Cab, in statutory language, “a hackney carriage drawn by one horse.” Abbreviated from the French CABRIOLET; originally meaning “a light low chaise.” The wags of Paris playing upon the word (quasi cabri au lait) used to call a superior turn-out of the kind a cabri au crême. Our abbreviation, which certainly smacks of slang, has been stamped with the authority of the Legislature, and has been honoured by universal custom.

Cab, to stick together, to muck, or tumble up—Devonshire.

Cabbage, pieces of cloth said to be purloined by tailors. Any small profits in the way of material.

Cabbage, to pilfer or purloin. Termed by Johnson a “cant word,” but adopted by later lexicographers as a respectable term. Said to have been first used in the above sense by Arbuthnot.

Cabbage-Head, a soft-headed person.

Cabby, popular name for the driver of a cab. This title has almost supplanted the more ancient one of jarvey.

Caboose, the galley or cook-house of a ship; a term used by tramps to indicate a kitchen.

Cackle-Tub, a pulpit.

Cackling-Cove, an actor. Also called a MUMMERY-COVE.—Theatrical.

Cad, or CADGER (from which it is shortened), a mean or vulgar fellow; a beggar; one who would rather live on other people than work for himself; a man who tries to worm something out of another, either money or information. Johnson uses the word, and gives huckster as the meaning, in which sense it was originally used. Apparently from CAGER, or GAGER, the old Cant term for a man. The exclusives at the English Universities apply the term CAD to all non-members. It has also been suggested that the word may be a contraction of the French CADET.

Cad, an omnibus conductor. Of late years the term has been generically applied to the objectionable class immortalized by Thackeray under the title of snob. A great deal of caddism is, however, perpetrated by those who profess to have the greatest horror of it—the upper classes—a fact which goes far to prove that it is impossible to fairly ascribe a distinctive feature to any grade of society.

Cadge, to beg in an artful, wheedling manner.—North. In Scotland to CADGE is to wander, to go astray. See under CODGER.

Cadging, begging, generally with an eye to pilfering when an opportunity occurs. To be “on the cadge” is almost synonymous with “on the make.”

Cag, to irritate, affront, anger. Schoolboy slang.

Cage, a minor kind of prison. A country lock-up which contained no offices.

Cagmag, bad food, scraps, odds and ends; or that which no one could relish. Grose give CAGG MAGGS, old and tough Lincolnshire geese, sent to London to feast the poor cockneys. Gael., French, and Welsh, CAC, and MAGN. A correspondent at Trinity College, Dublin, considers this as originally a University slang term for a bad cook, κακὸς μάγειρος. There is also a Latin word used by Pliny, MAGMA, denoting dregs or dross.

Cake, a “flat;” a soft or doughy person, a fool.

Cakey-Pannum-Fencer, or PANNUM-FENCER, a man who sells street pastry.

Calaboose, a prison.—Sea slang, from the Spanish.

Calculate, a word much in use among the inhabitants of the Western States U.S., as “I CALCULATE you are a stranger here.” New Englanders use the word “guess” instead of CALCULATE, while the Virginians prefer to say “reckon.”

Caleb Quotem, a parish clerk; a jack of all trades. From a character in The Wags of Windsor.

California, or Californians, money. Term generally applied to gold only. Derivation very obvious.

Call, a notice of rehearsal, or any other occasion requiring the company’s presence, posted up in a theatre. “We’re CALLED for eleven to-morrow morning.”

Call-a-Go, in street “patter,” is to leave off trying to sell anything and to remove to another spot, to desist. Also to give in, yield, at any game or business. Probably from the “GO” call in cribbage.

Cameronians, The, the Twenty-sixth Regiment of Foot in the British Army.

Camesa, shirt or chemise.—Span. See its abbreviated form, MISH, from the ancient Cant, COMMISSION. Probably re-introduced by the remains of De Lacy Evans’s Spanish Legion on their return. See Somerville’s account of the Span. Leg., for the curious facility with which the lower classes in England adopt foreign words as slang and cant terms. Italian, CAMICIA. This latter is the more likely etymology, as anyone who visits the various quarters where Irish, Italians, and a mongrel mixture of half-a-dozen races congregate and pig together, will admit.

Camister, a preacher, clergyman, or master.

Canary, a sovereign. From the colour. Very old slang indeed.

Canister, the head.—Pugilistic.

Canister-Cap, a hat.

Cannibals, the training boats for the Cambridge freshmen, i.e., “Cannot-pulls.” The term is applied both to boats and rowers.—See SLOGGERS. Torpids is the usual term for the races in which these men and machines figure.

Cannikin, a small can, similar to PANNIKIN. “And let the Cannikin clink.”

Cant, a blow or toss; “a CANT over the kisser,” a blow on the mouth; “a CANT over the buttock,” a throw or toss in wrestling.

Cantab, a student at Cambridge.

Cantankerous, litigious, bad-tempered. An American corruption probably of contentious. A reviewer of an early edition of this book derives it from the Anglo-Norman CONTEK, litigation or strife. Others have suggested “cankerous” as the origin. Bailey has CONTEKE, contention as a Spenserian word, and there is the O.E. CONTEKORS, quarrelsome persons.

Cant of Togs, a gift of clothes.

Canvasseens, sailors’ canvas trousers.

Cap, a false cover to a tossing coin. The term and the instrument are both nearly obsolete. See COVER-DOWN.

Cap, “to set her CAP.” A woman is said to set her CAP at a man when she makes overt love to him.

Cap, to outdo or add to, as in capping jokes.

Cape Cod Turkey, salt fish.

Caper-Merchant, a dancing-master. Sometimes a hop-merchant.

Capers, dancing, frolicking; “to cut CAPER-SAUCE,” i.e., to dance upon nothing—be hanged. Old thieves’ talk.

Capper-Clawing, female encounter, where caps are torn and nails freely used. Sometimes it is pronounced CLAPPER-CLAW. The word occurs in Shakspeare, Troilus and Cressida, act v. sc. 4.

Caravan, a railway train, especially a train expressly chartered to convey people to a prize fight.

Caravansera, a railway station. In pugilistic phraseology a tip for the starting point might have been given thus. “The SCRATCH must be TOED at sharp five, so the CARAVAN will start at four from the CARAVANSERA.”

Carboy, a general term in most parts of the world for a very large glass or earthenware bottle.

Card, a character. “A queer CARD,” i.e., an odd fish.

Cardinal, a lady’s red cloak. A cloak with this name was in fashion in the year 1760. It received its title from its similarity in shape to one of the vestments of a cardinal. Also mulled red wine.

Cardwell’s Men, officers promoted in pursuance of the new system of non-purchase.

Carney, soft hypocritical language. Also, to flatter, wheedle, or insinuate oneself.—Prov.

Carnish, meat, from the Ital. CARNE, flesh; a Lingua Franca importation; CARNISH-KEN, a thieves’ eating-house; “cove of the CARNISH-KEN,” the keeper thereof.—North Country Cant.

Caroon, five shillings. French, COURONNE; Gipsy, COURNA; Spanish, CORONA.

Carpet, “upon the CARPET,” any subject or matter that is uppermost for discussion or conversation. Frequently quoted as sur le tapis, or more generally “on the tapis,” but it does not seem to be at all known in France. Also servants’ slang. When a domestic is summoned by the master or mistress to receive a warning or reprimand, he or she is said to be CARPETED. The corresponding term in commercial establishments is a WIGGING.

Carpet-Knight, an habitué of drawing-rooms, a “ladies’ man.”

Carrier-Pigeon, a swindler, one who formerly used to cheat lottery-office keepers. Now used among betting men to describe one who runs from place to place with “commissions.”

Carriwitchet, a hoaxing, puzzling question, not admitting of a satisfactory answer, as—“How far is it from the first of July to London Bridge?” “If a bushel of apples cost ten shillings, how long will it take for an oyster to eat its way through a barrel of soap?”

Carrot. “Take a CARROT!” a vulgar insulting phrase.

Carry Corn, to bear success well and equally. It is said of a man who breaks down under a sudden access of wealth—as successful horse-racing men and unexpected legatees often do—or who becomes affected and intolerant, that “he doesn’t CARRY CORN well.”

Carry me Out! an exclamation of pretended astonishment on hearing news too good to be true, or a story too marvellous to be believed. Sometimes varied by “Let me die,” i.e., I can’t survive that. Profanely derived from the Nunc dimittis (Luke xi. 29). The Irish say, “CARRY ME OUT, and bury me decently.”

Carry-on, to joke a person to excess, to CARRY ON a “spree” too far; “how we CARRIED ON, to be sure!” i.e., what fun we had. Nautical term—from carrying on sail.

Carts, a pair of shoes. In Norfolk the carapace of a crab is called a crab cart; hence CARTS would be synonymous with CRAB SHELLS, which see.

Cart-wheel, a five-shilling piece. Generally condensed to “WHEEL.”

Ca-sa, a writ of capias ad satisfaciendam.—Legal slang.

Casa, or CASE, a house, respectable or otherwise. Probably from the Italian CASA.—Old Cant. The Dutch use the word KAST in a vulgar sense for a house, i.e., MOTTEKAST, a brothel. Case sometimes means a water-closet, but is in general applied to a “house of accommodation.” Casa is generally pronounced carzey.

Cascade, to vomit.

Case. Some years ago the term CASE was applied generally to persons or things; “what a CASE he is,” i.e., what a curious person; “a rum CASE that,” or “you are a CASE,” both synonymous with the phrase “odd fish,” common half a century ago. This would seem to have been originally a “case” for the police-court; drunkenness, &c. Among young ladies at boarding-schools a CASE means a love-affair. Case now means any unfortunate matter. “I’m afraid it’s a CASE with him.”

Case, a bad crown-piece. Half-a-case, a counterfeit half-crown. There are two sources, either of which may have contributed this slang term. Caser is the Hebrew word for a crown; and silver coin is frequently counterfeited by coating or CASING pewter or iron imitations with silver. Possibly from its being “a CASE” with the unfortunate owner.

Cask, fashionable slang for a brougham, or other private carriage. Not very general. “Pillbox” is the more usual term.

Cassam, cheese—not CAFFAN, which Egan, in his edition of Grose, has ridiculously inserted.—Ancient Cant. Latin, CASEUS. Gael. and Irish, CAISE.

Cast, to assist by lightening labour. Men in small boats who want to be towed behind steamers or sailing vessels, say “Give us a CAST.” Also used by waggoners and others, who sometimes vary the performance by asking, when stuck on a hill, for a pound, possibly a pound of flesh, horse or human.

Cast up Accounts, to vomit.—Old.

Castor, a hat. Mostly used in pugilistic circles. Indeed many hangers-on of the P.R. have considered that the term arose from the custom of casting the hat into the ring, before entering oneself. Castor was the Latin name for the animal now known as the BEAVER; and, strange to add, BEAVER was the slang for CASTOR, or hat, many years ago, before gossamer came into fashion.

Cat, a lady’s muff; “to free a CAT,” i.e., steal a muff.

Cat, to vomit like a cat. Perhaps from CATARACT; but see SHOOT THE CAT.

Cat—CAT O’ NINE TAILS, a whip with that number of lashes used to punish refractory sailors.—Sea. The “cat” is now a recognised term for the punishmental whip.

Catamaran, a disagreeable old woman.—Thackeray.

Cat and Kitten Sneaking, stealing pint and quart pots and small pewter spirit measures from public-houses.

Cataract, once a black satin scarf arranged for the display of jewellery, much in vogue among “commercial gents.” Now quite out of date.

Catchbet, a bet made for the purpose of entrapping the unwary by means of a paltry subterfuge. See CHERRY COLOUR.

Catch-’em-Alive, a humane trap; also a small-tooth comb. A piece of paper smeared with a sweet sticky substance which is spread about where flies most abound, and in this sense not particularly humane. The CATCH-’EM-ALIVE trap for rats and other such animals is humane compared with the gin trap.

Catch-penny, any temporary contrivance to obtain money from the public; penny shows, or cheap exhibitions. Also descriptions of murders which have never taken place.

Catchy (similar formation to touchy), inclined to take an undue advantage.

Caterwauling, applied derisively to inharmonious singing; also love-making, from the noise of cats similarly engaged.

Catever, a queer, or singular affair; anything poor, or very bad. From the Lingua Franca, and Italian, CATTIVO, bad. Variously spelled by the lower orders.—See KERTEVER.

Cat-faced, a vulgar and very common expression of contempt in the North of England.

Catgut-Scraper, a fiddler.

Cat-in-the-Pan, a traitor, a turncoat—derived by some from the Greek, καταπαν, altogether; or—and more likely—from cake in pan, a pan-cake, which is frequently turned from side to side.

Cat-lap, a contemptuous expression for weak drink. Anything a cat will drink is very innocuous.

Cats and Dogs. It is said to rain cats and dogs when a shower is exceptionally heavy. Probably in ridicule of the remarkable showers which used to find their way into the papers during the “silly season.”

Cat’s-meat, a coarse term for the lungs—the “lights” or lungs of animals being usually sold to feed cats.

Cat’s-paw, a dupe or tool. From the old story of the monkey who used the cat’s-paw to remove his roast chestnuts from the fire. A sea term, meaning light and occasional breezes occurring in calm weather.

Cat’s-water, “old Tom,” or gin.

Cattle, a term of contempt applied to the mob, or to a lot of lazy, helpless servants.

Caucus, a private meeting held for the purpose of concerting measures, agreeing upon candidates for office before an election, &c. This is an American term, and a corruption of CAULKER’S MEETING, being derived from an association of the shipping interest at Boston, previous to the War of Independence, who were very active in getting up opposition to England.—See Pickering’s Vocabulary.

Caulk, to take a surreptitious nap; sleep generally, from the ordinary meaning of the term; stopping leaks, repairing damages, so as to come out as good as new.—Sea term.

Caulker, a dram. The term “caulker” is usually applied to a stiff glass of grog—preferably brandy—finishing the potations of the evening. See WHITEWASH.

Caulker, a too marvellous story, a lie. Choker has the same sense.

Caution, anything out of the common way. “He’s a CAUTION,” is said of an obdurate or argumentative man. The phrase is also used in many ways in reference to places and things.

Cavaulting, a vulgar phrase equivalent to “horsing.” The Italian CAVALLINO, signifies a rake or debauchee.—Lingua Franca, CAVOLTA. From this comes the Americanism “cavorting,” running or riding round in a heedless or purposeless manner.

Cave, or CAVE IN, to submit, shut up.—American. Metaphor taken from the sinking of an abandoned mining shaft.

Chaff, to gammon, joke, quiz, or praise ironically. Originally “to queer” represented our modern word “CHAFF.” Chaff-bone, the jaw-bone.—Yorkshire. Chaff, jesting. In Anglo-Saxon, CEAF is chaff; and CEAFL, bill, beak, or jaw. In the Ancren Riwle, A.D. 1221, CEAFLE is used in the sense of idle discourse.

Chaffer, the mouth; “moisten your CHAFFER,” i.e., take something to drink.

Chal, old Romany term for a man; CHIE was the name for a woman.

Chalk out, or CHALK DOWN, to mark out a line of conduct or action; to make a rule or order. Phrase derived from the Workshop.

Chalk up, to credit, make entry in account books of indebtedness; “I can’t pay you now, but you can CHALK IT UP,” i.e., charge me with the article in your day-book. From the old practice of chalking one’s score for drink behind the bar-doors of public-houses.

Chalks, “to walk one’s CHALKS,” to move off, or run away. An ordeal for drunkenness used on board ship, to see whether the suspected person can walk on a chalked line without overstepping it on either side.

Chalks, degrees, marks; so called from being made by a piece of chalk; “to beat by long CHALKS,” i.e., to be superior by many degrees. “Making CHALKS” is a term connected with the punishment of boys on board ship, and in the Naval School at Greenwich. Two chalk lines are drawn wide apart on the deck or floor, and the boy to be punished places a foot on each of these lines, and stoops, thereby presenting a convenient portion of his person to the boatswain or master.

Chance the Ducks, an expression signifying come what may. “I’ll do it, and CHANCE THE DUCKS.”

Chancery, a pugilistic phrase for difficulties; “to get a man’s head into CHANCERY,” i.e., to get an opponent’s head firmly under one’s arm, where it can be pommelled with immense power, and without any possibility of immediate extrication. From the helplessness of a suitor in Chancery. This opportunity was of very rare occurrence when the combatants were at all evenly matched.

Change, small money. The overplus returned after paying for a thing in a round sum. Hence a slang expression used when a person receives a “settler” in the shape of either a repartee or a blow—“Take your CHANGE out of that!”

Chap, a fellow, a boy; “a low CHAP,” a low fellow—abbreviation of CHAPMAN, a huckster. Used by Byron in his Critical Remarks.

Chapel, a printers’ assembly, held for the purpose of discussing differences between employer and workmen, trade regulations, or other matters. The term is scarcely slang, but some “comps” ask its insertion in this work.

Chapel. An undergrad is expected to attend seven out of the fourteen services in chapel each week, and to let four or five be morning chapels. Occasionally a Don—the Dean as a rule—will “CHAPEL” him, that is, order him to attend to worship his Creator twice daily. The Bible clerk “pricks the list,” i.e., marks down the names of all present.—Univ.

Chapel-of-ease. French, CABINET D’AISANCE, a house of office.

Chariot-buzzing, picking pockets in an omnibus.

Charley, a watchman, a beadle. Almost obsolete now.

Charley-pitcher, a low, cheating gambler.

Charlies, a woman’s breasts. Also called dairies and bubbies.

Chats, lice, or body vermin. Prov., any small things of the same kind.

Chatter-basket, common term for a prattling child amongst nurses.

Chatter-box, an incessant talker or chatterer.

Chatty, a filthy person, one whose clothes are not free from vermin; CHATTY DOSS, a lousy bed. A CHATTY DOSSER or a CRUMMY DOSSER is a filthy tramp or houseless wanderer.

Chaunt, to sing the contents of any paper in the streets. Cant, as applied to vulgar language, may have been derived from CHAUNT.

Chaunt, “to CHAUNT the play,” to explain the tricks and manœuvres of thieves.

Chaunter-culls, a singular body of men who used to haunt certain well-known public-houses, and write satirical or libellous ballads on any person, or body of persons, for a consideration. 7s. 6d. was the usual fee, and in three hours the ballad might be heard in St. Paul’s Churchyard, or other public spot. Strange as it may appear, there are actually two men in London at the present day who gain their living in this way. Very recently they were singing before the establishment of a fashionable tailor in Regent Street; and not long since they were bawling their doggrel rhymes outside the mansion of a Norfolk M.P., in Belgravia.[57]

Chaunters, those street sellers of ballads, last copies of verses, and other broadsheets, who sang or bawled the contents of their papers. They often termed themselves PAPER WORKERS. Cheap evening papers and private executions have together combined to improve these folks’ occupations off the face of the earth. See HORSE-CHAUNTERS.

Chaw, to chew; CHAW UP, to get the better of one, finish him up; CHAWED UP, utterly done for.

Chaw-bacon, a rustic. Derived from the popular idea that a countryman lives entirely on bread and fat bacon. A country clown, a joskin, a yokel, a clodcrusher. These terms are all exchangeable.

Chaw over, to repeat one’s words with a view to ridicule.

Cheap, “doing it on the CHEAP,” living economically, or keeping up a showy appearance with very little means.

Cheap Jacks, or JOHNS, oratorical hucksters and patterers of hardware, who put an article up at a high price, and then cheapen it by degrees, indulging all the time in volleys of coarse wit, until it becomes to all appearance a bargain, and as such it is bought by one of the crowd. The popular idea is that the inverse method of auctioneering saves them paying for the auction licence.—See DUTCH AUCTION.

Checks, counters used in games at cards. In the Pacific States of America a man who is dead is said to have handed (or passed) in his checks. The gamblers there are responsible for many of the colloquialisms current.

Chee-Chee, this word is used in a rather offensive manner to denote Eurasians,[58] or children by an English father and native mother. It takes its origin in a very common expression of half-caste females, “Chee-chee,” equivalent to our Oh, fie!—Nonsense!—For shame!—Anglo-Indian.

Cheek, share or portion; “where’s my CHEEK?” where is my allowance? “All to his own CHEEK,” all to himself.

Cheek, impudence, assurance; CHEEKY, saucy or forward.

Cheek, to irritate by impudence, to accuse.

Cheek by Jowl, side by side—said often of persons in such close confabulation that their faces almost touch.

Cheese, anything good, first-rate in quality, genuine, pleasant, or advantageous, is termed the CHEESE. The London Guide, 1818, says it was from some young fellows translating “c’est une autre CHOSE” into “that is another CHEESE.” But the expression CHEESE may be found in the Gipsy vocabulary, and in the Hindostanee and Persian languages. In the last CHIZ means a thing—that is the thing, i.e., the CHEESE.

Cheese, or CHEESE IT (evidently a corruption of cease), leave off, or have done; “CHEESE your barrikin,” hold your noise. Term very common.

Cheesecutter, a prominent and aquiline nose. Also a large square peak to a cap. Caps fitted with square peaks are called cheesecutter caps.

Cheesemongers, once a popular name for the First Lifeguards. Until the Peninsular War the First Lifeguards, from their almost exclusive service at home, were nicknamed CHEESEMONGERS. This term then fell into desuetude; but at Waterloo the commanding officer of the regiment had not forgotten it, and when leading his men to the charge, called out, “Come on, you damned CHEESEMONGERS!” an invitation complied with so readily, that the title was restored, with the difference that it was no longer a word of reproach.

Cheesy, fine or showy. The opposite of “dusty.”

Cherry-bums, or CHERUBIMS, a nickname given to the 11th Hussars, from their crimson trousers.

Cherry-colour, either red or black, as you wish; a term used in a cheating trick at cards. When the cards are being dealt, a knowing one offers to bet that he will tell the colour of the turn-up card. “Done!” says Mr. Green. The sum being named, Mr. Sharp affirms that it will be CHERRY-COLOUR; and as cherries are either black or red, he wins, leaving his victim a wiser man, it is to be hoped, and not a better for the future. It may be as well for the habitually unfortunate to know that wagers of this kind are not recoverable even according to the sporting code, which disacknowledges all kinds of catch-bets.

Cherry-merry, a present of money. Cherry-merry-bamboo, a beating.—Anglo-Indian.

Cherubs, or still more vulgarly, CHERUBIMS, the chorister boys who chaunt in the services at the abbeys and cathedrals. Possibly because in some places their heads alone are visible.

Cheshire Cat, to grin like a CHESHIRE CAT, to display the teeth and gums when laughing. Formerly the phrase was “to grin like a CHESHIRE CAT eating cheese.” A hardly satisfactory explanation has been given of this phrase—that Cheshire is a county palatine, and the cats, when they think of it, are so tickled with the notion that they can’t help grinning.[59]

Chicken, a term applied to anything young, small, or insignificant; CHICKEN STAKES, small paltry stakes; “she’s no CHICKEN,” said of an old maid.

Chicken-hearted, cowardly, fearful. With about the amount of pluck a chicken in a fright might be supposed to possess.

Chi-ike, to hail in a rough though friendly manner; to support by means of vociferation.

Chi-ike, a hail; a good loud word of hearty praise; term used by the costermongers, who assist the sale of each other’s goods by a little friendly, although noisy, commendation.

Children’s Shoes (to make), to be made nought of.—See SHOES.

Chill, to warm, as beer. This at first seems like reversing the order of things, but it is only a contraction of “take the CHILL off.”

Chimney-Sweep, the aperient mixture commonly called a black draught.

Chin-chin, a salutation, a compliment.—Anglo-Chinese.

Chink, or CHINKERS, money.—Ancient. Derivation obvious.

Chin-wag, officious impertinence.

Chip of the Old Block, a child which physically or morally resembles its father. Brother chip, one of the same trade or profession. Originally brother carpenter, now general.

Chips, money; also a nickname for a carpenter.—Sea.

Chirp, to give information, to “peach.”

Chisel, to cheat, to take a slice off anything. Hence the old conundrum: “Why is a carpenter like a swindler?—Because he chisels a deal.”

Chit, a letter; corruption of a Hindoo word.—Anglo-Indian.

Chitterlings, the shirt frills once fashionable and worn still by ancient beaux; properly the entrails of a pig, to which they are supposed to bear some resemblance. Belgian SCHYTERLINGH.

Chivalry, coition. Probably a corruption from the Lingua Franca. Perhaps from CHEVAULCHER.

Chive, or CHIVEY, a shout, a halloo, or cheer; loud tongued. Probably from CHEVY-CHASE, a boy’s game, in which the word CHEVY is bawled aloud. Dickens uses the word CHIVEY in Bleak House rather freely, but there it is from the other phase of CHEVY-CHASE which follows.

Chive, a knife; also used as a verb, to knife. In all these cases the word is pronounced as though written CHIV or CHIVVY.

Chive-Fencer, a street hawker of cutlery.

Chivey, to chase round, or hunt about. Apparently from CHEVY-CHASE.—See above.

Choakee, or CHOKEY, the black hole.—Military Anglo-Indian. Chokey is also very vulgar slang for prison.

Chock-Full, full till the scale comes down with a shock. Originally CHOKE-FULL, and used in reference to theatres and places of amusement.

Choke Off, to get rid of. Bulldogs can only be made to loose their hold by choking them.[60] Suggestively to get rid of a man by saying something to him which “sticks in his gizzard.”

Choker, a cravat, a neckerchief. White-choker, the white neckerchief worn by mutes at a funeral, waiters at a tavern, and gentlemen in evening costume. Clergymen and Exeter Hallites are frequently termed WHITE-CHOKERS.

Choker, or WIND-STOPPER, a garotter.

Chonkeys, a kind of mincemeat, baked in a crust, and sold in the streets.

Choops, a corruption of CHOOPRAHO, keep silence.—Anglo-Indian.

Chootah, small, insignificant.—Anglo-Indian.

Chop, in the Canton jargon of Anglo-Chinese, this word has several significations. It means an official seal, a permit, a boat load of teas. First chop signifies first quality; and CHOP-CHOP, to make haste.

Chop, to exchange, to “swop.” To CHOP and change, to be as variable as the wind.

Chops, properly CHAPS, the mouth, or cheeks; “down in the CHOPS,” or “down in the mouth,” i.e., sad or melancholy.

Chout, an entertainment.—East-end of London.

Chovey, a shop.—Costermonger.

Chow-Chow, a mixture, food of any kind. Also chit-chat and gossip.—Anglo-Chinese.

Chowdar, a fool.—Anglo-Chinese.

Christening, erasing the name of the maker, the number, or any other mark, from a stolen watch, and inserting a fictitious one in its place.

Chubby, round-faced, plump. Probably from the same derivative as CHUB, which means literally a fish with a big head.

Chuck, bread or meat; in fact, anything to eat. Also a particular kind of beefsteak.

Chuck, a schoolboy’s treat.—Westminster School. Provision for an entertainment. Hard CHUCK is sea biscuit.

Chuck, to throw or pitch.

Chuck a Jolly, to bear up or bonnet, as when a costermonger praises the inferior article his mate or partner is trying to sell. See Chi-ike.

Chuck a Stall, to attract a person’s attention while a confederate picks his pockets, or otherwise robs him.

Chuck in, to challenge—from the pugilistic custom of throwing a hat into the ring; a modern version of “throwing down the gauntlet.” This term seems to have gone out of fashion with the custom which gave rise to it.

Chuckle-head, much the same as “buffle head,” “cabbage head,” “chowder head,” “cod’s head,”—all signifying that large abnormal form of skull generally supposed to accompany stupidity and weakness of intellect; as the Scotch proverb, “muckle head and little wit.”—Originally Devonshire, but now general.

Chucks! Schoolboy’s signal on the master’s approach.

Chuck up, to surrender, give in—from the custom of throwing up the sponge at a prize-fight in token of yielding. This is very often corrupted into “jack up.”

Chuff it, i.e., be off, or take it away, in answer to a street seller who is importuning you to purchase. Halliwell mentions CHUFF as a “term of reproach,” surly, &c.

Chull, make haste. An abbreviation of the Hindostanee CHULLO, signifying “go along.” Chull is very commonly used to accelerate the motions of a servant, driver, or palanquin-bearer.

Chum, an intimate acquaintance. A recognised term, but in such frequent use with slangists that it almost demands a place here. Stated to be from the Anglo-Saxon, CUMA, a guest.

Chum, to occupy a joint lodging with another person. Latin, CUM.

Chumming-up, an old custom amongst prisoners before the present regulations were in vogue, and before imprisonment for debt was abolished; when a fresh man was admitted to their number, rough music was made with pokers, tongs, sticks, and saucepans. For this ovation the initiated prisoner had to pay, or “fork over,” half-a-crown—or submit to a loss of coat and waistcoat.

Chummy, a chimney-sweep—probably connected with chimney; also a low-crowned felt hat. Sometimes, but rarely, a sweep is called a clergyman—from his colour.

Chump, the head or face. Also one end of a loin of mutton. A half-idiotic or daft person is said to be off his chump.

Chunk, a thick or dumpy piece of any substance, as a CHUNK of bread or meat.—Kentish.

Church a yack (or watch), to take the works of a watch from its original case, and put them into another one, to avoid detection.—See CHRISTEN.

Churchwarden, a long pipe, “a yard of clay;” probably so called from the dignity which seems to hedge the smoker of a churchwarden, and the responsibility attached to its use. Sometimes called an Alderman.

Cinder, any liquor used in connexion with soda-water, as to “take a soda with a CINDER in it.” The cinder may be sherry, brandy, or any other liquor.

Circumbendibus, a roundabout way, a long-winded story.

Clack-box, a garrulous person, so called from the rattle formerly used by vagrants to make a rattling noise and attract attention.—Norfolk.

⁂ A common proverb in this county is, “your tongue goes like A BAKER’S CLAP-DISH,” which is evidently a modern corruption of the beggars’ CLAP or CLACK-DISH mentioned in Measure for Measure. It was a wooden dish with a movable cover.

Claggum, boiled treacle in a hardened state, hardbake.—See CLIGGY.

Clam, or clem, to starve.—North.

Clap, to place; “do you think you can CLAP your hand on him?” i.e., find him out. Clap is also a well-known form of a contagious disease.

Clapper, the tongue. Said of an over-talkative person, to be hung in the middle and to sound with both ends.

Clap-trap, high-sounding nonsense. An ancient theatrical term for a “TRAP to catch a CLAP by way of applause from the spectators at a play.”—Bailey’s Dictionary.

Claret, blood.—Pugilistic. Otherwise Badminton—which see.

Clashy, a low fellow, a labourer.—Anglo-Indian.

Class, the highest quality or combination of highest qualities among athletes. “He’s not CLASS enough,” i.e., not good enough. “There’s a deal of CLASS about him,” i.e., a deal of quality. The term as used this way obtains to a certain extent among turfites.

Clawhammer coat, an American term for a tail-coat used in evening costume. Also known as a steel-pen coat.

Clean, quite, or entirely; “CLEAN gone,” entirely out of sight, or away.—Old, see Cotgrave and Shakspeare. Clean contrary, quite different, opposite.

Clean out, to ruin, or make bankrupt any one; to take all he has got, by purchase, chicane, or force. De Quincey, in his article on Richard Bentley, speaking of the lawsuit between that great scholar and Dr. Colbatch, remarks that the latter “must have been pretty well CLEANED OUT.” The term is very general.

Click, a knock or blow. Click-handed, left-handed.—Cornish. A term in Cumberland and Westmoreland wrestling for a peculiar kind of throw, as “an inside CLICK,” or “an outside CLICK.”

Click, to snatch, to pull away something that belongs to another.

Clicker, a female touter at a bonnet shop. In Northamptonshire, the cutter out in a shoemaking establishment. In the Dictionary of the Terms, Ancient and Modern, of the Canting Crew, Lond. n. d. (but prior to 1700), the CLICKER is described as “the shoemaker’s journeyman or servant, that cutts out all the work, and stands at or walks before the door, and saies—‘What d’ye lack, sir? what d’ye buy, madam?’” In a printing-office, a man who makes up the pages, and who takes work and receives money for himself and companions.

Clift, to steal.

Cliggy, or CLIDGY, sticky.—Anglo-Saxon, CLÆG, clay.—See CLAGGUM.

Clinch (to get the), to be locked up in jail.

Clincher, that which rivets or confirms an argument, an incontrovertible position. Also a lie which cannot be surpassed, a stopper-up, said to be derived as follows:—Two notorious liars were backed to outlie each other. “I drove a nail through the moon once,” said the first. “Right,” said the other; “I recollect the circumstance well, for I went round to the back part of the moon and clinched it”—hence CLINCHER.

Cling-rig, stealing tankards from public-houses, &c.

Clipper, a fine fast-sailing vessel. Applied also as a term of encomium to a handsome woman.

Clipping, excellent, very good. Clipper, anything showy or first-rate.

Clock, a watch. Watches are also distinguished by the terms “red clock,” a gold watch, and “white clock,” a silver watch. Generally modified into “red’un” and “white’un.”

Clock, “to know what’s O’CLOCK,” to be “up, down, fly and awake,” to know everything about everything—a definition of knowingness in general.—See TIME O’ DAY.

Clod-hopper, a country clown.

Cloud, TO BE UNDER A, to be in difficulties, disgrace or disrepute; in fact, to be in shady circumstances.

Clout, or RAG, a cotton pocket-handkerchief.—Old Cant. Now “clouts” means a woman’s under-clothes, from the waist downwards, i.e., petticoats when they are on the person; but the term is extended to mean the whole unworn wardrobe. Probably St. Giles’s satire, having reference to the fact that few women there possess a second gown.

Clout, an intentional heavy blow.

Clover, happiness, luck, a delightful position—from the supposed extra enjoyment which attends cattle when they suddenly find their quarters changed from a barren field to a meadow of clover. Among betting men he who has arranged his wagerings so satisfactorily before an event that he cannot possibly lose, and may win a good deal, is said to be in clover, a phrase which is sometimes varied by the remark that “he stands on velvet.” Any one who is provided for, so that he can look forward to a term of ease and enjoyment for the rest of his life, is also said to be in clover.

Club, in manœuvring troops, so to blunder in giving the word of command that the soldiers get into a position from which they cannot extricate themselves by ordinary tactical means. Young officers frequently “CLUB” their men, and get consequently “wigged” by the inspecting general.

Clump, to strike, to beat.—Prov.

Cly, a pocket.—Old Cant for to steal. A correspondent derives this word from the Old English, CLEYES, claws; Anglo-Saxon, CLEA. This pronunciation is still retained in Norfolk; thus, to CLY would mean to pounce upon, to snatch.—See FRISK. Gael., CLIAH (pronounced CLEE), a basket.

Cly-faker, a pickpocket.

Coach, a private tutor. Originally University, but now general. Any man who now trains or teaches another, or others, is called a coach. To coach is to instruct as regards either physical or mental acquirements. A private tutor is sometimes termed a RURAL COACH when he is not connected with a college. At Rugby a flogging is termed a “coaching.”

Coach-wheel, or TUSHEROON, a crown-piece, or five shillings.

Coal, money; “post the COAL,” put down the money. The phrase was used by Mr. Buckstone at the Theatrical Fund Dinner of 1863. From this is derived the theatrical term COALING, profitable, very good, which an actor will use if his part is full of good and telling speeches—thus, “my part is full of COALING lines.” This term was used in the sporting world long anterior to Mr. Buckstone’s speech. See COAL.

Coals, “to haul (or pull) over the COALS,” to take to task, to scold. Supposed by Jamieson to refer to the ordeal by fire. To “take one’s coals in,” is a term used by sailors to express their having caught the venereal disease. It means that they have gotten that which will keep them hot for a good many months.

Cobbing, a punishment inflicted by sailors and soldiers among themselves. See Grose and Captain Marryat’s novels. A hand-saw is the general instrument of punishment.

Cock, a familiar term of address; “jolly old COCK,” a jovial fellow, “how are you, old COCK?” Frequently rendered nowadays, COCK-E-E, a vulgar street salutation—probably a corruption of COCK-EYE. The latter is frequently heard as a shout or street cry after a man or boy.

Cock, a smoking term; “COCKING a Broseley,” i.e., smoking a pipe. Broseley in Shropshire is famous for “churchwardens.” A “COCK” is an apocryphal story, generally, of a murder or elopement bawled about the streets by the Seven Dials’ “patterers.”

Cock, a pugilistic term for a man who is knocked out of time. “Knocked him a reg’lar COCK.” Sometimes used to signify knocked out of shape, as, “Knocked him A-COCK,” probably connected with “cocked-hat shape.” A horse who has been backed by the public, but who does not run, or, running, does not persevere.

Cock, “to COCK your eye,” to shut or wink one eye, to make “sheep’s-eyes.”

Cock-a-hoop, in high spirits. Possibly the idea is from the fact that, if a cock wins a fight, he will mount on anything near, and crow lustily and jubilantly. It is noticeable that under these circumstances a cock always gets off the ground-level if he can.

Cockalorum, or COCKYLORUM, amplification of cock or cocky.

Cock and bull story, a long, rambling anecdote.—See Peroration to Tristram Shandy.

Cock-and-hen-club, a free and easy gathering, or “sing-song,” where females are admitted as well as males.

Cock-and-pinch, the old-fashioned beaver hat, affected by “swells” and “sporting gents” forty years ago—COCKED back and front, and PINCHED up at the sides.

Cock-a-wax, an amplification of the simple term COCK, sometimes “Lad of WAX,” originally applied to a cobbler, but now general.

Cocked-hat-club, the principal clique amongst the members of the Society of Antiquaries, who virtually decide whether any person proposed shall be admitted or not. The term comes from the “cocked-hat” placed before the president at the sittings. There was another cocked-hat club in London not many years back, which had nothing peculiar about it beyond the fact that every member wore during club sittings, a “fore-and-aft” cocked-hat. Otherwise the proceedings were of the most ordinary kind.

Cocked-hat-shaped, shapeless: Anything which has been altered beyond recognition, or any man who has been put completely hors de combat, is said to have been knocked into a COCKED-HAT.

Cocker, “It is all right, according to Cocker,” meaning that everything has been done in accordance with the present system of figures. The phrase refers to the celebrated writing-master of Charles II.’s time, whose Arithmetic, Dictionary, &c., were long the standard authorities. The Arithmetic was first published in 1677-8, and, though it reached more than sixty editions, is considered a very scarce book. Professor de Morgan says that the main goodness of Cocker’s Tutor consists in his adopting the abbreviated system of division; and suggests that it became a proverbial representative of arithmetic from Murphy’s farce of The Apprentice, 1756, in which the strong point of the old merchant, Wingate, is his extreme reverence for Cocker and his arithmetic. A curious fact may here be mentioned in connexion with this saying. It has been stated, and very well proved, that many words popular in Shakspeare’s time, and now obsolete in this country, are still in every-day use in the older English settlements of North America. The original compiler of this work was surprised, when travelling through Western Canada, to find that, instead of the renowned Cocker, the people appealed to another and more learned authority. “According to Gunter,” is a phrase in continual Transatlantic use. This scientific worthy invented the sector in 1606; and in 1623, about the time of the great Puritan exodus to North America, he brought out his famous Rule of Proportion. This was popularly known as Gunter’s Proportion, or Gunter’s Line, and the term soon became a vulgar standard of appeal in cases of doubt or dispute.

Cock-eye, a term of opprobrium often applied to one that squints.

Cockles, “to rejoice the COCKLES of one’s heart,” a vulgar phrase implying great pleasure. Also, to “warm one’s COCKLES,” said of any hot, well-spiced drink, taken in cold weather. Cockles altogether seem to be an imaginary portion—of great importance—in the internal economy of the human frame.

Cockney, a native of London. Originally, a spoilt or effeminate boy, derived from COCKERING, or foolishly petting a person, rendering him of soft and luxurious manners. Halliwell states, in his admirable essay upon the word, that “some writers trace the word with much probability to the imaginary land of COCKAYGNE, the lubber land of the olden times.” Grose gives Minsheu’s absurd but comical derivation:—A citizen of London being in the country, and hearing a horse neigh, exclaimed, “Lord! how that horse laughs!” A bystander informed him that the noise was called neighing. The next morning when the cock crowed, the citizen, to show that he had not forgotten what was told him, cried out, “Do you hear how the COCK NEIGHS?”—See MARE’S NEST.

Cock of the walk, a master spirit, head of a party. Places where poultry are fed are called WALKS, and the barn door cocks invariably fight for the supremacy till one has obtained it. At schools where this phrase was originally much used, it has been diminished to “COCK” only.

Cock one’s toes, to die. Otherwise “turn-up one’s toes.”

Cock-robin shop, a small printing-office, where cheap and nasty work is done and low wages are paid.

Cocks, fictitious narratives, in verse or prose, of murders, fires, and terrible accidents, sold in the streets as true accounts. The man who hawks them, a patterer, often changes the scene of the awful event to suit the taste of the neighbourhood he is trying to delude. Possibly a corruption of cook, a cooked statement, or maybe “the story of a cock and a bull” may have had something to do with the term. Improvements in newspapers, especially in those published in the evening, and increased scepticism on the part of the public, have destroyed this branch of a once-flourishing business.

Cockshy, a game at fairs and races, where trinkets are set upon sticks, and for one penny three throws at them are accorded, the thrower keeping whatever he knocks off. From the ancient game of throwing or “shying” at live cocks. Any prominent person abused in the newspapers is said to be a common COCKSHY.

Cocksure, certain.

Cocky, pert, saucy.

Cocoa-nut, the head. A pugilistic term. Also, when anything is explained to a man for the first time, it is not unusual for him to say, “Ah, that accounts for the milk in the cocoa-nut”—a remark which has its origin in a clever but not very moral story.

Cocum, shrewdness, ability, luck; “Jack’s got COCUM, he’s safe to get on, he is,”—viz., he starts under favourable circumstances; “to fight COCUM” is to be wily and cautious. Allied perhaps to the Scottish KEEK, German, GUCKEN, to peep or pry into.

Cod, to hoax, to take a “rise” out of one. Used as a noun, a fool.

Coddam, a public-house game, much affected by medical students and cabmen, generally three on each side. The game is “simplicity itself,” but requires a great amount of low cunning and peculiar mental ingenuity. It consists in guessing in which of the six hands displayed on the table, a small piece of marked money lies hid. If the guesser “brings it home,” his side takes the “piece,” and the centre man “works” it. If the guess is wrong, a chalk is taken to the holders, who again secrete the coin. Great fun is to be obtained from this game when it is properly played.

Codds, the “poor brethren” of the Charter House. In The Newcomes, Thackeray writes, “The Cistercian lads call these old gentlemen CODDS; I know not wherefore.” A probable abbreviation of CODGER.

Codger, or COGER, an old man; “a rum old CODGER,” a curious old fellow. Codger is sometimes used as synonymous with CADGER, and then signifies a person who gets his living in a questionable manner. “Cogers,” the name of a debating society, formerly held in Shoe Lane, Fleet Street, and still in existence. The term is probably a corruption of COGITATORS.

Coffee-Shop, a watercloset, or house of office.

Cog, to cheat at dice.—Shakspeare. Also, to agree with, as one cog-wheel does with another, to crib from another’s book, as schoolboys often do. This is called “cogging over.”

Cogged, loaded like false dice. Any one who has been hocussed or cheated is sometimes said to have been COGGED.

Coin, “to post the COIN”—sometimes “post the coal”—a sporting phrase meaning to make a deposit of money for a match of any kind.

Cold blood, a house licensed for the sale of beer “NOT to be drunk on the premises.”

Cold coffee, misfortune; sometimes varied to COLD GRUEL. An unpleasant return for a proffered kindness is sometimes called COLD COFFEE.—Sea.

Cold coffee, an Oxford synonym for a “sell,” which see.