and places of great public thronging, consisting of two or three
thimbles rapidly and dexterously placed over a pea. The THIMBLE-RIGGER,
suddenly ceasing, asks under which thimble the pea is to be found. Any
one not a practised hand would lose nine times out of ten any bet he
might happen to make with him. The pea is generally concealed under his
nail. THIMBLE-RIGGING has of late years given way to “broad-working.”
~Thimble-twisters~, thieves who rob persons of their watches.
~Thingumy~, THINGUMBOB, expressions used for the name of a thing which
cannot be recollected at the instant.
~Thin-skinned~, over-nice, petulant, apt to get a “raw.” _See_ that
term.
~Three-cornered scraper~, a cocked hat.—_Sea._
~Three sheets in the wind~, unsteady from drink.—_Sea._
~Three-up~, a gambling game played by costers and others of like grade.
Three halfpennies are thrown up by one man to the call of another. If
they do not come all alike, the cry is void, and the calling and tossing
are resumed. When the three coins are all alike they are said to “come
off,” and then all bets are decided according to the success or failure
of the caller. When two men toss, they play “up for up,” _i.e._, they
toss and cry alternately. When three or more join in, the gathering is
named a school, and one man, who is called a pieman, cries to the
halfpence of the others until he loses, when the winner of the toss
becomes pieman in turn.
~Through~, finished. In America, where this word is most used in the
sense now given, a guest who has had enough will, when asked to take
more, say, “I’m THROUGH,” which is certainly preferable to the other
Americanism, “crammed.”
~Thrummer~, a threepenny bit.
~Thrums~, threepence. Also, in Coventry, remnants and waste pieces of
silk.
~Thrups~, threepence. _See_ the preceding, which is more general.
~Thud~, the dull, dead sound made by the fall of a heavy body, or the
striking of a bullet against any soft, fleshy substance.
~Thumper~, a magnificently constructed lie, a lie about which there is
no stint of imaginative power.
~Thumping~, large, fine, or strong.
~Thunderbomb~, an imaginary ship of vast size. _See_ MERRY DUN OF DOVER.
~Thunderer~, the _Times_ newspaper, sometimes termed “the THUNDERER of
Printing House Square,” from the locality where it is printed.
~Thundering~, large, extra-sized.
~Tibbing out~, going out of bounds.—_Charterhouse._
~Tibby~, the head. Street slang, with no known etymology. To drop on
one’s TIBBY is to frighten or startle any one, to take one unawares.
~Tib’s eve~, “neither before Christmas nor after,” an indefinite period;
like the Greek Kalends, TIB’S EVE has a future application; an
indefinite period of past time is sometimes said to be “when Adam was an
oakum-boy in Chatham Dockyard.” “The reign of Queen Dick” is another
form of this kind of expression, and is used to indicate either past
time or future.
~Tick~, credit, trust. Johnson says it is a corruption of
“ticket,”—tradesmen’s bills being formerly written on tickets or cards.
On TICK, therefore, is equivalent to on TICKET, or on trust. In use in
1668, and before, as follows:—
“No matter upon landing whether you have money or no—you may swim
in twentie of their boats over the river upon TICKET.”—_Decker’s
Gulls’ Hornbook_, 1609.
~Ticker~, a watch. Formerly cant, now street slang.
~Ticket~, “that’s the TICKET,” _i.e._, that’s what is wanted, or what is
best. Probable corruption of “that’s _etiquette_,” or, perhaps, from
TICKET, a bill or invoice. This phrase is sometimes extended into
“that’s the TICKET for soup,” in allusion to the card given to beggars
for immediate relief at soup kitchens. _See_ TICK.
~Tickle~, to puzzle; “a reg’lar TICKLER” is a poser.
~Tiddlywink~, slim, puny; sometimes TILLYWINK.
~Tidy~, tolerably, or pretty well; “How did you get on to-day?”—“Oh,
TIDY.”—_Saxon._
~Tie~, a dead heat. A game of any kind, in which the possibility exists,
is said to end in a tie, if the markings are level on each side at the
finish. In racing parlance, all level finishes are called dead-heats.
~Tied up~, given over, finished; also married, in allusion to the
hymeneal knot, unless a jocose allusion be intended to the “halter”
(altar). _See_ BUCKLED, term in use among costermongers and street folk
generally.
~Tiff~, a pet, a fit of ill humour.
~Tiffin~, a breakfast, _déjeûner à la fourchette_.—_Anglo-Indian
Slang._
~Tiffy~, easily offended, apt to be annoyed.
~Tiger~, a parasite; also a term for a ferocious woman; a boy employed
to wait on gentlemen—one who waits on ladies is a page.
~Tiger~, a superlative yell. “Three cheers, and the last in
TIGERS.”—_American._ To “fight the TIGER” is also American, and refers
to gambling with professionals—dangerous pastime.
~Tight~, close, stingy; hard up, short of cash; TIGHT, spruce, strong,
active; “a TIGHT lad,” a smart, active young fellow; TIGHT, drunk, or
nearly so, generally the result of “going on the loose;” “TIGHT-laced,”
puritanical, over-precise. Money is said to be TIGHT when the public,
from want of confidence in the aspect of affairs, are not inclined to
speculate.
~Tightener~, a dinner, or hearty meal. _See_ SPITALFIELDS’ BREAKFAST.
~Tike-~, or BUFFER-LURKING, dog-stealing.
~Tile~, a hat, a covering for the head.
“I’m a gent, I’m a gent,
In the Regent-Street style,—
Examine my costume,
And look at my TILE.”—_Popular Song._
Sometimes used in another sense, “having a TILE loose,” _i.e._, being
slightly crazy. _See_ PANTILE.
~Timber merchant~, or SPUNK FENCER, a lucifer-match seller.
~Timber-toes~, a wooden-legged man. Also at the East-end one who wears
clogs, _i.e._, wooden soled boots.
~Time~, cabman’s slang for money. If they wish to express 9s. 9d. they
say that “it is a quarter to ten;” if 3s. 6d., half-past three; if 11s.
9d. a quarter to twelve. Cab-drivers can hardly have originated a system
which has been in existence as long as the adage, “Time is money.” They
have, however, the full use of the arrangement, which is perhaps the
simplest on record.
~Time~, TO DO, to work out a sentence of imprisonment. Time is the
generic term for all quantities of incarceration, whether short or long.
Sometimes stir-time (imprisonment in the House of Correction) is
distinguished from the more extended system of punishment which is
called “pinnel (penal) time.”
~Time o’ day~, a dodge, the latest aspect of affairs; “that’s your TIME
O’ DAY,” _i.e._, that’s well done; to put a person up to the TIME O’
DAY, or let him know “what’s o’clock,” is to instruct him in the
knowledge needful for him.
~Tin~, money,—generally applied to silver.
~Tinge~, the per-centage allowed by drapers and clothiers to their
assistants upon the sale of old-fashioned articles. _See_ SPIFFS.
~Tinkler~, a bell. “Jerk the TINKLER,” ring the bell. Refined or
affected slangists sometimes say, “Agitate the communicator,” which,
though it represents “ring the bell,” should more properly mean “pull
the cord.”
~Tin-pot~, “he plays a TIN-POT game,” _i.e._, a low, mean, or shabby
game. In the _Contes d’Eutrapel_, a French officer at the siege of
Chatillon is ridiculously spoken of as Captain TIN-POT—_Capitaine du
Pot d’Etain_. TIN-POT, as generally used, means worthless. As applied to
billiards and kindred games, it means pretentious and inferior play.
~Tip~, advice or information respecting anything, but mostly used in
reference to horse-racing, so that the person TIPPED may know how to bet
to the best advantage. The “straight TIP” is the TIP which comes direct
from the owner or trainer of a horse. Of late years a “straight TIP”
means a direct hint on any subject.
~Tip~, a douceur; “that’s the TIP,” _i.e._, that’s the proper thing to
do. “To miss one’s TIP,” to fail in a scheme.—_Old Cant._
~Tip~, to give, lend, or hand over anything to another person; “come,
TIP up the tin,” _i.e._, hand up the money; “TIP the wink,” to inform by
winking; “TIP us your fin,” _i.e._, give me your hand; “TIP one’s boom
off,” to make off, or depart. From the seafaring phrase.
~Tip the double~, to “bolt,” or run away from any one.
~Tip-top~, first-rate, of the best kind.
~Tip-topper~, a “swell,” or dressy man, a “Gorger.”
~Tipper~, a kind of ale brewed at Brighton. Mrs. Gamp preferred the
“Brighton TIPPER.”
~Tipster~, a “turf” agent who collects early and generally special
information of the condition and racing capabilities of horses in the
training districts, and posts the same to his subscribers to guide their
betting.
“The racing TIPSTERS have much less patronage than formerly, before
“Geoffry Greenhorn” laid a trap for them, and published the tips he
received in _The Life_. Professor Ingledue, M.A., the mesmerist, is
silent; and if their subscribers, ‘for whose interests I have
collected my old and able staff, with many additional ones, who are
already at work in the training districts,’ could only get a sight
of the ‘old and able staff,’ they would find it consisting of a man
and a boy, at work in the back room of a London public-house, and
sending different winners for every race to their
subscribers.”—_Post and Paddock_, by the “Druid.”
There are, however, whatever non-racing men may think, many “touts”
whose information is valuable to even the “best informed” writers.
~Tit~, a favourite name for a horse.
“They scorned the coach, they scorned the rails,
Two spanking tits with streaming tails,
Them swiftly onward drew.”—_End of All Things._
~Tit for tat~, an equivalent.
~Titivate~, to put in order, or dress up. Originally TIDY-VATE.
~Titley~, drink, generally applied to intoxicating beverages.
~Titter~, a girl; “nark the TITTER,” _i.e._, look at the girl.—_Tramp’s
term._
~Tizzy~, a sixpence. Corruption of TESTER.
~Toad-in-the-hole~, a kind of pudding, consisting of small pieces of
meat immersed in batter, and baked. Also, a term applied to
perambulating advertising mediums. _See_ SANDWICH.
~Toasting-fork~, a regulation sword, indicative of the general
uselessness of that weapon.
~Toby~, the road. The highwayman or swell robber was in old days said to
be on the high TOBY, from the high or main road, while those meaner
fellows, the footpad and the cutpurse, were but “low TOBY-MEN,” from
their frequenting the by-ways.
~To-do~ (pronounced quickly, and as one word), a disturbance, trouble;
“here’s a pretty TO-DO,” here is an unpleasant difficulty. This exactly
tallies with the _French_, AFFAIRE (_à faire_).—_See Forby’s Vocabulary
of East Anglia_.
~To the nines~, to the dodges of the day. “He’s up to the NINES,” means
he’s up to everything. “Dressed to the NINES,” means dressed loudly, or,
as it is more generally known now, “dressed to death.”
~Toddle~, to walk as a child.
~Toe~, to kick. “I’ll TOE your backside.” Common in London.
~Toff~, a dandy, a swell of rank. Corruption probably of TUFT. _See_
TOFT.
~Toffer~, a well-dressed “gay” woman. One who deals with TOFFS.
~Tofficky~, dressy, showy.
~Toft~, a showy individual, a swell, a person who, in a Yorkshireman’s
vocabulary, would be termed “uppish.” _See_ TUFT.
~Tog~, a coat. _Latin_, TOGA.—_Ancient Cant._
~Tog~, to dress, or equip with an outfit; “TOGGED out to the nines,”
dressed in the first style.
~Toggery~, clothes, harness, domestic paraphernalia of any kind.
~Togs~, clothes; “Sunday TOGS,” best clothes. One of the oldest cant
words—in use in the time of Henry VIII. _See_ CANT.
~Toke~, dry bread. Sometimes used to denote a lump of anything.
~Toko for yam~, a Roland for an Oliver. Possibly from a system of barter
carried on between sailors and aborigines.
~Tol-lol~, or TOL-LOLLISH, tolerable, or tolerably.
~Toll-shop~, a Yorkshire correspondent gives this word as denoting in
that county a prison, and also the following verse of a song, popular at
fairs in the East Riding:—
“But if ivver he get out agean,
And can but raise a frind,
Oh! the divel may tak’ TOLL-SHOP,
At Beverley town-end!”
This is but a variation of the Scottish TOLBOOTH.
~Tom~, _e.g._, “after TOM,” after the hour at which Big TOM of
Christchurch rings. At its last stroke the gates are closed, and
undergrads entering after have to pay an increasing sum for each hour up
to twelve. To be out after that involves an interview with the
Master.—_Oxford University._
~Tom and Jerry shop~, a low drinking shop. Probably some allusion to
Pierce Egan’s famous characters in his _Life in London_. Generally
contracted to JERRY SHOP.
~Tom Toppers~, a waterman, from a popular song, entitled, _Overboard he
vent_.
~Tom Tug~, a waterman. From the small stage-play. Also rhyming slang for
a flat, or rather a “mug.”
~Tomboy~, a hoyden, a rude romping girl.
~Tombstone~, a pawn-ticket—“In memory of” whatever has been pawned,—a
well-known slang expression with those Londoners who are in the habit of
following “my uncle.”
~Tomfoolery~, nonsense; trashy, mild, and innocuous literature.
~Tom-fool’s colours~, scarlet and yellow, the ancient motley.
Occasionally, as a rhyme of quality suitable to the subject,
“Red and yellow,
TOM FOOL’S colour.”
A proposition is said to be TOM FOOL when it is too ridiculous to be
entertained or discussed.
~Tom-tom~, a street instrument, a kind of small drum beaten with the
fingers, somewhat like the ancient tabor; a performer on this
instrument. “Hark! ’tis the Indian drum.”
~Tommy~, _See_ DICKEY.
~Tommy~, bread,—food generally. Sometimes applied by workmen to the
supply of food which they carry in a bag or handkerchief as their daily
allowance. TOMMY-BAG is the term for the bag or handkerchief in which
the “daily bread” is carried.
~Tommy~, truck, barter, the exchange of labour for goods, not money.
Both term and practice, general among English operatives for
half-a-century, are by a current fiction supposed to have been abolished
by Act of Parliament.
~Tommy Dodd~, in tossing when the odd man either wins or loses, as per
agreement. A phrase in frequent use in London. A music-hall song has
been given with this title and on this subject.
~Tommy-master~, one who pays his workmen in goods, or gives them tickets
upon tradesmen, with whom he shares the profit.
~Tommy-shop~, a shop where wages are paid to mechanics or others, who
are expected to “take out” a portion of the money in goods. Also, a
baker’s shop.
~Tongue~, “to TONGUE a person,” _i.e._, to talk him down. TONGUED,
talkative.
~Tony Lumpkin~, a young, clownish country fellow. From _She Stoops to
Conquer_.
~Tool~, as “a poor TOOL,” a bad hand at anything.
~Tool~, to drive a coach, or any other vehicle. To “handle the ribbons”
in fine style.
~Tool~, a very little boy employed by burglars to enter at small
apertures, and open doors for the larger thieves outside.
~Tooler~, a pickpocket. MOLL-TOOLER, a female pickpocket.
~Tooley Street tailor~, a self-conceited, vainglorious man. The “three
tailors of Tooley Street” are said to have immortalized themselves by
preparing a petition for Parliament—and some say, presenting it—with
only their own signatures thereto, which commenced, “We, the people of
England.”
~Tooth~, “he has cut his eye TOOTH,” _i.e._, he is sharp enough, or old
enough, to do so; “old in the TOOTH,” far advanced in age,—said often
of old maids. From the stable term for aged horses which have lost the
distinguishing marks in their teeth.
~Tootsies~, feet, those of ladies and children in particular. In married
life it is said the husband uses this expression for the first six
months; after that he terms them “hoofs.”
~Top~, the signal among tailors and sempstresses for snuffing the
candle; one cries TOP, and all the others follow; he who last pronounces
the word has to snuff the candle.
~Top-dressing~, in journalism, is the large-type introduction to a
report, generally written by a man of higher literary attainments than
the ordinary reporter who follows with the details.
~Top-heavy~, drunk.
~Top-sawyer~, the principal of a party, or profession. “A TOP-SAWYER
signifies a man that is a master-genius in any profession. It is a piece
of Norfolk slang, and took its rise from Norfolk being a great timber
county, where the TOP SAWYERS get double the wages of those beneath
them.”—_Randall’s Diary_, 1820.
~Top up~, a finishing drink. “He drank two bottles of claret and one of
port, which he TOPPED UP with half a bottle of brandy.”
~Topped~, hanged, or executed.
~Topper~, anything or person above the ordinary; a blow on the head.
“Give him a TOPPER and chance it,” “Let him have a TOPPER for luck.”
~Topper~, the tobacco which is left in the bottom of a pipe-bowl—_lucus
a non lucendo_; or the stump of a smoked cigar. TOPPER-HUNTERS are men
who pick up cigar ends and odd pieces of stale tobacco, which they mix
and chop up for home consumption or sale.
~Topsy-turvy~, the bottom upwards. Grose gives an ingenious etymology of
this once cant term, viz., “top-side turf-ways,”—turf being always laid
the wrong side upwards. This is so far ingenious that it creates a fact
for the purpose of arguing from it. Turfs are laid with the grass part
together during carriage; so, anyhow, the definition could be only half
right. In fact, TOPSY-TURVY is but short for “top-side t’other way.”
~To-rights~, excellent, very well, or good.—_Low London slang._
~Tormentors~, the large iron flesh-forks used by cooks at sea.
~Torpids~, the second-class race-boats at Oxford, answering to the
Cambridge “sloggers.”
~Toshers~, men who steal copper from ships’ bottoms in the Thames.
~Toss~, a measure of sprats.—_Billingsgate._
~Tot~, a small glass; a “TOT o’ whisky” is the smallest quantity sold.
~Tot-up~, to add together,—as columns of figures, £ _s._ _d._ From
TOTAL-UP, through the vulgarism TOTTLE.
~Totting~, bone-picking, either peripatetically or at the dust-heaps.
“TOT” is a bone, but chiffoniers and cinder-hunters generally are called
TOT-PICKERS nowadays. TOTTING also has its votaries on the banks of the
Thames, where all kinds of flotsam and jetsam, from coals to carrion,
are known as TOTS.
~Touch~, a slang expression in common use in phrases which express the
extent to which a person is interested or affected, “as a fourpenny
TOUCH,” _i.e._, a thing costing fourpence. _See_ an example in Mr.,
afterwards Sir Erasmus, Philipps’s Diary, at Oxford, in 1720. “_Sept.
22._—At night went to the ball at the Angel, a guinea TOUCH.” It is also
used at Eton in the sense of a “tip,” or present of money; and is
sometimes said of a woman to imply her worthlessness, as, “Only a
half-crown TOUCH.”
~Touch-and-go~, an expression often applied to men with whom business
arrangements should be of the lightest possible character. Thus, “He’s a
TOUCH-AND-GO sort of fellow. Be careful of him.”
~Toucher~, “as near as a TOUCHER,” as near as possible without actually
touching.—_Coaching term._ The old Jarveys, to show their skill, used
to drive against things so closely as absolutely to touch, yet without
injury. This they called a TOUCHER, or TOUCH-AND-GO, which was hence
applied to anything which was within an ace of ruin.
~Touchy~, peevish, irritable. Johnson terms it a low word.
~Tout.~ In sporting phraseology a TOUT signifies an agent in the
training districts, on the look-out for information as to the condition
and capabilities of those horses entering for a coming race. TOUTS often
get into trouble through entering private training-grounds. They,
however, are very highly paid, some making 40_l._ or 50_l._ a week
during the season. Now frequently called horse-watchers.
~Tout~, to look out, or watch.
~Touter~, a looker out, one who waits at railway stations and steamboat
piers, and touts for customers; a hotel runner. Term in general use.
~Touzle~, to romp with or rumple.—_Scotch._
~Towel~, to beat or whip. In old English phraseology a cudgel was termed
an oaken TOWEL—whence, perhaps, the verb.
~Towelling~, a rubbing down with an oaken TOWEL, a beating.
~Town and Gown.~ The fight which used to come off every 5th of November
between the undergrads and the “cads.” The sides used to shout
respectively “TOWN!” and “GOWN!” as war-cries.—_Oxford University._
~Town-lout~, a derogatory title at Rugby School for those pupils who
reside with their parents in the town, in contradistinction from those
who live in the boarding-houses.
~Tow-pows~, grenadiers. From the bearskins, most likely, unless it was
originally TALL-POWS, the grenadiers being the tallest men in the
company.
~Towzery gang~, swindlers who hire sale-rooms, usually in the suburbs,
for mock auction sales of cheap and worthless goods, and who advertise
their ventures as “Alarming Sacrifices,” “Important Sales of Bankrupts’
Stock,” &c. The American name for a mock auctioneer is a “Peter Funk.”
~Tracks~, “to make TRACKS,” to run away. _See_ STREAK.
~Tradesman~, one who thoroughly understands his business, whatever it
may be. No better compliment can be passed on an individual, whether his
profession be housebreaking, prizefighting, or that of a handicraftsman,
than the significant “He’s a regular TRADESMAN.”
~Translator~, a man who deals in old shoes or clothes, and refits them
for cheap wear. These people generally live in or about Dudley Street,
Seven Dials.
~Translators~, second-hand boots mended and polished, and sold at a low
price.
~Trap~, a “fast” term for a carriage of any kind. TRAPS, goods and
chattels of any kind, but especially luggage and personal effects; in
Australia, “swag.”
~Trapesing~, gadding or gossiping about in a slatternly way. Generally
applied to girls and women in low neighbourhoods, who wander from
public-house to public-house, and whose clothes are carelessly fastened,
causing them to trail on the ground.
~Traveller~, name given by one tramp to another. “A TRAVELLER at her
Majesty’s expense,” _i.e._, a transported felon, a convict.
~Tree~, “up a TREE,” in temporary difficulties,—out of the way.
American expression, derived from racoon or bear-hunting. When Bruin is
TREED, or is forced up a TREE by the dogs, it means that then the tug of
war begins. _See_ ’COON. Hence when an opponent is fairly run to bay,
and can by no evasion get off, he is said to be TREED. These expressions
originated with Colonel Crockett, of backwoods celebrity. In Scotland
the phrase is “up a close,” _i.e._, up a passage with no outlet, a
_cul-de-sac_, therefore suggestive of an unpleasant predicament.
~Triangles~, a slang term for _delirium tremens_, during a fit of which
everything appears out of the square.
~Trimmings~, the necessary adjuncts to anything cooked, but specially
applied to a boiled leg of mutton, as turnips, potatoes, bread, beer,
salt, &c. Bets are frequently made for a leg of mutton and TRIMMINGS. Or
one person will forfeit the mutton if another will “stand the
TRIMMINGS.” It is generally a supper feast, held in a public-house, and
the rule is for the landlord to charge as TRIMMINGS everything, except
the mutton, placed on the table previous to the removal of the cloth. A
boiled leg o’ mutton and TRIMMINGS will be always known as a “swarry” to
admirers of Sam Weller.
~Tripes~, the bowels.
“Next morning Miss Dolly complained of her TRIPES,
Drinking cold water had given her gripes.”
~Trollies~, or TROLLY-CARTS, term given by costermongers to a species of
narrow carts, which can either be drawn by a donkey or driven by hand.
~Trolling~, sauntering or idling, hence TROLL and TROLLOCKS, an idle
slut, a “moll,” which _see_.
~Trollop~, a slatternly woman, a prostitute.
~Trot~, to “run up,” to oppose, to bid against at an auction. Private
buyers at auctions know from experience how general is the opposition
against them from dealers, “knock-outs,” and other habitués of sales,
who regard the rooms as their own peculiar domain. “We TROTTED him up
nicely, didn’t we?” _i.e._, we made him (the private buyer) pay dearly
for what he bought.
~Trot out~, to draw out or exploit, to show off the abilities of a
companion; sometimes to roast for the amusement and with the assistance
of an assembled company.
~Trotter~, a tailor’s man who goes round for orders.—_University._
~Trotter cases~, shoes.
~Trotters~, feet. Sheep’s TROTTERS, boiled sheep’s feet, a favourite
street delicacy.
~Truck~, a hat—from the cap on the extremity of a mast.—_Sea._
~Truck~, to exchange or barter.
~Trucks~, trousers.
~Trull~, corruption of “troll” or “trollop,” a dirty, slatternly woman,
a prostitute of the lowest class.