CAROON, five shillings. _French_, COURONNE; Gipsey, COURNA,—PANSH
COURNA, half-a-crown.
CARPET, “upon the CARPET,” any subject or matter that is uppermost for
discussion or conversation. Frequently quoted as _sur le tapis_, but it
does not seem to be a correct Parisian phrase.
CARRIER PIGEONS, swindlers, who formerly used to cheat Lottery Office
Keepers. _Nearly obsolete._
CARROTS, the coarse and satirical term for red hair.
CARRY-ON, to joke a person to excess, to carry on a “spree” too far;
“how we CARRIED ON, to be sure!” _i.e._, what fun we had.
CART, a race-course.
CARTS, a pair of shoes. In Norfolk the carapace of a crab is called a
_crab cart_, hence CARTS would be synonymous with CRAB SHELLS, which
see.
CART WHEEL, a five shilling piece.
CASA, or CASE, a house, respectable or otherwise. Probably from the
_Italian_, CASA.—_Old cant._ The _Dutch_ use the word KAST in a vulgar
sense for a house, _i.e._, MOTTEKAST, a brothel. CASE sometimes means a
water-closet.
CASCADING, vomiting.
CASE, a bad crown piece. HALF-A-CASE, a counterfeit half crown. There
are two sources, either of which may have contributed this slang term.
CASER is the Hebrew word for a crown; and silver coin is frequently
counterfeited by coating or CASING pewter or iron imitations with
silver.
CASE. A few years ago the term CASE was applied to persons and things;
“what a CASE he is,” _i.e._, what a curious person; “a rum CASE that,”
or “you are a CASE,” both synonymous with the phrase “odd fish,” common
half-a-century ago. Among young ladies at boarding schools a CASE means
a love affair.
CASK, fashionable slang for a brougham, or other private
carriage.—_Household Words_, No. 183.
CASSAM, cheese—not CAFFAN, which Egan, in his edition of _Grose_, has
ridiculously inserted.—_Ancient cant._ _Latin_, CASEUS.