C
C, m. (popular), être un ——, to be an arrant fool. Euphemism for a coarse word of three letters with which the walls are often adorned; —— comme la lune, extremely stupid.
Ça (popular), être ——, to be the right sort. C’est un peu ——, that’s excellent, “fizzing.” Avoir de ——, to be wealthy. (Familiar) Ça manque de panache, it lacks finish or dash. Elle a de ——, she has a full, well-developed figure.
Cab, m. (abbreviation of cabotin), contemptuous expression applied to actors; third-rate actor, or “surf.”
Cab, cabou (thieves’ and popular), dog, “tyke.” Le —— jaspine, the dog barks.
Cabande, f. (popular), candle, or “glim.” Estourbir la ——, to blow the candle out.
Cabas, m. (popular), old hat. Une mère ——, rapacious old woman. Properly, cabas, a woman’s bag.
Cabasser (popular), to chatter, to gabble; to delude, or “bamboozle;” to steal, “to prig.”
Cabasseur, m. (popular), scandal-monger; thief, “prig.” See Grinche.
Cabe, m. (students’), third year student at the Ecole Normale, a higher training school for professors, and one which holds the first rank among Colleges of the University of France; (popular) a dog. See Cabo.
Cabermon, m. (thieves’), wine-shop, “lush-crib.” A corruption of cabaret.
Cabestan, m. (thieves’), police inspector; police officer, “crusher,” “pig,” “copper,” or “reeler.”
Cabillot, m. (sailors’), soldier, “lobster.”
Câble à rimouque, m. (fishermens’), tow-line.
Cabo, m. (popular), dog, or “buffer.” Michel derives this from clabaud, a worthless dog, and L. Larchey from qui aboie, pronounced qu’aboie. Le —— du commissaire, the police magistrate’s secretary. See Chien. (Military) Elève ——, one who is getting qualified for the duties of a corporal.
Cabochon, m. (popular), blow, “prop,” or “bang.”
Cabonte, or camoufle, f. (military), candle.
Cabot, m. (common), third-rate actor, or “surf;” term of contempt applied to an actor. Abbreviation of cabotin. Also a dog.
Cabotinage, m. (familiar), life of hardships which most actors have to live before they acquire any reputation.
Cabotine (familiar), bad actress; strolling actress, or one who belongs to a troupe of “barn stormers.”
Cabotiner (familiar), to be a strolling actor; to mix with cabotins; to fall into their way of living, which is not exactly a “proper” one.
Caboulot, m. (familiar), small café where customers are waited upon by girls; small café where the spécialité is the retailing of cherry brandy, absinthe, and sweet liquors; best sort of wine-shop.
Cabriolet, m., short rope or strap with a double loop affixed, made fast to a criminals wrists, the extremity being held by a police officer; small box for labels; woman’s bonnet.
Cabrion, m. (artists’), painter without talent, or “dauber;” practical joker. In the Mystères de Paris of Eugène Sue, Cabrion, a painter, nearly drives the doorkeeper Pipelet mad by his practical jokes.
Cachalot, m. (sailors’), old sailor, old “tar.” Properly spermaceti whale.
Cache-folie, m. (popular), drawers; false hair.
Cachemar, cachemince, m. (thieves’), cell, “clinch.” From cachot, black hole.
Cachemire, m. (popular), clout; —— d’osier, rag-picker’s wicker basket.
Voici les biffins qui passent, le crochet au poing et les pauvres lanternes sont recueillies dans le cachemire d’osier.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Cache-misère (familiar), coat buttoned up to the chin to conceal the absence of linen.
Cachemitte, f. (thieves’), cell, “clinch.”
Cachemuche. See Cachemar.
Cacher (popular), to eat, “to grub.”
Cachet, m. (thieves’ and cads’), de la République, the mark of one’s heel on a person’s face, a kind of farewell indulged in by night ruffians, especially when the victim’s pockets do not yield a satisfactory harvest. (Familiar) Le ——, the fashion, “quite the thing.”
Et ce n’est pas lui qui porterait des gants vert-pomme si le cachet était de les porter sang de bœuf.— P. Mahalin, Mesdames de Cœur Volant.
Cacique, m., head scholar in a division at the Ecole Normale.
Cadavre, m. (familiar and popular), body; a secret misdeed, “a skeleton in the locker;” tangible proof of anything. Grand ——, tall man. Se mettre quelquechose dans le ——, to eat. See Mastiquer.
Cadenne, f. (thieves’), chain fastened round the neck. La grande —— was formerly the name given to the gang of convicts which went from Paris to the hulks at Toulon.
Cadet, m. (thieves’), crowbar, or “Jemmy.” Termed also “l’enfant, Jacques, sucre de pommes, biribi, rigolo;” (popular) breech. Baiser ——, to be guilty of contemptible mean actions; to be a lickspittle. Baise ——! you be hanged! Bon pour —— is said of any worthless object or unpleasant letter.
Cadichon, m. (thieves’), watch, “Jerry,” or “red toy.”
Cador (thieves’), dog, “tyke;” —— du commissaire, secretary to the “commissaire de police,” a kind of police magistrate.
Cadouille, f. (sailors’), rattan.
Effarés de ne pas recevoir de coups de cadouille, ils s’éloignent à reculons, et leurs prosternations ne s’arrêtent plus.—Bonnetain, Au Tonkin.
Cadran, m. (popular), breech, or “bum;” —— lunaire, same meaning. See Vasistas.
Cadratin, m. (printers’), top hat, or “stove pipe;” (police) staff of detectives; (journalists’) apocryphal letter.
Cafard, m. (military), officer who makes himself unpleasant; a busybody.
Cafarde, f. (thieves’), moon, “parish lantern;” cup.
Cafarder (popular), to be a hypocrite, a “mawworm.”
Café, m. C’est un peu fort de ——, it is really too bad, coming it too strong. Prendre son ——, to laugh at.
Cafetière, f. (thieves’ and cads’), head, “canister.” See Tronche.
Cafiot, m., weak coffee.
Cafouillade (boatmens’), bad rowing.
Cafouilleux, m. (popular), espèce de ——! blockhead! “bally bounder!”
Cage, f. (popular), workshop with glass roof; prison, or “stone jug;” —— à chapons, monastery; —— à jacasses, nunnery; —— à poulets, dirty, narrow room, “a hole;” (printers’) workshop.
Cageton, m. (thieves’), may-bug.
Cagne, f. (popular), wretched horse, or “screw;” worthless dog; lazy person; police officer, or “bobby.”
Cagnotte, f. (familiar), money-box in which is deposited each player’s contribution to the expenses of a game. Faire une ——, to deposit in a money-box the winnings of players which are to be invested to the common advantage of the whole party.
Cagou, m. (thieves’), rogue who operates single-handed; expert thief, or “gonnof,” who takes charge of the education of the uninitiated after the manner of the old Jew Fagin (see Oliver Twist); a tutor such as is to be met with in a “buz napper’s academy,” or training school for thieves; in olden times a lieutenant of the “grand Coëre,” or king of rogues. The kingdom of the “grand Coëre” was divided into as many districts as there were “provinces” or counties in France, each superintended by a “cagou.” Says Le Jargon de l’Argot:—
Le cagou du pasquelin d’Anjou résolut de se venger de lui et de lui jouer quelque tour chenâtre.
Cahua, m. (French soldiers’ in Algeria), coffee. Pousse ——, brandy.
Caillasse, f. (popular), stones.
Caillé (thieves’), fish.
Caillou, m. (popular), grotesque face; head, or “block;” nose, or “boko;” —— déplumé, bald head, or “bladder of lard.” N’avoir plus de mousse sur le ——, to be bald, “to be stag-faced.”
Cailloux, m. pl. (popular), petits ——, diamonds.
Caïman, m. (Ecole Normale school), usher.
Caisse, f. (popular), d’épargne, mouth, or “rattle-trap;” (familiar) —— des reptiles, fund for the bribing of journalists; —— noire, secret funds at the disposal of the Home Secretary and Prefect of Police. Battre la ——, to puff up. Sauver la ——, to appropriate or abscond with the contents of the cash-box.
Caisson, m. (familiar), head, “nut.” Se faire sauter le ——, to blow one’s brains out.
Calabre, m. (thieves’), scurf.
Calain, m. (thieves’), vine-dresser.
Calancher (vagrants’), to die, “to croak.” See Pipe.
Calande (thieves’), walk, lounge.
Calandriner (popular), le sable, to live a wretched, poverty-stricken life.
Cale, f. (sailors’), se lester la ——, to eat and drink. See Mastiquer.
Calé, calée, adj., properly propped up; (popular) well off, “with plenty of the needful.”
Calebasse, f. (popular), head, or “cocoa-nut.” Grande ——, tall, thin, badly attired woman. Vendre la ——, to reveal a secret.
Calebasses, f. (popular), large soft breasts. Literally gourds.
Calège, f. (thieves’), kept woman.
Calence, f. (popular), dearth of work.
Caler (popular), to do; to do nothing; to be out of work, or “out of collar;” to strike work; —— l’école, to play the truant. Se ——, to eat. Se —— les amygdales, to eat, “to grub.” (Thieves’) Caler des boulins aux lourdes, to bore holes in doors.
Caleter (popular), to decamp, “to hook it.” See Patatrot.
Caleur (popular), lazy workman, or “shicer;” man out of work; butler; waiter (from the German kellner).
Calfater (sailors’), se —— le bec, to eat. Literally to caulk.
Caliborgne. See Calorgne.
Calicot, m. (familiar), draper’s assistant, or “counter jumper.”
Calicote, sweetheart, or “flame,” of a “knight of the yard.”
Californien (popular), rich, “worth a lot of tin.” See Monacos.
Câlin, m., small tin fountain which the retailers of coco carry on their backs. Coco is a cooling draught made of liquorice, lemon, and water.
Calino, m. (familiar), ninny; one capable of the most enormous “bulls.”
Calinotade, f., sayings of a calino (which see).
Calinttes, f. (popular), breeches, or “hams,” or “sit-upons.”
Callot, m. (thieves’), scurvy.
Callots, m. pl. (old cant), variety of tramps.
Les callots sont ceux qui sont teigneux véritables ou contrefaits; les uns et les autres truchent tant aux entiffes que dans les vergnes.—Le Jargon de l’Argot.
Calme et inodore (familiar), être ——, to assume a decorous appearance. Soyez ——, behave yourself with decorum; do not be flurried.
Calombe. See Cabande.
Caloquet, m. (thieves’), hat; crown. See Tubard.
Calorgne, adj. (popular), one-eyed, “boss-eyed,” or “seven-sided.”
Calot, m. (thieves’), thimble; walnut shell; eye. Properly large marble. Boiter des calots, to squint. Reluquer des calots, to gaze, “to stag.”
Calot, clothier’s shopman, or “counter-jumper;” over-particular, troublesome customer.
Calotin, m. (familiar), priest; one of the Clerical party.
Calotte, f. (familiar), clergy. Le régiment de la ——, the company of the Jesuits.
Calottée, f. (rodfishers’), worm-box.
Calvigne, or clavigne, f. (thieves’), vine.
Calvin, or clavin, m. (thieves’), grapes.
Calypso, f. (popular), faire sa ——, to show off, to pose.
Cam, f. (thieves’), lampagne de ——, country, or “drum.”
Camarade, m. (popular), de pionce, bed-fellow; (military) regimental hair-dresser. (Familiar) Bon petit —— is said ironically of a colleague who does one an ill turn, or slanders one.
Camarde, f. (thieves’), death. Baiser la ——, to die. See Pipe.
Camarder (thieves’), to die.
Camarluche, m. (popular), comrade, “mate.”
Camaro, m. (popular), comrade, or “mate.”
Camboler (popular), to fall down.
Cambouis, m. (military), army service corps. Properly cart grease.
Cambriau, cambrieux, m. (popular), hat, or “tile.” See Tubard.
Cambriole, f. (thieves’), room, or “crib;” shop, or “swag.”
Cambriole de milord, sumptuous apartment. Rincer une ——, to plunder a room or shop.
Cambrioleur, m. (thieves’), thief who operates in apartments; —— à la flan, thief of that description who operates at random, or on “spec.”
Cambriot, m. (popular), hat, “tile.” See Tubard.
Cambroniser, euphemism for emmerder (which see).
Cambronne! euphemism for a low but energetic expression of refusal or contempt, which is said to have been the response of General Cambronne at Waterloo when called upon to surrender (see Les Misérables, by V. Hugo). Sterne says, in his Sentimental Journey, that “the French have three words which express all that can be desired—‘diable!’ ‘peste!’” The third he has not mentioned, but it seems pretty certain it must be the one spoken of above.
Cambrouse, f. (popular), a tawdrily-dressed servant girl; a semi-professional street-walker, “dolly mop;” (thieves’) country, suburbs.
Cambrouser (servants’), to get engaged as a maid-servant.
Cambrousien, m. (thieves’), peasant, or “joskin.”
Cambrousier, m. (thieves’), country thief.
Cambroux, m. (thieves’), servant; waiter.
Cambuse, f. (popular), house, or “crib;” sailors’ canteen; wine-shop.
Camélia, m., kept woman (La Dame aux Camélias, by A. Dumas fils).
Camelot, m. (popular), tradesman; thief; hawker of any articles.
Le camelot, c’est le Parisien pur sang ... c’est lui qui vend les questions, les jouets nouveaux, les drapeaux aux jours de fête, les immortelles aux jours de deuil, les verres noircis aux jours d’éclipse ... des cartes transparentes sur le boulevard et des images pieuses sur la place du Panthéon.—Richepin, Le Pavé.
Camelote, f. (popular), prostitute of the lowest class, or “draggle-tail;” (thieves’) —— grinchie, stolen property. Etre pris la —— en pogne, or en pied, to be caught, “flagrante delicto,” with the stolen property in one’s possession. Laver la ——, to sell stolen property. Prendre la —— en pogne, to steal from a person’s hand.
Cameloter (popular), to sell; to cheapen; to beg; to tramp.
Camerluche or camarluche, m. (popular), comrade, or “mate.”
Camionner (popular), to conduct; to lead about.
Camisard, m. (military), soldier of the “Bataillon d’Afrique,” a corps composed of liberated military convicts, who, after having undergone their sentence, are not sent back to their respective regiments. They are incorporated in the Bataillon d’Afrique, a regiment doing duty in Algeria or in the colonies, where they complete their term of service; —— en bordée, same meaning.
Camisole, f. (popular), waistcoat, or “benjy.”
Camoufle, f. (thieves’), description of one’s personal appearance; dress; light or candle, “glim.” La —— s’estourbe, the light is going out.
Camouflement, m. (thieves’), disguise.
Camoufler (thieves’), to learn; to adulterate. Se ——, to disguise oneself.
Camouflet, m. (thieves’), candlestick.
Camp, m. (popular), ficher le ——, to decamp. Lever le ——, to strike work. Piquer une romance au ——, to sleep.
Campagne, f. (prostitutes’), aller à la ——, to be imprisoned in Saint-Lazare, a dépôt for prostitutes found by the police without a registration card, or sent there for sanitary motives. (Thieves’) Barboteur de ——, night thief. Garçons de ——, or escarpes, highwaymen or housebreakers who pretend to be pedlars.
Campe, f. (cads’), flight; camping.
Camper (cads’), to flee, “to brush.”
Camperoux. See Cambroux.
Camphre, m. (popular), brandy.
Camphrier, m. (popular), retailer of spirits; one who habitually gets drunk on spirits.
Campi (cads’), expletive. Tant pis ——! so much the worse!
Camplouse, f. (thieves’), country.
Camuse, f. (thieves’), carp; death; flat-nosed.
Can, m. (popular), abbreviation of canon, glass of wine. Prendre un —— sur le comp, to have a glass of wine at the bar.
Canage, m. (popular), death-throes.
Canaillade, f. (popular), offence against the law.
J’ai fait beaucoup de folies dans ma jeunesse; mais au cours d’une existence accidentée et décousue, je n’ai pas à me reprocher une seule canaillade.—Macé.
Canaillon, m. (popular), vieux ——, old curmudgeon.
Canard, m. (familiar), newspaper; clarionet; (tramcar drivers’) horse. (Popular) Bouillon de ——, water. (Thieves’) Canard sans plumes, bull’s pizzle, or rattan used for convicts.
Canarder (popular), to take in, “to bamboozle;” to quiz, “to carry on.”
Canardier, m. (popular), journalist; vendor of newspapers; (journalists’) one who concocts “canards,” or false news; (printers’) newspaper compositor.
Canarie, m. (popular), simpleton, or “flat.”
Canasson, m. (popular), horse, or “gee;” old-fashioned woman’s bonnet. Vieux ——! old fellow! “old cock!”
Cancre, m. (fishermens’), jus de ——, landsman, or “land-lubber.” Cancre, properly poor devil.
Cancrelat, m. (popular), avoir un —— dans la boule, to be crazy. For other kindred expressions, see Avoir. Cancrelat, properly kakerlac, or American cockroach.
Cane, f. (thieves’), death.
Canelle, f. (thieves’), the town of Caen.
Caner (thieves’), la pégrenne, to starve. Caner, properly to shirk danger.
Caneson. See Canasson.
Caneton, m. (familiar), insignificant newspaper. Termed also “feuille de chou.”
Caneur, m. (popular), poltroon, or “cow babe.”
Caniche, m. (popular), general term for a dog. Properly poodle. Termed also “cabgie, cabot.” It also has the signification of spectacles, an allusion to the dog, generally a poodle, which acts as the blind man’s guide. (Thieves’) Caniche, a bale provided with handles, compared to a poodle’s ears.
Canne, f. (police and thieves’), surveillance exercised by the police on the movements of liberated convicts. Also a liberated convict who has a certain town assigned him as a place of residence, and which he is not at liberty to leave. Casser sa ——, to break bounds. Une vieille ——, or une ——, an old offender. (Literary) Canne, dismissal, the “sack.” Offrir une ——, to dismiss from one’s employment, “to give the sack.”
Canon, m. (popular), glass of wine drunk at the bar of a wine-shop. Grand ——, the fifth of a litre of wine, and petit ——, half that quantity. Viens prendre un —— su’ l’ zinc, mon vieux zig, I say, old fellow, come and have a glass at the bar. Se bourrer le ——, to eat to excess, “to scorf.”
Canonner (popular), to drink wine at a wine-shop; to be an habitual tippler.
Canonneur, m. (popular), tippler, a wine bibber.
Canonnier de la pièce humide, m. (military), hospital orderly.
Canonnière, f. (popular), the behind, or “tochas.” See Vasistas. Charger la ——, to eat, “to grub.” Gargousses de la ——, vegetables.
Cant, m. (familiar), show of false virtue. From the English word.
Cantaloup, m. (popular), fool, “duffer,” or “cull.” Properly a kind of melon.
Ah çà! d’où sort-il donc ce cantaloup.—Ricard.
Cantique, m. (freemasons’), bacchanalian song.
Canton, m. (thieves’), prison, or “stir.” For synonyms see Motte. Comte de ——, jailer, “dubsman,” or “jigger-dubber.”
Cantonade, f. (literary), écrire à la ——, to write productions which are not read by the public. From a theatrical expression, Parler à la ——, to speak to an invisible person behind the scenes.
Cantonnier, m. (thieves’), prisoner, one in “quod.”
Canulant, adj. (familiar), tedious, tiresome, “boring.” From canule, a clyster-pipe.
Canularium, m. (Ecole Normale), ordeal which new pupils have to go through, such as passing a mock examination.
Canule, f. (popular), tedious man, bore. Canule, properly speaking, is a clyster-pipe.
Canuler (popular), to annoy, to bore.
Canuleur. See Canule.
Caoutchouc, m. (popular), clown. Properly india-rubber.
Cap, m. (thieves’), chief warder at the hulks. (Familiar) Doubler le ——, to go a roundabout way in order to avoid meeting a creditor, or passing before his door. Doubler le —— des tempêtes, to clear safely the 1st or 15th of the month, when certain payments are due. Doubler le —— du terme, to be able to pay one’s rent when due. Doubler un ——, to be able to pay a note of hand when it falls due.
Capahut, f. (thieves’), voler à la ——, to murder an accomplice so as to get possession of his share of the booty.
Capahuter. See Capahut.
Cape, f. (thieves’), handwriting.
Capet, m. (popular), hat, or “tile.” See Tubard.
Capine, f. (thieves’), inkstand.
Capir (thieves’), to write, or “to screeve.”
Capiston, m. (military), captain; —— bêcheur, an officer who acts as public prosecutor at courts-martial. Termed also “capitaine bêcheur.”
Capitaine (thieves’), stock-jobber; financier; (military) —— bêcheur, see Capiston; —— de la soupe, an officer who has never been under fire.
Capitainer (thieves’), to be a stock-jobber.
Capital, m. (popular), maidenhead. Villon, fifteenth century, terms it “ceincture.”
Capitole, m. (schoolboys’), formerly the black hole.
Capitonnée, adj. (popular), is said of a stout woman.
Capitonner (popular), se ——, to grow stout.
Capitulard, m. (familiar and popular), term of contempt applied during the war of 1870 to those who were in favour of surrender.
Caporal, m., tobacco of French manufacture.
Caporalisme, m. (familiar), pipe-clayism.
Capou, m. (popular), a scribe who writes letters for illiterate persons in return for a fee.
Capoul (familiar), bandeaux à la ——, or des Capouls, hair brushed low on forehead, fringe, or “toffs.” From the name of a celebrated tenor who some twenty years ago was a great favourite of the public, especially of the feminine portion of it.
Caprice, m., appellation given by ladies of the demi-monde to their lovers; —— sérieux, one who keeps a girl.
Capsule, f. (popular), hat with narrow rim; infantry shako. See Tubard.
Captif, m. (popular), abbreviation of ballon captif. Enlever le ——, to kick one in the hind quarters, “to root.”
Capucin, m. (sportsmen’s), hare.
Capucine, f. (familiar and popular), jusqu’à la troisième ——, completely, “awfully.” Etre paf jusqu’à la troisième ——, to be quite drunk, or “ploughed.” See Pompette. S’ennuyer ——, &c., to feel “awfully” dull.
Caquer (popular), to ease oneself. See Mouscailler.
Carabine, f. (popular), sweetheart of a “carabin,” or medical student; (military) whip.
Carabiné, adj. (popular), excessive, violent. Un mal de tête ——, a violent headache. Une plaisanterie carabinée, a spicy joke.
Carabiner (military), les côtes, to thrash. See Voie.
Carabinier, m. (popular), de la Faculté, chemist.
Carafe, f. (cads’), throat, or “gutter lane;” mouth, or “mug.” Fouetter de la ——, to have an offensive breath.
Carambolage, m. (popular), collision; general set-to; coition, or “chivalry.” Properly cannoning at billiards.
Caramboler (popular), to come into collision with anything; to strike two persons at one blow; to thrash a person or several persons. Also corresponds to the Latin futuere. The old poet Villon termed this “chevaulcher,” or “faire le bas mestier,” and Rabelais called it, “faire la bête à deux dos.” Properly “caramboler” signifies to make a cannon at billiards.
Carant, m. (thieves’), board; square piece of wood. A corruption of carré, square.
Carante, f. (thieves’), table.
Carapata, m. (popular), pedestrian; bargee; (cavalry) recruit, or “Johnny raw.”
Carapater (popular), to run, “to brush.” Se ——, to run away, or “to slope.” Literally, courir à pattes. See Patatrot.
Caravane, f. (popular), travelling show, or “slang.” Des caravanes, love adventures. Termed also “cavalcades.”
Carbeluche, m. (thieves’), galicé, silk hat.
Carcagno, or carcagne, m. (thieves’), usurer.
Carcagnotter (thieves’), to be a usurer.
Carcan, m. (popular), worthless horse, or “screw;” opprobrious epithet; gaunt woman; —— à crinoline, street-walker. See Gadoue.
Carcasse, f. (thieves’), états de ——, loins. Carcasse, in popular language, body, or “bacon.” Je vais te désosser la ——, I’ll break every bone in your body.
Carcassier, m. (theatrical), clever playwright.
Carder (popular), to claw one’s face. Properly to card.
Cardinale, f. (thieves’), moon, or “parish lantern.”
Cardinales, f. pl. (popular), menses.
Cardinaliser (familiar), se —— la figure, to blush, or to get flushed through drinking.
Care, f. (thieves’), place of concealment. Vol à la ——, see Careur.
Carême, m. (popular), amoureux de ——, timid or platonic lover. Literally a Lenten lover, one who is afraid of touching flesh.
Carer (thieves’), to conceal, to steal. See Careur. Se ——, to seek shelter.
Careur, or voleur à la care, m. (thieves’), thief who robs a money-changer under pretence of offering old coins for sale, “pincher.”
Carfouiller (popular), to thrust deeply.
Il délibéra ... pour savoir s’il lui carfouillerait le cœur avec son épée ou s’il se bornerait à lui crever les yeux.—Figaro.
Carge (thieves’), pack.
Cargot, m. (military), canteen man.
Carguer (sailors’), ses voiles, to retire from the service. Properly to reef sails.
Caribener, or carer, to steal “à la care.” See Careur.
Caristade, f. (printers’), relief in money; charity.
Carle, m. (thieves’), money, “lour,” or “pieces.”
Carline, f. (thieves’), death.
Carme, m. (popular), large flat loaf; (thieves’) money, “pieces.” See Quibus. On lui a grinchi tout le —— de son morlingue, the contents of his purse have been stolen. Carme à l’estorgue, or à l’estoque, base coin, or “sheen.”
Carmer (thieves’), to pay, “to dub.”
Carnaval, m. (popular), ridiculously dressed person, “guy.”
Carne, f. (popular), worthless horse, or “screw;” opprobrious epithet applied to a woman, strumpet; woman of disreputable character, “bed-fagot,” or “shake.” Etre ——, to be lazy.
Carottage, m. (popular), chouse.
Carotte, f. (military), medical inspection; —— d’épaisseur, great chouse. (Familiar) Tirer une —— de longueur, to concoct a far-fetched story for the purpose of obtaining something from one, as money, leave of absence, &c. (Theatrical) Avoir une —— dans le plomb, to sing out of tune, or with a cracked voice; (popular) to have an offensive breath. Avoir ses carottes cuites, to be dead. (Thieves’) Tirer la ——, to elicit secrets from one, “to pump” one.
Il s’agit de te faire arrêter pour être conduit au dépôt où tu tireras la carotte à un grinche que nous allons emballer ce soir.—Vidocq.
Carotter (familiar), l’existence, to live a wretched, poverty-stricken life; —— à la Bourse, to speculate in a small way at the Stock Exchange; (military) —— le service, to shirk one’s military duties.
Caroublage, m. (thieves’), picking of a lock.
Carouble, f. (thieves’), skeleton key, “betty,” or “twirl.”
Caroubleur, m. (thieves’), thief who uses a picklock, or “screwsman;” —— à la flan, thief of this description who operates at haphazard; —— au fric-frac, housebreaker, “panny-man,” “buster,” or “cracksman.”
Carquois, m. (popular), d’osier, rag-picker’s basket.
Carre, f. (thieves’), du paquelin, the Banque de France. Mettre à la ——, to conceal.
Carré, m. (students’), second-year student in higher mathematics; (thieves’) room, or lodgings, “diggings;” —— des petites gerbes, police court; —— du rebectage, court of cassation, a tribunal which revises cases already tried, and which has power to quash a judgment.
Carreau, m. (popular), de vitre, monocular eyeglass. Aller au ——, see Aller. (Thieves’ and cads’) Carreau, eye, or “glazier;” —— brouillé, squinting eye, or “boss-eye;” —— à la manque, blind eye. Affranchir le ——, to open one’s eye.
Carreaux brouillés, m. pl. (popular), house of ill-fame, or “nanny-shop.” Such establishments which are under the surveillance of the police authorities have whitewashed window-panes and a number of vast dimensions over the street entrance.
Carrée, f. (popular), room, “crib.”
Carrefour, m. (popular), des écrasés, a crossing of the Faubourg Montmartre, a dangerous one on account of the great traffic.
Carrer (popular and thieves’), se ——, to conceal oneself; to run away, “to brush;” —— de la débine, to improve one’s circumstances.
Carreur, m. (thieves’), receiver of stolen goods, “fence.” Termed also “fourgue.”
Cartaude, f. (thieves’), printer’s shop.
Cartaudé (thieves’), printed.
Cartauder (thieves’), to print.
Cartaudier (thieves’), printer.
Carte, f. (popular), femme en ——, street-walker whose name is down in the books of the police as a registered prostitute. Revoir la ——, to vomit, or “to cascade,” “to cast up accounts,” “to shoot the cat.” (Cardsharpers’) Maquiller la ——, to handle cards; to tamper with cards, or “to stock broads.”
Carton, m. (gamesters’), playing-card, or “broad.” Manier, tripoter, graisser, travailler, patiner le ——, to play cards. Maquiller le ——, to handle cards, to tamper with cards, or “to stock broads.”
Cartonnements, m. pl. (literary), manuscripts consigned to oblivion.
Cartonner (gamesters’), to play cards.
Cartonneur, m., one fond of cards.
Cartonnier, m. (popular), clumsy worker; card-player.
Cartouche, f. (military), avaler sa ——, to die, “to lose the number of one’s mess.” Déchirer la ——, to eat. See Mastiquer.
Cartouchière à portées, f., pack of prepared cards which swindlers keep secreted under their waistcoat, “books of briefs.”
Caruche, f. (thieves’), prison, or “stir.” Comte de la ——, jailer, or “dubsman.” See Motte.
Carvel, m. (thieves’), boat. From the Italian caravella.
Cas, m. (popular), montrer son ——, to make an indecent exhibition of one’s person.
Casaquin, m. (popular), human body, or “apple cart.” Avoir quelquechose dans le ——, to be uneasy; ill at ease in body or mind. Tomber, sauter sur le —— à quelqu’un, to give one a beating, “to give one Jessie.” Grimper, tanner, travailler le ——, to belabour, “to tan.” See Voie.
Cascader (familiar), interpolating by an actor of matter not in the play; to lead a fast life.
Cascades, f. pl. (theatrical), fanciful improvisations; (familiar) eccentric proceedings; jokes. Faire des ——, to live a fast life.
Cascadeur (theatrical), actor who interpolates in his part; (familiar) man with no earnestness of purpose, and who consequently cannot be trusted; fast man.
Cascadeuse, f. (familiar), fast girl or woman.
Cascaret, m. (thieves’), two-franc coin.
Case, carrée, or piole, f. (thieves’), room; lodgings, “diggings,” or “hangs out;” (popular) house; any kind of lodgings, “crib.” Le patron de la ——, the head of any establishment, the landlord, the occupier of a house or apartment. (Familiar) N’avoir pas de case judiciaire à son dossier is said of one who has never been convicted of any offence against the law. The “dossier” is a record of a man’s social standing, containing details concerning his age, profession, morality, &c. Every Parisian, high and low, has his “dossier” at the Préfecture de Police.
Casimir, m. (popular), waistcoat, “benjy.”
Casin, m. (familiar), pool at billiards.
Casinette, f. (popular), habituée of the Casino Cadet, a place somewhat similar to the former Argyle Rooms.
Casoar, m., plume of shako, in the slang of the students of the Saint-Cyr military school, the French Sandhurst.
Casque, m. (popular), hat, “tile.” See Tubard. Casque à auvent, cap with a peak; —— à mèche, cotton nightcap. Avoir du ——, to have a spirited, persuasive delivery; to speak with a quack’s coolness and facility. An allusion to Mangin, a celebrated quack in warrior’s attire, with a large helmet and plumes. This man, who was always attended by an assistant who went by the name of Vert-de-gris, made a fortune by selling pencils. Avoir le ——, to have a headache caused by potations; to have a fancy for a man. Avoir son ——, to be completely tipsy. See Pompette.
Casquer (popular), to pay, or “to fork out;” to fall blindly into a snare; to mistake.
Casquette, f. (familiar and popular), money lost at some game at a Café. Une —— à trois ponts, a prostitute’s bully, or “ponce,” thus termed on account of the tall silk cap sported by that worthy. See Poisson. Etre ——, to be intoxicated. See Pompette. (Familiar) Etre ——, to have vulgar manners, to be a boor, “roly-poly.”