exhibition, when it attracts the public and succeeds; 2, to induce—as,
“DRAW him on;” 3, of pocket-picking—as, “DRAW his wipe,” “DRAW his
ticker.” In sporting parlance it is used with an ellipsis of “trigger,”
“I DREW on it as it rose.” In America to “DRAW on a man” is to produce
knife or pistol, and to use it as well. Where lethal weapons are used in
the States, no man raises his weapon till he means to use it, and a
celebrated American writer has recently given a dissertation on the
relative advantages of cocking and firing a pistol by an almost
simultaneous action as it is raised, and of cocking as the instrument is
raised, and of then dropping the muzzle slightly as the trigger is
pulled. The former way is more speedy, the latter more effective. “Come,
DRAW it mild!” _i.e._, don’t exaggerate; opposite of “come it strong,”
from the phraseology of the bar (of a “public”), where customers desire
the beer to be “drawn mild.”
~Draw-boy~, a cunning device used by puffing tradesmen. A really good
article is advertised or ticketed and exposed for sale in the shop
window at a very low price, with a view of drawing in customers to
purchase other and inferior articles at high prices. These gentry have
fortunately found to their cost, on one or two occasions, by means of
magisterial decisions, that DRAW-BOYS have drawn for their owners
something other than profit.
~Drawers~, formerly the ancient cant name for very long stockings.
~Drawing teeth~, wrenching off knockers.—_Medical Student slang._
~Drawlatch~, a loiterer.
~Draw off~, to throw back the body to give impetus to a blow; “he DREW
OFF, and delivered on the left drum.”—_Pugilistic._ A sailor would say,
“he hauled off and slipped in.”
~Draw the long bow~, to tell extravagant stories, to exaggerate
overmuch; same as “throw the hatchet.” From the extremely wonderful
stories which used to be told of the Norman archers, and more
subsequently of Indians’ skill with the tomahawk.
~Dress a hat~, TO, to rob in a manner very difficult of detection. The
business is managed by two or more servants or shopmen of different
employers, exchanging their master’s goods; as, for instance, a
shoemaker’s shopman receives shirts or other articles from a hosier’s,
in return for a pair of boots. Another very ingenious method may be
witnessed about eleven o’clock in the forenoon in any of the suburban
districts of London. A butcher’s boy, with a bit of steak filched from
his master’s shop, or from a customer, falls in with a neighbouring
baker’s man, who has a loaf obtained in a similar manner. Their mutual
friend, the potboy, in full expectation of their visit, has the tap-room
fire bright and clear, and not only cooks the steak, but again, by means
of collusion, this time with the barman or barmaid, “stands a shant of
gatter” as his share. So a capital luncheon is improvised for the three,
without the necessity of paying for it; and this practical communistic
operation is styled DRESSING A HAT. Most likely from the fact that a hat
receives the attention of three or four people before it is properly fit
for wear.
~Dripping~, a cook.
~Drive~, a term used by tradesmen in speaking of business; “he’s DRIVING
a roaring trade,” _i.e._, a very good one; hence, to succeed in a
bargain, “I DROVE a good bargain,” _i.e._, got the best end of it. To
“LET DRIVE at one,” to strike out. A man snoring hard is said to be
“DRIVING his pigs to market.”
~Drive at~, to aim at; “what is he DRIVING AT?” “what does he intend to
imply?” a phrase often used when a circuitous line of argument is
adopted by a barrister, or a strange set of questions asked, the purport
of which is not very evident.
~Driz~, lace. In a low lodging-house this singular autograph inscription
appeared over the mantelpiece. “Scotch Mary, with DRIZ [lace], bound to
Dover and back, please God.” It is a common thing for ignorant or
superstitious people to make some mark or sign before going on a
journey, and then to wonder whether it will be there when they return.
~Driz-fencer~, a person who sells lace.
~Drop~, “to DROP an acquaintance,” to relinquish a connexion, is very
polite slang. DROPPING is distinguished from cutting by being done
gradually and almost imperceptibly, whereas cutting has outward and
visible signs which may be unpleasantly resented. To “DROP money” at any
form of speculation or gambling, is to lose it.
~Drop~, to quit, go off, or turn aside; “DROP the main Toby,” go off the
main road.
~Drop~, “to DROP a man,” to knock him down; “to DROP into a person,” to
give him a thrashing. _See_ SLIP and WALK. “To DROP on a man,” to accuse
or rebuke him suddenly.
~Drop it~, synonymous with “cut it” or “cheese it.” Probably from the
signal given in the good old hanging days by the culprit, who used
generally to drop a handkerchief when he was ready for the cart to be
moved from under him.
~Drum~, a house, a lodging, a street; HAZARD-DRUM, a gambling-house;
FLASH-DRUM, a house of ill-fame.
~Drum~, the ear.—_Pugilistic._ An example of slang synecdoche.
~Drum~, as applied to the road, is doubtless from the Wallachian gipsy
word “DRUMRI,” derived from the _Greek_, δρόμος.
~Drum~, old slang for a ball or rout; afterwards called a hop.
~Drummer~, a robber who first makes his victims insensible by drugs or
violence, and then plunders them.
~Drumsticks~, legs; DRUMSTICK CASES, trousers. The leg of a fowl is
generally called a DRUMSTICK.
~Dryasdust~, an antiquary. From Scott.
~Dry lodging~, sleeping and sitting accommodation only, without board.
This is lodging-house keepers’ slang, and is generally used in reference
to rooms let to lodgers who take their meals at their clubs, or in the
City, according to their social positions.
~Dry nurse~, when an inferior officer on board ship carries on the duty,
on account of the captain’s ignorance of seamanship, the junior officer
is said to DRY-NURSE his captain. Majors and adjutants in the army also
not unfrequently DRY-NURSE the colonels of their regiments in a similar
manner. The sergeant who coaches very young officers, is called a “wet
nurse.” The abolition of purchase has, however, considerably modified
all this.
~D.T.~, a popular abbreviation of delirium tremens; sometimes written
and pronounced _del. trem._ D.T. also often represents the _Daily
Telegraph_.
~Dub~, to pay or give; “DUB UP,” pay up.
~Dubash~, a general agent.—_Anglo-Indian._
~Dubber~, the mouth or tongue; “mum your DUBBER,” hold your tongue.
~Dubsman~, or SCREW, a turnkey.—_Old Cant._
~Ducats~, money.—_Theatrical Slang._
~Duck~, a bundle of bits of the “stickings” of beef sold for food to the
London poor.—_See_ FAGGOT.
~Ducket~, a ticket of any kind. Generally applied to pawnbroker’s
duplicates and raffle cards. Probably from DOCKET.
~Ducks~, trousers. _Sea_ term. The expression most in use on land is
“white DUCKS,” _i.e._, white pantaloons or trousers.
~Ducks and Drakes~, “to make DUCKS AND DRAKES of one’s money,” to throw
it away childishly—derived from children “shying” flat stones on the
surface of a pool, which they call DUCKS AND DRAKES, according to the
number of skips they make.
~Dudder~, or DUDSMAN, a person who formerly travelled the country as a
pedlar, selling gown-pieces, silk waistcoats, &c., to countrymen. In
selling a waistcoat-piece, 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.
~Dudeen~, or DUDHEEN, a short tobacco-pipe. Common term in Ireland and
the Irish quarters of London.
~Duds~, clothes, or personal property. _Gaelic_, DUD; _Ancient Cant_;
also _Dutch_.
~Duff~, to cheat, to sell spurious goods, often under pretence of their
being stolen or smuggled.
~Duff~, pudding; vulgar pronunciation of dough.—_Sea._
~Duffer~, a hawker of “Brummagem” or sham jewellery, or of shams of any
kind, a fool, a worthless person. DUFFER was formerly synonymous with
DUDDER, and was a general term given to pedlars. It is mentioned in the
_Frauds of London_ (1760) as a word in frequent use in the last century
to express cheats of all kinds.
~Duffer~, anything of no merit. A term applied by artists to a picture
below mediocrity, and by dealers in jewellery to any spurious article.
It is now general in its application to a worthless fellow.
~Duffing~, false, counterfeit, worthless.
~Duffy~, a term for a ghost or spirit among the West Indian negroes. In
all probability the DAVY JONES of sailors, and a contraction thereof
originally.
~Duke~, gin, a term amongst livery servants.
~Duke Humphrey.~ “To dine with DUKE HUMPHREY” is a euphuism for dining
not at all. Many reasons have been given for the saying, and the one
most worthy of credence is this:—Some visitors were inspecting the
abbey where the remains of Humphrey Duke of Gloucester lie, and one of
them was unfortunately shut in, and remained there _solus_ while his
companions were feasting at a neighbouring hostelry. He was afterwards
said to have dined with DUKE HUMPHREY, and the saying eventually passed
into a proverb.
~Dukes~, or DOOKS, the hands, originally modification of the rhyming
slang, “Duke of Yorks,” forks = fingers, hands—a long way round, but
quite true. The word is in very common use among low folk. “Put up your
DOOKS” is a kind invitation to fight.
~Dukey~, or DOOKEY, a penny gaff, which _see_.
~Dumbfound~, to perplex, to beat soundly till not able to speak.
Originally a cant word. Johnson cites the _Spectator_ for the earliest
use. _Scotch_, DUMBFOUNDER.
~Dummacker~, a knowing or acute person.
~Dummies~, empty bottles, and drawers in an apothecary’s shop, labelled
so as to give the idea of an extensive stock. Chandlers’ shop keepers
and small general dealers use dummies largely, half-tubs of butter,
bladders of lard, hams, cheeses, &c., being specially manufactured for
them. Dummies in libraries generally take the form of “Hume and
Smollett’s History of England” and other works not likely to tempt the
general reader.
~Dummy~, a deaf-and-dumb person; a clumsy, awkward fellow; any one
unusually thick-witted.
~Dummy~, in three-handed whist the person who holds two hands plays
DUMMY.
~Dummy~, a pocket-book. In this word the derivation is obvious, being
connected with DUMB, _i.e._, that which makes no sound. As a thieves’
term for a pocket-book, it is peculiarly applicable, for the contents of
pocket-books, bank-notes and papers, make no noise, while the money in a
purse may betray its presence by chinking.
~Dump fencer~, a man who sells buttons.
~Dumpish~, sullen or gloomy.
~Dumpy~, short and stout.
~Dun~, to solicit payment.—_Old Cant_, from the French DONNEZ, give; or
from JOE DIN, or DUN, a famous bailiff; or simply a corruption of DIN,
from the _Anglo-Saxon_ DUNAN, to clamour.
~Dunderhead~, a blockhead.
~Dundreary~, an empty swell.
~Dung~, an operative who works for an employer who does not give full or
“society” wages.
~Dungaree~, low, common, coarse, vulgar.—_Anglo-Indian._ DUNGAREE is
the name of a disreputable suburb of Bombay, and also of a coarse blue
cloth worn by sailors.
“As smart a young fellow as ever you’d see,
In jacket and trousers of blue DUNGAREE.”
~Dunkhorned~, sneaking, shabby. DUNKHORN in Norfolk is the short, blunt
horn of a beast, and the adjective is applied to a cuckold who has not
spirit to resist his disgrace.
~Dunnage~, baggage, clothes. Also, a sea term for wood or loose faggots
laid at the bottom of ships, upon which is placed the cargo.
~Dunnyken~, originally DANNAKEN, a watercloset.—From DANNA and KEN,
which _see_.
~Durrynacking~, offering lace or any other article as an introduction to
fortune-telling; generally practised by women.
~Dust~, money; “down with the DUST,” put down the money.—_Ancient._
Dean Swift once took for his text, “He who giveth to the poor lendeth to
the Lord.” His sermon was short. “Now, my brethren,” said he, “if you
are satisfied with the security, down with the DUST.”
~Dust~, a disturbance, or noise, “to raise a DUST,” to make a row.
~Dust~, to beat; “DUST one’s jacket,” _i.e._, give him a beating.
~Dust-hole~, Sidney Sussex College at Cambridge.—_Univ. Slang._
~Dust-hole~, the Queen’s Theatre, Tottenham Court Road, was so called
until comparatively recently, when it was entirely renovated and
renamed, and now, as the Prince of Wales’s, it is one of the most
fortunate and fashionable theatres in London.
~Dustoorie~, commission, douceur, bribe.—_Anglo-Indian._
~Dusty~, a phrase used in answering a question where one expects
approbation. “What do you think of this?” “Well, it’s not so DUSTY,”
_i.e._, not so bad; sometimes varied to “none so DUSTY.”
~Dutch~, or DOUBLE DUTCH, gibberish, or any foreign tongue. “To talk
DOUBLE DUTCH backwards on a Sunday” is a humorous locution for
extraordinary linguistic facility.
~Dutch auction~, a method of selling goods, adopted by “CHEAP JOHNS,” to
evade the penalties for selling without a licence. The article is
offered all round at a high price, which is then dropped until it is
taken. DUTCH AUCTIONS need not be illegitimate transactions, and their
economy (as likewise that of puffing) will be found minutely explained
in Sugden (Lord St. Leonards) “On Vendors and Purchasers.”
~Dutch concert~, where each performer plays a different tune. Sometimes
called a DUTCH MEDLEY when vocal efforts only are used.
~Dutch consolation~, “thank God it is no worse.” “It might have been
worse,” said a man whom the devil was carrying to hell. “How?” asked a
neighbour. “Well, he’s carrying me—he might have made me carry him.”
~Dutch courage~, false courage, generally excited by drink—pot-valour.
~Dutch feast~, where the host gets drunk before his guest.
~Dutch uncle~, a personage often introduced in conversation, but
exceedingly difficult to describe; “I’ll talk to him like a DUTCH
UNCLE!” conveys the notion of anything but a desirable relation.
~Earl of Cork~, the ace of diamonds.—_Hibernicism._
“‘What do you mean by the Earl of Cork?’ asked Mr. Squander. ‘The
ace of diamonds, your honour. It’s the worst ace, and the poorest
card in the pack, and is called the EARL OF CORK, because he’s the
poorest nobleman in Ireland.’”—_Carleton’s Traits and Stories of
the Irish Peasantry._
~Early~, “to get up EARLY,” to prepare for a difficult task. “You’ll
have to get up very EARLY in the morning to beat that.” Early rising and
ability seem also closely connected by certain modifications of this
expression. Possibly the belief is that a man who rises early for early
rising’s sake deserves to be clever. Perhaps the greatest enjoyment a
day labourer—whose work commences at six in the winter mornings, and
who may have to rise at half-past four and trudge off—can have, is a
“quiet snooze” after the usual time of rising. The early rising in “the
steel” is the chief terror of that institution in the minds of habitual
criminals.
~Earwig~, a clergyman, also one who prompts another maliciously and
privately.
~Earwigging~, a private conversation; a rebuke in private; an attempt to
defame another unfairly, and without chance of appeal; a WIGGING is more
public.
~Ease~, to rob; “EASING a bloke,” robbing a man.
~Eat his head off.~ A horse who is kept idle in the stable is said to
EAT HIS HEAD OFF. Of late the phrase has been applied to servants who
have little to do but constantly “dip their noses in the manger.”
~Eavesdropper~, a listener. The name is derived from the punishment
which, according to Oliver, was directed in the Lectures, at the revival
of Masonry in 1717, to be inflicted on a detected Cowan [g. v.], and
which was
“To be placed under the eaves of the house in rainy weather, till
the water runs in at his shoulders and out at his heels.”—_Mackey’s
Lexicon of Freemasonry._
~Efter~, a thief who frequents theatres.
~Egg~, or EGG ON, to excite, stimulate, or provoke one person to quarrel
with another, &c. From the Anglo-Saxon _eggian_; or possibly a
corruption of EDGE, or EDGE ON, or even from _agere_, to
drive.—_Ancient._
~Egg-flip~, or EGG-HOT, a drink made after the manner of purl and
bishop, with beer, eggs, and spirits made hot and sweetened.
~Elbow~, “to shake one’s ELBOW,” to play with dice; “to crook one’s
ELBOW,” to drink.
~Elbow grease~, labour, or industry. Anything that is rusty, or in
household work dirty or dingy, is said to require ELBOW GREASE.
~Elegant extracts~, a Cambridge University title for those students who
having failed only slightly in some one subject, and being “plucked”
accordingly, were allowed their degrees. This applied to the “Poll”
list, as the “Gulf” did to the “Honours.”
~Elephant~, “to have seen the ELEPHANT,” to be “_up_ to the latest
move,” or “_down_ to the last new trick;” to be knowing, and not
“green,” &c. Possibly a metaphor taken from the travelling menageries,
where the ELEPHANT is the finale of the exhibition.—Originally an
Americanism. Bartlett gives conflicting examples. General now, however.
A modification of this is “having seen the king.” When a man becomes
aware that he has been cheated or imposed on, and does not mean to stand
it any longer, he is said to have seen the king, _i.e._, to have seen
his adversary’s best card, and to be prepared for it.
~Elevated~, intoxicated. ELEVATION is the name of a drug-mixture much
used in the fen-counties for keeping up the spirits and preventing ague.
It consists mainly of opium.
~Enemy~, time, a clock, the ruthless enemy and tell-tale of idleness and
of mankind generally; “what says the ENEMY?” _i.e._, how goes the time?
~Essex lion~, a calf. A calf is probably the only lively animal to be
seen in a journey through Essex.
~Essex stile~, a ditch. A jocular allusion to the peculiarities of the
“low county.”
~Evaporate~, to go, or run away.
~Everlasting shoes~, the feet. The barefooted children about the Seven
Dials, and other low quarters of London, are said to wear EVERLASTING
SHOES and stockings. Another expression in connexion with this want is,
“the shoes and stockings their mothers gave them.”
~Everlasting staircase~, the treadmill. Sometimes, but very rarely now
called “Colonel Chesterton’s EVERLASTING STAIRCASE,” from the gallant
inventor or improver. Also known as “the STEPPER.”
~Exasperate~, to over-aspirate the letter H, or to aspirate it whenever
it commences a word, as is commonly done by under-educated people who
wish to show off their breeding. EXASPERATION does not refer to an
omission of the aspirate.
~Exes~, expenses. “Just enough to clear our exes.”
~Extensive~, frequently applied in a slang sense to a person’s
appearance or talk; “rather EXTENSIVE that!” intimating that the person
alluded to is showing off, or “cutting it fat.”
~Extracted~, placed on the list of “ELEGANT EXTRACTS.”—_Camb. Univ._
~Eye teeth~, supposed evidences of sharpness. A man is said to have, or
have not, cut his EYE TEETH, according to possession or want of
shrewdness.
~Eye water~, gin. Term principally used by printers.
~Face~, credit at a public-house, impudence, confidence, brass; thus a
BRAZEN-FACE. “To run one’s FACE,” is to obtain credit in a bounceable
manner. “He’s got some FACE,” _i.e._, he has got lots of impudence.
~Face entry~, the entrée to a theatre. From the FACE being known, as
distinguished from free-list entry.
~Facer~, a blow on the face. In Ireland, a dram.
~Facer~, a tumbler of whisky-punch. Possibly from the suffusion of blood
to the face caused by it.
~Fad~, a hobby, a favourite pursuit.
~Fadge~, a farthing.
~Fadge~, a flat loaf.—_North._
~Fadge~, to suit or fit; “it wont FADGE,” it will not do. Used by
Shakspeare, but now heard only in the streets.
~Fadger~, a glazier’s frame. Otherwise called a “frail,” perhaps in
reference to the fragile nature of its contents.
~Fag~, a schoolboy who performs a servant’s offices to a superior
schoolmate. From FAG, to become weary or tired out. _Low German_, FAKK,
wearied.
~Fag~, to beat.
~Faggot~, a bundle of bits of the “stickings” (hence probably its name)
sold for food to the London poor. It is sometimes called a duck. In
appearance it resembles a Scotch “haggis,” without, however, being
nearly so good as that fragrant article. Probably the FAG-END of a
thing, the inferior or remaining part, the refuse.
~Faggot~, a term of opprobrium used by low people to children and women;
“you little FAGGOT, you!” FAGGOT was originally a term of contempt for a
dry shrivelled old woman, whose bones were like a bundle of sticks, only
fit to burn.—Compare the French expression for a heretic, _sentir le
fagot_.
~Faggot briefs~, bundles of worthless papers tied up with red tape,
carried by unemployed barristers in the back rows of the courts to
simulate briefs.
~Faggot vote~, a phrase which belongs to the slang of politics, and
which was applied to a class of votes, by no means extinct even now,
though not so common as in the days preceding the first Reform Bill,
when constituencies were smaller, and individual votes were consequently
more valuable. FAGGOT VOTES were thus created:—A large landowner who
was blessed with, say, seven sons and seven brothers, and had also on
his estate fourteen labourers’ cottages worth about a shilling a week
each, would go through the form of sale of one cottage to each son and
each brother, it being perfectly understood that the title-deeds would
be returned when the occasion for their use was at an end. And thus the
squire would command fifteen votes instead of one. In a famous election
for the West Riding of Yorkshire during the third decade of the present
century, which cost upwards of half a million sterling, and ruined the
successful candidate, it was said that six hundred FAGGOT VOTES were
created by three noble lords. The origin of the term has been variously
explained. One ingenious writer has suggested that as a FAGGOT may be
split into a bundle of sticks, so was one estate thus split into a
bundle of votes. It is, however, more reasonable to suppose that it was
derived from the old word “FAGGOT,” which was used to describe a
“nominal soldier,” one, that is, whose name appeared on the muster-roll,
and for whom the colonel drew pay, but who was never to be found in the
ranks. The connexion is evident enough.
~Fake~, in the sporting world, means to hocus or poison. Fake is also a
mixture supposed to be used for purposes of “making safe.”
~Fake~, to cheat, or swindle; to do anything; to go on, or continue; to
make or construct; to steal or rob,—a verb variously used. FAKED, done,
or done for; “FAKE away, there’s no down;” go on, there is nobody
looking. From the _Latin_ FACERE.
~Fakement~, a false begging petition, any act of robbery, swindling, or
deception. FAKEMENT is a word of most general application among the
lower classes. Any things strange, and most things not strange, are
called FAKEMENTS, particularly if there is anything peculiar or artistic
in their production.
~Fakement Charley~, the owner’s private mark. FAKER, is one who makes or
FAKES anything. To “fake a cly,” is to pick a pocket.
~Fal-lals~, trumpery ornaments, gewgaws. Forby suggests as a derivation
the _Latin_ PHALERÆ, horse trappings.
~Fambles~, or FAMMS, the hands.—_Ancient Cant._ _German_, FANGEN.
~Family men~, or PEOPLE, thieves, or burglars.
~Fan~, a waistcoat.—_Houndsditch term._
~Fancy~, the favourite sports, pets, or pastime of a person, the ton of
low life. Pugilists are sometimes termed the FANCY. Shakspeare uses the
word in the sense of a favourite or pet; and the paramour of a
prostitute is still called her FANCY MAN.
~Fancy bloak~, a fancy or sporting man.