1. An old term of contempt for an able-bodied idler who grew sleek and
fat upon the charity of religious houses; also sometimes, especially
subsequent to the Reformation, applied to monks. In this sense it has
long fallen into disuse.
1680. Dryden, Spanish Friar, III. 3. This is no huge, overgrown
abbey lubber.
2. The term survives, however, and is still occasionally used by
seafaring men, although ‘lubber’ is now more common amongst our Jack
tars for a lazy, thriftless individual. If a sailor wishes to express
the utmost scorn for laziness and meanness, he finds a very much more
forcible expression in a ‘dirty dog and no sailor.’—See Lubbers’ hole.
Abbot, subs. (old).—The husband or ‘fancy man’ of an abbess (q.v.); now
called a ponce (q.v.). In the old French argot these gentry were
dignified by the title of sacristain. They were occasionally spoken of
as croziered abbots, or abbots on the cross, in which case the
establishments over which they mounted guard were not so much brothels
as panel cribs (q.v.), where prostitution served mainly as a cloak for
robbery.
Abbott’s Priory, subs. phr. (popular).—The King’s Bench Prison was
formerly so-called; perhaps from Chief Justice Abbott.
Abbreviations.—These occasionally partake most clearly of the nature of
slang. As illustrative examples may be mentioned:—K.D.Gs., the King’s,
now the First Dragoon Guards.—O.K., all right; ‘orl krect.’—B.T.I., a
big thing on ice.—Q.T., generally ‘on the strict Q.T.’, i.e.,
quiet.—T.T., too thin.—Cri., the Criterion (restaurant or theatre).—The
Ox., the Oxford Music Hall.—Tec., detective.—B.P., British Public.—B.
and S., brandy and soda.—P.D.Q., pretty d——d quick.
A. B. C.’s (London).—1. The Aërated Bread Co.’s establishments are,
familiarly speaking, A. B. C.’s.