1856. Novels and Tales (from Household Words), Tauch. ed. vi., p.
187. A sigh of the kind which is called by the lower classes a
bellowser.
Bellows to Mend, phr. (common).—It is said of a broken-winded horse
that it has bellows to mend; likewise of a man whose lungs are
affected, or one who from any cause is ‘out of health.’
1856. Cuthbert Bede, Verdant Green, pt. II., ch. iv. To one
gentleman he would pleasantly observe, as he tapped him on the
chest, ‘Bellows to mend for you, my buck!’
Bell-Rope, subs. (common).—The same as aggerawators (q.v.).
1868. Brewer, Phrase and Fable, s.v., ‘Love lock.’ When men indulge
in a curl in front of their ears, the love-lock is called a
bell-rope—i.e., a rope to pull the belles after them.
Bells Down! intj. (Winchester College).—See quotation and Bells go
single!
1870. Mansfield, School-Life at Winchester College, p. 62. The
junior in chamber had a hard time of it; ... while endeavouring to
get through his multifarious duties, he had to keep a sharp ear on
the performance of the chapel bell, and to call out accordingly,
‘first peal!’ ‘second peal!’ and bells down!
Bells go Single! intj. (Winchester College).—A single bell is rung for
five minutes before the hour at which chapel commences. For College
evening chapel three three’s are rung, and then follows a ‘bell,’ one
for every man in College—70.
1878. Adams, Wykehamica, p. 256. At a quarter to six the peal again
rang out, and the cry of bells go was sounded in shrill tones
through every chamber of College and Commoners.... After ten
minutes the peal changed, and only a single bell continued to ring.
This was notified by the cry bells go single, and five minutes
afterwards, by that of ‘bells down.’... Presently the head-master
... would descend from his library: or the second master ... would
appear at the archway near Sixth Chamber, and the warning voice
would be heard ‘Gabell’ or ‘Williams through,’ ‘Williams,’ or
‘Ridding in.’ Straightway there would be a general rush, the
college-boys darting across the quadrangle in the rear of the
Præfect of Chapel; while the Commoners hurried in, keeping up a
continuous stream from their more distant quarters.
Bellswagger.—See Belswagger.
Bell-Topped, Bell-Knobbed, ppl. adj. (harlotry).—Said of a man whose
penis is considerably thicker at the top end than at the root or
middle.
Bell-Topper, subs. (popular).—A silk hat. [From bell, alluding to the
shape, + top, from its position when worn, in relation to the rest of
the body + er.] For synonyms, see Golgotha.
1885. G. A. Sala, in Daily Telegraph, Aug. 5, p. 5, col. 4. His
very bell-topper hat had been garlanded with flowers.
Belly-Ache, subs. (vulgar).—A pain in the bowels; a colic.
1881. New York Times, Dec. 18, quoted in N. and Q., 6 S., v., 65.
Bellyache. To grumble without good cause. Employés bellyache at
being overworked, or when they fancy themselves underfed, etc.
Belly-Bender, subs. (American).—A boy’s term for weak and unsafe ice.
Belly-Bound, adj. (vulgar).—Constipated; costive.
Belly-Bumper or Belly-Buster. To take a belly-buster, phr.
(American).—To ride down a hill in a sled lying on one’s stomach, an
amusement confined, it hardly needs saying, to young America. The idea
of toboganning was derived from this boyish pastime, and the oaken
board has been succeeded by the fleet-winged toboggan, made of seasoned
maple with handsomely upholstered seats. With the advent of improved
ice vehicles the interest in these sports has increased, and instead of
being confined to the vulgar boys who used to ride down hill
belly-buster fashion, men and even the most fashionable women now
partake of this pleasant and invigorating pastime. Also belly-bumbo,
belly-guts, or gutter, belly-flounders, belly-flumps, and
belly-plumper.
1888. Chicago Inter-Ocean. Barney has a sled, on which he hauls the
fish in snowy weather. Barney had his sled out yesterday,
belly-bumping on a little patch of ice and snow.
Belly-Button, subs. (American).—The navel.
Belly-Can (political).—Explained by quotation.
1889. Pall Mall Gazette, Mar. 28. Whatever ultimately comes of the
Sunday Closing movement, it will at any rate leave behind it a
curious addition to the English language. This is the word
‘belly-can,’ which is (according to the opponents of Sunday
Closing) the plebeian counterpart of the more genteel ‘small
cask’—both things being, of course, contrivances for getting round
the legal prohibition of Sunday drinking. Lexicographers may
perhaps be glad to have the definitions of the two phrases as given
yesterday afternoon by Mr. Cavendish Bentinck:—The ‘belly-can’ was
a tin vessel not unlike a saddle in shape, which men and women,
generally the latter—let hon. members note that—got filled with
beer and secreted about their clothes, an averaged-sized can
holding about four quarts. A more aristocratic method of private
Sunday drinking was by means of the ‘small cask.’ The small cask
industry was said to be an exceedingly prosperous one in certain
districts. Grocers advertised for casks as a speciality, and one
grocer advertised on a Saturday fifty and sixty and sometimes even
100 empty casks.
Belly-Cheat or Belly-Chete, subs. (old).—An apron; also food. [From
belly + slang cheat, a thing; from Anglo-Saxon ceat, a thing.]
1609. Dekker, Lanthorne and Candlelight, wks. (1885) III., 196. A
belly-chete, an apron.
1622. Fletcher, Beggar’s Bush, II., i. Each man shall eat his own
stol’n eggs and shall possess what he can purchase—back or
belly-cheats.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum. Belly-cheat, an apron.
Belly-Cheer or Belly-Chere, subs. (old).—Food. This term is of
considerable antiquity, as also is belly-cheering for eating and
drinking. For synonyms, see Grub.
1559. Eliotes Dictionarie. Abdomini indulgere, to geve hym selfe to
bealy-chere.
1612. Rowlands, Knaves of Spades, etc. Gluttonie mounted on a
greedie beare, To belly-cheere and banquets lends his care.
1699. Coles, English Dictionary. Belly-cheer, Cibaria.
Belly-chere.—See Belly-cheer.
Belly-Chete.—See Belly-cheat.
Belly-Full, subs. (old).—1. A sound drubbing; a thrashing.
1599. Nashe, Lenten Stuffe, in wks. V., 265. The churlish frampild
waues gaue him his belly-full of fish broath.
1605. Chapman, All Fooles, Act ii., p. 58 (Plays, 1874). Walk not
too boldly; if the serjeants meet you, you may have swaggering work
your belly-full.
1666. Pepys, Diary, Oct. 28. He says that in the July fight, both
the Prince and Holmes had their belly-fulls, and were fain to go
aside.
1835. Haliburton, Clockmaker, 3 S., ch. xvi. Bunker’s Hill, where,
Mr. Slick observed, ‘the British first got a taste of what they
afterwards got, a belly-full.’
2. A woman with child was also formerly said to have her
belly-full.—See Belly-up.
Belly-Furniture, subs. (old).—Food; something wherewith to furnish the
belly. Cf., Belly-timber, Back-timber, etc.
1653. Urquhart, Rabelais, bk. I., ch. v. (Bohn’s), i., 110. Then
did they fall upon the victuals, and some belly-furniture to be
snatched at in the very same place.
Belly-go-Firster, subs. (pugilistic).—An initial blow, generally given,
say some authorities, in the stomach—whence its classic name!
Belly-Gut, subs. (old).—A lazy, greedy fellow.
1540. Morysine, transl., Vives’ Introd. Wisd., viij. Such as be
skoffers, swell feastes ... bely guts. [M.]
1733. Bailey, Erasmus, p. 346. Since then thou would’st not have a
belly-gut for thy servant, but rather one brisk and agile, why then
dost thou provide for thyself a minister fat and unwieldy?
Belly-Guts, subs. (American schoolboys’).—1. In Pennsylvania, molasses
candy.