MOPS AND BROOMS, intoxicated.—_Ho. Words_, No. 183.
MOPUSSES, money; “MOPUSSES ran taper,” money ran short.
MORRIS, to decamp, be off. Probably from the ancient MORESCO, or MORRIS
DANCE.
MORTAR-BOARD, the term given by the vulgar to the square college caps.
MOTT, a girl of indifferent character. Formerly _Mort_. _Dutch_,
MOTT-KAST, a harlotry.
MOUNTAIN-DEW, whisky, advertised as from the Highlands.
MOUNTAIN PECKER, a sheep’s head.—_See_ JEMMY.
MOUNTER, a false swearer. Derived from the borrowed clothes men used to
MOUNT, or dress in, when going to swear for a consideration.
MOUTHPIECE, a lawyer, or counsel.
MOVE, a “dodge,” or cunning trick; “up to a move or two,” acquainted
with tricks.
MRS. JONES, the house of office, a water-closet.
MRS. HARRIS and MRS. GAMP, nicknames of the _Morning Herald_ and
_Standard_ newspapers, while united under the proprietorship of Mr.
Baldwin. MRS. GAMP, a monthly nurse, was a character in Mr. Charles
Dickens’ popular novel of _Martin Chuzzlewit_, who continually quoted
an imaginary _Mrs. Harris_ in attestation of the superiority of her
qualifications, and the infallibility of her opinions; and thus
afforded a parallel to the two newspapers, who appealed to each other
as independent authorities, being all the while the production of the
same editorial staff.
MUCK, to beat, or excel; “it’s no use, luck’s set in him; he’d MUCK
a thousand.”—_Mayhew_, vol. i, p. 18. TO RUN A MUCK, or GO A MUCKER,
to rush headlong into certain ruin. From a certain religious phrenzy,
which is common among the Malays, causing one of them, kreese in hand,
to dash into a crowd and devote every one to death he meets with, until
he is himself killed, or falls from exhaustion—_Malay_, AMOK, slaughter.
MUCK OUT, to clean out,—often applied to one utterly ruining an
adversary in gambling. From the _Provincial_ MUCK, dirt.
MUCK-SNIPE, one who has been “MUCKED OUT,” or beggared, at gambling.