1785. Grose. Brim (abbreviation of brimstone), an abandoned woman;
perhaps originally only a passionate or irascible woman, compared
to brimstone for its inflammability.
Briney or Briny, subs. (popular).—The sea. A ‘dip in the briney’ once a
year is a great attraction to Cockney excursionists. Hotten tells a
story of one excursionist saying to another, as they stripped in a
double machine, ‘Why, ’Arry what dirty feet you’ve got!’ ‘’Ave I; well
yer see I wasn’t down last year.’ [From the adj. signifying, ‘of or
pertaining to brine or the sea.’]
1856. Whyte Melville, Kate Coventry, ch. xiv. The luckless plight
in which a stout gentleman had found himself, by the temporary loss
of all his apparel, while he was disporting in the briny.
1881. Punch, Jan. 15, p. 14. Grigsby. Hullo, my Jellaby, you here!
Come and take a dip in the briny, old man. I’m sure you look as if
you wanted it. Postlethwaite. Thanks, no. I never bathe. I always
see myself so dreadfully foreshortened in the Water, you know!
1889. Sporting Times, June 29. Next day bathing, returning from
which we beheld a curious sight, three nymphs carrying down to the
strand a bath in which one of them was, apparently with a curious
mistrust of the sea, going to try the briny.
English Synonyms. Herring pond; big pond; big drink; the puddle; Davy’s
locker.
French Synonyms. La grande tasse (familiar: properly ‘the big cup.’
Boire dans la grande tasse, ‘to be drowned’); la grande bleue (popular:
the great blue—an allusion to the colour of deep sea water); le grand
salé (popular: literally ‘the great salt’); le pré salé (popular:
properly the salted or briny meadow.)
Bring Down the House, verbal phr. (general).—To elicit loud applause;
and, still more figuratively, to be successful. [The figure of speech
is that demonstrative applause will cause the walls to give way. Cf.,
To raise the roof off.]
1754. World, II., No. 76, 125. His apprehension that your statues
will bring the house down.
1853. Rev. E. Bradley (‘Cuthbert Bede’), Adventures of Verdant
Green, II., p. 23. Why, it would surpass the British sailor’s
broadsword combat for six, and bring down the house.
1872. Forster, Life of Charles Dickens, ch. xliv. (IV., p. 252).
‘And give us your applause, for that is always just’! which brought
down the house with rapture.
1877. Mrs. Riddell, Her Mother’s Darling, II., p. 61 (ch. xii). I
do not fancy she would ever forgive any of us if Honie were to
bring down the house at Elm Vale.
1889. Bird o’ Freedom, Aug. 7, p. 3. But Samson’s crowning feat of
all was to break with his fist two steel chains, suspended from a
couple of posts. This fairly brought down the house.
Brisket-Beater, subs. (old).—A Roman Catholic. Cf., Breast fleet and
Craw-thumper, synonymous terms. Quoted by Grose [1785].
Bristles or Bristle Dice, subs. (old).—A method of ‘cogging’ dice by
inserting bristles into them, and thus influencing the position of the
cubes when ‘thrown.’
1532. Dice Play (1050), 28. Bristle dice, be now too gross a
practice to be put in use. [M.]
1680. Cotton, in Singer Hist. Cards, 335. This they do by false
dice, as ... By bristle-dice. [M.]
1822. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, ch. xxiii. ‘Men talk of high and
low dice, Fulhams and bristles ... and a hundred ways of rooking
besides.’
Bristol Milk, subs. (old).—Sherry. [An allusion to sherry being
formerly a large import of the city of Bristol.] For synonyms, see
Drinks.
1644. Prynne and Walker, Fiennes’ Trial, 78. Good store of Bristol
milk, strong wines and waters. [M.]
1662. Fuller, Worthies, Bristol. ‘Bristol milk’; this metaphorical
milk, whereby Xeres or Sherry Sack is intended.
1785. Grose, Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Bristol milk, a
Spanish wine called sherry, much drank at that place, particularly
in the morning.
1849–61. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I., iii. A rich beverage made of the
best Spanish wine, and celebrated ... as Bristol milk.
Broach Claret, verbal phr. (pugilistic).—To draw blood.—See, however,
Claret.
Broad and Shallow, phr. (popular).—An epithet applied to the so-called
‘Broad Church,’ in contradistinction to the ‘High’ and ‘Low’
Churches.—See High and dry.
1886. Graphic, 10 April, p. 399. In the Church have we not the
three schools of High and Dry, Low and Slow, and Broad and Shallow?
Broadbottoms, subs. (political).—A nickname given to two Coalition
Governments, one in the last century [1741], and the other in 1807.—See
quots.
A pamphlet dated April 18, 1807, has reference to the latter. Its full
title is:—‘The pigs possessed, or the broadbottom’d litter running
headlong into the Sea of Perdition.’ The characters are George III., as
the British farmer; Lords Sidmouth, Ellenborough, Howick (‘Test Act’);
Mr. Windham; Lords Holland, Walpole, Carlisle St. Vincent; Earls Temple
(‘Last Stake’), Grenville (‘Catholic Bill’), and of Derby; Lords
Erskine, Lauderdale (a Scotch pig), H. Petty, and Moira; the Duke of
Bedford, who was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, marked ‘Erin go Bragh’;
Earl Spencer, Marquis of Buckingham (‘Family’), R. B. Sheridan
(Harlequin), Courtney, Tierney, and Whitbread (‘Entire’). Courtney is
placed in profile between Ellenborough and Sidmouth. He was an intimate
friend of Fox. This is said to be the only portrait of him. The print
is a supplement to another styled ‘More Pigs than Teats.’ The pigs
represent the Ministers described commonly by the phrase ‘All the
Talents,’ or the ‘Broad-Bottoms’ who were succeeded, April, 1807, by
the Duke of Portland and his supporters. The former are not to be
confounded with an earlier ‘Broad-Bottom’ Administration. The latter
was commemorated in the satirical inscription for Fox’s tomb, Hic jacet
Pater Broad-Bottomos.
1742. Walpole, Lett. to Mann (1833), No. 22, Feb. 18, vol. I., p.
106. The Tories declare against any farther prosecution—if Tories
there are, for now one heard of nothing but the broad-bottom; it is
the reigning cant word, and means, the taking all parties and
people, indifferently, into the ministry.
1843. Macaulay, Historical Essays, II., p. 244. The Pelhams had
forced the King, much against his will, to part with Lord
Carteret.... They proceeded, after this victory, to form the
Government on that basis, called by the cant name of the
‘broad-bottom.’
1863. Jeaffreson, Live It Down, I., p. 249. The star of Granville
is falling, that of Pelham is in the ascendant; and the great
coalition on ‘The Br. B.’ is managing the affairs of the State.
1871. Miss Braddon, Robert Ainsleigh, I., p. 37. A scathing reply
from the polished chief of the famous Br. B. Administration.
1887. Pol. Slang, in Cornhill Mag., June, p. 628. A Coalition
Government in the last century was known by the apt nickname of the
‘Broad Bottom.’
Broadbrim, subs. (common).—A Quaker. [The origin of this expression is
to be found in the hat once peculiar to the ‘Society of Friends.’
Hotten says the epithet is now used of any quiet, sedate, old man.]
1712. Spectator, No. 276. [Broad-brim is used as the name of a
Quaker correspondent.]
1750. Fielding, Tom Jones, bk. VII., ch. x. This the Quaker had
observed, and this, added to the rest of his behaviour, inspired
honest broad-brim with a conceit that his companion was, in
reality, out of his senses.
1864. Reader (quoted in Notes and Queries, 5 S., ix., p. 263).
Broadbrim, a Quaker. This word clearly owes its origin to the
peculiar hat worn by the Society of Friends.
1876. Jas. Grant, One of the Six Hundred, ch. i. The sly
broad-brim, and popularity-hunters of the Peace Society sent a
deputation to the Emperor Nicholas.
Broad-Cooper, subs. (brewers’).—A person employed by brewers to
negotiate with publicans.
Broad Coves, subs. (old).—Card-sharpers. [From broads (q.v.), cards, +
cove (q.v.), a man.] The modern term for swindling at cards is broad
faking (q.v.). A French equivalent is un brêmeur. For synonyms, see
Rook.
1821. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom and Jerry, Act ii., Sc. 5.
Your swell broad coves, with all their airs
Can’t match the kids near Wapping stairs,
They are so down and knowing;
Of lowest life you’ll see the best,
At Maces’s, All-max, in the East;
So let’s at once be going:
Come, toddle along, toddle along, etc.
Broad-Faking, subs. (card-sharpers’).—Playing at cards. Generally used,
however, to denote ‘work’ of the three card and kindred descriptions.
Broad-Fencer, subs. (thieves’).—A ‘k’rect card’ seller at races. [From
broad (q.v.), a card, + fence or fencer, a ‘tradesman.’]
Broads, subs. (general).—Playing cards.—See Stock broads.
1789. Geo. Parker, Life’s Painter, p. 142. Who are continually
looking out for flats, in order to do them upon the broads, that is
cards.
1812. J. H. Vaux, Flash Dict. Broads, cards; a person expert at
which is said to be a good broad-player.
1834. Harrison Ainsworth, Rookwood, IV., ii. I nick the broads.
1877. Five Years’ Penal Servitude, ch. iv., p. 262. He ... became
one of a gang who practised with the broads card-sharping and the
‘confidence trick.’
Broadsman, subs. (common).—A card-sharper. [From broads = cards + man.]
Formerly called broad cove (q.v.). For synonyms, see Rook.
1879. J. W. Horsley, ‘Autobiography of a Thief,’ in Macm. Mag.,
XL., 502. Broadsmen (card-sharpers).
1888. G. R. Sims, in Cass. Sat. Journal, 31 March, p. 7. The
broadsman is a card-sharper.