A 1, first rate, the very best; “she’s a prime girl she is; she is
A 1.“—_Sam Slick._ The highest classification of ships at Lloyd’s;
common term in the United States, also at Liverpool and other English
seaports. Another, even more intensitive form, is “first-class, letter
A, No. 1.”
ABOUT RIGHT, “to do the thing ABOUT RIGHT,” _i.e._, to do it properly,
soundly, correctly; “he guv it ’im ABOUT RIGHT,” _i.e._, he beat him
severely.
ABRAM-SHAM, or SHAM-ABRAHAM, to feign sickness or distress. From
ABRAM MAN, the _ancient cant_ term for a begging impostor, or one who
pretended to have been mad.—_Burton’s Anatomy of Melancholy_, part i.,
sec. 2, vol. i., p. 360. When Abraham Newland was Cashier of the Bank
of England, and signed their notes, it was sung:—
“I have heard people say
That SHAM ABRAHAM you may,
But you mustn’t SHAM ABRAHAM Newland.”
ABSQUATULATE, to run away, or abscond; a hybrid _American_ expression,
from the Latin _ab_, and “squat,” to settle.
ADAM’S ALE, water.—_English._ The Scotch term is ADAM’S WINE.
AGGERAWATORS (corruption of _Aggravators_), the greasy locks of hair in
vogue among costermongers and other street folk, worn twisted from the
temple back towards the ear. They are also, from a supposed resemblance
in form, termed NEWGATE KNOCKERS, which see.—_Sala’s Gas-light_, &c.
ALDERMAN, a half-crown—possibly from its rotundity.
ALDERMAN, a turkey.
ALDERMAN IN CHAINS, a turkey hung with sausages.
ALL OF A HUGH! all on one side, or with a thump; the word HUGH being
pronounced with a grunt.—_Suffolk._
ALL MY EYE, answer of astonishment to an improbable story; ALL MY EYE
AND BETTY MARTIN, a vulgar phrase with similar meaning, said to be
the commencement of a Popish prayer to St. Martin, “Oh mihi, beate
Martine,” and fallen into discredit at the Reformation.
ALL-OVERISH, neither sick nor well, the premonitory symptoms of illness.
ALL-ROUNDERS, the fashionable shirt collars of the present time worn
meeting in front.
ALL-SERENE, an ejaculation of acquiescence.
ALLS, tap-droppings, refuse spirits sold at a cheap rate in
gin-palaces.—_See_ LOVEAGE.
ALL-THERE, in strict fashion, first-rate, “up to the mark;” a vulgar
person would speak of a spruce, showily-dressed female as being
ALL-THERE. An artizan would use the same phrase to express the
capabilities of a skilful fellow workman.
ALL TO PIECES, utterly, excessively; “he beat him ALL TO PIECES,”
_i.e._, excelled or surpassed him exceedingly.
ALL TO SMASH, or GONE TO PIECES, bankrupt, or smashed to
pieces.—_Somersetshire._
ALMIGHTY DOLLAR, an _American_ expression for the “power of money,”
first introduced by Washington Irving in 1837.
AN’T, or AÏN’T, the vulgar abbreviation of “am not,” or “are not.”
ANOINTING, a good beating.
ANY HOW, in any way, or at any rate, bad; “he went on ANY HOW,” _i.e._,
badly or indifferently.