The English have a similar expression to designate curls hanging over a
lady’s shoulder, “follow-me-lads.”
SULTAN, _m._ (theatrical), _the public_.
SUNA (Breton cant), _to be a parasite_.
SUNER (Breton cant), _parasite_.
SUPERLIFICOQUENTIEUX, _adj._ (familiar), _marvellous_, “crushing.”
SUPIN, _m._ (thieves’), _soldier_. Probably from soupe, the staple fare
of the soldier.
SUR LE GRIL (thieves’), être ----, _to be awaiting judgment_.
SURBIN, _m._ (thieves’), _overseer_; _spy_.
SURBINE, _f._ (thieves’), _watching_, or “roasting;” _surveillance by
the police of a ticket-of-leave man_.
SURBINER (thieves’), _to watch one_, “to give one a roasting.”
SURCLOUER (popular), _to renew a loan at a pawnshop_.
SURFINE, _f._ (thieves’), _a variety of female thief_.
SURGERBEMENT, _m._ (thieves’), _fresh conviction in the Cour de
Cassation_.
SURGERBER (thieves’), _to convict on appeal_.
SURIE, _f._ (old cant), _killing_. Literally _sweating_.
SURIN, or CHOURIN, _m._ (thieves’), _knife_, or “chive;” ---- muet,
_life-preserver_, “neddy.” Scottish gipsies call a knife or bayonet a
“chourie.”
SURINER, or CHOURINER (thieves’), _to stab_, “to stick.”
Les malfaiteurs lui prirent sa montre ... si tu cries, nous
te surinons.--_Le Radical_, 1887.
SURINEUR, or CHOURINEUR, _m._ (thieves’), _murderer_.
SURMOULEUR, _m._ (literary), _writer who imitates the defective
features of another’s style of writing_.
SURPRENANTE, _f._ (gamesters’), _one of the modes employed in arranging
cards for cheating purposes_.
SURRINCETTE, _f._ (familiar and popular), _second help of brandy after
coffee_.
SURSE, _m._ (shopmen’s), faire le ----, _to be on the look-out for the
master_. From SUR-SEIZE (which see).
SUR-SEIZE! (shopmen’s), _warning call when the master is approaching_.
SURTAILLE, _f._ (thieves’), _detective force_. From sûreté.
SYDONIE (hairdressers’), _dummy_.
SYLPHIDER (popular), se ----, _to disappear_, “to mizzle.”
SYMBOLE, _m._ (popular), _head_, or “nut;” _credit_, or “jawbone.”
SYMPHONERIES, _f. pl._ (popular), _nonsense_, or “rot.” Lâcher des
----, _to talk nonsense_.
SYNAGOGUE (popular), c’est ----, _it comes to the same thing_.
SYSTÈME, _m._ (popular), _the body_. Taper sur le ----, _to annoy_; _to
exasperate_, “to rile.” Se faire sauter le ----, _to blow one’s brains
out_. Système ballon, _pregnancy_; ---- Jardinière, _complete suit of
clothes_. An allusion to La Belle Jardinière, a large outfitting firm;
---- Pinaud, _silk hat_. From the name of a celebrated hat-maker.
Rompre le ----, _to irritate_, “to rile.” S’en faire péter le ----, _to
undertake a task to which one is not equal_. Tu t’en ferais péter le
----, _is expressive of ironical refusal_. See NÈFLES.
T
TABAC, _m._ (students’), _old student_; (military) ---- à deux sous
la brouette, _canteen tobacco_; (popular) ---- de démoc, _cigar ends
chopped up_. Etre dans le ----, _to be in trouble_, _in difficulties_.
Foutre, or coller du ----, _to thrash_. This was termed formerly,
“coller une prune, une chasteloigne, une aumône de Bourgogne, un
oignement de Bretagne, de la monnaie de l’empire.”
TABATIÈRE, _f._ (popular), _the behind_.
TABERNACLE, _m._ (popular), _the behind_. Défoncer le ----, _to kick
one’s behind_.
TABLE, _f._ (familiar), mettre les pieds sous la ----, _to eat_. Faire
le tour de la ----, _to eat of every dish_.
TABLE D’HÔTE. See AVOIR.
TABLEAU, _m._ (popular), je comprends le ----, _I see what it is_, I
“catch on,” as the Americans say. Tableau! _exclamation expressive
of comical surprise or malicious joy at the sight of some laughable
accident_.
Tiens pig’s-tu la lun’ qui s’ballade?
Que’qu’a boit donc, c’te bourriqu’-là
Pour avoir la gueul’ blanch’ comme ça?
Y a pas d’bon sens. Vrai, que’ panade!
Si j’y payais un lit’?--Tableau!
=GILL=, _La Muse à Bibi_.
(Sportsmen’s) Tableau, _the_ “bag.”
Madame d’---- qui est une sportswoman des plus intrépides
portait un superbe costume de chasse, c’est elle qui a eu
les honneurs de la journée en tuant 44 pièces. Le tableau
était superbe, il portait 204 pièces.--_Le Figaro_, Oct.,
1886.
TABLEAU-RADIS, _m._ (artists’), _picture returned unsold from the Arts
Exhibition or from a picture-dealer’s_.
TABLEAUTIN, _m._ (artists’), _worthless picture_, or “daub.”
TABLIER, _m._ (popular), blanc, _nurserymaid_. Le ---- lève _is said
of a woman in a state of advanced pregnancy_. Faire lever le ---- à une
femme, _to get a woman with child_, _to give her a_ “white swelling.”
TABOURET, _m._, figure à ---- (obsolete), _one who was put in the
pillory with an iron collar round his neck, or one likely to be put
there_.
Va donc, figure à tabouret,
J’t’irons voir en face le Palais;
C’est là qu’t’auras l’air d’un butor.
Monsieur l’négociant z’en chiens morts.
_Riche-en-gueule._
TAF, or TAFFE, _m._ (popular and thieves’), _fear_, “funk.”
Je n’ai pas coqué mon centre, de taffe du ravignolé, ainsi
si vouzailles brodez à mérigue il faut balancer la lazagne
au centre de J. au castu de Canelle.--=VIDOCQ.=
Avoir le ----, _to be afraid_, “to come it.”
--Que veux-tu, Zénobie? chacun a sa misère. Le lièvre a le
taf, le chien les puces, le loup la faim ... l’homme a la
soif--Et la femme a l’ivrogne!--=GAVARNI.=
Coquer le ----, _to frighten_. Etre pris de ----, _to be seized by
fear_.
Seigneur! qu’est-ce qu’il a donc, répétait Gervaise prise
de taf.--=ZOLA.=
Michel is inclined to believe that taf comes from a proverbial
locution, “les fesses lui font taf taf,” _he is quaking with terror_,
or “le cul lui fait tif taf.” According to L. Larchey the corresponding
verb “taffer” is derived from the German taffein.
TAFFER, _m._ (popular and thieves’), _to be afraid_. See TAF.
TAFFETAS, _m._ (thieves’), _fear_. From TAF (which see).
Le taffetas les fera dévider et tortiller la planque où est
le carle.--=VIDOCQ.=
TAFFEUR, _m._ (popular and thieves’), _poltroon_.