CORKS, money; “how are you off for corks?” a soldier’s term of a very
expressive kind, denoting the means of “keeping afloat.”
CORNED, drunk or intoxicated. Possibly from soaking or pickling oneself
like CORNED beef.
CORNERED, hemmed in a corner, placed in a position from which there is
no escape.—_American._
CORPORATION, the protuberant front of an obese person.
CORPSE, to confuse or put out the actors by making a
mistake.—_Theatrical._
COSSACK, a policeman.
COSTERMONGERS, street sellers of fish, fruit, vegetables, poultry, &c.
The London costermongers number more than 30,000. They form a distinct
class, occupying whole neighbourhoods, and are cut off from the rest
of metropolitan society by their low habits, general improvidence,
pugnacity, love of gambling, total want of education, disregard for
lawful marriage ceremonies, _and their use of a cant_ (or so-called
_back slang_) _language_.
COSTER, the short and slang term for a costermonger, or costard-monger,
who was originally an apple seller. COSTERING, _i.e._, costermongering.
COTTON, to like, adhere to, or agree with any person; “to cotton on to
a man,” to attach yourself to him, or fancy him, literally, to stick to
him as cotton would. _Vide Bartlett_, who claims it as an Americanism;
and _Halliwell_, who terms it an Archaism; also _Bacchus and Venus_,
1737.
COUNCIL OF TEN, the toes of a man who turns his feet inward.
COUNTER JUMPER, a shopman, a draper’s assistant.
COUNTY-CROP (_i.e._, COUNTY-PRISON CROP), hair cut close and round, as
if guided by a basin—an indication of having been in prison.
COUTER, a sovereign. HALF-A-COUTER, half-a-sovereign.
COVE, or COVEY, a boy or man of any age or station. A term generally
preceded by an expressive adjective, thus a “flash COVE,” a “rum COVE,”
a “downy COVE,” &c. The feminine, COVESS, was once popular, but it has
fallen into disuse. _Ancient cant_, originally (temp. Henry VIII.)
COFE, or CUFFIN, altered in _Decker’s_ time to COVE. Probably connected
with CUIF, which, in the North of England, signifies a lout or awkward
fellow. Amongst _Negroes_, CUFFEE.
COVENTRY, “to send a man to COVENTRY,” not to speak to or notice him.
Coventry was one of those towns in which the privilege of practising
most trades was anciently confined to certain privileged persons, as
the freemen, &c. Hence a stranger stood little chance of custom, or
countenance, and “to send a man to COVENTRY,” came to be equivalent to
putting him out of the pale of society.
COVER-DOWN, a tossing coin with a false cover, enabling either head or
tail to be shown, according as the cover is left on or taken off.
COWAN, a sneak, an inquisitive or prying person.—_Masonic term._
_Greek_, κύων, a dog.
COW’S GREASE, butter.
COW-LICK, the term given to the lock of hair which costermongers
and thieves usually twist forward from the ear; a large greasy
curl upon the cheek, seemingly licked into shape. The opposite of
NEWGATE-KNOCKER, which see.