3. A thief who prowls about the sea-shore; a plunderer of wrecks; a
picker-up of waifs and strays. This is derived from sense 4.
4. (American.)—A long wave rolling in from the ocean. Hence applied to
those whose occupation it is to pick up, as pirates or wreckers,
whatever these waves wash in to them.
Beach-Tramper, subs. (nautical).—A coastguardsman. [From beach, the
shore of the sea + tramp, to walk along + er.]
Bead. To draw a bead [on one], phr. (American).—To attack an opponent
by speech or otherwise. The phrase has passed into colloquial use from
backwoods parlance, where it signifies the process of taking aim and
firing. The front sight of a gun is in appearance like a bead.
1841. Catlin, North American Indians (1844), I., x., 77. I made
several attempts to get near enough to draw a bead upon one of
them.
1870. Bret Harte, Society on the Stanislaus (in Poems and Prose).
It is not a proper plan, to lay for that same member for to put a
bead on him.
188(?) S. Clemens (‘Mark Twain’), Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,
p. 48. I was pretty close to the Shanty, and I thought I heard the
old man coming all the time; but I got her hid; and then I out and
looked around a bunch of willows, and there was the old man down
the path apiece just drawing a bead on a bird with his gun.
1889. Albany Journal, Aug. 6. If Jake’s not careful I’ll draw a
bead on him. Very little more will make me go for him tooth and
nail.
To raise a bead.—To bring to the point; to ensure success. The figure
is taken from brandy, rum, or other liquors, which will not ‘raise a
bead,’ unless of the proper strength.
1846. N. Y. Tribune, Letter from Ohio. The result was, if the
convention had been then held, the party wouldn’t have been able to
raise a bead. [b.]
Beagle, subs. (old).—A spy; informer; man-hunter; policeman; also a
general term of contempt. [From beagle, a small hound, which tracks by
scent, formerly used for hunting.]
1599. Myrr. Mag., Jack Cade, xix., 2. That restless begle sought
and found me out. [M.]
1607. Dekker, Westward Hoe, Act iii., Sc. 4. Mon. I beseech you,
Mistress Tenterhook,—before God, I’ll be sick, if you will not be
merry. Mist. Ten. You are a sweet beagle.
1748. T. Dyche, Dictionary (5 ed.). Beagle (s.) ... also a
contemptuous name given to a boy or man, as to say, you are a
special beagle, is the same as, you are good for nothing.
1837. Carlyle, French Revolution, III., vii., v., 377. Attorneys
and Law-beagles, which hunt ravenous on this Earth.
Beak, subs. (old cant).—1. A policeman or guardian of the peace. As far
as is known, this (as ‘beck’) is the oldest cant term for a member of a
class of men, who, perhaps, above all others, have been the recipients
of nicknames and epithets, and these, be it noted, not always of a
complimentary character. In Harman’s Caveat (1573), harman beck is
explained as ‘the counstable,’ harmans being ‘the stockes.’ The
derivation of beck or beak is doubtful. Especially vague seems that
which finds its source in the Saxon beag, a gold collar worn by civic
magistrates, and an emblem of authority. This genesis appears to be
based on the later and secondary sense of beak, a magistrate, a meaning
which it still retains. But, against this must be placed the fact that,
as the name for a watchman or guardian of the peace, beak boasts a much
older usage. Sir John Fielding, half brother of the author of Tom
Jones, and an active Middlesex Justice in the last century, was
popularly known as the ‘Blind Beak’ [c. 1750]; but beyond this date no
instance of this sense has been found. If, therefore, beak originally
signified a policeman, it is difficult to discover any connection with
the Saxon beag, inasmuch as watchmen are not known to have been
decorated with gold collars. The following quotations will give other
illustrations, and also show that, meaning a policeman, the term has
not long been obsolete.
1609. Dekker, a Gypsy song, in Lanthorne and Candlelight, etc.
The Ruffin cly the nab of the Harman beck,
If we mawnd Pannam, lap or Ruff-peck,
Or poplars of yarum; he cuts, bing to the Ruffmans.
Or else he sweares by the lightmans,
To put our stamps in the Harmans.
The Ruffian cly the ghost of the Harman beck.
If we heaue a booth we cly the Jerke.
If we niggle or mill a bousing ken.
Or nip a bung that has but a win,
Or dup the giger of a gentry cofes ken:
To the quier cuffing we bing,
And then to the quier-Ken to scowre the Cramp-ring,
And then to the Trin’de on the chates, in the lightmans,
The Bube and Ruffian cly the Harman beck and Harmans.
[This is thus ‘Englished’ by Dekker].
The Diuell take the Constable’s head,
If we beg Bacon, Butter-milke or bread.
Or Pottage, to the hedge he bids us hie,
Or sweares (by this light) i’th’ stocks we shall lie.
The Deuill haunt the Constable’s ghoast,
If we rob but a booth, we are whip’d at a poast.
If an ale-house we rob or be tane with a whore,
Or cut a purse that has iust a penny, and no more,
Or come but stealing in at a gentleman’s dore:
To the Justice straight we goe,
And then to the Jayle to be shakled: And so
To be hang’d on the gallows i’th’ day time: the pox
And the Deuill take the Constable and his stocks.
1821. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, Act ii., Sc. 6.
Land. Gentlemen vagabonds; the traps are abroad, and half a
thousand beadles and beaksmen are now about the door.
Billy. De beak! oh curse a de beak!