~Footing~, “to pay FOOTING.” _See_ SHOE.
~Forakers~, the closet of decency, or house of office. Term used by the
boys at Winchester School. Very likely from “four acres,” the original
necessary having been in all likelihood a field behind the school.
~Force the voucher~, a term in use among sporting tricksters, who
advertise to send certain winners, and on receipt of letters enclose
vouchers similar to those sent out by respectable commission agents, but
with double or treble the current odds marked thereon, in reference to
the horse named. A plausible letter is sent with the voucher, and the
victim is informed that on account of early investments made by the
firm, which has of course a high-sounding title, the extra odds can be
laid by them, and a remittance to the amount named, or part of it, is
requested. Of course the firm “dries up” when claims become heavy, and,
with a new name and new address, appears in the next week’s advertising
columns. FORCING THE VOUCHER was a fine game when it was first started,
but it was soon overdone, as it required no particular ingenuity, and
offered special immunities, theft of this kind being rather favoured
than otherwise by the authorities. Certainly the law that punishes
honest betting men seems powerless with regard to these plunderers,
otherwise we should hardly be treated as often as we are to the
spectacle of one man being fined for honest dealing, while another
escapes simply because he is not a betting man, but a welcher.
~Fork out~, to bring out one’s money, to pay the bill, to “stand for” or
treat a friend; to hand over what does not belong to you—old cant term
for picking pockets, and very curious in its origin. In the early part
of the last century, a little book was published on purloining, and of
course it had to give the latest modes. FORKING was the newest mode, and
it consisted in thrusting the fingers stiff and open into the pocket,
and then quickly closing them and extracting any article thus caught.
~Forks~, or GRAPPLING-IRONS, fingers. Costermongers and other clumsy
feeders have a proverb which seems to justify their taking bones and
choice morsels in their hands during the progress of a meal. It is,
“Fingers were the first FORKS;” sometimes varied to “Fingers were made
before FORKS.”
~Form~, condition, training. “In good FORM” or “in bad FORM” refers to a
man’s or horse’s state of being in the sporting world. FORM has also had
a moral significance of late years, and with the qualifying adjectives
attached as occasion requires, is extensively used in general
conversation. As, “It was bad FORM of Brown to do that.” “That article
was bad FORM.” In the latter cases the word “in” rarely appears.
~Forty foot~, a derisive appellation for a very short person.
~Forty guts~, vulgar term for a fat man.
~Forty-twa~, the common place of retirement on a well-known French plan
at Edinburgh, so called from its accommodating that number of persons at
once.
~Forty winks~, a short sleep or nap.
~Fou~, rather more than slightly intoxicated.—_Scotch._
“We are na’ FOU, we are na’ FOU.”
~Foul~, to jostle or bore unfairly in a race. _See_ BORE. To touch any
foreign substance during a race—particularly a boat-race—is to FOUL
it.
~Foul~, a touch, no matter how slight, of bodies or machinery in a race
of any kind. FOULS in boat-racing are often inevitable, and are not
always the result of boring or any other malicious practice.
~Foul riding~, riding which after a horse-race is made the subject of
complaint, such as refusing to let a competitor pass, boring him against
the rails, &c. Some jockeys are great adepts at this work, and are
invaluable to a confederacy as a means, not so much of attaining victory
themselves, as of preventing its attainment in others. Of course unless
proof of jostling can be given, or evidence of malicious intent shown,
jockeyship of this kind is not considered foul riding.
~Four-and-nine~, or FOUR-AND-NINEPENNY GOSS, a cheap hat, so called from
4_s._ 9_d._, the price at which a once noted advertising hat-maker sold
his hats—
“Whene’er to slumber you incline,
Take a short nap at 4 and 9.”
~Four-eyes~, a man or woman who habitually wears spectacles.
~Four kings~, HISTORY OF THE, an old name for a pack of playing cards.
_See_ Sir Thomas Urquhart’s _Translation of Rabelais_. In _Argot_, LIVRE
DES QUATRE ROIS.
~Fourth~, or FOURTH COURT, the court appropriated to the waterclosets at
Cambridge; from its really being No. 4 at Trinity College. A man leaving
his room to go to the FOURTH COURT, writes on his door, in algebraic
notation, GONE^4, which expresses the Cambridge slang phrase, “gone to
the FOURTH.”
~Fourth estate~, the complete body of journalists of all descriptions.
This term is much in use among “liners.”
~Fox~, to cheat or rob.—_Eton College._ In London to watch closely and
narrowly.
~Foxed~, a term used by print and book collectors to denote the brown
spotted appearance produced by damp on paper.
~Foxing~, when one actor criticises another’s
performance.—_Theatrical._ Also in street slang FOXING means watching
slyly.
~Fox’s Sleep~, or FOXING, a purposely assumed indifference to what is
going on. A fox, as well as a weasel, is said to sleep with one eye
open.
~Foxy~, rank, tainted, from the odour of the animal.—_Lincolnshire._
~Foxy~, said also of a red-haired person.
~Frapping~, a beating. _French_, FRAPPER.
~Free-and-easy~, a club held at a low public-house, the members of which
meet in the tap-room or parlour for the purpose of drinking, smoking,
and hearing each other sing. These gatherings are generally called
harmonic meetings by the landlord, but FREE-AND-EASY best indicates the
character of the proceedings.
~Free fight~, a fight conducted on the Irishman’s principle—“Sure,
wherever you see a head, hit it.” The term is, however, American, so the
practice may be considered fairly general.
~Freeman’s quay~, “drinking at FREEMAN’S QUAY,” _i.e._, at another’s
cost. This quay was formerly a celebrated wharf near London Bridge, and
the saying arose from the beer which was given gratis to porters and
carmen who went there on business.
~French cream~, brandy.
~French gout~, a certain disease, which is also known as “ladies’
fever.”
~French leave~, TO TAKE, to leave or depart slyly, without saying
anything; or obtaining permission.
~Fresh~, said of a person slightly intoxicated.
~Freshman~, a University man during his first year. The official
appellation for the students until they have passed the Previous or
First Cambridge Examination, otherwise called the Smalls or Little Go,
is Junior Sophs or Sophisters. After this they are Senior Sophs until
their last term, when they are Questionists, or preparing “_ad
respondendum quæstioni_.” At Oxford the title FRESHMAN lasts for the
first term.
~Friday-face~, a gloomy-looking man. Most likely from FRIDAY being a day
of meagre fare among Catholics and High Church Protestants.
~Frisk~, to search; FRISKED, searched by a constable or other officer.
~Frisk a cly~, to empty a pocket.
~Frog~, a policeman. Because, by a popular delusion, he is supposed to
pounce suddenly on delinquents.
~Frog’s march~, the manner in which four or more policemen carry a
drunken or turbulent man to the station-house. The victim is held face
downwards, one constable being at each shoulder, while the others hold
on above the knees. Often there is another active and intelligent
officer who beats time to the march on the recalcitrant hero’s
posteriors.
~Frontispiece~, the face.
~Frow~, a girl, or wife. _German_, FRAU; _Dutch_, VROUW.
~Frummagemmed~, annihilated, strangled, garrotted, or spoilt.—_Old
Cant._
~Frump~, a slatternly woman, a gossip.—_Ancient._ In modern slang it is
the feminine of FOGEY, and means a prim old lady, who is generally
termed “a regular old FRUMP.”
~Frump~, to mock or insult.—_Beaumont and Fletcher._
~F sharps~, fleas. Compare B FLATS.
~Fudge~, nonsense, stupidity. Todd and Richardson only trace the word to
Goldsmith. Disraeli, however, gives the origin to a Captain Fudge, a
great fibber, who told monstrous stories, which made his crew say in
answer to any improbability, “You FUDGE it!”—_See Remarks on the Navy_,
1700. At page 87 of a collection of some papers of William Crouch (8vo,
1712), the Quaker, we find a mention of this Captain. Degory Marshall
informed Crouch that—
“In the year 1664 we were sentenced for banishment to Jamaica by
Judges Hyde and Twisden, and our number was 55. We were put on board
the ship Black Eagle; the master’s name was FUDGE, by some called
LYING FUDGE.”
Some persons believe that the word comes from the _Gaelic_, FFUG,
deception.
~Fuggies~, hot rolls.—_School._
~Full against~, opposed to. As, “I’m FULL AGAINST him,” I decidedly
object to, or dislike him, or I am opposed to him. The term originated
with the bookmakers; who, when they have laid all their money against a
certain horse, put a mark against his name, and reply to all inquiries,
“FULL AGAINST him.” This grew to “FULL AGAINST his winning,” and was
thus taken, when shortened, to express feeling the reverse of friendly.
~Fullams~, false dice, which always turn up high.—_Shakspeare._
~Full blast~, a term evidently borrowed from the technology of the
engine-room, and now frequently used to express the heyday or apogee of
anything. As, “By the middle of the day matters were in FULL BLAST, and
proceedings generally were very satisfactory.”
~Full feather~, good condition, high spirits. Also any one gaily dressed
is said to be in FULL FEATHER.
~Full fig~, full costume, male or female uniform or evening dress.
~Full of beans~, arrogant, purseproud. A person whom sudden prosperity
has made offensive and conceited, is said to be too “FULL OF BEANS.”
Originally stable slang.
~Fully~, “to be FULLIED,” to be committed for trial. Term in general use
among thieves. Possibly from the reports which, in the slang of the
penny-a-liner, say “the prisoner was FULLY committed for trial.” The
magistrates often say FULLY committed also, whatever that may mean.
~Funk~, trepidation, nervousness, cowardice. To FUNK, to be afraid or
nervous.
~Funk~, to smoke out, or terrify.
~Funking the cobbler~, a bold schoolboy trick, performed with assafœtida
and cotton stuffed into a hollow tube or cow’s horn. The cotton being
lighted, the smoke is blown in through the keyhole of a door, or the
crannies of a cobbler’s stall. A funny song, much in vogue some years
back, gave all the agonies of a drunken cobbler, who believed the devil
had come for him, with all sorts of accessories, till
“He was told by a shout
That ’twas only some boys who’d been FUNKING him out.”
~Funny~, a rowing boat with both ends pointed and out of the water.
~Funny-bone~, the extremity of the elbow—or rather, the muscle which
passes round it between the two bones, a blow on which causes painful
tingling in the fingers. Facetiously derived, from its being the
extremity of the _humerus_ (humorous).
~Fye-buck~, a sixpence.—_Nearly obsolete._
~Gab~, GABBER or GABBLE, talk; “gift of the GAB,” loquacity, or natural
talent for speech-making.—_Anglo-Norman_; GAB is also found in the
_Danish_ and _Old Norse_.
~Gaby~, a simpleton, a country bumpkin. Probably from gape.
~Gad~, a trapesing slatternly woman.—_Gipsy._ _Anglo-Saxon_, GÆDELING.
~Gadding the hoof~, going without shoes. GADDING, roaming about,
although used in an old translation of the Bible, is now only heard
amongst the lower orders.
~Gaff~, a penny play-house, in which talking is not permitted on the
stage. _See_ PENNY GAFF.
~Gaffer~, a master, or employer; term used by “navvies,” and general in
Lancashire and North of England. Early English for an old man. _See_
“BLOW THE GAFF.”
~Gaffing~, tossing halfpence, or counters.—_North_, where it means
tossing up three halfpennies. One man tosses, and another calls.
Sometimes the coins are tossed from a stick, and the tosser keeps those
which fall heads uppermost.
~Gag~, a lie; “a GAG he told to the beak.”—_Thieves’ Cant._
~Gag~, language introduced by an actor into his part. In certain pieces
this is allowed by custom, and these are called GAG-PIECES. _The Critic,
or a Tragedy Rehearsed_, is chief among these. Many actors, however,
take French leave in this respect with most pieces.—_Theatrical slang._
MR. ROBSON AT BELFAST.—We (_Northern Whig_) suspected a little bit
of what is professionally termed GAG in Mr. Robson’s _Daddy
Hardacre_ last night. He had occasion to say that one of the
characters in the piece “understands me well enough,” to which he
added—“I wish some other people did the same,” with an expressive
glance at the pit; which we interpreted as having special reference
to those appreciative persons in the audience whom we have already
mentioned, who think it absolutely needful to roar with laughter at
every sentence Mr. Robson utters, without the least regard to
whether it be humorous or pathetic—only because Mr. Robson has fame
as a comic actor.
When another Robson shall arise, no one will object to his GAGGING a
little. The public could afford that to such a man in these days of
“creations.”
~Gag~, to hoax, “take a rise” out of one; to “cod.”
~Gage~, a small quantity of anything; as “a GAGE of tobacco,” meaning a
pipeful; “a GAGE of gin,” a glassful. GAGE was, in the last century, a
chamber utensil.
~Galeny~, old cant term for a fowl of any kind; now a respectable word
in the West of England, signifying a Guinea fowl.—_Vide_ Grose.
_Latin_, GALLINA.
~Gallanty show~, an exhibition in which black figures are shown on a
white sheet to accompanying dialogue. Generally given at night by “Punch
and Judy” men.
~Gallimaufry~, a kind of stew, made up of scraps of various kinds. Sea
term, and probably meaning the galley scraps.
~Gallipot~, an apothecary.
~Gallivant~, to wait upon the ladies.—_Old._
~Gallows~, or GALLUS, very, or exceedingly—an unpleasant exclamation;
“GALLOWS poor,” very poor. Term originally applied to anything bad
enough to deserve hanging.
~Gallows bird~, an incorrigible thief; often applied to denote a
ruffian-like appearance.
~Gallowses~, in the North of England a pair of braces.
~Gally-yarn~, a sailor’s term for a hoaxing story. He expresses
disbelief by saying only “G. Y.”
~Galoot.~—_See_ GEELOOT.
~Galore~, abundance. _Irish_, GO LEOR, in plenty.
~Gamb~, a leg. Still used as an heraldic term, as well as by thieves,
who probably get it from the _Lingua Franca_. _Italian_, GAMBA;
_French_, JAMBE, a leg.
~Game~, a term variously applied; “are you GAME?” have you courage
enough? “what’s your little GAME?” what are you going to do? “come, none
of your GAMES,” be quiet, don’t annoy me; “on the GAME,” out thieving.
To “play the GAME” is among sporting men to do a thing thoroughly and
properly.
~Game leg~, a lame or wounded leg.
~Gameness~, pluck, endurance, courage generally.
~Gammon~, deceit, humbug, a false and ridiculous story. _Anglo-Saxon_,
GAMEN, game, sport.
~Gammon~, to hoax, to deceive merrily, to laugh at a person, to tell an
untrue but plausible story, to make game of, or, in the provincial
dialect, to make GAME on;—“who’s thou makin’ thy GAM’ on?” _i.e._, of
whom are you making a fool?—_Yorkshire._
~Gammy~, bad, unfavourable, poor tempered. Those householders who are
known enemies to the street folk and tramps are pronounced by them to be
GAMMY. GAMMY sometimes means forged, as “GAMMY-MONNIKER,” a forged
signature; GAMMY STUFF, spurious medicine; GAMMY LOWR, counterfeit coin.
_Hants_, GAMY, dirty. The hieroglyphic used by beggars and cadgers to
intimate to those of the tribe coming after that things are not very
favourable is known as □, or GAMMY. _Gaelic_, _Welsh_, and _Irish_, CAM
(GAM), crooked.
~Gammy-vial~ (Ville), a town where the police will not let persons hawk.
~Gander Month~, the period when the monthly nurse is in the ascendant,
and the husband has to shift for himself. Probably from the open choice
he has during that period.
~Ganger~, the person who superintends the work of a gang, or a number of
navigators.
~Gape~, to stare about in an astonished manner. “GAPING about like a
country bumpkin.” Sometimes pronounced GARP. There is no reference in
the use of this phrase by Cockneys to GAPE in its correct sense.
~Gape-seed~, something to look at, cause for astonishment; a lazy
fellow, unmindful of his work, is said to be “looking for GAPE-SEED.”
Rustics are said to find plenty of “GAPE-SEED” in London streets.
~Gar~, euphuistic rendering of the title of the Deity; “be GAR, you
don’t say so!”—_Franco-English._
~Garden~, among tradesmen signifies Covent GARDEN Market; among
theatrical performers, Covent GARDEN Theatre.
~Gardener~, an awkward coachman; an insinuation that he is both coachman
and gardener, and understands the latter branch of service better than
the first; “get on, GARDENER,” is a most insulting expression from a
cabby to a real coachman. Men who in small families do the coach,
garden, and general work, are sometimes called “teakettle grooms,” or
“teakettle coachmen.”
~Gargle~, medical-student slang for drinkables.
~Garnish~, the douceur or fee which, before the time of Howard the
philanthropist, was openly exacted by the keepers of gaols from their
unfortunate prisoners for extra comforts. The practice of garnishing is
by no means so defunct as some folk seem to think, and its influence may
often be traced by those who wish.
~Garnish~, footing money.—_Yorkshire._
~Garreter~, a thief who crawls over the tops of houses, and enters
garret-windows. Called also a “dancer,” or “dancing-master,” from the
light and airy nature of his occupation.
~Garrotte~, a system of robbery with violence much practised on dark
winter nights by ruffians who during summer infest racecourses and
fairs. Their victims are generally weak men and delicate women. From the
Spanish GARROTTE, because the practice generally commences with a
throttling attack. Procedure is, however, various, these gentlemen being
possessed of much ingenuity in the way of torture. “The cat” has within
the past year or so done much to modify this offensive state of things,
but the sympathetic appeals of certain tenderhearted M.P.’s and other
philanthropists, who are not themselves likely to be garrotted, on
behalf of the garrotters, will probably before long result in a
withdrawal of the _lex talionis_, and a natural resumption of the
garrotte system, with new adornments.
~Garrotting~, a mode of cheating practised amongst card-sharpers, by
concealing certain cards at the back of the neck.
~Gas~, to give off superfluous conceit, to bounce or brag; “his game is
GAS.” “To give a person GAS,” is to scold him or give him a good
beating. Synonymous with “to give him Jessie.”
~Gassy~, or GASEOUS, liable to “flare up” at any offence.
~Gate~, THE, Billingsgate. Sometimes Newgate, according to the
occupation and condition of the speaker. In the same way Paternoster Row
is by publishers known as “the Row.”
~Gate~, to order an undergrad not to pass beyond the college GATE. As a
rule, the GATE begins after hall, but in extreme cases the offender is
GATED for the whole day.—_University._
~Gate-race~, among pedestrians a mock race, got up not so much for the
best runner to win, as for the money taken from spectators, at the gate.
This sort of business is not peculiar to pedestrians; there are such
things as gate-money meetings at horse-racing.
~Gatter~, beer; “shant of GATTER,” a pot of beer. A curious slang street
melody, known in Seven Dials as _Bet the Coaley’s Daughter_, thus
mentions the word in a favourite verse:—
“But when I strove my flame to tell,
Says she, ‘Come, stow that patter,
If you’re a cove wot likes a gal,
Vy don’t you stand some GATTER?’
In course I instantly complied—
Two brimming quarts of porter,
With sev’ral goes of gin beside,
Drain’d Bet the Coaley’s daughter.”
~Gaudy~, the annual dinner of the Fellows of a College, in memory of
founders and benefactors. From GAUDEAMUS.—_Oxford University._
~Gawfs~, cheap red-skinned apples, a favourite fruit with costermongers,
who rub them well with a piece of cloth, and find ready purchasers.
~Gawky~, a lanky, or awkward person; a fool. _Saxon_, GEAK; _Scotch_,
GOWK.
~Gay~, loose, dissipated; “GAY woman,” a kept mistress or prostitute.
Many people will remember Leech’s celebrated caricature of two wretched
females on an equally wretched night, and the question asked by one
woman of the other, “How long have you been GAY?”
~Gay tyke boy~, a dog-fancier.
~Gee~, to agree with, or be congenial to a person.
~Geeloot~, or GALOOT, a recruit, or awkward soldier. A clumsy person,
also a term of contempt in America.
~Gen~, a shilling. _See_ back-slang article.
~Gent~, a contraction of “gentleman,”—in more senses than one. A
dressy, showy, foppish man, with a little mind, who vulgarizes the
prevailing fashion.
~Gent~, silver. From the _French_, ARGENT.
~Gentleman of four outs;~ in Ireland when a vulgar, blustering fellow
asserts that he is a gentleman, the retort generally is, “Yes, a
GENTLEMAN OF FOUR OUTS”—that is, without wit, without money, without
credit, and without manners.
~Gentleman of three ins~,—that is, in debt, in danger, and in poverty.
~Geordie~, general term in Northumberland and Durham for a pitman, or
coal-miner. From the _Greek_, GEORGE meaning one who works the earth,
originally a cultivator; the term has been in use more than a century.
~German Duck~, a sheep’s-head stewed with onions; a favourite dish among
the German sugar-bakers in the East-end of London.
~German Ducks~, bugs.—_Yorkshire._
~Get up~, a person’s appearance or general arrangements. Probably
derived from the decorations of a play.
“There’s so much GETTING UP to please the town,
It takes a precious deal of coming down.”
_Planché’s Mr. Buckstone’s Ascent of Parnassus._
~Ghost~, “the GHOST doesn’t walk,” a theatrical term which implies that
there is no money about, and that there will be no “treasury.”