B
Baba, adj. (popular), dumb-founded, abashed, “blue,” or “flabbergasted.” From ébahi, astounded.
Babillard, m. (thieves’), confessor; book; newspaper. Griffonneur de ——, journalist. It also means a petition.
Babillarde, f. (thieves’), watch, or “jerry;” letter, “screeve,” or “stiff.”
Babillaudier, m. (thieves’), bookseller.
Babille, f. See Babillarde.
Babiller (thieves’), to read. Properly to prattle, to chatter.
Babines, f. pl. (popular), mouth, “muzzle.” S’en donner par les ——, to eat voraciously, “to scorf.” S’en lécher les ——, to enjoy in imagination any kind of pleasure, past or in store.
Babouine, f. (popular), mouth, “rattle-trap,” “kisser,” “dubber,” or “maw.” See Plomb.
Babouiner (popular), to eat.
Bac, for baccarat or baccalauréat.
Ce serait bien le diable s’il parvenait à organiser de petits bacs à la raffinerie.—Vast-Ricouard, Le Tripot.
Bacchantes (thieves’), the beard; but more especially the whiskers. From a play on the word bâche, an awning, covering.
Baccon, m. (thieves’), pig, or “sow’s baby;” pork, or “sawney.”
Bachasse, f. (thieves’), hard labour; convict settlement.
Bâche, f. (thieves’ and cads’), cap, or “tile;” stakes; bed, or “doss.” Se mettre dans la ——, to go to bed. Bâche, properly a cart tilt or an awning.
Bachelière, f., female associate of students at the Quartier Latin, the headquarters of the University of France. Herein are situated the Sorbonne, Collège de France, Ecole de Médecine, Ecole de Droit, &c.
Bâcher, pagnotter, or percher (thieves’ and popular). Se ——, to go to bed.
Bachot, m. (students’), baccalauréat, or examination for the degree of bachelor of arts or science conferred by the University of France. Etre ——, to be a bachelor. Faire son ——, to read for that examination.
Bachotier, m. (students’), tutor who prepares candidates for the baccalauréat, a “coach,” or a “crammer.”
Bachotter (sharpers’), to swindle at billiards.
Bachotteur, m. (sharpers’), a confederate of blacklegs at a four game of billiards. The “bachotteur” arranges the game, holds the stakes, &c., pretending meanwhile to be much interested in the victim, or “pigeon.” His associates are “l’emporteur,” or “buttoner,” whose functions consist in entering into conversation with the intended victim and enticing him into playing, and “la bête,” who feigns to be a loser at the outset, so as to encourage the pigeon.
Bâcler, boucler (thieves’), to shut, to arrest. Bâclez la lourde! shut the door! “dub the jigger.” (Popular) Bâcler, to put, to place. Bâclez-vous là! place yourself there!
Bacreuse, f. (popular), pocket. From creuse, deep.
Badaudière, f., the tribe of badauds, people whose interest is awakened by the most trifling events or things, and who stop to gape wonderingly at such events or things.
Parmi tous les badauds de la grande badaudière parisienne, qui est le pays du monde où l’on en trouve le plus, parmi tous les flâneurs, gâcheurs de temps ... bayeurs aux grues.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Badigeon, m. (popular), painting of the face; paint for the face, “slap.” Se coller du ——, to paint one’s face, “to stick on slap.”
Badigeonner, la femme au puits, to lie, “to cram.” An allusion to Truth supposed to dwell in a well. Se ——, to paint one’s face.
Badigoinces, f. pl. (popular), lips, mouth, “maw.” Jouer des ——, or se caler les ——, to eat, “to grub.” S’en coller par les ——, to have a good fill, “to stodge.” See Mastiquer.
Badinguiste, badingâteux, badingouin, badingueusard, badingouinard, terms of contempt applied to Bonapartists. “Badinguet,” nickname of Napoleon III., was the name of a mason who lent him his clothes, and whose character he assumed to effect his escape from Fort Ham, in which he was confined for conspiracy and rebellion against the government of King Louis Philippe.
Badouillard, m., badouillarde, f. (popular), male and female habitués of low fancy balls.
Badouille, f. (popular), henpecked husband, or “stangey;” fool, or “duffer.”
Badouiller (popular), to frequent low public balls; to wander about without a settled purpose, “to scamander;” to have drinking revels, “to go on the booze.”
Badouillerie, f. (popular), dissipated mode of living.
Baffre, f. (popular), a blow in the face with the fist, a “bang in the mug.”
Bafouiller, (popular), to jabber; to splutter; to sputter.
Bafouilleur, bafouilleux, m., bafouilleuse, f., one who sputters.
Bagniole, f. (popular), carriage, “trap,” or “cask.”
Bagnole, f. (popular), diminutive of bagne, convict settlement, hulks: wretched room or house, or “crib;” costermonger’s hand-barrow, “trolly,” or “shallow.”
La maigre, salade ... que les bonnes femmes poussent devant elles dans leur bagnole à bras.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Bagou, bagoût, m. (familiar), (has passed into the language), facility of speech (used disparagingly). Quel —— mes amis! well, he is the one to talk! Avoir un fier ——, to have plenty of jaw.
On se laissa bientôt aller à la joie ravivée sans cesse au bagout du vieux, qui n’avait jamais été aussi bavard.—Richepin, La Glu.
(Thieves’) Bagou, name, “monniker,” “monarch.”
Bagoulard, m. (popular), a very talkative man, a “clack-box,” or “mouth-all-mighty.” C’est un fameux ——, “He’s the bloke to slam.”
Bagouler (popular and thieves’), to prattle, to do the “Poll Parrot;” to give one’s name, or “dub one’s monniker.”
Bague, f. (thieves’), name, “monniker,” “monarch.”
Baguenaude (thieves’ and cads’), pocket, “cly,” “sky-rocket,” or “brigh;” —— à sec, empty pocket; —— ronflante, pocket full of money. Faire la retourne des baguenaudes, to rob drunkards who go to sleep on benches.
... Une bande de filous, vauriens ayant travaillé les baguenaudes dans la foule.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Baguenots, m. pl. (popular), faire les ——, to pick pockets, “to fake a cly.”
Baguettes, f. pl. Properly rods, or drum-sticks. (Military) Avaler ses ——, to die. (Familiar) Baguettes de tambour, thin legs, spindle-shanks; lank hair.
Bahut, m. (popular), furniture, “marbles.” Properly large dresser, or press; (cadets’) —— spécial, the military school of Saint-Cyr; (students’) —— paternel, paternal house. Bahut, a crammer’s establishment; college, or boarding-school.
Eux, les pauvres petits galériens, ils continuent à vivre entre les murs lépreux du bahut.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Bahuté (Saint-Cyr cadets’), ceci est ——, that is smart, soldier-like. Une tenue bahutée, smart dress or appearance.
Bahuter (Saint-Cyr cadets’), to create a disturbance, “to kick up a row;” (schoolboys’) to go from one educational establishment to another.
Bahuteur, m., one fond of a “row;” unruly scholar; pupil who patronizes, willingly or not, different educational establishments.
Baigne-dans-le-beurre (popular), womens’ bully, or “pensioner.” An allusion to “maquereau,” or mackerel, a common appellation for such creatures. See Poisson.
Baigneuse, f. (thieves’ and cads’), head, or “block,” “canister,” “nut.” See Tronche.
Baignoire à bon Dieu, f. (cads’), chalice.
Bailler au tableau (theatrical), to have an insignificant part in a new play.
Terme de coulisses qui s’applique à un acteur, qui voit au tableau la mise en répétition d’une pièce dans laquelle il n’a qu’un bout de rôle.—A. Bouchard, La Langue théâtrale.
Baimbain (Breton cant), potatoes.
Bain de pied (familiar), the overflow into the saucer from a cup of coffee or glass of brandy; third help of brandy after coffee, those preceding being “la rincette” and “la surrincette.”
Bain-Marie, m. (popular), a person with a mild, namby-pamby disposition allied to a weakly constitution, a “sappy” fellow.
Bain qui chauffe, m. (popular), a rain cloud in hot weather.
Baiser (popular), la camarde, to die, “to kick the bucket,” “to snuff it;” (gamesters’) —— le cul de la vieille, not to score, to remain at “love.”
Baissier, m., man on ’Change who speculates for a fall in the funds, “bear.” See Haussier.
Baite, f. (thieves’), house, “crib.”
Bajaf, m. (popular), a stout, plethoric man. Gros ——, “forty guts.”
Bajoter (popular), to chatter, “to gabble.”
Bal, m. (military), extra drill (called a “hoxter” at the Royal Military Academy).
Baladage, balladage, m. (popular), chanteur au ——, street singer, “street pitcher.”
Balade, ballade, f. (popular and familiar), walk, stroll, lounge, “miking.” Canot de ——, pleasure boat. Faire une ——, se payer une ——, to take a walk. Chanteur à la ——, itinerant singer, “chaunter.” (Thieves’) Balade, or ballade, pocket; also called “fouillouse, profonde, valade,” and by English rogues, “sky-rocket, cly, or brigh.”
Balader (thieves’), to choose; to seek. (Popular) Se ——, to take a walk; to stroll; “to mike;” to make off; to run away, “to cut one’s lucky.” See Patatrot.
Baladeur, m. (popular), one who takes a walk.
Baladeuse, f. (popular), woman with no heart for work and who is fond of idly strolling about.
Balai, m. (hawkers’), police officer, or gendarme, “crusher;” (military) —— à plumes, plumes of shako. (Popular) Balai, the last ’bus or tramcar at night. Donner du —— à quelqu’un, to drive one away.
Balancement, m. (clerks’), dismissal, “the sack.”
Balancer (popular), to throw at a distance; —— quelqu’un, to dismiss from one’s employment, “to give the sack;” to get rid of one; to make fun of one; to hoax, “to bamboozle;” (thieves’) —— la rouscaillante, to speak, or “to rap;” —— sa canne is said of a vagrant who takes to thieving, of a convict who makes his escape, or of a ticket-of-leave man who breaks bounds; —— sa largue, to get rid of one’s mistress, “to bury a Moll;” —— ses alènes, to turn honest; to forsake the burglar’s implements for the murderer’s knife; —— ses chasses, to gaze about, “to stag;” —— son chiffon rouge, to talk, “to wag one’s red rag;” —— une lazagne, to send a letter, “screeve,” or “stiff.”
Balanceur, m. (thieves’), de braise, money changer. An allusion to the practice of weighing money.
Balancier, m. (popular), faire le ——, to wait for one.
Balançoir, balançon, m. (thieves’), window-bar.
Balançoire, f. (familiar), fib, “flam;” nonsense; stupid joke. Envoyer à la ——, to get rid of one, to invite one to make himself scarce, or to send one to the deuce.
Balançon, m. (thieves’), iron hammer; window-bar.
Balandrin, m. (popular), parcel made up in canvas; a small pedlar’s pack.
Balauder (tramps’), to beg, “to cadge.”
Balayage, m. Properly sweeping; used figuratively wholesale getting rid of. On devrait faire un balayage dans cette administration, there ought to be a wholesale dismissal of officials.
Balayer (theatrical), les planches, to be the first to sing at a concert.
Balayez-moi-ça, m. (popular), woman’s dress. Literally you just sweep that away.
Balcon, m. (popular), il y a du monde, or il y a quelqu’un au ——, an allusion to well-developed breasts.
Balconnier, m., orator who makes a practice of addressing the crowd from a balcony.
Baleine, f. (popular), disreputable woman, “bed-fagot.” Rire comme une ——, to laugh in a silly manner with mouth wide open like a whale’s.
Baliverneur, m. (popular), monger of “twaddle,” of tomfooleries, of “blarney.”
Ballade, f. (popular), aller faire une —— à la lune, to ease oneself.
Balle, f. (thieves’), secret; affair; opportunity. Ça fait ma ——, that just suits me. Manquer sa ——, to miss one’s opportunity. Faire ——, to be fasting. Faire la ——, to act according to instructions. (Popular) Balle, one-franc piece; face, “mug;” head, “block.” Il a une bonne ——, he has a good-natured looking face, or a grotesque face. Rond comme ——, is said of one who has eaten or drunk to excess; of one who is drunk, or “tight.” Un blafard de cinq balles, a five-franc piece. (Familiar) Enfant de la ——, actor’s child; actor; one who is of the same profession as his father. (Prostitutes’) Balle d’amour, handsome face. Rude ——, energetic countenance, with harsh features. Balle de coton, a blow with the fist, a “bang,” “wipe,” “one on the mug,” or a “cant in the gills.”
Ballomanie, f., mania for ballooning.
Ballon, m. (popular), glass of beer; the behind, or “tochas.” Enlever le —— à quelqu’un, to kick one in the hinder part of the body, “to toe one’s bum,” “to root,” or “to land a kick.” En ——, in prison, “in quod.” Se donner du ——, to make a dress bulge out. Se lâcher du ——, to make off rapidly, “to brush.”
Ballonné, adj. (thieves’), imprisoned, “in limbo.”
Ballot, m. (tailors’), stoppage of work.
Balloter (tailors’), to be out of work, “out of collar;” (thieves’) to throw.
Bal-musette, m., dancing place for workpeople in the suburbs.
Les bals-musette au plancher de bois qui sonne comme un tympanon sous les talons tambourinant la bourrée montagnarde ... que la musette remplit de son chant agreste.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Balochard, balocheur, m. (popular), one who idles about town carelessly and merrily.
Balocher, (popular), to be an habitué of dancing halls; to bestir oneself; to fish in troubled waters; to have on hand any unlawful business; to move things; to hang them up; to idle about carelessly and merrily, or “to mike.”
Balots, m. pl. (thieves’), lips. Se graisser les ——, to eat, “to grub.”
Balouf (popular), very strong, “spry.”
Balthazar, m. (familiar), a plentiful meal, “a tightener.”
Baluchon, m. (popular), parcel, or “peter.”
Bambino, bambochino, m. (popular), term of endearment for a child.
Bamboche, adj. (popular), être ——, to be tipsy, or “to be screwed.”
Banban, m. and f. (popular), lame person, “dot and go one;” small stunted person, “Jack Sprat.”
Banc, m. (convicts’), camp bed; (Parisians’) —— de Terre-Neuve, that part of the Boulevard between the Madeleine and Porte Saint-Denis. Probably an allusion to the ladies of fishy character, termed “morues,” or codfish, who cruise about that part of Paris, and a play on the word Terre-Neuve, Newfoundland, where the real article is fished in large quantities. (Military) Pied de ——, sergeant. See Pied.
Bancal, m. (soldiers’), cavalry sword.
Bande, Properly cushion of billiard table. Coller sous ——, to get one in a fix, in a “hole.”
Bande d’air, f. (theatrical), frieze painted blue so as to represent the sky.
Bande noire, f., a gang of swindlers who procure goods on false pretences and sell them below their value, “long firm.”
La Bande Noire comprises four categories of swindlers working jointly: “le courtier à la mode,” who, by means of false references, gets himself appointed as agent to important firms, generally wine merchants, jewellers, provision dealers. He calls on some small tradesmen on the verge of bankruptcy, denominated “petits faisans,” or “frères de la côte,” and offers them at a very low price merchandise which they are to dispose of, allowing him a share in the profits. The next step to be taken is to bribe a clerk of some private information office, who is thus induced to give a favourable answer to all inquiries regarding the solvency of the “petit faisan.” The courtier à la mode also bribes with a like object the doorkeeper of his clients. At length the goods are delivered by the victimized firms; now steps in the “fusilleur” or “gros faisan,” who obtains the merchandise at a price much below value—a cask of wine worth 170 francs, for instance, being transferred to him at less than half that sum—the sale often taking place at the railway goods station, especially when the “petit faisan” is an imaginary individual represented by a doorkeeper in confederacy with the gang.—Translated from the “République Française” newspaper, February, 1886.
Bander (popular), la caisse, to abscond with the cash-box. Properly to tighten the drum; —— l’ergot, to run away, “to crush.”
Bannette (popular), apron.
Bannière, f. (familiar), être en ——, to be in one’s shirt, in one’s “flesh bag.”
Banque, f. (popular), falsehood, imposition, “plant.” (Hawkers’) La ——, the puffing up of goods to allure purchasers; the confraternity of mountebanks. (Showmens’) Truc de ——, password which obtains admission to booths or raree-shows. (Printers’) Banque, pay. La —— a fouaillé expresses that pay has been deferred. Etre bloqué à la ——, or faire —— blèche, to receive no pay.
Banquet, m. (freemasons’), dinner.
Banquette, f. (popular), chin.
Banquezingue, m. (thieves’), banker, “rag-shop cove.”
Banquiste (thieves’), one who prepares a swindling operation.
Baptême, m. (popular), head, “nut.”
Baquet, m. (popular), washerwoman; —— insolent, same meaning (an allusion to the impudence of Parisian washerwomen); —— de science, cobbler’s tub.
Barant, m. (thieves’), gutter, brook. From the Celtic baranton, fountain.
Baraque, f., disparaging epithet for a house or establishment; (servants’) a house where masters are strict and particular; a “shop;” newspaper of which the editor is strict with respect to the productions; (schoolboys’) cupboard; (soldiers’) a service stripe; (sharpers’) a kind of swindling game of pool.
Barbaque, or bidoche, f. (popular), meat, or “carnish.”
Barbe, f. (students’), private coaching. (Popular) Avoir de la —— is said of anything old, stale. (Theatrical) Faire sa ——, to make money. (Familiar) Vieille ——, old-fashioned politician. (Printers’) Barbe, intoxication, the different stages of the happy state being “le coup de feu,” “la barbe simple,” “la barbe indigne.” Prendre une ——, to get intoxicated, or “screwed.” (Popular) Barbe, women’s bully, or “pensioner.”
Barbe à poux, m., an insulting expression especially used by cabbies, means lousy beard. Also a nickname given sometimes to the pioneers in the French army on account of their long beards.
Barbeau, m. (popular), prostitute’s bully. Properly a barbel.
Barbeaudier (thieves’), doorkeeper; turnkey, “dubsman,” or “jigger dubber;” —— de castu, hospital overseer. Concerning this expression Michel says: Cette expression, qui nous est donnée par le Dictionnaire Argotique du Jargon, a été formée par allusion à la tisane que l’on boit dans les hôpitaux, tisane assimilée ici à la bière. En effet, barbaudier avait autrefois le sens de brasseur, si l’on peut du moins s’en rapporter à Roquefort, qui ne cite pas d’exemple. En voici un, malheureusement peu concluant. Tais-toi, putain de barbaudier: Le coup d’œil purin.
Barberot, m. (convicts’), barber, a “strap.”
Barbet, m. (thieves’), the devil, “old scratch,” or “ruffin.”
Barbichon, m. (popular), monk. An allusion to the long beard generally sported by the fraternity.
Barbille, barbillon, m., girl’s bully, young hand at the business.
Barbillons, m. pl. (popular), de Beauce, vegetables (Beauce, formerly a province); —— de Varenne, turnips.
Barbot, m. (popular), duck; girl’s bully, “ponce.” See Poisson. (Thieves’) Vol au ——, pocket-picking, or “buz-faking.” Faire le ——, to pick pockets, “to buz,” or “to fake a cly.”
Barbotage, m., theft, “push.” From barboter, to dabble.
Barbote, f. (thieves’), searching of prisoners on their arrival at the prison, “turning over.”
Barboter (thieves’), to search on the person, “to turn over;” to steal, “to clift;” to purloin goods and sell them; —— les poches, to pick pockets, “to buz;” (familiar) —— la caisse, to appropriate the contents of a cashbox.
Barboteur, m. (thieves’), de campagne, night thief.
Barbotier, m., searcher at prisons.
Barbotin, m. (thieves’), theft; proceeds of sale of stolen goods, “swag.”
Barbue, f. (thieves), pen.
Bar-de-tire, m. (thieves’), hose.
Baril de moutarde (cads’), breech. See Vasistas.
Barka (military), enough (from the Arabic).
Baron, m. (popular), de la crasse, man ill at ease in garments which are not suited to his station in life, and which in consequence give him an awkward appearance.
Barre, f. (thieves’), needle; (popular) compter à la ——, primitive mode of reckoning by making dashes on a slate.
Barré, adj. (popular), dull-witted, “cabbage-head.”
Barrer (popular), to leave off work; to relinquish an undertaking; to scold. Se ——, to make off, “to mizzle;” to conceal oneself.
Barres, f. pl. (popular), jaws. Se rafraîchir les ——, to drink, “to wet or whet one’s whistle.”
Barrique, f. (freemasons’), decanter or bottle.
Bas (popular), de buffet, a person or thing of no consequence; —— de plafond, —— du cul, short person. Vieux —— de buffet, old coquette.
Basane, or bazane, f. (popular), skin, or “buff.” Tanner la ——, to thrash, “to tan.” (Military) Tailler une ——, is to make a certain contemptuous gesture the nature of which may best be described as follows:—
Un tel, quatre jours de salle de police, ordre du sous-officier X... a répondu à ce sous-officier en lui taillant une bazane; la main appliquée sur la braguette du pantalon, et lui faisant décrire une conversion à gauche, avec le pouce pour pivot.—Quoted by L. Merlin, La Langue Verte du Troupier.
Bas-bleuisme, m. (literary), mania for writing. Used in reference to those of the fair sex.
Bascule, f. (popular), guillotine.
Basculer (popular), to guillotine.
Bas-off, m. (Polytechnic School), under-officer.
Basourdir (thieves’), to knock down; to stun; to kill, “to give one his gruel.” See Refroidir.
Basse, f. (thieves’), the earth.
Bassin, m., bassinoire, f. (familiar), superlatively dull person, a bore.
Bassinant, adj. (familiar), dull, annoying, boring.
Bassiner (familiar), to annoy, to bore.
Bassinoire, f., large watch, “turnip.” See Bassin.
Basta (popular), enough; no more. From the Spanish.
Bastimage (thieves’), work, “graft.”
Bastringue, m. (popular), low dancing-hall; noise, disturbance, “rumpus;” (prisoners’) a fine steel saw used by prisoners for cutting through iron bars.
Bastringueuse, f. (popular), female habituée of bastringues, or low dancing-saloons.
Bataclan, m. (popular), set of tools; (thieves’) house-breaking implements, or “jilts.”
J’ai déjà préparé tout mon bataclan, les fausses clefs sont essayées.—Vidocq, Mémoires.
Bataille, f., (military), chapeau en ——, cocked hat worn crosswise. Chapeau en colonne, the opposite of “en bataille.”
Bâtard, m. (popular), heap of anything.
Bate, f., (popular), être de la ——, to be happy, fortunate, to have “cocum.”
Bateau, m. (popular), mener en ——, to swindle, to deceive. Monter un ——, to impose upon; to attempt to deceive.
Bateaux, m. pl. (popular), shoes, “carts;” large shoes; shoes that let in water.
Bateaux-mouches, m. pl. (popular), large shoes.
Batelée, f. (popular), concourse of people.
Bath, or bate (popular), fine; excellent; tip-top; very well. The origin of the expression is as follows:—Towards 1848 some Bath note-paper of superior quality was hawked about in the streets of Paris and sold at a low price. Thus “papier bath” became synonymous of excellent paper. In a short time the qualifying term alone remained, and received a general application.
Un foulard tout neuf, ce qu’il y a de plus bath!—Richepin.
C’est rien ——, that is excellent, “fizzing.” C’est —— aux pommes, it is delightful. (Thieves’) Du ——, gold or silver. Faire ——, to arrest.
Batiau, m. (printers’), jour du ——, day on which the compositor makes out his account for the week. Parler ——, to talk shop.
Batif, m. (thieves’), bative, batifonne f., new; pretty, or “dimber.” La fée est bative, the girl is pretty, she is a “dimber mort.”
Batimancho (Breton), wooden shoes.
Bâtiment (familiar), être du ——, to be of a certain profession.
Bâtir (popular), sur le devant, to have a large stomach; to have something like a “corporation” growing upon one.
Bâton, m. (thieves’), creux, musket, or “dag;” —— de cire, leg; —— de réglisse, police officer, “crusher,” “copper,” or “reeler;” priest, or “devil dodger” (mountebanks’) —— de tremplin, leg. Properly tremplin, a spring board; (familiar) —— merdeux, man whom it is not easy to deal with, who cannot be humoured; (thieves’) —— rompu, ticket-of-leave convict who has broken bounds. Termed also “canne, trique, tricard, fagot, cheval de retour.”
Bâtons de chaise, m. pl. (popular), noce de ——, grand jollification, “flare up,” or “break down.”
Batouse, batouze, f. (thieves’), canvas; —— toute battante, new canvas.
Batousier, m. (thieves’), weaver.
Battage (popular), lie, “gag;” imposition; joke; humbug; damage to any article.
Battant, m. (thieves’), heart, “panter;” stomach; throat, “red lane;” tongue, “jibb.” Un bon ——, a nimble tongue. Se pousser dans le ——, to drink, “to lush.” Faire trimer le ——, to eat.
Battante, f. (popular), bell, or “ringer.”
Battaqua, m. (popular), slatternly woman, dowdy.
Batterie, f. (popular), action of lying, of deceiving, “cram;” the teeth, throat, and tongue; —— douce, joke. (Freemasons’) Batterie, applause.
Batteur, m. (popular and thieves’), liar, deceiver; —— d’antif, thief who informs another of a likely “job;” —— de beurre, stockbroker; —— de dig dig, thief who feigns to be seized with an apoplectic fit in a shop so as to facilitate a confederate’s operations by drawing the attention to himself; (popular) —— de flemme, idler.
Battoir, m. (popular), hand, “flipper;” large hand, “mutton fist.”
Battre (thieves’), to dissemble; to deceive; to make believe.
Ne t inquiète pas, je battrai si bien que je défie le plus malin de ne pas me croire emballé pour de bon.—Vidocq.
Battre à la Parisienne, to cheat, “to do;” —— à mort, to deny; —— comtois, to play the simpleton; to act in confederacy; —— de l’œil, to be dying; —— entifle, to be a confederate, or “stallsman;” —— Job, to dissemble; —— l’antif, to walk, “to pad the hoof;” to play the spy, “to nark;” —— morasse, to call out “Stop thief!” “to give hot beef;” —— en ruine, to visit.
Drilles ou narquois sont des soldats qui ... battent en ruine les entiffes et tous les creux des vergnes.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.
(Popular) Battre la muraille, to be so drunk as “not to be able to see a hole in a ladder,” or not to be able “to lie down without holding on;” —— la semelle, to play the vagrant; —— le beurre, to speculate on ’Change; to be “fast;” to dissemble; —— le briquet, to be knock-kneed; —— sa flème, or flemme, to be idle, to be “niggling;” —— son quart is said of prostitutes who walk the streets. Des yeux qui se battent en duel, squinting eyes, or “swivel-eyes.” S’en battre l’œil, la paupière, or les fesses, not to care a straw. (Familiar) Battre son plein, to be in all the bloom of beauty or talent, “in full blast;” (military) —— la couverte, to sleep; (sailors’) —— un quart, to invent some plausible story; (printers’) —— le briquet, to knock the type against the composing-stick when in the act of placing it in.
Batture. See Batterie.
Bauce, bausse, m. (popular), master, employer, “boss;” (thieves’) rich citizen, “rag-splawger;” —— fondu, bankrupt employer, “brosier.”
Bauceresse, f. (popular), female employer.
Baucher (thieves’), se ——, to deride; to make fun of.
Baucoter (thieves’), to teaze.
Baude, f. (thieves’), venereal disease.
Baudrouillard, m. (thieves’), fugitive.
Baudrouiller (thieves’), to decamp, “to make beef.” See Patatrot.
Baudrouiller, or baudru, m. (thieves’), whip.
Bauge, f. (thieves’), box, chest, or “peter;” belly, “tripes.”
Baume, m. (popular), d’acier, surgeons’ and dentists’ instruments; —— de porte-en-terre, poison.
Bausser (popular), to work, “to graft.”
Bavard, m. (popular), barrister, lawyer, “green bag;” (military) punishment leaf in a soldier’s book.
Bavarde, f. (thieves’), mouth, “muns,” or “bone box.”
Une main autour de son colas et l’autre dans sa bavarde pour lui arquepincer le chiffon ronge.—E. Sue.
Baver (popular), to talk, “to jaw;” —— des clignots, to weep, “to nap a bib;” —— sur quelqu’un, to speak ill of one, to backbite. Baver, also to chat. The expression is old.