tries to pass himself off as, a gentleman; a term of reproach applied
not to an artisan but to one of those who, being below, assume airs of
superiority over, handicraftsmen.
~Barge~, a term used among printers (compositors) to denote a case in
which there is an undue proportion of some letters and a corresponding
shortness of those which are most valuable.
~Bark~, an Irish person of either sex. From this term, much in use among
the London lower orders, but for which no etymology can be found,
Ireland is now and then playfully called Barkshire.
~Barker~, a man employed to cry at the doors of “gaffs,” shows, and
puffing shops, to entice people inside. Among touting photographers he
is called a doorsman.
~Barking-Iron~, or BARKER, a pistol. Term used by footpads and thieves
generally.
~Barnacles~, spectacles; possibly a corruption of binoculi; but derived
by some from the barnacle (_Lepas Anatifera_), a kind of conical shell
adhering to ships’ bottoms. Hence a marine term for goggles, which they
resemble in shape, and for which they are used by sailors in case of
ophthalmic derangement.
~Barney~, an unfair race of any kind: a sell or cross. Also a lark,
jollification, or outing. The word BARNEY is sometimes applied to a
swindle unconnected with the sporting world.
~Barn Stormers~, theatrical performers who travel the country and act in
barns, selecting short and tragic pieces to suit the rustic taste.
~Barrikin~, jargon, speech, or discourse; “We can’t tumble to that
BARRIKIN,” _i.e._, we don’t understand what he says. “Cheese your
BARRIKIN,” shut up. _Miege_ calls it “a sort of stuff;” _Old French_,
BARACAN.
~Bash~, to beat, thrash; “BASHING a dona,” beating a woman; originally a
provincial word, applied to the practice of beating walnut trees, when
in bud, with long poles, to increase their productiveness. Hence the
West country proverb—
“A woman, a whelp, and a walnut tree,
The more you BASH ’em, the better they be.”
The word BASH, among thieves, signifies to flog with the cat or birch.
The worst that can happen to a brutal ruffian is to receive “a BASHING
in, and a BASHING out,”—a flogging at the commencement and another at
the close of his term of enforced virtue.
~Baste~, to beat, properly to pour gravy on roasting meat to keep it
from burning, and add to its flavour. Also a sewing term.
~Bastile~, the workhouse. General name for “the Union” amongst the lower
orders of the _North_. Formerly used to denote a prison, or “lock-up;”
but its abbreviated form, STEEL, is now the favourite expression with
the dangerous classes, some of whom have never heard of BASTILE,
familiar as they are with “steel.”
~Bat~, “on his own BAT,” on his own account. Evident modification of the
cricket term, “off his own bat,” though not connected therewith.—_See_
HOOK.
~Bat~, to take an innings at cricket. To “carry out one’s BAT” is to be
last in, _i.e._, to be “not out.” A man’s individual score is said to be
made “off his own BAT.”
~Bat~, pace at walking or running. As, “He went off at a good BAT.”
~Bats~, a pair of bad boots.
~Battells~, the weekly bills at Oxford. Probably originally wooden
tallies, and so a diminutive of bâton.—_University._
~Batter~, wear and tear; “can’t stand the BATTER,” _i.e._, not equal to
the task; “on the BATTER,” “on the streets,” “on the town,” or given up
to roystering and debauchery.
~Batty~, wages, perquisites. Derived from BATTA, an extra pay given to
soldiers while serving in _India_.
~Batty-Fang~, to beat; BATTY-FANGING, a beating; also BATTER-FANG. Used
metaphorically as early as 1630.
“So _batter-fanged_ and belabour’d with tongue mettle, that he was
weary of his life.”—_Taylor’s Works._
~Beach-Comber~, a fellow who prowls about the sea-shore to plunder
wrecks, and pick up waifs and strays of any kind.—_Sea._
~Beak~, originally a magistrate, judge, or policeman; now a magistrate
only; “to baffle the BEAK,” to get remanded. _Ancient Cant_, BECK.
_Saxon_, BEAG, a necklace or gold collar—emblem of authority. Sir John
Fielding was called the BLIND-BEAK in the last century. Maybe connected
with the Italian BECCO, which means a (bird’s) _beak_, and also a
_blockhead_.—_See_ WALKER.
~Beaker-Hunter~, or BEAK-HUNTER, a stealer of poultry.
~Beans~, money; “a haddock of BEANS,” a purse of money; formerly, BEAN
meant a guinea; _French_, BIENS, property.
~Bear~, one who contracts to deliver or sell a certain quantity of stock
in the public funds on a forthcoming day at a stated place, but who does
not possess it, trusting to a decline in public securities to enable him
to fulfil the agreement and realize a profit.—_See_ BULL. Both words
are slang terms on the Stock Exchange, and are frequently used in the
business columns of newspapers.
“He who sells that of which he is not possessed is proverbially said
to sell the skin before he has caught the BEAR. It was the practice
of stock-jobbers, in the year 1720, to enter into a contract for
transferring South Sea stock at a future time for a certain price;
but he who contracted to sell had frequently no stock to transfer,
nor did he who bought intend to receive any in consequence of his
bargain; the seller was, therefore, called a BEAR, in allusion to
the proverb, and the buyer a BULL, perhaps only as a similar
distinction. The contract was merely a wager, to be determined by
the rise or fall of stock; if it rose, the seller paid the
difference to the buyer, proportioned to the sum determined by the
same computation to the seller.”—_Dr. Warton on Pope._
These arrangements are nowadays called “time bargains,” and are as
fairly (or unfairly) gambling as any transactions at the Victoria Club
or Tattersall’s, or any of the doings which call for the intervention of
the police and the protestations of pompous City magistrates, who,
during their terms of office, try to be virtuous and make their names
immortal. Certainly BULLING and BEARING are as productive of bankruptcy
and misery as are BACKING and LAYING.
~Be-argered~, drunk. (The word is divided here simply to convey the
pronunciation.)
~Bear-Leader~, a tutor in a private family. In the old days of the
“grand tour” the term was much more in use and of course more
significant than it is now.
~Bear-up~ and ~Bearer-up~.—_See_ BONNET.
~Beat~, the allotted range traversed by a policeman on duty.
~Beat~, or BEAT-HOLLOW, to surpass or excel; also “BEAT into fits,” and
“BEAT badly.”
~Beat~, “DEAD-BEAT,” wholly worn out, done up.
~Beater-Cases~, boots. _Nearly obsolete._ TROTTER CASES is the term
nowadays.
~Beaver~, old street term for a hat; GOSS is the modern word, BEAVER,
except in the country, having fallen into disuse.
~Bebee~, a lady.—_Anglo-Indian._
~Be-Blowed~, a derisive instruction never carried into effect, as, “You
BE-BLOWED.” Used similarly to the old “Go to.” _See_ BLOW ME.
~Bed-Fagot~, a contemptuous term for a woman; generally applied to a
prostitute.—_See_ FAGOT.
~Bed-Post~, “in the twinkling of a BED-POST,” in a moment, or very
quickly. Originally BED-STAFF, a stick placed vertically in the frame of
a bed to keep the bedding in its place, and used sometimes as a
defensive weapon.
~Bee~, “to have a BEE in one’s bonnet,” _i.e._, to be not exactly sane;
to have a craze in one particular direction. Several otherwise sensible
and excellent M.P.’s are distinguished by the “BEE in his bonnet” each
carries.
~Beef-Headed~, stupid, fat-headed, dull.
~Beefy~, unduly thick or fat, commonly said of women’s ankles; also
rich, juicy, plenteous. To take the whole pool at loo, or to have any
particular run of luck at cards generally is said by players to be “very
BEEFY.”
~Beeline~, the straightest possible line of route to a given point. When
a bee is well laden, it makes a straight flight for home. Originally an
Americanism, but now general.
~Beery~, intoxicated, or fuddled with beer.
~Beeswax~, poor, soft cheese. Sometimes called “sweaty-toe cheese.”
~Beeswing~, the film which forms on the sides of bottles which contain
good old port wine. This breaks up into small pieces in the process of
decanting, and looks like BEES’ WINGS. Hence the term.
~Beetle-Crusher~, or SQUASHER, a large flat foot. The expression was
made popular by being once used by Leech.
~Beetle-Sticker~, an entomologist.
~Beggars’ Velvet~, downy particles which accumulate under furniture from
the negligence of housemaids. Otherwise called SLUTS’-WOOL.
~Belcher~, a blue bird’s-eye handkerchief.—_See_ BILLY.
~Bell~, a song. Tramps’ term. Simply diminutive of BELLOW.
~Bellows~, the lungs. BELLOWSER, a blow in the “wind,” or pit of the
stomach, taking one’s breath away.
~Bellowsed~, or LAGGED, transported.
~Bellows to Mend~, a person out of breath; especially a pugilist is said
to be “BELLOWS TO MEND” when winded. With the P.R., the word has fallen
into desuetude.
~Belly-Timber~, food, or “grub.”
~Belly-Vengeance~, small sour beer, apt to cause gastralgia.
~Bemuse~, to fuddle one’s self with drink, “BEMUSING himself with beer,”
&c.
~Ben~, a benefit.—_Theatrical._
~Ben Cull~, a friend, or “pal.” Expression used by thieves.
~Bend~, “that’s above my bend,” _i.e._, beyond my power, too expensive or
too difficult for me to perform.
~Bender~, a sixpence. Probably from its liability to bend. In the days
when the term was most in use sixpences were not kept in the excellent
state of preservation peculiar to the currency of the present day.
~Bender~, the arm; “over the BENDER,” synonymous with “over the
left.”—_See_ OVER.
~Bendigo~, a rough fur cap worn in the midland counties, called after a
noted pugilist of that name. “Hard Punchers” are caps worn by London
roughs and formerly by men in training. They are a modification of the
common Scotch cap, and have peaks.
~Bene~, good.—_Ancient Cant_; BENAR was the comparative.—_See_ BONE.
_Latin._
~Benedick~, a married man. _Shakspeare._
~Benjamin~, coat. Formerly termed a JOSEPH, in allusion, perhaps, to
Joseph’s coat of many colours.—_See_ UPPER-BENJAMIN.
~Ben Joltram~, brown bread and skimmed milk; a Norfolk term for a
ploughboy’s breakfast.
~Benjy~, a waistcoat, diminutive of BENJAMIN.
~Beong~, a shilling.—_See_ SALTEE.—_Lingua Franca._
~Bess-o’-Bedlam~, a lunatic vagrant.—_Norfolk._
~Best~, to get the better or BEST of a man in any way—not necessarily
to cheat—to have the best of a bargain. BESTED, taken in, or defrauded,
in reality worsted. BESTER, a low betting cheat, a fraudulent bookmaker.
~Better~, more; “how far is it to town?” “Oh, BETTER ’n a mile.”—_Saxon_
and _Old English_, now a vulgarism.
~Betting Round~, laying fairly and equally against nearly all the horses
in a race so that no great risk can be run. Commonly called getting
round. _See_ BOOK, and BOOKMAKING.
~Betty~, a skeleton key, or picklock.—_Old Prison Cant._
~B Flats~, bugs.—_Compare_ F SHARPS.
~Bible-Carrier~, a person who sells songs without singing them.—_Seven
Dials._
~Biddy~, a general name applied to Irish stallwomen and milkmaids, in
the same manner that Mike is given to the labouring men. A big red-faced
Irish servant girl is known as a Bridget.
~Big~, “to look BIG,” to assume an inflated air or manner; “to talk
BIG,” _i.e._, boastingly.
~Big-Bird~, TO GET THE, _i.e._, to be hissed, as actors occasionally are
by the “gods.” BIG-BIRD is simply a metaphor for goose.—_Theat. Slang._
~Big House~, or LARGE HOUSE, the workhouse,—a phrase used by the very
poor.
~Big-wig~, a person in authority or office. Exchangeable with “GREAT
GUN.”
~Bilbo~, a sword; abbrev. of “BILBAO blade.” Spanish swords were
anciently very celebrated, especially those of Toledo, Bilbao, &c.
~Bilk~, a cheat, or a swindler. Formerly in general use, now confined to
the streets, where it is common, and mostly used in reference to
prostitutes. _Gothic_, BILAICAN.
~Bilk~, to defraud, or obtain goods, &c., without paying for them; “to
BILK the schoolmaster,” to get information or experience without paying
for it.
~Billingsgate~ (when applied to speech), foul and coarse language. Many
years since people used to visit Thames Street to hear the Billingsgate
fishwomen abuse each other. The anecdote of Dr. Johnson and the
Billingsgate virago is well known.
~Billingsgate Pheasant~, a red herring or bloater. This is also called a
“two-eyed steak.”
~Billy~, a silk pocket-handkerchief.—_Scotch._—_See_ WIPE.
⁂ A list of slang terms descriptive of the various patterns of
handkerchiefs, pocket and neck, is here subjoined:—
BELCHER, darkish blue ground, large round white spots, with a spot
in the centre of darker blue than the ground. This was adopted by
Jem Belcher, the pugilist, as his “colours,” and soon became popular
amongst “the fancy.”
BIRD’S-EYE WIPE, a handkerchief of any colour, containing white
spots. The blue bird’s-eye is similar to the Belcher except in the
centre. Sometimes a BIRD’S-EYE WIPE has a white ground and blue
spots.
BLOOD-RED FANCY, red.
BLUE BILLY, blue ground, generally with white figures.
CREAM FANCY, any pattern on a white ground.
KING’S MAN, yellow pattern on a green ground.
RANDAL’S MAN, green, with white spots; named after the favourite
colours of Jack Randal, pugilist.
WATER’S MAN, sky coloured.
YELLOW FANCY, yellow, with white spots.
YELLOW MAN, all yellow.
~Billy~, a policeman’s staff. Also stolen metal of any kind.
BILLY-HUNTING is buying old metal. A BILLY-FENCER is a marine-store
dealer.
~Billy-Barlow~, a street clown; sometimes termed a JIM CROW, or
SALTIMBANCO,—so called from the hero of a slang song. Billy was a real
person, semi-idiotic, and though in dirt and rags, fancied himself a
swell of the first water. Occasionally he came out with real witticisms.
He was a well-known street character about the East-end of London, and
died in Whitechapel Workhouse.
~Billy-Cock~, a soft felt hat of the Jim Crow or “wide-awake”
description.
~Bingo~, brandy.—_Old Cant._
~Bingy~, a term largely used in the butter trade to denote bad, ropy
butter; nearly equivalent to VINNIED.
~Bird-Cage~, a four-wheeled cab.
~Birthday Suit~, the suit in which Adam and Eve first saw each other,
and “were not ashamed.”
~Bishop~, a warm drink composed of materials similar to those used in
the manufacture of “flip” and “purl.”
~Bit~, fourpence; in America a 12-1/2 cent piece is called a BIT, and a
defaced 20 cent piece is termed a LONG BIT. A BIT is the smallest coin
in Jamaica, equal to 6d. BIT usually means the smallest silver coin in
circulation; also a piece of money of any kind. Charles Bannister, the
witty singer and actor, one day meeting a Bow Street runner with a man
in custody, asked what the prisoner had done; and being told that he had
stolen a bridle, and had been detected in the act of selling it, said,
“Ah, then, he wanted to touch the BIT.”
~Bitch~, tea; “a BITCH party,” a tea-drinking. Probably because
undergraduates consider tea only fit for old women.—_Oxford._
~Bite~, a cheat; “a Yorkshire BITE,” a cheating fellow from that county.
The term BITE is also applied to a hard bargainer.—_North_; also _old
slang_—used by _Pope_. Swift says it originated with a nobleman in his
day.
~Bite~, to cheat; “to be BITTEN,” to be taken in or imposed upon.
Originally a Gipsy term. CROSS-BITER, for a cheat, continually
occurs in writers of the sixteenth century. Bailey has CROSS-BITE, a
disappointment, probably the primary sense; and BITE is very probably a
contraction of this.
~Bit-Faker~, or TURNER OUT, a coiner of bad money.
~Bit-of-Stuff~, overdressed man; a man with full confidence in his
appearance and abilities; a young woman, who is also called a BIT OF
MUSLIN.
~Bitter~, diminutive of bitter beer; “to do a BITTER,” to drink
beer.—Originally _Oxford_, but now general.
~Bittock~, a distance of very undecided length. If a North countryman be
asked the distance to a place, he will most probably reply, “a mile and
a BITTOCK.” The latter may be considered any distance from one hundred
yards to ten miles.
~Bivvy~, or GATTER, beer; “shant of BIVVY,” a pot or quart of beer. In
Suffolk the afternoon refreshment of reapers is called BEVER. It is also
an old English term.
“He is none of those same ordinary eaters, that will devour three
breakfasts, and as many dinners, without any prejudice to their
BEVERS, drinkings, or suppers.”—_Beaumont and Fletcher’s Woman
Hater_, i. 3.
Both words are probably from the _Italian_, BEVERE, BERE. _Latin_,
BIBERE. _English_, BEVERAGE.
~Biz~, contraction of the word business; a phrase much used in America
in writing as well as in conversation.
~B. K. S.~ Military officers in _mufti_, when out on a spree, and not
wishing their profession to be known, speak of their barracks as the
B. K. S.
~Black and White~, handwriting or print. “Let’s have it in BLACK AND
WHITE,” is often said with regard to an agreement when it is to the
advantage of one or both that it should be written.
~Black-a-vised~, having a very dark complexion.
~Blackberry-Swagger~, a person who hawks tapes, boot-laces, &c.
~Blackbirding~, slave-catching. Term most applied nowadays to the
Polynesian coolie traffic.
~Black Diamonds~, coals; talented persons of dingy or unpolished
exterior; rough jewels.
~Blackguard~, a low or dirty fellow; a rough or a hulking fellow,
capable of any meanness or cowardice.
“A cant word amongst the vulgar, by which is implied a dirty fellow
of the meanest kind, Dr. Johnson says, and he cites only the modern
authority of Swift. But the introduction of this word into our
language belongs not to the vulgar, and is more than a century prior
to the time of Swift. Mr. Malone agrees with me in exhibiting the
two first of the following examples:—The _black-guard_ is evidently
designed to imply a fit attendant on the devil. Mr. Gifford,
however, in his late edition of Ben Jonson’s works, assigns an
origin of the name different from what the old examples which I have
cited seem to countenance. It has been formed, he says, from those
‘mean and dirty dependants, in great houses, who were selected to
carry coals to the kitchen, halls, &c. To this smutty regiment, who
attended the progresses, and rode in the carts with the pots and
kettles, which, with every other article of furniture, were then
moved from palace to palace, the people, in derision, gave the name
of _black guards_; a term since become sufficiently familiar, and
never properly explained.’”—_Todd’s Johnson’s Dictionary._
Blackguard as an adjective is very powerful.
~Blackleg~, a rascal, swindler, or card cheat. The derivation of this
term was solemnly argued before the full Court of Queen’s Bench upon a
motion for a new trial for libel, but was not decided by the learned
tribunal. Probably it is from the custom of sporting and turf men
wearing black _top-boots_. Hence BLACKLEG came to be the phrase for a
professional sporting man, and thence for a professional sporting cheat.
The word is now in its worst sense diminished to “leg.”
~Black Maria~, the sombre van in which prisoners are conveyed from the
police court to prison.
~Black Monday~, the Monday on which boys return to school after the
holidays. Also a low term for the Monday on which an execution took
place.
~Black Sheep~, a “bad lot,” “_mauvais sujet_;” sometimes “scabby sheep;”
also a workman who refuses to join in a strike.
~Black Strap~, port wine; especially that which is thick and sweet.
~Blackwork~, undertaking. The waiters met at public dinners are often
employed during the day as mutes, etc. Omnibus and cab drivers regard
BLACKWORK as a _dernier ressort_.
~Bladder-of-Lard~, a coarse, satirical nickname for a bald-headed
person. From similarity of appearance.
~Blade~, a man—in ancient times the term for a soldier; “knowing
BLADE,” a wide-awake, sharp, or cunning man.
~Blarney~, flattery, powers of persuasion. A castle in the county of
Cork. It is said that whoever kisses a certain stone in this castle will
be able to persuade others of whatever he or she pleases. The name of
the castle is derived from BLADH, a blossom, _i.e._, the flowery or
fertile demesne. BLADH is also flattery; hence the connexion. A more
than ordinarily persuasive Irishman is said to have “kissed the BLARNEY
stone.”
~Blast~, to curse. Originally a _Military_ expression.
~Blaze~, to leave trace purposely of one’s way in a forest or unknown
path by marking trees or other objects.
~Blazes~, a low synonym for the infernal regions, and now almost for
anything. “Like BLAZES” is a phrase of intensification applied without
any reference to the original meaning. Also applied to the brilliant
habiliments of flunkeys, since the episode of Sam Weller and the
“swarry.”
~Bleed~, to victimize, or extract money from a person, to sponge on, to
make suffer vindictively.
~Blest~, a vow; “BLEST if I’ll do it,” _i.e._, I am determined not to do
it; euphemism for CURST.
~Blether~, to bother, to annoy, to pester. “A BLETHERING old nuisance”
is a common expression for a garrulous old person.
~Blew~, or BLOW, to inform, or peach, to lose or spend money.
~Blewed~, a man who has lost or spent all his money is said to have
BLEWED it. Also used in cases of robbery from the person, as, “He’s
BLEWED his red ’un,” _i.e._, he’s been eased of his watch.
~Blewed~, got rid of, disposed of, spent.
~Blind~, a pretence, or make-believe.
~Blind-Half-Hundred~, the Fiftieth Regiment of Foot; so called through
their great sufferings from ophthalmia when serving in Egypt.
~Blind-Hookey~, a game at cards which has no recommendation beyond the
rapidity with which money can be won and lost at it; called also WILFUL
MURDER.
~Blind-Man’s-Holiday~, night, darkness. Sometimes applied to the period
“between the lights.”
~Blind Monkeys~, an imaginary collection at the Zoological Gardens,
which are supposed to receive care and attention from persons fitted by
nature for such office and for little else. An idle and useless person
is often told that he is only fit to lead the BLIND MONKEYS to evacuate.
Another form this elegant conversation takes, is for one man to tell
another that he knows of a suitable situation for him. “How much a week?
and what to do?” are natural questions, and then comes the scathing and
sarcastic reply, “Five bob a week at the doctor’s—you’re to stand
behind the door and make the patients sick. They wont want no physic
when they sees your mug.”
~Blinker~, a blackened eye.—_Norwich._ Also a hard blow in the eye.
BLINKERS, spectacles.
~Blink-Fencer~, a person who sells spectacles.
~Bloated Aristocrat~, a street term for any decently dressed person.
From the persistent abuse lavished on a “bloated and parasitical
aristocracy” by Hyde Park demagogues and a certain unpleasant portion of
the weekly press.
~Bloater.~—_See_ MILD.
~Blob~ (from BLAB), to talk. Beggars are of two kinds—those who SCREEVE
(introducing themselves with a FAKEMENT, or false document) and those
who BLOB, or state their case in their own truly “unvarnished” language.
~Block~, the head. “To BLOCK a hat,” is to knock a man’s hat down over
his eyes.—_See_ BONNET. Also a street obstruction.
~Block Ornaments~, the small dark-coloured and sometimes stinking pieces
of meat which used to be exposed on the cheap butchers’ blocks or
counters; matters of interest to all the sharp-visaged women in poor
neighbourhoods. Since the great rise in the price of meat there has been
little necessity for butchers to make block ornaments of their odds and
ends. They are bespoke beforehand.
~Bloke~, a man; “the BLOKE with the jasey,” the man with the wig,
_i.e._, the Judge. _Gipsy_ and _Hindoo_, LOKE. _North_, BLOACHER, any
large animal.
~Blood~, a fast or high-mettled man. Nearly obsolete, but much used in
George the Fourth’s time.
~Blood-money~, the money that used to be paid to any one who by
information or evidence led to a conviction for a capital offence.
Nowadays applied to all sums received by informers.
~Blood-Red Fancy~, a particular kind of handkerchief sometimes worn by
pugilists and frequenters of prize fights.—_See_ BILLY and COLOUR.
~Bloody~, an expletive used, without reference to meaning, as an
adjective and an adverb, simply for intensification.
~Bloody Jemmy~, an uncooked sheep’s head.—_See_ SANGUINARY JAMES. Also
MOUNTAIN PECKER.