 1899.
his remark that the riding had done it ',
'

and if Mrs Bartlett were acquainted with Rit (University, passing to Peoples').

the language of the turf, she might pay A ritualistic clergyman. (See Tec,
the same compliment to Mr Clarke as Cad, Pot.)
Palmer paid to Sir Alexander Cockburn. Ritualistic knee (Doctors', 1840-50).
D. N., 19th April 1886. When genuflection came in, with the
Rig sale (London, 19 cent.). success of Dr Pusey's church theories,
Swindle a false sale. the ritualistic knee really became
Right, About (Peoples'). Modest known to medical men. It was caused
self-depreciation, or depreciation in by severe untrained momentary kneel-
general ; not absolutely right, but ing when passing the altar, etc.
nearly so, e.g., 'I thrashed him about Road combination(Anglo -
right'. (See To rights.) American Congregation
Theatrical).
1880). of variety artists moving rapidly from
Right gee-gee (Sporting,
The horse certain to win. town to town.
209
 Road-Starver Rose, Under the

Road-starver (Mendicants, 1881). the banker- poet, who in his age looked
Long coat made without pockets, very old ; or from the pirate flag, the
especially without a fob for money. Jolly Roger, which showed a skull.
Road meaning generally the mass of Rogues' walk (Soc., 1882). The
beggars the starver is that which '
Walk '
in the '90's was the north of
deprives the road of food. Piccadilly from the Circus to Bond
Reader (Local London). Sunday Street.
splendour of the youthful persuasion, Roman Fall (1865-70). A droop in
who displays himself in the Mile End the back produced by throwing the
Road. Superior to Whitechapel shoulders well behind. A fashion of
streeter (q.v.).
the last years of the French Empire,
Roast 'and an* noo (Eating -house borrowed from French military officers,
waiters'). Short for 'roast shoulder
who were compelled to accept this
(of mutton) and new potatoes '. 'And, attitude as the result of tight lacing,
orhand used for shoulder shortens the one of the more ominous excesses of
word by more than one -half, while French life in those terrible days. The
' '
noo is quite a reasonable reduction. fashion being accepted in England, it
Robbing the barber (Peoples', 19 was dubbed the Roman Fall, as a
cent.). Wearing long hair. counterpoise to the Grecian Bend (q.v.).
Robin (Street, 19 cent.).Little boy Said to have been invented by Mr F.
or girl beggar standing about like a C. Burnaud, in Punch.
'
Proud ? Not
starving robin.
'
proud ?
Spot his Roman fall.' (See
Eobin Dinners are due to the kindly
'
Two inches beyond upright.)
suggestion of the Rev. Charles Bullock, Roof scrapers Theatrical). Gallery
editor of Home Words whose appeals to (

the generosity of his readers to enable boys especially those standing behind
him to entertain 25,000 or 30,000 London the highest row of seats and therefore
children every year. D. T., 7th January nearest the roof.
1899. Rooster (Parliamentary, I860).
Robin Goodfellow (Peoples', Hist. ). M.P. who makes himself heard, who is
In Shakespeare's time he was a merry not a silent member.
urchin boy. See A Midsummer Night's Whether the returned member be a
Dream. Previously he was associated rooster or not time will tell. Bird o'
with the dusius, and even with Satan Freedom, March 1883.
for in the drawings of the 15th Roosters (River Lea Anglers').
century frequently he had horns and Followers of the gentle craft, who do
hoofs added to his peculiar qualifica- not move from one spot probably
tions. Descendant of the fauns. Pro- because they ground-bated it the night
bably his pre-Shakespearian title was before.
Good-Filler. This term Robin Good-
Rope-yarn Sunday (Mercantile
fellow would result out of the national
Marine). Thursday. On Sunday the
tendency, as Puritanism spread over food being at its best, Sunday and
the land, to veil the erotic by Angli- Thurs-
feasting well are synonymous.
cized euphemism. day, as the half-way day, is distin-
Robustious (Peoples'). Pompous. guished by duff, or pudding, which
MrBarnes's unfortunate tendency on is always made long, roly-poly shape,
'
this occasion was to a rather robustious which suggests rope - yarn hanks
'

periwig-pated style that sits ill upon hence Rope-yarn Sunday.

the shoulders of so sentimental a person-
Rorty bloke (Costers'). Vigorous,
age as Lord Lytton's Claude Melnotte.
D. N., 29th October 1883. strong.
1

Rocked to sleep (1880). One of Rorty toff (Costers ). Variation of

the sentimental American modes of rorty bloke an inferior rorty bloke.
describing death, one which began to Rortyness (Street). Vitality.
prevail about this time. Before that she reminded me a little
Rockiness (Low. Class, 1887 on). too much, in her rortyness, of the serio-
Want of foundation, unsteadiness. comic lady who sings What cheer
'

Used chiefly of a drunken man. "Ria", Ria's on the job!' Ref., 23rd
Rogers (Soc., 1830-50). A ghastly August 1885.
countenance probably from Rogers Rose, Under the. (See Sub rosa.)
210
 Rose-coloured Spectacles Rumbo

Rose-coloured spectacles (Soc.). The barmaid replied 'It's good enough

:

Optimism. Free translation oicouleur foryou go into the other bar, where the
;

de rose. men are. Mrs Montgomery retorted

'
:
'
You're wrong all round the corner,'
In these days, when the mind's eye is
less apt to observe things through rose-
meaning that she had had something to
drink. D.
16th July 1898.
T.,
coloursd spectacles, a good many of the
grand old crusted adages have broken
Rovers (American). People of
down badly. G. R. Sims, Ref., 1st Colorado given in consequence of
February 1885. their prospecting habits.
Roses and raptures (Lit, 1830 on). Row in (Peoples'). Unfair con-
Book of Beauty style of
Satire of the spiracy. From Thames life through
literature, the precursor of sestheticism.
centuries. A
man 'rowed in' in a
Attributed to Dr Maginn. river robbery, or even a murder.
It's very likely the sellers and the
The social and religious life of Hellas
was by no means what a vain people general public concerned in auction sales
are anything but satisfied with the results
supposes. It was no more all roses and '
of sales by auction where a knock-out '

raptures than our modern existence is is arranged, and especially where the
all beer and skittles. I). N., June 1885.
auctioneer 'rows in' with the crew.
Rossacrucians (Press, 1885). D. T., 12th February 1897.
Followers of O'Donoran Rossa.
Row-de-dow (Irish, 19 cent.). Riot
Satiricalterm invented by Mr G. R. term applied scornfully by Irish to
Sims. Ref., 8th February 1885. a disturbance. From a chief portion
Rot-funks (Cricket). Panics. of the chorus of ' British Grenadiers'.
Rothschild (Soc.). A rich man. With regard to the Prince and
(See Vanderbilt.) Princess's visit to Ireland, the 'row-de-
Rotten orange (Lower Peoples', dow' that is, we believe, the Hibernian
1686). Term of contempt. Historical term for it which took place, etc.
from the name given by the Jacobites Ref., 9th March 1885.
to William III. Prince of Orange. in well (Police).
Rubbing it
Giving
Rotten -apple (American, Theatri- fatal evidence.
cal). To condemn an actor by hissing Rubbish (Military Anglo-Indian,
him. Figurative expression. 19 cent.).
early Luggage of any
The last new American verb is To '

kind, and especially furniture, which

rotten-apple '. Actors, it seems, in some was frequently very shabby. (See
of the minor New York theatres, are not
Garbage.)
infrequently rotten-appled, much in the Ruck down (West 19
same way as our legislative candidates in Provincial,
the old hustings days used to be rotten-' cent.). To courtesy very low.
egged '. London Figaro, March 1883. Ruckerky (Soc., 90's). Grotesque
Rotten row (Rhyming}. Bow. pronunciation of recherche'.
It was a security which a member of
Rotter (Theatrical and Street).
the Asylums Board had described, in a
Failure in any way, especially on the
glowing adjective, as 'ruckerky'.
stage. Presumably from rot. D. T., 4th April 1898.
Rotting about (Soc. of a kind). Rudders (Oxford). Rudiments of
Wasting time from place to place. Faith and Religion (now abolished)
Roughs and toughs (Peoples'). irreverent statement in
'
er '.

Beautiful rhyming coalescing, for Ruffer (Peoples'). One who is rough.

'rough' is English and 'tough' is Rugger (Oxford Football, 1880 on).
the New York equivalent observation. Rugby rules. (See Soccer.)
All the way down, whenever there was Rule the roast (Old Eng.). To
a stop, they were insulted by Boers, and govern noisily.
we in the truck had to mix with sixty Rule was granted (Lawyers'}.
' ' '
or more of the ' roughs and toughs of Another chance.
a score of nations. Sun, 7th November Rum-bottle (Navy, 1860). Sailor
1899.
from the liquor affected by mariners.
Round (Sail-room). A valse, galop, Rumbo (Middle-class, 1860). This
or polka. (See Square.) an exclamation of congratulation,
is
Round the corner (Street). Drink. probably obtained from the gipsies,
Figurative expression not as the high as amongst them Rumbo is a
' '

road. common cry upon the meeting of

211
 Rumourmongers Sad, and Bad, and Mad

two men. Women

never interchange Run home on the ear (American).
this cry. a corruption of
It is Entirely defeated.
the Spanish carambo, the accent of Run through (Parliamentary).
which is upon the second, the word Rapid in action especially official.
becoming almost k'rambo. Runner (Thieves'). Technical name
for dog-stealer.
Rumourmongers (City, 1897).
New Hitherto there have Rushing business (Thieves' and
coinage.
been iron, and cheesemongers.
fish Public-house). Robbery by adroitness,
Newsmonger was the first modern cheating under the semblance of fair
treatment.
discovery in this direction, and now
They go out on the rushing business,
'
'
the debased rumour follows suit.
It would almost seem as if the once and a very profitable emag they find it.
Hag., 1882.
ingenious class of rumour mongers were
losing its power of skilful imagination, Rushlight (Peoples'). Very thin
and the method of the new school is to man. Derived from use of candles
cover one blunder by a still greater of which the forgotten rushlight was
blunder. D. T., 19th November 1897. the slimmist.
Run amok (Asia). Amok means Rusted in (American). Settled
homicidal mania accompanied by down. Suggested by rust fixing in a
nail or screw.
running blindly forward. Passing
from India to England it has got Ruttat-pusher (1882). Keeper of a
Running a muck ',
'

Anglicized into potato car.

probably from the fleeting destroyer
showing himself in a muck sweat.
This corrupted phrase is now applied
in England in a score of ways all of
which imply a good deal of action.
In Malacca, Siani, Java and adjacent
places the mental state which leads to
amok is equally well known and S. A. These are the initials and
dreaded. The perpetrator shows signs sign of the Salvation Army.
of moroseness for days, more or less S. D. (Theatrical). Stage door.
in number, before he is seized with S. M.
(Theatrical). Stage manager.
amok, when he dashes up, with a S. P.
(Press, 1870 on). Letters
drawn knife, and lays about him equalling special correspondent, being
amidst the scudding people until he first two letters of first word.
himself is killed by a general onslaught. S. S. (Street, 1883). These initials
In the more civilised spots where this originally stood for sinner saved. The
custom prevails, especially in Batavia, letters were revived, with a similar
precautions are taken which prevent meaning by some of General Booth's
the destruction either of the victim enthusiasts (1882) in the Salvation
to 'amok', or those near him when Army.
the murderous moment arrives. Every Sacred lamp (Theatrical, 1883).
policeman armed with a catch-fork.
is
The origin of
Ballet-girl burlesque.
Directly a patient starts upon amok, this term is quite historical. Mr John
supposing the police are not ready for Hollingshead, lessee for many years
him, as, being warned of the symptoms, of the Gaiety Theatre, Strand, London,
they generally are, the spearing of issued one of a series of remarkable
this strange fish commences. Over- lessee's ukases, in which he
cynically
taken, the springed points of the referred to the burlesques he had
pro-
amok-spear are pushed round the neck, duced as keeping alight the sacred
which passed, the incurved articula- of
lamp burlesque.
tions once more expand, and the victim
Sad, and bad, and mad (Soe., 1880).
is held at spear's length, when all the
Fashionable Jeremiah-mongering.
damage he can do is to himself. Thus Philosophers and sages, and people
hooked he is 'run in', where, if he who speak of the
'
fatal gift of beauty'
has not wounded himself fatally, he is would say, with Mr Browning's half-
treated for
*
D.T.'s 'the origin of most this was all very sad, '
repentant lover,
amok when he either recovers or is and bad, and mad '. D. N.. 10th March
passed into an asylum. 1885.
212
 Sad Vulgar Sal Hatch

Sad vulgar (Soc., 18 cent, and earlier St Giles' carpet (Seven Dials old).
19 cent.}. Synonym for cad, snob. A sprinkling of sand.
He is a 'sad vulgar', as the ladies' St John's Wooddonas (Public-
house, 1882). Immoral women of the
expression was in the days of George III. ;

and there is something very droll about better class, living at St John's Wood
the poetical retribution he meets with. generally.
St James' Gazette, 17th August 1883. St Lubbock (Lower London, 1880
Saddling - paddock (Australian). on). An orgy, a drunken riot. From
Place of amusement or rather place of the August Bank Holiday, the first
assignation. Monday in the month, chiefly invented,
Saffron Walden God - help - ye in the parliamentary sense, by Sir
(Provincial). Beggars, outcasts, John Lubbock. The tendency on the
mendicants of that place. (See part of the more violent holiday-
makers produced the satirical St ', and '

Gordelpus. )
of scornful nomenclature its accompanying meaning.
The triumph
was reached in the case of Saffron St Lubbock, Feasts of (Public,
Walden, nicknamed 'Saffron Walden Bank holidays as established
1 8 7 1 on) .
God - help - ye from the presumed
',
by law Easter Monday, Whit
wretchedness of its inhabitants. .
Monday, first Monday in August and
. .

In the heart of the New Forest occurs From

a similar instance of nomenclature to
that of Saffron Walden, with the
difference only that it is accepted by the
inhabitants instead of being thrust upon
them by the surrounding population.
The village of Burley is always spoken of
'
Boxing Day, 26th December.
Sir John Lubbock's Act, 1871, by
which the first, second, and fourth
were made legal, and the third created.
The feasts of St Lubbock i.e., Bank
Holidays established in consequence of

by the native as Burley God-help-us '. the exertions of Sir John Lubbock, M.P.
D. N., August 1884. (afterwards Lord Avebury), in 1871, are
Sinking, cessa- regarded with the highest favour. Their
Sag (Amer.-Eng.). influences upon the commercial world
tion, non-success from mining, where
and whole community have been remark-
a sinking of the bed, or roof, of a mine,
able. D. T., July 1899.
has this term applied.
St Peter's the beast (Oxford, 1890
Still more when Mr Matthew Arnold
on). St Peter's in the East.
or Mr Irving appears in the States, then
there is no sag in the popular boom ',
' All who have dwelt near St Peter's-in-
the-East and been tortured by its fear-
which, being interpreted, means that
there is no lull in the general excitement. some bell will understand why, despite
D. N. 5th October 1886.
t
its pleasant situation and curious crypt,
it should be referred to as St Peter's the
'

Sage hens (American). People of Beast'. D. T., 14th August 1899.

Nevada probably from the multi-
St Stephen's hell (Parliamentary).
plicity of prairie fowl which frequent
No. 15 Committee Room, House of
the sage bushes which cover the prairie
in that state.
Commons. When the Parnellite 'split'
took the
Irish Nationalist
Sail in (American En g.).
- place,
members 'discussed' in this chamber
Equivalent to 'Go it', and taking its for many days the noise resulting in
place in England. the bestowal by the lower officials of
Sailor's champagne (Peoples'). this title upon the room in question.
Champagne on the do ut des principle
an easy-go sailor shoots all his pay Sal hatch (Peoples'). Umbrella-
in a day, and then reminds you all the origin quite obscure, but probably
rest of his run on shore that you only salacious.
exhibit beer and mere board and Sal hatch (Prob. Hist., 17 cent.).
lodging. Dirty weneh. Probably one of the
St Alban's clean shave (Church). court of Charles II. French phrases
Appearance of the ritualistic or high of a certain fashion. Of course a cor-
church clergymen's face. 'Sale Ange', which is
ruptionfrom
St Alban's doves (Electioneering, French corruption of Sallanches,
itself a
1869). Two active political canvassers, a town in Savoy whence spread over
so called from attending a certain France, as from all other Swiss towns,
church of which they were shining women servants. The French have
lights. historically always considered the
213
 Sal Stoppers
Swiss less cleanly than themselves;
still use the
they phrase to worry
servant girls from Savoy, now, of
course, part of France. Sal Hatch is
applied in exactly the same way to
-
dirty looking young English girls.
This word, however, may come from
the Italian Salaccia a dirty, ugly,
big woman. If so, it reaches us from
the Hatton Garden division of London.
Sal slappers (Costers').
tion of a vigorous name for a
woman.
Salad march (Ballet, 19 cent.).
March of ballet girls in green, white,
and pale amber from the usual colours
of salads.
A ' '
salad march, with the coryph&s
dressed as lettuces and spring cabbages,
is an admirably harmonious arrange-
ment./). T., 7th May 1899.
Sally B. (American, 1880 on). A
very thin, tall woman in evening dress.
This phrase, which fleetingly passed
through London, is quite historical.
Derived from Madame Bernhardt,
who, though at the end of the Victorian
era, she became a well-developed come-
dian, was
many years the most abso-
for
lutely thin woman on the stage.
Sally Lunn (Peoples'). Bun, in-
vented in the 18th century by a
Chelsea industrial of that name. (See
Simnel.)
Saloon (Amer. ~Eng.). Tavern-
applied to a brilliant establishment.
Salt, Barrel of. (See Barrel.)
Salt-cellars (Peoples'). The cavi-
ties behind the feminine collar-bones.
Salt-horse squires (Naval, lucent.).
Warrant, as distinct from commis-
sioned, officers. Name used to suggest
the parvenu grandeurs of the warrant
officer, who was dined upon salt beef
the salt horse in question.
Salt-pen (Lit., 1860 on).
Nautical.
Figurative description of the pen of a
writer of sea-stories.
Salt junk (Music Hall, 1897). Last
rhyming cry for drunk passing into
'
salt '.
Salt's pricker (Naval). Thick roll
of compressed Cavendish tobacco. Used
sometimes very figuratively.
Salvation Army (Street, 1882).
Drunk.
Salvation Army of politics (Polit.,
1885). Radicals. Invented by Mr
Goschen in this year.
Sandwich Board
For us Radicals, the Salvation Army
of politics, as Mr Goschen denominated
us, the keen desire for social improve-
ment, the great and healthy efforts for
actual and immediate reforms, the en-
thusiasm of social progress ; but for him
the better part, for the educated and
thinking men the nobler mission of the
candid friend, the duty of criticising the
work in which his culture and refinement
prevent him from taking any part. Mr
J. Chamberlain's Speech Dinner of the
Modifica- :
common Eighty Club, 28th April 1885.
Salvation jugginses (Com. London,
1882). The early aversion exhibited
towards the more violent members of
the Salvation Army led to the addition
of the word juggins.
Salvation rotters (1883). Final
term of scorn levelled at the early
Salvationists.
Salvation - soul - sneakers (1883).
This was one of the last terms applied,
before General Booth (February) yielded
to circumstances and with almost papal
authority forebade outdoor processions
in London. (See Skeleton Army.)
Sam (Peoples'). Abbreviation of
Stand Sam pay for a drink.
Sam Hill (American). Some hell,
replacing the name of a notoriously
wild-tongued man.
Same o. b. (Peoples', 1880). Abbre-
viation of *
old bob
'
this standing
for shilling. Phrase has reference to
the universal shilling entrance-fee to
most ordinary places of information or
amusement.
Same old 3 and 4 ( Workmen's).
3 shillings and 4 pence which, multi-
plied by six working days, gives 1 per
week.
Sampan (Navy). Historical name,
from Nelson's time, of the Sans
Pareil.
Sandford and Merton (Press).
Didacticism from the lofty tone of
the speakers in this once celebrated
boys' book.
It would, we think, have been more
attractive but for an occasional tendency
to fall into the Saiiftford and Mertoun
or directly didactic vein, as when we are
reminded that an undue concession to
'
narrow prejudice or cowardly convention
should be unsparingly denounced, be-
cause it is insidiously and subtly destruc-
tive'. D. N., 2nd February 1885.
Sandwich board (Street, 19 cent.).
Police station stretcher, used chiefly
for conveying drunken persons.
214
 Sandwich Men Say

Sandwich men (Street, 1860 on). Sarcasm (Soc., 19 cent.). Satirical

The broken-down men em-
doleful, assumption of the meaning of a
ployed at one shilling per day to carry stupidly-said thing.
pairs of advertisement boards, tabard- Sardine-box jocular
(Peoples'). A
fashion, one on the unambitious chest, name given to the prison- van, in which
t\e other on the broken back. the prisoners werestowed away or
Sangster (London, 1850). Um- packed,*as it were. (See V.R., Black
brella. A Mr Sangster, of Fleet Street, Maria, Virtue Rewarded, Vagabonds
invented a light and elegant steel- Removed, etc.)
ribbed umbrella, which he called Sarey Gamp (London, '40's). Huge
Sangster's patent umbrella. market umbrella. Now not seen out
of museums, and mostly bought up for
Sanguinary muddle (Polit., 1884).
which seemed always their mines of valuable whalebone.
Policy of Europe
destructive. Invented by Lord Derby. Sargentlemanly (Peoples', 19 cent.).
Lord I)erby used a very strong expres- Satirical perversion of 'so gentle-
sion the other day about the diplomacy manly', and importing that the person
of Europe. He called it a
'
sanguinary has taken rank above a mere private.
muddle and recommended that Eng-
',
Sarkaster (Press, 1880). Invented
land should keep out of it. D. N., 17th
October 1885. word; synonym for satirist derived
from sarcastic.
Sans-culottes (Peoples', 1793-1830). Sarken News (London, 1860-83).
San skillets such was the translation The common term for Clerkenwell
by the people for the people in the News a journal which was begun in
loyal later times of George III. This a small way in Clerkenwell, and be-
phrase came to be immediately applied came one of the chief metropolitan
to the most wretchedly -clad men in mediums for advertising.
the revolutionary streets of Paris.
Sashay (Anglo-American). Slide,
Sapheadism (Agricultural, Amer.). skip, dance, skirt, walkingly haunt,
When the sap is rising, the bark is etc. From term used by French and
soft hence this term for weak-headed- other dancing masters - chasser to
glissade from one side to the other.
Sapper (Music Hall, 2nd French Sat(lTniver., 1860). Satisfaction.
Empire). Gay, irresistible dog. From ' Satellite (Public - school). Modern
pour un sssapeur
*
Eien est sacre !

the chorus of a song by Theresa, a synonym for fag' a boy who revolves
round a bigger one, whom he has set
great Paris music hall cantatrice, as his model and hero. Sometimes
1860-70. She came to London about up
'Sat'.
1866.
Mr Clement -Smith, the well-known Saturday middles (Soc., 1875).
The article on the left of the middle
theatrical bill being captured
printer,
the other day by another of those even-
of the Saturday Review where it

ing paper sappers to whom nothing is opened in the centre.

sacred, was irreverently christened by Saturday pie (Peoples'). Pasty,
his tormentor 'the Bill-poster King.' within which is interred all the dis-
Ref., 3rd February 1899. jecta membra of the week.
Weak- Sauce-box The mouth.
Sappy (Low. London). (Peoples').
headed. Origin obscure. Sausanmash Jww. Clerks'). Lowest
(

Saratoga (American - English). common denomination of one sausage '

Anything large, huge. Saratoga is an and mashed potatoes '.

example of new word-growth. Sara- Saveloy Square (E. London). Duke
toga Springs being the most fashion- Place, Aldgate so named satirically
able inland station for New Yorkers, on the lucus a non lucendo principle
necessarily the largest amount
of per- because, being wholly inhabited by
sonal luggage accompanied the fashion- Jews, no ordinary sausages are ever
able frequenters, while size was re- found there.
quired that ladies' costumes might not Say (American colloquial). Com-
be crushed in travelling. But the monest form of 'listen'. Probably
most remarkable development of Saro- descended from the Plymouth Brethren
'
toga was that of being used to describe who crossed to the States. Say ',
equivalent to do ', is a common form
'
anything of unusual size.
215
 Say Howdy for Me Scooped

of expression in Devonshire to this book of Mr Hardy's. Pinero urged

day. that his chief desire had been to waft
Say howdy for me (Amer.-Eng.)' a scent of the hay across the
footlights.
Remember me to, etc. (See Howdy). M. Mayer's have been
company
Passing rapidly into English every-day engaged in wafting the scent of the hay
expression. across the footlights. It is French hay,
but good of the sort. Ref., 21st
Say soldi (Italian through organ-
grinders') Six shillings.
February 1886.
'Sblood (Oath. Exclamatory). His Schlemozzle (E. London, Jews').
blood. Will be found in Tom Jones, Riot, quarrel, noise of any kind.
bk. xviii. ch. 10 ; where also will be Colloquial Hebrew.
found Od zookers God's hooks, or I had espied W. A. P., sitting not far
off, and partly with a desire to prevent
hooker, which equals 'nails' the
three used in the Crucifixion. bloodshed, partly in the hope of promot-
ing a schlemozzle, I notified Jones
'S'bodlikins (Cath. Exclamatory). December 1889.
accordingly. Ref., 1st
His bodily-kins !
Meaning obscure.
School Board 'ull be after you
Some say the earthly kin of
it refers to
(London Streets, 1881). Practically
Jesus His brothers and sisters on '

meaning Look out or the police

Joseph's side. Others, extremists say will have you.'
the word is His body leakings mean-
School-marm (Soc. t 1886). School-
ing the blood flowing from the side.
mistress. (From U.S.A.)
Scaffold-pole (Common London).
Celibacy of the clergy is a familiar
Is the fried potato chip sold with fried
doctrine, both for banning and for bless-
fish. But the celibacy of the 'school
ing.
Scaling down (American-English). marm' is a heresy which as yet only
Repudiation of debt. exists in the pious dream of school
Scalp ( American- Eng. 19 cent). , managers and school boards, by whom
Victories. marriage is regarded as an even more
After securing all the amateur scalps ruthless enemy than death. Pall Mall
in San Francisco, Corbett became a Gazette, 12th January 1888.
professional pugilist. D. T., 18th March Schoolmaster is abroad (Peoples').
1897. In other times the country may have
Scalper -
(American English). A heard with dismay that 'the soldier
savage horse, suggested by the Indian was abroad '. It will not be so now.
habit of achieving the scalp, and the Let the soldier be abroad if he will ;

tendency of the scalper to snap at the he can do nothing in this age. There
head of his groom. Now extended to is another personage abroad a person-
describe briefly any human being of age less imposing in the eyes of some,
merciless tendencies, especially in his perhaps, insignificant. The school-
financial dealings. master abroad ; and I trust to him,
is

Jewel chain armed with his primer, against the

Scalps (Soc., 1896).
charms worn upon bangles, and given
by young men to young girls.
Scandal village (Sussex). London
Super Mare or Brighton, where the
virtuous natives assume their London
patrons to be all libellous.
Scare (American - English,
Grow frightened.
Scare - crown (American, Boys').
Intensification of scare - crow, and
adapted to a woolless old man. (See
Bald head, Bottle nose. )
Scent of the hay (Theatrical).
Sneer at false pastoral writing for the
stage. From the protest of Mr Pinero
upon being accused, in The Squire (a
pastoral comedy), of plagiarising a
soldier in full military array.
Schooners, frigates, and full-
masters (Naval). Degrees of com-
parison as to the capabilities of
apprentices in the Navy the least
accomplished being the schooner, the
frigate the youth who is handy at his
1880). business, and the full - master the
achieved youngster who can learn no
more of the art of navigation under-
stood.
Scoop (Military, 1880). One of the
modes of wearing the hair when the
mode of bringing it down flat upon
the forehead came in. (See Curtain.)
Scooped (Amer. -
Eng., 1880).
Swindled money being scooped out
of the pocket.
216
 Score Scrunging

Score (Peoples'}. Reckoning said to be prevalent amongst Scotch-

figuratively used. 'I've got a score men.
'

against you, and some day you'll pay An exhibition of Scotchmen's knees
from the custom in old times of took place at the Castle, and was
drawing lines upon a board with a bit attended with great success. Mr Sandy
of chalk the number of marks in a M'Alister MacDonoughloch took the first
line being a score. (See Chalking prize and a cold in the nose. The prize
consists of a scratching poll.
against.)
Scorpions (Theatrical). Babies Screamer (Press). Alarmist article
whose observations do not help the or leader.
performance. Screaming gin and ignorance
Scorpions (Army, Hist.}. Scornful (Sporting Reporters, 1868). Bad news-
reference by officers to the civil in- paper writing.
habitants of Gibraltar. Originally Screed (American English).
- A
pelt, or muck running. Widely applied.
referred to the natural children of
English soldiers by Spanish mothers. Side by side with these garrulous
Sometimes 'Rock scorpions', the 'screeds' about what took place six or
*
Rock ' being Gibraltar. seven weeks ago comes news of what is
A military correspondent writes from doing to-day. Mef., 9th March 1885.
Gibraltar complaining of want of houses Screw your nut (L. London).
for officers attached to the garrison.
The Scorpions ', as the inhabitants are
' Dodge a blow aimed at the head.
When we gets there, the Mug says,
facetiously called, have all the best '
How did he get that ?
'

houses in their hands. D. T. 5th looking at

November 1897.
t
Selby's eye, andHe got it
I says,
'

because he could not screw his nut.'

Scotch (Rhyming). Abbreviation Peoples', 6th January 1895.
of Scotch-pegs, the catch-rhyme for Screwed up (Oxford and Cambridge
'leg'. Universities). To be vanquished.
Scrag-hole (Theatrical). Gallery. The term takes its rise from the ancient
Probably suggested by the stretching habit of screwing up an offender's door,
of the scrag or neck, and the re- The action was
generally a don's.
semblance of the gallery to a dark hole. only complete by breaking off the
heads of the very thin screws.
Scrape along (Poor Peoples'}. To
livesomehow from day to day, to Screwed up (Artisans'). Without
scrape off a living. money can't move. More emphati-
Scraper (Soc., 1880). Short one callyscrewed up in a corner. (See
to two-inch whisker, slightly curved, Hung up, Stuck up. )
and therefore differing from the square Scribe (Press y 1870 on). A poor
inch. writer.
Scratch down The public
(Street). Scribley (Provincial). Screw-belly,
scolding of a man by a woman. i.e., sourish small beer.
Scratch me (L. Lond., 19 cent.}. Script (Authors', 1897). Short for
Lucifer match.
manuscript especially in the theatre.
Scratch -
rash (Artisans'}. Face
Scripturience (Literary, 1900).
scratched presumably by wife.
Rage for writing cacoethes scribendi.
;

Scratchers (Lower Class). Lucifer Presumably invented by Mr William

matches. Splendid example of peoples' Archer, who wrote
onomatope always going on. The Ittrue that Mr Stedman's net is one
is
lower classes never took to the absurdly of very small meshes, which hauls in the
pompous word lucifer and even the ; minnows as well as the Tritons but what ;

middles added matches, from the old an amazing harvest, even of mediocrity !

sulphur matches, probably a corrup- There is a serious danger, it seems to me,

tion of
'
meche '. in this universal
scripturience. M.
Scratchers (Naval). Pay-masters Leader, 27th October 1900.
and their subordinates. Comes down Scrummage (Youths', 1860).
from the noisy times of quill pens. Struggle. Derived from foot-ball term.
Scratching poll (Peoples'). Pole for Scrunging (Country Boys'). Steal-
cattle to rub their sides against. A ing unripe apples and pears probably
reference to a skin disease erroneously from the noise made in masticating.
217
 Scug or Smug See the Breeze

Scug, or Smug (Schools'). A new Sea-side moths (Mid. -class). Bed

that is new boy. vermin.
In regard to the general charge, it is well Seats Bill (Political, 1884). Short
known that everywhere bullying has been name suddenly given to the Redistribu-
reduced to the smallest proportion. In tion of Parliamentary seats. Due to
our fathers' time every new boy, scug ', '
Mr Gladstone, and instantly accepted
or smug ', or whatever the generic name
c

as a brevity, clear in meaning.

may have boen, was kicked and knocked Further progress was made in the
about as a matter of course for the first
settlement of the main outlines of the
part of his curriculum. D. T., 12th June Redistribution scheme, or the Seats Bill
1897.
as it has now become the fashion to call
Sculps (American). Convenient it. D. N., 27th November 1884.
abbreviations of pieces of sculpture.
^
Sec. (Commercial, 1860). Abbrevia-
Perhaps no statue, except the un- tion for second.
fortunates in Trafalgar Square, and the
' '
Second hand sun (Poor Folk).
-

melancholy meeting of sculps in

Parliament Square, was more sharply Nothing much to be proud of sug-
criticised at the time of its erection, gested where sunlight is only reflected
or more heartily laughed at afterwards into a given room from a neighbouring
than the gigantic equestrian effigy of the wall.
late Duke of Wellington.!). N., 18th Second-hand woman (Anglo-Indian
January 1883. Army, 1859). Widow.
Sculpt (American Artists'). Verb
Second liker (Tavern, 1884 on).
from sculptor as writer to write ; Repetition drink another like the
dancer to dance ; singer to sing ; first. Now applied generally to
sculptor to sculpt. repetition.
Second picture (Theatrical, 1885).
Sculptor's ghost (Art). Sculptor Tableau upon the rising of the curtain
whose name is not associated with the
to applause, after it has fallen at the
marble upon which he works. May end of an act, or a play.
be the actual creator of a work which
Secrets of the alcove (Soc., 1890
goes in another's name, or may be Most intimate influence of the
for his speciality which on).
engaged only wife over the husband. Outcome of
may be hair, or bust, or legs, or hands,
or drapery. analytical fiction. Phrase invented by
Dumas fils.
Scurry around (American, 1876).
It may be what Dumas called 'the
Be active.
secret of the alcove but when perfectly
',
If you care to lynch him there are
represented, and with absolute purity,
barrels of tar, and one of us might scurry on the stage, it is very delightful to
around and get some feathers. Detroit witness. Here we see a married woman
Free Press, 1883.
using every feminine art and charm to
Scuttler (Manchester, 1870 on). tempt her husband back to companion-
Young street rough. ship and love. D. T., 29th June 1897.
Might it not be possible to teach Sedition - mongers (Polit., 1886).
manners, and to enforce their observ- Name given to supporters of Home
ance, even by means of the rod and the Rule. Started by Lord R. Churchill,
cane, at the Board schools? It is in 22nd February 1886, at Belfast.
those expensive seminaries, we appre- See (American). To 'bet'. In
hend, that the majority of the juvenile the card game of poker each player
'scuttlers' are educated. D. T.. October ' '
sees an opponent for so much that
1893.
is, much upon cards which he
bets so
'Sdeath (Poetical). Abbreviation of
holds, but has not yet shown. It is
His death meaning the Crucifixion. a word which now may often be heard
(See 'Sflesh.) in Liverpool commercial cotton circles.
Se Ta.nnha.user(Frenc7i-Eng., 90's). Stearn Carpenter, the Heracles of the
as Que je me tannhause'.
'
Bore oneself '
Troy Times, would have seen Achilles,
'

Sea William (Naval early 19 cent).

'
and gone ten dollars more ', to employ
Civilian. the language understood by the country-
'
For d'ye see I'm a Sea William, and men of Mr Charles Dudley Warner.
not in no ways under martial law,' said D. N., 13th February 1883.
the pilot. Marryat, Rattlin the Reefer, See the breeze (Cockney, 1877).
ch. Iviii.
Expression of summer enjoyment at
218
 Seek, a Clove Set the Hudson on Fire

escaping from London to an open for seven days for begging. People.
common. (See Taste the sun.) 20th March 1898.
Seek a clove (American). Take a Sent across the Herring -
pond
drink. (Lower Class). Transported to Botany
Seen better days (Middle-class). Bay.
Euphemism for saying a person is Sent to Coventry (Rural). Cut-
poor. not spoken to. Origin so obscure as
Seen the elephant (American -
not to be within view of any known
English, 1880 on). Climax witnessed etymologist.
the finish. From the universal Sent to the skies (L. Mid.-dass).
American circus whose chief attrac- Killed evasive accusation of murder.
tion in country places is the elephant. Sent up (American-Eng. ). Exposed,
Therefore the phrase means proud publicized. From the New York
exultation, and is applied to boastful Police Court term for imprisonment.
persons. 'Sent up for a month' up to the
Selah (American - English). The
prison that is.
Hebrew 'vale', 'God be with you'.
Sentimental hairpin (Soc., 1880).
Probably the origin of the London An
' affected, insignificant girl.
artisan phrase, So long'. (See.)
Happy, happy England Everybody
!
Sentry go (Military). Mounting
has got plenty of work to do except the guard.
judges of the Divorce Court. Selah ! The Volunteer billets himself now
D. T.. 29th October 1896. preferentially in forts and in barracks,
Senal pervitude (Com. Street Satire). enjoys compliance with the stern regula-
tions enforced in such places, and would
Penal servitude.
rather be on 'sentry go' than in a
Send for Gulliver (Soc., 1887 on). public-house carouse. 2J. N., 28th April
Depreciatory comment upon some 1886.
affair not worth discussion. From a
cascadescent incident in the first part
Sepulchre (Middle-class, London).
Name given to the flat cravats covering
of Dr Lemuel Gulliver's travels. the shirt front between the coat and
Send off (Anglo-American Lit.). throat. Satire upon their effect in
Poem, written specially
tale, or article covering over and burying the shirt-
to attract attention direct opposite front, when no longer immaculate.
to pot-boiler. Afterwards called chest-plasters. (See
Mr English, then a journalist in active Doggie, Poultice, Shakespeare-navels.)
harness, promised the firm a 'send-of Serio-comic (Music Hall, 1860-82).
poem. N. Y. Mercury, 1888. The title given only to lady-singers of
Sensation scene (Theatrical, 1862). a lively turn, and in distinction from
Exciting scene of action in a play. '
comics ', who are always men.
Title invented by Edward Falconer.
Serve (Thieves Soc.). Euphemism
(See Nailed up drama, Peep o' day for passing through a term of imprison-
tree.) ment.
Sensation-mongering(PoZ#.,1888). Sessions (Peoples'). Noise, quar-
Searching for effect. from the fact that
relling, disturbance,
Mr Chamberlain has resolved to take at sessions there are conditions not
no part in a controversy raised and main-
tained either for party purposes or in peculiar to quietude.
D. N., Set (Street, 1880). Conquered, put
pursuit of sensation-mongering.
26th February 1886. down.
Set about (Peoples'). To assault.
Sensational (American Press, passed
Omniscient The present assault was committed on
to Eng. about 1870). the 20th ult. As frequently happened,
adjective used wherever extraordinary '

they had words about money matters,

'

might be a possible equivalent. and because she would not accede to his
Sensational writing (Lit.). Crude, demands he 'set about her'. People,
frank, banal description, or dialogue, 4th April 1897.
intended to excite or dismay. Set the Hudson on fire (New York,
Sent (Peoples'). Evasion and con- 1884). Instance of imitation, of ' Set
traction of
'
sent to prison '. the Thames on fire '.

At North wich William Flynn was sent 'Mme. Boniface' is not likely to set
219
 Seven Dials Ralcer
Shapes and Shirts

the Hudson on fire, as it is original in

neither plot nor music.
Shake-up (Peoples'). Start, begin-
ff. Y. Mercury,
1884.
ning, spurring.
The first French Revolution, with all
Seven Dials raker (Costers' local). itsattendant horrors, was entirely due
A girl of the town who never smiles to the fact that in a little
preliminary
out of the Dials. (See Deck.) shake-up the Paris masses found them-
Seven times seven man (Peoples' selves, to nobody's surprise more than
Satirical). their own, fully equal to cope with
Hypocritical religionist.
word the gendarmerie. Ref., 27th November
Seventy-five cent, (Ainer.-
1887.
Eng., 1884). Sesquipedalian.
'Sflesh (Provincial). His flesh a Shake yer toe - rag (Beggars')
very rare Catholic exclamation, de- Show a clean pair of heels run away.
scended from before the Reformation. Shakespeare-navels (Lond. Youths',
(See 'Sdeath.) 1870). Long -
pointed, turned -down
Shack-per-swaw (Sporting). Every collar.
man for
himself. French chaque Sham-abram (Peoples'). Pretend
pour soi. Introduced in England by illness. Very common use still in
a French gentleman rider. the Navy. The captain is sham-
Shadder Work.-dass, 19 cent.). A
( abraming again he wants a day on
thin,worn person. shore, to see a doctor.
Shadow of a shade (Pol-it., 1886). Sham-ateurs (Sporting). People
More than immaculate, when used in who are not even amateurs.
the negative, as it always was. In- The amateurs of Pancras Road showed
vented by Lord R. Churchill. themselves distinctly different from the
But of confiscation, of taking away a sham-ateurs of Her Majesty's Theatre.
man's property without paying him for it, Ref., 16th December 1888.
there is not, as Lord Randolph Churchill Shamrock (Military, 19 cent.). A
would say, the shadow of a shade of a
bayonet prick.
hint or orimplication or
suggestion Shan von Voght (Irish Peoples').
inference. I). Jv~., 26th February 1886.
The Pasquinade, Mrs Harris, or Paul
Shadow of the owl (Athenceum Pry of Irish life.
Club). Cellar smoking - room (until
Can anything as spirited and stirring
1899, when the Council added a floor, as the '
Shan von Voght be rhymed in '

part of which was the newfumoir of the
Athenaeum), where the visitor was at
once met by the topaz eyes of the high-
perched owl, raised in honour of the
tutelary goddess of that ilk, Minerva.
Shadwoking (Soc.). Grotesque
rendering of shadowing.
Shake a flannin (Navvies', 19 cent.).
favour of declining to pay rent? ti. N..
5th November 1883.
Shanghai gentleman (Naval). The
very reverse of a gentleman.
Shank (American). Centre or heart.
From the shank or grip of a button.
Why, you ain't going home already ?

To It'sright in the shank of the evening.

fight. (See Flannel-jacket.) Texas Siftings, 1883.
Shake fleas ( Old Eng. ). To thrash .

Shakeleg (Peoples'). Remove.

Shake old fel (American). Greet-
'
ing Shake hands, old fellow.'
Shake-out (Stock Exchange, 19 cent.).
Sudden revulsion and following
ance due to panic, the result of dis-
Shank yersels awa (Scotch). Take
yourselves off move your shanks.
Shant of bivvy (Hatton Garden).
Pint of beer.
clear- Shan't take salt ( Theatrical). Small
returns. Good example of an elision
Means, We shall
'

covery of fraud, or of stupendous creating obscurity.

bankruptcy, or even the death of a not take enough money to pay for salt,
powerful financier of known specula- let alone bread.'
tive turn of mind. Show
Shape up (Peoples', 18 cent.).
After Saturday's heavy shake-out in fight from the aspect of a prize-
New York, occasioned by the news of fighter when prepared to kill.
Mr Flower's death, the market has When Fred called him an all-round
settled down a little in consequence of
ass he shaped up !

the evidences afforded that the big

financial houses were fully prepared to Shapes and shirts (Theat., 1883).
grapple with the situation. D. T.. 16th Satirical name given by young come-
May 1899. dians of the present day to distinguish
220
 Shave Shingle

old actors, who swear by the legiti- Sherry (Tavern). Four ale that
mate Elizabethan drama, which in- is, ale at fourpence per quart.
volves either the 'shape' or the She's been a good wife to him
' '
shirt the first being the cut-in Satire cast at a drunken
(Streets').
tunic ; the other, or shirt, being inde- woman rolling in the streets.
pendent of shape. (See Chest-plaster.) Shet down (Engineers', American).
Shave (Peoples', 1884). Drink.
Thoroughly commenced ; suggested by
Shaves (Services). False news ' '
or
' '
down a safety
shotting shutting
sometimes mere jokes. valve.
Belgrade is getting livelier because of Shet up, Sossidge (Peoples', 1896).
the influx of miscellaneous foreigners. Recommendation to a German, noisy
It still maintains its pre-eminence for
in public, to be quiet really, 'Shut
'shaves'. D.N., 1876.
Shawl of up, Sausage'.
(Mid. -class). Symptom Sheltered (Low Life). Complete
engagement. Word derived from shop-
ignominy.
Lady Clonbrony was delighted to see shutter.
that her son assisted Grace Nugentin in
shawling Miss Broadhurst. Miss Edge-
Shevvle chap (Sheffield). A man
of that city.
worth, The Absentee, 1809.
Shift (Irish, 1800). Blow up.
She (Soc., 1887). Queen Victoria.
From She, the African romance by Mr Shiftmonger (Tavern, 1882). Very
Rider Haggard produced early in this
remarkable expression. When the
year. chappies and Johnnies became noto-
She didn't seem to mind it very
rious for frequenting the old Gaiety
much Cant phrase, Theatre stalls (1879-82), they were
(Peoples', 1885).
remarkable for the display of very
intimating jealousy on 'her' part.
Sheckles (Peoples'). Money. From large, rigid shirt-fronts. Indeed, this
the Hebrew. shirt became a specialty hence the
Shed a tear (Peons', 1860). Take word.
a short drink not a draught. The shiftmonger rolled into the
Shedduff (Mid.-class). Roman's (Romano's an Italian restaurant
Corruption in the Strand) blind, speechless, para-
of chef d'asuvre.
Sheet o' tripe (Streets'). Plate of lytic. Staggering up to the well-known
slate, he wrote thereon, in trembling
this dish.
characters,
'
Coffee and soda for one.
She'll go off in an aromatic faint Wake me in time to bress for Baiety
(Soc., Said of a fantastical
1883). Gurlesque '. Bird o' Freedom, 7th March
woman, meaning that her delicate 1886.
nerves will surely be the death of her. Shillelagh (Irish, Hist.}. Knobbed
Shellback (Navy). Sailor of full stick carried for fighting.
age. (See Flatfoot.) What did he hit you with ? Witness :
She-male (Common London, 1880). An Irish shillelagh a crinkled and thick
Synonym for female, and pairing with stick a kind of Irishman's truncheon.
he-male. (See He-male.) D. T., 31st December 1895.
I love the she-male sex.
Shilling tabernacle (Peoples').
Sheol (E. London). Evasion of Wesley an or Baptist tea-meeting at
'
'
Hell the word being Hebrew for
twenty-four halfpence per head.
this place.
Shin stage (Peoples', 18 cent.}.
In our own channels or in the great
Australian bight we who would go to sea
Journey on foot or by propelling the
shins.
for pleasure would go to Sheol for pas-
Shine (American). Smiling look.
time. Ref., 4th October 1887.
To
(Boer War, October
Shingle (American}. Close-cropped
Shepherd, hair ridge and furrow. When (1880)
1899-1900). To surround, to drive
into a crowd from surrounding the following a London fashion, the hair
of American men of fashion was cut
enemy.
close, this term came to be applied.
Since Cronje was shepherded with his
It is derived from the name of thin
army into the bed of the Modder by a
wooden tiles shingles, which, of
turning movement, the remaining Boer
commanders have been very nervous lest course, lie flat and close to the roof-
a similar manoeuvre should be tried rafters.

against them. D. T., 2nd April 1900. '

There will be no more parting there ',

221
 Shipwrecked Short 'Uns

said the man when he looked into the Shoot the chimney (American).
mirror after having his hair shingled.
Chimney is figurative for talking, and
Texas Si/tings. derived from movement of chin. Shoot
Shipwrecked (E. London). Drunk. here means stop.
(See Floored.) Shoot f wood to t' hole (Yorks.).
Shirtsleeves and shirt - sleeves Be secret. Let no one hear you.
(Peoples'). Poor and rich, work and Translated thus Shut the wood to:
'

'

luxury. The first are rolled up to the the hole ; or, in other words, '
Shut
shoulders.
'
I do my work in my the door'.
shirtsleeves.' The shirt-sleeves are Shoot your cuff (Peoples', 1875 on).
fair, white, smooth, and only dis- Make the best personal appearance you
played, as a rule, at the cuff. can and come along from the habit
Shoe's on the mast (Sailors' and of wearing wide cuffs. (See Cuff-
Peoples', Hist.). If you like to be shooter.)
liberal, now's your time.' Originally Shooter (American- Eng., 1870).
typical of homeward-bound and pay- Pistol.
off. In the 18th century, when near Shooting at sight (American).
the end of a long voyage, the sailors Instantaneous homicide without
nailed a shoe to the mast, the toes warning.
downward, that passengers might deli- Shop
(Theat., 1880). Theatre.
cately bestow a parting gift. One of the mock-modest affectations
Shofel (E. London). Hansom cab. of actors, putting themselves and their
Said to be derived from the peaked work on a trade basis. (See Low
bonnets in use about 1850-53, which comedy merchant. )
Jewesses dubbed by this name. Shofel, Shop, To (Low. London). To be
it seems, is a common word for hood, instrumental in sending an individual
peak, or eave even a hook nose.
to prison. Generally used to describe
Shool (E. London}. Church or imprisonment.
Sullivan shopped him real landed
chapel from this Hebrew word repre-
him. People, 6th January 1895.
senting synagogue.
The beadle's eye was all over the Shop-constable (Workshop}. He
shool at once. Zangwill, Children of represents the first principle of justice,
the Ghetto. the most primitive type of the
Shoot (S. Exchange). To give a magistrate. He is appointed for a
man a close price in a stock without day ; he takes his turn with the rest
of his shop companions, and commands
knowing whether there will be a profit
or loss on the transaction. one day, only to obey the next. When
Shoot (S. London, 1868). Walworth there is a trade or a personal quarrel,
Road Station, L. C. & D. Railway. an appeal is made to the ' constable ',
Because of the immense number of who has the case tried.
persons 'shot' out there. Shopped ( Theatrical). Verb derived
A recent writer on the condition of from shop. Engaged for piece.

Italy adduces the wretched character of

Short
(Bankers'). cheque paid in A
most of the railway stations as evidence as few notes as possible.
of the poverty of the country. I would Short (Public-house). Raw spirits
give something to know his opinion of to distinguish it from spirits and
Walworth, as evidenced by the condition water.
of the
*
Shoot 'South London Press,
!
Short turn men). A
(Hatters'
November 1882.
particular ring at the warehouse bell
Shoot, Blooming (Common London, requires that the boy shall answer it.
1880). Cursed crowd. Upon his return he gives to the shop
Here's bad luck to the whole blooming constable (see), of the day the message
'
shoot. Cutting. he has heard at the gate. Gentlemen,
'
Shoot into the brown Volunteers',
(
a short turn ', he may say, or a long
circa 1860). Figuratively to fail. turn '. In the first case, the applicant
presumably a well authenticated
-
The phrase takes its rise from rifle is
'

practice,where the queer shot misses Unionist '.

the black and white target altogether, Short 'uns (Poachers'). Partridges
and shoots into the brown i.e., the referring to the almost complete
earth butt. absence of tail feathers. (See Long 'un. )
222
 Slwrt Week Sieve-Memory

Short week (Artisans'}. Not a Shulleg-day (Street, 1880). Cor-

wages to take.
full six days' ruption of show-leg day referring to
Shortage (Anglo-American, 1880 muddy day in London when the ladies
on). Abbreviation of defalcation. carry their skirts high and expose their
ankles.
Sho's (American). Abbreviation of
'
sure as '. Shunt (Railway Officials'). To kill
Shot Freed from
(Peoples', Hist.).
or move out of the way from shunting
past tense of a verb rarely used in the carriages and engines.
singular in police society. Shut down (Amer. -Eng.). Ceased
It was a horse that didn't mean work, from closing the lid of the cash-box.
and witness was very glad to get shot '

But Coghill didn't want any more of

of him'. D. T., 14th December 1897. the lands at any price. Then Lafayette
Shoulder-dab (London, 1800). A tried to get the balance of the money
warrant officer or bailiff, who tapped due in honour to Coghill from Barin' by
the debtor on the shoulder as a legal selling Baring some more of the lands.
arrest.
But Baring by this time had got enough
of the lands himself, and shut down.
Shouldering' ( Undertakers'). Carry- N. Y. Mercury, 23rd May 1885.
ing corpse in coffin.
It appeared that at a late hour on
Shut down (Anglo - American).
Monday night the prosecutors were
Forbidden very emphatic form of
'shouldering' a coffin, containing a opposition.
corpse which they had just brought away Dr Oliver and Dr Myrtle what pretty
have shut d own on ' monopole '
' '
from the Westminster Hospital. D. N., names !

20th August 1890. and 'extra dry'. Harrowgate D. N. t

31st August 1883.
Shov (Thieves'). Knife, or rather
Said by some to be an
dagger or dirk.
Shut up your garret (Street). Hold
' '
shove
application of the movement your tongue.
made with the knife by others a ; Shuvly kouse (Street). Perversion
corruption, very cogent, of 'chiv' of public-house. This phrase spread
the Romany for knife. through London from a police-court
Shove (Street, 1880 adopted gener- case, in which a half-witted girl used
this phrase.
ally). Bounce, gas, self-glorification,
preposterous patriotic yell. Sick in 14 languages (American
You only get to know what a nice Marine). Very ill indeed.
place England is by going abroad, and '
Sick man
of Europe (Polit., 1853
finding what a lot of shove there is
'

about the glorification of most other

on). Any reigning sultan of Turkey.
The phrase, as applied to Turkey, is
places. Ref., 24th July 1887. said to have been given currency by
Shove in (Common Glass). Pawn the Emperor Nicholas I. of Russia.
requires no elucidation. Conversing in 1853 with Sir George
Shove off (Navy). To quit, go, Hamilton Seymour, the English Am-
flee,depart from shoving off a boat bassador at St Petersburg, he used the
from land or ship. words :
'
We have on our hands a
Show drink, To (Amer. - Eng.). sick man a very sick man. It will
Obvious. be a great misfortune if, one of these
Show-houses (Soc., 18 and 19 cent.). days, he should slip away from us
Mansions containing valuable works of before the necessary arrangements have
art. been made.'
Show-houses is a very appropriate term Side-scrapers (Middle-class London,
for such of the mansions of our nobility 1879-82). This was the name given to
and gentry as are open to public the square inch or two of whisker
inspection. Mirror, 1829. parallel with the ear which came in
Show the hand (Peoples'). To about this time.
reveal unintentionally. From card- Bad
Sieve-memory (Peoples' old).
playing, where showing the hand is memory.
sure to lose the game.
I pray you, sir, write down these
Showy (Society, 1880). This word charms, for I have but a sieve-memory.
'
for overdressed and over
'
made up All runs through. Garrick, Abel
began to be common in this year. Drugger.
223
 Signed All Over Six-Cornered Oath

Signed all over (Artists'). Said of Singing Spanish

(Old Eng.).
a good picture which instantly reveals Making a crooning noise
wild,
its creator in every inch. probably suggested by the church
Silence -yelper (Thieves"). Usher services of Queen Mary Tudor's
in a court of law word being his
this husband.
chief shape of speech. Sinjin's Wood (Streets', 1882).
Satirical way of announcing St John's
Silly dinner (Soc. , Anglo-American,
1897). Free and easy feasts. Took Wood.
its rise in an evasive
paraphrase of the You have tasted the bad lush called
name Mr
Herbert Barnum wines from the wood. Well, there is
Seeley.
worse tipple than that, cully the wines
Seeley gave (20th December 1896) a of Sinjin's Wood.
dinner in New York which was con- They generally run
cluded by a femimine music - hall you in about a dick a bottle.
entertainment. Sip (Com. Lond. 19 cent. ). Synonym
,

for kiss.
Instantly the news of the Seeley dinner
Sissies (Soc., 1890 on). Effeminate
got into the newspapers, Mr Oscar
Hammerstein put a clever burlesque of men in society.
the whole business on the stage of Sissy men in Society. Powdered,
Olympia a music hall in Broadway. painted and laced. They swarm at
D. T., 28th January 1897. afternoon teas. Of late, says a London
From this time a doubtful dinner writer, a certain type of man has become
protuberant a languid, weak-kneed,
was spoken of as a Silly one. Became
vain, and lazy specimen of humanity
quite colloquial. 'There will be a who has literally no redeeming points
silly snack on Sunday, 11.30, that can be discovered, and who yet
T. W. B. F.
gives himself all the airs of one to whom
Silly mop! (Provincial, Rural). the universe ought to do unquestioning
Evasion of silly cow. Said generally homage. N* Y. Mercury, May 1893.
of a stupid woman. Sit down supper(Soc., 1860).
Silver streak (Patriotic). English When about
this date the medical
Channel.
press began to agitate against high
The silver streak shelters England from feeding, one of the economical results
those direct consequences of a great war was the invention of the '
stand up
'

on the Continent which might be ex-

pected to overtake France. D. N., 14th
October 1885.
Simnel (Scarborough). Cake of two
kinds set one on the other, and so
baked. The result of an accidental
baking. There is a legend in Scar-
borough, however, that this name
refers to the pretender Simnel, and
that this cake was first baked by him
in Henry VII. 's kitchen.
The day was termed '
Mothering
because children in service
Sunday ',
all
repaired to their homes, taking with
them a spiced cake, called a simnel, to
which quaint ceremony, still observed in
many rural districts, Herrick alludes in
the lines
A simnel also will I bring
'Gainst thou goest a-mothering.
D. T., 16th March 1901.
Simpson v. Hard Simpson.
Singing drolls (Music Hall). Comic
male duettists who invented this title
to distinguish themselves from comic
singers, who were not droll,
supper, a necessarily thinner meal
than the old ball - banquet. Old-
fashioned people thereupon adopted
this term.
Sitter (Cricket, 1898). Easy catch.
Siwy, Upon my (Common London).
A polite way of taking or making oath
possibly a corruption of asseveration.
not disgrace your toffish lot. I'll
I'll
be a great man, upon my sivvy. Cutting,
1882.
(See Thuzzy -muzzy. )
Six buses through Temple Bar
(Peoples', 1840 - 50). Impossibility.
Originated by the celebrated M.P.,
General Thompson.
Everybody who asks the Government
to go on with the Suffrage Bill and the
Seats Bill as one measure, and at one
time, will be committing that great
mistake which our old friend General
Thompson used to describe as being
made by the man who insisted on driving
six omnibuses abreast through Temple
Bar. John Bright, Leeds, 18th October
and who 1883.

rarely wore costume. (See Athletic Six-cornered oath (Anglo-Ameri-

drolls.) can). Complicated swearing.
224
 Six Feet above Contradiction Stagger

Since we are going to have German Skettling (Naval Officers'). Full

opera this season, it is high time to dressing.
explain that Die Gfotterdammerung is not Ski (Westminster School). Street
a six-cornered German oath, but an
N. Y. Mercury, September 1883. Arab, road boy.
opera. Skilamalink (L. London). Secret,
Six feet above contradiction shady, doubtful. If not brought in
(American). Completely imperious. it was re-introduced
by Robson, by
Six feet and itches (Peoples"). him at the Olympic Theatre, and in a
Over six feet. Corruption of inches, burlesque.
' '
usually written ichs hence the Skin-changers (Peoples'). Apper-
word. taining to metamorphosis. It referred,
Six mile bridge assassins and refers generally, to the wehr-wolf
(Tipperary). Soldiers from the fact
throughout Europe.
that once upon a time certain rioters
Lycanthropy (a charming subject) is by
were shot at this spot, not far from the late Mr J. F. M'Lennan. The wolf
Mallow. is the animal, as Mr M'Lennan says, into
'
'
Six of everything ( Workwomen's). which European skin-changers com-
Said by workwomen and workmen's monly turn themselves. D. N., 7th
wives in praise of a girl who marries August 1883.
with a trousseau meeting the respect- Skinners (Street). Mental torture
able requirements of this phrase. figure of speech. From the agony
Six - monthser (Police). A endured by being flayed alive.

stipendiary magistrate of a savage Skins a wicked eye (American).

nature who always gives, where he Evil-looking eye the skinning re-
can, the full term (six months) ferring to the wide opening of the lid.
allowed him by law. A
Skip (Anglo-American, 1870).
Six-quarter men (Cloth Drapers''). rapid retreat, quick march to avoid
There are two widths of cloth six Also to run away
consequences.
quarter and three quarter. The
meanly. (See Bailey, Polka, Valse. )
superior employes are called 'six-
quarter men '
'
the inferior
'
three- Skippable (Soc., 1882). To be
avoided from skipping in reading.
quarter men a term of contempt.
Mrs Oliphant's contessa is not so odious
Sixes, Put on the (Military, 1879). nor quite such a bore as some contessas
Small hook curls, hence 'sixes' we have known, but she is skippable,
gummed by some privates on their too. D. N., 26th December 1884.
foreheads, and composed of their One
forehead hair. Skipper (Criminal, 1870).
' retreating.
Ain't the 3rd putting on the sixes,' Naval way of
Skipper (Military).
said by a private at Dover of another
describing a military captain.
regiment in reference to the 3rd, whose
colonel allowed this style of hair- Skivvy (Navy). Japanese equi-
valent to rumbo.
dressing.
Skalbanker (Paper-makers'). An
Sky -pilot (Naval). Chaplain
brought in about the time of Dibdin
outsider paper-maker, one who has not and Tom Bowline. (See Holy Joe,
served seven years to the trade.
Devil-dodger. )
Skeleton Army (Street, 1882). While some of the members of the
Street fighting. The origin of this term
Congregational Union were enquiring the
for fighting in public took its rise about way to the hall where refreshments were
the end of 1882, when the Skeleton served, the doorkeeper shouted in a
'

Army was formed to oppose the ex- stentorian voice Sky - pilots' bean-
:

treme vigour of the early Salvation feast \'D. T., 4th October 1895.

Army. Skying a copper (Peoples', 1830

Serious Affray between the Skeleton
and Salvation Armies. A man named
Timothy M'Cartney is at present lying
in the London Hospital suffering from a
severe wound in the back, which he re-
ceived from one of the members of the
Skeleton Army. D. N., 10th January
1883.
225
on). Making a disturbance upsetting
the apple-cart. From Hood's poem,
A Report from, Below, to which this
titlewas popularly given until it abso-
lutely dispossessed the true one.
Slagger (Low Life). Fellow who
keeps a house of accommodation.
 Slam Small and Early

Slam (American passing to Eng- Sling your body (Low. London).

land}. To skurry
or chevy, probably Dance with vigour.
from the vigour displayed in slamming Slipper (Tailors'). Sixpence.
a door. Slippery or slippy (Marine).
Slam - slam (Anglo-Indian}. To Active.
salute taken from Eastern salaam. Sloan, To (Peoples', 1899).
Slanging (Music Hall, 1880). This Hamper, baulk, cut. A word that
is a term for singing, and is due to the lasted only as long as a summer's
quantity of spoken slang between the
leaves. From an American jockey
verses. (Archer), who, riding a French horse
Slap Paint used in
(Theatrical). (Holocaust) in the Derby this year,
creating a stage complexion. Prob- attempted to slant him across the
course inside Tottenham corner and
ably from its being liberally and liter-
ally slapped on. hamper the race. It was a fearless
Slated (London Hospital, 19 cent.). trick, invented by Archer at the risk
To die. Visitors to their relations and of his life one that Sloan imitated at
friends in hospital are only admitted the expense of his horse's life.
on certain days until a patient is When the rider of a mare named Nurse-
doomed, when he is 'slated' that is maid finished d la Sloan, the Devonshire
to say, his name is placed on the door- labourer expressed his mingled surprise
and admiration at the daring of the feat.
porter's slate, in order that his rela- D. T., 12th August 1899.
tions and friends may mention his
name, and obtain entrance to the hos- Slop-made (Australian). Dis-

pital at any reasonable hour. jointed.

Slosh the burick (Common London
Slaughter-house (Thieves'). Name
for the Surrey Sessions-house. Life}. Beating the wife.
(See
Slosh the old gooseberry (Low.
Steel, X.'s hall, jug.)
London). Beat the wife.
Sleeps like a top (Old English).
From taupe a mole, which is prac- Sloshiety paper (Press, 1883). A
satiric imitative, equivalent to Society
tically always in bed. '

Slice off (Military). Paying part of
an old score.
'Slife (Ancient). Catholic excla-
mation His life. (See Odd's
Slightly tightly (Fast Life). Be-
mused with beer ; not drunk.
Sling a slobber (Low Life). To
kiss, or rather sling a kiss the salute
itself being the slobber.
Sling hook (Peoples'). Dismissal.
From the mining districts. Refers to
a hooked bag which is hung up in
dressing room, and contains such
-
paper invented to attack the sloshy'
gushing tendency of these prints.
Sloshing around (American).
my life.) Hitting out indiscriminately.
Slow (Cricketting). Slow ball.
Slow curtain (Theatrical). Curtain
lowered gradually.
Hard drive of the
Slug (Thieves').
fist into a face. Probably an onoma-
tope.
Slumming (Soc., 1883). Visiting
the poorest parts or slums of a city
with a view to self-improvement.
The results of a little experiment,

things as the miner does not require which has been tried with the kindly
down the shaft. When dismissed the consent of the Benchers of the Inner
miner removes his hooked bag, and Temple, are well worth the attention of
takes it away. people who interest themselves in what
is cynically called 'slumming'. D. N.,
Sling in (American now English,
August 1884.
1860). Very common American verb
to recommend action. Slung (Art Students'}. Rejected
'
Sling in your feet ', said to a break- probably derived from rhyme to hung.
down dancer. Slush (Com. People}. Coffee and
Sling us in something hot in your rag ',
'
tea served in common coffee-house.
said to a newspaper critic. Small and early (Soc., 1877). A
Sling joints (American). Gain a carpet dance to which only a few inti-
living rather by physical than mental mates are invited. It is begun about
effort. eight and ends about eleven.
Sling over (Soc. from Amer.).
,
To The Earl of Northbrook had a dinner-
embrace emphatically. party at his official residence yesterday.
226
 Smash a Brandy Peg Snapping your Head Off

A small and early party assembled after Smothering a parrot (French).

dinner. D. N., 6th March 1884. Draining a glass of absinthe neat.
Smash a brandy peg (Military, Derived from the green colour of the
1880), Drink the spirit in question. absinthe.
Abdullah Bey would smash a brandy peg Smouge (American-English, 1880),
with any one of us, and on the present To steal
probably Dutch.
occasion quaffed his laager beer like a While grace is being said at the table,
stolid old Dutchman. D. N., 7th May children should know that it is a breach
1884. of good breeding to smouge fruit-cakes
Smash the teapot (Street}. Break just because their parents' heads are
the abstinence pledge. bowed down. American Comic Etiquette
1854 for Children, 1882.)
Smash-up (Military, on).
Defeat. Snaggle-tooth (Street). Woman of
lower order, generally a shrew, who,
Every one who was present at the
lifting her upper lip when scolding,
' '

smash-up and victory at Tamai used

to say that no battle like it would again shows an irregular row of teeth.
be witnessed in the Soudan. D. N,, Snake out (Amer.-Eng., 1835-40).
28th January 1885. Hunt down. From rattle-snake hunt-
Smashed (Navy). Reduced in rank. ing. Now dead in U.S.A. cities,
Smell where the force of the verb is lost.
hell through a gridiron
Reference to drink- Comes from early settlers. Heard
(American).
madness. sometimes in rural England.
Smell the foot -lamps (Historic
The present is a fair opportunity to
snake Thompson out.
survival}. Stage-struck ; but in many Proclamation,
Boston 1835, against the English Aboli-
ways referring to the stage. Of course
tionist, Mr George Thompson, then visit-
referring to the whale oil lamps used
as the foot-lamps, where candles could ing America.
not be conveniently snuffed. Snakes (Anglo-American). Drink-
madness delirium tremens.
Smilence (Peoples'). Word - dis-
Snakes (Eng.- American, 19 cent.).
guising with a suggested point.
Danger.
if you please.
Smilence, ladies, Mr Cluer asked if anybody was chasing
Smithereens, Smither's ruins the prisoner when he cried out, They're '

(Irish).Destruction. 'Faith, I was after me '

?

smashed entirely into smithereens.' The witness replied in the negative.

May be an Irish word, but .probably Mr Cluer : Then I suppose he saw
' ' snakes. D. T., 2nd January 1900.
corruption of Smither's ruins as
typical of complete smash. Though Snakes alive (American). Much
who Smithers may have been seems worse than snakes.
not t* be known. Snaky (A merican Backwoods).
Smoke-waggons ( W. American- Evidently suggested by the back-
English, 1890). Revolvers pistols. woodsman associating untruth with
They certainly do carry condensed the doubtful and uncertain behaviour
smoke. of the serpent.
Smoker 1878).
(Social, Club or Snakes also have the vice of developing
corps concert, where the members mendacity in the human race so con-
spicuously that in the Far West snaky
' '

sing, play, and smoke, and, as a rule,

is the term applied to a tale more vivid
recite.
than probable. D. N., 19th February
Upon Mr A. D. Sturley and Mr M. G. 1883.
Dearin devolved the pleasant duty of
presiding at the smoker '. '
D. T., Snap-manager (Anglo-American).
February 1894. One who hurries a company together.
Smoking (School). Blushing.
A snap-manager in Canada lately ex-
emplified the ultimate of check by asking
Smole (Word disguise). A gro- James Herne to loan him his lithographs
tesque variation of smile. to advertise the playing of a filched copy
S'mother evening (Music Hall of flerne's Heart of Oak '.

1884). Cynical refusal. Snapping your head off (Society,

Among the items was Roberts's song, 19 Brusqueness of manner.
cent.).
'
S'mother evening '. Ref., 7th June Anthony Trollope seemed a singularly
1885. gruff and ponderous personage, rather
227
 Snapping Soccer

blundering in converse, and slightly ad- S'elp me greens (Pre-reformation).

dicted to 'snapping your head off' if '
So help me, groans '

groans being
you differed from him. Illustrated aids to repentance after the manner of
London News (G. A. Sala), 16th Decem- Jeremiah. To-day the word has a very
ber 1882.
remarkable meaning 'may I lose the
Snapping (Colliers'). Eating very attributes of masculine vigour if I am
good suggestion of hungry man de- diverging from the line of rectitude.'
vouring. A close study of Balzac's Vautrin will
Snappy 1893 on).
(Soc,, Attrac- throw much probable light upon
tive. Applied in all ways. phrases of this kind.
I must sand you a few lines to tell you Here's a nice little story, and it's all
to take care of yourself, and be a good me greens. 1883.
true, s'elp
little boy, and keep out of mischief. I
am going to keep the spotted jersey, and S'elp me never (Modern Low
'

it looks quite snappy. D. T., 4th July London). Meaning, probably, May
1895. God never help me if I lie now '
'Never', however, may be a
Sneaking-budge (Thieves').
tion of a distinct word.
corrup-
Shop-lifting. (See Fielding, Jonathan
Wild.) So and so (Military). Short for
Snide and shine (E. London). Senior Ordnance Store Officer.
General description of the common So'brien (Mariners').
Corruption
Jews of the East of London by their of Sobraon, a well-known favourite
Christian brethren. Both words bear Australian steam-ship, named after
the same meaning, but taken together one of Wellington's victories. Good
are most emphatic. example of anglicizing.
Snide - sparkler ( Trade Jewish So glad (London, 1867 on). Catch
Jewellers'). False diamond. word from William Brough's Field of
Snippety (Literature, 1890 on). the Cloth of Gold.
Journals made up of snippings from His song is as likely to take the town
other and generally ancient journals. as the French King's catch phrase, 'So
Used satirically. From the noise glad ', which was all over London twenty
made by scissors in the operation of years ago. D. T., June 1867.
editing. So long v. Aspect.
'
Men-folk may buy the snippety' pub- So very human (Soc., 1880).
lications, but this fact never appears to Apology, originally for conduct, but
deter women from getting copies for
applied finally in so many ways that it
themselves. D. T., 2nd October 1896. fell into disuse 1884.
Snossidge (Commonest London, An attempt to exclude foreign material
1880). A nonsense mode of pronounc- would in all probability be met by
'
ing sausage '.
retaliatory measures. This would not
Snubber (Public school).
be a wise policy on the part of other
countries, but then it would be, in the
Reprimand.
Snuff a bloke's candle (Thieves' slang of the day, 'so very human'.
D. N., 27th October 1884.
English, 18 cent.). To murder a man.
Soaked the mill (American). Sold
S'elp me, Bob (Pre-reformation).
all his property through drink.
Corruption of So help me, Babe
'
An '.

appeal to the mediation of the infant Soap. Girls. (See Bits o' soap.)
Saviour. Following the rule of peoples' Soccer (Oxford Football, 1880 on).
Association football saves three
colloquial, which always finds a new
meaning for an exploded word, Bob has syllables.
here been substituted. Some writers 'Soccer', however, is an excellent
insist upon Bob being the diminutive example of Oxford minting, whether or
not she can claim the credit of its inven-
of Robert, a policeman as though the
tion. For the rule is as follows Take :
classes using such a phrase as this
would ask assistance from the nearest any word in common use knock the end ;

off and add 'er'. If it should sound

constituted authority?
acceptable, it suffers no further mult a-
The City coppers can't leave the poor tion. If it is still harsh and cacophonous,
costers alone. It riles the coppers, s'elp see what it will look like by striking off
me bob, to see a cove trying to get an its head and the casual removal of an
honest living. Cutting, 1 883. intermediate syllable. All these pro-
228
 Social E. Souvenir'd

cesses appear to have been gone through sorry to learn that on this occasion some
'
in order to produce '
Soccer from one has blundered. Ref., 5th July 1885.
Association. Rugby was more fortunate.
It had only a tail to lose. D. T., 14th Something in the city (Peoples').
Evasive suggestion of doubtfulness as
August 1899. (-See Rugger.) to the person spoken of.
Social E. (Mid. -class, 19 cent.).
Evasion of social evil. (Something) please (Amer.-Eng.).
Substitution of ' dam -well please. '

Society (Artisans'). A
synonym We cannot all go to learn English
for workhouse.
accent and style in Boston or New York,
Society journal (Soc., 1878). and must try to be intelligible without
Evasive name for a scandal-publishing
hoping to be accurate or elegant. We
' *
newspaper. are told not to say above his strength ,
It seems that Mr Legge the proud
is but beyond his strength '. We shall do
'

inventor of the phrase Society Journal, as we (something) please, to quote

and he may further plume himself on another Transatlantic authority. D. N.,
having rendered it much the same service 16th April 1885.
as Hyperbolus performed for ostracism. Common pro-
Sooper ( Theatrical).
Probably no paper will be ambitious of nunciation of *
super', contraction of
the title Society Journal after the
account which Mr Legge gave in the wit- supernumerary, the name given to the
ness-box of the way in which the business
rank and file of a theatrical company.
is conducted. Sat. Rev., 21st March -
Sossidge slump 1896).
(Polit.,
1885. Failure derived from
sossidge (a
Society journalist (Press, 1875). A German), and slump (failure or pay-out
contributor to the Society Journal. of a mine-vein), and referred to the
Societymaddists (Soc., 1881). telegram of the Emperor of Germany
Term to describe people not born in in January, to President Kruger,
society, who devote their whole lives, congratulating him on repulsing Dr
and often fortunes, to get into society. Jameson's raid. This telegram made
the Germans unpopular, and caused
Sodgeries (London, 1890). Latest
outcome of fisheries, colindries, etc. German trade in England to fall off

Started by Punch (April 1880). A woefully.

Soul -faker (Peoples', 1883). One
Military Exhibition, Chelsea Barracks.
of the early names given to the
Soft sawder to order (Anglo-
Amer. ). Tailor's clothes ordered and Salvationists before their value was
not ready made. in any way recognized.

There is a fine op portunity for any Souper and slang (Thieves').

rlessly erei Watch and chain. Probably the first
pulpit, andtell a few truths to those word is soup-plate from the once huge
eminent personages whose preachers size of the watch, while the second
supply them regularly with soft-sawder may be a wilful corruption of sling,
to order. Entr'acte, 7th April 1883. because the old long chain, worn round
Soldier's farewell (Garrison). the neck would habitually sling about
1
Go to bed ', with noisy additions. a great deal.
Soldier's supper (Garrison). Drank to
Soupy (Low Peoples').
Nothing at all tea being the final sickness.
meal of the day. Soured To be
on, (Anglo-
Some(Anglo-American). Is this
American).To dislike thoroughly.
word or not a pun ? The question put
' ' South Chicago rough (U.S.A.).
Are you an American ? he will reply
Typical rough of American cities.
'Some, sir'. Is this sum, Sam, or
some, used with satire for out and out ?
Souvenir egg (American). Ancient
' '

Some pumpkins (American specimen hence cogency of souvenir

farmers'). Considerable importance. always associated with time which an
Some when (Soc., 1860-70). Some egg should never possess.
time. Souvenir'd (Theatrical). Gratis
Some one has blundered (Soc., picture or pamphlet, celebrating a
1860 on). Emphatic yet evasive mode centenary, or bicentenary, or even a
of complaint. From Tennyson's Charge tercentenary of a new piece or variety
of the Light Brigade. show.
I am sure the Lord Mayor will be very First anniversary of The New Boy at
229
 Sovereign not in It Spilled in the Big Drink

the Vaudeville next Thursday, when all Sperrib (Middle-class, Loud.}. Wife
the audience will be magnificently of his bosom. Corruption of spare-rib,
souvenired as the Americans now say.
' '

and derived from the legend of the

Ref. 17th February 1895.
t
creation of Eve.
Sovereign not in it (Nautical). Lie.
Jaundiced said of a man whose com-
Speshul! (Street, 1884-85).
During the Soudan War the afternoon
plexion has suffered from yellow fever and evening papers were perpetually
or other illness which leaves the skin
issuing special editions with extra-
chromy. vagant news, rarely repeated in the
Spangle (Theatrical, 19 cent.). A next morning's editions.
sovereign.
Sphere of influence (Diplomatic,
Spank the kids (Common London). 1898). Nascent colony, range of
Figurative way of describing bad country under a foreign eye, which so
temper. (See On his ear.) far has no real locus standi. Came
Spark (Peoples'). Man of fashion. out of the abortive scramble for China
Now and again heard in country places. (1897-1900).
Still very common in U.S.A., where it A rumour is current that France has
comes from Carolian times. Then offered the Pekin Government to sup-
'
chiefly used as a verb to spark press the revolt, considering the southern
about' equal to our once common, provinces within her sphere of influence.
'To beau about'. Evidently a figure D. T., 14th July 1898.
of speech derived from the brilliancy 1890
Spieler (Australasia, on).
and movement of a fire spark. Used Swindler.
'
as verb by Spenser, In her eyes the it would appear, is the Anti-
Spieler,
fire of love doth spark.' In Prior's podean synonym for the professional
time it was quite commonly used in swindler, whose business and pleasure
place of beau. He says The finest '
it is to take in his fellow-man, to
sparks, and cleanest beaux.' Dryden whom he contemptuously applies the
has A spark like thee, of the man-
'
term 'mug'. D. T., 14th July
feneric
897.
killing trade, fell sick.' Farquhar
( The Inconstant) says
'
Then the ideas
:
Spierpon orchestra (Soc., 1885 on).
wherewith the mind is preoccupate Public restaurant musical. This is
but this subject is not agreeable to you Spiers and Pond, and the transmuta-
sparks, that profess the vanity of the tion was due to a French musical
times. conductor, who converted his em-
Sparrer (Dustman's) (Sparrow). ployers' names into Spiere et Pon.
Finds in dust-bins generally silver Criterion. Grand Hall, 3s. 6d. Dinner,
thimbles, etc. at separate tables, 6 to 9, accompanied
spoons,
by the celebrated Spierpon Orchestra.
I give you my word, sir, that I had
in a regler sort of way, I
D. T., 8th October 1894.
never stole
mean as much as a sixpence in my life. Spill (Jovial). Drink.
Course I had took plenty o' sparrers, and pelt (Theatrical, 1830,
Spill
but that you'll own is different. James The name given to the practical
etc.).
Greenwood, D. T., 19th October 1895. fun at the end of each scene in the
Speak (Lower People). To court, comic portion of a pantomime. Supers
or make love. rush on with rnock vegetables, meat,
Speak a piece
(American). Recite. poultry, fish, etc., spill them all, and
This phrase was taken, especially by then pelt them at each other and
Artemus Ward, from the schoolboy's altogether off the stage.
way of referring to his own oratory. Spill milk against posts (Lowest
Speak brown to-morrow (Pure Class). Extreme condemnation of the
Cockney, 1877). To get sunburnt. habits of the man spoken of.
(See Can't you feel the shrimps, Taste Spilled in the big drink (American-
the sun, See the breeze. ) English). Drowned in the Atlantic.
Spellken (Thieves', 18 and early 19 (See Ditch.)
cent.). Cock-pit. Zeus threw a thunderbolt at the rock,
Booze in the ken, or at the spellken and, as the American says, Ajax was
hustle. Byron, Don Juan, canto xi.,
'
spilled in the drink '. D. N. 8th
stanza xix. August 1884.
230
 Spin Square Up-and-Down Man

-
Spin (Anglo Indian, 1800 - 50). and endearing instincts of the childish
Short for spinster the brigades of nature. Such infantile 'sports', how-
unmarried and poor young ladies who ever, are happily rare. D. T., 29th
once went out habitually to India for December 1896.
husbands. Sportsman for liquor (Sporting,
Spin a cuff (Navy). Bore a mess 1882). A fine toper.
with a long, pointless story, which the We never knew what a sportsman
narrator is finally, as a rule, recom- Algernon Charles Swinburne was for his
mended to cut. liquor till we took up his last volume of
Spin the bat (Anglo-Indian, 19 poems. Sporting Times, 1882.
cent.). Used figuratively for remark- Spot winner (Sport and People).
able military language. Lucky, or capable perhaps both.
Spit amber (Amer., 1870). To From racing spotting meaning
expectorate while chewing tobacco. judgment.
Spits on his hands (American). Some of them may have 'spotted
Goes to work with a will suggested winners ', and were perhaps reflecting
by this habit on the part of energetic pleasurably on a success which they felt
workmen when about to be much more due to their own sound
to start work.
Splinters fly (American Pastoral). judgment than to mere good luck.
D. T., 14th June 1898.
Riot derived from the kicking experi-
ments of the mule. Spotted dog (Street Boys'). Plain
Split (Low London). Souteneur. plum-pudding spotted dough. The
Split soda (Tavern, 1860 on). A dog here is one of the pronunciations
bottle of soda water divided between of dough the 'h' being removed and
'

two guests. The 'baby' soda is for the g made hard.

'

r
'
one client Spotted duff (Street, 19 cent.).
Another shape of spotted dog. Duff
Sponge it out (Anglo- Amer. , 1883).
it. has always been a street pronunciation
Forget '

A new phrase isdestined to become

of dough '.
popular, viz. :
'
Sponge it out '.N. Y. Spotted leopard (Street Boys').
Mercury, November 1883. Another variety of spotted dog.
Spoof oof (Theat., 1896). Money.
A penny's worth of spotted leopard is
Mr Shine sings of Mashonaland, the not a bad way of filling up the space of
land of British spoof, where the niggers the internals, though spotted leopard
do the digging and the white men get may make you have to squander some
'
the oof '.People, 16th February 1896. rhino in pongelow. 1883.

Spooferies (L. Peoples', 1888 on). Spout (Peoples'). Large mouth

ever open. (See Boko.)
Sporting clubs of an inferior kind.
About half-past one this morning I Spread (Anglo - American). Take
was in the Spooferies '
Where ? In '. great, self -
satisfied aims in doing
the 'Spooferies' in Maiden Lane. People, anything.
6th January 1895. Spring a ha'penny knife
like
dumpy, no
Spoon, Big (Amer.). An oath (Peoples').
resilience
Floppy,
from the absolute want of
the origin of which is lost. Some-
' Sheffield perfection in the make of
times By the great horn spoon '.
Probably Biblical. pen-knives at sixpence the dozen.
Rolling roll hold on By the big ! Sprung up (Middle -
class). A
parvenu in the nature of a ready-
spoon you've hit it !

made or self-made man.

Spooning the burick (Thieves').
Making love to a friend's wife. Spurrings Yorkshire Old). (

Spoony stuff (London Theatres', Marriage banns. Origin vague; but

sentimental ominously suggestive of the bride-
1882). Weak, work,
below contempt. groom being goaded to the church-
door.
Sport (Anglo-American, 19 cent.).
A
Eccentric, physical aberration, chiefly Square (Ball-room). quadrille
or lancers. (See Round.
relating to human beings.
)

It is still undeniable that a child who Square up-and-down man (Amer.).

is not interested in animals, especially of Square-shouldered, upright, tall man,
the larger and wilder species, must be with no fat or superfluous flesh about
wanting in some of the most graceful him.
231
 Squash Stand

Squash (Club and Hotel, 1877). A hangs about the market with a paltry
temperance drink of lemon, soda-water, order,and who will not deal fairly.
ice, and sugar came into fashion dur-
Squirt (L. Class, 18 cent.). Doctor.
ing a panic against spirits and, in Very suggestive of Moliere in general,
modified form, against wine. Onoma- and of Le Malade Imaginaire in par-
tope, from the noise made by pressing ticular.
the lemon.
By ten P.M., at the latest, you may be Squirt (Doubtful Soc., 1870). One
in the smoking-room of your club sipping of the onomatopoetic titles of cham-
lemon 'squash'. lllus. London News pagne suggested by its uppishness.
(G. A. Sala), 17th February 1883. Stable Jack (Infantry). Cavalry
Squash ballads (Peace
a scornful description, as intimating
Party).
Ballads prompting war and that the miserable man has inces-
personal
devotion. santly to be the slave of his horse, an
The new laureate has started off on a oppression from which the happier in-
squash ballad apropos to Jameson's stir- fantry man is free. (See Jack Tar,
up. London Correspondent of N. Y. Jack in the water, Jack of all trades,
Clipper, January 1896. Hulking Jack, Dona Jack. )
Squasho (American pasting into Stable mind (Soc.). Devoted to
horses.
land). Negro a title probably
resulting from the negro's love of Stage, To(American, 1860). To
melons, pumpkins, squashes, etc. stage a piece is to put a piece on the
Squat (Com. London). seat A stage.
probably derived from squatter. Stagger (American, 1883). Effort.
Squat on (American). To oppose. Staked out (Mining, 1880 on).
Squeaker, The (Press, '90 's). Bur- Divided, measured.
lesque name given to the paper called When the first discovery of gold was
The Speaker a,
journal of representa- made at Klondyke, in August 1896, the
tive Radicalism. creek was staked off from end to end in
In- claims D. T., 21st July 1897.
Squealer (Fenian, 1867, etc.).
former. Stalked unchecked (American ori-
Squeejee (Streets'). Mud -clearer; gin). Freed from the attentions of
plate of vulcanized india-rubber fixed the criminal classes. Satirically said
at right angles to a long handle. to have been invented by a West
Onomatope the cleaner in question U.S.A. criminal upon being about to
actually saying the word now and be lynched, and in reference to the
again. who moved around him
villain public,
We were more than once awakened by T
i 1 f * him to hold
without being ordered by
the avalanche of the deck bucket and
the noise of sandpaper and 'squeejee '. The thieving and ruffianism of Moscow
D. N., 27th April 1897. took its country holiday and at the
;

Coronation and its attendant festivities

Squeezability (Polit., 1884). Poli-
tical pressure. Word invented long respectability, in the bitter words of the
Western American desperado, 'stalked
since, but only accepted politically
unchecked '. D. T., 29th April 1897.
about 1884.
Stall off (Peoples'). Damp, impede,
They could not realise the change
which the Franchise Act had made in hinder, warn.
the counties ;
or they believed too im- Stall-pots (Theatrical). Occupants
plicitly in the squeezability of the of the stalls. Applied by the gods
newly - enfranchized electors. D. N., derisively to these well-dressed patrons
3rd December 1885. of the drama.
Squeeze-box (Navy). The ship Stalwarts (Conservatives', 1886).
harmonium used in the hasty Sun- Satirical name for Radicals, used by

day service. From the action of the Mr Chamberlain seriously ; accepted

feet. satirically by Conservative party.
Squilde (L. Class, 1895-96). Term Stamps (Thieves'). Boots a sort
of street chaff. Word designed from of onomatope.
a Christian name and a surname Stand ( Colloquial all Classes). Pay
for only used in a general way for
Squint (S. Exchange). Man who drink or eatables.
232
 Stand Pat Stem-Winder

Stand pat (American, 1860). Satis- (Beggars' Opera) :

'
If you doubt it, let
fied. Taken from a game of cards me stay and be hanged.'
' '
called poker. Stand pat means,
'
I Steal thunder (Soc., Hist.). An-
have got sufficient cards go ahead !'
nexing another man's idea, or work,
Stand-up supper (Society, 1860). without remunerating him, and to
your own advantage. Said to be de-
'
About this date the stand-up ball '

supper came into vogue probably as rived from

the result of modern medical condem- John Dennis, a play-writer in the 17th
nation of late feeding. Necessarily century, who invented stage thunder for
more economical than its antithesis a piece of his own which failed. But the
the sit-down supper. It took im- manager translated Dennis's thunder into
another piece. It was highly applauded,
mensely, so that very rapidly the term when Dennis started up in the pit, and
came to suggest anything of a mean '

and paltry character.

cried out to the audience They won't
:

act my piece, but they steal my thunder.

Star company (Theatrical). A Hence the origin of the phrase.
wandering dramatic company, com- Steam on the table (Workmen's,
posed of one well-known person and 18 cent. on). Boiled joint generally
a number of whom
of nobodies, all
steaming, on Sunday.
appear in but one piece, as a rule, Steel v. Bastile.
with which they travel. Climber
Steeple Jack (Builders').
A popular local leading lady writes for of steeples and shafts for fixing scaf-
information regarding a Mr Henry C.
folding when repairs are required.
Warren, of Troy, N. Y., who is alleged
to load recognized actresses with propo- Steeplechase (Sporting and Soc.).
Direct line, defying and overcoming
sitions to take them starring next season.
all obstructions.
N. Y. Mercury, February 1884.
Mr Fowler was one of the oldest inha-
Stars and stripes (New fork). bitants of Aylesbury, not forgetful of the
Contemptuous phrase applied by the historic cross-country ride to Aylesbury
younger New York society to the church-steeple from Waddesdon Wind-
Puritanic habits clinging to New
still
mill, which gave the name to the very
England, and above all to Boston. modern sport called steeplechasing. I
It refers to the solemn Sunday cold apprehend that the name of steeplechase
'
dinner of the hub of the universe,
'
arose from Aylesbury Church steeple
which distinctively consists or did being the goal of the famous race, in
consist of cold boiled belly of pork which Mr Peyton acted as starter, the
and Boston beans Marquis of Waterford, of facetious
(stars).
(stripes)
memory was nearly drowned, Jem
New Englanders are proud of their Mason finished third with Prospero, and
national dish of pork and beans, eaten
Captain Beecher won on Vivian. D. N.,
cold on Sundays in Boston, and deri- 13th July 1885.
stars and stripes in New
' '

sively called
York. D. N., 13th July 1883. Steever's worth of copper (Streets',
E. Lond.). One penny from Stuyver.
Start a jolly (Theatre and Music
To lead the applause, and Stellar (American- Eng., 1884 on).
Hall). ' '

effecta diversion in favour of a given Leading Latin shape of starring in

relation to acting.
performer.
State tea (Soc., 1870). Tea at William Terriss and Miss Millward, of
which every atom of the family plate is London, and their company made their
stellar debtit at Niblo's garden to a toler-
exhibited. Name probably suggested
ably good attendance. N. Y. Mercury,
by State ball. (See Five o'clock tea.) October 1889.
States can be saved without it Stellardom (Anglo American
(Pol., 1880). Condemnation. Origin Theatrical). The condition of being
not known. a star, or leading actor or actress.
In short, Mr Stephenson may be ad- Impossible to form a company of actors
vised to take away SSverine. States can and actresses who have not sought the
be saved without it.Ref., 10th May divorce courts, and who do not aspire to
1885. stellardom. N. Y. Mercury, November
1883.
Stay and be hanged (Peoples').
Still hard amongst lower middle-class. Stem -winder (American Liver-
Probably started by Captain Macheath pool). Keyless watch.
233
 Steps Stote-an'-Bottle

Steps (Low. London, 19 cent.}. She was the real Stilton, I can tell
Thick slices of bread and butter, over- yer.
laying each other on a plate thus (See Cheshire.)
suggesting the idea of a flight of steps. Stinker (Working Boys'). Penny
Stern ambition (City. 1898). De- cigars. Frequently so named in
termination. Brought in by Mr H. taverns. Also the most emphatic
Bottomley in speech (1st June 1889) : term for the high - smelling dried
I will invite you to pass the necessary herring.
resolutions for getting the Market Trust Stir-about (Peoples'}. Pudding or
out of the trouble into which it has got, porridge made by stirring the ingre-
and out of which it will be my own very dients generally oatmeal or wheat-
stern ambition, as well as that of my flour when cooking. (See Hasty
colleagues, to extricate you at the very pudding and Turn-round pudding.)
moment.
earliest possible
Stir up (Peoples'). Equivalent to
Stick a bust (Thieves', 19 cent.). beat up in society. To visit on the
Commit a burglary. spur of the moment.
Mr Paul Taylor What were : his exact Stolypin's necktie (Europ. Politics,
words? 1897). The final halter. This term
Witness:
'
I am going to 'stick a was brought into fashion in 1907
bust.
(Nov. -Dec.), at a Duma then recently
Mr Paul Taylor: What does that assembled in St Petersburg. One
mean ?
Com- Rodicheff, an extreme Radical, brought
Detective-sergeant Fitzgerald :

in the term on 30th November 1907.

mit a burglary. D. T., 28th December
1899. Stone and a beating (Sporting, 18
cent.). The speaker offers to weight
Stick and bangers (Sporting). himself with 14 Ibs. avoirdupois, and
Billiard cue A phrase
and balls.
then outrun his opponent.
having also an erotic
meaning. Canis vulpis is, as a rule, able to give,
S t i c k i n g s (Lower Peoples' ) .
intellectually speaking, and in language
Butchers' cuttings laid on a board, to
germane to the matter, a stone and a
'

which they clammily cling. (See

'

beating to the majority of his pursuers.

Door and hinge, Hyde Park railings.) D. N., 4th February 1885.
Sticks (Navy and Army). Stop-gap (Theatr.). Piece rushed
Drummer. on between a failure and the produc-
Still (Anglo - American). Quiet tion of a carefully -prepared new piece
drunkard. or new arrival.
Still as a mouse (Peoples', 18 cent.). After the first act The Denhams was
Quite still. But a mouse is never well received, the adaptor receiving a
still ! Good example
of a bad transla- call ; but, except as a stop-gap, we do
tion. No
doubt from the half- Dutch not think it will prove of much service to
the management. Re/., 21st February
Court of William III. Mr Rees 1885.
(U.S.A.) says very keenly :

The Stop -gap administration (Polit.,

Expressive of noiseless action. The Conservative Government
Dutch phrase is evidently its origin : 1885).
A Is stille als in rn.ee hose, i.e., as still as formed June 1885. Name given by
one in his stockings a listener. Mr J. Chamberlain (17th June 1885).
Or it may be, Still as Amos
' ' Stork, Visit from the (Soc., 1880
on). Arrival of a baby. From the
though what Amos is beyond ken. German.
Still he is not happy (London, She was in the habit of receiving visits
1870 on). Satire shot at a man whom from the Stork as the Germans put it
nothing pleases or satisfies. to the children by which it is meant
In 1870, a catch phrase used by Mr J. that she occasionally presented her
L. Toole in a burlesque at the Gaiety husband with an infant. D. T., 15th
Theatre, Still I am not happy', enjoyed
'
February 1897.
for some months considerable accept- Stote-an'-bottle (N. York Theatre).
ance among sportive youths in the metro- Audience who neither applaud nor
politan thoroughfares. D. T., 28th July laugh. Probably corruption from
1894. Dutch.
Stilton (Peoples', 1850 on). Dis- We had but a stote-an'-bottlish crowd
tinction. Synonym for cheese (see). last night.
234
 Stow Stuffed Monkey

Stow Abbreviation of In the end I agreed to charge him

(Streets'}.
bestow.
26s. per week, and we then struck the
bargain.
Strad (Musicians'). Abbreviation
of Stradivarius violin. Strike a bright (Peoples'). Have a
Straight (Theatr.). happy thought.
In the United States the expression Strike legislation (Amer. -Eng. t
1897). Enforced bribery of legislators
'straight* is very generally used in
theatrical circles to signify a part in the pressure being applied by the
which the actor or actress has but to be legislators themselves to burke en-
'
him or herself upon the stage. quiries. Sir, this is not fair trading ;
it is nothing less than strike legisla-
Straight as they make 'em (Lon-
don Streets, from America). Upright tion.' Known slightly in England.
and honest. Strike me pink (Soc., 18 cent. on).
Straight bit o' goods (Streets', 1870 Literally an exclamation to declare
on). A young woman of good char- truthfulness. Cover me with own my
acter. (See Loose bit o' goods.) blood. Sometimes God, etc. From
Straight drinking (Low. London, duelling times when to pink was not
19 cent.). Drinking without sitting so much to pierce as to draw blood.
down bar-drinking. Strike oil (American becoming
Straight up and down the mast English). To be successful. 'I've
(Irish). Calm. An Irish sailor's way struck oil at last.' This expression
of describing a calm when the mast comes from the paraffin districts of
is fairly perpendicular. North America, where sometimes
Strapped (Amer. ). Without money numerous expensive artesian borings
possibly suggested by the impossi- are made without the least success.
bility of removing when without money,
Strike us up a gum tree (Low.
as when strapped and bound.
London). Bring to grief.
Straps (Streets'). Sprats. One of
the rhyming shapes of passing English. Yes, and strike us up a gum tree, she
Street yelp (Low. Class, 1884). says, if you won't give her sardines and
bloaters for her tea instead of winkles
Evolution of passing street cry, such she'll go back to her old man. 1850.
as
'
Does your mother know
Walker ', '

Australian probably meaning

you're out?' Every few weeks some '
terrible '. The gum tree is enor-
new street yelp is invented, and eagerly
taken up as a substitute for wit by mously high, 100 feet of clear, smooth
trunk without a branch, so that a man
the class that enjoys these things.
up a gum tree could not descend
Stretch (Navy). Outstay leave.
without help.
Stretch his breeches (Peoples'). Stricken field (Soc., 1898). Field
Said of a boy who has been thrashed. where' lie the vanquished. Term
It comes down from the time when the found in several poets. Re-introduced
tight leather breech might be fairly upon the fall of Omdurman in the
said to be stretched when flattened. autumn of this year.
Stretcher, The (Irish). Layer out Colonel Holden's happy idea of
of dead men.
organizing in the museum of the Royal
Stretching (Anglo- American, 1895). United Service Institution an exhibition
Helping oneself at table without the of the trophies brought home from the
'

help of servants. stricken field of Omdurman has brought

'

Strict Q.T. (Peoples', 1870). The a vast number of visitors to see the
letters being the first and last of collection. D. T., 25th November 1898.
'
quiet '. The phrase is an invocation Struguel (Peoples'). Struggle.
to secrecy.
Stuck up (American -
English).
Strike (Anglo-Amer.). To come
Moneyless very figurative expression
across a person, or thing. derived from being
*
stuck up
'

by
Strike a bargain (Sporting, 18
highwayman, after which you have
cent.). To conclude it by the act of no money left in your pocket.
striking the butt ends of the riding
Stuff. Girl. (See Bit o' stuff.)
whips of the seller and buyer as a
mutual agreement equal to the Stuffed monkey
(Jewish Lond.).
stipulation of the Roman buyer and A very pleasant close almond biscuit.
seller, who exchanged straws. Now the confectioner exchanges his
235
 Stun Sun, Been in the

stuffed monkeys, and his bolas ... for The next time Mr Biggar thinks fit to
unleavened pa lavas, etc. Zangwill, leave these shores, perhaps he will try to
Children of the Ghetto. be less fascinating, bearing in mind that
Stun (Reversed word). Nuts. women are weak and not always able
Sub (Editorially). Abbreviation of to wrestle successfully with the blandish-
ments of such a Lothario. 'Such a
subject. Very common in U.S.A.
With Captain Williams, her namesake, dawg 'Entr'acte, 17th March 1883.
!

as chairman, would be the judges here. Suck the mop (Cabmem'). To

The Mercury will be pleased to hear wait on the cab-rank for a job.
from Mrs Williams on this sub. N. Y. The man who gives his horse a rest on
Mercury, May 1885. the rank is, in cabmen's phraseology,
Sub rosa (Soc. ). In secret. Some- 'sucking the mop'. D. N., 10th June
times under the rose '. Used by the
'
1889.
author of Junius's Letters as his motto, Sucker (American). A young and
the rose being above. Confounded confiding youth.
' '
with under the rows a sort of rebus. Suffolk punches (Provincial).
When houses were built floor out Descriptive name for Suffolk folk,
above floor, so that the ground floor muchon all fours with Norfolk
was some feet within the front of the dumplings. A punch is a comfortable
garrets, talkers, say lovers, could not kind of cob-like horse. This is rather
be seen from the floors above there- a complimentary term.
' '
fore under the rows (rows of super- Sugar (Low. Class). Grocer.
'

posed jutting floors) implied secretly '.

Sugar-shop (Electioneering). Money
There still exists (1907) in London, a
shop, literally ; but figuratively a head
group of 'rows', forming the north centre of bribery.
side of Staple Inn (Holborn) where it
Suggestionize (Legal, 1889 on).
can be seen that a maiden on the first
floor might almost shake hands, from
To prompt.
the window, with a grenadier on the Many witnesses were called to establish
his identity, and for the defence it was
pavement, while from the second floor,
an observer could not catch a glimpse alleged that these people might have '
'
'
been suggestionized by the influence
of the military heels under the rows '. of the crime on their minds. D. T.,
The rose, a symbol of silence, gave rise 16th October 1896.
to the phrase, under the rose from the
'
',

circumstance of the Pope's presenting Suitable for electioneering pur-

consecrated roses, which were placed poses (Polit.,Historic.). Bad eggs.
over confessionals to denote secrecy, From the exercise of projecting them
whilst others contend that the old Greek at antagonistic candidates.
custom of suspending a rose over the Leather Lane supplies the greater pro-
guest table wasemployed an emblem as
portion of the eggs, and if not to be
that the conversation should not be classified as 'suitable for electioneering
repeated elsewhere. Cutting. purposes', would probably be of that
Sub rosa look -
(Anglo Amer.). order curtly set forth as eggs ', without
'

Doubtful aspect. Perversion of the any subtle grading as 'Fresh laid',

'Breakfast', or Cooking '.D. T. 27th
'
Latin proverb. t

The business had a sub rosa look June 1898.

throughout. Newsp. Cutting. Sum. (See Some.)
Submerged tenth (Soc. 1890 on). t
Summer, Another (Devonshire
Tenth of London, which is always in chiefly). Butterfly generally the
Originated by General Oh
'
utter poverty. first - seen ! here's another
Booth. First accepted satirically but summer !
'

Very poetic. Remarkable

now quite received as a serious phrase. that Devonshire offers most of the
If the population of London is reckoned birds can
poetic phrases. (See Any
roughly at 4,000,000 and the submerged
'

tenth
'
as the phrase goes is taken as
build in my bonnet.)
the basis of the calculation of recipients, Sun, Been in the (Peoples').
meals will have to be given, and Drunk. Fine figure of speech. Drink
400,000
at a shilling a head 20,000 at least will and hot sun both produce red face.
be required. World, May 1897. Good example of double entendre, or
Such a dawg rather perhaps of direct satire by
(Theatrical, 1888).
Tremendous masher. First used indirect means,
by
E. Terry in a Gaiety burlesque.
'
I see you've been in the sun, Tom !
'

236
 Sun over the Fore-Yard Swipe

Sun over the fore-yard (Navy). Swear off (American passing to

Evasive mode of observing that So- JEng.). To abandon, in relation to
and-so is pretty well dead drunk. drinking habits.
Sunclear (Lit., 1885). Very clear. Swearing apartment (Tavern).
What there is in Royal subjects to The street.
paralyze the genius of a painter we fail Sweat (Thieves'). To unsolder a
to divine, but it is sunclear that Mr tin box by applying or a blow-
fire,
Haag could no more resist this un- pipe.
fortunate influence than the greater
Sweater ( Work-peoples'). One who
Landseer D. N., 10th November 1885. * '
middles between the manufacturer,
Sunday (Soc.). To pass Sabbath or tradesman, and the worker. He is
with a given person. answerable for the value of the work,
Sunday face (Irish). Holiday and is therefore preferred to the worker
countenance. himself. The middle levies a heavy
Sunday - flash - togs (Street). blackmail upon the worker. Probably
Sabbath garments. he pays no more than 50 per cent,
A Sunday-flash-togs young man, to the worker of the money he receives
A pocket-of-hogs young man, from the tradesman.
A save-all-his-rhino,
To In the second number of the Charity
cut-a-big-shine, oh,
Will soon-have-a-pub young man. Organisation Review there is a short
Parody of a song in Patience, 1880. account of a co-operative needlework
Sunrise London (London). East experiment, the object of it being to
London. emancipate poor workwomen from the
'sweaters'. D. N., 21st February 1885.
And, indeed, it cannot be denied that
what has been spoken of as the sunrise ' '
Sweeping up (Boer War, 1899-
division of the great metropolis has of 1900). Grew out of the end of the
late years been greatly favoured. Thanks war, when the dispersed Boers harassed
mainly to the advocacy of the most the English very much.
influential of the newspaper press, the
Though the time has come when
aspect of the whole poverty-stricken Volunteers, Yeomen, and Guards should
area, in its length and breadth, from the be sent home, there is still a good deal
Minories to Mile End, and from Spital- of sweeping up to be done in the
fields to Shadwell, has been vastly Transvaal. D. T., 2nd October 1900.
improved. Z>. T., 30th July 1896.
(See Dusting.)
Surrey side (London, exclusive}.
Transpontine portion of London. The
Sweeps and saints (City, 19 cent.).
Stockbrokers and their surrounders,
northern portion of London bounded
from the First of May (Sweeps' Day)
by the Thames, and especially the and the First of November (All Saints'
more western quarters, have always
Day) being holidays on the Exchange.
spoken of this division of the metro- Sweet waters (W. England).
polis (Southwark and Lambeth) to
the
' Illicit spirit made from the residue
south of the Thames, as the Surrey
of the cider press. Fearfulest drink in
side '.
the world. Term well known in all
Susanside (Idiot Phrasing}.
the apple counties.
Suicide.
Sussex sow (Hampshire). Prob- Swell donas (Low Life). Great
the ladies in their way.
ably a return compliment for
name of Swell donas lushes up on port wine, and
Hampshire hog (q.v.). that sort of pizon.
Swagger man (Soc. ,1880). Person
of position. Used rather with praise Swig Day (Jesus College, Oxford).
than not. St David's Day so called because a
Swaller a sailor (Port and drink called swig, composed of spiced
Harbour). Get drunk upon rum. ale, wine, toast, etc., is dispensed out
Swallered the anchor (Marine). of an immense silver-gilt bowl holding
Said of a sailor who comes home, ten gallons, and served by a ladle of
loafs, and does not show signs of going half-pint capacity presented to the
to sea again. college in 1732 by the then SirWatkin
Swank (Printers'). Small talk, Williams Wynn.
lying. Swipe (Thieves', 18 cent.). Steal-

Swanny (American Provincial). ing. When silk pocket handkerchiefs

now (Indian bandannas) were used by all
'

Corruption of swear '.

237
 Sworn at Highgate Table Part

men of position and were worth steal- Probably means 'harmony of treat-
'

ing (see Dickens's Oliver Twist ') ment '.

* '
they were called Wipes hence to
Syrup (Druggists'). A trade word
'Swipe a Wipe' was to steal a amongst dispensing chemists for money.
bandanna.
Sworn at Highgate (Peoples').
Convenient asseveration whereby the
declarant undertakes never to accept
anything offered while he can obtain
a better. The phrase took the shape
of a coloured cartoon in 1796, when
it was published (12th September) by
Laurie and Whittle of 53 Fleet Street.
A good impression of this print is now T. O.
(Printers'). Turn-over, short
to be found at the Old Gate House, at for a
turn-over apprentice from one
the top of Highgate Hill the locale of master to another.
the toll-gate where the swearing at T. and O. (Sporting, 1880). New
form of 2 to 1.
Highgate was held to be only properly
administered. The oath-taker is ac- The betting to-night (Saturday) against
the Empire's chance of getting the music
companied by a herald who holds aloof
the significant horns, which are re- hall licence is two and one (t & o). Ref..
4th August 1887.
produced in letter-form on the front of
the tavern before which the operation T. W.
B. F., also C. D. W.
is completed. The ' maid pins mean- '
(New York). Mystic initials under-
while a ragged clout to his coat-tail, stood in certain New York society but ;

while the mistress waits with a foam- quite beyond the outer world. Placed
ing pot of beer, or rather gallon at the foot of invitations, only one of
measure, for the garnishing of every- these two series is used. When the
body after the oath is complete. This recipient is a gentleman the arcana
declaration runs as follows : are T. W. B. F. ; while the lady's
* masonics are C. W. D.
lay your right hand on
Pray, sir
this Book, and attend to the Oath
T. W. K. (Military, Anglo-Indian,
1840 on). Condemnatory initials of
you swear by the Rules of Sound Judg- '
Too well-known '.
ment that you will not eat Brown
Bread when you can have White, Tab
(L. C.). The ear, amongst
and other workmen.
tailors
except you like the Brown the better ;

that you will not drink Small Beer Tabby meeting (London). May
when you can get Strong, except you meeting of the evangelical party at
like the Small Beer better but you Exeter Hall (Strand, London now
will kiss the Maid in preference to the
turned to other uses). Probably con-
traction of Tabitha generic name for
Mistress, if you like the Maid better
so help you Billy Bodkin. Turn round quakerly persons.
and Table beer (Peoples'). Poor beer.
fulfil your oath.'
Commonly applied to any ordinary
Sympathetic truth (Art, 1890 on). thing or proceeding.
True, but not too true some con-
The Spartan hosts entertained the
cession to the artistic ideal.
visitor with cold beef, table beer, cheese,
Mr J ames S. Hill has less experience, and pickles. D. N., 6th November 1884.
less power, perhaps, of making or seeing Table companions Men
a picture, than some of his friendly rivals (Oxford).
;

but few, if any, of them surpass him in of the same College are called table '

the sympathetic truth with which he companions' in one of the reports,

renders some of the less obvious, the less which we take to be analogous to the
' '

showy aspects of nature. D. T., 4th stable companions of our sporting

January 1896. contemporaries, and in certain cases
are said, somewhat unintelligibly, to
Synagogue (Covent Garden, 1890
on). Shed in the north-east corner of make the running for one another.
'
the Garden So called from this
'.
part Table
(Theatrical). R61e
place (erected 1890) being wholly which
played only from the waist
is
' '
run by Jews. upwards, and therefore behind a table.
Synthetic breadth (Art, 1890 on). Term in association with the protean
238
 Table-Talk Take Gruel Together

entertainer, and the quick change teas. The King relegated drawing-
artiste. rooms to the late evening.
The whole of the
'
table parts ',
as Tail-twisting (American, 19 cent.).
they were called, were, as usual, by Worrying England figuratively,
Charles Mathews himself, but he was twisting the tail of the British lion.
relieved in the dramatic acts by Yates, Generally a political process in order
who undertook a series of rapid changes to deflect the conviction of the voter.
of dress and character then originally We must, of course, be prepared for a
introduced. D. T., 10th March 1897. little
'
tail -twisting
'
from time to time
Table-talk (Soc., 1883). Talk whenever the domestic concerns in the

bordering on the unkind. States are turning out uncomfortably for

In summer we have the new pictures, the party in power. 17th October 1896.
and some critics will say 'the old are Taits (Church). Moderate clergy-
better'. But they are not better stuff men from their following in the foot-
to table-talk, because spite can get little
steps of Dr Tait, Archbishop of
pleasure out of condemning Sir Joshua Canterbury, who sought, vainly, to
or Rubens. D. N., 1st February 1884.
assimilate all parties. (See Anglican
Tabled (American Legislation). inch, St Alban's clean shave, No
Short for placed on the table. church. )
Mr Forster spoke the other day of the Taj Lucious, ripping.
(Boys'}.
amendments on the English Education
'
Bill which he had just tabled ', meaning
Take The bit of copy
(Printers'}.
' '

which he had just laid on the table. the printer's compositor takes at one
D. N., 1st February 1884. time.
Taboo (Soc., 19 cent.}. Prohibited, Take a curtain (Theatrical, 1880).
forbidden. Sacred, not to be touched. Appear before the curtain in answer to
sufficient applause.
The King of Dahomi is not allowed so
much as to see the gold in the Fetish Written in Sand was well received, and
House where the remains of his dead Broughton had to 'take a curtain'.
forefathers lie. That gold is taboo. Re/., 31st August 1884.
D. N., 22nd July 1887. (See Curtain - taker, Lightning
Tabs ( Theatrical}. Ageing women. curtain-taker, Fake a curtain. )
Abbreviation of Tabby, one of the Take a
squint (Low. Class). Look.
common names for the cat, always *
Take a squint at the donah, now !
'

associated with ancient women. (See Cast an optic.)

Tacking (Peoples' from Seamens'). Take a trip (Trade). To discharge
Obtaining end by roundabout means, oneself from a situation which act
from the mode of sailing against wind would be followed by movement search-
by zigzag courses. May be from tact. ing for a new situation.
Tacks (Art}. Artist's apparatus. Take and give (C. L., rhyming).
From tackle, taken from angling. '
Live ', generally referring to man and
wife.
Tadpoles (American). People of
Mississippi probably from the super-
Take care of (Police). To arrest.
abundance of water there. Take care of dowb (Political, 1855).
Tail out (Amer.-Eng., 1880). To New reading of Take care of No. I.
run away, scuttle, bolt. From the Take gruel (Low. Classes). To die
tail of birds and animals being last
from the fact that gruel general
seen as they retreat. accompanies any long illness which
ends in death.
Next I made out a brown thing, seated
on the table in the centre, and in another Take gruel together (Low Life,
moment when my eyes grew accustomed 1884). To live together as man and
to the light, andsaw what these things
I wife. Derived from a case where a
were _I was tailing out of it as hard as housekeeper to an eccentric clergyman
carry me. Haggard, King
'

my legs could was inquested as the result of death

'

Solomon's Mines. from want of medical attendance. The

Tail tea (Soc., 1880 to death of police newsmonger put a severe con-
Victoria). The afternoon tea following struction upon the case.
royal drawing-rooms, at
which ladies ' '

They took their gruel together !

who had been to court that afternoon, This is a charming euphemism per-
appeared in their trains hence tail petrated by an old clergyman to explain
239
 Take In Tamaroo

his relations with an elderly female who ment where the wife is a shrew, and
lived alone in his house with him.
'
'
We by scolding draws attention to the
take our gruel together is likely to !
domus. The removal of the number
become a fashionable expression. Rsf., would make the cottage less dis-
14th December 1884.
coverable.
Take in (Anglo-American, 1882). Take the pastry (Amer.). Lead.
Patronize from taking in papers. Take the tiles off (Soc.). Extreme
Take it fighting (American- Eng., extravagance.
1880). Be courageous, antithesis of
He flings his money about with a lavish
take lying down.
it
recklessness, sufficient to take, as they
But if we intend to take it fighting ',
'

say, the tiles off the roof of a house.

then the most ordinary economy and Truth, May 1878.
plain sense demand that the construction Taken in and done for (Peoples',
and supply of the proper depots be com-
1880 on). Absorbed.
menced without an hour's delay. D. N.,
5th March 1885. As it is, they are literally taken in'

and done for'. They visit a theatre,

Take it lying down (American- where they have no notion that the
Eng., 1880). To be cowardly on the presence of tobacco-smoke will be felt,
basis that a self-respecting fighter will and find themselves only separated by a
not strike a prostrate enemy. curtain from a saloon where noxious
If we mean to take it lying down ',
'

cigarettes poison the atmosphere.

like the preacher threatened by Colonel Entr'acte, 1883.
Quagg then every penny we spend on Take time
by the forelock
the volunteers, and every hour they give Be in time
to is so much wanton waste. (Peoples'). probably
drill,
D. N., 5th March 1885. suggested by long forehead tuft of
hair, now and again worn by old
Take my Bradlaugh (Peoples', men. Certainly time is always repre-
1883). New phrase for 'take my sented with one tuft on the head.
oath'. Humorously, or perhaps Taken stripes (U.S.A.). Equi-
satiricallyadopted at the time when valent to our ' wears the broad arrow '.
Mr Charles Bradlaugh's name was Evasion in reference to an U.S.A. state
intimately associated with the Affirma- prisoner.
tion Bill.
After 4th July the convicts with a good
Take off corner pieces (Com. record in the Kansas State Penitentiary
Classes). To beat another, generally will wear suits of cadet grey instead of
one's wife. (See Knock off corners.) striped suits. D. T., 4th June 1897.
Take off my coat (Street). Taken to the stump (Polit.).
Challenge to fight. (See Blood or Public oratory. From the tree stump
Beer.) on which the wandering puritans
Take soles off your shoes (Anglo- preached. Good example of freedom of
American). To surprise utterly. opinion, existing long since in England,
'But ah, my dear sir,' with another when wayside stumps could be used
engaging smile which took the soles off '
as points for public speaking.
the shoes of the interviewer, I did not
According to our correspondent at
know what was coming. I did not know
Sofia, General Kaulbars has now taken
what that initiation really was.' N. Y. to the stump. D. N., 4th October 1886.
Mercury, 1884. Talk by a bow (Com. London,
Take the egg (American). To
1860-82). Periphrase of quarrel.
win. Talk to his picture (Suffolk
Take the flour (American. -Eng.,
Peoples'). Admonish so gravely that
1885). Outcome of Take the cake, the admonished one will be no more
which was followed by Take the bun. able to speak than could his portrait.
Therea woman in Fargo who takes
is Tall 'un (Com. Life). Pint of coffee,
the N. Y. Mercury, 1885.
flour. half a pint being a short 'un.
Take the kettle (Com.). Obtain Tall weeping (Amer., 1883). Deep
the prize. It is said at one time a grief.
kettle was the reward (U.S.A.), of Tamarinds(Chemists'). Sometimes
village spelling bees. used by chemists for 'money'. Not
Take the number off the door general.
(Peoples'). Said of a domestic establish- Tamaroo (Irish). Noisy.
240
 Tammany Tec, Teck

Tammany (American Eng., 19 Taste of his quality (Peoples', 19

cent}. Bribery from Tammany Hall, cent. ). Obvious. From the prize ring.
a place where forty years the
for Widely applied.
corrupt manipulators of the munici- A fair '
taste of his quality
'
is afforded
pality of New York have held their by a comparison between pp. 40 and 43.
meetings. John Storm, who has become curate to a
Not long ago there was an election on Canon of an outrageously caricatured
the other side of the water, and we were type of worldliness, is being taken by
all full of contemptuous denunciation of him to call upon one of his lady
Tammany. What was this but Tammany ? parishioners, etc. D. T. (Grit. The
This was a Tammany Government. Christian), 1898.
D. T., 14th December 1897. Taste the sun (Cockney, 1877).
Tandem (Cambridge, 1870 on). Used as an intensifier by Londoners
Long. Used in speaking of a tall man. out in the country for the day. (See
Tangle - leg (Anglo - Amer.). Speak brown to-morrow, Can't you
Whisky. Derivation obvious. feel the shrimps, See the breeze.)
-
Tangle monger (Soc., 19 cent.).' Tatur-trap (Irish, 19 cent.). The
Application of word monger '. Speaks mouth tatur being short for potato.
;
for itself an individual, generally a Tax -fencer (Com. Lond., 1878).
woman, who fogs and implies every- Disreputable shopkeeper as distinct
thing. from the honest pusher.
Tanky (Navy). Foreman or captain Tea and toast struggle (Peoples').
of the hold which looks like a tank. Said of Wesleyan tea-meetings where
Tannery (Anglo-American, 1880). the supply is rarely adequate to the
Large boots also absolute reference to demand.
feetalmost as capacious. Tea and turn out (Peoples', 19
Tanter go (Provincial, Mid. Hist.). cent.). A roundabout way of saying
End, finish, departure. May be from there is no supper.
Catholic times, and the 'Tantum Tea a mug
in (Irish). Suggestive
Ergo' the last division of a mass. of bad breeding.
Tap (Peoples'). Draw blood, by a Tea -bottle (Mid. -class). An old
blow, from the nose. Derived from maid from the ordinary drink of
the beer barrel.
Before the magistrate one of them ex- spinsters.
Tea-kettle purgers (L. London).
plained that they were simply engaged 5

in a friendly, good-humoured contest, Total abstainers. 'Purgers would

the one whose nose got 'tapped' first appear to be a reminiscence of attacks
paying for a round of beer for the com- upon Puritanism.
pany. D. T., 19th July 1897. Tea-pot (Peoples'). Total abstainer.
Taper (Polit.). Seeker after profit- This phrase is a reduction of tea-pot
able office. Abbreviation of Red sucker.
Taper from the colour of official tape. Tea-pot ('Varsities, 1880). Tea
We have our Tadpoles and our Tapers, party antithesis of wine (q.v.).
it is true, and our greedy party -men About this year the more earnest life
clamouring for rewards, but our dis- at the universities then commencing
appointed seekers after job, place and took as one shape that of temperance.
pay do not snarl and fight for their prey
in public like hungry dogs over a bone. Tea-room party (Parliament, 1866).
D. T., 27th April 1897. A Radical party in the House of
Tare an' ouns (Irish - English). Commons, whose members first fore-
'
gathered in the tea-room. Gladstone
Corruption of Tear and wounds
'

created when wounds rhymed with

and Bright were in favour of some
limitation of the franchise, one which
pounds. (See Oons, Zounds?)
commonA would exclude the so-called residuum,
Tart 1884).
(Street,
the outcome of * Bit of jam
' and it was proposed to draw a line
girl
Also a rhyming phrase
somewhere above household suffrage
(q.v.).
with 'sweet heart'. (See
pure and simple. Hereupon forty-eight
agreeing Radicals held a meeting in the tea-
Banbury. ) room of the House of Commons.
I have to do my needlework
To make myself look smart, Teatchgir (Coster). Right.
But yesterday I'm glad to say Tec, Teck (Peoples'). Detective-
I found a little tart. cut down after an ordinary fashion.
241
 Teeth-Drawing That kind of Thing will not answer

I'm told that Jack Shaw, the smartest Tenip (Public-house, inverted word)-
and best tec in London or anywhere Pint. As suggesting natural euphony.
else, thinks of retiring from the force. Terrier (American). Troublesome
Cutting.
boy.
Teeth-drawing (Med. Students', 19 A policeman came along and the dude
cent, to 1860). Wrenching off door- told him I was a terrier, and the police-
knockers with club-like sticks. Head- man jerked my coat collar off. 1883.
quarters, Lant Street, Southwark Terror to cats (American passing
street now cleared away, but until to Most troublesome
England).
1860 the bowers of St Thomas's and
chiefly applied to over active and
-

Guy's students. mischievous boys.

Teetotically (Peoples', '90's). Comic Pa says I am a terror to cats. Every
intensification of teetotally. time pa says anything it gives me a new
Tekram Market idea. I tell you pa has got a great brain,
(Inverted word). ;

common but sometimes he don't have it with him.

very usage.
Detroit Free Press, 1883.
Telescope (American Railway] .

Testril (Hist.).
To collide and close in like a telescope Sixpenny piece,
and another shape of tester. Shake-
applied to the running into each that the testril was of
other of railway carriages in collision. speare proves
the value of sixpence in the poet's time.
Now applied in various ways.
The excursion train, of twenty cars, Sir Toby (to clown) Come on, there is
:

came into collision with a goods car. sixpence for you. Let's have a song.
Sir Andrew There is a testril of me
:
The shock was so severe that five crowded
cars were completely 'telescoped'.
too !
Shakespeare, Twelfth Night, Act
D. N., 1878. ii., scene ii.

Testugger (Oxford). Testamur a

Temporiser (Polit.). Shiftless un-
certain man. From a speech by Mr
Gladstone (17th November 1885) in
Scotland.
Ten bob squats (Theatrical}.
in a theatre. About 1880 going to the
theatre had become so fashionable,
owing possibly to the steady patronage
of the Prince of Wales, that the price
of stalls in most of the best houses
was raised.
Ten stroke (Billiard
Complete victory from the
ten is the highest stroke at billiards
that can be made ; cannon off the red,
all three balls in.
10 wedding (Peoples', 1897). '!'
the wife, and '0' the husband = 10
wedding.
Tenderfeet (American mining, 1849
on). Doubtful roving industrials.
Given to the mining rabble in Cali-
certificate.
Thames butter (Poor London, 1870).
Very bad butter. A Mr W. Sawyer,
then editor of South London Press,
Stalls
published a paragraph to the effect
that a Frenchman was making butter
out of Thames mud at Battersea. In
truth this chemist was extracting
yellow grease from Thames mud-worms.
Thank the mussies (Peoples, 1870).
Equivalent to 'Thank the gods'.
players').
fact that Thank you for the next (Hist.)
Lancashire expression of gratitude for
something given.
That gets me (Amer.). Defeat
from the game of poker, the other side
getting the stakes.
That kind of thing will not answer
(Peoples',1885). Poverty from a
fragment of evidence given by the Hon.
Mrs Gerard, sister of the defendant in
the case Durham versus Milner (other-
'

fornia, during the gold-rush (1849), '

and now classic in U.S.A., and all wise Durham) the celebrated suit
Colonial mining districts. brought by Lord Durham (1885),
Applied in
all ways. against his wife for nullity of marriage,
on the ground that the lady was insane
Numbers of prospectors and tender-
feet started for the then unknown gold- at the time of the ceremony. Mrs
and when a steamer reached San
fields,
Gerard said
Francisco with some of these miners who In the season of 1881 Lord Burghersh
'
had struck it rich aboard, the fact that
'

paid her a great deal of attention. I did

gold had been found in abundance along not think it would be a suitable marriage.
the Klondike again excited public It was one that would be distasteful to
interest in the matter. D. T., 21st July her family. That was made pretty plain
1897. to my sister. I don't think she was very
242
 That Moan's soon made Think and Thank

much attached to Lord Burghersh. My to improve on Shakespeare, and enable

sister, inreference to Lord Burghersh's the gifted actors to rant and storm the
attentions, said that kind of thing would more. D. T., 21st December 1896.
not answer, as he was poor. Then comes a pig to be killed
That moan's soon made (Scotch (Peoples'}.Expression of misbelief-
and Peoples', 19 cent). Grief easily based upon the lines of Mrs Bond who
consoled. would call to her poultry '
Come
There is no more to be said on the chicks, come ! Come to Mrs Bond and
subject ; as the Scottish saying has it be killed.'
'that moan's soon made'. D. N.. 10th
March
Then the band played (Parlia-
1885.
mentary). Climax, finality. Derived
That won't pay the old woman from the use of brass bands on the
her ninepence (Bow Street Police nomination day, which immediately
Court). Condemnation of an evasive sounded when the opponent of their
act.
employer attempted to address the
That's a cough lozenge for him
people.
(Peoples', 1850 on). Punishment. 1860 on). Ex-
There, All (Street,
Arose from an advertisement, 'Cough no '
I'm
clamation, declaring perfection.
more lozenges '. It was to be inferred all there, completely happy '.
'
She is
that they might kill the patient, who an all there bit o' jam '.
would then certainly cough no more.
Mrs Saker has done great things at
That's gone to Pimlico (W. the Liverpool Alexandra with 'Aladdin',
London, Streets', 1888). Smashed- the scenery and company being alike
ruined. Derived from the fact that excellent. Miss Jenny Hill is all there,
Pimlico became a favourite residential as she ever was, and I suppose ever will
centre of women who fell. be. Ref., 18th January 1885.
That's the ticket (Peoples', 18 cent.). There's 'air (London Streets, 1900).
Proper thing to do corruption of
' '
Shortened there is hair !
meaning
1 '

etiquette that's the etiquette. a quantity, and shaping out of the

Diprose in his St Clement Danes pulled up side hair, and fringe being
says : This term arose in 1717 when about this time deserted in favour of
Spiller, a comedian, used the expression masses, coming down over the
upon seeing the card of admission Cked
jhead.
designed by Hogarth, then a very Thick (Peoples'). Severe, also too
young man, for a benefit at Drury daring in cheating.
Lane Theatre, in favour of the cele- Selby says
'
I've got it thick this time.
:

brated Joe Miller. However, a good So I looks at his leg, and sees he was
' '

authority says : Ticket is from ableeding '.

People, 6th January 1895.
Norman French. The rules of Thick ear (Street, 19 cent.). One
* '

etiquette were written upon cards swelled by a blow.

hence the name 'ticket'. The Thick end of a hundred years
'
or pass - card was also
*
etiquette ( Yorks. ). Nearly a century.
affixed to a bag or bundle, to show it Thick starch double blue (Common
was not to be examined. Soc.). Rustling holiday dress for
That's up against your shirt summer white dress very severely
(Street). Significant of victory. laundried.
That's where you spoil yourself Thick tea (N. England). A tea as
(Peoples', 1880-81). very popular A solid as a dinner. Long known in the
catch - sentence applied to smart in-
Ridings before high tea was thought of.
dividuals who went a little too far. Thick 'un (Peoples'). Sovereign.
Theatre Royal amen (Low. Class). Thieves' kitchen (London Street,
Church. (See Holy Ghost shop.) The name satirically given to
1882),
Theatricality (Soc., 1888 on). Any- the then new Law Courts.
thing generically theatrical. Arose
Thin as a rasher of wind (Com.
when theatres ceased to be a luxury.
London). Complete skeleton of a man.
And as if this 'terrible acting', these
Thingembobs (Com. Peoples'). One
*
terrible frowns', and these 'terrific of the idiotic names like for trousers
impressions ', were not enough, as if
the and the and the inexpressibles, unmentionables, etc.
tinfoil, tinsel,
theatricality were not sufficient, they
Think and thank (English-Jewish).
must needs call in good old Colley Gibber Translated from the first words of the
243
 Think Some Three is an Awkivard Number

ordinary Hebrew morning prayer. Three and sixpenny thoughtful

Implies gratitude. (Soc., 1890 on). Satire upon the
Think some (American). Mature feminine theorv novel, which became
consideration. dominant, 1890-96. Antithesis of the
Thinking part (Theatrical). That shilling shocker, which was so full of
of a supernumerary who has nothing action that it had no time to think.
to say. Satirical. Fielding, according to the theory
Thinks he holds it (Sporting, which has apparently suggested this
becoming general 1875). Said of a undertaking, is so constantly in the
vain man. As obscure as emphatic. hands of his countrymen of mature
It refers to any sort of championship years, they show so marked a prefer-
in athletics.
ence for him as a novelist over the author
' ' '
of the latest shilling dreadful or three
Thirteenth juryman (Legal, 19
and sixpenny thoughtful ', that they long
cent.). A judge who, in addressing a to admit the younger generation to a
jury, shows leaning or prejudice. share in their enjoyment. D. T., 27th
No English Judge would have so far May 1896.
forgotten the impartiality of the Bench, Three a'porth o' gordepus
prone as one here and there may be to (Streets'). A street Arab.
convert himself into a 'thirteenth, jury-
man '. D. T., 10th October 1895. Three B's, The
Bright,
(Clerical).
This brief, and brotherly
the modern pro-
is allright (Peoples', 1896 on).
test against the sleepy nature of a
With accent on the all. Satirical
majority of the 19th century church
meaning everything is wrong. services.
Mrs Harris was not there, and Harris
remarked :
'
This is all right, nothing to Three cold Irish (Tavern). Three-
eat or drink, and no one to speak to whiskey with
'.
penny-worth of Irish
People, 7th November 1897. cold water. Because (1867) of a pass-
Thistle down (Irish). Children of ing pun between this order and three
a wandering nature generally, but more hanged Fenians. The three cold Irish
particularly in open breezy places, were Allen, Larkin, and Gould, who
describing the children who gather were executed at Manchester (1867),
thistle down in autumn the down for the murder of Sergeant Brett in
with which the Irish peasant, especially the attempt to rescue from him
in Donegal, makes pillows. certain Fenian prisoners.
Thistle seed (Peoples'). Devonshire Three cornered constituency (Soc. ).
for gipsies, because they drift carelessly House where an only child or mutual
like winged thistle seed. friend throws in the domestic casting
Thorough-handed man (American). vote, and so gives victory to husband
Candid, open specimen of the genus. or wife. From the parliamentary
Thou (Society, 1 860, etc. ). Abbrevia- arrangement (1867), whereby certain
tion for thousand. boroughs returned three members
while the voter was only allowed to
Three acres and a cow (Peoples', vote for two members.
1887). Satirical exclamation directed
at illogical optimism. This was the Three d. masher (Peoples', 1883).
panacea suggested for the renascence Young men of limited means and
more or less superficial gentlemanly
of agriculture in England. Every
externals.
peasant was to have these blessings
but no one discovered where the money Three is an awkward number
was to come from to meet the ex- (Soc.and Peoples', 1885). Paraphrase of
three are company, two are not ',
'

penditure. Mr George Smith of Coal-

ville claimed the invention of this and brought in with surprising rapidity
from a line of evidence given by the
phrase in a letter to the Daily News
1887), wherein he Hon. Mrs Gerard in the celebrated
(27th August
Lord Durham's nullity of marriage
says :
suit.
I also brought the subject before the
Select Committee on Canals in 1883, and On the ride to Raby in the pony car-
about which Lord Wemyss good- riage did not your sister get as far away
humouredly made some fun in the House from Lord Durham as she could ? I did
of Lords in 1884, which fun gave new not notice.
life to the phrase living to-day. But you said that Lord Durham was
244
 Three Out Brush TicJflers

very nice while your sister was very Throwing the hammer (Low Mili-
silent? Three is an awkward number tary). Erotic. Obtaining money under
under the circumstances of the case. false pretences. (See Catch cocks.)
(Laughter.) Thumper (American). Man who
Three out brush (Public-house). A steals by misrepresentation thumper
'
glass shaped an inverted cone,
like being a big lie '.
and therefore something like a house- Thusly (American). In this manner.
painter's brush, especially when dry. The word was the invention of Artemus
The glass holds one-third of a quartern Ward (about 1860).
a quartern being just half of half a T h u z z y-m u z z y (Low. London).
pint. Wilful corruption of enthusiasm. Said
Three planks (Com. English). A to come down from the tenor Brahan,
coffin. who either invented the term or
In France the'coffin is spoken of as thought he was using the true word.
la machine a quatre planches et quatre His English was not great, as wit-
clous. ness
'Twas in Trafalgar Bay
Three-quarter man (Cloth-drapers').
We saw the Frenchman lay.
An inferior employe. (See Six-quarter
men.) Ticket o' leave (Peoples', 70's).
Three wise men of Gotham Holiday, vacation, outing.
(Peoples'). Meaning that they were The expression, 'Ticket o' leave', is
not wise. Generally applied to a trio of probably the invention of the criminal
male fools. In the twenty-fourth year intellect, which, as everybody knows,
of the reign of Henry VI 1 1. 3rd October, ,
delights in giving utterance to its own
ideas in its own peculiar way. D. N.,
a law was passed by the magistracy of
27th October 1886.
Westham, for the purpose of prevent-
Ticket-skinner New York). Opera
ing unauthorised persons from setting (
'
nettes, pottes, and annoyances', or in
and theatre speculator, who
ticket
buys for a rise. Sometimes sells a
anywise taking fish within the privi-
The 2-dollar ticket for 5 or even 10 dollars.
lege of the march of Pevensey.
Innocent people regard the high rates
King's commission was directed to
John Moor, of Lewes ; Richard, Abbot announced by the managers as final, and
of Begeham John, Prior of Myehil-
;
only discover at the entrance that the
advertised price for seats is a ruse to lure
lym ; Thomas, Lord Dacre, and others. them to the merciful treatment of middle
Upon the proceedings of this meet-
men, called ticket-skinners, who, having
which was held at Gotham, near
ing, temporary possession of nearly all the
Pevensey, the facetious Andrew Borde, tickets, exact just what they please for
a native of that town, founded his a seat. N. Y. Mercury, October 1883.
Merrie Talcs of the Wise Men of Tickle one's innards (Anglo -
Gotham.
American). Indulge in a drink.
Threepenny shot (Artizans'). Beef- Thankee, mister ; that war well
steak globular pudding at that price, It's Sunday but come,
thought of. ;
sold in common cook- and coffee-
let's steer for a side door, and tickle our
shops. innards, ye know. N. Y. Mercury, 16th
Throat - latch (American). The January 1885.
larynx, as outwardly developed. Tickle to death ( U. S. ). Delight in
Throw it up (Theatrical). Don't the extreme.
repeat it ; figuratively.Really means Ticklers (Transvaal War, 1900).
reject it, as something not fit to be Peacock feathers, which were sold to
retained. the youth of both sexes on Mafeking
''

Miss Hodson ever revises and com-

Night for the first time, at one penny
'
If
presses the piece, she must take'
heed a piece, and so named by the vendors.
that she removes the throw it up lines,
'

It appears that the peacock feathers

and the references to Somebody's virgin which were such
'ticklers', for short
vinegar and Somebody else's soap. Ref., an important feature in the popular re-
20th December 1885.
joicings of the last few days, come from
Throw mud at the clock (Peoples'). France. The cheaper kind of Union
Despairg even to suicide. Means Jacks oome from Germany, the better
defy time and dis. Mostly used figu- kind from Scotland. D. T., 28th May
1900.
ratively.
245
 Ticklish Tins

Street genius immediately raised the tered and knocked at the door whence
word to an endearment it the sounds of revelry were proceeding.
by changing
into tiddler. Here we get our first glimpse of the
Ticklish (Peoples'). Easily excited, mystery attaching to the word 'tiled'.
In one of the panels of the door there
or spurred to resistance.
was a slide. Somebody looked through
Tiddle - a - wink (Rhyming). A this aperture, shook his head, and the
drink. slide was closed again. Was the some-
Tie o* mutton London a term derived, like
(Irish, body a 'tiler'?
Thigh of mason ', from the old trade
'
Tailors'). meaning leg; that of
and refers to the hopes of a hot Sunday guilds. D. T., 2nd July 1896.
dinner. Timbers (Art jargon, 1880).
Tie up your stocking (Oxford Cabinets, bookcases, escritoires, ela-
Univer.). Finish your tumbler of borate tables worked wood in general.
champagne don't leave any. No (See Crocks and rags).
heel-taps. Timbers Gutter commerce). Lucifer
(
Tie up with a curly one (Cricketing, matches.
1890). Bowl out with a screwed or
Timothy grass (American). Cat's
rifled projection of the ball, sent from
tail
the shoulder on a parabolic curve pro- grass.
Tin hat (Anglo-Port
Said). Drunk
duced by simultaneous swing of the
two
tin hats very drunk three, in-
arm and turn of the wrist.
capable, and to be carried on board.
Tied down (American). Crushed
by the force of circumstances.
Tinman (Sporting, 1880). Mil-
lionaire from man
possessing tin.
Tiger (American). Prostitute. ;

Too many of the big swells found profit

Never tigress. Shadwell, London, was
called by sailors Tiger Bay long since in the Tinman to allow him to pass into
retirement while able to earn winnings
swept away. for them if conditions were modified for
Tiger (Soys', 19 cent.). Tough- his benefit. Ref., 14th November 1886.
crusted bread. Probably from both
offering a deal of fight. (Referring to F. Archer, a popular
and rich jockey, who had some days
Tiger (San Francisco). The guardian before committed suicide.)
inside the inner door of a gaming-
house equivalent to the chucker-out Tin - shin - off (American). Tin is
of a London tavern. money ; shin is to walk ; and together
Tiger (Political, 1895). Hon. J. with the third word means abscond
Chamberlain. Bestowed by the Radi- with money.
cal party. Sir J. Kitson quoted this Tinder - tempered (Peoples', old).
verse in a political speech
Hot-tempered from the tinder some-
:

There was a young lady of Riga times taking fire in a moment from the
Who went for a ride on a tiger ; Hash of the flint and steel.
They finished the ride with the lady 'Tis both your faults, you tinder-tem-
inside,
pered knaves. Garrick, Abel Drugger.
And a smile on the face of the tiger.
The young lady was presumably
Tintamarre (Devon). Noise,
hubbub. One of the French phrases
Britannia,
common, and only common, to Devon.
Tiger bit him hard (American
Tip the velvet (Grim. Clatses).
gamester). Meaning that he had lost Kiss with the point of the tongue.
a good deal of money at a sitting.
Tight as a biled (or boiled) owl Tipping the office (Soc., 18 cent.).
(American). Completely drunk. Revealing a secret frequently in
connection with some doubtful pro-
Tiled (Masonic). Closed from the
ceeding.
tiler closing in a house by way of the
Titotular bosh (Music Hall, 1897).
tilea. The outer-door paid officer of a
Absolute nonsense made up by an
masonic lodge is the tiler.
absurd play upon the word teetotal, and
What is a 'tiled lodge of the Ante- one of the terms for humbug '. '

diluvian Order of Buffaloes?' One of

the Bristol lodges saw fit to meet to- Tittimatorterin (E. Anglican). See-
saw.
gether in a room in a public-house, and
at this gathering there was singing and Tius (East London reversed word).
playing. Thereupon a constable en- Suit of clothes.
246
 To Away Tommy RdbUt

To away (Theatrical). Creation of against her husband for separation. The

a verb from the dramatic exclamation lady is young and good-looking and is
exquisitely toileted. N. Y. Mercury,
'away'.
To Christmas (Soc., 1880). To January 1885.
make high holiday with plenty of Tom (Street, 19 cent. ). A masculine
woman of the town. In higher ranks
The associations of Christmas for the one who does not care for the society
young and for the people are almost
of others than those of her own sex.
wholly of a festive character. They Tom and funny (Rhyming).
'

conjugate actively the verb to Christ- Figurative description of money.

mas '. D. N., 25th December 1884. Tom o' Bedlam (Provincial). A
Toast v. On (a bit of) toast. wild, maddish fellow from the name
once given to inoffensive imbeciles who
Toast your blooming eyebrows
were licensed to go about begging.
Probably a delicate way of
(Peoples').
telling a man to go to blazes. Abram-men, otherwise called Tom o'
Bedlams, are very strangely and antickly
Toby (Soc., 1882). Lady's collar garbed, with several coloured ribbons or
from the wide frill worn round the tape in their hat, it may be ; instead of a
neck by Mr Punch's dog. feather, a fox-tail hanging down a long
stick with ribbons streaming and the
Toe-path (Cavalry). Regiment of
like. Yet for all their seeming madness
infantry.Eminently suggestive of the
they have wit enough to steal as they go.
contempt in which the cavalry hold The Canting Academy, 1674.
the infantry, who as a rule are much
smaller men than the gee-gees (q.v.). Tomahawk (Street). Policeman's
staff.
Toe-rag (Peoples', Prov.). Beggar. Tomasso di rotto (Middle-class
Most country people ride or drive,
' Youths'). Italian shape of Tommy
hence the contempt enclosed in toe ',
rot.
with which the possessor walks. An-
Tomb-stone (Com. Lond., 19 cent.).
other term (Devon) is footpad with-
out reference to robbery. Rags speak
A pawn-ticket the shape and printed

for themselves.
heading of which do give the idea of a
doll's tombstone.
Toff bundle - carrier (Music Hall, Tommy (Bobby) Atkins (Popular,
1870 on). He is the gentleman in 1882). The friendly name found about
attendance upon a serio-comic, and this year for a soldier of the line
see her from hall to hall a prosperous invented line
presumably amongst
serio-comic often having to sing at and
soldiers, adopted by
certainly
three or four music halls in the course them. Tommy Atkins first appeared
of one evening. Her changes of dress, in print in the correspondence sent
etc., call for a large assortment of home during the Egyptian campaign
flying luggage, to which the devoted (1882).
one gives all his attention hence the This time it was some other member
term. of the family of Thomas Atkins who
Toff-omee (Thieves'). Superlative resumed the colloquy of which our friend
of toff. Bill had dropped the thread. D. N.,
Toff-shoving (London Rough, 1882). 28th September 1882.
Pushing about well-dressed men in a Tommy and exes (Workmen's).
crowd. Bread beer, and 'bacca.
Tog -bound (Peoples'). No good Tommy make room for your uncle
clothes to wear.
(Music Hall). Suggestive of the uncle
Tog-fencer (Com. Lond., 1870). A being a better man than the nephew,
tailor. and accepted very willingly by the
Toga-play Classical
(Theatrical). less juvenile of music-hall patrons.
Adopted as the leading line of a
-
'ogies (Public school). Knotted chorus to a comic song. Said, how-
ropes' ends carried about hidden by ever, to have a recondite meaning.
elder boys to beat their fags with
once-called 'colts'.
Tommy pipes (Navy, 19 cent.).
Boatswain because he pipes or
Toileted (American Eng., 1884).
-
whistles all hands.
Dressed. Conjugated throughout. Tommy rabbit (Street Soys').
Pretty Martha Springsteen brings suit Pomegranate. (See Nanny.)
247
 Tomtug Tough as Tacker

Tomtug (Rhyming). Bed insect. Toothpick (A merican-Eng.). Clasp

Tone - painting (Soc., 1890 on). knife or bowie knife. Satirical de-

programme music.
Referring to scription of its formidable appearance.
Mr Silas points out that even great Toothpicks (American). People of
musicians do not appear at their best in Arkansas.
tone-painting. D. T., 31st March 1897. Top-drawing-room (Low. London).
Tony (American
coming to A garret.
England, 1890). Adjective, formed Topical allusion (Political Music
upon the abstract noun. Hall). Direct or indirect reference to
As for fashionable matters, there was passing events.
less 'society', of in point of
course, When Miss Victor, exclaiming, Noble '

'
numbers in Hone's time than in ours, but nation, the Russians a faint laugh,
!

'
itwas just as '
tony of its kind, if any- broken by a faint hiss, indicated that a
thing a little more so. H. Y. Mercury, perception had somewhere dawned upon
18th May 1890. somebody of what burlesque writers call
No a 'topical allusion'. D. N., 27th April
(See class.)
1885.
Too all but (London, 1881). One
of the phrases resulting out of Punch's Topical vocalist (Music Hall).' One
trouvaille 'too-too' (1881), and to be
who sings concerning the events or
found in Mr W. S. Gilbert's extrava- topics of the day.
Tpra - loorals (Theatrical).
ganza, Patience.
Too Under Feminine bust. Generally used in
cheap (Peoples').
reference to a dress very decolletee.
valued. Used in every possible way.
Too damned good (Military).
Torch-light procession (American,
Second Dragoon Guards. From the 1883). One of the more fiery American
drinks.
regimental indication on the shoulder-
straps.
Tory democracy (Polit., 1885).
2 Impossibility, absurdity.
D.G. Lord R. Churchill had given a new
combination in the words 'Tory Demo-
Too full of holes to skin (W. cracy '. A Tory could not be a Democrat,
America}. Very much riddled with and a Democrat could not be a Tory.
bullets. Mr H. Labouchere, Finsbury, 13th
Too mean to raise (American}. October 1885.
Utterly contemptible. Tory rory (London, 18 cent, to
Too much with us! (Soc., 1897). 1845). Name given to those who
Boredom, incubus. wore their hats fiercely cocked.
Klondyke is too much with us
' '

just Tosh (Cricket, 1898). Fatally easy

now. been dragged into
It has long
conversation with the persistency of a bowling.
D.
Tosh (Thieves' old). Pocket-
pantomime gag. T., 14th January
1897. probably a corruption from the French
poche.
Too numerous to mention (London, Tot hunter (Low Life). Bone-
-
1882). Angrily drunk.
Too too (Soc., 1881). More than
collector generally used offensively
in quarrels, and in reference to
perfect. Too-too was first found in
parents.
Punch in the height of the aesthetic Scour-
craze (1881).
Tot-hunting (Low. Class).
ing the streets in search of pretty
Too utterly too (Society, 1883).
girls.
Final phrase resulting from the
satirical use of 'too-too'. Totty all colours (London Streets').
Tooled (Soc., 19 cent.). Murdered. Young person who has contrived to
Satirical metaphor. Invented by De get most of the colours of the rainbow
into her costume.
Quincey.
Edward Reed's suspected assassin
Sir Totty one lung (Street, 1885). An
is thought to have 'tooled', as De asthmatic, or consumptive young
Quincey says, with a Japanese dagger. person who, whether good or bad,
D. N., 12th February 1885. thinks herself somebody.
Tooleries (Theatrical, 1885). Tough as tacker (Peoples').
Toole's Theatre now swept away. Tough in excelsis.
248
 Tourney Trifa

Tourney (Pugilistic}. Mill or en- for putting a polish of politeness on ugly

counter of two fighters. Word coined facts are infinite. When M. DelcassS's
after the Eglintoun tournament. mendacity in connection with the Muscat
incident was exposed, a leading Paris
Concerning the present tourney I
think that's the word arrangements paper extenuated his offence by the
for a special train were attempted to be ingenious excuse that, after all, he
made. Morning Star, 1862. merely 'translated the truth'. People,
19th March 1899.
Tournure (Dresmakers' 1882). ,
Translated Emphati-
Happily invented name for the dress- (Soc., 80's).

improver of that year.

cally intoxicated. Probably ' a re-
Town (Rhyming). Halfpenny.
miniscence of Shakespeare Bless
Thus town brown so named from thee, Bottom, thou art translated'
colour. (Midsummer Night's Dream).
Tra la la (Peoples', 1880). Trap (Australian, 1870). Mounted
Parting
benediction not too civil trooper.
possibly
;

Travelling tinkers (Inter regi

1
- -

contemptuous. Died out about 1890.

The phrase took its rise with a comic mental). 30th Regiment Lancashire
singer named Henri Clarke, whose
regiment.
was Treacle-man (Thieves'}. Beautiful
speciality imitating Parisians.
Wk ether he invented 'tra la la', or
male decoy who is the pretended young
heard it in Paris, or uttered by a man of the housemaid and the real
Frenchman in London he made a forerunner of the burglar. (See Leave-

great hit with it as the burden of a yer-homer.)

chorus.
Often used to designate the com-
mercial traveller who has to make sales
Thanks. I hate personalities. Good-
of type-writers, sewing machines, etc.
morning. So tra, la, la Funny Folk,
!

Some-
No. 519. to young girls and old women.
times bitterly applied by drapers'
Traffy (Wavy). Portsmouth's sea-
assistants to any one of their number
faring reduction of the Trafalgar who makes the smartest sales.
(once Nelson's ship), and long since -
anchored for life at Portsmouth.
Treason mongers (Polit., 1885).
Contemptuous name found for dyna-
Trailing coat (Irish spread to
miters as their great schemes for the
England in 19 cent.).Defiance. In destruction of London faded into
Irish village fights the man trailed his
nothingness.
coat by way of challenge he who None but treason-mongers will dispute
took up the cartel trod on it, and the applicability of the inscription on the
the fight began. pedestal, which, in the familiar words
Irishmen in the postal service may say from Henry V11L, represents him as
that in introducing his 'blacklegs' Mr having fallen a martyr for his country.
Raikes was 'trailing his coat'. D. N., Globe, 1st July 1885.
10th July 1890.
Trelawny ( West Cornwall}. War-
Train too fine (Soc. and Sport, cry of the Cornish men derived from ;

1890 on). Push things too oppressively one of the three leading septs of
from sporting life, where men with Cornwall
too much training overdo the training.
There is undoubted ground for the
By Tre, Pol, and Pen
Ye shall know the Cornish men.
belief that our bishops as a body are
Used as a defiance.
beginning to 'train too fine'. D. T.,
10th June 1898. Trifa (Jewish}. Unclean clean
Tram-fare (London Streets
1
things may become trifa ; others, such
, 1882).
as porkand shell-fish, are always trifa.
Twopence. Until the toll over Waterloo
Bridge (London) one halfpenny was Applied widely in E. London.
abolished, the lower women of the Tripha, ritually unclean. I. Zangwill,
streets used to ask for coin to go over Children of the Ghetto.
the bridge. The slaughterer must be a man of high
moral character. In opening the animal,
Transfer (Society). To steal.
he must make a thorough inspection of
Translate the truth (Soc., 1899). it,and if he finds it in any way diseased,
Lie evasively. In general use during he pronounces 'trefa* that it is unfit
this year. for the food of Jews.
The resources of the French language (See Kosher.)
249
 Trilby True Inwardness

Trilby (Soc., 1894). Woman's Triumphant toast (Soc., 18 cent.).

exquisite American - English.
foot. Toast in excelsis.
From Du Maurier's book (1894) Trilby Miss Chudleigh next was the triumph-
the name of the book, and of the ant toast: a lively, sweet-tempered,
heroine, whose beautifully rare foot is gay, self-admired, and not altogether
insisted on. without reason, generally-admired lady
exhausted an she moved not, without crowds after
Having palmistry
American paper has spent its energy her. She smiled at every one. Richard-
of psychological investigation on the son, Lettters from Tunbridge Wells, 1748.
foot (I beg pardon, the trilby), but a Trot (Com. Lond., 1875). A walk
rival comes out with a page of illustrated probably suggested by the ordinary
description of the mouth. People, 7th quick movement of most young
July 1895. Englishmen.
Trimming (Polit., 18 cent. on). Trot the udyju Pope o' Rome
Not sailing straight. (Street). This is very enigmatic
He's a trimmer of trimmers, and
'

English, composed of rhyming and

he lies by heredity.' transposition styles, and is generally
Trimming was the name which the used by one man to another when he
18th century politician gave to what wants the wife, or other feminine
we now call opportunism. Ouida, An
person, out of the way. Udyju is
Altruist (1896).
judy (wife) transposed Judy being
Trimmings (Trade, 1897). Masked very common word for wife or mistress
alcohol. When, by the contrivance of equally. Pope o' Rome is rhyming for
Mr Gladstone, it was attempted to home.
modify the attraction of the public- Trots (Common London). Feet
house by giving licenses to sell derived from 'trotting'.
alcoholic drinks to various tradesmen,
Trots (Peoples', 1846). Policemen.
some linen-drapers and silk-mercers Refers to these officers being always on
who gave credit, opened liberal refresh- the go or beat.
ment rooms at their establishments, Trotter-cases (Com. London, 1860).
and put down their lady- customers' Boots.
wine -lunches as 'trimmings' in the
Hence the Trotting away from the pole
bills sent to the husbands.
(American). In error wandering
word became synonymous with secret from From horse - trotting
subject.
drinking by women. sport; the pole being the winning
'
The Drapers' World declares alcoholic
post.
trimmings' to be fiction. D. T., 18th Trouble (American, 1870). Distinct
January 1897. '
American for anxiety '.
Trinity kiss (Soc., about 1870).
Troubled with the slows (Aquatics).
A triple kiss generally given by Observed of the losing boat or swimmer.
daughters and very young sons, when
going to bed, to father and mother. Trouting (Piscatorial). Catching
T
fi i p e (Journalistic). Rubbish ,
trout.
'rot'. April and May are the best months for
Yet she puts in six or seven pages of trouting on the Thames. People, 3rd
her own tripe, and limits me to three April 1898.
columns. T. Le Breton, The Modern, Trowser (E. London, 1895 on).
Christian (1902), ch. 8. Jack of trades and master of none.
all

Blooming six foot o' Sir Reginald Hanson: What is a

Tripe,
(Street, 1880). Apoliceman.
giant
'trowser'. Sweeting: Vy, a man as
does any hod jobs. Any thin'. D. T.,
Yer blooming six foot o' tripe, how's
'

' 4th November 1897.

yer fat old head ? attack upon a tall
True bill, judgment, execution
policeman. Medical analysis
E. (Anglo-American).
Triper (Streets', London}.
of the course of paralysis.
Trifa (?) this being the Jewish for
unclean. True inwardness (Literary, 1890
Tripos pup (Cambridge Univ.) on). Reality. One of the principal
Undergrad cantabs. shapes of literary jargon produced in
the '90's. Probably the only serious
Every year the coaches exact more
and more work out of their 'Tripos survival of the aesthetic craze of the
pups'. D. N., 14th June 1887. '80's.

250
 Trying it on the Dog Turn the Tap on

Trying it on the dog (Theatrical). staunchest supporters at the Savoy, and

Abbreviation of '
the matine'e dog '. at the Royalty and the Tunnels. JRef.,
Derived from the amiable habit, in the 10th January 1886.
good old times of testing a present of (Mr Gilbert had been complaining
eatables by giving a portion to the dog. of the angry reception, by the gallery,
In the present relation it is a con- of a play by him. )
temptuous reference to the lower Tup (Streets' especially in Wool-
judging capacities of afternoon theatri- wich'). Arrested. It is derived from
cal audiences. Testing the value of a ' ' '
locked up ', the t of locked being
new piece by an afternoon audience
prefixed to up.
is trying it on the matinee
dog who Tuppenny 'apenny ones (Street).
is below consideration, but
may be Very poor and common sort.
useful.
Tupper (Soc. ,
1850 on). A common-
If any enterprising person desires to who
place honest bore talks or writes
make money from a play or a composition
ABC. Takes its rise from Mr Martin
of music he does not boldly attempt the
experiment upon the public. His shrewd Tupper who wrote a phenomenally
successful book called Proverbial
suspicion that they would avenge the
torture induces him to adopt the pre- Philosophy composed entirely of self-
'
liminary precaution of trying it on the evident propositions.
dog. D. T., 4th February 1897. Turf (Street, 19 cent.). Prostitu-
Tub practice (Boating}. Unskilled tion. From loose women being on
broad-bottomed boats.
efforts in parade. Thence came turfer.
Turn down your cup (Soc., 19 cent.
During the intervals of racing in the ,

eight they should have been taken out 1785-1890). Die from the once exist-
for 'tub' practice in convenient gig ing provincial habit of reversing one's
pairs. D. T., 17th June 1897. cup in one's saucer when no more tea
or coffee was required. Finish hence
Tubbichon (Peoples', '60'a). Cor-
of tire -
buchon (corkscrew) the figure of speech.
ruption
which was the Paris argot in the '60's This last word cost Mr Palmer half his
for the breakfast ; on hearing it he turned down
long solitary ringlet of a portion
of the back hair worn in front of the his cup with a profound sigh. Miss M.
left shoulder, a fashion created by the Edgeworth, Manoeuvring.
Empress Eugenie, and accepted in Turn over (Press, 1860 on). Last
London by the middle - classes im- column on the right of the front page
of a newspaper, especially an evening
mediately after that lady visited
London (1855), when for a time every- one. So called from the social article
thing French was very popular. which fills that column turning a few
Miss Spong's fair hair is all pushed lines, for the sake of effect, over on to
into a gold net, save for one long tire- top of first column on second page.
louchon hanging over the left shoulder. Turn paper collars (American).
Z>. T., 21st January 1898. Figurative for poverty. (See Out o'

Tug of war (Peoples'). Contest collar.)

Turn round pudding
final and settling. applied toNow
two sets of boys or men
pulling from Any slop pudding or porric
the two ends of one rope the tug by turning round the ingredients with
a spoon, in a saucepan. (See Stir about,
being to get one side a mere inch over
the dividing chalk line. Hasty pudding.)
Turn the best side to London
Tumbling down to grass (Peoples',
Shrewd way of recommend-
(Peoples').
1884). Equivalent to going to the
bad. Breaking up, failing. From the ing the hearer to make the best of
fact of land going out of cultivation everything.
1875-85.
Turn the tap on (Common London).
Tunnels (Theat., 1885). To be ready with tears.
Opera '
You noticed, perhaps said my com-
Comique Theatre (swept away by Strand
',

panion, that when she had finished her

'

improvements) Strand. From the That's what she's

song she fell a crying ?
several subterranean passages leading
strong in. She can turn the taps on at a
to this underground theatre. moment's notice, and that in a way you'd
These same coarse '
bullies
'
have often never think was any other than natural.'
enough been Mr W. S. Gilbert's D. T. t 8th February 1883.
251
 Turn Turtle Two Inches beyond Upright

Turn turtle (Naval). Tumble down speculator, Swhose only legacy to the
drunk from the over-turning of a world was this phrase.
vessel which is to turn turtle. Turtle soup ( Workmen's}. Sheep's
Turn up (Universal). Appear un- head broth. (See Clare market duck,
expectedly. City sherry.)
Turn up friendly lead (Coster, 1870). Tweedle-dum sirs (Soc.). Baronets
Final jovial co-operation. A public- or knights who gain their titles by way
house sing-song to pay the burial of music. Started when Sir Michael
expenses of a dead friend, or a pal Costa obtained his title. Almost
who has turned up life. forgotten when Sir Arthur Sullivan
Turnover was knighted. (See Gally-pot baronet. )
(Cornish mining).
Capital. Alas it is generally the Twelve o'clock (Artizan*'). Action
shareholders in these toils who are time to be moving. Derived from
turned over. the fact that this is (or rather was),
the dinner hour, and that the diners
Turn-over (Lit., 1880). A work to
move rapidly towards home.
dip into rather than read.
The book has as a turn over much of
' ' Twelve pound actor (Theatrical).
the character of a good volume of Punch, A well-weighted newly-born baby a
' '
and it has the merits (both rare in French child born in the profession of course.
comic drawing) of bringing no blush on Mrs James O'Neill has added a twelve-
the cheek of the young person, and of pound actor to Jimmy's board account.
having its work finished and not merely 20 in the pounder Gentle-
(Peoples').
indicated in outline. Sat. Rev., 26th
December
man who, owing a sovereign, does not
1885.
make a composition, but pays his 240
Turn-up Acquittal the
(Thieves?).
pence in full.
prosecution being turned up, or
'
Twicers (Lower Class, 19 cent.).
abandoned. This will be only a turn Twins.
' '

up. Also used socially. Ginger the lion's

me Twisting (See tail.
May's turned up', does not mean Tail-twisting.)
that this yellow-haired Circe has com- Twixter (L. London). Either a
mitted an assault upon the speaker,
lady-like young man, or a man-like
but has abandoned him.
young woman as the case may be.
Dear Parnell, For heaven's sake stop Two 'arts in a pond (Lower Class).
the boycotting and the Moonlighting and Two hearts (bullocks'), in a pond-dish,
the outrages. I have promised you
this receptacle being a baking dish
Home Rule, and you shall have it but ;
divided in two parts by a transverse
if you let your lads play old gooseberry
with law and order as they are doing
wall hence the ponds. Used on
Sunday morning at the bake-houses to
now, I shall have to turn it up.
Salisbury, Ref., 18th October 1885.
describe dinner baked there and
called for.
Turnups (Lower Peoples' ). Rej ection Two brothers alive, and one
of a suitor. She dismisses him or
turns him up said to be from hospital
married (Music Hall, 1897). The one
married being as bad as dead.
practice of turning up the ordinary
joint bedstead when a patient left it
Two buckle horses (Stables').
Tuberculosis.
for the grave. Corrupted into an idea Two ends and the middle of a bad
of turnips generally pronounced lot (Middle-class). Evasive method of
turnups by the vulgar. utter condemnation.
Turkey-buyer (Leadenhall market). Two F's(Mid.-class, 1880). Fringe
Swell, toff, dude, person of con- and followers of lady servants.
sequence, banker. Because it requires
As for the two F's fringes (forehead
more than two-pence to buy gobblers. and followers surely they should
hair)
Turkey merchant ( City). Extensive be permitted in moderation. The fringe
financier in scrip a city plunger, need not become a fuzz, the followers
supposed to have some reference to the need not degenerate into polyandry.
gaming traffic in Turkish bonds which D. N., 20th October 1886.
continued until 1878. More probably Two inches beyond upright
a name-word, a corruption of ' T. K. ' (Peoples'). Hypocritical liar. Perver-
the initials of some past away sion of description of upright-standing
252
 Two L.'s, The Uhlan

man, who throws his back backwards tramcar, the underground railway, and
beyond upright. the 'two-penny tube'. D. T. (Sir E.
Two L's,The (American Eng. ,
Arnold), 13th October 1900.
1880). In England means certain
destruction. In America lead or
liquor. Comes from the Wild West,
and chiefly Arizona, where between
taking eternal pulls at Bourbon
whiskey, and for ever drawing lead at u
sight upon the next door neighbour,
or being drawn upon a man of thirty
was a phenomenon of old age. U.K. (London, 1870). Emphatic
Two to one against you (Peoples'). initials ofUnited Kingdom.
Very much against you. Refers to the Minnie Palmer is on all call nightly,
'

pawnbroker's golden sign the three and may be pronounced the finest anti-
dyspeptic dose in the U.K. U bet
'
balls two above one, implying that !

it is two to one that you will never Sunday Times, 14th October 1883.
get your pledge back. U.P. (Lower Social). 'Up' spelt,
Two upon ten (Tradesmen's).
to make the word more forcible.
Two Usually used with all
'
' ' '
ten fingers warn- as 'It's all
eyes upon
ing that a thief is in the neighbour- U.P. with him', which may mean
hood ; generally that he is about to die, or fail in
given out by one
shopman for the benefit of the others. business, or his winnings, or his power
of work of any kind.
Two white, two red, and after
Still the box did not come down, and
you with the blacking brush usually ' '

cut down two white, two red, and I thought certainly it was U.P. with
the brush (London Street, 1860-70).
all of us. By this time some of the men
who felt better had climbed up, but
This phrase is absolutely a legacy from most of us were not strong enough to do
the second French empire. Under so. D. T., 17th May 1897.
Napoleon III., the use of colour See N.G. and G.T.T.
cosmetics became very marked. Like
most French fashions this came to Ud's my life (Peoples', 18 cent.).
London, and even penetrated for a
One of the evasive forms of religious
short time into fairly respectable swearing, 'God's my life'. (See
society, whence it rapidly reached the Zounds, etc.)

streets, with much exaggeration hence Ugger, The (Oxford). The Union.
the phrase which thus satirizes the Marvels have been done with the most
vulgarity of the use of colours. It unpromising material. For example,
' '
means ' two dabs of red, two of white, one would have thought that the Union
and the use of blacking brush to make defied corruption. But not so. Some

up the eyebrows '.

'
After you, miss, ingenious wit had an inspiration and
called it the Ugger ', and his friends
'

with the two two's and the two b's'

bowed low before him. D. T., 14th
blacking brush).
(i.e.,
August 1899.
Two with you (Tavern Life). Sug-
house y 19
gesting a twopenny drink. Ugly (Common Coffee
cent.). Thick. (See Ungryome.)
Arthur Eoberts may be congratulated.
At the finish his friends crowded around, Ugly (Soc., 50's). Bonnet shade.
and challenged him with a 'Two with The passing name bestowed
'Ugly'.
you '.JRef., 12th June 1887. by common consent upon the hideous
shades worn upon the front of the
Twopenny tube (C. London, 1900).
The Central London Underground bonnet, and made of silk drawn in
gathers upon wires.
Electric Railway (opened in the first
week in August 1900), gained this Ugly rush (Parliamentary). Speed
shortened within ten to prevent enquiry forcing a bill.
designation
At once it became a phrase to (See Hard and fast line. )
days.
stay. From the then one and only Uhlan (Parliamentary, 1883).
fare Free lance or perhaps free-booter.
twopence.
Wehave already, it is true, the omni- Lord Randolph Churchill. The Uhlans
bus, the hansom, the four-wheeler, the
were first familiarly known in England
253
 Ulster Ungryome

during the Franco-German War (1870- Uncrowned king (Political, 1881).

71) but only by report. They were
the avant courriers of the German
advance into France, their appearance
presaging the arrival of a numerous
body. The word soon came to repre-
sent a daring, headstrong skirmisher.
Lord Randolph in answering
politics
this description, ultimately acquired
this title.
Such an idea had long been in the mind
of Lord Randolph Churchill, the Uhlan
of the Conservative army. D. N., 17th
February 1883.
Ulster (Anglo Amer.). Skin of
anything. Jocosely suggested by the
long ulster coat covering the whole
Satirical name for C. S. Parnell, M.P.
for Cork, the leader of the Irish move-
ment. The crown referred to that of
Ireland, from one of whose kings, like
most Irish leaders, C. S. Parnell was
descended.
Under or over (American-English,
1860 on). Contraction of under the
grass or over the grass this phrase
being a metaphor of death (under the
grass) and of life (over the grass).
Applied to widows meaning either a
husband who is dead, or a husband in
divorce, who of course is over and
above the grass.
This widow of
Under the grass and
' '

body. 1
Over the grass
the dead husband and
',

Ultra-crepidation (Soc., 19 cent.). the divorced one, is very fascinating, very

Plunging, vaulting ambition. From brilliant, and certainly cynical. D. T.,
Ne sutor ultra crepidam. 9th August 1899.
But be that as it may, the man whom Under the rose v. Sub rosa.
proverbial wisdom exhorts to stick to '
Underdone (Colloquial). Pale com-
his last is the very man who most often
'

plexion. Took the place of doughy.

sets that advice at nought. He has
been ultra-crepidating
'
',
to use a word Underground Russia (Socialistic).
of Coleridgian coinage, throughout all Nihilistic Russia.
D. T., 14th May 1895. Andre" Frangoli has himself played an
history.
important part in the Russian revolu-
Ululation (Press, about 1875). tionary movement; nobody is better
First night condemnation by all the
acquainted than he with Underground
'

gallery and the back of the pit. (See Russia ', and his name is not unknown in
Damned, Hornpipe.) England. I give the story, word for
Umble-cum-stumble (Low. Class). word, as he gave it to me D. N., 15th
Thoroughly understood. September 1883.
Unattached (Parliamentary, 1850, Understudy (Theatrical). Pre-
on). A member of the sumed inferior actor or actress, who
legislation
whose vote is never quite to be counted learns a part played by a presumedly

upon by any party. superior actor or actress, and who only

Unavoidable circumstances
(American Satirical).
breeches.
Unbounded assortment
tuitous untruths (Polit., 1885). Ex-
tensive systematic lying. From speech
gets a chance of appearing as the
result of illness or other indisposition
Court knee-
on the part of the superior being.
of gra- In the theatrical profession it is always
understood to be a perfectly legitimate
proceeding, and occasionally in the '
interests of art, for an understudy to'

(llth November 1885) of Mr Glad-

pray for the collapse of a principal.
stone's at Edinburgh, wherein may be D. T., 20th May 1897.
found :

It has become the fashion with a Undigested Ananias (Peoples'^

portion of the Tory party to circulate in 1895). Triumphant liar.
'
exclaimed Mra
'
reference to myself personally and indi- Just listen to him !

'

vidually an unbounded assortment of the Quick look at his impudence. Hear

;

most gratuitous untruths. how he cheeks the Court. Why, it's as

Unconscious self
bad as when he once called my husband
(Soc., 1885).
an "undigested Ananias'". D. T..
Genius the quality of exceptional and
24th June 1896.
inexplicable production of intellectual
work. Unfair done by (Peoples', Hist.),
Dore's very best drawings look like the Ill-treated.
work of an inspired 'unconscious self, Ungryome (Common Cofec-hoiae,
to borrow the latest terminology of 1880). Unaspirated and collided condi-
'

psychical research. D. N., 25th June tion of the two words, hungry and '

1885. home*. (See Ugly.)

254
 Unhitched Uppertendom

Unhitched (Liverpool spreading) .

Up the pole (Peoples', 1896 on).
Let go, released, separated. Drunk.
When all the arrangements were made Plaintiff I did not ; but your little
:

and the pair stood up the 'Squire gazed juently saying that you were
at them over his spectacles and unhitched '
up the poll
on them in the most solemn and im- The Judi
Fudge: Up the what? Up the
pressive tones. N. Y. Mercury. April poll, sir.
1886. What is that? You know, sir. Up
Unicorn carman 19 the poll.
(L. Streets',
cent. Driver of three horses harnessed The Judge I don't know.
:
}.

tandem. The High Bailiff explained that the

term was a slang one for being intoxi-
Unkinned (Soc., 1884). Satirical
cated. D. T. llth December 1897.
' '

pronunciation of unkind
t
the result
of the production (1884) of Hamlet at The approach to drunkenness is
the Princess's Theatre, where Mr 'getting on the pole'.
"Wilson Barrett in the title-rdle, acting Upto date (Soc. and Peoples', 1873
under advice, used kin instead of kind on). Total modernity.
in the great soliloquy. The two principals were made up like
Unrelieved holocaust (Society, Corbett and Fitzsimmons, and the enter-
1883). In 1882 the destruction of tainment was a triumph of 'the up-to-
the Ring Theatre (Vienna), and of a date '.Peoples', 4th April 1897.
circus at Berditscheff (Russia), both Up to the scratch (Peoples', 19
accompanied by terrible loss of life, cent.). Fit, sufficient, allowable. Said
led a writer in the Times to use the to be from the lady committee of
above odd phrase in reference to these Almacks approving of names sub-
catastrophes whereupon the satirical mitted to them by scratching some
spirits of society adopted it to ridicule
cabalistic mark intimating that the
the most absurd incidents. owner of the name might be allowed
to enter Almacks. 'Not up to the
Up (Sporting). In the saddle.
scratch
'
referred to the fact that all
'Archer up' favourite cry meaning
success in 1880-83. who applied for entrance were not
That most found worthy. Said to have been
enterprising of picture
Mr started by Beau Brummel.
ublishers, George Eees, of Russell
treet, Covent Garden, has issued a The picture-destroyer pays his polite
splendidly got up coloured lithograph of attentions to Mr Herbert as well as to
St Blaise (a horse), with Charlie Wood up'. Mr Alma Tadema. Who can say after
'

this that Mr Herbert's pictures are not

Up (Theatrical). the stage.
Up
Under this condition as a rule the up'd up to the scratch ? Entr'acte, 30th May
1885.
one has only to look on. (See Come
down. ) Up-end (Street, 1880 on). Fling
a tree for tenpence down heavily, so that the heels fly up.
Up (Peoples',
Used figuratively for amazement as
1850 on). Moneyless, stone-broke. ' '
I was fair-upended !

Up fields
(Westminster School).
Up-keep^oc., 1897). Maintenance,
Enclosure of Vincent Square, West-
minster, the keeping up, keeping as a going concern.
practically private First noticed in print in this year.
property of St Peter's. It is historically
the field where the Westminsters The Council has now resolved to relieve
local authorities of the cost of the up-keep
played, and play especially football. of those places which they at present
Up my sleeve (Ancient English). defray. D. T., 1st December 1897.
This phrase is very obscure, but it is
Upper and downer (Lower People).
certainly used in the sense of being
Wrestling struggle, in which com-
intoxicated.
batants upset, but rarely if ever strike,
It was six pots up my sleeve when we
each other. Generally for a bet.
reached port and Sarah asked me to
;

her next Sunday tea fight. Upper ten set (Servants'}. Ladies
and gentlemen employed by the upper
Up or down (Peoples'). Heaven or ten thousand. Phrase found by them-
Hades.
selves for themselves.
Up School (Westminster School).
Short for 'Upper School' the great Uppertendom (New York}. Word
school-room. coined from upper ten.
255
 Use Very Well

Use (High Church, 1890 on). Vagabonds removed (Peoples').

Function. Droll application of the initials V.R.
On Palm Sunday the benediction of the letters standing, of course, for
palms carried in procession was more
'
Victoria Regina, which appeared on the
than ever the use not merely in very
', outside of the prison van to the end of
advanced Anglican churches, and in more the reign of Victoria.
than one case a bishop was the chief
Vales (Soc., 18 cent.). Presents to
officiator. World, April 1897.
servants. Still used in old houses.
Usher of the hall (Soc., 1883).
Odd kitchen man male.
Valse (Anglo - Amer.). Synonym
Equivalent for airy walking, especially in quitting
of char or chore woman.
Mr M'Coan asked as to 'the sentence a room. (See Bailey, Polka, Skip).
Vanderbilt (American). The U.S.A.
upon George Gardiner, described as a
tutor, charged with stealing a jug of synonym for Rothschild (q.v.). To
beer and sentenced to six weeks' describe a very rich man the Vander-
imprisonment. Sir W. Harcourt, amid bilts of New York being historical
much laughter, explained that owing to millionaires. 1884.
the custom in large establishments of Medical
the odd man being called the Usher of
'
Vapourage (American).
the Hall', a position held by Gardiner,
vapour bathing.
the writer of the newspaper paragraph Vardy the carsey (Criminal).
had converted him into a tutor. House
Italian. Look at the house. One of
the Italian organ-men's expressions
of Commons, 19th April 1883.
passed on. From vedere and casa '.
' ' '

Util (Theatrical). Utility. The J

util actor in a company. He is the Variant (Lit., 90's). Variation,

odd man ready to do anything. divergency.
He piloted Florodora into the harbour
Generally a clever man who has missed of safety by his diverting variant of
his mark.
John Wellington Wells. D. T., 13th
November 1899.
Variety stage (Music Hall, 1880).
As distinct from the dramatic. Out-
growth of the prosperity of music halls.
Varnish (Soc., 19 cent.). Badcham-

fary means(Polit., 18 cent.).

V.C. (London, about 1882). Plucky.
The initials of Victoria Cross.
V.C. ( American -Eng., 19 cent.}.
Abbreviation of Vigilance Committee.
A body of American neighbours bound
together to punish an evil doer,
-
murderer, highwayman, horse-stealer,
or unscrupulous sensualist who con-
trives to evade the law. Chiefly
operates in out lying and southern
-
Contradict, turn - coat, prevaricate.
Introduced by Burke. Held its ground
until 1840.
The contradiction between his methods
is due, he pleads, to the identity of the
object at which he aimed then, and at
He varies his
which he aims now.
means, as Burke expressed it, to secure
the essential unity of his end. W. E.
Gladstone (Edinburgh, llth November
1885).

districts. 'Take care, or you'll be Venture girl (Anglo-Indian). Early

'
V.C.'d (veeceed). (See Burke, Wain- Victorian. Poor young lady sent out
wright). to India to obtain a husband.
V.R. (Peoples'). Evasive reference Verandah (S. London). The gallery
to the prison van, which, in the reign of the old Victoria theatre.
of Victoria, bore these initials on Very famillionaire (Soc., 1870).
each side. (See Black Maria, Virtue Referring to the shape of patronage
rewarded, Vagabonds removed, Sardine displayed by rich men. Derived from
box). the satirist Heine.
V.R., V.R., V.R. (Jubilee, 1897). Very froncey (Soc., 19 cent.). Too
Ve are, ve are, ve are = we are,
we are, pronounced. Shape of Tres Francais.
we are. One of the jocular readings of upposed to be an elegant evasion of
'V.R.' during the Diamond Jubilee. saying a given thing is vulgar.
Applied to a placard in Kensington Very well (Soc., 1860 on). Second
when the Queen visited that suburb degree of approval Not Bad being
(28th June 1897). the first.
256
 Vestrify Wabbler

Vestrify (Parliamentary, 1884). To A remarkable instance of the com-

' '

minimise ; to reduce in dignity. mercial value of vogue in art occurred

at Christie's on Saturday. D. T., 8th
Mr Chaplin has enriched the English March 1897.
dictionary with the verb vestrify ', which
'

is perhaps destined to a longer life than Voice, To (Sor.., 1897 on). Assert,
the somewhat uncouth verb boycott '. '
declare loudly. This use of a noun as
D. N., 31st December 1884. a verb is very significant of public life.
Vic
(Theatrical}. When the first London yesterday voiced the very
theatre was built in the New Cut spiritof the country. D. T., 17th
October 1899.
(Lambeth) it was called the Brunswick,
in honour of the Princess Charlotte. Volunteer knee drill. Abject
It was burnt down before it was adulation. Outcome of volunteer
opened, and by the time it was re- movement.
built the poor Princess Charlotte was Vote khaki, To
(Peoples', 1900).
dead, and the eyes of the nation turned Opting for the Conservatives, plumping
to the Princess Victoria. The new for the Liberal Unionist. First heard
theatre was baptized the Royal Vic- in the May of 1900.
toria, cut down by the New Cut One would give something to hear Mr
warriors to Vic, before the first Hosea Biglow's opinion upon 'voting
dramatic week was out. Strangely khaki'. M. Leader, W. Archer, 27th
enough, the Princess Royal came to be October 1900.
called by this prompt diminutive. Voulez-vous squatty-vous?
She is often thus named in the Queen's (Theatre gods'). Will you sit down?
Diary. (See Bird, Brit., 'Delphi, Eff, One of the half French nonsense
Lane). phrases which began with the frequency
Viewy (Political, 1860-70). Mis- of French emigres and prisoners in
trustedly theoretical, dilletante, lacking England. Started by Grimaldi.
breadth. Invented in opposition to
the philosophy of J. S. Mill. Remained
as a condemnatory adjective.
Village blacksmith (Music Hall-
passing to theatres). An artiste who
never has a longer engagement than a
week. Euphemism for a failure.
Figuratively derived from a verse in
W
Longfellow s poem :

'
Week in, week out, from noon till night W. 2. Double-u
(Peoples', 1896).
You can hear his bellows roar.' Two satirical of the
description
Vintage (Anglo-American). Year Emperor William II., following on his
of birth. telegram to President Kruger on New
'I want to sue a man for breach of
Year's Day 1896. Said of any military-
'

promise, said a maiden of the vintage of looking man stalking town.

1842, coming into a lawyer's office. W.P.B. (Press). Waste paper
N.Y.Mercury, 1883. basket. Ominous initials generally
Virgins' bus (Peoples', 1870). The referring to communications.
last bus from Piccadilly Corner west- If the criticism or remark is nice, I
ward. So named satirically in refer- read and enjoy it ; if it is nasty, it is
ence to the character of the chief thrown into the W.P.B., and it troubles
No me not' 2nd March 1884.
patronesses at that late hour. fief.,
should say the printer's devil picked
I
longer runs the tubes bowled over
this vehicle. (See Covered brougham). up the pieces from the editor's W.P.B.,
and handed them in for copy.
Virtue rewarded (Peoples'). Prison
van ironical reference to the moral Wabbler (Sporting). Pedestrian.
nature of its occupants, and based upon Mr Edward Payson Weston, the well-
the initials V.R., which used to be known long - distance pedestrian, illus-
trated 'endurance withotit alcohol' by
seen on each side.
walking 50 miles in ten hours, or rather in
Vogue (Soc., 1897). Fashion. This nine hours fifty minutes, for the wabbler'
'

word was markedly used only early in saved ten minutes of his advertised
1897. time.
257
 Wad Wardour Street Woods

Wad (Navy), Gunner interesting Walking round (Peoples' old).

as a survival from the days of muzzle - for assault. From
Preparing dog&
loading cannon. walking round each other to look for
Wade in (American). To begin a the safest attack.
This expression was begun
fight. Walled (Artists', 1882). Picture
during the Civil War, and was pro- accepted took the place of hung.
bably started by some farmer recruits
who obtained the figure of speech from Wallop down (Com. Land.). To
fall with a crash.
the memory of the courage vith which
ducklings take to the water almost as Waltzing off on the ear (American}.
soon as born. A person who acts upon the first word
O (Lower Soc. y '80's). to which he happens to listen.
Wag-gernery,
New shape of
'

agony ', based upon Wander (Street, 19 cent.}. Satirical

expression and meaning Be
'
the ignorant contempt for the great off'.

German, Wagner, through this decade. Want of proportion (Criticism,

Waistcoat piece (Tailors'}. Breast 1883). Term providing a new shape
and neck of mutton from its resem- of attack upon the inductive process.
blance to the shape of half the front of Attributed to Mr Theodore Watts
a waistcoat not made up. (See Hyde Dunton.
Park railings. ) Want to score (Peoples'). Desire to
Waistrel (Lancashire and the North succeed. From scoring, or marking in
A all athletic and many other exercises.
generally old}. wretched, half-
starved wanderer. He was engaged in the most difficult

Wait Time between scenes of a risky play. And he helped

(Theatrical). '
wanted to score ', but
it, not because he
the acts the time between the appear-
;
because he is a thorough artist, and
ances of an actor in the same piece. knows the responsibility of his business.
Wait the clouds roll by
till D. T., 6th January 1896.
(Peoples', Catch line used to
1884). Wants a apron Out
( Workman's}.
induce hopefulness from an American of work the apron off.
ballad, in which this phrase formed
the chief feature of the chorus.
Wants salt (American -
English,
1880 on). Wants grit.
Wherever I have been lately and found
the people festively inclined I have Oh, thunder, you want salt on you. A
super is an adjunct to the stage. Bad
gathered that they intend to 'wait till
the crowds roll loy'.Ref., August 1884. Boy's Diary, 1883.
Wait a quarter of a sec ! (Society). War Cry (Salvation Army, 1882-
'

Intensification of
'
Half a sec !
'
Pro- 83). The huzza of this body and of
'

test against being over-hurried. religious, and a title to their peculiar

Wake snakes (American - newspaper.

Eng.}.
That's a very pretty dona, though, I
Provoke to the uttermost.
came across in Eegent Street the other
Walk out (American -
Eng. ,
evening who sold me a War Cry. 1883.
Theatrical, 1890 on). Failure from
the American habit of condemning a
War - cry (Public - house, 1882). *
Mixture of stout and mild ale under-
bad play before it is over by going home. stood.
' '

Reached England by way of Liverpool. Applied satirically by topers

because the Salvation Army spoke
I am delighted to find, on the assur-
stoutly and ever used mild terms.
ance of the author, that though New Cold four,
York walked out Washington walked
' ' (See Brighton bitter,
Baby and
',

in' and received it warmly, and the nurse.)

Boston audience gave it a most enthusi- War-paint (Soc., 1875). Court,
astic reception also. Z>. T., 24th state, and evening dress in general
February 1897. jewels, white gloves, etc.
etc. Derived ,

Walk out with the bat (Soc., 1880). from North American Indians who
Victory from the last cricketer in an always painted themselves when going
innings taking his bat out, the last
into battle. (See Full fig.)
player but one having 'gone out'. Wardour Street woods (Cabinet-
Walk -
turkey (American Eng.}. makers'). Imitation old furniture,
Promenade with constrained effort, like knocked together yesterday. Name
the movement of the turkey. obtained from Wardour Street (Soho,
258
 Warm as They Make Them Weasel

London), because that place is or was Waterloo (Streets, 19 cent, to about

supposed to be the headquarters of this 1870). Half-penny Ther as thus.
business. (See Worm-eater.) was a half-penny toll over Waterloo
Warm as they make them (Street). Bridge, on the Surrey side of which
Immoral. lived most of the poorer common
Warm bit (Com. London, 1880).
women who harassed the Strand. Aa
midnight arrived, these moneylesa
Yigorous woman.
women who hung about Wellington
Warm corner (Soc., Sporting). A.
Street at the Strand end of the bridge
nook where birds are found in plenty. ' '

begged for a Waterloo to pay their

Warm with (London
Taverns). toll over the bridge.
Refers to orders for spirits and water,
* '
Wauns (Peoples', provincial).
the with refers to sugar. Wounds God's wounds. Another
Warrocks (American passing to shape of zounds.
JSng.). Beware! This seems to be a Wauns so sound that they never
orruption of war - hawks meaning wake? I wish my wife lay there.
tomahawks. Certainly it is menacing Farquhar, The Recruiting Officer.
and comes originally from the vocabu- Way of all flesh (Peoples'). Dead
lary of the North American Indians. probably from Puritanic phrase.
Warwick weed ( Warwickshire). ,
Weak in the arm (Public-house}.
Warwick elm. Caustic euphemism for a short pull of
Disguised self-glorifica-
tion of the splendour of the county beer, as compared with th long pull.
elms. Chiefly refers to half-pint drawn in
a pint pot.
Passing through the ridge and furrow
ountry where the elm, the Warwick-
'
Weaken (Amer., 1880). Soften.
shire weed', rises straight out of the Wears a revolver-pocket (Doubtful
corn, etc. I). N., August 1885. 1880 on). Evasive statement to
Soc.,
Warwickshire Will. Name given the effect that the speaker carries a
to Shakespeare in his county. revolver.
Washer-dona (Com. Lond.,19 cent. ). The hateful and barbarous custom of
Washer-woman. carrying these deadly weapons has risen
to an incredible height it has long been
Watch him like a hawk (Hist.). known to the Home Office, who need
;

Watch to the very death.
Hawks were tamed by watching.
Shakespeare has several allusions to
Desdemona in assuring Cassio how she
will urge his suit with Othello, says :
I'll watch him tame, and talk him out
'
only to have asked the tailors how many
revolver pockets they now make.
this. Mitchell Henry, Times, 23rd January
1885.
Wears the broad arrow (Thieves').

Elegant evasion of a reference to

of patience.' convict life. Taken stripes. )
(See
'
Selden, in his Table Talk, says: Wears the head large (Low. Mid.-
Lecturers get a great deal of money, class). Recovering from alcoholic
because they preach the people tame, excess.
as a man watches a hawk.'
It was half -past six before all was over,
Watchers (Election). Euphemism and during the day heads were worn
on the look out for bribery.
for spies large. Ref., loth August 1886.
Water - bottle (Street). Total Wears the leek (Popular). Is a
abstainer. (See Rum
-bottle, Milk- Welshman. It seems likely that th
bottle, Ink-bottle, etc., etc.) wearing of the leek actually came into
Water down (Political). Weaken usage when Henry VII. conquered at
minimise results. Bosworth by the aid of his Welsh
followers under the Tudor colours,
It is no use increasing the number of
Toters if you water down and minimise
white and green, suggestive of the leek
the political influence which the vote itself. To this view a Harleian MS.,
onfers. Mr J. Chamberlain, 13th June written by a Welshman, in the time of
1883. James I., gives some grounds.
Water dona (Lower Class). Weasel Bribe pro-
(East Anglia).
Washer-woman a lady who disports bably from this animal slimly intro-
herself in water, together with soap ducing himself into pocket-like rabbit
and suds. holes.
259
 Weases Well-Sinking

Weases (Amer.). People of S. Weg (Pol-it., 1885). Initials of

Carolina. William Ewart Gladstone. Given in
Weather peeper (Nautical). Best memory of Mr Wegg (Our Mutual
eye. Friend), who was a great sayer of
words.
Web-foots (Provincial). People of
It seems that in 1857 a speech was
Lincolnshire, probably bestowed upon
delivered by a Mr James Hall who called
them by their higher county neigh-
bours, who did not live in the wretched
Weg a great political coward. This
speech is now reprinted in the Globe
fens of Lincolnshire. Also called afterwards.
nearly thirty years Ref.,
yellow
-
bellies. Taken together sug- 17th May 1885.
gestive of fen -game, such as wild ducks (fiteG.O.M.)
and geese, widgeon, all common to the
fens. In the States, most of the state
Welcher or welsher (Racing). A
nicknames are derived from the flora,
cheat. When a book-maker does not
fauna, or prevailing geology of the
pay his debts after a race he is often '
fallen upon with cries of welcher ',
district.
and his clothes almost as often are
Why English people give each other torn off his back. It is said the word
comical names is a question fitter for a
takes its rise from the name of a man
learned essay than a descriptive sketch :
but the fact remains that we have besides who, after repeated warnings, was the
Yorkshire 'tykes', Norfolk 'dumplings', first to suffer from this adaptation of
Cheshire 'cats', Essex 'calves', and Lynch law.
Suffolk 'punches', as well as Lincoln- Weigh in (American-Eng.). Assert
shire folk, who are web-foots. D. -ZV., oneself from weighing, in horse-
August 1884. racing.
This term web-foot is applied to the The journal weighs in
' '
with a
people of Oregon but as an alterna- prismatic Christmas number. D. N.,
tive to web-foot they are often called November 1885.
hard-cases. out Give one
Weigh (//. London).
Wedge (Thieves'). Jew.
wedge A his fair share. Fine idea of the
fixes objects or breaks them up. So a distribution of stolen plate melted
Jew-fence, in relation with thieves, down to avoid identification.
or a Jew ordinary, in his everyday '
I made Criss weigh out my share !
'

business, is supposed to 'wedge' the Peoples', 6th January 1895.

other. the thumb (L. Class,
Weighing
Wee - wees (Peoples' Hogarth 19 Cheating in weight by
cent.).
period). Frenchmen from the habit sticking down the scale with the
of Frenchmen, common to this day, thumb, so as to give the idea of full
of repeating the ordinary affirmative weight, and then seizing the scale
oui. before the rebound occurs.
This looks very much as if the English For practising the old trick of weigh- '

race were dwindling into a people of
town- loafers, afraid to risk themselves in
new enterprises in rude lands, and as
'
ing his thumb to the disadvantage of
the customer, a City coster, named James
Martin, who said he thought it a light
'

incapable of being genuine colonists as affair ', was directed to pay a fine of 20s.
the despised 'men of Wee Wee' the and costs./). T., 25th August 1896.
French. D. N., 20th October 1886. Well (Soc., 1860). Capital, very
Weed out (Polit., 1870). Change good, satisfactory. Used as an ad-
politics. jective instead of an adverb.
The Chairman had said that he had no Well certainly (American Soc.).
hesitation in saying that if Mr Goschen This phrase is very common in U. S. A.
did not weed himself out of the Liberal
now and again used in England.
party, the Liberal party would not at-
tempt to weed him out. Mr J. Morley, Well-groomed (Peoples', 1881).
Nottingham, October 1885. Perfectly dressed. From the stables,
when the highest praise is to speak of
Weeper (Soc., 1884). Long sweep- a horse as well-groomed.
ing moustache. Probably adapted from
the long ends of crape worn at funerals Well-sinking (Anglo - Indian, 18
until burial reform (1866-67) swept them cent. on). Digging for treasure.
away. Generally making money.
260
 Well Shod What Would Mrs Boston Say?

Questioned as to why he had no of a gourmand who has long since been

pension for his wounds, Fraser stated forgotten.
that after the relief of Lucknow he
What a tale our cat's got (Peoples'
bought his discharge ; he had then
proverbial old). Figure of speech to
upwards of 200. He got the money describe a woman or girl flaunting in
by 'well-sinking', i.e., the discovery of
buried treasure. People, 22nd Septem- a new dress, and swinging the hind
ber 1895. part of the skirt from side to side with
a haughty motion of the hips.
Well shod (Anglo-American}.
Well off. Specimen of figurative What do you think? (Mid. -class,
slang a horse only going prosperously 1882). What
is your general opinion

when well shod. of things Introduced in this year by

?

Well sot up (Provincial American). a comic singer, who interpolated the

Well-dowried. Only said of middle- enquiry at various strong points in his'

class brides, chiefly agriculturally. song ; accent on you '.

Wellingtons (Mid. -class, 1812 on).
Plural of Wellington, and referring to
boots named after the Iron Duke.
'Where are my Wellingtons?' (See
Von Blucher).
Wen, The
(Middle-class).
from shape, and figuratively from
its
its absorbing quality.
Cobbett called the London of his day
The Wen The movement of the rural
'.
population townwards was only then be-
ginning. D. N., 26th June 1885.
Wet a line Go
(Anglers').
Year by year the communications with
the lovely Thames Valley have been
increased until there is no difficulty in
the way of the Thames angler wetting
a line '.
Wet -bobs (Eaton). Bobs means
boys the phrase designates boating
Etonians, as distinct from dry-bobs, or
cricketers.
What ho ! she bumps ! (London,
1899). Satirical cry upon any display
of vigour especially feminine. Said
to be derived from a report of a boat-
ing adventure, where this term was
London used as she fetched land. A popular
' '
song made this term more popular.
To see Willie Edouin dance a hornpipe
is a liberal education, and his official
I trade in bumps. '
Ob-
me by not saying, "What ho!'"
ost tempted an Ibsenite to smile.
Eilamation,
D. T., 13th November 1899.
fishing.
What next, and next? (Peoples',
19 cent. ). Exclamation signifying con-
'
tempt for audacious assertion. A
favourite phrase of William Cobbett's.
The Tories must be hard up for a stick
to bang Gladstone with when the Globe
actually has to reprint an attack upon
him from the Oswestry Observer of 1857.
Ye gods what next, and next? Ref.,
!

Wet canteen (Military). Where 17th May 1885.

liquors are sold. Antithesis of dry What Paddy gave the drum
canteen which is the stores-centre (Irish Military, 1845). Elegant
of the barracks, where all things but euphemism for a sound thrashing,
as I'll give you what Paddy gave the
'
beer may be obtained on payment.
Wet Ship in drum '.
ship (Nautical).
What the Connaught man shot
which captain and company drink
at (Irish}. Roundabout for 'nothing
deeply.
at all
Wet 'uns (Low. Glass, 19 cent.).
'.
'

Wet ones meaning tears.

'
the Connaught man shot at
What '
has been of late far from nothing '.
Whack up (American, from Irish).
Z). N., 1883.
To subscribe. a
(See Footless stocking without leg. )
Whales (American passing to Eng-
What the hell ! (People*). Excla-
land). Desperately devoted. Is it one of the
' mation of anger.
e
The Red Lamp belongs to the Prin- 'What the
Catholic corruptions?
cess Claudia Morakoff, who is whales on
hail!' from 'Hail, Mary'?
Nihilist-hunting.^/., 24th April 1887.
What a bean feast I (Peoples'). What will you liq. ? (Middle-class).
Satirical exclamation in reference to a What will you drink ?

riot, quarrel,or wretched meal or other ; What would Mrs Boston say?
entertainment. (See Bean feast.) (American-Eng., 1850 on). Equiva-
What a Collins ! (Exeter, 19 cent.). lent to What would Mrs Grundy say ?

name Sometimes heard in England. The

Greedy person evidently from
261
 Whatchir Where do I Come inf

people of Boston hold Boston to be the away, was a singular evidence of evem
most superior city in the U.S.A. the lowest of the people accepting and
Whatchir !
(Sailors'). Shape of adopting the early royal Georgian
'
What cheer ?
'
modes of pronouncing English. Sam
Weller made this mode classic. Old
What-er, A (Street). Shape of reek with it. *
Oh it's a wherry
'
what
'
thus formed in answer to puns
is it ? werry good, etc., etc.'
some reply as to what the speaker is.
He may say I'm a chimbler (chimney- Wheel-house, Abaft the (Amer.).
Below the small of the back.
sweep) to which the reply, always ' in
response to a noun ending in er A ' '
The next instant a huge bull charged
what-er ?
' out of the door, and, catching the hero
of Valley Forge abaft the wheelhouae,
What's the dynamite now ? (Soc.,
incontinently slammed him into a big
1890 on). Protest against a burst of
apple tree. Newsp. Cutting.
ill-temper, as suggestive of blowing
Wheeled (Low Life}. Moved upon
people up. wheels, as distinct from wheel, which
What's the hullaballoo ? (Peoples', is 'barrered' (q.v.). Instance of ex-
18 cent, and 19 cent.). Riot, noise, pressed awe in the contemplation f
contention. Is this one of the Catholic unaccustomed luxury. That is wheeled
'
corruptions is it What's the holy in a cab.
' '
Ventre Saint Gris the nick-
belly'
name of Henri IV. of Navarre and
Wheeze (Theatr.). Gag, i.e., linet
(usually comic) interpolated in the
referring to the dead, therefore grey, text by the player.
body of Christ. On the other hand,
*
Hurliberlieu is a French term.
' Wheezer (Music Hall, 1897).

What's the lyddite? Phonograph.

(Boer War, of
Latest shape of
'
What's Whelps (American). People
1899-1900). Tennessee.
'
the row ?
What's the mat?
When at Rome do as Rome does
(Public-school, Recommendation to fall
' (Proverbial).
1880). Abbreviation of matter '.
in with the arrangements of those
What's yer fighting weight? about you. Counsel to be not too
(Street, 1883). 'At what weight do conscientious.
you fight, and are you fit ? I'm your Where are you a-going to can't
man !
'

yer! (Low. London, 1880). Really

What's yer Gladstone weight? meaning, Take care who you're shov-
(Street, 1885). Satirical shape of ing against.
'What's Where did
Means that the speaker
your fighting weight?' you get the Rossa?
doubts if
(Peoples', Enquiry as to
1885).
you will fight if invited. From the borrowed Arose from the
plumes.
disrepute into which Mr Gladstone trial of a Mrs Dudley (New York,
passed with the Jingoes, or war party, July 1885) for shooting at O'Donovan
for his alleged unwillingness to carry Rossa.
on the war in the Soudan with
When Rossa said his name was
eagerness. Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, Mrs Dudley
'

asked, Where did you get the Rossa ?

'

What'syourpoll to-day? (Printers',

19 cent.}. Amount of piece wages D. N., 1st July 1885.
from numbers on a statement of votes. It was supposed that the Rossa wa
A
Whaty ?, (Peoples', 18 cent.). An a flight of fancy. This phrase com-
enquiry made when any strange state- menced in New York, thence went to
Liverpool and over all England.
'
ment is made: e.g., 'He's a jimjack
'A whaty ? ''A
jimjack.' This di- Where do I come in? (Peoples
1

minutive is probably of court descent ;

J
Personal protest.
90's). From a
for all the familiar memoirs of George case in which a shrevr
police court
-

III. give an anecdote of his defiance to

put this question until she was turned
some peeress to fog him with Scotch, out.
and his immediate defeat, when he 'Where', to use a phrase which 'Mr
cried
'
A
whaty, my lady a whaty ?
'
Labouchere has made Parliamentary, do
Unfortunately, we do not
'
The popular interchange of v and ' '
we come in ?
*w', which has now utterly passed come in at all. D. T., 5th August 1899.
262
 Where the Flies won't Get It Whistler

Where the flies won't get it donned my caubeen, my brogues and

To swallow it
' '
other things, and lighting my dhudeen,
(American}.
and selecting my finest shillelagh, went
generally drink. off to Olympia to assist at the opening of
Where's the war ? (Peoples', 1900). the otherwise the Irish
Whiskyries,
Applied to some scattered and divided Exhibition. Ref., 10th June 1888.
street wrangle. From the Boer War
after June 1900 when both sides Whisky-bottle (Scotch). A Scotch
drunkard.
seemed to be distributed over creation,
and never appeared to get really face Whisky
stalls (Press, 1883). End
stalls,or near the end, so that an
to face.
occupier can adjourn to the refresh-
Whig (Mid-class, 1860-99). Ir-
ment bar without much inconveni-
resolute person even a turncoat.
ence to himself, or a long line of
From the Whig, in parliament, being
neighbours.
generally a temporiser.
Whipped out of one's boots Whisky straight (A merican Saloon).
(American). Completely conquered.
Whisky with no water about it.
Whirl (Anglo- American}. A stormy Whispering gallery (Theatrical,
1883). The then Gaiety Bar long
turn, a general challenge. since razed, and its site aiding in the
Whisht (Provincial). Dangerous formation of the front of Aldwych.
to be avoided. Probably an onoma- Derived from the Whispering Gallery
tope from the catching of the breath of St Paul's Cathedral. Said in satire
in fear. of the poorer actors 'out of a ship',
Companionship offered to such beings who frequented that hostelry, aad
( Protestant nuns) in a remote rural
whispered to any one of their more
neighbourhood in England was not all fortunate brethren as, 'Could you
kindly. They were 'whisht' women, lend me half a dollar?' (See Pros'
even witches, to the rustics. D. N.,
29th December 1884. Avenue.)
Whiskbroom 'with' (American - Whist drive (Soc. 1895). Whist
where the players are shifted, at the
Eng., 1897). Cry describing drunken-
ness. This phrase came from U.S.A. end of a rubber, to other tables and
on 8th of July 1897. other players.
Prohibition (U.S.A.) has always been Whistle for wind (Peoples', 19 cent.).
followed by a remarkable display of Description of a fool.
ingenuity in evasion, but, according to The reef -points clatter upon your fair
Miss Kate Field, no State ever evaded white mainsail and the helmsman whistles
the prohibitory law so neatly as Kansas. softly for the wind which will not come.
Desiring to purchase a whiskbroom when Sir E. Arnold, D. T., 31st March 1897.
on a lecture tour out there, Miss Field Whistler London). Chance
(E.
went into a druggist's where they were from the
labourer at docks poor
displayed in the window.
'
Will you have
fellow whistling for work.
one with or without?' asked the man
behind the counter. I do not under-
'
Only fifty men were wanted beyond
stand your meaning,' she replied. Hold- the 'royals', or regular hands. So a
ing up two whiskbrooms apparently
hundred and needy 'whistlers'
fifty
the dock term for chance labourers had
exactly alike, he parted the wisps of one,
to turn with heavy hearts away. Ref.,
disclosing a small flask, and with a little
whirl of his thumb and finger the top of 29th March 1885.
the broom came off, like the cork out of Whistler (Soc., 1880). Misty,
a bottle. Miss Field bought the two dreamy, milky, softly opalescent
whiskbrooms, one for ordinary use, the atmosphere from many peculiarly
other to exhibit to audiences as an argu- the
ment in her lecture, Does Prohibition
' exceptional pictures painted by
artist of this name. Came to be
Prohibit ?'/). T., 8th July 1897. and even
applied to ethics, aesthetics,
The whiskbroom is a small coir conversation, where the doctrines
"brush about a foot log.
enunciated were foggy.
Whisker -fake (Theatrical). Cos- The river, too, never looks better than
metic for facial hair. on one of these 'Whistler' evenings.
and blue
Whiskeries (London, 1888). Irish Symphonies in silver and gold
Exhibition in London. and purple and cold grey are to be found
Early on Monday morning I arose and on the embankments, notably on the
263
 Whistlers
south of the river, for the trouble of
going there. D. N., llth November
1884.
Whistlers (Scotland). Bag-pipers.
In their native wilds, the people of
Fife are known as 'whistlers', not on
account of their musical proclivities, but
because their country take its name from
a very highly-pitched musical instrument,
'
between which and a whistle the Cale-
'
donian ear distinguishes little difference.
D. T., 4th March 1898.
White Army, The (Street, 1883).
A band of men who formed themselves
together to combat social evil.
Another 'army' has been formed.
This time it is a band of youths and
men who are to wear a white cross, and
battle against the social evil. The White
Army may be very earnest, but if it is to
parade the streets like the other armies
it will be just what it is formed to put
down. Ref., 18th February 1883.
White Brahmins (Anglo-Indian, 19
cent.). Excessively exclusive persons.
Invented by Hindoo satire to describe
the Brahminic-like exclusiveness of
those of the English in India, who
wished to prevent the native Indian
from obtaining any power.
When
Indians mean
to be sarcastic,
they denominate the English in India
White Brahmins. D. N., 9th December
1884.
White elephant (Soc., 18 cent, and
An
article (generally large and
on).
expensive), for which you have no use.
Again, a present which entails more
expense than advantage, one generally
bestowed by a donor who wishes to
relieve himself of a burden.
Derived
from a habit of the remoter Kings of
Siam, who, when they wished to ruin
a courtier, made him a present
white elephant, whose sacred nature
made his keep and that of his atten-
dants so expensive that the owner was
necessarily reduced to beggary.
White horse (Irish). Cowardice.
Derived from the tradition that James
II. fled from the battle of the
Boyne
on a white horse.
White light (Railway now spread
to Peoples'). All right, correct, safe.
From a white light throughout the
railway world representing safety, and
freedom from danger. (See All over
red, Be green. )
White magic (Soc., 19 cent.).
general, innocent legerdemain, but
figuratively applied to very beautiful
Whitehall
fair women. Also applied by Protestant
writers to the Roman Catholic ritual.
White nigger (Negro). Term of
contempt and offence used by blacks
against white folk.
The emancipated blacks of Sierra
Leone not only address each other as
' '
but salute as white niggers
'
niggers ',
all Europeans with whom they are not
on friendly terms. D. N., 20th Jun&
1883.
White soup (Thieved). Melted
silver run down from stolen plate, to
avoid identification.
One or two colleges at Oxford have a
crozier or so of the fourteenth century,
or a platter of the time of Edward IV.
But most of the college plate made
'white soup' at the time of the Civil
War, and went unavailingly to buy
horses and feed men for the King.
D. N., 5th May 1887.
Whitechapel (Peoples', 1888).
Woman murder. In and about 1888
a number of women of the town in the
East of London were murdered and
mutilated. Before the year was out
a woman murder came to be called
a Whitechapel.
When charged prisoner said he knew
nothing about the murder ; he was very
drunk. A witness who worked with him
said he had heard Nicholson say, I shall
'
do a Whitechapel on my wife yet '.
Whitechapel oner (Local London).
A leader of light and youth in the
Aldgate district chiefly in the high
coster interests. (See Roader. )
Whitechapel warriors (E. London).
Militia of the Aldgate district.
Whitechokery (Peoples', 1870).
Figure of speech for the general scheme
of a of life maintained by the various classes
who wear white neckties habitually
or only in the evening.
Whitehall (Military, 19 cent.).
Metaphor of cheerfulness. When a
soldier has leave of absence to London,
his sergeant probably says to him,
Don't go near Whitehall, or we shan't
'
see you to time'. This refers to the
fact that a soldier can generally get au
extension of leave of absence if he
makes personal application for it at the
Horse Guards, which is the very heart
of Whitehall. It is popularly supposed
in the army that if a soldier on leave
In goes near Whitehall he cannot resist
the temptation to apply for extra leave.
Hence when a soldier looks particularly
264
 White -Washed Whoa, Emma!
*
cheerful, it is said of him, He's been inadvertently shot a dog. D. T. (G. A.
to Whitehall'. Sala), 28th July 1894.
White-washed (Builders'}. Com- Who stole the goose? (Peoples'
pounded with creditors or passed provincial). Interjection of con-
through the bankruptcy court. tempt, which appears to have some
hidden meaning, probably of an erotic
Whittington Priory (Debtors').
nature.
Holloway prison for debt from its pro-
pinquity to Highgate, and the associa- Who sups with the devil must
tions of Highgate with Whittington. have a
long spoon (Historical).
Brought into fashion again by Mr J.
Whittling (Polit.). Niggling and Chamberlain (1898), meaning of course,
reducing things by fragments. From that in dealings with rascals one must
the ancient and past away habit of
keep one's eye open said in reference
agricultural Americans, shaving away to Russia's action in China.
a stick with a clasp-knife, while talk-
ing. Is now used for petty, wasteful Who took it out of you ? (Street).
action, as distinct from sheer evident Meaning wholly unknown to people
work. not absolutely of lower class.

Lord Salisbury put forward with great Who ? who ? (Soc. , 1852). Doubt-
ingenuity and ability what he called the ful, to be mistrusted. From a parlia-
Tory programme at Newport. He has mentary episode.
since been engaged in whittling it away The Who ? who ? Government '. The
c

until what was little before has become

small by degrees and beautifully less
until there is hardly any of it left for
your consideration. Mr Chamberlain
(Birmingham), 3rd November 1885.
Who are yer? (Street,
Enquiry in an offensive tone,
the street, and which, when answered,
usually receives the counter- enquiry,
Who did you say? (L. Streets',
'90's). Satire levelled at a passing
person of evident, or self-asserting
importance, and uttered by one friend
to another, without any preliminary
statement on any side.
Who pawned her sister's ship?
(Local London, Clare Market, Strand).
The meaning of the term is quite
obscure, but during the last year of
this historical ramshackle and labyrin-
thine spot, this sentence would always
create a burst of laughter amongst the
intimateg of that doubtful locality.
'
May have been an evasion of shift '.
Who shot the dog? (L. C.,
Term of contempt levelled at volunteers,
who were not at their initiation popular
with the masses, who had not got over
the revulsion of feeling in favour of
the real soldier. The phrase arose
from the rash shooting of a dog in the
streets by a Surrey Volunteer.
'Who shot the dog?' was a very
story went that the Duke of Wellington,
;
asking Lord Derby one evening in the
House of Commons for the names of the
new Ministers, and knowing nothing of
many of them, had to call out 'Who?
1883).
'
who ? so often in tones audible to the
whole House, that the attention of friends
made in
and enemies was alike attracted, and the
humour of the day found a title for the
Ministry out of the Duke's astonished
and repeated enquiry. D. N., 10th
December 1884.
Whoa, me (Low. London).
bust
Protest. A
very common expression
through the 19th century.
Whoa, carry me out (Common
London, 19 cent.). Here we have the
protecting 'Whoa' preceding a droll
affectation of being shocked to death,
which involves being effectually carried
out.
Emma!
Whoa, (Street, '80's).
Entreaty to be modified addressed to
women with marked appearance or
behaviour in the streets. It came from
an inquest on a woman who had died
Ws). under astounding circumstances. She
was suffering from inflammation ; she
induced her hraband to allay her pain
by the use of a small Dutch clock
weight. Finding relief from the con-
tact of the cold iron, she urged the
husband to continue the operation
whereupon she died. At the inquest
the husband had to defend himself.
ill-

natured cry prevalent in London streets He urged that he said to his wife
in the early days of the Volunteer move- Whoa Emma !
'
over and over again,
but she would not listen to him. For
ment, and was supposed to refer to a
misadventure of some rifleman who had years this phrase lasted as a street
265
 Whoa, Jameson ! Willie We have Missed You

protest, too often shot at drunken dressed girl passing near them. Also
wojnen. (See Outside Eliza, Now the cry of welcome amongst London
we're busy.) costermongers.
Whoa, Jameson! (Peoples', 1896). Whyms (Club, 1882). Consolida-
An admiring warning against plucky tion into a word of the initials
rashness. When Dr Jameson invaded 'Y.M.C.A.' (q.v.).
the Transvaal, with a handful of men,
Widow, The (Army, 1863 on).
and lost, the people recognised his Affectionate name for Queen Victoria.
equal pluck and rashness. In no way disparaging.
Whole hog (Anglo -
American). Widow, The (Soc., 1850 on).
Thorough bare-faced lie derived in brand of la
Clicquot champagne
the first place from a recommendation Veuve Cliquot, hence the term. (See
to a man of Connecticut (where pork
Squat, Dutchman, etc.)
affords the chief menu) to go the
Wielder of the willow (Sporting).
whole hog the man having made a
Cricketer from the bats being made
statement as to a quantity of pork he
of this wood.
had eaten. As usual with popular Wife out of Westminster ( Old Eng-
phrases, it passed into a song 'The
lish). Doubtful spouse sometimes
whole Hog or None.'
still heard in the East of London.
Whole souled time (American,
1882). Perfect delight. Wig-faker (Low. London, 18 cent.
on). Hair-dresser.
was a whole-souled time, as the
It
Americans call it now unknown. Wigs on the green (Irish, 18 cent.).
Graphic, 17th March 1883. Fighting. The Irish Parliament
Whole team House (1782-1800) was on the Green,
(American, 1878).
Perfect, absolute from the agri- Dublin, in days when wigs were worn.
cultural states, where the whole ' The Green was the constant scene of
team' does the work. riots, and as constantly wigs would
strew the roadway. Still used figura-
It is an Americanism. We cannot tell
who invented it, but it means that a man tively all over Ireland.
is in possession of uncommon powers of In taking leave of Bayreuth and the
mind. That he is a whole team when he
'

JRing ', I can only counsel a continuance

is smart when he is very smart he is a
;
of that policy of peace which seems
whole team and a horse to spare, and happily to have been adopted both by
when the smartest, a whole team and a ardent Wagnerites and by those who
horse to spare and a pair of coach dogs choose to cleave to the older ways of
under the waggon. N. Y. Mercury, 2nd music. Twenty years ago, if the
March 1878. chroniclers tell us truth, it was almost a
' '

Whole team and a little dog under case of wigs on the green at Festival
the waggon (American). Distin- time, to such heights did party feeling
run. D. T., 25th August 1896.
guished, liberal, proper said of any-
thing.
Wild - goose (American mining).
Wholeskin Promise of fortune. A thin vein of
brigade ( Transvaal

War). Cautious cowards in its ore, generally referring to silver, which

the of valuable
general application, but in actual war presages discovery
veins.
meaning a regiment, battalion or
brigade which has not been in action. Wilhelm II. much (Soc., 1898).
Does not necessarily mean that the Wilhelm Too much. Obvious chaff
brigade in question has shirked action. suggesting the extremely busy activity
. the wholeskin brigade ', to borrow
. .
' of the Emperor of Germany.
a phrase from the pungent vocabulary of Will you short? (Australian
the British private in South Africa, etc.
Tavern). Pay for a small dose of
D. T., 31st October 1901.
spirits.
Whoop up (American}. To tune a Willie we have missed you
musical instrument. Welcome. In the
(Peoples', 1899).
Whooperups ( Theatrical and Enter- 'fifties a ballad with this title was
tainment generally}. Inferior, noisy very popular. Finally it became a
singers. march which is played to this day.
Whoy-oi! (Street). Cry used by On 20th November the Emperor of
coster - class upon sight of a gaily- Germany arrived at Portsmouth, and
266
Willie Willie Wicked, Wicked I Without Authorial Expenses

this march was the first music to St Winifred's Well, in Flintshire,

welcome him when he came on shore. whose miraculous cures are the envy of
While the inspection was in progress Lourdes and the wonder of the North
of England, is not to be turned into
the band of the Koyal Marine Light
a soda-water manufactory without a
Infantry played Willie, we have missed
'

struggle. D. T., 15th December 1898.

you ', a playful attention which pleased
the Emperor, who heartily shook the
bandmaster, Lieutenant Miller, by the
hand as he passed. D. T., 21st
November 1899.
Willie Willie wicked, wicked
(Street). Satiric street reproach
addressed to a middle-aged woman
talking to a youth. From a county
court case in which a middle-aged
landlady sued for a week's rent from
a young man lodger whose defence
was that he left the house because
the plaintiff would not only come
into his room, but would proceed to
sit on his bed.
Windfall (Hist.). Unexpected
fortune.
Window (Street, 1860). Eye-glass
invented to meet the requirements
of the round, rimless, stringless eye-
glass which so many young men still
carry, as by a miracle, in the right eye.
Wine ('Varsities, 19 cent.).
breviation of wine-party.
His first wine ', given in
'
his
room, was an awful ordeal.
6th March 1885.
(See Tea-pot.)
Wing (Theatrical). Perform with
much
help from the prompter who
stands at the win.
'
Let us take the slang verb to wing '.
It indicates the capacity to play a role
without knowing the text, and the word
itself came into use from the fact that
the artiste frequently received the assist-
ance of a special prompter, who often
stood upon the stage, but screened from
the audience by a piece of the scenery or
a wing. Stage, 31st August 1885.
Wingers sometimes
Wink (American Saloon). Dumb
mode of ordering liquor.
Winter campaign (Peoples', 1884).
Riot, shrewishness, drunken disturb-
! ance from the name given by the
dynamiters to their operations in the
winter months, when general darkness
threw but little light upon their
proceedings.
After the explosion of 30th May there
was a lull, and then there commenced
what, on the other side of the Atlantic,
they were pleased to call the 'winter
campaign'. There was an attempt to
blow up London Bridge, then there wai
the explosion in the railway tunnel near
King's Cross, and afterwards the ex-
plosions at Westminster and the Tower.
D. N., 3rd March 1885.
Wipe off your chin (American,
1860). To drink a liqour probably
suggested by the habit of a bearded
man wiping the moustache and beard
Ab- about the chin, with the hand, after
a drink. Also used as a recommenda-
own tion to be silent from chin being used
D. N., to mean speech.
feet (Hoppers' Kent).
Wiping
Asking for beer -money. Mode of
asking for money from visitors to hop-
fields. The boots are brushed with
hop-bines, and the money is waited
for.
Wire in and get your name up
(Peoples', 1862). Recommendation to
struggle for success, but originally very
erotic.
By-and-bye, when
the white heat of
excitement is over, no one will be able
to say that anybody connected with thi
maladorous squabble missed a chance of
called wiring in and getting his name up'.
'

1888.
Flanges (Colloquial about 1865). Ref., 21st October
After the Crimean beard, which meant Without any (L. Class, 1890 on).
all the hair growable on the face, had Abstinence from any shape of alcohol.
lasted in fashion about ten or twelve One of the elegant evasions.
years, the chin came to be once more The old lady made a curtsey to the
shown, and the whiskers were thrown Bench as she entered the dock, and re-
back, or pulled away from the cheeks, peated her obeisance
when asked what
and allowed to grow as long as nature she had to say. She said she
had gone
decided. The name was obtained from for years without any ',
' and was afraid
she had taken too much.
D. T., 1/tk
their streaming and waving character.
December 1897.
Winifred, O (Peoples', '90's). Ex- authorial
clamation importing disbelief from Without expenses
Cheating, piracy, theft.
St Winifred's Well, in Wales. (Literary).
207
 Witness-Stand Wreckers, First-Night

From this phrase being used against He will never do any good he ia too
the U.S.A. to explain that the original quite a wooden spoon.
English author has been paid nothing This year a student from Caius Col-
for the reprinted work. lege and another from St Catharine's
were bracketed equal for the honour of
Witness-stand (American). Wit- '
the ' wooden spoon in the Mathematical
ness-box in court of law. Rather a
Tripos, and to each was presented a huge,
misnomer, as the witnesses are seated. trophy in the form of a malt shovel,
In the English witness-box no witness gaily adorned with his college arms and
ia allowed a seat while he can keep his colours. D. T., 19th June 1894.
feet. Wooden Ulster (Street). Coffin.
Talk of volubility, why, a darkey lady Word - mongering (Press, 1878).
on the witness-stand is irrepressible. Redundancy of description. Used in
They are all ladies, and observed that
I
critical scorn.
each of them referred to the other as a Work and Music Hall),
(Theatrical
lady, even when she was an opponent. Perform. Natural affected outcome
D. T., 2nd April 1897. ' '
of calling the theatre shop (q.v.).
Woffle (Music Hall and Music gener-
To mask, evade, manipulate a
Work the steam off (Soc., 1870
ally). Get rid of
note or even difficult passage. on). superabundant
energy.
Wellies (E. London). Well known Work up To
(Peoples'). aggravate.
term for olives, of which the great A
Worker American).
(Polit.,
mass brought to London are consumed civil service placeman who politically
by the Jews and other East Londoners. works to bring in his candidate, so-
Probably an abbreviation of the call, that this voter may not go out of
'
O olives by the street vendors of
! !
'

office at the next presidential election.

these delicacies.
Workus (Church of England).
Wolverines (American). People of Methodist chapel from its plain,
Michigan probably from the territory white-washed appearance.
being over-run with wolves.
Won't run to it, It (Sporting
Worm-eater (Trade Cabinet
-

Too poor. Figure of speech makers'). A

deft artisan who drills
Peoples').
from a horse not reaching the post ; very diminutive holes in imitation old
furniture, to give the effect of worm-
in other words a horse with no stay.
holes to the wood. (See Wardour
Very common expression. Street Woods.)
Won't take off his coat (Street). Worrab 1
transposed word).
(Costers
Equal to a coward. Barrow.
Won't wash (Peoples'). No Worrocks (Peoples'). Beware.
permanent value derived from the Probably corruption of
a 'Ware '

'
printed calico trade. hawks ware being short for beware.
Wood -
spoiler (Navy). Merely The phrase implies look after your
average ship's carpenter. pockets ; there are thieves about a
Woodbine (L. London). Name of threat presaging attack.
the maker of a penny packet of five Worry down (American). To
cigarettes. swallow greedily, like a dog.
Wooden nutmegs (American). Worry the dog (Peoples'). Bully
said of a man who upsets even the
People of Connecticut. Given in con-
sequence of these traders having been welcome of the house-dog, which re-
the first to discover this spice, which, treats at his approach.
it has been said, they once palmed off Worth (Soc. t 1860-85). Most
upon the unwary. fashionable costume. From name of
Wooden spoon (Soc., 19 cent.)
a man -milliner of the second French
Thick -head ; idiot. From Cambridge empire.
University a wooden being spoon
Wotchero! (Peoples'). Agglomera-
'

until recently given as the lowest tion of

'
What cheer oh !

possible mathematical honour but at Wotchero ! another one. E. T., llth

least an honour at the Tripos Exa- April 1885.
minations. (Now no longer given, Wreckers, First-night (Theatr.),
Tripos being abolished.) In 1882 a small band of men, chiefly
268
 Wrecking
very young, but led by a man
who combined towreck pieces on their
first night, became very troublesome.
They numbered about ten or a dozen,
were chiefly superior journeymen, and
combined only in relation to their
behaviour in, the theatres, rarely even
drinking together. Injudicious ap-
proval of one or two of their remarks,
published in one or two cheap Sunday
papers, touched their vanity,
and they
proceeded from objection to objection
until nothing pleased them. They
received their first check at the Vaude-
ville on the first night of The Gutfnor,
'
when they were ' rushed from pit and
gallery. But their great shock was
experienced on the first appearance of
Miss Lotta at the Opera Comique
(1883), where they were attacked by
friends of the management, in which
it was said the son of a military duke
took victorious part as against the
wreckers. So powerful did these
people become in the '80's, that man-
agers, even including Irving, changed
their first nights from Saturday to
some other day in the week, in the
belief that the wreckers were generally
patrons who could only, as a rule,
frequent the theatres on the last night
of the week.
Happily there are good reasons for
believing that the managerial belief in
'first-night wreckers', as they are called,
is greatly exaggerated. D. N., 25th
September 1884.
Wrecking (Financial,
Destroying without mercy and ob-
viously adopted from the old Cornish
custom of attracting vessels by false
lights, and then destroying all
who
came ashore. About 1880, the im-
mense height of consols encouraged
speculation, and for some three years
a vast number of limited liability com-
panies were started, of which nine out
of ten came to complete grief. A class
of financial solicitors then sprang into
existence, who gained doubtful in-
comes by 'wrecking' companies and
grabbing what they could.
Wriggle off (Land., 1860). Take
one's departure.
Wriggling in for a commish
(American). Sneaking for
ment of a commission.
Writ - pushers (Legal
Lawyers' clerks.
X's Hall
of fifty, Write one's name across another's
(Sporting). To strike in the face.
Mr John Coleman, having been ac-
cused of being the author of a certain
book, writes to the papers demanding to
know the originator of the ' slander '.
Mr Coleman is anxious 'to write my
signature across his'. This picturesque
phrase will be a useful addition to the
vocabulary of the ring. Globe, 5th
October 1885.
Wrong scent (Hunting, 19 cent.).
Mistaken enquiry. From the phrase
on a wrong scent '. Good parallel is
'
Barking up a wrong tree (q.v.).
Wrong side of the hedge (Coaching
times). A figurative way of describing
a fling from a coach-top.
Wroth of reses (Theatrical, 1882).
He, wore a wrothe of reses letter in-
version of 'wreath of roses'. This
treatment was started by Mr F. C.
Burnaud (Punch, about 1877), who
began with 'she smole a smile', etc.,
etc. Said of a male singer who
vocalises too sentimentally.
Wrux (Modern Public-school, 1875).
A rotter ; a humbug.
1880).
X. S. (People* 1860, t etc.). Ab-
breviation of expenses.
X. X. (Tavern). Double X ab-
*
breviation of double excellent '.
X. X. X. (Tavern). Treble X
Treble excellent.
X's hall (Thieves'). Sessions House,
Clerkenwell. X's is a corruption of
Hicks Hicks being a dreaded judge
who sat for many years on the bench.
In the time of imprisonment for debt,
every county jail was called by its
Governor's name with hotel added
as Chelmsford Jail was called
MacGorrorey's Hotel. (See Slaughter
house. )
the pay-
vulgar).
269
 Y.M.C.A. You Mate Me Tired

Misa Hilton was engaged 0,

ye gods
and little fishes at a salary of
!
15 a
week. Rff., 1st March 1885.
Probably means that the lady would
be receiving quite enough.
Yell (Yale College, U.S.A.).
Classical war-cry.
Yell -play (Theatr.). farcical A
Y. M. C. A. (Anglo- Amer.). Goody- piece in several acts where the laughter
is required to be
unceasing.
goody, pure in excelsis. Initials of
Yellow journalism
' Ex-
Young Men's Christian Association '. treme and
(Political).
jingoistic overwhelming
Yaller-bellies (Lincoln). People of views.
Lincolnshire from the quantity of
America remains true to her British
geese which came from the county and the stories of American
friendship,
of Lincoln. The belly feathers of the Fenians invading Canada are officially
$oose are yellowish in the shade. '
characterised as the latest outbreak of
Yaller (American). Yellow is
dog yellow journalism '. D. T. 27th t

the tint of most dogs in America December 1899.

kence it is the most searching term of Yellow-backs (Middle-class). They
rdinary contempt. were two-shilling editions of
cheap
Yankee main tack (Navy). Direct novels, which were generally bound in
line ; is generally associated with a a yellow, glazed paper, printed in
threat to knock a man down. I'll
'
colours.
lay you along like a Yankee main tack.' Yellow-bellies. (See Web-foots.)
Yankee paradise (England). Paris. Yelp (Music Hall, 1870, etc.). To
In the time of the Second Empire, it sing in chorus. In all music halls
was said, 'All good Americans go to the audience join in the choruses.
Paris when they die'. As, however, Yere they come smoking their
the century wore on, the excessive J
pipes (Billingsgate, 70's). Always
xtortions of the Parisians drove the said by buyers of fish at the auctions
touring Americans to London, where when the bids were awfully rapid and
they remain in peace and comparative high it meant probably independence
economy. and determination. (See Now we're
Yankeeries (London, 1887). busy.)
American and American- Indian display Yo Tommy (Minor Theatr. and
at Earl's Court Gardens.
Peoples'). Exclamation of condemna-
Bill West's Wild Buffalo I mean tion by the small actor. Amongst the
West Buffalo's Wild Bill at any rate, lower classes it is a declaration of
you know what I do mean, though I can't admiration addressed to the softer sex
get it quite right has been the Jubilee
boom up to the present. Her gracious by the sterner.
Majesty has been to the Yankeeries. Yon kipper ( Yiddish'). The Day of
fief., 15th May 1887. Atonement New Year's Day amidst
Yard of satin Glass of the Hebrews. The phrase is yon
( Women's).
kippur this final word a
gin. Specimen of grim satire, com- being
paring the colour and smoothness of spondee.
the spirit with a material generally Yorkshire (Peoples'). Fair and
far distant from the fashions of the square payments.
patronesses of gin. You musn't squeal (Peoples', Anglo-
Yardnarb (Transposed word, 1880). American, 1898). Exhortation to be
This is confused back-phrasing, being brave. Often satirically used. From
'brandy'. Here the 'y' for ease in the speech by Mr Roosevelt, New
first

pronunciation is converted into 'yar' York, to volunteers formed in May

'
to collide with the d '.
Ye gods and little fishes
Exclamation of contempt, mocking the
theatrical appeal to the gods by an
added invocation to finny small
1898, upon outbreak of war between
! (Peoples').
U.S.A. and Spain.
You make me tired (Anglo-
American, '90's). 'You bore me'
fry. exact synonym. Sometimes now heard
270
 You get Yourself DisliJced Zulu Express

in London supposed to be introduced Zarndrer (Street, 1863-70). The long

by the Duchess of Marlborough (1898)
a then leader of fashion.
You'll get yourself disliked (Street,
A satirical protest against any
1878).
one who is behaving abominably.
single curl brought from the back hair
over the left shoulder, and allowed to
lie on the breast. From Alexandra,
Princess of Wales, having brought over
this fashion from Denmark.

The about
Zeb (Shortened inverted word, 1882).
Young person, (Soc.,
Best.
1880). Girl from fifteen to marriage.
' The zeb way we know is to throw the
To know Th&j-Critt is to like him.
'

It is true that his morality is rather lax crockery at her. If you owe rent, toss
the landlord double or quits, and if you
even for a cavalry officer, and that he
know anything of tossing you're bound to
cannot be recommended to the young
come off first zeb.
person. But then there is such plenty of
literature for the young person. Sat. Zeb taoc (Curtailed inverted word).
Rev., 26th December 1885. Best coat.
Young thing (Masculine Women's Zedding about (Soc., 1883). Going
Society). A youth between seventeen zigzag, diverging.
and twenty-one. Zoodikers (Catholic Survival).
You're off the grass God's hooks hook sometimes being
(Cricketing).
Without a chance. hooker. Tom Jones, bk. xviii., ch. 13.
Zooks (Catholic Survival). God's
Yurup (American Street). Europe
' hooks hooks being old English for
accent on the rup '. nails here meaning the nails used
;

pon the cross.

Zouks ', said my father.
'
Sterne,
Tristram, Shandy.
Zounds (Catholic Survival). God's
wounds this word here rhyming with
'
sounds '. This oath has survived even
to our times. It was common in the
Zambo (Merchant Marine, 19 cent.).
time of Latimer.
Probably a perversion of Sambo (see). Zounds and blood. May be found
A term on the Spanish main for a race in Tom Jones, bk. xvi., ch. 4.
produced by the union of the negro Zulu express (Railway}. Name
and the Indian it literally means

bow-legged. Smyth's Sailors' Word- given to a Great Western afternoon

Book. express, at date of Zulu War.

271

PRINTED AT THE EDINBURGH PRESS, 9 AND II TOUNG STREET.

 Uniform with the present Work.

DICTIONARY OF SLANG
AND COLLOQUIAL ENGLISH
BY

JOHN S. FARMER
AND

W. E. HENLEY
'A most valuable work.' Speaker.
'
A book that ought to be on the shelves of every well-stocked reference library.'
Scotsman.
'Will supply a long-felt want.' Literary World.
'
An excellent piece of work . . .
unquestionably a book to commend.' Daily Mail.

The above two Works form part of

Routledge's Standard Reference Library

which includes the following volumes :

DICTIONARY OF ARCHAIC AND PROVINCIAL WORDS,

OBSOLETE PHRASES, &c. By J. O. HALLIWELL.
GLOSSARY OF WORDS, PHRASES, NAMES AND ALLU-
SIONS. By Archdeacon NARES. Edited by J. O. HALLIWELL
and T. WRIGHT.

ENGLISH QUOTATIONS. By ROBINSON SMITH.

THE ROSICRUCIANS. By HARGRAVE JENNINGS. With 300

illustrations and 12 plates.

SHAKESPEARE WORD-BOOK. By J. FOSTER, M.A.

GEORGE ROUTLEDGE & SONS, LIMITED, LONDON.

BINDING LIST 1941

Ware, James Redding

Passing English of the
Victorian era
c 1909 3

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