QUICK STICKS, in a hurry, rapidly; “to cut QUICK STICKS,” to be in a
great hurry.
QUID, or THICK UN, a sovereign; “half a QUID,” half a sovereign; QUIDS,
money generally; “QUID for a QUOD,” one good turn for another. The word
is used by _Old French_ writers:—
“Des testamens qu’on dit le maistre
De mon fait n’aura QUID ne QUOD.”
_Grand Testament de Villon._
QUID, a small piece of tobacco—one mouthful. _Quid est hoc?_ asked one,
tapping the swelled cheek of another; _hoc est quid_, promptly replied
the other, exhibiting at the same time “a chaw” of the weed. Probably a
corruption of CUD.
QUIET, “on the QUIET,” clandestinely, so as to avoid observation,
“under the rose.”
QUILL-DRIVER, a scrivener, a clerk—satirical phrase similar to STEEL
BAR-DRIVER, a tailor.
QUILT, to thrash, or beat.
QUISBY, bankrupt, poverty stricken.—_Ho. Words_, No. 183.
QUIZ, a prying person, an odd fellow. _Oxford slang_; lately admitted
into dictionaries. Not noticed by _Johnson_.
QUIZ, to pry, or joke.
QUIZZICAL, jocose, humorous.
QUOCKERWODGER, a wooden toy figure, which, when pulled by a string,
jerks its limbs about. The term is used in a slang sense to signify a
pseudo-politician, one whose strings of action are pulled by somebody
else.—_West._
QUOD, a prison, or lock up; QUODDED, put in prison. A slang expression
used by Mr. Hughes, in _Tom Brown’s Schooldays_ (Macmillan’s
Magazine, January, 1860), throws some light upon the origin of this
now very common street term:—“Flogged or whipped in QUAD,” says the
delineator of student life, in allusion to chastisement inflicted
within the _Quadrangle_ of a college. Quadrangle is the term given to
the prison inclosure within which culprits are allowed to walk, and
where whippings were formerly inflicted. Quadrangle also represents a
building of four sides; and to be “within FOUR WALLS,” or prison, is
the frequent slang lamentation of unlucky vagabonds.
RABBIT, when a person gets the worst of a bargain he is said “to have
bought the RABBIT.”
RACKET, a dodge, manœuvre, exhibition; a disturbance.
RACKETY, wild or noisy.
RACKS, the bones of a dead horse. Term used by horse slaughterers.