GUTTER LANE, the throat.
GUY, a fright, a dowdy, an ill-dressed person. Derived from the effigy
of Guy Fawkes carried about by boys on Nov. 5.
GYP, an undergraduate’s valet at _Cambridge_. Corruption of GYPSEY JOE
(_Saturday Review_); popularly derived by Cantabs from the _Greek_,
GYPS (γύπς), a vulture, from their dishonest rapacity. At _Oxford_ they
are called SCOUTS.
HACKLE, “to show HACKLE,” to be willing to fight. HACKLES are the
long feathers on the back of a cock’s neck, which he erects when
angry,—hence the metaphor.
HADDOCK, a purse.—_See_ BEANS.
HALF A BEAN, half a sovereign.
HALF A BULL, two shillings and sixpence.
HALF A COUTER, half a sovereign.
HALF A HOG, sixpence; sometimes termed HALF A GRUNTER.
HALF A STRETCH, six months in prison.
HALF A TUSHEROON, half a crown.
HALF AND HALF, a mixture of ale and porter, much affected by medical
students; occasionally _Latinized_ into DIMIDIUM DIMIDIUMQUE.—_See_
COOPER.
HALF BAKED, soft, doughy, half-witted, silly.
HALF FOOLISH, ridiculous; means often _wholly_ foolish.
HALF JACK.—_See_ JACKS.
HALF ROCKED, silly, half-witted.—Compare HALF BAKED.
HALF SEAS OVER, reeling drunk.—_Sea._ Used by _Swift_.
HAND, a workman, or helper, a person. “A cool HAND,” explained by Sir
Thomas Overbury to be “one who accounts bashfulness the wickedest thing
in the world, and therefore studies impudence.”
HANDER, a second, or assistant, in a prize fight.
HANDLE, a nose; the title appended to a person’s name; also a term in
boxing, “HANDLING one’s fists.”
HAND-SAW, or CHIVE FENCER, a man who sells razors and knives in the
streets.
HANDSELLER, or CHEAP JACK, a street or open air seller, a man who
carries goods to his customers, instead of waiting for his customers to
visit him.
HANG OUT, to reside,—in allusion to the ancient custom of _hanging out_
signs.
HANGMAN’S WAGES, thirteenpence halfpenny.
HANSEL, or HANDSALE, the _lucky money_, or first money taken in the
morning by a pedlar.—_Cocker’s Dictionary_, 1724. “Legs of mutton
(street term for sheep’s trotters, or feet) two for a penny; who’ll
give me a HANSEL? who’ll give me a HANSEL?”—_Cry at Cloth Fair at the
present day._ Hence, earnest money, first fruits, &c. In Norfolk,
HANSELLING a thing, is using it for the first time, as wearing a new
coat, taking seizin of it, as it were.—_Anglo Saxon._ _N. Bailey._
HA’PURTH OF LIVELINESS, the music at a low concert, or theatre.
HARD LINES, hardship, difficulty.—_Soldiers’ term_ for hard duty on the
_lines_ in front of the enemy.