COOLIE, a soldier, in allusion to the _Hindoo_ COOLIES, or day
labourers.
COON, abbreviation of Racoon.—_American._ A GONE COON—_ditto_, one
in an awful fix, past praying for. This expression is said to have
originated in the American war with a spy, who dressed himself in a
racoon skin, and ensconced himself in a tree. An English rifleman
taking him for a veritable coon levelled his piece at him, upon which
he exclaimed, “Don’t shoot, I’ll come down of myself, I know I’m a GONE
COON.” The Yankees say the Britisher was so flummuxed, that he flung
down his rifle and “made tracks” for home. The phrase is pretty usual
in England.
COOPER, stout half-and-half, _i.e._, half stout and half porter.
COOPER, to destroy, spoil, settle, or finish. COOPER’D, spoilt, “done
up,” synonymous with the Americanism, CAVED IN, fallen in and ruined.
The vagabonds’ hieroglyphic ▽, chalked by them on gate posts and
houses, signifies that the place has been spoilt by too many tramps
calling there.
COOPER, to forge, or imitate in writing; “COOPER a moneker,” to forge a
signature.
COP, to seize or lay hold of anything unpleasant; used in a similar
sense to _catch_ in the phrase “to COP (or catch) a beating,” “to get
COPT.”
COPER, properly HORSE-COUPER, a Scotch horse-dealer,—used to denote a
dishonest one.
COPPER, a policeman, _i.e._, one who COPS, which see.
COPPER, a penny. COPPERS, mixed pence.
COPUS, a Cambridge drink, consisting of ale combined with spices, and
varied by spirits, wines, &c. Corruption of HIPPOCRAS.
CORINTHIANISM, a term derived from the classics, much in vogue some
years ago, implying pugilism, high life, “sprees,” roistering,
&c.—_Shakespere_. The immorality of _Corinth_ was proverbial in
Greece. Κορινθίαζ εσθαι, to _Corinthianise_, indulge in the company of
courtesans, was a _Greek_ slang expression. Hence the proverb—
Οὐ παντὸς ἀνδρὸς εἰς Κόρινθον ἔσθ' ὁ πλοῦς,
and _Horace_, Epist. lib. 1, xvii. 36—
Non cuivis homini contingit adire Corinthum,
in allusion to the spoliation practised by the “hetæræ” on those who
visited them.