1861. Sala, Seven Sons of Mammon, i., p. 78. Rich men’s funerals in
the first style of black art.
Black-ball, verb (common).—See Pill.
Blackballing, subs. (nautical).—Stealing or pilfering. A sailor’s word.
It originated amongst the employees of the old Black Ball line of
steamers between New York and Liverpool. The cruelty and scandalous
conduct of officers to men—and sailors to each other—were so
proverbial, that the line of vessels in question became known all over
the world for the cruelty of its officers, and the thieving
propensities of its sailors.
Blackbeetles, subs. (old).—The lower strata of society. [Apparently a
term of contempt derived from the cockroach, generally called a
blackbeetle.] Obsolete.
1821. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, Act ii., Sc. 6. Jerry: Tom,
here’s a group of blackbeetles—do you see those lovely mendicants?
Tom: Beauty in rags—I do—Cupid imploring charity. I’ll relieve him,
for I’ll be after that match-girl directly. Jerry: And I’ll chant a
few words to that beautiful ballad-singer. Log: And I’ll take pity
on that charming beggar.
Blackberry Swagger, subs. (common).—A person who hawks tapes,
boot-laces, etc.
Blackbird, subs. (popular).—Formerly an African captive on board a
slaver; now generally understood as referring to a Polynesian
indentured labourer, who, if not by name a slave, is often one to all
intents and purposes. [Obviously derived from the black or dark-brown
colour of these people.]
1881. Chequered Career, p. 180. The white men on board knew that if
once the blackbirds burst the hatches ... they would soon master
the ship. [M.]
Verb.—To capture negroes or Polynesians; to kidnap (see subs.). Hence
the verbal substantive and ppl. adj. blackbirding, in the same sense.
1883. Graphic, April 21, p. 398, col. 1. The day is not far distant
when, to avoid blackbirding, and the revengeful massacres which
these kidnappers provoke, the whole of Oceania will have to be
placed under civilised control.
1883. Academy, 8 Sep., p. 158. [He] slays Bishop Patteson by way of
reprisal for the atrocities of some blackbirding crew. [M.]
1884. Pall Mall Gazette, 19 Aug. p. 2, col. 2. Years ago
blackbirding scoundrels may have hailed from Fiji. [M.]
Blackbird-Catching.—See Blackbird.
Black-Birders, subs. (popular).—See quotation.
1883. All the Year Round, 22 Sep., p. 355. Blackbirders, the
kidnappers for labour purposes on the islands of the Pacific.
Black Box, subs. (old).—A lawyer. So given in Grose [1785]; Lexicon
Balatronicum [1811]; and in Duncombe’s Sinks of London [1848]. [From
the black tin boxes in which clients’ papers are kept.]
Black-Boy, subs. (old).—See Black-coat.
Black Bracelets, subs. (old).—Handcuffs. For synonyms, see Darbies.
1839. Harrison Ainsworth, Jack Sheppard [1889], p. 63.
When the turnkey, next morning, stepped into his room,
The sight of the hole in the wall struck him dumb;
The sheriff’s black bracelets lay strewn on the ground,
But the lad that had worn ’em could nowhere be found.
Tol-de-rol!
Black-Cattle, subs. (popular).—1. Clergymen; parsons. [From the
prevailing hue of the garments worn by the profession.] Sometimes used
in the same way as red-coats for soldiers, e.g., black-coats (q.v.);
also devil dodgers, the latter of which, see for synonyms.
2. (old.)—Lice. These are also called active citizens and chates
(q.v.).
Black-Cattle Show, subs. (popular).—A gathering of clergymen. [From
black-cattle (q.v.) + show, in its slang sense of a party or meeting.]
Black-Coat, subs. (familiar.)—A parson. Cf., Black-cattle and
Devil-dodger.
1627. R. Perrot, Jacob’s Vow, 52. Let us take heed how these
black-coates get the day of us. [M.]
1671. Eachard, Observations, p. 176. Suppose we should bestow upon
a poor low thinking black-coat, one of our best forms, such as
follows; it is five to one he would commit some ecclesiastical
blunder or other, in setting his name too near.
1818. Scott, Heart of Midlothian, i. You are the black-coat’s son
of Knocktarlitie.
1870. Emerson, Soc. and Solit., ix., p. 197. The black-coats are
good company only for black-coats. [M.]
Black-Cuffs, subs. (military).—The Fifty-eight Foot, from the
regimental facings which have been black since 1767. They have also
been nicknamed the Steel Backs (q.v.).
Black Diamonds, subs. (popular).—1. Coals. [A simile in allusion to the
colour, and also to the fact that both coal and diamonds are carbon.]
1849. T. Miller, in Gabarni in London, p. 43. Were he even trusted
with the favourite horse and gig to fetch a sack of black diamonds
from the wharf.
2. Also formerly a rough but clever or good person; this sobriquet,
however, has given place to rough diamond (q.v.).
Black Dog, subs. (old).—1. Applied, circa 1702–30, to a counterfeit
shilling and other base silver coinage. In this connection it may be
pointed out that black had long previously been applied to base money.
Ruding, in his Annals of the Coinage [London, 1817, vol. I., p. 405],
having mentioned black money, appends this note—‘Qy. Turonenses Nigri?
Copper money struck at Tours.’ [See Turney’s infra. Qy. corrupted from
Tierney, name of maker.] It is introduced in his account of the Statute
of Money, passed at York, 1335, 9 cap., Edward III., which recites that
all manner of black money which had been commonly current in the king’s
realm and obeisance should be utterly excluded, so as not to be current
in one month after proclamation, on pain of forfeiture of the same.
Later on, in 1339, a certain black money called ‘turneys’ was made by
certain persons in Ireland, who circulated it to the injury of the
king’s sterling money, and to his no little loss and prejudice.
Proclamation had, therefore, been ordered to be made to prohibit the
circulation of it, on pain of forfeiture of money and goods. But the
king having been informed that great inconvenience had arisen from this
prohibition on account of the scarcity of sterling money, it was,
therefore, commanded that, provided it should be found on due inquiry
more advantageous to the public to allow the currency of the said black
money, proclamation should be made to authorise it until a sufficient
quantity of other money was provided.
1706. Luttrell, in Ashton’s Reign Queen Anne, II., p. 225. The Art
of making black dogs, which are shillings, or other pieces of money
made only of Pewter, double wash’d. [M.]
1724. Swift, Drapier’s Lett., wks., 1755, V., ii., 44. Butcher’s
half-pence, black-dogs, and others the like. [M.]
2. (common.)—Delirium tremens; the horrors; ‘jim jams.’ Black dog is a
frequent figurative expression dialectically for depression of spirits,
and melancholy. Among the ancients a black dog and its pups were
considered an evil omen. For synonyms, see Gallon distemper.
1861. Hughes, Tom Brown at Oxford, ch. xxxiii. ‘Yes, sir,’ said the
butler, nodding, ‘D.T., sir. After one of his rages the black dog
comes, and it’s hawful work; so I hope you’ll go, sir.’
To blush like a black dog, phr. (old).—Not to blush at all; to be
shameless.—See also Blush.
1634. Withal, Dictionary, p. 557 [ed. 1634]. Faciem perfricuit. He
blusheth like a black dogge, hee hath a brazen face.
Black Doll.—See Dolly shop.
1835. Charles Dickens, Sketches by Boz, p. 174. [Speaking of a
marine-store shop]: imagine, in addition to this incongruous mass,
a black doll in a white frock, with two faces—one looking up the
street, the other looking down, swinging over the door.
1838. Douglas Jerrold, Men of Character, II., p. 100. Five hundred
articles, among which might be found knockers, scrapers, barbers’
poles, black dolls.
1861. Cornhill Magazine, Nov., p. 609. The best price given for old
rags—inquire at the sign of the black doll.
Black-Eye. To give a bottle a black eye, phr. (old).—To empty it. Cf.,
Dead man.
Black-Eyed Susan, subs. (American).—Texan for a revolver. Among other
slang equivalents for this weapon current in the Lone Star State may be
mentioned meat in the pot, blue lightning, the peace-maker, mr.
speaker, a one-eyed scribe, pill box and my unconverted friend. For
synonyms, see Meat in the pot.
Black-Fly, subs. (old).—A contemptuous name for a clergyman. For
synonyms, see Devil-dodger.
1811. Lexicon Balatronicum. The greatest drawback on the farmer is
the black fly, i.e., the parson who takes tithe of the harvest.
Blackfriars! intj. (thieves’).—An exclamation of warning; look out!
beware!—See Thieves.
Blackguard, subs. (common).—A man coarse in speech, and offensive in
manner; a scamp; a scoundrel; a disreputable fellow. The term, as now
used, is one of the utmost opprobrium, and although a good deal of
uncertainty hangs about its history and derivation, it seems pretty
clear that a certain amount of odium has always been attached to the
word. Between two of its primary significations, however,—(1) a kitchen
knave or scullion, and (2) a guard of attendants, black in person,
dress, or character, generally in reference to the devil’s
body-guard—and the modern usage, there is a somewhat marked line to be
drawn. The earliest mention is as follows:—
1532. MS. Churchwarden’s Accompts. St. Margaret’s, Westminster
(Receipts for burials). Item Receyvid for the lycens of iiij.
torchis of the blake garde vjd.
What this guard was is not definitely known. Some have suggested that
it was a body of soldiers; others that it was a band of torch bearers
at funerals; while some incline to the belief that it was comprised of
street link-boys.
Better supported by evidence are the senses first mentioned, in which
blackguard signifies (1) a scullion, and (2) a member of the devil’s
body-guard. But here too, Murray points out that it would be difficult
to assign priority. First, however, let the quotations be given in
sets:—
Sense 1 = a scullion.
1535. Sir W. Fitzwilliams, 17 Aug., in Cal. State Papers. Two of
the ring-leaders had been some time of the black guard of the
king’s kitchen. [M.]
1579. Fulke, Refut. Kastel, 779. They ought not, nor yet any of the
scullerie or blacke garde. [M.]
Sense 2 = Devil’s body-guard; also other attendants.
1583. Fulke, Defence, x., 386. Pelagius, Celestins, and other like
heretics of the devil’s body-guard, [M.]
1609. Dekker, Lanthorne and Candlelight, wks. [1884–5] III., 214.
The Great Lord of Limbo did therefore commaund all his Blacke guard
that stood about him, to bestirre them. [M.]
Comparing these one with the other, we are clearly face to face in one
set of quotations with a popular superstition—a belief of an age when
witchcraft was prevalent, and when hobgoblins and the like were
assigned as black guards to his Satanic Majesty. Whether there was any
connection in the popular mind between the King’s scullions and the
Devil’s body-guard, cannot now be definitely stated. Still, it is
probable; and this view is borne out by later references. It is curious
to note the concluding lines of Hudibras’ Address to Ralpho, which may
perhaps explain the process by which the term of black guard may have
come to be applied to the lowest class of domestics in the royal
kitchens or other great establishments. Still, as stated, priority
cannot be given to either; moreover, the use of black guard in either
sense may have been a mere play on words, whether of 1 on 2, or 2 on 1
is equally uncertain. The quotation from Hudibras is as follows:
1678. Butler, Hudibras, pt. III., canto 1, line 1403.
I do believe thee, quoth the knight;
Thus far I’m sure thou’rt in the right,
And know what ’tis that troubles thee,
Better than thou hast guess’d of me.
Thou art some paltry, blackguard sprite,
Condemn’d to drudg’ry in the night;
Thou hast no work to do in th’ house,
Nor half-penny to drop in shoes;
Without the raising of which sum
You dare not be so troublesome;
To pinch the slatterns black and blue,
For leaving you their work to do.
This is your business, good Pug Robin,
And your diversion, dull dry bobbing.