TRUCKS, trowsers.
TRUMP, a good fellow; “a regular TRUMP,” a jolly or good natured
person,—in allusion to a TRUMP card; “TRUMPS may turn up,” _i.e._,
fortune may yet favour me.
TUB THUMPING, preaching or speech making.
TUCK, a schoolboy’s term for fruit, pastry, &c. TUCK IN, or TUCK OUT, a
good meal.
TUFTS, fellow commoners, _i.e._, wealthy students at the University,
who pay higher fees, dine with the Dons, and are distinguished by
golden TUFTS, or tassels, in their caps.
TUFT-HUNTER, a hanger on to persons of quality or wealth. Originally
_University slang_, but now general.
TUMBLE, to comprehend or understand. A coster was asked what he thought
of _Macbeth_,—“the witches and the fighting was all very well, but the
other moves I couldn’t TUMBLE to exactly; few on us can TUMBLE to the
jaw-breakers; they licks us, they do.”
TURF, horse racing, and betting thereon; “on the TURF,” one
who occupies himself with race course business; said also of a
street-walker, nymph of the pavé.
TURKEY-MERCHANTS, dealers in plundered or contraband silk. Poulterers
are sometimes termed TURKEY MERCHANTS, in remembrance of Horne Tooke’s
answer to the boys at Eton, who wished in an aristocratic way to know
who _his_ father was,—a TURKEY MERCHANT, replied Tooke;—his father was
a poulterer. TURKEY MERCHANT, also, was formerly slang for a driver of
turkeys or geese to market.
TURNED OVER, to be stopped and searched by the police.
TURNED UP, acquitted by the magistrate or judge for want of evidence.
TURNER OUT, a coiner of bad money.
TURN OUT, personal show or appearance; a man with a showy carriage and
horses is said to have a good TURN OUT.
TURNOVER, an apprentice who finishes with a second master the
indentures he commenced with the first.
TURNPIKE-SAILORS, beggars who go about dressed as sailors.
TURN UP, a street fight; a sudden leaving, or making off.
TURN UP, to quit, change, abscond, or abandon; “Ned has TURNED UP,”
_i.e._ run away; “I intend TURNING IT UP,” _i.e._ leaving my present
abode or altering my course of life. Also to happen; let’s wait, and
see what will TURN UP.
TUSHEROON, a crown piece, five shillings.
TUSSLE, a pull, struggle, fight, or argument. _Johnson_ and _Webster_
call it a vulgar word.
TUSSLE, to struggle, or argue.
TWELVER, a shilling.
TWIG, style, _à-la-mode_; “get your strummel faked in TWIG,” _i.e._,
have your hair dressed in style; PRIME TWIG, in good order, and high
spirits.—_Pugilistic._
TWIG, “to hop the TWIG,” to decamp, “cut one’s stick,” to die.
TWIG, to understand, detect, or observe.
TWIST, brandy and gin mixed.
TWIST, appetite; “Will’s got a capital TWIST.”
TWITCHETTY, nervous, fidgetty.
TWITTER, “all in a TWITTER,” in a fright, or fidgetty state.
TWO-HANDED, awkward.
TWOPENNY, the head; “tuck in your TWOPENNY,” bend down your head.
TWOPENNY-HOPS, low dancing rooms, the price of admission to which was
formerly—and not infrequently now—two pence. The clog hornpipe, the
pipe dance, flash jigs, and hornpipes in fetters, _à la_ Jack Sheppard,
are the favourite movements, all entered into with great spirit and
“joyous, laborious capering.”—_Mayhew._
TYBURN COLLAR, the fringe of beard worn under the chin.—_See_ NEWGATE
COLLAR.
TYE, or TIE, a neckerchief. Proper hosier’s term now, but slang thirty
years ago, and as early as 1718. Called also, SQUEEZE.
UNBETTY, to unlock.—_See_ BETTY.
UNCLE, the pawnbroker.—_See_ MY UNCLE.
UNDER THE ROSE.—_See_ ROSE.
UNICORN, a style of driving with two wheelers abreast, and one
leader,—termed in the _United States_, a SPIKE TEAM. TANDEM is one
wheeler and one leader. RANDOM, three horses in line.
UNUTTERABLES, trousers—_See_ INEXPRESSIBLES.
UNWHISPERABLES, trousers.
UP, “to be UP to a thing or two,” to be knowing, or understanding; “to
put a man UP to a move,” to teach him a trick; “it’s all UP with him,”
_i.e._, it is all over with him, often pronounced U.P., naming the two
letters separately; “UP a tree,” see TREE; “UP to TRAP,” “UP to SNUFF,”
wide awake, acquainted with the last new move; “UP to one’s GOSSIP,”
to be a match for one who is trying to take you in;—“UP to SLUM,”
proficient in roguery, capable of committing a theft successfully.
UPPER BENJAMIN, a great coat.
UPPER STOREY, or UPPER LOFT, a person’s head; “his UPPER STOREY is
unfurnished,” _i.e._, he does not know very much.
UPPISH, proud, arrogant.
USED UP, broken-hearted, bankrupt, fatigued.
VAMOS, or VAMOUS, to go, or be off. _Spanish_, VAMOS, “let us go!”
Probably NAMUS or NAMOUS the costermonger’s word, was from this,
although it is generally considered back slang.
VAMPS, old stockings. From VAMP, to piece.
VARDO, to look; “VARDO the cassey,” look at the house. VARDO formerly
was _old cant_ for a wagon.
VARMENT, “you young VARMENT, you!” you bad, or naughty boy. Corruption
of _vermin_.
VELVET, the tongue.
VERTICAL-CARE-GRINDER, the treadmill.
VIC., the Victoria Theatre, London,—patronised principally by
costermongers and low people; also the street abbreviation of the
Christian name of her Majesty the Queen.