B. FLATS, bugs.
BIBLE CARRIER, a person who sells songs without singing them.
BIG, “to look BIG,” to assume an inflated dress, or manner; “to talk
BIG,” _i.e._, boastingly, or with an “extensive” air.
BIG-HOUSE, the work-house.
BILBO, a sword; abbrev. of BILBOA blade. Spanish swords were anciently
very celebrated, especially those of Toledo, Bilboa, &c.
BILK, a cheat, or a swindler. Formerly in frequent use, now confined to
the streets, where it is very general. _Gothic_, BILAICAN.
BILK, to defraud, or obtain goods, &c. without paying for them; “to
BILK the schoolmaster,” to get information or experience without paying
for it.
BILLINGSGATE (when applied to speech), foul and coarse language.
Not many years since, one of the London notorieties was to hear the
fishwomen at Billingsgate abuse each other. The anecdote of Dr. Johnson
and the Billingsgate virago is well known.
BILLY, a silk pocket handkerchief.—_Scotch._—See WIPE.
⁂ A list of the slang terms descriptive of the various patterns of
handkerchiefs, pocket and neck, is here subjoined:—
BELCHER, close striped pattern, yellow silk, and intermixed with
white and a little black; named from the pugilist, Jim Belcher.
BIRD’S EYE WIPE, diamond spots.
BLOOD-RED FANCY, red.
BLUE BILLY, blue ground with white spots.
CREAM FANCY, any pattern on a white ground.
GREEN KING’S MAN, any pattern on a green ground.
RANDAL’S MAN, green, with white spots; named after Jack Randal,
pugilist.
WATER’S MAN, sky coloured.
YELLOW FANCY, yellow, with white spots.
YELLOW MAN, all yellow.
BILLY-BARLOW, a street clown; sometimes termed a JIM CROW, or
SALTIMBANCO,—so called from the hero of a slang song.—_Bulwer’s Paul
Clifford._
BILLY-HUNTING, buying old metal.
BIRD-CAGE, a four-wheeled cab.
BIT, fourpence; in America 12½ cents is called a BIT, and a defaced 20
cent piece is termed a LONG BIT. A BIT is the smallest coin in Jamaica,
equal to 6d.
BIT, a purse, or any sum of money.
BIT-FAKER, or TURNER OUT, a coiner of bad money.