Verb. (American).—To chaff; to quiz; to make fun of.
Intj. (American).—A word shouted at the New-York Stock Exchange to wake
up a slumbering member.—Bartlett.
Joskin, subs. (common).—A bumpkin: also a dolt. For synonyms see Buffle
and Cabbage-head.
1811. Lex. Bal., s.v. Joskin. The drop-cove maced the joskin of
twenty quid, the ringdropper cheated the countryman of twenty
guineas.
1819. Chas. Lamb, Letter to Mr. Manning. I hate the joskins a name
for Hertfordshire bumpkins.
1828. Bee, Living Picture of London, p. 15. The very sight of a
countryman, either yokel or joskin.
1859. Matsell, Vocabulum, s.v.
1865. Dickens, Christmas Stories (Doctor Marigold), p. 172 (H.
ed.). They all set up a laugh when they see us, and one
chuckle-headed joskin (that I hated for it) made the bidding,
‘Tuppence for her!’
1876. Hindley, Adv. of a Cheap Jack, p. 14. An old joskin of a
countryman for an ostler.
1885. Henley, Ballads and Rondeaux, p. 81. Dull Sir Joskin sleeps
his fill; Hard Sir Æger dints his mail.
1889. Sporting Life, 3 Jan. Your true joskin, if an observer at
all, can pretty accurately gauge the weather prospects.
1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads. Old joskins a-sucking long
churchwarden pipes.
Josser, subs. (common).—1. A simpleton; a flat; a sponge (q.v.); an old
roué. Also as adj.
1886. Broadside Ballad, ‘I took it On’. I took it on, Of course I
was a josser.
1889. Ally Sloper’s Half Holiday, 6 July, ‘Jury Box Jossers’
[Title].
c. 1890. Music Hall Song, ‘I don’t like London.’ Whenever I’m near
them—they always cry Ain’t he a josser? Ain’t he a guy?
c. 1890. Music Hall Song, ‘I’m living with Mother Now.’ As a josser
I think you will do.
1890. Punch, 22 Feb. These quality jossers would spile it, if ’arf
their reforms they can carry.
1892. Milliken, ’Arry Ballads, p. 58. I’d keep all sech jossers in
mug.
1893. Standard, 29 Jan. p. 2. Now suppose we are on the road ...
and we meet a josser policeman? Is it fair that the josser should
stop us?