BOW-CATCHERS, or KISS-CURLS, small curls twisted on the cheeks or
temples of young—and often old—girls, adhering to the face as if gummed
or pasted. Evidently a corruption of BEAU-CATCHERS. In old times these
were called _love-locks_, when they were the marks at which all the
puritan and ranting preachers levelled their pulpit pop-guns, loaded
with sharp and virulent abuse. Hall and Prynne looked upon all women as
strumpets who dared to let the hair depart from a straight line upon
their cheeks. The French prettily term them _accroche-cœurs_, whilst in
the United States they are plainly and unpleasantly called SPIT-CURLS.
Bartlett says:—“SPIT CURL, a detached lock of hair curled upon the
temple; probably from having been at first plastered into shape by the
saliva. It is now understood that the mucilage of quince seed is used
by the ladies for this purpose.”
“You may prate of your lips, and your teeth of pearl,
And your eyes so brightly flashing;
My song shall be of that SALIVA CURL
Which threatens my heart to smash in.”
_Boston Transcript_, October 30, 1858.
When men twist the hair on each side of their faces into ropes they are
sometimes called BELL-ROPES, as being wherewith to _draw the belles_.
Whether BELL-ROPES or BOW-CATCHERS, it is singular they should form
part of the prisoner’s paraphernalia, and that a jaunty little kiss-me
quick curl should, of all things in the world, ornament a gaol dock;
yet such was formerly the case. Hunt, the murderer of Weare, on his
trial, we are informed by the Athenæum, appeared at the bar with a
highly pomatumed love-lock sticking tight to his forehead. Young
ladies, think of this!
BOWL-OUT, to put out of the game, to remove out of one’s way, to
detect.—_Cricketing term._
BOWLAS, round tarts made of sugar, apple, and bread, sold in the
streets.
BOWLES, shoes.
BOX-HARRY, a term with bagmen or commercial travellers, implying
dinner and tea at one meal; also dining with Humphrey, _i.e._, going
without.—_Lincolnshire._
BRACE UP, to pawn stolen goods.
BRACELETS, handcuffs.
BRADS, money. Properly, a small kind of nails used by cobblers.—Compare
HORSE NAILS.
BRAD-FAKING, playing at cards.
BRAGGADOCIO, three months’ imprisonment as a reputed thief or old
offender,—sometimes termed a DOSE, or a DOLLOP.—_Household Words_, vol.
i., p. 579.
BRAN-NEW, quite new. Properly, _Brent_, BRAND, or _Fire-new_, _i.e._,
fresh from the anvil.
BRASS, money.
BREAD-BASKET, DUMPLING DEPOT, VICTUALLING OFFICE, &c., are terms given
by the “_Fancy_” to the digestive organ.
BREAK-DOWN, a jovial, social gathering, a FLARE UP; in Ireland, a
wedding.
BREAKING SHINS, borrowing money.
BREAKY-LEG, a shilling.
BREAKY-LEG, strong drink; “he’s been to Bungay fair, and BROKE BOTH
HIS LEGS,” _i.e._, got drunk. In the ancient Egyptian language the
determinative character in the hieroglyphic verb “to be drunk,” has
the significant form of the leg of a man being amputated. [Egyptian
hieroglyphs]
BREECHED, or TO HAVE THE BAGS OFF, to have plenty of money; “to be well
BREECHED,” to be in good circumstances.
BREECHES, “to wear the BREECHES,” said of a wife who usurps the
husband’s prerogative.
BREEKS, breeches.—_Scotch_, now common.
BRICK, a “jolly good fellow;” “a regular BRICK,” a staunch fellow.
“I bonnetted Whewell, when we gave the Rads their gruel,
And taught them to eschew all their addresses to the Queen.
If again they try it on, why to floor them I’ll make one,
Spite of Peeler or of Don, like a BRICK and a _Bean_.”
_The Jolly Bachelors_, Cambridge, 1840.
Said to be derived from an expression of Aristotle, τετραγωνος ἀνηρ.
BRIEF, a pawnbroker’s duplicate.
BRISKET BEATER, a Roman Catholic.
BROADS, cards. BROADSMAN, a card sharper.
BROAD AND SHALLOW, an epithet applied to the so-called “Broad Church,”
in contradistinction to the “High” and “Low” Church.—_See_ HIGH AND DRY.
BROAD-FENCER, card seller at races.
BROSIER, a bankrupt.—_Cheshire._ BROSIER-MY-DAME, school term, implying
a clearing of the housekeeper’s larder of provisions, in revenge for
stinginess.—_Eton._
BROTHER-CHIP, fellow carpenter. Also, BROTHER-WHIP, a fellow coachman;
and BROTHER-BLADE, of the same occupation or calling—originally a
fellow soldier.
BROWN, a halfpenny.—_See_ BLUNT.
BROWN, “to do BROWN,” to do well or completely (in allusion to
roasting); “doing it BROWN,” prolonging the frolic, or exceeding sober
bounds; “DONE BROWN,” taken in, deceived, or surprised.
BROWN BESS, the old Government regulation musket.
BROWN PAPERMEN, low gamblers.
BROWN SALVE, a token of surprise at what is heard, and at the same time
means “I understand you.”
BROWN-STUDY, a reverie. Very common even in educated society, but
hardly admissible in writing, and therefore must be considered a
vulgarism. It is derived, by a writer in _Notes and Queries_, from
BROW study, from the old German BRAUN, or AUG-BRAUN, an eye-brow.—_Ben
Jonson._