LARDER (obsolete), explained by quotation:--

Terme libre, qui signifie, faire le déduit, se divertir

avec une femme.--=LE ROUX=, _Dict. Comique_.

(Popular and military) _to pierce with a sword or knife_. Se faire

----, _to be stabbed or to receive a sword-thrust_.

LARDIVES, _f. pl._ (prostitutes’), _female companions of prostitutes_.

Après tout, mes lardives ne valent pas mieux que moi

et leurs megs valent le pante que j’ai lâché parcequ’il

m’embêtait.--_Mémoires de Monsieur Claude._

LARDOIRE, _f._ (popular), _sword_, or “toasting fork.”

LARGE, _adj. and m._ (popular), il est ----, mais c’est des épaules _is

said ironically of a close-fisted man_. N’en pas mener ----, _to be ill

at ease_; _crest-fallen_. Envoyer quelqu’un au ----, _to send one to

the deuce_.

LARGONJI, _m._ (thieves’), _cant_, _slang_. Properly the word jargon

disguised by a process described under the heading LAMPAGNE (which see).

LARGUE, _f._ (popular and thieves’), _woman_, “hay-bag, cooler,

shakester, or laced mutton.” Concerning the word Michel says: “Je

crains bien qu’une pensée obscène n’ait présidé à la création de ce

mot: ce qui me le fait soupçonner, c’est que je lis, p. 298 du livre

d’Antoine Oudin, ‘Loger au large, d’une femme qui a grand ... or,

large se prononçait largue à l’italienne et à l’espagnole dès le xivᵉ

siècle.’”

Deux mots avaient suffi. Ces deux mots étaient: vos largues

et votre aubert, vos femmes et votre argent, le résumé de

toutes les affections vraies de l’homme.--=BALZAC.=

Largue, _mistress_, or “poll;” ---- d’altèque, _handsome woman_,

or “dimbermort;” ---- en panne, _forsaken woman_, or a “moll that

has been buried;” ---- en vidange, _female in childbed_, or “in the

straw.” Balancer une ----, _to forsake a mistress_, “to bury a moll.”

(Sailors’) Grand’ ----, _excellent_, “out and out.” C’est grand’ ----

et vrai marin, _it is_ “out and out,” _and quite sailor-like_.

LARGUEPÉ, _f._ (thieves’), _prostitute, or thief’s wife_, “mollisher.”

See GADOUE. According to Michel this word is formed of largue, _woman_,

and putain, _whore_.

LARME DU COMPOSITEUR, _f._ (printers’), _comma_.

LARNAC, ARNAC, or ARNACHE, _m._ (thieves’), _police officer_, “copper,”

or “reeler.” Rousse à l’----, _detective_. For synonymous expressions

see VACHE.

LARQUE, _f._ (roughs’), _woman_, or “cooler;” _registered prostitute_.

A corruption of largue. See GADOUE.

LARRONS, _m. pl._ (printers’), _odd pieces of paper which adhere to

sheets in the press, producing_ “moines” _or blanks_.

LARTIF, LARTIE, LARTON, _m._ (thieves’), _bread_, “pannum.” Termed also

“briffe, broute, pierre dure, artie, arton, brignolet, bringue, boule

de son, bricheton.”

LARTILLE À PLAFOND, _f._ (thieves’), PASTRY.

LARTIN, _m._ (old cant), _beggar_, “maunderer.”

LARTON, _m._ (thieves’), _bread_, “pannum;” ---- brutal, _black bread_;

---- savonné, _white bread_.

LARTONNIER, _m._ (thieves’), _baker_. From larton, _bread_. In the

English popular lingo a “dough-puncher.”

LASCAILLER (thieves’), _to void urine_, “to pump ship.” For synonyms

see LÂCHER.

LASCAR, _m._ (military), _bold, devil-may-care fellow_. Allons, mes

lascars! _now, boys!_

Alors il se frottait les mains, faisait des blagues,

ricanait: Eh! eh! mes lascars, il y a du bon pour le

“chose,” ce soir!--=G. COURTELINE.=

The term is also used disparagingly with the signification of _bad

soldiers_.

Là-dessus, en arrière, à droite, et à gauche ... marche! A

vos écuries, tas de lascars.--=G. COURTELINE.=

(Thieves’) Lascar, _fellow_.

Tous les lascars à l’atelier pouvaient turbiner à leur gré.

Moi, je n’avais pas plus tôt le dos tourné à mon ouvrage

pour grignoter mon lartif (pain) ou pour chiquer mon

Saint-père (tabac), que le louchon était sur mon dos pour

m’écoper.--_Mémoires de Monsieur Claude._

LAS DE CHIER, _m._ (popular), grand ----, _big skulking fellow without

any energy_.

LATEN (Breton slang), _tongue_.

LATENNI (Breton slang), _to chatter_.

LATIF, _m._ (thieves’), _white linen_, “lully,” or “snowy.”

LATIN, _m._ (thieves’), _lingo_, _cant_, “flash, thieves’ Latin.” The

word meant formerly _language_.

LATINE, _f._ (students’), _student’s mistress_. From “Quartier Latin,”

a part of Paris where students mostly dwell.

LATTE, _f._ (military), _cavalry sword_. Se ficher un coup de ----, _to

fight a duel_.

LAUMIR (old cant), _to lose_, “to blew.”

LAUNE, _m._ (thieves’), _police officer_, or “copper.” For synonymous

expressions see POT-À-TABAC.

LAURE, _f._ (thieves’), _brothel_, “nanny-shop, or academy.” Concerning

the inmates of a clandestine establishment of that description in

London, Mr. James Greenwood says:--

They belong utterly and entirely to the devil in human

shape who owns the den that the wretched harlot learns to

call her “home.” You would never dream of the deplorable

depth of her destitution if you met her in her gay attire

... she is absolutely poorer than the meanest beggar that

ever whined for a crust. These women are known as “dress

lodgers.”--_The Seven Curses of London_.

LAVABE, _m._ (popular), _note of hand_; _theatre ticket at reduced

price given to people who in return agree to applaud at a given signal_.

LAVAGE, _m._, or LESSIVE, _f._ (general), _sale of one’s property_;

also _sale of property at considerable loss_.

Barbet n’avait pas prévu ce lavage; il croyait au talent de

Lucien.--=BALZAC.=

LAVARÈS (thieves’), for laver, _to sell stolen property_. Nous irons

à lavarès la camelote chez le fourgueur, _we will go and sell the

property at the receiver’s_.

LAVASSE, _f._ (popular), _soup_; ---- sénatoriale, _rich soup_; ----

présidentielle, _very rich soup_.

LAVEMENT, _m._ (popular), au verre pilé, _glass of rank brandy_;

(familiar and popular), _troublesome man or bore_; (military)

_adjutant_.

LAVER (general), _to spend_; _to sell_.

Vous avez pour quarante francs de loges et de billets

à vendre, et pour soixante francs de livres à laver au

journal.--=BALZAC.=

(Thieves’) Laver la camelote, or les fourgueroles, _to sell stolen

property_, “to do the swag;” ---- son linge, _to give oneself up

after sentence has been passed in contumaciam_; ---- le linge dans la

saignante, _to kill_.

Voici le pante que j’ai allumé devant le ferlampier

(bandit) mis au poteau,--il faut laver son linge dans la

saignante. Vite; à vos surins, les autres! Une fuis qu’il

sera refroidi, qu’on le porte à la cave.--_Mémoires de

Monsieur Claude_.

Se ---- les pieds, se ---- les pieds au dur, or au grand pré, _to be

transported_, “to be lagged,” or “to light the lumper.” (Popular) Se

---- les yeux, _to drink a glass of white wine in the morning_. Se ----

le tuyau, _to drink_, “to wet one’s whistle.” Va te ----! _go to the

deuce_, _go to_ “pot!” Mon linge est lavé! _I am beaten_, _I own I

have the worst of it_. (General) Laver, _to sell_.

LAVETTE, _f._ (popular), _tongue_, or “red rag.”

LAVOIR, _m._ (cads’), _confessional_. A place where one’s conscience is

made snow-white. (Familiar) Lavoir public, _newspaper_.

L’AVOIR ENCORE (popular). Elle l’a encore, _she has yet her

maidenhead_, _her rose has not yet been plucked_.

LAZAGNE, or LAZAGEN, _f._ (thieves’), _letter_, “screeve, or stiff.”

On appelle lasagna, en Italien, une espèce de mets de

pâte, et l’on dit proverbialement “come le lasagne,” comme

les lasagnes, ni endroit ni envers, pour dire, on ne

sait ce que c’est. On comprend que, ignorants comme ils

le sont pour la plupart, les gueux aient appliqué cette

expression aux lettres, qui, d’ailleurs, sont loin d’être

toujours lisibles. Il y a aussi des livres appelés “di

lasagne.”--=MICHEL.=

Balancer une ----, _to write a letter_.

LAZARO, _m._ (military), _prison_, “shop.”

Il lui avait ouvert la porte du cachot ... au fond il se

moquait pas mal d’être flanqué au lazaro.--=G. COURTELINE.=

LAZO-LIGOT, _m._ (police), _strap with a noose_.

Et Col-de-zinc, à l’aspect si raide, avait l’agilité du

Mexicain pour jeter le lazo-ligot, pour entourer d’un seul

coup le corps et le poignet de son sujet de façon à ce que

la main restât attachée à sa hanche.--_Mémoires de Monsieur

Claude._

LAZZI-LOF, _m._ (thieves’), _venereal malady._ Termed “French gout,” or

“ladies’ fever,” in the English slang.

LÈCHE-CURÉ, _m._ (popular), _bigot_, “prayer-monger.”

LÉCHÉE, _f._ (artists’), _picture minutely painted_.

LÉGITIME, _m. and f._ (familiar), _husband_, or “oboleklo;” _wife_, or

“tart.” Manger sa ----, _to squander one’s fortune_.

LÉGUME, _m._ (military), gros ----, _field officer_, or “bloke.” An

allusion to his epaulets, termed “graine d’épinards.”

LÉGUMISTE, _m._ (familiar), _vegetarian_.

LEM, parler en ----, _mode of disguising words_ by prefixing the letter

“l,” and adding the syllabic “em” preceded by the first letter of the

word; thus “boucher” becomes “loucherbem.” This mode was first used by

butchers, and is now obsolete. See LAMPAGNE.

LENQUETRÉ, _m._ (thieves’), _thirty sous_. The word “trente” disguised.

LENTILLE, _f._ (thieves’), grosse ----, _moon_, “parish lantern.”

LÉON, _m._ (thieves’), _the president of the assize court_.

LERMON, _m._ (thieves’), _tin_.

LERMONNER (thieves’), _to tin_.

LESBIEN, _m._ (literary), formerly termed lesbin, explained by

quotation:--

Lesbin, pour dire un jeune homme ou garçon qui sert de

sucube à un autre et qui souffre qu’on commette la sodomie

sur lui.--=LE ROUX=, _Dict. Comique_.

LESBIENNE, _f._ (common). Rigaud says: “Femme qui suit les errements de

Sapho; celle qui cultive le genre de dépravation attribué à Sapho la

Lesbienne.”

LESCAILLER. See LASCAILLER.

LÉSÉBOMBE, or LÉSÉE, _f._ (popular), _prostitute_, or “mot.” For

synonymous expressions see GADOUE.

LESSIVAGE, _m._ (popular), _selling of property_; (thieves’) _pleading_.

LESSIVANT, _m._ (thieves’), _counsel_, or “mouthpiece.”

LESSIVE, _f._ (popular), de gascon, _doubtful cleanliness_. Faire la

----, _to turn one’s dirty shirt-collar or cuffs on the clean side_.

(Literary) Faire sa ----, _to sell books sent to one by authors_.

(Thieves’) Lessive, _speech for the defence_. The prisoner compares

himself to dirty linen, to be washed snow-white by the counsel.

LESSIVER (thieves’), _is said of a barrister who pleads in behalf of a

prisoner_. Se faire ----, _to be cleaned out at some game_, “to have

blewed one’s tin,” or “to be a muck-snipe,” or in sporting slang a

“muggins.”

LESSIVEUR, _m._ (thieves’), _counsel_, or “mouthpiece.” Literally _one

who washes_.

LETERN (Breton cant), _eye_.

LETEZ (Breton cant), _countryman_.

LETEZEN (Breton cant), _pancake_.

LETTRE, _f._ (thieves’), de Jérusalem, _letter written by a prisoner

to someone outside the prison, to request that some money may be sent

him_; ---- de couronne (obsolete), _cup_.

LEVAGE, _m._ (popular), _swindle_; _successful gallantry_.

LEVÉ, _adj._ (general), had formerly the signification of _to be

tracked by a bailiff who has found one’s whereabouts_.

LEVÉE, _f._ (popular), _wholesale arrest of prostitutes_.

LÈVE-PIEDS, _m._ (thieves’), _ladder_; _steps_, or “dancers.” Embarder

sur le ----, _to go down the steps_, “to lop down the dancers.”

LEVER (printers’), la lettre, or les petits clous, _to compose_;

(popular) ---- boutique, _to set up as a tradesman_.

Un Toulousain ... jeune perruquier dévoré d’ambition,

vint à Paris, et y leva boutique (je me sers de votre

argot).--=BALZAC.=

Lever des chopins, _to find some profitable stroke of business_; ----

la jambe, _to dance the cancan_; ---- le bras, _to be dissatisfied_;

---- le pied, _to abscond_; (familiar and popular) ---- une femme, _to

find a woman willing to accord her favours_; ---- quelquechose, _to

steal something_, “to wolf;” (military) ---- les baluchons, _to go

away_; (prostitutes’) ---- un miché, _to find a client_, “to pick up a

flat.”

LEVEUR, _m._ (popular), _pickpocket_, “buzcove.” See GRINCHE. Leveur de

femmes, _a Don Giovanni in a small way_, or a “molrower.” (Printers’)

Bon ----, _skilled typographer_.

Un bon leveur est un ouvrier qui compose bien et

vite.--=BOUTMY.=

LEVEUSE, _f._ (familiar and popular), _a flash girl_.

LEVURE, _f._ (popular), _flight_. Faire la ----, _to run away_; “to

skedaddle,” “to mizzle.”

LÉZARD, _m._ (popular), _an untrustworthy friend_; _dog stealer_.

Le lézard vole des chiens courants, des épagneuls et

surtout des levrettes. Il ne livre jamais sa proie sans

recevoir la somme déclarée.--_Almanach du Débiteur._

Faire son ----, _to doze in the daytime like a lizard basking in the

sun_. (Thieves’) Faire le ----, to take to flight, “to make beef.” See

PATATROT. Un ----, _a traitor_, a “snitcher.”

LÉZARDES, _f. pl._ (printers’), _white spaces_.

Raies blanches produites dans la composition par la

rencontre fortuite d’espaces placées les unes au-dessous

des autres.--=BOUTMY.=

LÉZINE, _f._ (thieves’), _cheating at a game_.

LÉZINER (thieves’), _to cheat_, “to bite;” _to hesitate_, “to funk.”

LIBRETAILLEUR, _m._ (familiar), _a libretto writer of poor ability_.

LICE, _f._ (popular), _lecherous girl_. Literally _bitch_.

LICHADE, _f._ (popular), _embrace_.

LICHANCE, _f._ (popular), _hearty meal_, “tightener.” From licher,

equivalent to lécher, _to lick_.

LICHE, _f._ (popular), _excessive eating or drinking_. Etre en ----,

_to be_ “on the booze.”

LICHER (familiar and popular), _to drink_, “to lush.” See RINCER.

Il a liché tout’ la bouteille,

Rien n’est sacré pour un sapeur.

_Parisian Song._

LICHEUR, _m._ (familiar and popular), _gormandizer_. The term is very

old.

LICHOTER UN RIGOLBOCHE (popular), _to make a hearty meal_, or

“tightener.”

LIE DE FROMENT, _f._ (popular), _excrement_, or “quaker.”

LIÈGE, _m._ (thieves’), _gendarme_.

LIERCHEM (cads’), _to ease oneself_. An obscene word disguised. See LEM.

LIGNANTE, _f._ (thieves’), _life_.

Ce mot ... vient de la ligne, dite de vie, que les

bohémiens consultaient sur la main de ceux auxquels ils

disaient la bonne aventure.--=MICHEL.=

LIGNARD, _m._ (familiar and popular), _foot-soldier of the line_;

_journalist_; (printers’) _compositor who has to deal only with the

body part of a composition_; (artists’) _artist who devotes his

attention more to the perfection of the outline than to that of

colour_; (popular) _rodfisher_.

LIGNE, _f._ (artists’), avoir la ----, _to have a fine profile_.

(Literary) Pêcher à la ----, or tirer à la ----, _is said of a

journalist who seeks to make an article as lengthy as possible_.

(Popular) Pêcher à la ---- d’argent _is said of an angler who catches

fish by means of a money bait, at the fishmonger’s_. (Printers’) Ligne

à voleur, _line containing only a syllable, or a very short word, which

might have been composed into the preceding line_.

Les lignes à voleur sont faciles à reconnaître, et elles

n’échappent guère à l’œil d’un correcteur exercé, qui les

casse d’ordinaire impitoyablement.--=BOUTMY.=

LIGORE, _f._ (thieves’), _assize court_.

LIGORNIAU, _m._ (popular), _hodman_.

LIGOT. See LIGOTANTE.

LIGOTAGE, _m._ (police), _binding a prisoner’s hands by means of a rope

or strap_.

LIGOTANTE, or LIGOTTE, _f._ (thieves’), _rope, or strap_; _bonds_; ----

de rifle, or riflarde, _strait waistcoat_.

LIGOTER (police and thieves’), _to bind a prisoner’s hands by means of

ropes or straps_.

Nul mieux que lui ne savait prendre un malfaiteur sans

l’abîmer, ni lui mettre les poucettes sans douleur ou le

ligoter sans effort.--_Mémoires de Monsieur Claude._

LIGOTTE, _f._ (thieves’), _rope_; _string_; _strap_.

LILLANGE (thieves’), _town of Lille_.

LILLOIS, _m._ (thieves’), _thread_.

LIMACE, _f._ (popular), _low prostitute_, or “draggle-tail;” _soldier’s

wench_, or “barrack-hack,” see GADOUE; (thieves’) _shirt_, “flesh-bag,

or commission.” From the Romany “lima,” according to Michel.

LIMACIER, _m._, LIMACIÈRE, _f._, (thieves’), _shirt-maker_. From

limace, _a shirt_.

LIMANDE, _f._ (popular), _man made of poor stuff_; _one who fawns_.

From limande, _a kind of sole_ (fish).

LIME, _f._ (thieves’), for limace, _shirt_, or “commission” in old

English cant; ---- sourde, _sly, underhand man_. The expression is old,

and is used by Rabelais:--

Mais, qui pis est, les oultragearent grandement,

les appellants trop-diteux, breschedents, plaidants

rousseaulx, galliers, chie-en-licts, averlans, limes

sourdes.--_Gargantua._

LIMER (familiar and popular), _to talk with difficulty_; _to do a thing

slowly_. Literally _to file_.

LIMOGÈRE, _f._ (thieves’), _chambermaid_.

LIMONADE, _f._ (popular), _water_, or “Adam’s ale;” _the trade of a_

“limonadier,” _or proprietor of a small café_. Tomber, or se plaquer

dans la ----, _to fall into the water_; _to be ruined_, or “gone

a mucker.” (Thieves’) Limonade, _flannel vest_; ---- de linspré,

_champagne_. “Linspré” is the word “prince” disguised.

LIMONADIER DE POSTÉRIEURS, _m._ (popular), _apothecary_. Formerly

apothecaries performed the “clysterium donare” of Molière’s _Malade

Imaginaire_.

LIMOUSIN, or LIMOUSINANT, _m._ (popular), _mason_. It must be mentioned

that most of the Paris masons hail from Limousin.

LIMOUSINE, _f._ (thieves’), _sheet lead on roofs_, or “flap.” Termed

also “saucisson, gras-double.”

LIMOUSINEUR, _m._ (thieves’), _thief who steals sheet-lead roofing_.

Called also “voleur au gras-double,” a “bluey faker,” or one who “flies

the blue pigeon.” See GRINCHE.

LINGE, _m._ (familiar and popular), faire des effets de ----, _to

display one’s body linen with affectation_. Un bock sans ----, or sans

faux-col, _a glass of beer without any head_. A request for such a

thing is often made in the Paris cafés, where the microscopic “bocks”

or “choppes” are topped by gigantic heads. Se payer un ---- convenable,

_to have a stylish mistress_, an “out-and-out tart.” (Popular) Un ----

à règles, _a dirty, slatternly woman_. Resserrer son ----, _to die_.

(Thieves’) Avoir son ---- lavé, _to be caught_, _apprehended_, or

“smugged.”

LINGÉ, _adj._ (popular), être ----, _to have plenty of fine linen_.

LINGRE, or LINGUE, _m._ (thieves’), _knife_, or “chive.” From Langres,

a manufacturing town. The synonyms are “linve, trente-deux, vingt-deux,

chourin or surin, scion, coupe-sifflet, pliant.” Jouer du ----, _to

stab_, “to stick, or to chive.”

LINGRER, or LINGUER (thieves’), _to stab_, “to stick, or to chive.”

LINGRIOT, _m._ (thieves’), _penknife_.

LINGUARDE, _f._ (popular), _woman with a soft tongue_.

LINGUE, _m._ (thieves’), _knife_, or “chive.”

LINSPRÉ, _m._ (thieves’), _prince_. See LIMONADE.

LINVÉ, _m._ (popular), loussem, _twenty sous_. The words “vingt sous”

distorted. Un ----, _a franc_: “un lenquetré” _being one franc and

fifty centimes, or thirty sous_, and “un larantqué,” _two francs, or

forty sous_. These expressions are respectively the words un, trente,

quarante, disguised.

LION, _m._ (familiar), _dandy of 1840_. Fosse aux lions, _box at the

opera occupied by men of fashion_. For synonymous terms see GOMMEUX.

LIONNERIE, _f._ (familiar), _fashionable world_.

LIPÈTE, _f._ (popular), _prostitute_, “mot,” or “common Jack.” See

GADOUE.

LIPETTE, _f._ (popular), _mason_. Termed also ligorgniot.

LIPPER (popular), _to visit several wine-shops in succession_.

LIQUETTE, or LIMACE, _f._ (thieves’), _shirt_, in old English cant

“commission.” Décarrer le centre d’une ----, _to obliterate the marking

of a shirt_.

LIQUEUR, _f._ (popular), cache-bonbon à ----, _dandy’s stick-up

collar_. A malevolent allusion to scrofula abcesses on the neck.

LIRE (familiar), aux astres, _to muse_, “to go wool-gathering;”

(familiar and popular) ---- le journal, _to go without a dinner_; ----

le Moniteur, _to wait patiently_. (Printers’) Lire, _to note proposed

alterations in a proof_; ---- en première, _to correct the first

proof_; ---- en seconde, or en bon, _to correct a second proof on which

the author has written “for press.”_ (Thieves’) Savoir ----, _to have

one’s wits about one_, “to know what’s o’clock.”

LISETTE, _f._ (thieves’), _long waistcoat_; _sword_, or “poker.”

LISSERPEM (roughs’), _to void urine_. The word “pisser” disguised by

prefixing the letter “l,” and adding the syllable “em” preceded by the

first letter of the word.

LISTARD, _m._ (journalists’), _one in favour of “scrutin de liste,” or

mode of voting for the election wholesale of all the representatives in

parliament of a “département.”_ For instance, the Paris electors have

to vote for a list of over thirty members.

LIT, _m._ (popular), être sous le ----, _to be mistaken_.

LITHOGRAPHIER (popular), se ----, _to fall_, “to come a cropper.”

LITRER, or ITRER (thieves’), _to have_.

LITRONNER (popular), _to drink wine_. From litron, _a wine measure_.

LITRONNEUR, _m._ (popular), _one who is too fond of the bottle_.

LITTÉRATURE JAUNE (familiar), _the so-called Naturalist literature_.

LITTÉRATURIER, _m._ (familiar), _a literary man after a fashion_.

LIVRAISON, _f._ (popular), avoir une ---- de bois devant sa porte, _to

have well-developed breasts_, _to be possessed of fine_ “Charlies.”

LIVRE, _m._ (popular), des quatre rois, _pack of cards_, “book of

briefs,” or “Devil’s books;” ---- rouge, _police registration book in

which the names of authorized prostitutes are inscribed_. Etre inscrite

dans le ---- rouge, _to be a registered prostitute_. (Freemasons’)

Livre d’architecture, _ledger of a lodge_. (Sharpers’) Livre, _one

hundred francs_.

LOA VIHAN (Breton cant), _coffee_.

LOCANDIER, _m._ (thieves’). Called also “voleur au bonjour,” _thief who

visits apartments in the morning, and who when caught pretends to have

entered the wrong rooms by mistake_. See GRINCHE.

LOCHE, _f._ (popular), mou comme une ----, _slow_, _phlegmatic_,

“lazybones.” (Thieves’) Loche, _ear_, or “wattle.” Properly _loach or

groundling_.

LOCHER (thieves’), _to listen_; (popular) _to totter_, “to be groggy.”

LOCOMOTIVE, _f._ (popular), _great smoker_.

LOF, LOFF, LOFFARD, LOFFE, _m._ (popular), _fool_, or “bounder.” “Lof”

is the anagram of “fol.”

A lui le coq,... pour inventer des emblèmes ... quand j’y

pense, fallait-il que je fusse loff pour donner dans un

godan pareil!--_Mémoires de Vidocq._

LOFFAT, _m._ (popular), _apprentice_.

LOFFIAT, _m._ (popular), _blockhead_, or “cabbage-head.”

LOFFITUDE, _f._ (thieves’), _stupidity_; _nonsense_. Bonisseur de

loffitudes, _nonsense-monger_. Solliceur de loffitudes, _journalist_.

LOGE INFERNALE, _f._ (theatrical), _box occupied by young men of

fashion_.

LOGER RUE DU CROISSANT (familiar and popular), _is said of an injured

husband_, or “buckface.” An allusion to the horns of the moon.

LOGIS DU MOUTROT, _m._ (thieves’), _police court_.

LOIR, _m._ (thieves’), _prison_, “stir, or Bastile.” See MOTTE.

LOKARD (Breton cant), _peasant_.

LOKO (Breton cant), _brandy_.

LOLO, _m._ (thieves’), _chief_, or “dimber damber;” (popular)

_cocotte_, or “mot.” See GADOUE. Fifi ----, _large iron cylinder in

which the contents of cesspools are carried away by the scavengers_.

(Military) Gros lolos, _cuirassiers_.

LOMBARD, _m._ (popular), _commissionnaire of the “Mont de Piété,” or

government pawning establishment_.

LONCEGUÉ, _m._ (thieves’ and cads’), _man_, “cove;” _master of a

house_, “boss.” The word gonce disguised.

LONCEGUEM, _f._ (thieves’ and cads’), _woman_, or “hay-bag;” _mistress

of a house_.

LONG, _m. and adj._ (popular), _simpleton_, _greenhorn_. Etes-vous logé

et nourri? Oui, le ---- du mur. _Do you get board and lodging? Yes, at

my own expense._ (Thieves’) Long, _stupid_; _blockhead_, or “go along.”

Abbreviation of long à comprendre.

LONGCHAMPS, _m._, _a long corridor of w.c.’s at the Ecole

Polytechnique_; (popular) _a procession_.

LONGE, _f._ (thieves’), _year_, or “stretch.” Tirer une ----, _to do

one_ “stretch” _in prison_.

LONGÉ, _adj._ (popular), _old_.

LONGIN, or SAINT-LONGIN, _m._ (popular), _sluggard_.

LONGINE, or SAINTE-LONGINE, _f._ (popular), _sluggish woman_.

LONGUETTE DE TRÈFLE, _f._ (thieves’), _roll of tobacco_, or “twist of

fogus.”

LOPHE, _adj._ (thieves’), _false_; _counterfeit_, “flash.” Un fafiot

----, _a forged bank-note_, or “queer screen.”

LOPIN, _m._ (popular), _spittle_, or “gob.”

LOQUE, _m._ (thieves’), parler en ----, _mode of disguising words_. The

word is preceded by the letter “l,” and the syllable preceded by the

first letter of the word is added. Thus “fou” becomes “loufoque.”

LOQUES, _f. pl._ (thieves’), _pieces of copper_.

LORCEFÉ, _f._ (thieves’), _old prison of “La Force.”_ La ---- des

largues, _the prison of Saint-Lazare, where prostitutes and unfaithful

wives are confined_.

Eh bien! si je te la fourrais à la lorcefé des

largues (Saint-Lazare) pour un an, le temps de ton

gerbement.--=BALZAC.=

LORDANT. See LOURDIER.

LORET, _m._ (popular), _lover of a_ lorette.

LORETTE, _f._ (familiar), _more than fast girl_, or “mot,” _named after

the Quartier Notre Dame de Lorette, the Paris Pimlico_. See GADOUE.

LORGNE, or LORGNE-BÉ, _m._ (thieves’), _one-eyed man_. In English slang

“a seven-sided animal;” _the ace of cards_, or “pig’s eye.”

LORGNETTE, _f._ (thieves’), _keyhole_, this natural receptacle for

a key being considered by thieves as an aperture convenient only

for making investigations from the outside of a door. Etui à ----,

_coffin_, or “cold-meat box.” Eteindre ses deux lorgnettes, _to close

one’s eyes_.

LORQUET, _m._ (popular), _sou_.

LOT, _m._ (popular), _venereal disease_.

LOU, or LOUP, _m._ (popular), faire un ----, _to spoil a piece of work_.

LOUANEK (Breton cant), _brandy_.

LOUAVE, _m._ (thieves’), _drunkard_. Être ----, _to be drunk_, “to be

canon.” Faire un ----, _to rob a drunkard_. Rogues who devote their

energies to this kind of thieving are termed “bug-hunters.”

LOUBAC, _m._ (popular), _apprentice_.

LOUBION, _m._ (thieves’), _bonnet or hat_. See TUBARD.

LOUBIONNIER, _m._ (thieves’), _hat or bonnet maker_.

LOUCHE, _f._ (thieves’), _hand_, or “duke.” La ----, _the police_, or

“reelers.” La ---- le renifle, _the police are tracing him_, _he is

getting a_ “roasting.”

LOUCHÉE, _f._ (thieves’), _spoonful_. From louche, _a soup ladle_.

LOUCHER (popular), de la bouche, _to have a constrained, insincere

smile_; ---- de l’épaule, _to be a humpback_, or a “lord;” ---- de la

jambe, _to be lame_. Faire ---- un homme, _to inspire a man with carnal

desire_.

LOUCHERBEM, _m._ (popular and thieves’), the word boucher disguised,

see Lem; BUTCHER. Corbillard des ----, see CORBILLARD.

LOUCHON, _m._, LOUCHONNE, _f._ (popular), _person who squints_, _one

with_ “swivel-eyes.”

LOUFFER (popular and thieves’), _to foist_, “to fizzle.” Si tu louffes

encore sans dire fion je te passe à travers, _if you_ “fizzle” _again

without apologizing I’ll thrash you_.

LOUFFIAT, _m._ (popular), _low cad_. Termed in the English slang a

“rank outsider.”

LOUFOQUE, _adj. and m._ (popular and thieves’), _mad_, or “cracked,

balmy, or one off his chump.” The word fou disguised by means of the

syllable loque. See LOQUE.

Si nos doch’ étaient moins vieilles,

On les ferait plaiser,

Mais les pauv’ loufoques balaient

Les gras d’nos laisées.

=RICHEPIN.=

LOUILLE, _f._ (thieves’), _prostitute_, or “bunter.” See GADOUE.

LOUIS, _f. and m._ (bullies’), une ----, _a bully’s mistress_, _a

prostitute_. Abbreviation of Louis XV., women in brothels often

powdering and dressing their hair Louis XV. fashion. See GADOUE.

J’couch’ que’qu’fois sous des voitures;

Mais on attrap’ du cambouis.

J’veux pas ch’linguer la peinture

Quand j’suc’ la pomme à ma Louis.

=RICHEPIN.=

(Popular) Un ---- d’or, _lump of excrement_, or “quaker.”

LOUISETTE, _f._ _old appellation of the guillotine_.

LOUIZA (Breton cant), WATER.

LOUP, _m._ (popular), _mistake_; _debt_; _creditor_, or “dun;” _misfit,

or piece of work which has been spoilt_; (printers’) _lack of type_;

_debt_; _creditor_. Faire un ----, _is to buy on credit_.

Le jour de la banque, le créancier ou “loup” vient

quelquefois guetter son débiteur (nous allions dire sa

proie) à la sortie de l’atelier pour réclamer ce qui lui

est dû. Quand la réclamation a lieu à l’atelier, ce qui est

devenu très rare, les compositeurs donnent à leur camarade

et au créancier une “roulance” accompagnée des cris: au

loup! au loup!--=BOUTMY.=

LOUPATE, _m._ (popular), the word “pou” disguised, _a louse_, or

“grey-backed ’un.”

LOUP-CERVIER, _m._ (familiar), _stockjobber_.

LOUPE, _f._, _laziness_, “loafing.” Camp de la ----, _vagabonds’

meeting-place_. Chevalier de la ----, _a lazy rambler or gad-about

who goes about pleasure seeking_. (Thieves’) Un enfant de la ----, _a

variety of the vagabond tribe_.

Les Enfants de la loupe et les Filendèches habitaient de

préférence l’extérieur des carrières, leurs fours à briques

ou à plâtre.--_Mémoires de Monsieur Claude._

LOUPER (popular), _to idle about pleasure seeking_.

LOUPEUR (popular), _lazy workman_, _or one who is_ “Mondayish.”

LOUPIAT, _m._ (popular), _lazy_, or “Mondayish,” _workman_; _vagrant_,

or “pikey.”

LOUPIAU, or LOUPIOT, _m._ (popular), _child_, or “kid.”

LOUPION, _m._ (popular), _hat_, “tile.” See TUBARD.

LOURDE, or LOURDIÈRE, _f._ (thieves’), _door_, “jigger.” Bâcler la

----, _to shut the door_, “to dub the jigger.”

LOURDEAU, _m._ (thieves’), _devil_, “ruffin,” or “darble.”

LOURDIER, _m._ (popular), _door-keeper_.

LOUSSE, _f._ (thieves’), _country gendarme or corps of gendarmerie_.

LOUSSÉS, _m. pl._ (cads’), dix ----, _fifty centimes_. The word sous

disguised.

LOUSTAUD, _m._ (thieves’), _prison_, or “stir.” See MOTTE. Envoyer à

----, _to send to the deuce_, “to pot.”

LOUTER (popular). See FAIRE UN LOU.

LOUVETEAU, _m._ (freemasons’), _son of a freemason_.

LOUVETIER, _m._ (printers’), _man in debt_.

Ce terme est pris en mauvaise part, car le typo auquel on

l’applique est considéré comme faisant trop bon marché de

sa dignité.--=BOUTMY.=

LUBRE, _adj._ (thieves’), _dismal_. Lubre comme un guichemard, _as

dismal as a turnkey_.

LUC, _m._ (popular), messire ----, _breech_, or “tochas.” “Luc” is the

anagram of “cul.” See VASISTAS.

LUCARNE, _f._ (popular), _woman’s bonnet_.

Autrefois on assimilait le capuchon des moines à une

fenêtre, d’où le proverbe: défiez-vous des gens qui ne

voient le jour que par une fenêtre de drap.--=MICHEL.=

LUCARNE, _monocular eye-glass_. Crever sa ----, _to break one’s

eye-glass_.

LUCQUES, _m. pl._ (thieves’), _documents_. Porte ----, _pocket-book_,

“dee,” or “dummy.”

LUCRÈCE, _f._ (popular), faire sa ----, _to put on a virtuous look_.

LUCTRÈME, _m._ (thieves’), _skeleton key_, “screw,” “Jack in the box,”

or “twirl.” Filer le ----, _to open a door by means of a skeleton-key_,

“to screw.”

LUGNA (Breton cant), _to look_.

LUIRE, _m._ (old cant), _brain_.

LUIS, or LUISANT, _m._ (thieves’), _day_.

Je rouscaille tous les luisans au grand haure de

l’oraison.--_Le Jargon de l’Argot._ (_I pray daily the

great God of prayer._)

LUISANT, _m._, see LUIS; (familiar) _dandy_, “masher.”

Voici d’abord le pschutt, le vlan, les luisants, comme nous

les nommons aujourd’hui.--=P. MAHALIN.=

For synonymous terms see GOMMEUX.

LUISANTE, or LUISARDE, _f._ (thieves’), _moon_, or “parish lantern;”

_window_, or “jump.”

LUISARD, or LUYSARD, _m._ (thieves’), _sun_. Luysard estampille six

plombes, _it is six o’clock by the sun_.

LUISARDE, _f._ (thieves’), _moon_, “parish lantern, or oliver.”

LUMIGNON, _m._ (thieves’), le grand ----, _sun_. Properly lumignon is

_a lantern_.

LUMINARISTE, _m._ (theatrical), _lamp-lighter_.

LUNCHER (familiar), _to have lunch_. From the English.

LUNE, _f._ (thieves’), one franc; ---- à douze quartiers, _the wheel

on which criminals were broken_. (Familiar and popular) Lune, _the

behind_. See VASISTAS. Lune, _large full face_. Amant de la ----, _man

with amatory intentions who frequently goes out on nocturnal, but

fruitless_ “caterwauling” _expeditions_. Voir la ----, _is said of a

maiden who is made a woman_.

La petite a beau avoir de la dentelle, elle n’en verra pas

moins la lune par le même trou que les autres.--=ZOLA=,

_L’Assommoir_.

LUNÉ, _adj._ (popular), bien ----, _in a good humour_, _well disposed_.

LUNETTE, _f._ (popular), d’approche, _guillotine_. Passer en ----,

_to take in_, “to do;” _to harm_. Etre passé en ----, _to fail in

business_. Les lunettes, _posteriors_, or “cheeks.” (Popular) Lunettes,

_small fry_. Je vais à la chasse aux ----, _I am going to fish for

small fry_.

LUQUE, _f._ (thieves’ and mendicants’), _certificate_; _false

certificate, or false begging petition_, “fakement;” _passport_;

_picture_. Je sais bien aquiger les luques, _I know well how to forge

a certificate, or to make up pictures_. Porte ----, _pocket-book_, or

“dummy.” It seems probable that the term “une luque,” a picture, is

derived from Saint-Luc, who formed the subject of the pictures used

formerly by mendicants to ingratiate themselves with monks and nuns, as

mentioned by _Le Jargon de l’Argot_.

LUQUET, _m._ (thieves’ and mendicants’), _forged certificate_, _or

false begging petition_, “fakement.”

LURON, _m._ (thieves’), avaler le ----, _to partake of communion_. The

term was probably, in the origin, “le rond,” corrupted into its present

form (Michel).

LUSIGNANTE, _f._ (popular), _mistress_, or “moll.”

LUSQUIN, _m._ (thieves’), _charcoal_.

LUSQUINES, _f. pl._ (thieves’), _ashes_.

LUSTRE, _m._ (thieves’), _judge_, or “beak.” (Theatrical) Chevaliers

du ----, _men who are paid to applaud at a theatre_. Termed also

“romains.” The staff of romains is termed “claque.”

LUSTRER (thieves’), _to try a prisoner_, _to have him in for_ “patter.”

LUTAINPEM, _f._ (thieves’ and cads’), _prostitute_, or “bunter.” See

GADOUE. The term is nothing more than the word “putain” distorted by

means of the syllable “lem.” See LEM.

LYCÉE, _m._ (thieves’), _prison_, “stir, or Bastile.” For synonyms see

MOTTE.

LYCÉEN, _m._ (thieves’), _prisoner_. Termed also “élève du château.”

LYONNAISE, _f._ (popular), _silk_, “floss.” Etre à la ----, _to wear a

silk dress_.

M

MABILLARDE, _f._ (popular), _girl leading a dissolute life, an habituée

of the Bal Mabille_. Called also “grue mabillarde.”

MABILLIEN, _m._, MABILLIENNE, _f._ (popular), _male and female habitués

of the Bal Mabille_, a place much frequented by pleasure-seeking

foreigners.

Les mabilliennes de 1863 se subdivisent en plusieurs

catégories: la dinde, la solitaire, la grue.--_Les Mémoires

du Bal Mabille._

MABOUL, _adj._ (general), _one_ “cracked,” _or one with_ “a screw

loose.” From the Arab.

C’est-y que t’es maboul?

dit l’chef.--J’suis pas maboul, que je réponds.

--=G. COURTELINE.=

MAC, _m._ (popular), abbreviation of “maquereau,” _girl’s bully_, or

“Sunday man.” For synonyms see POISSON. The term also applies to any

man living at a woman’s expense.

MACA, _f._ (popular), _mistress of a bawdy-house_. Termed also “Mère

Maca” or “macquecée.” Maca suiffée, _a rich proprietress of a house of

ill-fame_. Maca, _the Paris Morgue or dead-house_. From machabée.

MACABÉE, _m._ (common). See MACHABÉE.

MACACHE (military), _no_; ---- bono, _no good_.

Allons, les deux rosses, debout!...--Pourquoi donc faire

faut-y qu’on se lève?--Pour aller, reprit l’adjudant,

casser la glace des abreuvoirs. Là dessus, assez

causé: debout!...--Debout à trois heures du matin? Ah!

macache.--=G. COURTELINE.=

MACADAM, _m._ (familiar and popular), faire le ----, _to walk to and

fro on the pavement as a prostitute_. Fleur de ----, _street-walker_.

See GADOUE. Le général ----, _the public_. (Popular) Macadam, _sweet

white wine of inferior quality_.

Chez nous c’est sous le noir et bas plafond d’un bouge

que les voyous blafards, couleur tête de veau, font la

vendange. Ils ont pour vin doux et nouveau le liquide

appelé macadam, une boue jaunâtre fade.--=RICHEPIN=, _Le

Pavé_.

MACAIRE, _m._ (familiar and popular), un Robert ----, _a swindler_,

_one of_ the “swell mob.” Robert Macaire is a character in a play

called _L’Auberge des Adrets_.

MACAIRISME, _m._ (familiar), _any act referring to swindling

operations_.

MACARON, _m._ (popular), huissier, _kind of attorney_; (thieves’)

_informer, one who_ “blows the gaff,” a “snitcher.”

Cet homme qui criait si fort contre ceux que les gens de

sa sorte nomment des macarons s’est un des premiers mis à

table.--=VIDOCQ.= (_That very man who complained so much of

those whom such people term traitors has been one of the

first to inform._)

MACARONNAGE, _m._ (thieves’), _informing against_, “blowing the gaff.”

MACARONNER (thieves’), _to inform against_, “to blow the gaff,” or “to

turn snitch.” Se ----, _to run away_, “to guy.” See PATATROT.

MACCHOUX, _m._ (popular), _prostitute’s bully_, or “Sunday man.” See

POISSON.

MACÉDOINE, _f._ (engine drivers’), _fuel_.

MACHABÉ, _adj._ (popular), _drunk_. J’ai trop picté, je suis à moitié

----, _I have been drinking too much, I am half drunk_

MACHABÉE, _m._ (popular), _gay girls’ bully_, or “ponce”; see POISSON;

_Jew_, “mouchey, Ikey, or sheney;” _body of a drowned person_.

Je ne vois d’autre origine à cette expression que la

lecture du chap. xii. du deuxième livre des Machabées, qui

a encore lieu aux messes des morts; ou plutôt c’est de là

que sera venue la danse macabre, dont l’argot a conservé le

souvenir.--=MICHEL.=

Case des machabées, _cemetery_. Le clou des machabées, the “_Morgue”

or Paris dead-house_. Mannequin à machabées, _hearse_. (Thieves’)

Machabée, _traitor_, or “snitcher.” Literally _a corpse_, the informer

in a prison, when detected, being generally murdered by those he has

betrayed by means of the punishment termed “accolade,” which consists

in crushing him against a wall.

MACHABER (popular), _to die_, “to kick the bucket.” See PIPE. Machaber

quelqu’un, _to drown one_. Se ----, _to drink_. Je me suis machabé d’un

litre, _I have treated myself to a litre bottle of wine_.

MACHICOT, _m._ (popular), _bad, mean player, or one who plays

a_ “tinpot game.” In the _Contes d’Eutrapel_, a French officer

at the siege of Chatillon is ridiculously spoken of as Captain

Tin-pot--Capitaine du Pot d’Etain. Tin-pot as generally used means

worthless.

MACHIN, _m._ (general), _expression used when one cannot recollect the

name of a person_, “thingumbob, or what’s name.”

MACHINE, _f._ (literary, artists’, theatrical), _production_.

Cela m’est bien égal! Il n’est pas le seul à me dévisager.

Je lui chanterai sa “machine” et il me laissera

tranquille.--=J. SERMET=, _Une Cabotine_.

Grande ----, _drama_. Molière uses the word to describe an important

affair or undertaking:--

J’ai des ressors tout prêts pour diverses

machines.--_L’Etourdi._

(Popular) Machine à moulures, _breech_, or “bum,” see VASISTAS; ---- à

lisserpem, _urinal_; lisserpem being the word pisser disguised.

MÂCHOIRE, _f._ (familiar and popular), _blockhead_. (Literary) Vieille

----, _dull, old-fashioned writer_; _ignorant man_.

L’on arrivait par la filière d’épithètes qui suivent:

ci-devant, faux toupet, aile de pigeon, perruque, étrusque,

mâchoire, ganache, au dernier degré de décrépitude, à

l’épithète la plus infamante, académicien et membre de

l’Institut.--=TH. GAUTIER.=

MACMAHON, _m._ (dragoons’), _head of a Medusa at top of helmet_.

MACMAHONNAT, _m._, _period of Marshal MacMahon’s sway as President of

the Republic_. Everybody recollects the famous “J’y suis, j’y reste!”

of the Marshal, and Gambetta’s reply, “Il faut se soumettre ou se

démettre.”

MAÇON, _m._ (popular), _four-pound loaf_; (freemasons’) ----

de pratique, _mason_; ---- de théorie, _freemason_; (familiar)

_disparaging epithet applied to any clumsy worker_.

MACQUE, MACQUET. See MAC.

MACQUECÉE. See MACA.

MACROTAGE, or MAQUEREAUTAGE, _m._ (familiar and popular), _living at a

woman’s expense_; used also figuratively to denote agency in some fishy

business.

MACROTER (familiar and popular), _to live at a woman’s expense_, ----

une affaire, _to be the agent in some fishy business_.

MACROTIN, _m._ (familiar and popular), _one living at a woman’s

expense_, “pensioner” _with an unmentionable prefix_, _young bully_,

_young_ “ponce.” See POISSON.

MACULATURE, _f._ (printers’), attraper une ----, _to get drunk_, _to

get_ “tight.” See SCULPTER.

MADAME (popular), Milord quépète, _lazy woman, who likes to lie in

bed_; ---- Tiremonde (expression used by Rabelais), or Tire-pousse,

_midwife_; (shopmen’s) ---- Canivet, _a female customer who cannot make

up her mind, and leaves without purchasing anything, after having made

the unfortunate shopman display all his goods_.

MADELEINE, _f._ (card-sharpers’), faire suer la ----, _to cheat_, or

“bite,” _with great difficulty_.

MADELEN (Breton cant), _salt_.

MADEMOISELLE MANETTE, _f._ (popular), _portmanteau_, or “peter.”

MADRICE, _f._ (thieves’), _cunning_. Il a de la ----, _he is cunning_,

or “is fly to wot’s wot.”

MADRIN, MADRINE, _adj._ (thieves’), _cunning_, “leary, or fly to wot’s

wot.”

MADROUILLAGE, _m._ (thieves’), _bungle_.

MA FIOLE (thieves’), _me_; _myself_, “my nibs.” Est-ce que tu te fiches

de ----? _are you laughing at me?_

MAGASIN, _m._ (military), _military school_, “shop” at the R. M.

Academy; (popular) ---- de blanc, or de fesses, _brothel_.

MAGISTRAT’MUCHE, _f._ (thieves’), _magistracy_. Un pant’ de la ----, _a

magistrate_, a “beak.” Termed “queer cuffin” in old cant.

MAGNANIÈRE, _f._ (thieves’), de ----, _in order that_. Il fagaut

dévider la retentissante de ---- à ne pas faire de l’harmonarès, _we

must break the bell so as not to make any noise_.

MAGNÉE, _f._ (thieves’), _prostitute_, or “bunter.” See GADOUE.

MAGNES, _f. pl._ (popular), _affectation_, “high-falutin” _airs_. Faire

des ----, _to make ceremonies_. As-tu fini tes ----? _none of your

airs!_ “stop bouncing!” _I don’t take that in!_ From manières.

MAGNETTE, _f._ (thieves’), _name_, or “monarch;” ---- blague, _false

name_. Il fagaut la ---- blague de magnanière que tu ne sois paga, _you

must take a false name lest you should be caught_.

MAGNEUSE, MAGNUCE, MANIEUSE, _f._ (popular). Michel says: “Fille de

joie, femme qui se déprave avec des individus de son sexe ... quelque

allusion malveillante, et sans doute calomnieuse, à une communauté

religieuse. Je veux parler des Magneuses, qui devaient ce nom à leur

fondatrice.”

MAGUER (popular), se ----, _to hurry_.

MAIGRE, m. (thieves’), du ----! _silence!_ “mum your dubber.” Also

_take care what you say_, or “plant the whids.”

En vain se démanche-t-il à faire le signe qui

doit le sauver, du maigre! du maigre! crie-t-il à

tue-tête.--=VIDOCQ.=

MAILLARD, _m._ (popular), fermer ----, _to sleep_, “to have a dose of

balmy.” Fermeture ----, _sleep_, “balmy.” Etre terrassé par ----, _to

be extremely sleepy_. In the above expressions an allusion is made to

Maillard, the inventor of a peculiar kind of shutters.

MAILLOCHER (bullies’), _is said of a bully who watches a prostitute

to see she does not secrete any part of her earnings, which are the

aforesaid_ “pensioner’s” _perquisites_.

MAIN, _f._ (thieves’), jouer à la ---- chaude, _to be guillotined_.

An allusion to the posture of one playing hot cockles. See FAUCHÉ.

(Popular) Acheter à la ----, _to buy for cash_. (Familiar) Une ----

pleine pour un honnête homme, _a strong, fresh, comely country lass_.

(Players’) Une ----, _a set of tricks at baccarat or lansquenet_.

MAINS COURANTES, _f. pl._ (popular), _feet_, or “everlasting shoes;”

_shoes_, or “trotter-cases.” Se faire une paire de ---- à la mode, _to

run swiftly_. See PATATROT.

MAISON, _f._ (familiar and popular), à parties, _a gaming-house in

appearance, but in reality a brothel_.

Un grand salon est ouvert à tous les amateurs; on risque

galamment quelques louis ... et entre deux parties on

passe à une autre variété d’exercice dans une chambre ad

hoc. Quelques-unes de ces maisons, connues sous le nom de

“maisons à parties,” sont le suprême du genre.--=LÉO TAXIL.=

Maison de société, or à gros numéro, _brothel_, “flash-drum, academy,

buttocking-shop, or nanny-shop.” Fille de ----, _prostitute at a

brothel_. Maîtresse de ----, _mistress of a brothel_. Maison de passe,

_house of accommodation_.

Un grand nombre de maisons de passe sont sous la

coupe de la police. Ce sont des maisons tolérées par

l’administration, à qui elles rendent de fréquents services

en dénonçant les prostituées inscrites qui viennent s’y

cacher.--=DOCTEUR JEANNEL.=

(Military) Maison de campagne, _cells_, “mill, or Irish theatre.” Aller

à la ---- de campagne, _to be imprisoned_, or “shopped.”

MAÎTRE D’ÉCOLE, _m._ (horsebreakers’), _well-trained horse harnessed

with a young horse which is being broken in_.

MAÎTRESSE, _f._ (popular), de maison, _mistress of a brothel_; ---- de

piano, _old or ugly woman who acts as a kind of factotum to cocottes_.

MAJOR, _m._ (familiar), de table d’hôte, _elderly man with a military

appearance, who acts as a protector to low gaming-house proprietors_;

(Ecole Polytechnique) _first on the list_; ---- de queue, _last on the

list_.

MAL (popular), blanchi, _negro_, “darky, or snowball.” Un ---- à

gauche, _a clumsy fellow_. Une ---- peignée, _a dissolute girl_.

(Thieves’) Mal sucré, _perjured witness_. (Military) Avoir ---- aux

pieds, _to wear canvas gaiters_. (Familiar) Avoir ---- aux cheveux, _to

have a headache caused by prolonged potations_, especially when one is

“stale drunk,” which generally occurs after the “jolly dog” has taken

too many hairs of the other dog. (Theatrical) Avoir ---- au genou, _to

be pregnant_.

MALADE, _m. and adj._ (thieves’), _in prison_, “put away.” When the

prisoner leaves the “hôpital,” or _prison_, he is pronounced “guéri,”

or _free_; (popular) ---- du pouce, _idle_, or “Mondayish;” _stingy_,

or “clunch fist.” With a bad thumb, of course, it is difficult to “fork

out, to down with the dust, to sport the rhino, to tip the brads, or

even to stump the pewter.”

MALADIE, _f._ (familiar and popular), de neuf mois, _pregnancy_, or

“white swelling.” The allusion is obvious. (Popular) Maladie! _an

ejaculation of disgust which may be rendered by_ “rot!” (Thieves’)

Maladie, _imprisonment_, the convict being an inmate of “l’hôpital,” or

_prison_.

MALADROITS, _m. pl._ (cavalry), sonnerie des ----, _trumpet call for

infantry drill_.

MALAISÉE, _f._ (popular), faire danser la ---- à quelqu’un, _to thrash

one_, “to lead one a dance.” For synonyms see VOIE.

MALANDREUX, _adj._ (popular), _ill_, “seedy, or hipped;” _ill at ease_.

MALAPATTE, _m._ (popular), _clumsy man_, “cripple.” Literally mal à la

patte.

MALASTIQUÉ, _m._ (military), _dirty_; _slovenly_.

MALDINE, _f._ (popular), “_pension bourgeoise,” or boarding house_;

_boarding school_. Literally a place where one does not get a good

dinner.

MALFRAT, _m._ (popular), _scamp_, “bad egg.”

MALHEUR! (popular), _an ejaculation of disgust_, “rot!” “hang it all!”

Malheur!... Tiens, vous prenez du vent’e

Ah! bon, chaleur! J’comprends l’tableau!

=GILL.=

MALINGRER (thieves’), _to suffer_. From malingre, which formerly had

the signification of _ill_, and now means _weakly_.

MALINGREUX, _adj._ (popular), _weak_. In olden times _a variety of

mendicants_.

Malingreux sont ceux qui ont des maux ou plaies, dont

la plupart ne sont qu’en apparence; ils truchent sur

l’entiffe.--_Le Jargon de l’Argot._

MALLE, _f._ (popular), faire sa ----, _to die_, “to kick the bucket,

to snuff it, to stick one’s spoon in the wall.” See PIPE. (Military)

Malle, _lock-up_, or “mill.”

En voilà assez, faut en finir: tout le peloton couchera à

la malle ce soir.--=G. COURTELINE.=

MALOUSE, _f._ (thieves’), _box_, or “peter.”

MAL PENSANTS (clericals’), les journaux ----, _anti-clerical

newspapers_.

Les journaux “mal pensants” ne manquent jamais de relater

ces esclandres. Aussi, pour que la quantité ne puisse en

être connue, l’archevêque a autorisé les prêtres du diocèse

à ne pas porter la tonsure.--=LÉO TAXIL.=

MAL-RASÉS, _m. pl_. (military), _sappers_; thus called on account of

their long beards.

MALTAIS, _m._ (popular), _low eating-house_, a “grub ken.”

MALTAISE, or MALTÈSE, _f._ (old cant), _gold coin_. According to V.

Hugo, the coin was used on board the convict galleys of Malta. Hence

the expression.

MALTOUSE, or MALTOUZE, _f._ (thieves’), _smuggling_. Pastiquer la

----, _to smuggle_.

MALTOUSIER, _m._ (thieves’), _smuggler_.

MALVAS, _m._ (popular), _scamp_. From the Provençal.

MALZINGUE, _m._ (thieves’), _landlord of wine-shop_; _wine-shop_.

Allons, venez casser un grain de raisin.--Nous entrâmes

chez le malzingue le plus voisin.--=VIDOCQ.= (_Come and

have a glass of wine.--We entered the first wine-shop we

came to._)

MAN (Breton cant), _to kiss_.

MANCHE, _m. and f._ (popular). Déposer ses bouts de ----, _to die_, “to

kick the bucket.” For synonyms see PIPE. (Mountebanks’) Faire la ----,

_to make a collection of money_, or “break.”

La fille du barde fait la manche. Elle promène sa sébille

de fer-blanc devant les spectateurs.--=HENRI MONNIER.=

From la buona mancia of the Italians, says Michel, which has the

signification of _a gratuity_ allowed a workman or guide, and “present”

asked by a prostitute. (Familiar and popular) Le ----, _the master_.

Jambes en manches de veste, _bandy legs_. (Thieves’) Faire la ----, _to

beg_.

M’est avis que vous avez manqué le bon, l’autre sorgue.

Quoi, le birbe qui avait l’air de faire la manche dans les

garnaffes et les pipés.--=VIDOCQ.= (_My opinion is that you

missed the right man the other night. Why, the old fellow

who pretended to be begging in the farms and mansions_.)

MANCHETTE, _f._ (military), coup de ----, _a certain clever sword cut

on the wrist_.

Une ... deux ... parez celui-là, c’est le coup de flanc.

Ah! ah! pas assez malin. Voilà le coup de manchette! Pif!

paf! ça y est.--=H. FRANCE=, _L’Homme qui tue_.

MANCHEUR, _m._ (popular), _street tumbler_; thus called on account of

his living on the proceeds of “la manche,” or collection.

MANCHON, _m._ (popular), _large head of hair_. Avoir des vers dans son

----, _to have bald patches on one’s head_.

MANDARIN, _m._ (literary), _imaginary person who serves as a butt for

attacks_. Tuer le ----, _to be guilty, by thought, of a bad action_. An

allusion to the joke about a question as to one’s willingness to kill

a wealthy man at a distance by merely pressing a knob, and afterwards

inheriting his money.

MANDIBULES, _f. pl._ (popular), jouer des ----, _to eat_, “to grub.”

See MASTIQUER.

MANDOLE, _f._ (popular), _smack in the face_. Jeter une ----, _to

give a smack in the face_, “to fetch a wipe in the mug,” or, as the

Americans have it, “to give a biff in the jaw.”

MANDOLET, _m._ (thieves’), _pistol_, “barking-iron, or pop.”

MANEGO (Breton cant), _handcuffs_, or “darbies.”

MANETTE, _f._ (popular), Mademoiselle ----, _a portmanteau_, or “peter.”

MANGEOIRE, _f._ (popular), _eating-house_, “grubbing-crib.”

MANGER (theatrical), du sucre, _to be applauded_; (military) ---- le

mot d’ordre, or la consigne, _to forget the watchword_; (popular) ----

de la misère, or du bœuf, _to be in poverty_, _to be a_ “quisby;” ----

de la prison, _to be in prison_, _in_ “quod;” ---- du fromage, or du

bœuf, _to go to a comrade’s funeral_. An allusion to the repast, or

“wake,” as the Irish term it, after the funeral; ---- de la merde, _to

be in a state of abject poverty, entailing all kinds of humiliations_;

---- du drap, or du mérinos, _to play billiards_, or “spoof;” ---- le

bon Dieu, _to partake of communion_.

Et c’est du propre d’aller manger le bon Dieu en guignant

les hommes.--=ZOLA.=

Manger le pain hardi (obsolete), _to act as servant_; ---- le poulet,

_to share unlawful profits_; ---- le pissenlit par la racine, _to be

dead and buried_; ---- du pain rouge, _to make one’s living by murder

and robbery_; ---- la soupe avec un grand sabre, _to be the possessor

of a very large mouth_, like a slit made by a sword-cut; ---- le nez

à quelqu’un, _to thrash one terribly_, “to knock one into a cocked

hat.” Je vais te ---- le nez, _a cannibal-like offer often made by a

Paris rough to his adversary as a preliminary to a set-to_. Manger une

soupe aux herbes, _to sleep in the fields_. Se ---- le nez, _to fight_.

(Thieves’) Manger, _to inform against_, “to blow the gaff,” or “to turn

snitch.”

Je vois bien qu’il y a parmi nous une canaille qui a mangé;

fais-moi conduire devant le quart d’œil, je mangerai

aussi.--=VIDOCQ.=

Manger le morceau, _to inform against_, “to turn snitch.”

Mais t’es avertie, ne mange pas le morceau, sinon gare à

toi!--=VIDOCQ.=

Manger sur l’orgue, _to inform against_, “to blow the gaff.” Orgue has

here the signification of person, as in “mon orgue,” _I_, _myself_,

“son orgue,” _he_, _himself_; ---- sur quelqu’un, _to inform against_.

Le coqueur libre est obligé de passer son existence dans

les orgies les plus ignobles; en relations constantes avec

les voleurs de profession, dont il est l’ami, il s’associe

à leurs projets. Pour lui tout est bon: vol, escroquerie,

incendie, assassinat même! Qu’est-ce que cela lui fait?

Pourvu qu’il puisse “manger” (dénoncer) sur quelqu’un et

qu’il en tire un bénéfice.--_Mémoires de Canler._

Manger sur son nière, _to inform against an accomplice_, “to turn

snitch against a pal;” ---- du collège, _to be in prison, to be_ “put

away;” (familiar and popular) ---- la grenouille, _to appropriate the

contents of a cash-box or funds entrusted to one’s care_.

MANGEUR, _m._ (general), de blanc, _women’s bully_, “ponce, pensioner,

petticoat’s pensioner, Sunday-man.” See POISSON for synonyms.

Le paillasson était il y a trente ans le “mangeur de

blanc;” on le désignait en 1788 sous le nom “d’homme

à qualité” et quelques années auparavant c’était un

“greluchon.”--=MICHEL.=

Mangeur de bon Dieu, _bigot_, “prayer-monger;” ---- de choucroute,

_German_; ---- de nez, _quarrelsome, savage man_. Paris roughs,

before a set-to, generally inform their adversary of the necessity of

disfiguring him by the savage words, “Il faut que je te mange le nez.”

Mangeur de frimes, _humbug_, _impostor_; ---- de pommes, _a native of

Normandy, the great orchard of France_; ---- de prunes, _tailor_, or

“snip.” Termed also “pique-prunes, pique-poux.” (Thieves’) Mangeur,

_informer_; ---- de galette, _informer in the pay of the police_,

“nark;” (convicts’) ---- de fer, _convict_; (military) ---- d’avoine,

_thief_; _thievish fellow_.

MANGEUSE DE VIANDE CRUE, _f._ (popular), _prostitute_. For synonyms see

GADOUE.

MANICLE, _f._ (thieves’), frère de la ----, _thief_, or “prig.” See

GRINCHE.

MANIÈRES, _f. pl._ (popular), as-tu fini tes ----? _don’t be so

stuck-up; none of your airs! don’t put it on so!_ “come off the tall

grass” (Americanism), or “stop bouncing.”

MANIVAL, _m._ (thieves’), _charcoal dealer_.

MANNEAU (thieves’), _I_, _me_ (obsolete), now termed “mézigue, mézigo,

mézière, mon gniasse.”

MANNEQUIN, _m._ (popular), _insignificant, contemptible man_, or

“snot.” The term may also be applied to a woman; ---- à refroidis, or

de machabées, _hearse_.

MANNEZINGUE, _m._ (popular), _landlord of wine-shop_. Termed also

“mastroc, mastroquet.”

Pas seulement une goutte de cric à mettre dans ma demi-tasse. La

Martinet en a acheté, elle, pour quinze sous chez le mannezingue.

--=P. MAHALIN.=

MANNEZINGUEUR, _m._ (popular), _habitué of wine-shops_.

MANON, _f._ (popular), _mistress_; _sweetheart_, or “young woman.”

MANQUANT-SORTI, _m._ (popular), _one who cannot understand a joke_.

MANQUE, _f._ (popular and thieves’), _treachery_.

Gaffré était comme la plupart des agents de police, sauf la

manque (perfidie), bon enfant, mais un peu licheur, c’est à

dire gourmand comme une chouette.--=VIDOCQ.=

A la ----, _to the left_, from the Italian alla manca; _damaged_;

_ill_; _bad_. Etre à la ----, _to betray_; _to leave one in the lurch_;

_to be short of cash_; _to be absent_. Affaire à la ----, _bad piece of

business_. Gonse à la ----, _man not to be relied upon, who will leave

one in the lurch_; _traitor_, or “snitcher.” Fafiots, or fafelard à la

----, _forged bank-notes_, or “queer soft.” (Popular) Un canotier à la

----, _awkward rowing man_. Termed also “cafouilleux.”

Ecumeurs de calicot!--Ohé! les canotiers à la

manque!--Viens que je te fasse avaler ta gaffe!

--=E. MONTEIL.=

Une balle à la ----, _face of a one-eyed man_.

MANQUER LE TRAIN, _to lose one’s opportunities in life, and

consequently to be the reverse of prosperous_.

A débute par un beau livre; B à vingt-cinq ans, expose un

beau tableau.... Les mille obstacles de la bohème leur

barrent le chemin... Ils resteront intelligents, mais ...

ils ont manqué le train.--=TONY RÉVILLON.=

MANQUESSE, _f._ (thieves’), _bad character given to a prisoner on

trial_. Raffiler la ----, _to give a bad character_.

MANUSCRIT BELGE, _m._ (printers’), _printed copy to be composed_.

According to Eugène Boutmy the origin of the expression is to be

found in the practice which existed formerly of entrusting Belgian

compositors in Paris with printed copy only, and not manuscript, on

account of their ignorance of the language.

MAPPEMONDE, _f._ (popular), _bosoms_, “Charlies, or dairies.” Termed

also “avant-scènes, œufs sur le plat, avant-postes,” &c.

MAQUA, _f._ (familiar and popular), obsolete, _mistress of a brothel_.

MAQUART, _m._ (popular), bidoche, or bifteck de ----, _horseflesh_.

From the name of a knacker.

MAQUE. See MAC.

MAQUECÉE, _f._ (popular), _mistress of a brothel_. Called also

“abbesse.”

MAQUEREAUTAGE. See MACROTAGE.

MAQUEREAUTIN. See MACROTIN.

MAQUI, _m._ (popular and thieves’), _paint for the face, or complexion

powder_, “slap, or splash.” Mettre du ----, _to paint one’s face_.

(Card-sharpers’) Mettre du ----, _to prepare cards for cheating_, “to

stock broads.”

MAQUIGNON, _m._ (popular), _kind of Jack of all trades, not honest

ones_. Properly _horse-dealer_; ---- à bidoche, _woman’s bully_, or

“pensioner.” See POISSON.

MAQUIGNONNAGE, _m._ (familiar and popular), _cheating on the quality of

goods_; _making a living on the earnings of prostitutes_.

Maquignonnage, pour maquerellage, métier des maquereaux

et des maquerelles, qui font négoce de filles de

débauche.--=CHOLIÈRES.=

MAQUIGNONNAGE, _swindling operation_. Properly _horse-dealing_.

MAQUILLAGE, _m._ (popular and thieves’), _work_, or “elbow-grease;”

_the act of doing anything_, “faking;” (card-sharpers’) _card playing_,

_tampering with cards_, or “stocking of broads;” (familiar) _the act of

painting one’s face_.

Elles font une prodigieuse dépense de comestiques et

de parfumeries. Presque toutes se fardent les joues et

les lèvres avec une naïveté grossière. Quelques-unes se

noircissent les sourcils et le bord des paupières avec

le charbon d’une allumette à demi-brûlée. C’est ce qu’on

appelle le “maquillage.”--=LÉO TAXIL.=

MAQUILLÉE, _f._ (familiar), _harlot_, or “mot.” _Literally one with

painted face_.

MAQUILLER (thieves’), _to do_, “to fake;” ---- des caroubles, _to

manufacture false keys_; ---- les brèmes, _to tamper with cards_, “to

stock broads;” _to play cards_; _to cheat at cards_; ---- le papelard,

_to write_, “to screeve;” ---- son truc, _to prepare a dodge_; ----

un suage, _to make preparations for a murder_. From faire suer, _to

murder_; ---- une cambriole, _to strip a room_, “to do a crib.” The

word “maquiller” has as many different meanings as the corresponding

term “to fake.” (Popular) Maquiller, _to do_; _to manage_; _to work_;

---- le vitriol, _to adulterate brandy_.

Vieille drogue, tu as changé de litre!... Tu sais, ce n’est

pas avec moi qu’il faut maquiller ton vitriol.--=ZOLA=,

_L’Assommoir_.

MAQUILLEUR, _m._, MAQUILLEUSE, _f._ (thieves’), _card-player_;

_card-sharper_, or “broadsman.”

MARAILLE, _f._ (thieves’), _people_; _world_.

MARANT, _adj._ (popular), _laughable_. Etre ----, _to be ridiculous_.

MARAUDER (coachmen’s), _to take up fares when not allowed to do so by

the regulations_; _refers also to a_ “cabby” _who has no licence_.

MARAUDEUR, _m._ (familiar), “cabby” _who plies his trade without a

licence_.

MARBRE, _m._ (journalists’), _MS. about to be composed_.

MARCANDIER, _m._, MARCANDIÈRE, _f._ (thieves’), _tradespeople_; also _a

variety of the mendicant tribe_, “cadger.”

Marcandiers sont ceux qui bient avec une grande hane à leur

costé, avec un assez chenastre frusquin, et un rabas sur

les courbes, feignant d’avoir trouvé des sabrieux sur le

trimard qui leur ont osté leur michon toutime.--_Le Jargon

de l’Argot._ (_Marcandiers are those who journey with a

great purse by their side, with a pretty good coat, and a

cloak on their shoulders, pretending they have met with

robbers on the road who have stolen all their money._)

MARCASSIN, _m._ (popular), _signboard painter’s assistant_. Properly _a

young wild boar_.

MARCHAND, _m._ (familiar), de soupe, _head of a boarding-school_;

(popular) ---- de larton, _baker_, “crumb and crust man, master of the

rolls, or crummy.” Termed also “marchand de bricheton, or lartonnier;”

---- d’eau chaude, “limonadier,” _or proprietor of a café_; ---- d’eau

de javelle, _wine-shop landlord_; ---- de cerises, _clumsy horseman_,

one who rides as if he had a basket on his arm; ---- de morts subites,

_surgeon or quack_, “crocus;” ---- de sommeil, _lodging-house keeper_,

“boss of a dossing crib;” ---- de patience, _man who, having secured

a place in the long train of people waiting at the door of a theatre

before the doors are opened, and known as_ “la queue,” _allows another

to take it for a consideration_.

Si l’attente est longue ... les places seront plus chères;

et comme je l’ai entendu dire un jour à l’un de ces curieux

gagne-petit: V’la le monde qui s’agace, chouette! Y aura

gras pour les marchands de patience!--=RICHEPIN=, _Le Pavé_.

(Thieves’) Marchand de tirelaine, _night thief_; ---- de lacets,

formerly _a gendarme_.

Le gendarme a différents noms en argot: quand il poursuit

le voleur, c’est un marchand de lacets; quand il l’escorte,

c’est une hirondelle de la Grève; quand il le mène à

l’échafaud, c’est le hussard de la guillotine.--=BALZAC.=

Un ---- de babillards, _a bookseller, or an_ “et cetera.” (Military)

Marchand de morts subites, _professional duellist_, a “fire-eater;”

---- de puces, _official who has charge of the garrison bedding_. The

allusion is obvious; (convicts’) ---- de cirage, _captain of a ship_.

Est-ce que le marchand de cirage (elles appelaient ainsi le

commandant), nous faisait peur?--=HUMBERT=, _Mon Bagne_.

(Journalists’) Marchands de lignes, _authors who write for the sake of

gain more than to acquire literary reputation_.

Je crois fermement que le jour où n’auraient plus accès à

l’Académie certains hommes éminents qui ne font point de

livres, elle tomberait, de bonne heure, au niveau de cette

corporation de “marchands de lignes” qu’on nomme la Société

des Gens de lettres.--=A. DUBRUJEAUD.=

(Military) Un ---- de marrons, _officer who looks ill at ease in mufti_.

MARCHANDE, _f._ (popular), aux gosses, _seller of toys_; ---- de chair

humaine, _mistress of a brothel_.

MARCHE, _m._ (military), à terre, _foot-soldier_, “wobbler,

beetle-crusher, mud-crusher, or grabby;” ---- de flanc, _repose_;

_sleep_; ---- des zouaves, _soldiers who go to medical inspection are

said to execute the aforesaid march_; ---- oblique individuelle, _the

rallying of soldiers confined to barracks going up to roll call_.

MARCHÉ DES PIEDS HUMIDES, _m._ (familiar), _la petite Bourse, or

meeting of speculators after the Exchange has been closed_. Takes place

on the Boulevards.

MARCHEF, _m._ (military), abbreviation of maréchal-des-logis chef,

_quartermaster sergeant_.

MARCHER (popular), dans les souliers d’un mort, _to inherit a man’s

property_; ---- plan plan, _to walk slowly_; ---- sur une affaire, _to

make a mull of some business_. (Printers’) Marcher, _to be of another’s

opinion_. Qu’en pensez-vous? Je marche. _What do you think of it? I am

of your opinion._ (Thieves’) Marcher dessus, _to prepare a robbery_, or

“lay a plant.”

MARCHES DU PALAIS, _f. pl._ (popular), _wrinkles on forehead_.

MARCHEUSE, _f._ (theatrical), _walking female supernumerary in a

ballet_.

La marcheuse est ou un rat d’une grande beauté que sa

mère, fausse ou vraie, a vendue le jour où elle n’a pu

devenir ni premier, ni second, ni troisième sujet de la

danse.--=BALZAC.=

L’emploi des “marcheuses” n’existe pas dans le ballet, en

Russie. Le personnel féminin est entièrement composé de

sujets qui dansent ou miment, selon les exigences de la

situation.--=A. BIGUET=, _Le Radical_, 18 Nov., 1886.

(Popular) Marcheuse, _variety of prostitute_. See GADOUE.

Leurs fonctions les plus ordinaires sont de rester à la

porte, d’indiquer la maison, d’accompagner, de surveiller

et de donner la main aux jeunes. On les désigne dans le

public sous le nom de marcheuses.--=LÉO TAXIL.=

MARCHIS. See MARCHEF.

MARDI S’IL FAIT CHAUD (popular), _never_ (obsolete), _at Doomsday_,

“when the devil is blind.”

MARE, or MARIOLLE, _adj._ (popular and thieves’), _clever_, _sharp_,

_cunning_, “leary,” _or one who is_ “fly to wot’s wot.”

MARÉCAGEUX, _adj._ (popular), œil ----, _eye with languid expression_,

_with a killing glance_.

MARGAUDER (familiar), _to run down a person or thing_.

MARGOULETTE, _f._ (popular), rincer la ---- à quelqu’un, _to treat

one to drink_. Débrider la ----, _to eat_, “to put one’s nose in the

manger.” See MASTIQUER. Déboîter la ---- à quelqu’un, _to damage one’s

countenance_. Mettre la ---- en compote, _superlative of above_.

MARGOULIN, _m._ (commercial travellers’), _retailer_.

Margoulinage (commercial travellers’), _retailing_.

MARGOULINER (commercial travellers’), _to retail_.

MARGOULIS, _m._ (popular), _scandal_.

MARGUERITES, _f. pl._ (popular), or ---- de cimetière, _white hairs in

the beard_.

MARGUILLIER DE BOURRACHE, _m._ (thieves’), _juryman_. This expression

is connected with “fièvre chaude,” or _accusation_, borage tea being

given to patients in cases of fever.

MARGUINCHON, _f._ (popular), _dissolute girl_, a “regular bitch.”

MARIAGE, _m._ (popular), à l’Anglaise, _marriage of a couple who,

directly after the ceremony, separate and live apart_; ---- d’Afrique,

or ---- à la détrempe, _cohabitation of a couple living as man and

wife_, _of a pair who live_ “tally.” From “peindre à la détrempe,”

_to paint in distemper_. Compare the English expression, “wife in

water-colours,” or mistress.

MARIANNE, _f._ (popular), la ----, _the Republic_. (Thieves’) Marianne,

_guillotine_. See VOYANTE.

MARIASSE, _m._ (popular), _scamp_, “bad egg.”

MARIDA, _f._ (cads’ and thieves’), _married woman_.

MARIE-JE-M’EMBÊTE (popular), faire sa ----, _to make many ceremonies_;

_to allow oneself to be begged repeatedly_.

MARIE-MANGE-MON-PRÊT, _f._ (military), _mistress_. Literally _Mary

spends my pay_.

MARIN, _m._ (popular), d’eau douce, _one who sports a river-boat_; ----

de la Vierge Marie, _river or canal bargee_.

MARINGOTTE, _f._ (popular), _mountebank’s show-waggon_, or “slang.”

MARIOL, MARIOLLE, _adj. and m._ (popular and thieves’), _cunning_,

“downy, or fly to wot’s wot.”

MARIOLISME, _m._ (popular and thieves’), _cunning_.

MARIOLLE, _m. and adj._ (popular and thieves’), _cunning, knowing man_,

_a deep or artful one_, “one who has been put up to the hour of day,

who is fly to wot’s wot.” Termed also a “file,” originally a term for a

pickpocket, when _to file_ was to cheat and to rob.

C’est d’nature, on a ça dans l’sang:

J’suis paillasson! c’est pas d’ma faute,

Je m’fais pas plus marioll’ qu’un aut’e:

Mon pèr’ l’était; l’Emp’reur autant!

=GILL=, _La Muse à Bibi_.

MARIONNETTE, _f._ (popular), _soldier_, or “grabby.”

MARI ROBIN (Breton cant), _gendarmes_.

MARLOU, _m. and adj._ (general), _prostitute’s bully_, “ponce, or

pensioner.” See POISSON.

Les marlous qui soutiennent les filles en carte, les

insoumises du trottoir et les femmes des maisons de bas

étage, ne se contentent pas de rançonner ces malheureuses

qu’ils appellent leur marmite, leur dabe; ils détroussent

sans cesse les passants et assassinent pour s’entretenir la

main.--=LÉO TAXIL.=

MARLOU, _cunning_, “downy.”

La viscope en arrière et la trombine au vent

L’œil marlou, il entra chez le zingue.

=RICHEPIN.=

(Thieves’) Le -- de Charlotte, _the executioner_, nicknamed Charlot.

MARLOUPATTE, or MARLOUPIN, _m._ (popular), _prostitute’s bully_, or

“petticoat’s pensioner.”

Ce marloupatte pâle et mince

Se nommait simplement Navet;

Mais il vivait ainsi qu’un prince ...

Il aimait les femmes qu’on rince.

=RICHEPIN.=

MARLOUPIN, _m._ (popular and thieves’), _prostitute’s male associate_,

“pensioner, petticoat’s pensioner, Sunday man, prosser, or ponce.” See

POISSON.

Quand on paie en monnai’ d’singe

Nous aut’ marloupins,

Les sal’s michetons qu’a pas d’linge,

On les pass’ chez paings.

=RICHEPIN.=

MARLOUSIER. See MARLOUPIN.

MARMIER, _m._ (thieves’), _shepherd_.

MARMITE, _f._ (bullies’), _mistress of a bully_. Literally _flesh-pot_.

The allusion is obvious, as the bully lives on the earnings of his

associate.

Un souteneur sans sa marmite (sa maîtresse) est un

ouvrier sans travail, ... pour lui tout est là: fortune,

bonheur, amour, si ce n’est pas profaner ce dernier mot

que de lui donner une acception quelconque à l’égard du

souteneur.--_Mémoires de Canler._

Marmite de terre, _prostitute who does not pay her bully_; ---- de

cuivre, _one who brings in a good income_; ---- de fer, _one who only

brings in a moderate one_. (Military) La ---- est en deuil, _the fare

is scanty at present, that is, the flesh-pot is empty_.

MARMITON DE DOMANGE, _m._ (popular), _scavenger employed in emptying

cesspools_, or “gold-finder.” Domange was a great contractor in the

employ of the city authorities.

MARMOT, _m._ (thieves’), nourrir un ----, _to make preparations for a

robbery_, “to lay a plant.” Literally _to feed, to nurse a child_.

MARMOTTIER, _m._ (popular), _a native of Savoy_. Literally _one who

goes about exhibiting a marmot_.

MARMOUSE, _f._ (thieves’), _beard_.

MARMOUSET, _m._ (thieves’), _flesh-pot_. Le ---- riffode, _the pot is

boiling_.

MARMOUSIN, _m._ (popular), _child_, or “kid.”

MARMYON, _m._ (thieves’), _flesh-pot_, and figuratively _purse_.

MARNE, _f._ (popular), faire la ----, _is said of prostitutes who prowl

about the river-side_.

MARNER (popular), _to steal_, or “to nick.” See GRINCHIR. Marner, _to

work hard_, “to sweat.”

MARNEUR, _m._ (popular), _strong, active labourer_.

MARNEUSE, _f._ (popular), _prostitute of the lowest class who plies her

trade by the river-side_. See GADOUE.

MARON, or MARRON, _adj._ (thieves’), _caught in the act_.

Non, il n’est pas possible, disait l’un; pour prendre

ainsi “marons” les voleurs, il faut qu’il s’entende avec

eux.--=VIDOCQ.=

MARON, or MURON, _salt_.

MARONNER (thieves’), _to fail_. Une affaire maronnée, _fruitless

attempt at robbery_.

Il y a du renaud à l’affaire de la chique, elle est

maronnée, le dabe est revenu.--=VIDOCQ.= (_There is some

trouble about the job at the church, it has failed, father

is returned._)

MAROT, _adj._ (popular), _cunning_; “up to snuff, one who knows wot’s

wot, one who has been put up to the hour of day, one who knows what’s

o’clock, leary.”

MAROTTIER, _m._ (thieves’), _hawker_, or “barrow-man;” _pedlar

travelling about the country selling stuffs, neckerchiefs, &c., to

country people_. Termed, in the English cant, a “dudder” or “dudsman.”

“In selling a waistcoat-piece,” says the _Slang Dictionary_, “which

cost him perhaps five shillings, for thirty shillings or two pounds, he

would show great fear of the revenue officer, and beg the purchasing

clodhopper to kneel down in a puddle of water, crook his arm, and swear

that it might never become straight if he told an exciseman, or even

his own wife. The term and practice are nearly obsolete. In Liverpool,

however, and at the East-end of London, men dressed up as sailors, with

pretended silk handkerchiefs and cigars, ‘only just smuggled from the

Indies,’ are still to be plentifully found.”

MARPAUT, or MARPEAU, _m._ (old cant), _man_; _master of a house_

(obsolete).

Pour n’offenser point le marpaut,

Afin qu’il ne face deffaut

De foncer à l’appointement.

_Le Pasquil de la rencontre des Cocus._

The word was formerly used by the Parisians with the signification of

_fool_, _greenhorn_, _loafer_.

Marpaud. Mot de Paris, pour sot, niais, nigaut,

badaud.--=LE ROUX=, _Dict. Comique_.

Again, Cotgrave renders it as _an ill-favoured scrub, a little ugly, or

swarthy wretch_; _also a lickorous or saucy fellow_; _one that catches

at whatever dainties come in his way_. Michel makes the remark that

morpion (_crab-louse_, a popular injurious term) must be derived from

marpaut.

MARQUANT, _m._ (thieves’), _man_; _master_; _chief of a gang_, or

“dimber damber;” _women’s bully_, or “Sunday man,” see POISSON;

_drunkard, or one who gets_ “canon.”

MARQUE, _f._ (familiar), horizontale de grande ----, _very fashionable

cocotte_. Horizontale de petite ----, _the ordinary sort of cocottes_.

Décidément je ne sais quelle ardeur guerrière a soufflé sur

nos horizontales de grande marque et de petite marque, mais

depuis un mois nous avons à enregistrer un nouveau combat

singulier dont elles sont les héroïnes.--_Le Figaro_, Oct.,

1886.

(Thieves’) Marque, _girl_, or “titter;” _woman_, “laced mutton,

hay-bag, cooler, shakester;” _prostitute_, or “bunter;” _month_, or

“moon.” Il a été messiadien à six marques pour pégrasse, _he has been

sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for theft_. Six marques, _six

months_, or “half a stretch.” Une ---- de cé, _a thief’s wife_. Termed,

in old cant, “autem-mort;” autem, _a church_, and mort, _woman_. Marque

franche, or marquise, _a thief’s female associate_, or “mollisher.”

Concerning this expression, Michel says:--

On trouve dans l’ancienne germania espagnole “marca,

marquida et marquisa” avec le sens de “femme

publique.”--_Dict. d’Argot._

Quart de ----, _week_. Tirer six marques, _to be imprisoned for six

months_, “to do half a stretch, or a sixer.”

MARQUÉ, _m. and adj._ (thieves’), _month_, “moon.” From the Italian

marchese. Concerning this word, Michel says:--

Il ne saurait être douteux que ce nom ne soit venu à cette

division de l’année, de l’infirmité périodique qu’ont les

“marques” ou femmes, “lors que la Lune, pour tenir sa

diette et vaquer à ses purifications menstruelles, fait

marquer les logis féminins par son fourrier, lequel pour

escusson n’a que son impression rouge.”--_Dict. d’Argot._

(Popular) Etre ----, _to have a black eye_, or “mouse.” (Printers’)

Marqué à la fesse, _tiresome, over-particular man_.

MARQUE-MAL, _m._ (printers’), _one who receives the folios from the

printing machine_; (popular) _an ugly man_, _one with a_ “knocker face.”

MARQUER (popular), à la fourchette _is said of a restaurant or

coffee-house keeper who adds imaginary items to a bill_; ---- le

coup, _to clink glasses when drinking_. Bien ----, _to show a good

appearance_, marquer mal being the reverse. Ne plus ----, _is said

of a woman who is past her prime_; that is, who no longer has her

menses. (Thieves’) Marquer, _to have the appearance of a man in good

circumstances_.

MARQUIN, _m._ (thieves’), _hat or cap_, “tile.” See TUBARD.

MARQUIS D’ARGENTCOURT, _m._ (popular), or de la Bourse Plate, _needy

and vain-glorious man_.

MARQUISE, _f._ (familiar), _kind of mulled white claret_; (thieves’)

_wife_, or “raclan.”

Nouzailles pairons notre proie,

A ta marquise d’un baiser,

A toi d’un coup d’arpion au proye.

=RICHEPIN.=

MARRAINE, _f._ (thieves’), _female witness_.

MARRE, _f._ (popular), _amusement_. Etre à la ----, _to be joyously

inclined_; _to amuse oneself_. J’en ai pris une ----, _I have enjoyed

myself_.

MARRER (popular), se ----, _to amuse oneself_; _to be amused_. Pensez

si je me marre? Mince! _Don’t I get amused, just!_

MARRON, or MARON, _adj._ (popular), sculpté, _grotesque, ugly face_,

or “knocker-head.” Cocher ----, “cabby” _without a licence_. Etre

----, _to be taken in_, “bamboozled.” (Military) Marron, _report of an

officer who goes the rounds_; (printers’) _clandestine print_; also

_compositor working on his own account at a printer’s, who furnishes

him with the necessary plant for a consideration_. (Thieves’) Paumer or

pommer ----, _to catch in the act_, _red-handed_.

On la crible à la grive,

Je m’la donne et m’esquive,

Elle est pommée marron.

=VIDOCQ.=

(Thieves’) Etre servi ----, _to be caught in the act_.

Que je sois servie marron au premier messière que

je grinchirai si je lui en ouvre simplement la

bouche.--=VIDOCQ.=

MARRONNER, or MARONNER (thieves’), un grinchissage, _to make an

unsuccessful attempt at a robbery through lack of skill or due

precautions_. Maronner, _to suspect_.

Je maronne que la roulotte de Pantin trime dans le

sabri.--=V. HUGO=, _Les Misérables_. (_I suspect that the

Paris mail-coach is going through the wood._)

MARSEILLAISE, _f._ (popular), _short pipe_, or “cutty,” called “dudeen”

by the Irish. Avoir une ---- dans le kiosque, _to be_ “cracked.” For

synonyms see AVOIR.

Enfin, pour sûr la politique lui aura tourné la tête! Il a

une Marseillaise dans le kiosque.--_Baumaine et Blondelet._

MARSOUIN, _m._ (popular), _smuggler_; (military) _marine_, or “jolly.”

Literally _porpoise_.

MARTIN, _m._ (popular), fournir ----, _to wear furs_. “Martin” is

the equivalent of “Bruin.” Le mal Saint-Martin had formerly the

signification of _intoxication_. An allusion to the sale of wine at

fairs held on Saint Martin’s day.

MARTINET, _m._ (thieves’), _punishment irons used at the penal

servitude settlements_. Properly _a cat-o’-nine tails_.

MARTINGALIER, _m._ (gamblers’), _gamester who imagines he is master of

an infallible process for winning_.

C’est un martingalier. C’est un des abstracteurs

de quintessence moderne, qui s’imaginent avoir

trouvé la marche infaillible pour faire sauter les

banques.--=RICHEPIN.=

MARTYR, _m._ (military), _corporal_. Termed also “chien de l’escouade.”

MASCOTTE, _f._, _gambler’s fetish_.

MASQUER EN ALEZAN (horsedealers’), _to paint a horse so as to deceive

purchasers_. Termed also “maquiller un gayet.” Among other dishonest

practices, horsedealers play improper tricks with an animal to make

him look lively: they “fig” him, the “fig” being a piece of wet ginger

placed under a horse’s tail for the purpose of making him appear

lively, and enhance his price.

MASSAGE, _m._ (popular), _work_, “graft,” or “elbow grease.”

MASSE, _f._ (military), avoir la ---- complète, _to possess a

well-filled purse_. La ---- noire, _mysterious cash-box, supposed, by

suspicious soldiers, to enclose the proceeds of unlawful profits made

at the expense of the aforesaid by non-commissioned officers entrusted

with the victualling or clothing department_. (Thieves’ and cads’)

Masse, _work_, “graft,” or “elbow grease.”

MASSER (popular and thieves’), _to work_, “to graft.”

Tu sais, j’dis ça à ton copain,

Pa’c’que j’vois qu’ c’est un gonc’ qui boude,

Mais entre nous, mon vieux lapin,

J’ai jamais massé qu’à l’ver l’coude.

=RICHEPIN.=

MASSEUR, _m._ (popular), _active workman_.

MASTAR AU GRAS-DOUBLE, _f._ (thieves’), faire la ----, or la faire au

mastar, _to steal lead off roofs_, “to fly the blue pigeon.”

MASTARÉ, _adj._ (thieves’), _leaden_.

MASTAROUFLEUR, _m._ (thieves’), _one who steals lead_, a “bluey

cracker.”

MASTIC, _m._ (freemasons’), _bread or meat_; (popular) _deceit_. Péter

sur le ----, _to forsake work_. (Thieves’) Mastic, _man_, or “cove;”

(printers’) _long, entangled speech_; (theatrical) _painting and

otherwise making-up one’s face_. Faire son ----, _to paint one’s face_,

“to stick slap on.”

C’est l’ensemble de ces travaux de badigeon qui constitue

le mastic. Un mastic consciencieux exige près d’une heure

de peine.--=P. MAHALIN.=

MASTIQUER (popular), _to cobble_; (familiar and popular) _to eat_,

“to grub,” “to yam.” It seems this latter term is connected with the

word _yam_, the English name of the large edible tuber _Dioscorea_,

a corruption of the name used in the West Indies at the time of the

discovery, _iniama_ or _inhame_. With regard to the expression the

_Slang Dictionary_ says:--“This word is used by the lowest class all

over the world; by the Wapping sailor, West Indian negro, or Chinese

coolie. When the fort called the ‘Dutch Folly,’ near Canton, was in

course of erection by the Hollanders, under the pretence of being

intended for an hospital, the Chinese observed a box containing

muskets among the alleged hospital stores. ‘Hy-aw!’ exclaimed John

Chinaman, ‘how can sick man yam gun?’ The Dutch were surprised and

massacred the same night.” The synonyms for the term _to eat_, in

the various kinds of French slang, are the following: “Tortiller du

bec, becqueter, béquiller, chiquer, bouffer, boulotter, taper sur

les vivres, pitancher, passer à la tortore, tortorer, se l’envoyer,

casser la croustille, briffer, brouter, se caler, se calfater le bec,

mettre de l’huile dans la lampe, se coller quelque chose dans le

fanal, dans le fusil, or dans le tube, chamailler des dents, jouer des

badigoinces, jouer des dominos, déchirer la cartouche, gobichonner,

engouler, engueuler, friturer, gonfler, morfiaillier, cacher, se mettre

quelque chose dans le cadavre, se lester la cale, se graisser les

balots, se caresser l’Angoulême, friper, effacer, travailler pour M.

Domange, clapoter, débrider la margoulette, croustiller, charger pour

la Guadeloupe, travailler pour Jules, se faire le jabot, jouer des

osanores.”

MASTIQUEUR, _m._ (popular), _cobbler_.

MASTROC, MASTRO, or MASTROQUET, _m._ (popular), _landlord of

wine-shop_. Termed also “bistrot, troquet, mannezingue, empoisonneur.”

Tout récemment, j’étais à la Bourbe, allé voir

Une fille, de qui chez un mastroc, un soir,

J’avais fait connaissance.

=GILL.=

MATA, _m._ (printers’), abbreviation of matador, _swaggerer_, one who

“bulldozes,” as the Americans say.

MATADOR, _m._ (popular), faire son ----, _to give oneself airs_; _to

swagger_, _to look_ “botty.” From the Spanish matador, _bull-killer_.

MATAGOT, _m._ (obsolete), _funny eccentric individual who amuses people

by his antics_. Rabelais used it with the signification of _monkey_,

_monk_:--

Ci n’entrez pas, hypocrites, bigots,

Vieux matagots, mariteux, boursoflé.

_Gargantua._

MATATANE, _f._ (military), _guard-room_; _cells_, “mill, jigger, or

Irish theatre.”

MATELAS, _m._ (popular), ambulant, _street-walker_, or “bed-fagot.” See

GADOUE.

MATELASSER (popular), se ----, _is said of a woman who makes up for

nature’s niggardliness by padding her bodice_.

MATELOT, _m._ (sailors’), _chum_, _mate_.

MATELOTE, _f._ (sailors’), trimer à la ----, _to be a sailor_.

Et de Nantes jusqu’à Bordeaux,

Trime à la matelote,

N’ayant qu’un tricot sur le dos,

Et pour fond de culotte

Le drap d’sa peau.

=RICHEPIN=, _La Mer_.

MATELUCHE, _m._ (sailors’), _bad sailor_.

MATÉRIAUX, _m. pl._ (freemasons’), _food_.

MATÉRIELLE, _f._ (gamesters’), _one’s bread and cheese_.

Et alors, quelques malheureux pontes ... se sont livres

au terrible travail qui consiste à gagner avec des cartes

le pain quotidien, ce que les joueurs appellent la

matérielle.--=BELOT=, _La Bouche de Madame X_.

MATERNELLE, _f._ (students’), _mother_, “mater.”

MATHURIN, _m._ (sailors’), _sailor_, “salt, or Jack tar.” Termed also

“otter;” _wooden man-o’-war_. Parler ----, _to speak the slang of

sailors_.

Je ne suis pas de ces vieux frères premier brin

Qui devant qu’être nés parlaient jà mathurin,

Au ventre de leur mère apprenant ce langage,

Roulant à son roulis, tanguant à son tangage.

=RICHEPIN.=

(Thieves’) Les mathurins, _dice_, or “ivories.” (Popular) Mathurins

plats, _dominoes_.

Ces objets doivent leur nom d’argot à leur ressemblance

avec le costume des Trinitaires, vulgairement appelés

Mathurins, qui chez nous portaient une soutane de serge

blanche, sur laquelle, quand ils sortaient, ils jetaient un

manteau noir.--=MICHEL.=

MATIGNON, _m._ (thieves’), _messenger_.

MATOIS, or MATOUAS, _m._ (thieves’), _morning_.

Le condé de Nanterre et un quart d’œil, suivis d’un trèpe

de cuisiniers sont aboulés ce matois à la taule.--=VIDOCQ.=

(_The mayor of Nanterre and a commissaire de police,

followed by a body of police, came this morning to the

house._)

MATOU, _m._ (popular), _man who is fond of the petticoat_. Bon ----,

_libertine_, “rattle-cap,” or “molrower.” Literally _a good tomcat_.

MATRAQUE, _m._ (soldiers’ in Africa), _bludgeon_.

Nous avions brûlé le pays. Vous dire pourquoi, j’en serais

bien en peine: une poule volée à un colon influent, un

coup de matraque appliqué par un Bédouin ruiné sur la tête

d’un Juif voleur ... et pif, paf, boum, coups de fusils,

obus.--=HECTOR FRANCE=, _Sous le Burnous_.

MATRICULER (military), _to steal_; said ironically, as “le numéro

matricule,” borne by a soldier’s effects, is the only proof of

ownership. Se faire ----, _to get punished_, “to be shopped.”

MÂTS, _m. pl._ (thieves’), les deux ----, _the guillotine_. See VOYANTE.

MATTE, _f._ (thieves’), enfant de la ----, _thief_, a “family-man.” For

synonyms see GRINCHE. Michel says matte is derived from the Italian

mattia, _folly_; so that “enfants de la matte” signifies literally

_children of folly_.

MATURBES, _m. pl._ (thieves’), _dice_, or “ivories.” Jouer des ----,

_to eat_, “to grub.”

MAUBE, _f._ (popular), Place ----, for _Place Maubert_, a low quarter

of Paris.

MAUGRÉE, _m._ (thieves’), _governor of a prison_. From maugréer, _to

grumble_.

MAURICAUD, _m._ (thieves’), _cash-box_, “peter.”

Il faut tomber sur ce mauricaud, et selon moi ce n’est pas

la chose du monde la plus facile.--=VIDOCQ.= (_We must find

the cash-box, and in my opinion it is not the easiest thing

in the world._)

MAUVAISE (general), elle est ----! _bad joke!_ _bad trick!_ “sawdust

and treacle!” _none of that!_ “draw it mild!”

MAUVE, _f._ (popular), _umbrella of a reddish colour_, _a kind of_

“gingham.”

MAUVIETTE, _f._ (popular), _ribbon of a decoration in the button-hole_.

MAYEUX, _m._ (popular), _humpback_, or “lord.” Name given to a

caricatured individual, a humpback, who appears in many of the coloured

caricatures of 1830. Mayeux is a form of the old name Mahieu (Mathieu).

MAZAGRAN, _m._ (general), _coffee served up in a glass at cafés, or

mixture of coffee and water_.

MAZARO, or LAZARO, _m._ (military), CELLS, “jigger,” Irish theatre, or

mill.

MAZE, _f._ (thieves’), abbreviation of _Mazas, a central prison in

Paris_. Tirer un congé à la ----, _to serve a term of imprisonment in

Mazas_.

MAZETTE, _f._ (military), _recruit_, or “Johnny raw;” _man_, or “cove.”

MEC, or MEG, _m._ (thieves’), _master_; _chief_, “dimber damber.”

Bravo, mec! faisons lui son affaire et renquillons à la

taule, je cane la pégrenne.--=VIDOCQ.= (_Bravo, chief,

let us do for him, and let us return home, I am dying of

hunger._)

(Popular and thieves’) Mec, _women’s bully_, or “ponce.” See POISSON.

Un ---- à la redresse, _good, straightforward man_. Le ---- des mecs,

_the Almighty_.

Voyons, daronne ... il ne faut pas jeter à ses paturons le

bien que le mec des mecs nous envoie.--=VIDOCQ.= (_Come,

mother, we must not throw at our feet the good things which

the Almighty sends us._)

Mec à la colle forte, _desperate malefactor_; ---- à sonnettes, _rich

man_, “rag-splawger;” ---- de la guiche, _women’s bully_, or “ponce,”

see POISSON; ---- des gerbiers, _executioner_; ---- de la rousse,

_prefect of police_; (popular) ---- à la roue, _one who is conversant

with the routine of a trade_.

MÉCANICIEN, _m._ (popular), _executioner’s assistant_.

MÉCANIQUE, _f._ (popular), _guillotine_. Charrier à la ----, see

CHARRIER.

MÉCANISER (thieves’), _to guillotine_; (popular) _to annoy_.

Coupeau voulut le rattraper. Plus souvent qu’il se laissât

mécaniser par un paletot.--=ZOLA.=

MÉCHANT, _adj._ (familiar and popular), n’être pas ----, _to be

inferior_, _of little value_, “tame, no great scratch.” Un livre pas

----, _a_ “tame” _book_. Une plaisanterie pas méchante, _a dull joke_.

Un caloquet pas ----, _a plain bonnet_.

MÈCHE (popular), il y a ----, _it is possible_. Il n’y a pas----, _it

is impossible_. This expression has passed into the language. Et ----!

_and the rest!_ Combien avez-vous payé, dix francs?--Et mèche! _How

much did you pay, twenty francs?--Yes, and something over._ (Thieves’)

Etre de ----, _to go halves_.

On vous obéira. J’ai trop envie d’être de mèche.--=VIDOCQ.=

(_You shall be obeyed. I have too great a desire to go

halves._)

Also _to be in confederacy_.

M’est avis que tu es de mèche avec les rupins pour nous

emblêmer.--=VIDOCQ.= (_My opinion is that you are in

confederacy with the swells to deceive us._)

Six plombes et ----, _half-past six_. (Printers’) Mèche, _work_.

Chercher ----, _to seek for employment_.

MÉCHI, _m._ (thieves’), _misfortune_. From the old French “meschief,”

_mischief_.

MÉCHILLON, _m._ (thieves’), _quarter of an hour_.

MECQ, _m._ (popular), _prostitute’s bully_. See POISSON.

MECQUE, _f._ (thieves’), _man_, or “cove;” _victim_.

MÉDAILLARD, _m._ (artists’), _artist who has obtained a medal at the

Exhibition_.

MÉDAILLE, _f._ (popular), _silver five-franc coin_; also called ----

de Saint-Hubert; ---- d’or, _twenty-franc piece_; ---- en chocolat,

_the Saint-Helena medal_. Called also “médaille de commissionnaire,” or

“contre-marque du Père-Lachaise.”

MÉDAILLON, _m._ (popular), _breech_, see VASISTAS; ---- de flac,

_cul-de-sac, or blind alley_.

MÉDECIN, _m._ (thieves’), _counsel_, or “mouth-piece.” It is natural

that thieves should follow the advice of a doctor when on the point of

entering the “hôpital,” or _prison_, where they will stay as “malades,”

or _prisoners_, and whence they will come out “guéris,” or _free_.

MÉDECINE, _f._ (thieves’), _defence by a counsel_; _advice_. Une ----

flambante, _a piece of good advice_.

Collez-moi cinquante balles et je vous coque une médecine

flambante.--=VIDOCQ.= (_Tip me fifty francs, and I’ll give

you a piece of good advice._)

(Popular) Médecine, _dull, tiresome person_.

MÉFIANT, _m._ (military), _foot soldier_, “beetle-crusher, or grabby.”

MEG, _m._ (thieves’), _chief_. Le ---- des megs, _God_.

Il y a un mot qui reparaît dans toutes les langues du

continent avec une sorte de puissance et d’autorité

mystérieuse. C’est le mot _magnus_; l’Ecosse en fait son

_mac_ qui désigne le chef du clan ... l’argot en ait le

_meck_ et plus tard le _meg_, c’est à dire Dieu.

--=V. HUGO=, _Les Misérables_.

MÉGARD, _m._ (thieves’), _head of a gang of thieves_, or “dimber

damber.”

MÉGO, _m._ (popular), _balance in favour of credit_.

MÉGOT, _m._ (popular), _end of cigarette_.

Près des théâtres, dans les gares,

Entre les arpions des sergots,

C’est moi que j’cueille les bouts d’cigares,

Les culots d’pipe et les mégots.

=RICHEPIN.=

MÉGOTTIER, _m._ (popular), _one whose trade is to collect cigar or

cigarette ends_, a “hard up.”

MÉLASSE, _f._ (popular), tomber dans la ----, _to be in great trouble_,

or “hobble;” _to be ruined_, or “to go a mucker.”

MÉLASSON, _m._ (popular), _clumsy, awkward man_, “a cripple;” _dunce_,

or “flat.”

MÊLÉ, _m._ (popular), _mixture of anisette, cassis, or absinthe, with

brandy_.

MELET, _m._, MELETTE, _f._, _adj._, (thieves’), _small_.

MÉLO, _m._ (familiar and popular), _abbreviation of mélodrame_.