“I put my OAR in no man’s boat.”—_Thackeray._
~Oat~, an atom. Probable corruption of iota, or perhaps from the small
size of an oat. “I never got an OAT of it,” I never received the
smallest portion.
~Oat-stealer~, an ostler.
~Obfuscated~, intoxicated.
~Obliquitous~, oblivious of distinction between right and
wrong.—_American._
~Obstropolous~, Cockney corruption of obstreperous.
~Ochre~, money, generally applied to gold, for a very obvious reason.
~O’clock~, “like ONE O’CLOCK,” a favourite comparison with the lower
orders, implying briskness; otherwise “like winkin’.” “To know what’s
O’CLOCK” is to be wide-awake, sharp, and experienced.
~Odd man out~, a street or public-house game at tossing. The number of
players is three or more. Each tosses up a coin, and if two come down
head, and one comes tail, or _vice versâ_, the ODD MAN loses or wins, as
may have been agreed upon. Frequently used to victimize a “flat.” If all
be alike, then the toss goes for nothing, and the coppers are again
“skied.” It is easy for two men to arrange matters beforehand at this
game, and so swindle a third.
~Odd man~, a man who trains in company with a boat’s crew, so that in
the event of any one falling ill the seat will be fairly occupied.
~Odds~, a phrase equivalent to “consequence;” “what’s the ODDS?” _i.e._,
what is the expected result? “It’s no ODDS,” _i.e._, of no consequence.
ODDS, in sporting phraseology, refers to the proportions or differences
of a bet. One bookmaker will lay ODDS of “six to one” against such a
horse winning; whilst another, more speculative, or in the receipt of a
first-rate “tip” (information about the horse in question) will lay
“eight,” or even “ten to one.”
~Od rot it~ (_Colman’s Broad Grins_), DRAT IT, OD’S BLOOD, and all other
exclamations commencing with OD, are nothing but softened or suppressed
oaths. OD is a corruption of GOD, and DRAT of ROT.
~Off and on~, vacillating; “an OFF AND ON kind of a chap,” one who is
always undecided.
~Off at the head~, crazy.—_Oxfordshire._
~Off one’s chump.~ To be crazy is to be OFF ONE’S CHUMP; this is varied
by the word CHUMPY. A mild kind of lunatic is also said to be “off his
head,” which means of course exactly the same as the first phrase.
~Off one’s feed.~ To be unable to eat is to be OFF ONE’S FEED.
Originally stable slang.
~Off the horn~, a term used in reference to very hard steak, which is
fancifully said to be OFF THE HORN.
~Office~, “to give the OFFICE,” to give a hint dishonestly to a
confederate, thereby enabling him to win a game or bet, the profits
being shared. Also in sporting phraseology to give any information worth
having.
~Offish~, distant, not familiar. Corruption of STAND-OFFISH.
~Ogle~, to look, or reconnoitre.
~Ogles~, eyes.—_Old Cant. French_, ŒIL.
~Oil of palms~, or PALM OIL, money.
~Ointment~, medical student slang for butter.
~O. K.~, a matter to be O. K. (OLL KORRECT, _i.e._, all correct), must
be on the “square,” and perfectly in order. This is an Americanism, and
is derived from the initials O. K., said to have been marked on a
document by an official to signify that all was right and proper.
~Old boots~, a simile as general in its application as it is irrelevant.
“Like OLD BOOTS” means like anything. “As cheeky as OLD BOOTS;” “As
quick as OLD BOOTS,” seem a little more reasonable, new boots being
somewhat unfavourable to speedy locomotion.
~Old dog~, a knowing blade, an experienced person. Butler uses the
phrase, _Hudibras_, part ii. canto iii. 208, where it was said of
Sidrophel, “And was OLD DOG at physiology.” An Irish proverb says, “OLD
DOG for hard road,” meaning that it requires an experienced person to
execute a difficult undertaking.
~Old gentleman~, the devil. Also a card almost imperceptibly longer than
the rest of the pack, used by sharpers for the purpose of cheating.
~Old gooseberry~ (_see_ GOOSEBERRY), OLD HARRY (_Old Hairy_), OLD
SCRATCH, all synonyms for the devil.
~Old gown~, smuggled tea.
~Old horse~, salt junk, or beef.—_Sea._
~Old hoss~, a term of endearment, originally an Americanism, but now in
common use here among friends.
~Old Lady in Threadneedle Street~, the Bank of England.
~Old man~, in American merchant ships, the master. The phrase is
becoming common in English ships.
~Old salt~, a thorough sailor.
~Old Tom~, extra strong gin; sometimes termed CAT’S WATER. Various
reasons are given for the use of the words OLD TOM. The distillers have
the sign of a tom cat on their illuminated placards. The origin of the
phrase is, however, in the fact that the managing clerk of a once
celebrated “gin-spinning” firm, who was known as OLD TOM, used to keep a
special bottle of extra good stuff with which to regale customers when
they settled their accounts. To get a drink of OLD TOM’S was then a
great favour. Gradually the title became popular as representing very
good strong gin.
~Oliver~, the moon; “OLIVER don’t widdle,” _i.e._, the moon does not
shine. _Nearly obsolete._
~Ollapod~, a country apothecary. From George Coleman’s comedy of _The
Poor Gentleman_.
~Omee~, a master or landlord; “the OMEE of the carsey’s a nark on the
pitch,” the master of the house will not let us perform. _Italian_,
UOMO, a man; “UOMO DELLA CASA,” the master of the house. _Latin_,
HOMO.—_Lingua Franca._
~Omnium gatherum~, an indiscriminate collection of articles; a numerous
and by no means select assemblage.
~On~, “to be ON,” in public-house or vulgar parlance, is synonymous with
getting “tight” or tipsy; “it’s St. Monday with him, I see he’s ON
again,” _i.e._, drunk as usual, or on the road to it. “I’m ON” also
expresses a person’s acceptance of an offered bet. To GET ON a horse or
a man is to make bets on it or him. “Try it ON,” a defiant challenge to
a person.
~On the fly~, getting one’s living by thieving or other illegitimate
means; the phrase is applied to men the same as “on the loose” is to
women. ON THE FLY also means on the drink.
~On the loose~, obtaining a living by prostitution; in reality, on the
streets. The term is applied to females only, excepting in the case of
“sprees,” when men carousing are sometimes said to be ON THE LOOSE.
~On the nose~, on the watch or look-out. _See_ NOSE.
~On the shelf~, transported. With old maids it has another and very
different meaning.
~On the tiles~, out all night “on the spree,” or carousing,—in allusion
to the London cats on their amatory excursions. _See_ CATERWAULING.
~One-er~, that which stands for ONE, a blow that requires no repeating.
In _The Old Curiosity Shop_, the “Marchioness” tells Dick Swiveller that
“her missus is a ONE-ER”—there a variation of “stunner.”
~One in ten~, a parson. In allusion to the tithing system.
~Onion~, a watch-seal.
~O. P.~ Publishers’ reply to an inquiry for a book or paper that is OUT
OF PRINT.
~Open the ball~, to commence anything.
~Oracle~, “to work the ORACLE,” to plan, manœuvre, to succeed by a wily
stratagem.
~Orate~, an Americanism, which means, to speak in public, or make an
oration.
~Organ-grinder~, an itinerant who is supposed to “GRIND” music out of a
barrel-organ.
~Originator~, an inventor of plans for the formation of joint-stock
companies. The originator submits his schemes to the promoter, who
accepts or rejects them.
~Otter~, eightpence. _Italian_, OTTO, eight.—_Lingua Franca._
~Ottomy~, a thin man, a skeleton, a dwarf. Vulgar pronunciation of
ANATOMY. Shakspeare has ATOMY.
~Out~, a dram glass. These glasses are two-OUT (half-quartern),
three-OUT, and four-OUT. An _habitué_ of a gin-shop, desirous of
treating a brace of friends, calls for “a quartern of gin and three
OUTS,” by which he means three glasses which will exactly contain the
quartern. Really, the word glasses is understood. The man actually
means, and one or more three-OUT glasses.
~Out~, in round games, where several play, and there can be but one
loser, the winners in succession STAND OUT, while the others PLAY OFF.
~Out and out~, prime, excellent, of the first quality; beyond measure.
OUT-AND-OUTER, one who is of an OUT-AND-OUT description, “up” to
anything.
An ancient MS. has this couplet, which shows the antiquity of the
phrase:—
“The Kyng was good alle aboute,
And she was wycked OUTE AND OUTE.”
~Outcry~, an auction.—_Anglo-Indian._
~Outing~, a day’s holiday. The Oxford and Cambridge boatrace, the Derby,
and other events of a like character, are each said to be simply excuses
to the Cockneys for a day’s OUTING.
~Out of collar~, out of place,—in allusion to servants. When in place,
the term is IN COLLAR. Most likely from “head in the COLLAR,” said of
horses when hard at work.
~Out on the loose~, “on the spree,” in search of adventures. _See_ ON
THE LOOSE.
~Out on the pickaroon.~ PICARONE is Spanish for a thief, but this phrase
does not necessarily mean anything dishonest, but is often used to mean
readiness for anything in the way of excitement. It also means to be in
search of anything profitable, without much care as to honesty or
otherwise.
~Outsider~, a person who does not habitually bet, or is not admitted to
the “ring,” a duffer or good-for-nothing fellow. Also, a horse whose
name does not appear among the “favourites.”—_Sporting._
~Over!~ or OVER THE LEFT, _i.e._, the left shoulder—a common
exclamation of disbelief in what is being narrated,—sometimes implying
that the results of a proposed plan will be OVER THE LEFT, _i.e._, in
the wrong direction, loss instead of gain.
~Over~, generally used in connexion with come, as, “He came it rather
strong OVER me,” _i.e._, tried to intimidate or compel me. The same
phrase would also be used to imply that an excess of flattery or praise
was being employed for a similar purpose, but that the adulation was
being “laid on a little too thick” to be considered genuine. Also used
thus sometimes: “You mustn’t come Shakspeare OVER me,” _i.e._, “you
mustn’t assume an air of immeasurable literary superiority OVER me.”
“You mustn’t come Rothschild OVER me,” &c.
~Over~, in cricket, four balls delivered from one end to another. After
an OVER has been bowled, the fielders, wicket-keepers, &c., change ends,
and the bowling goes on from the recent batting wicket. A MAIDEN-OVER is
an OVER from which no runs are obtained. Four balls is the regulation
number to an OVER in all important matches; but little clubs and
practice elevens suit their own convenience.
~Overs~, the odd money remaining after the daily accounts are made up at
a banking-house,—usually divided amongst the clerks. _See_ MENAVELINGS
and SHORTS.
~Owned~, a slang expression used by the ultra-Evangelicals when a
popular preacher makes many converts. The converts themselves are called
his “seals.”
~P. P.~, an expression much in use among racing men, which means play or
pay, _i.e._, either go on with the arrangement or forfeit the money. The
following is a law of the turf on the subject:—
The following races shall be considered “play or pay”:—The Derby
and Oaks at Epsom, the St. Leger at Doncaster, the Two Thousand
Guineas, the One Thousand Guineas, the Cesarewitch and
Cambridgeshire, at Newmarket, the Ascot, Goodwood, and Doncaster
Cups, and all handicaps above 200 sovs. value with two forfeits, the
minor of which shall not be less than 5 sovs.; and the Committees of
Tattersall’s, and of the Subscription Room at Newmarket, will take
no cognisance of any disputes respecting “play or pay” bets on any
other races, or of any bets made upon handicap races before the
weights are published.
This is the exact law on the subject, but as a rule all bets on
horse-racing are considered P. P. unless otherwise arranged. In all
matches, though, whether turf, pedestrian, aquatic, or otherwise, a run
is given for the money in ordinary betting transactions.
~P’s and q’s~, particular points, precise behaviour; “mind your P’S and
Q’S,” be very careful. Originating, according to some, from the
similarity of P’S and Q’S in the hornbook alphabet, and therefore the
warning of an old dame to her pupils, or, according to others, of a
French dancing-master to his pupils, to mind their _pieds_ (feet) and
_queues_ (wigs) when bowing.
~Pack~, to go away; “now, then, PACK off there,” _i.e._, be off, don’t
stop here any longer.—_Old._ “Make speede to flee, be PACKING
awaie.”—_Baret’s Alvearie_, 1580. Contraction of “PACK up and be off.”
Sometimes the term “sent PACKING” is used to indicate a sudden
discharge, as of a servant or mistress.
~Packets~, hoaxing lies. Sometimes used as an exclamation of
incredulity.—_North._
~Pad~, “to stand PAD,” to beg with a small piece of paper pinned on the
breast, inscribed, “I am starving.”
~Pad~, the highway; also a tramp or itinerant musician.
~Pad the hoof~, to walk; “PADDING THE HOOF, on the high toby,” tramping
or walking on the high road.
“Trudge, plod away o’ the HOOF.”—_Merry Wives_, i. 3.
~Padding~, the light articles in the monthly magazines, of which the
serial stories are the main attraction. Publishers of magazines seem to
think that if they get a serial story from a popular novelist they can
pack any amount of rubbish into the remaining pages. This is not so in
America, as magazines like the _Atlantic Monthly_ and the _Overland
Monthly_ show.
~Padding-ken~, or CRIB, tramps’ and boys’ lodging-house.
~Paddle~, to go or run away.—_American._
~Paddy~, PAT, or PADDY WHACK, an Irishman. A nickname of PATRICK.
“I’m PADDY WHACK, from Ballyhack,
Not long ago turn’d soldier;
In storm and sack, in front attack,
None other can be boulder.”—_Irish Song._
~Paddy’s goose~, the sign of the White Swan, a noted flash public-house
in the east of London, supposed to be Paddy’s idea of a GOOSE.
~Paddy’s land~, “ould Ireland.”
~Padre~, a clergyman. From the Portuguese.
~Pal~, a partner, acquaintance, friend, an accomplice. _Gipsy_, a
brother.
~Palampo~, a quilt or bed-cover. Probably from PALANPORE, a town in
India, renowned for its manufacture of chintz
counterpanes.—_Anglo-Indian._
~Palaver~, to ask, or talk—deceitfully or otherwise, as occasion
requires; “PALAVER to his nibs for a shant of bivvy,” ask the master for
a pot of beer. NANTEE PALAVER (pronounced PERLARVER), cease talking. In
this sense used by tramps. Derived from the Portuguese.
~Pall~, to stop; “PALL that,” spoken authoritatively, means, cease what
you are doing. From PALL, a small instrument which is used to stop the
windlass or capstan at sea. When a man says, “I am PALLED,” he
means he cannot or dare not say any more. A sailor, on receiving any
extraordinary intelligence, will say, “You PALL me,” _i.e._, you
confound me. Most likely from the order frequently given on board ship,
“Ease and PALL.”
~Palm~, to impose upon. “You can’t PALM that off upon me,” is said when
an intending purchaser is suspicious of the quality of the article
offered.
~Palm oil~, or PALM SOAP, money; also, a bribe.
~Palmer~, a swindler who used to visit shops under the pretence of
collecting harp halfpence. To induce shopkeepers to search for them, he
offered thirteenpence for one shilling’s-worth, when many persons were
silly enough to empty a large quantity of copper on their counters. The
PALMER, a proficient with his fingers, generally contrived to conceal
some before he left the shop.
~Palming~, robbing shops by pairs—one thief bargaining with apparent
intent to purchase, whilst the other watches his opportunity to steal.
The following anecdote will give an idea of their _modus operandi_. A
man once entered a “ready-made” boot and shoe shop, and desired to be
shown a pair of boots—his companion staying outside and amusing himself
by looking in at the window. The one who required to be fresh shod was
apparently of a humble and deferential turn, for he placed his hat on
the floor directly he stepped into the shop. Boot after boot was tried
on until at last a fit was obtained, when in rushed a man, snatched up
the customer’s hat left near the door, and ran down the street as fast
as his legs could carry him. Away went the customer after his hat, and
Crispin, standing at the door, clapped his hands, and shouted, “Go it,
you’ll catch him!”—little thinking that it was a concerted trick, and
that neither his boots nor the customer would ever return. Instances of
this kind of work frequently occur. PALMING sometimes refers to
secreting money or rings in the hand, as well as to bribing. PALMING is
also the generic term for all that kind of conjuring which depends on
manual dexterity, and which is totally distinct from the
mechanical-contrivance department.
~Pam~, the knave of clubs at the game of loo; or, in street phraseology,
while the “Judicious Bottleholder” was alive, Lord Palmerston.
~Pannikin~, a small pan.
~Pannum~, food, bread.—_Lingua Franca_, PANNEN; _Latin_, PANIS;
_Ancient Cant_, YANNAM.
~Pannum-bound~, said of a pauper or prisoner when his food is stopped.
PANNUM-STRUCK, very hungry, starving.
~Panny~, a house—public or otherwise; “flash PANNY,” a public-house
used by thieves; PANNY-MEN, housebreakers. PANNY, in thieves’ cant, also
signifies a burglary.
~Pantalettes~, the drawers worn in America by little girls.
~Pantile~, a hat. The term PANTILE is properly applied to the mould into
which the sugar is poured which is afterwards known as “loaf sugar.”
Thus, PANTILE, from whence comes the phrase, “a sugar-loaf hat,”
originally signified a tall, conical hat, in shape similar to that
usually represented as the head-gear of a bandit. From PANTILE the more
modern slang term TILE has been derived. Halliwell gives PANTILE SHOP, a
meeting-house, from the steeple-crowned or PANTILE hats of its
frequenters. PANTILE also means a flat cake with jam on it, given to
boys at boarding-schools instead of pudding.
~Pantiler~, a Dissenting preacher. Probably from the practice of the
Quakers, and many Dissenters, of not removing their hats in a place of
worship; or from the sugar-loaf hats originally worn by Puritans.
Another derivation is from the earthen tiles, technically PANTILES
(tiles hollowed in the middle, as distinguished from “pintiles,” the
older sort, which are flat, smaller, and pinned or nailed to the
rafters), with which meeting-houses of Dissenters are usually covered;
hence the meeting-house came to be called a PANTILE, and its frequenters
PANTILERS.
~Pants~, American term for trousers. Here used to represent the long
drawers worn underneath.
~Panupetaston~, a loose overcoat with wide sleeves, now out of
fashion.—_Oxford University._
~Paper-maker~, a rag-gatherer, or gutter-raker—similar to the
chiffonnier of Paris. Also, a man who tramps through the country, and
collects rags on the pretence that he is an agent to a paper mill.
~Paper-Worker~, a wandering vendor of street literature; one who sells
ballads, dying speeches, and confessions, sometimes termed a “running
stationer.”
~Parachute~, a parasol.
~Paradise~, French slang for the gallery of a theatre, “up amongst the
GODS,” which _see_.
~Parish lantern~, the moon.
~Parish prig~, or PARISH BULL, a parson.—_Thieves’ cant._
~Parney~, rain; “dowry of PARNEY,” a quantity of rain. _Anglo-Indian_
slang from the _Hindoo_, PANI, water; _Gipsy_, PANE. Old Indian officers
always call brandy-and-water “brandy PAWNEE.”
~Parson~, a signpost. Common term in the north, where they say that the
PARSON points, but does not lead. This is given, as the lawyers say,
“without prejudice.”
~Parson Trulliber~, a rude, vulgar, country clergyman, devoted to
agricultural pursuits; the race is most probably now extinct. From the
pig-feeding and pig-headed parson in _Joseph Andrews_.
~Parson’s nose~, the hind part of a goose—a savoury mouthful. Sometimes
called the POPE’S NOSE.
~Part~, to pay, restore, or give up; “he’s a right un, he is; I know’d
he’d PART,” _i.e._, he is a liberal (or punctual) person, and pays his
debts, or bestows gratuities. The term is in general use in sporting
circles, and is very commonly employed when speaking of the settlement
of bets after a race. It is probably derived from the very common
reference to stingy people, who are described as not liking to PART with
their money.
~Parter~, a free, liberal person. Sometimes called a “good PARTER.” Any
one who looks twice at his money, or who doesn’t pay it at all, is
called a “bad PARTER.”
~Party~, a person—term in very general use, similar in application to
the German pronoun, MAN, a person, people; “where’s the PARTY as ’ad a’
orter be lookin’ after this ’ere ’oss?” policeman’s inquiry of the wrong
cabman; “old PARTY,” an elderly person. The term is said to have arisen
in our old justice courts, where, to save “his worship” and the clerk of
the court any trouble in exercising their memories with the names of the
different plaintiffs, defendants, and witnesses, the word PARTY was
generally employed. Dean Alford remarked:—
“The word PARTY for a man is especially offensive. Strange to say,
the use is not altogether modern. It occurs in the English version
of the Apocryphal book of Tobit, vi. 7. ‘If an evil spirit trouble
any, one must make a smoke thereof before the man or the woman, and
the PARTY shall be no more vexed.’”
In Shakspeare we find the term:—
“_Stephano._ How now shall this be compassed? Canst thou bring me to
the PARTY?”—_Tempest_, iii. 2.
This is not the only instance of the word being used by the immortal
bard. “I once heard,” said the Dean just quoted, “a venerable dignitary
pointed out by a railway porter as an old PARTY in a shovel.” The last
word is the vulgar term applied to the peculiar hat worn by clerical
dignitaries.
~Pash~, to strike; now corrupted to BASH, which _see_.—_Shakspeare._
~Paste~, to beat, to thrash vigorously.
~Pasteboard~, a visiting card; “to PASTEBOARD a person,” to drop a card
at an absent person’s house.
~Paste-horn~, the nose. Shoemakers nickname any shopmate with a large
nose “old PASTE-HORN,” from the shape of the horn in which they keep
their paste.
~Pasty~, a bookbinder.
~Patch.~ This old English term of reproach, long obsolete in polite
language, may yet occasionally be heard in sentences like these:—“Why,
he’s not a PATCH upon him,” _i.e._, he is not to be compared with him;
“one’s not a PATCH on the other,” &c. Shakspeare uses the word in the
sense of a paltry fellow:—
“What a pied ninny’s this? thou scurvy PATCH!”
In old English PATCH meant a fool, a wearer of patched clothes of
motley.
~Patent coats~, the first coat, with the pockets inside the skirt, were
so termed.
~Patter~, a speech or discourse, a pompous street oration, a judge’s
summing up, a trial. Ancient word for muttering. Probably from the
_Latin_, PATERNOSTER, or Lord’s Prayer. This was said, before the
Reformation, in a “low voice” by the priest, until he came to “and lead
us not into temptation,” to which the choir responded, “but deliver us
from evil.” In the reformed Prayer Book this was altered, and the Lord’s
Prayer directed to be said “with a _loud voice_.” Dr. Pusey takes this
view of the derivation in his _Letter to the Bishop of London_, p. 78,
1851. Scott uses the word twice, in _Ivanhoe_ and the _Bride of
Lammermoor_.
~Patter~, to talk. PATTER FLASH, to speak the language of thieves, talk
cant.
~Patteran~, a gipsy trail, made by throwing down a handful of grass
occasionally, especially where they have turned off from the main road.
~Patter-crib~, a flash house.
~Patterer~, one of a race now nearly defunct, who cried last dying
speeches, &c., in the streets. The term is also applied to those who
help off their wares by long harangues in the public thoroughfares.
These men, to use their own term, “are the aristocracy of the street
sellers,” and despise the costermongers for their ignorance, boasting
that they live by their intellect, which, as they do not live
wonderfully well, is no particularly wise boast.
~Pattern~, a common vulgar phrase for “patent.”
~Paul Pry~, an inquisitive person. From the well-known comedy.
~Paw~, the hand. PAW-CASES, gloves. Boots are in some parts of Ireland
called “gloves for the feet.”